Brian Olson Devotional, Hymns, Worship

Draw Me Nearer Blessed Lord

I am Thine, O Lord, I have heard Thy voice,
And it told Thy love to me;
But I long to rise in the arms of faith
And be closer drawn to Thee.
Draw me nearer, nearer blessed Lord,
To the cross where Thou hast died.
Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer blessed Lord,
To Thy precious, bleeding side.

Consecrate me now to Thy service, Lord,
By the power of grace divine;
Let my soul look up with a steadfast hope,
And my will be lost in Thine.
Draw me nearer, nearer blessed Lord,
To the cross where Thou hast died.
Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer blessed Lord,
To Thy precious, bleeding side.

O the pure delight of a single hour
That before Thy throne I spend,
When I kneel in prayer, and with Thee, my God
I commune as friend with friend!
Draw me nearer, nearer blessed Lord,
To the cross where Thou hast died.
Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer blessed Lord,
To Thy precious, bleeding side.

There are depths of love that I cannot know
Till I cross the narrow sea;
There are heights of joy that I may not reach
Till I rest in peace with Thee.
Draw me nearer, nearer blessed Lord,
To the cross where Thou hast died.
Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer blessed Lord,
To Thy precious, bleeding side.

Words by Fanny Crosby, 1875
Music by W. Howard Doane, 1875

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you.
James 4:7 – 8

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Romans 12:1 – 2

This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil, where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.
Hebrews 6:19 – 20

let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings Hebrews 10:22

From the time we are young children, even before we can remember, our biggest comfort is found in being near to our parents. We’ve all seen it. A child is put to sleep but the minute they wake up and realize that they are alone they begin to cry. It is when a parent comes and picks them up that they begin to stop crying. It is the comfort they find from not being alone, from being drawn near to one who cares about them.

As we grow older we become more comfortable with separation, but we still have the tie that binds us to others. We still find comfort in knowing that those who care are near, even if we strain to keep a certain distance.

Even when we are grown and on our own things still remain the same. We may have lived on our own for years. We may be married and have our own children. But when something goes wrong, it is often to that same comfort to which we once again return. We draw near to those who love us.

In her hymn, “I Am Thine, O Lord” Fanny Crosby focuses on this basic desire within all of us, this desire to be drawn near to the one who cares for us.

She writes, “I am Thine, O Lord, I have heard Thy voice, And it told Thy love to me; But I long to rise in the arms of faith And be closer drawn to Thee.” God has called to us and those who have responded to the call have become part of His family. They are His. This is, however, only a beginning because knowing something and living something are two different things. That is, we know that we belong to God, but our greatest desire is to be held in His arms.

This is the place of comfort and safety that we all desire. James writes in chapter 4 verses 7 – 8 that if you, “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you.” When we begin to feel alone and distanced we can find the peace that comes only in God’s arms by drawing near to Him.

Our response to this peace we are drawn to is to serve Him. Crosby calls to God to “Consecrate me now to Thy service, Lord, By the power of grace divine; Let my soul look up with a steadfast hope, And my will be lost in Thine.”

You see, if it is the nearness of God that we truly seek, then how much more near can we be than to live in His will. Paul writes in Romans 12:1 – 2, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

When we draw near to God, we will be anchored in the steadfast hope that comes from Him. We are able to submit to Him. We are able to “present our bodies as a living sacrifice” so that we are able to “test and approve what God’s will is.” In Hebrews 6:19 we read, “This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast.”

So, “let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings.” (Hebrews 10:22) It is only then that we will truly understand the blessing of drawing near to God. It is then that we can sing the words, “O the pure delight of a single hour That before Thy throne I spend, When I kneel in prayer, and with Thee, my God
I commune as friend with friend!”

Read more about “I Am Thine, O Lord.”

Brian Olson Devotional, Hymns, Uncategorized, Worship

What Have I To Dread

What a fellowship, what a joy divine,
Leaning on the everlasting arms;
What a blessedness, what a peace is mine,
Leaning on the everlasting arms.
Leaning, leaning, safe and secure from all alarms;
Leaning, leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms.

O how sweet to walk in this pilgrim way,
Leaning on the everlasting arms;
O how bright the path grows from day to day,
Leaning on the everlasting arms.
Leaning, leaning, safe and secure from all alarms;
Leaning, leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms.

What have I to dread, what have I to fear,
Leaning on the everlasting arms;
I have blessed peace with my Lord so near,
Leaning on the everlasting arms.
Leaning, leaning, safe and secure from all alarms;
Leaning, leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms.

Words by Elisha A. Hoffman, 1887
Music by Anthony J. Showalter, 1887

The eternal God is your refuge, and his everlasting arms are under you.
Deuteronomy 33:27

Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
Psalm 23:4

The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace.
Psalm 29:11

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. . . For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.
Isaiah 41:10, 13

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.
Deuteronomy 31:6

We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world. Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love.
John 4:16 – 18

One of the things that I remember from growing up may seem a little strange and silly to a lot of people. At the top of the stairs in our house there was a cabinet that kept some of the nice dishes and other items. On the top shelf there was a cookie jar. It was shaped like a cow with a kitten sitting on its back. Now for some unknown reason, I not only did not like the jar, but I refused to go past the cabinet if I could see the cow. This was a problem, especially considering the fact that I had to pass the cabinet to get to my bedroom.

Well my older sister and brother came up with an interesting solution. They went up there with a couple of toy guns and “eliminated” my fear. Now the jar was still there, but for some reason I had a little less problem going by it, though sometimes, I may have been moving quickly.

Seems strange, but we all have fears. Most of them are irrational fears,or phobias. Fear of spiders, Fear of heights, Fear of crowds, Fear of cow shaped cookie jars. Sometimes these fears make us unable to move, sometimes we find strength from facing them.

Now not all fears are irrational. For instance, a fear of walking down a dark alley is actually a reasonable. It is a reminder that we need use common sense precautions in life. But in these cases, just like in the irrational ones, we need to find the strength to move past them.

In the hymn “Leaning On The Everlasting Arms” we read, “What have I to dread, what have I to fear?” It speaks with such confidence. But what is the source of this confidence to face fears. In Deuteronomy 31:6 we find the answer. It reads, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”

This same message is repeated in Isaiah 41:10 where God says, “do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” and in verse 13 he continues, “For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.”

God is the answer. He is the source of the strength to face our fears. He has promised that he will always be with us and will never leave us.

This strength is made available to each of us through His Son, Jesus Christ. John 4:17 – 18 tells us, “And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world. Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love.” The love of God that dwells in us, through our faith in Jesus Christ, will drive the fear away.

Yes there are still genuine dangers we need to be aware of in life, but it is not fear that should rule our response. When we realize that God holds our hand in His, then we sing the words, “ Leaning, leaning, safe and secure from all alarms; Leaning, leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms”

Read more about “Leaning On The Everlasting Arms.”

Brian Olson Devotional, Hymns, Worship

I Come To The Garden Alone

I come to the garden alone
While the dew is still on the roses
And the voice I hear falling on my ear
The Son of God discloses.
And He walks with me, and He talks with me,
And He tells me I am His own;
And the joy we share as we tarry there,
None other has ever known.

He speaks, and the sound of His voice,
Is so sweet the birds hush their singing,
And the melody that He gave to me
Within my heart is ringing.
And He walks with me, and He talks with me,
And He tells me I am His own;
And the joy we share as we tarry there,
None other has ever known.

I’d stay in the garden with Him
Though the night around me be falling,
But He bids me go; through the voice of woe
His voice to me is calling.
And He walks with me, and He talks with me,
And He tells me I am His own;
And the joy we share as we tarry there,
None other has ever known.

Words and Music by C. Austin Miles, 1912

 

He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”
Psalm 46:10

Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.
1 King 19:11 – 13

Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.
Luke 5:15 – 16

 

We live in a hectic and busy world.  It seems we always have something on our plate.  I know personally, those times when there is nothing on the schedule are few and far between.  Between working full-time (which typically pushes over 40 hours a week, being a leader in two separate youth organizations and ministry involvement, which includes both regular preaching and writing, I have very few down hours.  Add on top of that activities of for my wife and three children, there are times when having nothing to do is simply a fantasy.

Now, on those rare occasions when we do have free time, what do we do with it. We try to find other activities.  And if we are not doing something else, then we will often find ourselves with the television or radio going.  Down time is rare and silence almost seems taboo.

As I look at the words of Miles’ hymn, “In The Garden”  I am struck by the clear theme of peace and rest.  From the beginning we read,  “I come to the garden alone, while the dew is still on the roses.”  This is something we have lost, and something that we so desperately need.  Time set aside from the rush of activities and the constant barrage of noise.  This is what the Psalmist refers to when he writes, “Be still, and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10)

The distractions of our daily lives can so easily get in the way of knowing God. We do not take the time to listen for God’s voice.  We miss the sweet joy about which Miles writes, “And the voice I hear, falling on my ear, the Son of God discloses.” It is in the peace of the garden, when everything else is set aside, that we can hear God’s voice.  It is then that we can hear the gentle whisper of 1 Kings 19:11 – 13.

We all need time alone with God.  Jesus, the very Son of God, understood this need.  Luke 5:16 says, “But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.”  If Jesus saw this need, how much more do each of us need it as well.

Yes, we need to take time away from our hectic lives to be alone with God.  To listen for His voice. To know Him.  “In The Garden” reminds us that when we take this time, we can share the joy that can come only from walking and talking with our Lord alone.

 

 

 

Read more about “In The Garden.”

Brian Olson Devotional, Hymns, Worship

‘Tis So Sweet, To Trust In Jesus

’Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus,
And to take Him at His Word;
Just to rest upon His promise,
And to know, “Thus says the Lord!”
Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him!
How I’ve proved Him o’er and o’er
Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!
O for grace to trust Him more!

O how sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just to trust His cleansing blood;
And in simple faith to plunge me
’Neath the healing, cleansing flood!
Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him!
How I’ve proved Him o’er and o’er
Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!
O for grace to trust Him more!

Yes, ’tis sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just from sin and self to cease;
Just from Jesus simply taking
Life and rest, and joy and peace.
Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him!
How I’ve proved Him o’er and o’er
Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!
O for grace to trust Him more!

I’m so glad I learned to trust Thee,
Precious Jesus, Savior, Friend;
And I know that Thou art with me,
Wilt be with me to the end.
Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him!
How I’ve proved Him o’er and o’er
Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!
O for grace to trust Him more!

Words by Louisa M. R. Stead, 1882
Music by William J. Kirkpatrick

 

Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me.
John 14:1

In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.
Ephesians 1:11 – 14

And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Matthew 28:20

 

Why? This is a favorite question of little children. They want to learn. They want to understand things. But, there is something else that goes right along with their question, why. Little children seem willing to accept what they are told without further question. It does not cross their mind that the person giving them the answer may not be telling the truth. They simply trust.

Somewhere along the line, we loose this ability. Our default is no longer to trust, but to question. We view trust as something that is earned, not simply given. This is exemplified in the Russian proverb, “Trust, but verify.” It is commonly tied to President Ronald Reagan in association with his dealings with the Soviet Union. Simply put, it means that we want to trust what somebody tells us, but we need to have proof before we do.

The question is then, do we really trust? When we truly trust, there is a peace that comes from knowing we do not have to worry if we are being told the truth. This is the theme of Louisa Stead’s hymn, “ ‘Tis So Sweet, To Trust In Jesus.”

Stead writes, “just to take Him at His word..” Think about, what peace there really is when you do not have the need to question. I am not talking about questions of understanding, but of truth. The simple reality that you do not need to doubt that what you are being told is the truth.

For this reason Stead goes on the right, “And in simple faith.” That’s what trust boils down to, simple faith. But do we have faith because we trust, or do we trust because we have faith? If we do not have faith in the person, then we can not trust them, but how can we trust someone, if we do not have faith in them. These things seem to go hand in hand. Faith and trust are two sides of the same coin. This is why John 14:1 read, “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me.” in some translations and “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me.” in others.

So trust and faith (or belief) walk hand in hand. It is this trust that allows us to place faith in Jesus sacrifice for us. Because of this trust, I can turn my life over to Christ. I can rest in Him “Just from sin and self to cease.” So that I can get from Jesus, “Life and rest, and joy and peace.”

The Apostle Paul writes in Ephesians 1:13 – 14, “ When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession.”

We can trust in Jesus. So we are able to sing the final verse of this hymn.

“I’m so glad I learned to trust Thee,
Precious Jesus, Savior, Friend;
And I know that Thou art with me,
Wilt be with me to the end.”

 

 

Read more about, ” ‘Tis So Sweet, To Trust In Jesus.”

Brian Olson Devotional, Hymns, Worship

In Christ Alone

In Christ alone my hope is found;
He is my light, my strength, my song;
This cornerstone, this solid ground,
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My comforter, my all in all—
Here in the love of Christ I stand.

In Christ alone, Who took on flesh,
Fullness of God in helpless babe!
This gift of love and righteousness,
Scorned by the ones He came to save.
Till on that cross as Jesus died,
The wrath of God was satisfied;
For ev’ry sin on Him was laid—
Here in the death of Christ I live.

There in the ground His body lay,
Light of the world by darkness slain;
Then bursting forth in glorious day,
Up from the grave He rose again!
And as He stands in victory,
Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me;
For I am His and He is mine—
Bought with the precious blood of Christ.

No guilt in life, no fear in death—
This is the pow’r of Christ in me;
From life’s first cry to final breath,
Jesus commands my destiny.
No pow’r of hell, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from His hand;
Till He returns or calls me home—
Here in the pow’r of Christ I’ll stand.

“In Christ Alone”
Words and Music by Keith Getty & Stuart Townend
Copyright © 2001 Kingsway Thankyou Music

 

he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!
Philippians 2:7 – 8

For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also,as to one abnormally born.
1 Corinthians 15:3 – 8

I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”
John 10:28 – 30

 

“I believe in the future of (farming) agriculture, with a faith born not of words but of deeds – achievements won by the present and past generations of agriculturists; in the promise of better days through better ways, even as the better things we now enjoy have come to us from the struggles of former years.”

I learned these words thirty years ago when I joined the Future Farmers of America.  I can still quote them, partially due to my participation in the FFA creed speaking contest. These words were written to summarize what the FFA sought to instill in its members.  The beliefs it was built on.

In the same vein of thought, Getty and Townend present a  creed of the Christian faith with their hymn “In Christ Alone.”  They begin with the words, “In Christ alone my hope is found; He is my light, my strength, my song; This cornerstone, this solid ground, Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.” The very cornerstone of the Christian faith is Jesus Christ himself.  In Acts 4:11 Peters tells the leaders of Israel, “Jesus is ‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’”  

From here we are presented in verses 2 and 3 with a clear summary of the foundation of the Christian faith.  They write that Christ took on flesh, born as a baby, died on the cross, was laid in the grave and rose again. This reflects Philippians 2:8 where we read, “And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death. Additionally it reflects  1 Corinthians 15:3 – 4 where we read, “that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.”

The beauty of this hymn is found in its simple message.  The declaration that Christ alone is the foundation of our faith.  The birth, death and resurrection of Christ is all that matters.  When we place our faith in the knowledge of who Christ is and what he has done we can rest secure in the knowledge that we are His. In John 10:28 – 30 Jesus says, “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”

When we realize this, we can declare in strength and power, “No pow’r of hell, no scheme of man, Can ever pluck me from His hand; Till He returns or calls me home— Here in the pow’r of Christ I’ll stand.

 

Read more about “In Christ Alone.”

Brian Olson Devotional, Hymns, Worship

Be Thou My Vision

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.

Words by Dallan Forgaill, 8th Century (though some date it to the 6th Century)
Music by Irish Folk Melody

 

“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the door frames of your houses and on your gates.”
Deuteronomy 6:4 – 9

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. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil.
Proverbs 3:5 – 7

We were not looking for praise from people, not from you or anyone else, even though as apostles of Christ we could have asserted our authority.
1 Thessalonians 2:6

 

What does it take to become good at something?  Well there’s repetition.  We’ve all heard the old saying, “practice makes perfect.”  That is actually half-true, my high school band teacher used to correct it to be “perfect practice makes perfect.”  After all, if you practice the wrong thing, then you your simply going to get better at doing it wrong. In either case, what we see is that repetition allows us to make thing more automatic.

So maybe the key to getting better at something is to understand the theory behind what you are doing?  If you want to become better at basketball, simply randomly throwing the ball toward the basket may allow you to make it part of the time, but when you start to understand the arch of the ball and the angles off the back board, then you can begin to see how every movement impacts the shot. Armed with this knowledge, you will begin to modify your movements to improve your shots.

So repetition plays a role in getting better at something and understanding the theory behind the activity can help improve your performance.  I can think of a third means of getting better and that is necessity.  Think about learning a new language.  You can study the theory behind a language.  How does it work? What are the rules? And you can memorize the words through repetition.  But it you want to learn to speak a language naturally, then immersion is the way to go.  When you are dropped in a situation that the only way to communicate is to learn the language, then you are driven out of necessity to learn it.

Repetition, theory and necessity, these three things are key to becoming better at something.  To simplify it, I am left with one word, focus.  You see when I have a singular focus, then everything I do begins to be centered around what I want to improve in.  Singular focus begins to give us purpose and direction in all that we do.  This is the clear message behind the ancient prayer we know as “Be Thou My Vision.”

Forgaill writes, “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.”  Look at that again, “By day or by night, waking or sleeping, thy presence my light.”  As we hear these words we are reminded of the Shema, a central prayer of Judaism found in Deuteronomy 6:4 – 9.  Verse 6 – 9 read, “These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the door frames of your houses and on your gates.” Our focus is to be on God at all times, in all that we do.

When we can place our focus on God we begin to realize that others things are not important.  Forgaill writes, “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.”  A truth that the Apostle Paul understood.  In 1 Thessalonians 2:6 he writes, “We were not looking for praise from people, not from you or anyone else.”  If our focus is on God, then we are not distracted by the opinions of others.  Our actions are not determined by a concern of what others will think, but what God has called us to.

When we have a singular focus on God and his will for our lives, then we will grow in our relationship with Him.  We will become more Christ like each day.  As we grow, we join in the conclusion of this hymn, “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.”

 

 

Read more about “Be Thou My Vision.”

Brian Olson Devotional, Hymns, Worship

Abide With Me

Abide with me; fast falls the eventide;
The darkness deepens; Lord with me abide.
When other helpers fail and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, O abide with me.

Swift to its close ebbs out life’s little day;
Earth’s joys grow dim; its glories pass away;
Change and decay in all around I see;
O Thou who changest not, abide with me.

Not a brief glance I beg, a passing word;
But as Thou dwell’st with Thy disciples, Lord,
Familiar, condescending, patient, free.
Come not to sojourn, but abide with me.

Come not in terrors, as the King of kings,
But kind and good, with healing in Thy wings,
Tears for all woes, a heart for every plea—
Come, Friend of sinners, and thus bide with me.

Thou on my head in early youth didst smile;
And, though rebellious and perverse meanwhile,
Thou hast not left me, oft as I left Thee,
On to the close, O Lord, abide with me.

I need Thy presence every passing hour.
What but Thy grace can foil the tempter’s power?
Who, like Thyself, my guide and stay can be?
Through cloud and sunshine, Lord, abide with me.

I fear no foe, with Thee at hand to bless;
Ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness.
Where is death’s sting? Where, grave, thy victory?
I triumph still, if Thou abide with me.

Hold Thou Thy cross before my closing eyes;
Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies.
Heaven’s morning breaks, and earth’s vain shadows flee;
In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.

Words by Henry F. Lyte, 1861
Music by William H. Monk, 1861

 

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Deuteronomy 31:6

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
John 15:1 – 8

 

Have you ever found yourself left alone. I’m not talking about the idea of getting time to yourself, but the feeling of being abandoned. I remember a time while I was young when this happened.

I had attended a friend’s birthday party at a roller skating rink. Afterwards we stopped for ice cream. I stepped into the bathroom while everyone was ordering. When I came out everyone was gone. I went out to the car to find them just in time to see the car turn the corner and drive away. The driver believed I was in the full vehicle with everyone else.

As the ice cream parlor closed right behind me, I walked to another store that was still open. I asked if I would be able to use their phone. They allowed me to make the phone call. They later told my parents that it was normally against policy to let people use their phone, but I appeared about to burst into tears. When my parents arrived I was relieved beyond belief. They said the driver of the car had contacted them as soon as they realized I was not in the car. The driver may well have been more worried than I was, though at the time from my perspective, I don’t know that I would have believed it.

The feeling of being completely alone is not a feeling that any of us wants to fee, but this is a feeling that we can often feel in life. Sometime, we feel it even when we are surrounded by other people. It is this fear of being alone in life’s darkness and struggles that Henry Lyte lifts up in prayer through his hymn, “Abide With Me.”

Lyte writes, “Abide with me; fast falls the eventide; The darkness deepens; Lord with me abide. When other helpers fail and comforts flee, Help of the helpless, O abide with me.” When we find ourselves all alone, when it seems that everyone we turn to fails, where can we turn. As the fear grows within us that we have been abandoned, where can we find strength.

Deuteronomy 31:6 answers the question. It tells us to “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”

God is there when we feel alone. He is waiting for us to call on him. If we will “Draw near to God, He will draw near to (us)” (James 4:8) We do not need to feel alone. We can turn to Christ. He has told us in John 15:4, “ Remain in me, as I also remain in you.”

So when those times come that we feel alone, we turn to Christ who is always there. Christ, who will never leave nor forsake us.

It is with this in mind that we can sing this heartfelt prayer and declare, “I fear no foe, with Thee at hand to bless; Ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness. Where is death’s sting? Where, grave, thy victory? I triumph still, if Thou abide with me.”

 

 

Read more about “Abide With Me.”

Brian Olson Devotional, Hymns, Worship

Blessed Assurance

Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!
O what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.

This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior, all the day long;
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior, all the day long.

Perfect submission, perfect delight,
Visions of rapture now burst on my sight;
Angels descending bring from above
Echoes of mercy, whispers of love.

This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior, all the day long;
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior, all the day long.

Perfect submission, all is at rest
I in my Savior am happy and blest,
Watching and waiting, looking above,
Filled with His goodness, lost in His love.

This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior, all the day long;
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior, all the day long.

Words by Fanny Crosby, 1873
Music by Phoebe Knapp, 1873

 

Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.
Hebrews 10:19 – 23

Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.

For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry,“Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
Romans 8:12 – 17

Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.
Romans 8:33 – 34

 

Do you remember what it is like when you try something new for the first time? Hopefully we are all trying new things and stretching ourselves as much as we can. But maybe it will help to think back to when we were young, after all everything was new then. One of those new big things that almost all of us has expereinced is driving.
This is fresh in my mind not from having learnef to drive, but having an 18 year old son who has recently gone through it and a 14 year old son who is about to. It’s nerve racking from both sides without a doubt. But I came to realize that the best thing I could do was not simply correct their mistakes, but to affirm what they do right and reassure them that they can do it.

You see, when we are trying hard and simply keep struggling we can quickly become discouraged and see no hope. But when we have someone come along side of us, place their hand on our should and tell us, “It’s okay, you are not alone. You can do this, just give it another try.” we find the strength to go on. That assurance can mean everything.

This is the message that Fanny Crosby relates to us in her hymn, “Blessed Assurance.” We all know how hard this life is. Every day the struggles can seem to get worse. Sometimes we don’t know how we are going to go on. Now your probably expecting me to say that Jesus is the answer. Well, He is, but I am not simply saying “let go, let God.” Even as believers there are times that we can become so burdened down that we loose sight of God, and “sound bite” answers simply do not give us assurance.

So how do we find that assurance that can so easily evade us? How do we remind ourselves that God is there? The answer is found in God’s Word, the Bible.

When we turn to Hebrews 10 verses 19 we are reminded that “we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus.” You see one of the barriers that stands in our way is that we do not turn to God because we are so distracted by our struggles, and often because we feel unworthy to come before Him. But we are reminded that we may enter His presence with confidence.

We are children of God who can come to our father. Romans 8:15 – 17 tells us, ” the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry,’Abba, Father.’ The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ.”

Chapter 8 continues to tell us in verse 33 – 34 that if we an then children of God, “Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.”

No, as hard as the struggles we face are, we are not alone. Christ interceded for us. We as little children may come before our
Father and He will hear us. When we are reminded of this, that we may “draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings.” (Hebrew 10:22)

God has given us that needed reassurance in His Word. Now that We indeed have this assurance, we can join with the words of Fanny Crosby declaring, “Pefect submission, all is at rest. I in my savior, am happy and blest.”

 

 

Read more about “Blessed Assurance.”

Brian Olson Devotional, Hymns, Worship

Holy, Holy, Holy

Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
Early in the morning our song shall rise to Thee;
Holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty!
God in three Persons, blessed Trinity!

Holy, holy, holy! All the saints adore Thee,
Casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea;
Cherubim and seraphim falling down before Thee,
Who was, and is, and evermore shall be.

Holy, holy, holy! though the darkness hide Thee,
Though the eye of sinful man Thy glory may not see;
Only Thou art holy; there is none beside Thee,
Perfect in power, in love, and purity.

Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
All Thy works shall praise Thy Name, in earth, and sky, and sea;
Holy, holy, holy; merciful and mighty!
God in three Persons, blessed Trinity!

Words by Reginald Heber, 1826
Music by John Dykes, 1861

 

. . . At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. . . Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads. . . Also in front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal.

In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying:

“‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,’ who was, and is, and is to come.”

Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say:

“You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.”
Revelation 4:1 – 11

. . . I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. Above it stood the seraphim: each one had six wings; with two they covered their face, and with two they covered their feet, and with two they did fly.

And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. . .

Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.

Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar: And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this has touched your lips; and your iniquity is taken away, and your sin removed.
Isaiah 6:1 – 7

 

I remember visiting my grandparents house when I was young. We would go there for Thanksgiving, Christmas, sometimes Easter as well as other times. One of the things that was always a given was a big meal. For the holidays there was always a big meal, but even if we were there only for the weekend, we would always have a big Sunday dinner.

Now my grandmother had a china cabinet (though I don’t remember it having china) that the dishes were kept in. We would pull out the dishes and set the table. For big family get togethers we would set a second table. Sometimes we stretched the dishes to the limit, using everything available in the cabinet.

But these were not the only dishes my grandmother had. Hanging on the wall in the dining room she had a collection of tea cups. These, however, were special. She had collected the. and they were never used. After my grandmother passed away these cups were distributed to family. I have one, and I as well do not use it, it sits on a shelf as a reminder of my grandmother each time I see it. It is set apart.

“Set apart” This is the meaning of he word Holy, and so is the theme of Reginald Heber’s hymn, “Holy, Holy, Holy.” Heber begins his hymn with the words, “Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty!” These words may be familiar to many. In Revelation 4:8 the angels around the throne declares, “‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,’ who was, and is, and is to come.” They are echoing the words of the angels around the throne in Isaiah 6:3 where they declare, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.”

Think about, the angels themselves, who are in the very presence of God cannot help but declare that God is set apart. He is above and beyond all of creation. He is Holy. But they do not simply declare Him holy, but do it three-fold. The three-fold formula is a declaration that God is not simply holy, but perfectly holy. And so over and over again, in his hymn, Heber proclaims that God is perfectly holy.

How humbling and frightening this can be. I mean if the seraphim and cherubim who are in God’s very presence bow before Him declaring his holiness and the twenty-four elders of Revelation 4:10 fall down and cast their crowns before Him, what can I do. As Heber puts it, “Though the eye of sinful man Thy glory may not see.”

So when I find myself coming before the Lord, I am with Isaiah who says, “Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.” (Isaiah 6:5) What am I to do?

There is hope. For Isaiah the angel touched his lips with a coal from from the altar of God and he is told, “this has touched your lips; and your iniquity is taken away, and your sin removed.” But what of us?

Our hope is in Jesus Christ. “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.” (1 Peter 3:18) Because of this, if we “declare with our mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in our heart that God raised him from the dead, we will be saved.” (Romans 10:9) As a result, we need not fear standing before God, but we may “come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace “ (Hebrews 4:16)

Yes, we who have believed in Christ. We who have been baptized “ in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit” ( Matthew 28:19) into Christ death and resurrection (Romans 6:3) need not fear being in the presence of a perfectly holy God. Instead we may join with that great chorus of voices testifying, “Holy, holy, holy; merciful and mighty! God in three Persons, blessed Trinity!”

 

 

Read more about “Holy, Holy, Holy.”