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"How Sweet the Name of Jesus Sounds"
There is a cancer update at the end of this message. CHIP STAM STEM CELL DRIVE: BE THE MATCH www.carlstam.org/stemcelldrive ===================================== You may remember that John Newton was a slave trader whom the Lord graciously rescued and converted to a life of faith in Christ and service to the His kingdom. Newton's most famous hymn, "Amazing Grace," was a originally titled "Faith's Review and Expectation" and was written to accompany his study of 1 Chronicles 17:16-17. Today's WORSHIP QUOTE, "How Sweet the Name of Jesus Sounds," is another great hymn text by this same eighteenth-century pastor-poet. He links the poem to a Scripture fragment from the Song of Solomon 1:3 ("Your name is like perfume poured out"). Try reading this out loud. HOW SWEET THE NAME OF JESUS SOUNDS How sweet the Name of Jesus sounds In a believer’s ear! It soothes his sorrows, heals his wounds, And drives away his fear. It makes the wounded spirit whole, And calms the troubled breast; ’Tis manna to the hungry soul, And to the weary, rest. Dear Name, the Rock on which I build, My Shield and Hiding Place, My never failing treasury, filled With boundless stores of grace! By Thee my prayers acceptance gain, Although with sin defiled; Satan accuses me in vain, And I am owned a child. Jesus! my Shepherd, Husband, Friend, O Prophet, Priest and King, My Lord, my Life, my Way, my End, Accept the praise I bring. Weak is the effort of my heart, And cold my warmest thought; But when I see Thee as Thou art, I’ll praise Thee as I ought. Till then I would Thy love proclaim With every fleeting breath, And may the music of Thy Name Refresh my soul in death! — John Newton (1725-1807), from OLNEY HYMNS (London, 1779). Lots of good things here: www.hymntime.com/tch/bio/n/e/w/newton_j.htm. And here: www.ccel.org/ccel/newton/?show=biography. In addition to the setting that is used in many hymnals, we often use this version by Indelible Grace: www.igracemusic.com/ig2/ (click on #5, free lead sheet at www.igracemusic.com/hymnbook/lead/howsweetthename.pdf) Blessings to all! Chip Stam Director, Institute for Christian Worship School of Church Ministries The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary Louisville, Kentucky www.wqotw.org www.sbts.edu/icw ==================== THE PLACE OF THE CHOIR IN WORSHIP: PART 1 (Ed Willmington): http://www.wqotw.org/quote.php?date=2010-01-05 THE PLACE OF THE CHOIR IN WORSHIP: PART 2 (Carl Stam): http://www.wqotw.org/quote.php?date=2010-01-12 THE PLACE OF THE CHOIR IN WORSHIP: PART 3 (Donald Hustad): http://www.wqotw.org/quote.php?date=2010-01-19 THE PLACE OF THE CHOIR IN WORSHIP: PART 4 (Ron Man): http://www.wqotw.org/quote.php?date=2010-01-26 ==================== ===================================== HEALTH UPDATE & PRAYER REQUEST FOR CHIP STAM, CANCER PATIENT www.carlstam.org/stemcelldrive ===================================== July 27 Update Dear friends and family, Thanks for keeping us in your prayers. Some pictures of the infusion day are found at www.caringbridge.org/visit/carlstam. THANKFUL TO THE LORD—A GREAT REPORT Yesterday (Monday, July 26) was a very long day at the cancer clinic, but a great one. I got to the clinic at 7:45am. They took my blood samples for the necessary lab work then sent me downstairs for a scheduled PET scan. I came back upstairs to the clinic and began the routine of receiving steroid treatments and anti-fungal medication. I also required a bag of blood. Within an hour, one of the clinicians appeared at the door of my chemo room #3 and said, "Your presence is required in the viewing room." I rolled my IV poll around the nurses' station to the room where the doctors and clinicians gather to plan their activities and to consult over patient care. That room has several large computer monitors and Dr. Herzig wanted to show me what he saw—or rather, what he did not see. This morning's PET scan shows that the numerous Lymphoma outcroppings that were there in March and May are GONE. He showed us the images side-by-side for comparison, and sure enough, these last rounds of chemotherapy and the work of the grafting cells have already made the cancer spots disappear. The clinicians cheered, the doctor beamed, and we tried our best to take it all in. He followed, "It's gone. Now we have to keep it away." We know that there are many months ahead of dealing with side effects, watching for infection (especially Graft vs. Host Disease), and trying to keep my body from wasting away. (The steroids that I am taking everyday right now are not the kind that make home run sluggers; they are the kind that gradually reduce muscle mass.) So we proceed with cautious optimism, fueled by a HUGE measure of gratitude to God for this exciting progress in my cancer treatment. We left the clinic yesterday sometime after 3:00pm—what a day! God is very good. Thanks for loving us and for praying so faithfully. In the mighty hands of our Creator and Redeemer, Chip www.caringbridge.org/visit/carlstam =========================== WORSHIP QUOTE OF THE WEEK: To subscribe, unsubscribe, or view a complete index of worship quotes, please visit http://www.wqotw.org. =========================== |