Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Sword of Separation

"Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man's foes shall be they of his own household" (Matthew 10:34-36). "He came unto His own, and His own received Him not. But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God" (John 1:11-13).

Is peace on earth, good will to men?
Why then is there confrontation
With families who are severed when
The Gospel causes separation?

Is peace on earth? Be careful here
To see the meaning God intends!
The Lord has made it very clear:
It's peace with GOD that never ends!

The Gospel surely brings division
Between those who receive the Lord
And those, who by their own decision,
Refuse His love and choose His sword.

It's not so hard to understand;
It's like a building that's on fire:
The Lord extends His wounded hand
To save us, IF we so desire.

But people still are left to choose.
The gate is wide, the path is broad
Enough for all who still refuse
The ONLY WAY that leads to God.

Receiving Christ is still the Way
That rescues us from holy wrath!
He bids us come without delay:
There is no other saving path.

And thus we see the sword divides
The members in each family:
For each and every one decides
Their own eternal destiny!

O Lord, we thank You for the cross
That satisfied Your righteousness,
That saved our souls from endless loss,
And took our curse, that You might bless.

Lord, consecrate us to proclaim
The separation by Your grace
For all who call upon Your name
And find in You their Hiding Place.

Monday, January 30, 2012

Things we Think

"God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; He judgeth.... They know not, neither will they understand, they walk on in darkness: all the foundations of the earth are out of course" (Psalm 82:5). "Every Word of God is pure.... If thou hast though evil, lay thine hand upon thy mouth" (Proverbs 30:5,32). "And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts?" (Matthew 9:4).

Our God is judging in the midst
Of every earthly congregation.
He knows that evil thoughts resist
And turn away from His salvation.

The things we think and say and do
Are clear before the Lord our God.
He knows our claims that are untrue,
And all our righteousness is flawed.

The moral compass of God's Word
By many has been cast away,
Replaced by thoughts that are absurd
Of those who mock the truth today.

O Lord, within Your Word we find
Our haven and our hiding place
To purge and consecrate our mind
With thoughts You give of truth and grace!

Sunday, January 29, 2012

Awful Alternative

"I am the LORD thy God... open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it. But My people would not hearken to My voice.... So I gave them up unto their own hearts' lust, and they walked in their own counsels" (Psalm 81:10-12). "He that being often reproved, hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy" (Proverbs 29:1).

How awful the alternative
For those who yet refuse to trust
The Lord who died that we might live
And be set free from sinful lust!

How richly God has satisfied
All those who put their trust in Him:
He fills our cup so full inside,
It daily overflows the brim!

How tragic is the consequence
Of hearts that will not heed reproof,
Refusing God as their Defense,
With hardened necks, they stand aloof.

O Lord, we thank You for the choice
Which grants to us Your remedy:
We've heard Your liberating voice!
We know the truth that makes us free!

Saturday, January 28, 2012

Beauty of Be-zá-le-el

"And Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, made all that the LORD commanded Moses" (Exodus 38:22). "Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock" (Matthew 7:24,25).

There is a simple, prudent beauty
In all Be-zá-le-el had made:
The Lord's commandment was his duty;
And confidently, he obeyed.

Be-zá-le-el means "In God's shade";
How rightly named this servant is,
In view of his foundation laid
To make the glory God's, not his.

Be-zá-le-el displayed his skill
With all the wisdom God imparted,
And joyfully performed God's will
With all who likewise were wise hearted.

The tabernacle had its place;
Be-zá-le-el redeemed the time,
Yet in this period of grace,
There is a building more sublime.

We know our Savior shall not fail
To keep His promise that He'll build
His Church at last which shall prevail
When all the hosts of hell are stilled.

O Lord, we are Your temple now,
Yet we would, as Be-zá-le-el,
With all the wisdom You endow,
Be diligent to serve You well.

Friday, January 27, 2012

Today and Tomorrow

"Boast not thyself of tomorrow, for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.... My son, be wise, and make my heart glad, that I may answer him that reproacheth me" (Proverbs 27:1,11). "But seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof" (Matthew 6:33,34).

While living today, we may plan for tomorrow.
The grace of our Lord is sufficient each day
To trust and obey Him in joy or in sorrow,
Providing us wisdom to walk in His way.

The things of tomorrow are clear in God's eyes,
Who surely foresees how a matter will end.
One day at a time we are called to be wise;
Our wisdom is found as on Him we depend.

Boast not of tomorrow, but boast in the One
Who holds every soul that He saves by His grace.
We rest in His promise, that when all is done,
His perfect provision through life we shall trace.

O Lord, we would live everyday with this goal:
To live in a manner that gladdens Your heart
With all of our heart, and with all of our soul,
And all of our strength by the grace You impart.

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Where is Wisdom?

"Then wrought... every wise hearted man, in whom the LORD put wisdom and understanding to know how to work all manner of work for the service of the sanctuary, according to all that the LORD had commanded.... every one whose heart stirred him up to come unto the work to do it" (Exodus 36:1,2). "He chose David also His servant, and took him from the sheepfolds... to feed Jacob his people, and Israel His inheritance. So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart, and guided them by the skillfulness of his hands" (Psalm 78:70-72).

Now where is wisdom to be found
To do the work of God's command?
Wherever willing hearts abound,
The Lord shall make them understand.

The wisdom given by the Lord
That every one could do their part
For sanctuary work was poured
By God into each willing heart.

The wisdom David had was gained
When guarding sheep with staff and rod.
Integrity and skill explained
Why he was chosen king by God.

O Lord, how very much we need
The wisdom You alone can give!
We look to You that You may lead
And teach us how to wisely live.

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

God in Galilee

"That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying... by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, the people which sat in darkness saw a great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death, light is sprung up. From that time, Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Matthew 4:14-17).

O Galilee, how sad your vision,
Enclosed in darkness where you sat,
With death's dark shadow as your prison,
Who could rescue you from that?

O Galilee, awake and see!
The Light has dawned upon your shore
That makes the darkness turn and flee
And opens every prison door!

O Galilee, your God has come:
Isaiah promised that He would!
The light of Christ is shining from
Your shoreline where our Savior stood!

O Galilee, you've heard His call,
Since heaven's kingdom is at hand:
Repent! He says, to one and all;
Let all the earth now understand!

O Galilee, make no mistake:
The Scriptures clearly prophesied
That Christ would suffer for our sake
And for our sins be crucified.

O Galilee, remember too
Our Savior said that He would rise,
And He would come again to you,
As lightning flashes in the skies.

O Christ, the Man of Galilee,
Our God and Savior, Jesus Christ,
We'll thank You for eternity
That for us You were sacrificed!

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Ready at Rising

"And the LORD said unto Moses.... Be ready in the morning, and come up in the morning... and present thyself there to Me in the top of the mount.... Observe thou that which I command thee this day" (Exodus 34:1-11). "Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John to be baptized of him.... and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon Him: and lo, a voice from heaven, saying, This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased" (Matthew 3:13-17).

Be ready early in the morning
To hear what God will say,
Give heed to every word of warning
And each command this day.

Present yourself to Him alone,
And as your heart is stirred,
Anticipate that He'll make known
The insights of His Word.

As Moses listened to the Lord
To know how he should lead,
The Word of God shall still afford
The counsel that we need.

As John the Baptist saw the dove
Descend upon the Savior,
The Spirit sent from God above
Still shows to us His favor.

O Lord, how much we need to hear
The Word You daily give!
We thank You that You draw us near
To teach us how to live.

Monday, January 23, 2012

Holy Hunger

"And Moses said unto the Lord... show me Thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in Thy sight.... And He said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.... And he said, I beseech Thee, show me Thy glory. And He said, I will make all My goodness pass before thee" (Exodus 33:12-19). "My son, give Me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe My ways" (Proverbs 23:26). "Behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, saying, Where is He that is born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the east, and are come to worship Him.... And when they were come to the house, they saw the young Child... and fell down, and worshiped Him" (Matthew 2:1,2,11).

A holy hunger ought to grow
To seek our Savior's face,
To see His glory, and to know
His goodness and His grace.

We see this hunger on display
When Moses walked the earth,
And wise men came from far away
To worship Christ at birth.

They didn't wait for others first
To show their interest then;
They had a hunger and a thirst
Uncommon among men.

We dare not wait to seek the Lord
Till others come around,
As hearts by God are now explored,
And apathy is found!

This very moment God invites
Our hearts to now surrender,
And then we find that He delights
To be our hearts' Defender!

O Lord, I've heard Your invitation
To give my heart to You;
I would not halt with hesitation,
Despite what others do!

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Siding with the Savior

"Who is on the Lord's side?" (Exodus 32:26). "A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on and are punished.... That thy trust may be in the LORD, I have made known to thee this day, even to thee" (Proverbs 22:3,19). "And thou shalt call His name Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins.... and they shall call His name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is God with us" (Matthew 1:21,22).

Who is on the Savior's side?
We each make our decision.
Who will in the Savior hide?
There is a clear division.

The prudent one will choose the path
Of safety found in Christ,
And thereby flees from holy wrath
That must be exercised.

The fool will choose another way;
It matters not which one,
For every other path will stray
Away from God the Son.

There is no other Hiding Place
From sin and condemnation
Except in the amazing grace
Of Christ in His salvation.

How marvelous indeed it is
That He who made the stars
Would stoop to save and call us His,
And His salvation ours!

Our God with us, Emmanuel,
Extends to us His favor
In Jesus Christ, who saves from hell
Those trusting Him as Savior.

O Lord, we thank You for the choice
That You in mercy gave:
To side with You as we rejoice
That You forever save!

Saturday, January 21, 2012

And Afterward

"I am continually with Thee: Thou hast holden me by my right hand. Thou shalt guide me with Thy counsel, AND AFTERWARD receive me to glory" (Psalm 73:23,24). "And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it.... and they shall see His face.... He which testifieth of these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus" (Revelation 22:3,4,20).

The Lord is with us everyday;
He holds us by our hand,
And afterward we'll fly away
To heaven's glory land.

This life shall pass, and afterward
The glory shall unfold
That far exceeds what we have heard:
The half has not been told!

And afterward we'll see His face:
What glory it shall be!
The Lamb who saved us by His grace
Shall reign eternally!

We hear Your promise, Lord, and know
That You will come again.
How quickly time shall come and go,
And You'll return: Amen!

And afterward we shall explore
The wonders of Your love.
What glory, Lord, You have in store
Eternally above!

Friday, January 20, 2012

Down and Done

"He shall COME DOWN like rain upon the mown grass: as the showers that water the earth" (Psalm 72:6). "And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, COMING DOWN from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be is people.... And He that sat upon the throne said.... It is DONE. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely" (Revelation 21:2-6).

The Lord came down to us as rain
Upon this thirsty earth;
He bore our sorrows and our pain,
That we might have new birth.

His work on earth was thus begun,
That He might dwell with men.
When He declares that "It is done!"
He shall come down again.

Though many do not comprehend
The truth they're mocking still,
His promises shall have an end
Which He shall soon fulfill.

Until the day when Christ comes back,
We hear His invitation
To come and drink (there is no lack!)
The waters of salvation.

O Lord, we see that coming day,
That bright eternal dawn,
When You shall wipe all tears away,
And sorrows shall be gone.

Until that day, Lord, help us first
Show others what is true,
So every soul that is athirst
May thus be drawn to You.

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Look at the Lake

"An ungodly witness scorneth judgment.... Judgments are prepared for scorners" (Proverbs 19:28,29). "And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God, and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.... and whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire" (Revelation 20:12,15).

We hear the loud and haughty scorn
Of those who vainly talk,
Who will not hear God's Spirit warn
Of judgment that they mock.

There is a warning yet declared
They've willfully ignored
Of judgments nonetheless prepared
When they shall meet the Lord.

We see in Revelation's Book
That dreadful, fiery lake:
We ought to take a longer look
To see what is at stake!

We also find in Revelation
The Book of Life as well
With names of all who have salvation,
By grace redeemed from hell.

And shall we not be moved to speak
To souls who yet may hear
And be persuaded now to seek
The Lord while He is near?

O Lord, because of what You've shown
Of judgment yet in view,
We would more urgently make known
The saving grace in You!

Since we have fled from wrath to come
To You, our Hiding Place,
Lord, use us for persuading some
Who yet will seek Your face!

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Robes of Righteousness

"Let such as love Thy salvation say continually, Let God be magnified" (Psalm 70:4). "The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe" (Proverbs 18:10). "My soul shall be joyful in my God, for... He hath covered me with the robe of righteousness... as a bride adorneth herself" (Isaiah 61:10). "Let us be glad and rejoice... for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints" (Revelation 19:7,8).

Now let all those who love salvation
Say, "Let God be magnified!"
The bride has made her preparation,
And righteousness is satisfied.

This righteousness is not her own;
The bride adorns the spotless dress
That Christ will give, for He alone
Can clothe us in His righteousness.

There is no other confidence,
No other way we may prepare.
The Lamb of God is our Defense.
It is His righteousness we wear.

Let God be magnified with praise
As in His name we safely hide.
His righteousness He now displays
Has spotlessly adorned His bride!

O Lord, we celebrate Your love
Which prompted You to pay the price
For robes of righteousness above
Procured by Your own Sacrifice.

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Reproaches Remembered

"The zeal of Thine house hath eaten me up, and the reproaches of them that reproached Thee are fallen upon Me.... Thou hast known my reproach.... Reproach hath broken My heart, and I am full of heaviness: and I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none. They gave Me also gall for My meat, and in My thirst they gave Me vinegar to drink" (Psalm 69:9,19-21).

How deeply Jesus Christ our Lord
Was filled with holy zeal
And with reproaches on Him poured
Of those He came to heal.

How surely then reproaches broke
The Father's heart then too,
As from the cross our Savior spoke
Of grief His Father knew.

How heavy was the burden then
Of our iniquity
Which fell upon our Savior when
He died at Calvary.

O Lord, we scarcely realize
Your depths of heaviness;
We're like those found with sleepy eyes
When You were in distress!

As in Gethsemane You came
To those who soundly slept,
O Lord, You find us just the same
With vigilance not kept.

Yet when we see the wrath You bore
And our reproaches taken,
O Lord, we learn to love You more
And sleep from us is shaken!

We thank You, Lord, for what You did
For sheep that went astray:
Our sins' reproaches have been hid;
You washed them all away!

Monday, January 16, 2012

Publishing Prophecy

"The Lord gave the Word: great was the company of those that published it" (Psalm 68:11).

The Word of God has been received
From God's own gracious hand
And spread by those who have believed,
As God gave the command.

How rich our blessing is today
In this great company,
As we are chosen to convey
God's Word of prophecy!

How precious is the Word of God!
How urgent is the need
To spread its prophecies abroad
Wherever God will lead.

Lord, thank You for Your precious Word;
With evidence so sweet
In prophecies which we have heard
Now published as complete!

-----------------------------------------------
Note: Here are some examples of the Statistical Value of Prophecy which utterly eliminates "chance" fulfillment.

Prediction/Fulfillment/Probability Rating:

1. The birth of Christ in Bethlehem from the tribe of Judah (Micah 5:2, Genesis 49:10/Matthew 2:1): 1 chance in 2,400

2. Christ would be preceded by a messenger turning the hearts of multitudes (Isaiah 40:3/Malachi 4:5,6/Matthew 3:1,2): 1 chance in 20

3. Christ would enter Jerusalem on a colt with the reception of multitudes rejoicing (Zechariah 9:9/Luke 19:35-37): 1 chance in 50

4. Christ would be betrayed by a friend (Psalm 41:9/Matthew 26:47,48): 1 chance in 10

5. The hands and feet of Christ would be pierced (Psalm 22:16/Luke 23:33): 1 chance in 100

6. Christ would be wounded, bruised, and scourged by his enemies (Isaiah 53:5/Matthew 27:26): 1 chance in 10

7. Christ would be betrayed for 30 pieces of silver (Zechariah 11:12/Matthew 26:15). 1 chance in 50

8. Christ would be spit upon and abused by his tormentors (Isaiah 50:6/Matthew 26:67). 1 chance in 10

9. The betrayal money would be thrown in the temple and then given to buy a potter's field (Zechariah 11:13/Matthew 27:5-7). 1 chance in 200

10. Christ would be silent before His accusers (Isaiah 53:7/Matthew 27:12-14): 1 chance in 100

11. Christ would be crucified with thieves (Isaiah 53:12/Matthew 27:38). 1 chance in 100

12. People would gamble for the garments of Christ (Psalm 22:18/John 19:23,24). 1 chance in 100

13. The side of Christ would be pierced (Zechariah 12:10/John 19:34). 1 chance in 100

14. None of the bones of Christ would be broken (Psalm 34:20/John 19:33). 1 chance in 20

15. The body of Christ would not decay (Psalm 16:10/Acts 2:31). 1 chance in 10,000

16. Christ would be buried in a rich man's tomb (Isaiah 53:10/Matthew 27:57-60). 1 chance in 100

17. The actual time of Christ's advent and execution (69 x 7 years = 483 years after the rebuilding of Jerusalem) (Daniel 9:26,27/Matthew 2:2, John 12:23). 1 chance in 1,000

----------------------------------
Note that the above prophecies involve the element of the prerogative and reaction of others toward the Savior, eliminating the notion of "staging" a deliberate fulfillment by Christ.

The calculated probability producing the odds against the prophets "guessing right" are as follows:

2,400 x 20 x 50 x 10 x 100 x 10 x 50 10 x 200 x 100 x 100 x 100 x 100 x 100 x 20 x 10,000 x 100 x 1,000 = 1 in 4.8 X 10 to the 32nd power (i.e., 1 chance in 480 billion x 1 billion x 1 trillion). That number is equal to enough tiny grains of sand to fill the entire Milky Way (100,000 light years of distance from rim to rim).

In view of the fact that there are MORE than 300 prophecies concerning the first coming of Christ fulfilled with 100% accuracy, the above prophecies are only limited to 17 because the numbers of statistical probability (i.e., impossibility) become so astronomical so as to be rendered incomprehensible. Further, there are thousands of prophecies referring to people, times, events, and places (apart from specific prophecies about Christ) that were fulfilled with perfect accuracy. The prophetic Scriptures have NEVER been wrong.

--------------------------------

Sunday, January 15, 2012

Shining for Showing

"God be merciful unto us, and bless us, and cause His face to shine upon us, that Thy way may be known upon earth, Thy saving health among all nations" (Psalm 67:1,2).

May God be merciful to us
And shine on us His face,
That we may by His blessing thus
Declare His saving grace.

May God allow us to make known
The Gospel to each nation,
That we may show, through Christ alone,
The way of His salvation.

May God bestow, in this late hour,
The boldness of His Spirit
To preach the Gospel with His power
To all who yet will hear it.

May God entrust to us the wealth
Of yet another day
To manifest the saving health
Of Christ, the only Way.

O Lord, receive this earnest prayer
For blessing from above,
That we may urgently declare
Your saving truth and love!

Saturday, January 14, 2012

Come and Consider

"Come and see the works of God.... Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what He hath done for my soul" (Psalm 66:5,16).

Come and see what God has done
To manifest His love:
For us He gave His precious Son;
He sent Him from above.

He brought salvation down to us
We never could achieve;
He lived, He died, He rose, and thus
He saved all who believe!

Come and hear and I will tell
What Christ did for my soul!
He died to rescue me hell;
He lives to make me whole.

Lord, send us now to tell the story
Of Jesus Christ who saves
And makes us fit for heaven's glory
Instead of hopeless graves!

Friday, January 13, 2012

Separation Solved

"O Thou that hearest prayer, unto Thee shall all flesh come. Iniquities prevail against me: as for our transgressions, Thou shalt purge them away. Blessed is the man whom Thou choosest, and causest to approach unto Thee, that he may dwell in Thy courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of Thy house, even of Thy holy temple" (Psalm 65:2-4).

O Lord, we know the You will hear
The prayers of all who come to You,
Who seek You with a heart sincere
And with repentance that is true.

But how does our sincerity
Remove our guilt and condemnation,
Since You have said iniquity
Has brought this gulf of separation?

Though our solutions all have failed,
There is a ransom we have found!
Though our transgressions have prevailed,
Your grace, O Lord, will more abound!

We thank You, Lord, that You would pay
To cleanse our souls eternally!
You purged transgressions all away
And cast them in the deepest sea!

Lord, draw us now around Your throne
With praise that waits for You above,
Then send us forth to make You known
And preach the Gospel with Your love.

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Mistaken for a Moment

"The lip of truth shall be established forever: but a lying tongue is but for a moment" (Proverbs 12:19).

Our time is but a moment's dash
Between eternities.
How quickly does a lifetime flash
As just a passing breeze.

But truth is not confined by time;
It crosses endless borders.
Its moral absolutes sublime
Are always as God orders.

How transient is the lying tongue,
Like dreams when we awaken!
Eternity regards them young;
A moment thus mistaken.

For souls in hell are not deceived:
They know their error now!
The souls in heaven that believed
In grateful worship bow!

How damaging are lying dreams
Though they are quickly gone,
Which "bait and switch" with subtle schemes
That vanish with the dawn!

Before our "moment" here has passed,
Lord, help us reach for Christ
The souls which may be free at last
From lies which have enticed.

O Lord, we thank You for Word
That makes the sinner free:
It is Your Gospel we have heard
Which saves eternally!

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Water for Watering

"O God, Thou art my God; early will I seek Thee: my soul thirsteth for Thee, my flesh longeth for Thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is.... my soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness, and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips" (Psalm 63:1,5). "He that watereth shall be watered also himself.... The righteous shall flourish as a branch.... The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he that winneth souls is wise" (Proverbs 11:25-30).

Where is the water in land that is dry
For quenching the thirst of our soul
And watering others as well to supply
The thirst of their hearts to the full?

The Lord is the Fountain to satisfy thirst
As no other wellspring can do!
We go to our bountiful Savior to first
Be filled then to fill others too!

We live in a world where no water is,
Regarding the thirst of the heart.
Unless we have come to the Lord and are His,
There's no water here to impart.

Praise God for the waters that freely abound:
Our cup still runs over the brim!
In Jesus our Savior this Fountain is found
For all who are trusting in Him.

We thank You, O Lord, that You opened our eyes
To drink of the water You give.
We call to the thirsty, as You make us wise,
To drink that they also may live!

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Expectations Expounded

"My soul, wait thou only upon God, for my expectation is from Him. He only is my rock and my salvation: He is my defense; I shall not be moved. In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength and my refuge is in God" (Psalm 62:5-7). "The hope of the righteous shall be gladness: but the expectation of the wicked shall perish" (Proverbs 10:28).

In God is our rock and salvation;
There's no other refuge we find
That offers this sure expectation
Imparting His peace to our mind.

Though people may boast of tomorrow
And talk about plans that they cherish,
There's no other prospect but sorrow
For those without Christ who will perish.

How vain is the hope of the lost,
Who march on the path of destruction
Without ever counting the cost
For following Satan's seduction.

How blind are the hearts so deceived
Whose logic is darkly suspended:
For surely the lie they've believed
Will mock them (as Satan intended).

How different our hope in God is!
How rightly our hearts may be bold:
For all of the prophets are His
Who promises kept were foretold!

Our great expectation is found
By trusting alone in the Lord.
The logic for faith we expound
Is built on His Scriptures explored.

For faith in the things yet unseen
Is proven by God's evidence.
Should not logic here intervene?
Does not trusting God just make sense?

O Lord, we rejoice in Your Word
That fixes our hope upon You,
For thereby our hearts are assured
That our expectation is true!

Monday, January 09, 2012

Eagle Exhibition

"Ye have seen... how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto Myself. Now therefore, if ye will obey My voice indeed, and keep My covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto Me above all people: for all the earth is Mine" (Exodus 19:4,5). "Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.... I will trust in the covert of Thy wings" (Psalm 61:3,4).

How aptly the wings of the eagles portray
The marvelous care of our Savior.
The earth is the Lord's: He will teach us His way
By even the eagles' behavior.

He carried His people upon eagles' wings
And covered their souls for protection.
How rich is the earth as we ponder these things
Which speak of our Savior's perfection!

We study the eagles with great expectation
Of lessons their traits will afford
To teach us the wonderful truths of salvation
And beauties of our precious Lord.

Thus carried and covered with wings from above,
Portrayed in the eagles here shown,
We rest in the care of astonishing love
That Christ has for each of His own!

O Lord, we give thanks for the lessons we learn,
As earth, like a book on Your shelf,
With all of creation, wherever we turn,
Will teach us the things of Yourself!

We ponder, O Savior, above all we see,
Your cross with its fullest expression.
There never has been, and there never could be,
A portrait exhausting its lesson.

Sunday, January 08, 2012

Bold Banner

"Moses built an altar, and called the name of it JEHOVAH-NISSI (Heb. THE LORD OUR BANNER)" (Exodus 17:15). "Thou hast given a banner to them that fear Thee, that it may be displayed because of the truth" (Psalm 60:4).

JEHOVAH-NISSI was assigned
The altar's name that Moses raised:
THE LORD OUR BANNER (so defined),
Recalled the place where God was praised.

How bold our banner is today
Declaring triumph over strife
Through Jesus Christ the only Way,
The only Truth, and only Life!

Our banner that is now unfurled
Displays the cross of Jesus Christ,
Proclaiming now to all the world
That He for us was sacrificed.

Our banner shows His victory
For sinners that He came to save,
It proves the truth that makes us free,
And robs all boasting from the grave.

Lord, help us to exalt Your name,
And raise the banner that You give,
To show the reason that You came,
And that we live, because You live.

Saturday, January 07, 2012

Rod upon the Rock

"And the people thirsted for water.... And Moses cried unto the LORD, saying, What shall I do unto this people?.... And the LORD said unto Moses, Go on before the people, and take with thee of the elders of Israel; and thy rod, wherewith thou smotest the river, take in thine hand, and go. Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb, and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink" (Exodus 17:3-6).

The people in the desert cried
And turned to Moses to complain.
Their thirst had not been satisfied.
The land was dry; there was no rain.

Then Moses therefore cried to God
And rightly asked, "What shall I do?"
The Lord then said to take his rod,
And bring the elders with him too.

"Behold," the Lord said, "I will stand
Before thee there upon the rock."
Then "smite the rock," was His command,
To bring forth water for His flock.

There is a portrait here we find
That clearly shows us Jesus Christ
Because our Lord was so inclined
To pour His life out, sacrificed.

God's judgment rod upon Him fell,
Because He took the sinner's place.
That He might rescue us from hell
And satisfy us with His grace.

O Lord, we stand in grateful awe
That You would bless us, who were cursed,
By satisfying thus Your law,
And satisfying too, our thirst!

Friday, January 06, 2012

Manna every Morning

"Then said the LORD unto Moses, Behold I will rain bread from heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day..... and in the morning, then shall ye see the glory of the LORD.... and the children of Israel did eat manna forty years until they came to a land inhabited: they did eat manna until they came unto the borders of the land of Canaan" (Exodus 16:4-35). "My son, keep thy Father's commandment.... When thou goest, it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee; and when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee" (Proverbs 6:20-22).

We see the glory of the LORD,
His counsel, comfort, warning,
And with correction we're restored
With manna every morning.

While walking through this wilderness,
God's manna comes as rain,
Which is the Word of God to bless
The souls He will sustain.

God knows how much we need His Word,
A certain rate each day,
To meditate on what we've heard,
To trust Him, and obey.

For by His Word we shall be led
To guide us when we walk,
To keep us when we go to bed,
And when we rise, to talk.

O Lord, we thank You for Your love
That meets us when we rise
With daily manna from above
The Word of God supplies!

Thursday, January 05, 2012

Wonderful Warrior

"Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the LORD, and spake, saying, I will sing unto the LORD, for He hath triumphed gloriously.... The LORD is my strength and song, and He is become my salvation: He is my God, and I will prepare Him an habitation.... The LORD is a Man of war: the LORD is His name" (Exodus 15:1-3). "And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy... for Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by Thy blood.... Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing" (Revelation 5:9,12).

Our wonderful Warrior, battle-scarred Lord,
Has valiantly fought to obtain our salvation!
How great was His mercy that sought the reward
Of making His people His own habitation!

The gates of our prison our Savior has stormed!
He broke all the bars of our dark, dismal cell!
How great was the battle! How well He performed,
Redeeming our souls from the fires of hell!

How rightly our Savior, our great Man of war,
Inspires our worship and fills us with song,
As we, with increasing amazement, explore,
The love that compelled Him to suffer so long!

O Lord, our Redeemer, how worthy You are
To reign in the hearts that You fought to set free!
We'll wonder with worship at each battle scar
Displayed in Your glorified body we see!

Wednesday, January 04, 2012

See the Salvation

"Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which He will show to you today" (Exodus 14:13). "Thou hast delivered my soul from death: wilt not thou deliver my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living?" (Psalm 56:13). "Let thine eyelids look straight before thee. Ponder the path of thy feet.... Turn not to the right hand nor to the left" (Proverbs 4:25-27). "And after this I looked, and behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard... which said, Come up hither, and I will show thee the things which must be hereafter" (Revelation 4:1).

There is a time for standing still
That we may see salvation's sight
To find the center of God's will
And turn not to the left or right.

There was a path that God had planned
Which brought His people through the sea.
Obedience then to His command
Secured salvation's victory.

There was a voice in Revelation
That came from heaven's open door
Which called John to an elevation
To see salvation yet in store.

These illustrations show our need
To see things from our Savior's view,
That we may walk where He will lead
And do the things He says to do.

Lord, keep our eyes on You today
As we behold salvation's path,
To trust You only all the way,
Since You delivered us from wrath.

Tuesday, January 03, 2012

Heaven's Harness

"The children of Israel went up harnessed out of the land of Egypt.... And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, to go by day and night" (Exodus 13:18-21). "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths" (Proverbs 3:5,6).

The children of Israel went of the land
Wherein they were captive for so many years,
Delivered at last by God's mighty hand
From all their oppression, affliction, and tears.

A cloud through the day and a fire by night
Were visible tokens by which the Lord led.
And now, as we're walking by faith, not by sight,
We follow our Savior, who rose from the dead.

Thus harnessed by heaven's direction and grace,
God leads His own children by night and by day.
At whatever time, situation, or place,
Their triumph is found as they trust and obey.

O Lord, we are harnessed by love that constrains,
And led now to trust You, as on You we lean.
Acknowledging daily Your hand that sustains,
Our faith is assured of the things not yet seen.

Monday, January 02, 2012

Remember, Repent, Return

"Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works, or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent" (Revelation 2:4,5).

There is a reason to recall
That happy day we came to Christ
When we were rescued from our fall
Because our Lord was sacrificed.

What Love from heaven thus was sent!
How great His mercy then we learned!
When we remember, and repent,
We find our first love has returned.

O Lord, we thank You for Your love
That stirred our hearts to love You too!
The grace that sent You from above
Still fuels our first love, Lord, for You.

Sunday, January 01, 2012

Keys of our King

"Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am He that liveth, and was dead, and behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and death" (Revelation 1:17,18).

We start the new, uncharted year
With joy and confidence ahead,
As Jesus bids us not to fear,
For He now lives, though He was dead!

Behold, He lives forevermore,
And He alone now holds the keys
That opens every prison door
Of hell and death from which He frees.

O Lord, You are the first and last;
From everlasting You have been.
And when the proper time has passed,
We know that You will come again.

Lord, with this year still in its dawn,
We'd consecrate ourselves anew,
Redeeming time before it's gone
By living faithfully for You.

O Lord, our King, the keys You hold
Have now unlocked our prison cell.
We thank You for Your grace untold
Which rescued us from death and hell!