sing

He Lives!

/ Gail Johnson

Why seek ye the living among the dead? Luke 24:5 KJV

He Lives!

She tried her best to tell them, He no longer lay,
Crucified by soldiers, and in a borrowed grave
Silently, they listened to the words she had to say,
All the while, wondering, how could he live again.

He lives! He lives! I talked to Him today.
He lives! He lives, is all she could say.

They failed to find Him in the tomb, yet they could not perceive.
The story of His resurrection they would not believe.
Eleven sat in the room weeping for Him when
Suddenly, He appeared, their Savior and Friend.

He lives. He lives I talked to Him today.
He lives. He lives, is all they could say

But Thomas was a doubter and he would not believe
Until He saw the nail prints in both His hands and feet.
“I want to touch His nail-scarred hands and the wound in His side,
To know, He is Jesus Christ, the Lamb, Who gave His life.”

Then Jesus stood within the midst and said, “Come and see.
Reach forth thine hand, doubting not, touch me and believe.”
No longer plagued by fear and doubt, Thomas stood before
The risen King of Glory, Jesus Christ the Lord.

He lives! He lives! I talked to Him today.
He lives! He lives, is all he could say.

He lives! He lives! I talked to Him today.
He lives! He lives, is all I can say.

Words and Music ~ Linda Gail Johnson

© Copyright 1999 all rights reserved

 

Can You Praise Me, Now?

/ Gail Johnson / 2 Comments

For I am the LORD, I change not (Malachi 3:6 KJV).

 

Praise, like water cascading over a mountainside, spews forth in times of prosperity and victory. Yet, it is the disciplined mind focused amid conflict, disruption, and affliction that is able to sing the praises of Him Who has called us out of darkness and into His marvelous light. This distinction separates the seasoned from the novice.

It is a lesson not easily learned. But, once learned the benefits are unforgettable.

Paul and Silas knew the secret. They sang at midnight while in prison! Although the enemy had disrupted their lives, he had not stolen their peace!

 

True Story

In 2004, I had a physical problem that just wouldn’t go away. No one knew exactly what it was. Poison Ivy? Poison Sumac? Poison Oak? Whatever it was nothing worked on it!
It consumed my every thought.
Nothing I tried helped. And believe me, I tried several remedies. I went so far as to try a home remedy. No. Vinegar didn’t work. Yes, I smelled like pickles.

It seemed like the more I prayed the worse it became.

Now, we all know a battle easily won is not always remembered. But a battle of attrition will eventually bring you to the end of yourself. And guess what. That’s where you’ll find God waiting.

In my affliction, God was teaching me something—and giving me something.
While lying on the floor, begging for relief, I heard a still small voice. “Can you praise Me now?”

At that point, I was willing to try anything! I began to praise Him while still on the floor. Then something arose inside of me as memories of His faithfulness rolled through my mind. No longer was I focused on my problems, but on the One Who could change my circumstance.

The itching and the pain eased. It wasn’t too long after that every sign was gone.

From that experience came healing and the song ” He Is Still God.”

 

Reflection

If you’re in the midst of a struggle and nothing has helped, try giving God praise. Recall what He has done. Then declare:

As His child, God directs my steps.
He orders my life.
I will yield to His hands.
I will claim His Word.
I will cling and declare His promises.
I will stand believing.
He will deliver me!
I will not accept defeat!
I will think on His past faithfulness.
For by His grace, I will finish this race victoriously!

Press On!

Stand by Me

/ Gail Johnson

As a singer, it’s never enough just to sing a song. I want to know who wrote it and what moved them to put pen to paper and tell the world their inner thoughts. The more I know about the song, the more the words resonate with me as I realize this person understands my present struggles.

Charles Tindley

Charles Tindley/Wikimedia

As a budding author, my eyes often wandered to the upper right-hand corner of the page in search of the author.

I  noticed the songs Nothing Between, Stand By Me, We’ll Understand It Better By and By, and Leave It There had something in common. They were all written by Charles A. Tindley.

I thought I would share what I found about this brave and humble man.

Robert J. Morgan in his book, Then Sings My Soul, Volume 2 tells the following:

 

  • Born into slavery.
  • He used bits of newspaper found along the roadside to teach himself the ABC’s
  • Took correspondence courses. “Thus while I was unable to go through the schools, I was able to let the schools go through me.”
  • Called an unlettered ignoramus
  • Became a pastor
  • Established soup kitchens
  • Opened his church to the homeless in cold weather
  • Knew criticism, abuse, hard and many opposition

Did he understand the depth of what he was writing? I believe so.

Do I?

When I sing those familiar songs, do I sing them with the same passion as he felt when putting pen to paper? I wonder.

I admit, it’s easy to open my mouth and let the words fly out without ever thinking about the message. But when I think of all this man went through, something inside me begins to stir.

For the same God that he wrote about is the same God I serve today. And no matter what may come my way He will never fail me.

I believe Charles A. Tindley knew, understood, and wrote about that truth.

Stand By Me~Charles Albert Tindley ~Public Domain

When the storms of life are raging, Stand by me; When the storms of life are raging, Stand by me. When the world is tossing me, Like a ship upon the sea, Thou Who rulest wind and water, Stand by me.

Read more here

Stand by Me is a prayer from a determined heart who understands his relationship with his God. It is about casting all cares on God because He cares for us, and then standing on His promises knowing He will deliver.

If you’re interested in more on this subject I recommend buying the books by Robert J. Morgan. It is definitely worth the read!