Old 100th

I had an interesting day yesterday. God speaks to my heart in many ways but yesterday it was mostly through song.

Our pastor in the morning talked about praise and thanksgiving to God and he mentioned how for years when Presbyterians came to worship in song one hymn was sung at every service, Old 100th. It is called Old 100th because of its association with Psalm 100. We didn’t sing the hymn yesterday but his comment was stuck in my mind and I listened to it sung at Westminster Abbey on youtube when I got home. It was wonderful.

Later that afternoon I played the bagpipes with our Pipe and Drum band at a cathedral downtown in observance of St. Andrew’s Day, that patron saint of Scotland. My mind and heart were lifted up again by the beautiful singing, powerful pipe organ and the gorgeous cathedral with high ornate ceilings. It was beautiful!

Today I listened to it on youtube again and again praised the Lord. Do you ever wonder what the worship and singing will be like in heaven? It has to be better beyond anything we can imagine and I look forward to being a part of that congregation worshipping God.

Ever since the tower of Babel our languages have been scrambled and the world is divided, but the followers of Christ in all the nations of the world will one day again unite in one language of worship. What will that be like? Wow! Better than Westminster Abbey singing the Old 100th? All of our experiences here, as wonderful as they are, are mere shadows of what that will be like.

Enjoy the Westminster Abbey version => Old 100th

Purpose Driven thoughts

Since I had a little down time I went back through some excerpts I recorded from a read through the book, The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren. It is a great book if you have never read it.

Here are a few:

Your purpose becomes the standard you use to evaluate which activities are essential and which aren’t. You simply ask, “Does this activity help me fulfill one of God’s purposes for my life?”

Purpose-driven living leads to a simpler lifestyle and a saner schedule. The Bible says, “A pretentious showy life is an empty life; a plain and simple life is a full life.” (Proverbs 13:7 MSG).

In my own life I have noticed that God tests my faith through problems, tests my hope by how I handle possessions, and tests my love through people.

When you understand that life is a test, you realize that nothing is insignificant in your life. Even the smallest incident has significance for your character development.

We never really own anything during our brief stay on earth. God just loans the earth to us while we’re here.

When we flirt with the temptations of this world, God calls it spiritual adultery.

With all the fascinating attractions, mesmerizing media, and enjoyable experiences available today, it’s easy to forget that the pursuit of happiness is not what life is about. Only as we remember that life is a test, a trust, and a temporary assignment will the appeal of these things lost their grip on our lives.

Spirit of Scotland

I thought this trailer was pretty cool. Some of the best Highland Bagpipe players in the world came together a week before the World Pipeband Championships in Glasgow to prepare to compete against bands that are also top notch and play together all the time.

I think the end product will be an interesting documentary

The Spirit of Scotland

Amazing Grace

I stumbled across these quotes by John Newton (1725 - 1807) and they were a blessing to me. He is the man who was a slave trader, repented and ended up becoming a minister and writing the hymn Amazing Grace. Also, if you've seen the movie Amazing Grace then you'll remember him as the aging pastor of William Wilberforce.

“We serve a gracious Master who knows how to overrule even our mistakes to His glory and our own advantage” - Rom 8:28

“Trials are medicines which our gracious and wise physician prescribes because we need them; and he proportions the frequency and weight of them to what the case requires.”

“God works powerfully, but for the most part gently and gradually.”

"When I was young, I was sure of many things; there are only two things of which I am sure now; one is, that I am a miserable sinner; and the other, that Jesus Christ is an all sufficient Saviour." He is well taught who gets these two lessons.”

I am not what I ought to be. I am not what I want to be. I am not what I hope to be. But still, I am not what I used to be. And by the grace of God, I am what I am. - 1 Cor. 15:9-10

I put Bible verse references next to a couple of the quotes that also came to my mind. I hope you are having a good week. Our God and His grace are both amazing.