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GOD IS PRESENT EVERYWHERE
by
Oliver Holden (1765 – 1844)
They who seek the throne of grace
Find that throne in every place;
If we live a life of prayer,
God is present everywhere.
In our sickness and our health,
In our want, or in our wealth,
If we look to God in prayer,
God is present everywhere.
When our earthly comforts fail,
When the woes of life prevail,
‘Tis the time for earnest prayer;
God is present everywhere.
Then, my soul, in every strait
To thy Father come, and wait;
He will answer every prayer;
God is present everywhere.
Amen.
I found these lyrics by chance as I looked through a songbook with a signature and date of 1890 on the front piece. I loved the rhythm of the lyrics/poem and thought they were perfect for my April 6th Signpost.
I also enjoyed learning about Oliver Holden’s life. A carpenter by trade, he fought in the Revolutionary War.
I stumbled upon this amazing rendition of the song while searching for the tune on YouTube. I was astonished by the beauty and rendition of the lyrics, some added by the additional composer. The song touches my heart. I hope it touches yours as well. Because I am not sure about the copyright of this song, I am only posting a link to it. Thanks so much.
God is Present Everywhere – Matt Jackson
Monday evening, this beautiful pink moon glowed in the dusky sky. Glorious!
Happy Father’s Day! I photoshopped an image of my father as a child, probably taken somewhere in the mid-1940’s, within a field of dandelions. The reason behind my whimsical tweaking of an old photo: dandelions spread their seeds far and wide, and Dad spread the Good News and served God throughout his lifetime. His smile never changed, and he was the type of person strangers would approach if they needed help in a crisis. I want to be like Dad and spread the GOOD NEWS in every way I can, until my earthly smile dims and my heavenly smile is born. God bless you all on this special day.
I AM HIS, AND HE IS MINE
by Wade Robinson 1890
Loved with everlasting love,
drawn by grace that love to know,
Spirit sent from Christ above,
thou dost witness it is so.
O this full and precious peace
from his presence all divine;
in a love that cannot cease,
I am his and he is mine.
Heav’n above is deeper blue,
earth around is sweeter green,
that which glows in ev’ry hue
Christless eyes have never seen.
Birds in song his glories show,
flow’rs with richer beauties shine
since I know, as now I know,
I am his and he is mine.
Taste the goodness of the Lord:
welcomed home to his embrace,
all his love, as blood outpoured,
seals the pardon of his grace.
Can I doubt his love for me,
when I trace that love’s design?
By the cross of Calvary
I am his and he is mine.
His forever, only his–
who the Lord and me shall part?
Ah, with what a rest of bliss
Christ can fill the loving heart.
Heav’n and earth may fade and flee,
firstborn light in gloom decline,
but while God and I shall be,
I am his and he is mine.
Wishing you a Blessed and Merry Christmas!
Amazing Video – Words of Charles H. Spurgeon with beautiful graphics.
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heav’nly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
Amen.
God bless you, and yours, on this Thanksgiving Day.
HARK THE HERALD ANGELS SING
by Charles Wesley
Hark the herald angels sing
“Glory to the newborn King!
Peace on earth and mercy mild
God and sinners reconciled”
Joyful, all ye nations rise
Join the triumph of the skies
With the angelic host proclaim:
“Christ is born in Bethlehem”
Hark! The herald angels sing
“Glory to the newborn King!”
Christ by highest heav’n adored
Christ the everlasting Lord!
Late in time behold Him come
Offspring of a Virgin’s womb
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see
Hail the incarnate Deity
Pleased as man with man to dwell
Jesus, our Emmanuel
Hark! The herald angels sing
“Glory to the newborn King!”
Hail the heav’n-born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Son of Righteousness!
Light and life to all He brings
Ris’n with healing in His wings
Mild He lays His glory by
Born that man no more may die
Born to raise the sons of earth
Born to give them second birth
Hark! The herald angels sing
“Glory to the newborn King!”
This post was originally posted in 2011, and is now buried deep, deep, deep within the blog archives. I stumbled upon it recently and thought it was worth another look. I can still remember the moment I heard the “Whoo-Hoo” from the jogger. It has reminded me once again to SING, SING, SING!
I also looked up how many times the Bible tells us to sing and found the answer in Answers.com.
121 times. It is the most recorded of the commandments, to sing to the Lord. The count rises to 209 if you use the New English version of The Bible. ~Answers.com
Creek at Hickory Run
I try to walk daily. Often as I walk I will softly sing songs of praise. A few days ago, as I happily strolled and sang, I heard another singer down the road a stretch. He was a jogger, with earphones, singing along to the tune. Suddenly, he let out a happy whoohoo in the midst of the song, and I smiled with happiness at the joy in his voice. The thought of his unabashed singing has uplifted me many times throughout the week.
I love this Bible verse: “For he (Jesus) says in the book of Psalms, ‘I will talk to my brothers about God my Father, and together we will sing his praises.’ ” Hebrews 12:2 (The Living Bible) I like to think that when I sing songs of praise I am singing a duet with Jesus. Singing songs of Praise and Thanksgiving often ignites the presence of God within my life. It doesn’t matter if I harrumph along like a frog or trill melodious as a bird. The Lord God will inhabit the songs of his people.
I wonder how the world would change if people all around the world would stop throughout the day, lift up their voices in songs of praise, and sing a duet with Jesus.
Are You Washed in the Blood (Elisha A. Hoffman 1878)
Have you been to Jesus for the cleansing pow’r?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Are you fully trusting in His grace this hour?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Refrain:
Are you washed in the blood,
In the soul-cleansing blood of the Lamb?
Are your garments spotless? Are they white as snow?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Are you walking daily by the Savior’s side?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Do you rest each moment in the Crucified?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
When the Bridegroom cometh will your robes be white?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Will your soul be ready for the mansions bright,
And be washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Lay aside the garments that are stained with sin,
And be washed in the blood of the Lamb;
There’s a fountain flowing for the soul unclean,
Oh, be washed in the blood of the Lamb!
Charles Haddon Spurgeon/John’s Doxology
Then the apostle passes on to the second reason why he should thus magnify the Lord Jesus by saying, “And washed us from our sins in his own blood.” “Washed us.” Then we were foul; and he loved us though we were unclean. He washed us who had been more defiled than any. How could he condescend so far as to wash us? Would he have anything to do with such filthiness as ours? Would that sublime holiness of his come into contact with the abominable guilt of our nature and our practice? Yes, he loved us so much that he washed us from our sins, black as they were. He did it effectually, too: he did not try to wash us, but he actually and completely washed us from our sins.” The stains were deep and damnable; they seemed indelible, but he has “washed us from our sins.” No spot remains, though we were black as midnight. “Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow,” has been realized by every believer here. But think of how he washed us— “with his own blood.” Men are chary of their own blood, for it is their life; yet will brave ones pour it out for their country or for some worthy object; but Jesus shed his blood for such unworthy ones as we are, that he might by his atonement for ever put away the iniquity of his people. At what a cost was this cleansing provided! Too great a cost I had almost said. Have you never felt at times as if, had you been there and seen the Lord of glory about to bleed to death for you, you would have said, “No, my Lord, the price is too great to pay for such a one as I am”? But he has done it; brethren, his sin-atoning work is finished for ever: Jesus has bled, and he has washed us, and we are clean beyond fear of future defilement. Shall he not have glory for this? Will we not wish him dominion for this?
I love the words Spurgeon uses in this paragraph of ‘John’s Doxology.’ Infinite Love – Immeasurable – Immutable – Pure – Perfect – Divine Love! Just reading those words out loud makes me want to run outside, throw my arms up toward the sky, and shout, “I LOVE YOU!”
THE LOVE OF JESUS IS A…
Jesus asks us to come to him with the open arms of a child. He will give us rest. He loves us, he never leaves us. He is our Savior. He is our Friend. He is the only Way to Eternal Life with the Father. Let us all spread the Good News that Jesus Christ is Lord!
Charles Haddon Spurgeon – John’s Doxology
Remember, he loves you with his own love according to his own nature. Therefore he has for you an infinite love altogether immeasurable. It is also like himself, immutable; and can never know a change. The emperor Augustus was noted for his faithfulness to his friends, whom he was slow in choosing. He used to say, “Late ere I love, long ere I leave.” Our blessed Lord loved us early, but he never leaves us. Has he not said, “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee”? The love of Jesus is a pure, perfect, and divine love: a love whose heights and depths none can measure. His nature is eternal and undying, and such is his love. He could not love you more; he will never love you less. With all his heart and soul and mind and strength he loves you. Come; is not that a grand excuse, if excuse is wanted, for often lifting up our hearts and voices in hearty song unto the Lord? Why should we not seven times a day exult before him, saying, “Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father, to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen”? Oh for new crowns for his blessed brow! Oh for new songs for his love-gifts ever new! Praise him! Praise him, all earth and heaven!
It’s that simple, Jesus loves me…this I know. If you don’t believe He loves you, repeat it out loud. Jesus loves me. Open the door of your heart to Him, He loves me…He loves you too…this I know.
C.H. Spurgeon – John’s Doxology
Again, the word “him that loved us,” seems as if it described all that Christ did for us, or, at least, it mentions first the grandest thing he ever did, in which all the rest is wrapped up. It is not, “Unto him that took our nature; unto him that set us a glorious example; unto him that intercedes for us but, “Unto him that loved us,” as if that one thing comprehended all, as indeed it does.
He loves us: this is matter for admiration and amazement. Oh, my brethren, this is an abyss of wonder to me! I can understand that Jesus pities us; I can very well understand that he has compassion on us; but that the Lord of glory loves us is a deep, great, heavenly thought, which my finite mind can hardly hold. Come, brother, and drink of this wine on the lees, well refined. Jesus loves you. Grasp that. You know what the word means in some little degree according to human measurements, but the infinite Son of God loved you of old, and he loves you now! His heart is knit with your heart, and he cannot be happy unless you are happy.
No; there is no love like that of Jesus Christ: he bears the palm for love; yea, in the presence of his love all other love is eclipsed, even as the sun conceals the stars by his unrivalled brightness.” ~C.H. Spurgeon
C.H. Spurgeon – John’s Doxology
"Think of this as being a recognizable description of our Lord— “Unto him that loved us.” John wanted to point out the Lord Jesus Christ, and all he said was, “Unto him that loved us.” He was sure nobody would make any mistake as to who was intended, for no one can be said to love us in comparison with Jesus. It is interesting to note that, as John is spoken of as “that disciple whom Jesus loved,” so now the servant describes the Master in something like the same terms: “Unto him that loved us.” No one fails to recognize John or the Lord Jesus under their several love-names. When the apostle mentioned “him that loved us,” there was no fear of men saying, “That is the man’s friend, or father, or brother.” No; there is no love like that of Jesus Christ: he bears the palm for love; yea, in the presence of his love all other love is eclipsed, even as the sun conceals the stars by his unrivalled brightness.
But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth. ~2 Thessalonians 2:13
If you spent time with me, you would soon know that I gather small pebbles and other natural items. Whether in forest or walking along ocean waves, I scan the area ahead of my steps for colorful stones. I have a rock polisher, and find it completely mesmerizing to transform a common pebble into a thing of beauty. The pebbles don’t look too impressive before I begin, often embedded with dirt, scratched, worn by countless years of weather, but they shine like precious gems when they have completed all four cycles of polishing.
I suppose I am telling of my rock polishing as a comparison to Christ Jesus choosing us for his own, washing me, washing you, cleaning away the clinging muck and scars of our sin. In His great love for us, he saw beneath our filthiness to what could be beautiful. He cleansed and purified our spirits by dying in our place. He is the source of all our blessings. If we call in repentence upon his name He will save us and dwell with us for all eternity. His Word says it is true, and I believe in what He promises. Blessed be the name of the LORD.
C.H. Spurgeon – John’s Doxology
“He loved us first before he washed us: “Unto him that loved us, and washed us.” Not “Unto him that washed us and loved us.” This is one of the glories of Christ’s love, that it comes to us while we are defiled with sin— yea, dead in sin. Christ’s love does not only go out to us as washed, purified, and cleansed, but it went out towards us while we were yet foul and vile, and without anything in us that could be worthy of his love at all. He loved us, and then washed us: love is the fountain-head, the first source of blessing.”
The photo I took of the setting sun is criss-crossed with lines for conducting electricity and cable. For some reason, the annoyance of these lines marring the image, seemed to mimic the problems in my life at this time. This beautiful season of the year is conflicted by problems, constant noise, and deceptions from every avenue. Instead of normality returning, every solution exhibits the potential to be more of a threat to our freedom, our future health, another prison cell bar in our upside-down lives.
Just like the same photograph after it was filtered and cleaned up, I’m learning to crop out the problems, the noise, the deceptions, and focus on the light of my life, Jesus. If I gaze at him “the things of life grow strangely dim, in the light of his glory and grace.” He is my hope for today, and my destiny in the future.
Truly, our Lord in his glory, loves us, focus on HIM.
C.H. Spurgeon – John’s Doxology
Now, this outburst carried within itself its own justification. Look at it closely and you perceive the reasons why, in this enthusiastic manner, John adores his Saviour. The first is, “Unto him that loved us.” Time would fail me to speak long on this charming theme, so I will only notice briefly a few things. This love is in the present tense, for the passage may be read, “Unto him that loveth us.” Our Lord in his glory still loves us as truly and as fervently as he did in the days of his flesh. He loved us before the world was, he loveth us now with all his heart, and he will love us when sun, and moon, and stars have all expired like sparks that die when the fire is quenched upon the hearth and men go to their beds. “He loveth us.” He is himself the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever, and his love is like himself. Dwell on the present character of it and be at this moment moved to holy praise.
