Tag: Matthew 11:28-30

Hymns 2.0 – Just As I Am

On September 29, 2023

Lyrics (click here to hear instrumental)

1 Just as I am, without one plea,
but that thy blood was shed for me,
and that thou bidd’st me come to thee,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

2 Just as I am, and waiting not
to rid my soul of one dark blot,
to thee, whose blood can cleanse each spot,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

3 Just as I am, though tossed about
with many a conflict, many a doubt,
fightings and fears within, without,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

4 Just as I am, thou wilt receive,
wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve;
because thy promise I believe,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
Charlotte Elliott

The History Behind the Hymn

Elliott, Charlotte, daughter of Charles Elliott, of Clapham and Brighton, and granddaughter of the Rev. H. Venn, of Huddersfield, was born March 18, 1789. The first 32 years of her life were spent mostly at Clapham. In 1823 she removed to Brighton, and died there Sept. 22, 1871.

In 1828, at the age of 32, Charlotte Elliott suffered a serious illness that left her a semi-invalid. This caused depression, and within the year she experienced a severe spiritual crisis. Swiss evangelist Henry A. Cesàr Malan was visiting her family, and she confessed to him that she didn’t know how to come to Christ. His famous response was, “Come to him just as you are.” Her depression continued, however. One night, twelve years later, she lay awake, distressed by her uselessness as an invalid, and by doubts of her spiritual life. The next day, as she reflected on the previous night, she decided she needed to meet her spiritual troubles head on and conquer them by the grace of God. So she “gathered up in her soul the grand certainties, not of her emotions, but of her salvation: her Lord, His power, His promise” (Lutheran Hymnal Handbook). She took up pen and paper, and wrote down her own “formulae of faith,” remembering those words of the visiting evangelist. In the end she had the text “Just as I am, without one plea.” Her rule of faith has since become a comfort to millions, and we join with all Christians who experience doubt and uncertainty in their faith when we declare that Christ invites us to come to Him, just as we are.

Though weak and feeble in body, she possessed a strong imagination, and a well-cultured and intellectual mind. Her love of poetry and music was great, and is reflected in her verse. Her hymns number about 150, a large percentage of which are in common use.
https://hymnary.org/text/just_as_i_am_without_one_plea#Author

A Lesson for Me

Mat 11:28-30 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (29) Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. (30) For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

I was probably a couple of days old in the Lord when I read these three verses. Oh how I cried! I was very heavy laden and had a burden of care upon my shoulders. I had been married six years at this point and my husband absolutely despised what I had become. Life was unbearable and I could not imagine God healing my marriage. He not only healed my marriage but He also showed me how I could receive peace in the midst of the trial while waiting! These verses rested heavily on my heart during that time.

What does this have to do with today’s hymn? Everything! God wants us to come to Him with all our troubles!

3 Just as I am, though tossed about
with many a conflict, many a doubt,
fightings and fears within, without,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Message for today

Yes, this hymn’s message is mainly to show that God takes the sinner just as he is. The sinner need not clean up his life before receiving the gift of salvation. If he had to do that, what’s the point of God’s Son being called a gift? One doesn’t have to do a thing to receive a gift. It is freely given and must be freely accepted. There is nothing that can be added.

1 Just as I am, without one plea,
but that thy blood was shed for me,
and that thou bidd’st me come to thee,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Luke 5:32 I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

Tit 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

It is not by our own works that we receive this wonderful gift. It is by simple faith. We are all sinners in need of saving. We are all sinners in need of God’s grace. The very nature of God is to show mercy upon a repentant sinner. When we humbly come before Him, admitting our sinfulness, He is faithful to forgive us and cleanse us from ALL unrighteousness.

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

2 Just as I am, and waiting not
to rid my soul of one dark blot,
to thee, whose blood can cleanse each spot,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

My friend, there is nothing we can do to wash away our sins. Only Jesus can do that. He became our sin offering so we could be made righteous before God through Him! Oh praise the Lord for His unending love for us!

2 Cor 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

If you are not truly born-again, there is coming a time when it will be too late for you to repent and be saved. It is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved if you are not already. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab You Can Be Born Again and Know It!

Hymns 2.0 – Beneath the Cross of Jesus

By Kate Plourde

On August 18, 2023

In Devotionals, Hymns 2.0

Lyrics (click here to hear instrumental)

Beneath the cross of Jesus
I fain would take my stand,
the shadow of a mighty Rock
within a weary land;
a home within the wilderness,
a rest upon the way,
from the burning of the noontide heat
and the burden of the day.

Upon the cross of Jesus
mine eye at times can see
the very dying form of One
who suffered there for me:
and from my stricken heart with tears
two wonders I confess,
the wonders of redeeming love
and my unworthiness.

3 I take, O cross, thy shadow
for my abiding place:
I ask no other sunshine than
the sunshine of his face;
content to let the world go by,
to know no gain nor loss;
my sinful self my only shame,
my glory all the cross.
Elizabeth C. Clephane

The History Behind the Hymn

I never heard of Elizabeth Clephane until I did the research on this hymn. Of course, I knew the hymn but knew nothing about its author. What a blessing to read of her life! She is in the same company as a few of my friends who are undergoing the same frail health.

Elizabeth Cecilia Douglas Clephane was born in Scotland in 1830 and died in 1869. The daughter of a county sheriff, she lived most of her brief life near Edinburgh.

Though in frail health most of her life, Elizabeth found the strength to help the poor and sick in her town. She and her sister gave all that they could spare to charity including, it is said, selling their horse and carriage for the benefit of the needy. The townspeople of Melrose referred to Elizabeth as “the Sunbeam.”

“Beneath the cross of Jesus,” focusing on the shelter of the cross, was first published three years after the author’s death in 1872 under the title “Breathings on the Border,” perhaps a double entendre referring to a geographical location near Melrose, the Scottish Borders, and a reference to the border between life and death.

Originally five stanzas, another omitted stanza, perhaps autobiographical, provides further insight into the comfort that the writer found in the shadow of the cross and the inspiration that the cross gave her as she anticipated her own death:

There lies beneath its shadow,
but on the further side,
the darkness of an open grave
that gapes both deep and wide;
and there between us stands the cross,
two arms outstretched to save,
like watchman set to guard the way
from that eternal grave.
https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/resources/history-of-hymns-beneath-the-cross-of-jesus

A Lesson for Me

Isa 53:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

When the realization hits as to why Christ came to earth and what He did for me, my heart was broken. Someone else took my punishment!

Why would the Lord do this for me? With my finite mind, there is no way I can comprehend the mind of God. But what I can comprehend is His Word. The Scriptures tell us of His love (John 3:16), and that His mercy is new every single morning (Lamentations 3:22-23)! There is balm to be had for the deepest wounds!

Upon the cross of Jesus
mine eye at times can see
the very dying form of One
who suffered there for me:
and from my stricken heart with tears
two wonders I confess,
the wonders of redeeming love
and my unworthiness.

Message for today

The moment I meditate on God’s redeeming love, and my unworthiness of His saving grace, my heart is stricken with the same tears as Elizabeth’s. How many tears have been shed for the same reasons? Each one of those tears is recorded in Heaven. (Psalm 56:8) Every heartache, every tear of joy, every tear shed when I lost someone dear, is known by my Heavenly Father!

Are you hurting today, Reader? Have you spent half the night crying? Are you in the same ill health as Elizabeth? If you are born again, your Father knows all about it. He is there to apply that balm to your distraught heart. Will He remove your sickness or problem? I don’t know. But what I do know is that He will provide you with the strength to live through each and every day.

But if you are not born again, it’s time you find forgiveness and peace at the foot of the cross of Jesus. He stands waiting to hear from you. It is there you will find peace for your soul! (Matthew 11:28-30)

Pro 15:29 The LORD is far from the wicked: but he heareth the prayer of the righteous.

The Lord hears your prayer when you turn to Him with a repentant heart and ask His forgiveness. Invite Him into your life – make a decision to follow Him every day. He hears the prayers of His children. If you do not get saved, the verse above says that He is far from you. Do not be far, Reader. Turn to Him before it’s eternally too late.

Comfort During the End Times – Day 30

By Kate Plourde

On May 8, 2023

In Comfort During the End Times, Devotionals

The Bible has an ongoing theme for God’s chosen people, Israel. We see it in today’s verse and we see it in the numerous verses below. One thing is for certain, God has never abandoned His people nor will He ever! Even during the Tribulation, God will pour out His mercy on His people giving them every opportunity to acknowledge their Messiah, Jesus!

(Jos 8:1) And the LORD said unto Joshua, Fear not, neither be thou dismayed: take all the people of war with thee, and arise, go up to Ai: see, I have given into thy hand the king of Ai, and his people, and his city, and his land:

(Jos 10:25) And Joshua said unto them, Fear not, nor be dismayed, be strong and of good courage: for thus shall the LORD do to all your enemies against whom ye fight.

(1 Chron 28:20) And David said to Solomon his son, Be strong and of good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed: for the LORD God, even my God, will be with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the LORD.

(2 Chron 20:17) Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the LORD with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; to morrow go out against them: for the LORD will be with you.

(Isa 41:10) Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.

(Jer 30:10) Therefore fear thou not, O my servant Jacob, saith the LORD; neither be dismayed, O Israel: for, lo, I will save thee from afar, and thy seed from the land of their captivity; and Jacob shall return, and shall be in rest, and be quiet, and none shall make him afraid.

(Jer 46:27) But fear not thou, O my servant Jacob, and be not dismayed, O Israel: for, behold, I will save thee from afar off, and thy seed from the land of their captivity; and Jacob shall return, and be in rest and at ease, and none shall make him afraid.

Multiple times, God has told His people not to fear nor to be dismayed. This word, dismayed, means disheartened or deprived of courage. If there has ever been a people who has been persecuted in this world, it is the Jewish people. God knew their frame because He created man. He knew they would get discouraged and that they would need Him to remind them who He is and what He can accomplish! When Christ came in the flesh to speak the words of God, He opened up the way of salvation to all man, not just the Jews. Now the Church can reap the same blessings from today’s verses because God never changes. The Church does not replace Israel, that’s not what I’m saying. I’m saying God’s character cannot change and He blesses His people; therefore we will be blessed as we work for the Kingdom!

(Mal 3:6a) For I am the LORD, I change not;

Are you troubled today? Are you possibly the person who has been deceived by the world’s lies about what gender you are? Have you crossed that line and fear that you may have gone too far and God will never forgive you? There IS forgiveness to be had! That forgiveness can be found at the foot of the cross of Jesus when a sinner acknowledges that He died for sins just like yours – in fact, for all sin. There is no sin too great that He cannot forgive! But all you have to do is accept that forgiveness, repent of your sins and live for Him; proclaiming Him to all who will listen. Repentance is the key. You don’t see the sinner’s prayer in the Bible. But what you DO see in the Bible is a call to repent! (Matthew 3:2, Matthew 4:17, Mark 1:16, Luke 13:3, 5) You may think it’s too late to turn back the clock, but it is not! Take it from someone who was ready to commit suicide, but God rushed someone to my side to tell me about His saving power!

Mat 11:28-30 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (29) Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. (30) For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

There is truth to be found, reader! The truth and the future of our world is carefully written in the Bible so we could see what was to come. Friend, if you’re not sure where you will spend eternity, please settle the matter. Christian, if you’re not living your life for the Lord, there’s not much time left. We need to give the lost hope as we have hope! Friend, don’t be willfully ignorant of the end times. (2 Peter 3:5) If you are not born-again, confess your sins and repent of them. The time is coming when it will be too late for you to repent. You will remember each opportunity you were given by God to be saved; you will remember each time you laughed it off and ignored it. Please Reader, repent and accept Christ into your life. (Act 16:31, Rom 10:9) I want to be sure that anyone who reads the posts on this blog can know beyond a shadow of a doubt that they are going to Heaven. Have you received Christ as your Saviour? If no, your sins are not covered by His sacrificial offering of Himself. You have not been redeemed by His blood. It is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved if you are not already. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!