Elvis Presley | SCRIP-BITS

Matthew 11:28. Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Come on down my fellow believers in Christ Jesus, it’s time to get together and worship on this the Lord’s Day! And today we have a wonderful song to open our praise and thanksgiving session. It’s an old favourite titled ‘CRYING IN THE CHAPEL.’ The story goes that Artie Glenn wrote the song in 1951 for his son Darrell but left it in a drawer for two years, until Darrell recorded it while still in high school in 1953, along with Artie’s band the Rhythm Riders. After some rejection, it finally became a local hit and was then picked up by other artists.

There have been numerous versions over the years, but my favourite has always been Elvis Presley’s, that is until yesterday when I was listening to some other versions and came upon one by the Norwegian singer Sissel Kyrkjebo, simply known as Sissel. Her version blew me away with its simplicity and the uniqueness of her voice, as she is supposedly one of the world’s best sopranos.

And it seems like I’m not the only person who’s been impressed by her version, for in the comments section of the video, Cliff Glenn, Artie Glenn’s oldest grandson writes: ‘Sissel. I have never heard this beautiful lady sing Crying in the chapel till just now. Wow! my grandfather would have loved her version. My grandfather actually wrote this song in 1951, stuck it in a drawer for 2 years, until my dad, Darrell Glenn recorded it in 1953. I’ve heard an unbelievable amount of different versions in my life, including my own. but never one soooo beautiful, “sorry dad, and Elvis. is this lady single by any chance, lol!’

Unfortunately, she is not Cliff. (smile) And please don’t think that Sissel is a newcomer to music, although her version was recorded sometime in the 1990’s, since then she’s sold some 10 million albums of all kinds of music. And just one more accolade before we sing, this from another admirer. ‘Angelic. The sweet siren like sound I had only previously heard from Elvis’s back-up singer- Kathy Westmorland.’ (smile)

So now that we know Sissel is easy on the eyes and can also sing, let’s do her version. Unlike Elvis’s soulful but dark version, hers is soulful but joy-filled and bright, like a sparkling spring morning, as opposed to a dark winter evening. Therefore, without further ado, let’s fill the fall morning air with sacrifices of praise to heaven.

‘You saw me crying in the chapel The tears I shed were tears of joy I know the meaning of contentment Now I am happy with the Lord. Just a plain and simple chapel Where humble people go to pray I prayed the Lord that I’ll grow stronger As I live from day to day I searched (I searched) and I searched (I searched) but I couldn’t find No way on earth to gain peace of mind

Now I’m happy in the chapel Where people are of one accord (One accord) Yes, we gather in the chapel Just to sing and praise the Lord You’ll search and you’ll search but you’ll never find No way on earth to gain peace of mind Take your troubles to the chapel Get down on your knees and pray Then your burdens will be lighter And you’ll surely find the way (and you’ll surely find the way)…yes, you’ll surely find the way.’

Yes friends, it’s short but sweet and soulful, touches you right down in the very depths of your being! And that’s because it’s oh so true. We can find peace, contentment and the lightening of our burdens in God’s house, in prayer, since that’s what He invites us to do. Please note Jesus’ Great Invitation. ‘Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of (from) me; for I am meek and lowly in heart (gentle and humble): and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’ (Matt. 11:28-30)

Oh my people, it could not get any better than that…but it does! (smile) Listen to Jesus again, as He offers even more incentive to accept His way of life, when He proclaims: ‘I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.’ (John 6:35) Yes, Jesus is the bread that gives life, spiritual and eternal life. You can’t get those from anywhere or anybody else, for He also lets us know with supreme confidence: ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.’ (John 14:6)

So what is left that Jesus can’t give, or doesn’t provide eh? And what about peace and comfort and good cheer you ask? Oh, He has all of that covered too. Hear these marvellous words of encouragement. ‘Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.’ (John 14:27) And if you still desire more encouragement, then listen up as our Lord and Saviour gives it. ‘These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.’ (John 16:33)

And indeed He has, by taking away the keys of hell from Satan, through His death on the cross, His resurrection and ascension to heaven, where He now sits at the right hand of the Father, interceding on our behalf. Wow, mih bredrin! What more can you ask eh? Nothing!

But our Saviour Jesus is ever so generous that He offers us even more than that, as He faithfully promised the disciples, and consequently us. ‘And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever. The Spirit of truth… I will not leave you comfortless (as orphans): I will come to you.’ (John 14:16-18) And that promise was fulfilled on Pentecost Day when the Comforter, the Holy Ghost fell upon, baptized all the believers in the upper room, and thereafter indwells ALL believers. (Acts 2:2-4)

So you can see Jesus has all the bases covered. He’s left nothing to chance. It’s just for us now to accept His Invitation to come to the Father through Him, to receive salvation and eternal life. It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity my people, so please, please, let’s not waste it nuh, for the only other option available is eternal separation from the Holy Trinity, and that’s the worst mistake we can ever make, for the wages of sin is death…eternal death! Much LOVE!

…and…lo…I am with you always…even unto the end of the world… (Matt. 28:20)

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Colossians 3:1. If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

And then it was Thursday… shaping up to be another glorious summer’s day too! Oh glory to God! Yes Friends, we folks in the northern climes are ever so grateful for every warm day this late in the year.

I even thought that my sitting out on my porch in the early morning hours had ended at the end of last week when the weather had gotten a bit chilly. But the Lord in His goodness gave us this week of warm and wonderful weather, so I can still go out and commune with Him and nature in those quiet and peaceful times.

And am I ever so grateful, because it just relaxes me, gets rid of all the confusion and stress that the busy day has put into my spirit, and allows me to go to bed feeling free and easy. No, not that kind of free and easy. (smile)

And you know what Friends, this morning as I was sitting on the porch enjoying the peace and silence, I found myself humming a familiar sounding tune, but I just couldn’t figure out what it was. Then a minute or so later, it hit me. It was Elvis Presley’s wonderful ballad, ‘Crying in the Chapel.’

You know I always thought that Elvis was a better balladeer than a rock and roller. (smile) And strangely enough, I found myself singing most of the words to the tune, although I hadn’t heard it for ages, and I thought about sharing it in the Bit today.

Then, as the Lord would have it, when I got up this morning, that’s the tune I began singing, so I guess, I am supposed to share it with you. Please pay careful attention to these words my people, because they can be very important in a believer’s life.

‘You saw me crying in the chapel. The tears I shed were tears of joy. I know the meaning of contentment, I am happy with the Lord. Just a plain and simple chapel, Where all good people go to pray. I prayed the Lord that I’ll grow stronger, As I live from day to day.

I searched and I searched but I couldn’t find, No way on earth to find peace of mind. Now I’m happy in the chapel, Where people are of one accord. Yes, we gather in the chapel, Just to sing and praise the Lord.

You’ll search and you’ll search but you’ll never find, No way on earth to find peace of mind. Take your troubles to the chapel, Get down on your knees and pray. Then your burdens will be lighter, and you’ll surely find a way.’

And that’s all gospel truth my brethren! For the only way to find true peace of mind on this turbulent planet Earth, is through Almighty God. Yes Friends, whenever we sincerely turn to our Creator with our problems, He always shows us a way.

That brings us to our Bit, which talks about our new life in Christ. ‘If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.’

That’s just sound logic my brethren. If we are risen with Christ, and are in sincere fellowship with Him, then we ought to think about the things that are above, where He is seated at God’s right hand.

And the scholars explain our Bit thus: ‘3:1. If ye then be risen (or, therefore, since you were raised”): The word ‘therefore’ infers a corollary truth from 2:20 (“you died with Christ”) – not only have the Colossian believers been freed from sin, they have also turned to a new life, leaving behind old ways, habits, values, vices, interests, and sins.

Seek those things which are above: These “things” include deeper knowledge of Christ, closer fellowship with Him, experience of His resurrection power, victory over sin (vs.5-11); the development of godly virtues (vs.12-17); the fulfillment of domestic and social responsibilities (3:18-4:1); an effective prayer life (4:2); fruitfulness in witnessing (4:3-6) – in a word, the attainment of Christian maturity, and all the spiritual benefits God has for His people during their days on earth. To have been raised with Christ and not to seek these blessings would be a contradiction’

I couldn’t have put it any better Friends. The epistle to the Colossians is just filled with the ways and means that believers ought to live their lives so that they can be in true harmony with Christ. We need to be growing daily in His Word, and we can only do that by seriously concentrating on the things that draw us closer to Him.

And we’ll end with some other things that believers should concentrate on, as Bruh Paul told the Philippians. ‘Finally brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest (noble), whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise (anything praise worthy), think (meditate) on these things.’ (Phil.4:8)

Yes my people, those are the kinds of things followers of Christ should be contemplating and meditating upon, not the nonsense; the evil and debauchery of this ungodly world.

So as true believers, let’s buckle down and begin thinking these kinds of thoughts nuh, that we might mature and grow in Christ, as He desires of us. That’s simply Christian wisdom. Much LOVE!

…one cannot walk sincerely…or grow in Christ…unless one knows what He’s all about…and that only comes from meditating on His word…and being in constant communion with Him…

SCRIP-BITS

Today’s Scrip-Bit 24 October 2021 Matthew 11:28.

Today’s Scrip-Bit 17 September 2015 Colossians 3:1‏

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