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.

Don’t Be Cheated: Colossians 2:6-8

As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.  Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.

Colossians 2:6-8

When I read the metaphor “rooted and grounded” I think of a plant. The plant starts as a seed, germinates, grows roots, and then it is able to grow tall and branch out.  That is a natural process that occurs over time given the right combination of sunlight, water, and soil nutrients.

Unfortunately, being rooted and grounded as a Christian is not a function of time. That is, there is no direct correlation between church attendance, Bible reading, or years served, and the level Christian maturity.  Unlike the passive growth of a plant, we have to participate in our own growth and development.

Do you ever wonder why we have to be warned repeatedly throughout scripture not to be deceived?

Earlier in this chapter, Paul was a bit concerned that the church in Colosse would be deceived, after all, they were an indirect church plant and he did not have the priviledge of teaching them himself.

There will always be those teachers who will try to present a counterfeit, for whatever motive, including but not limited to “the god of their belly,” and, more frequently than not, they speak words we like to hear.

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 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

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

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

Friday Church 4/20/12 #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 very excited to be back on keys this week.  After returning to it in early March, I became ill and missed two weeks.

Here is the set in the Key of D:

• I Will Bless the Lord | Bridget Willard © 2004 moreofjesus.com CCLI# 4570318
  • Chart
  • Here is the original version from my CD, Come Away.

• These Things Are True of You | Tommy Walker © 1996 Doulos Publishing CCLI #1781736
• You Are Still Holy | Rita Springer © 1998 Mercy/Vineyard Publishing CCLI# 2581983
• Jesus the Righteous One | Dan Marks © 1998 CCLI #2882905
• You Have Been So Good | Paul Baloche / Sarah Groves © 2006 Integrity Music CCLI 4662477

Friday Church 4/13/12 #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 very excited to be back on keys this week.  After returning to it in early March, I became ill and missed two weeks.

Here is the set in the Key of D:

• We Will Worship the Lamb of Glory | Dennis Jernigan © 1989 CCLI 208409
• These Things Are True of You | Tommy Walker © 1996 Doulos Publishing CCLI #1781736
• You Are Still Holy | Rita Springer © 1998 Mercy/Vineyard Publishing CCLI# 2581983
• Jesus the Righteous One | Dan Marks © 1998 CCLI #2882905
• You Have Been So Good | Paul Baloche / Sarah Groves © 2006 Integrity Music CCLI 4662477

Friday Church 3/16/12 #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 very excited to be back on keys this week.  Now, I’m not sure how long that will last just because of the logistics of carrying a keyboard (88 hammer-weighted keys) versus a guitar.  After breaking my right ring finger in October 2010 and being in physical therapy for four months, I wasn’t sure if I would ever play again.

More than a year has gone by and I am sad to say that out of several levels of convenience I stayed with the guitar.  Without increasing my skill set, this left me missing many of my beloved songs.

3/18/12:  I also sang these songs as part of our church’s 3rd Sunday Refreshing service.  It was really enjoyable.

Here is the set in the Key of C:

• Here I Am to Worship | Tim Hughes © 2000 Kingsway’s Thank you Music CCLI# 3266032
• Offering | Paul Baloche © 2003 Integrity’s Hosanna Music CCLI #3956562
• Amazed (Zephaniah 3:17) | Jared Anderson © 2004 Vertical Worship Songs/ASCAP CCLI 4221021
• Jesus How I Love You | Kevin Green © 1992 Why Me? Music
• Let My Words Be Few (Ecclesiates 5:2) | Matt & Beth Redman (c)  2000 Thankyou Music CCLI#3040980

3/17/12 Update:

It went surprisingly well.  At first I was super nervous because I had only preliminarily tested out whether I could still play / remember chords on Monday.  But as I went through the songs during the sound check I was amazed that my hands remembered where to be (even CAug).

I appreciate everyone who prayed.  I felt more “me” leading on keys and maybe it’s because the keyboard is my first instrument and/or I feel more comfortable on it and/or I know more chords and, therefore, I play more songs on keys vs. guitar.  Either way, I felt more like the worship leader I used to be.  

Here’s a snapshot:

 

Friday Church 3/2/12 #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.

Here is the set (in the Key of A):

• I Will Praise Him Still | Fernando Ortega © 1997 Dayspring Music, LLC CCLI #2287995
• Psalm 5 | Bill Sprouse, Jr. (c) 1975 Maranatha! Music CCLI #30938
• All Who Are Thirsty | Brenton Brown | Glenn Robertson
• © 1998 Vineyard Songs CCLI Song No. 2489542
• Jesus Come | © Evan Wickham/Calvin Nowell
• The Solid Rock | Edward Mote / William Bradbury, 1863
  • My Hymn-Theology post on this song is here:  
    

    Hymn-Theology: My Anchor Holds Within the Veil

    Below is a demo I recorded in Garage Band.  Click to play or click HERE to download the mp3 file.

Friday Church 2/17/12 #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.

Here is the set:

Holy is the Lord
Chris Tomlin & Louie Giglio © 2003 worshiptogether.com CCLI# 4158039

Jesus, Lover of My Soul
Daniel Grul, John Ezzy, Steve McPherson © 1992 Hillsong CCLI #1198817

You are My All In All
Dennis Jernigan © 1991 Shepherd’s Heart Music, Inc. CCLI 825356

Father, I Adore You
Terrye Coelho © 1972 Maranatha Music CCLI# 26557

Friday Church 2/3/12 #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.

Here is the set:

I Waited For The Lord | Bill Batstone © 1982 Maranatha Praise, Inc. CCLI # 116096

Kindness | Tomlin/ Reeves/Giglio © 2000 worshiptogether.com CCLI # 3028373

Oh How I Love Jesus

Softly and Tenderly

I Have Decided to Follow Jesus