June 4, 2020 (Thursday)
In some ways I feel I was born too late. I missed hearing the great preachers during the century before I was born. But through the technology of audio recording, I have had opportunity to hear one of them, Dr. George W. Truett, for half a century pastor of the First Baptist Church of Dallas and known by Christians far and wide as one of the greatest preachers who ever lived.
One of his sermons that I heard on a recording was, “The Conquest of Fear.” As I recall, he made three points very clear: “Do not be afraid of Life, Do not be afraid of Death, and Do not be afraid of Eternity.” Those three points pretty much cover everything we can fear: Life, Death, Eternity. If you find yourself afraid of any of these things, then I pray you will come closer to Christ, for He is able to calm your fears.
Long ago God comforted His people with these words: “Fear not, for I am your God. I will be with you and I will help you” (Isaiah 41:10).
He is our God and there is no other, He is with us every step of the way, and He has promised to help us along our journey through life.
Dr. Truett closed his great message by quoting verses from the wonderful hymn, “He Leadeth Me.” I listened to the recording of his sermon several times, and I can almost hear him quote these tremendous words of faith.
HE LEADETH ME
Words: Joseph H. Gilmore (1862)
Music: William B. Bradbury (1864)
He leadeth me: O blessed thought!
O words with heavenly comfort fraught!
Whate’er I do, where’er I be,
still ’tis God’s hand that leadeth me.
Chorus
He leadeth me, he leadeth me,
by his own hand he leadeth me;
his faithful follower I would be,
for by his hand he leadeth me.
Sometimes mid scenes of deepest gloom,
sometimes where Eden’s bowers bloom,
by waters still, o’er troubled sea,
still ’tis his hand that leadeth me.
Chorus
Lord, I would clasp my hand in thine,
nor ever murmur nor repine;
content, whatever lot I see,
since ’tis my God that leadeth me.
Chorus
And when my task on earth is done,
when by thy grace the victory’s won,
Even death’s cold wave I will not flee,
since God through Jordan leadeth me.
Chorus