Today’s Worship Daily–November 10th, 2012

Greetings Saints!

Today’s Bible Reading & Verse

Ezekiel 26-27 and 1 Timothy 6

Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 1 Timothy 6:6-7

The secret of contentment is the realization that life is a gift, not a right. – Unknown

Today’s Song Story

The God of Abraham Praise

Thomas Olivers was orphaned as a young child and grew up as what we would know today as a juvenile delinquent — a boy headed for major trouble. Then one day he heard George Whitefield preach. How Olivers happened to be in attendance at a religious service, I have no idea — but he was there.

Whitefield was a stem-winding preacher, and he preached that day on the text from the prophet Zechariah, "Is not this man a brand plucked from the fire?" (Zechariah 3:1). The story behind that phrase is a conversation between God and Satan. The subject was Joshua, whom God had plucked from the fire. Joshua stood before the angel dressed in filthy clothes, but told Joshua, "See, I have taken your guilt away from you, and I will clothe you with festal apparel."

When he heard that sermon, Olivers saw himself as that man dressed in filthy clothes — and he realized for the first time that there was hope for himself. He was converted that night, and became an evangelist serving under John Wesley.

One day he happened to be worshiping in a Jewish synagogue in London — I don’t know how that happened either — and heard Cantor Meyer Lyon sing a lovely song based on the thirteen articles of Jewish faith. He was so impressed that he went home and wrote our hymn, "The God of Abraham Praise" — a song of praise to the God of Abraham — the same God that we as Christians worship.

In tribute to Cantor Lyon, Olivers named his hymn tune Leoni.

1.	The God of Abraham praise, 
	who reigns enthroned above; 
	Ancient of Everlasting Days, 
	and God of Love; 
	Jehovah, great I AM!  
	by earth and heaven confessed; 
	I bow and bless the sacred name 
	forever blest.

2.	The great I AM has sworn; 
	I on this oath depend.  
	I shall, on eagle wings up-borne, 
	to heaven ascend.
	I shall behold God's face; 
	I shall God's power adore, 
	and sing the wonders of God's grace 
	forevermore.

3.	The heavenly land I see, 
	with peace and plenty blest; 
	a land of sacred liberty, 
	and endless rest.
	There milk and honey flow, 
	and oil and wine abound, 
	and trees of life forever grow 
	with mercy crowned.

4.	The God who reigns on high 
	the great archangels sing, 
	and "Holy, holy, holy!" cry 
	"Almighty King!  
	Who was, and is, the same, 
	and evermore shall be:  
	Jehovah, Lord, the great I AM, 
	we worship thee!"