Sunday Worship: Light in the Darkness
The blasts of chill December sound
The farewell of the year,
And night's swift shadows gath'ring round
O'er cloud the soul with fear;
But rest you well, good Christian men,
Nor be of heart forlorn;
December's darkness begins again
The Light of Christmas morn.
The welcome snow at Christmas-tyde
Falls shining from the skies:
On village paths and uplands wide
All holy-white it lies;
It crowns with pearl the oaks and pines,
And glitters on the thorn,
And purer is the Light that shines
On gladsome Christmas morn.
'Twas when the world was waxing old,
And night on Bethlehem lay,
The shepherds saw the heavens unfold
A light beyond the day;
Such glory ne'er had visited
A world with sin outworn;
But yet more glorious Light is shed
On happy Christmas morn.
Those shepherds poor, how blest were they
The angels' song to hear!
In manger cradle as He lay,
To greet their Lord so dear!
The Lord of Heaven's eternal height
For us a Child was born:
And He, the very Light of Light,
Shone forth that Christmas morn!
Before His Infant smile afar
Were driven the hosts of hell;
And still in souls that childlike are
His guardian Love shall dwell:
O then rejoice, good Christian men,
Nor be of hear forlorn;
December's darkness bring again
The Light of Christmas morn.
Cline, N. (1928). Lyrics of Light and Life: Light in the Darkness. In Christmas carols (pp. 57–59). essay, G.G. Harrap & Co. Ltd.
I Surrender All
Ah, Sunday. A day of focused worship. A day of rest. Today, spend some time in praise and worship of our Lord. Be refreshed in His Word. Sing to Him. Let your worship be a fragrant offering to the Lord.
All to Jesus I surrender,
All to Him I freely give;
I will ever love and trust Him,
In His presence daily live.
Refrain:
I surrender all,
I surrender all;
All to Thee, my blessed Savior,
I surrender all.
All to Jesus I surrender,
Humbly at His feet I bow;
Worldly pleasures all forsaken,
Take me, Jesus, take me now.
All to Jesus I surrender,
Make me, Savior, wholly Thine;
Let me feel the Holy Spirit,
Truly know that Thou art mine.
All to Jesus I surrender,
Lord, I give myself to Thee;
Fill me with Thy love and power,
Let Thy blessing fall on me.
All to Jesus I surrender,
Now I feel the sacred flame;
Oh, the joy of full salvation!
Glory, glory, to His Name!
Judson W. Van DeVenter, 1896
My Jesus I Love Thee-Sunday Worship
My Jesus, I love thee, I know thou art mine;
for thee all the follies of sin I resign;
my gracious Redeemer, my Savior art thou;
if ever I loved thee, my Jesus, 'tis now.
I love thee because thou hast first loved me
and purchased my pardon on Calvary's tree;
I love thee for wearing the thorns on thy brow;
if ever I loved thee, my Jesus, 'tis now.
I'll love thee in life, I will love thee in death,
and praise thee as long as thou lendest me breath,
and say when the deathdew lies cold on my brow:
If ever I loved thee, my Jesus, 'tis now.
In mansions of glory and endless delight,
I'll ever adore thee in heaven so bright;
I'll sing with the glittering crown on my brow:
If ever I loved thee, my Jesus, 'tis now.
William R. Featherston (1862)
public domain
Sunday Worship-Nothing But the Blood of Jesus
What can wash away my sin
Nothing but the blood of Jesus
What can make me whole again
Nothing but the blood of Jesus
For my pardon, this I see
Nothing but the blood of Jesus
For my cleansing this my plea
Nothing but the blood of Jesus
Nothing can for sin atone
Nothing but the blood of Jesus
Naught of good that I have done
Nothing but the blood of Jesus
This is all my hope and peace
Nothing but the blood of Jesus
This is all my righteousness
Nothing but the blood of Jesus
Oh, precious is the flow
That makes me white as snow
Oh, no other fount I know
Nothing but the blood of Jesus
Robert Lowry- 1876
Sunday Worship
Autumn is a beautiful season. The colors explode and everything seems to glow with a golden glory that only our Creator could design. His artistry is on full display. What a great time to ponder His goodness, His power, and His love displayed to us in such vibrant, colorful ways! Why not take some time to sit outside or take a walk in nature and listen to this hymn. Worship Him in spirit and in truth.
For the Beauty of the Earth
Folliott Sandford Pierpoint (1864)
For the beauty of the earth,
for the glory of the skies,
for the love which from our birth
over and around us lies.
Christ, our Lord, to you we raise
this, our hymn of grateful praise.
For the wonder of each hour
of the day and of the night,
hill and vale and tree and flower,
sun and moon and stars of light,
Christ, our Lord, to you we raise
this, our hymn of grateful praise.
For the joy of human love,
brother, sister, parent, child,
friends on earth, and friends above,
for all gentle thoughts and mild,
Christ, our Lord, to you we raise
this, our hymn of grateful praise.
For yourself, best gift divine,
to the world so freely given,
agent of God's grand design:
peace on earth and joy in heaven.
Christ, our Lord, to you we raise
this, our hymn of grateful praise.
Sunday Worship
Before the day's last moments fly,
Maker of all, to you we cry;
Beneath your kind protection take,
and shield us for your mercy's sake.
Let no ill dreams, our souls alarm,
No power of night approach to harm;
Let us lie down and take our rest
In knowledge that your love is best.
Father of mercies, hear our cry;
Oh hear, co-equal Son most high:
Whom with the Spirit we adore,
One only God for evermore.
Based on an anonymous text from the 7th or 17th century, translated by Robert Campbell (1814-1868)
gleaned from: https://www.godsongs.net/2014/02/before-the-days-last-moments-fly.html
Sunday Worship
Colossians 3:15-17 “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
Today, let peace rule in your heart. Be thankful. Let the gospel speak loudly from your life, your words and your actions and take every opportunity to encourage one another.
Be intentional to take time to worship and be still. Enjoy a Sabbath rest.
Sunday Worship
Psalm 57:7-11
“My heart, O God, is steadfast,
my heart is steadfast;”
“I will sing and make music.
Awake, my soul!
Awake, harp and lyre!
I will awaken the dawn.”
“I will praise you, Lord, among the nations;
I will sing of you among the peoples.”
”For great is your love, reaching to the heavens;
your faithfulness reaches to the skies.”
“Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
let your glory be over all the earth.”
Sunday Worship
Hymn: We Walk By Faith, Frances J. Crosby, 1885
We walk by faith, and, oh, how sweet
The flow’rs that grow beneath our feet,
And fragrance breathe along the way
That leads the soul to endless day.
Refrain:
We walk by faith, but not alone,
Our Shepherd’s tender voice we hear,
And feel His hand within our own,
And know that He is always near.
We walk by faith; He wills it so,
And marks the path that we should go;
And when at times our sky is dim,
He gently draws us close to Him.
We walk by faith, divinely blest;
On Him we lean, in Him we rest;
The more we trust our Shepherd’s care,
The more His love is ours to share.
And thus by faith till life shall end
We’ll walk with Him, our dearest Friend,
Till safe we tread the fields of light,
Where faith is lost in perfect sight.
Sunday Worship: Sitting at the Feet of Jesus
Sitting at the feet of Jesus
Oh, what words I hear Him say!
Happy place, so near, so precious!
May it find me there each day
Sitting at the feet of Jesus
I would look upon the past
For His love has been so gracious
It has won my heart at last
Sitting at the feet of Jesus
Where can mortals be more bless
There I lay my sins and sorrows
And when weary find sweet rest
Sitting at the feet of Jesus
There I love to weep and pray
While I from His fullness gather
Grace and comfort every day
Bless me, O my Savior, bless me
As I sit low at Thy feet
Oh, look down in love upon me
Let me see Thy face so sweet
Give me, Lord, the mind of Jesus
Make me holy as He is
May I prove I've been with Jesus
Who is all my righteousness
He is all my righteousness
He is all my righteousness
Hymn by Joseph L. Hall, 1868
Sunday Worship: Meeting God
Today, as you worship and rest, take a moment to ponder this Puritan Prayer.
Meeting God
Great God, in public and private, in sanctuary and home, may my life be steeped in prayer, filled with the spirit of grace and supplication, each prayer perfumed with the incense of atoning blood. Help me, defend me, until from praying ground I pass to the realm of unceasing praise. Urged by my need, invited by Your promises, called by Your Spirit, I enter Your presence, worshipping You with godly fear, awed by Your majesty, greatness, glory, but encouraged by Your love.
I am all poverty as well as all guilt, having nothing of my own with which to repay You, but I bring Jesus to You in the arms of faith, pleading His righteousness to offset my iniquities, rejoicing that He will weigh down the scales for me, and satisfy Your justice. I bless You that great sin draws out great grace, that, although the least sin deserves infinite punishment because done against an infinite God, yet there is mercy for me, for where guilt is most terrible, there Your mercy in Christ is most free and deep. Bless me by revealing to me more of His saving merits, by causing Your goodness to pass before me, by speaking peace to my contrite heart; strengthen me to give You no rest untiI Christ shall reign supreme within me in every thought, word, and deed, in a faith that purifies the heart, overcomes the world, works by love, fastens me to You, and ever clings to the cross.
Eternal Life Ministries. (n.d.). Puritan Prayers. https://eternallifeministries.org/prayers.htm#Longings%20after%20God.
Sunday Worship: The Deeps- A Puritan Prayer
Lord Jesus, give me a deeper repentance, a horror of sin, a dread of its approach. Help me chastely to flee it and jealously to resolve that my heart shall be Thine alone.
Give me a deeper trust, that I may lose myself to find myself in Thee, the ground of my rest, the spring of my being. Give me a deeper knowledge of Thyself as saviour, master, lord, and king. Give me deeper power in private prayer, more sweetness in Thy Word, more steadfast grip on its truth. Give me deeper holiness in speech, thought, action, and let me not seek moral virtue apart from Thee.
Plough deep in me, great Lord, heavenly husbandman, that my being may be a tilled field, the roots of grace spreading far and wide, until Thou alone art seen in me, Thy beauty golden like summer harvest, Thy fruitfulness as autumn plenty.
I have no master but Thee, no law but Thy will, no delight but Thyself, no wealth but that Thou givest, no good but that Thou blessest, no peace but that Thou bestowest. I am nothing but that Thou makest me. I have nothing but that I receive from Thee. I can be nothing but that grace adorns me. Quarry me deep, dear Lord, and then fill me to overflowing with living water.
From: The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions, edited by Arthur Bennett.