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"Merciful to Me"
There is a treatment update at the end of this message. CHIP STAM STEM CELL DRIVE: BE THE MATCH www.carlstam.org/stemcelldrive ===================================== FREE LEAD SHEET and demo recording for "Merciful to Me" by David Ward: www.reformedpraise.org/songs/updatedhymns/merciful_to_me ===================================== How do we posture ourselves before God in Christian worship? Do we come to Him as self-confident, righteous, somehow deserving of His grace and mercy? No! Somewhere in our experience of remembering and treasuring the gospel in both private and corporate worship, we must understand and embrace the prayer of the Tax Collector in Luke 18: "Lord, have mercy on me, the sinner." This is nothing new; from the earliest days of the church, believers have voiced this cry for mercy: "Kyrie, eleison; Christe, eleison; Kyrie, eleison." (LORD, have mercy; Christ, have mercy; Lord, have mercy.") Countless prayers and hymns through the centuries have helped believers to articulate a heart attitude of repentance and dependence on the mercy of God. Today's WORSHIP QUOTE is an old hymn text in a new folk setting by the musicians of ReformedPraise.org. This is actually the title song of a new collection of hymns and songs about the precious gospel, MERCIFUL TO ME. I encourage you to go to www.reformedpraise.org/songs/updatedhymns/merciful_to_me for a free lead sheet and to take a listen to the demo recording. MERCIFUL TO ME With broken heart and contrite sigh, A trembling sinner, Lord, I cry; Your pardoning grace is rich and free; O God! be merciful to me. I beat upon my troubled breast, With deep and conscious guilt oppressed: Christ and His Cross my only plea; O God! be merciful to me. Chorus: And when, redeemed from sin and hell, With all the ransomed saints I dwell, My raptured song will ever be, God has been merciful to me. Far off I stand with tear-stained eyes, I dare not lift them to the skies; My deepest anguish You can see; O God! be merciful to me. No pious deeds or things I own, Can for a single sin atone; To Calvary alone I flee; O God! be merciful to me. — Original text by Cornelius Elven (1791-1873); Music and adapted text by David Ward, www.ReformedPraise.org. A free lead sheet and demo recording are available at www.reformedpraise.org/songs/updatedhymns/merciful_to_me. Please take advantage of this resource and the other hymns and songs on the new recording, MERCIFUL TO ME (www.reformedpraise.org/store/albums/merciful-to-me). We use a number of these wwww.reformedpraise.org hymns in our worship services. Highly recommended. Blessings to all! Chip Stam Director, Institute for Christian Worship School of Church Ministries The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary Louisville, Kentucky www.wqotw.org www.sbts.edu/icw ========================= TOPICAL INDEX FOR FORTY-THREE GETTY/TOWNEND HYMNS http://www.gettymusic.com/topicalindex.pdf ========================= ==================== THE PLACE OF THE CHOIR IN WORSHIP: PART 1 (Ed Willmington): http://www.wqotw.org/quote.php?date=2010-01-05 THE PLACE OF THE CHOIR IN WORSHIP: PART 2 (Carl Stam): http://www.wqotw.org/quote.php?date=2010-01-12 THE PLACE OF THE CHOIR IN WORSHIP: PART 3 (Donald Hustad): http://www.wqotw.org/quote.php?date=2010-01-19 THE PLACE OF THE CHOIR IN WORSHIP: PART 4 (Ron Man): http://www.wqotw.org/quote.php?date=2010-01-26 ==================== ===================================== HEALTH UPDATE & PRAYER REQUEST FOR CHIP STAM, CANCER PATIENT www.carlstam.org/stemcelldrive www.caringbridge.org/visit/carlstam ===================================== October 5 Treatment Update Dear friends and family, Thanks again for loving us and praying for us during this long cancer journey. Longer journal entries and new pictures are found at www.caringbridge.org/visit/carlstam. HOME AGAIN I went into the hospital on Tuesday, September 14, and the doctor talked about keeping me there for two weeks in order to administer the twice-a-day treatments of FOSCARNET (to fight the CMV virus). Well, after about a week, they realized that they were actually going to run out of the FOSCARNET (a nationwide back order that may not be resolved until November). We were delighted that they sent me home on Saturday, September 25, at dinnertime, the same day my mom arrived for a five-day visit. What a blessing that was for all of us! (See photo of me with Mom, Doris, and Clara.) GRAFT VS. HOST The daily concern about Graft vs. Host Disease continues. Every single day, including Saturdays and Sundays, I go to the Cancer Clinic for a full routine of blood tests and necessary treatments (additives). Everyday I get an infusion of CASPOFUNGIN ACETATE—ANTI-FUNGAL. As they look at the blood tests, they respond by giving me platelets, a bag of blood, or a growth factor shot—all depending on the levels that are discovered from the morning's tests. In the last week, I have had a pretty serious bladder infection, something that is both painful and inconvenient; and the treatment is no picnic. We are concerned that the CMV numbers have started to creep upwards as I have been further away from the FOSCARNET treatments in the hospital. There is another regimen of medication that is being used now to combat the CMV, but the results don't seem to be as immediate or effective. That is something specific for your prayers for my care, that the Lord would be gracious to protect me from high CMV levels and the problems associated with that. There were a couple of days where the GvH rash was an issue, but that seems to be under control (high-dose steroids, now being reduced). My pillbox is adjusted nearly every day. The medical professionals are really watching me closely. For this we are very thankful to the LORD. BIBLE TRUTH IN TIMES OF SPECIAL NEED All Scripture is God-breathed and useful in the life of the believer. (Remember 2 Timothy 3:14-17.) As we face serious medical challenges (even death staring us in the face), as we see a new child being miraculously born into a family, as someone moving towards the joy of marriage, or even the successful abiding in Christ in a wonderful way that brings growth and fruit of ministry—through all these things we see that God's Word is true. It does not get more true or more inspired. However, I have experienced what many of you may have noticed. As our need is intense, the truth of the Bible often gathers meaning for us. Like holding a prism in the light, twisting it slightly, and seeing how there are even more glimmers of light that I had first noticed. Psalms that I have read or sung literally hundreds of times are "new and powerful" in my life because of the place where the LORD has put me for this cancer sojourn. Tears of confidence and joy come easily. God is so good. His Word is sweet. CANCER CARE Please keep praying fervently for Doris, our family, my caregivers, and me; and don't forget to care for the cancer patients in your families, churches, neighborhoods, and places of employment. Pray that our stem cell drive will provide many, many cancer patients with life-saving options for treatment. Just several weeks ago we heard that one of our stem cell drive team (a former student) was called back for the next round of screening. He may well be in line to save a life. Pretty exciting! God can do this. We have met and surpassed our fund-raising goal ($51,000), and we have met our goal of 1,800 new DNA samples. If you would like to swab your cheek and participate, it is not too late. Trusting in the Master, Chip Stam www.caringbridge.org/visit/carlstam |