"As The Deer" Hymn Study With Scripture

"As the deer pants for streams of water,

so my soul pants for you, my God."

Psalm 42:1

Deer. I had to do this hymn study. It's a fairly new hymn, written in the 20th century. This is the last hymn study I will post this Spring. You'll find it down the right side.

Yes, I have begun my early morning fawn spotting drives. I've seen one baby fawn so far. The picture isn't great, but a reminder to me of the joy I receive riding through the woods in the early morning, enjoying God's creation.

Does your heart pant after God as the deer pants for water? Do you long to be filled and refreshed by His Spirit? Do you rejoice with gladness after being filled with His love?

Is He your strength? Your shield? Do you yield to His direction? Is He your heart's desire? You're friend? You're King?

How fortunate we are to have a God who created this beautiful world and longs to fill us with everything we could ever need or want. His creation alone is enough to cause us to pause and thank Him for His beauty. 

"You alone are my heart's desire

And I long to worship Thee."

Always a delight to see the little ones!

I'll be back with six more hymn studies in the Fall. That will complete the first session of studies I gave at church this Spring.

By His Grace . . .

"Standing on the Promises" Hymn Study With Scripture

"God makes a promise, faith believes it, hope anticipates it, patience quietly awaits it."

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On the right side of the blog you'll find the next Hymn Study With Scripture," "Standing on the Promises." This is such a happy song to sing! God has so many promises and He fulfills each one as we live for Him. 

I was reading in my journal recently and found this quote: "To love is to give one's time . . . to exercise a spiritual ministry means to take time." If we want to save our time for more important matters than a soul, we are but tradesmen." Paul Tournier, 1898-1986

Love should permeate our very being and be a part of us at all times. When using your spiritual gift or ministry you have to make time.

Either way your time is involved. To show love, give love, express love, however you share love, it is a decision on your part. As Christians, it is what we strive to perfect in this life. To exercise your spiritual gift, it is a decision on your part. It doesn't just happen. You have to make time to do it.

"Love is an action, an activity. It is not a feeling."

M. Scott Peck, 1936-2005

We can love and serve God because of His great and ready promises to always be with us and help us. He gives us the strength, energy and ability to love others and minister to others. 

Stand on His promises. They are always available. Just call out His name and He is there!

"God is the God of promise. He keeps His word, even when that seems impossible; even when the circumstances seem to point to the opposite."

Colin Urquhart, 1940-2021

By His Grace . . . 

"Holy, Holy, Holy" Hymn Sudy With Scripture

 I sing "Holy, Holy, Holy" every Sunday morning during my quiet time. I love the words and the music. It's a perfect way to praise God and worship His Name.

You'll find this Hymn Study With Scripture down the right side of this blog a few videos down. I hope you are inspired by what you hear, and whenever you hear this hymn, smile as you worship God.

 

 

The other morning I read about Madam Guyon in The One Year Women in Christian History Devotional. She lived in the late 1600s to 1719. She was a French mystic and one of the key advocates of Quietism. Fenelon, Cowper and Spurgeon were all supporters in this movement.

Quietism is a system of religious mysticism that teaches spiritual peace can be achieved through the contemplation of God and things divine. The practitioner of Quietism seeks to subdue the will and become totally passive, spiritually.

Madam Guyon was persecuted for her unwavering faith and imprisoned because of her love for God. She lived out the life that Jesus called her to live."My earnest wish is to paint in true colors the goodness of God to me, and the depth of my own ingratitude," she said.

 

She believed one should pray all the time, and that in whatever one does, one should be spending time with God. "Prayer is the key of perfection and of sovereign happiness; it is the efficacious means of getting rid of all vices and of acquiring all virtues; for the way to become perfect is to live in the presence of God." 

We all know we will never be perfect in this life. But being quiet before God is something we all need to do.

I don't know the right or wrong in the movement of Quietism, but I do know that being quiet before God is needed if we want to hear His voice. Praying silently, and communicating with Him in silence are good ways to hear His voice, whether a whisper in your mind or words read from the Bible.

 

I went out on my first early morning fawn spotting drive the other morning. It's still early to be seeing the babies. Hoping to spot one like this soon.

 

Singing the beautiful Hymn "Holy, Holy, Holy" in the stillness of early morning, the silence of your devotion time, or during worship singing in church are all ways to give Him praise.

If you're not familiar with this beautiful hymn, pull it up on YouTube. Sing or read it to our Holy Father.

 

By His Grace . . . 

 

 

"In My Heart There Rings a Melody" Hymn Study

 "Let us go singing as far as we go; the road will be less tedious."

Virgil A. Kraft

Do you have a special melody in your heart? One where joy overflows when you sing it? This song should be there too! What a happy song to sing!

 

This is the 5th Hymn Study With Scripture in this first series of 8 hymn studies.. You'll find it on the right hand side of this blog, a few studies down.

 

Some of the hymns I love to sing are: "Heavenly Sunlight," "When the Trumpet of the Lord Shall Sound," and "Praise Him, Praise Him."

I recently video recorded my "Melody of Hymns" so I can sing with it when I'm in the car or just sitting in the writing room. The music and the words lift me up and inspire me to keep going, putting a mile on my face.

I've often prayed that God would restore my singing voice so I can sing out in joy. But I can still sing softly and slowly to my favorite hymns and be encouraged.

Sing out the chorus of this great hymn!

"In my heart there rings a melody

There rings a melody with heaven's harmony

In my heart there rings a melody

There rings a melody of love."

By His Grace . . .

"I Love to Tell the Story" Hymn Study With Scripture

 This Hymn Study With Scripture is on the happy and joyful hymn "I Love to Tell the Story." The video is on the right side of this blog a few videos down.

 

 

Do you love to tell the story hew Jesus saved your soul and washed your sins away?

 

Do you share your story with those who don't know Christ to witness for your Savior? Do you share your story with those who know Christ and rejoice with you?

 

Do you tell yourself your story so you can encourage yourself when times are hard? Reflecting on all God has done for you will shift your thoughts from anxiety and fear to calm and settled.

 

Yes, we believers long to hear the old, old story over and over because it means so much to us. We know the joy and confidence we have in a loving God and all He has done for us and the world.

 

So tell the story! Use any form you can: talking, writing, singing. Just don't stop telling it. You have a story to tell!

 

 

By His Grace . . . 

Yes, it's still me.

 I've been working all day to redo my blog site design. It's been quite an experience. 

I wanted "HOPE" to be the main theme of this blog. God's HOPE. Having a deep settled confidence in all His promises!

May you always find HOPE on this blog!

At Calvary Hymn Study and Creation

 The Hymn Study With Scripture for the hymn At Calvary is now posted on the right side of this blog site, the 4th video down. Learn the interesting and inspiring stories behind the hymn.

 

We have arrived at the season where God's beautiful creation awakes after a long winter's nap. Buds and blooms are appearing on bushes and trees. Baby leaves are opening to dress the tree branches.

"The creation of God speaks without sound or language, but with great pictorial wonder that is understood throughout the world."  Liberty Bible Commentary, Romans 1:20

I saw my first baby leaf last week. God's hope to me! "When everything looks dead, God brings me baby leaves." My own special assurance from God to heal a broken heart.

"God writes the gospel not in the Bible alone, but on trees and flowers and clouds and stars." Martin Luther

Every spring our God awakens us from the gray and cold of winter with warmer temperatures and the hint of beauty fills the eye. We first start seeing a tint of green or red across the trees; then comes the buds which open to baby leaves. The flowers on the trees and bushes soon open and color is alive across the land.

"The more I study nature, the more I am amazed at the creator." Louis Pasteur

 

This reminds me of the lovely hymn "This Is My Father's World," written by Maltbie D. Babcock. Babcock would tell his wife that he was "going out to see the Father's world," on his walks.  

"This is my Father's world

And to my listening ears

All nature sings and round me rings

the music of the spheres

This is my Father's world

I rest me in the thought

Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas

His hand, the wonders wrought.

"This is my Father's world

The birds, their carols raise

The morning light, the lily white

Declare their maker's praise

This is my Father's world

He shines in all that's fair

 In the rustling grass I hear Him pass

He speaks to me everywhere."

If you haven't taken a walk outside yet this spring I encourage you to do so. It is truly amazing watching God wake up the land with color and the joy of birds singing.

"Let the fields and their crops burst forth with joy! Let the trees of the forest rustle with praise."

                                                                                                                                            Psalm 96:12

By His Grace . . .