Category: Struggles

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Bondage…Part 2

Have you ever pondered why we stay? Stay where things are simply ‘satisfactory’. Stay in our failure, pride, arrogance, fear and unrest.

Does it bring us comfort?

Does it bring peace?

Does it bring satisfaction?

In the following 3 verses of the hymn ‘Out of My Bondage’, George Stebbins, in each verse, makes 3 statements of recognition and 3 affirmations of what he knows would happen if those recognition’s were overcome. Throughout the song, he transforms in his understanding that bondage to worldly things, only causes stumbling and strife.

It is something that the devil is wonderful at using against us. He uses the contentment we find in ‘satisfactory’. He uses our failures, pride, arrogance and fear to keep us EXACTLY where we are and THAT is what does it. That is what holds us hostage, or, in bondage. WE are the ones keeping ourselves enamored with temporary pleasures that will never satisfy nor soothe the enduring emptiness that we feel when the initial satisfaction wares off. How do we alleviate our desire for a satisfaction that we cannot seem to fill? It’s a simple answer, and one not many will choose to pursue. GOD.  In the beginning, Gen. 1:1, He was there. He’s seen it all and He’s given us a way to Him (John 3:16) and the ETERNAL satisfaction we desire and that is through His son. Through Him, we find protection and peace (2 Tim. 2:10; Phil. 4:7).

What holds you in bondage? Let go of it and run to the one who listens, gives protection, provides peace and can alleviate pain and sorrow. Lean on Him and He will bring you an everlasting joy that will fill your heart. Be brave enough to reach out of the comforts of your sin, whatever it may be, and find the eternal comforts of Christ as He stands waiting to welcome you Out of Your Bondage.

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Pass Me Not…

Looking at the second in this series of articles to highlight some of Fanny J. Crosby’s songs, let’s consider the words of one of her songs from 1868. Just 3 years after the pain of the American Civil War, she was encouraged to write this hymn as the result of a visit to a prison. It was in the spring of ’68 and William H. Doane recorded the following: “After she (Fanny J. Crosby) had spoken, and some of her hymns had been sung, she heard one of the prisoners cry out in a pleading voice, ‘Good Lord, do not pass me by!’.” The song finds it’s Biblical basis as we read of Christ passing by the blind me in Matthew 20:29-34. “Two blind men sitting by the road, hearing that Jesus was passing by, cried out, ‘Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David.’…”
An additional reference can be seen in the second verse of this song as we read Mark 9:24. Jesus and His disciples are speaking with a man concerning his son’s illness. The boy was possessed by a spirit, vs 17, and the disciples had not been able to cast the spirit out. In speaking to Jesus the man said, “…if You can do anything, take pity on us and help us!” Jesus response to the father’s plea was in the form of a question as he asked, “If You can?” All things are possible to him who believes.” In this statement Jesus offers hope to all mankind. And, like the troubled father, when we’re honest with ourselves we will admit our own short comings. In reply the father says what Fanny J. Crosby wrote and what we come to sing… “I do believe, help my unbelief…”
Would that we all have a heart that cries; “Savior, Savior! Hear my humble cry…”
Pass Me Not, O Gentle Savior…
Pass me not, O gentle Savior, hear my humble cry;
While on others Thou art calling, Do not pass me by.
Refrain:
Savior, Savior, Hear my humble cry,
While on others Thou art calling, Do not pass me by.
Let me at Thy throne of mercy find a sweet relief;
Kneeling there in deep contrition, help my unbelief.
Trusting only in Thy merit, would I seek Thy face;
Heal my wounded, broken spirit, save me by Thy grace.
Thou the spring of all my comfort, more than life to me,
Whom have I on earth beside Thee, Whom in Heav’n but Thee.
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Dear Almost Persuaded

Dear Almost Persuaded,

You have a lot of reasons to stay where you are. It’s comfortable, ‘safe’, and you’re not hurting anyone else. You don’t steal, kill or do drugs. You may watch a few “R-rated” movies now and then and if someone wants to judge you for smoking a cigarette once in a while just to let off a little stress, who are they to compare themselves to you? The bible says to not judge, so what should you care what other people think? You may tell a little white lie every once in awhile and may occasionally ‘accidentally’ slip on a cuss word, but that doesn’t mean you’re going to hell, right? Maybe you ‘believe’ that there is a God, but aren’t convinced that there is one. Or, maybe you are sure that there is a God, but you’re not sure that it should it scare you.

Is that you?

If that is you, and you believe in the bible, then yes, it should scare you. If that’s not you, then the answer is still yes, it should still scare you. Why? “But the cowards, unbelievers, vile, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars—their share will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.” Revelation 21:8. We relax biblical standards to make ourselves feel more comfortable about the sin we are surrounded by, but when we do, we taking ourselves further away from the God we claim to serve and the family of believers we gather with as a body 3 times a week to praise our God.

Do you ever find yourself trying to decide if getting up early enough to make it to bible class is really that important and that making it to worship will be, ‘okay, just this once…’? Sure, that verse doesn’t say anything or reference specifically about skipping church, watching R rated movies, cussing, or smoking cigarettes, but 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 does. “Don’t you know that your body is a sanctuary of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought at a price. Therefore glorify God in your body.”

Your body isn’t even yours, so what you put into it is of utmost importance! Why? How about this. How would you like it, if you had loaned a friend some of your favorite clothes and they were returned to you dirty, ripped and unwearable? Or you let someone you trust drive your car to the grocery store only to find out that they totaled it before they even got there? My point being, what you have, is not yours. Everything you have, has been given to you (blessed to you) by God. He saw you fit enough to care for the body you have, the possessions you own, and the precious soul He gifted to you. The Psalmist writes in 144th psalm starting in verse 15, “Happy are the people with such blessings. Happy are the people whose God is Yahweh.”. In our obedience to the standard that God has set forth for us in His word, we will honor him, and how blessed, happy and content will we be as His people.

Find peace in knowing that, as sinners, the closer we strive to be to the authority of our loving God, the closer we will be to becoming the redeemed children He has called us to be. (1st John 3:2-3;10)

Sincerely,

A Fellow Sinner

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Why Not…Admonish One Another? Part 3

As this series is coming to a close, my prayer is that you have come to appreciate and understand the importance of admonishing the lost. Encouragement is such a vital part of the Christian’s life that we must never take it for granted or abuse it’s potential. May our work be always towards the building up of one another…the day will be here before we know it.

As the third verse of this song admonishes the hearer, we reflect on a term from yester-year. The Old English word “aught” has been lost to our everyday vocabulary. But when we understand its meaning we can sing with the mind (I Cor. 14:15)…“In this world you’ve failed to find aught of (any form of) peace for (a) troubled mind.” We must urge all who will hear, that this world will disappoint. Hurricanes will ravage our coast taking property and lives. Those who anxiously search this world for peace will be left suffering with a ‘troubled mind.’ Therefore we must continue this research and examine the closing verse; “Come to Christ, confession make, come to Christ and pardon take. Trust in Him from day to day, He will keep you all the way.” Two issues arise from this final plea that keeps the lost…lost. First, we aren’t in the habit of confessing our sins, our mistakes, to anyone. Remember, “I’m OK, You’re OK!” If you know about my faults, my sins, then there is an indication that I am weak. And a sign of weakness is a sign of failure. Our society wants everyone to be a winner. No weaknesses, no failures, everyone gets a trophy! We are all winners, and as long as we hold on to that mind set, we won’t see a need to trust in anyone. And therein lays one more issue with this verse. Why should I ‘trust in Him from day to day,’ when I really only need to trust…in me? Never stop sharing Christ, and never forget to admonish (warn and/or encourage) those who are lost and struggling. One day, it may very well be you who is in need of admonition.

The chorus of this great, old spiritual song is a simple repeat of 6 short words. “Why not now…come to Jesus” In its entirety we sing, “Why not now? Why not now? Why not come to Jesus now?” The call is certain and the encouragement is clear; we all have a ‘deep need,’ we have all wandered from Christ, and we all need peace in this troubling world. The admonition and encouragement from this old invitation song echoes the Hebrew writer’s continued thoughts from chapter 10, verse 25 “…but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.” Why not come to Jesus now, the day is drawing near.

Thanks to those who have followed this series for the past three months. As God’s children we have a beautiful opportunity to share the joy of Christian living. There are SO MANY who don’t know that ‘salvation belongs to our God,’ and we have an obligation to share that good news. Would that we daily admonish, encourage and build up the body of Christ. And ask the question to those who know Him but have yet to accept Him, “Why not…why not come to Jesus now?”

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The Prayer of the Children

choraleIn January, the Freed-Hardeman Chorale toured North Texas during their Winter Tour. I was blessed to hear them sing most every night of the 12 day tour, and one of my favorite songs they sang was written by Kurt Bestor. In 2005, he shared the background for the song and how it was born from his frustration over the horrendous civil war and ethnic cleansing that was taking place in the former country of Yugoslavia. Having lived in this war-torn country during the 70’s, he grew up loving the people with whom he lived and served. The following is a portion of his explanation behind “Prayer of the Children…”

“When Yugoslavian President Josip Broz Tito died, different political factions jockeyed for position and the inevitable happened – civil war. Suddenly my friends were pitted against each other. Serbian brother wouldn’t talk to Croatian sister-in-law. Bosnian mother disowned Serbian son-in-law and so it went. Meanwhile, all I could do was stay glued to the TV back in the US and sink deeper in a sense of hopelessness.

Finally, one night I began channeling these deep feelings into a wordless melody. Then little by little I added words….Can you hear….? Can you feel……? I started prayer of the childrenwith these feelings – sensations that the children struggling to live in this difficult time might be feeling. Serbian, Croatian, and Bosnian children all felt the same feelings of confusion and sadness and it was for them that I was writing this song.

I took a long night to finish the song and I sang it for my wife and family, but that was about it. I put it away for awhile never thinking to sing it publicly. Then one night, as I struggled to fill a 2-hour concert, I decided to sing “Prayer of the Children.”  I’m not sure, but I think it was 1994. The song had an immediate reaction on those in attendance and I was surprised at the almost hushed sound as I sang.”

The interpretation (signing) is being done by my daughter, Emili Bruce. She is a junior, Arts & Humanities Major at Freed-Hardeman University.

Can you hear the prayer of the children?
On bended knee, in the shadow of an unknown room
Empty eyes with no more tears to cry
Turning heavenward toward the light

Crying Jesus*, help me
To see the morning light-of one more day
But if I should die before I wake,
I pray my soul to take

Can you feel the hearts of the children?
Aching for home, for something of their very own
Reaching hands, with nothing to hold on to,
But hope for a better day a better day

Crying Jesus*, help me
To feel the love again in my own land
But if unknown roads lead away from home,
Give me loving arms, away from harm

Can you hear the voice of the children?
Softly pleading for silence in a shattered world?
Angry guns preach a gospel full of hate,
Blood of the innocent on their hands

Crying Jesus*, help me
To feel the sun again upon my face,
For when darkness clears I know you’re near,
Bringing peace again

Dali cujete sve djecje molitive?
(Croatian translation: ‘Can you hear all the children’s prayers?’)
Can you hear the prayer of the children?

 

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Ride the Morning Winds

A special “Thank You” to Kaleigh Hayner for providing this insight in a song Kaleigh...that has touched thousands. Kaleigh is a freshman at Freed-Hardeman University in Henderson, Tennessee. She is from North Carolina with a strong appreciation and love for music. The video recording at the end of this article is from the Freed-Hardeman Chorale’s Winter Tour in Texas.

 

“Have you had a moment in your life where you feel so alone that you didn’t think God could reach you? I felt that way just a few weeks ago, until I heard a song sung by the Freed-Hardeman Chorale. Even though I had heard and sang it so many times before, it had a new meaning when I was in the trenches. The first line introduces something that every human can connect to: “A frightening place this world of ours, the frantic pace of changing powers.” With the presidential election in 2016 and a new president, some are concerned with what the future holds. But this song seems to remind us that in the future, God is there. Another line says “…in these days one promise holds, I can ride the morning winds and you are there.”

This is one of the most comforting things I have ever heard. Even though we fight through this life, and we all of these struggles, God is there. It’s kind of like when you were a kid and were scared to go down the slide. But all along your mom or dad was at the bottom of the slide just waiting with the sole purpose…to catch you. It was scary, but they were there. God is there, waiting for us at the bottom. “I can find the darkest, darkest night and you are there.” No matter how dark this life gets, no matter how scary, God knows, and he is there. “I can never be lost, never lost from you.” Jonah ran away from God and God saw him hiding on a boat. And even as we run and try to hide, remember that God knows our fears and he is there.”


“Ride the Morning Winds is a beautiful composed by Grace Hawthorne and Tom Fettke and published by Pilot Point Music. This song is a comforting piece, reminding the listeners that God is always there, in their darkest night, and in the morning winds. The world may seem a scary place, but the Creator is always there. Written in the 1980s, the beautiful arrangement continues to offer peace to the those who hear it and sing it. The harmonies, in conjunction with the lyrics, offer a comforting message. Written in the key of Ab Major, each chord offers peace and tranquility to the mind. Instruments aren’t needed to make this piece more beautiful.”

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He Walked Like a Man

“Do you fear the force of the wind, the slash of the rain? Go face them and fight them, be Walk Like a Mansavage again. Go hungry and cold like the wolf, go wade like the crane. The palms of your hand will thicken, the skin of your cheek will tan. You’ll grow ragged and weary and swarthy…but you’ll walk like a man.”  Hamlin Garland

This poem was introduced to me early in my adult life by a good man who I’m honored to call my father-in-law, James  Knight. He was a man who loved God, served the family and truly understood how to walk like a man. But Jim was more than just a swarthy man. He didn’t fear the wind and rain, but accepted them as God’s creation. And though he knew what it was like to wade like a crane, he was more interested in walking with God. And…I will never forget the strength in his hands. Even as the last years of his life was crippled by Parkinson’s, he maintained a strong grip on life.

Born and raised in Colorado, Jim taught me more about understanding and appreciating God’s creation than I would have ever imagined. His love for God’s handiwork was manifested throughout his life. From hunting the Colorado Rockies to driving the golf range, Jim loved the great outdoors. But the true joy of his life, next to his love for his family, was living and serving his heavenly Father. God was the source of his life. Jim made heaven his priority for each and every step of his life. His priority, even when his steps failed him, was to walk like a man of God.

IMG_0668And as a faithful man of God, Jim served more than 25 years as an elder in the Lord’s church. He would lead the congregation with his teaching and when necessary, preaching or song leading. Walking like a man in the Kingdom of God, perhaps one of the things I will miss most is his strong bass voice. He loved to sing praises to God, and he used that deep voice God gave him to praise and admonish the Lord’s church. I can still hear his voice thunder through the chorus as we sang; “There is a God…He is alive…In Him we live…and we survive.”

On Saturday night, July 18th at 8:30 MST, surrounded by his wife and children, his last steps led him home. He never faltered in his faith, and he always stood strong in his devotion to God. We will miss him in this family, but the legacy he gave us will provide a direction that follows faithfully the word of God. And it is from God’s word that he often recited the words found in 3rd John 1:4… “I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth.” Jim, thank you for walking like a man, your children will follow your lead.

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Reading Your Own Future…Oct. 26th

What if you could tell the future? To know what’s coming up, would that be a good thing or would you be uncomfortable knowing there might be something not so pleasant just ahead of you? We take each day in stride because we trust in God’s providential power. But what if God Himself were to tell us what was coming? To know the future all we would need to do was read a message from Him. If the finger of God were to write you a note on the wall, would you read it?

Perhaps you’ve heard the phrase, “I can read the writing on the wall.” We use that statement King Belshazzar..to say we can see what’s about to happen. Not in a supernatural way, but that we can ‘read’ the situation. However, there was one man who really did see the hand writing on the wall. But for King Belshazzar, the message wasn’t very good (read Daniel chapter 5). Come worship with us on Sunday morning and we’ll give you a glimpse into ‘reading your own future.’

“…I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also.”  I Corinthians 14:15

Sunday morning, October 26, 2014

The following songs are found in the hymnal, Songs of Faith & Praise.

“Soldiers of Christ, Arise” – 647

What a great spiritual song of encouragement as we inspire one another to get up and get ready for battle. Not a war between political parties or individual ideologies, but a battle against the spirit of darkness (Ephesians 6). Notice verse 3 in this song and ask yourself, ‘Am I putting on the panoply of God?’ The FULL armor of God, not some of the armor, not most of the armor, but all the armor of God.

“In Moments Like These” – 239

Staying with the same musical key we’ll segue from “…You may overcome through Christ alone and stand entire at last.” …to… “In moments like these, I sing out a song, I sing out a love song to Jesus…” Being soldiers in the Lord’s army should give us excitement beyond compare. Why? Because we have a King who has already won the battle. He has given us a look into our own personal future.

“When My Love to Christ Grows Weak” – 350

How do you cope with struggles in life? When your faith is weak and your love for mankind, and for jesus in the gardenChrist, seems to be wavering where do you turn? This song will remind us of His suffering and will perhaps strengthen our own resolve. “When my love to Christ grows weak, when for deeper faith I seek, then in thought I go to Thee (Jesus, to the…) Garden of Gethsemane!” In the garden, poetically, “I walk amid the shades, while the lingering twilight fades.” If you were there with Him in the garden, you would “see this suffering, friendless One, weeping, praying there alone.” So for those of us who struggle in our love for mankind, and desire a stronger faith, perhaps we should go again (poetically) to the “Hill of Calvary…to the scenes of fear and woe.” Because, “there (we will) behold His agony as He suffered on the bitter tree.” After taking this journey in our mind, we will be ready to turn back again to our lives having learned the worth of pain and the power that comes in a full self-sacrifice.

“Sweet Adoration” – 253

A contemporary song we’ll sing during the passing of the collection plate that speaks of our adoration to God. Sweet adoration, glory, praise and devotion are what we should be giving to our God. During the ‘contribution’ we give our money…but how much of our life are we contributing to God? Let’s give Him our all so we can say, it is ‘the Divine One who reigns in our hearts.’

“My Hope is Built on Nothing Less” – 538

We might not know the future events that will take place, but we do know what the future holds for God’s people. And knowing that we are His and He is victorious we have hope. Knowing that if we keep our hope (trust) in Christ and are ‘dressed in His righteousness alone,’ we’ll stand before His throne…faultless. Thanks be to God, we can read that handwriting on the wall.

“One Step at a Time” – no book

An older hymn written in the late 1800’s, we ask for Christ to walk with us one step at a time. In a world filled with terror and troubles, sickness and sin, we hold closest to the One who holds our future. That’s why we sing for patience in this first verse; “One step at a time, dear Savior: I can not take anymore, the flesh is so weak and hopeless, I know not what is before…” Though we know the outcome of this life, the promise that heaven’s mansions will appear, each day is still lived in uncertainty. Therefore we close our worship services with the following assurance…

“I Know Who Holds Tomorrow” – 463

“I don’t know about tomorrow, I just live from day to day…I don’t worry o’er the future, for I know what Jesus said, (Matthew 6:25-34) and today I’ll walk beside Him, for He knows what is ahead. Many things about tomorrow I don’t seem to understand, but I know who holds tomorrow, and I know who holds my hand.” King Belshazzar was reading his future as the finger of God wrote it out on a plaster wall. And it wasn’t until Daniel told him the meaning that He knew what it said. Today, spend some time…Reading Your Own Future!

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Life on the Battlefield…Oct. 12th

A soldier’s job is defined by struggle. When conflicts arise, these men and women battlefieldput to practice all their training. A soldier, by definition, fights. Even in peace time, he is preparing himself for the inevitable battle. But what causes some in the heat of the battle to fight and die on the battlefield, while others will literally drop their weapons, strip off their uniform and run? Why do some stand with their fellow soldiers, supporting each other, while others don’t?

Understanding God’s word, the Christian realizes there is a daily struggle (Ephesians 5:10-17) in this life. We are in a battle against the wrong for the right. But the question remains, will we stay loyal or turn and run when the fight becomes fierce? Will we stand for what is right or crumble without a fight? Reader, know this…without a moral compass, without a ‘standard operating procedure,’ you will be left to guess and hope. Millions are trying to manage life, on their own. And yet Christians know the adversary is ‘on the prowl’ (I Peter 5), and without God’s word, we are ill-prepared. Rest assured, the devil, our adversary, is not waiting for us to step into battle, for this life is a battle. To be clear, we’re living life on the battlefield!

“…I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also.” I Corinthians 14:15

Sunday morning, Oct. 12, 2014

The following songs are found in the hymnal, Songs of Faith & Praise.

“Doxology” – 66

Opening our worship this morning we’ll sing a basic hymn from years gone by. “Praise God from whom all blessings flow…” Before we even think about fighting the battles in life, we must draw strength from the One who gives us hope for our battles. Let’s praise the Father, Son and Holy Ghost.

“The Glory-Land Way” – 535

Keeping the same key signature (musically), we’ll transition to another old favorite that echos the journey we’ve all chosen to take. A journey home to glory. Encouraging each other will give us added support for our individual battles. When we hear our family singing, “…heaven is nearer, and the way groweth (grows) clearer…” we find strength to keep on fighting for the goal.

“In Loving-Kindness Jesus Came” – 504crown of thorns

Focus on the third verse of this song as we consider our purpose in life on the battlefield, ‘”His brow was pierced with many a thorn, His hands by cruel nails were torn. When from my guilt and grief forlorn, in love He lifted me…” We are in battle, and there will be days we feel like we’re losing. After all, Christ was abused, beaten, mocked, disdained and killed on the cross. But never forget that He conquered death in His resurrection! So what does that mean me? In our daily battles, standing up for what is right and living with Christ as our guide..we have already won!

“Spirit of the Living God” – 422

A short, contemporary hymn that has a very interesting progression for the Christian. If we are to be the soldiers God calls us to be, there is a process we should consider. To be useful in battle we need to be melted down, and molded into what He wants us to be. Then we must be filled with His word and used for His glory. We sing, “Spirit of the Living God, fall fresh on me…melt me, mold me, fill me, use me…” A soldier fights for His commander and chief. We must answer the question, on the battlefields of life, who do we fight for?

“Christ Above Me” – no book

This hymn will likely be new to most, but the message is one we must learn and hold dear in our hearts. As a soldier of God, how do we visualize Christ in our life? Is He a Kevlar vest we put on for battle? Is His word a sword we pick up when we ‘go into a fight?’ Sing this song and follow the words as we recall how Christ is more than just part of our life…He IS our life. “Christ above me, Christ beside me, Christ within me ever guiding. Christ behind me, Christ before. Christ my love, my life, my Lord!”

“Faith is the Victory” – 469

Where are we ‘camping’ in this life? Is it on the battlefield, or do we prefer the ‘hills of light’ where there is peace and comfort. This old hymn, which you’ve sung for years, is a reminder that there is a war being fought for the soul of mankind. An obscure verse, which we’ll sing on Sunday, reminds us of the battle and how we should prepare for it. “On every hand the foe we find drawn up in dread array (they can look pretty intimidating), let tents of ease be left behind and onward to the fray (the battle). Salvation’s helmet on each head, and truth all girt about (Ephesians 5), the earth shall tremble ‘neath our tread, and echo with our shout…Faith is the victory!”

“I Am Resolved” – 948Bible

Our invitation is a confirmation of our resolve in this battle, I’ll never quit! However, though most of us will sing that resolve, many will lay their weapons down when the fighting gets fierce. To stay faithful to Him, we have to remember what we sing in the chorus, “I will hasten (hurry) to Him.”

“To Christ Be True” – 736

What better way to finish off a lesson on life in the battlefield than to sing of our faithfulness to the battle. Soldiers must demonstrate loyalty in times of peace as well as times of battle. Just remember, “…To Christ, the Lord, be true and He will go with you. And help you through all your conflicts, to Christ the Lord be true!” 

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Boiling the Frog?…Aug. 10th

My wife loves to collect cookbooks. She would spend hours on end just reading the recipes, looking for something interesting and new. And though she has cookbooks lining the shelves in our kitchen, I have yet to find a recipe for ‘boiled frog.’ Some have told me fried frog legs are delicious, and I understand they are a delicacy in the south. But how about boiling a frogfrog?

If you know anything about our minister, Robert Oglesby, and the Waterview church of Christ, you know our Sunday morning sermon won’t be outlining a frog recipe. Instead, we’ll consider the similarities of being conformed to the world of sin (Romans 12:1, 2), much like a frog’s body is conformed to the temperature of the water. And yet slowly turning up the heat will boil that frog. As Christians we should ask ourselves if we’re feeling the heat or if we are just conforming to our surroundings. Perhaps the best way to ‘boil the frog’ is the same way the devil would boil a Christian.

“…I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also.” I Corinthians 14:15

Sunday morning, Aug 10, 2014

The following songs are found in the hymnal, Songs of Faith & Praise.

“We Shall Assemble” – 718

Time and again God’s people are called to assemble before Him. We come together each Sunday morning to fellowship with one another, study from His word and worship Him alone. The visualization of assembling on the mountain is the idea of coming up to God rather than having Him descend to us.

I love my Savior“I Love My Savior, Too” – 610

The final words of our previous song are, “…we’ll sing the song of the redeemed.” Then we’ll pick up with what I see as the ‘song of the redeemed,’ “Jesus, my heavenly King, loves me…” But the redeemed sing, “I love my Savior…” To keep from getting ‘boiled,’ and stay out of ‘hot water’ we need to constantly remind each other, and sing, of our Savior’s love.

“In Christ Alone” – no book

In this song of admonition we sing as we prepare our minds for the Lord’s supper.  A memorial of His death, burial and resurrection.  Verse one consist of recognizing our Cornerstone, solid ground and Comforter (‘In Christ alone’), verse two takes us from His birth (‘fullness of God in a helpless Babe’) to His crucifixion (’til on that cross as Jesus died’).  Those who know this song cherish the third verse. We begin softly of His burial (‘There in the ground His body lay’), until our voices ‘burst forth’ as we sing of His resurrection (‘up from the grave He rose again.’)  The final verse gives us assurance in Christ as we sing, ‘No power of hell, no scheme of man, can ever pluck me from His hand…’

“Purer, Yet and Purer” – 682

How can one be ‘purer?’ Since pure can be defined as absolute or innocent, how can I be ‘more absolute?’ Wouldn’t it stand to reason that I’m either innocent or guilty, but not more innocent than guilty? To call for our lives to be purer we need to consider another meaning for the word. To be pure can also mean to be clean. Certainly we can be ‘stained’ by the world, and therefore should desire to be cleaner than before we were in the world. Like a frog in lukewarm water, we might grow accustomed to our surroundings and fail to realize how much warmer (how impure) we’ve become.

“How Shall the Young Secure Their Hearts” – 432

What shall we do to keep our young people from ‘boiling in the world’ (faithful to God)? A question that has been asked from generation to generation. And this spiritual song (hymn) asked this same question almost 300 years ago. In verse one Isaac Watts penned, “How shall the young secure their hearts and guard their lives from sin?” And then in the final verse he provides the answer; “Thy Word is everlasting truth; how pure is every page! That holy book shall guide our youth and well support our age.”

“Out of My Bondage” – 918

An invitation song that will hopefully emphasize the message from today’s sermon. If we are in the world, and the world is ‘heating up,’ how will we respond? Are we prepared to jump out of the situations that slowly consume our walk with Christ? To get out of our bondage, sorrow and night, we have to recognize the darkness. Notice our words in the final verse, “Out of the fear and dread of the tomb, Jesus I come, Jesus I come; into the joy and light of Thy home, Jesus I come to Thee. Out of the depths of ruin untold, into the peace of Thy sheltering fold, Ever Thy glorious face to behold, Jesus, I come to Thee.” Will you come to Him, or are you content to stay in the pot world pretending to be a frog Christian?

“Restore My Soul” – no book

Getting our lives focused on Christ and out of the world, we sing of restoration…renew my spirit, revive the fire and renew my courage. When we determine restoration is important, we’ll jump out of the pot. It’s time we wake up and smell what’s cookin’.