STAND UP! STAND UP!

STAND UP! STAND UP!

 

On this November day, looking forward to Thanksgiving next week and holiday preparations ahead, we look at our world and we see terror spreading all around the world, with bombings and terror attacks, and we could be caught up in great fear, wondering where they will strike next. And I so feel for the families and victims of these attacks.

 

Refugees are running for their very lives and many, many are believers, and many are coming to know Jesus Christ as their own personal Savior, and we hear of many who are giving their lives for Jesus, and some are in prisons for their stand, refusing to deny the Lord who bought them with His own precious blood, given them peace and they look for the day when they will finally reach their heavenly home.

 

During the night a song came to me, and I had been troubled and thinking about how we Christians in America would stand in the face of such persecution. I search my own heart to see where I stand with my Lord. But God always has an answer in our blessed hymns. And He is calling His church to “Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus!”

 

“In 1858, churches throughout Philadelphia united in a citywide evangelistic effort. Every morning and evening, services were held in churches, convention halls, and theaters. Dudley Tyng, a twenty-nine-year-old Episcopalian preacher spoke to five thousand men, and one thousand responded to the gospel invitation.

 

Four days later, however, Tyng was tragically injured while watching a corn-threshing machine in a barn on the family farm. He caught his loose sleeve between the cogs, and his arm was severely torn. A main artery was cut, and he lost a great deal of blood. As he lay dying, he whispered to his father, “Stand up for Jesus, Father, and tell my brethren of the ministry to stand up for Jesus.”

 

A friend, Presbyterian minister George Duffield, preached the next Sunday on the text “Stand therefore” and in conclusion read a poem that he had just written entitled “Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus.” The verses of that hymn first appeared as a leaflet for Sunday School children, then later were set to music.” (“Hymns” by Petersen).

 

Stand up, stand up for Jesus, ye soldiers of the cross; lift high His royal banner, it must not suffer loss: from vict’ry unto vict’ry His army shall He lead, till every foe is vanquished and Christ is Lord indeed.

 

Stand up, stand up for Jesus, the trumpet call obey; forth to the mighty conflict in this His glorious day: ye that are men, now serve Him against unnumbered foes; let courage rise with danger, and strength to strength oppose.

 

Stand up, stand up for Jesus, stand in His strength alone; the arm of flesh will fail you; ye dare not trust your own. Put on the gospel armor; each piece put on with prayer. Where duty calls, or danger be never wanting there.

 

Stand up, stand up for Jesus, the strife will not be long. This day the noise of battle; the next, the victor’s song. To him that overcometh, a crown of life shall be; He with the King of Glory shall reign eternally. (George Duffield Jr.).

 

What a powerful message in this song, especially for the day in which we live. The war is waging, victory is near, but He is calling His Church out to Stand Up, Stand Up! Awake you who sleep, the battle is on, and the enemy of our souls knows that his day is coming. You who are fearful of these things coming, stand in the strength of the Lord. This is a glorious day in which we live, as Jesus is still King of kings and Lord of lords! And someday soon He will burst the heavens, and we will see our Glorious King face to face, and the enemy will be defeated and peace will reign.

 

We can’t stand and fight the enemy in our own strength, we will fail. Many of the saints are going through great trials right now, many are sick and don’t see any way out of their situation. But Paul tells us in Ephesians 6:13, 18:  (vs. 13) “Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” (vs 18) “praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.”

 

He is calling His Church to put on His armor daily, and to put each piece of His armor with prayer. And when we get back into our prayer closets and reading His Word daily, when duty calls to fight the battle that is being waged, we will have the Holy Spirit’s power we will see victory after victory in our lives, in our cities and in our nation. If God’s Church would stand up in mighty power again, in victory, we would see our churches filled again and souls being saved and lives changed, and we could turn this nation around and God would heal our land and protect us from the terrorists that even now are threatening our nation, and then would stop the terror in other nations. But it takes us Standing Up!

 

As we stand up for Jesus, we know the strife will soon be over. The noise of the battle will turn into a victory song as we gather around the throne, and the crown of life as promised in James 1:12, to those who overcome all the trials of life, some even unto death. What a precious promise! And Jesus reign as King eternally.

 

Oh, my friends, my heart is overwhelmed and I just give you what is on my heart at this hour. He has called us to be faithful and His word if full of promises that someday the battle will be won, and victory at last. So Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus!

 

Pastor Sharon