LEANING ON THE EVERLASTING ARMS

It is always amazing to me how the Lord takes a person who has little or no training and uses them to create music which ministers to the hearts of many for many decades. Such is the case with Elisha Hoffman who penned over two thousand compositions and edited over fifty hymnals during his lifetime. I plan to feature more of his great hymns in the months ahead. He is said to have been a natural musician and all the musical knowledge he had was gained by personal application. Mr. Hoffman's first impressions of music came from hearing the voice of sacred song in his home.It is said that his parents both had "sweet voices" and sang well. It was their custom, in the hour of family worship, both morning and evening, to sing one or two hymns. At an early age, the children became familiar with these hymns and learned to love them and to feel their power. Their lives were marvelously influenced by this little service of song in the home and a taste for sacred music was created and developed. It is sad that this custom seldom continues to day in our homes. My family sang continually especially while we were traveling in the car. I've retained so many great hymns because of this experience. Actually the little bit of background that I could find about this week's hymn choice indicates that Anthony Showalter actually wrote the chorus. With the need to comfort two separate friends whose wives, or perhaps close friends, had died, he sent his lyrics to Hoffman who then penned the verses. And these words continue tg be a comfort to many today as we learn that leaning on the everlasting arms keeps us safe, provides real joy and peace, and allows us to face the future without dread or fear. A place of safety and security - the everlasting arms.

(1) What a fellowship, what a joy divine,

Leaning on the everlasting arms;

What a blessedness, what a peace is mine,

Leaning on the everlasting arms.

Leaning, leaning, safe and secure from all alarms;

Leaning, leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms.

(2) Oh, how sweet to walk in this pilgrim way,

Leaning on the everlasting arms;

Oh, how bright the path grows from day to day,

Leaning on the everlasting arms.

Leaning, leaning, safe and secure from all alarms;

Leaning, leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms.

(3) What have I to dread, what have I to fear,

Leaning on the everlasting arms?

I have blessed peace with my Lord so near,

Leaning on the everlasting arms.

Leaning, leaning, safe and secure from all alarms;

Leaning, leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms.

Listen it here. LISTEN

ALL THAT THRILLS MY SOUL IS JESUS

Most of us have experienced the thrill of a walk-off home run, a game winning touchdown, a stirring musical performance, the winning of an award, the birth of a child, becoming engaged, getting a raise or a new job, the completion of a challenging task or something similar. These events can be so exciting. One of my greatest thrills in life was meeting President Ronald Reagan. But, hopefully all of these events and experiences pale in the light of the thrill of knowing Jesus Christ, having Him change your life, and experiencing His daily presence and leading in your life. For the awards which we win, the achievements we earn, the possessions we gather, the momentary highs we experience, will all pass away. As the scriptures tell us, things here will rust and be stolen, so we are to lay up our treasures in heaven. Thoro Harris, a prolific hymn writer and organist, must have known this truth in the early 1900's when he penned this great hymn of testimony. It has been going through my mind this week because my wife chose it to play as an offertory today and I had to prepare a Power Point presentation of the words. Unfortunately, her rendition only includes two verses and each of the verses of this hymn are in themselves powerful testimonies. I hope that this hymn is your testimony - that while many exciting things happen to us here on this earth, all that really thrills our soul is Jesus and the reality of His daily presence.

(1) Who can cheer the heart like Jesus,

By His presence all divine?

True and tender, pure and precious,

O how blest to call Him mine!

All that thrills my soul is Jesus,

He is more than life to me;

And the fairest of ten thousand

in my blessed Lord I see.

(2) Love of Christ so freely given,

Grace of God beyond degree,

Mercy higher than the heaven,

Deeper than the deepest sea!

All that thrills my soul is Jesus,

He is more than life to me;

And the fairest of ten thousand

in my blessed Lord I see.

(3) What a wonderful redemption!

Never can a mortal know

How my sin, tho red like crimson,

Can be whiter than the snow.

All that thrills my soul is Jesus,

He is more than life to me;

And the fairest of ten thousand

in my blessed Lord I see.

(4) Every need His hand supplying,

Every good in Him I see;

On His strength divine relying,

He is all in all to me.

All that thrills my soul is Jesus,

He is more than life to me;

And the fairest of ten thousand

in my blessed Lord I see.

(5) By the crystal flowing river,

With the ransomed I will sing,

And forever and forever,

Praise and glorify the King.

All that thrills my soul is Jesus,

He is more than life to me;

And the fairest of ten thousand

in my blessed Lord I see.

Listen to this hymn here. LISTEN

I NEED THEE EVERY HOUR

How was your week? Was it filled with the normal challenges of life with a few new ones thrown in for good measure? We all have weeks like that when our strength just isn't enough to get us through. It's then that we realize how much we need the Lord – every day, every hour, every minute. And somehow I think that the older we get the more dependent we become on His strength, wisdom and presence. (At least I do!) As I thought about this throughout the week I was drawn to this week's hymn choice. I remember singing it so often while I was growing up. Actually, the author of this hymn, Annie S. Hawkes, shared some of the details behind her writing of this in 1872. "I remember well the morning . . . when in the midst of the daily cares of my home . . . I was so filled with the sense of nearness to the Master that, wondering how one could live without Him either in joy or pain, into my mind, the thought at once taking full possession of me . . . For myself the hymn was prophetic rather than expressive of my own experience at the time it was written, and I do not understand why it so touched the great throbbing heart of humanity." She gave the simple poem to her pastor Dr. Robert Lowry. As he read and re-read it he realized that Anne had produced her finest work of poetry. He sat at his organ and composed the tune and then added a chorus to complete the work. Sixteen years later, Mrs. Hawks experienced the death of her husband. Years after, she wrote: "It was not until long after, when the shadow fell over my way, the shadow of a great loss, that I understood something of the comforting power in the words which I had been permitted to give out to others in my hour of sweet serenity and peace." Maybe this week this hymn will also be a comfort to you as you recognize your need of the Lord in your daily life and you experience his presence, every hour, as you face the daily challenges of life.

(1) I need thee every hour, most gracious Lord;

no tender voice like thine can peace afford.

I need thee, O I need thee;

every hour I need thee;

O bless me now, my Savior, I come to thee.

(2) I need thee every hour; stay thou nearby;

temptations lose their power when thou art nigh.

I need thee, O I need thee;

every hour I need thee;

O bless me now, my Savior, I come to thee.

(3) I need thee every hour, in joy or pain;

come quickly and abide, or life is vain.

I need thee, O I need thee;

every hour I need thee;

O bless me now, my Savior, I come to thee.

(4) I need thee every hour; teach me thy will;

and thy rich promises in me fulfill.

I need thee, O I need thee;

every hour I need thee;

O bless me now, my Savior, I come to thee.

(5) I need thee every hour, most Holy One;

O make me thine indeed, thou blessed Son.

I need thee, O I need thee;

every hour I need thee;

O bless me now, my Savior, I come to thee.

Listen to it here. LISTEN

THERE IS A FOUNTAIN FILLED WITH BLOOD

William Cowper (1731 - 1800) studied to become an attorney but he never actually practiced law. He struggled from manic depression and often felt that he was doomed to eternal damnation and hell. He made several attempts at drinking poison only to have spasms in his hand which prevented him from doing so. He then tried to hang himself with a strong garter. He passed out and then the garter broke while he was still suspended. He struggled with knowing that God could forgive him for this attempt. Then his life was changed. Today's hymn was the first hymn William wrote after his recovery. It is evident that the Lord worked in him and gave him the assurance of forgiveness. There are many interesting stories told about the impact of this great hymn. One has to do with a large religious service conducted at the Golden Gate Exposition in San Francisco. The gifted speaker began to direct most of his eloquence against the power of the blood of Christ. When he was done, an elderly lady stood up in the midst of the crowd and softly began to sing this hymn as a touching rebuttle to the speaker's remarks. A hush fell over the audience as they listened. But before she could begin the second verse, about one hundred people rose to join her. By the time they reached the third verse, nearly a thousand were singing along. The triumphant, thrilling strains rang out: "Dear dying Lamb, Thy precious blood shall never lose its power, 'til all the ransomed church of God be saved to sin no more." The message, written by one cured by the Lord from deep depression, still rings out today in the hearts of those who've experienced the power of the blood of Christ.

(1) There is a fountain filled with blood

drawn from Emmanuel's veins;

and sinners plunged beneath that flood

lose all their guilty stains.

Lose all their guilty stains,

lose all their guilty stains;

and sinners plunged beneath that flood

lose all their guilty stains.

(2) The dying thief rejoiced to see

that fountain in his day;

and there may I, though vile as he,

wash all my sins away.

Wash all my sins away,

wash all my sins away;

and there may I, though vile as he,

wash all my sins away.

(3) Dear dying Lamb, thy precious blood

shall never lose its power

till all the ransomed church of God

be saved, to sin no more.

Be saved, to sin no more,

be saved, to sin no more;

till all the ransomed church of God

be saved, to sin no more.

(4) E'er since, by faith, I saw the stream

thy flowing wounds supply,

redeeming love has been my theme,

and shall be till I die.

And shall be till I die,

and shall be till I die;

redeeming love has been my theme,

and shall be till I die.

(5) Then in a nobler, sweeter song,

I'll sing thy power to save,

when this poor lisping, stammering tongue

lies silent in the grave.

Lies silent in the grave,

lies silent in the grave;

when this poor lisping, stammering tongue

lies silent in the grave.

Listen to it here. LISTEN