A Net in Time

Curriculum and book reviews, faith, homeschooling and more!

Faith

I love thy kingdom, Lord

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I love thy kingdom, Lord I also know as a shorter song I love your church, O Lord. In the lyrics below I red texted the verses normally found in the shorter song (just change the thee’s and thou’s to you/your).  🙂  It’s a good song of praise, give it a listen!  🙂

i love thy kingdom Lord

Lyrics to I Love Thy Kingdom, Lord

I love Thy kingdom, Lord,
The house of Thine abode.
The church our blessed Redeemer saved
With His own precious blood.

I love Thy church, O God.
Her walls before Thee stand.
Dear as the apple of Thine eye,
And written on Thy hand.

If e’er to bless Thy sons
My voice or hands deny,
These hands let useful skills forsake,
This voice in silence die.

Should I with scoffers join
Her altars to abuse?
No! Better far my tongue were dumb,
My hand its skill should lose.

For her my tears shall fall
For her my prayers ascend,
To her my cares and toils be given
Till toils and cares shall end.

Beyond my highest joy
I prize her heavenly ways,
Her sweet communion, solemn vows,
Her hymns of love and praise.

Jesus, Thou friend divine,
Our Savior and our king,
Thy hand from every snare and foe
Shall great deliverance bring.

Sure as Thy truth shall last,
To Zion shall be given
The brightest glories earth can yield
And brighter bliss of Heaven.

Author

Written in 1800 by Timothy Dwight, I love thy kingdom Lord is believed to be the oldest hymn written by an American still in regular use.

Massachutsetts born, this Congregationalist preacher was a grandson of Jonathan Edwards.  Contracting small pox (from receiving an inoculation) affected him all his life, particularly with pain in his eyes.  He could only read for 15 minutes at a time.  Despite this, he wrote songs and manuscripts, served as a minister, was president of Yale, helped found the Andover The­o­lo­gi­cal Sem­in­a­ry, learned Latin, and gained his doctorate of Divinity.   Wiki has much to say about him. 

The tune below I have sung this old hymn too as well, but it is a much less common version. 

Looking Deeper

When I read about Dwight’s handicap and saw all that he had accomplished I was simply amazed.  What a determined fellow he must have been. Dealing with that ever present pain, and yet still doing so much.  Very good of God isn’t it?

As I read the words of this hymn, it was apparent how much Dwight loves the church.  He sees it as the kingdom of God… well that might not be quite right.  He sees God’s kingdom, and the church is a distinct part of it.  Perhaps he could join in with those who mock the church, but doesn’t.  Instead he sees the good of the church. 

It makes me think.  With all the divisions that are in the church do we pray for her?  Do we see the good or do we scoff at the differences?  How do we see the church?  As part of the God’s kingdom as it surely is?  Consider carefully the group of believers that the Lord calls his own.

He Is Lord

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I grew up only singing one verse to this song.  Imagine my surprise when leafing through Lift Up Your Hearts, I saw that there are four verses to He is Lord.   I thought, oh, wouldn’t it be fun to share this old campfire song.  🙂

He is Lord

Lyrics to He is Lord

He Is Lord; He Is Lord
He Has Risen From The Dead
And He Is Lord,
Every Knee Shall Bow,
Every Tongue Confess
That Jesus Christ Is Lord.

He Is King; He Is King
He will draw all nation to him, he is king
And the Time shall be,
When the world shall sing
That Jesus Christ Is King.

He Is Love; He Is Love
He Has shown us by his life
That He Is Love,
All his people sing,
with one voice of joy
That Jesus Christ Is Love.

He Is Life; He Is Life
He Has died to set us free
And He Is Life,
And he calls us all,
to live evermore
For Jesus Christ Is Life.

History

Now it’s known that Marvin Frey is the author of the first verse, who wrote the last three no one really knows. 

Rev Frey, an Oregon native, wrote over 2000 spiritual songs over his life. He was active in the nondenominational Independent Assemblies.   Many of his songs were used in evangelistic meetings.  If you would like to know more about his life, I found an obituary in the NY Times. 

Learning from He is Lord

Sometimes simple songs are more profound than you think they are eh?   Just to remember the Lordship of Christ.   He is Lord and that means something.   The unknown author of the next three verses fill in some of what that means to him.

What does Jesus Christ being Lord mean to you?  It’s a good thing to ponder don’t you think?

Experience Tells

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Recently we just finished the Canadian Online Homeschooling Conference.  Experienced homeschoolers spreading their knowledge to those coming up new.  Reminding of schedules, the ability to do it, and how to curricula pick. This experience of others, the need to be one who tells.

And recently at bible study, this experience again shows.  The stories of others who’ve gone on before. Listen, experience tells.  Showing up God’s grace in ways unexpected.  It’s a marvellous thing, this spreading of knowledge. 

I hope you will join us as we gather around Miss Kate’s Five minute Friday word prompt. 

Experience Tells

Experience Tells

Experience Tells
Older mom to younger
Don’t mind that mixed up speech
Younglin’s sometimes time will take
Their speech to straighten out.
If help is needful you will know
The patterns they will stay.
But mixing consonants will happen.
Don’t worry now this day.

Experience Tells
Homeschooler 9 years says
To brand new one venturing
On a journey to unknown lands.
Do not buy every shiney thing
That shows up on your door.
Learn your children well is first
Curriculum is second.

Experience Tells
A mom in shock soon learns.
Ask a parent more experienced.
If teen behaviour normal is.
How preteen hormones rage.
As defiance rears a head.
What to do, how to say,
Experience lends a hand.

Experience tells
How grace received is given.
Patience as you rear a Child
Reflects the Lord’s long-suffering.
Take your time.
Offer hugs, and even more grace beside.
Let the Holy Spirit
Always be your guide.

But use experience.
Lean on those gone on before.
Because Experience Tells
And acts as guide.
To more than just ourselves.
In turn your experience
A guide you soon will be.
Giving out to others
As was oft given out to thee.

experience tells

Recently in the homeschool review crew I was offered a chance to mentor others into the SchoolhouseTeachers.com website. A chance to share my experiences to benefit others.  It’s great to share knowledge don’t you think?  Even one homeschool mom helping another navigate sticky sciences experiments.  I love it!  🙂

schoolhouseteachers

Via Dolorosa

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So I have this medium sized CD collection of music that’s been sitting on my shelf for ages.  I used to listen to music when cleaning or doing random stuff around the house but since my CD player broke they’ve just been shelved.  Anyways, I decided the other day since the CD player works in the car I had no excuse!   I’ve been going through my collection and deciding what I still like and don’t.  I have this Sandi Patti CD and Via Dolorosa is one of the songs on it.  It’s been running through my head since then, now I’ll let it run through yours.  🙂

Lyrics

Down the Via Dolorosa in
Jerusalem that day
The soldiers tried to clear the
narrow street
But the crowd pressed into see
A man condemned to die on
Calvary.
 
He was bleeding from a beating –
there were stripes upon His back
And He wore a crown upon his
head
And He bore with every step
The scorn of those of those of
those who cried out for his
death.
 
Down the Via Dolorosa called the
way of suffering
Like a lamb came the Messiah
Christ the King
But He chose to walk that road
out of His love for you and me
Down the Via Dolorosa all the
way to Calvary.
 
Por la Via Dolorosa, triste dia en Jerusalem
Los saldados le abrian paso a Jesus
Mas la gente se acercaba
Para ver al que llevaba aquella cruz.
 
Por la Via Dolorosa, que es la via del dolor
Como oveja vino Cristo, Rey, Senor
Y fue El quien quiso ir por su amor por ti y por mi
Por la Via Dolorosa al Calvario y a morir
 
The blood that would cleanse the
souls of all men
Made its way through the heart of
Jerusalem.
 
Down the Via Dolorosa called the
way of suffering
Like a lamb came the Messiah,
Christ the King
But He chose to walk that road
out of his love for you and me
Down the Via Dolorosa, all the
way to Calvary
cross on hill, text via dolorosa

Author and History

Sandi Patty was born 1956 in Oklahoma.  As a child, she sang her first song at age two, and in the summer, she and her siblings sang with her parents nationwide. They were known as “The Ron Patty Family”.  Her higher education was in vocals and conducting.  She has made several audio recordings over the years.

She was a highly popular singer in the 1970-80’s but a divorce sidetracked her career.  Using pop concert performances with symphony orchestras she slowly built up her career again.   You can find a list of her music and writing on this wiki page.

Meaning in Via Dolorosa

I don’t pretend to understand what I think is the Spanish.  Listening to the words though… the suffering of Jesus on his way to the cross.  Such a hard trip for him. Such a hard choice for him to stick through.  Can you imagine his love for us, and his loving obedience to his Father?  He is our saviour!

Thou Art the Christ

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ASCOT media FTC

Are you looking for a devotional that will walk you through the life of Jesus?   Jonathan Jenkins has put together a devotional where you can use any translation of the Bible that you are comfortable with.   Let me tell you call about it in this review. 

Thou Art the Christ - jonathan jenkins

What I am Reviewing

Thou Art the Christ: a devotional on the Life of Jesus by Jonathan Jenkins was written in 2019 and published by Westbow Press.  At 380 pages this softcover book does a good job at walking people through the life of Christ. 

Thou Art the Christ provides a nonbreaking narrative of Jesus’s life, connecting it to Old Testament prophecies about God’s promise to send the Messiah for the whole world for any whosoever believing him. (from cover)

The Details on Thou Art the Christ

Thou Art the Christ is divided into 11 parts, they are: 

  1. Incarnation
  2. Offer of a new life
  3. Sermon on the mount
  4. Trains the twelve
  5. The turning point
  6. Trains the seventy
  7. Point of no return
  8. Passion week
  9. Last supper
  10. Our Good Friday
  11. His resurrection commissions us
Thou Art the Christ table of contents

One of the things I really appreciate in this devotional is that each devotional reading is directly applicable to the scripture reading.   It’s one of the reasons I dislike reading devotionals.  You read the passage, then the devotional reading and wonder how one connects to the other.  I did not have that with any of the devotionals I read. 

Thou Art the Christ - sample page

With each devotional came 2-5 questions to answer.  Again, directly related to the scripture passage and the devotional. These weren’t empty minded questions, but ones designed to make you think. 

Thou Art the Christ - jonathan jenkins

Would I recommend?

Though I haven’t read every single devotional in this book, I like it.  I love that the author was clear about what he wanted to accomplish.  A devotional about the life of Christ.  He deals with the various aspects of Jesus’ ministry, from birth through resurrection. 

Each scripture reading is small, most of the devotions filled one page, the odd one going to a page and a half. Easy to read, good follow up questions, AND you can use whatever bible you fill most comfortable with. Instead of quoting scripture he provides the scripture reference so you can look it up yourself.  

Thou Art the Christ - jonathan jenkins

Jesus Shall Reign

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Jesus shall reign… Oh, I grew up singing this song, I think it’s a rare verse that I wouldn’t know.   In fact the familiar four you find in most hymnbooks I know well, but I discovered today there are four less common verses that were part of the original song. 

Jesus Shall Reign

Lyrics to Jesus Shall Reign

Jesus shall reign where’er the sun
Does his successive journeys run;
His kingdom stretch from shore to shore,
Till moons shall wax and wane no more.

Behold the islands with their kings,
And Europe her best tribute brings;
From north to south the princes meet,
To pay their homage at His feet.

There Persia, glorious to behold,
There India shines in eastern gold;
And barbarous nations at His word
Submit, and bow, and own their Lord.

To Him shall endless prayer be made,
And praises throng to crown His head;
His name like sweet perfume shall rise
With every morning sacrifice.

People and realms of every tongue
Dwell on His love with sweetest song;
And infant voices shall proclaim
Their early blessings on His name.

Blessings abound where’er He reigns;
The prisoner leaps to lose his chains;
The weary find eternal rest,
And all the sons of want are blest.

Where He displays His healing power,
Death and the curse are known no more:
In Him the tribes of Adam boast
More blessings than their father lost.

Let every creature rise and bring
Peculiar honors to our king;
Angels descend with songs again,
And earth repeat the loud amen.

In this version The Getty’s add another song to this older hymn.  I wasn’t sure what I thought, but since I talked about new songs of worship last week it’s good to give a chance to the new. 🙂 

History

Isaac Watts, song writer, poet, clergyman. He was an important man in his day. His institution of congregational singing is still widely in use today. It shows an important use of poetry in worship.  If you want to see a sample of his childhood poetry you can find it at the poetry foundation. 

Other Isaac Watts Songs

For a more traditional version of Jesus shall reign, watch below

What Can We Learn?

Jesus shall reign walks us through the entirety of Jesus’ kingdom. 

  • from shore to shore
  • where’r the sun sets
  •  til moon’s wax and wane
  • every person, tribe, nation
  • endless prayers are given
  • praises from everyone
  • prisoners, weary, sufferers
  •  creatures
  • north and south
  • Islands and continents
  • east and west

The whole gambit of the world is covered.  Praise and prayers are given to Jesus the King. Kings, peoples, nations, and tribes are all humbled before him.  Even the creatures of the earth acknowledge the wonder of God. 

In Life or In Death

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Oh, this word, it struck a chord in me today.  So this poem came out it seemed in three minutes flat!  🙂   Miss Kate picked a good one this week.  🙂  Here’s my poem In Life or In Death.

In Life or in Death

In Life or In Death

I wonder what it is
When I see the word prompt life
I start to see the opposite.
The death that resides within.

Lately I have been listening.
To the tale of Philippians.
The joy that Paul found in life
In belief of Christ within.

One thing Paul tells us
In his book Philippians fare
Is contentnent lies with
Our faith in Christ up there.

He goes on to show that
Whether rich or poor we find
Contentment it is learned
It’s our faith he has in mind.

This theme does continue
When it comes to life or death.
Is it better to live?
Or better to die?

For me to live is Christ
Serving his people in fruitful task.
But to die, oh don’t you see
It’s heaven, you needn’t ask.

Contentment just like joy
Is a theme you find in this book.
Paul wrote to the Philippians
And has us all on the hook.

Can in this life we make
A choice in joy to find,
Contentment in whate’er
Circumstance consigned?