Choose you this day…

“Now therefore, fear the Lord, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord! And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:14-15

Will you be a good soldier of Jesus Christ or will you follow your own path through life. We’ve looked at submission to God and yielding our lives on the altar to Jesus Christ. Now it’s time to march. Who will you follow?

Who is on the Lord’s Side?

by Frances Ridley Havergal * music by C. Luise Reichardt ** arranged by John Goss ***

Who is on the Lord’s side?

Who will serve the King?

Who will be His helpers,

Other lives to bring?

Who will leave the world’s side?

Who will face the foe?

Who is on the Lord’s side?

Who for Him will go?

By Thy call of mercy,

By Thy grace divine,

We are on the Lord’s side—

Savior, we are Thine.

Not for weight of glory,

Not for crown and palm,

Enter we the army,

Raise the warrior psalm;

But for love that claimeth

Lives for whom He died:

He whom Jesus nameth

Must be on His side.

By Thy love constraining,

By Thy grace divine,

We are on the Lord’s side—

Savior, we are Thine.

Jesus, Thou hast bought us,

Not with gold or gem,

But with Thine own life blood,

For Thy diadem;

With Thy blessing filling

Each who comes to Thee,

Thou hast made us willing,

Thou hast made us free.

By Thy grand redemption,

By Thy grace divine,

We are on the Lord’s side—

Savior, we are Thine.

Fierce may be the conflict,

Strong may be the foe,

But the King’s own army

None can overthrow.

’Round His standard ranging,

Victory is secure,

For His truth unchanging

Makes the triumph sure.

Joyfully enlisting,

By Thy grace divine,

We are on the Lord’s side—

Savior, we are Thine.

Chosen to be soldiers,

In an alien land,

Chosen, called, and faithful,

For our Captain’s band;

In the service royal,

Let us not grow cold;

Let us be right loyal, noble,

True and bold.

Master, Thou wilt keep us,

By Thy grace divine,

Always on the Lord’s side—

Savior, always Thine.

* Frances Ridley Havergal (1836–1879) Frances was a bright but short-lived can­dle in Eng­lish hym­no­dy. She was read­ing by age four, and be­gan writ­ing verse at age sev­en. She learned La­tin, Greek and He­brew, and mem­o­rized the Psalms, the book of Isai­ah, and most of the New Tes­ta­ment. On her tomb­stone was the Scrip­ture verse she claimed as her own: “The blood of Je­sus Christ cleans­eth us from all sin.” (1 John 1:7)

** C. Luise Reichardt (1779–1826) Luise was the daugh­ter of German com­pos­ers and granddaughter of a violinist and composer. Her life knew tra­ge­dy: Her fi­an­cé, died short­ly before they were to mar­ry. Her se­cond fi­an­cé al­so died be­fore their wedding. Some­what lat­er, she lost her voice. Known for her trans­la­tions and ar­range­ments of Han­del’s or­a­tor­i­os, she com­posed ov­er 90 songs and chor­us­es of her own.

*** John Goss (1800–1880) Goss was the son of a church organist and com­posed most­ly church mu­sic. He was or­gan­ist at St. Paul’s Ca­the­dral in London. He was al­so a com­pos­er to the Cha­pel Roy­al, and Pro­fes­sor of Har­mo­ny at the Roy­al Acad­e­my of Mu­sic for al­most half a cen­tu­ry. Queen Vic­tor­ia knight­ed him in 1872, and Cam­bridge Un­i­ver­si­ty award­ed him a Doc­tor of Mu­sic degree in 1876.

Stay alert! Grab your weapons! Follow the Lord!

All to Jesus I Surrender; I Surrender All

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” Romans 12:1-2

A Roman soldier in antiquity would never think of surrendering! If he were to think of surrender going into battle he would perish. But a good soldier of Jesus Christ would have surrender to God on his mind all the time! Like submission, surrender to God is to put self on the cross and to allow God to rule in our lives. John the Baptist said this about Jesus, “He must increase, but I must decrease.” (John 3:30)

All to Jesus I Surrender

by Judson Van DeVenter * and Winfield S. Weeden **

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)

All to Jesus I surrender;

Now I feel the sacred flame.

Oh, the joy of full salvation!

Glory, glory, to his name!

(Refrain)

* Judson Van DeVenter was an art teacher and supervisor of art in the public schools of Sharon, Pennsylvania. He was, in addition, an accomplished musician, singer, and composer. He was also an active layman in his Methodist Episcopal Church, involved in the church’s evangelistic meetings. Van DeVenter wavered for five years between becoming a recognized artist or devoting himself to ministry. Finally, he surrendered his life to Christian service, and wrote the text of this hymn while conducting a meeting in Ohio

** Winfield S. Weeden was Van DeVenter’s associate and singer for many years. “All to Jesus I Surrender” was put to music by Weeden, and first published in 1896 in Gospel Songs of Grace and Glory, a collection of old and new hymns by various hymnists.

Hear me, O God!

King David was a soldier who prayed to God for help and deliverance in battle and especially when it looked like the enemy could prevail. He prayed not only for God to save him because he was the king over God’s people, but also so Israel’s enemies would see that Israel’s God was over all other gods and keeps His promise to deliver His people for His Name’s sake. Moses said, “For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome…” (Deuteronomy 10:17) God, through Isaiah, proclaimed, “I, even I, am the LORD, And besides Me there is no savior.” (43:11; also 45:5)

“Answer me speedily, O Lord;

My spirit fails!

Do not hide Your face from me,

Lest I be like those who go down into the pit.

Cause me to hear Your lovingkindness in the morning,

For in You do I trust;

Cause me to know the way in which I should walk,

For I lift up my soul to You.

Deliver me, O Lord, from my enemies;

In You I take shelter.

Teach me to do Your will,

For You are my God;

Your Spirit is good.

Lead me in the land of uprightness.

Revive me, O Lord, for Your name’s sake!

For Your righteousness’ sake bring my soul out of trouble.

In Your mercy cut off my enemies,

And destroy all those who afflict my soul;

For I am Your servant.”

Psalm 143:7-12 (NKJV)

Captain of My Salvation, Hear!

by Charles Wesley *

Captain of my salvation, hear!

Stir up Thy strength, and bow the skies:

Be Thou the God of battles, near;

In all Thy majesty arise!

The day, the dreadful day’s at hand!

In battle cover Thou my head:

Past is Thy word: Here I stand,

And confident expect Thine aid.

Now arm me for the threatening fight;

Now let Thy power descend from high;

Triumphant in Thy Spirit’s might,

So shall I every foe defy.

I ask Thy help; by Thee sent forth

Thy glorious Gospel to proclaim,

Be Thou my mouth, and shake the earth,

And spread by me Thy awful name.

Steel me to shame, reproach, disgrace,

Arm me with all Thy armor now,

Set like a flint my steady face,

Harden to adamant my brow.

Bold may I wax, exceeding bold,

My high commission to perform,

Nor shrink Thy harshest truths to unfold,

But more than meet the gathering storm.

Adverse to earth’s rebellious throng,

Still may I turn my fearless face,

Stand as an iron pillar strong,

And steadfast as a wall of brass.

Give me Thy might, Thou God of power;

Then let or man or fiends assail!

Strong in Thy strength, I’ll stand a tower

Impregnable to earth or hell.

* Charles Wesley (1707-1788) was the son of Sam­u­el Wes­ley and Su­san­na An­nes­ley, bro­ther of John Wes­ley, and hus­band of Sar­ah Wes­ley. Charles and John wrote over 6,000 hymns. In ad­di­tion to hymn writ­ing, Charles and John Wesley found­ed the move­ment which be­came the Me­thod­ist de­no­mi­na­tion.

Be alert! Pray without ceasing! March on!

The Sword of the Spirit – The Word of God

The prophet Isaiah recorded the words below which were spoken by the Servant of the LORD, the Messiah of Israel. John explains that Jesus of Nazareth is the Living Word (John 1:1-4) who brings grace and truth; this is the same Son of God who will judge the world. (John 5:22; 9:39; 12:47-48)

“And He has made My mouth like a sharp sword;

In the shadow of His hand He has hidden Me,

And made Me a polished shaft;

In His quiver He has hidden Me.” Isaiah 49:2

The Spirit’s Sword

by Matt Gleiser* and Matt Taylor**

The Word of God, the Spirit’s Sword,

Divinely made in heaven’s forge.

Inerrant truth from God’s own mind,

No blemish mars its perfect shine.

[Refrain]

Unsheathe the Sword of Christ the Lord;

Unsheathe the power of the Word.

The Holy Spirit’s sovereign Blade

Can never fail to wound and save.

Alive and mighty, straight and true,

The Sword is ancient yet still new.

It ever speaks to Adam’s race

Eternal words from age to age. [Refrain]

Still sharper than a double edge,

The Sword will pierce the hearts of men,

Exposing all our secret thoughts

Before the searching eyes of God. [Refrain]

With shattered conscience for our ways,

We look to Christ for healing grace.

For though the Word lays bare our sin,

We find new life and hope in Him. [Refrain]

* Matt Gleiser leads an itinerant gospel ministry to local churches. He has had a long relationship with The Wilds Christian Camp & Conference Center in Taylors, S.C. He is a graduate of Bob Jones University and enjoys writing new hymns for the church that exalt Christ and His cross.

** Matt Taylor is a graduate of Bob Jones University and has been Music Director at The Wilds since 2005.

Be alert! Grab your Sword! March on!

“The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer;
My God, my strength, in whom I will trust;
My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”

Psalm 18:2 (NKJV)

Fellow soldiers, this hymn came to my attention a few days ago and I want to post it now even though it is out of sequence from my earlier post on “The Shield of Faith.” The lyrics by Edith Cherry will inspire our devotion and faith! More than that, the following story touched my heart when I read what it meant to five godly missionaries who were martyred in the jungle of Ecuador more than 60 years ago. It expresses their trust in Almighty God before they ventured into the unknown to tell a tribal people about Jesus and His saving grace.

Miss Cherry’s beautiful hymn, “We Rest on Thee, Our Shield and Our Defender” was sung in 1956, by five missionaries preparing to make contact with the Auca Indians of Ecuador. Their goal was to take the Gospel to this remote tribe who had never had contact with white men. Even knowing that the Auca Indians might attack them for entering their jungle habitat, these men considered the price and knew it was worthwhile. A few days later, Auca tribe members speared to death Jim Elliot, Nate Saint, Pete Fleming, Ed McCully, and Roger Youderian on a riverbank two days after the men made an initial friendly contact. Elisabeth Elliot, wife of Jim Elliot, drew the title for her book, Through Gates of Splendor, from a line of Edith Cherry’s hymn. Elliot writes this in her book about when their families met for the last time before the five men flew into the jungle:

“At the close of their prayers the five men sang one of their favorite hymns, “We Rest on Thee,” to the stirring tune of  Sibelius’ ‘Finlandia.’ Jim and Ed had sung this hymn since college days and knew the verses by heart. On the last verse their voices rang out with deep conviction.

“‘We rest on Thee, our Shield and our Defender:

  Thine is the battle, Thine shall be the praise

When reigning in the Kingdom of Thy splendor;

  Victors, we rest with Thee, through endless days.’”

Jim Elliot’s credo lives on today: “He is no fool to give what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” (Elisabeth Elliot went to be with the Lord in 2015 at the age of 88.)

We Rest on Thee, Our Shield and Our Defender

by Edith Cherry (1872-1897)  *

(to the tune of “Be Still My Soul”)

We rest on Thee, our Shield and our Defender;

  We go not forth alone against the foe;

Strong in Thy strength, safe in Thy keeping tender.

  We rest on Thee, and in Thy Name we go.

Yea, in Thy Name, O Captain of salvation!

  In Thy dear Name, all other names above;

Jesus our Righteousness, our sure Foundation,

  Our Prince of glory and our King of love.

We go in faith, our own great weakness feeling,

  And needing more each day Thy grace to know:

Yet from our hearts a song of triumph pealing;

  We rest on Thee, and in Thy Name we go.

We rest on Thee, our Shield and our Defender:

  Thine is the battle, Thine shall be the praise

When reigning in the Kingdom of Thy splendor;

  Victors, we rest with Thee, through endless days.

*  Edith Cherry—Born at Plymouth, Devon, UK, she was disabled from the age of 16 months by poliomyelitis and walked with crutches. The death of her only sister, who died at age 4, when Edith was age 6, devastated her. She had a gift for poetry and wrote much before the age of 15. She had two strokes in early life, and a third, at age 25, took her life. She wrote beautiful poems and many hymn lyrics, filling two volumes.

The LORD is my strength and my shield

“As for God, His way is perfect;

The word of the Lord is proven;

He is a shield to all who trust in Him.

For who is God, except the Lord?

And who is a rock, except our God?

It is God who arms me with strength,

And makes my way perfect.

He makes my feet like the feet of deer,

And sets me on my high places.

He teaches my hands to make war,

So that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

You have also given me the shield of Your salvation;

Your right hand has held me up,

Your gentleness has made me great.”

Psalm 18:30-35 (NKJV)

The Shield of Faith

by Barney E Warren * and Daniel S. Warner **

Take the shield of faith, my brother,

Hold it boldly in the light;

And its awful burnished glory

Will put every foe to flight.

[Refrain]

In the mighty name of Jesus,

Ever lift up the shield of faith;

Wield the sword of truth, my brother,

Heaven will crown thy fight of faith.

Faith is mighty and will conquer,

Bind it firmly on thy heart;

On the hottest field of battle,

Thou wilt quench the vilest dart. [Refrain]

And when trouble specters round thee,

Come, thy spirit to depress,

Lift the shield of faith abounding,

And thy soul shall calmly rest. [Refrain]

Then put on the holy armor,

And defy the tempting throng,

Over all the foes that gather,

Shout and sing the victor’s song. [Refrain]

*  Barney E. Warren was con­vert­ed in 1884 at a re­vi­val near Ban­gor, Mich­i­gan. Two years lat­er he joined with Dan­i­el S. War­ner and his evan­gel­is­tic sing­ing com­pa­ny as a bass sing­er. War­ren is cred­it­ed with writ­ing over 7,000 songs. Warren was a min­is­ter as well as a song writ­er, and pas­tored sev­er­al con­gre­ga­tions. He al­so helped pro­duce song books and hym­nals for the Gos­pel Trum­pet Pub­lish­ing Com­pa­ny.

** Daniel S. Warner was born in 1842 in Bris­tol, Ohio and died in Grand Junc­tion, Mi­chi­gan, of pneu­mo­nia. During his years of evangelistic singing, he wrote lyrics and Barney E. Warren wrote the musical score for thousands of hymns.

“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” Romans 5:1 (NKJV)

“And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.” Colossians 3:15

“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.” Isaiah 26:3 (KJV)

Sometimes our battle hymns are meant to stir us up to continue in our spiritual struggles or to encourage us forward to accomplish great things for God. This hymn speaks of a settled peace from God and with God that “...surpasses all understanding, [that] will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:7) Like a soldier’s well-fitted shoes that allow him to march for many miles, or the shoes that give him a firm grip on the ground during a fierce battle, the peace of God gives us confident serenity in the trials of life.

Wonderful Peace

by W.D. Cornell *

Far away in the depths of my spirit tonight

Rolls a melody sweeter than psalm;

In celestial-like strains it unceasingly falls

O’er my soul like an infinite calm.

[Refrain]

Peace, peace, wonderful peace,

Coming down from the Father above!

Sweep over my spirit forever, I pray

In fathomless billows of love!

What a treasure I have in this wonderful peace,

Buried deep in the heart of my soul,

So secure that no power can mine it away,

While the years of eternity roll! [Refrain]

I am resting tonight in this wonderful peace,

Resting sweetly in Jesus’ control;

For I’m kept from all danger by night and by day,

And His glory is flooding my soul! [Refrain]

And I think when I rise to that city of peace,

Where the Author of peace I shall see,

That one strain of the song which the ransomed will sing

In that heavenly kingdom will be: [Refrain]

Ah soul, are you here without comfort and rest,

Marching down the rough pathway of time?

Make Jesus your friend ere the shadows grow dark;

Oh, accept this sweet peace so sublime! [Refrain]

* W.D. Cornell was born in Whiteford, Michigan and in 1877—at the ripe old age of 19 years—he went to Texas, where he spent a year teaching in the “colored” department of the newly formed Dallas Public Schools. Licensed by the Southern Methodist conference in 1879, he was appointed to preach in Denton and Gainesville, both in the North Texas area, for a year each. It would be interesting to know what caused this young man to go so far from home; but in 1881 he removed to the vicinity of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, where he spent the majority of his preaching career.

“Keep your heart with all diligence,

For out of it spring the issues of life.”

Proverbs 4:23

Keep Your Heart

by Mac Lynch

Now on this mountaintop we have gleaned so many things.

We’ve been drawn closer to His heart, a place that trial brings.

We have seen vict’ry over sin, and witnessed answered prayer.

We have known Christ be our only strength, found His Word a jewel rare.

[Refrain]

Keep your heart, keep your heart, keep your heart with all diligence.

Keep it clean, keep it pure, make your love for Christ endure.

Guard your ears; guard your eyes; Pressing onward to the prize.

Lest you fall, lest you fail, make your love for Christ prevail.

Now from this mountaintop to your valley here below,

You have all of the armory to defeat that wicked foe.

The vict’ry is at your command, Your prayers He’ll answer still.

Be the guardian of your only heart, Heed this Word, His perfect will.

[Refrain]

Stay alert! Put on your armor! March on!

“Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.”

 “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14

“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.’” John 14:6

 [Love] “Does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” 1 Corinthians 13:6-7

O God Of Truth

Attributed to Ambrose of Milan;

born Aurelius Ambrosius, c. 340-397

O God of truth, Whose living Word

Upholds whate’er hath breath,

Look down on Thy creation, Lord,

Enslaved by sin and death.

Set up Thy standard, Lord, that we,

Who claim a heavenly birth,

May march with Thee to smite the lies

That vex Thy groaning earth.

Ah! would we join that blest array,

And follow in the might

Of Him, the Faithful and the True,

In raiment clean and white!

We fight for truth, we fight for God,

Poor slaves of lies and sin!

He who would fight for Thee on earth

Must first be true within.

Then, God of truth, for Whom we long,

Thou Who wilt hear our prayer,

Do Thine own battle in our hearts,

And slay the falsehood there.

Still smite; still burn; till naught is left

But God’s own truth and love;

Then, Lord, as morning dew come down,

Rest on us from above.

Yes, come: then, tried as in the fire,

From every lie set free,

Thy perfect truth shall dwell in us,

And we shall live in Thee.

“The LORD is my strength…”

“Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for You. You show lovingkindness to thousands, and repay the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children after them—the Great, the Mighty God, whose name is the LORD of hosts. You are great in counsel and mighty in work, for Your eyes are open to all the ways of the sons of men, to give everyone according to his ways and according to the fruit of his doings.” Jeremiah 32:17-19

Sometimes we like to think that we are strong soldiers and trust in our armor to protect us, we look to our Might Lord to give us what we need for the battle. The inner strength to win the day is found only in God.

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13

“The LORD God is my strength…” Habakkuk  3:19a

Arm These Thy Soldiers, Mighty Lord

By Christopher Wordsworth *

Arm these Thy soldiers, mighty Lord,

With shield of faith and Spirit’s sword.

Forth to the battle may they go

And boldly fight against the foe.

With banner of the cross unfurled,

They overcome the evil world

And so at last receive from Thee

The palm and crown of victory.

Come, ever blessed Spirit, come

And make Thy servants’ heart Thy home.

May each a living temple be

Hallowed forever, Lord, to Thee.

Enrich that temple’s holy shrine

With sevenfold gifts of grace divine;

With wisdom, light, and knowledge bless,

With counsel, strength, and godliness.

O Trinity in Unity,

One only God in Persons Three,

In whom, through whom, by whom, we live,

To Thee we praise and glory give.

Oh, grant us so to use Thy grace

That we may see Thy glorious face

And ever with the heavenly host

Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost!

*  Christopher Wordsworth (1807-1885) – Wordsworth was vi­car at Stan­ford-in-the-Vale, Berk­shire, arch­dea­con of West­min­ster, and bishop of Lin­coln, England. A recognized Greek scho­lar, he wrote the­o­lo­gic­al and oth­er works. Of his hymns, he said, “It is the first duty of a hymn to teach sound doc­trine and thence to save souls.”