Last night in Ontario, we had to change our clocks back one hour. You know, "Fall Back", and then after a long winter, we "Spring Ahead". That was supposed to give us an extra hour of sleep. Instead of sleeping in as my good wife Jane took the opportunity to do, I was up early and over coffee and toast, watched the Crystal Cathedral Choir on TV singing a beautiful version of 'Total Praise'. I've never heard them do a song so well and in such an anointed way. Another of my favourite renditions of this song is done by the Talley Trio, Roger, Debra and Lauren. They can really sing it well also. Alone in the early morning, watching that choir on TV, I felt like I was 'having church'. If you know what that means, I don't have to explain it further.
Later in the morning as I was preparing to leave for Sunday morning church, I found myself humming and singing a couple of lines from another song. I realized the tune was familiar and couldn't recall all the words. And I didn't recall where I knew it from.
All I could remember were the lines, "When Jesus passed by, when Jesus passed by, Oh what a difference, Since Jesus passed by........."
In the church service, we heard a visiting Director of Missionary work in Asia tell some amazing and faith-building stories of how God made a life changing difference in many people's lives in Countries where Christians are still persecuted today. Did you know you will be put in jail just for being Christian? If you evangelize or even tell others about God, you will be put in jail longer. Yet, some of the people he talked about were overjoyed to know Jesus and live for Him, even under such corrupt and dangerous governments. Why? The stories in the speaker's message seemed to fit that song to a 'T'. "Oh what a difference since Jesus passed by!"
Thinking more about the song, I recalled hearing it sung by the Cathedrals years ago, and this is what happens to me from time to time - some treasured lyrics just seem to spring up in my mind. Later in the day, I took a look on You Tube and found Ernie Haase and Signature Sound singing it, and it's on their brand new album, 'Dream On'. Ernie was in the Cathedrals with George Younce and Glen Payne when they did that song. Possibly in the 70's or '80's? I'd have to look that point up. Although the Cats are no more and both George and Glen are gone, it is great that Ernie is now introducing another generation of listeners to some of those neat songs. The legendary Bill Gaither wrote this short tune in 1966, and the Cats performed a number of his songs over the years. Nobody sang just like them, but if you liked them, you can still hear some of those special harmonies in Ernie's music.
So Sunday was a good day of reflection on the difference God can make in my life. I'm going to carry that thought with me to work today and maybe I can share it with someone who needs to know.
Like the second verse says, "I can't explain it and I cannot tell you why, but Oh, what a diff'rence, since Jesus passed by".
Hope YOUR day is a great one too.
Stephen
p.s. If you get a chance, click on this link and enjoy the song.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLSGEAQHzA8
Since Jesus Passed By
Bill Gaither - 1966
Like a blind man I wanderedSo lost and undoneA beggar so helplessWithout God or His SonThen my Savior in mercyHeard and answered my cryAnd oh what a diff’renceSince Jesus passed by
All my yesterdays are buriedIn the deepest of the seaThe old load of guilt I carriedIs all gone, praise God I’m freeLooking for that bright tomorrowWhere no tears will dim the eyeWell oh what a diff’renceSince Jesus passed by
Since Jesus passed bySince Jesus passed byOh what a diff’renceSince Jesus passed byWell I can’t explain itAnd I cannot tell you whyBut oh what a diff’renceOh what a diff’renceOh what a diff’renceSince Jesus passed by
We had some wonderful times this past summer with family and friends, and some travels into Ontario's beautiful and pristine northland. A special place we discovered was Port Rawson Bay and Three Fingers Bay in the 'Massassauga Provincial Park'.
I've been working on some new music tracks and am looking forward to adding them to my repetroire of great gospel songs.
Jane and I have tickets to see one of our favourite American gospel groups, The Hoppers, which appear in our area this December, hosted by the lovely Parker family. On November 21st, we'll see our favourite gospel trio, Dave, Duane and Neil, [the original Couriers] at Bayfair Baptist Church in Pickering, Ontario. Frequent visitors to Canada, these Pennsylvania guys are some of the original veterans of American gospel music, and will be hosted by my friend Tim Harden of The Watchmen Quartet. This will be a good night!
Until next time.......... see you.
This is a beautiful and sunny Good Friday in Oshawa. A wonderful day of remembrance to what our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ has done for us!
I've been working on income tax preparation this afternoon. Who likes doing that sort of thing?
While I worked, I had occasion to listen to some great music on Paul Heil's 'Gospel Greats' internet radio programs.
http://www.sunlite-radio.com/page14.html
If you listened to this website, you would have heard two outstanding songs that gripped my heart.
'In Rembrance Of The Cross' was sung by The Tribute Quartet and talked about how some think it more 'politically correct' these days to leave the cross out of our language, but oh how much it means to those who follow Christ. Upon the cross of Golgotha some two thousand years ago, hung the very redemption of mankind. God's only son. For you. For me.
This next story made me stop working and just listen.........
In a song titled, 'Stained Wooden Cross', soloist Big Mo Ostrander tells about meeting a skilled woodcarver who was hand-carving a cross from mahogany wood. When Mo told him his carving was beautiful, the woodcarver said, "It's nothing yet, wait till you see it stained. It's the stain on the cross that makes the difference! Mo says that when he heard those words, something snapped in his mind as he thought of the blood-stained cross of Christ. As he watched the woodcarver dip that cross into a mahogany-red stain, the stain flowed over and into the creases and grain of the wood, completing the work and giving it a new beauty that surpassed the original wood.
Doesn't Christ do just that? His Grace covers all of our creases and imperfections and completes our lives.
It was the blood of Jesus that stained that old rugged cross, and that made the difference!
Give 'em Heaven,
