Month: November 2017

‘Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus

Backgrounder: Louisa Stead and
her husband were relaxing with
their four-year old daughter on
a Long Island beach when they
heard a desperate child’s cry.
A boy was drowning and Louisa’s
husband tried to rescue him.
In the process however the boy
pulled Mr Stead under the water
and both drowned. Louisa was
left with no means of support
and experienced dire poverty.
One morning when she had
neither funds nor food for the day
she opened the front door and
found that someone had left
food and money in her doorstep.
That day she wrote this hymn,
inspired partly by John 14.

Lord, we will trust in You:
Jesus said: Don’t let your hearts
be troubled. Trust in God, and
trust also also in me. There is
more than enough room in my
Father’s home… When everything
is ready, I will come and get you,
so that you will always be with
me where I am (John 14:1-3).

Lord, in life challenges, we will
not let our hearts be troubled
but choose to keep trusting U
to deliver on your promises.
We trust in U with all our heart;
and lean not on our thot; for we
purpose to live by faith, not sight.
For my God knows the plans He
has for me, plans to prosper me
and not to harm me, to give me
a future and a hope (Jer 29:11).
We may have afflictions but the
Lord Will Deliver us; and in all
situations, we are more than
conqueror thro him who loved us.
Meanwhile we choose to keep
faith, trusting U will protect and
provide for in due time we’ll reap.
And thank you for the hymnal
comfort and reminder. Jesus,
Jesus, how I trust Him! How
I’ve proved him o’er & o’er! O for
grace to trust Him more. Amen.

‘Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just to take Him at His Word,
Just to rest upon His promise,
Just to know: Thus saith the Lord

Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him!
How I’ve proved Him o’er & o’er!
Jesus, Jesus, previous Jesus!
O for grace to trust Him more!

Yes, ’tis sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just from sin and self to cease,
Just from Jesus simply taking
Life and rest ang joy and peace.

I’m so glad I learned to trust Him,
Previous Jesus, Saviour, Friend,
And I know that He is with me,
Will be with me to the end.

In the Sweet By and By

Backgrounder: Fillmore Bennett
(1836-98) in his autobiography
described the composition of the
hymn: Joseph Webster, like many
musicians, was of sensitive nature
& subject to periods of depression.
And I found I could rouse him up by
giving him a new song to work on.
He came to my place in Wisconsin
walked down to the stove & turned
his back on me without speaking.
I was at my desk. Turning to him,
I said, “Webster, what’s the matter
now?” “It’s no matter,” he replied,
“it will be all right by and by.” The
idea of the hymn came me like a
flash and I replied, “The Sweet By
and By! Why would not that make
a good hymn?” Turning to my desk
I penned the words of the hymn as
fast as I could write. I handed the
words to Webster. Taking his violin,
he played the melody and jotted
down the notes. It was not 30
mins from the time I took my pen
before we were singing the hymn.

Lord,we thank U for secured future:
Let not your heart be troubled;
you believe in God, believe also
in Me. In My Father’s house are
many mansions…I go to prepare
a place for you. And if I go and
prepare for you, I will come
again and receive you to Myself;
that where I am, there you
may be also (John 14:1-3).

Lord Jesus, U have taken the fear
of death away from us. The end
of our life here you have made
the beginning of the true life to
be with You enjoying life forever.
You free us from sin and from the
curse laid upon us, you took both
sin and the curse upon yourself.
When you rose from the dead, U
cleared the way for our resurrectn.
When out of weakness of human
nature I have fallen and sinned,
forgive me; for you have power
to forgive sins. When I am divested
of my body, may I stand before U
with my soul unspotted, cleansed
by your precious blood, receive it
faultless with your gracious hands.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.

There’s a land that is fairer than day
And by faith we can see it afar;
For the Father waits over the way
To prepare us a dwelling place there.

Refrain:
In the sweet by and by,
We shall meet on that beautiful shore;
In the sweet by and by,
We shall meet on that beautiful shore.

We shall sing on that beautiful shore
The melodious songs of the blessed
And our spirits shall sorrow
no more,
Not a sigh for the blessing
of rest.

To our bountiful Father above,
We will offer our tribute of praise
For the glorious gift of His love
And the blessings that hallow
our days.

At Calvary

Backgrounder: William Newell
(1868-1956) was best known
as a Bible teacher, pastor and
professor. While on his way to
teach a class at Moody Bible
Institute, the words of this hymn
began to form in his mind.
So he went into an unoccupied
classroom and there scribbled
the words on the back of an
envelope. A few minutes later
he gave the words to Daniel
Towner, the director of music
at the school. Within an hour
Towner had composed music
for them. The first three stanzas
tell the testimony of the Christian
and the final stanza praises God
for the greatness of divine love,
the depth of grace and
the breadth of mercy.

Lord, thank you for your grace:
Now it was the Preparation Day
of the Passover and about the 6th
hour. And Pilate said to the Jews:
Behold your King! But they cried
out: Crucify Him! Pilate said to
them: Shall I crucify your King?
The chief priests answered:
We have no king but Caesar!
Then he delivered Him to them
to be crucified… And He bearing
His cross, went to a place of a
Skull, which is called in Hebrew
Golgotha or in Latin Calvary; where
they crucified Him & two others…
Now Pilate wrote a title and put it
on the cross. And the writing was:
JESUS OF NAZARETH,
THE KING OF THE JEWS…
and it was written in Hebrew,
Greek and Latin (John 19:14-20).

Father God, in your mercy, you
sent Jesus to die for our sins on
Calvary’s tree and that He rose
again on the third day so that
our sins are completely forgiven,
and we have been set free.
Lord Jesus, we praise & thank U
for Your sacrifice for our sins.
You paid our debt at Calvary to give
us eternal life with U my Saviour!

Lord, this hymn also encourages
us to hold on to faith regardless of
the struggles we may face in life.
The chorus of this hymn reminds
us that God’s grace and mercy
will see His children through
and His mercy is new everyday.
So, let’s stop trying to carry these
burdens and Give them to Jesus.
And we’ll not let our heart grow
cold with doubt for Jesus is
all we need. For “Mercy there
was great, and grace was free;
Pardon there was multiplied to me
And There my burdened soul
found liberty at Calvary! Amen.

Years I spent in vanity and pride,
Caring not my Lord was crucified,
Knowing not it was for me He died
On Calvary.

Refrain:
Mercy there was great, and grace
was free;
Pardon there was multiplied to me;
There my burdened soul found
liberty
At Calvary.

By God’s Word at last my sin
I learned;
Then I trembled at the law
I’d spurned,
Till my guilty soul imploring turned
To Calvary.

Now I’ve giv’n to Jesus everything,
Now I gladly own Him as my King,
Now my raptured soul can only sing
Of Calvary!

Oh, the love that drew salvation’s
plan!
Oh, the grace that brought it
down to man!
Oh, the mighty gulf that God
did span
At Calvary!

I Found a Friend, O Such a Friend

Backgrounder: James Small was
a minister in the Scottish Free
Church who loved to write hymns
This hymn published in 1863
in the Revival Hymnbook, is full
of great theological truths. From
our standpoint we sing: I’ve found
a Friend but the truth is “He loved
me ere I knew Him” and “He
drew me with the cords of love”.
Obviously it is Jesus who initiated
this friendship. Such a Friend
is truly worth singing about.

Lord, we’ll obey Your command:
This is my commandment, that u
love one another as I’ve loved u.
There is no greater love than
to lay down one’s life for one’s
friends. You are my friends
if you do what I command…
Now you are my friends, since
I have told you everything the
Father told me… I appointed you
that you should go and bear fruit,
and that your fruit remain, that
whatever you ask the Father in
My name He may give you. These
things I command you that you
love one another (Jn 15:12-17).

Lord Jesus, thanks for your
sacrificial love and for being
our friend. Help us to love one
another, as You have loved us,
even as we purpose to obey
your challenging commandment.
We note that your command
for us to love one another is for
the purpose that we bear fruit.
As people see the love between
Christians, they will be drawn to
the source of our love, our Savior.
Lord, you know our propensity
towards selfishness, so help us
to always remember love is not
optional for those who follow You.
And help us also to abide in Your
love for it is the key to loving
our brothers & sisters in Christ.
After all, apart from you,
we can do nothing. Amen.

I’ve found a Friend, O such
a Friend!
He loved me ere I knew Him;
He drew me with the cords
of love
And thus He bound me to Him.
And round my heart still
closely twine
Those ties which naught
can sever
For I am His, and He is mine,
Forever and forever.

I’ve found a Friend; O such
a Friend!
He bled, He died to save me;
And not alone the gift of life,
But His own self He gave me.
Naught that I have my own I call,
I hold it for the Giver;
My heart, my strength, my life,
my all,
Are His, and His forever.

I’ve found a Friend; O such
a Friend!
So kind and true and tender;
So wise a Counsellor and Guide,
So mighty a Defender!
From Him who loves me
now so well,
What pow’r my soul shall sever?
Shall life or death, shall earth
or hell?
No; I am His forever.

I Come to the Garden Alone

Backgrounder: Austin Miles
writes his story on how the words
were written to “In the Garden.”
“One day in March 1912, I was
seated in the darkroom where I
kept my photographic equipment
I drew my Bible toward me; it
opened at my favorite chapter,
John 20… As I read it, I seemed
to be part of the scene. I became
a silent witness to that dramatic
moment in Mary’s life, when
she knelt before her Lord, and
cried, “Rabboni!” . . . Under the
inspiration of this vision I wrote
as quickly as the words could
be formed the poem exactly
as it has since appeared. That
same evening I wrote the music.”

Lord, we want to Be With You:
Mary saw two angels in white
sitting where the body of
Jesus was lain. Then they said:
Woman why are you weeping?
She said to them: Because
they have taken away my Lord..
Now when she turned around
and saw Jesus standing there…
Jesus said to her: Woman, why
are you weeping? Whom are you
seeking? She supposing him
to be the gardener said to him:
Tell me where you have laid Him.
Jesus said to her: Mary! She
turned and said to him: Rabonni!
Jesus said to her: Go to my
brethren and say to them:
I am ascending to my Father
and your Father (Jn 20:12-17).

Father, thanks for the wonderful
fact that Christ is indeed risen!
Help us to put every aspect
of our lives in that perspective.
Lord God, You brought us healing
through the wonders of Easter.
Continue to pour out Your mercy
and grace on Your people.
And lead us to perfect freedom
in Christ, by which the joy that
gladdens our way on earth
will be fulfilled in heaven.

Lord, thank You for being my
Good Shepherd! I am so thankful
You speak & lead me through life.
I’m sorry I haven’t listened to You
so many times when You have
tried to warn, help and guide me.
I have lost so much because
I didn’t listen when You spoke.
But rather than focus on past
losses, I purpose to do everything
within my ability to hear You now
and to obey what U tell me to do.

Lord, I boldly confess that U are
my Shepherd & I am Your sheep.
You promise that I will know
Your voice and that the voice
of a stranger I will not follow.
Therefore, I declare by faith
that I recognize the voice of
Jesus when He speaks to me.
I am not hesitant to follow,
but I am bold and quick to obey
what He speaks to my heart.
I declare all these by faith
in Jesus’ mighty name, Amen!

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.

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.

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.

Softly & Tenderly Jesus is Calling

Backgrounder: Will Thomson
regularly went to New York City
to sell his secular songs he
had written. He made so much
money from his compositions
that newspapers called him
“the millionaire songwriter”.
But Thomson, a Christian, soon
began concentrating on hymn
writing and set up his own
firm for publishing hymnals.
Two million copies of his
gospel quartet books were sold.
Sometime around 1880, when
Thompson was 33 years old,
he wrote this invitational hymn:
Softly and Tenderly.

Lord, we will come to You:
Then Jesus said: Come to me,
all of you who are weary & carry
heavy burdens, and I will give
you rest. Take my yoke upon you.
Let me teach you, because I am
humble and gentle at heart, and
you will find rest for your souls.
For my yoke is easy to bear, and
the burden I give you is light
(Matt 11:28-30).

Lord, thank you for loving me
so much and desires that all man
would come to him; for it is He
who will truly give us REST from
our weary condition (Matt 11:28).
Jesus is never tired of waiting
and watching out for us, telling
us: Come home and find Peace.
The Lord has helped me so many
times in singing, “Softly and
Tenderly because I can always
come to His wonderful love and
recieve His abundant mercy.
And I pray that no matter what
my life holds, I can say at the end
softly & tenderly Jesus is calling.

Lord, I’ve loved this hymn since
teenager years, which always
brought me back to You after
sometimes Wandering around.
The Almighty God is so merciful
to receive us back as His children
it doesn’t matter what our sins
may be, He always wants us
back. And He is able to cleanse
us and make white as snow.
And when we walk back to Him
like the prodigal son, He runs
towards us with open arms and
takes us in. No matter how far
we go, He patiently and tenderly
tells us we’ve not gone too far
to come back home.

Lord, I had sung this precious
hymn to my dying eldest sister
even as she struggled in her final
days on earth. And she was well
comforted having known the
Lord and where she was going.
Her dearest wish was that one
of her daughters and her sibling
sister will one day come to know
the Lord like the rest of the family
And I can imagine her singing:
patiently and tenderly Jesus is
calling, Calling for you & for me.
Lord Jesus, you are so just
that You respect the personal
decision and wait. Meanwhile,
grant us the burden for Salvation
for our loved ones and friends for
Jesus is calling All to come home!
In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Softly and tenderly
Jesus is calling,
Calling for you and for me;
See, on the portals
He’s waiting and watching,
Watching for you and for me.

Refrain:
Come home, come home,
You who are weary, come home;
Earnestly, tenderly,
Jesus is calling,
Calling, O sinner, come home!

Why should we tarry
when Jesus is pleading,
Pleading for you and for me?
Why should we linger
and heed not His mercies,
Mercies for you and for me?

Oh, for the wonderful love
He has promised,
Promised for you and for me!
Though we have sinned,
He has mercy and pardon,
Pardon for you and for me.

Love Lifted Me

Backgrounder: Love Lifted Me
was written in 1912 Connecticut.
James Rowe wrote the lyrics and
Howard Smith wrote the melody.
According to Rowe’s daughter:
I can see them now, my father
striding up and down humming
a bar or two, and Howard
playing it and jotting it down.
The two huddled together,
working line by line, bar by bar,
composing this hymn in tandem.

Rowe and Smith wrote the hymn
based on the passage Peter
walking on the water, becoming
afraid, and crying out to the Lord
to save him as he was sinking.
Rowe reminds us of the
“redemption from sin by our
Saviour” in the first verse of this
hymn. The second verse shows
“the change in our walk as we
owe Him our song, our service,
our whole heart.” The last verse
is a “witness to the loss.”

Lord Jesus, Your Love Lifted Me:
Peter said: Lord, if it is You,
command me to come to You
on the water. So He said: Come.
And when Peter came out of
the boat and walked on the water
to go to Jesus. But when he saw
that the wind was boisterous,
he was afraid and, beginning
to sink, cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’
Immediately Jesus reached out
His hand and caught him. ‘You
of little faith,’ He said, ‘why did
you doubt? (Matt 14:28-31).

Lord, remember singing this
hymn in my late teens and young
adult years. And now as going
through challenges in life,
the hymnal song just rise
from the deep of my heart.
Only Yr love Lord gives unending
peace and reigns in our heart,
for You God remains in control,
even in the storms of life.

God commanded his love
towards us that while we were
still sinners Jesus died for us.
That’s the love that lifted us.
Love especially the third verse –
Souls in danger look above
Jesus completely saves –
He your Savior wants to be;
Be saved today!
What hope and assurance!!
Love lifted me, Love lifted me
When nothing else could help
Love lifted me! Thank you Lord.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.

I was sinking deep in sin,
far from the peaceful shore,
Very deeply stained within,
sinking to rise no more,
But the Master of the sea,
heard my despairing cry,
From the waters lifted me,
now safe am I.

Refrain
Love lifted me! Love lifted me!
When nothing else could help
Love lifted me!
Love lifted me! Love lifted me!
When nothing else could help
Love lifted me!

All my heart to Him I give,
ever to Him I’ll cling
In His blessèd presence live,
ever His praises sing,
Love so mighty and so true,
merits my soul’s best songs,
Faithful, loving service too,
to Him belongs.

Souls in danger look above,
Jesus completely saves,
He will lift you by His love,
out of the angry waves.
He’s the Master of the sea,
billows His will obey,
He your Savior wants to be,
be saved today.