Hymn-Theology: I Once Was Lost, But Now I’m Found

I once was lost but now I’m found.

Was blind, but now I see.

“Amazing Grace”

John Newton  (1779)

I first heard an a capella version of “Amazing Grace” by Meryl Streep at the end of the movie Silkwood (1983). I fell in love with it. I don’t know why.  I imagine the lyrics touched my soul in a way I couldn’t yet understand, not having converted to Christianity; besides which I was just a child.

I’m not sure why I waited this long to cover this song in the Hymn-Theology series, perhaps because the lyrics resonate with my testimony.  2013 marks my twenty-first year as a Christian and it is hard to believe that God has brought me so far from what was my statistical fate.

The Substance is Christ: Colossians 2:16-17

So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.

Colossians 2:15-16

Foreshadowing has been a tool of storytellers throughout time. Often, it is used as an allegory to make a point or teach or moral truth.  The lessons in the Old Testament were used to teach the Israelites (and now us) that Christ’s coming was part of God’s Eternal Plan.

Take the instance of Isaac, Abraham’s miracle child, as an example.  His birth was a miracle, just as was the birth of Christ.  Abraham was asked to sacrifice his only son, which God the Father did.

Then He said, “Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.”  Genesis 22:2

“I Will Bless the Lord” from the CD “Come Away”

I Will Bless the Lord (CCLI #4570318)

The Lord gave me this song early in my writing career. Ben Camp, my piano teacher at the time, put the chords to this song, as he did to most of the songs on this CD.

Often we think we should praise the Lord when we feel good, but it is just the opposite. When we choose to worship, is when He fills us with His Spirit.

He is worthy of our praise and that is enough reason to worship. The Psalms are a good source of prayers and songs that David and the other Psalmists wrote to express themselves to the Lord. Whenever I am down, I turn to David, the worship leader of worship leaders.

Here is a video of the recorded version:

Communication on Fire? Stop, Drop, And Roll

And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell.  James 3:6

Are you the smackdown king in your marriage? Do you have a blackbelt in Tongue-Foo?  Do you have a quick, witty, albeit cuttng, remark on hand for quick and easy use?

Mercier and I are both adept at making the snide remark or two; however, our goal is to maintain healthy communication.  (I say “goal” because, much like yourself, we are only human and are bound to make mistakes.)

When I observe couples engaging in this sort of tit-for-tat war (when really a simple answer would suffice), I am reminded the fire prevention public service announcements during Saturday cartoons: Stop, Drop, and Roll

Correcting our Perspective: Colossians 2:11-15

In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.

Colossians 2:11-15

Perspective.  It’s one of the easiest things to lose.  Circumstances often overshadow reality and make us myopic.

Our perspective is adjusted (corrected) when we focus on what Christ has already done for us.  In these five verses, we are reminded of the following:

1. We were circumcised with Christ.
2. We were buried with Christ in baptism.
3. We were raised with Him through faith.
4. We were made alive.
5. We have been forgiven.
6. Our sins were nailed to the cross.
7. He disarmed Principalities and Powers.
8. He triumphed.

The Incomplete is Now Complete: Colossians 2:9-10

For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.

Colossians 2:9-10

These two verses tell us what we need to know about Jesus and what we need to know about ourselves.

The Fullness of the Godhead

I’m often asked by non-believers why there are so many different denominations.  What I say is that they take on different flavors but, in order to be called a “Christian Church” they must adhere to the “dealbreaker theology.”

Things About Me

Are you curious about me?  Here is what I am willing to divulge.

• My favorite pudding is tapioca.
• I don’t like loud music.
• My favorite music is jazz.
• My favorite cake is lemon coconut.
• Cinnamon is my favorite spice.
• I hate talking on the phone.
• I love email.
• I don’t drink.
• I don’t plan, I do.
• When I’m sick, I crave a Happy Meal.

#ThingsAboutMe I don't drink.—
Bridget Willard (@gidgey) June 26, 2012

• I don’t like open questions.
• I hate being interrupted.
• Grammar matters to me.
• I love getting a pedicure but hate fighting the upsell.
• Coffee and Diet Coke are my vices.

Friday Church 6/1/12 #SundaySetlists

Part of The Worship Community’s #SundaySetlists.

Our Friday night motel outreach functions just as any other church.  We may differ in this:  the children and adults are together for a psalm reading, worship, and the memory verse.

I am continuing to lead on keys.

Here is the set in the Key of E:

• Your Name | Paul Baloche & Glenn Packiam © 2006 Hosanna! Music CCLI #4611679Worth it All | Rita Springer © 2002 River Oaks Music Company CCLI # 3689860
• Ah Lord God | Tommy Walker © 1994 Wemobile Music
• I Will Trust in You | Kevin Green © 1995 Kevin Green
• I Need More of You | Chris Falson © 1999 Chris Falson Music

– Communion —

• Lord I Believe In You | Tommy Walker © 1996 Doulos Publishing CCLI # 1782003

Friday Church 5/18/12 #SundaySetlists

Part of The Worship Community’s #SundaySetlists.

Our Friday night motel outreach functions just as any other church.  We may differ in this:  the children and adults are together for a psalm reading, worship, and the memory verse.

I’ve been out for a few different reasons for almost a month, so we’ll see how well this goes. I plan to be solo on keys.

It went really well and I was overwhelmed by the participation and the peace that came over us.

Here is the set in the Key of G:

• Great Redeemer | Paul Baloche © 2007 Integrity’s Hosanna! CCLI# 4994626
• Be Unto Your Name | Lynn DeShazo & Gary Sadler 1998 Integrity’s Hosanna! Music CCLI # 2177476
• Captivate Us| Charlie Hall, Christy & Nathan Nockels © 2004 Word Music, LLC CCLI # 4348021
• Breathe | Marie Barnett © 1995 Mercy/Vineyard Publishing CCLI# 1874117
• Give Me Jesus | Fernando Ortega © 2000 Word Music, Inc./Dejamosolo Music CCLI 2907237

Hymn-Theology: Heir of Salvation, Purchase of God

Heir of Salvation, Purchase of God, Born of His Spirit, Washed in His Blood

“Blessed Assurance”

Fanny J. Crosby 1873 | Music by Phoebe P. Knapp.

Yes. Familiar tunes have a way of masking from our cognitive state the lyrics that contain the majority of the power of any well-known Christian song.

Blessed Assurance is both widely known and widely sung. Many people would hum the tune and, perhaps, recite the lyrics.

But mixing the word with faith, so to speak, is the job of the worship leader.  We are to sing these songs as if it were our very cry, our earnest prayer to God while inviting you to do the same.  We have to involve our emotions and our minds when we worship (Matthew 22:37).

Heir of Salvation

Our inheritance is a pretty amazing gift.  Salvation, and all that it entails, has been given to us. We didn’t earn it. This is mostly what separates us from other religions. We didn’t have a right to it. A right implies that we earned something. No, salvation is a gift. He adopted us so that we could be His heir. This is more than just mercy, it’s grace.

Friday Church 4/27/12 #SundaySetlists

Part of The Worship Community’s #SundaySetlists.

Our Friday night motel outreach functions just as any other church.  We may differ in this:  the children and adults are together for a psalm reading, worship, and the memory verse.

I am continuing to lead on keys and this week Jina Faust is joining me on vocals.

Here is the set in the Key of G:

• Holy| Nichole Nordeman and Mark Hammond © 2002 Arose Music/Mark Hammond Music
• Be Unto Your Name | Lynn DeShazo & Gary Sadler 1998 Integrity’s Hosanna! Music CCLI # 2177476
• Captivate Us| Charlie Hall, Christy & Nathan Nockels © 2004 Word Music, LLC CCLI # 4348021
• Breathe | Marie Barnett © 1995 Mercy/Vineyard Publishing CCLI# 1874117
• Give Me Jesus | Fernando Ortega © 2000 Word Music, Inc./Dejamosolo Music CCLI 2907237