Looking forward by looking back!

Sunday is the day we set aside to honor mothers. I have enjoyed the privilege of being surrounded by great moms throughout my lifetime. There's a verse that comes to mind from Deuteronomy. The Lord told His people that the blessings He pronounced would overtake them. That's how I feel about the mom's that have been in my life. Blessings that have tracked me down and overtaken me. Happy Mother's Day and I say Amen and Amen.


Hello folks. I do hope that you and yours are well as we do our thing here on this Friday, May 9, 2014. I occasionally am asked to fill in for our music leader at our local fellowship of believers. They now call it worship leader but when I do it, it is mostly just song leader. And, when you think about it, worship has to come from the inside out and praying, singing, or anything else that comes only from the lips is not true worship. They usually refer to my time as leader as hymnbook Sunday. You know what a hymnbook is. Right? It's a book with songs in it. The leader calls out a number and everyone finds the song and then joins in by singing it together. I know that's old school but it doesn't hurt to connect to God's provision even in songs that take us back. I used the Gaither song, 'Because He Lives' last Sunday. That song has been a blessing to people around the world. My baby sister Kayla asked that it be sung for her home going celebration service. She did want one line changed. The 'because He lives I can face tomorrow' became 'because He lives I can face today'. That was her testimony as she struggled with leukemia for some 18 months before making her journey home. After the service on Sunday I was walking to my car and a wonderful young woman stopped me out in the parking lot. She was literally bubbling over because that song brought back such wonderful memories for her as she used to sing it with her family in India. What a blessing to know that God used Gloria Gaither to write some poetic verses and Bill Gaither who set them to music and then it became an instrument of spiritual encouragement and comfort around the globe. Amen.

Another song I used was 'Revive Us Again'. I've heard that song all my life. When I was growing up it typically was used just before we engaged in a series of night services during the week at our Church and we called them revival services. If you ask folks today if we need revival, most will give you a hearty Amen. If you ask if our nation needs revival, again, firm agreement. But, we all know, that true revival is a matter of the individual heart. I'm not sure what I thought about that song as a kid but I'm certain I connected it to having Sunday dinner during the week where we would typically feed the visiting preacher. That was pretty special. You know. Fried chicken with all the trimmings along with banana pudding for dessert, all on a Thursday evening. Wow! Come on down with the revival stuff brother. As I examined this song I tried to grasp what the writer had in mind. Obviously he pointed everyone to the Source of all spiritual wellness, our God and Savior. To be revived means that one is brought back to life or reinvigorated, and in this case, by the Spirit of Almighty God. There I was for all those years where I had mostly connected it to fried chicken during the week instead of on Sunday.

William Paton Mackay (1839-1885) originally worked in Scotland as a medical doctor. He resigned that position to become an ordained Presbyterian minister of the Gospel. Mackay was a staunch believer that the Word of God means what it says. This quote from one of his publications is an example of his straightforward, no nonsense Gospel message of grace and commitment: "Creed, or the belief in a certain amount of doctrine, has made Christendom, but never made a Christian. Ye must be born again." And of course, the song he is most remembered for:

We praise Thee, O God!
For the Son of Thy love,
For Jesus Who died,
And is now gone above.
        Refrain:
        Hallelujah! Thine the glory.
        Hallelujah! Amen.
        Hallelujah! Thine the glory.
        Revive us again.
We praise Thee, O God!
 For Thy Spirit of light,
 Who hath shown us our Savior,
 And scattered our night.
        Refrain:
        Hallelujah! Thine the glory.
        Hallelujah! Amen.
        Hallelujah! Thine the glory.
        Revive us again.  
All glory and praise
To the Lamb that was slain,
Who hath borne all our sins,
And hath cleansed every stain.
        Refrain:
        Hallelujah! Thine the glory.
        Hallelujah! Amen.
        Hallelujah! Thine the glory.
        Revive us again.   
All glory and praise
To the God of all grace,
Who hast brought us, and sought us,
And guided our ways.
        Refrain:
        Hallelujah! Thine the glory.
        Hallelujah! Amen.
        Hallelujah! Thine the glory.
        Revive us again.
Revive us again;
Fill each heart with Thy love;
May each soul be rekindled
With fire from above.
        Refrain:
        Hallelujah! Thine the glory.
        Hallelujah! Amen.
        Hallelujah! Thine the glory.
        Revive us again.

I'll readily admit that it takes me a while folks, slow learner and all of that, but maybe just maybe I can appreciate what he was getting at. Not a bad way to end our week together and I do hope and pray that you will enjoy your Saturday and Lord's Day Sunday. Until we meet again may God breathe His renewed life into each heart is my prayer. Amen.        .....More later.