Posted January 10th, 2006
This song should resonate in the hearts of anyone who has been born again longer than 30 seconds. One of the most besetting and annoying sins that believers deal with is that of being distracted, both in mind and heart from our true love, the Lord Jesus. The mind is one of the primary battlefields of the Christian life. We are commanded to "rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus" (1 Thess 5:16-18) and to set our minds only on things that are pure and lovely (Philippians 4:8). All too often we spend time and energy thinking of "the passing things of earth" (as Toplady describes them). We desperately want to be removed from all the noise and strife of life, particularly in private devotions. May this song be our prayer in our quiet times with the Lord.
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Posted December 27th, 2005
This hymn from hymn-writer Albert Midlane describes the doctrine of "the Perseverance of the Saints," the precious truth that true believers will remain in the faith and persevere to the end. We know this from passages like Philippians 1:6 - "For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus." We will persevere because the same God who caused us to be born again will cause us to remain. This does not mean that we can sit back and just assume that we are safe because we trust in Jesus now. Rather, the biblical exhortation is to "work out your salvation with fear and trembling" (Phil 2:12) and to "Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith." (2 Cor 13:5). Even though we are commanded to strive for holiness, we are so thankful that our faith doesn't depend on our own efforts, but on God's grace. May these truths be on our hearts as we sing this song.
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Posted December 27th, 2005
This song expresses the intimate love that is possible between a Christian and the Lord Jesus. The culminating desire of a love this deep is to be joined together with our Lord when we finally depart from this world and go home to be with Him in heaven. The Bible portrays believers as the bride of Christ in the final chapters of Revelation. Husbands are exhorted to "love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her." (Ephesians 5:25) The most intimate love possible in this world, marriage, is but a picture of the love that can and will exist between Jesus and His people. So it is right and fitting to sing such intimate and tender lyrics like "seal me upon Your arm, and wear that pledge of love forever there" (v. 1) and "but I am jealous of my heart, lest it should once from You depart" (v. 3). May songs like this help us feel love for Jesus, a love that is better even than romantic love.
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Posted August 20th, 2004
This song expounds the nature of God's love for us. On the one hand, God tells us that His love "surpasses knowledge," (Ephesians 3:19) while on the other hand that "In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins." (1 John 4:10). Though the mechanics of Jesus' atoning work on the cross are deeply mysterious, it shows the fullest and most explicit expression of God's love for us. Jesus "lays his life down for his sheep" (John 10:11), giving up his life so that "the one who comes to [Him], [He] will certainly not cast out."
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Posted May 28th, 2004
The text of It's All of Grace is perhaps the strongest and deepest text that we have ever worked with. Watts is arguably the best hymn-writer of the western world, and these verses show his mastery of poetry and theology. Many of us that have a very strong conviction about God's sovereignty in salvation have struggled to feel the joy and tenderness in this choice. Watts takes us through the gospel story, beginning with confessing our sin, and moving through acknowledging that we are saved only by sovereign grace, in a way that is very touching. Of particular note is the second verse (which was borrowed from another Watts hymn in the same collection) - He "fixed our standing more secure than 'twas before we fell". We understand that to speak of the fact that since we have fallen and then been restored and are now secure in Christ, we have more hope and stability than before we (mankind) had fallen into sin. How amazing! Watts' conclusion is powerful as well - he refers to Ezekiel 37 about the Spirit breathing life into our dry bones, then reminds us of the certainty of appearing before our Father justified.
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Posted July 10th, 2003
This is a song of gratitude to God for all that He has done for us. God has restored our soul, removed our tears, showered us with His love, even given us His Spirit! How else can we feel but overwhelmed by all that God has given us. As we sing this song, let our prayer be that of the hymn author's - may my life show honor to the God to whom I owe everything.
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Posted July 10th, 2003
Another song of love for the Lord Jesus, "For I am His" explains why He is a friend that sticks closer than a brother (Proverbs 18:24). Because He drew us, suffered for us, and is so gentle and wise, our heart's desire is to give Him our lives. May we say with the song, "For I am His".
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Posted July 10th, 2003
This beautiful hymn expresses our desire as believers to give all of who we are to gain all of who Christ is, dying to self and living for Christ. Whether it is our time, our body, love, voice, money, will, or heart - we offer ourselves as living sacrifices (Romans 12:1) to worship the God who gave us these things to begin with.
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Posted July 10th, 2003
One of the few completely original worship songs (including text), "One Yet in Three" praises God for His triune character. As we sing the various names and titles of each person of the Godhead, we remember that the fact that God is three persons in one God is truly a blessed mystery!
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Posted July 10th, 2003
This song is drawn directly from Psalm 119:97-112 and does a good job of capturing the beauty of How God has expressed how we are to view His Word, the Bible. Not only is it to be a lamp to our feet (a now well-known phrase), but should be our daily teacher, our anchor, it should be precious to us, and we should rely on its promises.
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Reformed Praise presents Martin Luther's setting of Psalm 130 in a fresh, reflective, piano-driven setting suitable for a wide range of worship music styles.
