Seize the Moment – Day 676
Today’s hymn focus will be
He Set Me Free
He set me free, yes, He set me free. He broke the bonds of prison for me;
I’m glory bound my Jesus to see, for, glory to God, He set me free!
YOUTUBE:
He Set Me Free
But Jesus came and listened to me
Now I am climbing higher each day
My feet are planted on higher ground
Goodbye to sin and things that confound
Daily I’m working I’m praying too
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Seize the Moment – Day 669
Today’s hymn focus will be
“Be Still, My Soul”
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!”
Katharina von Schlegel, a canoness of an evangelical women’s seminary in Germany, wrote the lyrics of this song and was published in 1752. One hundred years later, it was translated into English by Jane Borthwick and the hymn’s tune was an arrangement of one movement from Jean Sibelius’ “Findlandia”. God used these three people from three different lands to bring forth this hymn of biblical truth.
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.
Hold on to the promise of this song as we are encouraged to know that the promise of heaven is ours to hold on to, but to also share with others so that they, too, can have that blessed hope!
YOUTUBE:
Be Still My Soul
bear patiently the cross of grief or pain;
leave to your God to order and provide;
in ev’ry change he faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul; your best, your heav’nly friend
through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.
to guide the future as he has the past;
your hope, your 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 lived below.
and all is darkened in the vale of tears,
then you will better know his love, his heart,
who comes to soothe your sorrows and your fears.
Be still, my soul; your Jesus can repay
from his own fullness all he takes away.
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.
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Seize the Moment – Day 662
Today’s hymn focus will be
“At Calvary”
William R Newell was born on May 22, 1868 to a pastor in Savannah, Ohio. Those who knew him considered him to be a ‘humble man”, but that was not the always the case. He had been a rebellious teen and his father wrote several letters requesting that Dr. Torrey, President of Moody Bible Institute, allow his son to enroll. It was only with the stipulation that William would meet each day with him and agree to uphold the rules and requirements of the Institute that he was allowed to attend.
The boy faithfully visited his office each day and would answer the questions asked of him with wisdom from God’s word. Finally, after months of counseling, Torrey led him to Christ. He later returned to Moody Bible Institute as a teacher, writing the words to this hymn and having his friend, Daniel Towner, compose the tune in about an hour in 1895.
Mercy there was great, and grace was free. Pardon there was multiplied to me
There my burdened soul found liberty, at Calvary!
This hymn is very special to me, as it was one of my dad’s favorites. Much like Newell, my dad found his way to Calvary because of a pastor who looked past the rough exterior and saw him for who he could be in Jesus.
We need to share the message of mercy and grace with those around us each and every day!
YOUTUBE:
At Calvary
Caring not my Lord was crucified,
Knowing not it was for me He died on Calvary.
Mercy there was great and grace was free,
Pardon there was multiplied to me,
There my burdened soul found liberty–
At Calvary.
Then I trembled at the Law I’d spurned,
Till my guilty soul imploring turned to Calvary. [Refrain]
Now I gladly own Him as my King,
Now my raptured soul can only sing of Calvary. [Refrain]
O the grace that brought it down to man!
O the mighty gulf that God did span at Calvary. [Refrain]
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Seize the Moment – Day 648
Merry Christmas to all who may dwell here.
Merry Christmas, if even just one
May the joy of the season surround you.
Merry Christmas, with love!
Today’s hymn focus will be
“The First Noel”
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel! Born is the King of Israel
YOUTUBE:
The First Noel
was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay;
in fields where they lay keeping their sheep,
on a cold winter’s night that was so deep.
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel,
born is the King of Israel.
shining in the east, beyond them far;
and to the earth it gave great light,
and so it continued both day and night. [Refrain]
three Wise Men came from country far;
to seek for a king was their intent,
and to follow the star wherever it went. [Refrain]
o’er Bethlehem it took its rest;
and there it did both stop and stay,
right over the place where Jesus lay. [Refrain]
full reverently upon the knee,
and offered there, in his presence,
their gold and myrrh and frankincense. [Refrain]
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Seize the Moment – Day 641
“Away in a Manger”
While it is unclear about the origin of this Christmas carol, it has appeared in many children’s books in poem form as a lullaby prayer. It is usually one of the first Christmas carols taught to children with a pleasing melody and a gentle message of the gift that God gave us.
Away in a manger, no crib for a bed.
The little Lord Jesus laid down His sweet head.
The stars in the sky look down where He lay.
The little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay.
Did you know that the shepherds used the practice of protecting the male lamb that was born without spot or blemish by wrapping them in cloths and placing them in a manger? These lambs were used for the sacrifice of sin offerings. Jesus is the Lamb of God, and He was wrapped in the same manner, foretelling the fact that He would be the final sin offering for all mankind.
YOUTUBE:
Away in a Manger
No crib for a bed
The little Lord Jesus
Laid down His sweet head
Looked down where He lay
The little Lord Jesus
Asleep on the hay
The Baby awakes
But little Lord Jesus
No crying He makes
Look down from the sky
And stay by my side
Until morning is nigh
I ask You to stay
Close by me forever
And love me I pray
In Your tender care
And fit us for heaven
To live with You there
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Seize the Moment – Day 634
Today’s Advent hymn focus will be
Go, Tell It on the Mountain
John W. Work II is accredited for helping to make this traditional spiritual become a Christmas favorite. He was leading the Fisk Jubilee Singers, a college vocal ensemble that was sent out to raise funds for the struggling Fisk University. At first, the college students were reluctant to sing this and many other spirituals because they represented slavery and the dark past that they wanted to forget. But they soon recognized them for their sacredness and the religious worship that was a part of their parents’ lives. Through the encouragement of the University’s treasurer, they began to sing the spirituals in their concerts.
Go, tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere
Go, tell it on the mountain, that Jesus Christ is born.
We need to wake up and realize that we need to recognize that our history is not what determines our future. When we accept Jesus into our lives and make Him Lord of all, we are new creations that are called to proclaim His message to a world in need of hope, love, joy and peace.
YOUTUBE:
Go, Tell it on the Mountain
Over the hills and everywhere
Go, tell it on the mountain
That Jesus Christ is born
O’er silent flocks by night
Behold throughout the heavens
There shone a Holy light
Over the hills and everywhere
Go, tell it on the mountain
That Jesus Christ is born
When, lo! Above the Earth
Rang out the angel chorus
That hailed our Savior’s birth
Over the hills and everywhere
Go, tell it on the mountain
That Jesus Christ is born
Our humble Christ was born
And brought us all salvation
Over the hills and everywhere
That Jesus Christ is born
That Jesus Christ is born
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Seize the Moment – Day 627
Today’s Advent hymn focus will be
“What Child is This?”
This beloved Christmas hymn was written by William Chatterton Dix. He was the son of a surgeon, born in Bristol England and spent most of his life working in Glasgow, Scotland, as an insurance company manager. In 1865, while recovering from a near fatal battle with sickness and depression, he experienced a spiritual awakening as he read through the scriptures. He loved the folk song “Greensleeves” and subsequently wrote the lyrics to this hymn.
His poetic writings combined with this soulful melody gives the feeling that God demonstrated His love for us in the fact that He sent His son in the form of a human baby to rescue humanity. And mankind went on to declare with awe and wonder, that this act of love was a clear sign, evoking wonder and amazement…What child is this?
This, this is Christ the King, Whom shepherds guard and angels sing
Haste, haste to bring Him laud, the Babe, the Son of Mary.
YOUTUBE:
What Child is This?
On Mary’s lap is sleeping?
Whom angels greet with anthems sweet,
While shepherds watch are keeping?
This, this is Christ, the King,
Whom shepherds guard and angels sing:
Haste, haste to bring Him laud,
The Babe, the Son of Mary!
Where ox and ass are feeding?
Good Christian, fear: for sinners here
The silent Word is pleading.
Come, peasant, king to own Him.
The King of kings salvation brings;
Let loving hearts enthrone Him.
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Seize the Moment – Day 620
“O Come, O Come Emmanuel”
Anglican Priest and hymn writer John Mason Neale enjoyed finding early and medieval Greek and Latin hymns to help people focus on the feasts and fasts of the Christian year. He is credited for translating this late 8th or 9th century Benedictine Gregorian chant into English in the mid 19th century. History tells us that in the weeks prior to Christmas, the monks would sing a verse a day to prepare their hearts and minds.
O Come, o come Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here, until the Son of God appear
If you look at each of these verses, they have a double purpose. Not only what His coming as a babe in a manger means, but also preparing our hearts and growing excitement for Jesus’ return to take us home.
YOUTUBE:
O come, O come, Immanuel
O come, O come, Immanuel,
and ransom captive Israel
that mourns in lonely exile here
until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Immanuel
shall come to you, O Israel.
O come, O Wisdom from on high,
who ordered all things mightily;
to us the path of knowledge show
and teach us in its ways to go. Refrain
O come, O come, great Lord of might,
who to your tribes on Sinai’s height
in ancient times did give the law
in cloud and majesty and awe. Refrain
O come, O Branch of Jesse’s stem,
unto your own and rescue them!
From depths of hell your people save,
and give them victory o’er the grave. Refrain
O come, O Key of David, come
and open wide our heavenly home.
Make safe for us the heavenward road
and bar the way to death’s abode. Refrain
O come, O Bright and Morning Star,
and bring us comfort from afar!
Dispel the shadows of the night
and turn our darkness into light. Refrain
O come, O King of nations, bind
in one the hearts of all mankind.
Bid all our sad divisions cease
and be yourself our King of Peace. Refrain
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Seize the Moment – Day 613
Today’s hymn focus will be
“There Shall Be Showers of Blessings”
“ I will bless my people and their homes around my holy hill. And in the proper
season I will send the showers they need. There will be showers of blessing.”
Major Daniel Webster Whittle (his rank from his service in the Civil War) had moved to Chicago in 1857 and began attending a bible study at Congregational church where he met Abbie Hanson, and they married in 1862
When I did the hymn “I Know Whom I Have Believed”, I told his story of his conversion while he was recovering from losing his arm just above the elbow. But this was not the only tragedy he encountered. He was traveling as an evangelist with Philip Bliss and his wife when the train on which they were riding crashed into a ravine. Whittle survived. James McGranahan lived nearby and came to help. He and Whittle actually met beside the wreck and formed a friendship that was to be very fruitful in evangelistic ministry and the creation of gospel music.
“Showers of blessing, showers of blessings we need.
Mercy drops ‘round us are falling, but for the showers we plead.”
We need to wake up and realize that God is always with us, promising to supply all our needs. Even in the storms, with the rain falling and the winds howling, God is with us every moment. Though the sorrow may last for the night, His joy comes in the morning.
YOUTUBE:
There Shall Be Showers of Blessing
There shall be showers of blessing:
This is the promise of love;
There shall be seasons refreshing,
Sent from the Savior above.
Showers of blessing,
Showers of blessing we need;
Mercy-drops round us are falling,
But for the showers we plead.
There shall be showers of blessing—
Precious reviving again;
Over the hills and the valleys,
Sound of abundance of rain.
There shall be showers of blessing;
Send them upon us, O Lord!
Grant to us now a refreshing;
Come, and now honor Thy Word.
There shall be showers of blessing;
O that today they might fall,
Now as to God we’re confessing,
Now as on Jesus we call!
There shall be showers of blessing,
If we but trust and obey;
There shall be seasons refreshing,
If we let God have His way.
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Seize the Moment – Day 606
Today’s hymn focus will be
“Count Your Blessings”
“O Lord my God, you have performed many wonders for us. Your plans for us are too numerous to list. You have no equal. If I tried to recite all your wonderful deeds, I would never come to the end of them.”
Johnson Oatman, Jr. grew up singing hymns with his father who loved to sing praises to God with his children, leaving behind a rich legacy. Johnson grew up to become a Methodist minister who wrote over 5000 hymns, with Count Your Blessings being the most loved, usually being sung around Thanksgiving. During the revival in Wales in the early 1900’s, it was one of the hymns sung at every service.
It is not a song to say, “Everything is fine, so just cheer up!” Rather, it is one to openly acknowledge life’s storms and burdens and bring them all to God in prayer.
“Count your blessings, name them one by one. Count your blessings,
See what God has done. Count your blessings, name them one by one.
Count your many blessings, see what God has done.”
YOUTUBE:
Count Your Blessings
When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.
Count your blessings, see what God hath done!
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.
Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?
Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly,
And you will keep singing as the days go by.
Do not be disheartened, God is over all;
Count your many blessings, angels will attend,
Help and comfort give you to your journeys end.
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