He is not here: for he is risen, as he said.
Come, see the place where the Lord lay (Matthew 28:6).
End of the Beginning
Music
Living By Faith
What does living by faith look like to you? To James Wells and R.E. Winsett, it meant living a worry-free life. He wasn’t suggesting we walk around with our heads in the clouds, ignoring life. He was telling us to rest in the peace granted to us through the work of Jesus Christ.
The Authors
James Wells (1872-1947) wrote the first three verses of this hymn. He was a poet, newspaper columnist, and hymnist. I couldn’t find much about his life except he was the son of Chauncey Wells and Susannah Freer, and he authored sixty-four hymns.
Robert Emmett Winsett (1876-1952) wrote the fourth verse. He was a prolific writer and publisher. He published the hymnal Best of All in 1952 and sold 600,000 upon its release. The hymn “Jesus is Coming Soon” became the Song of the Year in 1969. In 2002, Winsett was inducted into the Southern Gospel Music Hall of Fame.
When I find an author who has written several of my favorite songs, I feel like I’ve found a friend. R.E. Winsett is one of those writers. I have heard the following songs all my life. The words have blessed me countless times.
Wayfaring Stranger
His Blood is on My Soul
Will You Meet Me Over Yonder?
Lift Me Up Above the Shadows
When My Savior Reached Down for Me
Jesus Is Coming Soon
The Song
I care not today what the morrow may bring,
If shadow or sunshine or rain,
The Lord I know ruleth o’re everything,
And all of my worry is vain.
Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you (1 Peter 5:7 KJV)
Be careful (anxious) for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6-7 KJV).
Like the hymnist, Paul is not suggesting we dismiss genuine concerns. He points us to a way to live worry-free: praying about everything.
Shall keep means to guard. The Philippians were used to seeing Roman soldiers standing guard in Philippi. They would understand Paul’s meaning. God’s peace standing guard at the door of our minds is reassuring!
Living by faith in Jesus above,
Trusting, confiding in His great love;
From all harm safe in His sheltering arm,
O, I’m living by faith and I feel no alarm.
In the chorus, the writers tell us how to live by faith:
Though tempests may blow and the storm clouds arise,
Obscuring the brightness of life,
I’m never alarmed at the overcast skies,
The Master looks on at the strife.
Notice the writer tells his reader the tempests will blow. No ifs about that.
The LORD looketh from heaven; he beholdeth all the sons of men (Psalm 33:13 KJV).
Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy (Psalm 33:18 KJV).
I know that He safely will carry me through,
No matter what evils betide,
Why should I then care though the tempest may blow,
If Jesus walks close to my side.
We will face spiritual rivers, fires, and flames through the hardships of life. But we shouldn’t be overcome with care. There’s a better way. Lean into His promises!
When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee (Isaiah 43:2 KJV).
Our soul waiteth for the LORD: he is our help and our shield. For our heart shall rejoice in him, because we have trusted in his holy name. Let thy mercy, O LORD, be upon us, according as we hope in thee (Psalm 33:20-22 KJV).
Our Lord will return to this earth some sweet day
Our troubles will then all be o’er
The Master so gently will lead us away
Beyond that blest heavenly shore
For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 KJV).
What a glorious thought!
Revelation
The LORD hath made known his salvation:
His righteousness hath he openly shewed in the sight of the heathen.
He that remembered his mercy and his truth toward the house of Israel:
All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
Psalm 98:2-3 KJV
The Song
Joy to the Word was written by Issac Watts in 1719. The lyrics are based on Psalm 98. If you get a moment from your busy schedule, read it. It is a power-packed passage sure to invigorate and give you strength for your day! Now, let’s take a look at the song.
Joy to the world! The Lord is come: Let earth receive her King; let every heart prepare Him room, and heav’n and nature sing, and heav’n and nature sing, and heaven and heaven and nature sing.
But as many received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God,
even to them that believe on his name: which were born, not of blood,
nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
John 1:12-13 KJV
Joy to the earth! The Savior reigns: Let all their songs employ; while fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains repeat the sounding joy, repeat the sounding joy, repeat, repeat the sounding joy.
Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end,
upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment
and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD will perform this.
Isaiah 9:7 KJV
No more let sins and sorrow grow, nor thorns infest the ground; He comes to make His blessings flow far as the curse is found, far as the curse is found, far as, far as the curse is found.
Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written,
Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:
Galatians 3:13 KJV)
He rules the world with truth and grace, and makes the nations prove the glories of His righteousness and wonders of His love, and wonders of His love, and wonders, wonders of His love.
And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory,
the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth
John 1:14 KJV
For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
John 1:17 KJV
Joy to the World by Issac Watts Public Domain
Merry Christmas, sweet friends!
Gail Johnson 