"Here is love, vast as the ocean" - the love song of the revival

"Here is love, vast as the ocean
Lovingkindness as the flood
When the Prince of Life, our Ransom
Shed for us His precious blood
Who His love will not remember?
Who can cease to sing His praise?
He can never be forgotten
Throughout Heaven's eternal days".

When we sang this hymn in church this morning someone turned to me and said, "Is this a new song?". They had never sung or heard of this wonderful hymn before!

Its lyrics (well, the first two verses anyway) were written by Welsh preacher and writer William Rees, whilst its melody was written by American Preacher Robert Lowry, a prolific hymn writer. William Williams added its lesser well known third and forth verses. It was originally written in Welsh, but was translated into English by William Edwards who added it to the Baptist Book of Praise in 1900.

It sprung to prominence late one Wednesday evening in Ebenezer Baptist Church, Abertillery, in 1904. A lone voice sang it out as an overflow of the heart after four hours of waiting on God; a meeting of around 1000 people crammed into every nook and cranny of that chapel. It, being widely known as the 'love song of the revival', became the anthem of a move of God which was to see around 100,000 souls swept into the Kingdom of God, 3000 or so in Abertillery alone. The local newspaper, the South Wales Gazette, reported (amongst many other details);

"Drunkards have been soberised, publicans have lost much business, conduct on public streets has been elevated, and the police and magistrates have had quieter times... The bottom of the pits have been utilised as centres for prayer and praise meetings, and there has been a general raising of the standard of public life".

I find stories like these hugely inspiring, and they go to fuel the fire of faith in my spirit for all God is doing and is going to do in our times. It drives me to prayer, and to press deeper into the Holy Spirit. I don't want a repeat of what God has done in the past; I am seeking God for an unprecedented move in which thousands are impacted by the love that the revival hymn talks about. These are exciting times; God is on the move and we're a part of it!

1 Million turn out to Haiti Prayer Meeting

I came across this video this week on YouTube. To be honest, it brought me to tears. After a quick google search I also came across this excellent article (click here to view) giving further insight into what's been happening.

The key is prayer fuelled by the Spirit of God. The Missionary who wrote the letter in the above article draws a fantastic point; "What has been happening and is continuing to happen in Haiti did not happen because of the earthquake. It has been happening because Haitian Christians know how to pray."

My response is simple: Holy Spirit, teach me to pray.

Sunshine on a rainy day?

Remember Cliff Arnall? Who? On January 24th this year I
wrote about a psychologist from Cardiff University who had come up with a formula stating that January 24th was the worst day of the year. Well, he's been at it again - but this time a formula to prove that last Friday, 24th June, was officially the best day of the year.

In his project commissioned by the Ice Cream maker 'Walls', he concluded the following formula - O + (N x S) + Cpm/T + He. The variables are 'O' - outdoors and outdoor activity, 'N' - nature, 'S' - social interaction, 'Cpm' - childhood summers and positive memories, 'T' - temperature, and 'He' - future holidays and looking forward to time off. Dr Arnall said: "Happiness is associated with many things in life and can be triggered by a variety of events. Whether it's a sunny day, a childhood memory, or something as effortless as eating a delicious ice cream, I wanted my formula to prove the key to happiness can really be that simple." He had to mention Ice Cream, didn't he?

The reality of last Friday for many people, particularly in Yorkshire, was rain and flash floods though. Surely it wasn't sunshine on a rainy day for them? When asked about this Dr Arnall stated "This will pass - you do get summer storms and skin is waterproof". Very pastoral, Dr Arnall!

Make your own mind up on Dr Arnall's formula. I've made mine - never to buy Walls Ice Cream again! Whatever you decide, make today the best day of the year by giving 100% - stick in there and make a difference. And do the same every day, whether June 24th, or January 24th.

A Friday Thought

Many people try ... and fail. But worse than that, many people fail to try. All truly successful people have failed at some point in their life - faliures of varying magnitude. Successful people react to faliure in one easy step - get over it, leave it behind and move on. That's what makes them a success - the ability to move on and try again. Be a success today ...

April Fool

A bit of fun for the 1st April! Being a Church Leader, I've seen some interesting things in Church Notice Sheets. Here are some examples of some interesting ones - if you're part of a church, why not try and get one of these into your Church Notice Sheet as a bit of April Fools Fun!

1. Bertha Belch, a missionary from Africa will be speaking tonight at Calvary Memorial Church in Racine. Come tonight and hear Bertha Belch all the way from Africa.
2. Announcement in the church bulletin for a National PRAYER & FASTING Conference: "The cost for attending the Fasting and Prayer conference includes meals."
3. Miss Charlene Mason sang "I will not pass this way again," giving obvious pleasure to the congregation.
4. "Ladies, don't forget the rummage sale. It's a chance to get rid of those things not worth keeping around the house. Don't forget your husbands."
5. The peacemaking meeting scheduled for today has been cancelled due to a conflict.
6. The sermon this morning: "Jesus Walks on the Water." The sermon tonight: "Searching for Jesus."
7. Barbara remains in the hospital and needs blood donors for more transfusions. She is also having trouble sleeping and requests tapes of Pastor Jack's sermons.
8. The Rector will preach his farewell message, after which the choir will sing "Break Forth Into Joy."
9. Smile at someone who is hard to love. Say "hell" to someone who doesn't care much about you.
10. Don't let worry kill you off--let the Church help.
11. Irving Benson and Jessie Carter were married on October 24 in the church. So ends a friendship that began in their school days.
12. At the evening service tonight, the sermon topic will be "What Is Hell?" Come early and listen to our choir practice.
13. Eight new choir robes are currently needed due to the addition of several new members and to the deterioration of some older ones.
14. The senior choir invites any member of the congregation who enjoys sinning to join the choir.
15. Scouts are saving aluminum cans, bottles, and other items to be recycled. Proceeds will be used to cripple children.
16. For those of you who have children and don't know it, we have a Nursery downstairs.
17. Please place your donation in the envelope along with the deceased person(s) you want remembered.
18. Attend and you will hear an excellent speaker and heave a healthy lunch.
19. The church will host an evening of fine dining, superb entertainment, and gracious hostility.

All you need is love ...

It's the title of the famous Beatle's song. Go on ... you're singing it in your head now aren't you? .... 'All you need is love ... dah dah dah dah dah'. But it's true. When we get to the end of all our pretence, consumerism and self-indulgence, all we really need as men and women is love. Not love from another man or woman, but love from God.

For the past week I, along with a few friends from my church in Chepstow, have been dragging a large exhibition trailer around some town centres where we live, as well as our local racecourse, with the message 'All you need is love'. The message is clear on the trailer - it's in big white letters on a red background - 'All you need is love ... love is all you need'. We give out leaflets explaining that the greatest love than can be found in this world is found in God - his love is a perfect love, centred completely on you and me. His desire greater than anything else is that you know how great his love is for you, and that you experience the powerful effect of it in your own life.

If you want to know God's love in your life for the first time today - just ask him to show it to you. He will. Trust me. God's love is all you need.

Official! Today is the worst day of the year.

This is the title of a news feature on wanadoo.com today - my homepage. I have to say right at the beginning - it's not true!

Cliff Arnalls, a Psychologist from Cardiff University, who specializes in seasonal disorders (whatever that is???) has done a calculation; 1/8W+(D-d) 3/8xTQ MxNA. Where: W: Weather D: Debt d: Money due in January pay T: Time since Christmas Q: Time since failed quit attempt M: General motivational levels NA: The need to take action.

EH?

It's amazing how easily we as humans are affected by our natural surroundings. I remember a January a few years back where I felt fairly down. With the dark mornings, dark nights, cold weather, and general feeling of nothing happening too soon to look forward to - January for some people can be a tough month. I spoke to an older gentleman on Saturday outside my house as I took down our Christmas lights (better late than never!) who was telling me how hard he has found Christmas and now the New Year as last year his wife of 55 years died. There are many people who find this time of year hard.

What did I do when I had my low January? I looked to my answer. When asked why he came to this earth, Jesus said 'I have come so that you can have life, and life in all its fullness'. That doesn't just go for the months of July, September, February or May. I goes for every day of every month of every year! When I ask Jesus to fill me with His life - it doesn't matter how close to Christmas I am, what my debt levels are, or what my general motivational levels are (as Cliff Arnalls would base his research on), what matters is how amazing Jesus is! With His life in my life there can be no worst days in the year! Every day is filled with life!

For the not-yet-Christian reading this - ask Jesus to fill you with His life today. If you genuinely do, he will fill you up. Try it. For the Christian reading this - experience and enjoy the life of Jesus today, and spread it around with everyone you meet.

Have a great rest of the day .... and a great rest of the month. And Cliff Arnalls, why not add a 'J' into your formula, where "J" = the life of Jesus. That would mess up your results!