Assured of Complete Victory

Posted on June 30, 2021 by Roger E. Bruner

A home studio audio recording of this song may be heard HERE.

What can separate us
From the love of God’s own Son?
Can hunger or hardship or danger or death itself
Separate us from His love?

I know that nothing can separate us
From the love of God’s own Son.
Not hunger or hardship or danger or death itself
Can separate us from His love.

We are assured of complete victory
Through the power of Jesus’ love.
Love that is greater than life and death
And greater than all things yet to be.

About This Song:
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“Assured of Complete Victory” is based on Romans 8:35-39 and is dedicated to an old friend, Isaac “Iggy” Sahhar. Here’s the Scripture from the NIV:

35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written:

“For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”

37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

I’m the first to admit that the way the Bible puts it–no matter which translation you prefer–is more poetic and less repetitive than my version. But I needed a simpler way to state it and hope I’ve succeeded in staying true to the basic idea.

Free lead sheets (lyrics, tune, and chords) are available for many of my songs. Click on the Lead Sheets tab at the top of this page to see whether one is available for this song.

Look for me again next Wednesday. Better still, subscribe to receive these weekly posts by email.

Best regards,
Roger

Links you might be interested in:

I’ll be back again next Wednesday.

Best regards,
Roger

Posted in Assurance, Death, God's love, Hardship, Hunger, Isaac Sahhar, Romans, Security, Uncategorized, Victory | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Lord, You Planned Me

Posted on June 23, 2021 by Roger E. Bruner

You may listen to an audio home recording of “Lord, You Planned Me” here.

Lord, You planned me before I was conceived.
Lord, You planned me and then made sure that
Things went according to Your perfect plan.
Lord, You planned me.
Lord, You planned me.

Then at birth You gave me the choice
To follow You or run and stumble
On my own disastrous, catastrophic way.

Lord, You loved me before I was conceived.
Lord, You loved me, although You know how
Far I’d run before I turned to You.
Lord, You loved me.
Lord, You loved me.

Then at birth You gave me the choice
To follow You or run and stumble
On my own disastrous, catastrophic way.

Lord, You still love me no matter how often I stray.
Lord, You still love me and how Your arms out
To welcome me home again when I turn back to You.
Lord, You still love me.
Lord, You still love me.
Lord, You still love me.

About this song:
RogerCapped - smallerPsalm 139 has always been one of my favorite Scripture passages. The idea that someone as big as God–and who can imagine how huge He must be?–has known me from the beginning of time blows my mind whenever I think about it.

I mean, how could He possibly keep me straight among the billions of people who live on earth now, much less among all of the people who’ve lived here since He first created the world?

Yet I believe He knows every detail of my existence. That’s what the Bible tells me. He even knows where every hair that used to cover my bald head has gone. He knows more about me than I know about myself.

As if that’s not sufficiently overwhelming, the fact that He made sure I developed according to His plan and then set me free to do as I pleased is many steps beyond incomprehensible.

But He also knew I’d ultimately come back to Him. He didn’t make me love Him. He couldn’t do that. Enforced affection isn’t love.

He gave me His love–the real thing–and He wants the real thing back.

So He let me discover that He is so lovable I couldn’t fail to love Him. And if I love Him, I want to please Him.

So this song draws from Psalm 139 to express my amazement at God for loving me in spite of myself.

Some of you may resent my pointing this out, but Psalm 139 is a clear indication that the Bible is Pro-Life.

You can find a free lead sheet of this song in the drop down box found on the Lead Sheets tab at the top of this page.

Look for me again next Wednesday. Better still, subscribe to receive these weekly posts by email.

Best regards,
Roger

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Posted in Baby, Body, Conception, Created, Creation, Freedom, God's love, God's plan, Human, Lead Sheets, Life, Living, Psalm 139 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

No Song Is Unworthy

Posted on June 16, 2021 by Roger E. Bruner

My wife, Kathleen, is singing this song with me here.

No song is unworthy to be sung to the Lord
If God lives within you, making your life sing for Him.
Sing for Him, sing for Him, sing for Him.

No tune is less than beautiful to be sung to the Lord
If your life’s in tune with what God wants your life to be.
Wants you to be, wants you to be, wants you to be.

No rhythm is unsteady to be sung to the Lord
If your life’s in rhythm with God’s heartbeat of love.
Heartbeat of love, heartbeat of love, heartbeat of love.

No words are less than poetry to be sung to the Lord
If your life sings of the Word who is making your life sing.
Making you sing, making you sing, making you sing for Him.

About this Song:
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A number of years ago, I was feeling rather down about my singing and songwriting, and I wrote this song to convince myself that what I was doing was important to God, even if it didn’t matter to anyone else.

I wrote a harmony part for it and have done duets with various people on mission trips overseas (everywhere from Wales to Australia) as well as locally with my wife. I’ve also enjoyed doing private duets with such (more professional) singers as Janet Roller, Angela Hunt, and Jane Jenkins Herlong. Incidentally, Jane was so gracious she emailed me to thank me for letting her sing it with me.

Note the logical progression of the lyrics. It goes from “song”–the song as a whole–to the various components: tune, rhythm, and words. I always consider words to be the most important part of a song. Because of that, perhaps the fact that I have a blog like this shouldn’t surprise you.

You can find a free lead sheet of this song in the drop down box found on the Lead Sheets tab at the top of this page.

Comments are always welcome.

Look for me again next Wednesday. Better still, subscribe to receive these weekly posts by email.

Best regards,
Roger

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Posted in Lyrics, Rhythm, Songs, Tune, Words, Worth, Worthiness | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Because He Is Lord

Posted on June 9, 2021 by Roger E. Bruner

How happy are those who worship the Lord with their songs
And live in the light of His presence!
Because He is Lord, they rejoice always,
And they sing of His everlasting goodness.
Yes, they sing of His everlasting goodness.

How happy are those who trust in the Lord with their hearts
And not in their own understanding!
Because He is Lord, they rejoice always,
And they sing of His ever abundant mercy.
Yes, they sing of His ever abundant mercy.

How happy are those who strive to live within God’s will,
Convinced that His plans all prove perfect!
Because He is Lord, they rejoice always,
And they sing of His never failing kindness.
Yes, they sing of His never failing kindness.

How happy are those who worship You, Lord, with their songs
And live in the light of Your presence!
Because You are Lord, they rejoice always,
And they sing of your everlasting goodness.
Yes, they sing of your everlasting goodness.

About This Song:
“
Because He Is Lord” was inspired by three different Scriptures…

Psalm 89:15-16
15 Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you,
    who walk in the light of your presence, Lord.
16 They rejoice in your name all day long;
    they celebrate your righteousness.
(NIV)

Proverbs 3:5-6
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart
    and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways submit to him,
    and he will make your paths straight.
(NIV)

Romans 8:28
28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
(NIV)

When’s the last time you had a complex plan work out exactly the way you intended? It does happen sometimes, but–more often than not–even the “best-laid plans” encounter little glitches along the way.

God’s plans are perfect, though.

“What?” you ask. “If His plans are so perfect, why isn’t my life perfect?”

To answer that, we need to look back at the Garden of Eden. Life was perfect–until Adam and Eve sinned. God had to expel them from the Garden, and their lives ceased to be perfect. Because they failed to remain in God’s perfect plan.

Throughout the Bible, God promised His people–not just the Jews, but everyone who trusted in Him–that He would take care of them. But if they strayed, they brought imperfection into their lives.

Hmm. We all sin, though. Where’s our hope?

God’s mercy is far beyond my ability to comprehend. When we confess our sins and ask His forgiveness, we place our lives under His control. That won’t necessarily make them perfect from a human perspective, but we can rest assured that “in all things God works for the good of those who love him.”

I don’t know about you, but that’s all the assurance I need. No wonder I love to sing about God’s goodness.

Free lead sheets (lyrics, tune, and chords) are available for many of my songs, although none is available for this one. Click on the Lead Sheets tab at the top of this page to see which songs have lead sheets. Videos for many of my songs, some recorded at home and some at our church’s nursing home ministry, can be accessed at my website, RogerBruner.com, under the Listen tab.

Look for me again next Wednesday. Better still, subscribe to receive these weekly posts by email.

Best regards,
Roger

                

Links you might be interested in:

Posted in God's goodness, Happiness, Light, Perfect Plan, Trust, Worship | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

What’s My Soul Worth to You, Christian?

Posted on June 2, 2021 by Roger E. Bruner

What’s my soul worth to you, Christian?
Is it worth your time of day to speak to me some words of love and faith–
Before I go my way, before you go your way?

What’s my soul worth to you, Christian?
Is it worth some act of love to show me you believe in God above?
Before I go my way, before you go your way?

Is my soul worth the chance that I won’t ridicule you?
Is my soul worth the chance that I will listen to you?
Is my soul worth the chance that God will speak through you?
Before I go my way, before you go your way?

What’s my soul worth to you, Christian?
Is it worth a life that shows in every way the joy of God you know?
Before I go my way, before you go your way?

Is my soul worth the chance that I won’t ridicule you?
Is my soul worth the chance that I will listen to you?
Is my soul worth the chance that God will speak through you?
Before I go my way, before you go your way?

About this Song:
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This song, written during the early 1970s, is addressed to the Christian who’s hiding his witness under a basket.

It’s a strong appeal from someone  so hungry for the Gospel that he’s willing to  challenge the Christian who–for whatever reason–fails to share God’s Good News with him. This non-Christian is specific in asking why the Christian won’t share:

  • words of love and faith
  • an act of love
  • a life that shows the joy of knowing God.

I can’t speak for other Christians, but even now, fifty-some years after writing this song, the lyrics still condemn me for my hesitation to “intrude” into the lives of others with the message of hope they might be desperately in need of–and perhaps even hungry to listen to. I’m great at making up excuses for keeping Jesus to myself.

  • I may not stutter like Moses, but I’m much better at expressing myself in writing than I am verbally. While I do share my faith in my novels, my songs, and my other writing,  does that excuse me from speaking when the time is right?
  • I may not have riches to share with those in need, but I have more than I need. What’s my excuse for not giving what I have?
  • And if my life is as full of joy in Christ as I believe it is, what’s my excuse for not living more joyfully? Can’t I at least make my joy obvious in making positive contacts with other people?

After traveling to various parts of the world on short-term mission trips and meeting a variety of people who live in vastly different cultures and circumstances, I believe more strongly than ever that every person on this earth needs salvation–for the assurance of eternal life in heaven and the assurance of a more meaningful life here on earth–through faith in Jesus Christ.

Of all the songs I wish I’d been the one to write,“People Need the Lord” heads my list.

Who’s going to tell those people if we Christians don’t?

I’m not responsible for other Christians, though. I’m only responsible for myself.

What do you think? How about leaving a comment?

~*~

Free lead sheets (lyrics, tune, and chords) are available for many of my songs. Click on the Lead Sheets tab at the top of this page to see whether one is available for this song.

Look for me again next Wednesday. Better still, subscribe to receive these weekly posts by email.

Best regards,
Roger

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Posted in Good News, Hope, Non-Christians, Salvation, Sharing, Sharing God's Love, Soul, Witnessing | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

His Love Is Eternal

Posted on May 26, 2021 by Roger E. Bruner

An audio home recording of this song may be heard HERE.

Give thanks to God, for He is so good.
His love is eternal.
His are the mightiest works in the world.
His love is eternal.

Give thanks to God, for He is so good.
His are the mightiest works in the world.

He alone made the earth and the sky.
His love is eternal.
His sun rules the day, and His moon rules the night.
His love is eternal.

He alone made the earth and the sky.
His sun rules the day, and His moon rules the night.

He provides food for all living things.
His love is eternal.
God knows we’re weak, but He gives us strength.
His love is eternal.

He provides food for all living things.
God knows we’re weak, but He gives us strength.

Give thanks to God, for He is so good.
His love is eternal.
His love is eternal.
His love is eternal.

About This Song:
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This song comes from various portions of Psalm 136. If you want to add more stanzas, there are plenty of ideas left there to choose from.

One thing that interests me about this Psalm is the way it echoes “His love is eternal” (the phrase differs from translation to translation, of course) after each good thing the Psalmist attributes to God.

One thing I often do before I go to sleep is to try to think about some of the things God has created. But His creations are beyond my knowledge and my ability to count. The old hymn says, “Count your many blessings. Name them one by one.” That’s another of those things I can’t begin to do adequately.

I’m just thankful God is Who He is and loves me enough to make me His child through faith in Jesus Christ. I can’t begin to comprehend that, either, but what a wonderful thing to think about and dwell on.

Links you might be interested in:

I’ll be back again next Wednesday.

Best regards,
Roger

Posted in Abundance, Assistance, Blessings, Caring, Creation, Dependence, Generosity, God's love, God's Ownership, God's protection, God's Provision, Love, Praise, Provision, Psalms, Reliance | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

God’s Words

Posted on May 19, 2021 by Roger E. Bruner

God’s Words are like the rain and snow
That fall on dry, thirsty ground,
So seeds can be planted and crops be grown
To bring forth a bountiful yield.

The crops are ripe and ready to harvest,
But the workers are few.
Ask the Lord to send out more laborers
So nothing will be lost.

As the Word of God goes around the earth
And drenches dry, thirsty hearts,
It never comes back to Him again
Till it’s done all He wants it to do.

The crops are ripe and ready to harvest,
But the workers are few.
Ask the Lord to send out more laborers
So no one will be lost.

About This Song:

The first stanza of this song is based on Isaiah 55:10:

As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater… (NIV)

The second stanza, from Isaiah 55:11, completes the simile begun in the first stanza:

…so is my word that goes out from my mouth:  It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. (NIV)

The two refrains, which are nearly identical, are based on Luke 10:2.

He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.

The only difference between the two refrains is that the first wants “nothing” to be lost. The second wants “no one” to be lost.

I used to work for a missionary-sending Christian organization whose goal was for “no one to be lost.” But that isn’t just the job of missionaries who leave the United States to evangelize people in various parts of the world; it’s also what each of us as Christians need to be doing, too.

Some of us aren’t that good at sharing God’s Good News verbally, but each of us has gifts God wants us to use to make His presence in our lives stand out in such a way that we’re open to telling others when it’s appropriate.

So I find myself singing this song to myself–over and over and over. And praying for God to use me in whatever way He chooses.

You can find a free PDF lead sheet (chords, melody, & lyrics) for this song on my website. Check here for all available lead sheets. And don’t forget to check the archives for other songs that might be similar in theme to this one.

Please come back again next Wednesday to see what song I’ll feature next. Better yet, subscribe to receive each week’s two posts by email.

Best regards,
Roger

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Posted in Farmer, Jesus, Jesus' Second Coming, Patience, Rain | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

When You Close Your Eyes in Prayer

Posted on May 12, 2021 by Roger E. Bruner

A home recording of this song is available here.

What do you say when you close your eyes in prayer?
What do you tell God when you call upon His name?
Do you say, “I love You, Lord, for being who you are”?
What do you say when you close your eyes in prayer?

What do you say when God knows just who you are?
What do you tell Him when He sees inside your heart?
Do you say, “I’ve done wrong, Lord, and I want to do right”?
What do you say when God knows just who you are?

What do you say when God knows the words you’ll use?
What do you tell Him? He already knows your needs.
Do you say, “I thank You, Lord, for all you do for me”?
What do you say when God knows the words you’ll use?

What do you say when your thoughts distract your prayers?
What do you tell God when the words refuse to come?
Do you cry, “I need help, Lord. I can’t live on my own!”?
What do you say when your thoughts distract your prayers?

About this song:

Years ago I was introduced to the concept of ACTS, an acronym that represents the four elements of prayer:

  • Adoration: praising God for who He is (and not for what He’s done for us)
  • Confession: admitting our sins to God and asking His forgiveness
  • Thanksgiving: thanking God for His many perfect gifts
  • Supplication: asking God’s help for ourselves and other people as well

Maybe I’m wrong, but I think many Christians concentrate on asking for God’s help and for the things we want rather than necessarily what we need. At times, we’re all probably guilty of that.

In my prayers, I try to focus on adoration. The very fact that God is not only somewhere “out there” but lives inside us listening to us is worthy of adoration–and praise.

I strongly believe that if we were to spend more of our prayer time thanking God for His “every good and perfect gift,” we wouldn’t have time to pray selfishly.

I wrote this song in 1990, basing it loosely on the ACTS principle. It’s very slow and prayerful and–I hope–thought-provoking. You may download the free lead sheet here.

One really nifty thing resulted from this song. Jeff Ferrier, who was the pianist in the Gospel Chickenhouse house band and an amazing musician, took a recording of me singing “When You Close Your Eyes in Prayer” with guitar accompaniment and wrote a beautiful two-voice arrangement with piano accompaniment.

Look for me again next Wednesday. Better still, subscribe to receive these weekly posts by email.

Best regards,
Roger

      

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Posted in ACTS, Adoration, Confession, Gospel Chicken House, Jeff Ferrier, Prayer, Supplication, Thanksgiving | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Such Good News

Posted on May 5, 2021 by Roger E. Bruner

NOTE: You can listen to a home recording of this song HERE.

Tell your family and your friends that God is real.
Tell your neighbors all around that God is real.
Tell each person you encounter God is real.
Yes, He’s real!
Can you keep such good news to yourself?

Tell your family and your friends that God is great.*
Tell your neighbors all around that God is great.*
Tell each person you encounter God is great.*
Yes, He’s great!*
Can you keep such good news to yourself?

Tell your family and your friends that God is love.
Tell your neighbors all around that God is love.
Tell each person you encounter God is love.
Yes, He’s love!
Can you keep such good news to yourself?

God loves us so much He sent His Son
To conquer sin and death; the victory’s won.
He gave us that good news to share.
Let’s tell the world how much we really care.

Tell your family and your friends that Jesus lives.
Tell your neighbors all around that Jesus lives.
Tell each person you encounter Jesus lives.
Yes, He lives!
Can you keep such good news to yourself?

Tell your family and your friends that Jesus saves.
Tell your neighbors all around that Jesus saves.
Tell each person you encounter Jesus saves.
Yes, He saves!
Can you keep such good news to yourself?

God loves us so much He sent His Son
To conquer sin and death; the victory’s won.
He gave us that good news to share.
Let’s tell the world how much we really care.
Let’s show the world how much we really care.

*replaced “good” with “great” to avoid having “good news” and “God is good”

About This Song:
In the early 2000s I went on a two-week mission trip to Jibou, Romania. The folks at the Baptist church there were so nice.

As we went around to minister at other churches in that vicinity, I learned that the Jibou church had planted most–if not all–of the other churches. That’s what I call spreading the Word.

At the end of our trip, I recall sitting in the back of the van as we drove to Budapest, Hungary (nearest airport). I was thinking about how evangelistic the members of the Jibou church were, and the idea for this song started to form.

I’d like to believe that singing this song and sharing it on this blog are two ways to share the truths of the Gospel with my family and friends, my neighbors, and everyone I encounter.

This is a good song to teach other people to sing, and you can add verses almost endlessly.

You can find a free PDF lead sheet (chords, melody, & lyrics) for this song on the drop down box at the Lead Sheets tab at the top of this page.

Look for me again next Wednesday. Better still, subscribe to receive these weekly posts by email.

Best regards,
Roger

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Posted in Family, Friend, Good News, Jibou, Neighbor, Romania, Sharing, Sharing God's Love, Telling | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Eternal Life

Posted on April 21, 2021 by Roger E. Bruner

NOTE: You may listen to this song HERE.

God loved the world so much
That He gave His only Son,
So everyone who believes in Him will not die,
But have eternal life.

Christ lived a sinless life;
Yet He died a sinner’s death.
His Father reached into the tomb
And brought Him outside alive again.

I know Christ Jesus lives;
He’s given me new life:
A life of hope and joy and peace
And the promise of eternal life with Him.

God loved the world so much
That He gave His only Son.
Won’t you believe Jesus live and died and rose again
To give you eternal life?
Won’t you believe Jesus live and died and rose again
To give you eternal life?

About This Song:


16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. (NKJV)

The official Easter season may be several weeks behind us now, but for Christians the Easter season lasts all year long.

One of the first songs I ever wrote was John 3:16-17. Then a couple of years ago I felt led to write this one, which focuses only on John 3:16. Musically, it’s pretty simple, but it turned out to be more thought-provoking than I’d originally thought.

I’d never expected it to have four different emphases,. The first stanza refers to John 3:16. The second is the Easter story in a very small nutshell. The third is what I consider my own personal testimony about what being a Christian means. And the fourth is an invitation to non-believers to consider the truth about Jesus and become believers, too.

Any comments? I’d love to hear them.

Look for me again next Wednesday. Better still, subscribe to receive these weekly posts by email.

Best regards,
Roger

Links you might be interested in:

Posted in Crucifixion, Easter, Eternal Life, Eternity, God's love, Invitation, John 3:16, Lostness, Missions, Palm Sunday, Searching, Testimony | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment