Spring Break

Gonna take a little spring break. Can't say why, exactly. Just feel like I need a bit of a re-set. 

Be back soon.

Sweet Hour of Prayer

1  

Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!  

that calls me from a world of care,  

and bids me at my Father's throne  

make all my wants and wishes known.  

In seasons of distress and grief,  

my soul has often found relief,  

and oft escaped the tempter's snare  

by thy return, sweet hour of prayer!  

2  

Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!  

the joys I feel, the bliss I share  

of those whose anxious spirits burn  

with strong desires for thy return!  

With such I hasten to the place  

where God my Savior shows his face,  

and gladly take my station there,  

and wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer!  

3  

Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!  

thy wings shall my petition bear  

to him whose truth and faithfulness  

engage the waiting soul to bless.  

And since he bids me seek his face,  

believe his word, and trust his grace,  

I'll cast on him my ev’ry care,  

and wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer!   

 Author: W. W. Walford (1845)   

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xg282my5QyU&list=RDxg282my5QyU&start_radio=1

Pray without ceasing. ~1 Thessalonians 5:17

Philippians 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

I Did a Thing

 

I did a thing.

Now available on Amazon -- Kindle version only. Not sure if or when I'll get around to converting them to paperback.

Trust and Obey

 1  

When we walk with the Lord  

In the light of His Word,  

What a glory He sheds on our way;  

While we do His good will,  

He abides with us still,  

And with all who will trust and obey.  

2  

Not a shadow can rise,  

Not a cloud in the skies,  

But His smile quickly drives it away;  

Not a doubt or a fear,  

Not a sigh or a tear,  

Can abide while we trust and obey.  

3  

Not a burden we bear,  

Not a sorrow we share,  

But our toil He doth richly repay;  

Not a grief or a loss,  

Not a frown or a cross,  

But is blest if we trust and obey.  

4  

But we never can prove  

The delights of His love,  

Until all on the altar we lay;  

For the favor He shows,  

And the joy He bestows,  

Are for them who will trust and obey.  

5  

Then in fellowship sweet  

We will sit at His feet,  

Or we’ll walk by His side in the way;  

What He says we will do;  

Where He sends, we will go,  

Never fear, only trust and obey.    

REFRAIN  

Trust and obey,  

For there’s no other way  

To be happy in Jesus,  

But to trust and obey. 

 

Lyrics: John Henry Sammis (1846-1919)  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KB4KcleYiWM&list=RDKB4KcleYiWM&start_radio=1

Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. ~Isaiah 26:3
 

 John 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.    

John 14:21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.    

John 15:10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.

When We All Get to Heaven

 

1  

Sing the wondrous love of Jesus,  

Sing His mercy and His grace;  

In the mansions bright and blessed  

He'll prepare for us a place.  

2  

While we walk the pilgrim pathway  

Clouds will overspread the sky;  

But when trav'ling days are over  

Not a shadow, not a sigh.  

3  

Let us then be true and faithful,  

Trusting, serving ev'ry day;  

Just one glimpse of Him in glory  

Will the toils of life repay.  

4  

Onward to the prize before us!  

Soon His beauty we'll behold;  

Soon the pearly gates will open–  

We shall tread the streets of gold.     

Refrain:  

When we all get to heaven,  

what a day of rejoicing that will be!  

When we all see Jesus,  

we'll sing and shout the victory! 

 

Author: E. E. Hewitt (1898)   

Here's a Gaither Friends video of this great old song (not a 1-and-3-clapper among 'em) with the late great Anthony Burger on piano.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ClwsynwVrI&list=RD6ClwsynwVrI&start_radio=1

But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. ~1 Corinthians 15:57

John 14:1-3 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.    

1 Corinthians 15:57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.    

Revelation 21:3-5 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.    

Revelation 21:21 And the twelve gates were twelve pearls: every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.

No Night There

 

1 

In the land of fadeless day

Lies the city four-square;

It shall never pass away,

And there is no night there.

2 

All the gates of pearl are made,

In the city four-square;

All the streets with gold are laid,

And there is no night there.

3 

And the gates shall never close

To the city four-square;

There life's crystal river flows,

And there is no night there.

4 

There they need no sunshine bright,

In that city four-square;

For the Lamb is all the light,

And there is no night there.

Refrain:

God shall wipe away all tears;

There's no death, no pain, nor fears;

And they count not time by years,

For there is no night there.

John R. Clements

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8a-MgBLPcUA&list=RD8a-MgBLPcUA&start_radio=1

Revelation 21

1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.

2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.

6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.

7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

9 And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife.

10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,

11 Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;

12 And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel:

13 On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates.

14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

15 And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof.

16 And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal.

17 And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel.

18 And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass.

19 And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald;

20 The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolyte; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst.

21 And the twelve gates were twelve pearls: every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.

22 And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.

23 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.

24 And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.

25 And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.

26 And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it.

27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.

Revelation 22

1  And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.

Are You Washed In the Blood?

 

 1  

Have you been to Jesus for the cleansing pow’r?  

Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?  

Are you fully trusting in His grace this hour?  

Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?  

2  

Are you walking daily by the Savior’s side?  

Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?  

Do you rest each moment in the Crucified?  

Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?  

3  

When the Bridegroom cometh will your robes be white 

Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?  

Will your soul be ready for His presence bright,  

And be washed in the blood of the Lamb?  

4  

Lay aside the garments that are stained with sin,  

And be washed in the blood of the Lamb;  

There’s a fountain flowing for the soul unclean,  

O be washed in the blood of the Lamb.   

Refrain:

Are you washed in the blood,

In the soul cleansing blood of the Lamb?

Are your garments spotless,

Are they white as snow?

Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

 Author: Elisha Albright Hoffman (1839-1929)   

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9oW91Iv8D8&list=RDh9oW91Iv8D8&start_radio=1

 1 John 1:7 If we walk in the light as he is in the light we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus his son cleanses us from all sin.

 The theme of the blood of Christ is a common thread throughout many of the greatest hymns and gospel songs of the church.   It must seem like a very bizarre concept to those who are unfamiliar with the idea of being washed in blood -- in order to become clean. Christians understand this rather gory metaphor in symbolic terms, relating to animal sacrifices that were part of the Mosaic Law of the Old Testament. In Leviticus, God speaks to Moses, stating,  “For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life” (Leviticus 17:11).  Not to get into it too deeply, I'll just say that the animal represented the sins of the people, and the shedding of its blood indicated the removal of those sins. The death of the animal was to substitute for the punishment of the sinners -- "the wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23).  This concept carried over into the New Testament in the sense of Jesus Christ being the sacrificial lamb who took upon himself the punishment for the sins of all the world. Therefore, those who are "washed" in the blood of Christ are cleansed from their sin.  

This theme is deeply entrenched throughout the entire Bible --    from the Exodus:  

Exodus 12:5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats... 6 And shall kill it in the evening. 7 And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it.... 13 And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.    

...to the gospels:  Matthew 26:26 And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. 27 And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; 28 For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.    

...to Revelation: Revelation 7:13 Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, 'Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?' 14 I said to him, 'Sir, you know.' And he said to me, 'These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.'"