Jesus, Savior, Pilot Me

Good morning and welcome to Our Daily Walk.

Audio version at http://tinyurl.com/2x7jy9

I’ve never been deep sea fishing or on a cruise. In fact, I’ve never been where I couldn’t see land at some point while I’ve been on a boat. Knowing that the safety of land was just a few hundred feet away was always a comfort to me. But that feeling of security would soon diminish if I could see no land and if a storm quickly appeared.

A good pilot on a ship will know where the dangers are and how to avoid them. He will also know how to read and trust his instruments in order to steer the ship on the correct setting. In short, without a good pilot, the ship is in trouble.

Edward Hopper was a Presbyterian minister who lived in New York and served a church called the Church of Sea and Land. While in his duties there he ministered to many who were sailors. Hopper would often write verses and songs that would help his ministry although he would do so without ascribing the authorship to anyone. One such song was “Jesus, Savior, Pilot Me.”

He gained his inspiration for this song from Matthew 8:23-27.

Now when He got into a boat, His disciples followed Him. And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But He was asleep. Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!”

But He said to them, “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. So the men marveled, saying, “Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?”

Everyone needs a pilot in life. Even the most experienced among us still look to one greater than us for our education. God provides that guidance in this life through His word. And Hopper understood that important fact and helped make that understandable to the sailors through his use of sailing terminology.

Here is the first verse of this song.

Jesus Savior, pilot me,

Over life’s tempestuous sea;

Unknown waves before me roll,

Hiding rock and treacherous shoal;

Chart and compass came from thee,

Jesus, Savior, pilot me.

Edward Hopper suffered from a weak heart and on the evening of April 23, 1888, he sat in his study and was working on a new poem titled, “Heaven.” He was found the next morning, lifeless, but with his pencil still in his hand and the poem nearby.

In the third verse of his song Hopper had written, “When at last I near the shore, May I hear Thee say to me, “Fear not, I will pilot Thee.”

Storms will arise quickly in our lives. Are you ready for them? Can you steer to your destination without seeing the shoreline? When the wind and the waves overtake you can you maintain your calm and work toward your goal?

Friends, without God in our lives we cannot be successful in steering our lives. We need a pilot to guide us. Jesus, Savior, pilot me!

On Our Daily Walk today, may we withstand the temptation to live our lives only on our own and look to Jesus and God’s word to guide us safely to our destination.

Our thought for the day: “Men give advice; God gives guidance.” Leonard Ravenhill

May God bless you on your daily walk.

© Our Daily Walk, Mike Baker, 2007. Permission is granted to copy these articles provided they are not sold and the author's name and copyright are included.

Mansion Over The Hilltop

Good morning and welcome to Our Daily Walk.

Audio version at http://tinyurl.com/26sdlx

Where do you live? I would imagine that everyone today lives in a comfortable house or apartment. Maybe you have several extra rooms in your house. Or maybe you have just enough room. But either way, most people in our area have a safe place to call home.

Now let me ask you another question. Where will you live when you die? Thousands of dollars will be spent for your funeral. Some will choose elaborate caskets and expensive headstones. Others will be more basic and simple. But that isn’t where you will live when you die. That’s just the resting place for your body.

When we die, if we have been obedient to the Lord’s will, we are promised a mansion in heaven. More accurately, Jesus promises us a dwelling place, an abode, a place for us to call home.

In John 14:1-4 Jesus said the following.

Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know.

What a wonderful thought to consider. Jesus is going to prepare a place for us.

A great song we sing is “Mansion Over The Hilltop,” by Ira Stamphill. His inspiration for this story came from a preacher in Dallas, TX, by the name of Gene Martin. Here is his story.

A man of considerable means, facing imminent bankruptcy, took a driving trip through a rural part of the country. Here, one particular house caught his attention. It was badly in need of paint and repairs of every kind. Most of the windows had oil paper to replace the broken glass. Parts of the roof and shingles were missing. He wondered how the house was still standing. Out front, playing in the yard, was a young girl about 8 or 9, who was poorly dressed. The traveler felt an urge to stop and talk. During the conversation, he mentioned how sorry he was that the young lady had to live in such poor surroundings. The young girl replied, “Why, haven’t you heard? My daddy just inherited a fortune and he’s building us a mansion just over that hill over there. Don’t know when it will be done, but I won’t have to live in this house forever.”

Here is the first verse and chorus of that song.

I’m satisfied with just a cottage below,

A little silver and a little gold;

But in that city where the ransomed will shine,

I want a gold one that’s silver lined.

I’ve got a mansion just over the hilltop,

In that bright land where we’ll never grow old;

And some day yonder we will never more wander

But walk the streets that are purest gold.

Most of us will never live in a mansion on earth, but we are promised a wonderful home in heaven if we remain obedient to God’s will. Won’t it be wonderful there?

On Our Daily Walk today, may we take a few minutes to look around our houses. They are constantly in need of repair and attention and one day will all be torn down. Now, let’s close our eyes and imagine being with our loved ones in our eternal home in heaven. Thank you God for sending your Son for us!

Our thought for the day: “Lord, while you are busy preparing a place for me, prepare me, as well, for that place.”

May God bless you on your daily walk.

© Our Daily Walk, Mike Baker, 2007. Permission is granted to copy these articles provided they are not sold and the author's name and copyright are included.

Sing Me A Song About Jesus

Good morning and welcome to Our Daily Walk.

Audio version at http://tinyurl.com/2crc2f

Several years ago I was listening to my radio and heard a word in a song that sounded like a very bad word. Surely I misheard. I’m sure the radio station wouldn’t allow that kind of language on the radio, right? Well, I was wrong. The word being used in that popular song helped to open the door for other such words to be used on air as well.

What a shame that people are compelled to use vulgar language in order to entertain or inform. Vulgarity adds nothing but shock value to entertainment. And anymore, who among us is really shocked by what we hear?

Wouldn’t it be so much better if what we heard and saw in entertainment actually built us up and helped us to be better? Can you imagine what the world would be like if instead of focusing on crime and putting one another down, our entertainment focused on inspirational stories of accomplishments and good deeds?

G. T. Speer is the author of a song that we frequently sing. “Sing Me A Song About Jesus,” was written in 1956 and is partly in response to the emptiness of entertainment.

While in Nashville in the 1950’s Speer was hearing a very popular song being played on everyone’s radios. “The Doggie In The Window” was hitting the top of the charts and eventually became a number one hit song.

But as Mr. Speer listened to the lyrics he was left with an empty feeling. “If that’s all they have to write songs about, I’m going to write a better song.” And so he did.

Listen to the words of the first verse of his song.

Sing me a song about Jesus,

Sing me a song about His love,

Sing with all your might,

Every day and night,

Make the hallelujahs roll;

Sing out the blessed old story,

Tell how He gave the victory,

Dying on a tree

All for you and me,

How He came to make me whole.

When David was troubled he wrote and sang psalms. When Paul and Silas were in prison they openly sang praises to God. Shouldn’t we also have a song on our hearts as we live each day?

Of course, it isn’t enough just to sing about Jesus. We also must be willing to do what He asks us to do. Jesus said in John 14:15, “If you love Me, keep My commandments.” It wouldn’t do us much good to sing, “O, How I Love Jesus,” and then not behave as a Christian should behave.

When we are pleased with what a friend does we might “sing his praises” to others. We want to share his good deed with the world so they will appreciate his efforts.

Why, then, not also share the good news of the gospel with others through song? Sing about Jesus, His love and His grace. Sing mightily and frequently.

Hebrews 13:15-16 says, “Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.”

Mr. Speer wrote a song that embodies the Christian’s lifelong commitment and thanksgiving to Jesus. The last line of the chorus of that song goes, “Sing about His grace, till you see His face, sing me a song about Him.”

On Our Daily Walk today, may we become more conscious of the positive effects of wholesome music in our lives. May we choose a song or two this week and reflect on the lyrics and then sing that song heartily throughout the week.

Our thought for the day: “God’s work of creating is done; our work of praising has just begun.”

May God bless you on your daily walk.

© Our Daily Walk, Mike Baker, 2007. Permission is granted to copy these articles provided they are not sold and the author's name and copyright are included.

What A Friend We Have In Jesus

Good morning and welcome to Our Daily Walk.

Audio version at http://tinyurl.com/2b5lm9

Joe lived a very difficult life. He wanted to be like his father and enter the military but he was rejected due to poor health. He wanted to marry and found a beautiful girl who wanted to marry him. But she tragically drowned the night before their wedding. So he moved to a new country and immersed himself into doing good deeds for others. Then 16 years after his fiancée died he found another girl and they planned to marry. But she fell sick with pneumonia and died before they were married. Life had not been kind to Joe, but he knew that he always had a friend in Jesus.

The Joe of this story is Joseph Scriven, who penned the words to the song “What A Friend We Have In Jesus” around 1857. Following the death of his bride-to-be, he had decided to leave Ireland and move to Canada. Once there he set about to help others who were in need.

He never charged anything for his labors. He cut firewood and did carpentry work but did these only out of charity and not for his livelihood. In fact, Joseph didn’t even own a house. He spent most of his time there living with two different families for which he was a private tutor.

His mother became grief-stricken in Ireland and Joseph sat down and wrote the words of a poem “A Friend Who Understands” and sent that to his mother. It was never intended to be read by anyone else. But someone there took the poem and shared it with another and soon the poem was printed as a song. It would be some ten years later that Joseph heard his poem being sung.

About sixteen years after his first love died Joseph’s life was improving. He found another woman and fell in love. But like his first love, she also died before their wedding. Overcome with depression Joseph fell ill and in a state of delirium he staggered out of bed and fell into a creek and drowned.

Life’s struggles often help make us stronger. They allow us to be more attentive to the needs of others who also need help. They allow us to know that we all need help from some source.

Listen to the first verse of this song.

What a friend we have in Jesus,

All our sins and griefs to bear;

What a privilege to carry

Everything to God in prayer.

O, what peace we often forfeit,

O, what needless pain we bear,

All because we do not carry

Everything to God in prayer.

Jesus said in Matthew 11:28-30, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

The burdens of this life can become unbearable. The struggles we face can seem insurmountable. The problems we encounter can become agonizing. Yet through all of this we have a friend in Jesus who offers us rest and a reprieve from our problems.

How many of us take our cares and burdens to God through Jesus? How many times will we, either through forgetfulness or stubbornness, hold on to our problems instead of unloading them to God?

Can any of us find a friend as faithful as Jesus? He knows our sorrows, our weaknesses, our struggles. And he is there for us to uphold us, to give us rest, to give us protection.

What a friend we do have in Jesus! Thank God!

On Our Daily Walk today, may we spend some time today and write down our problems and struggles. May we then spend time in prayer specifically listing these problems and asking for relief and peace.

Our thought for the day: “In prosperity our friends find us. In adversity we find our friends.”

May God bless you on your daily walk.

© Our Daily Walk, Mike Baker, 2007. Permission is granted to copy these articles provided they are not sold and the author's name and copyright are included.

Stand Up, Stand Up For Jesus

Good morning and welcome to Our Daily Walk.

Audio version at http://tinyurl.com/23suu9

George Duffield, Jr., had the unenviable task of preaching on the Sunday following the death of a very popular preacher. Dudley Tyng was a dynamic, bold, and very effective young preacher who was adamant that men and women needed to make their own decisions to repent and be converted. Just four weeks earlier Dudley had spoken to over 5,000 men at the noonday lectures at the YMCA in Philadelphia. Over 1,000 men responded to his sermon that day. Now the task fell to George Duffield to give the sermon following the popular young preacher’s death.

Tragic irony surrounded the death of the young preacher. During his lesson at the YMCA he remarked, “I must tell my Master’s errand, and I would rather that this right arm be amputated at the trunk, than I should come short of my duty to you in delivering God’s word.”

While working on his farm two weeks later his shirt sleeve because caught up in a corn thrasher and his arm was severely mangled. A few days later the arm had to be amputated and the following Monday he died.

The local papers reported on his last moments. They wrote, “Taking his aged father’s hand, he said with much earnestness, ‘Stand up for Jesus, father—and tell my brethren of the ministry—to stand up for Jesus.’”

I can’t imagine the pressure George Duffield felt to present that sermon the following Sunday. It must have been enormous.

He chose Ephesians 6:14-15 as his text. It reads, “Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace.”

At the conclusion of his sermon he read the poem that he had written which was inspired by his friend’s dying words.

Stand up, Stand up for Jesus

Ye soldiers of the cross,

Lift high His royal banner;

It must not suffer loss;

From victory unto victory,

His army shall He lead,

Till every foe is vanquished,

And Christ is Lord indeed.

Years later Duffield heard his poem being sung by Union soldiers. It had been matched up with a tune that had been written some 30 years earlier.

I wonder what kind of parting words we might utter when our last breaths are being drawn. Would we be focused on encouraging others to stand firm in the faith and to share the gospel with many others? Or would we be more focused on the material things of our life?

Friends, the battle for the souls of millions of people still rages on. This war will not conclude until the end of the world. Each generation will face new challenges from the same enemy, Satan.

To be victorious we must be with God. To win we must be in Christ.

Paul wrote the following found in Ephesians 6:10-18.

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.

On Our Daily Walk today, while in peace may we prepare ourselves for the time of war. May we always be ready to battle Satan.

Our thought for the day: “When pulling together means pulling away from God, a Christian must be willing to stand alone.”

May God bless you on your daily walk.

© Our Daily Walk, Mike Baker, 2007. Permission is granted to copy these articles provided they are not sold and the author's name and copyright are included.

Rescue The Perishing

Good morning and welcome to Our Daily Walk.

Audio version at http://tinyurl.com/2cmbj4

Real people have real problems. Not everyone has the advantage of someone helping them survive and grow on a daily basis. In fact, a growing number of people are discovering they are very alone when it comes to spiritual matters. They are drowning in a sea of sin and they cannot find the shore of safety. What will become of those who are carelessly tossed into sin without hope of finding salvation?

For many years a small, blind lady made her way to visit one of the local missions in New York. When I say small, I mean small. She was less than five feet tall and weighed less than 100 pounds. One probably wouldn’t be very impressed with her stature, but almost everyone knows her by her songs. She was Fanny Crosby.

Listen to her story about one such visit to the mission.

“I was addressing a large company of working men one hot summer evening, when the thought kept forcing itself on my mind that some mother’s boy must be rescued that night or not at all. I made a pressing plea that if there were a boy present who had wandered from his mother’s home and teaching, he would come to me at the close of the service. A young man of eighteen came forward and said, “Did you mean me? I promised my mother to meet her in heaven, but as I am now living, that would be impossible.”

A few days before, William H. Doane had given Fanny a suggested topic on “Rescue The Perishing,” and that became the focus of her evening. Listen to the first verse and chorus of that song.

Rescue the perishing,

Care for the dying,

Snatch them in pity

From sin and the grave;

Weep o’er the erring one,

Lift up the fallen,

Tell them of Jesus

The Mighty to save.

Rescue the perishing,

Care for the dying,

Jesus is merciful,

Jesus will save.

That young boy realized that the road he was currently traveling was not taking him to heaven. Many people don’t realize that until much later in life. But it was the thought of meeting his mother in heaven that helped him to consider his direction and desire a change.

Jesus gave instructions in Matthew 28:19-20 when He said,

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.

That becomes a tremendous responsibility placed upon each of us today. Someone is sinking in a sea of sin and needs to be rescued. The Lord will provide the strength we need as we take on our duty to rescue others from sin. God loved us enough to send Jesus to die in our place. Can’t we show our love for others to tell them that a price has been paid for their redemption?

On Our Daily Walk today, may we try this week to look at others not by the car they drive or the clothes they wear. Rather let us look upon others as those who are on the road to heaven and those who are still in the sea of sin. May that realization cause us to share the gospel of salvation with others.

Our thought for the day: “You cannot repent too soon because you don’t know how soon it may be too late.”

May God bless you on your daily walk.

© Our Daily Walk, Mike Baker, 2007. Permission is granted to copy these articles provided they are not sold and the author's name and copyright are included.