Waiting in the Watches

"Mine eyes prevent the night watches, that I might meditate in Thy Word" (Psalm 119:148). "And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea... saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid" (Matthew 14:25,27).

Sometimes when it is very late,
And all is quiet in the night,
I’ll read God’s Word and meditate,
And in His way I will delight.

Sometimes when storms will come my way,
I will cry to God for aid.
I’ll wait and watch to hear Him say:
“It is I, be not afraid!”

Priceless Prize

"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, He hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it" (Matthew 13:45,46). "Christ also loved the church, and gave Himself for it" (Ephesians 5:25). "Ye are bought with a price" (1 Corinthians 6:20).

Jesus came into this world,
Heaven's splendor left behind,
To seek a priceless, precious pearl:
What was this pearl He sought to find?

He found His treasure, come and see!
Behold the prize our Savior sought!
That treasure found is you and me,
With all the church His blood has bought.

What was it that He saw in us
That made Him pay that awful price?
Amazing love that offered thus
Himself to be our sacrifice!

Words about Wounds

"And one shall say unto Him, What are these wounds in Thine hands? Then He shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of My friends. Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd, and against the Man that is My Fellow, saith the Lord of hosts: smite the Shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered" (Zechariah 13:6,7). "And when He has so said, He showed unto them His hands and His side. Then were the disciples glad when they saw the Lord" (John 20:20).

What are these wounds in my good Shepherd's hands?
Why are they marred in this way?
Speak to me, Lord, till my heart understands:
What will You answer and say?

These are the wounds with which I was smitten
When I walked in the house of My friends.
These are the marks of love that are written
And the proof that My love never ends.

These are reminders of salvation's price
That I paid on the cross to the full.
These are the tokens of My sacrifice
That I offered to ransom your soul.

Spear and Spirit

"And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon Me whom they have pierced.... In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness" (Zechariah 12:10, 13:1).

Oh what amazing grace we hear
That God Almighty prophesied:
Those who pierced Him with a spear,
Shall see Him Whom they crucified!

And what a Fountain here is seen
As God pours out His Spirit:
The blood of Jesus washes clean
The sinners who draw near it!

Prophesied Price

"The poor of the flock that waited upon Me knew that it was the word of the Lord. And I said unto them, If ye think good, give Me My price; and if not, forbear. So they weighed for My price thirty pieces of silver. And the Lord said unto me, Cast it unto the potter: a goodly price that I was prized at of them. And I took the thirty pieces of silver and cast them to the potter in the house of the Lord" (Zechariah 11:11-13).

Never was silver accounted so dirty,
And never betrayal so cruel,
Than the pieces foretold, amounting to thirty,
In the covenant made by a fool.

The poor of the flock remember that price,
And the temple in which it was hurled.
They'd rather be poor, and have Jesus Christ,
Than considered as rich by this world.

Way of His Word

"I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto Thy testimonies. I made haste, and delayed not to keep Thy commandments.... How sweet are Thy words to my taste! Yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth! Through Thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and light unto my path" (Psalm 119:59,60,103-105).

Your words, O Lord, are very sweet;
More sweet than honey to my taste.
They're like a lamp, they guide my feet
To do Your perfect will with haste.

So when I think upon my way
And find it different than Your Word,
Lord, turn my feet without out delay
To do what I have therein heard.

Prudent Prisoners

"A prudent man forseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished" (Proverbs 22:3). "As for thee also, by the blood of thy covenant I have sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water. Turn ye to the stronghold, ye prisoners of hope" (Zechariah 9:11,12). "Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28).

Turn now to the Hiding Place,
You prisoners of hope!
In Jesus Christ is saving grace,
A life preserving rope!

In Jesus Christ we safely rest;
We could not safer be!
His love has stood the strongest test;
His truth has set us free!

Ode to His Ordinance

"Thy faithfulness is unto all generations: Thou hast established the earth, and it abideth. They continue this day according to Thine ordinances: for all are Thy servants" (Psalm 119:90,91).

Let all the earth tremble at this awesome thought:
God merely spoke, and the universe wrought.
And now by that same word, all things are sustained,
The earth yet continues as He has ordained.

Your faithfulness, Lord, is to all generations:
Your ordinance rules over all Your creations.
For all are Your servants, obedient to You.
Lord, I would submit to Your ordinance too.

Losing your Life

"He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for My sake shall find it" (Matthew 10:39). "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly" (John 10:11).

Life and death paradox: how will you choose?
By finding your life, your life you will lose.
By losing your life for the Lord, you will find
His life more abundant and His peace of mind.

Fashion my Faith

"Thy hands have made me and fashioned me: give me understanding, that I may learn Thy commandments" (Psalm 119:73).

Lord, You have fashioned my heart with Your hand;
You know me thoroughly, inside and out.
Fashion my faith so that I'll understand
That wisdom will trust you, and folly will doubt.

Harvest Helper

"The harvest is plenteous, but the laborers are few. Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest that He will send forth laborers into His harvest" (Matthew 9:37,38).

The harvest is white, but the workers are few.
The day turns to night, and then we are through.
Draw near to the Lord of the harvest and pray,
That He may accordingly send you today.

Manifold Mercy

"The earth, O Lord, is full of Thy mercy: teach me Thy statutes" (Psalm 119:64).

How great is Your mercy, O Lord, in the earth,
So filled with Your beauty, Your wisdom, and worth!
In the things we can see, Your attributes shine:
Each flower and tree manifests Your design.

In the things we can hear, Your message is heard:
The hymns we hold dear, the song of a bird.
In the things we can smell, Your fragrance we meet:
The fresh breezes swell with aromas so sweet.

In the things we can taste, Your flavors delight.
Each fruit You've encased with a savor just right.
In things that we touch, Your hand we can feel.
We need You so much, Lord, to hold and to heal.

All of our God-given senses reveal
Your mercy, O Lord, from the day of our birth.
We see, hear, and taste; we smell and we feel
Your manifold mercy in all of the earth.

Manner of Man

"The men marveled, saying, What manner of Man is this that even the winds and the sea obey Him!" (Matthew 8:27). “Who being in the form of God... took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men... Wherefore God hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow... and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord” (Philippians 2:6-11).

What manner of Man is this One Who came
Commanding the wind and the sea?
What manner of Man could heal the lame
And set Satan's prisoners free?

What manner of Man would descend from above
And lay down His life for the lost?
What manner of Man could be moved by such love,
To pay that unspeakable cost?

This manner of Man is our God and our Lord,
Though He took on Himself human frame.
This manner of Man shall be ever adored:
The Lord Jesus Christ is His name!

Sayings in Season

"A man hath joy by the answer of his mouth: and a word spoken in due season, how good is it!.... The words of the pure are pleasant words.... The heart of the righteous studieth to answer" (Proverbs 15:23,26,28). "Be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you" (1 Peter 3:15).

O how good are words in season!
How a pleasant word can heal!
Hope within us has a reason
That our answers may reveal.

Be ready, then, to answer well
In every situation.
Woo to heaven, warn of hell,
Declaring God's salvation.

Good Gifts

"Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.... If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask Him?" (Matthew 7:7,8,11).

God will give to those who ask.
God will show to those who seek.
For every need and every task,
Go to God and freely speak.

God will open, if we knock,
Doors of opportunity,
If with Him we humbly walk,
And to Him obedient be.

If we then, with evil mind,
Give our children what is good,
How much more is God inclined
To give much better than we would?

First things First

"The Desire of the nations shall come.... and in this place will I give peace, saith the Lord of hosts" (Haggai 2:7,9). "But seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you" (Matthew 6:33).

Come, Desire of the nations;
Fill my hunger, quench my thirst.
Rid me of the expectations
That displace You as the first.

First things first, Lord, I would seek,
Your kingdom and Your righteousness.
Here I am to hear You speak:
Nothing more, and nothing less.

Consider the Counselors

"Thy testimonies also are my delight and my counselors" (Psalm 119:24).

Counselors of mercy, counselors of light,
Comfort of God's heart, correction in His sight;
Counselors of wisdom, in all things always right:
His testimonies counsel me, and they are my delight.

Rejoicing in His Riches

"I have rejoiced in the way of Thy testimonies as much as in all riches" (Psalm 119:14). "The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; He will save, He will rejoice over thee with joy; He will rest in His love, He will joy over thee with singing" (Zephaniah 3:17).

Rejoice in the riches you find in God's word,
More than the temporal wealth of this earth.
Eye has not seen and ear has not heard
The fullness of Christ and His infinite worth.

Rejoice in the joy that your Lord has in you,
Sing with the song of your Lord's jubilation.
Rest in the love that your Lord rests in too,
Which sought you, which bought you, and brought you salvation.

Might of the Meek

"Seek ye the Lord, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought His judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness" (Zephaniah 2:3). "Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth" (Matthew 5:5).

There is a perception that's wrong
Concerning that trait God calls "meek."
The meek in God's sight are the strong;
Though others perceive them as weak.

The meek shall inherit the earth,
For they know it belongs to the Lord.
They work and they wait for the worth
Of a new earth and heaven restored.

Remember that Jesus is meek;
Almighty, yet lowly in heart.
So let us His meekness seek,
And wait for the strength He'll impart.

Forming Fishers

"And He saith unto them, Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men" (Matthew 4:19).

Jesus Christ said, "Follow Me,"
And thus His fishers He would make.
What greater purpose could there be
Than fishing souls for Jesus sake?

Teach us, Lord, to bait the hook
With grace attracting precious souls.
Make us fishers by Your Book,
And by Your Spirit Who controls.

Thus we see our Savior's heart,
Who came to seek and save the lost.
Teach us, Lord, Your fisher's art,
To fish for souls at any cost.

The Reason to Rejoice

"Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labor of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: yet will I rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation" (Habakkuk 3:17,18).

Temporary treasures fail.
The flower blossoms fade.
Mortal flesh must soon grow pale,
And in the grave be laid.

Giving thanks for bread each day
Must surely have its place;
Yet this too will pass away
Without a lasting trace.

Yet in God I will rejoice,
And joy in His salvation!
So to Him I lift my voice
With grateful adoration!

Sin against Self

"Thou hast consulted shame... and hast sinned against thy soul... for the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord... Thou art filled with shame for glory" (Habakkuk 2:10-16). "He goeth... till a dart strike through his liver; as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life" (Proverbs 7:22,23).

The one who won't give to Jesus control,
Refusing to let Him come in,
Is sinning against his very own soul,
Betraying himself by his sin.

How treasonous is the self-deceived heart
Who forfeits his glory for shame;
That hastens as would bird to a dart,
And knows not his life it will claim!

Read and Run

"The Lord answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.... The just shall live by his faith" (Habakkuk 2:2,4). "I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ... For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, the just shall live by faith" (Romans 1:16,17).

Write the words and make them plain
That the one who reads may run;
And that he may not run in vain,
And make it clear to everyone:
"The just shall live by faith" in Christ,
For Jesus Christ alone can save!
For Christ for us was sacrificed,
And for us rose up from the grave!

Whosoever Will

"And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely" (Revelation 22:17).

Whosoever is athirst,
Now come and freely drink.
Come, though others think the worst;
Let them alone to think.
Don't wait for some
With careless thought;
Sometimes they'll come,
And sometimes not.
Come, the bride and Spirit say,
And freely drink your fill!
Come while it is called today,
Now whosoever will!

No Night

"The path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day" (Proverbs 4:18). "And there shall be no more curse... and they shall see His face... and there shall be no night there... for the Lord God giveth them light" (Revelation 22:4,5).

Why is the path of believers like light
That shines more and more on their path?
Because it is leading where there is no night,
And there is no curse and no wrath.

God gives the light in that glorious place,
Where the light of our path is from.
And soon we shall see our Lord face to face!
Let's follow that light till He come.

Basis of the Book

"And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.... And the city had no need of the sun...the Lamb is the light thereof... and there shall in no wise enter into it any... but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life" (Revelation 20:15, 21:23,27).

Is your name in the Lamb's book of life?
Have you asked Jesus Christ to come in?
Do you have peace with God, or strife?
Has the blood of the Lamb washed your sin?

If your name has been written above,
It's because you received Jesus Christ.
And your basis to be there is love
That compelled Him to be sacrificed.

Finding His Fear

"The works of the Lord are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein.... The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" (Psalm 111:2,10). "Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; if thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God" (Proverbs 2:3-6).

The works of the Lord are great in creation!
How great is the God who created all things!
And oh, as we ponder His works in salvation,
What pleasure is ours to unveil such things!

Come let us search as for great hidden treasure,
And count the indifference of this world as odd!
In the fear of the Lord we'll discover His pleasure,
And find heaven's wealth in the knowledge of God.

Wisdom's Warning

"Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets... in the city she uttereth her words, saying, How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity, and scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge? Turn you at My reproof: behold, I will pour out My Spirit unto you, I will make known My words unto you" (Proverbs 1:20-23). "The Lord's voice crieth unto the city, and the man of wisdom shall see Thy name: hear ye the rod, and Who hath appointed it" (Micah 6:9).

The voice of the Lord has cried to the city;
Hear His reproof, sinner, hear now the rod.
Turn by His Spirit, yet warning with pity:
Flee from the judgment of Almighty God!

How long will you scoff at His voice of reproof?
How long will you yawn in the Almighty's face?
How long will you stand unashamed and aloof?
How long will you snub His astonishing grace?