These are unusual and difficult days in our world. I want to encourage you in the truth. In response to quite a few subscribers asking if I might consider writing more than just Lent or Advent devotionals, after some prayer, I decided to continue writing daily devotionals through Pentecost, which occurs fifty days after Easter and will take us this year to May 31st. So you can expect to continue to receive daily devotionals through the end of May. They will continue to appear in your emails each morning after Easter. You need do nothing. The Lord is sovereign.
He is risen! He is risen indeed!
Scripture: I Corinthians 15:1-7; 12-28
Let me now remind you, dear brothers and sisters, of the Good News I preached to you before. You welcomed it then, and you still stand firm in it. It is this Good News that saves you if you continue to believe the message I told you—unless, of course, you believed something that was never true in the first place.
I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve. After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. Then he was seen by James and later by all the apostles.
But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed! It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed. For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies.
Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled:
“Death is swallowed up in victory.
O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?”
For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ. So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.
Music:
“Hallelujah Chorus” Sir Colin Davis
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6_nJ11BgTE
“Hallelujah Chorus” Robert Shaw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6_nJ11BgTE
Note the difference in the conductors interpretation of this very familiar piece. In the first one, Sir Colin Davis is more leisurely enjoying the piece as we’ve heard it a thousand times. In contrast, Mr. Shaw has a fresh drive in the piece and has some slight stretches in phrasing at key times. Mr. Shaw is letting the music portray the text, “hallelujah!”. I’m sorry it’s a visually fuzzy recording, but this rendition is one of the best I’ve ever heard.
“I Know the My Redeemer Liveth” Sylvia McNair Sung by a believer.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kg7aXEvCeXY
“Worthy is the Lamb” Robert Shaw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYqa4_3Lc48
“Messiah” part 3 Octopus Symphony Chorus
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGlAN_FE69o&t=95s
Prayer:
Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.
― Jude, the earthly brother of Jesus
Friends,
I want to thank you again for journeying together these past six and a half weeks leading to this glorious day! I trust your daily time in Scripture has continued or become a regular habit of yours. Our goal is to learn to walk each day with the Lord and to spend time with him each day, not just reading but interacting in prayer. I also hope you’ve come across some new musical groups you can follow. Nothing is more glorious in music than the human voice.To those of you who passed the link along, thank you! Word of mouth and the internet is our only advertisement. I’m always glad for your feedback! Also feel free to let me know if you have any questions. A huge thank you to Jonathan Sharp for hosting and setting all of this up and getting the emails to you each morning. (He does not get up at 5:02 every morning to send them to you!)
The Lord be with you,
Dan
Here in one place is the music list and Prayer Books if you’re interested.
Lenten Music 2020
Feb.26 “If with All Your Hearts” from Elijah https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fyD4WIsXzw
Feb. 27 “Holy, Holy, Holy” Audrey Assad https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgHrNNM23p8
Feb.28 “Hear My Prayer O Lord” Purcell Voces8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74Q33UL7ugc
Feb.29 “Jesus Loves Me” Whitney Houston https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHm9Ggdanyo
Mar.1 “What Wondrous Love Is This” Chelsea Moon with Franz Brothers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1g26dbNJYJI
Mar.2 “Jesus, Lover of My Soul” Fernando Ortega
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdcqhSAXMgE
Mar.3 “I Need Thee Every Hour” Sam Robson Beautiful and remarkable!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3wSbLa2uGg
Mar.4 “Go Down Moses” Sam Robson Phenomenal! . . . again! God in the business of redeeming his people, then and now.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=isLQ36PnTyo
Mar.5 “He Watching Over Israel” Robert Shaw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37zaRHrNlj4
Mar.6 “Come Ye Sinners, Poor and Needy” Fernando Ortega
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGvCm9I4H0A
Mar.7 “Sweet Hour of Prayer” Radiance (back from last year! DO NOT MISS) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ph43J3pnBDo
Mar.8 “Sanctus” from Requiem Durufle Colorado Group?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hESnJ0HHlxI
Mar. 9 “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross” Massed Choirs Weston Noble, Conductor Glorious!! Lake Avenue Church, Pasadena, CA.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEOLUnoQdmQ
Mar.10 “Miserere Mei” Allegri Tenebrae Choir Spectacular!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3v9unphfi0
This is a setting of Psalm 51
Mar.11 “Salvation Is Created” Tschenokoff, National Lutheran Choir
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=veDwCqhokOA
Mar.12 “Abide with Me” St. Olaf Cantori and Congregation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkXI-8no9ZE&list=TLPQMjIwMTIwMjCZKDSORdFFFg&index=2
Mar.13 “To God Be the Glory” Sissel by Andrae Crouch
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiB4SEgOkow
If you let it keep running after this video, there are additional videos of her singing this piece at different years in her life. A gorgeous voice. Not to be missed.
Mar.14 “Of the Father’s Love” Outofdarknessmusic
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jICEbS4acQ
Mar.15 “Jesus Messiah” Gaither Vocal Band
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iN4wj2KAdhU
Mar.16 “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing” Fernando Ortega
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5b0FTKMYGZ4
Mar.17 “O the Deep, Deep Love of Jesus” Simon Khorolskiy DO NOT miss this!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLTu1xv2-Us
Mar.18 “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” Alan Jackson The way it ought to be sung!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znWu2HCJ92c
Mar.19 “The Lord’s Prayer” Andrea Bocelli and Mormon Tabernacle Choir
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEplqV0scyo
Mar.20 “As the Deer” Masters Chorale
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYNNIUtQ160
Mar. 21 “Be Thou My Vision” Nathan Pacheco
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihJAJA4ibEs
Mar.22 “Breathe on Me Breath of God” NAK Chor Kapstadt Glorious. Watch to the end.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlyo3neR6xg
Mar.23 “It’s All About Me” Rob Still Rob is one of my IWS students and has captured today’s cultural mindset in a beautiful way!!! Right. (He’s doing a seminar in Hungry.) A little musical change of pace today! (The song of the Prodigal!!)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1FqF0goGFo
Mar.24 “Goin’ Home” Libera The voices of angels!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvThHk-wMRk
Mar.25 “Goin Home” Dvorak Sissel
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJFhTb1gi6Y
Mar.26 “How Deep the Father’s Love for Us” Fernando Ortega
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLDGVl8D5UU
Mar.27 “Great Is Thy Faithfulness” Hymn sing in England!! Note the cross-section of singers!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTKIqmdfHSk
Mar.28 “Amazing Grace” Il Divo GLORIOUS!!!!! When you get to heaven, you can sing like this!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYMLMj-SibU
Mar.29 “De Profundus” Kings College Choir Cambridge
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJvZ8qzW0e8
Mar. 30 “And Can It Be that I Should Gain” Let’s hear it for the Brits! They SING!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQeIGbKqiw8
Mar.31 “God Moves in a Mysterious Way” Deo Cantamus WOW!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tu1tvqcyY44
Apr.1 “If Thou Wilt Suffer God to Guide Thee” Calvin Alumni Choir
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFfYKN6Jw1o
Apr.2 “In Christ Alone” All Souls Orchestra Kristin Getty Glorious
This is a picture of the Body of Christ! The Brits sing!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JnXv2gAfPpE
Apr.3 “When Jesus Wept” William Billings, early American composer at the time of the Revolutionary war
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjA-uHaj8pA
Apr.4 “Steal Away” Mahalia Jackson and Nat King Cole None like her!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-O5hz5KnSdc I can almost imagine Lazarus singing this song after being raised from the dead!
Apr.5 “Ride On King Jesus” Robert Shaw Festival Singers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wObByhyVdbg
Apr.6 “The Church’s One Foundation” Duke Chapel arr. Dan Forest
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ECY2IIeRg8
Apr.7 “Ah Holy Jesus” Fernando Ortega and Quintessence Ensemble
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3Rq7DoDmyw
Apr.8 “What Wondrous Love” Robert Shaw Chamber Choir
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WeIECnixpM0
Apr.9 “Ubi Caritas” Paul Mealor Mealor appears during the applause.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTrMIJKBwRU
“Ubi Caritas” Ola Gjeilo Central Washington Chamber Choir with the composer on piano.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_7mcGqsKP8
Apr.10 “Agnus Dei” Samuel Barber Robert Shaw Festival Singers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6ilqJW3fV8&list=TLPQMjkwMTIwMjCrAh08LRSyCA&index=1
“O Sacred Head Now Wounded” Fernando Ortega
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pO2d0AD5wBg
Apr.11 “Requiem” John Rutter
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=rutter+requiem
“Requiem” W.A. Mozart fantastic performance Arsys Bourgogne
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LZ6gEh7yBM
“Messiah” Part 2 Rivertree Singers & Friends Choral Festival
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONCXnPbYUok
Apr.12
“Hallelujah Chorus” Sir Colin Davis
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6_nJ11BgTE
“Hallelujah Chorus” Robert Shaw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6_nJ11BgTE
“I Know the My Redeemer Liveth” Sylvia McNair
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kg7aXEvCeXY
“Worthy is the Lamb” Robert Shaw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYqa4_3Lc48
“Messiah” part 3 Octopus Symphony Chorus
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGlAN_FE69o&t=95s
Prayer Books
The Oxford Book of Prayer, ed. Appleton, OUP
Valley of Vision, ed. Bennett, Banner of Truth Pub.
Prayers Ancient and Modern, Mary Wilder Tileston, 1897
A Diary of Private Prayer, John Baillie
Eerdmans’ Book of Famous Prayers, compiled by Veronica Zindel
Celtic Daily Prayer, Andy Raine and John Skinner Northumbria Community
The Quiet Corner, ed. Shirwood Wirt, Fleming H. Revell
Book of Common Prayer, Episcopal,1979
Guideposts Prayers for Easter, Julie Hogan, Ideals