ListenDaily – 10 November 2010: Closing the deal
Hello friends,
Today we continue our discussion about how we share Jesus with others, while looking at one way Jesus did it. Please -- please -- remember, this is not about a formula, where we would try to copy a specific sequence or specific words. This is simply a look at one event, and to see how we could look for similarities in our world, and try to act in a similar manner, in a similar situation. It is also to see just how ordinary the situation was, and how something extraordinary came out of it.
The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” John 4:9-10
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Reflecting on yesterday's reading, we saw that Jesus stopped to get a drink of water, at a place that was on His way, and he began a polite, kind conversation.
What do we see in this passage? We see that once she was gently engaged, this woman continued the conversation, with an objection and a question. Jesus saw and seized this opportunity to share something amazing, and then waited for her response. “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”
What might happen if we were in a similar situation, and if we had followed the principles from yesterday's reading (been constantly in prayer, spoke kindly, and were not pushy) and then, after the other person engages in the conversation, we told them something amazing -- then stopped?
Well, as many people as you might meet, there are that many possibilities. Some might not engage with you. Some might ignore you. Some might respond...
We must trust the Scriptures and trust the work the Spirit is doing. Trust that the Holy Spirit has been wooing this other person since birth, and wants to help you talk to them. Trust that "one plants, one waters, but only God makes it grow".
We don't have to 'close the deal'.
Think about it.
More tomorrow!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Questions:
1. Will you ask God, right now, for an opportunity to share Jesus today?
2. Does this make you anxious or nervous?
3. Are you willing to try?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
May we trust God to do His work. Jim
INTERESTING THOUGHT:
"No one ever converted to Christianity because they lost the argument." Philip Yancey
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
"No one ever converted to Christianity because they lost the argument."
ListenDaily – 09 November 2010: “No one ever converted to Christianity because they lost the argument.”
Hello friends,
You know, it’s a very important thing, that we share Jesus with others; Jesus commanded that we do so. (He also commanded that we disciple them, but that’s for another time). And yet, I don’t think the church does a very good job of it, and I don’t think the church does a great job of teaching people to do it. (When I say “the church” I am referring to the worldwide church, not a particular local church or denomination.) Further, I think many of the “evangelism programs”, well meaning though they be, do more harm than good. Author Philip Yancey once said “No one ever converted to Christianity because they lost the argument.”
All that being said, let’s take a look at how Jesus shared himself with a non-believer.
One way to tell someone about Jesus – the way Jesus did (from John 4:1-26)
We must remember a few things:
Jesus, being the Son of God, had a clearer discernment than we have
That being said, the same Holy Spirit that provided for Jesus, provides for us
Jesus did not doubt who He was
Not all people will respond as this woman did
Still—I think there is much to learn about sharing Christ by studying how Christ did it.
Now Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that he was gaining and baptizing more disciples than John— although in fact it was not Jesus who baptized, but his disciples. So he left Judea and went back once more to Galilee. Now he had to go through Samaria. So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about noon. When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.) John 4:1-8
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The first notable thing that jumps out to me is the ‘when and where’ Jesus evangelized to this woman. He took the opportunity when and where He was.
“So he came to a town in Samaria...Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about noon.”
In Samaria, by the well, at noon.
He did not avoid Samaria as was the Jewish practice, He simply stopped along the way.
He sat down by the well. A gathering place, a meeting place. A coffee shop? Wal Mart? The mall?
He was there at noon. He was there when others were likely to come.
“When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” “
He spoke—He was kind.
The very act of a man, especially a Jewish man, speaking to a Samaritan woman, was an act of kindness.
He spoke—period.
How else to begin a conversation about Jesus, than to begin a conversation.
He spoke—and spoke neutral words.
No accusatory questions to open the dialogue. No damnation. No holier-than-thou (though He was the one guy that was!). He wasn’t pushy.
He waited for her response.
Friends, Jesus has commanded you and I to go, spread the Good News. Have you ever told anyone, any non-believer, about Jesus? I do not believe in formulas, but this is one way, and Jesus ought to be a pretty good example.
We know that Jesus stayed in contact with the Father, and we should do all we do as people of prayer.
Go where you usually go.
Stop where it makes sense to stop.
Go to a place when and where someone will likely be there.
Be kind.
Talk to someone, continuing to be kind. Don’t be pushy. Wait for their response, just to this.
More tomorrow!
Questions:
1. Where is our Samaria? Why do we avoid it?
2. Have you ever introduced someone to Christ?
3. Are you willing to try?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
May we hear Jesus calling us out to the world. Jim
INTERESTING THOUGHT:
“No one ever converted to Christianity because they lost the argument.” Philip Yancey
Hello friends,
You know, it’s a very important thing, that we share Jesus with others; Jesus commanded that we do so. (He also commanded that we disciple them, but that’s for another time). And yet, I don’t think the church does a very good job of it, and I don’t think the church does a great job of teaching people to do it. (When I say “the church” I am referring to the worldwide church, not a particular local church or denomination.) Further, I think many of the “evangelism programs”, well meaning though they be, do more harm than good. Author Philip Yancey once said “No one ever converted to Christianity because they lost the argument.”
All that being said, let’s take a look at how Jesus shared himself with a non-believer.
One way to tell someone about Jesus – the way Jesus did (from John 4:1-26)
We must remember a few things:
Jesus, being the Son of God, had a clearer discernment than we have
That being said, the same Holy Spirit that provided for Jesus, provides for us
Jesus did not doubt who He was
Not all people will respond as this woman did
Still—I think there is much to learn about sharing Christ by studying how Christ did it.
Now Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that he was gaining and baptizing more disciples than John— although in fact it was not Jesus who baptized, but his disciples. So he left Judea and went back once more to Galilee. Now he had to go through Samaria. So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about noon. When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.) John 4:1-8
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The first notable thing that jumps out to me is the ‘when and where’ Jesus evangelized to this woman. He took the opportunity when and where He was.
“So he came to a town in Samaria...Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about noon.”
In Samaria, by the well, at noon.
He did not avoid Samaria as was the Jewish practice, He simply stopped along the way.
He sat down by the well. A gathering place, a meeting place. A coffee shop? Wal Mart? The mall?
He was there at noon. He was there when others were likely to come.
“When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” “
He spoke—He was kind.
The very act of a man, especially a Jewish man, speaking to a Samaritan woman, was an act of kindness.
He spoke—period.
How else to begin a conversation about Jesus, than to begin a conversation.
He spoke—and spoke neutral words.
No accusatory questions to open the dialogue. No damnation. No holier-than-thou (though He was the one guy that was!). He wasn’t pushy.
He waited for her response.
Friends, Jesus has commanded you and I to go, spread the Good News. Have you ever told anyone, any non-believer, about Jesus? I do not believe in formulas, but this is one way, and Jesus ought to be a pretty good example.
We know that Jesus stayed in contact with the Father, and we should do all we do as people of prayer.
Go where you usually go.
Stop where it makes sense to stop.
Go to a place when and where someone will likely be there.
Be kind.
Talk to someone, continuing to be kind. Don’t be pushy. Wait for their response, just to this.
More tomorrow!
Questions:
1. Where is our Samaria? Why do we avoid it?
2. Have you ever introduced someone to Christ?
3. Are you willing to try?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
May we hear Jesus calling us out to the world. Jim
INTERESTING THOUGHT:
“No one ever converted to Christianity because they lost the argument.” Philip Yancey
Friday, November 5, 2010
ListenDaily – 05 November 2010: Know!
ListenDaily – 05 November 2010: Know!
Hello friends,
Greetings! Today we will look at the fifth and last verse of Be Thou My Vision. I appreciate your indulgence as I strayed from the usual focus on Scripture, but I was led to do this, this week.
If you are unfamiliar with this song, here is a nice version by Selah: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FOBdoNIEk8
The fourth verse:
High King of Heaven, my victory won,
May I reach Heaven’s joys, O bright Heaven’s Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I'm going to look at these lines out of order - it won't rhyme - but we'll put it back before we sing it!
O bright Heaven’s Sun!
"The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp." Revelation 21:23
Heart of my own heart,
"This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence: If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask, because we keep his commands and do what pleases him. And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. The one who keeps God’s commands lives in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us." 1 John 3:19-23
whatever befall, still be my Vision,
Lord, be my vision, still, no matter what happens, Lord still, still be all that I see and may I still see all as You see it. "Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand." Ephesians 6:13
O Ruler of all. High King of Heaven,
“As I live, says the LORD, every knee shall bow to Me..." Romans 14:11 "God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords..." 1 Timothy 6:15 "These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful." Revelation 17:14
my victory won,
“Death has been swallowed up in victory.” "He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Cor. 15:54 & 57) "Everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world." (1 John 5:4) Friends, this victory, your victory, is already won! Which is why...
May I reach Heaven’s joys,
Which is why I must say this. And this is not a criticism, I understand these words, and the time in which they were written. But - and I only say this because it is so very important - there is no "may". One is either saved or not. And you can know! "I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life." (1 John 5:13) "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." (Romans 10:13) I don't want to make too much of this, but I hear this kind of talk regularly, from people in the church. Scripture after Scripture tells us how to be saved and that we can be assured that we are. Be assured! And if, right now, you are not absolutely sure of your eternity, call or write me, let's talk about it.
Questions:
1. So, what do you think?
2. Find a quiet place, read and maybe even sing this entire hymn( lyrics below). Any new thoughts after this week's readings?
3. Are you sure of your salvation?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
May we listen and pray as we sing. Jim
INTERESTING THOUGHTS:
Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art.
Thou my best Thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.
Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word;
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father, I Thy true son;
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.
Be Thou my battle Shield, Sword for the fight;
Be Thou my Dignity, Thou my Delight;
Thou my soul’s Shelter, Thou my high Tower:
Raise Thou me heavenward, O Power of my power.
Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,
Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art.
High King of Heaven, my victory won,
May I reach Heaven’s joys, O bright Heaven’s Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.
Hello friends,
Greetings! Today we will look at the fifth and last verse of Be Thou My Vision. I appreciate your indulgence as I strayed from the usual focus on Scripture, but I was led to do this, this week.
If you are unfamiliar with this song, here is a nice version by Selah: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FOBdoNIEk8
The fourth verse:
High King of Heaven, my victory won,
May I reach Heaven’s joys, O bright Heaven’s Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I'm going to look at these lines out of order - it won't rhyme - but we'll put it back before we sing it!
O bright Heaven’s Sun!
"The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp." Revelation 21:23
Heart of my own heart,
"This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence: If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask, because we keep his commands and do what pleases him. And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. The one who keeps God’s commands lives in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us." 1 John 3:19-23
whatever befall, still be my Vision,
Lord, be my vision, still, no matter what happens, Lord still, still be all that I see and may I still see all as You see it. "Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand." Ephesians 6:13
O Ruler of all. High King of Heaven,
“As I live, says the LORD, every knee shall bow to Me..." Romans 14:11 "God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords..." 1 Timothy 6:15 "These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful." Revelation 17:14
my victory won,
“Death has been swallowed up in victory.” "He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Cor. 15:54 & 57) "Everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world." (1 John 5:4) Friends, this victory, your victory, is already won! Which is why...
May I reach Heaven’s joys,
Which is why I must say this. And this is not a criticism, I understand these words, and the time in which they were written. But - and I only say this because it is so very important - there is no "may". One is either saved or not. And you can know! "I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life." (1 John 5:13) "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." (Romans 10:13) I don't want to make too much of this, but I hear this kind of talk regularly, from people in the church. Scripture after Scripture tells us how to be saved and that we can be assured that we are. Be assured! And if, right now, you are not absolutely sure of your eternity, call or write me, let's talk about it.
Questions:
1. So, what do you think?
2. Find a quiet place, read and maybe even sing this entire hymn( lyrics below). Any new thoughts after this week's readings?
3. Are you sure of your salvation?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
May we listen and pray as we sing. Jim
INTERESTING THOUGHTS:
Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art.
Thou my best Thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.
Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word;
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father, I Thy true son;
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.
Be Thou my battle Shield, Sword for the fight;
Be Thou my Dignity, Thou my Delight;
Thou my soul’s Shelter, Thou my high Tower:
Raise Thou me heavenward, O Power of my power.
Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,
Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art.
High King of Heaven, my victory won,
May I reach Heaven’s joys, O bright Heaven’s Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
ListenDaily – 04 November 2010: Treasure
ListenDaily – 04 November 2010: Treasure
Hello friends,
Greetings! Today we will look at the fourth verse of Be Thou My Vision.
If you are unfamiliar with this song, here is a nice version by Selah: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FOBdoNIEk8
The fourth verse:
Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,
Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You may have heard me say this before; I divide hymns into two types. There are those sung about God, in the third person ("He lives! He lives"), and those sung in the second person, sung to God, using "You", or "Thou", or "Thee", these are more than hymns, they are prayers. Consider that while you look at this fourth verse. Consider saying or singing it as a prayer. What are you saying to God? I struggle with this sometimes, because I know I am not singing, praying, words that are completely true. Is God always first in my heart?
Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,
Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art.
Roughly translated:
I will not be swayed or turned away from You for any worldly wealth, or anything anone has to say.
All I need to receive, in Eternity, and presently, is You.
You are first to me, there is nothing between You and I.
You God, are the only Treasure.
Questions:
1. Does it change the way you think of this or any other prayer-type hymn?
2. I struggle with being able to sing this and be completely true. How about you?
3. Mine is not a definitive interpretation, what does this hymn say to you?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
May we pray. Jim
INTERESTING THOUGHTS:
Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art.
Thou my best Thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.
Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word;
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father, I Thy true son;
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.
Be Thou my battle Shield, Sword for the fight;
Be Thou my Dignity, Thou my Delight;
Thou my soul’s Shelter, Thou my high Tower:
Raise Thou me heavenward, O Power of my power.
Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,
Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art.
High King of Heaven, my victory won,
May I reach Heaven’s joys, O bright Heaven’s Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.
Hello friends,
Greetings! Today we will look at the fourth verse of Be Thou My Vision.
If you are unfamiliar with this song, here is a nice version by Selah: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FOBdoNIEk8
The fourth verse:
Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,
Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You may have heard me say this before; I divide hymns into two types. There are those sung about God, in the third person ("He lives! He lives"), and those sung in the second person, sung to God, using "You", or "Thou", or "Thee", these are more than hymns, they are prayers. Consider that while you look at this fourth verse. Consider saying or singing it as a prayer. What are you saying to God? I struggle with this sometimes, because I know I am not singing, praying, words that are completely true. Is God always first in my heart?
Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,
Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art.
Roughly translated:
I will not be swayed or turned away from You for any worldly wealth, or anything anone has to say.
All I need to receive, in Eternity, and presently, is You.
You are first to me, there is nothing between You and I.
You God, are the only Treasure.
Questions:
1. Does it change the way you think of this or any other prayer-type hymn?
2. I struggle with being able to sing this and be completely true. How about you?
3. Mine is not a definitive interpretation, what does this hymn say to you?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
May we pray. Jim
INTERESTING THOUGHTS:
Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art.
Thou my best Thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.
Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word;
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father, I Thy true son;
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.
Be Thou my battle Shield, Sword for the fight;
Be Thou my Dignity, Thou my Delight;
Thou my soul’s Shelter, Thou my high Tower:
Raise Thou me heavenward, O Power of my power.
Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,
Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art.
High King of Heaven, my victory won,
May I reach Heaven’s joys, O bright Heaven’s Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
ListenDaily – 03 November 2010: Be Thou my Battle Shield
ListenDaily – 03 November 2010: Be Thou my Battle Shield
Hello friends,
Greetings! Today we will look at the third verse of Be Thou My Vision.
If you are unfamiliar with this song, here is a nice version by Selah: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FOBdoNIEk8
The third verse:
Be Thou my battle Shield, Sword for the fight;
Be Thou my Dignity, Thou my Delight;
Thou my soul’s Shelter, Thou my high Tower:
Raise Thou me heavenward, O Power of my power.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
For this verse, let us consider the following Scriptures:
Be Thou my battle Shield, Sword for the fight;
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. from Ephesians 6
Be Thou my Dignity, Thou my Delight;
Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4
Thou my soul’s Shelter, Thou my high Tower:
Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. Psalm 91:1
The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe. Proverbs 18:10
Raise Thou me heavenward, O Power of my power.
Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth," for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children. Revelation 21:1-7
Questions:
1. Have you ever taken the time to 'decipher' this hymn?
2. Have you done it with others?
3. Mine is not a definitive interpretation, what does this hymn say to you?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
May we recognize the power He brings within us. Jim.
INTERESTING THOUGHTS:
Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art.
Thou my best Thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.
Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word;
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father, I Thy true son;
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.
Be Thou my battle Shield, Sword for the fight;
Be Thou my Dignity, Thou my Delight;
Thou my soul’s Shelter, Thou my high Tower:
Raise Thou me heavenward, O Power of my power.
Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,
Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art.
High King of Heaven, my victory won,
May I reach Heaven’s joys, O bright Heaven’s Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.
Hello friends,
Greetings! Today we will look at the third verse of Be Thou My Vision.
If you are unfamiliar with this song, here is a nice version by Selah: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FOBdoNIEk8
The third verse:
Be Thou my battle Shield, Sword for the fight;
Be Thou my Dignity, Thou my Delight;
Thou my soul’s Shelter, Thou my high Tower:
Raise Thou me heavenward, O Power of my power.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
For this verse, let us consider the following Scriptures:
Be Thou my battle Shield, Sword for the fight;
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. from Ephesians 6
Be Thou my Dignity, Thou my Delight;
Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4
Thou my soul’s Shelter, Thou my high Tower:
Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. Psalm 91:1
The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe. Proverbs 18:10
Raise Thou me heavenward, O Power of my power.
Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth," for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children. Revelation 21:1-7
Questions:
1. Have you ever taken the time to 'decipher' this hymn?
2. Have you done it with others?
3. Mine is not a definitive interpretation, what does this hymn say to you?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
May we recognize the power He brings within us. Jim.
INTERESTING THOUGHTS:
Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art.
Thou my best Thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.
Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word;
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father, I Thy true son;
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.
Be Thou my battle Shield, Sword for the fight;
Be Thou my Dignity, Thou my Delight;
Thou my soul’s Shelter, Thou my high Tower:
Raise Thou me heavenward, O Power of my power.
Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,
Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art.
High King of Heaven, my victory won,
May I reach Heaven’s joys, O bright Heaven’s Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
ListenDaily – 02 November 2010: Be Thou my Wisdom h
ListenDaily – 02 November 2010: Be Thou my Wisdom
Hello friends,
As you may have read yesterday, one of our choirs did a beautiful rendition of Be Thou my Vision, and it inspired me to wrote about that hymn.
If you are unfamiliar with this song, here is a nice version by Selah: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FOBdoNIEk8
The second verse:
Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word;
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father, I Thy true son;
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.
Paraphrased and Scripture-ized:
Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word; As the Scriptures tell us, and as we know, at least intellectually, God is far wiser than we are, and He desires to lead us. When we sing “Be Thou my Wisdom” I think we are pledging to live out that which we believe. To acknowledge Him and His wisdom in our every day lives. Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6 As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:9
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord; Again, when we sing this, are we not declaring to believe what Jesus said? “Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.“* And are we not agreeing to follow Paul’s instruction to “Pray without ceasing“**? For if God is ever with us, are we not in constant communication with Him? (*Matthew 28:20, **1 Thessalonians 5:17)
Thou my great Father, I Thy true son; “Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God — children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.” John 1:12-13
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one. What an amazing statement this is! Let us not just say or sing it lightly! We are saying that the almighty, all-knowing, omnipotent, omniscient, Creator, Jehovah God has taken up residence with us, inside us. This is true for us as individuals, if we have accepted it. And, oh my, to sing this in a group, a choir or a congregation, and to say in one voice that the Holy Spirit of God makes us one in Him.
“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.” Revelation 3:20 “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?” 1 Corinthians 6:19
Questions:
1. Have you ever taken the time to ‘decipher’ this hymn?
2. Have you done it with others?
3. Mine is not a definitive interpretation, what does this hymn say to you?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
May we recognize the power He brings within us. Jim.
INTERESTING THOUGHTS:
Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art.
Thou my best Thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.
Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word;
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father, I Thy true son;
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.
Be Thou my battle Shield, Sword for the fight;
Be Thou my Dignity, Thou my Delight;
Thou my soul’s Shelter, Thou my high Tower:
Raise Thou me heavenward, O Power of my power.
Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,
Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art.
High King of Heaven, my victory won,
May I reach Heaven’s joys, O bright Heaven’s Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.
Hello friends,
As you may have read yesterday, one of our choirs did a beautiful rendition of Be Thou my Vision, and it inspired me to wrote about that hymn.
If you are unfamiliar with this song, here is a nice version by Selah: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FOBdoNIEk8
The second verse:
Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word;
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father, I Thy true son;
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.
Paraphrased and Scripture-ized:
Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word; As the Scriptures tell us, and as we know, at least intellectually, God is far wiser than we are, and He desires to lead us. When we sing “Be Thou my Wisdom” I think we are pledging to live out that which we believe. To acknowledge Him and His wisdom in our every day lives. Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6 As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:9
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord; Again, when we sing this, are we not declaring to believe what Jesus said? “Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.“* And are we not agreeing to follow Paul’s instruction to “Pray without ceasing“**? For if God is ever with us, are we not in constant communication with Him? (*Matthew 28:20, **1 Thessalonians 5:17)
Thou my great Father, I Thy true son; “Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God — children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.” John 1:12-13
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one. What an amazing statement this is! Let us not just say or sing it lightly! We are saying that the almighty, all-knowing, omnipotent, omniscient, Creator, Jehovah God has taken up residence with us, inside us. This is true for us as individuals, if we have accepted it. And, oh my, to sing this in a group, a choir or a congregation, and to say in one voice that the Holy Spirit of God makes us one in Him.
“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.” Revelation 3:20 “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?” 1 Corinthians 6:19
Questions:
1. Have you ever taken the time to ‘decipher’ this hymn?
2. Have you done it with others?
3. Mine is not a definitive interpretation, what does this hymn say to you?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
May we recognize the power He brings within us. Jim.
INTERESTING THOUGHTS:
Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art.
Thou my best Thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.
Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word;
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father, I Thy true son;
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.
Be Thou my battle Shield, Sword for the fight;
Be Thou my Dignity, Thou my Delight;
Thou my soul’s Shelter, Thou my high Tower:
Raise Thou me heavenward, O Power of my power.
Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,
Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art.
High King of Heaven, my victory won,
May I reach Heaven’s joys, O bright Heaven’s Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.
ListenDaily – 01 November 2010: Be Thou my Vision
ListenDaily – 01 November 2010: Be Thou my Vision
Hello friends,
I decided to take a short break from writing this summer, as my family was involved in buying a house. Buying turned into moving, then came the summer mission trip, a visit to my parents, back to school for my kids and myself, and shoulder surgery, and oh, so many other lame excuses.
I was so moved by one of our choir’s anthems yesterday that I had to write about it—so here we go. They did a beautiful rendition of Be Thou my Vision, with a wonderful piano and brass accompaniment. If you are unfamiliar with this song, here is a nice version by Selah: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FOBdoNIEk8
There are five verses to this hymn, and though they are not taken from a particular piece of Scripture, the Scripture is rife throughout. We will look at one verse each day this week.
“The Story Behind ‘Be Thou My Vision’ is a very touching one. For St. Patrick’s Day, read the story behind this very moving song and consider how the pure, authentic worship of God can, does, and will move anyone who beholds it. “Be Thou My Vision” is a hymn derived from an 8th century Irish folk song. It expresses a desire for God’s hand in our lives and a longing to be in His presence. The first words are credited to Dallan Forgaill in a work entitled, Rob tu mo bhoile, a Comdi cride. Mary Bryne, in Dublin, Ireland, first translated the entire Irish folk song into English in 1905. Eleanor H. Hull converted the lyrics to “Be Thou My Vision” into verse in 1905. The folk song got its start in Ireland around 433 AD, when on the night before Easter; St. Patrick defied a royal decree by lighting candles. High King Logaire of Tara had traditionally lit a fire beginning a pagan spring festival. It was his order that no one could light a fire before him on this night. When Logaire learned of St. Patrick’s arrogance and beheld the singing of ‘Be Thou My Vision’, he was so impressed he let him continue services. Because of St. Patrick’s bravery, or perhaps ignorance, ” Be Thou My Vision” has come from being a simple folk song to a hymn that is known for its gentleness. It is through tales such as these, time seems to disappear when we are confronted with the work of an Almighty God.” (from http://vesselproject.com/2010/03/05/be-thou-my-vision/)
The first verse:
Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art.
Thou my best Thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.
Let us paraphrase and draw meaning from plainer if less poetic words:
Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart; Lord, be my vision, be all that I see and may I see all as You see it.
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art. You are everything to me, may everything else be as nothing.
Thou my best Thought, by day or by night, All day long, of all the things. that enter my mind, You are the absolute best.
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light. Whether awake or asleep, You are the Light of my world.
And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. Revelation 21:23
Questions:
1. Have you ever taken the time to ‘decipher’ this hymn?
2. Have you done it with others?
3. Mine is not a definitive interpretation, what does this hymn say to you?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
May we keep listening. Jim.
INTERESTING THOUGHTS:
Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art.
Thou my best Thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.
Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word;
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father, I Thy true son;
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.
Be Thou my battle Shield, Sword for the fight;
Be Thou my Dignity, Thou my Delight;
Thou my soul’s Shelter, Thou my high Tower:
Raise Thou me heavenward, O Power of my power.
Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,
Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art.
High King of Heaven, my victory won,
May I reach Heaven’s joys, O bright Heaven’s Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.
Hello friends,
I decided to take a short break from writing this summer, as my family was involved in buying a house. Buying turned into moving, then came the summer mission trip, a visit to my parents, back to school for my kids and myself, and shoulder surgery, and oh, so many other lame excuses.
I was so moved by one of our choir’s anthems yesterday that I had to write about it—so here we go. They did a beautiful rendition of Be Thou my Vision, with a wonderful piano and brass accompaniment. If you are unfamiliar with this song, here is a nice version by Selah: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FOBdoNIEk8
There are five verses to this hymn, and though they are not taken from a particular piece of Scripture, the Scripture is rife throughout. We will look at one verse each day this week.
“The Story Behind ‘Be Thou My Vision’ is a very touching one. For St. Patrick’s Day, read the story behind this very moving song and consider how the pure, authentic worship of God can, does, and will move anyone who beholds it. “Be Thou My Vision” is a hymn derived from an 8th century Irish folk song. It expresses a desire for God’s hand in our lives and a longing to be in His presence. The first words are credited to Dallan Forgaill in a work entitled, Rob tu mo bhoile, a Comdi cride. Mary Bryne, in Dublin, Ireland, first translated the entire Irish folk song into English in 1905. Eleanor H. Hull converted the lyrics to “Be Thou My Vision” into verse in 1905. The folk song got its start in Ireland around 433 AD, when on the night before Easter; St. Patrick defied a royal decree by lighting candles. High King Logaire of Tara had traditionally lit a fire beginning a pagan spring festival. It was his order that no one could light a fire before him on this night. When Logaire learned of St. Patrick’s arrogance and beheld the singing of ‘Be Thou My Vision’, he was so impressed he let him continue services. Because of St. Patrick’s bravery, or perhaps ignorance, ” Be Thou My Vision” has come from being a simple folk song to a hymn that is known for its gentleness. It is through tales such as these, time seems to disappear when we are confronted with the work of an Almighty God.” (from http://vesselproject.com/2010/03/05/be-thou-my-vision/)
The first verse:
Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art.
Thou my best Thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.
Let us paraphrase and draw meaning from plainer if less poetic words:
Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart; Lord, be my vision, be all that I see and may I see all as You see it.
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art. You are everything to me, may everything else be as nothing.
Thou my best Thought, by day or by night, All day long, of all the things. that enter my mind, You are the absolute best.
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light. Whether awake or asleep, You are the Light of my world.
And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. Revelation 21:23
Questions:
1. Have you ever taken the time to ‘decipher’ this hymn?
2. Have you done it with others?
3. Mine is not a definitive interpretation, what does this hymn say to you?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
May we keep listening. Jim.
INTERESTING THOUGHTS:
Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art.
Thou my best Thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.
Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word;
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father, I Thy true son;
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.
Be Thou my battle Shield, Sword for the fight;
Be Thou my Dignity, Thou my Delight;
Thou my soul’s Shelter, Thou my high Tower:
Raise Thou me heavenward, O Power of my power.
Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,
Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art.
High King of Heaven, my victory won,
May I reach Heaven’s joys, O bright Heaven’s Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.
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