Month: March 2024

Days of Praise — Day 30

/ taethne

TAKE MY HAND, PRECIOUS LORD  by Thomas Dorsey

Precious Lord, take my hand, Lead me on, let me stand

I am tired, I am weak, I am worn

Through the storm, Through the night

Lead me on to the light, Take my hand, precious Lord

Lead me home,

When my way grows drear, Precious Lord, linger near

When my life is almost gone, Hear my cry

Hear my call, Hold my hand

Lest I fall, Take my hand, precious Lord

Lead me home

When the darkness appears, And the night draws near

And the day is past and gone, At the river I stand

Guide my feet, Hold my hand

Take my hand, precious Lord, Lead me home

               Many hymns were written out of tragedies, and this one was no exception. Thomas Dorsey was a fantastic musician and song writer who was devastated when his wife died giving birth to their child, who also later died. Filled with despair, he lost faith in God being a good and caring God. Deep in his grief, God reached out to him one as he sat at a friend’s house, overshadowing him with peace and filling his heart with love. Immediately he started playing a melody and these words welled up from inside him.

               We can all empathize with him because we, too, at times in our life have had our faith challenged. Few us there are who have not been touched with death or tragedy. Few of us there are who have not known despair at the circumstances we find ourselves in. Like the disciples on the boat in the storm, we have a feeling that any moment life is going to drown us. Thankfully, God is in control. He does have a plan, and it is a good one because He is good.

               We can, like Peter found out, grab hold of His hand when we are in danger of drowning and He can lift us up to walk above the storms of life. He is all we need. When He is all there is we find Him to be more than sufficient, more than enough. He is God. All-knowing. All-caring. All-powerful. All-wise. All-good. He is God.

               When we are overwhelmed we need to simply cry out to Him, “Lord, take my hand.” He will. He will lead us to Himself, where we will find rest for our burdened souls. “Come to Me” is His invitation. He will never turn us away

Lord, take my hand today. Lead me to You. I do not know what today entails for my life, but You do. I can easily lose sight of You, lose perspective, lose hope. Keep me in Your hand, so that I am not overwhelmed by life, but so I can rest in You. Amen

40 Days of Praise — Day 29

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NOTHING BUT THE BLOOD by Robert Lowry

What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus

What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus

For my pardon, this I see; Nothing but the blood of Jesus

For my cleansing, this my plea; Nothing but the blood of Jesus

Nothing can for sin atone; Nothing but the blood of Jesus

Naught of good that I have done, Nothing but the blood of Jesus

This is all my hope and peace, Nothing but the blood of Jesus

This is all my righteousness, Nothing but the blood of Jesus

Now by this I’ll overcome, Nothing but the blood of Jesus

Now by this I’ll reach my home, Nothing but the blood of Jesus

Glory! Glory! This I sing, Nothing but the blood of Jesus

All my praise for this I bring, Nothing but the blood of Jesus

REFRAIN:

Oh! precious, is the flow, that make me white as snow

No other fount I know, Nothing but the blood of Jesus

               Hebrews 9:22 tells us that without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin. Other parts of the Bible tell us that only the blood of the perfect Lamb of God, Jesus, suffices to pay sin’s penalty. This song is a tribute to Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross.

               Only Jesus can provide forgiveness of sin. Only Jesus can restore our true humanity. Only Jesus can pardon our crimes and atone for our trespasses against God’s laws. Only Jesus can bring healing, peace and comfort.

               Our religion is a bloody one. Life is found in the blood and so only a blood sacrifice suffices as payment. Jesus is the only one able to be a perfect sacrifice, as He is the only one to never sin. Let us never be ashamed to sing of His shed blood. Those outside of God’s kingdom may be offended, thinking we are brutal, uncivilized barbarians for focusing on blood, sacrifice, crucifixion and the like. We know why they are important. We know the true history of mankind. We know the story of God’s redemption. We know why it was necessary for Jesus to die in our place.

               Let us confidently proclaim our belief, our truth, our Savior. Let us sing out praises to Him who shed His blood on our behalf. Let us glory in our King, who was crucified and who rose again, conquering death. How precious is the blood of Jesus, that purifies me of my sin.

Thank You, Lord, for shedding Your blood for me. There is no other who can save. There is none who compares with You. You paid the price for me. Help me to become worthy of Your sacrifice by making me, molding me, into Your image.

40 Days of Praise — Day 28

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VICTORY IN JESUS by Eugene Bartlett, Sr.

I heard an old, old story, How a Savior came from glory

How He gave His life on Calvary, To save a wretch like me

I heard about His groaning, Of His precious blood’s atoning

Then I repented of my sins, And won the victory

I heard about His healing, Of His cleansing power revealing

How He made the lame to walk again, And caused the blind to see

And then I cried, “Dear Jesus, Come and heal my broken spirit.”

And somehow Jesus came and brought, To me the victory

I heard about a mansion, He has built for me in glory

And I heard about the streets of gold, Beyond the crystal sea

About the angels singing, And the old redemption story

And some sweet day I’ll sing up there, The song of victory

REFRAIN:

O victory, in Jesus, my Savior, forever;

He sought me and He bought me With His redeeming blood

He loved me ere I knew Him; And all my love is due Him

He plunged me, to victory; Beneath the cleansing flood

               This song has jokingly been referred to as the “Baptist Anthem” as it is a perennial favorite with this denomination. Its appeal is far broader than any one segment of Christianity, however. The author was one of the founding fathers of Southern gospel music, and wrote over 800 songs. This one, composed in 1939, was his last.

               Whenever I sing this hymn, I am reminded of the words of Paul in 1 Corinthians 15: 56-57

               “The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

            Jesus is our victory! When He saves us He grants us eternal life with God forever. Victory over death. He gives us a new heart, with His Spirit always with us. Victory over loneliness, sin, ungodly desires. Victory over our enemies, victory over our adversary, victory over everything that would or could stand in the way of a deep abiding relationship with our heavenly Father.

               It is no wonder this hymn is so popular. It reminds us that we owe everything to Jesus. It is His salvation He gives us, it is His healing power, His cleansing power, His home He is sharing. The focus is solely on Jesus and the provision He has made for those who believe upon Him. What better way to start a day is there, than to focus on Jesus? What greater legacy could a man like Eugene Bartlett give, than to write His greatest song last – for what could possibly top a song that focuses so exclusively on our Savior?

               I cannot wait to sing this with him in front of our Lord. This song is our song, the song of redemption.

Thank You, Lord, for giving us victory of sin and death. Thank You for purchasing our salvation. Thank You for providing a home with You, so we can enjoy You forever.

40 Days of Praise — Day 27

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I KNOW WHOM I HAVE BLIEVED by Daniel Whittle

I know not why God’s wondrous grace, To me He hath made known

Nor why, unworthy, Christ in love, Redeemed me for His own

I know not how this saving faith, To me He did impart

Nor how, believing in His Word, Wrought peace within my heart

I know not how the Spirit moves, Convincing us of sin

Revealing Jesus through the Word, Creating faith in Him

I know not what of good or ill, May be reserved for me

Of weary ways or golden days, Before His face I’ll see

I know not when my Lord may come, At night or noonday fair

Nor if I’ll walk the vale with Him, Or meet Him in the air

REFRAIN:

But I know whom I have believed, And am persuaded that He is able

To keep that which I’ve committed, Unto Him against that day

This hymn has always resonated with me, from my childhood until now. I do not pretend to know why God loves me. I do not pretend to know how He could ever forgive me nor why He would. He, in His mercy, showered me with His grace. That act of kindness overwhelms me now even more than it did when I first experienced it.

               I truly do understand that His Spirit gave me faith to believe the truth of His words. That His Spirit brought understanding to my mind, conviction to my soul, repentance to my heart but how that occurred – it just did. One moment I was living for me, the next I was bowed under the Spirit’s leadership, crying out to God for mercy and forgiveness. What a miracle.

               It is also a miracle that as we read His Word the Spirit makes it come alive, imparting its wisdom and truth to us. God’s Spirit does create faith in us, just as He creates new life and transforms our minds. I don’t know when Jesus will return. He may return for me today. I may die and return with Him years from now but I do know He will return with His saints to judge the ungodly.

               I don’t know many things about the God I have served for 50 + years now. But I do know this: He hides my soul in the palm of His hand and is faithful to keep it forever. I love how the refrain of the hymn is a direct quote from 2 Timothy 1:12. God is faithful and He is able to keep us from falling. He never fails to keep a promise and His Spirit has sealed me in His love forever, praise His holy name.

Thank you, Lord, for keeping my soul safe forever. Thank you for redeeming it. Thank you for sanctifying it. You are a great God and worthy to be praised.

40 Days of Praise — Day 26

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THANK  YOU, LORD by Seth and Bessie Sykes

Some thank the Lord, For friends and home, For mercies sure and sweet

But I would praise Him, For His grace , prayer I would repeat

Thank you Lord, for saving my soul, Thank you Lord, for making me whole

Thank you Lord, for giving to me,Thy great salvation so rich and free

Some thank Him for the flowers that grow, Some for the stars that shine

My heart is filled with joy and praise, Because I know He’s mine

Thank you Lord, for saving my soul, Thank you Lord, for making me whole

Thank you Lord, for giving to me, Thy great salvation so rich and free

I trust in Him from day to day, I prove His saving grace

I’ll sing this song of praise to Him, Until I see His face

Thank you Lord, for saving my soul, Thank you Lord, for making me whole

Thank you Lord, for giving to me, Thy great salvation so rich and free

I like the simplicity of this hymn very much. I first learned this as a chorus in children’s Sunday School, and only recently became acquainted with the verses.

               While it is both right and appropriate to thank the Lord for the things He has done for us, greater still is thanking Him for just being who He is. He is a God of grace and while that is just one aspect of His character, it is definitely worthy to be praised.  Now, flowing from His grace, comes our salvation, as the chorus proclaims. That, too, is worthy of praise.

               It is this wonderful salvation that makes us whole. It brings us to life spiritually. It allows us to commune once again with our God. It allows us to learn of Him and brings joy and excitement to a life that was once dull and listless.

               I especially love the verse that says, “I prove His saving grace.” Yes, I do. If He can save me, He can save anyone. So often I run into people who think they are so bad, have done so much wrong, messed up their life so much, that they cannot be saved. They have lost hope. I simply open the Bible and show them people much worse than they, murderers, blasphemers, those demonically possessed, harlots, thieves and many more whom God called as His own.

               Until He returns for me, or calls me home to Him, I will continue to thank Him for His great salvation.

Thank you, Lord, for being who You are. Thank you for deciding to reach down and change my life through Your Holy Spirit. Thank you for Your Son, who paid my penalty and purchased salvation for me. What else have I to say, Lord, than “Thank you?”

40 Days of Praise — Day 25

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O FOR A THOUSAND TONGUES by Charles Wesley

O for a thousand tongues to sing My great Redeemer’s praise,
The glories of my God and King, The triumphs of His grace!

My gracious Master and my God, Assist me to proclaim,
To spread through all the earth abroad The honors of Thy name.

Jesus! the name that charms our fears, That bids our sorrows cease;
’Tis music in the sinner’s ears, ’Tis life, and health, and peace.

He breaks the power of canceled sin, He sets the prisoner free;
His blood can make the foulest clean, His blood availed for me.

He speaks, and, listening to His voice, New life the dead receive,
The mournful, broken hearts rejoice, The humble poor believe.

Hear Him, ye deaf; His praise, ye dumb, Your loosened tongues employ;
Ye blind, behold your Savior come, And leap, ye lame, for joy.

In Christ your Head, you then shall know, Shall feel your sins forgiven;
Anticipate your heaven below, And own that love is heaven.

Glory to God, and praise and love Be ever, ever given,
By saints below and saints above, The church in earth and heaven.

On this glad day the glorious Sun Of Righteousness arose;
On my benighted soul He shone And filled it with repose.

Sudden expired the legal strife, ’Twas then I ceased to grieve;
My second, real, living life I then began to live.

Then with my heart I first believed, Believed with faith divine,
Power with the Holy Ghost received To call the Savior mine.

I felt my Lord’s atoning blood Close to my soul applied;
Me, me He loved, the Son of God, For me, for me He died!

I found and owned His promise true, Ascertained of my part,
My pardon passed in heaven I knew  When written on my heart.

Look unto Him, ye nations, own Your God, ye fallen race;
Look, and be saved through faith alone, Be justified by grace.

See all your sins on Jesus laid: The Lamb of God was slain,
His soul was once an offering made For every soul of man.

Awake from guilty nature’s sleep, And Christ shall give you light,
Cast all your sins into the deep, And wash the Æthiop white.

Harlots and publicans and thieves In holy triumph join!
Saved is the sinner that believes From crimes as great as mine.

Murderers and all ye hellish crew In holy triumph join!
Believe the Savior died for you; For me the Savior died.

With me, your chief, ye then shall know, Shall feel your sins forgiven;
Anticipate your heaven below, And own that love is heaven.

For this day, I have chosen to include all the verses that Charles Wesley wrote. This song was his celebration of the one year anniversary of his salvation, and what a great tribute to the Lord it is.

               I know that not all of us remember the date of our salvation, but why not make it a practice to designate one day a year (if you do remember the date, use it) to write a poem of thanks to the Lord for His great salvation?

               If  you cannot write a poem, maybe a prayer or a song or draw a picture of thanks would be possible. Take some time studying Wesley’s poem for inspiration.

               Since we don’t have a thousand tongues to sing with, why not use the one we have in a thousand ways? Join with brothers and sisters and together we can raise hundreds of thousands of tongues in harmony to praise the King of Kings.

               I particularly love the verse that talks about how Jesus’ blood makes even the foulest sinner clean, even me. When I reflect on my numerous sins, I am amazed that God would want to save me. I am so grateful that His mercy and grace was given to me, the most undeserving person I know. Wesley puts it so well toward the end of his poem – harlots, publicans, thieves – saved is the sinner that believes from crimes as great as mine. Their sins are no worse than mine, their punishment is the same, eternal damnation unless they, just like I, repent and throw ourselves on the mercy of Jesus. How wonderful to know He forgives sins and pardons the sinner.

Lord, help me to use the tongue I have to always praise Your name. Help me use it to witness for You, witness of You, and testify of Your great mercy and forgiveness. Help me to proclaim Your salvation to all.

40 Days of Praise — Day 24

/ taethne

TAKE TIME TO BE HOLY by William Longstaff

Take time to be holy, Speak oft with the Lord; Abide in Him always, And feed on His Word

Make friends with God’s children, Help those who are weak; Forgetting in nothing, His blessing to seek

Take time to be holy, The world rushes on; Spend time in secret, With Jesus alone

By looking to Jesus, Like Him thou shalt be; Thy friends in thy conduct, His likeness shall see

Take time to be holy, Let Him be thy Guide; And run not before Him, Whatever betide

In joy or in sorrow, Still follow the Lord; And, looking to Jesus, Still trust in His Word

Take time to be holy, Be calm in thy soul; Each thought and each motive, Beneath His control

Thus led by His Spirit, To fountains of love; Thou soon shall be fitted, For service above

What a beautiful reminder of our need to spend time with Jesus. The only way to have a powerful, fruitful life in service for Jesus is to abide in Him. The only way to abide in Him is to spend time with Him in prayer and through Bible study.

I love the practical advice given here as well. Make friends with God’s children. We cannot go through this life on our own. God has made us to interact with others and to cooperate with them to reach the world with the gospel. We are to show mercy to others also. We are to do good works in Christ’s name so that people see it and give praise and glory to the Father.

In the busy, hustle and bustle of life, it is easy to forget to take time out for God. Thank goodness He did not forget to take time out of the running of the universe to send His Son down for us. Thank goodness Jesus took the time to teach His disciples, to show us how to live, to die on the cross for the payment of our sins. How churlish it would be not to take the time to spend with Him after He has done so much for us.

All of us have the same amount of time. No person has more or less than 24 hours in a day. How we use those hours will reflect on our priorities in life. How much time are you spending on becoming holy and pleasing to God.

Lord, help me take the time with You that is needed to become a person holy and useful. Keep me from prioritizing other things instead of spending time with You. Put my thoughts and actions under Your control and lead me by Your Spirit.

40 Days of Praise — Day 23

/ taethne

FROM GREENLANDS ICY MOUNTAINS by Reginald Heber

From Greenland’s icy mountains, From India’s coral strand,
Where Africa’s sunny fountains, Roll down their golden sand,
From many an ancient river, From many a palmy plain,
They call us to deliver their land from error’s chain.

What though the spicy breezes,  Blow soft o’er Ceylon’s isle;
 Though every prospect pleases,  And only man is vile:
 In vain with lavish kindness,  The gifts of God are strown;
 The heathen in his blindness bows down to wood and stone.

Can we, whose souls are lighted  With wisdom from on high,
 Can we to men benighted  The lamp of life deny?
 Salvation! O salvation!  The joyful sound proclaim,
 Till each remotest nation has learned Messiah’s Name.

Waft, waft, ye winds, His story,  And you, ye waters, roll,
 Till like a sea of glory,  It spreads from pole to pole; Till o’er our ransomed nature, the Lamb for sinners slain Redeemer, King Creator, in bliss returns to reign

From out of the days of great missionary endeavors comes this hymn, which captures the spirit that moved so many to proclaim the gospel across the globe. It is our duty to bring the gospel to those who have never heard its story. It is our privilege to show all people the correct God to worship as well as the correct way to worship Him.

               Paul told the Greeks in Acts 17, “You worship what you do not know, in ignorance “(my paraphrase) and then proceeded to enlighten them with the truth. In the same manner, those in places without a gospel witness worship in vain: idols made by hand, false gods, political systems, etc..

               One of the charges against Christianity is that we destroyed people’s religion and culture with our missionaries. Yes, we did. We sought to destroy false worship and replace it with the knowledge of the True God. Social customs, as long as they do not violate Scripture, are to be left alone. Religious and moral deficiencies are to be exposed to the gospel light so that its transforming power can set the spiritual captives free. May we never shirk from seeking to transform every culture, including ours, and having them conform to God’s laws.

               May we never be ashamed of the gospel’s power. May we never apologize for loving people so much that we are diligent in showing them how God requires them to worship.

            Lord, move on me to be unashamed that You have set up a narrow way, an exclusive way to salvation – through Jesus Christ. Help me to never apologize for holding fast to the truth that through Him alone salvation is found. Help me to proclaim salvation to those who have never heard as well as those who have never responded.

40 Days of Praise — Day 22

/ taethne

RESCUE THE PERISHING by Fanny J. Crosby

Rescue the perishing, care for the dying; Snatch them in pity from sin and the grave

Weep o’er the erring one, lift up the fallen; Tell them of Jesus, the Mighty to save

Though they are slighting Him, still He is waiting; Waiting the penitent child to receive

Plead with them earnestly, plead with them gently; He will forgive if they only believe

Down in the human heart, crushed by the tempter; Feelings lie buried that grace can restore

Touched by a loving heart, weakened by kindness; Chords that are broken will vibrate once more

Rescue the perishing, duty demands it; Strength for thy labor the Lord will provide

Back to the narrow way, patiently win them; Tell the poor wanderer a Savior has died

REFRAIN

Rescue the perishing; Care for the dying Jesus is merciful; Jesus will save

This hymn shows me what attitude I need to have toward those who do not yet know Jesus. They are spiritually dead as well as physically dying, headed toward a Christ-less eternity. My heart should break for them and my recognition of their state should spur me to action.

               I must tell them of a Savior. I must introduce them to my Lord. It is my duty. I am to see the world through Jesus’ eyes and do the work He commissioned me to do.

               It is amazing to me that many times, those who seem the furthest away from God are the ones who accept His offer of salvation the quickest. Even though they are insulting Him, denying Him, His Spirit continues to work on their heart, melting their stone cold indifference.

               His grace penetrates, quickens, brings about a restoration of life to a dead soul. How beautiful it is remade, reborn.  What a wonderful privilege we have, to be part of His divine plan to bring a lost one into the fold of salvation. Our job is to sow the seed of the Word. The Spirit implants it and causes it to grow, eventually bringing about new life.

               Go, cast your seed where the Spirit directs, and who knows, the soul you help rescue may be the one that is dearest to you.

Lord, help move us to understand the urgency of sharing Your gospel. Help us to understand the priority of throwing a lifeline, Your Word, to those who are drowning in sin. Help me to be moved with pity and compassion, so that I take my part in Your grand plan of redeeming souls to Yourself.

40 Days of Praise — Day 21

/ taethne

FOOTSTEPS OF JESUS by Mary B.C. Slade

Sweetly, Lord, we have heard Thee calling; “Come, follow Me”

And we see where Thy footprints falling; Lead us to Thee

Though they lead o’er the cold, dark mountains; Seeking His sheep

Or along by Siloam’s fountains; Helping the weak

If they lead through the Temple holy; Preaching the word

Or in homes of the poor and lowly; Serving the Lord

Then at last when on high He sees us; Our journey done

We will rest where the steps of Jesus; End at His throne

REFRAIN:

Footprints of Jesus; That make the pathway glow

We will follow the steps of Jesus; Wherever they go

We never know what following Jesus will mean. Our lives are on this grand adventure that is never boring, always challenging, and seldom shown to us in advance. Sometimes we are called to bring the gospel to those we never thought of earlier in life. Sometimes we are given a ministry of mercy, and we find ourselves helping people in ways we never dreamed of. I know that in my own life I have been able to minister in China and Malaysia, places that a boy born in Florida never thought of being able to go to.

       Whether He calls us to a famous ministry speaking at the world’s largest churches or to meet the needs of the poor in third-world countries, the reward is the same. It was once said that:

       “If two angels were to receive at the same moment a commission from God, one to go down and rule earth’s grandest empire, the other to go and sweep the streets of its meanest village, it would be a matter of entire indifference to each which service fell to his lot, a post of ruler or the post of scavenger; for the joy of the angel lies only in obedience to God’s will”[1]

       My prayer is that I would serve in the same manner, simply being grateful for an opportunity to serve the God I love.

       Lord, help me to follow where You lead. Help me keep my eyes on You. Thank you for using me, for giving me a purpose, for enabling me to share in Your grace work. Amen.

[1] John Newton