Bound Together

"He recognized that the bond of love he knew there was worth more than any material wealth."

William J. Petersen and Randy Petersen

The One Year Book of Hymns

 

 

Every church fellowship has it's own customs and traditions in their worship service. In the church we settled in when we moved to PA, we sing the hymn "Blest Be the Tie That Binds" at the end of each worship service.

 

"Blest be the tie that binds

Our hearts in Christian love;

The fellowship with kindred minds

Is like to that above." 

I recently read about the author of that hymn, John Fawcett, 1740-1817, and the words brought new meaning to me.

 

"Orphaned when he was twelve, then forced to work fourteen hours a day in a sweatshop, John Fawcett learned to read by candlelight. He was converted at sixteen under the preaching of George Whitefield, and he was ordained a Baptist minister at the age of twenty-five. He began his ministry at a poor church in Wainsgate in northern England. The small congregation could only afford to pay him a minimal salary, partly in potatoes and wool.

 

"After seven years of ministry, Fawcett received a call to the prestigious Carter's Lane Church in London. But as he was saying his farewells and saw the tears on the faces of his people, he changed his mind and decided to stay.

 

"Not long afterward, he wrote this hymn for the congregation at Wainsgate. He recognized that the bond of love he knew there was worth more than any material wealth."

 

And isn't that how it is? The bond of fellowship Christians have serving together and to each other. I know of no other group or club who share a common bond so strong.

"The Christian life was not meant to live in solitude forever, nor is it suited to it. It is a social life. All its movements suggest and prophesy a brotherhood. That brotherhood of believers is the Christian church."

Philip Brookes (1835-1893)

It's always a thrill to see a large buck and get the snap too!

We need to remember that as we go through these difficult times. We are not alone. We have a bond of love that is strong and true, and it will help us through as we live our days.

"In God's family, there is to be one great body of people: servants. In fact, that's the way to the top in His Kingdom."

Charles R. Swindoll, (1934-  )

Charles Spurgeon said: "If you fellowship with other Christians you will stay wide awake, will be refreshed and encouraged, and will make faster progress along the road to heaven."

I am thankful for the Christian friends I've shared my life with. They have helped me by comforting me, encouraging me, inspiring me and working with me. They have shared wisdom and discernment and helped me make difficult decisions. They have worshiped and studied with me. They have truly been the arms and legs of my Savior. Thank you, dear friends.

I'm enjoying seeing these yellow flowers that I pass frequently.

In searching for "Blest Be the Tie That Binds" on the internet, I found a study online by Greg Allen, the pastor at Bethany Bible Church in Oregon, who chose this hymn in likeness with his study from Ephesians 6:21-22 and had shared these words: "Because of His love for us and our faith in that act of love, we are to be joined in a common bond of love and faith in the truth--not love without faith in the truth, nor faith in the truth without love, but with both love and faith in the truth joined together in a perfect union in Christ. . . . to be our beloved Savior's hands and feet and lips and heart-beat upon earth, to lovingly minister to one another's needs in the power of the Holy Spirit; to appreciate anew for one another's giftedness to the body as a whole; to yearn for one another's growth and edification--and all so that the world looks on and sees that we live such a unique life together that it can't help but ask for an explanation."

Yes, I'm blessed to be bound together with the fellowship of kindred minds. It is a bond of love unequaled in its honesty and pure in its love.

 

Day by Day

 "Each day comes bearing its gifts. Untie the ribbons."

Ann Ruth Schabacker

Beautiful color from John and Tina's garden!

 Many of us are familiar with the hymn, Day by Day, written by Carolina Sandess Berg, 1832-1903, and that's really all we can do now. Go day by day and try not to think too hard about the future.

 "Day by day, and with each passing moment,
Strength I find, to meet my trials here;
Trusting in my Father’s wise bestowment,
I’ve no cause for worry or for fear.
He Whose heart is kind beyond all measure
Gives unto each day what He deems best—
Lovingly, its part of pain and pleasure,
Mingling toil with peace and rest."

A happy face for you!

 I read about Carolina Berg in the book "The One Year Women in /Christian History Devotional" by Randy Petersen and Robin Shreeves. They wrote: "Carolina 'Lina' Sandell Berg, a Swedish hymn writer in the 1800s, had her share of unexpected days. She had no to-do list on a smartphone, but she probably woke each day with things she wished to accomplish. Sometimes she got them done. Sometimes the unexpected occurred.

"Life she knows, is full of both pain and pleasure, and the Lord is there through all of it, comforting us, strengthening us, teaching us lessons, surprising us. In all days---good, bad, and ordinary-we can trust that God knows best."

So many of our favorite books and hymns are written by common folk who experienced God's Hand during difficult circumstances. God can take anything you are going through and make it beautiful in His eyes.

A family portrait from Mt. Airy MD. My very first one in our own backyard!

In Kenneth W. Osbeck book, "Amazing Grace" he wrote: "At the age of 26 Lina had an experience that greatly influenced her life. She was accompanying her father aboard ship to the city of Gothenburg, Sweden, across Lake Vattern. The ship gave a sudden lurch and Lina's father, a devout Lutheran minister, fell overboard and drowned before the eyes of his devoted daughter. Although Lina had written many hymn texts prior to this tragic experience, now more than ever poetic thoughts that expressed a tender, child-like trust in her Lord began to flow freely from her broken heart."

 What situation forcibly changed your life? What did you learn from it? Did that situation help you to trust God more and become a stronger and wiser person? I hope my struggles have caused me to comfort others as Paul said in 2 Corinthians: " . . . the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from Christ." (verse 3-4)

My mouth is filled with your praise, declaring your splendor all day long.

Psalm 71:18

 

Warren Wiersbe has this to say about a day: "As we begin each day, we trust we'll still be around at the end of the day. What happens in between depends on how we start in the morning and how we end in the evening. Verses 1 and 2 in Psalm 92 describes an ideal day: 'It is good to give thanks to the Lord, and to sing praises to Your Name, O Most High; to declare Your lovingkindness in the morning, and Your faithfulness every night.' That's how we ought to live each day."

Day by day is all we have. We read many times not to fret about the past and don't plan for the future, but live the day you are in. If we concentrate on the day we are living, each day would be easier and lighter for it's the only day we truly have.  

 The second and third verses of Day by Day are meaningful too:

1. "Every day, the Lord Himself is near me
   With a special mercy for each hour;
   All my cares He fain would bear, and cheer me,
   He Whose Name is Counselor and Pow’r.
   The protection of His child and treasure
   Is a charge that on Himself He laid;
   “As thy days, thy strength shall be in measure,”
   This the pledge to me He made.
2. "Help me then in every tribulation
   So to trust Thy promises, O Lord,
   That I lose not faith’s sweet consolation
   Offered me within Thy holy Word.
   Help me, Lord, when toil and trouble meeting,
   E’er to take, as from a father’s hand,
   One by one, the days, the moments fleeting,
   
   Till I reach the promised land."
    
   You can listen to it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzrhqjzQCi4
   
   
   

 "A day is a miniature eternity."

Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1803-1882

 

 

Be Revived!

"Lord, revive the church--beginning with me:

Samuel M. Shoemaker (1893-1963)

A lovely display of zinnia greeted me on the road.

I found God during a revival on November 14, 1978. I was at my home church in Rockville MD. My pastor, Robert D. Crowley, preached on Elijah in 1st Kings.

It was the start of my faith journey which has now lasted 42 years come November. I was reminded of this while reading Psalm 85 recently.

"Restore us again, God our Savior,

and put away your displeasure toward us.

Will you be angry with us forever?

Will you prolong your anger through all generations?

Will you not revive us again,

That your people may rejoice in you?

Show us your unfailing love, Lord,

and grant us your salvation."

Verses 4-7

I enjoyed watching this doe and fawn at the edge of the pond.

 

I haven't been to a revival in years, but I believe we sure need one now! Warren Wiersbe said: "God's people are the revival people. We desperately need to be revived."

About Psalm 85 Liberty Bible Commentary said this: "This psalm must speak not of the return of Israel to Palestine from the Babylonian captivity, but the future restoration of Israel and the inauguration of the millennial reign of Jesus Christ on this earth."

"The purpose of revival is to make God not men, famous; to focus the eyes of the people, not upon human leaders, but upon the Divine Leaders; to give glory not to great men but to a great Savior."

Richard Owen Roberts (1931-  )

Worth the reach!

We can revive ourselves in many ways, through Bible reading, listening to hymns and Christian songs, studying in a group setting and attending church. But there's nothing like an old fashioned revival to stir the soul and motivate the heart.

When were you saved? Was it during a revival . . . hearing the gospel from a friend . . . bravely listening to Billy Graham during one of his crusades . . . listening to a Sunday morning sermon? Remember that experience. Let a revival begin in your heart and sing this hymn with fervor!

"We praise You oh God for the Son of Your love

For Jesus who died and is now gone above

We praise you oh God for Your Spirit of Light

Who has shown us our Savior and scattered our night.

"Hallelujah,Thine the glory

Hallelujah, amen

Hallelujah, Thine the glory

Revive us again"

William P. Mackay

Listen to this hymn at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RuMrQt4l6qE

Fields of Queen Anne Lace everywhere I go.

 

 

They tell me a revival is only temporary; so is a bath, but it does you good."

Billy Sunday (1862-1935)

I see a lot of turkeys and their babies on my early morning rides.

The Kingdom of Heaven Is Secure

"Joy is that deep settled confidence that God is in control in every area of my life."

Paul Sailhamer

Joyful! I was reading about Henry Van Dyke last Friday morning. He was a Presbyterian minister; the author of many books; professor of literature at Princeton University; a Navy chaplain during World War I, and ambassador to Holland and Luxembourg under President Woodrow Wilson. He was born 1852.

My favorite place to see fawn is on Fisher Road west of Sigel. Drive just a few miles west and doe and fawn are fairly relaxed, even with all the cars that zoom, so they're easy to photograph. Of course, when I go out it's first light, and I have the road to myself!

He wrote one of our most cheerful and joyful hymns: "Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee." In the short article about his life, my attention was caught on the following statement: "When he published this hymn in 1911, he noted that it was to be sung by people who 'are not afraid that any truth of science will destroy their religion or that any revolution on earth will overthrow the kingdom of heaven."

Isn't that what we're going through right now? A revolution to destroy America. And just think, way back in the 1800 a man wrote a hymn so that people would not be afraid. That really caught my attention.

Fawns are now triple and more in size.

Van Dyke was a guest preacher at Williams College in Massachusetts and was so moved by the beauty of God's creation he wrote this hymn of joy. "Your mountains were my inspiration," he told the college president. "It must be sung to the music of Beethoven's 'Hymn to Joy,'"

"Joyful, joyful, we adore Thee,

God of glory, Lord of love;

Hearts unfold like flowers before Thee,

Opening to the sun above.

Melt the clouds of sin and sadness;

Drive the dark of doubt away;

Giver of immortal gladness,

Fill us with the light of day!"

South of Fisher Road, into the forest, I have my favorite spots to see fawn. As you can see, there were a lot of fawn that morning! I was able to get video of them also.

I love the words in the second verse:

"All Thy works with joy surround Thee,

Earth and heav'n reflect Thy rays,

Stars and angels sing around Thee,

Center of unbroken praise;

Field and forest, vale and mountain,

Flowery meadow, flashing sea,

Chanting bird and flowing fountain,

Call us to rejoice in Thee."

Early morning quiet and no cars leaves the area refreshing and cool.

Hear "Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee" here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMY3ivdNzwE

I never tire of seeing fawn and doe.

Yes, I believe there is nothing that can overthrow the kingdom of heaven. And although events and circumstances are difficult and scary, as Christians we know the King is in control!

"Joy has something within itself that is beyond joy and sorrow. This something is called blessedness . . . is asked for and promised in the Bible. It makes the joy of life possible in pleasure and pain, in happiness and unhappiness, in ecstasy and sorrow. Where there is joy, there is fulfillment. And where there is fulfillment, there is joy."

Paul Johannes Oskar Tillich

(1886-1965)