Menu

We Thank Thee, Lord, for This Fair Earth

2

Words: George Edward Lynch Cotton (b. Oct. 29, 1813; d. Oct. 6, 1866)
Music: Ernan, by Lowell Mason (b. Jan. 8, 1792; d. Aug. 11, 1872)

Note: George Cotton was an English clergyman who is known for one hymn only. He was appointed bishop of Calcutta, India, at the age of fifty-three, but he never reached his post. He was drowned while disembarking from his ship.

(Stanza numbers in brackets below refer to the stanza number in The Cyber Hymnal. Find the link at the bottom of the article.)

Charles Dickens’ historical novel, A Tale of Two Cities, was published in 1859. It deals with events surrounding the French Revolution, more than a century before the author’s time, and with the effect of that violent upheaval on characters living in two major cities of the day, London and Paris.

The story tells us about Sydney Carton, an English lawyer, who is a depressed and cynical alcoholic, though he shines, later in the book, in an act of self sacrifice that saves the life of another man, Charles Darnay. (Carton speaks the oft quoted words, “It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done.”) A third character, Lucie Mannette, is called in the tale “the golden thread,” because her love and her actions tie the other two characters together.

Though not ranked among the best of Dickens’ novels, it’s still a work of genius, highlighting the themes of noble sacrifice and, what was a particular passion of the author’s, the need for social justice. It gives us a look at two different worlds, how they are intertwined, and how the characters live in each, and are affected by each.

The Christian, too, is a citizen of two cities, in fact of two different worlds. We have, in a real sense, dual citizenship. Paul was able to say, “I am a Jew from Tarsus, in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city” (Acts 21:39) and, at the same time, tell the Philippian believers, “Our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Phil. 3:20).

A major difference is that the characters in A Tale of Two Cities were able to travel back and forth between London and Paris, but that is not so for us. We learn something about the heavenly kingdom in the Scriptures, and we look forward to being there, but for the present we are firmly grounded on planet earth.

Yet the eternal kingdom has an influence over us. We are to espouse its values, and live as those who will one day take up residence there. The Lord Jesus told His hearers to “lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven” (Matt. 6:20), and “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness” (vs. 33). Since believers will one day go to live with Him there, “Everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure” (I Jn. 3:3).

We must, of course, consider our allegiance to earthly rulers, and live within the boundaries of earthly laws, and the Bible exhorts us to do that. “Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities” (Rom. 13:1).

Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme, or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men–as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God. Honour all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.

I Pet. 2:13-17

But where there is a significant conflict between man’s laws and God’s, the Christian has needs to consider his allegiance to a higher Authority. When forbidden to preach the gospel, Peter and the other apostles said, “We ought to obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29), and they were willing to suffer for that choice.

When they had called for the apostles and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name. And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.

Acts 5:40-42

Cotton’s hymn, published in 1856, is We Thank Thee, Lord, for This Fair Earth. It provides a gentle reminder that, though there are many things on earth that are “fair,” we must never lose sight of God’s kingdom, and should live with spiritual and eternal values in view.

(1) We thank Thee, Lord, for this fair earth,
The glittering sky, the silver sea;
For all their beauty, all their worth,
Their light and glory, come from Thee.

(2) Thine are the flowers that clothe the ground,
The trees that wave their arms above,
The hills that gird our dwellings round,
As Thou dost gird Thine own with love.

(3) Yet teach us still how far more fair,
More glorious, Father, in Thy sight,
Is one pure deed, one holy prayer,
One heart that owns Thy Spirit’s might.

(4) So while we gaze with thoughtful eye
On all the gifts Thy love has given,
Help us in Thee to live and die,
By Thee to rise from earth to heav’n.

Questions:

  1. How can we keep a balance between enjoying the things of this earth and keeping our eyes on eternity and its values?
  2. What experience recently reminded you of the need to live by spiritual and eternal values, rather than those of this world?

Links:

Divided Loyalties?

, 2


Question: What do you think of division between worship music and gospel music? You get two directions: one you sing hymns at the church; second in order to proclaim gospel to the culture you adapt all varieties of music genres and styles, fashion, and other pop-culture stuff, [label it] Christian, and sing about God, Jesus, faith, etc. What do you think about this division?

Answer: I suppose it depends somewhat on what we think of as contemporary Christian music. There are some fine newer songs. But there are also ones so saturated with worldliness in the text, the music, and then in the use (or performance) of them, that they become something God hates (I Jn. 2:15-17; cf. II Cor. 6:14 and 7:1).

I believe very great caution is needed in following the path you suggest. Now, first, you have to realize where I’m coming from. Part of the purpose of this blog has been to inform believers about our great heritage of sacred music, especially our English hymnody since the Reformation (along with English translations of songs going back into biblical times). I’ve focused mainly on the hymns found in evangelical Protestant hymnals since the 1950s. I believe churches that decide to abandon this heritage are robbing their people of a rich treasury, valuable for doctrine and devotion.

I haven’t made a detailed study of contemporary religious music, but most of what I’ve seen is doctrinally shallow and not worthy to be compared to the great hymns of the faith. We shouldn’t just be mouthing mushy sentiments or shallow truisms with our sacred spiritual songs, perhaps singing a few words over and over, and over again. We’re to be “teaching and admonishing one another” (Col. 3:16). Further, the style of the music is sometimes so worldly that it obscures or cancels out the message.

I was in a service recently where a pastor decided to play a religious rock song called Behold, the Lamb, because he thought it suited the theme of his message. So, we were subjected to a couple of minutes of deafening din and pounding drums, with a singer screaming or screeching over and over, “Behold, the Lamb of God, behold, the Lamb of God.” But the band never got to the end of that wonderful Bible verse, “who takes away the sin of the world” (Jn. 1:29). I was horrified. It cut out the point of the verse about the plan of salvation. What we heard was carnal, not Christian.

I went on YouTube and listened to the song by the same group, several times. The accompanying picture of the band showed long-haired, leather jacketed young men, with sullen expressions on their faces. They were obviously trying to be as much like the world as possible. Is that what God wants? No, the Bible says, “Come out from among them and be separate” (II Cor. 6:14–7:1). That song failed to present the truth of the gospel.

Back in the late nineteenth century, the great preacher Charles Spurgeon was scheduled to preach to an audience in an enormous auditorium. He was concerned that all present would be able to hear him. (No sound amplifiers in those days.) He and a friend went to the empty auditorium, and Spurgeon had his friend go to various spots and listen, while the preacher stood on the platform and said in a good clear voice, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” many times over.

Unknown to them, there was a man on the roof doing some repairs, and he heard that verse repeated again and again. The Holy Spirit used it to convict him, and he put his faith in Christ and was saved. God’s Word has power. And when we use music that truly reflects and enhances its message, so do our hymns.

I have a friend who, decades ago, was a drummer in a rock band. They played the loudest and hardest rock of the day, along the lines of Led Zeppelin and Jimmie Hendrix. Then, wonderfully, several of them got saved, and they decided to go to church. In they came to a gospel service, one Sunday night, long hair and all. And the congregation sang the good old hymns of the faith, from hymn books. My friend said it was an amazing experience. “Instantly,” he said, “our spirits responded to those songs. It was like coming home.”

I have another friend, on the board of an evangelical church. And they decided to bring contemporary religious music into the church, rock bands and all, so they could bring in more people. Then, the idea was that they would present solid messages from God’s Word, or involve them in Bible study groups. My friend told me that, yes, they drew a big crowd, but they found many of those that came were there for the wrong reasons. They liked the music, but they wanted no part of the truths of God, or the deeper things of spiritual life.

And I have yet another friend who worked in a church that bypassed the music issue in this way. They opened a coffee house in the city, where Christian workers met day by day with street people. They got to know the customers, listened to them, talked to them about life, and about the Lord. Many were saved through that ministry. One Sunday night, about twenty of them came to a service at our church, gave their testimonies, and were baptized. What a blessing!

The often thunderously loud rock music of the world, with its pounding beat, is designed specifically to do three things (not counting that it’s intended to make money for the music makers). 1) The music is meant to give listeners an exciting, overpowering adrenalin-pumping experience. 2) It is often an expression of rage, and rebellion. 3) It’s beat is a musical simulation of lustful sexual rhythms and behaviour. (The rockers themselves admit these things, but also check out the dress of the performers, antics on stage, and facial expressions, and so on.)

Being in services where this kind of music is used (even with some christianized words) is like having on open pipe in the wall pumping sewage into the sanctuary. The Lord was concerned that when the Israelites got into Canaan, they would see how the heathen worshiped their gods, and might want to copy this in how they worshiped Him. “How did these nations serve their gods? I also will do likewise,” they would say. But God said, “You shall not worship the Lord your God in that way, for every abomination to the Lord, which He hates, they have done to their gods” (Deut. 12:29-32).

Does what you’re suggesting ever work? Perhaps. Sometimes. God sometimes uses strange instruments. On one occasion, He spoke through a donkey (Num. 22:28)! But this practice of trying to straddle two worlds can also be prey to excesses and abuses that are not honouring to the Lord. If the songs are strongly Christian–with good solid biblical lyrics–and are accompanied by music that provides a suitable framework, that’s fine. But if we try to copy the world in evangelistic services, instead of a call to holiness, we’re simply saying, “You can have all this, and Jesus too.”

We don’t need to create an adrenaline rush with pounding music, gyrating musicians, flashing lights, smoke, and all the rest. We have the thrilling power of the gospel to present (Rom. 1:16), in the power of the Spirit of God (I Cor. 2:4-5). God’s work in our lives is done from the inside out, not from the outside in (Rom. 12:2).

My Task

0

Words: Maude Louise Ray (b. ___, circa 1880; d. (date unknown); S. H. Pickup (b. ___, 1877; d. ___, 1952)
Music: Emma Louise Hindle Ashford (b. March 27, 1850; d. Sept. 22, 1930)

Note: Around the beginning of the twentieth century, Maude Louise Ray was the assistant editor of a magazine called The New York Evangelist. She wrote a brief poem summarizing Christian duty, calling it My Task. Later, a pastor (likely Stanley Howard Pickup, of Ontario, according to the Cyber Hymnal) added a third and final stanza.

(Stanza numbers in brackets below refer to the stanza number in The Cyber Hymnal. Find the link at the bottom of the article.)

The word “task” has been around for centuries. We may use it to refer to work of any kind, but there’s often an added dimension to it. A task can be defined as an assigned duty. The original was related to the word tax. It’s labour we have been called to perform, a responsibility that’s been laid upon us.

A parent may say to a son or daughter in the home, “I want your room tidied up before supper.” Or an employer may say to an office worker, “See that those files are sorted in alphabetical order.” In either case there is a prescribed duty involved, an obligation to be fulfilled.

The word is found in the Bible a number of times. When the Israelites were in bondage in Egypt, they were commanded to make bricks for Pharaoh’s building projects, and treated harshly if the quota was not met. “Why have you not fulfilled your task in making brick?” (Exod. 5:14). Later, regarding the holy duties of the Levites, God said, “Aaron and his sons shall go in and appoint each of them to his service and his task” (Num. 4:19).

The priests and Levites were to be materially cared for by the nation, so they could give their time to religious duties. In Nehemiah’s day, he assigned to trustworthy workers the distribution of food to them. “They were considered faithful, and their task was to distribute to their brethren” (Neh. 13:13).

The word task isn’t found in the New Testament (New King James Version), but words such as duty, ought, owe, and due, convey a similar meaning. For example, if we claim to be believers, we should act like it. “He who says he abides in Him [i.e. is in fellowship with the Lord] ought himself also to walk just as He walked” (I Jn. 2:6).

“We then who are strong ought to bear with the scruples [failings] of the weak, and not to please ourselves” (Rom. 15:1). We should thank God for spiritual progress of others (II Thess. 1:3; 2:13). And, as with Israel under the Mosaic Law, Christians in the local church are to support materially and help the servants of God (Rom. 15:27; I Cor. 9:9-11).

We each should show love to one another, emulating the sacrificial love of Christ (I Jn. 4:11; 3:16). This love is demonstrated with stunning humility in the upper room. So much so that, at first, Peter shrank from it. There, their Master and Lord took the place of a servant, and washed the feet of the others (Jn. 13:2-11). Then, He said:

If I, your teacher and Lord, have washed your feet, you must be ready to wash one another’s feet. I have given you this as an example so that you may do as I have done.

Jn. 13:14-15

The example, of course, is one of humble service, and not confined to one thing. Foot washing was a common need at that time, because of dusty roads and the open sandals that were worn. Our own service, in the name of Christ, may consist of a wide variety of things. But there is to be no pride in it.

When you have done all those things which you are commanded [by the Lord], say, “We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.”

Lk. 17:10

The song we’re looking at here speaks of such things as love, servanthood, purity, prayer, consistency, and obedience to God. It’s what we’re to do, as Christians. That’s part of our God-given task.

(1) To love someone more dearly every day,
To help a wandering child to find his way,
To ponder o’er a noble thought and pray,
And smile when evening falls,
And smile when evening falls:
This is my task.

(2) To follow truth as blind men long for light,
To do my best from dawn of day till night,
To keep my heart fit for His holy sight,
And answer when He calls,
And answer when He calls:
This is my task.

(3) And then my Saviour by and by to meet,
When faith hath made her task on earth complete,
And lay my homage at the Master’s feet,
Within the jasper walls,
Within the jasper walls:
This crowns my task.

Questions:

  1. Looked at in the light of this song, what are your God-given “tasks” today?
  2. How well did you do with the tasks God gave you yesterday?

Links:

You Must Open the Door

0

Words: Ina Duley Ogdon (b. Apr. 3, 1872; d. May 18, 1964)
Music: Homer Alvan Rodeheaver (b. Oct. 4, 1880; d. Dec. 18, 1955)

Note: In 1934, Ina Ogdon published You Must Open the Door. Mrs. Ogdon and her husband James were both school teachers in Ohio. She wrote many gospel songs as well, including the popular Brighten the Corner Where You Are, which has a touching story behind it. The present song captures the theme of a text in Revelation.

(Stanza numbers in brackets below refer to the stanza number in The Cyber Hymnal. Find the link at the bottom of the article.)

Security devices of all kinds are popular these days–cameras and alarms that can be set up in a home to thwart burglers. When an intruder tries to enter, perhaps lights go on, sirens sound, and the would-be thief’s image is recorded. There may also be an automatic phone call to the security firm. It seems to work. Owning a dog often does too. It’s estimated that houses without some kind of security system are three times more likely to be broken into.

On the other hand, most of us enjoy welcoming family and friends into our home. There’s a humorous welcome mat that, instead of being imprinted with the usual WELCOME, says, “Oh no! Not You Again!” But that’s meant as a joke. We likely look forward to having visitors. We just want to be allowed the right to decide who, and when.

Burglary is an unwanted and unwelcome violation of our space, it involves a forced entry into the place where we want to feel comfortable and safe. It’s the intrusion of someone determined to do us harm in one way or another. Millions of home burglaries occur in North America each year. About a third of them include a physical assault. But even if nothing valuable is taken, and no one’s physically harmed, a break-in can instill fear and anxiety that lingers for a long time.

The word welcome is used several times in the New Testament, translating several different Greek words. One of these (hupodechomai) means to take by the hand, to receive as a guest. For example, we read that when the Lord Jesus came to the town of Bethany, “a certain woman named Martha [the sister of Mary and Lazarus] welcomed Him into her house” (Lk. 10:38). A tax collector named Zacchaeus did the same, and “received Him joyfully” (Lk. 19:6).

The Apostle Paul commends the Thessalonian believers for welcoming God’s truth.

You received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God.

I Thess. 2:13

Today, Christ is not physically present in the world. But we welcome Him into our hearts and lives when we believe what the Bible says about Him. The Lord Jesus says,

Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine [feast and fellowship] with him, and he with Me.

Rev. 3:20

That invitation was extended to a lukewarm, self-satisfied church that seems to have shut the Lord out (vs. 16-17). But it can also represent the individual who is called upon to receive (believe on and trust in) the Saviour.

As many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.

Jn. 1:12

Revelation 3:20 is depicted in a famous painting by William Holman Hunt (1827-1910). Hunt called it The Light of the World. It pictures Christ, holding a lantern, standing before a door, preparing to knock. A notable thing about the painting is that there is no handle or latch on the outside of the door. The wordless message is that the one inside must open the door to Christ. He graciously waits a welcome into the individual’s life.

1. There’s a Saviour who stands at the door of your heart;
He is longing to enter–why let Him depart?
He has patiently called you so often before,
But you must open the door.

You must open the door,
You must open the door;
When Jesus comes in, He will save you from sin,
But you must open the door.

2. He has come from the Father salvation to bring,
And His name is called Jesus, Redeemer and King;
To save you and keep you He pleads evermore,
But you must open the door.

Questions:

  1. Have you welcomed the Lord Jesus into your heart and life? (If not, I invite you to read God’s Plan of Salvation.)
  2. How are you sharing, or helping others to share, the wonderful message of salvation?

Links:

Stand by Me

0

Words: Charles Albert Tindley (b. July 7, 1851; d. July 26, 1933)
Music: Charles Albert Tindley

Note: Charles Tindley married Daisy Henry when he was seventeen. Together they had eight children, some of whom would later assist him with the publication of his hymns. One of the sons, Albert, sang at our church in Ontario, many years ago.

(Stanza numbers in brackets below refer to the stanza number in The Cyber Hymnal. Find the link at the bottom of the article.)

The young man busied himself tidying and sweeping the floor of a small church in Philadelphia. He was the janitor, and this was part of his regular routine. Little in his life at that time suggested the wonderful ways God would use him in the future.

He was Charles Albert Tindley. His story is one of striving to overcome hardship, and succeeding, by the grace of God. The African American son of Charles and Esther Tindley, Charles’s father was a slave, but his mother was a free woman. Thus, he was born free, but brought up among enslaved people. His mother died when he was four years old, and he was separated from his father a year later. Charles was raised by his Aunt Caroline.

In that day, slave owners considered it dangerous for blacks to receive an education. But after the Emancipation Proclamation young Charles taught himself to read and write. He moved to Philadelphia, where he started work as a janitor, attending school in the evenings, and taking a correspondence course. He mastered Hebrew and Greek, largely on his own, and prepared himself for Christian ministry.

In 1902 he became the pastor of the church where he’d once worked as janitor. It grew steadily under his leadership until, at the time of his death, it had 12,500 members. Most unusual for the time, it was an integrated congregation, with both blacks and whites serving in leadership positions. In spite of Pastor Tindley’s objections, the church was renamed the Tindley Temple Methodist Church.

As well as being a busy pastor, Charles Tindley wrote a number of fine gospel songs. In fact, he is considered one of the founding fathers of American gospel music. He wrote: We’ll Understand It Better By and By; Nothing Between My Soul and the Saviour; and Take Your Burden to the Lord and Leave It There. His song I’ll Overcome Some Day was adapted by the Civil Rights Movement, and became We Shall Overcome.

What we’ll look at here is Tindley’s 1905 song Stand by Me. There’s a popular song from 1960 that uses that title–and even claims to be inspired by the original. But there’s a serious difference. The later number is a love song (“Darlin’ Stand by Me”), whereas Tindley’s is a prayer hymn, that makes clear again and again he’s calling on God for help.

To “stand by” someone is to be loyal and supportive, and the Bible tells us, especially in the book of Psalms, that the Lord draws near, and stands by those who trust in Him. “You are near, O Lord,” says the psalmist (Ps. 119:151).

  • “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Ps. 46:1).
  • “The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth” (Ps. 145:18).

But the Lord Jesus identified a problem with some of His hearers. “These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honour Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me” (Matt. 15:8). Yet when we truly seek Him, in sincerity, He is there.“Draw near to God and He will draw near to you” (Jas. 4:8).

There are five solid stanzas to Charles Tindley’s song. One seems to make reference to his struggle against racial prejudice: “In the midst of persecution, stand by me” (Stanza 4).

(1) When the storms of life are raging,
Stand by me;
When the storms of life are raging,
Stand by me;
When the world is tossing me
Like a ship upon the sea
Thou who rulest wind and water,
Stand by me.

(2) In the midst of tribulation,
Stand by me;
In the midst of tribulation,
Stand by me;
When the hosts of hell assail,
And my strength begins to fail,
Thou who never lost a battle,
Stand by me.

(5) When I’m growing old and feeble,
Stand by me;
When I’m growing old and feeble,
Stand by me;
When my life becomes a burden,
And I’m nearing chilly Jordan,
O Thou “Lily of the Valley,”
Stand by me.

Questions:

  1. In what experience in the past were you especially conscious of the Lord standing by you?
  2. For what trouble or trial ahead do you need the Lord to stand by you?

Links:

Nothing But Leaves

0

Words: Mrs. H. S. Lehman (no further data)
Music: Mrs. H. S. Lehman

Note: In 1924 an author, known only as Mrs. H. S. Lehman, published this song called Nothing But Leaves, and she also wrote a number of other songs. She published a couple of books in 1928, so, at a guess, she was born in the latter part of the nineteenth century.

In a search for more information, including her given names, I discovered a book she had authored and personally autographed. But, she signed it only “Mrs H. S. Lehman,” adding the text John 5:24 (as shown to the right). If you know more about this author, please let me know.

(Stanza numbers in brackets below refer to the stanza number in The Cyber Hymnal. Find the link at the bottom of the article.)

Disappointments–mild or otherwise–are a part of life. We may be counting on fine weather to attend a ball game on the week-end, only to find the darkening skies bring torrents of rain, and the game is cancelled. Or we may expect a new dishwasher to give us years of service, only to have it break down in a month.

Five centuries ago, the word actually had a political application. To “dis-appoint” an official meant to undo his appointment, to remove him from office. It could happen when one was put in place, with the expectation he would do well, but he had to be removed when he was found to be corrupt. The Bible warns, “It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes” (Ps. 118:9).

But what of the Lord’s expectations of us? Is He ever disappointed? In one way, no. Not in the sense of being surprised by our moral failures and disobedience. He is omniscient and “knows all things” (I Jn. 3:20). He knows well what’s in our hearts (Lk. 16:15; Jn. 2:25). However, God is still grieved, when He sees us on a destructive path, and saddened when we fail to fulfil His wise purposes (Eph. 4:30).

This relates to one of Christ’s most unusual miracles. The details are recorded by both Matthew (Matt. 21:18-21) and Mark (Mk. 11:12-14). What makes it unusual is it’s the only one of about three dozen miracles found in the Gospels whose intent was to destroy, rather than to heal and help.

The Lord was approaching the city of Jerusalem, with His disciples, and the Bible says, “He was hungry” (Matt. 21:18). So when they spotted a fig tree, He approached, hoping to find something to eat, but found “nothing on it but leaves” (vs. 19). With that, Christ cursed the fig tree, and it withered and died.

It was spring, and not yet the season for ripe figs. But there might have been some fruit left from the previous growing season. More likely, there should have been fresh buds of sprouting figs. These were often picked by the poor for food. Their absence was a sign the tree would not bear fruit later on. It was failing to fulfil its expected purpose.

Some have accused Christ of being petty and vindictive in what He did. But this cannot be. First of all, as the Creator (Jn. 1:3), He has a right to do as He chooses with His creation. But also, He may have been aware that not only was the tree no producing fruit, but that it would never improve. In such a case, a farmer would likely chop the tree down to save it using up precious moisture and nutrients from the ground.

Further, many commentators see this little incident as having prophetic significance. The fig tree is used in Scripture as a symbol for the nation of Israel (Hos. 9:10). And God had specially blessed Israel, expecting her to be, as His servant, a witness to the Gentile peoples (Isa. 41:8; 43:10). However, the nation had repeatedly strayed from God. Spiritually barren, they had nothing to offer to others around. And what happened to  them?

Within a few days the Jews would call for the crucifixion of Christ, and in AD 70, Jerusalem would be destroyed, and the people scattered. It could be the Lord’s action is to be taken as a foreshadowing of this. It should be added that, in Israel’s case, this did not mean the utter and final destruction of the nation. A believing remnant of Israel will be returned to its former glory (and greater) at Christ’s return (Rom. 11:1, 26). But it presents a sober warning for them, nonetheless.

In her song, Mrs. Lehman applied this condition to individual believers, on this side of the cross. Christians are to be producing both the inward fruit of Christian character (Gal. 5:22-23), and the outward fruit of an effective service for Christ (Jn. 15:16; Rom. 1:13). But what if we are lacking spiritual fruit? The author deals with this and the two kinds of fruit in the three stanzas of her song.

What she does not do is explain that if someone professes to be a Christian, but is not bearing fruit, there is reason to doubt the reality of his or her profession. And for a fruitless believer there should be an expectation of discipline by the Lord (Jn. 15:1-8; Heb. 12:5-11).

1. The Master is seeking a harvest
In lives He’s redeemed by His blood;
He seeks for the fruit of the Spirit,
And works that will glorify God.

Nothing but leaves for the Master,
Oh how His loving heart grieves,
When instead of the fruit He is seeking,
We offer Him nothing but leaves.

2. He looks for His likeness reflected
In lives that are yielded and true;
He’s looking for zeal in the winning
Of souls He’s entrusted to you.

Questions:

  1. What aspect of the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 6:22-23) do you have most trouble producing?
  2. What are you doing to bear fruit in the lives of others for the Lord, by His grace?

Links:

Living for Jesus, O What Peace

0

Words: Charles Frederick Weigle (b. Nov. 20, 1871; d. Dec. 3, 1966
Music: Charles Frederick Weigle

Note: Mr. Weigle was a trained musician and he wrote over a thousand songs, He was also a gospel singer, and later became an evangelist, a preacher of the gospel. Living for Jesus, O What Peace (not to be confused with Living for Jesus, by Thomas Chisholm) is a lovely song, with a message that becomes all the richer when you learn about the man who wrote it. You can hear a beautiful rendition of it here on YouTube.

(Stanza numbers in brackets below refer to the stanza number in The Cyber Hymnal. Find the link at the bottom of the article.)

Over the years, television quiz shows have asked all kinds of questions. Jeopardy invented a twist on this: they give the answer, and ask what the question should be. In either case, knowledge is tested, and contestants can often win a considerable amount of money from their depth of knowledge of various subjects.

But there’s a question I’ve never heard asked. In decades of following game shows, the question has never come up. Answering it can be challenging, and perhaps make us a little uncomfortable. The question is: What are you living for? The answer has to do with things such as our goals, our values and purpose in life.

Perhaps some will respond, “I haven’t really thought much about that.” If so, it may imply a life that is carelessly drifting, or basically directionless. But if we don’t have an understanding of what something is for–a plumb bob, a stethoscope, a life–how can we use it effectively? And if we don’t know where we’re going, it begs the question where will we end up? Our life’s purpose should become a kind of test of everything we do, and everything that happens to us. Will this forward my purpose? Or hinder it?

An honest and perceptive answer to the question can be sobering. Many responses will indicate largely self-centred goals. Career advancement, money and possessions, prestige and the approval of others, pleasure–which may be focused on things like alcohol and drugs, or sex, or some kind of all-consuming hobby. Even living for one’s family can be rather selfish, if looked at in terms of how they can benefit and satisfy us.

There can be another problem with the options mentioned, a more serious one. That they are not only focused on pleasing ourselves, but are time bound. Like the rich farmer in Jesus’ parable (Lk. 12:16-21), the person may plan to “pull down [his] barns and build greater…[then] eat, drink, and be merry,” with no thought of eternity. Instead, the Lord counsels us, “Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal” (Matt. 6:20).

Earthly treasures will all be left behind (Ps. 49:17; I Tim. 6:7). How then can we lay up treasures in heaven? The answer is found in a Christ-centred life. First, to put our faith in Christ as our only Saviour from sin. Then, to live a life in fellowship with Him, praise of Him, obedience to Him, and service for Him. The latter involves using our gifts and opportunities to bless others for Jesus’ sake, rather than seeking personal gain.

Phrased in the well known couplet by missionary C. T. Studd:

Only one life, ‘twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Paul put it even more succinctly: “To me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Phil. 1:21). And if to live is Christ, to die can only be gain. That’s true for each one of us.

It’s the conclusion reached by evangelist and gospel song writer Charles Weigle, and it’s beautifully expressed in his song, Living for Jesus, O What Peace! But we need to ask what he meant by that.

Was he suggesting the Christian life is a peaceful life, with no pain, no trials? No. In fact, Mr. Weigle struggled financially. And his wife, dissatisfied with her inability to have the things of this life, packed up and left him, taking their young daughter with her. Five years later, she died in a far off city, ruined by the pleasures of sin.

There are hints in the song that the author’s life had its troubles. “Trials may come” (stanza 1); “all of my burden…friends may forsake me” (stanza 3). No, the “peace” Weigle’s song speaks of doesn’t depend on the comforts of this world, but in the knowledge that we are investing our lives for Christ. It is a joy to serve Him, and know our service counts for something–and that everlasting joy and blessing await us up ahead.

(1) Living for Jesus–O what peace!
Rivers of pleasure never cease.
Trials may come, yet I’ll not fear.
Living for Jesus, He is near.

Help me to serve Thee more and more.
Help me to praise Thee o’er and o’er;
Live in Thy presence day by day,
Never to turn from Thee away.

(2) Living for Jesus–O what rest!
Pleasing my Saviour, I am blest.
Only to live for Him alone,
Doing His will till life is done!

(3) Living for Jesus everywhere,
All of my burden He doth bear.
Friends may forsake me; He’ll be true.
Trusting in Him, He’ll guide me through.

(4) Living for Jesus till at last
Into His glory I have passed;
There to behold Him on His throne,
Hear from His lips, “My child, well done!”

Questions:

  1. What does “living for Jesus” mean to you personally?
  2. How has this life purpose been a blessing to you?

Links:

Why We Love Them

0

I love hymns because…

  • Stick in my memory and bless me again and again (11%, 141 Votes)
  • Doctrinal depth and important teaching (10%, 128 Votes)
  • Encouragement in times of suffering and difficulty (10%, 126 Votes)
  • Testify to what I believe (10%, 125 Votes)
  • Power to touch the heart and change lives (9%, 120 Votes)
  • Help to unite Christians of all ages and backgrounds (8%, 108 Votes)
  • Link with believers in past centuries (8%, 107 Votes)
  • Remind me of heaven and Jesus’ return (8%, 106 Votes)
  • Rich and beautiful poetry (8%, 105 Votes)
  • Inspiring stories about the hymns and authors (8%, 97 Votes)
  • Able to present the gospel to non-Christians (7%, 86 Votes)
  • Other (2%, 24 Votes)

Total Voters: 266

Start Date: 15 July 2023 @ 11:55 am
End Date: No Expiry

Hallelujah to the Lamb

0

Words: Isaac Watts (b. July 17, 1674; d. Nov. 25, 1748)
Music: Gräfenberg, by Johann Crüger (b. Apr. 9, 1598; d. Feb. 23, 1662)

Note: In 1707, pastor and hymn writer Isaac Watts published the present hymn calling on believers to unite with the songs of worship around the throne of God. This hymn sometimes takes its title from the first line: Come, Let Us Join Our Cheerful Songs.

(Stanza numbers in brackets below refer to the stanza number in The Cyber Hymnal. Find the link at the bottom of the article.)

The word tomorrow, in Old English, was tō morgenne (to morning), a reference to the beginning of a new day. And once tomorrow becomes today, the following day is a new tomorrow. Shakespeare’s Macbeth found a bleak monotony in this:

“Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,
To the last syllable of recorded time.”

But that raises the question: What then? If we come to a point where there are no more tomorrows in this mortal life, what then? The atheist and the agnostic have no satisfying answers. For them, the only certainty is this physical world and our brief time in it. There is no God who created it and rules over it, says the atheist, and death is the end of our existence. The agnostic simply shrugs, and says these things are unknown and unknowable.

The Bible rejects this depressing dead-end-street. It begins with God creating the world and everything in it (Gen. 1:1-31), and ends with the triumph of the saints in the eternal kingdom of God. In between, the rule of God is made evident. He dominates the scene. All history is His story. The words “God,” and “Lord,” are used in the Bible over ten thousand times. “Even from everlasting to everlasting, [He is] God” (Ps. 90:2).

And the Lord is not remote and unknowable. Hundreds of times we read of Him communicating with human beings. And the Scriptures themselves are presented as the utterly trustworthy revelation of God. “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (II Tim. 3:16). And we may confidently say, “The entirety of Your word is truth” (Ps. 119:160).

Further, it becomes clear that the focus of the entire Bible is especially on the second person of the Trinity, the Lord Jesus Christ, and in particular on His saving work on the cross. He told the Jewish leaders of His day, “You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me” (Jn. 5:39). And He taught His disciples from the pages of the Old Testament all about Himself (Lk. 24:27, 44).

Christ’s coming is prophesied and foreshadowed in the Old Testament, and described and explained in the New. Then, when the curtain descends on this old world’s history, heaven will still resound with His praise, when “the kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ [Messiah], and He shall reign forever and ever!” (Rev. 11:15).

We’re told a few things about heaven, but much would likely be beyond our understanding now. We do know the throne of God is there (Rev. 4:2), and that the pain and suffering of this life will be gone (Rev. 21:4). We are told that in heaven, the saints will serve Him (Rev. 22:3), but we’ll have to wait and see what that service will entail.

In the book of Revelation Christ is repeatedly called the Lamb, reminding us of how He died to pay our debt of sin (cf. I Pet. 1:18-19). John the Baptist introduced the Saviour by announcing, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (Jn. 1:29). And eternity will echo with glorious adoration from saints and angels. “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain” (Rev. 5:12).

Dr. Watts’s joyful song says:

(1) Come, let us join our cheerful songs
With angels round the throne.
Ten thousand, thousand are their tongues,
But all their joys are one.

(2) “Worthy the Lamb that died,” they cry,
To be exalted thus!
“Worthy the Lamb,” our hearts reply,
“For He was slain for us!”

(3) Jesus is worthy to receive
Honour and power divine;
And blessings more than we can give,
Be, Lord, forever Thine.

(4) Let all that dwell above the sky,
And air and earth and seas,
Conspire to lift Thy glories high,
And speak Thine endless praise!

Questions:

  1. How will our praise of Christ in eternity differ from that of the angels?
  2. What will we have to praise Christ for in eternity, besides His dying for our sins?

Links:

If We Could See Beyond Today

0

Words: (unknown author)
Music: Norman John Clayton (b. Jan. 22, 1903; d. Jan. 1, 1992)

Note: Norman Clayton was a church organist for five decades, and served as the accompanist for Jack Wyrtzen’s Word of Life rallies, in New York. He was also a writer and editor for a music publisher, and wrote both words and music for many fine songs, including Now I Belong to Jesus, My Hope Is in the Lord, and We Shall See His Lovely Face.

(Stanza numbers in brackets below refer to the stanza number in The Cyber Hymnal. Find the link at the bottom of the article.)

Fortune telling is big business. Many people crave the knowledge of what will happen in the future, to them, or to family members or friends. And, for a price, there are a host of people who claim they can find out for us–by holding seances, analyzing dreams, reading palms, using the stars, fortune cookies, tea leaves, magic boards, and more. They’re in the business of marketing hope–but it’s a counterfeit.

Skeptics of these supposed prognosticators abound. English professor and award-winning television host Bergen Evans (1904-1978) said fortune telling is the “naive selection of something that has happened from a mass of things that haven’t, the clever interpretation of ambiguities, or a brazen announcement of the inevitable.” Put more simply, fortune tellers are good guessers–but their guesses are more often wrong than right.

Yet people continue to hand over large amounts of cash, in the vain hope that maybe someone will know…something. It’s estimated that this is a two billion dollar-a-year business across North America. Most who claim psychic ability tell fortunes as a sideline. But there are some who do it full-time, and make their living at it.

There are some things that can be predicted as possible because they are statistical probabilities. This often applies to the vague pronouncements of fortune cookies. “You will receive some good news this week,” for example. And yes, that may well happen. But it’s far from a personal, detailed, and explicit prophecy. No one has a knowledge of the future to that degree.

As a Bible-believing Christian, let me suggest an exception to that. I do believe Satan and his host of demons have great power. And when fortune tellers invoke occult powers, they sometimes gain information beyond what is humanly available. However, God condemns this practice (Lev. 20:6), and we need to keep in mind that Satan’s ultimate goal is to deceive and destroy (Jn. 8:44; I Pet. 5:8). A recent television exposé on CTV’s W5 told of Jack who, ensnared by occult fortune tellers, lost his marriage, his job, his house and almost his sanity.

In terms of prophecy, the Word of God, the Almighty’s only written revelation to man, is in a class by itself. A God of truth (Deut. 32:4), who knows the end from the beginning (Isa. 46:9-10), has revealed about a thousand specific prophecies in the pages of Scripture. Half of them have already been fulfilled (many associated with Christ’s first coming), giving us confidence that the rest will be, in His good time.

God’s main purpose in Scripture is the revelation of His person, and of His saving work, through Christ. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (Jn. 3:16). “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 6:23).

But, though God knows all that will happen to each of us, the Bible does not contain such details. When the Lord Jesus revealed to Peter that he would one day die as a martyr, Peter asked, “But Lord, what about this man [John]?” Christ’s response was sharp, “What is that to you? You follow Me” (Jn. 21:21-22). God is not in the business of satisfying idle curiosity.

Further, He wants us to trust in Him, step by step, and knows that with explicit information about our future we’d have greater trouble doing that. We’d be more inclined to careless complacency, or sinful independence. There’s a hymn about that. Gospel song writer Norman Clayton took some thought provoking words by an unknown author, and wrote music for If We Could See Beyond Today. It begins:

1. If we could see beyond today
As God can see,
If all the clouds should roll away,
The shadows flee,
O’er present griefs we would not fret,
Each sorrow we would soon forget,
For many joys are waiting yet,
For you and me.

The second stanza assures us that “Someday life’s wrongs will be made right, faith tells us so.” Then, the last stanza says:

3. If we could see, if we could know,
We often say,
But God in love a veil doth throw
Across our way;
We cannot see what lies before,
And so we cling to Him the more:
He leads us till this life is o’er,
Trust and obey.

Questions:

  1. Since we, as Christians, don’t know the details of our future, what should the result of this be today?
  2. What things, as Christians, do we know, with certainty, about our future?

Links:

Load More