Resting in His Righteousness

"Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in Him... and He shall bring forth thy righteousness... Rest in the LORD" (Psalm 37:35-37).  "The curse causeless shall not come" (Proverbs 26:2).  "Cease ye from man... for wherein is he to be accounted of?" (Isaiah 2:22).  "By the deeds of the Law there shall no flesh be justified in His sight... being justified freely by His grace... To declare, I say, at this time His righteousness: that He might be Just, and the Justifier of him which believeth in Jesus" (Romans 3:20-26). 

As we commit our way to Christ,

There is a peace that He will give,

Since He for us was sacrificed

And by His righteousness we live.

We're resting in His righteousness!

The curse which cited broken laws

Has been replaced by grace to bless,

Since Christ has robbed it of its cause. 

From every human hope we cease!

We trust in Jesus Christ alone

Who gave Himself to purchase peace

And died to ransom all His own. 

By Law we found that we were cursed!

The verdict "Guilty!" rightly came,   

But Christ has justified the worst

Who humbly call upon His name. 

O Lord, our wondrous Justifier,

We've seen the greatness of Your love

To rescue us by Your desire,

So we may dwell with You above. 

In You alone, O Lord, we trust!

You bore our sins upon Your cross

To justify us, yet be Just,

By purging sins away as dross.

Lord, in Your righteousness we rest! 

There surely is no other place

Where guilty sinners can be blest

Apart from trusting in Your grace. 

Reasoning of Repentance

"With Thee is the fountain of life: in Thy light shall we see light" (Psalm 36:9).  "As an earring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise reprover upon an obedient ear" (Proverbs 25:12).  "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool" (Isaiah 1:18).  "Or despisest thou the riches of His goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?" (Romans 2:4). 

There's life and light that God extends

That satisfies our deepest thirst. 

His blessing flows and never ends

With grace that justifies the cursed. 

Now let the rebel lend his ear

To hear reproof that God has sent. 

The Lord now calls the rebel near

And cleanses those who will repent.

We hear our Savior's invitation

To reason with Him while we may. 

The time to enter His salvation

Is NOW while it is called TODAY!

Though sins may now be scarlet red,

Through Christ they can be white as snow. 

Now come and reason, as He said,

To find the riches He'll bestow. 

How strange it is that many still

Despise the goodness of the Lord,

Resisting yet His gracious will

Which they have willfully ignored. 

O Lord, we thank You for Your love

Which found the remedy for sin:

You left Your majesty above

And died for souls that You would win!

Lord, show us how to reason well

That we may show the evidence

Which proves that You will save from hell

The one who seeks You and repents.  

Advancing against Adversity

"If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.  If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death... doth not He that pondereth the heart consider it?  And He that keepeth thy soul, doth not He know it?" (Proverbs 24:10-12).  "Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it" (Song of Solomon 8:7 ).  "I am debtor... I am ready... I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth" (Romans 1:14-16). 

The Lord can see adversity;

He said there would be tribulation,

But He has called us still to see

The plight of souls without salvation.

If we are tempted to retreat

When trouble comes into our life,  

The Lord can lift us from defeat

Advancing us against the strife. 

Behold the souls now drawn to death! 

They march upon that dreadful path

As every step and every breath

Without the Savior leads to wrath! 

Consider Him who keeps our soul,

Whose love the floods could never drown. 

Adversity may take its toll,

But Christ will never let us down. 

We see the readiness of Paul

Who said that he was not ashamed

To go wherever Christ would call

And preach the Gospel he proclaimed. 

Lord, may we likewise in this hour

Rise up with boldness that You give

To show the promise of Your power

That saves our souls because You live. 

Advance us, Lord, against the gates

Of hell which never shall prevail. 

Adversity still validates

That, though we're weak, You never fail. 

Evil Eyes and Erring Ears

"O taste and see that the LORD is good " (Psalm 34:8). "Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye... My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways" (Proverbs 23:6,26).  "The heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them" (Acts 28:27). 

O taste and see:  the Lord is good! 

O hear Him as you still are able. 

Give Him your heart; you rightly should

As He invites you to His table.

Eat not the bread of one who strays

With evil eye and erring ear.

Give Christ your heart; observe His ways,

Who gave Himself to draw You near. 

How great the invitation is

To see and hear our Lord and Savior

Which He extends to all of His

As He delights us with His favor. 

In spite of all our Savior did,

Displaying how He died and rose,

His lovingkindness still is hid

From evil eyes which some still close.

How fearful is the heart condition

Which "waxes gross," becoming dense,  

Both blind and deaf to the perdition

Which comes with judgment's consequence.  

Lord, thank You for ability

To hear the truth concerning You!

We've opened wide our eyes to see

Your wondrous love that fills our view. 

Lord, show us how to reach the soul

With evil eyes that are so blind

And erring ears that are so dull

To show Your grace which they may find.  

Convincing Counsel

"The LORD bringeth the counsel of the heathen to naught... The counsel of the LORD standeth forever, the thoughts of His heart to all generations" (Psalm 33:10,11).  "The eyes of the LORD preserve knowledge... 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 22:12,20,21).  "I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me" (Acts 27:25).

The counsel of the Lord shall stand

For generations yet ahead. 

The Lord will do as He has planned,

Fulfilling everything He said.

The eyes of God preserve His Word;

But falsehood He will bring to naught.

How good it is to be assured

That God conveys to us His thought. 

Consider now the excellence

Of counsels that our God has written

Which prophesied of His defense

Before our Lord for us was smitten. 

We see the truth which God revealed

Fulfilled as prophets had declared. 

The Word of God has not concealed

The counsel that He has prepared.

Believe in God, for it shall be

That every word that He conveys

Shall be confirmed eternally

As testimonies of His praise.

O Lord, You have not left us guessing

About the counsel of salvation.

We are convinced of heaven's blessing

That rescues us from condemnation.

We take Your counsel to the lost,

O Lord, wherever You have sent,

Convincing them You paid the cost

To ransom sinners who repent.