LIVING IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD JULY 14, 2022

 

From: Paul Gage pauljg_64055@yahoo.com LIVING IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD JULY 14, 2022 Mid July Greetings to God’s People All Over the World, Thomas Obadiah Chisholm was a poor, simple man. He was born in a log cabin in Kentucky in 1866 and educated in a little, one-room country schoolhouse where, at the age of 16, he became the teacher. At the age of 36 years, with no formal college education or seminary training, he was ordained as a Methodist pastor but had to resign after only one year because of his fragile health. There were many, extended periods of time when he was confined to his bed but, whenever he was able, he pushed himself to work extra long hours at various odd jobs just to make ends meet. About his meager and difficult life, Thomas Chisholm said, “God has given me many wonderful displays of His providing care which have filled me with astonishing gratefulness.” Thomas loved to write and during his lifetime, he wrote more than 1200 poems and songs. One of them “Great is Thy Faithfulness” was inspired by Lamentations 3:22-23, “It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning: In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul said, “Therefore be followers of God, as dear children; and walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us and hath given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a sweet smelling savor” (Ephesians 5:1-2). That was the inspiration for Thomas Chisholm’s hymns, “O TO BE LIKE THEE.” “I WANT TO BE LIKE JESUS”, “LIVING FOR JESUS” and others. Paul wrote to the church at Corinth in 2 Corinthians 4:10, “Always bearing about in the body, the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body (life.” To the church in Galatia, he said, “...the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20.) I WANT TO BE LIKE JESUS I have one deep, supreme desire, that I may be like Jesus. To this I fervently aspire, that I may be like Jesus. I want my heart His throne to be, so that a watching world may see His likeness shining forth in me. I want to be like Jesus. He spent His life in doing good; I want to be like Jesus. In lowly paths of service trod; I want to be like Jesus. He sympathized with hearts distressed, He spoke the words that cheered and blessed, He welcomed sinners to His breast. I want to be like Jesus. A holy, harmless life He led; I want to be like Jesus. The Father's will, His drink and bread; I want to be like Jesus. And when at last He comes to die, ‘Forgive them, Father,’ hear Him cry for those who would taunt and crucify. I want to be like Jesus. O perfect life of Christ, my Lord! I want to be like Jesus. My recompense and my reward, that I may be like Jesus. His Spirit fill my hungering soul, His power all my life control. My deepest prayer, my highest goal, that I may be like Jesus Thomas Chisholm must have had those verses, and others, in mind when he wrote these hymns, which are a call to live, willingly and joyfully, in submission and obedience to the Lord. I would add, as we practice living in the Kingdom of God. Lyrics to Chisholm’s other hymns can be found on the internet. God bless and keep you Paul Gage