Cruelty or Christ

"The statutes of the Lord are right.... by them is Thy servant warned, and in keeping of them is great reward.... Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord" (Psalm 19:8-14). "Hear Me now therefore... lest thou give thine honor unto others, and thy years unto the cruel.... For the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, and He pondereth all his goings" (Proverbs 5:7-21).

The statutes of the Lord are right
And promise great reward,
When we are living in His sight,
And thereby fear the Lord.

But joy can be exchanged for tears,
The wise becomes a fool,
When Satan steals precious years,
Surrendered to the cruel.

Satan only comes to steal,
To kill, and to destroy.
Our Savior came that He might heal
And give us life with joy.

Why then would we volunteer
One moment of our day
(And how much less another year!)
To cruelty this way?

So may our words and meditation
Be governed by this rule:
To please the Christ of our salvation,
And thus deny the cruel.

Ponder His Perfection

"As for God, His way is perfect: the Word of the Lord is tried.... Who is a Rock, save our God?" (Psalm 18:30,31). "Keep thy heart with all diligence.... Ponder the path of Thy feet, and let all thy ways be established" (Proverbs 4:26). "And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart" (Luke 2:18,19).

Ponder the way of the Lord and His Word;
His promises never have failed.
How wondrously He has performed what we heard!
How perfectly He has prevailed!

Ponder these things from His Word in your heart
And walk in the path of His light;
Keep them with diligence; do not depart
From His way to the left or the right.

Now keep all these things, as Mary once did
When angels had given direction
To shepherds from whom His Word was not hid,
Declaring our Savior's perfection!

Eye on the End

"As for me, I will behold Thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with Thy likeness" (Psalm 17:15). "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart.... The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools" (Proverbs 3:3,35).

Life on this earth so swiftly will end,
But afterwards we shall awake.
Trust in the Savior, the sinner's best Friend,
Or forever regret your mistake!

Eternity comes if we're ready or not!
Will you spend it in heaven or hell?
Trust in the Savior, and rest in the thought
That your soul will forever be well!

Trust in the Savior with all of your heart,
And ponder the path that you take.
Keeping your eyes on the Lord will impart
The wisdom to live for His sake.

Bountiful Boundaries

"The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: Thou maintainest my lot. The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage.... Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope" (Psalm 16:5-9). "My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior.... For He that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is His name" (Luke 1:46-49).

The Lord is my Portion: what more do I need?
How pleasant the lines of my heritage are!
His bountiful boundaries therefore exceed
My greatest desire imagined by far!

The Lord is my Portion: how pleasant the choice
That God by His mercy and truth now affords!
My heart will be glad and my soul will rejoice;
My flesh rests in hope, knowing I am the Lord's!

The Lord is my Portion: my spirit now sings
To God and my Savior for all He has done!
For He that is mighty and merciful brings
His bountiful blessings to me by His Son!

O Lord, You're my Portion: since I am Yours too,
I'd bring You my heart with the love You deserve,
I'd bring You my soul thus surrendered to You,
And bring You my strength consecrated to serve.

Two Turnings

"Turn you at My reproof: behold, I will pour out My Spirit unto you, I will make known My words unto you.... The turning away of the simple shall slay them. But whoso hearkeneth unto Me shall dwell safely" (Proverbs 1:23-33). "[John] shall be filled with the Holy Ghost.... and many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God" (Luke 1:15,16).

Souls may turn to God today,
If they will hear His voice.
Yet they may also turn away;
God leaves to us that choice.

Given now these two extremes,
This is insanely odd!
Indeed, how very strange it seems
That many turn from God!

What insanity is this,
When choices are so plain?
Who would turn from heaven's bliss
To hell's eternal pain?

How deceptive is the path
Of fools' prosperity
That chooses not to turn from wrath,
Which looms eternally!

As John the Baptist turned the hearts
In his day by God's Spirit,
The Gospel still today imparts
God's grace to those who hear it.

So give us fervor, Lord, like John
To turn hearts now to You.
The day of grace will soon be gone;
The laborers are few.

What Fools Will Forget

"The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God" (Psalm 14:1). "Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? Who hath gathered the wind in his fists? Who hath bound the waters in a garment? Who hath established all the ends of the earth? What is His name, and what is His Son's name, if thou canst tell? (Proverbs 30:4). "Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulcher?" (Mark 16:3).

The fool has said within his heart
That God does not exist.
Well, how then did this world start?
Who holds it in His fist?

Who told the waters not to pass
The bounds that He had set?
Who clothed the earth with trees and grass?
(No, I'm not finished yet!)

Who also made it clearly known
He'd rise on the third day?
And after they had sealed the stone,
Who rolled that stone away?

The fool may never count it odd
That questions such as these
Are answered only by the God
Whom he forgets with ease.

Creator of the universe
And Savior of the soul,
Though fools forget, we will rehearse
Your name which we extol!

Answering the Anguish

"At the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?.... And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom" (Mark 15:34-38).

My God, My God, that anguished prayer
Your Son addressed to You,
Was answered when You chose to tear
The temple veil in two.

Forever gone, that separation
Dividing God and man!
His anguish was for our salvation;
There was no other plan!

We find His answer prophesied
Throughout Psalm twenty-two:
It was for sinners there He died,
As only He could do!

We did not understand the way
Or comprehend the cost.
Our Savior knew, and He would pay
To ransom thus the lost.

O Lord, we thank You for Your love
That You could not deny,
For which You left Your throne above
To suffer and to die.

So may that anguished prayer You prayed
Be answered without fail
By grace in us with love displayed,
Since You removed the veil.

Set in Safety

"For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the Lord; I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him. The words of the Lord are pure words" (Psalm 12:5-6). "And the Scripture was fulfilled, which saith, And He was numbered with the transgressors.... Likewise the chief priests mocking said... He saved others; Himself He cannot save" (Mark 15:28-31).

The enemy may huff and puff,
Oppressing us with all his lies,
But God has said (and that's enough!)
In our defense, He would arise.

Poor and needy as we were
The Lord alone would hear our cries,
Fulfilling thus His words so pure,
Declaring: Now will I arise.

And thus He came as He declared
To bear the shame He would despise.
He gave Himself and was not spared,
Because for us He would arise.

And so the Scriptures were fulfilled,
And as His tomb yet testifies,
The Lamb of God for us was killed,
And on the third day, did arise.

Lord, we lift our voice of praise
And on You, Lord, would fix our eyes,
Thus set in safety all our days
Till in Your presence, we arise.

Think Thereon

"Peter called to mind the word that Jesus said unto him, Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. And when he thought thereon, he wept" (Mark 15:72).

How thoughtless we may often be
In words and deeds unkind
Until we think on Calvary,
And call our Lord to mind.

Peter once became aware,
Before he was restored,
That even he could curse and swear,
Denying thus his Lord.

But after thinking on the Word
That Jesus Christ had spoken,
He called to mind what he had heard,
And then his heart was broken.

When Peter thought thereon, he wept,
And so indeed should we,
When we perceive we have not kept
The Word that makes us free.

And thus we find ourselves enslaved
With testimony gone
Because of how we have behaved,
Until we think thereon.

O Lord, we know these things are written
To warn of such behavior.
So teach our hearts to thus be smitten,
And think upon our Savior.

Hubris or Humility?

"The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God.... He hath said in his heart, I shall not be moved.... He hath said in his heart, God hath forgotten: He hideth His face; He will never see it.... He hath said in his heart, Thou wilt not require it.... Lord, Thou hast heard the desire of the humble: Thou wilt prepare their heart; Thou wilt cause Thine ear to hear" (Psalm 10:4-17).

Our God can hear the heart of pride
Engage in conversation;
He sees the hubris there inside,
Rejecting His salvation.

This hubris has a twisted view
That thinks God hides His face,
Rejecting counsel that is true
And thus refusing grace.

But God beholds humility
That draws the sinner near,
Who prays in his sincerity
And with a godly fear.

Hubris or humility?
The choice is ours to make.
The welfare for eternity
Of souls is now at stake.

Without Walls

"He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls" (Proverbs 25:28). "Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak" (Mark 14:38).

Come now, Lord, receive the crown
Acknowledging Your rule!
Erect the walls once broken down
By enemies so cruel.

Come now, Lord, receive my prayer
To take Your rightful place.
The enemy can't enter where
You're ruling by Your grace.

Come now, Lord, my spirit calls
To You with confidence.
I'm like a city without walls
That cries for Your defense.

Come now, Lord, receive my thanks
For grace and victory,
As powers of darkness break their ranks
And from Your presence flee!

Extreme Epitaphs

"And Jesus said.... She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint My body to the burying.... this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her. And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went unto the chief priests to betray Him unto them.... [Jesus] said unto them... Woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! Good were it for that man if he had never been born" (Mark 14:6-21).

Could epitaphs be more extreme
In good and evil so contrasting
As in this woman's praise supreme
And Judas' horror everlasting?

Our Savior spoke with satisfaction
Regarding what this woman did,
While others then maligned her action
Because her heart to them was hid.

Yet oh, that we might likewise hear
That we, like her, did all we could!
There is no epitaph as dear
Or tribute to a life so good!

And but for grace we surely know
Our epitaph would be as well
Like that of Judas in his woe,
Lamenting in eternal hell!

Lord, for us You gave Your all!
Why should we then give You half?
Lift us to the higher call
To hear that sweeter epitaph!

Perennial Porters

"Be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long. For surely there is an end, and thine expectation shall not be cut off" (Proverbs 23:17,18). "Take ye heed, watch and pray... for the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch.... And what I say unto you I say unto all: Watch" (Mark 13:33-37).

There's not a moment of the day
When Satan safely is ignored,
And so we're called to watch and pray,
As all day long we fear the Lord.

Our Lord is coming back again,
Yet ponders how we now behave.
The coming day approaches when
We'll give account for what we gave.

He gave to us authority
And every man his work to do.
He gave responsibility
To watch and pray as porters too.

He called us to give diligence
To all His work to us assigned.
And with a porter's vigilance
To watch with an attentive mind.

O Lord, we know there is an end,
And all Your words shall be fulfilled.
We watch, yet trust You to defend
Your Church You said that You will build.

Widow's Worship

"And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld HOW the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. And He called unto Him His disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast more in than all they which have cast in to the treasury" (Mark 12:41-43).

Our Lord beheld the treasury
Back then (as well as now)
To see what others could not see:
Not just how much, but how.

He saw the widow's worship then
Exceed more than them all.
He saw her inward treasure when
Her outward wealth was small.

We know, Lord, that You watch us still
And ponder all our ways.
We would surrender all our will,
And give You all our praise.

Upward Understanding

"My voice shalt Thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto Thee, and will look up" (Psalm 5:3).

I hear Your voice, Lord, everyday
Within Your wondrous Book.
And You shall hear me when I pray
As I will upward look.

I look to You, Lord, every morning;
There's nowhere else to turn
To find Your wisdom and Your warning
I need so much to learn!

Everyday I wake to find
This world no less confused:
The blind are leading still the blind,
And God's Word is refused.

It comes, therefore, as no surprise
To hear this world's scorning,
And therefore I will lift my eyes
To You, Lord, every morning.

I cannot even trust my heart;
Deception is within.
And so before the day will start,
Lord, cleanse my heart from sin.

Thank You, Lord, that You've agreed
With me to daily sup.
The understanding that I need
Will come as I look up.

Simply Saying

"Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man, who can find?.... Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?.... The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord, searching all he inward parts" (Proverbs 20:6,9,27).

Simply saying we are clean
And by ourselves are pure from sin,
Doesn't change what God has seen,
As He has searched us from within.

Simply saying we are free,
Doesn't break the chains that bind.
Simply saying we can see,
Doesn't change the fact we're blind.

God alone can cleanse our hearts.
God alone can free the soul.
God alone His grace imparts
To give us sight and make us whole.

Lord, You didn't simply say
The words You knew would not suffice.
You knew there was a price to pay,
And on the cross You paid that price.

Thank You, Lord, for what You said
And what You did for us as well:
We who once we were lost and dead,
You made alive and saved from hell!

Mountain Mandate

"And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. For verily I say unto you, that whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea, and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe those things which he saith shall come to pass, he shall have whatsoever he saith.... And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses" (Mark 11:22-25). "He will have compassion upon us; He will subdue our iniquities, and Thou shalt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea" (Micah 7:19).

Is there a mountain in your way
That God has told you to remove,
A bitterness from yesterday
You know that God does not approve?

It's an impossibility
To lift a mountain with a prayer
And have it cast into the sea
Unless the hand of God is there.

But such is prayer by God's command,
A gracious access to His fountain
From which the power of His hand
Can easily remove a mountain.

Lord, we hear Your mandate now
To pardon others as we pray.
Your own forgiveness shows us how
To cast these mountains all away.

Cords of Counsel

"The rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against His Anointed, saying, Let break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us" (Psalm 2:1-3). "Blind Bartimaeus... began to cry out, and say, Jesus, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me. And many charged him that he should hold his peace: but he cried out the more a great deal.... And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called. And.... he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way" (Mark 10:46-52).

There's counsel that we ought to heed
And counsel that should be ignored.
The Word of God is what we need
To follow Jesus Christ our Lord.

Opinions from the noisy crowd
May shout and tell us what to do,
But though their words are long and loud,
That doesn't make their counsel true.

With cords of love God draws us near;
The crowd will cast His cords away.
Ignore the crowd, and rather hear
And heed the Word of God today!

Now drawn to Christ, we leave behind
The counsel of this world's opinion.
We're led no longer by the blind,
But by the cords of Christ's dominion!

Prospering or Perishing

"Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law doth he meditate day and night.... and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.... but the way of the ungodly shall perish" (Psalm 1:1-6).

There simply is no middle ground
Between the two extremes:
The only souls in heaven found
Are those whom Christ redeems.

We'll prosper in our Savior's love,
Or perish in our shame.
Our home is with our Lord above,
Or in perdition's flame.

In Christ is true prosperity;
We dare not be confused!
There is no hope eternally,
If grace has been refused!

O Lord, we thank You that You came
To give our souls a choice
To find our Refuge in Your name,
And in Your love rejoice!

Imparting the Impossible

"They were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, Who then can be saved? And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible" (Mark 10:26,27).

With men it is impossible
Forever to be saved,
For all have sinned, and every soul
Is hopelessly depraved!

Our souls would have no remedy
Apart from Jesus Christ.
Our efforts for eternity
Would never have sufficed.

How rightly we ourselves should be
Astonished out of measure
That God so loved the world that He
Imparted such a Treasure!

Thank You, Lord, for wondrous grace
For souls like ours undone.
There was no other hiding place
But in Your righteous Son!

For us it was impossible
Before we even started,
But by Your grace, O Lord, so full,
Salvation was imparted!

Hard Look at Hell's Lake

"Hell and destruction are before the Lord: how much more then the hearts of the children of men?" (Proverbs 15:11). "It is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire: where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched" (Mark 9:47).

There is a hard reality
That forces us to look
At where we'll spend eternity,
According to God's Book.

Yes, hell is hard to think about;
We'd rather look away.
But God has left no room for doubt;
He sees it everyday!

For God so loved the world He gave
His Son forever cherished,
That He in mercy thus might save
Our souls which would have perished.

And what would prompt the Lord to do
That work of pain and grief?
He saw indeed that hell is true,
Where there is no relief!

How great His love, that would compel
Our Lord to leave His throne
To save our wretched souls from hell
And claim us as His own!

Thank You, Lord, for Your desire,
That prompted Your decision
To save us from the lake of fire;
Now send us with Your vision!

Godly v. Gullible

"The simple believeth every word: but the prudent man looketh well to his going" (Proverbs 14:15). "Now faith is... the evidence of things not seen" (Hebrews 11:1).

A prudent faith has evidence
(By Hebrews thus defined),
That gives a logical defense
That satisfies the mind.

I know this goes against the grain
Of scorners who suppose
Believers do not use their brain,
And science thus oppose.

But science that is true agrees
With honest observation
Which analyzes what one sees
In search for its causation.

Godly faith thus understands
That matter, time, and space
Within this universe demands
A First Cause we can trace.

Godly faith is logical
That sees that God has spoken.
True faith isn't gullible
In Scripture never broken.

Mockers now may count it odd
That faith has evidence,
But when they stand before our God,
They'll know it just made sense!

Like those Lepers

"There were four leprous men at the entering in of the gate: and they said one to another, Why sit we here until we die?.... And when these lepers came to the uttermost part of the camp, they went into one tent, and did eat and drink, and carried thence silver, and gold, and raiment... and went and hid it. Then said they one to another, We do not well: this day is a day of good tidings, and we hold our peace" (2 Kings 7:3-9). "A faithful ambassador is health" (Proverbs 13:17). "For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" (Mark 8:36).

Lepers sitting at the gate,
Just waiting there to die,
Contemplating then their fate,
Then posed the question: "Why?"

They talked of an alternative
To famine in the city:
Perhaps their foes would let them live,
And on them would take pity.

They reached the camp and were surprised:
Their enemies had fled!
They ate their fill, then realized:
"We do not well," they said.

They knew good tidings should be told
Which they had come to cherish,
For they had more than they could hold
While others soon would perish.

We see an illustration true
That we should surely heed:
We ought to take Good Tidings too,
And sow the Gospel seed!

We do not well if we don't tell
Our own community
That Jesus Christ will save from hell
For all eternity!

Are we like God's ambassadors
Declaring His salvation,
Or like the world that ignores
His gracious invitation?

Lord, we hear Your earnest plea
To think about the loss
That souls must face eternally
That will neglect Your cross.

Lord, like those lepers on the wall,
Now teach us to not to miss,
As your ambassadors, Your call
For such a time as this!

Forever Faithful

"Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God: which made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that therein is: which keepeth truth forever" (Psalm 146:5,6). "The lip of truth shall be established forever: but a lying tongue is but for a moment" (Proverbs 12:19).

Forever faithful is the One
Who made the heaven, earth, and sea.
He gave is own beloved Son,
Who kept His Word of prophecy.

And thus He clearly demonstrated
The Word He speaks is always true.
The promise God communicated
We can be sure that He will do.

Happy is the one who knows
His help and hope are in the Lord,
Who, as He promised, died and rose,
And shall forever be adored.

And so we speak with confidence
With lips of truth that make us free,
For truth from God has its defense
By Him who lives eternally.

We know, O Lord, Your truth goes on,
Forever faithful as Your throne.
A lying tongue shall soon be gone;
Your truth shall stand, and Yours alone!

Everyday and Evermore

"Everyday will I bless Thee, and I will praise Thy name forever and ever.... One generation shall praise Thy works to another, and shall declare Thy mighty acts.... The Lord upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that be bowed down.... The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon Him, to all that call upon Him in truth.... He also will hear their cry, and will save them" (Psalm 145:2-19). "He hath done all things well" (Mark 7:37).

Everyday I'll praise the name
And evermore I'll live to tell
The wondrous works and matchless fame
Of Jesus who does all things well!

Yes, everyday and evermore
I'd speak of Him who saves from hell.
How great the acts are we explore
Of Jesus who does all things well!

His majesty in star lit skies,
His mercy to each soul that fell,
One by one now testifies
Of Jesus who does all things well!

O Lord, You are unsearchable!
We bless Your name, Emmanuel!
The praise of every blood bought soul
Is Jesus who does all things well!

Summer Season

"And Elisha said unto him.... Is it a time to receive money, and to receive garments, and oliveyards, and vineyards, and sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and maidservants?" (2 Kings 5:25,26). "He that gathereth in summer is a wise son: but he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame" (Proverbs 10:5).

There is a time when we should sleep,
A time as well when we should rise,
A time to sow, a time to reap
When harvest gathering is wise.

In Israel, when summer came,
Beginning at the Pentecost,
It surely then was counted shame
For sons to sleep as crops were lost.

Is it a time for things so small
That waste our time and energy,
Displacing thus the greater call
For reaping souls eternally?

The summer season soon shall wane,
Symbolic of the harvest time.
A life absorbed with self is vain;
A life that's lived for God, sublime.

O Lord, You've said to lift our eyes
And look upon the harvest fields.
Revive in us a heart that's wise
To reap the joy obedience yields.

Listening for His Lovingkindness

"Cause me to hear Thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in Thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto Thee.... Teach me to do Thy will, for Thou art my God: Thy Spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness" (Psalm 143:8-10).

Listening for my Savior's love
That He communicates each morning,
My soul is lifted far above
This world's thoughtless voice of scorning.

I hear the voice of lovingkindness,
As God, through Scripture, stoops to talk.
He lifts me from this world's blindness,
And shows the way where I should walk.

He teaches me to do His will,
Reminding me He's on the throne.
In love He says to me, "Be still,"
To hear no voice but His alone.

How good His Holy Spirit is
Who kindly makes me understand
That He is mine and I am His,
And He will lead me by the hand.

So cause me, Lord, to hear Your voice;
Let every vain distraction cease,
That by Your words I may rejoice
In love that guarantees Your peace.

Overture of the Overwhelmed

"When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then Thou knewest my path.... I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me: refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul. I cried unto Thee, O Lord: I said, Thou art my portion in the land of the living" (Psalm 142:3-5).

When I was overwhelmed, O Lord,
You surely knew my path,
As no one else I looked toward
Could save my soul from wrath.

Eternity! Eternity!
Why was it no one cared?
Why was there so much apathy?
Why was there no one scared?

I turned to God in desperation,
For what else could I do?
I found a Refuge of salvation
At last, O Lord, in You!

Thank You, Lord, for truth and grace
That met me when I cried.
Apart from You there was no place
My soul could safely hide!

Earnest Eyes

"But mine eyes are unto Thee, O God the Lord: in Thee is my trust; leave not my soul destitute" (Psalm 141:8).

My eyes are fixed on You, O Lord;
There is no other resting place.
In You alone is peace restored;
You are the Fountainhead of grace.

My eyes are fixed on You, O Lord;
You will not leave me destitute.
The seeds of trust in You afford
A harvest that will bear much fruit.

My eyes are fixed on You, O Lord,
For You alone are my Defense.
There's no one else I look toward
So worthy of my confidence!

My eyes are fixed on You, O Lord;
And not the trends of so-called chance.
In You I find my sure Reward
And peace in every circumstance.

Hope at Home

"Jesus... saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee" (Mark 5:19).

Go home to your friends, and tell them how great
The things are that God did for you;
Moved with compassion in our low estate,
He saved us and made all things new!

Waking to the Wonder

"How precious also are Thy thoughts unto me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with Thee" (Psalm 139:17,18).

O God, I wake each day to find
Your precious thoughts that seem
So awesome I could be inclined
To think they are a dream!

But dreams are gone when one awakes,
Yet I am still with You!
I know You never make mistakes;
Your Word is always true.

So let the world go on scorning,
And count my comfort strange.
Your Word is no less true each morning,
And that will never change.

The Measure we Mete

"And He said unto them, Is a candle brought to be put under a bushel, or a bed, and not to be set on a candle stick?.... Take heed what ye hear: for with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given. For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath" (Mark 4:21-25).

Take heed what you hear,
For the Lord gives His Word
And makes His truth clear
To mete out what we've heard.

The measure that's meted,
As we're serving the Lord,
Shall not be depleted,
But be promptly restored.

Take heed to the treasure
That the Lord has bestowed.
We'll reap by the measure
That we faithfully sowed.

Take heed to be true
To God's Word in His sight,
Which was given to you
To be salt and give light.

Take heed to obey
And mete out what is taught.
The Lord takes away
From the one who will not.

Triumphant Trust

"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart.... The Lord by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath He established the heavens.... The Lord shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken.... He giveth grace unto to the lowly" (Proverbs 3:5,19-26).

Trust in God with all your heart,
Though all the earth may mock;
The confidence He will impart
Is solid as a rock!

Trust in God who made the earth
And heavens all above.
Ponder this, for what it's worth,
Then contemplate His love!

Trust in God, for as you do,
Your foot shall never stumble,
And you shall find His promise true:
He gives grace to the humble.

Binding Beelzebub

"And the scribes which came down from Jerusalem said, He hath Beelzebub, and by the prince of the devils casteth He out devils. And He called them unto Him, and said unto them in parables, How can Satan cast out Satan?.... No man can enter into a strong man's house and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man, and then he will spoil his house" (Matthew 3:22-27).

Beelzebub has been subdued;
His prison house is spoiled!
His fallen armies are pursued,
His strategies are foiled!

Christ Jesus, God's beloved Son,
Our Savior and our Lord,
Has claimed the spoil He has won:
Our souls are His reward!

Alas! Beelzebub today,
Undaunted by his loss,
Seduces souls to throw away
The riches of the cross!

Lord, we are amazed to see
The ransom that we find
You paid for us at Calvary,
And thus our foe would bind!

Enlist us, Lord, to now proclaim
That freedom can be found
In Christ, for by no other name
Beelzebub is bound!

Magnificent Memorials

"Thy name, O Lord, endureth forever, and Thy memorial, O Lord, throughout all generations" (Psalm 135:13).

How great are Your memorials
We see, Lord, everywhere:
Creation's editorials
Your attributes declare!

Beyond our finite comprehension
Of things that You have made,
Creation calls to our attention
Your majesty displayed.

And yet there is another place
Where You display Your name:
That great memorial of Your grace,
Where Jesus bore our shame.

The cross commemorates Your love
Through every generation;
You set aside Your throne above
To die for our salvation.

You are alive forevermore,
Yet Your memorial stands
In marks of love Your body bore:
Your wounded feet and hands.

Blazing the Blessing

"There came a leper to Him, beseeching Him, and kneeling down to Him, If Thou wilt, Thou canst make me clean. And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth His hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean. And as soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was cleansed. And He.... saith unto him, See thou say nothing to any man.... But he went out, and began to publish it much, and to blaze abroad the matter" (Mark 1:40-45).

There came a leper to the Lord
Who cried to Him for healing,
And Jesus had compassion toward
This leper who was kneeling.

The Lord then charged him not to say
How he had thus been healed;
He blazed the matter anyway,
Like flames across a field.

Yet now that we are charged to go
And preach to every nation,
How strange it is that we are slow
To speak of His salvation!

Since that healed leper blazed
God's blessing then abroad,
Shouldn't we be more amazed
With saving grace from God?

Cleanse us, Lord, from weary praise,
And purge our apathy!
Stir our hearts again to blaze
The truth that makes us free!

Analogy in Aaron

"Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments" (Psalm 133:1,2).

Among the portraits we may see
In Scripture to Christ pointing,
Is the profound analogy
Of the high priest's anointing.

Our unity, the psalmist said,
Is like the precious ointment
That once anointed Aaron's head,
To manifest appointment.

Our God appointed that high priest,
By ointment signified,
And vain division, then at least,
Was clearly set aside.

Yet these are shadows that have passed
That point to Jesus Christ,
Who is our great High Priest at last,
For us once sacrificed!

So may our unity likewise
Be focused in our midst
As now on Jesus Christ our eyes
With one accord are fixed.

Commitment to His Commission

"Go ye therefore, and teach all nations... teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen" (Matthew 28:19,20).

We have our Savior's clear command,
His commission for each nation,
Teaching them in every land
The way of His salvation.

We have our Lord's assurance too,
His commitment as our Friend,
Who promised "Lo, I am with you,"
Even till the very end.

O Lord, we hear Your call today,
And we see, by faith, Your vision;
Revive Your servants to obey,
The command of Your commission!

Beautifully Borrowed

"When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus' disciple. He went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered. And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock" (Matthew 27:57-60).

How beautiful were borrowed things
Once given to our Lord,
Though as the sovereign King of kings,
All things He could afford.

A borrowed crib within a manger
A borrowed fishing boat,
Possessing no more as Stranger,
Than garments as His coat.

A borrowed colt, a borrowed coin,
A borrowed upper room,
And all these borrowed things would join
His final borrowed tomb.

Lord of heaven and of earth
We know that it is true:
Whatever that we have of worth,
O Lord, belongs to You.

Receive now, Lord, what we may give
As tokens of our love!
It is by borrowed breath we live,
Received from You above.

The Thought of Thorns

"And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon His head, and a reed in His right hand: and they bowed the knee before Him, and mocked Him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews!" (Matthew 27:29).

The soldiers made a crown of thorns
And put it on His head,
But now a glorious crown adorns
Our risen Lord instead!

Those thorns by which the ground was cursed
That typified our sin
Were rightly ours; we sowed them first,
And reaping, brought them in.

They pressed those thorns upon His brow
As mockingly they roared,
But one day every knee shall bow,
Proclaiming He is Lord.

Did cherub hosts then draw their swords,
By mocking thorns appalled?
Did angels bend the ear towards
Their Lord in case He called?

Praise God! We know He could have cried,
And legions would descend!
For us our Lord was crucified;
He loved us to the end!

Now even while the world scorns,
God saves us by the grace
Of Him wore the crown of thorns,
If we will seek His face.

Christ vs. Crowd

"When he was set down on the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him saying, Have thou nothing to do with that just Man: for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of Him.... Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? They all say unto him, Let Him be crucified" (Matthew 27:19,22).

Many voices in the crowd
Will give us their advice
(Some are whispered, some are loud)
On what to do with Christ.

The wife of Pilate gave her voice
To not become involved,
But that is surely not a choice,
So nothing there was solved.

Pilate asked the hostile mob,
Whose frenzy then was stirred,
But why should angry sinners rob
The counsel of God's Word?

The only One whom we should heed
Is God, the Holy Spirit.
The Word of God is all we need
Today, if we will hear it.

What then shall we do with Christ?
Receive Him now as Lord,
Who for our sins was sacrificed!
The crowd should be ignored.

Reprover and Ruler

"As an earring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise reprover upon an obedient ear.... He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down and without walls" (Proverbs 25:12,28).

A wiser Reprover has never been heard
Than God who reproves by His Spirit,
And thus He adorns by His Holy Word,
The obedient ear that will hear it.

There's no greater Ruler that's ever been found
Than God by His Spirit within,
With life more abundant, with grace to abound,
And power to conquer our sin.

How foolish we are, Lord, without Your correction;
How frail without Your command!
It's by Your reproof that we find our direction,
And, Lord, by Your rule that we stand.

Building, Battling, Believing

"Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so He giveth His beloved sleep" (Psalm 127:1,2). "The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak" (Matthew 26:41).

The "How-To" books upon our shelves
Can never change the fact
That we our hopeless by ourselves,
Unless our God will act.

Except the Lord through us will build,
Our labor is in vain,
But as we do as God has willed,
Our work He will sustain.

Except the Lord shall safely keep
Our souls by His own power,
The watchman vainly loses sleep,
Though vigilant each hour.

Except the Lord shall give His peace,
We vainly strive and fret,
But when we trust Him, worries cease
With which we were beset.

We thank You, Lord, that You have shown
That victory over strife
Is found in trusting You alone
In every part of life.

Sowing with Sorrow

"They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him" (Psalm 126:5,6).

The Gospel should be sown with tears
Of sorrow for the sinner's soul
So unprepared as judgment nears,
Though Jesus Christ would make him whole.

We know our Lord was moved to weep
For souls astray whom He spoke of,
Just as a Shepherd longs for sheep,
Which strayed from His protective love.

We know the Word of God is true,
Assuring us there is a hell.
We know there is a heaven too,
Where sinners saved forever dwell.

In light of what we surely know
Of things regarding condemnation,
Let us weep and as well as sow
For precious souls without salvation.

So lead us, Lord, to sow with sorrow
And also with Your joy to reap.
Until eternity's tomorrow,
Lord, teach us with Your love weep.

Hating the Halting

"Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? If the Lord be God, follow Him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word" (1 Kings 18:21). "That thy trust may be in the Lord, I have made known to thee THIS DAY, even to thee.... the certainty of the words of truth" (Proverbs 22:19-21).

How long will we halt between two opinions?
Let's honestly settle this matter today:
The King of all kings, above all dominions,
Commands our repentance and warns of delay!

How long will we waste the time that God gives,
While God has removed our reasons to wait:
The prophets have spoken; our Lord Jesus lives.
Our reasons to trust Him are many and great!

How long will we think that it's prudent to halt
Until it's convenient to fit our Lord in?
There's no better time than right now to exalt
The Lord who took time to redeem us from sin!

Eloquence of Evidence

"O Lord my God, I pray thee, let this child's soul come into him again. And the Lord heard the voice of Elijah, and the soul of the child came to him again, and he revived.... And Elijah said, See, thy son liveth. And the woman said to Elijah, Now by this I know that thou art a man of God, and that the Word of the Lord in thy mouth is truth" (1 Kings 17:21-24).

The child of the widow died
Where Elijah yet was staying.
Elijah to the Lord then cried;
The Lord God heard him praying.

The child's soul returned again,
And Elijah to her said,
"See, your son lives," showing then
Her son raised from the dead.

The woman's faith revived as well,
For now she thereby knew
The living God had stooped to tell
By this His Word was true.

Our God provides the evidence
For faith in every season,
Providing thus with eloquence
Defense with ample reason.

Has not Christ's empty tomb sufficed
With prophecies fulfilled?
Behold, He lives! By Jesus Christ
All honest doubt is stilled!

Erroneous Ease

"Unto Thee I lift up mines eyes... as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters... Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorning of those that are at ease" (Psalm 123:1-4). "The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the Lord hath made even both of them" (Proverbs 20:12).

We hear the scorning everyday
Of those who are at ease,
But God hears every word they say,
And all their folly sees.

For everything is crystal clear
To Him who made our eyes,
And He who made the hearing ear
Can hear their careless lies.

Should scorning fill us to the brim
With fretting and frustration,
Or turn our eyes again to Him
Who purchased our salvation?

We ought to stand for what is true,
Yet never should lose sight,
That scorners need salvation too;
They do not need our spite!

Knowing that it does not please
Our Lord to see one perish,
We ought to pray for those at ease
As precious souls to cherish.

We lift our eyes to You, O Lord,
As servants You have sent
To tell the lost to turn toward
Our Savior and repent.

Words to be Wise

"Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end. There are many devices in a man's heart, nevertheless the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand" (Proverbs 19:20,21). "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My words shall not pass away" (Matthew 24:35).

If we would be wise in our life's latter day,
There's counsel from God to obtain.
Long after heaven and earth pass away,
The words of our Lord shall remain.

O what a treasure to have His instruction
With counsel that always shall stand
That lifted us out of the path of destruction
And leads us along by His hand!

Lord, we give thanks that You opened our eyes
To take Your instruction to heart,
To trust in Your counsel that we may be wise
Through words that will never depart.

Refusing the Refuge

"The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it and is safe" (Proverbs 18:10). "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not" (Matthew 23:37).

There is a Refuge in the name
Of Jesus Christ, God's Son.
He is the Shelter from our shame
Where we may safely run.

We're trusting in His saving power;
We rest with confidence.
He is our strong, sufficient Tower,
And He is our Defense.

How strange it is when one resists
God's gracious Hiding Place!
No other one on earth exists;
In Christ alone is grace.

Longing for Jerusalem,
We know the Savior sought
Like a hen to gather them;
He would, but they would not.

And so it is today as well
That many still refuse
The One who rescues us from hell,
And thus perdition choose.

Thank You, Lord, that You provide
A Refuge for the lost.
You paid the price so we could hide;
How great, Lord, was that cost!

Future of Falsehood

"What shall be given unto thee? Or what shall be done unto thee, thou false tongue? Sharp arrows of the Mighty, with coals of juniper" (Psalm 120:3,4). "Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?" (Matthew 23:33).

The Word of God has made it clear
That every false tongue ought to fear
As judgment rapidly draws near
With falsehood's termination.

Our Savior's words affirmed as well
The horrifying truth of hell
Where those rejecting Him shall dwell
With endless condemnation.

The Way is clear! Escape this end!
Now come to Christ, the sinner's Friend,
While yet to you He will extend
His wonderful salvation!

Order of Outreach

"Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself" (Matthew 22:37-39).

Love's order for us is designed
By God Himself above:
With all our heart, our soul, and mind,
We first give Him our love.

The order here will surely matter:
To love our neighbor then,
For Christ in us fulfills the latter,
To love our fellow men.

Our love for others will amount
To wells that soon run dry
Unless we're drawing from the Fount
Of Love that cannot die.

This is why we love God first,
Avoiding futile labor:
We satisfy in Him our thirst
For love toward our neighbor.

Lord, You know how weak and flawed
This love is of our own,
But as we first love You, Lord God,
Your love through us is shown.

Watching my Ways

"I have kept Thy precepts and Thy testimonies: for all my ways are before Thee" (Psalm 119:168). "The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good" (Proverbs 15:3).

Lord, You're watching all my ways,
My every deed, and word.
Your eyes are on me all my days;
My every thought You've heard.

What comfort therein I derive
To know You see it all!
Your eyes are on me to revive
And lift me when I fall.

You see the evil and the good,
And lead me by Your love.
You teach me till I've understood;
You intercede above.

Come, Lord Jesus, enter in
This temple You would purge.
Within my heart where You see sin,
Now cleanse it with Your scourge!

Enduring to the End

"Thy Word is true from the beginning: and every one of Thy righteous judgments endureth forever" (Psalm 119:160). "Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the Scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes?" (Matthew 21:42).

The Word of God, right from the start,
Is truthful altogether.
It probes the depths of every heart,
Its judgments stand forever.

The Word of God in its perfection
Had clearly made it known,
That Christ would suffer His rejection,
Yet be the Corner Stone.

The Word of God has never missed:
Examine every word!
Produce your cause, and make a list:
All doubt becomes absurd!

God has surely made His case
To show His Word is true,
And thereby He extends His grace;
The rest is up to you.

Truth about Transgressors

"The law of the wise is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death. Good understanding giveth favor: but the way of transgressors is hard" (Psalm 119:14,15).

Now let us weigh what we have heard
To see with honest measure
The transgressors against God's Word
In their pursuit of pleasure.

The very thing that they pursue
Evades them everyday.
They cannot know a peace that's true;
How hard is this their way!

The understanding God will give
Imparts His loving favor;
A fountain full of grace to live
Now flows from Christ our Savior.

The transgressor can never know
The joy we have in Christ,
Or worship Him who loved us so
When He was sacrificed.

We thank You, Lord, for truth that made
Our hearts now free indeed.
We pray Your truth may yet persuade
Transgressors of their need.

Rule of Righteousness

"I am small and despised, yet do I not forget Thy precepts. Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and Thy law is the truth.... The righteousness of Thy testimonies is everlasting " (Psalm 119:141-144). "The thoughts of the righteous are right.... The way of a fool is right in his own eyes.... He that speaketh truth showeth forth righteousness" (Proverbs 12:5,15,17).

It doesn't matter that I'm small,
Or despised, or thought a fool.
God is righteous after all;
His truth is the eternal rule.

The fool is right in his own eyes,
But that will never make him true.
The rule of truth that makes one wise
Is an agreement, Lord, with You.

Those who will agree with God
Shall speak the truth in righteousness.
It matters not who will applaud,
Or if we're liked, the more or less.

It matters, though, that God commands
That all repent and turn to Christ.
His righteousness forever stands
Fulfilled since He was sacrificed.

Agree with God, or else be wrong:
The everlasting rule is plain.
Though fools may argue loud and long,
Their energies are spent in vain.

Wonderful Words

"I esteem all Thy precepts concerning all things to be right; and I hate every false way. Thy testimonies are wonderful: therefore doth my soul keep them. The entrance of Thy words giveth light: it giveth understanding unto the simple" (Psalm 119:128-130).

The words of God are wonderful;
In all things they are right.
Their entrance in the heart and soul
Give liberty and light.

His words will teach us how to live
By what He is commanding,
And to the simple they will give
A heart of understanding.

The words of God will search within
Exposing every part,
Evicting every hidden sin,
And cleansing thus our heart.

Your words are wonderful, O Lord;
We thereby hear Your voice!
In keeping them there's great reward
And reason to rejoice!

Time doesn't Tarry

"I am Thy servant.... It is time for Thee, Lord, to work: for they have made void Thy law" (Psalm 119:125,126). "He that gathereth in summer is a wise son: but he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame.... The labor of the righteous tendeth to life: the fruit of the wicked to sin" (Proverbs 10:5,16).

It's time to labor while we can
Before the day comes to an end,
For time will tarry for no man;
There is a harvest now to tend.

Harvest time shall soon be past:
When, O sleeper, will you wake?
This day may be your very last
To live your life for Jesus' sake.

The enemy is tireless,
Who seeks to steal, kill, destroy,
And work against God's purposes
With every lie he can deploy.

We hear him say, "Yea, hath God said?"
And it should come as no surprise,
For thus his seeds of doubt are spread
To nullify God's Word with lies.

O Lord, it's time to make the case
To show this age Your Word is true.
So help us labor by Your grace
For such a time as this for You.

Hiding and Holding

"Thou art my hiding place and my shield: I hope in Thy Word.... Uphold according to Thy Word, that I may live: and let me not be ashamed of my hope. Hold Thou me up, and I shall be safe" (Psalm 119:114-117).

Lord, You are my Hiding Place,
My ever present Shield.
My hope is in Your Word of grace
Upon life's battlefield.

I'm praying, Lord, with confidence
According to Your Word,
That You will be my strong Defense
And Armor that I gird.

Uphold me, Lord, that I may live
To glorify Your name.
I'm trusting in the grace You give
To live, Lord, without shame.

Hold me up, Lord, with Your hand,
And I shall be secure,
For by Your grace alone I stand,
And by Your Word I'm sure!

Leaning toward the Light

"Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.... I have inclined mine heart to perform Thy statutes always, even unto the end" (Psalm 119:105,112).

We lean toward the guiding light
From God's Word that has shined
To turn not to the left or right;
To God's way we're inclined.

For there is darkness on the path
That's void of God's instruction:
It is the road that leads to wrath,
The broad way of destruction.

His Word shall guide us where we tread
To keep us from each snare.
As for our pathway up ahead,
His comfort will be there.

Thank You for Your Word, O Lord,
A light to show what's true,
Inclining us to our Reward
That we have found in You.

To Love is to Loathe

"O how I love Thy law.... therefore I hate every false way" (Psalm 119:97,104).

A love for God's Word will have the effect
Of loathing the falsehood that leads us astray.
The lust that deceives us we'll learn to reject;
Discernment will teach us to hate the false way.

The more that we love the law of our God,
We'll grow with disdain for the things that deceive.
The falsehood this world will loudly applaud,
We'll counter with reasons for why we believe.

Some may consider these views too extreme,
But hell is eternal; its torment is real!
Eternal mistakes are much worse than they seem;
We ought to not worry how truth makes them feel.

Thank You, O Lord, for Your Word that we love
That counsels our hearts by Your marvelous grace
To set our affection on those things above;
And flee from deception into Your embrace!

The Only One

"And [Jesus] was transfigured before them.... And behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with Him.... and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye Him.... And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid. And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only" (Matthew 17:2-8).

The only One who lives to save
Who rose victorious from the grave
Who for our sins the Father gave,
Is Jesus only, God's own Son.

The only One who calms our fear,
Who by His mercy, draws us near,
Whom God the Father bids us hear,
Is Jesus; He's the only One.

The only One who give us peace,
Whose truth and mercy never cease,
Who gives the captive true release,
Is Jesus, by His victory won.

The only One we need to see
Who gave Himself for you and me
Who rose again victoriously
Is Jesus only; others shun.

The only One whose love sufficed,
Who for our sins was sacrificed,
Our only Savior, Lord, and Christ,
Is Jesus, and to Him we run.

The only One, O Lord, is You!
We lift our eyes; You fill our view
With all You're doing and will do,
And all, Lord Jesus, You have done.

The Queen's Questions

"And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the Lord, she came to prove him with hard questions.... And Solomon told her all her questions: there was not anything hid from the king, which he told her not.... And she said to the king, It was a true report that I heard in mine own land of thy acts and thy wisdom.... and, behold, the half was not told me: thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame which I heard" (1 Kings 10:1-7). "The queen of the south... came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here" (Matthew 12:42).

The queen of Sheba heard the fame
Of Solomon the king,
And armed with all her questions came,
Withholding not a thing.

His answers came at her request
With ease and no surprise;
She knew that he was surely blessed
By God who made him wise.

Behold, there is a greater One
Than Solomon we see
In David's Lord and greater Son,
Who reigns in majesty!

The half has surely not been told;
We've barely probed the facts
Of wisdom God will yet unfold
In all His wondrous acts.

Behold our Savior and our Lord,
Our God and our Creator,
Our King exalted and adored:
There is no other greater!

Seeking a Sign

"The Pharisees... desired Him that He would show them a sign from heaven. He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather, for the sky is red. And in the morning, It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and lowring. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky, but can ye not discern the signs of the times?" (Matthew 16:1-3).

How plentiful were the miracles shown
That Jesus our Savior displayed,
In order that grace might thereby be known,
Which all of these signs had portrayed.

Why were these signs that were offered by Christ
Forgotten, as if there were none?
How could they have not supremely sufficed
To manifest fully God's Son?

Surely there's more than is meeting our eye
And more than is heard with our ear,
For those who can logically look at the sky,
Can tell if a storm will draw near.

But Satan's deception is rendering blind
The souls who care not to believe,
And thus, by permission, he darkens their mind,
Obscuring what they should perceive.

O Lord, give us power to open blind eyes
To turn them from darkness to flee
From Satan's dominion, destruction, and lies,
To truth that will render them free.

Indicted by Isaiah

"Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias (Isaiah) prophesy of you saying, This people draweth nigh unto Me with their mouth, and honoreth Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. But in vain do they worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men" (Matthew 15:7-9).

We hear Isaiah's prophecy
With his indictment plain,
Describing the hypocrisy
Of worship that is vain.

Our Lord spoke to the Pharisee
When He had spoken thus,
Yet still He searches the degree
Those words are true of us!

So search us, Lord, and thus expose
Hypocrisy within,
Lest we become the same as those
Whose hollow praise was sin.

Rapid Return

"If they sin against Thee (for there is no man that sinneth not)... yet if they bethink themselves... and so return to Thee with all their heart... forgive Thy people" (1 Kings 8:46-50). "I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto Thy testimonies. I made haste, and delayed not to keep Thy commandments" (Psalm 119:59,60). "O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?" (Matthew 14:31).

I remember those days when I pondered my path,
And I thought on my ways as I drew near to wrath.

I remember my haste when I then turned my feet,
When I took my first taste of the Gospel so sweet!

I remember the start when the Lord purged my sin,
And the joy of my heart when He first entered in.

I remember, yet still, there are times when I stray
From my Lord's perfect will when I have my own way.

I remember my Savior, and return to my Lord
To confess my behavior, and my soul is restored.

I remember and haste with a rapid return.
What mercies I waste when I'm slower to learn!

I remember, O God, and I'm still finding out
How little and flawed is my faith when I doubt!

Poems of my Pilgrimage

"Horror hath taken hold upon me because of the wicked that forsake Thy law. Thy statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage" (Psalm 119:53,54). "For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them. But whoso hearkeneth unto Me shall dwell safely" (Proverbs 1:32,33).

We know that we are going home
To be with Christ our Savior.
His Word is His instructive poem
Along His path of favor.

His Word is yet a two-edged sword,
Distinguishing our path.
It speaks of heaven's sweet reward,
Yet also heaven's wrath.

Our hearts rejoice in our salvation,
Yet horror should attend
As sinners march to condemnation,
Indifferent to their end.

Your statutes, Lord, like songs we hear,
Attend our pilgrim way
To give us joy, yet prayerful fear
For those who go astray.

Scribes and Scriptures

"Jesus saith unto them, Have ye understood all these things? They say unto Him, Yea, Lord. Then said He unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth out of his treasure things new and old" (Matthew 13:51,52).

Precious truths as gems abound
In Scriptures which were once concealed
As we search them and have found
By grace these wondrous things revealed.

Have we understood these things?
Then as a scribe does, let us write.
Let understanding that God brings
Be worth the effort in our sight.

It's not because we are so smart
We understand what we have heard,
For God is searching every heart
To see who trembles at His Word.

All the treasures of this earth
Cannot with wisdom be compared.
If you value wisdom's worth,
Then why not write what God has shared?

Soil Scenarios

"Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower. When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side. But he that received the seed into stony places... dureth for a while: for... by and by he is offended. He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word, and the care of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful. But he that received seed into the good ground is he the heareth the word, and understandeth it, which also beareth fruit" (Matthew 13:18-23).

This parable taught by our Savior referred
To the sower who sowed the good seed,
To illustrate hearts which were hearing His Word,
With responses quite different indeed.

The seed by the wayside is caught by the thief
From the hearts that will not understand.
The seed where it's stony finds shallow belief
When there's trials that had not been planned.

The seed among thorns is then choked by the cares
And the riches that surely deceive.
The seed in the good ground, our Savior declares,
Is in hearts that sincerely believe.

O Lord, give us hearts like that fruitful good ground
Where the seed of Your Word can take root!
Grant us Your mercy that we may be found
With obedient hearts bearing fruit!

Wiser Way

"Remove from me the way of lying, and grant me Thy law graciously.... I will run the way of Thy commandments, when Thou shalt enlarge my heart" (Psalm 119:29,32). "He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool, but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered" (Proverbs 28:26).

The one who's trusting in his heart,
The Scripture calls a fool.
The wise will from that way depart,
Delivered by God's rule.

How graciously the Lord reproves
Our hearts by testifying,
As by His Word He thus removes
From us the way of lying.

Walking wisely thus requires
A heart God will enlarge
To purify our heart's desires,
Since He has taken charge.

Complete in us this work begun,
And grant us, Lord, Your way.
Enlarge our hearts to thereby run
Obediently today.

Countering the Counselors

"Princes also did sit and speak against me: but Thy servant did meditate in Thy statutes. Thy testimonies also are my delight and my counselors" (Psalm 119:23,24). "But I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by Thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned" (Matthew 12:36,37).

We could listen all day long
To the princes who malign
And declare that we are wrong,
As the truth they redefine.

But we serve the living God,
Who shall have the final Word,
And His counsel is not flawed
Like those princes we have heard.

Thank God! We have His Counselors,
Which counter their disdain:
His Spirit whom He freely pours
And His testimonies plain.

So let them sit and ridicule;
Yes, let them have their say.
Our God will judge them by His rule
Accountably one day.

His promise surely won't be broken
When all before His throne
Shall give account for what was spoken,
With every falsehood known.

So may our speech be purified
With everything we do
To counter all who have denied
What God declares is true.

Waste not the Word

"I have rejoiced in the way of Thy testimonies as much as in all riches. I will meditate in Thy precepts, and have respect unto Thy ways. I will delight myself in Thy statutes. I will not forget Thy word" (Psalm 119:14-16).

The Word of God is such a treasure
That may be used or sadly wasted.
We use it when we do God's pleasure;
We waste it when it's merely tasted.

Therefore let us meditate
Upon His precepts day and night
To know if we should act or wait;
His word is to our path a light.

Therefore let us have respect
To all God's counsel and His ways.
The word that scorners will reject,
The wise in heart at once obeys.

Therefore let us now delight
In every statute that He gives.
The counsel of the Lord is right,
And by His word His servant lives.

Therefore let us not forget,
But hide His word within our heart,
That we may live without regret
And from our sinfulness depart.

Hidden from the Hardened

"It is the glory of God to conceal a thing, but the honor of kings is to search out a matter" (Proverbs 25:2). "At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and has revealed them unto babes.... Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:25,28).

How great are the treasures that God has concealed,
And great is the honor for kings
That God shall bestow by His glory revealed,
As humbly we search out these things!

We are the monarchs, who govern our hearts,
Who earnestly ought to be seeking.
When we've surrendered is when the Lord starts
Revealing the truth He is speaking.

We thank You, O Lord of heaven and earth,
That You were compelled by Your love
To show us Your Fatherhood through our new birth
With glories unseen yet above.

As kings we surrender; as children we come
Like those You once lovingly blessed,
To search for hid treasures; how great is their sum!
And great is Your wonderful rest!

Better Builders

"The Stone which the builders refused is become the Head Stone of the corner. This is the Lord's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes" (Psalm 118:22,23). "Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established.... Prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thyself in the field; and afterwards build thine house" (Proverbs 24:3,27).

There is a better way to build
Upon a Sure Foundation,
Since God instructs as He has willed,
To grant us His salvation.

The builders of this world refused
Our Lord, to their destruction.
We dare not follow their confused,
Unthinking, blind instruction!

We see the plan of God so wise
That builds on Jesus Christ.
O Lord, it's wondrous in our eyes,
That You were sacrificed!

We stand amazed! How can it be?
And yet we know it's true!
How strange is this insanity
Of those refusing You!

So teach us, Lord, to build aright,
Since now our eyes can see,
Because You clearly give us light
With truth that makes us free.

End and Expectation

"Be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long. For surely there is an end, and thine expectation shall not be cut off" (Proverbs 23:17,18). "Whosoever shall confess Me before men, him will I confess also before My Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny Me before men, him will I also deny before My Father which is in heaven" (Matthew 10:32,33).

There is an end not far ahead
That comes with expectation.
Shall not the words our Lord once said
Provoke examination?

For every soul shall give account
Of things they've said and done.
To what then shall men's praise amount
When we shall face God's Son?

All those who in this world confessed
Our Savior before men
Shall hear their names that He'll attest
Before the Father then.

But those who won't confess the name
Of Christ whom they deny,
Shall then lament their choice with shame
Forever when they die.

There is an end with expectation
For all who will confess
And trust the Lord for their salvation,
Whom God will surely bless.

The Liars v. The Lord

"I said in my haste, All men are liars" (Psalm 116:12). "That Thy trust may be in the Lord, I have made know to thee this day, even to thee. Have not I written to thee excellent things in counsels and knowledge, that I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth, that thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee?" (Proverbs 22:19). "Let God be true, but every man a liar" (Romans 3:4).

I said rather hastily that all men are liars;
And after a long time, I still think it's true!
I found all the evidence that my faith requires,
Yet not in mere men, Lord, but wholly in You!

Though liars abound among men that we've heard,
And even our own hearts are filled with deceit,
Our Lord is still true, as we see in His Word
Each promise fulfilled that He said He'd complete.

Though all men be liars, the Lord surely proved
That God cannot lie or deny who He is,
And this is the anchor that cannot be moved
Embedded in certainty; not ours, but His!

Spreading His Splendor

"All Israel heard of the judgment which the king (Solomon) had judged; and they feared the king: for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him to do judgment" (1 Kings 3:28). "There came a certain ruler, and worshipped Him, saying, My daughter is even now dead: but come and lay Thy hand upon her, and she shall live.... [Jesus] went in, and took her by the hand, and the maid arose. And the fame hereof went abroad into all the land" (Matthew 8:18-26).

The people spread the news abroad
That Solomon the king
Obtained the wisdom of our God
For judgments He would bring.

And how much more went forth the fame
And splendor that was spread,
When Jesus Christ our Savior came
With power to raise the dead!

O let us spread His splendor now,
That He may more increase!
Why shouldn't the redeemed say how
Our Savior gave us peace?

For we who once were dead in sins
Are quickened by Christ Jesus.
Receiving Him, new life begins,
And He will never leave us.

Help us, Lord, in these last days,
To spread abroad Your splendor,
As we exalt You with our praise
From hearts that we surrender.

Dominion over Doubt

"When Israel went out of Egypt... Israel was His dominion. The sea saw it, and fled... Tremble thou earth at the presence of the Lord" (Psalm 114:2-7). "The men marveled, saying, What manner of Man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?... The devils besought Him saying, If Thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine. And He said unto them, Go. And... they went" (Matthew 8:27-32).

Marvel at Christ, and behold His dominion,
Commanding the winds and the sea!
Cast away doubt and the darkened opinion
Persuaded by blind apathy!

Tremble, O earth, at the presence of God
Whom the demons most certainly fear.
Doubting our Lord seems amazingly odd
As we're viewing His evidence here!

What manner of Man is our Lord Jesus Christ,
Whose dominion has surely been proved?
Have not all the witnesses here yet sufficed
To ensure every doubt is removed?

What manner of love did He show on the cross
When He suffered for us in our stead?
Let this be the furnace that purges the dross
Of unwarranted doubt from our head!

What manner of power did our Savior show
When at last He had conquered the tomb?
Are there any doubts left? Let this bid them, "Go!"
His dominion affords them no room!

Praises of Princes

"Blessed be the name of the Lord from this time forth and for evermore. From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same, the Lord's name is to be praised.... His glory is above the heavens.... He humbleth Himself.... He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill, that He may set him with princes" (Psalm 113:2-8).

The reasons for praising our Lord's name abound;
His glory is higher than we comprehend,
And yet He has humbled Himself to be found
The Savior of sinners, whom He would befriend.

He raises the poor in their hopeless estate
From out of the dust and their dunghill abhorred,
To set them with princes who likewise relate
That they were each lifted by Jesus their Lord.

So why should we waste any time in our days
With anything other than lifting His name?
Upon the sun's rising may we give Him praise;
Until the sun's setting may we do the same.

Friend and Father

"Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeketh and intermeddleth with all wisdom. A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself.... There is a Friend that sticketh closer than a brother" (Proverbs 18:1,2,24). "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find.... how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask Him?" (Matthew 7:7,11).

I could have died, as does a fool,
Without delight in understanding,
Content to let my own heart rule,
So blindly led by its commanding.

Fearful days! I was so weak,
And hopelessness had filled my heart!
But God then prompted me to seek
The truth in Him He would impart!

What a Gift I found in Christ:
A better Friend than any other!
For me this Friend was sacrificed
And holds me closer than a brother!

I did not find religion then,
But a relationship with favor.
For God became my Father when
I thus received my Lord and Savior.

I never thought my search would end
In granting me a new relation
With God as Father and my Friend,
The Author of so great salvation!

Thank You, Lord, for prompting me
To turn to You and seek Your face
To find the truth that made me free
And saved me by Your wondrous grace.

These Things

"Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you" (Matthew 6:33).

Seek first the kingdom of God as you should;
Seek now His righteousness too,
And all of these things that our Lord knows are good,
Shall surely be added to you.

Its not about striving with worldly greed;
We're called to just follow our Lord,
For thereby our Savior will meet every need
With grace He alone can afford.

Thank You, dear Lord, for the great satisfaction
We find when we're seeking You first.
We turn from pursuing this world's distraction,
Which never could quench our soul's thirst.

Prince and Priest

"The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit Thou at My right hand, until I make Thine enemies Thy footstool.... The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a Priest forever after the order of Melchizedek" (Psalm 110:1,4).

Jesus is Lord and the God of salvation,
And therefore we thus understand:
The Lord said to my Lord, in His conversation,
To sit down at His own right hand.

Thus He is seated and thus He shall rule
Forever, the great Prince of Peace!
All who oppose Him shall be His footstool;
His glorious reign shall not cease.

Thank You, Lord Jesus, for we know as well
That You are forever our Priest,
Ordained as the One who would free us from hell;
Praise God! We're redeemed and released!

Better to be Blessed

"Let them curse, but bless Thou: when they arise, let them be ashamed; but let Thy servant rejoice" (Psalm 109:28).

O how much better it is to be blest
By God who still reigns on His throne,
Than having esteem from the brightest and best,
Whose foolishness God has made known!

So let sinners curse till they're blue in the face;
God's blessing shall brush them aside.
We need only know that we're saved by His grace
And that in His will we abide.

Though sinners arise, they will soon be ashamed
When all of God's servants rejoice.
Then shall the cursing that sinners proclaimed
Be seen as just powerless noise.

Salt of the Saved

"Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt has lost his savor, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden underfoot of men" (Matthew 5:13).

We who are saved are the salt of the earth,
As salt that preserves and salt giving flavor.
What is our impact for Jesus Christ worth
If we lose our passion, as salt without savor?

Spare us, O Lord, from these tragedies feared:
A heart that has lost its compassion for souls,
A first love for You from which we have veered,
And a life that Your Spirit no longer controls!

Fishers Follow

"They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters; these see the works of the Lord, and His wonders in the deep" (Psalm 107:23,24). "And He saith unto them, Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men" (Matthew 4:19).

The waters of humanity
Are filled before our eyes
With souls that meet eternity
The moment each one dies.

We see the love our Lord begets
Depicted in the deep,
As fishermen who spread their nets,
Alert when others sleep.

Follow Me, our Savior said,
And as He promised then,
We shall also learn to spread
Our nets for catching men!

We see eternal souls that swim
So aimlessly away
That God would have us draw to Him
While it is called today.

We hear the call to follow You,
Assured, Lord, You will make
Each one of those who therefore do
Like fishers on Your lake.

Teach us, Lord, to fish and wait
With training that You gave,
As fishers spreading nets with bait
To catch those You would save.

Proclaiming His Praise

"Who can utter the mighty acts of the Lord? Who can show forth all His praise?" (Psalm 106:2).

Who can utter all the acts
Attributed to God our Lord?
Who can marshal all the facts
To show why He should be adored?

We see this task is far too great
To ever utter all His praise,
When we begin to contemplate
His mighty acts and wondrous ways!

Still we have the invitation
To ponder things we have explored
Throughout the wonders of creation,
And O what praise all these afford!

Yet now we come to search His love
And find His Gift unspeakable
In Christ who left His throne above
To pay the sinner's debt in full.

The praise we offer just begins
To scratch the surface of His deeds!
The love it took to purge our sins,
Our finite thinking far exceeds!

Lord, we delight to search Your fame
As we explore Your grace and power.
So give us help, Lord, to proclaim
Your praise unending every hour.

Wise to Win

"The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise" (Proverbs 11:30).

He who wins a soul is wise;
There is no greater treasure.
The soul has value in God's eyes
That's infinite in measure.

For Christ displayed the soul's great worth
By dying on the cross.
He came from heaven down to earth
To ransom souls from loss.

In view of souls that would have perished,
The cross is God's display
Of just how much our souls are cherished
By how much He would pay.

The worth of souls is thus declared
By what our God would do;
So how then is their worth compared
For our own point of view?

Fill us, Lord, with Your own love
And with Your estimation
For souls that brought You from above
To purchase our salvation!

Need of His Name

"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 1:21,23).

How great was our need
When our Lord Jesus came
That He met indeed
Through each marvelous name!

They called His name JESUS:
From our sins He would save.
From judgment He freed us
And He conquered our grave!

EMMANUEL also,
Meaning here: God with us.
He never will leave those
Who will in His name trust!

Christ JESUS, our Savior,
Our EMMANUEL, Lord,
We thank You for favor
That Your names thus afford!

How matchless Your names are,
And how comforting too!
For we who were once far,
Are now brought near to You!

Days of David

"Now these be the last words of David. David... the sweet psalmist of Israel said, the Spirit of the Lord spake by me, and His word was in my tongue" (2 Samuel 23:1,2). "As for man, His days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth.... But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear Him, and His righteousness unto children's children" (Psalm 103:15-17, A Psalm of David).

The days of David ran their course;
How briefly he was young,
And yet God's Word retains its force
And sweetness from his tongue.

As David likened all our days
To grass and fading flowers,
So it is; our pomp and praise
Declines with all our powers.

How good it is to know the truth
That blesses and assures;
The Word of God, unlike our youth,
Forevermore endures!

His mercy is from everlasting
Throughout eternity,
Unlike the fleeting things contrasting
That human eyes can see.

Thank You, Lord, for David's Psalms
With promises that last
With all Your precious Word that calms
And keeps us standing fast.

The Call to Come

"The Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.... He which testifieth these things saith, Surely, I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus" (Revelation 22:17,20).

There is a universal call
With urgency to come;
The invitation is to all,
Not limited to some.

Come, the Spirit says today;
The bride of Christ as well,
Which is His church, is heard to say,
Come; now flee from hell!

For how shall we escape from wrath
If we refuse to heed
The call of God to choose His path
In Christ who met our need?

The call to whosoever will
Invites the best and worst
To come for cleansing and to fill,
Through Christ, their inner thirst.

Come! His living waters flow
For all to freely drink!
Come, and His salvation KNOW,
Not merely hope or think.

And now the call turns heavenward:
Lord Jesus, come! Amen!
Until His shout above is heard
We'll pray this prayer again.

Washing of Worship

"I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes.... Mine eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land (Psalm 101: 3,6). "And they shall see His face; and His name shall be in their foreheads... I am thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God" (Revelation 22:4,9).

There is a simple method shown
For cleansing us inside:
Worship God, and Him alone,
And sin cannot abide.

This will change our point of view
And who we choose for friends.
Worship God in all you do,
Considering the ends.

One day we shall see His face;
All else shall seem so dim!
Worship God: for by His grace
We now draw near to Him!

If we would no more waste our time
On things below unclean,
Worship God, and thereby climb
To heights before unseen!

Upon the Lord we fix our eyes,
And to His face we look.
Worship God with those who prize
The sayings of His Book.

Grateful at the Gates

"Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise: be thankful unto Him, and bless His name" (Psalm 100:4). "And the twelves gates were twelve pearls; every gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was of pure gold, as it were transparent glass. And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it" (Revelation 21:3,21,22).

There was a day we entered in
The gates of God's salvation
And lost the burden of our sin
With all its condemnation!

His love continues to amaze
And thrill each grateful soul,
As in His courts we lift our praise
For grace that made us whole.

For in His courts are sacrificed
The offerings that displayed
Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
Upon the cross portrayed.

Another set of gates we see
In heaven that are pearled.
We enter these eternally
When we shall leave this world.

There is no temple seen therein,
For Christ is in its place,
Who by Himself has purged our sin
And saved us by His grace.

Thank You, Lord, for wondrous love
And for Your Word that states
That we shall dwell with You above
Within those pearly gates!

The Book and the Bride

"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 I, John, saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her Husband" (Revelation 20:12, 21:2).

I saw the dead, both small and great,
As told in Revelation,
Who from the books would learn their fate
Who stood without salvation.

And yet there was another book,
Which is the book of life,
Confirming those the Lord God took
To be His holy wife.

She is the new Jerusalem,
Containing those He bought.
The blood of Christ washed all of them,
Removing every spot!

How great the contrast in this vision
Between the saved and lost,
Who see the worth of their decision
By its eternal cost!

Thank You, Lord, for such a choice
Your grace to us affords,
To choose the Lamb and thus rejoice
To know we are the Lord's!

Out in the Open

"The Lord hath made known His salvation: His righteousness hath He openly showed in the sight of the heathen" (Psalm 98:2).

Out in the open our Savior had spoken:
In three days He'd rise from the dead.
Three days elapsed; His word was not broken:
He's risen indeed as He said!

Out in the open the stone has been moved;
Come see now the place where He was.
This is the showcase where our Savior proved
Whatever He's promised, He does!

Out in the open is God's declaration,
With proof that has more than sufficed,
There's only one name that affords us salvation:
The name of our Lord Jesus Christ!

Out in the open, O Lord God and Savior,
In newness of life we now walk.
Help us to show this by outward behavior
And openly, too, in our talk.

Latter Linen

"All the things that thou canst desire are not to be compared" (Proverbs 3:15). "Alas, alas, that great city of Babylon.... that was clothed in fine linen.... for in one hour so great riches is come to nought.... 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 the saints" (Revelation 18:10-17, 19:7,8).

Alas, alas, for Babylon!
Behold her fleeting pleasures:
Their worth holds no comparison
To God's eternal treasures!

The linen that she proudly wears
Shall vanish in an hour.
The riches that consume her cares
Shall perish by God's power.

Behold, the linen of the bride
That God in mercy gives
Is righteousness that shall abide
Because our Savior lives!

How clean and white this linen is
That God will thus afford
With righteousness, not ours, but His,
To all who trust the Lord!

The latter linen, clean and white,
The Lamb with grace procured
To makes us blameless in His sight,
Eternally secured.

You clothed us, Lord, from all our shame
With Your own righteousness!
Our confidence is in Your name;
We need no more or less!

Among this Audience

"Sing unto the Lord, bless His name; show forth His salvation from day to day. Declare His glory AMONG the heathen, His wonders AMONG all the people" (Psalm 96:2,3).

Among this audience we stand
Of nations who have known
That God accomplished what He planned
In Christ, so clearly shown.

It's not as if our Lord had stayed
In heaven out of sight.
He came and openly displayed
His love, His life, and light.

Declare His glory day to day
With ample evidence.
Be ready always to convey
Our cause for confidence!

Among the people now declare
His love to every nation:
God gave his Son! He didn't spare
This Price for our salvation!

His life, His death, and resurrection
Are all on history's page.
His empty tomb has passed inspection,
Despite this world's rage.

Among this audience, Lord, we see
This world You invaded.
We take the truth that made us free
That souls may be persuaded.

Hearkening or Hardening

"Today if ye will hear His voice, harden not your heart" (Psalm 95:7,8). "Turn you at My reproof.... The turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them. But whoso hearkeneth unto Me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil" (Proverbs 1:32,33).

Today if you will hear His voice
There is a gracious pardon.
How sad for those who make the choice
Instead their heart to harden!

Their foolishness turns them away
From true prosperity.
The prize they hold shall soon betray
Their souls eternally.

But those who hearken to the Lord,
Not to this world depraved,
Shall have the peace He will afford,
And be forever saved.

O turn now at the Lord's reproof;
He calls you to obey!
The apathy of those aloof
Themselves shall surely slay.

There is no wiser choice to make
Than trusting Christ today.
There is no greater fool's mistake
Than turning Him away.