Songs To Live By 01/16/20

Blanco State Park, Blanco, Texas

The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.  ~ Proverbs 18:21

I have no idea whatsoever what we did today.  This is what happens when I neglect making notes. And because I have no idea, you get the next installment from my God Moments Journal.  😊

It’s really, really long.  Read it if you want.  Sing along if you can.  😊

     A new revelation occurred to me last night (Nov 12, 2008) at a Bible Study at The Chapel.  Mike Castelli was teaching on prayer.  His question to the class:  quickly, in just a few words, give examples of acknowledged answered prayer.  Most started out talking about healings.  As I sat there, trying to think of something quickly (which isn’t my strong suit!), I realized that most of my answered prayers are not about healing at all!  God has chosen to bless me with obvious answered prayers relating to everyday life!  A burden lifted, wisdom, direction, a battle won, a change in attitude . . . .  For me, these things bring much more evidence of God interacting with me than any healing possibly could.  It’s proof that He cares about the details in each of our lives – even as insignificant and unworthy as we are.

    Because music has always played an important part in my relationship with the Lord, I’ve decided to include a few (out of the thousands!) songs that especially touch my heart.  While the entire song is important to me, I’ll only include parts of some of them just because of time and space.  Of course, they’re all much better when you know the tunes!  That’s a big part of what makes the song.  I’ll do hymns first. 

Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus” 

Just to take Him at His word 

Just to rest upon His promise 

Just to know, ‘Thus saith the Lord’

Chorus:  Jesus, Jesus how I trust Him

            How I’ve proved Him o’re and o’re

            Jesus, Jesus precious Jesus

            Oh, for grace to trust Him more

I’m so glad I’ve learned to trust Him

Precious Jesus, Savior, Friend

And I know Thou wilt be with me

Wilt be with me to the end

Praise to the Lord, the Almighty the King of Creation

Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of Creation!

Oh, my soul praise Him for He is thy health and salvation

All ye who hear, now to His temple draw near

Join me in glad adoration

Praise to the Lord, O let all that is in me adore Him

All that hath life and breath, come now with praises before Him

Let the “Amen!” sound from His people again

Gladly for aye we adore Him

Praise to the Lord who doth prosper thy work and defend thee

Surely His goodness and mercy here daily attend thee

Ponder anew, what the Almighty can do

If with His love He befriend thee

In Christ Alone

In Christ alone, my hope is found

He is my life, my strength, my song

This cornerstone, this solid ground

Firm thru the fiercest drought and storm

What heights of love, what depths of peace

When fears are stilled, when striving cease

My comforter my all in all

Here in the love of Christ I stand

In Christ alone who took on flesh

Fullness of God in helpless babe

This gift of love and righteousness

Scorned by the ones He came to save

Till on that cross as Jesus died

The wrath of God was satisfied

Though every sin on Him was laid

Here in the death of Christ I live

There in the ground His body lay

Light of the world by darkness slayed

Then bursting forth in glorious day

Up from the grave He rose again

And as He stands in victory

Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me

For I am His and He is mine

Bought with the precious blood of Christ

No guilt in life no fear in death

This is the power of Christ in me

From life’s first cry to final breath

Jesus commands my destiny

No power of hell no scheme of man

Can ever pluck me from His hand

Till He returns or calls me home

Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand

“I’ll Fly Away”

Some glad morning when this life is o’re, I’ll fly away

To a home on God’s celestial shore, I’ll fly away

When the shadows of this life have gone, I’ll fly away

Like a bird from prison bars has flown, I’ll fly away

Just a few more weary days and then, I’ll fly away

To a land where joys shall never end, I’ll fly away

Chorus:  I’ll fly away, O glory, I’ll fly away

            When I die hallelujah, by and by, I’ll fly away!

Just As I Am

Just as I am without one plea

But that Thy blood was shed for me

And that thou biddst 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

To Thee whose blood can cleanse each spot

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

“It Is Well”

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way

When sorrows like sea billows roll

Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say

It is well,  it is well with my soul

My sin – O the bliss of this glorious thought –

My sin, not in part, but the whole

Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

And, Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight

The clouds be rolled back as a scroll

The trump shall resound and the Lord shall descend,

Even so – it is well with my soul

Chorus:  It is well with my soul

            It is well, it is well with my soul

“The Solid Rock”

My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness

I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus’ name

When darkness veils His lovely face, I rest on His unchanging grace

In every high and stormy gale, my anchor holds within the veil

When He shall come with trumpet sound, O may I then in Him be found

Dressed in His righteousness alone, faultless to stand before the throne

On Christ the Solid Rock I stand

All other ground is sinking sand, all other ground is sinking sand

“All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name”

All hail the powerof Jesus’ name let angels prostrate fall

Bring forth the royal diadem and crown Him Lord of all

Bring forth the royal diadem and crown Him Lord of all

Let every kindred, every tribe, on this terrestrial ball

To Him all majesty ascribe and crown Him Lord of all

To Him all majesty ascribe and crown Him Lord of all

O that with yonder sacred throng we at His feet may fall

We’ll join the everlasting song and crown Him Lord of all

We’ll join the everlasting song and crown Him Lord of all

A Mighty Fortress is Our God

A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing

Our helper He amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing

For still our ancient foe doth seek to work us woe

His craft and power are great, and, armed with cruel hate

On earth is not his equal

Did we in our own strength confide, our striving would be loosing

Were not the right man on our side, the man of God’s own choosing

Dost ask who that may be?  Christ Jesus, it is He

Lord Sabaoth His name, from age to age the same

And He must win the battle

And though this world with devils filled, should threaten to undo us

We will not fear, for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us

The prince of darkness grim, we tremble not for him

His rage we can endure, for lo, his doom is sure

One little word shall fell him

That word above all earthly powers, no thanks to them abideth

The Spirit and the gifts are ours through Him who with us sideth

Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also

The body they may kill; God’s truth abideth still

His kingdom is forever!

Immortal, Invisible

Immortal, invisible, God only wise

In light inaccessible hid from our eyes

Most blessed, most glorious, the Ancient of Days

Almighty, victorious, Thy great name we praise

Great Father of glory, pure Father of light

Thine angels adore Thee, all veiling their sight

All praise we would render; O help us to see

‘Tis only the splendor of light hideth Thee

To God be the Glory

To God be the glory, great things He hath done

So loved He the world that He gave us His Son

Who yielded His life an atonement for sin

And opened the life-gate that all may go in

Great things He has taught us, great things He hath done

And great our rejoicing through Jesus the Son

But purer, and higher, and greater will be

Our wonder, our transport, when Jesus we see!

Chorus:  Praise the Lord!

            Praise the Lord!

            Let the earth hear His voice!

            Praise the Lord!

            Praise the Lord!

            Let the people rejoice!

            O come to the Father thru Jesus the Son

            And give Him the glory, great things He hath done!

O Sacred Head, Now Wounded

O Sacred Head, now wounded, with grief and shame weighed down

Now scornfully surrounded with thorns Thy only crown

How art Thou pale with anguish, with sore abuse and scorn

How does that visage languish which once was bright as morn

What Thou, my Lord, hast suffered was all for sinners’ gain

Mine, mine was the transgression, but Thine the deadly pain

Lo, here I fall, my Savior!  ‘Tis I deserve Thy place

Look on me with Thy favor, vouch-safe me to Thy grace

What language shall I borrow to thank Thee, dearest friend

For this Thy dying sorrow, Thy pity without end?

O make me Thine forever; and, should I fainting be

Lord, let me never, never outlive my love for Thee!

“There’s Power in the Blood”

Would you be free from your burden of sin?

There’s power in the blood, power in the blood

Would you o’er evil a victory win?

There’s wonderful power in the blood

Chorus:  There is power, power, wonder-working power

            In the blood of the Lamb

            There is power, power, wonder-working power

            In the precious blood of the Lamb

“He Lives”

I serve a risen Savior, He’s in the world today

I know that He is living, whatever men may say

I see His hand of mercy, I hear His voice of cheer

And just the time I need Him, He’s always near

In all the world around me, I see His loving care

And though my heart grows weary, I never will despair

I know that He is leading through all the stormy blast

The day of His appearing will come at last

Rejoice, rejoice, O Christian, lift up your voice and sing

Eternal hallelujahs to Jesus Christ the King!

The Hope of all who seek Him, the Help of all who find

None other is so loving, so good and kind!

Chorus:  He Lives!  He lives!  Christ Jesus lives today!

            He walks with me and talks with me along life’s narrow way

            He lives!  He lives!  Salvation to impart!

            You ask me how I know He lives?

            He lives within my heart!

“The King Is Coming”

The marketplace is empty, no more traffic in the streets

All the builders’ tools are silent, no more time to harvest wheat

Busy housewives cease their labors, in the courtroom no debate

Work on earth is all suspended, as the King comes through the gate

Happy faces line the hallways, those whose lives have been redeemed

Broken homes that He has mended, those from prison He has freed

Little children and the aged, hand in hand stand all aglow

Who were crippled, broken, ruined, clad in garments white as snow

I can hear the chariots rumble, I can see the marching throng

And the flurry of God’s trumpets, spells the end of sin and wrong

Regal robes are now unfolding, Heaven’s grandstand’s all in place

Heaven’s choir now assembled, starts to sing “Amazing Grace”!

Chorus:  The King is Coming!  The King is coming! 

            I just heard the trumpets sounding, and now His face I see!

            The King is coming!  The King is coming!

            Praise God!  He’s coming for me!

“Make Me a Blessing”

Out in the highways and byways of life, many are weary and sad

Carry the sunshine where darkness if rife, making the sorrowing glad

Chorus:  Make me a blessing, make me a blessing

            Out of my life, may Jesus shine

            Make me a blessing, O Savior, I pray

            Make me a blessing to someone today

“Blessed Assurance”

Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!

O what a foretaste of glory divine!

Heir of salvation, purchase of God

Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood

Perfect submission, perfect delight

Visions of rapture now burst on my sight

Angels descending bring from above

Echoes of mercy, whispers of love

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

Chorus:  This is my story, this is my song

            Praising my Savior all the day long

            This is my story, this is my song

            Praising my Savior all the day long

He Leadeth Me

He leadeth me, O blessed thought!

O words with heavenly comfort fraught

What e’er I do, where e’er I be

Still ‘tis God’s hand that leadeth me

Lord, I would clasp Thy hand in mine

Nor ever murmur nor repine

Content whatever lot I see

Since ‘tis my God that leadeth me

And when my task on earth is done

When by Thy grace the victory’s won

E’en death’s cold wave I will not flee

Still God through Jordan leadeth me

Chorus:  He leadeth me, He leadeth me

            By His own hand He leadeth me

            His faithful follower I would be

            For by His hand He leadeth me

Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus

O soul, are you weary and troubled?

No light in the darkness you see?

There’s light for a look at the Savior

And life more abundant and free!

Chorus:  Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus

            Look full in His wonderful face

            And the things of earth will grow strangely dim

            In the light of His glory and grace

Be Still My Soul

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 every change He faithful will remain

Be still my soul, thy best, thy Heavenly Friend

Thru stormy waves, 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 wind still know

His voice Who ruled them while He dwelt below

“Heaven Came Down and Glory Filled My Soul”

O what a wonderful, wonderful day; day I will never forget

After I’d wandered in darkness away, Jesus my Savior I met

O what a tender compassionate friend, He met the need of my heart

Shadows dispelling, with joy I am telling, He made all the darkness depart!

Now I’ve a hope that will surely endure after the passing of time

I have a future in Heaven for sure, there in those mansions sublime

And it’s because of that wonderful day, when at the cross I believed

Riches eternal and blessings supernal, from His precious hand I received

Chorus:  Heaven came down and glory filled my soul

            When at the cross the Savior made me whole

            My sins were washed away and my night was turned to day

            Heaven came down and glory filled my soul!

“The Longer I Serve Him”

Since I started for the Kingdom, since my life He controls

Since I gave my heart to Jesus,

The longer I serve Him, the sweeter He grows

Every need He is supplying, plenteous grace He bestows

Every day my way gets brighter

The longer I serve Him, the sweeter He grows

Chorus:  The longer I serve Him, the sweeter He grows

            The more that I love Him, more love He bestows

            Each day is like heaven, my heart overflows

            The longer I serve Him, the sweeter He grows

“When The Roll is Called Up Yonder”

When the trumpet of the Lord shall sound and time shall be no more

And the morning breaks eternal, bright and fair

When the saved of earth shall gather over on the other shore

And the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there!

On that bright and cloudless morning when the dead in Christ shall rise

And the glory of His resurrection share

When His chosen ones shall gather to their home beyond the skies

And the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there!

Let us labor for the Master from the dawn till setting sun

Let us talk of all His wondrous love and care

Then when all of life is over and our work on earth is done

And the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there!

Chorus:  When the roll is called up yonder

            When the roll is called up yonder

            When the roll is called up yonder

            When the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there!

“When We All Get to Heaven”

Sing the wondrous love of Jesus, sing His mercy and His grace

In the mansions bright and blessed, He’ll prepare for us a place

Let us then be true and faithful, trusting, serving every day

Just one glimpse of Him in glory, will the toils of life repay

Onward to the prize before us!  Soon His beauty we’ll behold!

Soon the pearly gates will open, we shall tread the streets of gold

Chorus:  When we all get to heaven

            What a day of rejoicing that will be!

            When we all see Jesus

            We’ll sing and shout the victory!

And now, for some more contemporary songs that aren’t hymns – – – –

“Who Am I”

Who am I, that the Lord of all the earth

Would care to know my name

Would care to feel my hurt

Who am I, that the bright and morning star

Would choose to light the way

For my ever-wandering heart

Who am I that the eyes that see my sin

Would look on me with love

And watch me rise again

Who am I that the voice that calmed the sea

Would call out thru the rain

And calm the storm in me

Chorus:  Not because of who I am, but because of what You’ve done

            Not because of what I’ve done, but because of Who You are

            I am a flower quickly fading

            Here today and gone tomorrow

            A wave tossed in the ocean

            A vapor in the wind

            Still You hear me when I’m calling

            Lord, You catch me when I’m falling

            And You’ve told me who I am

            I am Yours

  “God of Wonders”

Lord of all creation, of water, earth and sky

The Heavens are Your tabernacle, glory to the Lord on high

Early in the morning, I will celebrate the light

And when I stumble in the darkness, I will call your name by night

Chorus:  God of Wonders, beyond our galaxy

            You are holy, holy

            The universe declares Your majesty

            You are holy, holy

            Lord of heaven and earth, Lord of heaven and earth

Hallelujah to the Lord of Heaven and earth

Hallelujah to the Lord of Heaven and earth

Hallelujah to the Lord of Heaven and earth

Hallelujah to the Lord of Heaven and earth

“How Deep the Father’s Love for Us”

How deep the Father’s love for us, how vast beyond all measure

That He would give His only Son to make a wretch His treasure

How great the pain of searing loss, the Father turns His face away

As wounds which mare the Chosen One bring many sons to glory

Behold the man upon a cross, my guilt upon His shoulders

Ashamed I hear my mocking voice call out among the scoffers

It was my sin that held Him there until it was accomplished

His dying breath has brought me life I know that it is finished

I will not boast in anything, no gifts, no power, no wisdom

But I will boast in Jesus Christ, His death and resurrection

Why should I gain from His reward?  I can not give an answer

But this I know with all my heart His wounds have paid my ransom

“In My Life”

There are places I remember all my life, though some have changed

Some forever, not for better, some are gone, and some remain

All these places have their moments

People and friends I still can recall

Some are dead, and some are living

But in my life , I loved them all

But of all these friends and loved ones, there is no one compares with You

And these memories loose their meaning, when I think of love as something new

Though I know I’ll never loose affection

For people and friends that went before

I know I’ll often stop and think about them

But in my life, I loved You more

If We Never Meet Again

If we never meet again this side of heaven

Far away on that beautiful shore

Soon we’ll come to the end of life’s journey

And perhaps we’ll never meet anymore

Till we gather in Heaven’s bright city

As we struggle thru this world and it’s strife

There’s another meeting place somewhere in Heaven

By the beautiful river of live

Where the charming roses bloom forever

And separations come no more

If we never meet again this side of Heaven

I will meet you on that beautiful shore

Wonderful, Merciful Savior

Wonderful, merciful Savior, precious Redeemer and Friend

Who would have thought that a Lamb could rescue the souls of men?

Oh, You rescue the souls of men

Counselor, Comforter, Keeper, Spirit we long to embrace

You offer hope when our hearts have hopelessly lost our way

Oh, we’ve hopelessly lost the way

Almighty, Infinite Father, faithfully loving Your own

Here in our weakness You find us falling before Your throne

Oh, falling before Your throne

Chorus:  You are the One that we praise

            You are the One we adore

            You give the healing and grace our

            Hearts always hunger for

            Oh, our hearts always hunger for

“Amazing Love”

My Lord, what love is this that pays so dearly

That I the guilty one may go free?

And so they watched Him die, despised rejected

But oh, the blood He shed flowed for me

And now this love of Christ shall flow like rivers

So come wash your guilt away

Live again!

Chorus:  Amazing love, what sacrifice

            The Son of God given for me

            My debt He paid and my death He died

            That I might live

            That I might live!

    I could put in all the songs from Sarah Groves’ CD, “Conversations”.  It is my all-time favorite CD.  Every song on it speaks to my heart.  I feel like I could have written them all myself. Sarah also seems to share my love for the Old Testament.  Its lessons run throughout her songs.  And then there’s also my belief that this CD came to me as a gift from God, with impeccable timing – as are all His gifts. 

   Probably my second favorite CD is called WOW Hymns.  I absolutely love the old hymns and have spent years looking for recorded hymns that I could sing along to.  It stays in my car.  All the time. 

Following are three songs from Sarah’s CD that especially speak to my heart and soul.

“Painting Pictures of Egypt”

I don’t want to leave here, I don’t want to stay

It feels like pinching to me either way

The places I long for the most are the places where I’ve been

They are calling out to me, like a long-lost friend

It’s not about loosing faith, it’s not about trust

It’s all about comfortable, when you move so much

The place I was wasn’t perfect but I found a way to live

And it wasn’t milk and honey, but then neither is this

The past is so tangible, I know it by heart

Familiar things are never easy to discard

I was longing for some freedom, but now I hesitate to go

I’m caught between Your promise and the things I know

Chorus:  I’ve been painting pictures of Egypt

            Leaving out what it lacks

            The future looks so hard

            And I want to go back

            But the places that used to fit me

            Cannot hold the things I’ve learned

            And those doors were closed off to me

            While my back was turned

Hello Lord

Hello Lord, it’s me, your child

I have a few things on my mind

Right now I’m faced with big decisions

And I’m wondering if you have a minute ’cause

Chorus:  Right now I don’t hear so well and I was wondering if You could speak up

            I know that You tore the veil so I could speak with you in person

            But right now, I just can’t hear You

I don’t doubt Your sovereignty

I doubt my own ability to hear what You’re saying and to do the right thing

And I desperately want to do the right thing, but

Chorus:  Right now I don’t hear so well and I was wondering if You could speak up

            I know that You tore the veil so I could speak with you in person

            But right now, I just can’t hear You

And somewhere in the back of my mind

I think You are telling me to wait

And though patience has never been mine

Still I will wait to hear from You

“Going Home”

I’ve been feeling kinda restless

I’ve been feeling out of place

I can hear a distant singing, a song that I can’t write

But it echoes in what I’m always trying to say

There’s a feeling I can’t capture

It’s always just a prayer away

I want to know the ending, things hoped for, but not seen

But I guess that’s the point of hoping anyway

I’m confined by my senses

To really know what You are like

You are more than I can fathom, more than I can guess

And more than I can see with human sight

But I have felt You with my spirit

I have felt You fill this room

This is just an invitation, just a sample of the whole

And I cannot wait to be going Home!

Chorus:  Going Home, I’ll meet you at the table

            Going Home, I’ll meet you in the air

            You are never to young to think about it

            Oh, I cannot wait to be going Home!

Face to face, how can it be?  Face to face how can it be?

Face to face, how can it be?

   As it turns out, the first and last songs in this list pretty much sum up my faith.  “Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus” , but I can’t wait to be “Going Home”.  And no, I didn’t plan the arrangement.  It “just happened” that way.  Many days I actually feel a bit of homesickness.  I cannot WAIT to go Home!  I know some people think that’s an awful thought.  Most don’t want to die.  I can’t say that I want to die, of course, but I just can’t wait to get to Heaven!  I think it’s the Holy Spirit in me, yearning to be back with The Father.

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