Thursday Hymn Reflection: “In Christ Alone” January 28, 2010

[On Thursdays, we "reflect" on a hymn suggested by our readers. To add your favorites (no more than 3, please) to the list, simply leave a comment.]

What a fantastic new hymn! “In Christ Alone,” in my opinion, will stand the test of time because it is a simple melody in the usual construction of four verses. The beauty of this song is that it builds together (1) the sacrifice of Jesus and (2) our response to it.

The song begins with a verse of praise to Jesus. With that verse, we sing that our full faith is in Him, then we move to the reason why. Verse one uses many titles and descriptions of Jesus (my Comforter, my All in All, this Cornerstone, etc.), and powerfully showers Him with praise, but does so from a deeply personal level. After naming all these attributes, verse one ends with “Here in the love of Christ I stand.”

Why “stand” with Him? The rest of the song shares that message which the world needs to hear.

He was the “fullness of God in helpless babe.” He was Immanuel; God with us. But His own people, whom “he came to save” scorned Him. That led to the cross. The song doesn’t just talk about Jesus on the cross, though. It paints a glorious picture of what happened there. In my favorite line, the song states, “‘Til on that cross as Jesus died, the wrath of God was satisfied.” With that simple line, we are preaching the doctrine of atonement, though we might not use that word. What a glorious concept, that “every sin on Him was laid.”

The third verse celebrates the victory over the cross which gives our faith its basis. “Then bursting forth in glorious day, up from the grave He rose again.” That is the event that shook the world and gives us our hope. Because He overcame death, the cross has its power. That being true, “Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me.”

The final verse truly provides the “so what” to the song. Here are the great words that conclude a wonderful hymn:

No guilt in life, no fear in death

This is the power of Christ in me.

From life’s first cry to final breath,

Jesus commands my destiny.

No power of hell, no scheme of man,

Can every pluck me from His hand.

‘Til He returns or calls me home,

Here in the power of Christ I stand.

The song is destined, in my opinion, to be widely accepted and used in a very short time, and for good reason. Very few newer songs contain quite so much theology as does this one.

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Enjoy this version of the hymn. (You’ll need to turn up your speakers, as the video is recorded at a low volume.)

Thursday Hymn Reflection: “I Need Thee Every Hour” January 21, 2010

[On Thursdays, we "reflect" on hymns submitted by our readers. If you would like to add your favorites--no more than 3, please--to our upcoming list, leave the names of the songs in the comments.]

Written by a housewife in 1872, the simple words of “I Need Thee Every Hour” continue to bring comfort to many folks each time they are sung. In his book Then Sings My Soul, Robert Morgan gives the Annie Hawks’ own words as to where the poem came from (from page 179):

One day as a young wife and mother of 37 years of age, I was busy with my regular household tasks. Suddenly, I became so filled with the sense of nearness to the Master that, wondering how one could live without Him, either in joy or pain, these words, ‘I need thee every hour,’ were ushered into my mind, the thought at once taking full possession of me.

To me, the greatest line in the song is in the 2nd verse, where Hawks wrote, “Temptations lose their power / When Thou art nigh.” While it is true that we need the Lord at all times, there is nothing more comforting to me than knowing He is near when I am fighting a temptation. That knowledge always makes the fight easier to win.

Millions have gained comfort from these words at other times, though, as they speak to nearly any difficult situation. It would be hard to think of the number of funerals at which I’ve sung this song of simple comfort, and it has, no doubt, been sung at the bedside of those passing from this life into the next, as well.

One thing I take from this song is the final line of the chorus, where we sing, “O bless me now, my Savior, I come to Thee.” I take from this line that there is nothing wrong with asking for a blessing. We can often cower from doing so, but, if we are walking near to God, we will be blessed!

For many, the best part of this song, though, is the line that says, “No tender voice like Thine can peace afford.” What a beautiful statement about God. Not a “booming” voice, as in the movies. Not a “harsh” voice, when we are hurting. His is a “tender” voice that brings peace in the midst of storms. What a great God, in that He doesn’t leave us to fend for ourselves. He is nearby, and we do need Him.

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Enjoy this good version a classic hymn:

Thursday Hymn Reflection: “Ancient Words” January 14, 2010

[Each Thursday, we give "reflections" on songs suggested by our readers. To add a song to our upcoming posts, leave no more than three suggestions in the comments.]

A fairly new song, “Ancient Words” has found its way into more popular usage in the last couple of years. As older songs have done, “Ancient Words” celebrates God’s Word, but it also has a unique trait in that it celebrates the history of the Bible.

The history of the Bible is a fascinating study. Most of us respect God’s Word and hold it as inspired, but many fail to see the connection between our day and when the Bible was actually written. The bringing of the Bible from ancient days to us is, in many ways, a study of God’s providence, and should cause us to desire the Bible in more languages throughout the world.

The song holds a very simple four-verse structure, and the language is very simple. However, when you read the song as a poem, you will find that it is truly profound. Written by Michael W. Smith, “Ancient Words” is a song that needs to be learned by more people and sung more. Here are the words:

Holy words long preserved
for our walk in this world,
They resound with God’s own heart.
Oh let the ancient words impart

Words of Life, words of Hope
Give us strength, help us cope
In this world, where e’er we roam
Ancient words will guide us Home.

Holy words of our Faith
Handed down to this age
Came to us through sacrifice
Oh heed the faithful words of Christ.

Holy words long preserved
For our walk in this world.
They resound with God’s own heart
Oh let the ancient words impart.

CHORUS:
Ancient words ever true
Changing me and changing you,
We have come with open hearts
Oh let the ancient words impart.

Outside the history aspect, I think my favorite part of this song is the section where we sing that the words of the Bible “give us strength” and “help us cope.” I like that part for its simplicity. There is nothing deep about the wording, but the song is expressing a truth that we need to always hold dear; that when we struggle, it is God and His Word that will guide us and help us.

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How simple is this song? Here’s a two-year-old singing the chorus!

10 Changes in the Blog World I’d Like to See January 6, 2010

I love blogs, and not just because I write one. It is a joy to discover new and helpful writers in this format. I subscribe to 116 feeds through Google Reader. Some post daily (or even more), while others almost never post. That’s one reason I like a feed reader like Google, you don’t have to scan through dozens of websites to see if someone has updated, you just get the updates when they come. If you’ve never used Google Reader, click here for a video (less than 3 minutes long) that will show you how to set it up. (By the way, you can do the same for our blog by clicking on the letters “rss” on the right-hand side!)

As much as I love blogs, I have certain things I’d like to see change. Obviously, any person will have a different list, but hopefully these thoughts will inspire more to use this medium, either as a writer or a reader.

1. I’d like to see more female Christians who blog. I subscribe to a few, but there need to be more. This is a wonderful medium for Christian ladies to use to share their thoughts on the Bible, life, and other subjects. Some of the best blogs I read are from Christian ladies, and I’d love to see more.

2. I’d like to see more families who blog. Leah has mentioned that she might like to write some on here, and I hope she does! It would be great to  have a few well-written blogs that are done from the different perspectives in the family, instead of just one person. (Also, it would make updating the blog much easier, since one person wouldn’t have the full weight of it.)

3. I’d like to see more high school and college students who blog about life and spiritual matters. There’s nothing wrong with blogging about funny stuff, but these  young adults have so much to say about God, the Bible, and their life serving the Master. College is a very busy time, but sitting down a couple of times each week to write 300 words or so would bless many people.

4. I’d like to see more Christian organizations blog about “behind-the-scenes” information. What is it like to publish a Christian book? What frustrations does a Board of Trustees have? While I understand certain issues of confidence, it would be great for more organizations and schools to do more than just publish pictures of the “finished product.” In the leadership world, maybe no one does this better than Michael Hyatt, who is able to blog about what goes on at Thomas Nelson without breaking confidence. Others could learn from his example.

5. I’d like to see Christians start a blog, and stick with it. It is a commitment; there is no doubt to that! (Yes, I know, I started one and stopped it, too.) Of the 116 blogs in my feed reader, I don’t even want to count the ones that haven’t updated in 6 months or more. One of the best steps you can make before you blog is to pray, think, and plan. If you don’t have enough energy, motivation, or content for more than a couple of posts, it’s best to guest write for someone else and not start a blog of your own.

6. I’d like to see more “ideas” blogs. Several good ones are out there, sharing ideas for youth ministers, preachers, and Bible class teachers, but the more we have, the better things will be.

7. I’d like to see more guest posting. We had a multi-part series last year with guest writers, and it was one of the most well-received set of posts in the history of our blog. This is not just about “getting numbers” to the blog, it’s about others getting to read from some talented people. You may not want to read dozens of blogs, but, by allowing some guest posts, others will at least be introduced to the thoughts of others.

8. I’d like to see more Christians reading good blogs. I know we are busy. I know we read hundreds and hundreds of words daily, but many of them are “fluff” (as Leah likes to say). Much of our reading isn’t all that important. Find a handful of good blogs on different topics. Most write brief articles (1000 words is long in the blog-world), and some only update once or twice a week. If you have time to read a morning newspaper, you have time to read 10 or more blogs, most likely.

9. I’d like to see more Christian writers making money from their blogs. Thankfully, no one I know gets into this area to make money, but it is something that takes time and effort. We don’t have a single ad on this new site, but we have thought about adding Google Adsense to make (literally) a couple of dollars each month. Some have “monetized” their blog, and I think it’s great. They put a lot of work into it, and they deserve some financial gain if that is a goal of theirs. If you visit a blog of a fellow Christian, take a moment and click on the ads. It will help them out a little(usually with 10 cents or less), but every bit helps.

10. I’d like to see every Christian blog writer pray that his/her blog is used to the glory of God. This isn’t about the writer, it’s about the Author of Salvation.

What changes would you like to see?

Thursday Hymn Reflection: This is My Father’s World December 31, 2009

[NOTE: Today's  post continues our Thursday hymn reflections, which are simple thoughts on songs suggested by our readers. If you would like to add your favorites--no more than three--to our list, please leave a comment. We'll get to it eventually!]

This hymn, usually containing three verses, is part of a longer poem by Maltie Babcock. The original poem contained 16 stanzas and each began with the title phrase. Cyber Hymnal gives this brief introduction to the song:

While a pas­tor in Lock­port, New York, Bab­cock liked to hike in an ar­ea called “the es­carp­ment,” an an­cient up­thrust ledge near Lock­port. It has a mar­vel­ous view of farms, or­chards, and Lake On­tar­io, about 15 miles dis­tant. It is said those walks in the woods in­spired these lyr­ics. The ti­tle re­calls an ex­press­ion Bab­cock used when start­ing a walk: “I’m go­ing out to see my Fa­ther’s world.”

When an atheist looks at the world around, all that is seen is a random collection of molecules with no purpose. However, when Christians sing “This is My Father’s World” they are loudly proclaiming that God made all things, and there is purpose to it all.

My favorite line in the song is: “This is my Father’s world/I rest me in the thought/of rocks and trees of skies and seas;/His hands the wonders wrought.” The part about resting is a great thought. When we see the design of the universe and all that God has done, it can sometimes boggle the mind. At other times, thought, it can cause our minds to slow down and rest because He is in control of it all.

Other famous lines from the song show that nature is crying out that God exists. One line in particular shows this in these words: “The morning light, the lily white,/Declare their Maker’s praise.” We need to remember that our world is declaring that God is, and that He is the Creator of all we see!

It is interesting that the song, as usually written in books, speaks specifically about nature, but there were other original verses that took another step. The song originally also spoke about Jesus being from God. One verse that is not usually in books contains these words:

This is my Father’s world, dreaming, I see His face.
I ope my eyes, and in glad surprise cry, “The Lord is in this place.”
This is my Father’s world, from the shining courts above,
The Beloved One, His Only Son,
Came—a pledge of deathless love.

While the wording may be a bit old, the message is still powerful: nature is not the only thing that points to our Father in heaven.

And, as one final reflection, remember that the song does not just talk about “Someone” who created the world. It teaches that “My Father” created it all. He owns the cattle on a thousand hills, but He is still our Father, and we need to speak of Him in that way.

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Enjoy this clip of a choir arrangement of the tune:

Thursday Hymn Reflection: “My Jesus, I Love Thee” December 24, 2009

[NOTE: This post continues our Thursday Hymn Reflections. If you would like to suggest a song for this series, please leave a comment. We still have over 30 songs lined up for this series at this time, but we will try to do them all!]

My first reflection on this hymn has always been its simplicity. There are very few songs we sing that are easier to “pick up” and sing. The melody is easy to follow and the harmonies are very straightforward.

That is so fitting for this song! In a song that simply praises the Son of God in simple language, it is only fitting that the music also be simple to sing.

The song requires no dictionary to figure out, but the wording is fantastic. Consider the opening lines:

My Jesus, I love Thee,

I know Thou art mine.

For Thee all the follies

of sin I resign.

What a statement! When we sing those words, we are stating that we will shun sin in order to follow Christ. While we may know that on an intellectual level, we still need to be reminded of it often.

The second verse rehearses what Jesus did for us. He loved us first, and proved it by purchasing our pardon “on Calvary’s tree.” The song also references the crown of thorns as a reason to love Christ. I think about that when I sing this song. We often thank Christ for the crucifixion, but do we ever stop and thank Him for each part of the experience? He endured each part of suffering for you and me.

Finally, the song speaks of the result. It is not just “I’m going to heaven,” though. The song states that we will be privileged to sing and praise Jesus for all eternity for what He did. That should be at the top of our reasons why we want to go to heaven. For what Christ went through, we should desire to thank Him eternally!

Each verse ends with the words, “If ever I loved Thee–my Jesus, ’tis now.” When is the song talking about? If you piece together each verse, it is speaking of any time we think of Him, and the song, in my mind, is also trying to get us to focus on Him at all times. In other words, we are stating that we love Christ at all times.

Do I?

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The song has been sung to a couple of different tunes. The first video is the one most people know and love, and it is followed by an alternate tune that is beautiful and simple as well. Enjoy!

Thursday Hymn Reflections: “Jesus Is Lord” December 10, 2009

[NOTE: If you would like to add your song ideas for these "reflections" series, leave a comment with no more than 3 songs. There are almost 40 in the line-up now!]

The first verse of this song is very old, while additional verses have been added in the last 40 years. As the verses, especially the final one, have been added, the song has been much more used. It is a song that usually is accepted first by young people, but that adults love to.

I love this song for its simple message. It doesn’t get simpler than “Jesus is Lord, my Redeemer; how He loves me, how I love Him.” Each of those brief statements is a sermon in itself!

Probably what sets this song apart as a favorite for many, though, is the final verse, wherein the ladies sing a counter-melody. There are several different variations on the words, but here is one rendition:

Jesus came to die on Calvary;

To redeem a lost humanity;

Conquered death, He rose triumphantly,

Now He reigns for all eternity.

As the ladies sing these powerful words, the men simply sing “Alleluia” several times. That word, meaning “praise God,” lays a gorgeous background to great words about our Savior. When sung well, there are few songs that compare in beauty.

As I reflect on this song, though, I am also reminded that there is a phrase, sung twice, that we need to be careful about singing. Twice the words “Lord come quickly” appear in the text of the song. I have often warned people to be careful to mean that when they sing it! Are we really prepared and desiring that Christ return?

I cannot think of a youth rally where I have led singing when I failed to lead this song, but it is not just for young people. Jesus truly is Lord, and the words of this simple, but powerful hymn teach and encourage one another to lift Him up as such.

As I close, let me type the words of a little-sung verse to this song. It is only found in a few versions, but it is my favorite (other than the closing verse). Take time to reflect on these beautiful lyrics sometime today:

He still loves me,

Me, the sinner,

What a sorrow if I lost Him.

But He owns me,

Me, the sinner,

Praise our Jesus! Alleluia!

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What are your reflections on this hymn?

Why Veteran’s Day Matters to Our Family November 11, 2009

[It's Wednesday, but there's no list today. I think this post will touch your heart on this great holiday, though.]

I’m thankful for Veteran’s Day. I’ve never had to serve in our nation’s armed forces, but our family has many who have served, helped, and trained throughout the years.

I’m grateful that we have that legacy in our family. While I don’t like war, I’m grateful for those who are willing to stand for freedom and who are willing to go away from family for lengthy periods of time to help others.

One of the legacies in my family is how my mother’s parents met. Grandpa was wounded in Europe in World War 2, and Grandma was an army nurse from Carolina. It was a great love story that grew through the years in Illinois and even to retirement homes in Kentucky.

Sounds almost like a song:

“Lord,

Thank you for those who have served our nation, whether it led to an American love story or not. Thank you for the men and women who worked and sacrificed for our freedom.

And, Lord, please continue to bless those who fight for freedom now. Keep them safe and bring them home to those who miss them dearly.

In Jesus Name,

Amen.”

10 Reasons We Love College Basketball November 9, 2009

It’s not hard to figure out that I love sports, but there simply is no greater sport than college basketball. College football is fun, but until they actually decide the title on the field, it will never be as great as college basketball. With the first games scheduled to tip off at 6PM Central today, I thought I’d share a fun post of 10 reasons to love this sport! Enjoy. This will take a while, but it’s worth your time for a little fun!

10. Comebacks. Purists can say what they want, but the 3-point line did a great thing for basketball, including allowing huge comebacks in games. Teams down 10 or even 20 still hold out hope that a couple of three-pointers will get them right back in the game.

It even happens for teams who are down 31 as this video (of a game I watched) shows.

Or how about when a team comes from 10 back in one minute?

9. Coaching meltdowns. Of course, we don’t encourage cursing or other insane activity, but watching a coach lose it near the end of an intense game is fascinating. To me, it shows how much these guys want to win and how deeply they fight for their teams. I couldn’t find a video of my favorite (when Larry Eustachy went crazy in the NCAA tournament for Iowa State. If anyone has that video, please let me know where it is.)

But Mike Davis gave a pretty good meltdown, too! (this is a pretty funny video)

8. The “b” word: “Bubble!”  From about mid-January on, all we hear about are teams trying to get off the dreaded “bubble” and into the NCAA tournament. For my part, I’m always hoping the tournament will put more of the smaller schools in, and several get those spots, but bubble talk is purely a college basketball tradition.

And it all leads to moments like this (it takes a couple of minutes to get there, but it’s worth the wait):

7. The “WOW” Moments. Those moments when one play seems to turn an entire game and get the crowd to go berzerk. No other sport seems to have more of them. Here are just a couple of examples that I remember.

How about Darvin Ham?

Or maybe UAB’s pass against Kentucky.

6. Excited Announcers. Let’s be honest. Some people don’t like certain college basketball announcers because they yell too much, but they also share the emotion that we love about the sport. Their calls help put “the moment” in our heads forever. Here are just a couple that I love.

“Send it in, Jerome!”

“Hamilton, NO. Hamilton…YES!”

5. Rivalries. This is true in every sport, but in basketball there is something very special about just 2 hours making or breaking the hearts of teams and fans. Only 40 minutes of game time and so much can change. No videos on this one, but here are what I think are the five greatest college basketball rivalries.

#5  Indiana-Purdue

#4 Illinois-Missouri

#3 Kentucky-Louisville

#2 New Mexico-New Mexico State (maybe shouldn’t rank this high, but it is a nasty rivalry!)

#1 Duke-North Carolina (and notice which is first in that listing!)

4. Overtimes. Five minutes and no idiotic sudden death. Multiple overtimes are better, but overtime in college basketball is classic because one possession can win or lose the game. Here are a couple of those games where teams gave their all for well over the 40-minutes allotted.

Baylor-Texas A&M (the best part of this video is that it starts in the first overtime!)

But nothing could have us ready for the laaaaate night we went through watching Syracuse and Connecticut last season.

3. Upsets. Let’s be honest: unless your team is playing, you want the little guy to win. College football wants to shut the “little guys” out, while college basketball gives them a shot. Sometimes, they take that shot and run with it.

How about Santa Clara over Kansas or maybe Hampton over Iowa State. (I couldn’t find videos of these).

Maybe you like dream shots for the upset. See Cleveland State over Syracuse:

Or Gardner-Webb over Kentucky.

2. Buzzer Beaters. Let’s say it: everyone likes the buzzer-beating shot to win a game. They are what make March the greatest sports month of them all. Here are just a few from the past few years:

1. One Shining Moment. How many sports have a highlight of the season after the final game? CBS’s “One Shining Moment” has become a tradition that helps remind every fan of how great March really is. Well-produced, the song has become a part of the tournament. Here are a couple of examples.

2008

1991 (my favorite!)

Enjoy the season!

Still No TV? November 3, 2009

Back in April, we told you how we had completely turned off our DirecTV. We didn’t downgrade our package, or switch to just local channels. We have no television package whatsoever. At the time, we had a plan of things we would do in order to “fill” our time as a family. I thought you might like a little progress report, now that we’ve gone about 7 months without any TV.

First, let me address the question everyone seems to ask. “Do you miss it?” While that’s impossible to answer in one word, I would say we really haven’t missed TV. Yes, I don’t like missing ball games, but we really don’t miss the TV very often at all. We watched TV a ton before we turned off the TV, but it was amazing how we just went on to other things. I think that shows just how mindless TV really is!

Now, what have we done with our time? Here are just some of the things

• We have taken the kids outside a lot more. With winter coming, that will change. We spent quite a bit of time in our backyard, as well as at the park or other fun places.
• We have gone shopping as a family sometimes. While not my favorite activity, the kids enjoy seeing stores and we would go looking for several things, from plants to furniture. Often, since we live on a budget, we just window shopped, but that’s okay!
• We have people over. We have always had a desire to have people over to eat, but, when we weren’t thinking about what might be on TV, it got easier. We need to do better on this one, but, with colder weather coming, we probably will, since we’ll be looking for more indoor activities.
• We watch TV. Wait, what? Seriously, we watch some family-friendly movies and some older TV shows that we have on DVD. We try to limit this, but we do still have some “marathon” evenings where we watch 2-3 episodes of The Cosby Show or some other program. We also have a couple of educational DVDs the kids enjoy watching.
• We go visiting. While, again, we need to do better, we sometimes take the kids out to visit folks in the nursing home, or just people who need a visit. We’re happy that our kids are learning to visit people without fear.
• We learn. Reading, listening to podcasts, and doing research on the computer has taken a prime place in our lives. I have a goal of reading 40 books each year, which I am already passed! We are learning things that are important as well as fun, instead of filling our minds with nothing more than the storyline of a TV show.
• We have devotionals. Every night, we read the kids a Bible story. We sing some songs, and we have a prayer list we keep up and let the kids pray for. When we had TV, we easily forgot this, but we have some sort of devotional every night now. We are seeing the kids grow in a lot of areas, but none more than in prayer.

There are other things, but we have really filled our time well.

Now, what has been hard? I’ll admit that we do miss some things. With the Yankees in the World Series, it has been tough not being able to see a single pitch so far. We both enjoy watching college football, and I’m gearing up for college basketball. How have we “survived?”

First, we have the internet to read articles and posts about favorite teams or other items of interest.

I also subscribe to several sports podcasts. In fact, I think I know more about baseball this year than last year, just from reading online and listening to some podcasts. The same is true of the NFL, for sure (though it hasn’t helped my fantasy teams!).
We watch some things online. ESPN360.com has all sorts of games available from many leagues, and we also watch some YouTube and Hulu videos that are fun, educational, and enjoyable.

Overall, we have had a great time. I would challenge everyone to try it for one week (or one month, if you’re really into it). I think you’ll find that it’s really easy to go without TV. We’re glad we did!