O Jesus, I Have Promised

SONG WRITER: John Bode       

MUSIC WRITER: Arthur Mann         

HYMN HISTORY: John Ernest Bode was an Anglican clergyman serving a small parish near Cambridge, England when his three children, a daughter and two sons, were ready for confirmation.  Bode not only presided over their confirmation, but also wrote this hymn especially for the occasion –– telling the children that the hymn included "all the important truths I want you to remember." 

The hymn was originally, "O Jesus, We Have Promised" –– in view of the fact that more than one child was involved in the confirmation.  Changed to "O Jesus, I Have Promised," it serves as a fitting hymn of commitment for every Christian.  It not only reminds us of the promises that we have made to Jesus, but it also asks Jesus to protect us from the dangers and temptations posed by the world –– and it reminds us that Jesus has made promises too –– that Jesus promised that we will live with him in glory.

BIBLE VERSE:      Hebrews 6:11 – “And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope until the end.”

HYMN LYRICS:

O Jesus, I have promised
  To serve Thee to the end;
Be Thou forever near me,
  My Master and my Friend;
I shall not fear the battle
  If Thou art by my side,
Nor wander from the pathway
  If Thou wilt be my Guide.

Oh, let me feel Thee near me;
  The world is ever near;
I see the sights that dazzle,
  The tempting sounds I hear;
My foes are ever near me,
  Around me and within;
But, Jesus, draw Thou nearer,
  And shield my soul from sin.

O Jesus, Thou hast promised
  To all who follow Thee
That where Thou art in glory
  There shall Thy servant be;
And Jesus, I have promised
  To serve Thee to the end;
Oh, give me grace to follow,
  My Master and my Friend.

Leaning on the Everlasting Arms

MUSIC WRITTEN BY: Anthony Showalter         

WORDS WRITTEN BY: Elisha Hoffman

HYMN HISTORY: In 1887 Anthony J. Showalter had received some sad news from friends about loved ones who had died;  and in his reply letter he included the verse, Deuteronomy 33: 27.  “The eternal God is your refuge, And underneath are the everlasting arms; He will thrust out the enemy from before you, And will say, ‘Destroy”.

But after thinking on the verse even more he thought that those words would be a great theme for a hymn.  He immediately wrote the words for the refrain and music for the hymn we are about to sing.  But he needed help for with the stanzas so he went to see Elisha Hoffman author of over 2000 gospel hymns.  Hoffman provided the stanzas and Showalter the refrain and music to this hymn

HYMN LYRICS:

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.

Refrain:
Leaning, leaning, safe and secure from all alarms;
Leaning, leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms.

Oh, how sweet to walk in this pilgrim way,

Leaning on the everlasting arms;

Oh, how bright the path grows from day to day,

Leaning on the everlasting arms.

Refrain:
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.

Refrain:
Leaning, leaning, safe and secure from all alarms;
Leaning, leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms.

Blessed Assurance

SONG WRITER: Fanny Crosby                        

MUSIC BY: Phoebe Knapp

HYMN HISTORY:  Not much is known of the background of this Fanny Crosby hymn, "Blessed Assurance, Jesus is Mine."  Fanny tells this one story about the hymn.  Mrs. Joseph Fairchild Knapp, wife of the organizer of the Metropolitan Life Insurance company, went to visit her and get an opinion of a tune Mrs. Knapp had written.  "What does it say to you, Fanny?" she asked.  Fanny's answer was "Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine."  And then a few minutes later she handed to Mrs. Knapp the completed lyrics of the hymn.  The tune and the lyrics were put together and are still sung today.

Fanny Crosby wrote over 8000 hymns.  She said about her blindness, "The first face ever to gladden my sight will be when I get to heaven and behold the face of the One who died for me. . . .  I verily believe that God intended that I should live my days in physical darkness so that I might be better prepared to sing His praise and lead others from spiritual darkness into eternal light.  With sight I would have been too distracted to have written thousands of hymns."

BIBLE VERSE:      Hebrews 10:22 – “let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.”

HYMN LYRICS:

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

refrain:
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;
Angles descending, bring from above
Echoes of mercy, whispers of love.

refrain:
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.

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

Just As I Am

SONG WRITER: Charlotte Elliott

MUSIC BY: William Bradbury 

WHEN WRITTEN: 1834

HYMN HISTORY:  The invalid Charlotte Elliot, was aghast that anyone would ask about the condition of her soul. But in May, 1822, that is what the visitor, Dr. Cesar Malan, asked of her. Later in the visit she apologized to her guest and said, “I am sorry for my rudeness. Actually I would like to come to Christ, but I do not know how to find him.” Dr. Malan knew that she had been relying on her own efforts for her salvation from sin and so replied, “come just as you are. Cut the cable; it will take too long to unloose it. It is small loss anyway.” Twelve years later, in 1834, Charlotte was unable to help in fund raising effort in which her brother was involved. Her thoughts were of her useless invalid condition, but then her thoughts turned to God’s grace. She thought of how God saved her and keeps her and these thoughts inspired her to write a poem about the gospel of pardon, peace, and heaven; “Just as I Am, Without One Plea.”

BIBLE VERSE:      John 6:37  - “All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.”

HYMN LYRICS:

Just as I am, without one plea,
But that thy blood was shed for me,
And that thou biddest me come to thee,
O Lamb of God, I come! I come!

Just as I am and waiting not,

To rid my soul of one dark blot,

Fightings and fears within, without,

O Lamb of God, I come! I come!

Just as I am, tho tossed about
With many a conflict, many a doubt,
Fightings within and fears without,
O Lamb of God, I come! I come!

Just as I am, poor, wretched, blind –

Sight, riches, healing of the mind,

Yea all I need in Thee to find -

Yea all I need in Thee to find –    

O Lamb of God, I come! I come!                                                                                                

Just as I am, thou wilt receive,
wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve,
Because thy promise I believe,
O Lamb of God I come! I come!

You Are My Hiding Place

SONG WRITER: Michael Ledner     
     
HYMN HISTORY: The author, Michael Ledner, composed "You Are My Hiding Place" at the age of 27 when he was going through a painful period in his life, a period of separation from his wife. He shared the song with several friends, made a recording of it, and set it aside. Nine months later he shared the song with a group while they were serving at a kibbutz (communal settlement) in Israel. These friends took the song back with them to California, and after it was sung there, Michael was contacted by Maranantha! Music who wished to record "You Are My Hiding Place."

BIBLE VERSES:  

"You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance." -- Psalm 32:7 (NIV)

"When I am afraid, I will trust in you." -- Psalm 56:3 (NIV) 

"But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, I am strong." -- 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (NIV)

HYMN LYRICS:

You are my hiding place
You always fill my heart with songs

of deliverance
Whenever I am afraid
I will trust in You

I will trust in You
Let the weak say
I am strong
In the strength of the Lord

You are my hiding place
You always fill my heart with songs

of deliverance
Whenever I am afraid
I will trust in You

I will trust in You
Let the weak say I am strong
In the strength of the Lord
I will trust in You

Abide With Me

SONG & MUSIC WRITER: Paul Rader   
                    
HYMN HISTORY: Henry F. Lyte was a man who greatly loved the Lord with his whole being. He came up with the saying, “It is better to wear out than to rust out,” and it perfectly described his life.
During the last 23 years of his life he pastored a poor church in England. His always suffered from poor health but during this time his health started to decline even more. Finally on September 4, 1847 he preached his last sermon to his congregation. He was in need of the warmer climate of Italy. His final sermon made a deep impression to his congregation. It has been described that he had to practically crawl up to the pulpit that day. He said during his sermon that it was his desire to “induce you to prepare for the solemn hour which must come to all by a timely appreciation and dependence on the death of Christ.” He never was able to make his trip to Italy, he died on the journey. Shortly before preaching his last sermon he wrote the words and tune to the hymn, “Abide With Me.” He based his hymn on the text which tells the story of Christ on the way to Emmaus and the disciples statement, “Abide with us: for it is toward evening and the day is far spent.”
  

BIBLE VERSE:      John 15:4 – “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.”  ESV

HYMN LYRICS:
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!

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?
Thru cloud and sunshine, O abide with me!

Hold Thou Thy word before my closing eyes,
Shine thru 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!

My Faith Looks Up to Thee

WORDS BY: Ray Palmer

MUSIC BY: Lowell Mason

HYMN HISTORY –  Mrs. Lay­yah Bar­a­kat, a na­tive of Syr­ia, was ed­u­cat­ed in Bei­rut and then taught for a time in Egypt. Driv­en out in 1882 by the in­sur­rect­ion of Ara­bi Pa­sha, she, with her hus­band and child, came to Amer­i­ca by way of Mal­ta and Mar­seilles. Her his­to­ry is a strange il­lus­tra­tion of God’s pro­vi­den­tial care, as they were with­out any di­rect­ion or friends in Phil­a­del­phia when they land­ed. But the Lord took them into His own keep­ing, and brought them to those who had known of her in Syr­ia. While in this coun­try she fre­quent­ly ad­dressed large au­di­enc­es, to whom her deep ear­nest­ness and brok­en but pi­quant Eng­lish proved un­u­su­al­ly at­tract­ive. Among other in­ci­dents she re­lat­ed that she had been per­mit­ted to see the con­ver­sion of her whole fam­i­ly, who were Mar­o­nites of Mount Le­ba­non. Her mother, six­ty-two years of age, had been taught ‘My Faith Looks Up to Thee’ in Ar­a­bic. They would sit on the house roof and re­peat it to­ge­ther; and when the news came back to Syr­ia that the daugh­ter was safe in Amer­i­ca, the mo­ther could send her no bet­ter proof of her faith and love than in the beau­ti­ful words of this hymn, as­sur­ing her that her faith still looked up to Christ.

BIBLE VERSE:  Ephesians 3:12 – “Through faith in Him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.”

HYMN LYRICS:

My faith looks up to Thee,
Thou Lamb of Calvary, Savior divine!
Now hear me while I pray, take all my guilt away,
O let me from this day be wholly Thine!

May Thy rich grace impart
Strength to my fainting heart, my zeal inspire!
As Thou hast died for me, O may my love to Thee,
Pure warm, and changeless be, a living fire!

While life’s dark maze I tread,
And griefs around me spread, be Thou my Guide;
Bid darkness turn to day, wipe sorrow’s tears away,
Nor let me ever stray from Thee aside.

When ends life’s transient dream,
When death’s cold sullen stream over me roll;
Blest Savior, then in love, fear and distrust remove;
O bear me safe above, a ransomed soul!

Have Thine Own Way

SONG WRITER: Adelaide Pollard    
            
HYMN HISTORY: In 1902, Adelaide A. Pollard, a Bible teacher and hymn writer, was hoping to go to Africa as a missionary but found herself unable to raise the needed funds to make the journey. Greatly discouraged, she attended a prayer service one evening and as she sat there, she overheard an elderly woman say "It really doesn't matter what you do with us, Lord, just have your own way with our lives." The elderly woman inspired Pollard and she contemplated the story of the potter from Jeremiah 18:3 and, upon her return home that evening, wrote all four stanzas before retiring for the night.

BIBLE VERSE:  "But now, O Lord, Thou art our Father; we are the clay, and Thou our potter; and we all are the work of Thy hand." Isaiah 64:8

HYMN LYRICS:
Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!
Thou art the Potter, I am the clay.
Mold me and make me after Thy will,
While I am waiting, yielded and still.

Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!                                                                               Search me and try me, Master, today!
Whiter than snow, Lord, wash me just now,
As in Thy presence humbly I bow.

Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!
Wounded and weary, help me, I pray!
Power, all power, surely is Thine!
Touch me and heal me, Savior divine.

Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!
Hold o’er my being absolute sway!
Fill with Thy Spirit ’till all shall see
Christ only, always, living in me.

I Surrender All

SONG WRITER: Judson VanDeVenter                        

MUSIC BY: Winfield Weeden

HYMN HISTORY:  Van De Venter was involved in his church through counseling and personal work when his friends urged him to give up teaching and become an evangelist.  For five years he wavered in his decision.  He wrote: "At last the pivotal hour of my life came and I surrendered all.  A new day was ushered into my life.  I became an evangelist and discovered down deep in my soul a talent hitherto unknown to me.  God had hidden a song in my heart, and a touching chord He caused me to sing songs I had never sung before."  Shortly after this time J. W. Van De Venter wrote the hymn, "I Surrender All."

BIBLE VERSE:   1 Corinthians 13:3 – “If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.”  NIV

HYMN LYRICS:

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.

Refrain

All to Jesus I surrender,
make me, Savior, wholly Thine;
Let me feel the Holy Spirit,
Truly know that Thou art mine.

Refrain

All to Jesus I surrender,
Lord, I give myself to Thee;
Fill me with Thy love and power,
Let Thy blessing fall on me.

Refrain

Be Still My Soul

SONG WRITER: Katharina von Schlegel                       

MUSIC BY: Jean Sibelius

HYMN HISTORY: Each revival is also remember for a famous hymn. During the 16th century Reformation, it was "A Mighty Fortress is Our God." But after a time, the churches of the Reformation became stale and ritualistic again. In the latter half of the 17th century we hear of a new hymn and a new revival breaking out in Germany. Our new hymn is "Be Still, My Soul." And the themes of our new revival were: "Life versus doctrine," "Reality versus the appearance of godliness." This was the revival of Pietism.
"Be Still, My Soul" really had three person who put it together as the hymn we sing today. Katharina von Schlegel, a notable woman of the Pietism Revival , wrote the words, originally in German. One hundred years later the hymn was translated into English, fortunately for us, by Jane Borthwick. And our last contributor was Finland's greatest-composer, Jean Sibelius. One movement from his "Finlandia" is used as the tune for our hymn. God used three people from three countries to put together a hymn that teaches us that God is in control and to wait on Him.

BIBLE VERSE:  Psalms 46:10 – “Be still, and know that I am God.”

HYMN LYRICS:
Be still, my soul--
The Lord is on thy side!
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain;
Leave to thy God to order and provide.
In ev'ry change He faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul--Thy best, thy heav'nly Friend 
Thru thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

Be still, my soul! thy God doth undertake
To guide the future as he has the past.
Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake;
All now mysterious shall be bright at last.Be still, my soul! the waves and winds still know
His voice who ruled them while He dwelt below.

Be still, my soul! the hour is hastening on
When we shall be forever with the Lord,
When disappointment, grief, and fear are gone,
Sorrow forgot, love's purest joys restored.
Be still, my soul! when change and tears are past,
All safe and blessed we shall meet at last.