Have you thought of yourself as a wretch? I would say few of us take that personal perspective, but John Newton saw himself in that way and had lived a life that validated it. A brief look at his life gives us a glimpse at the saving grace, the Amazing Grace, that turns our lives around, transforms us, and directs us on the path to become more like Jesus. The dedication of a godly, devout mother was eventually answered when John entered the ministry and was a Christ-follower the rest of his...

How can Queen Liliuokalani of Hawaii, the hymn Pass Me Not O Gentle Saviour, and the Park Street Church in Boston all be included in the same story with Fanny Crosby? It isn't easy, but the podcast today will help tie in the connections. Of greater significance than these peripheral actions, however, is the incredible body of hymns and poems written by Fanny Crosby. To say she was prolific does not do justice to the thousands of hymns and poems she wrote. Further, it is hard to imagine she...

Celestial navigation. Sailing and navigating by the position of the stars. And, during the day, the "star", our sun, can be used for navigation. Today, we have numerous sophisticated devices to give us our position on earth and show us what direction we should travel. With all of these devices, it is tempting to discard the old-fashioned ways of navigating but there is no guarantee the sophisticated devices will be available. There is the similar parallel in our spiritual lives. We want...

How do the structures men have built compare to the works of God? Such a question was on the minds of Katharine Lee Bates and other teachers and professors from Wellesley College. When she saw the grandeur of the handiwork of God from atop Pike's Peak, she was inspired to write America the Beautiful. More than that, she expressed her dream that, "We must match the greatness of our America with the goodness of personal godly living." We have heard John Adams' words expressed many times, "Our...

The word "peace" is used constantly in our conversations, invoking the need or desire for the end of a war, or political harmony, or the end of emotional distress, and many more.  We will comment about someone's recent death, "May he rest in peace" signaling the end of the struggles of life.  There is only one place where we can find true peace, however, and that is in the Prince of Peace, Christ our Savior (see Isaiah 9:6).  It was confirmation of this peace that a dying relative of Dr....

Does your church use a regular benediction hymn or closing hymn to close a service and send the people on their way with a blessing?  Finding a good hymn to express a blessing can be a challenge and such was the case for Jeremiah Eames Rankin.  What does a poet do who cannot find the hymn that says what he or she wants?  They write their own.  Rankin did just that and from his pen flowed God be with You Till We Meet Again.  We abbreviate so many things in our lives and often rush to move on....

One of the characteristics of the Christian faith is that of mission work or evangelism or outreach.  Jesus gave us the Great Commission in Matthew 28, telling us to go into all the world and make disciples.  He showed us the expansion of the kingdom in Acts 1, starting in Jerusalem and going to the ends of the earth.  In preparation for a sermon on the Great Commission to be given on Pentecost, and an offering for the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Countries (does that...

Life experiences provide us with great stories that are uplifting or show overcoming obstacles and are very relatable when put into song.  The parables of Jesus can also provide us with that musical and spiritual uplift as The Ninety and Nine by Elizabeth Cecelia Clephane (music by Ira D. Sankey) demonstrates.  Have you felt like you have been left by yourself, away from the rest of the flock, at the mercy of the elements and enemies.  Take heart.  Jesus has not abandoned you but reaches out...

Ever since the Fall, mankind has dealt with many tragedies, certainly a far cry from the original Creation that God put into place.  Many of the hymns in this series came into being because of tragedy in the poet's life.  In their despair and distress, they found they were not alone but they had a Savior who knew their pain, healed their wounds, and carried them through it.  Elizabeth Prentiss was one who was impacted deeply by loss.  In her time of trial, the words of her pastor husband...

If you had to create a poem to fit someone else's music, and had about 30 minutes to do it, could you?  Such was the capability of Fanny J. Crosby.  Not only was she able to to write the poem, but Safe in the Arms of Jesus was one of her most popular hymns.  Her blindness was not an obstacle to the use of her great talents.  When she dedicated her life to God at the age of nine, she ultimately became one of the most prolific writers of hymns, songs, and poems in the Christian era.  Although...

Well before the Titanic struck the iceberg and the strains of Nearer, My God, to Thee could be heard from the orchestra as the ship slipped below the waves, this hymn was a great blessing to Christendom.  It wasn't well-received at first, but Sarah Flower Adams' words were set to a new tune and its acceptance grew.  The hymn tells the story of Jacob at Bethel.  While few, if any, of us will have the kind of awe-inspiring dream of a stairway to heaven with the accompanying angels, we have the...

The love that Frances Ridley Havergal had for Jesus is clear in her hymn, Another Year is Dawning.  In looking forward to a New Year, she saw it as a time of continued relationship and service to God, and His mercies and faithfulness to us.  A remarkably talented woman, she was proficient in multiple languages, had a beautiful singing voice, was an accomplished pianist, and poet.  Her desire for a closer relationship with Jesus fueled her activities to tell others about Him and it is likely...

If you have seen the movie, A Bridge Too Far, you may recall that almost at the end of the movie, this hymn, Abide with Me by Henry Francis Lyte, was being sung.  The British battalion under Lt. Col. Frost had been defeated by German forces and were regrouping themselves and tending the wounded while waiting to be moved elsewhere.  Softly, the hymn was started and many of the soldiers joined in, giving themselves comfort in the dire circumstances.  The setting is in stark contrast to the...

Over 1800 years after the wondrous events in Bethlehem, the town was still providing inspiration to those who visited the area.  Such was the case with Phillips Brooks.  Thinking  back on his trip to the Holy Land, he penned the lines to O Little Town of Bethlehem, having in mind the children he wanted to sing it.  What a marvelous inspiration his trip must have been.  To think of the night Jesus' birth, there was little fanfare to announce His coming.  Of course, we know the sky was split...

Was it a military march to stir the soul or a quickly composed song to help keep children together on an outing?  Sabine Baring-Gould wanted a good marching hymn for children on a hike and Onward, Christian Soldiers came into existence.  While we may not know the success of keeping the children together, we know that the hymn stirs us and should inspire us to carry the message of the Gospel to "all the world".  Should we envision ourselves as "marching as to war?"  Ephesians 6:11 tells us,...

Many songs written for children resonate with adults, especially when they have melodies that stick with and uplift us. Horatius Bonar connected with children, enjoying a great ministry with them while he filled the pulpit. I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say was one of the songs he wrote for children that also ministers to adults.  He brings out the promises of Matthew 11:28, John 4:14, and John 8:12, showing us the blessing we receive when we respond to Jesus’ promises. Article taken from Then...

A tragic farm accident cut short the life of Dudley Atkins Tyng.  The bold, outspoken young priest served the Lord wholeheartedly.  Among his last words were those he spoke to his father to tell others to stand up for Jesus.  When hearing that account during Tyng's memorial service, the Rev. George Duffield, Jr. was inspired to write the poem, Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus.  Tyng's words have long outlived him and provide inspiration to us today to serve Jesus to our fullest.  In these...

The broken pipe organ did not have a chance of functioning for the Christmas Eve service.  Yet, the inspiration of a new-born baby was what Father Joseph Mohr  needed to pen one of the most-loved Christmas carols in all of Christendom, Silent Night, Holy Night.  The number of musicians and artists who have performed or recorded or painted, etc, a rendition of this carol is legion.  Often, we in the northern hemisphere envision a snow-covered setting along the lines of a Currier and Ives...

Although he lost his eyesight, George Matheson pressed on with his plans for Christian ministry.  A poetic and eloquent preacher, his life had its share of heartache as many/most of us do.  From his heartache, he recognized the unchanging love of God that is always with us and holding us up, and penned this hymn, O Love That Wilt Not Let Me Go.  Have you found this to be true in your own life?  Have you found that regardless the setbacks of the day or time, or misguided direction you have...

What do the poem of an Anglican-turned-Methodist clergyman and a song celebrating the commemoration of the anniversary of the discovery of printing have in common?  When combined (following some editing of the poem over time), it resulted in a world-famous Christmas carol.  The clergyman/poet was of course, Charles Wesley and the composer Felix Mendelssohn.  When their work was ultimately combined, it gave us the Christmas carol, Hark! the Herald Angels Sing.  Whether you sing along with the...

Due to the great revival led by Charles and John Wesley, it is perhaps a little difficult for us to imagine a theological holy war of sorts between John Wesley and Augustus Toplady.  However, that was the case as each made his arguments for his theological views.  From their exchanges, the hymn for which Toplady is best known, Rock of Ages, was printed, a poem that recounted his experience in the cleft of the rock. Article taken from Living Stories of Famous Hymns by Ernest K. Emurian....

Jesus will meet us where we are.  Joseph Scriven found this insight when he poured out his heart in prayer in the depths of loneliness and despondency.  His relief was such that he penned the poem, Pray without Ceasing, reminiscent of I Thessalonians 5:17.  We know it as the hymn, What a Friend We Have in Jesus.  Do we have tragedies and difficulties in our lives that try to steal our happiness or even the joy of the Lord?  We do not have to face those difficulties alone but we can have the...

Philip P. Bliss met an untimely death but made a profound and lasting impact on American Christian music.  This hymn, Let the Lower Lights be Burning, is emblematic of his ability to turn a story into a moving hymn.  The lower lights:  those lights that are not the primary navigational lighthouse but are those aids to navigation mariners need to negotiate difficult waters to find the channel and come into port.  Do we not see ourselves in a similar role as lights to those who are searching...

In Scripture, we see numerous references to Jesus going off by Himself to pray.  We specifically see references to times of prayer on the Mount of Olives, most notably during His Passion.  In His times of prayer, He gained strength for ministry and especially gained strength for the ordeal leading up to and including the Crucifixion.  As the great Southern poet Sidney Lanier's life was declining, he gave thought to Jesus' time on the Mount of Olives and similarly, spent many hours in the...