An Entire Change of Heart

Singing, praying, God adoring,
Fills the newborn person's mind;
From the world to God returning
Strength and power he will find.
And in all his operation,
Showing that regeneration,
Surely maketh all things new,
And gives grace God's will to do.

Thus there will be manifested
An entire change of heart,
Which as will be seen and noticed,
Holiness of life impart.
Heart and mind and self renewing
All the evil thoughts subduing,
Faith and love will be the theme,
And God's Spirit rule supreme.

--Zion's Harp #187 vs. 5-6

Jesus - Our Only Shelter

The words of these songs point out to us who we are and where we’re going. They point out to us what we owe to our Lord. And we owe Him everything – He who provided our salvation and He who provides our shelter.

I want to speak just a little bit about shelter in this evening hour. The verse read at the beginning contains a description that the man David applied to his God and his Heavenly Father. He referred to Him as a Rock and a Fortress.

When we think of those two words … what are the conditions when a rock and a fortress are really of the most value? Isn’t it in the times when there’s a storm? The value of a fortress would not be the value that it is unless there was a storm of a foreign invader. We think of the rock and the wise man who built his house upon a rock. The wise man was really only shown to be a wise man when the storm came.

…

But as we look at the never-dying soul that’s within us … if you’ve reached that age of accountability and you’ve not yet turned your back to the world and your heart and your face to God in Heaven in repentance, you are no longer sheltered. You’re not sheltered at all. In fact, you’re fearfully exposed.

Why is that exposure so fearful? Because a storm is coming. There’s a storm that’s coming upon this earth.

I don’t intend to delve into current events in the house of God and I’m not going to now. Except to say that the events of the day are such that it very strongly indicates that the hour of this earth is growing very late.

And there’s going to be a judgment that comes. And all of those earthly supports are going to fail you. Everything – everything that you see with your eyes is going to melt. All your confidences, all your comforts, they’re all going to let you down. They’re going to depart you. From the smart phone in your hand to the heart beating in your chest, it’s all going to stop.

And then the Judgment. The Judgment comes to the soul of man.

There’s a court proceeding of sorts in your future. And like the courts of this world, there’s going to be a judge. Unlike the courts of this world, there won’t be a jury of your peers determining your guilt or your innocence. There won’t be any counselors at your side trying to shape the outcome or trying to gain you an acquittal or even to reduce your sentence by talking up your redeeming qualities. Nor would it matter if there were. We won’t have any redeeming qualities of our own.

At that point, you’re going to need shelter like you’ve never known it on this earth. And there’s only one source of shelter that’s going to be able to withstand the wrath of a Holy God who comes as a righteous judge.

There’s a song in our Zion’s Harp that speaks directly to this predicament that the soul of man will find himself in and I’m just going to read a couple verses. Hymn #168 where the hymn writer writes:

1. Flourishing youth, thou our hope and our fond expectation,

Hark to the voice that is calling in kind invitation!

That hand obey which oft has pointed the way

To the dear Saviour’s salvation!

2. Offer the lively, the cheerful and beautiful flower,

Offer with gladness and willingness thy youthful power

To Christ, thy friend, who thy soul e’er will defend,

Safe in His heavenly bower.

Jesus Christ and His shed blood is the only rock and the only fortress, the only shelter that’s going to avail the soul of man in that hour of judgment. Only if His blood that he shed for you and for me puts in an appearance for us at that judgment bar are we going to enter in. Only then will we escape that eternal condemnation that would await those who would reject.

So, as we depart in this evening hour, I’m going to lay it to your hearts. A storm is coming. Find that shelter of Jesus Christ and get inside.

--Sermon Excerpt: Bro. N.B.

Concentrate My Scattered Mind

Concentrate my scattered mind
On Thy word, O Saviour!
For apart from Thee I find
Torment and disfavor.
Mortal foes will confuse,
But in Thee is given
Rest and joy in heaven.
--Zion's Harp #238 vs. 2

Above Tis Calm and Brighter

Draw, O Lord, us near to Thee;
Draw to Thee each valiant fighter.
Storm and night surround us here,
But above 'tis calm and brighter.
There, beyond death and the tomb,
Radiant morn dispels the gloom.
--Zion's Harp #99 vs. 3

The Love of God Dispels Fear

The mortal man may quite disown
And speak in bold derision
Against my labors and my name;
Yet blest is my condition.
The love of God dispels the fear
And makes my faith in Him more dear.
--Zion's Harp #113 vs. 8

Give Me Mercy

Give me, Lord, sympathy and mercy
With my poor brethren in distress,
My bitt'rest foe to love and pity.
Thy love in death Thou didst confess.
Thy blood for sinners does implore:
Compassion! grace, forevermore.
--Zion's Harp #220 vs. 6

The Soul Unfettered

How shall it be when now the soul, unfettered,
Goes soaring upward in unhindered flight,
Drawn on by love to Him whose light has scattered
The darkness which hid heaven from our sight?
When from the eye of faith the veil of dullness,
As mist before the morning sun doth fall,
And we the Son of God in all His fullness
Behold upon His throne, the Lord of all?
--Zion's Harp #146 vs. 3

May Thy Light Dispel the Darkness

Come Thou, Shepherd, faithful One;
May Thy light dispel the darkness!
From Thee and Thy little fold
Erring lambs have strayed so helpless.
Little flock, now cease to weep;
Jesus will His promise keep.
Jesus will His promise keep.
--Zion's Harp #119 vs. 3

His Way May Seem Too Hard

His way at first may seem too hard,
Too steep, and full of sorrow;
Yet peace e'en now is its reward,
And bliss in God's tomorrow.
Who through the narrow gate doth press,
An inner peace will he possess,
And very joy in living.

The broader way at first may seem
As through a pleasant pasture,
But in its path great dangers teem;
It ends in dark disaster.
In righteous anger God will cast
Into great agony at last
The unrepentant sinner.
--Zion's Harp #106 vs. 8-9

Give Me Mercy

Give me, Lord, sympathy and mercy
With my poor brethren in distress,
My bitt'rest foe to love and pity.
Thy love in death Thou didst confess.
Thy blood for sinners does implore:
Compassion! grace, forevermore.
--Zion's Harp #220 vs. 6

Let No Strife Divide Us

Then onward, sister, brother;
Let us go hand in hand,
With joy in one another,
In this bewild'ring land.
Oh, let us childlike be;
Let here no strife divide us!
The angels walk beside us,
God's children, they and we.
--Zion's Harp #185 vs. 13

For Elijah's Spirit Pray

Truly stones could not help crying
If the watchmen's call would cease,
And the very rocks about us,
Ev'ry one a crying witness
Could no longer hold their peace.
Truly stones could not help crying
If the watchmen's call would cease!

Therefore rise, all ye, His servants;
For Elijah's spirit pray!
If as Lord ye would address Him,
Faithfully ye must confess Him,
And His holy will obey!
Therefore rise, all ye, His servants;
For Elijah's spirit pray!
--Zion's Harp #112 vs. 2-3

Not Worthy of the Glory

The afflictions of our time
Are not worthy of the glory
Promised in that realm sublime
To the patiently enduring.
See how Jesus as a lamb
Suffered for the sins of man!
--Zion's Harp #243 vs. 5

Look Back to Israel

Ye who are now God's chosen people,

Look back to Israel of old!

From their example take a teaching

And cling to God with heart and soul!

Without complaint and lamentation

Bear ye distress and earth's privation;

Rely upon your Saviour's hand.

Your tears will change to joyful singing;

From desert wild your God is bringing

You to that fair and promised land.

--Zion's Harp #211 vs. 3

Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;
And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;
And did all eat the same spiritual meat;
And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.

But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.

Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.

Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.

Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.

Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents.

Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.

Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.
--I Corinthians 10:1-12

In Reproach and Censure

Three men in the furnace
Praised their God on high,
Stood their foes confounded,
Silenced scorn and lie.
In reproach and censure,
I rest calm and free
On this blessed promise:
GOD IS STILL WITH ME.
--Zion's Harp #148 vs. 5

Forsake Me Not

O, forsake me not, Thou ever faithful,
Though to try me Thou Thy face dost hide;
Till I bear Thy likeness and impression,
Purge me as the gold is purified!
--Zion's Harp #182 vs. 14

Have you ever felt that God has forsaken you?

Perhaps He is only "hiding His face," as the hymn writer says, to try your faith.
All His efforts and desires in our behalf are for the purpose of purifying us as gold so that we can reflect "His likeness and impression."

Take courage in His promise: "...for He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me."

Take Him at His Word. Believe His Word is true, even when you cannot "feel" it. Such faith in Him will make the Word true in your life.

Should I Keep Silence?

Thou cam'st to us from Thy throne in the heavens
To bear for us our sins and ev'ry grievance,
For us to die and unto all creation
To bring salvation.

This hast Thou done, Lord, and should I keep silence?
O let Thy love constrain me to bear witness
That Thou, my Lord and God, hast brought redemption
From sin's oppression.

--Zion's Harp #232 vs. 3-4

Can We Hate An Erring Brother?

Can we have our hearts in heaven
And yet earthly-minded live?
Can we who have been forgiven,
Not forget and not forgive?
Can we hate an erring brother,
Only love when we are loved,
And not bear with one another,
By Christ's Holy Spirit moved?

Nay, no hater or blasphemer,
None who slander and defame,
Can be one with the Redeemer,
Who was gentle as a lamb.
Love will cause assimilation
With the object of our love;
Love will work a transformation
And renewal from above.
--Zion's Harp #198 vs. 5&6

Humbly Weep

In humility, dear Saviour,
Thou for me, I know, hast died;
Though I was Thy foe, Redeemer,
Thou for me wast crucified.
Silence keep I, Humbly weep I!
Thus through Thee I'm justified!
--Zion's Harp #226 vs. 6

From Earthly Burdens Free

As pilgrims we must wander
From earthly burdens free;
Else as we journey yonder
Our path would trying be!
He fails who would not heed!
The least can satisfy us,
All things we would deny us
Save what we truly need.

Adorn not house nor body,
Embellish but your heart!
We are but weary strangers,
And soon we shall depart.
All fleshly ease deceives;
As pilgrims all resigning,
All worldly lust declining
At home you'll find relief.
--Zion's Harp #185 vs. 5-6