JESUS MESSIAH

          I normally choose the older hymns to share in this blog, but sometimes some of the newer ones are just too meaningful and powerful not to use.  This week's choice is one of those that speaks to my heart every time I hear it.  Hopefully you will feel the same. Truly Jesus Messiah is a name above all names.  Philippians 2:10 reminds us, "That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth."  Blessed Redeemer, Emmanuel, Rescue for Sinners, the Ransom from Heaven, Jesus Messiah, Lord of all.  What a powerful statement.  He alone deserves our worship.  This song was written by Chris Tomlin, one of the best known worship leaders and writers of this age. When he was 11, Tomlin contracted infectious mononucleosis and was briefly bedridden. His father, Connie, brought him a guitar during this time, and Tomlin said that he learned to play it by listening to Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard and Alabama records: "That was my early early childhood music. I loved it. That's what my dad listened to, I just loved it. And so my first song I learned to play on guitar I think was 'Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain,' or 'On the Road Again,' those kind of songs."  Since that time the Lord has led him to write many powerful worship songs that have touched many lives.  Concerning this song, Tomlin said: "The initial melody and lyric of this song came from my guitar player, Daniel Carson. He is constantly writing and recording ideas, and from time to time I wander over to his world and listen. Among several demos, was this melody and lyric idea for a chorus that jumped out at me. At the same time, I was looking to use the name 'Messiah' in a song. The two ideas seemed to fit perfectly. Messiah is such a strong name for Jesus. For when you use that name, you are truly saying that He is the name above all names – that He is the Christ, the Son of God, the Chosen One, the Savior of the world. That's why you will notice that every lyric in this song amplifies this idea of Jesus being the Messiah."  Why not use Tomlin's song as part of your worship this week?  And as you do, hopefully you too will say and mean, "All I hope is in you, all I hope is in you, all the glory to you, God, the light of the world."

1.     He became sin, who knew no sin

That we might become his righteousness

He humbled himself and carried the cross

Love so amazing, love so amazing

Jesus Messiah, name above all names

Blessed Redeemer, Emmanuel

The rescue for sinners, the ransom from heaven

Jesus Messiah, lord of all

2.     His body the bread, his blood the wine

Broken and poured out all for love

The whole earth trembled, and the veil was torn

Love so amazing, how can it be? Your love's so amazing, yeah

Jesus Messiah, name above all names

Blessed Redeemer, Emmanuel

The rescue for sinners, the ransom from heaven

Jesus messiah, lord of all

All I hope is in you, all I hope is in you

All the glory to you, God, the light of the world

Here are two chances for you to listen to Tomlin's song.

First, by the Gaither's    LISTEN1

Second, from the Brooklyn Tabernacle    LISTEN2

I WANT TO BE LIKE JESUS

        In his book "A Life Beyond Amazing", Dr. David Jeremiah shares a story in his chapter on "A Life of Integrity" that I have never forgotten.  A group of salesman were rushing to catch their plane home from Chicago.  They accidentally bumped into a stand where baskets of beautiful apples were being sold.  The apples tumbled all over the area but the salesmen kept on running toward their boarding gate.  But when they reached the gate, one of them told the others to get on the plane and he would catch a later flight home.  He then went back and saw a young lad trying to gather up all of the apples.  Many were bruised and some of the baskets were broken.  He got down on his hands and knees and helped the young lad retrieve his produce.  Then he pulled three large bills from his wallet and gave them to the lad with an apology.  The money more than covered the damages.   The boy nodded his thanks through his tears, and the salesman turned back to the lobby to arrange for a new flight home.  He hadn't walked far before the boy called out, "Mister …"  As he paused and turned around, the boy said, "Are you Jesus?"  Has anyone ever asked that about us?  Do our actions reflect what Jesus would do?  Today's hymn shares what should be our daily prayer, "I would be like Jesus". Thomas Obediah Chisholm (1866-1960) was born in Kentucky, and educated in a country schoolhouse where he himself became the teacher at the age of 16. For awhile, he worked as a reporter and the associate editor of a newspaper in Louisville. Then, after becoming a Christian, Chisholm became a pastor.  But ill health soon forced his resignation. For most of his adult life he worked as an insurance salesman. But he also wrote poetry and is said to have written over 1,200 sacred poems.  Some of these were turned into hymns, including "Bring Christ Your Broken Life", "Living For Jesus", "O, To Be Like Thee", "Only In Thee" and perhaps the hymn for which he is best known, "Great Is Thy Faithfulness."  Chisholm explained his approach to hymn writing in the following statement, "I have sought to be true to the Word, and to avoid flippant and catchy titles and treatment. I have greatly desired that each hymn or poem might have some definite message to the hearts for whom it was written".  Well this week's hymn does have a definite message for our hearts and it presents a challenge and goal for our daily living.  Can we say with Chisholm,  "O perfect life of Christ, my Lord! I want to be like Jesus. My recompense and my reward, That I may be like Jesus. His Spirit fill my hungering soul, His power all my life control; My deepest prayer, my highest goal, That I may be like Jesus."  May this be our daily desire and prayer.

1.     I have one deep, supreme desire, 

that I may be like Jesus.

To this I fervently aspire, 

that I may be like Jesus.

I want my heart His throne to be 

so that a watching world may see

His likeness shining forth in me. 

I want to be like Jesus.

2.     He spent His life in doing good; 

I want to be like Jesus.

In lowly paths of service trod; 

I want to be like Jesus.

He sympathized with hearts distressed, 

He spoke the words that cheered and blessed;

He welcomed sinners to His breast. 

I want to be like Jesus.

3.     A holy, harmless life He led; 

I want to be like Jesus.

The Father's will, His drink and bread, 

I want to be like Jesus.

And when at last He comes to die, 

"Forgive them, Father" Hear Him cry

For those who taunt and crucify.

I want to be like Jesus.

4.     O perfect life of Christ, my Lord! 

I want to be like Jesus.

My recompense and my reward, 

That I may be like Jesus.

His Spirit fill my hungering soul, 

His power all my life control;

My deepest prayer, my highest goal, 

That I may be like Jesus.

Listen to it here.   LISTEN

SWEET WILL OF GOD

        It should be the desire of each believer to know and follow God's will in our lives.  Ephesians 1:12  gives the fundamental idea: "that we should be to the praise of His glory." To that end, it's God's will that we "be conformed to the image of His Son" (Rom. 8:29). Whatever choices and decisions we make, whatever we do and say, our goal should be to honour the Lord, and become more and more like Christ.  Now some of the details of His will may differ from person to person, according to the gifts and opportunities the Lord gives to each one.  And for some His will may even include going through, with God's help and presence, some very difficult situations.  The author of this hymn, Lelia Naylor Morris (1862-1929), experienced such difficult times.  After years of active ministry in churches and camp meetings, she became blind at the age of 52.  But she continued to write hymns on a 28-foot long blackboard that her family built for her.  She is said to have written 1000 texts and tunes including "Sweeter as the Years Go By" and "Sweet Will of God."  These have helped and encouraged many over the years, and that was part of God's will for her life. She learned the joy of following God's will by claiming the grace, provision and peace that He alone gives.  It's the desire of the Lord that we do His will, that His will and purpose be accomplished through us. Missionary and author Elisabeth Elliott said, "I have only one thing to do today: the will of God."  Is that our desire and experience as well?  The last  line of this hymn sums it up so beautifully. "The centre of God's will my home."   And what a "sweet" experience that really is.

1    My stubborn will at last hath yielded;

I would be Thine, and Thine alone,

And this the prayer my lips are bringing,

"Lord, let in me Thy will be done."

Sweet will of God, still fold me closer,

Till I am wholly lost in Thee;

Sweet will of God, still fold me closer,

 Till I am wholly lost in Thee.

2     I'm tired of sin, footsore and weary,

The darksome path hath dreary grown,

But now a light has ris'n to cheer me;

I find in Thee my Star, my Sun.

Sweet will of God, still fold me closer,

Till I am wholly lost in Thee;

Sweet will of God, still fold me closer,

Till I am wholly lost in Thee.

3     Thy precious will, O conqu'ring Savior,

Doth now embrace and compass me;

All discords hushed, my peace a river,

My soul a prisoned bird set free.

Sweet will of God, still fold me closer,

Till I am wholly lost in Thee;

Sweet will of God, still fold me closer,

Till I am wholly lost in Thee.

4     Shut in with Thee, O Lord, forever,

My wayward feet no more to roam;

What pow'r from Thee my soul can sever?

The center of God's will my home.

Sweet will of God, still fold me closer,

Till I am wholly lost in Thee;

Sweet will of God, still fold me closer,

Till I am wholly lost in Thee.

Listen to it here.   LISTEN          

WHAT GOD HATH PROMISED (TH#20)

TIMELESS HYMN #20 - A special feature where I highlight some of my favorite hymns that have been featured previously in this blog.  These entries are revised and expanded and shared again for our encouragement and challenge.  This hymn was first shared here on March 29, 2009.

          Maybe it is my age, but it seems that everywhere I look good people are going through tough times ... illness, cancer, death, accidents, family problems, financial problems, employment problems, loneliness ... and the list could go on and on.  For centuries people have asked why these problems and trials come to good people.  Even David often raised this question in the Psalms. And while we may never know the answer here on earth, we do know that good people are not immune to trials.  But what we do know is that God does give us the strength that we need to face them.  He gives us rest, light and grace as we encounter them.   And He provides us with His presence and His peace to face them.  For many years a plaque with this hymn hung in my dad's study.  The same plaque used to hang in his parent's parsonage back in the 1920's.  So, apparently, even back then, good folks faced a multitude of trials and they, too, found their strength in the Lord and His perfect ways.  So maybe the words of this hymn written by Annie Johnson Flint (1866-1932) will encourage you today as you face your trials.   The author knew what trials were all about.  She not only lost her parents as a child, but also her adopted parents.  She developed severe arthritis and had to live out her years in a sanitarium.  And in these times of great trial in her life she penned many inspiring poems including this hymn and also "He Giveth More Grace".  And she found, just as we can, "strength for the day, rest for the labor, light for the way, grace for the trials, help from above, unfailing sympathy, undying love. " May that be your experience and testimony as well.

(1)  God hath not promised skies always blue,
Flower-strewn pathways all our lives through;
God hath not promised sun without rain,
Joy without sorrow, peace without pain.
But God hath promised strength for the day,
Rest for the labor, light for the way,
Grace for the trials, help from above,
Unfailing sympathy, undying love.

(2)   God hath not promised we shall not know
Toil and temptation, trouble and woe;
He hath not told us we shall not bear
Many a burden, many a care.
But God hath promised strength for the day,
Rest for the labor, light for the way,
Grace for the trials, help from above,
Unfailing sympathy, undying love.

(3)   God hath not promised smooth roads and wide,
Swift, easy travel, needing no guide;
Never a mountain, rocky and steep,
Never a river, turbid and deep.
But God hath promised strength for the day,
Rest for the labor, light for the way,
Grace for the trials, help from above,
Unfailing sympathy, undying love.

Listen to it here.    LISTEN

GOD BLESS AMERICA

          In honor of the celebration of Independence Day in the United States, I have decided to go away from my usual sharing of hymns of the faith and instead share a patriotic song which has inspired Americans for years.  I apologize to readers from other countries but  I hope that this week you will allow us to celebrate and thank God for His former blessing on our country.

          It is said that Frank  Sinatra considered Kate Smith the best singer of her time, and he said that when he and a million other guys first heard her sing "God Bless  America" on the radio, they all pretended to have dust in their eyes as they wiped away a  tear or two.  The time was 1940. America was still in a terrible economic depression. Hitler was taking over Europe and Americans were afraid we'd have to go to war. It was a  time of hardship and worry for most Americans. This  was the era just before TV when radio shows were huge and American families sat around their radios in the evenings, listening to their favorite entertainers and no entertainer of that era was bigger than Kate Smith.  Kate was also patriotic. It hurt her to see Americans so depressed and afraid of what the next day would bring. She had hope for America , and faith in her fellow Americans. She wanted to do something to cheer them up, so she went to the famous American songwriter Irving Berlin and asked him to write a song that would make Americans  feel good again about their country. When she described what she was looking for, he said he had just the song for her. He went to his files and found a song that he had written but never published, 22 years before - in 1917. He gave it to her and she worked on it with her studio orchestra. She and Irving Berlin were not sure how the song would be received by the public, but both agreed they would not take any profits from God Bless America . Any  profits would go to the Boy Scouts of America . Over the years, the Boy Scouts have received millions of dollars in royalties from this song. Back in 1940, when Kate Smith went looking for a song to raise the spirits of  her fellow Americans, I doubt whether she realized just how successful the results would be for her fellow Americans during those years of hardship and worry, as well as for many generations of Americans to follow.  There is no question that over the years God has blessed America and we who are Americans should daily thank Him for that.  However, I am concerned that as this country has drifted away from Him and has often turned its back on His teachings, that His blessing may no longer be on us as a country. And that is tragic and sad.  I pray that somehow, as we drift from His foundation, that we may have a revival and return to Him before it is too late.

God bless America, land that I love

Stand beside her and guide her

Through the night with the light from above

From the mountains to the prairies

To the oceans white with foam

God bless America, my home sweet home

From the mountains to the prairies

To the oceans white with foam

God bless America, my home sweet home

God bless America, my home sweet home

In 1976 we used this song in one of the Bible school series that our family presented in various churches and conferences.  At that time we added another verse that we thought was profound and needed.  Unfortunately, I don't know who penned these words.

God wake America, land that I love. 

Start in me Lord, to be Lord,

One whose life proves that God lives above.

Bring salvation to our nation, 

that each one will hear and heed,

God save America, I humbly plead.

 God save America, I humbly plead!

Now here is the video of Kate Smith introducing this song for the first time on the radio.    KATE SMITH

Here is another presentation of this song.   LISTEN