Lord’s Day, Vol. 5 No. 10

(1) I Love to Tell the Story

– During a Long Period of Recovery

Katherine Hankey (1834-1911) was the daughter of a wealthy English banker. She cared deeply for people and early in life, organized Sunday-school classes for girls working in the crowded factories and “sweat shops” of London. Her love for the “factory girls” led many of them to faith and several to become prominent Christian leaders.

Her zealous faith in Christ led her to prolific writings of Bible teachings and Christian verses. She donated all of her royalties to foreign mission projects.

At only thirty years of age, she experienced a serious illness. During the long and painful period of recovery, God gave her a song in the night – a lengthy poem of one hundred verses on the life of Christ. From these verses came the text for two familiar and beloved hymns of the church: “I Love to Tell the Story” and “Tell Me the Old, Old Story.”

God sanctified Katherine Hankey’s suffering with songs that continue to bring blessings to many.

Katherine Hankey, who had told the story so eloquently by her life of beautiful service and often by her lovely voice, is now in the presence of the Lord she loved and served. And as this hymn affirms, she will now, amid scenes of glory, sing the new song, a new song of Jesus and His love.

 

I love to tell the story

            Of unseen things, above,

Of Jesus and His glory,

            Of Jesus and His love;

I love to tell the story

            Because I know ‘tis true,

It satisfies my longings

            As nothing else can do.

 

I love to tell the story,

            For those who know it best

Seem hungering and thirsting

            To hear it like the rest;

And when in scenes of glory

            I sing the new, new song,

‘Twill be the old, old story

            That I have loved so long.

 

I love to tell the story!

            ‘Twill be my theme in glory –

To tell the old, old story

            Of Jesus and His love.

 

Is your life telling out the old, old story? Do you love to tell the story of Jesus and His love? There is no story in all the world that compares to it. Let us be faithful in telling it out to those around us.

 

[Extracted and edited from Songs in the Night by Henry Gariepy]

 

(2) Webcast and Audio Ministry Update

There were 992 webcast listeners in February 2017 covering 35 countries and 39 states of the USA. 337 listeners were from USA, 171 listeners from UK, 89 from Singapore, 70 from Canada, and others.

The total MP3 audio and video downloads in February 2017 were 516 and 169 respectively.

Viewers can tune into the live stream via the “Live” tab of BHBPC website www.blessedhope.sg, through the Church Mobile App., or through www.sermonaudio/blessedhope .

May the Word of God be sounded forth to the uttermost parts of the earth! Amen.

Here is a note from one of our listeners on 22 February 2017 Prayer Meeting devotion “Sowing by Faith” (Ecclesiastes 11:1-6):

 

“Encouraging sermon!”

Thank you for the encouraging words. I have been sowing in prayer for the salvation of a loved one for the last five years, often with many tears, and I have shared the Word of God at any given opportunity, but my loved one is still far from the Lord. Thank you for reminding me to stand on the promises of God when sowing in faith. Those who sow in tears shall reap with songs of joy and cast your bread upon the waters, for after many days it will come back to you. I pray that the Lord will increase our patience as we wait upon Him.

Many blessings,

Patrizia

from London

(2/26/2017)

 

 Yours lovingly,

Pastor Lek Aik Wee