We sing that we have a “Blessed assurance,” but what does that mean? When you say/sing that “Jesus is mine,” how does that change your life…does it change your life?
We must consider the rest of this verse if we are to fully understand the value and importance of this assurance in Christ. You will sing that you are an heir of salvation and that you’ve been purchased of God. Have you been born of His Spirit and washed in His blood? If you have, and if you are walking with Christ, then you have blessed assurance.
But you have to realize it doesn’t stop there. As a matter of fact, Fanny J. Crosby realized there was more to this ‘blessed assurance.’ Notice the the importance found the next two verses; “Perfect submission…” Are you prepared to submit to the King of Kings? When you do then you realize that when Christ returns, the joy (rapture) of heaven will burst on our sight. And even in her blindness, Fanny J. Crosby wrote about ‘seeing’ Christ when He comes to take us home. Notice the reference to Matthew 24:31 as she writes, ‘…angels descending.’
So take note of the rest we find with the assurance we have in Christ. The third verse simply states in my Savior I am “happy and blessed.” And with this blessed assurance, we are watching and waiting for Christ to come and take us home. It amazes me how our author of this song used the eyes of her heart to ‘look above.’ It really is no surprise to me that Fanny J. Crosby wrote that this blessed assurance was her story and her song.
Still the question is for you and I to answer is simple. Will you have a heart of submission to Christ? Are you ‘lost in His love?’ Spend your life praising God and singing of His glory. Search for and find that perfect submission. When you do, then you can answer the question…What is Your Story?
It’s one thing to be convinced of something, but something totally different to be converted. Then again, how can I be converted without ever having been convicted? When you consider the Christian walk, we understand this progression. But perhaps it was never more clearly established as it was on the Day of Pentecost as noted in Acts chapter 2.
After hearing Peter’s ‘sermon’ the crowd was convinced that, “…God (had) made Him both Lord and Christ (Messiah) – this Jesus whom you (they) crucified.” Their response leads us to know that they were more than convinced, they were convicted; “Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ‘Brethren, what shall we do?” Reading further we see how they are ‘converted.’ But maybe we need to dig deeper to see how convinced we are that Jesus is the Messiah. Looking at your life, ask the question; if I have been ‘converted,’ am I truly convicted? Does my behavior convince others that Jesus is Lord of my life?
“…I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also.” I Corinthians 14:15
Sunday morning, Feb. 22, 2014
You’ll notice the following songs come from the hymnal, Songs of Faith & Praise.
“My Hope is Built on Nothing Less” – 538
Beginning our worship together, we’ll sing an old spiritual song to admonish each other and confirm our conviction. “My hope is built on Jesus blood and righteousness,”…and nothing less than that. What better way to communicate that hope than when we sing the third verse, “His oath, His covenant, His blood, support me in the whelming flood (trials of life). When all around (me) my soul gives way (I start to feel like I’m losing my hold on things), He then is all my hope and stay (security).” Are you convicted enough to say, “On Christ the Solid Rock I stand.”
“I Know Whom I Have Believed” – 524
Our contribution will come early this morning, and as we consider our ‘giving’ ask the simple question…why do I give? I don’t know why God’s wondrous grace was made know to me, and I don’t know how the Holy Spirit moves men to convict them of the sin in their life, and none of us have a clue when the Lord will return. But I do know the grace of Jesus is mine, the Holy Spirit lives in me and the Lord will return. We know and we give because He gave His Son to us. And convinced of this we give and we sing, “I know whom I have believed…”
“Thomas’ Song” – 269
When we lose a loved one, we often weep knowing we’ll never be able to walk with them, talk with them or hold their hand. We know the comfortable relationship we once shared is gone. We miss them and know things have changes. Maybe that’s what Thomas was thinking as we are singing, “If I could only hold your hand…” Though Christ died on the cross, we know, we are convinced, that He rose from the dead and lives today. We can walk with Him, talk with Him and hold His hand. And we can echo Thomas as he proclaimed, “You are my Lord and my God!”
“In His Presence” – 99
Following the Lord’s Supper we’ll sing, “In His presence, there is comfort. In His presence, there is peace…” Do you feel at peace with God? Are you convinced that He is everything He said He was? Do you have a conviction that moves you to self-sacrifice? Are you truly converted? Are you ‘covered’ with His presence?
“I Need Thee Every Hour” – 837
After the scripture reading, Acts 2:36, 37, we’ll sing an old hymn of comfort. Listen to the words from Acts 2, then sing the words of our hymn; “Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said…”what shall we do?”“I need Thee every hour, most Holy One…”
“O For a Faith that Will Not Shrink” – 540
With this song before our lesson, consider the flow of the songs; “O bless me now my Savior, I come to Thee…” “O for a faith that will not shrink, though pressed by every foe…” If you are convinced that Jesus is your source of salvation, and if you are convicted with a faith that ‘will not shrink,’ how well does your life demonstrate a converted heart?
“Nothing But the Blood” – 902
“Oh precious is the flow…” but you might ask, ‘the flow of what?’ Our answer is found in scripture as we consider the words of the Hebrew writer. The blood of bulls and goats flowed from the altar as the priest offered sacrifices. But, “how much more will the blood of Christ…cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?”
“Blessed Assurance” – 480
If we are convinced, convicted and converted then we can truly sing with blessed assurance…Jesus IS mine. And a converted soul pours forth the joy of living in Christ, “This is my story, this is my song, praising my Savior all the day long!”
For many of us, the image is clear in our minds. Daddy is nervously pacing (or sitting) in the waiting room while the doctor and nurses tend to the expecting mother. At the same time, others can be found in this same room waiting ‘on pins and needles’ for the news that their loved one made it through. Most of us have been in the waiting room anticipating the ‘good news.’ But as we look deeper into our own lives, we find we are spending our life waiting for more than just the doctor.
For hundreds of years the Jewish nation was waiting and longing for the coming of the Messiah. And now, some two thousand years later, we find ourselves waiting and longing for His return! During the Christmas season, our world remembers Christ’s arrival on this earth, and welcomes the newborn baby…the Messiah. But after the tree is taken down and the Christmas music stops, will this world anticipate His return? David wrote in the 25th Psalm, “…You are the God of my salvation; For You I will wait all the day.” Yet today many of us don’t want to wait. We fail to see that, like it or not, we are still waiting. Not for the newborn baby, but for our Savior’s return. Perhaps you could say we’re still…”In the Waiting Room.”
“…I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also.” I Corinthians 14:15
Sunday morning, Dec. 21, 2014
The following songs are found in the hymnal, Songs of Faith & Praise.
“Joy to the World” – 1018
Not to be reserved for December alone … this song of ‘welcome’ is one we’ll sing to open our assembly this morning. Written in the late 1700’s, this spiritual song was not intended as a Christmas hymn. Instead, Isaac Watts penned these words as a reminder of Christ’s birth. Look back at last December to read more about the joy that came into this world. (click on…December, 2013)
“Savior, Thy Dying Love” – 667
Before we open our wallets and give back as God has given to us, consider the three lines of each verse in this song, “…Something for Thee.” And each of these verses reflect on what we will give to Him; some offering…some song…some wanderer won…my soul in eternity. When we reflect on His giving to us, His dying love, what is it that we are willing to give back to Him? While you’re waiting, consider what you’re giving.
“Restore My Soul” – no book
And now consider the state of your soul; how are you doing spiritually? This song calls for God to restore my spirit, revive the fire in my soul, and renew my courage. At times we all become weary and feel ‘burned out,’ but this is when we need God’s guiding hand all the more to have the courage to stand up and replace our doubts with a stronger, bolder faith in His return. Renew your love for Him, rebuild your faith in Him and seek to have Him restore your soul!
“One Day!” – 353
Before we partake in the Lord’s supper we’ll sing only the first two verses of this hundred year old spiritual song. One day the angels sang of Christ’s birth as Jesus was born into this world. But just as we are born and die, so Christ was born and died. One day they led Him up Calvary’s mountain to nail Him on the tree, bearing our sins. And yet we find hope in knowing He didn’t stay in the tomb. Unlike this earthly body, Jesus was raised from the dead. So we sing, “Rising, He justified (freed us from sin) freely forever…” And then, wait for it, we sing “…One day He’s coming! Oh glorious day!”
“Bethlehem…Galilee…Gethsemane” – 357
“Bethlehem, Christ was born there. I believe, I believe! Galilee, He walked there. I believe, I believe! Gethsemane, my Savior prayed there. On Calvary, He died alone. But the tomb, He left there. I believe, I believe!” Believing is important and obeying is vital, but how many of us are willing to go each day, faithfully waiting for our Savior? We do when we confess that, “…Now He lives and reigns forever. I believe, I believe!”
“Blessed Assurance” – 480
What’s your story? Do you tell a story of assurance in Christ through the life you live? Will your song declare that you are an heir of salvation, and that you’ve been purchased by God? If so, and if you’ve read this far I believe you are, then you can’t help but sing praises to our Savior in song…all day long! What better thing to do while you’re waiting then to sing praises!
“When Jesus Comes” – no book
Our invitation song is one from years gone by. As a matter of fact it’s no longer in the book, Faith & Praise. But it’s message is one confirming our resolve as we wait for Christ’s return. Perhaps the chorus says it best, “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?“
“When He Comes in Glory By and By” – 854
As we are waiting, we are longing for His return. And you and I know, “How sweet it will be…when He comes in the sky!” So be patient, don’t loss faith and always remember the goal is heaven. “When He comes in glory by and by…” it will be sweet, for those who are in the waiting room!
Fanny J. Crosby wrote more than eight thousand songs during her life time.
Born in 1820 and raised in southeastern New York state, she was never afforded the privilege of seeing the sunrise or watching a bird fly through the air. Before she had even seen 6 months of life, she was blinded by a ‘medical procedure gone wrong.’ And yet as we read any one of her many hymns, you’ll find that she was constantly referring to seeing and viewing all things godly. Notice just a few of the thousands of hymns…
“Lo! A spring of joy I see…” (All the Way My Savior Leads Me)
“We shall see the King of glory…” (Keep on Watching)
“Where our eyes shall see the beauty…” (At the Breaking of the Day)
“Visions of rapture now burst on my sight…” (Blessed Assurance)
“Let me now Thy glory see…” (Hear My Call)
“Ope thine eyes, behold and see…” (Church of Christ, O Sleep No More)
For someone who never saw the colors of life, she looked beyond this world and viewed things with her heart. What has happened to those of us with strong eyesight? The blessing of opening our eyes and viewing the sunrise; the pleasure we find in reading the printed word. We are blessed with something those who are blind live without. And yet some of us, with 20/20 vision, deliberately close our eyes to the promise of God. It’s almost as if we are wondering in the wilderness. Each of us have suffered from the bite of the serpent, and yet we dig in and refuse to ‘look upon’ the one who can heal and forgive. It’s not a new scenario, and you’d think we’d learn from history. Remember God’s words to Moses in Numbers 21:8, “…and it shall come about, that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, he will live.”
When I consider all the thousands of songs that our feature poet penned in her day, there is one particular Fanny J. Crosby song I want you to read, perhaps for the first time. It became known to me in the last seven or eight years and I was drawn to it by the title she had given it. Ms Crosby’s religious affiliations were varied throughout her life time. She worshiped with the Plymouth Church of the Pilgrims, the Fourth Avenue Presbyterian Church, the Trinity Episcopal church and even the Dutch Reform church. But with this smorgasbord of theology, she penned a most interesting hymn in 1905. Not only do the words reach and touch me, the message is so timely for us today. Follow along with the message and thought behind this 100 year old hymn.
Church of Christ, O Sleep No More
Church of Christ, thy Lord is calling; Ope thine eyes, behold and see, Precious souls, in chains of bondage, Pleading now for aid from thee. Up and work for those that perish, Haste, the time will soon be o’er; Fold thy arms of love around them, Church of Christ, O sleep no more.
Lo, again thy Lord is calling; Preach the Word, its truth proclaim; Lift thy voice and, like a trumpet, Sound aloud Jehovah’s Name. Boding clouds are in the distance, Billows foam, and surges roar, Dark and wild the night is coming, Church of Christ, O sleep no more.
Still again thy Lord is calling; Take the lamp that once He gave; Let its beams of peerless glory Shine afar the lost to save. Do His will and do it quickly, For the time will soon be o’er; He may come when least expected, Church of Christ, O sleep no more.
Are we guilt of falling asleep on the job? This life is long and weary, and often times our pathway is a hard road and quite honestly…we’re tired. But this is no time to sleep! Church of Christ, we are called to bring the lost to Christ. We have an obligation to do more than just see those who in need; we must be ready to ‘fold our arms of love around them.’ Too often, I’m afraid, we revert back and say, ‘I’m just too busy’, or ‘My schedule is already so full.’ If you hold to that philosophy, I’m sorry to say, but you’re blind! Shine your light in a dark and dying world. Look up and see those who are in need. There are ‘boding clouds’ in the distance, and believe me, the ‘surges roar.’ But it ultimately comes down to you and how you view your life with Christ…”When you look around, what do YOU see?”
expecting mother. At the same time, others can be found in this same room waiting ‘on pins and needles’ for the news that their loved one made it through. Most of us have been in the waiting room anticipating the ‘good news.’ But as we look deeper into our own lives, we find we are spending our life waiting for more than just the doctor.
