Today’s hymn was sent to me by a sweet sister from Ryan Bush’s podcast “Gospel Portions“, a podcast with “reminders of the gospel that was preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, that you may hold fast to the word preached to you.” I even more so enjoyed this acapalla cover by Cades Cove Baptist Church. Enjoy!

O tell me no more of this world’s vain store,
The time for such trifles with me now is o’er’
A country I’ve found where true joys abound,
To dwell I’m determined on that happy ground.

No mortal doth know what Christ will bestow,
What life strength and comfort! go after him, go!
Lo, onward I move, to see Christ above,
None guesses how wondrous my journey will prove.

Great spoils I shall win from death, hell and sin,
‘Midst outward afflictions shall feel Christ within;
And still, which is best, I in his dear breast,
As at the beginning, find pardon and rest.

When I am to die, “Receive me,” I’ll cry,
For Jesus hath loved me, I cannot tell why.
But this I do find, we two are so joined,
He’ll not live in glory and leave me behind;

This blessing is mine, through favor divine,
And O, my dear Jesus, the praise shall be thine
In heaven we’ll meet in harmony sweet,
And glory to Jesus! we’ll then be complete.

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Today’s song comes from my favourite group, Emu Music. Augustine is credited with writing that “he who sings, prays twice”, which I deeply resonate with – my favourite songs and hymns are those which are prayers to God, where you are not only declaring truth but speaking directly to God. How much more beautiful when more than one voice joins in the song of prayer! I think you’ll enjoy this one!

God of earth and heaven, maker of mankind
You spoke creation into life
Your word at the beginning, breaking through the dark
You wrote your law upon our hearts 

Refrain
Lead us in your truth, God, teach us of your grace
Change us by your Spirit to live for you
Fill us with your love, Lord, guide us in your ways
The words you speak are faithful and ever true, help us live for you 

Came to dwell among us, from the Father’s side
The glory of our saviour Christ
Author of salvation, full of truth and grace
You speak the words of lasting life [Refrain]

The grass will fade and wither, flowers wilt and fall
Your word endures forevermore
Your promises unchanging, your wisdom never fails
Calling us to stand by faith [Refrain]

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Hi friends! Thank you for your patience as I continue to adjust to life with 2 lovely girls 🙂 From August, Lord willing, I will be back to regular posting. In the meantime, I wanted to share this poem I found on Precept Austin, as I was studying Proverbs 4. I hope this poem will help you think about guarding your own eyes, ears, mind and heart this weekend, and setting your gaze on Christ and the things above; enjoy!

Oh, the eyes, the soul’s clear gate,
Through which desires infiltrate.
A fleeting glance, a subtle snare,
Can lead the heart to dark despair.

Guard your gaze, let virtue reign,
Turn from sights that lead to pain.
For what you see can plant a seed,
Of either joy or sinful greed.

If your eye should tempt your heart,
To stray from truth, to sin’s dark art,
Pluck it out, the Saviour pleads,
Lest it guide to hell’s dire deeds.

The cost of purity may seem steep,
To shield your soul, the watch must keep.
But better the sacrifice today,
Than lose eternity’s bright ray.

Fix your eyes on what is pure,
On heaven’s treasures that endure.
Let light, not darkness, fill your sight,
And lead you to the path of right.

For through the gate of guarded view,
Flows life that’s holy, just, and true.
So guard it well, this sacred door,
And find His peace forevermore.

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Today’s song comes from Phil Moore, Director of Ministry for Youth and Music at a church in the UK. This song is a call for the church to shine in this world so that all the nations may know and praise Christ. Enjoy

Be merciful oh God of grace
Show us the brightness of your face
That you redeemed church may shine
In this dark world with light divine

That light divine oh let it spread
Till all the darkness shall have fled
This fallen world’s dark fading ray
Be lost in the bright of day

Refrain
Oh church arise and proclaim 
The glory of his name
Let the nations sing
Of Christ the risen King

Reveal oh Lord your saving plan
To all the families of man
Let distant nations hear your word
Let every people praise the Lord

Let them with joy your praises sing
Earth’s righteous Judge and sovereign King
Directed by your holy word
Let all the nations praise the Lord [Refrain]

Then shall this barren world assume
New beauty and the desert bloom
Our God shall richly bless us then
And all men fear his name Amen

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Hi friends,

Over the last few weeks, although I haven’t been posting (see my last post for details), I have gained quite a few new subscribers. Welcome friends, and I hope you have been blessed by the backlog of hymns and song on the site, just as I have.

It’s great to see new subscribers because since life has opened up more space and time to me, I am hoping, Lord willing, to return to regular posting again! So please do stick around, and suggest hymns and songs through the contact form at the top of the page. Until then, I have come across this hymn from 1881 by Scottish minister and hymn writer Horatius Bonar, which is just lovely. It’s written for communion, and is a wonderful hymn to mediate on before the Lord’s Day. Also below is a modern rendition by Indelible Grace; enjoy!

On merit not my own I stand;
On doings which I have not done,
Merit beyond what I can claim,
Doings more perfect than my own.

Upon a life I have not lived,
Upon a death I did not die,
Another’s life, Another’s death,
I stake my whole eternity.

Not on the tears which I have shed:
Not on the sorrows I have known,
Another’s tears, Another’s griefs,
On them I rest, on them alone.

Jesus, O Son of God, I build
On what Thy cross has done for me;
There both my death and life I read,
My guilt, my pardon there I see.

Lord, I believe; oh deal with me
As one who has Thy word believed!
I take the gift, Lord look on me
As one who has Thy gift received.

I taste the love the gift contains,
I clasp the pardon which it brings,
And pass up to the living source
Above, whence all this fullness springs.

Here at Thy feast, I grasp the pledge
Which life eternal to me seals,
Here in the bread and wine I read
The grace and peace Thy death reveals.

O fullness of the eternal grace,
O wonders past all wondering!
Here in the hall of love and song,
We sing the praises of our King.

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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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Elizabeth (Bessie) Ann Porter Head (1849/1850–1936) was the youngest daughter of Tobias Porter, the manager of a flour mill in Belfast. Between 1897 and 1907, Bessie Porter helped found several YWCA branches for the South Africa General Mission (now the Africa Evangelical Fellowship) in Port Elizabeth, Cape Town, and Johannesburg, South Africa. She toured North America with the chairman of the Mission in 1906–1907, Albert Alfred Head (1844–1928), whom she married. The South Africa General Mission was closely associated with the Keswick Convention, an evangelical offshoot of the Holiness movement, founded in 1875 by Anglican Canon T.D. Harford-Battersby, Vicar of St. John’s, Keswick, and Robert Wilson, a Cumberland Quaker. The annual meetings have hosted numerous notable speakers and were known for fervent prayer and hymn singing. Bessie Porter Head wrote “O Breath of Life,” which first appeared in Head’s prose and poem collection, Heavenly Places, and other Messages (1920)¹. I really like this arrangement by Emu music, and sure you will too; enjoy!

O Breath of Life,
Come sweeping through us
Revive Thy Church with life and power;
O Breath of Life,
Come, cleanse, renew us,
And fit Thy Church to meet this hour

O Wind of God, come bend us, break us
‘Till humbly we confess our need;
Then in Thy tenderness remake us,
Revive, restore, for this we plead.

O Breath of Love, come breathe within us,
Renewing thought and will and heart;
Come, Love of Christ, afresh to win us,
Revive Thy Church in every part.

O Heart of Christ, once broken for us,
‘Tis there we find our strength and rest;
Our broken contrite hearts now solace,
And let Thy waiting Church be blest.

Revive us, Lord! Is zeal abating
While harvest fields are vast and white?
Revive us, Lord, the world is waiting,
Equip Thy Church to spread the light.

¹umcdiscipleship.org/articles/history-of-hymns-o-breath-of-life-come-sweeping-through-us

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