An Introduction to Dan & Sharon and the Osoyoos Church Planting Project...
Jesus, Strong and Kind by CityAlight
It Is Well With My Soul... A Virtual Choir. Thirty-one of Nashville’s Studio Singers used their cell phones to record and lift their collective voices to share a message of hope and encouragement during these challenging days.
He Will Hold Me Fast
Robert Harkness (1880-1961) was a gifted Australian pianist who travelled the world in his twenties with the famous evangelist R.A. Torrey. One night at a rally in Toronto in 1906 he met a young man, recently converted, who feared he might not be able to “hold out.” He was worried that perhaps his faith would one day waver when hard times came. Harkness longed for the young man to have confidence in God’s ability to keep him. As a musician, his first thought was the need for a song to encourage believers in this regard. He reached out to Ada Habershon – a London Hymnwriter and friend of Charles Spurgeon – and expressed the need for song of assurance of success in the Christian Life; a song that would help followers of Christ to persevere in difficult times. Inspired by the idea, Ada wrote not one song, but seven! One them she titled: When I Fear My Faith will Fail.
A century later, an American worship pastor in Washington DC – Matt Merker — was introduced to this old hymn. In a time of personal struggle he found the lyrics to be filled with comfort. Matt took this old hymn, reworked the music, and added a third verse. He shared it with his Pastor who immediately thought their church should begin singing it. The church quickly owned the song and sang it with joy. Word spread and soon Habershon’s old hymn with Merker’s new tune began to be sung by churches everywhere. The song is called: He will Hold Me Fast.
Bible teacher David Mathis comments on this song and the story that inspired it. He writes, “The young convert from [Toronto] was not wrong to doubt his own ability to ‘hold out’ or ‘hold on.’ Indeed, he should have doubted himself, as we also should doubt ourselves. But what the young man didn’t yet know deep in his soul was that his perseverance in the faith wasn’t simply left to him. When God truly has started the work, He will finish it (Philippians 1:6). If Jesus has made us His own, He will be faithful to keep us till the end (1 Thessalonians 5:24; Hebrews 10:23).”
Mathis continues: “Not only is God able to keep his people, but He does so with great joy (Jude 24). Habershon’s hymn echoes the truth and beauty of Psalm 149:4, ‘The Lord takes pleasure in His people,’ as she writes, ‘Those He saves are His delight / He will hold me fast.’”
“Not only will God keep His people, but He delights to do so. Not only does He hold us fast, but He does so with great joy. And there is no safer place to be in the universe than hidden with Jesus in the heart of God’s delight.”
Thanks be to God!
Romans 8:38-39 = “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Philippians 1:6 = “And I am sure of this, that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”
1 Thessalonians 5:23,24 = “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; He will surely do it.”
Hebrews 10:23 = “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.”
Jude 24,25 = “Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of His glory with great joy, to the only God, our Saviour, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.”
Sources:
Robert Harkness (1880-1961) was a gifted Australian pianist who travelled the world in his twenties with the famous evangelist R.A. Torrey. One night at a rally in Toronto in 1906 he met a young man, recently converted, who feared he might not be able to “hold out.” He was worried that perhaps his faith would one day waver when hard times came. Harkness longed for the young man to have confidence in God’s ability to keep him. As a musician, his first thought was the need for a song to encourage believers in this regard. He reached out to Ada Habershon – a London Hymnwriter and friend of Charles Spurgeon – and expressed the need for song of assurance of success in the Christian Life; a song that would help followers of Christ to persevere in difficult times. Inspired by the idea, Ada wrote not one song, but seven! One them she titled: When I Fear My Faith will Fail.
A century later, an American worship pastor in Washington DC – Matt Merker — was introduced to this old hymn. In a time of personal struggle he found the lyrics to be filled with comfort. Matt took this old hymn, reworked the music, and added a third verse. He shared it with his Pastor who immediately thought their church should begin singing it. The church quickly owned the song and sang it with joy. Word spread and soon Habershon’s old hymn with Merker’s new tune began to be sung by churches everywhere. The song is called: He will Hold Me Fast.
Bible teacher David Mathis comments on this song and the story that inspired it. He writes, “The young convert from [Toronto] was not wrong to doubt his own ability to ‘hold out’ or ‘hold on.’ Indeed, he should have doubted himself, as we also should doubt ourselves. But what the young man didn’t yet know deep in his soul was that his perseverance in the faith wasn’t simply left to him. When God truly has started the work, He will finish it (Philippians 1:6). If Jesus has made us His own, He will be faithful to keep us till the end (1 Thessalonians 5:24; Hebrews 10:23).”
Mathis continues: “Not only is God able to keep his people, but He does so with great joy (Jude 24). Habershon’s hymn echoes the truth and beauty of Psalm 149:4, ‘The Lord takes pleasure in His people,’ as she writes, ‘Those He saves are His delight / He will hold me fast.’”
“Not only will God keep His people, but He delights to do so. Not only does He hold us fast, but He does so with great joy. And there is no safer place to be in the universe than hidden with Jesus in the heart of God’s delight.”
Thanks be to God!
Romans 8:38-39 = “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Philippians 1:6 = “And I am sure of this, that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”
1 Thessalonians 5:23,24 = “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; He will surely do it.”
Hebrews 10:23 = “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.”
Jude 24,25 = “Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of His glory with great joy, to the only God, our Saviour, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.”
Sources:
- www.desiringgod.org/articles.he-will-hold-me-fast
- www.blog.proclaimonline.com/2018/05/10/a-song-of-assurance-he-will-hold-me-fast/