Jesus, With Your Church Abide

Today’s song is from my favourite group, Emu Music. This prayer is one for God’s church to remain steadfast, immovable, and abounding in the work of the Lord. I hope you enjoy this and mediate on these words before we gather with God’s people tomorrow; enjoy!

Jesus, with your church abide
Be our Saviour, Lord, and guide
While on earth our faith is tried
Lord, our Saviour, hear us

May our lamp of truth be bright
May we raise on high its light
Through the realms of darkest night
Lord, our Saviour, hear us

Refrain
We praise you for your mercy and grace
You go with us to the end of the age
We hold on to your unfailing love
‘Til the fullness of your kingdom comes

May we serve the poor and blind,
Seek the lost so they may find
And the brokenhearted bind
Lord, our Saviour, hear us

May your victory over death 
Be the hope that we profess
All our failures we confess
Lord, our Saviour, hear us

Keep us while we wait below
Safely, till you call us home
When we gather ‘round your throne 
Lord, our Saviour, hear us

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Holy Spirit, Light Divine

Today’s another hymn directed to the Holy Spirit from Andrew Reed. Andrew Reed (1787 – 1862) was an English Congregational minister and hymnwriter, who became a prominent philanthropist and social reformer1. Enjoy this version from Wes Reagan!

Holy Spirit, light divine,
shine upon this heart of mine;
chase the gloom of night away,
turn the darkness into day.

Holy Spirit, love divine,
cleanse this guilty heart of mine;
in your mercy pity me,
from sin’s bondage set me free.

Holy Spirit, joy divine,
cheer this saddened heart of mine;
fill me with your heav’nly peace,
let it grow and still increase.

Holy Spirit, pow’r divine,
dwell within this heart of mine;
cast down ev’ry idol throne,
reign supreme and reign alone.

Holy Spirit, fill my heart,
cleanse my life in ev’ry part;
your own temple I would be
now and for eternity.

1wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Reed_(minister)

O Spirit Come

Today’s song is from Joyful Noise and is a song directed to the Holy Spirit. I hope these words are request also today; enjoy!

O Spirit come, our hearts renew
Our weary souls were made for You
Mend broken lives and painful scars
Pour out Your healing life in ours
O living Stream revive our souls!
O gentle Dove come make us whole!
O Spirit fill our lives anew
So we are led by You

O Spirit come, loose chains of sin
Renew Your power and life within
Gift of our Saviour flower in us
Your gifts of grace and fruit of love
O blazing Fire refine our hearts
O rushing Wind direct our paths
O Spirit fill our lives anew
So we are led by You

O Spirit come to recreate
The broken world You love and made
Push back the darkness, shine Your light
Lead dying souls to life in Christ
O Mighty God empower Your church
To speak of Christ throughout the earth
O Spirit fill our lives anew
So we are led by You

Come Holy Spirit
Renew Your life and power
Come Holy Spirit
Lord, how we need You!

O Mighty God empower Your church
To speak of Christ throughout the earth
O Spirit fill our lives anew
So we are led by You

O Spirit fill our lives anew
So we are led by You

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My Saviour’s Love Is Greater Still

Today’s song comes from a couple called Abe & Liza, who write songs from Scripture. This lovely song is saturated with truth from God’s word including Romans 8, Philippians 3, 1 John 3, Revelation 7, and many more. They have described this song as an adult version of the children’s song “Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so”1. Enjoy!

My righteousness is not my own
In Christ I stand before the throne
And if my heart with guilt is filled
My Saviour’s love is greater still

Though I deserve the wrath of God  
He washed me in the Saviour’s blood
How great my sins that He was killed
My Saviour’s love is greater still

O how great, how deep and wide
Is the love of Jesus Christ

Riches and honour I disdain
For all this passing world is vain
If earthly dreams were all fulfilled
My Saviour’s love is greater still

Through many trials I must go
Until He brings me safely home
The cup of sorrows may be filled
My Saviour’s love is greater still

O how great, how deep and wide
Is the love of Jesus Christ

And when I walk on streets of gold
What wonders will my eyes behold
Through endless glory, come what will
My Saviour’s love is greater still

O how great, how deep and wide
Is the love of Jesus Christ

My righteousness is not my own
In Christ I stand before the throne
And if my heart with guilt is filled
My Saviour’s love is greater still

1songsfromscripture.com/my-saviors-love-is-greater-still

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O God of Love, Forever Blest

Today’s song was originally by Isaac Watts based of Psalm 120. Cardiphonia and Bruce Benedict have done a lovely retune of this hymn below. Enjoy!

O God of love, forever blest,
pity my suffering state.
When will you set my soul at rest
from lips that love deceit?

Refrain:
Too long my soul (has made its home)
with those who lift the sword.
I am for peace; (but when I speak),
they make for war.

I cried in trouble to the Lord,
and he has answered me.
From lying lips and crafty tongue,
O Lord, my soul set free. [Refrain]

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Delight In The Word

Today’s hymn is from Charles Wesley and is centred around delighting in God’s word. I pray that these words can be you the words of your heart as you choose to delight in God’s truth this year. Enjoy!

When quiet in my house I sit,
Thy book be my companion still;
My joy Thy sayings to repeat,
Talk o’er the records of Thy will,
And search the oracles divine,
Till every heart-felt word be mine.

O may the gracious words divine
Subject of all my converse be;
So will the Lord his follower join,
And walk and talk himself with me.
So shall my heart his presence prove,
And burn with everlasting love.

Oft as I lay me down to rest,
O may the reconciling word
Sweetly compose my weary breast;
While on the bosom of my Lord
I sink in blissful dreams away,
And visions of eternal day.

Rising to sing my Saviour’s praise,
Thee may I publish all day long;
And let thy precious word of grace
Flow from my heart, and fill my tongue;
Fill all my life with purest love,
And join me to the Church above.

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Cross of Jesus, Cross of Sorrow

Today’s hymn comes from William John Sparrow-Simpson. Ordained in 1882, he held various appointments until 1904, when he became Chaplain to St. Mary’s Hospital, Great Ilford. He contributed “All for Jesus—all for Jesus” (All for Jesus), and “Jesus, the Crucified, prays for me” (Passiontide), to C. W. A. Brooke’s Additional Hymns, 1901)1. As we head into the new year, may our eyes be fixed forever on the cross of Jesus. Enjoy!

Cross of Jesus, cross of sorrow,
where the blood of Christ was shed,
perfect Man on thee did suffer,
perfect God on thee has bled!

Here the King of all the ages,
throned in light ere worlds could be,
robed in mortal flesh is dying,
crucified by sin for me.

O mysterious condescending!
O abandonment sublime!
Very God Himself is bearing
all the sufferings of time!

Cross of Jesus, cross of sorrow,
where the blood of Christ was shed,
perfect Man on thee did suffer,
perfect God on thee has bled!

1hymnary.org/person/SparrowSimpson_WJ

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Life of the Soul

Today’s hymn comes from Anne Steele (1717-1778), the pioneer female hymn-writer of the eighteenth century. I’m sure these words will comfort you today; enjoy!

When sins and fear, prevailing, rise,
And fainting hope almost expires,
To thee, O Lord, I lift my eyes;
To thee I breathe my soul’s desires.

Art thou not mine, my living Lord?
And can my hope, my comfort die?
‘Tis fixed on thine almighty word
That word which built the earth and sky.

If my immortal Saviour lives,
Then my immortal life is sure;
His word a firm foundation gives;
Here may I build and rest secure.

Here, O my soul, thy trust repose;
If Jesus is for ever mine,
Not death itself that last of foes
Shall break a union so divine.

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Take Comfort, Christians, When Your Friends

Today’s hymn is from John Logan (1748-1788), a minister in Scotland who also was a historian. This hymn is clearly inspired by 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 about those who have died in the Lord. I hope it can give you some encouragement hope today. Enjoy!

Take comfort, Christians, when your friends
in Jesus fall asleep;
their better being never ends;
why then dejected weep?

Why inconsolable, as those
to whom no hope is giv’n?
Death is the messenger of peace,
and calls the soul to heav’n.

As Jesus dy’d, and rose again
victorious from the dead;
so his disciples rise, and reign
with their triumphant Head.

The time draws nigh, when from the clouds
Christ shall with shouts descend,
and the last trumpet’s awful voice
the heavens and earth shall rend.

Then they who live shall changed be,
and they who sleep shall wake;
the graves shall yield their ancient charge,
and earth’s foundations shake.

The saints of God, from death set free,
with joy shall mount on high;
the heav’nly hosts with praises loud
shall meet them in the sky,

Together to their Father’s house
with joyful hearts they go;
and dwell for ever with the Lord,
beyond the reach of woe.

A few short years of evil past,
we reach the happy shore,
where death-divided friends at last
shall meet, to part no more.

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All Who With Hearts Confiding

Today’s hymn is another one from Gregory Wilbur, who makes excellent songs for the church to sing. This text is from Psalm 125 and taken from the 1912 Psalter used in Reformed Churches in America. Enjoy!

All who, with heart confiding, depend on God alone, 
like Zion’s mount abiding, shall not be overthrown. 
Like Zion’s city, bounded by guarding mountains broad, 
his people are surrounded forever by their God. 

No scepter of oppression shall hold unbroken sway, 
lest unto base transgression the righteous turn away. 
Your favor be imparted to godly people, Lord; 
bless all that are pure-hearted, the good with good reward. 

All those who evil cherish, forsaking truth and right, 
with wicked ones shall perish; God will their sin requite. 
From sin your saints defending, their joy, O Lord, increase, 
with mercy never-ending and everlasting peace.

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