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

40 Days 0f Praise — Day 20

/ taethne

We are halfway through 40 days of praise. I hope you continue to enjoy this musical devotional during your prayer time.

HOW FIRM A FOUNDATION by Robert Keen? George Keith?

How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord; Is laid for your faith in His excellent Word!

What more can He say than to you He has said; To you who for refuge to Jesus have fled?

“Fear not, I am with you, O be not dismayed; For I am Your God and will still give you aid

I’ll strengthen you, help you, and cause thee to stand; Upheld by My righteous, omnipotent hand.

When through the deep waters I call thee to go; The rivers of sorrow shall not overflow

For I will be with thee, your troubles to bless; And sanctify thee to your deepest distress

When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie; My grace all sufficient shall be thy supply

The flame shall not hurt thee I only design; Thy dross to consume and thy gold to refine

The soul that on Jesus, hath leaned for repose; I will not, I will not desert to his foes

That soul though all hell shall endeavor to shake; I’ll never, no never, no never forsake!”

How I love the affirmation of Scripture in the very first verse of this wonderful hymn! We can count on God’s Word. It’s veracity gives us a rock solid foundation for our faith. Everything we need to have a godly life pleasing to Him is found in His Word. It is complete.

       I also love the way the author depicts how God is with us, our Rock. We are able to trust Him. Every word, every promise He gives us, is true and we can lean on Him at all times. He will never leave us nor forsake us. There is no place we can go where His presence cannot be with us. How comforting that is.

       That truth is also frightening. Whenever I go someplace a Christian ought not to go, whenever I place myself in situations I ought not to be in, I take Christ there with me. I expose Him to shame and grieve His Holy Spirit.

       We are even shown, in verse 4, the truth that the fiery trials we encounter are merely to refine us, not destroy us. God lets us go through them not to bring harm to us, but to purify us and make us strong.

       What a wise and loving God we serve. No matter what we go through, no matter who or what seeks to conquer us, we can stand firm with the shield of faith, steadfast in the knowledge that the Lord is our refuge and our strength, an ever present help in times of trouble.

       Lord, what a blessing Your Holy Word is. Thank you so much for giving it to us. Help me to study it and to hide it in my heart, so that I might not sin against You.

40 Days of Praise — Day 19

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WE HAVE HEARD THE JOYFUL SOUND by Priscilla Owens

We have heard the joyful sound, Jesus saves! Jesus saves!

Spread the tidings all around, Jesus saves! Jesus saves!

Bear the news to every land, Climb the steeps and cross the waves

Onward! ’tis our Lord’s command, Jesus saves! Jesus saves!

Waft it on the rolling tide, Jesus saves! Jesus saves!

Tell to sinners far and wide, Jesus saves! Jesus saves!

Sing ye islands of the sea, Echo back, ye ocean caves

Earth shall keep her jubilee, Jesus saves! Jesus saves!

Sing above the battle strife, Jesus saves! Jesus saves!

By His death and endless life, Jesus saves! Jesus saves!

Sing it softly through the gloom, When the heart for mercy craves

Sing in triumph o’er the tomb, Jesus saves! Jesus saves!

Give the winds a mighty voice, Jesus saves! Jesus saves!

Let the nations now rejoice, Jesus saves! Jesus saves!

Shout salvation full and free, Highest hills and deepest caves

This our song of victory, Jesus saves! Jesus saves!

Is there any message more wonderful than that of “Jesus saves?” As we receive the blessedness of redemption, we cannot help but to spread this gospel, this good news, to every land.

               It is a message for people everywhere, in every land. It is a message that transcends cultures, language barriers, economic barriers, racial barriers. Lost, spiritually blind, dead in their trespasses and sins, dying without hope, people need this message. They need this message more than they need any other message because it brings the hope of God to their lives. It is appropriate to shout at births – Jesus saves. It is appropriate to shout at funerals – Jesus saves from eternal damnation! Look to Jesus and live.

               How can we keep such a wonderful message to ourselves? When millions shall walk in gloomy darkness, how can we not share the gospel light? Jesus, and only Jesus, saves. Don’t look to anything else, only Jesus. Don’t rely on anyone or anything else, only Jesus. There is no other name under heaven by which we can be saved but Jesus’. Shout salvation full and free to all who will listen, because it is our song of victory over sin and death, Jesus saves!

            Lord, help me to be faithful in proclaiming the message of salvation to everyone. Let me be unashamed to proclaim “Jesus saves” to every person I meet. Help me to be not just filled with compassion for the lost, but moved to action by proclaiming the way of salvation through the person of Jesus Christ.

40 Days of Praise — Day 18

/ taethne

WHEN I SURVEY THE WONDROUS CROSS by Isaac Watts

When I survey the wondrous cross; On which the Prince of Glory died

My richest gain I count but loss; And pour contempt on all my pride

Forbid it Lord, that I should boast; Save in the death of Christ my God

All the vain things that charm me most; I sacrifice them to His blood

See, from His head, His hands, His feet; Sorrow and love flow mingled down

Did e’er such love and sorrow meet; Or thorns compose so rich a crown?

Were the whole realm of nature mine; That were an offering far too small

Love so amazing, so divine; Demands my soul, my life, my all

Of all of Isaac Watts’ hymns, this one is probably my favorite. Great words of truth mixed with a fantastic melody, this hymn is well worth singing regularly.

               I particularly love the second stanza. There is nothing any of us have to boast about except our Lord. Are we brilliant? God gave us our intellect. Are we strong? God fashioned our body. Are we successful? God has blessed us.

               All we are we owe to our Creator, especially our salvation. In God’s plan, in God’s time, in God’s power, He redeemed us to Himself through His Son. Salvation, as Jonah stated, is from the Lord.

               Everything this world has to charm us with is nothing compared to what awaits us in glory. Why should I take my eyes off eternal perfection for temporal things? Truly, no offering I can give is enough. If I had, as the fourth verse states, everything in the world, it still would not be too great an offering to give. But what I do have, my life, I give freely to the One who is worthy of worship, the Lord Jesus Christ.

            Lord, reading again of Your Son’s death on the cross to pay the price for my sins, brings me both great sorrow and gratitude. Sorrow that I, like all other humans, failed to live up to Your holy standards; gratitude that You took it upon Yourself to pay my penalty. I can never repay You. I can only say, “Thank You.” Take my life. You created me, You bought me, take what is rightfully Yours.

40 Days of Praise — Day 17

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TAKE MY LIFE AND LET IT BE by Francis Ridley Havergal

Take my life and let it be; Consecrated, Lord to Thee

Take my moments and my days; Let them flow in ceaseless praise; Let them flow in ceaseless praise

Take my hands and let them move;  At the impulse of Thy love

Take my feet and let them be; Swift and beautiful for Thee; Swift and beautiful for Thee

Take my voice and let me sing; Always, only for my King

Take my lips and let them be; Filled with messages from Thee; Filled with messages from Thee

Take my silver and my gold; Not a mite would I withhold

Take my intellect and use; Every power as Thou shalt choose; Every power as Thou shalt choose

Take my love, my Lord, I pour; At Thy feet its treasure store

Take myself and I will be; Ever, only, all for Thee; Ever, only, all for Thee

Take my will and make it Thine; It shall be no longer mine

Take my heart, it is Thy own; It shall be Thy royal throne; It shall be Thy royal throne

This hymn is a great daily prayer. What a way to start off each morning – asking God to help us consecrate our life to Him. Let us praise Him each day for He is worthy.

               It is a great privilege, a noble request for us, to ask Him to use all of our being in His service. From my hands and feet, my speech, my financial resources, my mind, love and will; all that I am and have. Nothing less will do for my King of Glory than my all.

               I need the Holy Spirit’s power to constantly, consistently yield myself to God. I need His power to submit my unruly will to His. I need His might to break my stubborn, selfish heart. With all that is within me, I desire to praise His holy name. I long for Him to fully transform me into His image.

               One of the phrases I appreciate from this song is found in verse one. The prayer is for God to take both our moments and our days and have them  become a seamless flow of praise. Another phrase really jumps out too, probably because I am a minister – Take my lips and let them be, filled with messages from Thee. Oh, yes, let us all bring to a lost and dying world a message from God. To use our mouth in this method is a great way of praising and honoring our God.  Right now seems a good moment to start.

            Lord, take all that I am and let me praise You. Take every part of my life because You alone are worthy to be praised. You gave me life and breath – let me use that breath and life to glorify Your name. Accept my offer of praise for Your greatness, majesty and power.

40 Days of Praise — Day 16

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LO, HE COME WITH CLOUDS DESCENDING by Charles Wesley

Lo, He comes with clouds descending, Once for favored sinners slain

Thousand, thousand saints attending. Swell the triumph of His train

Alleluia, alleluia, God appears on Earth to reign

Every eye shall now behold Him, Robed in dreadful majesty

Those who set at naught and sold Him. Pierced and nailed Him to the tree

Deeply wailing, deeply wailing, shall the true Messiah see

Now the Savior long expected, See in solemn pomp appear

All His saints by man rejected, Now shall meet Him in the air

Alleluia, alleluia, See the day of God appear

Yes, Amen! Let all adore Thee, High on Thine eternal throne

Savior take the power and glory, Claim the kingdom for Thine own

O come quickly, O come quickly, Everlasting God come down

There are many great hymns about the second coming of Christ. The words of this one, by Charles Wesley and Martin Madan, keep coming back to my mind.

               The story it tells, contrasting the joyful anticipation of those who believe with the agonizing wailing of those who reject Christ, is very compelling. We forget, sometimes, that while we eagerly await the return of our Lord, that His coming seals the doom of those who are not Christians. He comes with us, His saints, to rule the world with a rod of iron. We long to see our King of Glory enthroned, remaking this earth into a paradise.

               I believe that we have forgotten that for many of those we know, our friends, family members and neighbors, Jesus is not their King, nor their Savior. They will not inherit His Kingdom, only His wrath. In one sense, I do want Him to come quickly. I am ready and my immediate family is ready. In another sense, there are those I love who are not. I want a little more time, another opportunity to share with them, before He returns.

            Lord, I am eager for Your return. I long to see You. I desire to see the glories of heaven. I also have people that I love who are not ready for Your return. They do not know You. Please, Lord, let me have another opportunity to witness to them of You.

40 Days of Praise — Day 15

/ taethne

A MIGHTY FORTRESS IS OUR GOD byMartin Luther

A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing; Our helper He amid the flood, of mortal ills prevailing

For still our ancient foe, doth seek to work us woe; His craft and power are great, and armed with cruel hate

On earth is not His equal

Did we in our own strength abide, our striving would be losing; Were not the right man on our side, the man of God’s own choosing

Doth ask who that may be? Christ Jesus it is He; Lord Sabaoth His name, from age to age the same

And He must win the battle

And though this world with devil’s filled, should threaten to undo us; We will not fear for God hath willed, His truth to triumph through us

The Prince of Darkness grim, we tremble not for him; His rage we can endure, for lo, his doom is sure

One little word shall fell him

That word above all earthly powers, no thanks to them abideth; The Spirit and the gifts are ours, through Him who with us sideth

Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also; The body they may kill, God’s truth abideth still

His kingdom is forever

This song has brought comfort to me many times. Whenever I go through trials, whenever I have been faced with persecution because of my faith in Christ, I lean on God to be both my unassailable place of refuge and my defender. Whenever, like the apostle Paul, I am so hard pressed that I despair even of life, my hope rests in the never failing strength and mercy of my God.

               It is so easy to look at the evil in the world and despair. Often, it seems as if goodness is failing and the darkness is winning. It is then that God’s Word provides the ultimate comfort by revealing the final result – God wins. Good triumphs. Evil is banished. Our ancient enemy is forever defeated by the might of our Savior and God.

               As a mere human, I am no match for the Prince of Darkness. As a son of the Living God, a prince of the Kingdom of Light, co-heir with Jesus Christ and temple of the Holy Spirit, I have nothing to fear. My life is hidden in Christ and all I have to do is call on His name. He is my refuge and my strength, an ever present help in times of danger.

            Lord, help me to remember that You are my place of safety, my refuge, my fortress. Help me not to become overwhelmed at the amount of evil in the world but to overcome it by shining Your light. Let me rest in the assurance that You will return, set up Your kingdom, and banish sin and evil forever. Lord, let me also run to You and You alone for safety.

40 Days of Praise — Day 14

/ taethne

HOLY, HOLY HOLY  by Reginald Heber

Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty, Early in the morning our song shall rise to Thee

Holy, holy, holy! Merciful and mighty, God in three persons, blessed Trinity

Holy, holy, holy! All the saints adore Thee, Casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea

Cherubim and seraphim falling down before Thee, Who wert and art and evermore shall be

Holy, holy, holy! Though the darkness hide Thee, Though the eye of sinful man Thy glory may not see

Only Thou art holy, there is none beside Thee, Perfect in power, in love and purity

Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty, All Thy works shall praise Thy name in earth and sky and sea

Holy, holy, holy! Merciful and mighty, God in three persons, blessed Trinity

What a magnificent, majestic song to sing in praise to God! Yes, all the saints do adore Him, the God of our Salvation. When we stand before the throne we will cast down our crowns at His feet, acknowledging that He and He alone is worthy of any honor. The great angels and other heavenly creatures also will bow in reverence, honor and awe before our great God.

               We cannot see Him now. To witness His holy glory would destroy us. Our sinful bodies are simply not capable of withstanding His perfect presence. One day, we will have a new body and be cleansed from all sin but for now, He is hidden from our sight. Now, we see as through a glass darkly, but then we will see clearly.

               At the coming of the Lord Jesus, when this present heaven and earth pass away and everything is made new, only those who belong to the Lord will inhabit the universe. All His works will praise His name. All will give Him the glory He deserves.

               Every time I sing this song, I am swept up in emotion as I reflect on how wonderful and amazing God is. I sing this with all my heart and mind, praying that He takes joy in my offering to Him. Early in the morning, in the middle of the afternoon, late in the evening, all are appropriate times to ring out praise to our most holy God.

               Most high and holy God, I offer to You everything I have. Nothing I am or will be is in any way a worthy gift to such a magnificent God, but all I have I give to You. You alone are worthy of praise and glory and majesty. I bow before Your glorious throne.