Saturday, February 18, 2006
Friday, February 10, 2006
Friday Hymn: The Solid Rock
I will devote Friday entries to God-centered, theologically sound hymns. This week, I decided to post one of my favorite hymns, The Solid Rock, reminding us that only Christ alone is our hope (1 Tim. 1:1, 4:10), our rock (1 Cor. 10:4), and our firm foundation (Eph. 2:20).
My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly trust in Jesus’ Name.
Refrain
On Christ the solid Rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand;
All other ground is sinking sand.
When darkness seems to hide His face,
I rest on His unchanging grace.
In every high and stormy gale,
My anchor holds within the veil.
Refrain
His oath, His covenant, His blood,
Support me in the whelming flood.
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my Hope and Stay.
Refrain
When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh may I then in Him be found.
Dressed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne.
Refrain
(Words: Edward Mote, circa 1834; Music: William B. Bradbury, 1863.)
(Source: The Cyber Hymnal)
My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly trust in Jesus’ Name.
Refrain
On Christ the solid Rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand;
All other ground is sinking sand.
When darkness seems to hide His face,
I rest on His unchanging grace.
In every high and stormy gale,
My anchor holds within the veil.
Refrain
His oath, His covenant, His blood,
Support me in the whelming flood.
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my Hope and Stay.
Refrain
When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh may I then in Him be found.
Dressed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne.
Refrain
(Words: Edward Mote, circa 1834; Music: William B. Bradbury, 1863.)
One morning it came into my mind as I went to labour, to write an hymn on the ‘Gracious Experience of a Christian.’ As I went up Holborn I had the chorus,
‘On Christ the solid Rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand.’
In the day I had four first verses complete, and wrote them off. On the Sabbath following I met brother King as I came out of Lisle Street Meeting…who informed me that his wife was very ill, and asked me to call and see her. I had an early tea, and called afterwards. He said that it was his usual custom to sing a hymn, read a portion, and engage in prayer, before he went to meeting. He looked for his hymn-book but could find it nowhere. I said, ‘I have some verses in my pocket; if he liked, we would sing them.’ We did, and his wife enjoyed them so much, that after service he asked me, as a favour, to leave a copy of them for his wife. I went home, and by the fireside composed the last two verses, wrote the whole off, and took them to sister King…As these verses so met the dying woman’s case, my attention to them was the more arrested, and I had a thousand printed for distribution. I sent one to the Spiritual Magazine, without my initials, which appeared some time after this. Brother Rees, of Crown Street, Soho, brought out an edition of hymns [1836], and this hymn was in it. David Denham introduced it [1837] with Rees’ name, and others after…Your inserting this brief outline may in future shield me from the charge of stealth, and be a vindication of truthfulness in my connection with the Church of God.
Edward Mote
Letter to the Gospel Herald
(Source: The Cyber Hymnal)
Wednesday, February 08, 2006
Being Mocked: The Essence of Christ’s Work, Not Muhammad’s
Considering the Islamic demonstrations regarding the Danish cartoons of Muhammad, here's an interesting take on this matter from John Piper:
The complete article can be read here.
The work of Muhammad is based on being honored and the work of Christ is based on being insulted. This produces two very different reactions to mockery. If Christ had not been insulted, there would be no salvation. This was his saving work: to be insulted and die to rescue sinners from the wrath of God...
If Christ did his work by being insulted, we must do ours likewise... What does this mean? It means that a religion with no insulted Savior will not endure insults to win the scoffers... It means that Jesus Christ is still the only hope of peace with God and peace with man. And it means that his followers must be willing to “share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death” (Philippians 3:10).
The complete article can be read here.
Monday, February 06, 2006
The Emerging Church Paradigm
More on the Emerging Church movement from the TMS Faculty. Dr. Larry Pettegrew on The Emerging Church Paradigm.
Friday, February 03, 2006
C.J.'s 10 Most Influential Books
C.J. Mahaney's ten most influential books:
(Source: Reformation 21 Blog)
1. Knowing God by J.I. Packer
2. The Holiness of God by R.C. Sproul
3. The Cross of Christ by John Stott
4. The Cross and Christian Ministry by D. A. Carson (must reading for every pastor)
5. John Owen on the Christian Life by Sinclair B. Ferguson and Temptation and Sin (Volume 6) by John Owen
6. The Forgotten Spurgeon by Iain Murray (must reading for every pastor)
7. The Journal of Biblical Counseling edited by David Powlison (must reading for every pastor)
8. Instruments in the Redeemer’s Hands by Paul Tripp (must reading for every pastor)
9. Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood edited by John Piper and Wayne Grudem (must reading for every pastor)
10. The Days Are Just Packed: A Calvin and Hobbes Collection by Bill Watterson (must reading for every pastor)
And the list could just go on and on although I would agree with the wise counsel of Richard Baxter:
“It is not the reading of many books which is necessary to make one wise, but the well-reading of a few, could they be sure to be the best.”
(Source: Reformation 21 Blog)