Faith

Mansion over the Hilltop

November 3, 2019 By Annette1 1 Comment

I am almost finished going through this little hymnbook that I have here. It’s an old Singspiration folk Hymnal. Anyways, I’m hoping to finish up soon so I can either give it to my lady who likes the old songbooks I have, or put it back on our hymnal shelf. It’s a rather nice song with a forward looking theme.

I’m satisfied with just a cottage below
A little silver and a little gold
But in that city where the ransomed will shine
I want a gold one that’s silver lined

Refrain

I’ve got a mansion just over the hilltop
In that bright land where we’ll never grow old
And some day yonder we will never more wander
But walk on streets that are purest gold

Don’t think me poor or deserted or lonely
I’m not discouraged I’m heaven bound
I’m but a pilgrim in search of the city
I want a mansion, a harp and a crown

Refrain

I’ve got a mansion just over the hilltop
In that bright land where we’ll never grow old
And some day yonder we will never more wander
But walk on streets that are purest gold

Refrain

Written by Ira F. Stanphill in 1949. He also wrote Happiness is the Lord. Born in New Mexico, he spent most of his formative years in Kansas. He became a pastor within the Assemblies of God. Later on he gave up pastoring to focus on evangelistic meeting and concerting.

According this Wiki Article I found, he was known to “Occasionally as part of his crusades, he would ask members of the congregation to suggest titles for songs. Selecting one title from the suggestions, he would write words and music for a song during the service.” Doesn’t that show talent?

Comments

I Found it interesting when I was looking for videos to share how often the songs would start the same, but then they would vary from the tune I had in my head. It’s a bit disconcerting to start singing along and then oops… that’s not how they are singing it! Slight changes matter!

I love the forward looking of this old gospel tune. Knowing what we have here, and what we have to look forward to. Do you ever consider that? Does it make a difference in your contentment levels to know that here is temporary. Might be a life of struggle (or not) but either way we have something to look forward to, and that (at least for me) makes the going easier.

Memory of Sin

October 30, 2019 By Annette1 2 Comments

So I went to bible study this morning where we are studying No Other Gods by Kelly Minter. Today’s lesson was based on the life of Leah and Rachel being married to Jacob. What a messed up family relationship stuff that was. Laban cheating his son-in-law, love and unlove in the same household, sisters having to share a man, babies/no babies. What a total mess. Anyways, as we walked through the lesson learning about how to handle sin, and jealousy, envy and anger one of the ladies commented that the memory of her sin makes her feel guilty, even after she repents, and what should she do with that? The memory of sin created guilt.

Go: Memory of sin

I remember it,
Clear as a bell,
That day I walked out of the store.
Grabbing some pop I didn’t pay for.

Immediately as I left I felt the sting
Conviction of wrong-doing
There, I did it again.
I didn’t go back.

Over time that sin
It weighed me down
Conviction encouraging me
To make it all right.

Finally driven
Back to the store
I paid for a pop,
But I left it at the door.

Conviction assuaded,
I knew I did right.
But the guilt of the day
Kept me up at night.

What do I do?
How can I make it right?
I ALREADY DID IT!
I made it ALRIGHT!!!

Til finally God
When I cried out again
Said Leave it my child
at the cross once again.

Forgiveness you sought.
Freely given it was.
You made it alright with
The place you stole from.

Leave it with me.
It’s covered you see.
Don’t let old memories
Drive you away from me.

And then I remembered
The difference between
Guilt and conviction,
It’s not always easy to see.

Conviction drive you
To repair what is wrong.
Guilt causes a wedge
It’s not where you belong.

Leave the past to the past
Once forgiveness is given.
Tell the guilt now
Good riddance.

Stop

Another poem in this years write 31 days challenge. Have you been having fun? I hope so!

Things We Shouldn’t Practice

October 29, 2019 By Annette1 2 Comments

Practice makes perfect or so the say, practice, practice, it’ll be better another day. And there are many things in life to practice, good behaviour, new skills, kindness, patience, faith and more. So many good things to practice, but what about the things we shouldn’t practice?

Go: Things We Shouldn’t Practice

All quotes are from the NIV.

You must not do as they do in Egypt, where you used to live, and you must not do as they do in the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you. Do not follow their practices. Leviticus 18:3

⁹When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not learn to imitate the detestable ways of the nations there. ¹⁰Let no one be found among you who sacrifices their son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, ¹¹or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. ¹²Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord; because of these same detestable practices the Lord your God will drive out those nations before you. ¹³You must be blameless before the Lord your God. Deut. 18:9-13

No one who practices deceit will dwell in my house; no one who speaks falsely will stand in my presence. Psalm 101:7

For fools speak folly, their hearts are bent on evil: They practice ungodliness and spread error concerning the Lord; the hungry they leave empty and from the thirsty they withhold water. Is. 32:6

“‘Because you did not remember the days of your youth but enraged me with all these things, I will surely bring down on your head what you have done, declares the Sovereign Lord. Did you not add lewdness to all your other detestable practices? Ezekiel 16:43

But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. Matt. 7:26

“Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit.” “The poison of vipers is on their lips.” Romans 3:13

But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.” Rev. 21:8

Stop

Today’s write 31 days challenge is the word practice. Are you taking part?

Tests of a Christian

October 28, 2019 By Annette1 2 Comments

Test… It means different things to different folks. Electrical, school work, Character, even the tests of a Christian…

In our life recently, test has meant it seems like ENDLESS hours of a hard-working man tracking down an electrical problem in our 2005 Silverado. Testing circuits to see if they work, looking hard to find a broken wire.

My son has been studying his science lately in preparation for taking a test or two. He’s happy there are no tests in history, just papers and finishing assignments (and answering questions from his mom!). 🙂 A happy report from him with a 20/21 on his in school course test.

It’s left me thinking what I can write on for the word test. This morning’s sermon in church gave me the answer to that. The tests of a Christian.

Go: Tests of a Christian

In 1 Thessalonians these words we read:
We give thanks to God
Always for you….
Remembering….
Your work of faith and
Labour of Love and
Steadfastness of Hope
In our Lord Jesus Christ.

Test One
Your work of faith.
This struck me hard.
That faith, this belief we have
in an unseen God.
We need to hold it.
Holding is a work you know?
Believing in something we can’t quite see.
And what we see is like a dim mirror.
Yet, this unseen thing, changes our lives
In ways we don’t always understand.
The continued trust we have is
Our work of faith.

Test two
Labour of love.
Christ loves us.
We love Christ.
This intertwined love
Causes us to do
Acts of service.
A way of worship
Living out love.

Test Three
Steadfastness of hope.
Because of faith we know
This thing to be true.
Spoken out in Revelations.
Shown the spoiler that
Christ has won the battle.
So we have this hope,
A hope that is steadfast because
Our faith is sure.
So anything we face here,
Can’t shine a light on
What awaits us.
A better future.
Pain, suffering, agony.
It will fade in
The light of what awaits.

Stop

This is part of the Write 31 days challenge. Check out the writers here.

Better is One Day

October 27, 2019 By Annette1 2 Comments

I have SEARCHED for hymns with the word better in it. And even though cyber hymnal had some suggestions, I didn’t know a one of them, wasn’t crazy about the words, and couldn’t find them on youtube either. Feeling dissatisfied I turned to a couple of musical friends. One person suggested Better is One Day by Matt Redman.

Lyrics

How lovely is Your dwelling place
O Lord Almighty
My soul longs and even faints for You
For here my heart is satisfied
Within Your presence
I sing beneath the shadow of Your wings

Better is one day in Your courts
Better is one day in Your house
Better is one day in Your courts
Than thousands elsewhere

Better is one day in Your courts
Better is one day in Your house
Better is one day in Your courts
Than thousands elsewhere

One thing I ask, and I would seek
To see Your beauty
To find You in the place Your glory dwells
Your glory dwells

Better is one day in Your courts
Better is one day in Your house
Better is one day in Your courts
Than thousands elsewhere

A Matt Redman song, I don’t know if this song was inspired by Psalm 84 or not by the words are there: Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked. (NIV)

I chose this song to go with the Write 31 days challenge. There’s a few of us in this challenge, everyone with a different approach, it’s rather neat to read through them. You can meet all the writers!

Isn’t it good though? To consider the goodness of being in God’s presence and how it supercedes all other possibilities? Even if only for one day. It’s better the other options.

I have to admit, sometimes I struggle with that idea. Struggle to understand the majesty and beauty of God. But the scriptures would have us know this, otherwise why would God let the Psalmist write such words? Worth considering eh?

Your Need I will Answer

October 23, 2019 By Annette1 2 Comments

Starting a few years back (in my teens to be precise) God started to meet a need in my life that I didn’t hitherto think was an issue. He took me out of myself. It’s still a hard fought battle many days, but a need met indeed. He reminds me daily that “your need I will answer”.

Go: Your Need I will answer

16 years old
In Haiti I was
Serving with Missions Impossible.

God spoke quietly
“Child of mine, listen.
This thing you do.
It needs to stop.”

I shrugged and tried to
Block that notion out.
My life was fine.
Living inside my head.
Incorporating all that happened
In real time to the story within.

It mattered not to me that
Others thought me odd.
I always knew I was different
than all else around.

Yet God continued
This thing must end
No more living inside your head.

He gave me music.
Showed me verse.
Friends to laugh with.
My heart slowly began to listen.

Now I know in times of stress
To welcome a song
Calling me to rise
Getting my day off to
a healthy start.

I’d like say
it’s all smooth sailing
That music and verse
Keep me out of my head.

But I’ve been known to fight
Determined to stay.
To make my world safe
In my head I’ll delay.

But over and over
God says to me
“Mind me child,
This need I will meet.
Remember this verse

“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood,
a holy nation, God’s special possession,
that you may declare the praises of him
who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light”.

Remember and heed your calling.
Your need I will answer.

Stop

This post is part of the write 31 Days Challenge. Have you joined it?

I have decided to follow Jesus

October 20, 2019 By Annette1 2 Comments

This morning in church we sang a song that normally you sing with littles, it brought to mind this other song that normally we sing with littles. I have decided to follow Jesus has an unexpected story behind it! I thought I would TELL you about it (the write 31 days challenge word).

Lyrics

I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
No turning back, no turning back.
The world behind me, the cross before me;
The world behind me, the cross before me;
The world behind me, the cross before me;
No turning back, no turning back.
Though none go with me, still I will follow;
Though none go with me, still I will follow;
Though none go with me, still I will follow;
No turning back, no turning back.
My cross I’ll carry, till I see Jesus;
My cross I’ll carry, till I see Jesus;
My cross I’ll carry, till I see Jesus;
No turning back, no turning back.
Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
No turning back, no turning back.

Author/History

I have decided to Follow Jesus is a folk melody from India.

A revival happened in Wales. The result of that revival is Welsh missionaries heading off to India to convert the masses. One man headed off to Assam, India. Conversion of one native man occurred, resulting in the conversion of others. This led to a fair amount of resentment and anger on the part of the local village chief.

Learn the rest of the story below, then listen to a quiet rendition of this lovely, simple song.

Looking Deeper

When I discovered the story behind this song, my heart stopped for a moment. Considering… what would I have done in this situation? If I could save the life of my son, would I recant the Lord? What would I do?

Then another song that we sung in church this morning that spoke to how we need to become like a shadow of the Lord. Doing what he does, following him everywhere, serving as he serves, loving as he loves. Being his direct shadow.

Again my heart stops and I find myself stopping to ask. What is my first love? If I have to stop and ask the question doesn’t that call into question what is truly my first love? A first love shouldn’t need to be questioned or wondered on.

How about for you? What would you do in the situation? Would your actions, as a result of your love for the Lord God, be words that could inspire a song, inspiring others for generations?

Faith