Turn in Your Hymnal to.....

Have you thought of yourself as a wretch? I would say few of us take that personal perspective, but John Newton saw himself in that way and had lived a life that validated it. A brief look at his life gives us a glimpse at the saving grace, the Amazing Grace, that turns our lives around, transforms us, and directs us on the path to become more like Jesus. The dedication of a godly, devout mother was eventually answered when John entered the ministry and was a Christ-follower the rest of his days. It is a testimony to God's grace that He can reach us and redeem us no matter what we have done with our lives. Have you committed your life to Christ? Do you know His forgiveness and have peace with Him? If not, take a moment now, confess your sin to Him, and ask Him to take control of your life and give you the same amazing grace He gave John Newton.

How can Queen Liliuokalani of Hawaii, the hymn Pass Me Not O Gentle Saviour, and the Park Street Church in Boston all be included in the same story with Fanny Crosby? It isn't easy, but the podcast today will help tie in the connections. Of greater significance than these peripheral actions, however, is the incredible body of hymns and poems written by Fanny Crosby. To say she was prolific does not do justice to the thousands of hymns and poems she wrote. Further, it is hard to imagine she didn't write her first hymn until she was forty-four. Her love for Jesus caused her to overflow in song and poetry. This hymn, Saved by Grace, was one that came to her after she heard about the unexpected death of a minister she had heard earlier in the week. Fanny realized that in heaven she would be healed of her blindness and she would see her Saviour face to face. How great was the opening of her eyes, and may we desire to grasp what she anticipated.

For something new, I want to announce that an email address has been set up for comments and questions about the podcast. If you would like to send a comment, please send an email to [email protected] . I look forward to hearing from you.

Celestial navigation. Sailing and navigating by the position of the stars. And, during the day, the "star", our sun, can be used for navigation. Today, we have numerous sophisticated devices to give us our position on earth and show us what direction we should travel. With all of these devices, it is tempting to discard the old-fashioned ways of navigating but there is no guarantee the sophisticated devices will be available. There is the similar parallel in our spiritual lives. We want and hope to see the "blazing sun" guiding our direction but often we must carefully look for the quiet light of the twinkling star to mark our path. This was the lesson learned by John Henry Newman that caused him to pen Lead Kindly Light. In addition, his desire for direction is somewhat reminiscent of Elijah's "journey". God answered Elijah's prayer in front of Baal's prophets, sending the consuming fire on the sacrifice on Mount Carmel. Later, when God spoke to Elijah, it was in the still, small voice (I Kings 19:12). Let us maintain the strong, intimate relationship with Christ that allows us to see His twinkling star or His bright sun.

Article taken from Living Stories of Famous Hymns by Ernest K. Emurian. Copyright © 1955 by Baker Book House Company. Used by permission of Baker Book House Company.

How do the structures men have built compare to the works of God? Such a question was on the minds of Katharine Lee Bates and other teachers and professors from Wellesley College. When she saw the grandeur of the handiwork of God from atop Pike's Peak, she was inspired to write America the Beautiful. More than that, she expressed her dream that, "We must match the greatness of our America with the goodness of personal godly living." We have heard John Adams' words expressed many times, "Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people." Foundational to our country's strength and greatness is the personal godly living of which Miss Bates spoke. Our hearts and lives must be transformed, as St. Paul said in Romans 12:1, 2, and we must pursue godliness. Let us pray, and continue to pray, for a spiritual revival, for a New Awakening, "and every gain divine."

The word "peace" is used constantly in our conversations, invoking the need or desire for the end of a war, or political harmony, or the end of emotional distress, and many more.  We will comment about someone's recent death, "May he rest in peace" signaling the end of the struggles of life.  There is only one place where we can find true peace, however, and that is in the Prince of Peace, Christ our Savior (see Isaiah 9:6).  It was confirmation of this peace that a dying relative of Dr. Edward H. Bickersteth sought when Bickersteth visited him.  When given an opportunity to put pen to paper, Bickersteth used the events of the day, and an urging to write, to create Peace Perfect Peace.  How much do we need the Prince of Peace in our lives today?  There is so much emptiness, meaninglessness, and turmoil in individuals' lives and the need for peace in the midst of chaos is great.  Jesus told his disciples in John 14:27, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you."  The storm around us may not always be calmed but followers of Jesus can have the calm that the Prince of Peace gives.

Article taken from Living Stories of Famous Hymns by Ernest K. Emurian. Copyright © 1955 by Baker Book House Company. Used by permission of Baker Book House Company.

Does your church use a regular benediction hymn or closing hymn to close a service and send the people on their way with a blessing?  Finding a good hymn to express a blessing can be a challenge and such was the case for Jeremiah Eames Rankin.  What does a poet do who cannot find the hymn that says what he or she wants?  They write their own.  Rankin did just that and from his pen flowed God be with You Till We Meet Again.  We abbreviate so many things in our lives and often rush to move on.  Can we take the extra couple of seconds to not merely say, "Good-bye", but to bless our brothers and sisters with the phrase that it represents, "God be with you"?  As one radio minister used to say to close his program, "Be a blessing today."

Article taken from Living Stories of Famous Hymns by Ernest K. Emurian. Copyright © 1955 by Baker Book House Company. Used by permission of Baker Book House Company.

One of the characteristics of the Christian faith is that of mission work or evangelism or outreach.  Jesus gave us the Great Commission in Matthew 28, telling us to go into all the world and make disciples.  He showed us the expansion of the kingdom in Acts 1, starting in Jerusalem and going to the ends of the earth.  In preparation for a sermon on the Great Commission to be given on Pentecost, and an offering for the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Countries (does that not totally sound like a British title from the early 1800s?), Reginald Heber was asked to create a poem or hymn for the occasion.  In short order, the poem, From Greenland's Icy Mountains, flowed from his pen.  It eventually became one of the greatest missionary hymns of the 19th century.

The spread of the Gospel has ebbed and flowed through different areas over the course of time.  Jerusalem was the beginning and it moved through the Mediterranean.  Eventually, the West became the dominant location for the Gospel and missionaries were sent throughout the world.  Today, we see a different picture.  The "Global South", Africa and Latin America specifically, have grown in the Spirit and in significance, and it is the West that is in need of having missionaries sent from it.  This article is being written within 2-3 weeks of the revival meeting that broke out at Asbury University.  Is this the start of a revival that we desperately need and many have prayed for?  We will see, but most notably, when God is moving, we want to be in it!

Article taken from Living Stories of Famous Hymns by Ernest K. Emurian. Copyright © 1955 by Baker Book House Company. Used by permission of Baker Book House Company.

Life experiences provide us with great stories that are uplifting or show overcoming obstacles and are very relatable when put into song.  The parables of Jesus can also provide us with that musical and spiritual uplift as The Ninety and Nine by Elizabeth Cecelia Clephane (music by Ira D. Sankey) demonstrates.  Have you felt like you have been left by yourself, away from the rest of the flock, at the mercy of the elements and enemies.  Take heart.  Jesus has not abandoned you but reaches out to you.  He has left the rest of the flock in the protected place and is coming to find you and bring you back to a place of peace and safety.  When you hear his voice, run to Him.  Let Him bind up your wounds and bring you back into His fold.  He is searching for you.

Article taken from Living Stories of Famous Hymns by Ernest K. Emurian. Copyright © 1955 by Baker Book House Company. Used by permission of Baker Book House Company.

Ever since the Fall, mankind has dealt with many tragedies, certainly a far cry from the original Creation that God put into place.  Many of the hymns in this series came into being because of tragedy in the poet's life.  In their despair and distress, they found they were not alone but they had a Savior who knew their pain, healed their wounds, and carried them through it.  Elizabeth Prentiss was one who was impacted deeply by loss.  In her time of trial, the words of her pastor husband helped her find that turning to God and loving Him more brought healing to her.  Rather than letting her loss make her bitter, she let her love of God make her better.  It is said crushing a rose petal releases its sweet fragrance.  Her time of trial brought out the sweet fragrance of this great hymn, More Love to Thee, O Christ, which reminds us to direct our love to Christ whether times are good or bad.

Article taken from Living Stories of Famous Hymns by Ernest K. Emurian. Copyright © 1955 by Baker Book House Company. Used by permission of Baker Book House Company.

If you had to create a poem to fit someone else's music, and had about 30 minutes to do it, could you?  Such was the capability of Fanny J. Crosby.  Not only was she able to to write the poem, but Safe in the Arms of Jesus was one of her most popular hymns.  Her blindness was not an obstacle to the use of her great talents.  When she dedicated her life to God at the age of nine, she ultimately became one of the most prolific writers of hymns, songs, and poems in the Christian era.  Although she died in 1915, current church hymnals still contain many of her hymns.  And, her love of Jesus clearly comes through those hymns.

Article taken from Living Stories of Famous Hymns by Ernest K. Emurian. Copyright © 1955 by Baker Book House Company. Used by permission of Baker Book House Company.