Allow me a few minutes of nastalgia, as we celebrate the one hundredth birthday of one of America's beloved gospel singers, George Beverly Shea. Born in Ontario, Canada, he became known all over the world as the soloist for Billy Graham. Most of us can remember his singing, "Just As I Am" at every Crusade. But his signature tune is clearly, "How Great Thou Art." I am amazed as I look back over the years at the impact this song has had on church history.

George's first contact with "How Great Thou Art" was in 1954, but the song itself dates to 1885. Swedish pastor Carl Gustav Boberg was caught in a thunderstorm. He was so filled with awe at the grandeur of the storm, the rainbow, and the brilliant light and bird songs that followed the storm, that he penned the words, "Oh Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder, consider all the world Thy hands have made. I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder, Thy power throughout the universe displayed."

The song made its way to the English speaking world through a German translation, and from Germany to Russia in 1912. In 1922 that Russian language hymn was published as part of a collection of Russian language hymns by the American Bible Society.

An English missionary, Stuart K. Hine, used the song in the Ukraine, and eventually wrote a third verse, in English, devoted to the amazing love of God: "And when I think that God, His Son not sparing, sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in."

When World War II forced Himes back to London, he wrote the final verse, "When Christ shall come, with shouts of acclamation..."

In 1954, George Beverly Shea met a friend in London who gave him a copy of the song, and from then on, "How Great Thou Art" was featured at most of Billy Graham's crusades. Featured in the 1957 Madison Square Garden crusade, the song was sung almost one hundred times by the insistence of the audience...and it became a standard crusade hymn. Thanks to Elvis Presley and his Grammy-winning version, the song experienced a major revival and became a favorite world-wide.

If you would like to take a walk down history's lane, go here for a 1982 "Tribute to George" by the Billy Graham organization (the segment dealing with "How Great Thou Art" begins at 16 minutes, 23 seconds). When you look at the clothes & styles, just remember that was 27 years ago! My how things have changed...but the message, "How Great Thou Art," though a bit archaic in its English, is still the same. We serve a Great God!

I highly recommend that you find a church where you can worship this Great God with others this weekend. If you are in the East Pierce County area, why not join us for a wonderful time of music, worship and good Bible preaching...we'd love to have you join us at "The Happy Church." Visit our web site for further information, www.ValleyChristianCenterSumner.com. I think you would enjoy worshippng with us.

Compelled

When Cyrus became the ancient King of Persia, he felt compelled to let a substantial number of his subjects return to their homeland. They had been conquered and moved to his kingdom decades before. So he said that any Jew that wanted to go home could go, with his blessing. Amazingly, many decided to take him up on his offer. They decided to uproot their families and return to the desolate land of their former relatives.

Why? Why did the King give his proclamation and lose these subjects? Why did the people pull up roots and go back where they had to rebuild all over again?

The Biblical Old Testament writer, Ezra, tells us that, "The Lord moved the heart of Cyrus, King of Persia." (1:1) Then Ezra said that "everyone whose heart God had moved..." returned. (1:5)

God stirred a pagan King to make a declaration, and stirred a people to take him up on the offer and leave. Remarkable!

This gives me hope. God can move on the hearts of Kings, Presidents, Leaders...and he can move on the hearts of ordinary people. When he has a plan, He can move heaven and earth to accomplish that plan if He so chooses.

So, could that 'big idea" within you have been planted there by the God of the heavens and earth? Is He stirring something within you? Is He compelling you to do something?

Could the words of the venerable Psalms 23 be an actuality within you? "The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want. He leadeth me..." I rather think so.

What incredible encouragement. Stirred...compelled...stimulated... inspired...

Traveling With Garmin

Last weekend, our daughter and family came from Coeur d'Alene. They needed to go to Lynnwood for a gymnastics competition for their youngest daughter. To make sure they arrived at the right location, I loaned them my GPS, and programmed the address for them. It worked; got them there, and back.

Our daughter writes a family blog. Since their family name is Dundas, she writes "The Five Dundai" about their family. Here is what she wrote, titled "Traveling with Garmin" (I asked her permission to copy the article for you to enjoy). You can click on the link here and read her other articles. I think you will enjoy them.

"Traveling with Garmin"

I think Garmin could become a fabulous traveling buddy. My children were so polite to Garmin, saying "Yes, Ma'am" every time 'she' spoke. She very politely and consistently told us where to go. Garmin is, of course, a GPS road map.

My Dad let us borrow 'Garmin' as we traveled north of Seattle for Nicole's gymnastics meet. We programmed in the destination, listened to the mostly clear directions and made it there in great time, as if we knew where we were going!!! We didn't.. and the funny thing about traveling with 'Garmin' is that I still do not know how to get where we went... I would have been lost without her.

The day was also very foggy as we drove... it was such a blessing to not have to try and find road signs in the thick fog. 'Garmin' made the travels much more pleasant. "Drive .9 miles then turn right"... "exit left, drive 1.2 miles then turn right"... or whatever. Just follow 'Garmin' as she is completely unaffected by the fog.

Why am I writing this??! Because it struck me that the Bible is our 'Garmin' in life. Life on earth is quite foggy at times and often I have no idea how to get to a specific destination. But the Bible is God's direction for us.. how to live... and even our final destination for eternity will be arrived at through God and God alone. I was so encouraged by 'Garmin'... looking at it in a Biblical sense.. and knowing that God provides the direction we need in life and we can trust HIM when we can hardly see in front of us!!! And He never fails.

And sometimes we have to take the next piece of direction without understanding why or where it is going to lead! If we take a wrong turn, 'Garmin' recalculates to get us on the right path again. I do believe God has the same grace and mercy!!

Perhaps a lot to get out of a trip with 'Garmin'.. but we sure got a kick out of it. :)

Right on, Sis...

Long Shelf Life

Zacharias, a Jewish priest, serving his turn burning incense, was visited by an angel. The story is told in Luke 1, and in verse 13 we read that the angel said to him, quite literally, "The prayers that you quit praying a long time ago have been heard." The angel was referring to the prayers of past years for a child. The next thing the angel said was that in their old age, they were going to have a child, to be named John.

What caught my attention was when the angel said: "You quit praying a long time ago. But the shelf-life in heaven for prayers is really good. Your prayer was heard, and God has answered your cry." Zacharias wife, Elizabeth did give birth to John the Baptist, the forerunner of Christ.

"Your prayers have a long shelf-life." They still do. What prayers have you quit praying, that need to be revived and re-prayed. I just wanted to remind you that God has not forgotten, and those prayers do have a long shelf-life.

Now you don't need an angel to tell you, because I just did.

A New Era

No matter how we voted or what we think, we have a new President. Having observed his record, his writings and his campaign rhetoric, he is admittedly the most liberal, leftist President this country has ever elected.

The Scripture tell us to pray for those in authority over us, to hold up our leaders in prayer. I encourage you to do just that. Pray for our President. Pray diligently and fervently...daily. He needs our prayers more than ever before.

I pray that he and his family be protected and safe. I pray that somehow wise, godly, conservative men and women of character will come alongside this President and give him needed counsel as he makes decisions for our nation and the world. I would even pray for a Biblical Book of Acts Damascus "Saul to Paul" experience for our President.

He has stated his intentions to lead this nation to the left and into socialism. In that sense, I hope he fails miserably. Though he has said he is a Christian, the evidence is that he is a religious leftist, which is a moral-relativism-based Christian faith of the far left. If interested, you can read more in Matt Barber's column, "The Gods of Liberalism."

As was said today, we are at the hinge of history. Truly, it is a new era for our nation. What this portends for our nation can be positively impacted by those Christians across our land who will continually, consistently and humbly pray for our President and our leaders. I encourage you to join me as we lift them before God, our Heavenly Father, Who inspired and directed our founding fathers to create this great nation of ours.

We are not done. It is not over. I refuse to bow to the nay-sayers and religious (or even non-religious) pessimists among us. I serve a great God, who has turned the course of history before, and He is still in control. He still loves us and cares for us and will walk with us through whatever we face in the next four to eight years.

As we often say at the beginning of our services, "God is great, all the time...and the best is yet to come." I happen to believe that. It is a new era, and one in which God is at work. Let's see what He will do.