“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” ~ John 1:14 The Gospel is something often described as beautiful and simple. Well, it should be simple. But it is described in so many …
When leaving the house one morning recently, there was a beautiful sunrise that nearly took my breath away. It was not raining. Nearly one minute down the road, it was raining, but then- within another minute, the precipitation ceased. But then I smiled. I had an epiphany. This is just like life. Our being is …
C. Austin Miles (1868-1946) in 1911 wrote words and music to the familiar hymn, “Dwelling in Beulah Land.” He was prolific in his writing of 398 hymns, including the music to 8. We have retained the tune with the entire chorus, although the title and much of the song was written to reflect doctrine for …
Today, we will explore another Fanny Crosby (1820-1915) hymn with the music of Chester G. Allen (1838-1879). This joyful tune, was published in 1889 in a hymnal called “Bright Jewels.” The original title was “Praise, Give Thanks.” This we certainly should do each and every day (1 Thessalonians 5:18). However, the original hymn contains the …
Annie S. Hawks (1836-1918) and Robert Lowry (1826-1899) together published the hymn ” I Need Thee Every Hour” in 1872. This song is a testament to constant devotion to the Lord and praising Him for all spiritual blessings. Paul spoke of these blessings in Ephesians 1:3 when stating, “Blessed be the God and Father of …
We are constantly reminded of the violence, tragedy, and ugliness in today’s world; but we can still rejoice in the beauty of nature and give praise to God for all the beauty of His world that our five senses can freely enjoy. Maltbie D. Babcock (1858-1901) wrote, “This is my Father’s world,” and it is …
We are going to explore another wonderful Fanny Crosby (1820-1915) hymn written in 1873 with composer Phoebe Knapp (1839-1908), whom was one of the most widely known women of the 19th century. This hymn, “Blessed Assurance,” was so loved by Fanny Crosby, the first verse is inscribed on her headstone. The Scriptures teach us that …
It seems the word of the year has become the word, “safe.” The irony is that here on Earth, nothing is 100% safe. The hymn we’re discussing today assures us of sure safety, being in Christ. The chorus to this song exclaims, “I’ve anchored my soul in the haven of rest. I’ll sail the wide …
Robert Lowry (1826-1899) was a Philadelphia Baptist preacher and hymn writer. In 1874, he wrote the popular hymn “Christ Arose!” He also arranged the tune. While having devotions one evening, he was impressed with the events associated with Christ’s resurrection when he read Luke 24:6-7. We read in 1 Corinthians 15:4; 13-14, our hope lies …
Julia H. Johnston (1849-1919) wrote the lyrics to this great hymn along with Daniel B. Towner (1850-1919) arranging the music. The song was published in a hymn book called Hymns Tried and True. The song comes Romans 5:1-2; 18; 20. This grace that we sing of here is not just sufficient grace, it is abounding …