A Prayer Is Answered - and Fanny Crosby Writes Another Hymn

Among many characteristics of the blond poetess Fanny Crosby, three stand out. She always carried a little American flag. She either held it in her hand or kept it in her bag, and it was buried with her when she died in 1915 at the age of 95. Though blinded in infancy, the petite "Aunt Fanny" (she was Mrs. Alexander Van Alstyne in private life) greeted friends and strangers alike with a cheerful "God bless you dear soul." And, according to her own statement, she never attempted to write a hymn without first kneeling in prayer. If this be true, Fanny Crosby spent considerable time on her knees. She wrote no less than 8,000 songs. So many that critics have said the chief fault with her work lies in that she was too prolific. But none can deny that many "pearls are found among the oyster shells."

Under contract for three hymns a week, Miss Crosby was often under pressure to meet deadlines. It was under such circumstances in 1869 that she tried to write words for a tune Composer W.H. Doane had sent her. But she couldn't write. Then she remembered she had forgotten her prayer. Rising from her knees, she dictated - as fast as her assistant could write - the words for the famous hymn, "Jesus Keep Me Near the Cross."

But one day in 1874, Fanny Crosby prayed for more material things. She had run short of money and needed $5.00 - even change. There was no time to draw on her publishers, so she simply prayed for the money. Her prayer ended, she was walking to and fro in her room trying to "get in the mood" for another hymn when an admirer called. Greeting the stranger with "God bless you dear soul," the two chatted briefly. In the parting handshake the admirer left something in the hymn-writer's hand. It was five dollars--even change. Rising from a prayer of thanks the blind poetess wrote:

ALL THE WAY MY SAVIOUR LEADS ME
By Fanny Crosby 1820-1915

All the way my Saviour leads me;
What have I to ask beside?
Can I doubt His tender mercy,
Who through life has been my Guide?
Heavenly peace, divinest comfort,
Here by faith in Him to dwell!
For I know, whate'er befalls me,
Jesus doeth all things well.

All the way my Saviour leads me;
Cheers each winding path I tread,
Gives me grace for every trial,
Feeds me with the living bread.
Though my weary steps may falter,
And my soul athirst may be,
Gushing from the Rock before me,
Lo! a spring of joy I see.

All the way my Saviour leads me;
Oh, the fullness of His love!
Perfect rest for to me is promised
In my Father's house above.
When my spirit, clothed immortal,
Wings its flight to realms of day,
This my song thro' endless ages;
Jesus led me all the way.

God bless,
Country Mama

Good O Meter

How good are you? and how good is GOOD ENOUGH? Do you think bad and good sort cancel each other out?

Think about this. Take an example of a country where you lived in, for example in UK a person who commit raping will be jailed for at least 10 years, in Singapore stealing from the elderly can bring a person up to 3 times canning and a period in jail, in Indonesia is a crime to smugle drug and you can end up with a death sentence.

The idea is clear, if you commit a crime you must be punished! However human mind are inconsistent. In many religion, let's admit it, how many of them that require a person to do this and that? doing good works? helping the needy? fasting? meditation? even up to torturing their own body to repay the sin.

But when you think about it, does it work? If you tell your government that you will go on a year of fasting after raping a girl? or that you will torture yourself after murdering someone? Do you think the government will agree with you? Most likely they will think that you are completely insane. And this is human standard, how about God's standard?

That's right, you are insane if you think you can buy God's forgiveness with goodworks, being a samaritan, tithing, going to church, baptism, meditating, because the weight of your CRIME is DEATH according to the bible, and nothing you can do than to be executed!



Someone ask me, how can Jesus die in our place then? SIMPLE, all of us had commit a crime in the God's standard. And therefore, we have a date reserved for our execution. I can't be executed on your behalf nor can you took my place to be punished, because we ourselves had commit crime, you and I have our own plate of punishment to come. Therefore Jesus is the only substitution, because he had never commit any crime, and he is NOT suppose to be punished, but with all of His love, he decided to take our place.

It is may not sound fair, therefore it called GRACE!
Christian doing good works, being faithful to church, helping the needy, loving one another is NOT (I repeat is not!) to bribe God of His forgiveness. Rather it's to testify and to be thankful to God of how good He is, for He had die in our place!

What Are My Rights?

A few years ago my husband preached on this subject (not necesarrily the title). It really caught my attention.

Do you notice in the society that we live in today how often you hear people talking about their rights? Do you notice how often you hear the phrase "It's against my human rights?" I hear this so much that it nearly makes me ill. It is very misused and abused.

We as Christians can many times get caught up in this problem also, as my husband so lovingly pointed out. The Bible says in I Corinthians 6:19-20, "What, know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost, which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's."

To make things short and sweet, as my husband said, "WE HAVE NO RIGHTS!!!" The only rights that we have are to spend an eternity in Hell. If we are the Lord's, then we know that we cannot do that. It says in I Cor. 6:20 that we are bought with a price. If we go into a store and buy something then we gain the right to have whatever we bought to work properly and able to be used for its purpose, correct? Well, since Jesus paid the price for our salvation He gained the rights to us. He has the right to expect us to do as we should not as we wish. NO RIGHTS!

Our rights are listed in Romans 12:1-2, "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." These are all things that we cannot do on our own. The same One who bought us is also the same One that equips us to do and be what He wills.

I'm not sure about you, but I'd rather live without MY rights. When I am having my way and I'm in control of things they tend to get messy and all warped out of joint, then I'm miserable. When I live as He would have me to, which means surrendered to HIS will (with MY rights dead and buried beneath the cross); life may not be a bed of roses, but there is a peace that passeth all understanding.

Whose rights would you rather be under?
1. Your own, which is mostly for selfish gain and self gratification or
2. The Lord's, who's ways are perfect, just, holy, etc., etc.

Until the Shout,
Country Mama

Three Things In Our Lives

Three things in life, that once gone, never come back:
1. Time
2. Words
3. Opportunity

Three things in life that can destroy a person:
1. Anger
2. Pride
3. Unforgiveness

Three things in life that you should never loose:
1. Hope
2. Peace
3. Honesty

Three things in life that are most valuable:
1. Love
2. Family & friends
3. Kindness

Three things in life that are never certain:
1. Fortune
2. Success
3. Dreams

Three things that make a person:
1. Commitment
2. Sincerity
3. Hard work

Three things that are truly constant:
Father - Son - Holy Ghost

Until the Shout,
Counrty Mama

Would You Consider Abortion in These Four Situations?

copying from maranatha777 (visit her great blog!)

Would You Consider Abortion in These Four Situations?

1. There is a preacher and wife who are very, very poor. They already have 14 kids. Now she finds out she is pregnant with her 15th. They are living in tremendous poverty. Considering their poverty and the excessive world population, would you consider recommending abortion?

2. The father is sick with sniffles, the mother has TB. They have 4 children. The first is blind, the second is dead. The third is deaf and the fourth has TB. The mother finds she is pregnant again. Given the extreme situation, would you recommend abortion?

3. A man raped a 13 year old girl and she got pregnant. If you were her parents, would you consider recommending abortion?

4. A teenage girl is pregnant. She is not married. Her fiancee is not the father of the baby, and he is very upset. Would you recommend an abortion?

If you have answered “yes” to any of these situations:
In the first case you would have killed John Wesley, one of the great evangelists of the 19th century.
In the second case, you would have killed Beethoven.
In the third case you would have killed Ethel Waters, the great gospel singer.
In the fourth case you would have recommended the murder of Jesus Christ.
With U. S. abortion deaths topping 30 million, only God knows what we have sacrificed in lost human talent and creativity.

It Is Well with My Soul

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well with my soul.

Chorus:

It is well ----with my soul,
It is well, it is well with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, tho trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

My sin - oh, the bliss of this glorious tho't
My sin - not in part, but the whole
Is nailed to the cross and I bare it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul.

And, Lord, haste the day when the faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll,
The trump shall resound and the Lord shall descend,
"Even so" - it is well with my soul

Words by H.G. Spafford
Music by Philip P. Bliss

I praise the Lord for such hymns as these. To know the trials that these precious people of God have faced and yet they still have faith and confidence it the Lord Jesus Christ. What a blessing they have been to us down through the years. What a testimony!!

Until the Shout,
Country Mama

The Action (Mode) of Baptism:Sprinkling, Pouring, or Immersion?

Baptism (Greek βάπτισμα and βαπτισμός, from βαπτίζω, baptizô, immerse, perform ablutions)
That's right, the word means IMMERSE, that's what the bible says... don't argue with me, argue with the bible.

Should baptism according to the gospel of Jesus Christ involve sprinkling, pouring, or immersion? Some denominations sprinkle water on the subject, others pour water, others immerse in water, and still others say it does not matter. What action or "mode" is the correct way to baptize? What should a Christian believe according to the Bible?

Introduction:
In Matthew 28:18-20 Jesus commanded all people of all nations to be baptized.
Clearly baptism is an important requirement, yet it is also one of the most misunderstood topics in the gospel. What did Jesus mean when He said to baptize people?
The purpose of this study is to consider the action or "mode" involved in baptism.
Physically, what should be done when one is baptized? Is baptism sprinkling, pouring, or immersion?

*****

I. Different Views about the Issue
A. Some Denominations View This as a Matter of Choice (Is that biblical?)
Some churches sprinkle or pour water on the person's head. Most churches say there are several acceptable choices regarding the action involved in baptism. Others only immerse. Consider statements from various "Christian" denominations:
"Baptism may be administered by sprinkling, pouring, or immersion, according to the choice of the applicant" - Church of the Nazarene Manual, 1972 ed., p. 33.
"What is the meaning of the word 'baptize'? 'Baptize' means to apply water by washing, pouring, sprinkling, or immersing" - Luther's Small Catechism, par. 244, p. 170.
"Dipping of the person into the water is not necessary; the Baptism is rightly administered by pouring or sprinkling water upon the person" - "Westminster Confession of Faith," par. 6.141, Presbyterian Book of Confessions, 1967 ed.
"How is baptism given? It is given by pouring water over the forehead of the person to be baptized ..." - A Catechism for Adults (Catholic), 1975 ed., p. 63.

B. Some Leaders of the Above Denominations Admit Immersion Is the Biblical Teaching.
"Luther urged, in opposition to the standard practice of pouring, that baptism should be by immersion. He pointed out that the word in the Greek language means 'To plunge something entirely into the water, so that the water closes over it,' and urged that immersion should be the mode of baptism. Today, however, the general practice of the Lutheran Church is to administer baptism by pouring, although immersion is also permitted" - A Compend of Luther's Theology, p. 167, via Handbook of Religious Quotations, p. 11.
John Calvin stated: "The word baptize signifies to immerse, and the rite of immersion was practiced by the ancient church" - quoted by Brents, p. 230f.
“The Scripture makes it clear enough that water is to be used, but it is not so plain at first sight that sprinkling or pouring of water will suffice. In Apostolic times the body of the baptized person was immersed, for St. Paul looks on this immersion as typifying burial with Christ, and speaks of baptism as a bath … [But the belief] that baptism can be validly given by immersion, infusion, or aspersion, is fully justified by tradition … Anciently … baptism was constantly given to adults and the rite of immersion prevailed …” – The Catholic Dictionary on “baptism” and “baptistery,” pp 60-64.
These quotations do not constitute conclusive evidence of the action of baptism, but should give people who practice sprinkling or pouring cause to consider the question we are studying.

C. Definitions of the Word "Baptize"
People often quote definitions from modern dictionaries.
This is used to prove the claim the word can mean sprinkling, pouring, or immersion. But modern dictionaries just define the word as used today. This does not prove what the word means in the language of the Bible.
Even our English words change meaning over time. "Gay" refers almost exclusively today to homosexuality, but it had no such meaning a century ago.
According to modern English dictionaries, the origin of the word "baptize" was a Greek word meaning "to immerse" (Random House College Dictionary). This describes the meaning used in Biblical Greek.
Dictionaries of Bible words show "baptize" means to immerse.
Thayer's lexicon on BAPTIZO says: "to dip, immerge, submerge."
Many other dictionaries show the basic, root meaning of the Bible word is to immerse. (See Vine, Arndt and Gingrich, etc.)
Remember, these dictionaries were written by members of churches that practice sprinkling and pouring. Surely they would have defined the words in a way that defended their church practice if they could have done so.
There are other Greek words for "sprinkle" (RANTIZO) or "pour" (CHEO). Had God wanted to authorize these, the words were available; but instead He chose a word the never means sprinkle or pour.
The Bible word for "baptism" means immersion, not sprinkling or pouring. But most people cannot study Greek to prove this. And dictionaries are written by fallible men. We need to search further, but surely we have reason to suspect modern sprinkling and pouring may not be correct.

D. Only the Bible Can Give a Conclusive Answer to This Question.
Matthew 28:18-20 - Jesus' command to be baptized is based on His authority over heaven and earth.
2 Timothy 3:16,17 - The Scriptures instruct us in righteousness and provide us to all good works. (James 1:25; 2 Peter 1:3; Ephesians 3:3-5)
Matthew 15:9 - Following the doctrines of men in such matters makes our worship vain.
Galatians 1:8,9 - Anyone who preaches differently from the gospel is accursed.
This issue can only be settled on the basis of Bible teaching, not on church creeds or traditions.
Note that we do not need a verse that expressly says, "Do not sprinkle or pour." If the Bible teaches us to immerse and never authorizes sprinkling or pouring, then the latter should be rejected as being human in origin and different from the gospel
[2 John 9-11; Colossians 3:17; Jeremiah 10:23; Proverbs 14:12; 3:5,6; Revelation 22:18,19; 1 Timothy 1:3; 2 Timothy 1:13]

*****

II. The Bible Evidence
The best way to understand a Bible command is to study the passages that refer to it in context comparing them to other passages on the subject. This is especially how we learn the meaning of words (children do this, so do authors of dictionaries).
Notice what baptism requires and consider what action fits what the Bible says.

1. Water
The element or substance used is not inherent in the word "baptize." But the element used in the baptism of the Great Commission - the baptism Jesus commanded everyone to receive - is water.
Acts 10:47,48 - "Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized..." The command to be baptized refers to baptism in water.
Suppose someone wanted to be baptized in rose petals. Would that be obeying the command, or would that be changing it and following human doctrine? Note that no passage expressly says not to use rose petals, yet that would violate Scripture.
Other verses listed below also show the element in baptism should be water.

2. Much Water
John 3:23 - John baptized near Salim because there was much water there. John chose this particular location because baptism involves "much water."
Do sprinkling or pouring require much water? No! Baptism according to the Bible requires "much water." But sprinkling and pouring do not require much water.
Does immersion require much water? Yes, it requires enough to immerse someone in.
So Bible baptism requires "much water." Immersion fits, because it requires much water. Sprinkling and pouring do not fit, because they do not require much water. This helps us understand the meaning of "baptism" in the New Testament.

3. Coming to the Water
Acts 8:36-39 - They came to some water (v36).
Some folks think the eunuch pulled out a bottle of water and Philip used some of it to baptize him. Not so! The water used to baptize the eunuch was a body of water they came to as they traveled. Other Bible examples also confirm that people who were baptized went to the water. (See John 3:23; Mark 1:9; etc.)
When people receive sprinkling or pouring, do they need to go to the water? No, the water can come to them, because not much is required.
When people are immersed, do they need to go to the water? Yes.
Again, immersion fits the Bible description of baptism. Sprinkling and pouring do not fit.

4. Going Down into the Water
Bible baptism involves going down into the water.
Acts 8:38 - Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and he baptized him. This shows why baptism involves "much water" - it must be enough for the people to go down into!
Do sprinkling or pouring require going down into the water? No. When denominations practice sprinkling or pouring, does the person go down into the water? No. But Bible baptism requires going down into the water.
When a person is immersed, must the person go down into the water? Yes, so immersion fits the Bible description of baptism, but sprinkling and pouring do not.
But some folks claim you can "go down into the water" and then sprinkle or pour water on the person.
This is how Jesus' baptism is sometimes pictured.
But is this what denominations do? Does the person go down into the water, then water is sprinkled on him? No! Why argue about what could be done if you are not doing it? This "argument" simply does not defend what denominations do!
Why don't denominational preachers take the candidate down into the water to sprinkle or pour? Because it does not make sense to go to all the trouble. And it would not have made sense in Bible times either. If Bible baptism was sprinkling or pouring, preachers would have done what preachers do today when they sprinkle or pour.
Bible examples help us see what the "baptism" means. The fact is that denominations that sprinkle or pour do not do what the Bible says baptism involves. Only immersion fits the description.

5. Coming Up Out of the Water
Acts 8:39 - After the eunuch had been baptized, he came up out of the water. In order to come up out of the water, he first had to be down in the water.
Mark 1:9,10 - Jesus was baptized "in" the Jordan River, then came up from ("out of" - footnote) the water.
When denominations sprinkle or pour, does the person then come up out of (or from) the water? No, because they never went down into it!
When people are immersed, do they come up out of the water? Yes!
Bible baptism requires coming to the water, going down into it, and coming up out of it. None of these are involved in sprinkling or pouring, but immersion requires all of them. Immersion fits the pattern of Bible baptism, but sprinkling and pouring do not.

6. A Burial
Colossians 2:12 - Buried with Him in baptism in which you also were raised with Him.
In baptism we are buried with Jesus and raised with Him. As He was buried in the earth, we are buried in baptism.
Are people buried and raised in sprinkling or pouring? When Jesus was buried, did they sprinkle a little dirt on Him, like folks do in sprinkling or pouring?
Matthew 12:40 - He was buried in the heart of the earth.
Matthew 27:60,66 - He was laid in a tomb hewn out of rock and a great stone covered the opening. He was completely enclosed in the element.
In baptism we are buried (completely enclosed and surrounded) in water, as Jesus was buried in the earth.
Romans 6:4 - We are buried with Him by baptism.
Some say baptism is "just a symbol" of Jesus' burial, so it does not matter how it is done. There is a symbolic element in baptism, but how does that prove that the action does not matter?
Do the passages say Jesus was buried, but it doesn't matter whether or not we are buried? It says we are buried and we are raised in baptism. The one to be baptized must be buried and raised. When denominations sprinkle or pour, is the person himself buried and raised? No. In immersion is the person buried and raised? Yes!
Actually, symbols are important. We have no right to change the symbols Jesus' authorized.
In the Lord's supper, Jesus authorized bread and fruit of the vine as symbols of Jesus' flesh and blood. This involves symbolism, but may we say the symbols do not matter so we may use hamburger and Coke?
Also, in baptism we are buried in water. If this is just symbolic and symbols don't matter, may we use milk or rose petals?
When God ordains actions, even if they involve symbolism, we must respect the act as God commanded it, instead of changing it. Baptism involves a burial and a resurrection like Jesus' burial and resurrection. Immersion fits both God's command and the symbolism He ordained. How can sprinkling or pouring symbolize a burial and a resurrection?
If we are going to change God's command to bury a person in baptism and raise him up, then we may as well use hamburger and Coke in communion and baptize people in rose petals.
The fact remains that immersion fits the Bible description of baptism. Sprinkling and pouring do not fit.

7. A Resurrection
The same passages that say we are buried in baptism also say we are raised in baptism.
Colossians 2:12 - Buried with Him in baptism in which you also were raised with Him.
Romans 6:4 - Just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
Sprinkling and pouring are not Scriptural baptism, because they involve neither a burial nor a resurrection. Only immersion fits.
H. A Washing of the Body
Hebrews 10:22 - We have our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Note the contrast between the sprinkling of the heart and the washing of the body.
Hebrews contrasts the Old Testament to the New Testament. The Old Testament involved sprinkling of animal blood and ceremonial washings. [Heb. 9:13; Lev. 14:1-9; chap. 15; 16:4,24; 22:6; Ex. 29:4,21; etc.]
In the New Testament, the blood of Jesus is sprinkled on our heart to cleanse us from sin. This must be spiritual, since it cannot be physical. [Heb. 9:14]
But what is washed with water? The body! Clearly, this refers to baptism. Just as with the Lord's supper, baptism involves both an inner meaning and an outer action. In baptism the heart is cleansed of sin when the body is washed in baptism.
Denominations sprinkle or pour water on the head. But Bible baptism involves washing the body. In immersion, the body is washed. Immersion fits the Bible descriptions of baptism. Sprinkling and pouring do not fit.

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Conclusion
Scriptural baptism requires all the following:
* Water* Much water
* Coming to the water
* Going down into the water
* Coming up out of the water
* Burial* Resurrection
* Washing the body
Surely this shows us what "baptism" involves. Sprinkling and pouring fit only the first point (water); they do not fit any of the other points. Only immersion fits the Bible description of baptism.
No other form or action is acceptable.
Sprinkling and pouring are human in origin. They are changes from God's plan. Only complete immersion can be practiced according to Jesus' authority.
What if you once received sprinkling or pouring instead of immersion? Gospel baptism is immersion, not sprinkling or pouring. If you have not been immersed, then you have not obeyed Jesus' command! You have followed only the doctrine of men.
If you now wish to obey Jesus, you must do what He said to do: be baptized (immersed) as described in the passages studied above.