A Net in Time

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hymns

They’ll Know We Are Christians By Our Love

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I was doing some tidying today and found a “Folk hymnal for a new generation”.  As I was leafing through it I saw this song “they’ll know we are Christians by our love”.  I remember singing this frequently as a teen/young adult and thought I’d share it with you today. 

they'll know we are Christians by our love

They’ll know we are Christians by our love was written by Peter Scholtes.   This song is also as “we are one in the spirit”.  Peter Scholtes was a Catholic priest in the 1960’s.  He was also a choir director. The title comes from the biblical saying that non-believers know Christians by the love we show.   Scholtes later left the priesthood and became a businessman.   

Lyrics

We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord
We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord
And we pray that our unity will one day be restored
And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love
Yeah they’ll know we are Christians by our love
 
We will work with each other, we will work side by side
We will work with each other, we will work side by side
And we’ll guard each man’s dignity and save each man’s pride
And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love
Yeah, they’ll know we are Christians by our love.
 
We will walk with each other, we will walk hand in hand
We will walk with each other, we will walk hand in hand
And together we’ll spread the news that God is in our land
And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love
They will know we are Christians by our love

All praise to the father by who all things
And all praise to Christ Jesus his only son
And all praise to the Spirit who makes us one
And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love
They will know we are Christians by our love

Not What My Hands Have Done

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Do you remember the song I did last week?  It was also written by Horatius Bonar!   Wow!   So I guess I don’t have to write a whole about him eh?  Anyways, Not What My Hands Have Done reminds us that it’s God’s action not ours which is our salvation.

Not what my hands have done

Horatius Bonar was called Horace by his friends. A Scottish pastor who wrote many songs. He passed away in 1889. He preached with fervor, starting his ministry in Kelso and finishing his pastorate at the Chalmers Memorial Free Church.

Lyrics

Not what my hands have done
Can save my guilty soul;
Not what my toiling flesh has borne
Can make my spirit whole.
Not what I feel or do
Can give me peace with God;
Not all my prayers and sighs and tears
Can bear my awful load.

Thy work alone, O Christ,
Can ease this weight of sin;
Thy blood alone, O Lamb of God,
Can give me peace within.
Thy love to me, O God,
Not mine, O Lord, to Thee,
Can rid me of this dark unrest,
And set my spirit free.

Thy grace alone, O God,
To me can pardon speak;
Thy power alone, O Son of God,
Can this sore bondage break.
No other work, save Thine,
No meaner blood will do;
No strength, save that which is divine,
Can bear me safely through.

I bless the Christ of God;
I rest on love divine;
And with unfaltering lip and heart
I call this Savior mine.
His cross dispels each doubt;
I bury in His tomb
Each thought of unbelief and fear,
Each lingering shade of gloom.

I praise the God of grace;
I trust His truth and might;
He calls me His, I call Him mine,
My God, my joy and light.
In Him is only good,
In me is only ill;
My ill but draws His goodness forth,
And me He loveth still.

’Tis He who saveth me,
And freely pardon gives;
I love because He loveth me,
I live because He lives.
My life with Him is hid,
My death has passed away,
My clouds have melted into light,
My midnight into day.

Blessing and Honor and Glory and Power

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I actually can’t recall ever singing this song, but noticed it in my hymnbook and thought, I like the words of this song.  It’s simple and yet deep.  A good song to read over. 

Blessing and Honor and Glory and Power

Horatius Bonar is the author is this song. He lived in the 1800’s. A Scotsman pastor he lived to point people to Christ. Music was just one part of his methodology. He sought not to make the most converts, but to always just point people to Christ. He became part of the Free Church when it started. Bonar was known as a man of prayer and song. Sorrow was part of his life in the losing of five of his children, but a widowed daughter bringing her five children to live with him was cause for rejoicing.

Lyrics

Blessing and honor and glory and power,
Wisdom and riches and strength evermore
Give ye to Him who our battle hath won
Whose are the kingdom, the crown, and the throne.

Into the heav’n of the heav’ns hath He gone,
Sitteth He now in the joy of the throne,
Weareth He now of the kingdom the crown,
Singeth He now the new song with His own.

Soundeth the heaven of the heavens with His name;
Ringeth the earth with His glory and fame;
Ocean and mountain, stream, forest, and flower
Echo His praises and tell of His power.

Past are the darkness, the storm, and the war,
Come is the radiance, that sparkles afar,
Breaketh the gleam of the day without end,
Riseth the Sun that shall never descend.

Ever ascendeth the song and the joy;
Ever descendeth the love from on high;
Blessing and honor and glory and praise,
This is the theme of the hymns that we raise.

Life of all life, and true Light of all light,
Star of the dawning unchangingly bright,
Sun of the Salem whose light is the Lamb,
Theme of the ever new, ever glad psalm!

Give we the glory and praise to the Lamb;
Take we the robe and the harp and the palm;
Sing we the song of the Lamb that was slain,
Dying in weakness, but rising to reign.

Fairest Lord Jesus

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I wasn’t expecting to find controversy when I looked up this song.  🙂   I grew up with this song and never thought a whole lot about it other than I liked singing it.  I’ve since learned that there are two songs that are very similar “Fairest Lord Jesus” and “Beautiful Saviour”. 

fairest Lord Jesus

Fairest Lord Jesus, seems to have been written by German Jesuits in the 17th century. Yet there are others who date it back to the 1200’s sung by German crusaders. Which is accurate I don’t know. The only real point of agreement is that the words were translated by Joseph Seiss.

Lyrics

Fairest Lord Jesus, ruler of all nature,
O Thou of God and man the Son,
Thee will I cherish, Thee will I honor,
Thou, my soul’s glory, joy and crown.

Fair are the meadows, fairer still the woodlands,
Robed in the blooming garb of spring;
Jesus is fairer, Jesus is purer,
Who makes the woeful heart to sing.

Fair is the sunshine,
Fairer still the moonlight,
And all the twinkling starry host;
Jesus shines brighter, Jesus shines purer
Than all the angels Heav’n can boast.

All fairest beauty, heavenly and earthly,
Wondrously, Jesus, is found in Thee;
None can be nearer, fairer or dearer,
Than Thou, my Savior, art to me.

Beautiful Savior! Lord of all the nations!
Son of God and Son of Man!
Glory and honor, praise, adoration,
Now and forever more be Thine.

Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah

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Hymntime. their version contains six verses, which is more verses than my familiar three.  Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah is a well-known song for me. 

Guide me, O Thou Great Jehovah is sometimes sung with the first line of Guide Me, O My great redeemer.   I don’t know if this is updated language or an original alteration.  Written by William Willams from Wales, he died on the same farm he grew up on.  A wanna-be doctor who became a preacher.  He wrote around 20 hymns.

Lyrics

Guide me, O Thou great Jehovah,
Pilgrim through this barren land.
I am weak, but Thou art mighty;
Hold me with Thy powerful hand.
Bread of Heaven, Bread of Heaven,
Feed me till I want no more;
Feed me till I want no more.

Feed me with the heavenly manna,
In this barren wilderness;
Be my sword, and shield, and banner—
Be my robe of righteousness.
Fight and conquer, fight and conquer
All my foes by sovereign grace,
All my foes by sovereign grace.*

Open now the crystal fountain,
Whence the healing stream doth flow;
Let the fire and cloudy pillar
Lead me all my journey through.
Strong deliverer, strong deliverer,
Be Thou still my strength and shield;
Be Thou still my strength and shield.

Lord, I trust Thy mighty power,
Wondrous are Thy works of old;
Thou deliver’st Thine from thralldom,
Who for naught themselves had sold:
Thou didst conquer, Thou didst conquer,
Sin, and Satan and the grave,
Sin, and Satan and the grave.

When I tread the verge of Jordan,
Bid my anxious fears subside;
Death of deaths, and hell’s destruction,
Land me safe on Canaan’s side.
Songs of praises, songs of praises,
I will ever give to Thee;
I will ever give to Thee.

Musing on my habitation,
Musing on my heav’nly home,
Fills my soul with holy longings:
Come, my Jesus, quickly come;
Vanity is all I see;
Lord, I long to be with Thee!
Lord, I long to be with Thee!

This is a tune I am not familiar with but I love listening to men sing. I hope you do too!  🙂

Another Year is Dawning

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Looking at the New Year coming, just around the corner and I got to thinking about a hymn I could put up. This song popped into my head as I was watching McGyver and Maddy was learning her hubby from days past has a new family. The years passed as he had a new family. Anyways, I don’t know why it spawned the song “Another Year is Dawning” in my head but it did. Ergo… I’m sharing it with you.

Lyrics

  1. Another year is dawning, dear Father, let it be
    In working or in waiting, another year with Thee;
    Another year of progress, another year of praise,
    Another year of proving Thy presence all the days.
  2. Another year of mercies, of faithfulness and grace,
    Another year of gladness in the shining of Thy face;
    Another year of leaning upon Thy loving breast;
    Another year of trusting, of quiet, happy rest.
  3. Another year of service, of witness for Thy love,
    Another year of training for holier work above;
    Another year is dawning, dear Father, let it be
    On earth, or else in Heaven, another year for Thee.

Frances Ridley Havergal is the author of this start of the year hymn.   I’ve written about her in these other hymn posts as well. 

Let All Things Now Living

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I was flipping through a hymnbook that is new to me and I was reminded of this living song and just had to share it with you.  I hope you like it as much as I do.  🙂  Let All Things Now Living, a song of thanksgiving.

Let all tlhings now living

Written by Katherine K Davis in 1939, Ms. Davis was an American woman who served as a teacher, classical music composer, and pianist.  She also wrote The Little Drummer Boy (one of my favourite Christmas Songs).  Born in Missouri she wrote her first composition at age 15.  She died in 1980 at age 82.  She willed all royalties from her music to Wellesley College where she was trained and taught.  This has been a good support to the music program there.

Lyrics

Let all things now living a song of thanksgiving
To God the creator triumphantly raise.
Who fashioned and made us, protected and stayed us,
Who still guides us on to the end of our days.
God’s banners are o’er us, His light goes before us,
A pillar of fire shining forth in the night.
Till shadows have vanished and darkness is banished
As forward we travel from light into light.

His law he enforces, the stars in their courses
And sun in its orbit obediently shine;
The hills and the mountains, the rivers and fountains,
The deeps of the ocean proclaim him divine.
We too should be voicing our love and rejoicing;
With glad adoration a Song let us raise
Till all things now living unite in thanksgiving:
“To God in the highest, Hosanna and praise!”