Spiritual Readiness

Most of us are intensely focused on buying and storing food, medicine, and supplies so our families can make it through the hard times ahead. With all the preparations we have to make, it is easy to forget that man does not live by bread alone.

Next year may be a very unusual time in history. The utilities may or may not be working in many areas. If the utilities are down then many stores and businesses will be closed until the utilities are restored. One of the places that may be closed is your neighborhood church. Even if the church is open, it may be too far from your home for you to safely get there even if you have gasoline for your car. It that happens, what are your plans? You have made plans in the event your local church is closed, havent you?

If you havent made any plans, then may I suggest you do what our early church forefathers did. They met in their homes and had worship services on the Sabbath day. You dont have to meet in any special building to worship God. You just have to set aside a special time and gather your family together to praise and worship the Lord.

One of the things you can do during this worship time is sing praises to the Lord. Singing together as a family will lift your spirits and give you hope for a better tomorrow. It is the one part of a worship service that everyone can actively participate in and feel good about.

Most of us know a few hymns by heart. The problem is that everyone doesnt know the same hymns. Each of us remembers the hymns that speak to our own heart in a special way. Therefore, if everyone is going to participate, it would be nice if each person had a copy of the words to the hymns you wish to sing together as a family.

Following are the words to a few Christian hymns. If you wish, you can print them out and then select the ones you like. You can use some scissors to separate the hymns and then tape the ones you like to a piece of blank paper to photocopy. Make several copies so each member of your household will have their own sheet of words. If your copier has a reduction mode, you can reduce the words by about 80% and fit more hymns on a single sheet of paper. (May I also suggest you make an extra copy and put it in a freezer bag inside your camping backpack.)

If you have a favorite hymn and it is not below, then please add it at the end of this post.

Conclusion:

Even if the churches are temporarily closed, that aint no reason to stop worshipping the Lord and singing praises to His Name on the Sabbath day.

May God Bless.

Grandpappy

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Theres Something About That Name
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus! Theres just something about that name!
Master, Savior, Jesus! Like the fragrance after the rain.
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus! Let all heaven and earth proclaim:
Kings and kingdoms will all pass away,
But theres something about that name!

How Great Thou Art
O Lord, my God, when I in awesome wonder
Consider all the worlds Thy hands have made,
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy powr throout the universe displayed.

Refrain
Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee;
How great Thou art? How great Thou art!
Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee;
How great Thou art? How great Thou art!

When thro the woods and forest glades I wander
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees,
When I look down from lofty mountain grandeur,
And hear the brook and feel the gentle breeze; Refrain

And when I think that God, His Son not sparing,
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in;
That on the cross, my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin. Refrain

When Christ shall come with shout of acclamation
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart!
Then I shall bow in humble adoration
And there proclaim: my God, how great Thou art! Refrain

Jesus Loves Me
Jesus loves me! This I know, For the Bible tells me so.
Little ones to Him belong; They are weak, but He is strong.

Refrain
Yes, Jesus loves me! Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me! The Bible tells me so.

Jesus loves me! This I know, As He loved so long ago,
Taking children on His knee, Saying, Let them come to Me. Refrain

Jesus loves me when Im good. When Im acting like I should.
Jesus loves me when Im bad. Though it makes Him very sad. Refrain

Jesus loves me! He will stay Close beside me on my way.
Hes prepared a home for me, And someday His face Ill see. Refrain

The Old Rugged Cross
On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,
The emblem of suffring and shame;
And I love that old cross, where the dearest and best
For a world of lost sinners was slain.

Refrain
So Ill cherish the old rugged cross,
Till my trophies at last I lay down.
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
And exchange it someday for a crown.

O the old rugged cross, so despised by the world,
Has a wondrous attraction for me;
For the dear Lamb of God left His glory above
To bear it to dark Calvary. Refrain

In the old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,
A wondrous beauty I see;
For twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died
To pardon and sanctify me. Refrain

To the old rugged cross I will ever be true;
Its shame and reproach gladly bear.
Then Hell call me someday to my home far away,
Where His glory forever Ill share. Refrain

Rock of Ages
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.

Could my tears forever flow, Could my zeal no languor know,
These for sin could not atone; Thou must save, and Thou alone.
In my hand no price I bring, Simply to Thy cross I cling.

While I draw this fleeting breath, When my eyes shall close in death,
When I rise to worlds unknown, And behold Thee on Thy throne,
Rock of Ages, cleft for me, Let me hide myself in Thee.

Amazing Grace
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.

The Lord has promised good to me; His word my hope secures.
He will my shield and portion be As long as life endures.

Thro' many dangers, toils, and snares I have already come.
Tis grace hath brot me safe thus far, And grace will lead me home.

When weve been there ten thousand years, Bright shining as the sun,
Weve no less days to sing Gods praise Than when wed first begun.

Victory in Jesus
I heard an old, old story, how a Savior came from glory,
How He gave His life on Calvary, to save a wretch like me.
I heard about His groaning, of His precious bloods atoning,
Then I repented of my sins and won the victory.

Refrain
O victory in Jesus, my Savior forever!
He sought me and bot me with His redeeming blood.
He loved me ere I knew Him, and all my love is due Him.
He plunged me to victory beneath the cleansing flood.

I heard about His healing, of His cleansing powr revealing,
How He made the lame to walk again, and caused the blind to see.
And then I cried, Dear Jesus, come and heal my broken spirit,
And somehow Jesus came and brot to me the victory. Refrain

I heard about a mansion He has built for me in glory,
And I heard about the streets of gold beyond the crystal sea;
About the angels singing, and the old redemption story;
And some sweet day Ill sing up there the song of victory. Refrain

Ill Fly Away
Some glad morning when this life is oer, Ill fly away;
To a home on Gods celestial shore, Ill fly away.

Refrain
Ill fly away, O glory, Ill fly away.
When I die, hallelujah, by and by, Ill fly away.

When the shadows of this life have gone, Ill fly away;
Like a bird from prison bars has flown, Ill fly away. Refrain

Just a few more weary days and then, Ill fly away.
To a land where joys shall never end, Ill fly away. Refrain

Because He Lives
God sent His Son - they called Him Jesus;
He came to love, heal and forgive.
He lived and died to buy my pardon;
An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives.

Refrain
Because He lives, I can face tomorrow;
Because He lives, all fear is gone,
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living just because He lives.

How sweet to hold a newborn baby,
And feel the pride and joy he gives;
But greater still the calm assurance:
This child can face uncertain days because He lives. Refrain

And then one day Ill cross the river;
Ill fight lifes final war with pain.
And then as death gives way to victry,
Ill see the lights of glory and Ill know He reigns. Refrain

Id Rather Have Jesus
Id rather have Jesus than silver or gold;
Id rather be His than have riches untold;
Id rather have Jesus than houses or lands.
Id rather be led by His nail - pierced hand

Refrain
Than to be the king of a vast domain
And be held in sins dread sway.
Id rather have Jesus than anything
This world affords today.

Id rather have Jesus than mens applause;
Id rather be faithful to His dear cause;
Id rather have Jesus than world wide fame.
Id rather be true to His holy name Refrain

Hes fairer than lilies or rarest bloom;
Hes sweeter than honey from out the comb;
Hes all that my hungering spirit needs.
Id rather have Jesus and let Him lead Refrain

Silent Night! Holy Night!
Silent night, holy night, All is calm, all is bright
Round yon virgin mother and Child. Holy Infant so tender and mild,
Sleep in heavenly peace; Sleep in heavenly peace.

Silent night, holy night, Shepherds quake at the sight.
Glories stream from heaven afar; Heavenly hosts sing alleluia.
Christ the Savior is born! Christ the Savior is born!

Silent night, holy night, Wondrous star, lend thy light.
With the angels let us sing, Alleluia to our King.
Christ the Savior is born! Christ the Savior is born!

Silent night, holy night, Son of God, loves pure light
Radiant beams from Thy holy face, With the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth, Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth.

Away in a Manger
Away in a manger, no crib for a bed,
The little Lord Jesus laid down His sweet head.
The stars in the sky looked down where He lay;
The little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay.

The cattle are lowing; the Baby awakes,
But little Lord Jesus no crying He makes.
I love Thee, Lord Jesus, look down from the sky,
And stay by my side until morning is nigh.

Be near me, Lord Jesus; I ask Thee to stay
Close by me forever, and love me, I pray.
Bless all the dear children in Thy tender care,
And fit us for heaven, to live with Thee there.

The Savior is Waiting
The Savior is waiting to enter your heart -
Why dont you let Him come in?
Theres nothing in this world to keep you apart -
What is your answer to Him?

Refrain
Time after time He has waited before,
And now He is waiting again;
To see if youre willing to open the door -
O how He wants to come in.

If youll take one step toward the Savior, my friend,
Youll find His arms open wide.
Receive Him and all of your darkness will end;
Within your heart Hell abide. Refrain

My Country, Tis of Thee
My country, tis of thee, Sweet land of liberty, Of thee I sing:
Land where my fathers died, Land of the pilgrims pride,
From every mountainside Let freedom ring!

My native country, thee, Land of the noble free, Thy name I love:
I love thy rocks and rills, Thy woods and templed hills;
My heart with rapture thrills Like that above.

Let music swell the breeze And ring from all the trees Sweet freedoms song:
Let mortal tongues awake, Let all that breathe partake;
Let rocks their silence break, The sound prolong.

Our fathers God, to Thee, Author of liberty, To Thee we sing:
Long may our land be bright With freedoms holy light;
Protect us by Thy might, Great God, our King!

America, the Beautiful
O beautiful for spacious skies, For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties Above the fruited plain!
America, America, God shed His grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood From sea to shining sea!

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End of Hymns

P.S. - If you would like to read my previous posts, please try the links below:

How to Survive Really Hard Times

Drinking Water Revisited

More Edible Wild Plants

Hunting Wild Game

How to Get the Best Value for Your Food Dollar

Is a Camping Backpack a Good Idea for Everyone?

First Aid Supplies and Medical Reference Books

-- Grandpappy (Grandpappy@old-timers.hom), August 24, 1999

Answers

Response to Spiritual Readiness

Grandpappy,

I am just a young parent, but those hymn's are still favorites. Victory in Jesus is a favorite of mine.

Plus, stock up on Bibles, prefferably KJV, and gospel tracks too.

Shalom!

Joe Martin -- Buffalo, Ny

-- Joe Martin (nospam@nospam.com), August 24, 1999.

Thanks Grandpappy.

-- Lian Lurker (Lian@anony.com), August 24, 1999.

God bless you, Grandpappy.

Thank you.

-- Scat (sgcatique@webtv.net), August 24, 1999.

Thanks Grandpappy - Your contribution is a welcome one - one of the many things I hadnt thought of and am grateful someone else did.

-- New Kid on the block (PrayinFor@wisdom.com), August 25, 1999.

grandpappy, how about Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow.

-- jocelyne slough (jonslough@tln.net), August 25, 1999.

Hi Grandpappy! If you have the time and are willing, my email address is real, and I would love to hear from you sometime.

-- Mumsie (Shezdremn@aol.com), August 25, 1999.

spiritual readiness is something that everyone needs,not just christians.

-- zoobie (zoobiezoob@yahoo.com), August 26, 1999.

True zoobie. A moderator inserted "Christian" in the thread title to allow people of the Christian faith the freedom to exchange ideas for spiritual preps.

-- Mumsie (Shezdremn@aol.com), August 26, 1999.

Grandpappy,

Thanks for the post! How Great Thou Art always gives me chills, one of my very favorites.

If your local church has a Xeorox machine they may let you photocopy favorites out of the Hymnal. Time to save any inserts which may have lyrics in them.

Don't forget that CD jackets often include lyrics for many of our favorite contemporary worship songs.

Our church is a forty minute drive (in light traffic) we have been unsuccessfully searching locally for a church firmly grounded in the Word. :-(

Having worked quite a bit in youth leadership I am very aware that you can find a plethora of materials at your local Christian bookstore which can help you learn how to present devotionals for a small group. This may really help if you are considering trying to organize worship including neighbors/friends.

There are also really excellent devotional sources for children of all ages.

Keep the faith,

-- Deborah (infowars@yahoo.com), August 27, 1999.

Morning prayer is a great way to start the day on the other six days. Our (new) church meets daily...

-- Mad Monk (madmonk@hawaiian.net), August 27, 1999.

Grandpappy, Thanks for taking the time to type the hymns. It was great to read through some of my old favorites since childhood. Take care!

-- Maxtout (Maxtout@hotmail.com), September 21, 1999.