I serve a risen Savior

Alfred H. Ackley was born in 1887 and died in California in 1960. His early musical education came from his father and later he studied music in New York and the Royal Academy of music in London where he became an accomplished cellist.

He was ordained in 1914 after graduating from Westminster Seminary in Princeton and served in the Presbyterian Church In Pennsylvania and California.

Alfred compiled hymns and songs for the Rodeheaver Publishing Company and is credited with writing 1500 hymns, gospel songs and children’s songs. He was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Sacred Music from John Brown University.

“He Lives” first appeared in The Triumphant Service Songs (Rodeheaver Company) and has been a favorite of revival meetings since its publication.

An empty grave to prove He Lives! I too am so glad He has given me a little of His heart, too!

Wonderful when we do repent, He brings us back!

I think such a hymn merits the name of the author/composer and date of composition: A. H. Ackley, 1933. He was 46 years of age.

I was listening to one of the morning news programs, and I don't remember what was being said or what sparked this, but suddenly this hymn started running through my head.

When I was a young girl growing up in the Salvation Army, this was one of the hymns that we would typically sing during our open-air services outside on the street corner. I was in my late teens when I met someone whom I later married and left the church for.

I felt like God had a calling for me back then, but because I felt like I was living my life less than perfectly, when my now late husband came into my life I figured that I would continue on my merry way and live my life in the ways of the world. Little did I know that I would be living a life of pain and heartbreak. My mom had passed away after I had moved out of town, and I didn't know that she had passed away until two weeks after she had been buried. My son had gotten adopted by a family that my parents had gone to church with at the age of three, my dad passed away from side effects of type 2 diabetes, my husband passed away at the age of 41, from type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, cancer and a massive heart attack. Before he passed away, we had a hospital chaplain pray with us, he'd apologized for all of the abuse that he had put me through, and it was no more than an hour or so later after the chaplain prayed with us and he made his apologies, he died. I made a promise right there and then, that I was going to do everything that I could to start going back to church, and make make my life right with God.

Fast forward five or six years later, for several Sundays in a row, I am listening to the tv at 6 o'clock in the morning, and I find this church service from a local non-denominational church that I had driven past many times over the years. The messages are speaking directly to me about things in my life that I feel that I have been doing wrong, and it was an Easter message that especially got my attention, and it was that day that God called me back home. I rededicated my life to the Lord, and I have been doing my best to live my life the way that He wants for me.

Praise God for His love and grace.

“he lives, He lives”

I love this hymn.

Laying in bed at 11:11 pm and this song cane flooding into my spirit. I haven’t heard it in years, but the joy of the memories of singing this at my Grandparents country church and my own church growing up. I praise the Lord for those seeds that were so loving sowed. I love you Grandma and Grandpa Duncan. May God bless you and keep you until we meet again. 🙏🏻

As I buckled my 5 year old granddaughter into her car seat she began to sing this hymn that we sang in church earlier that day. Gram and Gramps joined her and oh what joy filled our hearts as we sang together. We want to leave a living legacy of Jesus as forever friend and Savior in our grandchildren’s hearts.

This song came to my heart so strongly on the 3rd day of July, 2018; when I came to the understanding, appreciation and acknowledgment of the provision of God that I received, not just by looking to that cross on which He died, but actually SEEING what Christ wrought for me there, then and even now.

I came to the full consciousness of my baptism into the death of Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I, but CHRIST LIVES IN ME! I am merely Christ’s container, carrying Him everywhere He leads; until death is swallowed up in victory, and I, revealed exactly like my Lord, Who gave Himself for me and lives forever and ever. AMEN

I was in a despairing situation while all hope seemed to had lost. Everyone knew I was going through hell. I was in secondary form 2 then. A very good friend and a classmate of mine visited me to offer his sympathy and console me. He suggested to me to find help outside the realm of God and Godliness, such as going to seek help with a native doctor or a soothsayer. Instantly, this song rang in my heart and I sang it silently within me. I told my I will do no such thing that I will continue to trust my God to see me through. I had my peace thank, though I still the problem. But in His own good time the Lord helped me out. Praise the Lord.