Beulah Land

1 Corinthians 2:9 But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”—

God’s magnificent work of creation is on full display in the Colorado town above.  There are undoubtedly many beautiful and scenic places and towns in this world.  However, from the above passage we can conclude that we have not seen anything yet.  Not only have we not seen the glory that has been prepared for us in Beulah Land, we have not even imagined in our wildest dreams how magnificent the City of God will be when we arrive at our eternal home.  As Christians age in this fallen world, God’s grace comforts them as they meditate on this passage and this hymn.  They long for, and are homesick for, this land of joy and peace where they have never been.

Brethren, imagine the unbelievable joy in that instant when faith turns to sight as believers walk through deaths door to enter sweet Beulah Land.  Praise God with thanksgiving for this grace and spiritual provision that was bought and paid for by Jesus Christ who became the second Adam so that, by faith, we could be counted as righteous.  Romans 5:19 For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous.  Therefore, Jesus restored what Adam destroyed and we will have all of eternity to be giddy with joy and praise in sweet Beulah Land.

Beulah Land
Words by Squire Parsons Jr.

I'm kind of homesick for a country
to which I've never been before
No sad goodbyes will there be spoken
and time won't matter anymore

Beulah Land I'm longing for you,
and someday on thee I'll stand
There my home shall be eternal.
In Beulah Land, Sweet Beulah land

I'm looking now across that river,
to where my faiths 'gonna end in sight
There's just a few more days to labor,
then I will take my heavenly flight

Beulah Land I'm longing for you,
and someday on thee I'll stand
There my home shall be eternal
In Beulah Land, Sweet Beulah land

Hidden In A Cleft

Colossians 3:3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

The ruins of ancient cliff dwellers have been preserved at Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado.  As the photo above shows, villages were built in the clefts of cliffs.  These buildings provided the inhabitants protection from the elements, enemies, and wild animals.  The only way to reach these settlements was with tall ladders, which could be pulled up from the valley floor if necessary.  The inhabitants were basically hidden in plain sight from many kinds of harm.  They lived in the cleft of a rock. 

What peace and comfort it is for Christians to know that the same kind of cleft is available for their spiritual well-being in the person and work of Jesus Christ.  He is the rock of our salvation and in him we are not only saved from wrath, but we are also made pure and spotless by his blood sacrifice on the cross of Calvary.  There is simply no other way that sinful humans can be accepted by a Holy and just God since the labor of our hands cannot pay this infinite sin debt.  Thou must save and Thou alone is the message of the hymn below.  Thus, lost sinners flee to the cross for the grace and mercy that is provided by the Rock of Ages.  Christians are safe from all spiritual harm when they are hidden in the cleft of this rock.  What a joy it is to reflect on line two below where sinners come to Christ and ask to be hidden in his grace and mercy.  Praise God, for we know that his cleft is large enough for all who come in faith.

Rock of Ages
Words by: Augustus M. Toplady

Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee;
Let the water and the blood,
From Thy wounded side which flowed,
Be of sin the double cure;
Save from wrath and make me pure.

Not the labor of my hands
Can fulfill Thy law’s demands;
Could my zeal no respite know,
Could my tears forever flow,
All for sin could not atone;
Thou must save, and Thou alone.

Nothing in my hand I bring,
Simply to the cross I cling;
Naked, come to Thee for dress;
Helpless look to Thee for grace;
Foul, I to the fountain fly;
Wash me, Savior, or I die.

While I draw this fleeting breath,
When mine eyes shall close in death,
When I soar to worlds unknown,
See Thee on Thy judgment throne,
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee.

The Anchor Holds

Psalms 57:1 Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, for in you my soul takes refuge; in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge, till the storms of destruction pass by.

Storms are a part of the human condition, both literally and figuratively.  Christians are aware that their physical safety and well being is ultimately in the hands of Almighty God.  Not even a sparrow falls to the ground apart from the will of the Father.  Therefore, Christians understand as David understood that seeking refuge in God through prayer and trust is vital until the storms of destruction pass by.  God is watching in the dark night when a person is a thousand miles from land flying over or sailing on the open sea.  While beauty and serenity bring joy to our lives, it is during the storms of our lives that God proves his love for us.  It is in the midst of these times when we should get on our knees and pray to God that the anchor holds.

Although we all will someday face physical death, we can be sure that the anchor will hold for our spiritual well being if we are in Christ Jesus by faith.  His grace will prevail and his refuge will be secure as our souls rejoice in his mercy and love.  We may come through our life torn and battered like a ship in a storm, but brethren we can shout and sing with joy that the anchor holds.  Praise God.  

 The Anchor Holds

Words By: Lawrence Chewning
and Ray Boltz

I have journeyed
Through the long, dark night
Out on the open sea
By faith alone
Sight unknown
And yet His eyes were watching me

The anchor holds
Though the ship is battered
The anchor holds
Though the sails are torn
I have fallen on my knees
As I faced the raging seas
The anchor holds
In spite of the storm

I've had visions
I've had dreams
I've even held them in my hand
But I never knew
They would slip right through
Like they were only grains of sand

The anchor holds
Though the ship is battered
The anchor holds
Though the sails are torn
I have fallen on my knees
As I faced the raging seas
The anchor holds
In spite of the storm

I have been young
But I am older now
And there has been beauty
That these eyes have seen
But it was in the night
Through the storms of my life
Oh, that's where God proved
His love to me

The anchor holds
Though the ship is battered
The anchor holds
Though the sails are torn
I have fallen on my knees
As I faced the raging seas
The anchor holds
In spite of the storm

I have fallen on my knees
As I faced the raging seas
The anchor holds
In spite of the storm

God Will Wipe Away Every Tear!

Revelation 7:17 For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.

 
As the photo above illustrates, tears begin early in our fallen world and they continue throughout our lives.  The tears that come with the inevitable human event of losing a loved one to death is vividly described in the hymn below.  It is a bittersweet moment full of tears for the Christian that is left behind to bid farewell to the loved one that has passed into the heavenly realm.  The sadness and grief of this farewell is pitted against the rejoicing of heaven’s anthems for the deceased loved one.  Memories of happier days and fellowship, prayer, and praise are all that is left of this earthly friendship.  The songs of earth with family and friends have ended and will be no more.  Loved one, farewell.

However, praise God that salvation’s story is not over.  Loved ones ascend to where angels dwell and the saints in heaven form a praising throng singing and praising God with new made songs.  Soon enough there will be a reunion at the pearly gate when friends and family meet, and where God will wipe away every tear and lead them all to springs of living water.  Loved ones, farewell and be sure to watch and wait as we all get to heaven one by one.  What a day of rejoicing that will be.

 Loved One, Farewell

Mary B. Slade

Birds are rejoicing,
O’er hill and dell;
Hushed is thy voicing,
Sweeter that fell.
Friend of our happy days,
Brother of prayer and praise,
Thine own sweet music says,
Loved one, farewell!

Thou hast ascended,
Where angels dwell;
Where, earth songs ended,
Heav’n’s anthems swell.
Safe, all the saints among,
Blest with the praising throng,
Singing the new made songs,
Loved one, farewell!

Salvation’s story
Then thou wilt tell;
Triumphs of glory,
Thy voice shall swell.
Rest thou, oh, friend so dear,
Thy precious Savior near,
Where God shall wipe each tear,
Loved one, farewell!

Safe from thee turning,
Grief’s tones will knell;
Hard, hard the learning,
God doeth well!
Till, be it soon or late,
Up, at the pearly gate,
We meet, oh watch and wait,
Loved one, farewell!

God Is Holy

Isaiah 6:3 And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” 

When Moses encountered the Almighty God of the universe, he was commanded to remove his sandals because he was standing on holy ground in the presence of the LORD.  Moses was so fearful that he could not look.  Isaiah had a similar response.  God’s holiness and glory are on display every day in nature.  The more that is learned by human beings through discovery in science, the more the majesty and glory of our creator God is revealed.  From the smallest human DNA cell to the vastness of the galaxy filled universe, the precision and order of the things learned point to a creator and to His glory and His holiness. 

When you consider His glory and holiness along with the redemptive history of mankind as He has revealed in the Holy Bible, then we are properly prepared for the hymn below.  Worship, praise, adoration, awe, and thankfulness are the results of the saints that sing and meditate on this beautiful hymn.  Brethren, rest in His salvation and take peace and comfort in his eternal plan for all that in are Christ Jesus by faith.  Praise God and worship Him, because He is Holy, Holy, Holy. Psalm 29:2  Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness.

Holy, Holy, Holy

Words: Reginald Heber

Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
Early in the morning our song shall rise to Thee;
Holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty!
God in three Persons, blessèd Trinity!

Holy, holy, holy! All the saints adore Thee,
Casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea;
Cherubim and seraphim falling down before Thee,
Who was, and is, and evermore shall be.

Holy, holy, holy! though the darkness hide Thee,
Though the eye of sinful man Thy glory may not see;
Only Thou art holy; there is none beside Thee,
Perfect in power, in love, and purity.

Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
All Thy works shall praise Thy Name, in earth, and sky, and sea;
Holy, holy, holy; merciful and mighty!
God in three Persons, blessèd Trinity!

Holy Manna

John 6:58  This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your forefathers ate manna and died, but he who feeds on this bread will live forever.

Praise God that just as he feeds the birds and everything else with his bounty, he provides the human race with all that is necessary to sustain their physical life.  How much more are sinners blessed for the holy manna that is provided for their spiritual lives.  Jesus provided this spiritual food with his own flesh on the cross of Calvary.  Those sinners that partake of this free bread receive the gift of eternal life.  Jesus said: John 6:51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.  

Free holy manna is indeed a wonderful and glorious thing for our meditation.  This meditation will lead sinners to acknowledge the wonderful theological principles that are contained in the great hymn listed below.  No matter what our worldly circumstances are with ill health and troubles, believers are blessed beyond measure and should rest in the fact that, when we are called to heaven, we will sit at Christ’s table and be served sweet manna all around.  Praise God for the peace and joy this brings.

Brethren We Have Met To Worship
Words by: George Atkins

Brethren, we have met to worship and adore the Lord our God;
Will you pray with all your power, while we try to preach the Word?
All is vain unless the Spirit of the Holy One comes down;
Brethren, pray, and holy manna will be showered all around.

Brethren, see poor sinners round you slumbering on the brink of woe;
Death is coming, hell is moving, can you bear to let them go?
See our fathers and our mothers, and our children sinking down;
Brethren, pray and holy manna will be showered all around.

Sisters, will you join and help us? Moses’ sister aided him;
Will you help the trembling mourners who are struggling hard with sin?
Tell them all about the Savior, tell them that He will be found;
Sisters, pray, and holy manna will be showered all around.

Is there here a trembling jailer, seeking grace, and filled with tears?
Is there here a weeping Mary, pouring forth a flood of tears?
Brethren, join your cries to help them; sisters, let your prayers abound;
Pray, Oh pray that holy manna may be scattered all around.

Let us love our God supremely, let us love each other, too;
Let us love and pray for sinners, till our God makes all things new.
Then He’ll call us home to Heaven, at His table we’ll sit down;
Christ will gird Himself and serve us with sweet manna all around.

Amazing Grace

John 9:25  He answered, "Whether he is a sinner I do not know. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see."

How sweet the sound and how precious is the grace when a sinner rests and trusts in his savior Jesus Christ.  As his blind spiritual eyes are made to see, he is overcome with joy and peace as he reflects on his former life of sin.  With spiritual sight, he can see how wretched and blind he used to be.  But now his life is new and his focus is on the things of God, the Word of God, and the people of God.  The old attitudes are gone and the new has come.  He has new likes and new dislikes.  What once were pleasures are now sorrows.  Things that once brought pride now bring shame.  Grace has wrought a new creature with a new heart.  It is grace. It is amazing, and its sound is sweet.  What a comfort it is to know that grace will lead the believer home, when the flesh and heart fail.  In the blink of an eye there will be a transformation and glory shall begin.  Christian, meditate on this and take comfort.

Amazing Grace
Words By: John Newton

Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found;
Was blind, but now I see.

’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed!

Through many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come;
’Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.

The Lord has promised good to me,
His Word my hope secures;
He will my Shield and Portion be,
As long as life endures.

Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess, within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.

The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine;
But God, who called me here below,
Will be forever mine.

When we’ve been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun,
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise
Than when we’d first begun.