From the Administrator’s Desk

Brethren in Singing Praise,

It is with fond anticipation we all look forward to spending a week together in praise to our Lord at Harmony Plains Singing School 2011. Paul said uplifting singing is “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” ( Ephesians 5:19-20 ).  We are ever in need of our hearts being engulfed in the immensity of blessing found in our Savior Jesus Christ. 

I know of no one who has grasped the infinitude of blessings in Christ more deeply and explained them more fully than the prince of preachers, Charles Spurgeon,  “Arise, believer, and behold the Lord Jesus yoking the whole of his divine Godhead to the chariot of salvation! How vast his grace, how firm his faithfulness, how unswerving his immutability, how infinite his power, how limitless his knowledge! All these are by the Lord Jesus made the pillars of the temple of salvation; and all, without diminution of their infinity, are covenanted to us as our perpetual inheritance. The fathomless love of the Saviour’s heart is every drop of it ours; every sinew in the arm of might, every jewel in the crown of majesty, the immensity of divine knowledge, and the sternness of divine justice, all are ours, and shall be employed for us. The whole of Christ, in his adorable character as the Son of God, is by himself made over to us most richly to enjoy. His wisdom is our direction, his knowledge our instruction, his power our protection, his justice our surety, his love our comfort, his mercy our solace, and his immutability our trust. He makes no reserve, but opens the recesses of the Mount of God and bids us dig in its mines for the hidden treasures”.

We joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ ( Romans 5:11 ).

The grace of God and the gift by grace is by one man Jesus Christ ( Romans 5:15 ).

Grace will reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ ( Romans 5:21 ). 

God that spared not his Son, but delivered him up for us, freely gives us all things with Christ. ( Romans 8:32 ). 

No wonder Paul’s determination was to only know Jesus Christ ( I Corinthians 2:2 ).

Harmony Plains 2011 theme will be “Blessed Jesus! Thee We Sing”

The 2011 theme song is #401 OSH 11th edition, “Blessed Jesus! Thee We Sing”

Blessed Jesus! Thee we sing; Thou of life th’eternal spring;

Thou are worthy, Thou alone; Thou the Rock and Cornerstone.

Tis from Thee salvation flows; This the ransomed sinner knows,

Thou, O Christ, art all his plea, When he sees his poverty.

None shall glory in Thy sight Of their labors, e’er so bright;

All who’re taught by Thee shall know, Living faith from God must flow.

Grace shall be our lovely theme; Free redemption, glor’ous scheme!

This will be the song above; Praise to Jesus’ bleeding love.

Our text for 2011 is “For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him . . . ”   Colossians 2:9-10a .

Let each of us pray as F. R. Havergal penned, “Take my voice and let me sing, Always, only for my King”.

By His Mercy and Grace,

Dickie Halbgewachs