Category Archives: Christian Music

Christian Music … I had the pleasure of hearing instrumentals and songs that make a difference in someone’s life. People we’re thrilled when they had an occasion to talk about a favorite. The lyrics and the melody reach out and fill our moments with meaning and we appreciate the sensation. During the days when we used records on radio, announcers had a saying about songs that became people’s favorites, “God’s voice is speaking to them in the grooves.” A music artist intentionally desires to bring Jesus closer to your present.

God Understands Your Pain

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I took a long, long look at these three words and sighed:

       Sorrow

       Oppression

       Suffering

 

(S.O.S.)

 

Undoubtedly, if you’re human, you’re familiar with these three words.

 

       Sorrow

       Oppression

       Suffering

You can read these words in your Bible in Isaiah 53:3.

 

       Sorrow

       Oppression

       Suffering

You can picture these words as they’re sung in the hymn “God Understands.”

 

(Background)

In 1935 missionaries to Peru, Cliff and Ruth Bicker, planned to return to the United States with their two sons. Before the family left Peru Cliff died in a car accident. As a result, Ruth’s brother, pastor Oswald Smith, wrote the words to the hymn, “God Understands.” It’s a hymn of comfort.

 

God understands your sorrow, He sees the falling tear,
And whispers, “I am with thee,” Then falter not, nor fear.

God understands your heartache, He knows the bitter pain;
O, trust Him in the darkness, You cannot trust in vain.

God understands your weakness, He knows the tempter’s pow’r;
And He will walk beside you however dark the hour.

He understands your longing,
Your deepest grief he shares;
Then let Him bear your burden,
He understands, and cares.

Can you believe God understands your pain?

 

 

 

How To Make A Difference Without Planning To

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Have you ever met anyone who didn’t want to make a difference with their life?
We aren’t alive to become unknown, are we?
We all want to Wow! the crowd with our brilliance don’t we?
Make a difference for the common good.
Make (mom, dad, someone) pay attention.
Nix on
Ignored
Neglected
Weakness.

How can you make a difference happen?
Well, you could plan to make a difference.
Or, you can have no plan and make a difference.

Here’s a story that will illustrate what I mean.
Joseph M. Scriven made (and is making), a difference.
In 1844 at 25 Joe planned marriage with the girl of his dreams. The day before exchanging their wedding vows Joe’s fiance drowned.
So much for plans.
This was a big blow.
In his grief Joe moved from Ireland to start a new life in Canada. Like in a novel, in 1845 Joe fell in love with Eliza and they planned their wedding. But before marriage Joe’s fiance became ill and died.
So much for plans.
This was a big blow.

Fast forward ten years, somewhere near 1855. Joe is recovering and wondering about life’s meaning, when he receives word his mother in Ireland is ill. Joe could not afford to return home. Thus to comfort his mom Joe wrote to her and included a poem. Joe’s mom died.

Joe never married and never returned to Ireland.

Many years after his letter and poem sent to his mother, Joe became ill and a visiting friend was impressed with Joe’s writing. Soon Joe’s poems were published in a book called Hymns and Other Verses. Shortly thereafter, noted musician Charles C. Converse  put music to one of those poems. Eventually the published poem caught the eye of Ira D. Sankey in 1875 and Ira included it in his Sankey’s Gospel Hymns Number 1.
160 years after Joseph Scriven wrote a poem to his dying mother we yet sing Joe’s poem. It may be a hymn you’ve memorized, What a friend we have in Jesus.

Neither you or I know the plans God has decided for us. You don’t know how your life will influence someone else. You may not write a hymn of hope, but as Jesus said, “A cup of water ” has great significance. (Mark 9:41).

You can make a difference without even planning it.
Your life has meaning.
Forget the bad stuff, be busy with living your life to God’s glory.

 

What a Friend We Have in Jesus

What a Friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.

Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged; take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness; take it to the Lord in prayer.

Are we weak and heavy laden, cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge, take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do your friends despise, forsake you? Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In His arms He’ll take and shield you; you will find a solace there.

Blessed Savior, Thou hast promised Thou wilt all our burdens bear
May we ever, Lord, be bringing all to Thee in earnest prayer.
Soon in glory bright unclouded there will be no need for prayer
Rapture, praise and endless worship will be our sweet portion there.

Song:
Alan Jackson What a Friend We Have in Jesus

 

BOOK:

 

A Couple of EZ Ways to Figure Out Where You are Right Now

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SOME FUN

 

Would you like to have some fun?

Sure you would.

Give this a shot.

 

THESE QUESTIONS HAVE ANSWERS

 

Put together a quick history of your life.

For instance:

  • Born where, when, to whom?
  • What do you remember about age 5, 10, 15, 20?
  • How do you feel about you at this moment?
  • Is there anything you wish you could do over?

SAMPLE BIO  # 1

 

Philip Bliss became famous, but he died at 38 in a tragic train wreck on December 29, 1876. Philip Bliss is considered by many as the second most famous hymn writer ever.

Born in a log cabin in Pennsylvania on July 9, 1838.

His parents loved to sing.

During the first ten years of his life, he had little schooling, other than his father’s singing and his mother’s teachings.

The Bible became an ever-growing influence in his life.

When Philip was eleven years old he left home to make a living for himself.

He spent the next five years working in logging and lumber camps and sawmills.

At twelve (1850) he made his first public confession of Christ and joined the Baptist Church of Cherry Flats,

Pennsylvania.

In 1851 he became assistant cook in a lumber camp at $9 per month.

Two years later, he was promoted to “log cutter.” The following year he became a sawmill worker.

At seventeen (1855) he went to Bradford City, Pennsylvania and completed final requirements for his teaching credentials.

The next year Philip was the new schoolmaster at Hartsville, New York.

His wife’s grandmother in the summer of 1860 gave him $30 so that he could attend the Normal Academy of Music of New York.

The Bliss’s moved to Chicago in 1864 when Philip was 26.

There he began to conduct musical classes and became widely known as a teacher and a singer.

Also, in 1864 at 26 he was drafted into the Union Army during the Civil War.

Since the war was almost over, the decision was cancelled after two weeks, and he was released.

One summer night in 1869, while passing a revival meeting in a church where D. L. Moody was preaching, he went inside to listen.

His hymns include: Almost Persuaded… Outside of Just as I Am, this has been the most successful gospel invitation song ever written.

 

(Jesus Loves Even Me is one of my favorites).

One night Philip, weary after many days of hard work in downtown Chicago, sat reflecting on Romans 5:5.

As he reflected and prayed, with tears in his eyes, he took pencil and paper and wrote, “I am so glad that our Father in heaven, Tells of His love in the Book He has given…”

The lyrics and melody of this hymn are still an inspiration to millions.

SAMPLE BIO # 2

 

Another sample bio: Nick Vujicic

YOUR LIFE HAS MEANING

 

Oh what a wonder that “Jesus Loves Even Me.”

 

After considering sample # 1 and # 2 what would you change about where you are right now?

The world is waiting to hear your story.

Your life has meaning.

 

Book

 

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