Hymns 2.0 Table of Contents

I’ve done a devotional series on popular hymns in 2007, but this series will be slightly different. It will be “hymns on steroids”! 🙂 I want to give a little history behind the hymn, a message that was impressed upon my heart, as well as what it can mean for all of us during these uncertain times. I hope you enjoy this new series and are blessed by its content.

Amazing Grace	All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name	Holy, Holy, Holy
It is Well	Sweet Hour of Prayer	Beneath the Cross of Jesus
When I Survey the Wondrous Cross	Nearer, My God, to Thee	Jesus Paid It All
Fairest Lord Jesus	How Great Thou Art	Christ the Lord is Risen Today
Rock of Ages	Just As I Am	I Need Thee Every Hour
Abide With Me	Wonderful Grace of Jesus	To God Be the Glory
Victory in Jesus	Blessed Assurance	Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus
Softly and Tenderly	Since I Have Been Redeemed	At Calvary
I’d Rather Have Jesus	Hallelujah, What A Savior	The Solid Rock
Leaning On The Everlasting Arms	Just A Closer Walk With Thee	Higher Ground

Hymns – Day 30 – Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord

(Joh 8:12) Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. Today’s song ends our series on hymns with another beautiful hymn by my favorite composer Fanny Crosby. I’ve only heard this particular song sung a couple of times a long time ago. Please go to Cyberhymnal and listen along while you read the words. The words bring joy to a weary heart and encourage one to press on until His return. This is what God honoring music should do, my friend. Today’s music may have great words or even a nice melody, but does the song move you toward righteousness? Does it draw you to the Word? Does it cause you to run to the Saviour’s side and to His Word so you can fellowship with Him? If it does not, you should contemplate changing your listening habits.

Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord
Fanny Crosby

Holy, holy, holy is the Lord!
Sing, O ye people, gladly adore Him;
Let the mountains tremble at His word;
Let the hills be joyful before Him;
Mighty in wisdom, boundless in mercy,
Great is Jehovah, King over all.Refrain

Holy, holy, holy is the Lord!
Let the hills be joyful before Him.

Praise Him, praise Him! shout aloud for joy,
Watchman of Zion, herald the story;
Sin and death His kingdom shall destroy;
All the earth shall sing of His glory;
Praise Him, ye angels, ye who behold Him,
Robed in His splendor, matchless, divine.

Refrain

King eternal, blessèd be His Name!
So may His children gladly adore Him;
When in Heav’n we join the happy strain,
When we cast our bright crowns before Him;
There in His likeness joyful awaking,
There we shall see Him, there we shall sing:

Refrain

(Rev 4:8 ) And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.(Psa 98:8 ) Let the floods clap their hands: let the hills be joyful together(Psa 98:9) Before the LORD; for he cometh to judge the earth: with righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people with equity.

(Job 36:5) Behold, God is mighty, and despiseth not any: he is mighty in strength and wisdom.

(Psa 132:16) I will also clothe her priests with salvation: and her saints shall shout aloud for joy.

(Isa 52:8 ) Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing: for they shall see eye to eye, when the LORD shall bring again Zion.

(Rom 8:2) For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

(Psa 66:4) All the earth shall worship thee, and shall sing unto thee; they shall sing to thy name. Selah.

(Isa 6:3) And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.

(Job 1:21) And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.

(Psa 113:2) Blessed be the name of the LORD from this time forth and for evermore.

(Dan 2:20) Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his:

(Rev 4:10) The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying,

(Rev 4:11) Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

(Rev 1:7) Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.

Do you think Fanny knew her Bible? Here was a lady without sight yet when you read her hymns, you can tell that she had much of the Bible in her mind’s eye. She penned the Word of God throughout each of the verses. When you sing this hymn or merely read its words, you are drawn to the Word of God.

So this concludes our series on hymns – hymns we’ve loved throughout the years and hymns we have never heard although they were hymns of old. I pray that this series was as much of a blessing to you as it was to me!

(Psa 106:48 ) Blessed be the LORD God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting: and let all the people say, Amen. Praise ye the LORD.

Hymns – Day 29 – Sweetly the Holy Hymn

(Psa 123:1) [A Song of degrees.] Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens. This photo was taken by Carol Meyer at Jasper National Park in Alberta, Canada. Isn’t it beautiful? Carol has given me permission to use her beautiful photographs and so many of them (actually most of them) are of nature – God’s beauty! Thank you, Carol for allowing me to use your beautiful work!

This photograph reminds me of the condition of my heart when I come to meet with the Lord. I look to the heavens to see my God and I prepare my heart to meet Him there. (Psa 113:5) Who is like unto the LORD our God, who dwelleth on high,

Today’s hymn is one that I have never heard before. But I love Charles Spurgeon and knew that anything that he wrote had to be beautiful! Sure enough, I was not disapponted in the least. Brother Spurgeon was born June 19, 1834, in Kelvedon, Essex, England and passed away on January 31, 1892, in Montone, France. Although he was a well known preacher, he wrote several hymns which were collected into a work called “A Collection of Psalms and Hymns for Public, Social, and Private Worship, 1866.” By the time Spurgeon reached the age of 21, he was the most popular preacher in London! He had no formal education yet he preached to thousands in his life time. God used him mightily.

He not only preached but he pastored, he founded churches, Sunday schools, and an orphanage, he also founded the Pastor’s College, and he also edited a monthly church magazine! He was definitely busy for the Lord. Today, many of us read the daily devotionals by Spurgeon. He continues to touch the lives of people and will continue to do so even after we’re gone.

There were two things I read in his biography that impressed me about this man: (1) He was not timid about calling out error in the Church of England or amongst his own Baptist circles and (2) he absolutely grieved over the trend of the day toward biblical criticism.

Today’s hymn shares with us a desire to meet with the Lord in prayer and song. Spurgeon spoke of his walk each day as a battle and the need to prepare for this battle by meeting with His God!

Sweetly the Holy Hymn
Charles H. Spurgeon

Sweetly the holy hymn
Breaks on the morning air;
Before the world with smoke is dim
We meet to offer prayer.

While flowers are wet with dews,
Dew of our souls, descend:
Ere yet the sun the day renews,
O Lord, Thy Spirit send.

Upon the battlefield,
Before the fight begins,
We seek, O Lord, Thy sheltering shield,
To guard us from our sins.

Ere yet our vessel sails
Upon the stream of day
We plead, O Lord, for heavenly gales
To speed us on our way!

On the lone mountain side,
Before the morning’s light,
The Man of sorrows wept and cried,
And rose refreshed with might.

Oh, hear us then, for we
Are very weak and frail,
We make the Savior’s Name our plea,
And surely must prevail.

Our Saviour’s name will surely prevail! It was interesting to find three verses in the Word that described how every knee would bow at the name of Jesus! The number three symbolizes the Trinity in the Word.

(Isa 45:23) I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.

(Rom 14:11) For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.

(Phil 2:10) That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;

Praise the Lord!

Hymns – Day 28 – A New Name in Glory!

This beautiful picture was taken by my son, Adam, when we were touring Monticello (Thomas Jefferson’s home). A storm was coming through and we could see the lightning in the distance. Adam caught this picture just before the storm reached us. When I look at it, I am reminded that our Saviour will one day return for His sheep! (Act 1:9-11) And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. (9) And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; (10) Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. (11) Aren’t you excited?

As we celebrate the time of His birth, let us not forget that His was not an ordinary birth. Jesus Christ’s life was no ordinary life! His death was no ordinary death! (Mat 28:6) He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. Christ conquered death and took on our punishment so that we may one day live with Him for all eternity. (1 Cor 15:55-57) O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? (55) The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. (56) But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (57)

Because of this wonderful act of love from our Saviour, we are able to sing today’s hymn and rejoice! We covered this author yesterday so I won’t repeat myself and will just continue on with this blessed hymn!

A New Name in Glory
Charles Austin Miles

I was once a sinner, but I came
Pardon to receive from my Lord:
This was freely given, and I found
That He always kept His word.

Refrain

There’s a new name written down in glory,
And it’s mine, O yes, it’s mine!
And the white robed angels sing the story,
“A sinner has come home.”
For there’s a new name written down in glory,
And it’s mine, O yes, it’s mine!
With my sins forgiven I am bound for Heaven,
Never more to roam.

I was humbly kneeling at the cross,
Fearing naught but God’s angry frown;
When the heavens opened and I saw
That my name was written down.

Refrain

In the Book ’tis written, “Saved by Grace,”
O the joy that came to my soul!
Now I am forgiven, and I know
By the blood I am made whole.

Refrain
Is your name written down in glory? For every born-again believer, singing this song is an encouragement to a weary spirit! Christ gave Himself for you and for me! Does that not touch you to the core?

(Gal 1:4) Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:

(Gal 2:20) I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

(Tit 2:14) Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

(1 Jn 5:10) He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.

Why did Jesus do this for us? Why would He give Himself for us? Oh the blessed love of God! When I read these two verses, I am drawn to tears that my Lord would love us so much that He would do this for us! (Heb 2:17-18 ) Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. (17) For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted. (18 )

Jesus Christ, the Perfect Lamb of God and our Saviour, voluntarily came to earth for the sole purpose of being tempted, living a sinless life and then dying so that He could take on our penalty of sin so we would not burn for all eternity! He stands before the Father as our High Priest always making intercession for us! (Heb 7:25) Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. We are saved to the uttermost! Noah Webster defines this word as:

UT’TERMOST, a. [utter and most.] Extreme; being in the furthest, greatest or highest degree; as the uttermost extent or end; the uttermost distress.

Strong’s Concordance says:

G3838
παντελής
pantelēs
pan-tel-ace’
From G3956 and G5056; full ended, that is, entire (neuter as noun, completion): – + in [no] wise, uttermost.

Can one be partially saved? If you are drowning and a rescuer comes to save you, does he save you then allow you to start drowning again and then save you again – so on and so forth? If you are burning in a fire, does the fire fighter save you, throw you back in only to save you again? If you are lost in your sin, does the Saviour die on the cross for your sins only to have to go die again because your salvation was lost? It sounds absurd when put it in this light, doesn’t it? But the definitions are awesome – they are clear to me! The Lord wants you to know that you have been saved to the uttermost – to completion – entirely. That means your sins from the past, present and future have been paid for, entirely, by Christ Himself! Glory! This does not give you the right to continue living your old sinful life and not change. For the Word says (2 Cor 5:17) Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. Anyone who is grateful for being saved from eternal punishment burning in a lake of fire will not remain the same. They will allow the Holy Spirit of God to change them out of appreciation to Christ for what He has done!

What a lovely thought for today! (Phil 4:3) And I intreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellowlabourers, whose names are in the book of life. My name is written in the book of life – Jesus knows my name and my name is written down in glory! (Joh 10:3) To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.

(Psa 100:4) Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

Hymns – Day 27 – In the Garden

~Revelation 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

I absolutely love this verse! The Lord could have picked a different word than sup here. He could have said, “I will talk with him,” or “I will sit with him.” Instead, Christ picked the word sup. There’s nothing more intimate than a meal together. Family meal time is a precious time for me. I look forward to sitting down with my family after a long day and reconnecting with one another. I love to hear the chatter and laughter – it’s music to my ears.

One of Jesus’ names is “the Word of God.” I truly believe that Christ picked every word written in the Bible and chose each word very carefully. I believe He had every intention to use the word sup here. The Lord desires to make entrance into our lives and meet with us. Not just to talk, but to actually have an intimate time – a meal, if you will. He desires to sit with us for more than just a few minutes but for the time it takes to have a meal. He desires to have that chatter and laughter, and sometimes even tears, in our time with Him.

Today’s hymn is also one of my favorites. It really should be accompanied with Revelation 3:20 whenever it is sung, don’t you think? The songs we sing should stir our hearts and bring the Scriptures to life, stirring our hearts. This beautiful hymn was written by Charles Austin Miles. Mr. Miles was born on January 7, 1868, and passed away on March 10, 1946. He started out his career as a pharmacist but left it to write Gospel music. His first song was “List ‘Tis Jesus’ Voice.” I loved this quote by him,

It is as a writer of gospel songs I am proud to be known, for in that way I may be of the most use to my Master, whom I serve willingly although not as efficiently as is my desire.

His desires were fulfilled, I would say! We sing a few of his songs in our own church.

In the Garden
Charles Austin Miles

I come to the garden alone
While the dew is still on the roses
And the voice I hear falling on my ear
The Son of God discloses.

Refrain

And He walks with me, and He talks with me,
And He tells me I am His own;
And the joy we share as we tarry there,
None other has ever known.

Refrain

He speaks, and the sound of His voice,
Is so sweet the birds hush their singing,
And the melody that He gave to me
Within my heart is ringing.

Refrain

I’d stay in the garden with Him
Though the night around me be falling,
But He bids me go; through the voice of woe
His voice to me is calling.

Refrain

(Psa 5:3) My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.

(Joh 10:27) My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

(Psa 128:1) [A Song of degrees.] Blessed is every one that feareth the LORD; that walketh in his ways.

(Joh 10:29) My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.

(Mar 4:39) And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.

(Php 4:6) Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

(Php 4:7) And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

When I sing this song, my heart is stirred to the Word. I think of my Saviour’s voice calling to me to get saved – Praise the Lord! I think of how I was placed into the Saviour’s care by the Father and no one can remove me from that care. I can meet with Him any time I want – any where I want and He is there. The One who created me and all that is around me can still any storm in my life and provide the peace which passes all understanding.

It is a joy being saved, amen?! It is a joy to meet with the Saviour in our “garden”!

Hymns – Day 26 – Just As I Am

(Psa 121:1-2) [A Song of degrees.] I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. (1) My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth. (2) These two verses have been my encouragement and my prayer so many times. In fact, I have probably used Psalm 121 more than any other Scripture in my writings.

The unbeliever cannot claim such a verse because he does not have a relationship with the God who provides such promise. In order for a person to be heard of God, he must be saved. (Psa 66:18 ) If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me: We all regard iniquity in our hearts. (Rom 3:10) As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: Therefore, God does not hear the sinner’s prayers until he has accepted Christ as his Saviour and is now clothed in the righteousness of His own Son.

(Eze 33:13) When I shall say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his righteousnesses shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it. It’s not by our own righteousness that we are able to gain entrance into the Holy of Holies to commune with our God. God regards our righteousness as a filthy rag! (Isa 64:6) But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. Because Christ’s blood covers the born-again believer, our sins are no longer seen by the Father. (Psa 103:12) As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.

Since our own righteousness is not acceptable in God’s eyes, then neither are our own works. We have to come to God knowing that there is nothing in our lives that can be allowed in Heaven. We deserve eternal punishment because of our sinful nature. We must come to him broken and humble knowing that there is nothing that we can do for salvation. God is the one who is in charge of salvation – salvation through Christ Jesus! (Jon 2:9) But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD.

With that in mind, I was drawn to the “invitational” song, Just As I Am, this morning, written by Charlotte Elliott. Miss Elliott was born March 18, 1789, and died September 22, 1871.

Just as I am, without one plea,
Charlotte Elliott

Just as I am, without one plea,
But that Thy blood was shed for me,
And that Thou bidst me come to Thee,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, and waiting not
To rid my soul of one dark blot,
To Thee whose blood can cleanse each spot,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, though tossed about
With many a conflict, many a doubt,
Fightings and fears within, without,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, poor, wretched, blind;
Sight, riches, healing of the mind,
Yea, all I need in Thee to find,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, Thou wilt receive,
Wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve;
Because Thy promise I believe,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, Thy love unknown
Hath broken every barrier down;
Now, to be Thine, yea, Thine alone,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, of that free love
The breadth, length, depth, and height to prove,
Here for a season, then above,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come!

This beautiful song shows the humbleness of heart of its author. Miss Elliott became an invalid when she was around 30. I loved reading what she wrote about her severe physical condition (very similar to that of chronic fatigue):

My Heavenly Father knows, and He alone, what it is, day af­ter day, and hour af­ter hour, to fight against bodily feelings of almost over­pow­er­ing weak­ness and lang­uor and ex­haust­ion, to re­solve, as He en­a­bles me to do, not to yield to the sloth­ful­ness, the de­press­ion, the ir­ri­ta­bil­i­ty, such as a bo­dy caus­es me to long to in­dulge, but to rise ev­ery morn­ing de­term­ined on tak­ing this for my mot­to, “If any man will come af­ter me, let him de­ny him­self, take up his cross dai­ly, and fol­low me.”

In my readings, I discovered that when Dr. Cesar Malan (of Geneva) came to her father’s house to visit, he caused her to think about her salvation. Because of her illness, she was irritable toward Dr. Malan and told him she did not wish to discuss religion. Dr. Malan’s humble response to her was that he would not continue the discussion but would pray that she accept Christ as her Saviour. The Holy Spirit used this to convict her and she apologized to Dr. Malan a few weeks later. She asked him how she could be saved and his response was to come to Jesus “just as you are.” She was saved and later was moved to write this beautiful hymn.

She is a testimony to those who suffer from chronic illness. Her life since her salvation was devoted to writing. This hymn was published in the “Invalid’s Hymn Book.” Despite her ailment, she made herself useful – she edited the Religious Remembrancer magazine and wrote 31 hymns, according to Cyberhymnal. What a blessing it is to read about how God used her despite her illness. She replaced her bitterness with a servant’s humble heart. This heart was reflected in today’s hymn, wasn’t it?

I hope Charlotte’s testimony was a blessing to you today. If you are suffering from a chronic illness or you are dying from an illness, please take heart today. Your service for Christ does not need to end. In fact, you need His comfort in your life even more now than ever! There is joy and peace that comes with serving Him – a peace which goes past any understanding you will ever have. (Php 4:7) And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. When our hearts and minds are fixed on Christ and His will for our lives, we receive blessed peace. The world looks a Christian who is going through such a trial and witnesses a person who is not eaten up with bitterness but one that is glorifying the Lord in his work for Him!

Hymns – Day 25 – Behold, the Grace Appears!

I thought it fitting to include a Christmas hymn in our series. According to Cyberhymnal’s list, Isaac Watts has 518 hymns attributed to him. In all of my devotionals, I have quoted Isaac Watts at least five or six times. One of my favorites of his is “Alas and Did My Saviour Bleed?”!

Behold, the Grace Appears!
Isaac WattsBehold, the grace appears!
The promise is fulfilled;
Mary, the wondrous virgin, bears,
And Jesus is the Child.The Lord, the highest God,
Calls Him His only Son;
He bids Him rule the lands abroad,
And gives Him David’s throne.

O’er Jacob shall He reign
With a peculiar sway;
The nations shall His grace obtain,
His kingdom ne’er decay.

To bring the glorious news
A heav’nly form appears;
He tells the shepherds of their joys,
And banishes their fears.

“Go, humble swains,” said he,
“To David’s city fly;
The promised Infant born today
Doth in a manger lie.”

“With looks and hearts serene,
Go visit Christ your King;
And straight a flaming troop was seen:
The shepherds heard them sing:

“Glory to God on high!
And heav’nly peace on earth;
Goodwill to men, to angels joy,
At the Redeemer’s birth!”

In worship so divine,
Let saints employ their tongues;
With the celestial hosts we join,
And loud repeat their songs:

“Glory to God on high!
And heav’nly peace on earth;
Goodwill to men, to angels joy,
At our Redeemer’s birth!”

As a writer, I love to see the motivation behind a person’s writing. To me, it is easy to see what motivated Isaac Watts. His love for the Lord is evident in every piece I’ve ever read. I also enjoy his style of writing. Each verse is tied into Scripture. I can easily read his writings and a verse comes to mind to go along with that particular verse.

Verse 1:

(Tit 2:11) For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,

(Heb 9:15) And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.

(Mat 1:18 ) Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.

Verse 2:

(Luk 1:32) He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:

Verse 3:

(Luk 1:33) And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

Verse 4:

(Luk 2:10) And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

Verse 5:

(Luk 2:15) And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.

Verse 6:

(Luk 2:13) And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

Verse 7:

(Luk 2:14) Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

Verse 8:

(Psa 30:4) Sing unto the LORD, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.

Verse 9:

(Luk 2:14) Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

My favorite hymn is one that draws me to the Bible. Today’s Christian music may have good words – the melody may be beautiful – but do the words draw me to the Word? At times, the music stirs me but the words do not cause me to think of a Bible verse. The hymns of old do, however. Especially those of Mr. Watts. I believe that music that glorifies the Lord is music that brings His Word to mind and moves you to serve Him better.

Hymns – Day 24 – He Lives on High

I love to sing songs about Christ’s reign, His coming, His grace and His mercy. There are so many good hymns which can lift my spirit in time of need. This is one of them, written by Baylus Benjamin McKinney. Mr. McKinney was born July 22, 1886, and died September 7, 1952. He attended Southwestern Baptist Seminary and taught there between 1919 and 1932. He pastored in Fort Worth, TX from 1931 to 1935 and afterwards became the music editor for the Baptist Sunday School Board in Nash?ville, Tennessee.

He Lives on High
Baylus Benjamin McKinney

Christ the Savior came from Heaven’s glory,
To redeem the lost from sin and shame;
On His brow He wore the thorn-crown glory,
And upon Calvary He took my blame.

Refrain

He lives on high, He lives on high,
Triumphant over sin and all its stain;
He lives on high, He lives on high,
Some day He’s coming again.

He arose from death and all its sorrow,
To dwell in that land of joy and love;
He is coming back some glad tomorrow,
And He’ll take all His children home above.

Refrain

Weary soul, to Jesus come confessing,
Redemption from sin He offers thee;
Look to Jesus and receive a blessing,
There is life, there is joy and victory!

Refrain

When I read the words to this hymn, I cannot get past the first verse without tearing up. “And upon Calvary He took my blame”! Jesus Christ, took my blame – my sin upon His shoulders and He paid the price for my much deserved punishment! (1 Cor 6:20) For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s. and (1 Cor 7:23) Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men.

This time of the year should cause the believer to meditate more thoroughly on Christ’s mission. Our blessed Saviour left His Throne on high to take on the form of man. He suffered as we suffered and was tempted as we are tempted. Yet in all of his trials and tests, not once did He sin. He fulfilled Jewish law that a perfect lamb had to be sacrificed. He was the perfect sacrifice, the perfect lamb. He opened the gates of redemption by dying for all of us, not just the Jews! The Gentile now has the opportunity for salvation. Praise the Lord!

Because of Christ’s payment for our penalty, we will be able to participate in this beautiful choir after the Rapture, my friend:

(Rev 5:9) And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;

(Rev 5:10) And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.

(Rev 5:11) And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands;

(Rev 5:12) Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.

What a gift we have been given! Oh praise the Lord with me today!

Hymns – Day 23 – Will Jesus Find Us Watching?

This is probably the third or fourth Fanny Crosby hymn that I have chosen for this devotional series. She has so many songs that bless the heart. One thing I found interesting about Fanny is that she used many pseudonyms. A pseudonym is a pen name taken by a writer so the writer can remain anonymous for whatever reason. I have read that this was done by women in the early years when it was thought that only men should be writers and composers. Taken from Cyberhymnal, here are the pseudonyms Fanny Crosby wrote under:

Adrienne, Cora
Alstyne, Fannie Jane
Andrews, A. E.
Apple, James
Armstrong, Alice
Atherton, Rose
Bell, Carrie
Bethune, Catherine
Black, James
Black, James L.
Black, James M.
Blair, H. E.
Blair, Henrietta E.
Booth, Florence
Bruce, Charles
Bruce, Robert
Burns, Charles
Carlston, Mary
Carlton, Leah
Church, Fannie
Craddock, Eleanor
Culyer, Lyman G.
Dale, Ella
Dayton, Flora
D. D.
D. D. R.
Eliot, James
Edmonds, Lizzie
Edwards, Lizzie
F. A. N.
F. J. C.
F. J. V. A.
Fannie
Fanny
Forrest, Mrs. Edna
Frances, Carrie
Frances, Grace J.
Frances, Lillian G.
Frances, S. Trevor
Frances, Victoria
Garnet, Jenny
Glen, Jenie
Gould, Frank
Grinley, Mrs. Kate
G. W. W.
Harmon, Ruth
Hawthorn, Carrie
Hope, Frances
Hops, Frances
James, Annie
James, Mary
James, Sarah
J. F. O.
J. W. W.
Judson, Myra
Lankton, Martha J.
Lincoln, H. N.
Lindsay, W. Robert
L. L. A.
Lowry, Minnie B.
Marion, Maude
Martin, S
Martin, Sallie
Martin, Sam
Miller, Laura
Montieth, A
Montieth, Alice
Park, Edna L.
Prentice, Mrs. L.C.
Smiling, Mrs. Kate
Smith, Sallie A.
Smith, Sallie E.
Smith, Sally
Smith, Sam
Sterling, J. L.
Sterling, Julia
Sterling, Rian J.
Sterling, Ryan
Sterling, Victoria
Stewart, Victoria
Taylor, Ida Scott
The Children’s Friend
Tilden, Louise W.
Tilden, Mary
V., Jenny
Van A., Mrs.
Van Alstyne, Fannie
Van Alstyne, Fannie Jane
Van Alstyne, Mrs.
Van Alstyne, Mrs. Alexander
Viola
Wallace, Zemira
Wilson, Carrie
Wilson, Mrs. C. M.
## [yes, she sometimes used these marks instead of a name!]
###
‘*’
***

Isn’t that interesting? I have not been able to find out why she chose to write under so many but nonetheless, she surely did a lot of writing!

Today’s hymn is a very special one to me. Since the day I was born-again, I have thought of Christ’s return every single day. I was born again at noon on April 1st, 1980. I use to laugh and say that I fooled ole slew foot because I was saved on April Fool’s Day. But each day since, I have looked forward to Christ’s appearing at the Rapture of the Saints! It is the topic of the end times that drew me to the Saviour and it is a topic that is near and dear to my heart. I have studied the Rapture of the Church thoroughly and am convinced that Christ will be here at any moment! In the twinkling of an eye, we are told! (1 Cor. 15:52-58 ) In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. (52) For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. (53) So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. (54 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? (55) The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. (56) But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (57) Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. (58 ) Oh Glory!

Fanny Crosby must have taken verse 58 very seriously, in my opinion. She was steadfast – she was unmoveable in the work of the Lord. Despite her blindness, she held no resentment in her heart and she moved forward in her work for the Lord. I wonder how many of her songs are sung throughout the world on any given Sunday during church services? Her songs have even been translated into different languages! Today’s hymn is a blessing because it exhorts the believer to be steadfast as well.

Will Jesus Find Us Watching?
Fanny Crosby

When Jesus comes to reward His servants,
Whether it be noon or night,
Faithful to Him will He find us watching,
With our lamps all trimmed and bright?

Refrain

O can we say we are ready, brother?
Ready for the soul’s bright home?
Say, will He find you and me still watching,
Waiting, waiting when the Lord shall come?

If, at the dawn of the early morning,
He shall call us one by one,
When to the Lord we restore our talents,
Will He answer thee—“Well done”?

Refrain

Have we been true to the trust He left us?
Do we seek to do our best?
If in our hearts there is naught condemns us,
We shall have a glorious rest.

Refrain

Blessèd are those whom the Lord finds watching,
In His glory they shall share;
If He shall come at the dawn or midnight,
Will He find us watching there?

Refrain

Whenever I sing this song, I fall under conviction. It actually should be my song every morning when I sit to do my devotions. If I were to adopt this as my daily song, I dare say I would not be so quick to look away but would keep my eyes fixed on the Lord’s return. When I read through the words this morning, my thoughts were fixed on my work for the Lord. What I have done for Jesus that would answer me – Well done! (Mat 25:23) His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

We cannot earn our way to Heaven by the work that we do here on earth. That is clear in (Eph 2:8-9) For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: (8 ) Not of works, lest any man should boast. (9) The Lord made sure to put these two verses in the Word so that man would not able to boast of his accomplishments. He would not be able to say, “Look at me! Look at all I have done or money I have given so that I can enter those pearly gates!”

However, after we are saved, the born-again believer’s actions and works should be such that an unbeliever sees Christ through our works. Our good works and our actions should draw the unbeliever and should attract him. These works should speak volumes without a word uttered! (Tit 2:14) Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. Before I was saved, my works were impeccable. I taught catechism – I helped the poor – I volunteered for good causes. However, none of these brought me assurance that I would go to Heaven when I died. You can purchase a gift to give to someone. However, you cannot purchase a gift that is given to you. The Word is clear about the Father’s gift to us. It cannot be purchased – it cannot be earned. If it could be, it would not be a gift at all. Along with Eph. 2:8-9, the Lord has given to us three more verses which teach us this fact:

(Joh 4:10) Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.

(Act 8:20) But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.

(Rom 6:23) For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Where are your works today? Are you working for God because you believe that you will be rewarded by entering Heaven? Or are you working for God because you are a born-again child of the King and you want to please Him? The believer has peace knowing that he is a child of God and does not have to question his place in God’s family. However, the unbeliever does not have such peace. They do good works so that they can obtain this peace but this peace evades them. In the end, they are not convinced that they are going to enter Heaven. They wonder and hope that they will go to Heaven.(Oba 1:15) For the day of the LORD is near upon all the heathen: as thou hast done, it shall be done unto thee: thy reward shall return upon thine own head.

Don’t be counted among the saved who will be ashamed at the Lord’s return. Do something about your laziness today. Work for the Lord for the day is fast approaching. (1 Jn 2:28 ) And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming. Take delight in boldly approaching the Lord knowing that you have done a good work today for the Master! I believe Fannie can be counted among these brethren. I have never read one negative comment about her service for the Lord. What a great day it must have been for her to enter Heaven!

Hymns – Day 22 – ‘Tis Jesus

When I think of Christ’s love, I think of how vast the love of God is as well as how much we are forgiven! I thought this beautiful photograph was appropriate for today’s hymn. It was taken by Carol Meyer and was used with her permission. Her photograph of the Grand Canyon is absolutely beautiful, isn’t it? She captures the depth and width of this beautiful work of God! (Rom 8:38 ) For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come (38 ) Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (39) When we see a picture which helps us to understand a Scripture verse, the teaching implants itself in our heart and we are able to fully comprehend what our Heavenly Father is trying to teach us. I looked at this photograph this morning and the first verses that came to mind were these in Romans.

I had never heard today’s hymn. The words are simple, yet beautiful. They were penned by J. Wilbur Chapman who was born in Indiana on June 17, 1859. He passed away on December 25, 1918. He was an ordained Presbyterian minister and he pastored several churches. When reading the words to this hymn, it is evident that Mr. Chapman knew about Christ’s love and the depth of His love for mankind.

‘Tis Jesus
J. Wilbur Chapman

I know of a world that is sunk in shame,
Where hearts oft faint and tire;
But I know of a Name, a precious Name,
That can set that world on fire;
Its sound is sweet, its letters flame.

Refrain

I know of a Name, a precious Name,
’Tis Jesus.

I know of a Book a marvelous Book,
With a message for all who hear;
And the same dear Name, His wonderful Name,
Illumines its pages clear;
The Book is His Word, its message I’ve heard.

Refrain

I know of a home in Immanuel’s land,
Where hearts ne’er faint nor tire;
And His marvelous Name, His own dear Name,
Inspires the heav’nly choir;
Hear the melody ringing, my own heart singing.

Refrain

You cannot get to Heaven but through Jesus Christ, my friend. There is no other, according to the Word of God. God did not leave us defenseless in today’s world. He left us His Bible so that we could find salvation. Look at the Ethiopian in Acts 8 – he was in the desert and searching for salvation. There was no one around – yet God sent Philip to witness to him and give him the wonderful Gospel (good news) of Jesus Christ. God will reveal Himself to anyone if they are searching for Him. (Act 4:10-12) Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. (10) This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. (11) Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. (12) Do you see that? There is NO other name under heaven whereby we can be saved! That means Muhammad, Joseph Smith, Mary Baker Eddy, or Buddha. NONE other name under heaven – only Jesus Christ. As well, no “church” will save you either. Being a member of a certain church does not get one to heaven.

When you meditate on God’s love in light of this photo and these verses, your heart becomes tender to what Christ had to go through so that we could be united with the Father. Our born-again experience did not come cheaply, my friend. Jesus Christ had to pay a price for us – a huge price – His own shed blood on a cruel cross! (Mat 26:28 ) For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

If someone were to save you from drowning, you would shower this person with thanks and even reward him for his part in saving you, wouldn’t you? You wouldn’t ignore your rescuer but you would shout from the roof tops what he had done for you. (Hos 4:6) My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children. When a person rejects Jesus Christ, he rejects the fact that He came to save him. This person will realize his ungratefulness when he stands before Christ on the day of judgment and finds that his name is not written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. (Rev 21:27) And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life. At that point, it will be too late to admit that Christ came to save him. Christ died for all man – not just a few. To deny Him brings eternal damnation in the lake of fire. What a price to pay for rejecting such a wonderful gift!

As we approach the Christmas season, it is an excellent time to reflect on such a great gift. (Joh 3:16) For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Whether you celebrate Christmas or not, the fact of the matter is that Christ came to earth in human form because mankind could not be “good enough” to save himself. Being a member of a church does not gain you entrance to heaven either. That would mean that you could “earn” it yourself and the Word contradicts that thought. (Eph 2:8 ) For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: (8 ) Not of works, lest any man should boast. (9) For the lost, Christ brings salvation and eternal life.

For those who are already born-again, today’s devotional encourages you to meditate on Christ’s vast love for you. It should motivate you to do all you can while you still have time to draw others to Him. What a wonderful gift to give the Lord as we remember His birthday – the gift of leading someone to a saving knowledge and the depth of His love!! (Psa 126:6) He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.