God Moves in a Mysterious Way

God Moves in a Mysterious Way

Text written by William Cowper (1731-1800)

Sung to DUNDEE C.M., from "Scottish Psalter, 1615"

Psalm 77:19 Your path led through the sea, your way through the mighty waters, though your footprints were not seen.

Nahum 1:3 The Lord is slow to anger but great in power; the Lord will not leave the guilty unpunished. His way is in the whirlwind and the storm, and clouds are the dust of his feet.

V. 1 God moves in a mysterious way

His wonders to perform;

He plants His footsteps in the sea,

And rides upon the storm.

Ezekiel 34:26 I will make them and the places surrounding my hill a blessing. I will send down showers in season; there will be showers of blessing.

V. 2 Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take;

The clouds ye so much dread

Are big with mercy, and shall break

In blessings on your head.

V. 3 Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,

But trust Him for His grace;

Behind a frowning providence

He hides a smiling face.

V. 4 His purposes will ripen fast,

Unfolding every hour;

The bud may have a bitter taste,

But sweet will be the flower.

Proverbs 15:19 The way of the sluggard is blocked with thorns,

but the path of the upright is a highway.

V. 5 Blind unbelief is sure to err,

And scan His work in vain;

God is His own interpreter,

And He will make it plain.

Showers of Blessing

Showers of Blessing

Text written by Daniel W. Whittle (1840-1901)

Music written by James McGranahan (1840-1915)

Ezekiel 34:26 I will make them and the places surrounding my hill a blessing. I will send down showers in season; there will be showers of blessing. 

Acts 3:19 Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.

V. 1 "There shall be showers of blessing;"

This is the promise of love;

There shall be seasons refreshing,

Sent from the Savior above.

Refrain: Showers of blessing,

Showers of blessing we need;

Mercy drops round us are falling,

But for the showers we plead.

1 Kings 18:41 And Elijah said to Ahab, “Go, eat and drink, for there is the sound of a heavy rain."

V. 2 "There shall be showers of blessing--"

Precious reviving again;

Over the hills and the valleys,

Sound of abundance of rain.

Refrain

V. 3 "There shall be showers of blessing;"

Send them upon us, O Lord;

Grant to us now a refreshing;

Come, and now honor Thy word.

Refrain

V. 4 "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!

Refrain

Holy Sabbath Day of Rest

Sabbath blessings, my friends

Holy Sabbath Day of Rest

Text written in 1921 by L. E. C. Joers (1900-1999)

Tune composed in 1924 by John F. Anderson (1893-1974)

Exodus 20:8, 11 Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 9Six days you shall labor and do all your work,...For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

V. 1 Holy Sabbath day of rest,

By our Master richly blest,

God-created and divine,

Set aside for holy time.

Ezekiel 20:12 Also I gave them my Sabbaths as a sign between us, so they would know that I the Lord made them holy.

Refrain: Yes, the holy Sabbath rest,

By our God divinely blest,

It to us a sign shall be

Throughout all eternity

V. 2 Seek not pleasures of this earth,

With its folly, noise, and mirth,

There are better things in store,

Over on the other shore.

Refrain

Leviticus 23:32 It is a day of sabbath rest for you, and you must deny yourselves. From the evening of the ninth day of the month until the following evening you are to observe your sabbath.

V. 3 As the Sabbath draweth on

Friday eve at set of sun,

Christian household then should meet,

Sing and pray at Jesus' feet.

Refrain

V. 4 Asking Him for saving grace, 

Also vict'ry in the race,

And to help us by His pow'r,

To keep holy every hour.

Refrain

Hark! the Voice of Jesus Calling

Hark! the Voice of Jesus Calling

Text written in 1868 by Daniel March (1816-1909)

Sung to the hymn tune FILLMORE, composed in 1886 by F. E. Belden (1858-1945)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTdjFPCEV1k&list=PL154A5168413AC550

Isaiah 6:8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying: "Who should I send? Who will go for Us"? I said: "Here I am. Send me"."

John 4:35 “Don’t you say, ‘There are still four more months, then comes the harvest’? Listen ⌊to what⌋ I’m telling you: Open your eyes and look at the fields, for they are ready for harvest."

V. 1 Hark! the voice of Jesus calling,

"Who will go and work today?

Fields are white, the harvest waiting,

Who will bear the sheaves away?"

Loud and long the Master calleth,

Rich reward He offers free;

Who will answer, gladly saying,

"Here am I, O Lord, send me"?

2 Corinthians 5:15 And He died for all so that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for the One who died for them and was raised.

V. 2 If you cannot cross the ocean

And the heathen lands explore,

You can find the heathen nearer,

You can help them at your door;

If you cannot speak like angels,

If you cannot preach like Paul,

You can tell the love of Jesus, 

You can say He died for all.

Exodus 17:12 When Moses’ hands grew heavy, they took a stone and put ⌊it⌋ under him, and he sat down on it. Then Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side and one on the other so that his hands remained steady until the sun went down.

Ezekiel 3:17 “Son of man, I have made you a watchman over the house of Israel. When you hear a word from My mouth, give them a warning from Me."

V. 3 If you cannot be the watchman,

Standing high on Zion's wall,

Pointing out the path to heaven,

Offering life and peace to all;

With your prayers and with your bounties

You can do what Heaven demands,

You can be like faithful Aaron,

Holding up the prophet's hands.

V. 4 While the souls of men are dying,

And the Master calls for you,

Let none hear you idly saying,

"There is nothing I can do!"

Gladly take the task He gives you,

Let His work your pleasure be;

Answer quickly when He calleth,

"Here am I, O Lord, send me."

Is This a Day of New Beginnings?

Happy 2013!  To celebrate the 1st day of 2013, I'm sharing this lovely text.

Is This a Day of New Beginnings?

Text written by Brian Wren (1936-    ) in 1978.

Sung to the hymn tune DRONFIELD.

V. 1 Is this a day of new beginnings,

Time to remember and move on,

Time to believe what love is bringing, 

Laying to rest the pain that's gone?

V. 2 How can the seasons of a planet

Mindlessly spinning round its sun

With just a human name and number

Say that some new thing has begun?

Ezekiel 36:26 Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.

V. 3 Yet thro' the life and death of Jesus

Love's mighty Spirit, now as then,

Can make for us a world of difference

As faith and hope are born again

V. 4 Then let us, with the Spirit's daring,

Step from the past and leave behind

Its disappointment, guilt, and grieving,

Seeking new paths, and sure to find.

Revelation 21:5 And He who sits on the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new." And He said, "Write, for these words are faithful and true." 

V. 5 Christ is alive, and goes before us

To show and share what love can do.

This is a day of new beginnings;

Our God is making all things new.