Monday, September 13, 2004

Time to Talk

"Give thanks unto the Lord, call upon His name, make known His deeds among the people. Sing unto him, sing psalms unto Him, talk ye of all His wondrous works" (1 Chronicles 16:8,9).

Talk of all His wondrous deeds:
There's still so much to say!
Jesus died, He rose, He leads,
And loves us everyday.

Sunday, September 12, 2004

Spend and Spent

"And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved" (2 Corinthians 12:15). "The Son of Man came ... to give His life a ransom for many" (Mark 10:45). "The Son of God ... loved me and gave Himself for me" (Galatians 2:20). "Who is like unto the Lord our God?" (Psalm 113:5).

Jesus Christ was spent for me.
What more could my Lord have done?
Search the heavens, land, and sea:
Who is like Him? There is none!

Thus He spent and still He spends;
Thus His love is on display.
Thus I pray each breath He lends
Will be spent for Him each day.

Saturday, September 11, 2004

Status of my Strength

"He said unto me, 'My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness.' Most gladly, therefore, will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me... for when I am weak, then am I strong" (2 Corinthians 12:9,10).

It's when I'm weak that I am strong.
It's when I trust God all day long.
It's when I praise Him in my song
That He bestows His power.

The outlook may look bleak and grim.
That's when my heart will look to Him.
He'll fill my cup beyond the brim,
And He will be my Tower.

Friday, September 10, 2004

Suficiency in Simplicity

"But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through His subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ" (2 Corinthians 11:3).

How sweet it is to trust in Christ and His sufficiency!
I know the lovingkindness of the Christ who died for me.
I know His power shall endure for all eternity.
I know His wisdom orders all for good by His decree.
This is the peace He offers us in His simplicity.

Thursday, September 09, 2004

Reputation Repercussion

"If thou be wise, thou shalt be wise for thyself: but if thou scornest, thou alone shalt bare it" (Proverbs 9:12). "The memory of the just is blessed: but the name of the wicked shall rot" (Proverbs 10:7).

There is a consequence for scorn
That many in the past have borne.
The reputation of their name,
With ignominy, grows in shame.

But memories are surely blessed
Of names that even now attest
That God is faithful, Whom we trust:
This is the memory of the just.

Wednesday, September 08, 2004

Defying Description

"Wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it" (Proverbs 8:11). "Thanks be unto God for His Unspeakable Gift" (2 Corinthians 9:15).

All the things we can desire cannot compare to Christ.
He is the Gift Unspeakable for sinners sacrificed.
His worth defies description; words fail us when we try.
His lovingkindness, Oh how deep! His wisdom, Oh how high!

Tuesday, September 07, 2004

The Purpose of His Poverty

"For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that ye through His poverty might be rich" (2 Corinthians 8:9).

That He might make us rich indeed,
That He might meet our deepest need,
That He might for the sinner plead,
He set His wealth aside.

That He might heap upon us grace,
That He might spare us from disgrace,
That we might see Him face to face,
Our Lord was crucified.

Monday, September 06, 2004

Say So

"Oh, give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good: for His mercy endureth forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom He hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy ... Oh, that men would praise the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men! For He satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness" (Psalm 107:1,2,8,9).

He satisfies the longing soul.
Give thanks! The Lord is good!
He filled our hunger to the full
As only Jesus could.

Oh, that men would praise the Lord,
And let the world know:
Redeeming grace has been outpoured.
Let those redeemed say so!

Sunday, September 05, 2004

Grab the Grace!

"We then, as workers together with Him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain ... Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation" (2 Corinthians 6:1).

There is grace that God gives us today
To labor, to love, and sustain.
There is grace now to trust and obey;
Oh receive not His grace in vain!

There is grace that God gives to the lowly;
Yet it's forfeited when we are proud.
There is grace to be faithful and holy,
If only His grace is allowed.

Now is the day of salvation!
Now is the time we must choose!
Whether it's grace or frustration
Depends on the grace that we use.

Saturday, September 04, 2004

The Logic of Love

"For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if One died for all, then were all dead: and that He died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto Him which died for them, and rose again" (2 Corinthians 5:14,15).

Once we were spiritually and hopelessly dead,
There was no one found righteous, no, not even one.
But Christ sacrificially died in our stead.
So what do you think now ought to be done?

It's only pure logic that moves us to love!
To live for ourselves is foolish and vain;
Seeing that Jesus left heaven above,
Leaving His glory for sorrow and pain!

Constrained by His love, yet also set free,
There's only way we therefore should live:
Since Jesus has died for you and for me,
There's no sacrifice that's too great to give!

Friday, September 03, 2004

Blind to the Blessing

"But if our Gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost; in whom the god of this world has blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them" (2 Corinthians 4:3,4).

If our Gospel is hid, it is hid to the lost,
Who have not considered the horrible cost.
For Satan has blinded their indifferent eyes;
Becoming thus foolish, they think themselves wise.

They're blind to the judgment of God that draws near;
They're blind to salvation that makes His love clear.
They're blinded by lies and are thereby enticed
To forfeit the glorious Gospel of Christ.

Thursday, September 02, 2004

Mindful of His Mercies

"Bless the Lord, Oh my soul, and forget not all His benefits ... He has not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities ... As far as the east is from the west, so far hath He removed our transgressions from us" (Psalm 103:2,10,12).

Remember how the Lord has blessed
And how His love was proved:
As far as east is from the west
Our sins have been removed.

And thus He puts on full display,
The blessings He unfolds:
By benefits bestowed each day,
And judgment He withholds.

Wednesday, September 01, 2004

Summary of our Sufficiency

"Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savor of His knowledge by us in every place ... And who is sufficient for these things? ... Our sufficiency is of God" (2 Corinthians 2:14-16, 3:5).

Who is sufficient to publish the story
Of the wonderful love that Jesus displayed?
Who is sufficient to give Him the glory
For the cross He endured, the price that He paid?

God is sufficient, and in God alone,
We find we are able to be
Messengers that can make our Lord known,
By the truth that has made our souls free.