1 Shall I for fear of feeble Man,
Thy Spirit's Course in me restrain?
Or undismay'd, in Deed and Word
Be a true Witness to my Lord?
Thy Spirit's Course in me restrain?
Or undismay'd, in Deed and Word
Be a true Witness to my Lord?
2 Aw'd by a Mortal's Frown, shall I
Conceal the Word of God most high?
How then before Thee shall I dare
To stand, or how thine Anger bear?
Conceal the Word of God most high?
How then before Thee shall I dare
To stand, or how thine Anger bear?
3 Shall I, to soothe th' unholy Throng,
Soften thy Truths, and smoothe my Tongue?
To gain Earth's gilded Toys, or flee
The Cross endur'd, my God, by Thee!
Soften thy Truths, and smoothe my Tongue?
To gain Earth's gilded Toys, or flee
The Cross endur'd, my God, by Thee!
4 What then is he, whose Scorn I dread,
Whose Wrath or Hate makes me afraid?
A Man, an Heir of Death, a Slave
To Sin, a Bubble on the Wave!
Whose Wrath or Hate makes me afraid?
A Man, an Heir of Death, a Slave
To Sin, a Bubble on the Wave!
5 Yea, let Man rage! since thou wilt spread
Thy shadowing wings around my Head;
Since in all Pain thy tender Love
Will still my sweet Refreshment prove.
Thy shadowing wings around my Head;
Since in all Pain thy tender Love
Will still my sweet Refreshment prove.
6 Saviour of Men! thy searching Eye
Does all my inmost Thoughts decry:
Doth Ought on Earth my Wishes raise,
Or the World's Favour, or its Praise?
Does all my inmost Thoughts decry:
Doth Ought on Earth my Wishes raise,
Or the World's Favour, or its Praise?
7 The Love of Christ does me constrain
To seek the wand'ring Souls of Men;
With Cries, Intreaties Tears, to save,
To snatch them from the gaping Grave.
To seek the wand'ring Souls of Men;
With Cries, Intreaties Tears, to save,
To snatch them from the gaping Grave.
8 For this let Men revile my name;
No Cross I shun, I fear no Shame:
All Hail, Reproach, and welcome Pain!
Only thy Terrors, Lord, restrain.
No Cross I shun, I fear no Shame:
All Hail, Reproach, and welcome Pain!
Only thy Terrors, Lord, restrain.
9 My Life, my Blood I here present,
If for thy Truth they may be spent:
Fulfil thy Sov'reign Counsel, Lord!
Thy Will be done, thy Name ador'd!
If for thy Truth they may be spent:
Fulfil thy Sov'reign Counsel, Lord!
Thy Will be done, thy Name ador'd!
10 Give me thy Strength, O God of Pow'r!
Then let Winds blow, or Thunders roar,
Thy faithful Witness will I be:
'Tis fix'd! I can do all through Thee.
Then let Winds blow, or Thunders roar,
Thy faithful Witness will I be:
'Tis fix'd! I can do all through Thee.
Johann Joseph Winckler ( Translated by John Wesley)
Shall I for fear of feeble Man,
Indeed, how ridiculous in the grand scheme of things that we should fear man! The fear of man brings a snare and as a great commander declared, we have nothing to fear but fear itself! How then can we fear man in the light of our fear of God! Yet we often do. Satan gets inside our head and rattles it until we are wracked with pain.The fear paralyses us from moving, from opening our mouths lest we be laughed or mocked or molested by those around us.Such was myself as a teenager. With heroes such as John Wayne and all the macho actors on the TV screen-Yet when I came to the Lord I was too scared to tell anyone. The booklet that I was given at the front door of my house, on praying the 'sinner's prayer' with two 'door to door' evangelists, instructed me to tell someone within 24 hours. I was nearly going to give up immediately, due to fear. I then decided I would tell just one person then be forever a secret disciple. So I told the one person I thought would give me the easiest time- my mum! Fortunately the Lord was gracious and patient with me and before six months was out he had taken away that fear.
Indeed, how ridiculous in the grand scheme of things that we should fear man! The fear of man brings a snare and as a great commander declared, we have nothing to fear but fear itself! How then can we fear man in the light of our fear of God! Yet we often do. Satan gets inside our head and rattles it until we are wracked with pain.The fear paralyses us from moving, from opening our mouths lest we be laughed or mocked or molested by those around us.Such was myself as a teenager. With heroes such as John Wayne and all the macho actors on the TV screen-Yet when I came to the Lord I was too scared to tell anyone. The booklet that I was given at the front door of my house, on praying the 'sinner's prayer' with two 'door to door' evangelists, instructed me to tell someone within 24 hours. I was nearly going to give up immediately, due to fear. I then decided I would tell just one person then be forever a secret disciple. So I told the one person I thought would give me the easiest time- my mum! Fortunately the Lord was gracious and patient with me and before six months was out he had taken away that fear.
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