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Two Voices Cry Out to Be Heard

July 19, 2024

6:33 am

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Hymn, Pilgrim's Progress, Scripture, Truth, wisdom

In John Bunyan’s allegory, The Pilgrim’s Progress, Christian and his companion, Faithful, must travel through the town of Vanity on their Way to the Celestial City. The town represents the conceit and craftiness of the world in its opposition against God as it dresses up sin to appear desirable and appealing. The merchants at Vanity Fair cry out in an attempt to entice the pilgrims to set their affections on the things of the world. But Christian and Faithful have found something more valuable and more precious than anything this world can offer. When they are asked what they would buy, they respond, “We buy the truth.”

Buy the truth, and do not sell it,
Also wisdom and instruction and understanding.
(Proverbs 23:23)

The truth we hold dear is the Word of God.

The entirety of Your word is truth,
And every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever.
(Psalm 119:160)

Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth (John 17:17).

If we are to find the way to life and peace and joy, we must tune out the noise of this world and listen intently to God in His Word. Christ alone is “the way, the truth and the life” (John 14:6). Only He has “the words of eternal life” (John 6:68).

Listen and download a recording of this song from Bandcamp:

Two Voices Cry Out to Be Heard

“My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent” (Proverbs 1:10).

“Wisdom calls aloud outside; she raises her voice in the open squares” (Proverbs 1:20).

Two voices cry out to be heard;
Take heed, my soul, and listen well.
For only one voice leads to life,
The other down to death and hell.

The voice of sinners fills the streets,
There on the innocent they prey.
Take heed, my soul, do not consent,
Lest you with them be cast away.

The voice of wisdom cries aloud
Above the din of sin’s deceit.
“How long, you simple, will you choose
The evil way, the scoffer’s seat?”

It’s wisdom’s voice I long to hear
To guide my steps which way to go.
Her words of warning, I would heed;
Her wealth of knowledge, I would know.

Lord, help me find the righteous way;
Guide me in ev’ry thought and choice.
For You alone have words of life,
Atune my heart to love Your voice.

Let me hear clearly wisdom’s call;
Tune out the noise of sin’s allure.
Listen intently to God’s Word
And there in Christ find rest secure.

Arranged to the tune: FEDERAL STREET

Download the lyrics and free sheet music for this hymn, including an arrangement of the tune FEDERAL STREET for classical guitar.

More Hymns and Songs by Ken Puls

Above image from Unsplash

Christiana’s Testimony

by Ken

July 16, 2024

6:33 am

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Commentary, The Pilgrim's Progress

Holy Spirit, John Bunyan, Opposition, Pilgrim's Progress, Scripture, Testimony, Trials, Word of God

When the song and music were ended, the Interpreter asked Christiana what it was that at first did move her to commit herself to a pilgrim’s life?

Christiana answered, “First the loss of my husband came into my mind, at which I was heartily grieved; but all that was but natural affection. Then, after that, came the troubles and pilgrimage of my husband into my mind; and also how like a churl I had carried it to him as to that. So guilt took hold of my mind, and would have drawn me into the pond; but that opportunely I had a dream of the wellbeing of my husband, and a letter sent me by the King of that country where my husband dwells, to come to him. The dream and the letter together so wrought upon my mind, that they forced me to this way.”

Interpreter: But met you with no opposition afore you set out of doors?

Christiana: Yes; a neighbor of mine, one Mrs. Timorous (she was akin to him that would have persuaded my husband to go back for fear of the lions). She all-to-befooled me for—as she called it—my intended desperate adventure. She also urged what she could to dishearten me to it, —the hardship and troubles that my husband met with in the way, but all this I got over pretty well. But a dream that I had, of two ill looking ones, that I thought did plot how to make me miscarry in my journey, that hath troubled me much; yea, it still runs in my mind, and makes me afraid of everyone that I meet, lest they should meet me to do me a mischief, and to turn me out of the way. Yea, I may tell my lord, though I would not have everybody know it, that between this and the gate by which we got into the way, we were both so sorely assaulted, that we were made to cry out “murder.” And the two that made this assault upon us were like the two that I saw in my dream.

Interpreter: Then said the Interpreter, “Your beginning is good; your latter end shall greatly increase.”

Notes and Commentary

After supper, the Interpreter asks Christiana two significant questions. First he asks what caused her to become a pilgrim. Why did she finally relent concerning her decision to remain in Destruction and embark on a journey to the Celestial City? Did she consider her circumstances and come to a reasonable conclusion? Was she compelled by shame to do the right thing? Was she overcome with sorrow and moved by passion? What was it that caused her to change?

Continue Reading Notes and Commentary

The text for The Pilgrim’s Progress is public domain.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from
the New King James Version (NKJV) ©1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.

Return to A Guide to John Bunyan’s The Pilgrim’s Progress Part 2

How Dear and Treasured Is the Church

by Ken

July 5, 2024

6:33 am

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Hymn, Music for Worship

Church, doctrine, Hymn, Trials, Truth, Word of God

New Recording

Listen and download a recording of this song from Bandcamp:

How Dear and Treasured Is the Church

“If I delay, [I write so that] you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth” (1 Timothy 3:15).

How dear and treasured is the church,
With voices joined in praise and prayers,
For God has made us one in Christ,
To share our sorrows, joys and cares.

Entrusted with the truth of God,
Called out to make the gospel known,
We boldly as His church proclaim:
There’s grace and hope in Christ alone!

God fashions us as living stones;
Assembled as His dwelling place.
Though we were dead, He gives us life,
Each soul a miracle of grace.

Built as a buttress of the truth,
A pillar rising to the sky,
God sets His church before the world,
His Word and name to magnify.

To all the world we testify,
Our lives display in word and deed
The matchless worth of knowing Christ,
The boundless depth of our great need.

Brought near to God by Christ’s shed blood,
Loved and adopted as His own,
A household built upon the Word,
With Christ Himself the Cornerstone.

Built on this Rock, the church will stand,
The gates of hell shall not prevail,
All who are Christ’s shall be raised up,
The Word of God will never fail.

Arranged to the tune: ERHALT UNS HERR

Download the lyrics and free sheet music for this hymn, including an arrangement of the tune ERHALT UNS HERR for classical guitar.

More Hymns and Songs by Ken Puls

Above image from Unsplash

Now May the God of Peace

by Ken

April 5, 2024

12:45 pm

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Hymn, Music for Worship, Worship Song

holiness, Humility, Hymn, music, Obedience, peace, Sanctification, Spiritual Warfare

New Recording

Listen and download a recording of this song from Bandcamp:

Now May the God of Peace
A prayer for sanctification in the fight against sin

“Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 5:23).

Lord, I desire Your will
My heart yearns to obey
Though daily I am faced with sin
Enticing me away

So, help me rise each day
Battle and war with sin
I long to see You face to face
And final vict’ry win

Lord, You have so designed
This fight with sin in me
That as I struggle, watch and pray
I learn humility

So, help me to obey
Holiness to pursue
Deepen repentance when I fail
Strengthen my faith in You

I rest within the hope
Your Spirit dwells in me
Completing that which was begun
So holy I may be

Now may the God of Peace
Sanctify me wholly
And keep me blameless ‘til the day
Christ comes in victory

Words ©1990, 2015 Ken Puls
Arranged to the tune: STATE STREET

Download the lyrics and free sheet music for this hymn, including an arrangement of the tune STATE STREET for classical guitar.

More Hymns and Songs by Ken Puls

Above image from Unsplash

Supper and Song

by Ken

February 26, 2024

6:37 am

A Rotting Tree

by Ken

February 13, 2024

6:33 am

Cantique de Noël

by Ken

December 18, 2023

6:33 am

Proverbs before Supper

by Ken

November 21, 2023

6:33 am

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Commentary, The Pilgrim's Progress

Faith, godliness, Gospel, heaven, John Bunyan, perseverance, Pilgrim's Progress, proverbs, wisdom, Word of God

Bible opened to Proverbs and a cup of coffee

So when they were come again into the house and supper as yet was not ready, Christiana again desired that the Interpreter would either show or tell of some other things that are profitable.

Then the Interpreter began, and said, “The fatter the sow is, the more she desires the mire; the fatter the ox is, the more gamesomely he goes to the slaughter; and the more healthy the lusty man is, the more prone he is unto evil.

“There is a desire in women to go neat and fine; and it’s a comely thing to be adorned with that which in God’s sight is of great price.

“‘Tis easier watching a night or two, than to sit up a whole year together: so ’tis easier for one to begin to profess well, than to hold out as he should to the end.

“Every shipmaster, when in a storm, will willingly cast that overboard that is of the smallest value in the vessel. But who will throw the best out first? none but he that fears not God.

“One leak will sink a ship: and one sin will destroy a sinner.

“He that forgets his friend, is ungrateful unto him: but he that forgets his Savior, is unmerciful to himself.

“He that lives in sin, and looks for happiness hereafter, is like him that sows cockle, and thinks to fill his barn with wheat or barley.

“If a man would live well, let him fetch his last day to him, and make it always his company keeper.

“Whispering and change of thoughts, prove that sin is in the world.

“If the world, which God sets light by, is counted a thing of that worth with men; what is heaven, which God commends!

“If the life that is attended with so many troubles is so loath to be let go by us, what is the life above!

“Everybody will cry up the goodness of men; but who is there that is, as he should be, affected with the goodness of God?

“We seldom sit down to meat, but we eat and leave; so there is in Jesus Christ more merit and righteousness than the whole world has need of.”

Notes and Commentary

The House of the Interpreter represents the Word of God as it interpreted and made profitable for us by the Holy Spirit. As the pilgrims return to the house, Bunyan again emphasizes the value of God’s Word and the priority it should have in our lives. The pilgrims have arrived hungry and in need of nourishment to continue on their journey. Supper is being prepared, but before they sit down for a meal together, they desire first to feed their souls. Christiana demonstrates once again that her hunger is for the Word of God. Earlier she had asked of the Interpreter, “pray let us see some more.” Now she is eager to keep learning.

Continue Reading Notes and Commentary

The text for The Pilgrim’s Progress is public domain.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from
the New King James Version (NKJV) ©1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.

Return to A Guide to John Bunyan’s The Pilgrim’s Progress Part 2

A Robin and a Spider

by Ken

October 31, 2023

6:33 am

The Interpreter’s Field

by Ken

October 3, 2023

6:33 am

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Commentary, The Pilgrim's Progress

Church, condemnation, John Bunyan, judgment, Pilgrim's Progress, worldliness

Again, he had them into his field, which he had sowed with wheat and corn; but when they beheld, the tops of all were cut off, only the straw remained. He said again, “This ground was dunged, and ploughed, and sowed; but what shall we do with the crop?” Then said Christiana, “Burn some, and make muck of the rest.” Then said the Interpreter again, “Fruit you see, is that thing you look for; and for want of that you condemn it to the fire, and to be trodden under foot of men. Beware that in this you condemn not yourselves.”

Notes and Commentary

The Interpreter then shows the pilgrims his field. The field is in sharp contrast to the garden. Whereas the garden is lush and vibrant, the field is dry and barren. Though the ground was at one time well prepared and sown with good seed, all that remains are stalks and chaff. Like the garden, the field is another representation of a church. But this is a church that has imbibed the world and lost its spiritual vitality. Though it once may have born fruit and produced a harvest, now it stands dry and dead.

Continue Reading Notes and Commentary

The text for The Pilgrim’s Progress is public domain.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from
the New King James Version (NKJV) ©1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.

Return to A Guide to John Bunyan’s The Pilgrim’s Progress Part 2

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