HOW LONG HAS IT BEEN?

          It is a very special privilege in life to have a friend here on earth with whom you can share your joys, your problems, your hopes and your experiences.  And if you have such a close friend you want to spend time with that person as often as you can.  And even if you are separated by many miles you find ways to share through visits, cards and letters, the internet, social media and especially the telephone.  If it is a good friend you don't let too much time pass between contacts.  Now if you've experienced such a relationship with an earthly friend, the question then  is why don't we seem to carry these same priorities over to our relationship with the Lord.  He is the one who really loves us and cares for us. He has promised to never leave us or forsake us.  He has promised to guide us and provide for us.  What more could we want?  What a friend we have in Jesus. And yet, sadly, even though He is always with us, we often allow so much time to pass before actually spending any time with Him.  We let our burdens pile up.  Sometimes we have sleepless nights filled with worry and anxiety.  Sometimes there are difficult decisions to be made and we wrestle with them.  And often we just forget about His presence until we have exhausted all of our energy and don't know what else to do.  Then we go to Him.  And how often do we ever take time to thank Him and praise Him for His provision and presence? If we treated our earthly friends like that they might give up on us. Now the story is told that one wintry night in 1956, simple childhood prayers such as "Now I lay me down to sleep" began to fill the mind of song writer Mosie Lister. "How long has it been since some people have talked to the Lord?"  He asked himself.  "Some of us prayed in younger years, but have gotten away from that childhood faith."  He then picked up a pencil and paper and phrases began to flow nearly as fast as he could write them down.  And a tune came with them.  In about fifteen minutes this week's song choice was written.  Hopefully, if your friendship with the Lord has grown cold, the words will stir you to renew that friendship and spend your time with a "friend who stickest closer than a brother".  Talk to Him and tell Him your heart's hidden secrets.  And know that He is always there and ready to answer your prayers.  Know that you can call Him your Friend, for He cares for you.

How long has it been

Since you talked with the Lord,

And told Him your heart's hidden secrets.

How long since you prayed?

How long since you stayed on your knees

Till the light shone through?

How long has it been

Since your mind felt at ease

How long since your heart knew no burden?

Can you call Him your friend?

How long has it been

Since you knew that He cared for you?

How long has it been

Since you knelt by your bed

And prayed to the Lord up in heaven?

How long since you knew

That He'd answer you,

And would keep you the long night through?

How long has it been

Since you woke with the dawn,

And felt the day's worth the living?

Can you call Him your friend?

How long has it been

Since you knew that He cared for you?

When I was a college student, two of my close friends and I used to enjoy singing this song.  That brought back many good memories when I found this video of the Booth Brothers singing this song.  Listen to it here.   LISTEN

WE SHALL SEE HIS LOVELY FACE

        While my freshman year at college was many, many years ago, I still have some vivid memories of being away from home for extended periods for the first time in my life.  I remember some of the homesickness which I encountered and I remember the anticipation of visits from my parents on Friday nights.  I would wait for them with great anticipation and concern until I finally saw their faces.  And what a relief that was.  And I can recall many other experiences, especially times of waiting to see the face of my fiance/wife.  What joy there was in my heart when I finally saw her face.  And that same anticipation is something we should experience when we think of finally seeing our Savior face to face.  The blind hymn writer, Fanny Crosby, often shared this expectation in her hymns, such as in "Face to Face shall I Behold Him".  And this is the very same thought that motivated Norman Clayton (1903-1992) to pen the words of this week's hymn choice.  He wrote, "We shall see His lovely face some bright golden morning ... Sorrow will be turned to joy, heartaches gone forever; no more night, only light, when we see His face."  He continues, "God shall wipe away all tears some bright golden morning, no more crying, pain or death in that home of gladness, trials cease, all is peace, when we see His face." And he concludes, "Songs of vict'ry fill the skies in that hour of greeting, endless days, endless praise, when we see His face."  The experience of finally seeing the face of a loved one can be a very special event, but it pales in the promise of what will happen when we finally see the face of our Lord.  Now I have featured Clayton's songs before in this blog, but it might be helpful to once again share a little about him.  Norman Clayton was born in Brooklyn, New York, the ninth of ten children. He was converted at the age of six in the South Brooklyn Gospel Church, where his mother had been a charter member. He was church organist by the age of 12 and he kept that position for the rest of his life.  His profession was in the building industry, but he also created his own publishing house, Gospel Songs, which was later absorbed into the Rodeheaver Company.  During that time he authored many well known songs.  It is said that his usual practice was to write the music first before writing the words. In order to create songs worthy of His Lord, Clayton made it his practice to memorize scripture, so his songs would have a strong Biblical basis.  In 1992, at the age of 92, Clayton finally experienced personally the thrill of what he had written when he passed into eternity and saw His Lord face to face.  May we live daily in the anticipation that this could be the day that we also experience that awesome event.  What a day that will be!

(1)     We shall see His lovely face some bright golden morning,

When the clouds have rifted and the shades have flown;

Sorrow will be turned to joy, heartaches gone forever;

No more night, only light, when we see His face.

(2)     God shall wipe away all tears some bright golden morning,

When the journey's ended, and the course is run;

No more crying, pain or death in that home of gladness,

Trials cease, all is peace, when we see His face.

(3)     We shall meet to part no more, some bright golden morning,

At the gates of glory where our loved ones stand;

Songs of vict'ry fill the skies in that hour of greeting,

Endless days, endless praise, when we see His face.

I had real difficulty finding a video presentation of this Gospel song, but I did find a beautiful recording of it done by the White Sisters who were one of my favorite singing groups early in my life.  You can listen to them here.   LISTEN

LORD SPEAK TO ME

         I was so blest to have a grandfather and a father who were godly men.  I learned so much from their wisdom and example.  But they are now home with the Lord.  And so often I wish that I could talk to them once again and be taught by them.  But I can't.  However, I have a heavenly father who is all knowing, all powerful and always present.  And He knows my needs and cares about them.  And while He will never speak to me verbally as my earthly father did, His Holy Word and His Holy Spirit do lead me daily.  And He gives me the strength to serve Him and carry out his plan for me here on earth.  And while this week's hymn choice is a prayer for His leading, it does remind us of the many needs that we have that He will meet.  We need His leading, His feeding, His strength, His teaching, His rest, His filling, His guidance and His blessing upon what we do and say.  And it should be our prayer to be used by Him where and how He wants us to be used. We are made to be reflectors of God and His truth. All around us are those in deep spiritual need. What can we do for them? Nothing, on our own. They need a touch from God. They need Him, and we can have a part in bringing them together. We can be His reflectors. or as it says in the first verse, His "living echoes." As Jesus said to His followers,"Freely you have received, freely give" (Matt. 10:8). And later Paul was able to say, "I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you" (I Cor. 11:23). We can only pass on what we have received. In 1872, Frances Ridley Havergal wrote a hymn-poem she entitled, "A Worker's Prayer." Today we know it by the opening words, "Lord, Speak to Me."  It is a prayer that believers should pray daily. If we are to lead others, it must be as God leads us. If we are to feed them with spiritual manna, it must come from Him.  Daily we need to open the Word of God first for ourselves, in order to hear His voice, praying, "Lord, speak to me that I may speak."  And not with a verbal voice or even a vision, but through His written word and the Holy Spirit. Have you spent time alone with Him and His Word today?

(1)     Lord, speak to me that I may speak

In living echoes of Thy tone;

As Thou has sought, so let me seek

Thine erring children lost and lone.

(2)     O lead me, Lord, that I may lead

The wandering and the wavering feet;

O feed me, Lord, that I may feed

Thy hungering ones with manna sweet.

(3)    O strengthen me, that while I stand

Firm on the rock, and strong in Thee,

I may stretch out a loving hand

To wrestlers with the troubled sea.

(4)     O teach me, Lord, that I may teach

The precious things Thou dost impart;

And wing my words, that they may reach

The hidden depths of many a heart.

(5)     O give Thine own sweet rest to me,

That I may speak with soothing power

A word in season, as from Thee,

To weary ones in needful hour.

(6)     O fill me with Thy fullness, Lord,

Until my very heart overflow

In kindling thought and glowing word,

Thy love to tell, Thy praise to show.

(7)     O use me, Lord, use even me,

Just as Thou wilt, and when, and where,

Until Thy blessed face I see,

Thy rest, Thy joy, Thy glory share.

You can listen to this here.  LISTEN

LOOK TO THE LAMB OF GOD

           Today we live in a world where there are so many things competing for our attention.  Magazines, television, and media promote all sorts of things that are supposed to help us feel better, grow healthier, make our leisure time more enjoyable, make are days more convenient, make us popular, grow our finances, help us keep up with our neighbors and connect with others. We are promised all sorts of enjoyable results if we use them and trust them. They all promise to make our lives more satisfying, fill all of our needs and solve all of our problems.  But they really tend to only distract us and take our time and attention away from that which only can satisfy man's soul, Jesus, the Lamb of God.  One doesn't have to look too far to see how so many people today are living in fear, frustration and without any real purpose and hope.  Their only hope in life is to focus on Jesus. As John the Baptist put it, "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" (John. 1:29). Behold Him, yes, but not simply out of academic curiosity, or as part of mere religious ritual. We need to turn our gaze upon Jesus in confident trust. He is the One who bore the punishment for our sins. We need to look to the Lamb of God, who died in our place, and rose again, in triumph over death. There's life in a look. Back in the nineteenth century, Henry Jackson (1838-1914) and his wife Alice, worked as missionaries in Argentina. Later, he served as a pastor in the United States. Today, he is remembered for this week's hymn choice which he wrote inviting sinners to look to Christ in faith. It reminds us "If you from sin are longing to be free, look to the Lamb of God ... to redeem you ... for He alone is able to save you."  And for those of us who have experienced this redemption, this week's hymn also reminds us that in times of temptation, in times of weariness, and in times of sorrow, which we all face at times,  the answer is not to look at the many false cures advertised in today's media, but to look to the Lamb of God, the only true solution to our needs.  Have you looked to Him for your salvation and redemption?  Are you looking to Him daily for His leading, peace and provision?  If not, do so today ... "for He alone is able to save you!" ... "Look to the Lamb of God!"

(1)   If you from sin 

Are longing to be free,

Look to the Lamb of God.

He to redeem you died on Calvary, 

Look to the Lamb of God.

Look to the Lamb of God.

Look to the Lamb of God.

For He alone is able to save you,

Look to the Lamb of God.

(2)    When Satan tempts 

And doubts and fears assail,

Look to the Lamb of God.

You in His strength

Shall over all prevail,

Look to the Lamb of God.

Look to the Lamb of God.

Look to the Lamb of God.

For He alone is able to save you,

Look to the Lamb of God.

(3)    Are you aweary?

Does the way seem long?

Look to the Lamb of God.

His love will cheer

And fill your heart with song.

Look to the Lamb of God.

Look to the Lamb of God.

Look to the Lamb of God.

For He alone is able to save you,

Look to the Lamb of God.

(4)    Fear not when shadows on your pathway fall,

Look to the Lamb of God.

In joy or sorrow Christ is all in all.

Look to the Lamb of God.

Look to the Lamb of God.

Look to the Lamb of God.

For He alone is able to save you,

Look to the Lamb of God.

You can listen to it here.    LISTEN