“It Is Well With My Soul” – Musical Musings in March (Sabbatical Post)

November 29th, 2015 dsisler

 

For today’s musical musing, we will need to go back to 1873. It is a hymn you’ll know, recognize and probably love. I want to begin by reading through the words and listening to this great hymn of faith. Please join me.

 

“It Is Well With My Soul”

 

???????????????????????????????When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.
(Refrain)

 

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.
(Refrain)

 

My sin, oh, 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!
(Refrain)

 

For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:
If Jordan above me shall roll,
No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life
Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.
(Refrain)

 

But, Lord, ‘tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait,
The sky, not the grave, is our goal;
Oh trump of the angel! Oh voice of the Lord!
Blessèd hope, blessèd rest of my soul!
(Refrain)

 

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.

 

Refrain
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

 

This particular clip tells the story and history of this beautiful hymn and its songwriter. What a treasure!

 

It is difficult to understand how someone such as Mr. Spafford could be at such peace at the loss of his precious family. But clearly, he was. The only possible way is through Jesus and Holy Spirit leading him through this difficult time.

 

Is it possible for us to have this same peace? It certainly is. Let me share some of God’s words that lead me to this understanding.

 

I’ll begin in 2 Thessalonians 3:16 (NIV). “Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with all of you.”

 

We have God’s peace with us at all times. And in whatever situation we face, His peace is with us. His peace is our peace. And with His peace, we can say, it is well with my soul.

 

But this isn’t the only verse that leads us to this conclusion. Let’s look at Philippians 4:7 (NIV). “And the peace of God which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”

 

God’s peace is difficult for us to understand. Being at peace during difficult situations is beyond our understanding, but with God it is possible.

 

How about another verse? Perhaps words from Jesus Himself? “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33 – NIV)

 

When we face troubles, and we will, Jesus becomes our peace (Ephesians 2:14) and His perfect peace (Isaiah 26:3) will overcome all that the world shoves at us. Isaiah 9:6 promises the Prince of Peace. And according to Psalm 119:165 (NIV), we who “love God’s law will have great peace and nothing will make us stumble.”

 

You see, peace in this world is possible. Even through the difficult times. Through the dark times. We have God’s peace and we can say it is well with our souls.

 

I recall singing this great hymn at my grandfather’s funeral. It was day of celebration. He had lived a long life (nearly 98 years). He had influenced many. He had been an elder of the Fairfield Church of Christ for many years. He had been a faithful servant of God. Yes, it was a day of celebration.

 

Through the years I have come to understand God’s peace on a deeper level. And to be honest, I don’t want to live in this world without it. His peace is what helps me sleep at night when terrorists attack, when gunmen kill innocent adults and children, when children are brutally kidnapped and murdered, when people die of starvation around the world, when the life of my grandson slipped away.

 

I have peace. God’s peace. And it is well with my soul.

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

Donna

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“Hosanna (Praise is Rising)” – Musical Musings in March (Sabbatical Post)

November 28th, 2015 dsisler

 

I am fifteen days into Musical Musings in March and have shared 14 (actually 15) songs with you that have made an impression on me through my life. I’ve used the passage from Ephesians 5:19-20 for this project and have been searching psalms, hymns and spiritual songs to share with you.

 

DSC00374Today is no different. I have chosen the song “Hosanna” or “Praise is Rising.” It has become one of my favorites and it doesn’t matter when I hear it or sing it, I am moving with hands lifted. I love this song! I love this song because the message of this song covers it all.

 

Praise. Hope. Yearning. Strength. Fears washed away. Salvation. Hearts returning. Broken lives. Newness of life. Regardless of what is happening in life, this song seems to point us to the One who is able to help. Our great God.

 

And because of His great love for us, we in turn praise Him for all that He’s done. So, let’s read through these words and listen to another wonderful worship song. “Hosanna (Praise is Rising).”

 

Praise is rising, eyes are turning to You
We turn to You
Hope is stirring, hearts are yearning for You
We long for You

When we see You
We find strength to face the day
In Your presence all our fears
Are washed away, washed away

Hosanna, Hosanna
You are the God who saves us
Worthy of all our praises

Hosanna, Hosanna
Come have Your way among us
We welcome You here, Lord Jesus

Hear the sound of hearts returning to You
We turn to You
In Your kingdom broken lives are made new
You make all things new

 

When we see You
We find strength to face the day
In Your presence all our fears
Are washed away, washed away

Hosanna, Hosanna
You are the God who saves us
Worthy of all our praises

Hosanna, Hosanna
Come have Your way among us
We welcome You here, Lord Jesus[i]

 

Click here to listen.

 

As we lead up to Palm Sunday, this song is particularly relevant because of the words spoken as Jesus entered Jerusalem. The crowds placed palm branches on the ground. They danced in the streets. They shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” (Matthew 21:9 – NIV)

 

I love that the crowd was so enthusiastic and that Matthew captured their enthusiasm by using exclamation points. They were in touch with their God. He was in their presence.

 

But a week later, all of that changed.

 

I wonder how often we are exclaiming God as the One who saves us when all is well within our lives, but falter in our exclaiming when our days are more difficult to get through?

 

Our praise mustn’t come and go with our moods or our situations in life. Praise must rise in all circumstances, because God is the only One who can save us.

 

King David wrote of such a God in Psalm 146:7-10 (NIV).

 

“He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry.

The Lord sets prisoners free, the Lord gives sight to the blind, the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down, the Lord loves the righteous.

The Lord watches over the alien and sustains the fatherless and the widow, but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.

The Lord reigns forever, your God, O Zion, for all generations.

Praise the Lord.”

 

When we see God in this way, we are able to praise Him in all circumstances.

 

Perhaps today you are facing a day of hopelessness. If so, it would be the perfect time to meet God and find all that He is able to offer. Maybe you’re broken. In God’s presence, broken lives are made new. Are you living in fear? God will bring strength to your life as you’ve never known before.

 

Have you turned away from God? Why not return to Him? There’s no better time than the present. He’s standing there waiting for you.

 

Maybe you are a faithful servant of our Lord, but you’ve held on to some worldly ways. Today is the day to ask God to have His way with you. Welcome Him into your life and allow Him to sit on the throne of your heart.

 

I am praising God today. I pray that you will join me.

 

Hosanna!

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

 

Donna

[i] Hosanna (Praise is Rising), Brenton Brown, 2006

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George Beverly Shea – Musical Musings in March (Sabbatical Post)

November 27th, 2015 dsisler

 

I’ve decided to write about a composer today. Oh, I could have chosen many for certain, but the two pieces of music written by George Beverly Shea are two of my favorites. So today we’ll take a look at both of them.

 

DSCN0582In my youth, I remember singing these two songs. And as I matured, so did my understanding of these two songs. It is difficult for us to understand how God could love us as much as He does, but believe it. God loves us!

 

And what could we possibly offer God in return for His great love? Our complete devotion. More than anything in this world, our love and desire for God should take precedence.

 

So today, “The Wonder of it All” and “I’d Rather Have Jesus” are my choices. One speaks of God’s love for me, the other speaks of my love for God. I pray that you know the wonder of God’s love for you and that you have chosen to love Jesus more than this old world.

 

“The Wonder of it All”

 

There’s the wonder of sunset at evening,
The wonder as sunrise I see;
But the wonder of wonders that thrills my soul
Is the wonder that God loves me.

 

Refrain
O, the wonder of it all! The wonder of it all!
Just to think that God loves me.
O, the wonder of it all! The wonder of it all!
Just to think that God loves me.

 

Verse 2
There’s the wonder of springtime and harvest,
The sky, the stars, the sun;
But the wonder of wonders that thrills my soul
Is a wonder that’s only begun.[i]

 

Enjoy the Gaither’s version of this song by clicking here.

 

“I’d Rather Have Jesus”

 

I’d rather have Jesus than silver or gold;
I’d rather be His than have riches untold:
I’d rather have Jesus than houses or lands.
I’d rather be led by His nail-pierced hand
(Chorus)

 

I’d rather have Jesus than men’s applause;
I rather be faithful to His dear cause;
I’d rather have Jesus than worldwide fame.
I’d rather be true to His holy name.
(Chorus)

 

He’s fairer than lilies of rarest bloom;
He’s sweeter than honey from out the comb;
He’s all than my hungering spirit needs.
I’d rather have Jesus and let Him lead
(Chorus)

 

Than to be the king of a vast domain
Or be held in sin’s dread sway.
I’d rather have Jesus than anything
This world affords today.[ii]

 

Another great version of a great song! Click here to listen.

 

The verse of Scripture related to this particular song is Philippians 1:21 (NIV). “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” I would rather have Jesus. How about you?

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

 

Donna

[i] The Wonder of it All, George Beverly Shea, 1955

[ii] I’d Rather Have Jesus, George Beverly Shea and Rhea F. Miller, 1932

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“Majesty” – Musical Musings in March (Sabbatical Post)

November 26th, 2015 dsisler

 

For over a decade, I played the organ or the piano for nearly every worship service on Sunday morning, Sunday evening service, and on Wednesday evenings if we sung a hymn or two. It was a large part of my life.

 

It was during this time that some of the great worship songs were introduced to us and to our congregants. Music such as, “Lord, I Lift Your Name on High,” “He is Exalted,” and “Awesome God.” And one that I still love to hear and sing, and that makes my list of favorite songs, “Majesty.”

 

This particular worship song praises Jesus through and through. There is no doubt to whom we offer our praise. And what are we praising Jesus for? His majesty, His power, His Name, His actions. We are praising Him for who He is.

 

So let’s take a look at the lyrics and if you choose, you can also listen to this worship song, “Majesty.”

 

Majesty worship His Majesty
Unto Jesus, be all glory,
Power and praise
Majesty, Kingdom authority
Flow from His throne,
Unto his own, His anthem raise.

So exalt, lift up on high
The Name of Jesus
Magnify, come glorify,
Christ Jesus the King
Majesty, worship His Majesty
Jesus who died, now glorified,
King of all Kings.[i]

 

My first encounter with this song was by a worship leader named, Ron Kenoly. I pray you will be inspired by his version of “Majesty.”

 

Of course there are plenty of passages in Scripture that lead us to worship God and Jesus for their majesty. But the passage associated with this particular worship song is found in the Old Testament. Read through this text.

 

“Praise be to you, O Lord, God of our father Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, O Lord, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all. Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all. Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name.” (2 Chronicles 29:10-13 – NIV)

 

Perhaps this is a passage you haven’t noticed it before. I am not sure that I have paid much attention to it. King David, in addressing the assembly, spoke these words as worship to God.

 

It was a transition period for David. Solomon, David’s son, would become King of Israel and would build the great temple. But it brought joy to David’s soul. He was thankful for his part in the preparation, but he willingly gave the task to his son.

 

And knowing all of what was to be, David praised God.

 

King David certainly desired to build the temple of God, but it was not to be. God had a different plan. But David continued to praise God until his death.

 

Praising God in our own lives must never be squashed because of circumstances or situations we encounter. We must praise God through it all.

 

Our plans may not be turn out the way we’d like, but God has a plan and He is in control of that plan. Our role is to praise Him.

 

I pray that you are able to use music to lead you in praise. Whether you’re a vocalist or not, God loves to hear your voice lifting His Name in praise. So let’s crank up the speakers and sing “Majesty” one more time.

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

 

Donna

[i] Majesty, Jack Hayford, 1981

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“He’s Everything to Me” – Musical Musings in March (Sabbatical Post)

November 25th, 2015 dsisler

 

Today, I’m taking you back to 1964. I know I didn’t hear this song that year, but soon after. It became a popular song at camp, at youth group and as a special number in a worship service.

 

???????????????????????????????“He’s Everything to Me” not only had a wonderful melody that was easy to sing and calmed a spirit, but the words drew us into the message. God is a great big wonderful God. Yes, this is true. But until I was touched personally by this wonderful God, it really didn’t matter.

 

So take a look at the words and maybe listen to the song. “He’s Everything to Me” makes my list for all-time favorites.

 

“He’s Everything to Me”

 

In the stars His handiwork I see,
On the wind He speaks with majesty,
Though He ruleth over land and sea,
What is that to me?

 

I will celebrate Nativity,
for it has a place in history
Sure, He came to set His people free
What is that to me?

 

Till by faith I met Him face to face
and I felt the wonder of his grace
Then I knew that He was more
than just a God who didn’t care
That lived a way out there

 

And now He walks beside
me day by day,
Ever watching over me lest I stray,
Helping me to find that narrow way
He’s Everything To Me.[i]

 

If you click here, you’ll hear a great version of this song. I have no idea what movie it was in, but it was so good, I knew it was the video I had to share with you. Enjoy!

 

Meeting Jesus face to face and feeling (knowing) His grace. Having a personal relationship with Jesus and spending time with Him. Allowing His Spirit to lead and guide us. That is what life is about. That is the message we are to share with others.

 

I’ve recently been pointed to a phrase in Colossians that has taken on new meaning for me. See if you don’t feel the same.

 

In Colossians 3, the apostle Paul shares some rules for holy living. The guidelines (or commands) he shares in this chapter set the boundaries for us. They tell us what is acceptable and what is not. If you haven’t read this chapter lately, maybe you should.

 

But what I want to share with you are the words found in Colossians 3:4 (NIV). “When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.”

 

Jesus doesn’t just give meaning to our life. This verse tells us that Christ is our life. I’d say that constitutes everything, don’t you?

 

Is Jesus everything to you? Is He your life? Praise God if you said “yes.” If you said “no,” please let me share what it means for Jesus to be everything to you. It will be the best decision you’ve ever made.

 

We are at day eleven of Musical Musings in March. I have such a long list of song titles facing me each day that I am certain I could write April Arias, May Melodies, and June Jingles. But I will spare you. I promise March will be my musical month.

 

I still look forward to hearing of the music that has impacted your life. Don’t be shy. Just drop me a line. I really would love to hear from you!

 

Have a blessed Monday and work week. And keep on singing!

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

 

Donna

[i] He’s Everything to Me, Ralph Carmichael, 1964

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  • "I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and His incomparably great power for us who believe." Ephesians 1:18-19

  • I am a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother. I lived in the beautiful state of Colorado for 20 years where I found great inspiration for my novels and devotional writings. Currently living in Jacksonville, Florida.

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