If you'd like to listen to the most recent original Christian song I uploaded to YouTube, here's the link.
Things I want to share with you.
Friday, 27 June 2025
Saturday, 14 June 2025
Grandad's poems
I was looking through Grandad's poems yesterday and wanted to share these 2 excerpts. Thank You Heavenly Father for a goodly heritage.
Wednesday, 4 June 2025
"Conflict" A poem by Anna Shipton
"Lord! my soul is burdened By a weight of care,
And my foot is taken in the fowler's snare;
Darkness gathers o'er me, I shall fall or flee:
Helper of the helpless, Rise and succor me!
Dangers seem to threaten, Tempters' wiles assail;
In Thy light I see them, Yet I weakly quail.
Strange unholy terrors In my bosom rise;
"What distrustful language— Heavy groans and sighs!
Thoughts of sin's defilement Born of faithless mood,
Hosts of unclean devils, guests of hell's dark brood,
Leave me lame and mourning, Blind to seek and trace
All the glorious beauty Of Immanuel's face.
Look, oh, look upon me! See my wounds! and hear
In my soul's veiled chambers, what dishonoring fear!
Withered arms for service, And a palsied frame
That hath scarce a heart-throb At Thy precious name.
Touch me, cleanse me, heal me! Thou didst give me life;
Speak the word, and save me From this deadly strife.
Thine is full salvation, And the gift is free:
Helper of the helpless, Rise and succor me!
Hast Thou cast me from Thee? Well Thou mayst. Ah, no!
Hold me fast, sweet Jesus! Whither should I go?
Should I seek to hide me In some desert spot,
Earth no cavern holdeth Where my God is not.
Could I rise to heaven, Thus by fears oppressed,
There art Thou! Descending To the grave's dark breast,
Even there Thou reignest; And the shades of night
Open lie as noon-day, To Thy piercing sight!
Wherefore am I thus, Lord? I, who fain would show
To the thirsty pilgrim Where the waters flow;
Where the milk to nourish, Where the wine of home,
Are so freely offered Unto all that come.
Father! may I call Thee Abba—Father—mine?
Dost Thou look upon me, And still own me Thine?
Ah! Thy Spirit shows me Christ! my Priest and King,
Sinless, Stainless, Perfect, Is my Offering.
Look on Thine Anointed; Let my tongue be mute,
While we gaze together On my Substitute.
Thou art full well pleased With Thy spotless Lamb;
And Thy Spirit tells me What, O God, I am!
Lost, abhorred, and loathsome, Leprous and unclean;
Yet, enrobed in Jesus, I am spotless seen.
Oh, the weight of glory It is mine to share!
Even now He calls me "Altogether fair."
Lo, I see Thee, Jesus, Ransom of my soul!
Hast Thou not redeemed me? Let the thunders roll.
Can the law convict me? Thou hast set me free!
Back, thou wily Tempter, Jesus died for me.
Bend, oh, bend my will, Lord! This—my only aim;
For in light or darkness Thou art still the same.
Give me, or withhold then, What Thou seest best;
Not upon Thy gifts, Lord— On Thyself I rest.
Did He say, "To-morrow I will hear thee"? Nay!
Full and free the fountain Floweth every day.
Holy Dove, oft grieved, Ere my tears were dried,
To my listening spirit Thy still voice replied.
"Child, My child! be patient: I thy sins have borne;
I have marked the conflict, And the scoffer's scorn;
I have seen the sorrows Of thy broken heart,
And in thy affliction Borne a brother's part.
"Wouldst thou fear the darkness, Didst thou hate the light?
"Would thy sin displease thee, Were thy sin delight?
Evil would be welcome, Wert thou of the earth:
Child, look up to heaven, Whence thou hadst thy birth.
"Put thy heel on Satan, Draw the Spirit's sword,
Prove thy holy breast-plate, Take Me at My word.
Am I not thy Fortress? Wherefore fall or fly;
Grasp thy palm, rejoicing In My victory.
"'Tis the lowliest conquers; 'Tis by might of love
That the weakest soldier Doth the bravest prove.
Rest thee, weary tremble! Was the strife unsent?
Nay! thy King was with thee: Not a bow was bent,
"But thy Lord who loves thee Guided every dart;
See! they only sent thee nearer to my heart.
At thine hands upraised Half thy foes withdrew;
Forward! I have conquered, Thou shalt conquer too.
"Child! in Me abiding, Nought thy foot shall move;
Fear not! I will help thee, Mine is changeless love.
Take My yoke upon thee, Learn the way from Me;
I am meek and lowly, Meek and lowly be.
"Take My yoke—I bore it, Lean upon My breast;
I have fought thy battle, Share with me My rest.
Soon the plains of glory Sinless thou shalt tread;
My right hand upholds thee, Rise—be undismayed.
"Trust Me—only trust Me! Wherefore shouldst thou quail?
Can a weapon prosper, Shall a foe prevail,
'Gainst the Lord's Anointed? He hath set their bounds;
While thy faith, though feeble, Loving-kindness crowns."
I don't know about you, but I thought it well worth reading.
Monday, 17 March 2025
Thursday, 6 February 2025
Tuesday, 31 December 2024
Meditation for the new year by James Smith.
Look up!
"Look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near!" Luke 21:28
We are entering upon a new year, we shall have
new toils,
new trials,
new temptations, and
new troubles.
In whatever state, in whatever place, into whatever condition we may be brought this year — let us seek grace to follow our Lord's loving advice, and "look up!"
Do not look back — as Lot's wife did.
Do not look within — as too many do.
Do not look around — as David did.
But "look up!" Look up to God — He is your Father, your Friend, your Savior. He can help you. He will help you. He says, "Look unto Me, and be delivered — for I am God!"
Look up for light to guide you — and He will direct your path.
Look up for grace to sanctify you — and the grace of Jesus will be found sufficient for you.
Look up for strength to enable you to do and suffer God's will — and His strength will be made perfect in your weakness.
Look up for comfort to cheer you — and as one whom his mother comforts, so will the Lord comfort you.
Look up for courage to embolden you — and the Lord will give courage to the faint; and to those who have no might — He will increase strength.
Look up for endurance to keep you — and the God who preserves you will enable you quietly to bear the heaviest burden, and silently to endure the most painful affliction.
Look up for providence to supply you — and the jar of flour will not be used up, and the jug of oil will not run dry; but God shall supply all your needs, according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.
Look up in faith — exercising confidence in the Word of a faithful God.
Look up in prayer — asking for what God has graciously promised.
Look up in hope — expecting what you ask in the name of Jesus.
Look up with adoration — and adore the sovereignty, righteousness, and wisdom of God.
Look up constantly — let nothing daunt or discourage you! Rather say, "Our eyes are on the Lord our God — until He shows us mercy."
Look up — for this will keep . . .
the head from swimming,
the heart from sinking,
the knees from trembling,
the feet from slipping, and
the hands from hanging down!
It is impossible to say what will happen to us, or what will be required of us this year — but "Look up!" This direction, if properly attended to, will . . .
procure for us all that we need,
secure us against all that we dread, and
make us more than a match for all our foes and fears!
Fellow-Christian, are you fearful? "Look up" and hear Jesus saying to you, "Do not be afraid — I Myself will help you!"
Are you discouraged? "Look up" — and your youth shall be renewed like the eagle's, and fresh light, comfort, and courage shall be given to you!
Are you desponding? "Look up" for Jesus never breaks the bruised reed, nor quenches the smoking flax.
Do not look too much at your sin — look at the infinitely meritorious blood of God's dear Son!
Do not look too much at self — but look at Jesus, who ever lives to make intercession for you in Heaven.
Are you stripped of your comforts, your props, and your goods? Then look up! He who stripped you — loves you! He will be more than all these to you! He will . . .
bind up your broken heart,
calm your perturbed spirit,
cheer your drooping mind, and
fill you with His own peace and happiness.
Look up . . .
for all that you need;
from all that you fear;
through all that would obstruct your way.
Look up every day, saying with David, "In the morning, O Lord, You hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before You — and will look up!" Psalm 5:3
Look up in every trial, saying "I will lift up my eyes unto the hills, from whence comes my help: my help comes from the Lord, who made Heaven and earth!"
Do not look at your sin — it will discourage you!
Do not look at your self — it will distress you!
Do not look at Satan — he will bewilder you!
Do not look to men — they will deceive, or disappoint you!
Do not look at your trials — they will deject you!
"Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us — looking unto Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith!" Hebrews 12:1-2
Look only, look always, look intently — to Jesus!
Run looking, work looking, fight looking, suffer looking, live looking, and die looking — to Jesus, who is at God's right hand in glory.
Oh, look, look, look to Jesus!
Saturday, 21 December 2024
Thursday, 5 December 2024
Cast down?
I wonder if you've ever felt like this? I think it's probably that way for all believers at some point... I find it encouraging anyway. I hope you do too.
by James Smith
"I am cast down!"
And why are you cast down?
"My heart is burdened with a sense of my short-comings!
Every duty I perform is so imperfect.
Every purpose I form is so soon frustrated.
Every hope of seeing better days is so soon beclouded.
My heart is so fearfully depraved.
My life is so unlike the life of Jesus.
My temper is so unholy.
My prayers are so brief and heartless.
My praises are so feeble and fitful.
I do so little good.
I live to so little purpose.
My evidences are so dim.
My prospects are so overcast.
I am harassed sometimes with the fear of death.
I cannot realize the glories of Heaven.
I am dissatisfied with the world — and yet glued to it!
I hate sin — and yet fall into it!
I am a riddle, a mystery, a mass of inconsistency!
Is it, then, any wonder that I am cast down?"
No, if you look at yourself, and pore over the things you have named — then it is no wonder that you are cast down! They are enough to cast anyone down! But if you carry them to the throne of grace, if you there confess them before God, if you look to Jesus to save you from them — then, in spite of them — you will not long be cast down.
I know it is difficult to do this. There is a natural proneness to pore over such things. One feels at times a secret liking to indulge in gloomy thoughts.
But we must look away from self — for if we do not, we shall become anxious, doubting and gloomy! We must run the race, not looking at our imperfections, short-comings, and failures — but looking unto Jesus. He knows what we are. He knew what we would be — before He called us by His grace; yes, before He shed His blood for us!
He loved us, as sinners.
He died for us, as sinners.
He called us, as sinners.
He saves us, as sinners. He will have all the glory of saving us, and He will get great glory by doing so, because we are such great sinners; and do not, cannot, do anything to repay Him for His wondrous love! Salvation is by free grace — from first to last! Believe this, and it will raise up your drooping mind!
The life-boat of free grace has put you on board the vessel of salvation, and that will convey you safely to the port of glory! Do not look at your spiritual destitution, or feebleness, or incapacity, or imperfections — but trust in your Pilot, rely on your Captain, and expect His mercy and merit to land you safe in Heaven at last!
As imperfect as you now are, and as imperfect you will be — your dying prayer will still be, "God be merciful unto me — a sinner!"
Hope in God!
His mercy is great unto the heavens,
His grace is as free as the air,
His love is as changeless as His nature,
His promise is as immutable as His love.
Hope in God, for you shall yet praise Him. He will save you for His own sake, and present you before assembled worlds as a monument of His mercy, and a trophy of His grace!
Friday, 29 November 2024
Thursday, 14 November 2024
Self inquiry poem from an Isaac Watts book.
I came across this in a book by Isaac Watts and thought it quite good. Apparently the Pythagoreans recommended this practice.
"Nor let soft slumber close your eyes,
Before you’ve recollected thrice
The train of action through the day:
Where have my feet chose out their way’
What have I learn’d, where’er I’ve been,
From all I’ve heard, from all I’ve seen?
What know I more that’s worth the knowing?
What have I done that’s worth the doing?
What have I sought that I should shun?
What duty have I left undone?
Or into what new follies run?
These self-inquiries are the road
That leads to virtue, and to God. "
Tuesday, 29 October 2024
Even so, Lord Jesus, Come
A dear Sister friend of mine sent me some words she'd been inspired to write and encouraged me to try setting it to music. With a few small adjustments / additions, here's my attempt.
Tuesday, 22 October 2024
Octavius Winslow, "The Sympathy of Christ"
The religion of Christ is the religion of JOY. Christ came to take away our sins, to roll off our curse, to unbind our chains, to open our prison house, to cancel our debt; in a word, to give us the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. Is not this joy? Where can we find a joy so real, so deep, so pure, so lasting? There is every element of joy; deep, ecstatic, satisfying, sanctifying joy in the gospel of Christ. The believer in Jesus is essentially a happy man. The child of God is, from necessity, a joyful man. His sins are forgiven, his soul is justified, his person is adopted, his trials are blessings, his conflicts are victories, his death is immortality, his future is a heaven of inconceivable, unthought of, untold, and endless blessedness. With such a God, such a Savior, and such a hope, is he not, ought he not, to be a joyful man?
Wednesday, 2 October 2024
"A Little Way"
"A Little Way"
--Anonymous
"A little way! I know it is not far
To that dear home where my beloved are;
And still my heart sits, like a bird, upon
The empty nest, and mourns its treasures gone,
Plumed for their flight,
And vanished quite.
Ah me! Where is the comfort? Though I say
They have but journeyed on a little way.
"A little way! At times they seem so near,
Their voices even murmur in my ear,
To all my duties loving presence lend,
And with sweet ministry my steps attend.
'Twas here we met and parted company;
Why should their gain be such a grief to me?
This sense of loss!
This heavy cross!
Dear Savior, take the burden off, I pray,
And show me heaven is but--a little way.
"A little way? The sentence I repeat,
Hoping and longing to extract some sweet
To mingle with the bitter; from Thy hand
I take the cup I cannot understand,
And in my weakness give myself to Thee.
Although it seems so very, very far
To that dear home where my beloved are,
I know, I know,
It is not so;
Oh, give me faith to believe it when I say
That they are gone--gone but a little way."
I don't know about you but I thought that this was a rather good poem.
Wednesday, 21 August 2024
Hold on to Hope
"and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.” And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” And He said, “Write, for these words are faithful and true.” Then He said to me, “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost. He who overcomes will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son." Revelation 21:4-7.
3 people recently challenged me to read the whole book of Revelation in one go. I had never thought to do that before...
The verses above have long been a favourite of mine. When things are seeming difficult to handle, I turn and read the last 3 chapters. It gives me much encouragement to press on; the end will be so wonderful!!
For my friends who are struggling with awful pain, I pray these help you hold on to the glorious hope.
"No more pain or sorrow and tears;
only Glory Forever.
Hold on to hope, all weary ones;
We'll worship the Lamb together.
The Lamb who was slain for us.
Now reigns in Heaven on high.
So trust in the LORD. He will not forget;
He promised your needs to supply. "
We have the Lord’s promise that life now will be tough, but He also promised that He will strengthen and help us. He will hear and answer our prayers.
Thank You Heavenly Father for Your lovingkindnesses and Your faithfulness to keep all Your promises.
Saturday, 3 August 2024
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