Occupy or Oppose

"[Jesus] added and spake a parable.... A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come. But his citizens hated Him and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us" (Luke 19:11-14).

Our Savior spoke a parable
That we might thereby learn
That we shall give account in full
Upon our Lord's return.

To every servant of the Lord,
He says to occupy
Until He comes with His reward,
Approaching by and by.

But all who will not have Him reign
Will naturally oppose.
They send that message loud and plain:
They're siding with His foes.

O Lord, in just a little while,
We'll see You face to face.
We'd live for Your approving smile
Till then, Lord, by Your grace!

Seeker of the Sinner

"God looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek God. Every one of them is gone back: they are altogether become filthy; there is none that doeth good, no not one" (Psalm 53:2,3). "The Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost" (Luke 19:10).

We wouldn't even give a thought
To seek for God above
Unless the Lord Himself had sought
To save us by His love.

God looked down from heaven's throne
To see if even one
Would seek the Lord all on his own:
He found that there was none.

Why were we so deaf and blind
To never count the cost?
How good was God to seek and find,
And then to save the lost!

Thank You, Lord, that You would seek
To save us by Your grace.
When we were enemies, so weak,
You suffered in our place.

Lord, we worship You today,
Our risen Lord and Savior.
We who once were gone astray
Are saved now by Your favor!

Undertaking with Understanding

"And the children of Issachar... were men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do" (1 Chronicles 12:32). "Why boastest thou thyself in mischief, O mighty man? The goodness of God endureth continually" (Psalm 52:1).

We need to understand the times
To know the things we ought to do.
The mighty man may boast of crimes,
But God is always good and true.

Mischief triumphs every hour;
The devil boasts of evil deeds,
But God is still enthroned with power
With grace sufficient for our needs.

The battle is the Lord's today,
Though Satan says that we're defeated.
God will hear us when we pray
To give His strength when we're depleted.

We ought to, in these days we live,
Redeem the time by doing good.
The understanding God will give,
Will show us daily how we should.

Give us understanding, Lord,
That we may be Your salt and light,
And live each day for this reward:
To please You as we do what's right.

Norm of Noah

"And as it was in the day of Noah, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all" (Luke 17:26,27).

There was a norm in Noah's day
Before God's judgment came
That we can see now on display,
Disturbingly the same.

The normalcy of eating, drinking,
And marriage is not odd.
The problem is the way of thinking
That mocks the truth of God.

Beware, lest this world's normalcy
And vain imagination,
Distract you from eternity
And need of God's salvation!

O Lord, as Noah found Your grace
Before that fearful storm,
So may Your truth in us replace
In us this world's norm!

Lesson from a Leper

"Offer unto God thanksgiving... And call upon Me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify Me" (Psalm 50:14,15). "Ten men that were lepers... lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. And when He saw them, He said unto them, Go show yourselves unto they priests. And it came to pass, as they went, they were cleansed. And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God... giving Him thanks.... And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine?" (Luke 17:12-17).

We who have called upon God should give thanks
And praise Him for all of His answers to prayer!
Perhaps that will mean that we need to break ranks
With those who forget Him and don't seem to care.

Ten who were lepers were by our Lord healed;
The Gospel of Luke has provided their story.
Nine kept on walking when this was revealed,
But one left the others to give God the glory.

Where were the nine who were healed by God?
Why was there only one leper returned?
Alas! Such ingratitude isn't so odd!
Beware! There's a lesson for us to be learned!

How many times do we likewise forget
To glorify God with thanksgiving and praise
For all of the needs that our Lord surely met,
With goodness and mercy through all of our days?

Teach us, O Lord, as we ponder these ten,
To be like that leper who gratefully came.
Though ingratitude still is common to men,
Turn us again to give thanks to Your name.

Riches Reevaluated

"Hear this... rich and poor together.... They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches, none of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him: for the redemption of their soul is precious.... But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: for He shall receive me" (Psalm 49:15). "And it came to pass, that the beggar died... the rich man also died, and was buried; and in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments" (Luke 16:22,23).

The riches which cannot redeem
A soul from condemnation
Are surely not what they may seem
In this world's estimation.

In light of all eternity
We'll spend beyond the grave
The truest riches we can see
Are those God freely gave.

We know the grace of Jesus Christ:
Though He was rich above,
In poverty He sacrificed
Himself for us in love.

Wealth by any other measure
Than God's redeeming grace,
Shall soon be stripped of all its treasure,
Without a seeming trace.

There is a gulf that separates
Those facing condemnation
From every soul that celebrates
The wealth of God's salvation.

The time to reevaluate
If we are rich or not
Is NOW before it is too late
To change our hopeless lot!

Lord, thank You for the price You paid
To ransom us from hell!
Our greatest riches have been weighed:
In Christ alone they dwell!

Trusting the Tremendous

"Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised.... This God is our God forever and ever: He will be our Guide even unto death" (Psalm 48:14). "Trust in the Lord with all of thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes.... The Lord by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding He hath established the heavens. By His knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew" (Proverbs 3:5-20).

Trust in the Lord, for why would you not?
There's no greater guide you can find!
Heaven and earth by His word were wrought,
And not by our wisdom designed.

Trust in the Lord, so tremendously wise,
This great God is our God forever!
Why would we flatter ourselves in our eyes,
And think somehow we are more clever?

Trust in the Lord now with all of your heart,
Who waters the earth with His dew.
The earth is His canvas, His own work of art,
And we are His workmanship too!

Trust in the Lord, and in all of your ways,
Acknowledge His wisdom to lead.
Our Lord is tremendously worthy of praise;
He knows how to meet every need.

Source of our Song

"God is the King of all of the earth: sing ye praises with understanding.... God sitteth upon the throne of His holiness.... for the shields of the earth belong unto God: He is greatly exalted" (Psalm 47:7-9). "The Lord giveth wisdom: out of His mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.... He is a buckler to them that walk uprightly" (Proverbs 2:6,7).

God is the King who majestically wields
The power that rules His creation.
By Him the earth is protected by shields;
Without them would be devastation.

Sing praises to God now with this understanding:
The Lord is our Shield as well,
For He bore the judgment His Law was demanding
In order to save us from hell!

Sing praises to God with a sweet meditation
Through wisdom that He will make known,
For He is the Source of our Song of salvation,
Our God and our Savior alone!

Stabilizing Stillness

"Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen; I will be exalted in the earth" (Psalm 46:10).

There is a strength in solitude,
A joy in quietness,
Where worry never can intrude,
And trust removes distress.

There is a sweet tranquility,
Since God has said "Be still,"
As once He did upon the sea,
When waves obeyed His will.

There is a promise God has made,
And it shall not be halted,
When all His foes shall be dismayed,
And He shall be exalted.

O Lord, we thank You for Your peace,
Not as the world gives,
A peace with God which cannot cease,
Because our Savior lives!

Compelling Cause

"Open thy mouth for the dumb in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction.... Plead the cause of the poor and needy" (Proverbs 31:8,9). "Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind.... yet their is room. And the Lord said.... compel them to come in, that My house may be filled" (Luke 14:21-23).

Open your mouth for cause of the lost.
Plead now the cause of the blind, deaf, and dumb.
Their cause is compelling, in view of the cost
Of hell and destruction unless they will come.

The battle is raging with spiritual strife
For souls yet appointed for judgment and hell.
Convince them to run to the Lord for their life!
Open your mouth to persuade and compel!

Compel them to come to the Savior today!
Bid them examine our Lord's empty tomb.
Death now pursues them; they dare not delay!
The Savior invites them, and yet their is room.

Teach us, O Lord, to compel with our speech
The souls yet appointed to hopeless destruction.
Give us the words of Your Gospel to reach
And turn them to You from Satanic seduction.

Lordly Lamentation

"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not!" (Luke 13:34).

Jerusalem, Jerusalem!
O hear your Lord's lament!
You killed His servants, stoning them,
And you would not repent.

Hear His Lordly lamentation:
"I would.... and ye would not!"
You turned away the great salvation
Which your Messiah brought.

His lamentation still is heard
Against the world today
That mocks His mercy, scorns His Word,
And turns His love away.

O Lord, we thank You for Your love
You likened to the hen
That spread protective wings above
Her brood in danger then.

To souls just like Jerusalem:
What more could God have done?
And will you still yourselves condemn
By turning from God's Son?

At the Altar

"O send out Thy light and Thy truth: let them lead me; let them bring me unto Thy holy hill, and to Thy tabernacles. Then will I go unto the altar of God, unto God my exceeding joy.... Why art thou cast down, O my soul? And why art thou disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him, who is the health of my countenance and my God" (Psalm 43:3-5).

I know where to go when my soul is cast down.
I know where the light and the truth of God lead.
At last at the altar of God I have found
The Source of my joy and the hope that I need.

Here at the altar of God is my joy
That melts away sadness as if it were dross.
Here no invader can change or destroy
The work of my Savior for me on His cross.

Here is my hope, my joy, and my health
I've found in my Savior, who evermore lives.
Here at the altar He shows me the wealth
At Calvary purchased, which He freely gives.

Here at Your altar, O Lord of salvation,
I'm finding Your joy and compassion so tender.
Here at the altar of sweet consecration,
I'm led by Your Spirit to fuller surrender.

Posture of the Prepared

"Let your loins be girded about and your lights burning, and be ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord.... And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing" (Luke 12:35-43).

Live with a posture that's always prepared
For Jesus your Lord to return,
With loins ever girded, the Gospel declared,
And lights that continually burn.

Live as a steward, both faithful and wise,
Who lives for the pleasure of God.
Seek the approval of His searching eyes,
Since all other standards are flawed.

Live with a purpose to give an account
To God who has given so much:
Those He has given a greater amount,
Will give an accounting for such.

Transcendent Treasure

"Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds. For riches are not forever" (Proverbs 27:23,24). "Seek ye the kingdom of God.... For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also" (Luke 12:31,34).

There are riches that transcend
All temporary measures:
A ransomed soul will never end,
Which God supremely treasures.

The Lamb of God was sacrificed
That souls may be redeemed!
The ransom of our souls was Christ:
Our worth was thus esteemed!

So let us, by this estimation,
Evaluate the worth
Of souls, in light of our salvation,
Compared to things on earth.

So help us, Lord, to win the prize
Of souls for Your dominion,
To see their worth now in Your eyes,
And not the world's opinion.

Design of His Desire

"Sacrifice and offering Thou didst not desire; Mine ears hast Thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast Thou not required. Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the Book it is written of Me, I delight to do Thy will, O My God: yea, Thy law is within My heart" (Psalm 40:6-8).

Sacrifice and offering are not what God desired,
For none of these could ever have sufficed
To cleanse our sin or ever bring what righteousness required,
As God could only do through Jesus Christ.

Sacrifice and offering provided a design,
But these were only shadows of our Lord.
Shadows cannot show a thing without a light to shine,
Which here prophetic light could well afford.

We hear our Lord and Savior say that He delights to do
The law of God His heart contained within;
The shadows now have passed away, and He is now in view:
The Lamb of God who takes away our sin!

Thank You, Lord, that You unveiled the passion of Your heart
Recorded in the volume of Your Book.
We see the love that never failed with grace that You impart,
And marvel more, the longer that we look.

Height of my Hope

"Lord, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is, that I may know how frail I am.... verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity.... And now, Lord, what wait I for? My hope is in Thee" (Psalm 39:4-7).

In search of the height of my hope,
I climb to the length of my days,
And view there that slippery slope,
Where health soon in weakness decays.

I search for a different measure,
Since hope isn't found in my health.
I climb to the summit of treasure,
But wings fly away with my wealth.

I search in the sphere of attraction
To win and influence my friends:
Adversity ends this distraction,
When weather that's fair quickly ends.

I searched all these prospects so flawed;
I climbed every mountain but One.
I finally turned then to God,
And placed all my hope in His Son!

In Christ is the height of true gain;
In Christ is eternal salvation!
All temporal hope is in vain;
In Christ is my soul's satisfaction!

Strategy of the Stronger

"By wise counsel thou shalt make thy war.... If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small" (Proverbs 24:6,10). "They cried to God in battle, and He was entreated of them, because they put their trust in Him" (1 Chronicles 5:20). "If Satan also be divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand?.... But when a Stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, He taketh from him all his armor wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils. He that is not with Me is against Me: and he that gathereth not with Me scattereth" (Luke 11:17-23).

There is a strategy for war
And strength to win as well,
That Jesus Christ has shown before
Against the gates of hell.

Put your trust in God today
And in this needful hour
Stand with God and to Him pray,
And He shall send His power.

There is no other strategy
That ever can succeed
In this day of adversity,
In view of our great need!

We dare not trust our feeble sword
To help us any longer.
Our strength to win comes from the Lord,
For He alone is Stronger.

Teach us, Lord, to put our trust
In You now to prevail,
Convinced now that we surely must;
All other plans will fail.

Marking Mary

"Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace" (Psalm 37:37). "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). "Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her" (Luke 10:42).

There is an end to all we hold
Of things confined by time,
But things eternal shall unfold
Unending peace sublime.

Mark the souls who wisely choose
To fear God all the day:
They hold the peace they cannot lose,
And none can take away.

Mary chose the better part,
Which Jesus would commend:
By heeding Him with all her heart,
Her peace would never end.

Teach us, Lord, to heed Your voice
Like Mary in the past.
For surely there's no wiser choice,
And nothing else will last.

Privileged Prayer

"Jabez called upon the God of Israel, saying, O that Thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast.... And God granted him that which he requested" (1 Chronicles 4:10). "And He turned Him unto His disciples, and said privately, Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see. For I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them" (Luke 10:23,24).

The prayer of Jabez long before
Was heard, and he was blessed,
Yet God has granted us much more
By granting our request.

Blessed are eyes that see those things
That prophets longed to see,
And ears that hear what many kings
Desired earnestly.

Things that God has now revealed
Which we may now behold
For centuries had been concealed,
But now in Christ are told.

This privilege held within our grip
That God has thus enlarged
Endows us with a stewardship
With which we now are charged.

Thank You, Lord, for light to see
Your truth that never failed;
It is that truth which makes us free,
And thereby we've prevailed.

So help us, Lord, to occupy
Until You come again,
Enlarged with grace to testify
With boldness until then.

Settled Safety

"O LORD.... Say unto my soul, I am thy salvation" (Psalm 35:1,3). "The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the Lord" (Proverbs 21:31).

Our Lord of salvation
Assures us today
That since He has taken control,
There's no situation
Ahead, come what may,
That now can unsettle our soul.

In this sweet assurance
That settles the heart,
Which only our Savior can give,
We find the endurance
His grace can impart
To thereby abundantly live.

Through battles in life
The horse is prepared,
But safety still comes from the Lord.
In peace or in strife
His Word has declared:
His Truth is our shield and sword.

Say to my soul, Lord,
"I am your Salvation,"
And thereby dispel every fear.
Your words thus afford
Such sweet meditation,
Reminding me that You are near.