A wonderful trend

The first Hallelujah flash mob was recorded on October 30th, then came another one on November 13th.

Now we have at least two more to report from December 18th:

Glimmers of heaven

"Joy is the serious business of heaven."

                                          - C. S. Lewis

More often than we realize, by God's grace, we experience glimmers of heaven. Even unbelievers, through God's common grace, experience heavenly moments. Whether it is a sense of awe and wonder at sunset, a burst of true joy in the heart, or loving relationships; they are all gifts from God that put His goodness and glory on display. Be on the lookout for those moments, and don't take them for granted.


Here is one of those moments. Imagine one day you're shopping at the mall, and suddenly everyone begins to sing Handel's Hallelujah Chorus. That's what happened at one particular Macy's on October 30th.

It Is Well With My Soul - J.C. Ryle Quotes

A saved soul has many sorrows. He has a body like other men – weak and frail. He has a heart like other men – and often a more sensitive one too. He has trials and losses to bear like others – and often more. He has his share of bereavements, deaths, disappointments, crosses. He has the world to oppose, a place in life to fill blamelessly, unconverted relatives to bear with patiently, persecutions to endure and a death to die. And who is sufficient for these things? What shall enable a believer to bear all this? Nothing but “the consolation there is in Christ.” (Phil. 2:1)

~ J.C. Ryle

_____________________________

Ryle’s phrase above “a saved soul has many sorrows” reminds me of the hymn written by Horatio Spafford in 1873, [during the time of Ryle's pastorate in England] entitled It is Well With My Soul.

For those of you not familiar with the background to the classic hymn, take the next three minutes to listen and view the severely traumatic events that led Spafford to pour out his heart in song, words which have stood the test of time and consoled many a Christian. May God bring this powerful hymn to your remembrance when difficult seasons in your Christian walk come your way, reminding you that He is your comfort.

Free Music Download - Page CXVI

"Music is the handmaiden of theology, leading to a fuller appreciation of God."

                                                                                                                - Martin Luther

Over the last few years I have rediscovered the old sacred hymns; the kind of songs they used to sing in my grandparents church. Songs full of Scripture and sound doctrine. So I am always excited to see a new hymns project.

The group Page CXVI will soon release their second album of hymns and I can't wait. But until then, you can download their first album of hymns for free (CLICK HERE) until May 4th. But make no mistake about it, these are first rate musicians and vocalists. They are doing this because they have a passion for hymns and want to introduce them to a new generation.

If you're wondering what the story is behind the unusual name. Here is the story from their website:

The name comes from a reference to page 116 in our copy of The Magician’s Nephew by C.S. Lewis. It is a poignant passage where Aslan begins to sing Narnia into creation out of a black void.

It starts, “In the darkness something was happening at last. A voice had begun to sing. It was very far away and Digory found it hard to decide from what direction is was coming. Sometimes it seemed to come from all directions at once. Sometimes he almost thought it was coming out of the earth beneath them. Its lower notes were deep enough to be the voice of the earth herself. There were no words. There was hardly even a tune. But it was, beyond comparison, the most beautiful noise he had ever heard. It was so beautiful he could hardly bear it.”

~ C.S. Lewis

Of course, Aslan the lion is a Christ figure from The Chronicles of Narnia. I suspect that Lewis got the idea to have Aslan sing creation into existence from Zephaniah 3:17 which reads:

The LORD your God in your midst,

The Mighty One, will save;

He will rejoice over you with gladness,

He will quiet you with His love,

He will rejoice over you with singing.

Consider that passage for just a moment, the Almighty God will rejoice over His people with singing. That is too wonderful for words; and it is that type of awe and wonder that a well written hymn can help draw us to.

My latest favorite old hymn - Jesus, I my cross have taken

This wonderful hymn was written in 1824. It stands in stark contrast to what is sold on "Christian" television and in many "Christian" bookstores. It is saturated with Scripture and sound doctrine. The writer does not put all of his hope in this world, he treasures Christ above all else and looks toward his eternal inheritance. He is not looking to have his best life now - he's just a pilgrim in this life, traveling toward his eternal home.

This song has really blessed me this week and I just wanted to share it. You can sample the CD here. (The song file below is different from the album version.)

1. Jesus, I my cross have taken,
All to leave and follow Thee.
Destitute, despised, forsaken,
Thou from hence my all shall be.
Perish every fond ambition,
All I’ve sought or hoped or known.
Yet how rich is my condition!
God and heaven are still my own.

2. Let the world despise and leave me,
They have left my Savior, too.
Human hearts and looks deceive me;
Thou art not, like them, untrue.
O while Thou dost smile upon me,
God of wisdom, love, and might,
Foes may hate and friends disown me,
Show Thy face and all is bright.

3. Man may trouble and distress me,
’Twill but drive me to Thy breast.
Life with trials hard may press me;
Heaven will bring me sweeter rest.
Oh, ’tis not in grief to harm me
While Thy love is left to me;
Oh, ’twere not in joy to charm me,
Were that joy unmixed with Thee.

4. Go, then, earthly fame and treasure,
Come disaster, scorn and pain
In Thy service, pain is pleasure,
With Thy favor, loss is gain
I have called Thee Abba Father,
I have stayed my heart on Thee
Storms may howl, and clouds may gather;
All must work for good to me.

5. Soul, then know thy full salvation
Rise o’er sin and fear and care
Joy to find in every station,
Something still to do or bear.
Think what Spirit dwells within thee,
Think what Father’s smiles are thine,
Think that Jesus died to win thee,
Child of heaven, canst thou repine.

6. Haste thee on from grace to glory,
Armed by faith, and winged by prayer.
Heaven’s eternal days before thee,
God’s own hand shall guide us there.
Soon shall close thy earthly mission,
Soon shall pass thy pilgrim days,
Hope shall change to glad fruition,
Faith to sight, and prayer to praise.

My latest favorite old hymn - Come Thou Fount

I love the old hymns. Hymn writers toiled over their songs as they took Scriptural truth and put them to rhythm and rhyme. The end result is magnificent. Hope you enjoy as you meditate upon the words.



1. Come Thou Fount of every blessing
Tune my heart to sing Thy grace;
Streams of mercy, never ceasing,
Call for songs of loudest praise
Teach me some melodious sonnet,
Sung by flaming tongues above.
Praise the mount! I'm fixed upon it,
Mount of God's unchanging love.

2. Here I raise my Ebenezer;
Hither by Thy help I'm come;
And I hope, by Thy good pleasure,
Safely to arrive at home.
Jesus sought me when a stranger,
Wandering from the fold of God;
He, to rescue me from danger,
Interposed His precious blood.

3. O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I'm constrained to be!
Let that grace now like a fetter,
Bind my wandering heart to Thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here's my heart, O take and seal it,
Seal it for Thy courts above.