Today's Devotional

Brought to you by Dream Team member Bobbi Heffel

I Need Thee Every Hour

1.     I need Thee every hour, most gracious Lord;
No tender voice like Thine can peace afford.

     Refrain:
     I need Thee, oh, I need Thee;
     Every hour I need Thee;
     Oh, bless me now, my Savior,
     I come to Thee.

2.     I need Thee every hour, stay Thou nearby;
Temptations lose their pow’r when Thou art nigh.

3.     I need Thee every hour, in joy or pain;
Come quickly and abide, or life is vain.

4.     I need Thee every hour; teach me Thy will;
And Thy rich promises in me fulfill.

5.     I need Thee every hour, most Holy One;
Oh, make me Thine indeed, Thou blessed Son.

Annie S. Hawks, 1872
ref. by Robert Lowry, 1872

Copyright: Public Domain

 

Main subject: Supplication

Scripture: Hebrews 4:16; 1 Thessalonians 5:17

Republished from Timeless Truths Publications (timelesstruths.org), licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License.

The refrain of this song just keeps playing in my mind. I need Thee, oh, I need Thee; Every hour I need Thee; Oh bless me now, my Savior, I come to Thee. How true and sweet are these words. Right now I cannot think of one circumstance or life situation where these words don’t ring true. I need Thee, oh, I need Thee; Every hour I need Thee.

Annie Hawks wrote:
“One day as a young wife and mo­ther of 37 years of age, I was bu­sy with my reg­u­lar house­hold tasks. Sud­den­ly, I be­came so filled with the sense of near­ness to the Mast­er that, won­der­ing how one could live with­out Him, ei­ther in joy or pain, these words, “I Need Thee Ev­e­ry Hour,” were ush­ered in­to my mind, the thought at once tak­ing full pos­sess­ion of me.

I did not un­der­stand at first why this hymn had touched the great throb­bing heart of hu­man­i­ty. It was not un­til long af­ter, when the sha­dow fell over my way, the sha­dow of a great loss, that I un­der­stood some­thing of the com­fort­ing pow­er in the words which I had been per­mit­ted to give out to others in my hour of sweet se­ren­i­ty and peace.” Via http://www.cyberhymnal.org

I had no idea where this song originated until I began jotting down this devotional. What an incredible Godly lady!  When she brought some songs to her pastor, Robert Lowery (also a songwriter) he recognized a talent in Annie and struck a bargain. Annie, “If you write the words, I’ll write the music.” Annie Sherwood Hawks is credited with writing 4oo hymns in her lifetime. Most songs were for Sunday school use. Her songs were published in Bright Jewels, Brightest and Best, Pure Gold, Royal Diadem, Temple Anthems, Tidal Wave, and other Sunday school song books.

In November 1872, the new hymn “I Need Thee Every Hour” was used at the National Baptist Sunday School Convention in Cincinnati, Ohio, where it was sung by 3000 people. Ira Sankey used it two years later in London leading to its regular use in large Moody evangelistic campaigns. This made it popular in the US as well as Great Britain, and it was translated into many languages and sang throughout the world. It was even featured in the Chicago World’s Fair.

Sixteen years after writing “I Need Thee Every Hour” Annie’s husband died, and she finally understood why the hymn had touched so many people. In her loss she found comfort in this hymn she had penned so many years earlier.

Prayer

Lord, thank you for the testimony of Annie Hawks. She is another wonderful example of how you can use us where we are to bring great honor and glory to yourself. Truly we need you every hour. Amen

A special thank you to Gary Chapman on A Hymn a Week posted to youtube. You started me on the wonderful journey of learning about Annie Hawks and her amazing story.

Sources:

http://bereanbibleheritage.org/hymns/i_need_thee.php   - by Pastor Clinton Macomber

http://bereanbibleheritage.org/extraordinary/hawks_annie.php -by Pastor Clinton Macomber

http://www.cyberhymnal.org/bio/h/a/w/hawks_as.htm

http://www.widowschristianplace.com/2011/01/widows-story-annie-s-hawks.html

Biblegateway.com

Today's Devotional

Brought to you by Prayer Team member Bobbi Heffel

Oh the feeling of getting all those things on your to-do list accomplished and checked off. And before lunch too! The rest of the day is before me and all the must do things are accomplished, what a victorious, freeing feeling. I am a little tired though, that took a bit of effort. It has me wondering. When Christ was there on the cross and declared “It is finished” what did that feel like? He had been beaten and physically depleted. But in that instant when he left that body behind and went to the Father with EVERYTHING completed…what that must have been like? It is Finished the Victory is Won!

The Death of Jesus
John 19:28-30
28 Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” 29 A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. 30 When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. New International Version 1984 (NIV1984)

The Death of Jesus
Matthew 27:50-54
50 And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.
51 At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split. 52 The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. 53 They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus’ resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people.
54 When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God!” (NIV1984)

PRAYER
Thank you Lord that it is finished! The victory is won! We don’t need to do anything because You have completed it! We only need to accept what You have done for us and live. Live for You alone. As we stand with the tasks of daily life around us and troubles that pull at us, help us to stand in the victory You have accomplished. Thank you for the fresh breeze of freedom that you bring into our lives and the knowledge that you will never leave nor forsake us.

Hebrews 13:4-6
4 Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral. 5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,
“Never will I leave you;
never will I forsake you.”[a]
6 So we say with confidence,
“The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.
What can man do to me?”[b]
Footnotes:
Hebrews 13:5 Deut. 31:6
Hebrews 13:6 Psalm 118:6,7

Today's Daily Devotion

Today's Devotion is brought to you by prayer team member Bobbi Heffel

From Trial to Triumph

Luke 23:26-43

The Crucifixion

 ²⁶ As they led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus. ²⁷ A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him. ²⁸ Jesus turned and said to them, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children. ²⁹ For the time will come when you will say, ‘Blessed are the barren women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’ ³⁰ Then “‘they will say to the mountains, “Fall on us!” and to the hills, “Cover us!”’

   ³¹ For if men do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?”

 ³² Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. ³³ When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. ³⁴ Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.  And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.

 ³⁵ The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One.”

 ³⁶ The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar ³⁷ and said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.”

 ³⁸ There was a written notice above him, which read: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

 ³⁹ One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!”

 ⁴⁰ But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? ⁴¹ We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”

 ⁴² Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”

 ⁴³ Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.”

John 19:25-27

Behold Your Mother

 ²⁵ Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. ²⁶ When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Dear woman, here is your son,” ²⁷ and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.

Matthew 27:45-50

The Death of Jesus

 ⁴⁵ From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land. ⁴⁶ About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi    lama sabachthani?”—which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

 ⁴⁷ When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He’s calling Elijah.”

 ⁴⁸ Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a stick, and offered it to Jesus to drink. ⁴⁹ The rest said, “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.”

 ⁵⁰ And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. 

Sometimes we find ourselves in a situation that is out of control, unbearable, painful.  Sometimes we feel beat down and ready to give up. We have been hanging on to the last knot in our rope and Friday just won’t get here soon enough. What do we do? How do we go on? 

We follow the example of Jesus. The pain he endured on the cross was unbearable but he knew the Father had a purpose in it. Jesus endured the pain while still thinking of his mother’s needs and making arrangements for her future needs. He had physically been beaten to beyond recognition yet he didn’t hold malice toward the ones who attacked him. Better yet, he asked for forgiveness for the ones that had abused him. While hanging on to humanity and the life left in his body he never called upon the armies of angles at his disposal to rescue him. He lived out that situation knowing that was what he was born for and, that there was a great purpose in it. 

Whatever you are going through God is there with you in the midst of it. As out of control as it seems, he knows about it and he is in control of it. He will use it to refine you and bring you closer to him, if you allow him to. Remember that you aren’t the only one hurting. Reach out to others and help them however you can. Forgive the ones that have hurt you and are currently hurting you. Hang on until God tells you otherwise. We don’t always know why he created us, the task he has for us, or the prosperity he has for us around the next corner. We do know he loves us and we can trust him. “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:10-12)

Today’s Prayer

Father, here we are at the holiday season. Everything is decked out for Christmas and everywhere we look hearts and faces are aglow. As wonderful as this time of the year is it can leave us feeling lonely and filled with pain. Lord I pray for those of us who need your loving touch, a fresh filling of your joy, that we would experience your presence anew. Lord, take these things that grab us, hold us or bind us and put them in perspective so that we may leave them at your feet. Holy is you name! You are worthy to receive all glory, power and honor! Thank you for all you have done on our behalf and all you are still doing. Merry Christmas! We love you too! Amen

All scripture used today is from the New International Version 1984 (NIV1984) http://www.biblegateway.com/

Daily Devotion

This week's Daily Devotion is brought to you by Dream Team member Bobbi Heffel

I stopped to look at Mary's video update as she goes through her battle with cancer and it just struck me how we had the same thought of being in the arms of Jesus. One of my favorite things about the Christmas season is sitting in front of the lit Christmas tree with a steamy cup of tea or hot chocolate. Those lights draw me in and the next thing I know I am a million miles away in thought. The hustle and bustle of the season just falls away and I am able to focus on whatever God has for me that day.

Today as I sat in front of the Christmas tree it wasn't the lights that grabbed my attention but the ornaments. We don't have matching ornaments but more of a mish mosh of collected treasures. Each ornament has its own story; a memory of family, friends and Christmases past. I recalled when my children were younger and they would climb into my lap to hear the story of each ornament they picked out.

Then I envisioned crawling into the lap of the one that loves us best. I could hear him as he began to hold up a treasure he had created in me. He lovingly displayed it while reminding me of how he loved me and sculpted this treasure in me. That he was there with me in that situation. Always present, always loving, always giving, and always guiding. There were enough treasures to fill a whole tree! Some were storms he had brought me through. Other treasures were unexpected beauty and joy he had brought into my life; the birth of children, sunrises and sunsets, double rainbows and butterflies. Some treasures were the people God has introduced into my life; a Godly mother, a special best-friend, one particular little old lady that taught me that work is the most precious word in the English language. I could spend the rest of the day thinking of the people God has used to bless me, grow me and challenge me to new heights. Alas, the phone rang and life was calling. I long to crawl back into the lap of God, to be near him and hear what else he has to say. I pray you make the opportunity to spend time in his lap soon.

Today's Prayer
Father, thank you for being our ever present help. Thank you for the special times when we can fall into your arms. In your arms we find love, comfort, adoration, compassion, strength, protection and encouragement. Amen

Deuteronomy 33:26-28 (Amplified Bible (AMP) Biblegateway.com)
26There is none like God, O Jeshurun [Israel], Who rides through the heavens to your help and in His majestic glory through the skies.
27The eternal God is your refuge and dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms; He drove the enemy before you and thrust them out, saying, Destroy!
28And Israel dwells in safety, the fountain of Jacob alone in a land of grain and new wine; yes, His heavens drop dew.

Today’s Inspiration by Dream Team member Shelley Brandon

Revelation 21 (The Message)

Everything New

1I saw Heaven and earth new-created. Gone the first Heaven, gone the first earth, gone the sea. 2I saw Holy Jerusalem, new-created, descending resplendent out of Heaven, as ready for God as a bride for her husband. 3-5I heard a voice thunder from the Throne: "Look! Look! God has moved into the neighborhood, making his home with men and women! They're his people, he's their God. He'll wipe every tear from their eyes. Death is gone for good—tears gone, crying gone, pain gone—all the first order of things gone." The Enthroned continued, "Look! I'm making everything new. Write it all down—each word dependable and accurate."

6-8Then he said, "It's happened. I'm A to Z. I'm the Beginning, I'm the Conclusion. From Water-of-Life Well I give freely to the thirsty. Conquerors inherit all this. I'll be God to them, they'll be sons and daughters to me. But for the rest—the feckless and faithless, degenerates and murderers, sex peddlers and sorcerers, idolaters and all liars—for them it's Lake Fire and Brimstone. Second death!"

The City of Light

9-12One of the Seven Angels who had carried the bowls filled with the seven final disasters spoke to me: "Come here. I'll show you the Bride, the Wife of the Lamb." He took me away in the Spirit to an enormous, high mountain and showed me Holy Jerusalem descending out of Heaven from God, resplendent in the bright glory of God.

12-14The City shimmered like a precious gem, light-filled, pulsing light. She had a wall majestic and high with twelve gates. At each gate stood an Angel, and on the gates were inscribed the names of the Twelve Tribes of the sons of Israel: three gates on the east, three gates on the north, three gates on the south, three gates on the west. The wall was set on twelve foundations, the names of the Twelve Apostles of the Lamb inscribed on them.

15-21The Angel speaking with me had a gold measuring stick to measure the City, its gates, and its wall. The City was laid out in a perfect square. He measured the City with the measuring stick: twelve thousand stadia, its length, width, and height all equal. Using the standard measure, the Angel measured the thickness of its wall: 144 cubits. The wall was jasper, the color of Glory, and the City was pure gold, translucent as glass. The foundations of the City walls were garnished with every precious gem imaginable: the first foundation jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst. The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate a single pearl.

21-27The main street of the City was pure gold, translucent as glass. But there was no sign of a Temple, for the Lord God—the Sovereign-Strong—and the Lamb are the Temple. The City doesn't need sun or moon for light. God's Glory is its light, the Lamb its lamp! The nations will walk in its light and earth's kings bring in their splendor. Its gates will never be shut by day, and there won't be any night. They'll bring the glory and honor of the nations into the City. Nothing dirty or defiled will get into the City, and no one who defiles or deceives. Only those whose names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life will get in.

The Christmas season is here once again. This season that so full of promise and hope, for many people, is a season of pain and grief.

Christmas memories can drench our minds with the whiff of a familiar scent such as pine trees or baking cookies. A song can bring the faces and surroundings of long ago celebrations into perfect view. These memories may be sweet recollections of family and traditions, but all too often they bring longing and sorrow - unwelcomed holiday guests of the heart. Or both.

This “Most Wonderful Time of the Year” can be especially difficult after the loss of close loved one. Whether from death or estrangement doesn’t matter, the heart doesn’t recognize the difference. The absence is there, demanding our attention. In a room fully decorated with lighted trees, brightly wrapped gifts, and mistletoe what is missing can often take center stage.

This is the third Christmas without Larry. This year I have made some changes. Instead of the 9’ tree that we’ve always had, the one that always sits in the corner (the same corner where Larry entered the glory of heaven), this year we have two smaller trees. My tree is white with blue. Not a traditional tree, but it comforts me. White for the purity of Jesus and blue for the peace that passes all understanding. Noah’s tree is red and white, spiral branches of red and white that closely resembles a big fuzzy candy cane. As Noah and I were decorating his tree last night he said, “This is our new tradition mom”. Perfect!

Change is ok. We don’t have to continue with holiday traditions that bring heartache. Change things up a bit. Have a different meal, find some new songs, look for Christmas in new places.

When Christ returns everything will change. No more tears, no more death, everything will be new. For our loved ones that have already gone home it’s already new. Imagine what wondrous Christmas celebrations take place in heaven….. every day!

This song is the most comforting song for anyone who has lost loved ones to death. The artist is Sarah Scheiber, a personal friend who is one of the members of our “club” W2Y – Widows Too Young. It’s through Sarah that I know Marni and Mary, the little one we’ve been praying for. I pray that you find solace in the music this season.

Dearest Lord, this season of celebration brings with it the loss of those we love that are now home with you. You know the pain of this loss God. When your son died the whole earth shook. Our hearts tremble each day with the longing of days past. My prayer is that we are able to find comfort and peace knowing that we are not isolated from those who are present with you. Separate but still connected. Grant us patience for the journey Lord, especially during times of celebration. In Jesus’ sweet name, Amen.

Today's Daily Devotional

Today's Inspiration by Dream Team Member Shelley Brandon
John 14:9-17

9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. 17 This is my command: Love each other.

Romans 7:14-25

14 We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. 15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18 For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature.[c] For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.

21 So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22 For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; 23 but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? 25 Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!

So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature[d] a slave to the law of sin.

Today’s song is another Josh Groban tune called “Higher Window”. Like yesterday, I’m renaming the song “Paul’s Song”

The two scripture passages may not appear to go together but for me they do. Jesus is telling his disciples in John that we are to love one another. When we love one another, when we love each other enough to share our Savior with them our joy is certain, it is promised. When we love each other and serve each other we reach beyond our human tendency to focus on ourselves.

When I’m working on a particularly detailed yarn project my eyes focus solely on the work in my hands. They are so absorbed in the tiny details in my hands that when I look up everything else around me is blurry. We do this on a spiritual level as well, focus on our own lives, our own issues so intently and completely that when we look outside ourselves the rest of the world is blurry. Jesus is telling us to focus outside our own bodies and love the ones God has placed in our lives.

Now I will attempt to tie this all together. Paul was so focused on persecuting that he missed Jesus altogether. He didn’t love; his heart was full of hatred. Christ removed Paul’s eyesight so that Paul might see. Even after his encounter with the living Christ, Paul struggled with his humanity. “15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.” He did however love. Paul loved Jesus so much that he found joy in the worst of circumstances in order to teach the world around him about his Savior.

Now as to the song; I can picture Paul after his blinding experience in the presence of Jesus. On his knees, asking what Jesus wanted him to do and pleading, “Don’t tell me it’s too late to love you!” How many times have those words echoed from lost souls throughout history. On our knees before the Lord, broken, lost, alone and desperate, “Please Jesus, don’t tell me it’s too late to love you!”

Most Holy God, we give you thanks for the Light from a Higher Window… your love shining down on us. Help us to share your light with everyone we meet. Help us to keep your love in us shining and visible as a living testimony to your truth. Keep us ever mindful of what we ought to be doing to help us remember that you have freed us from bondage with the gift of your son. In Jesus’ name… Amen.