Gospel Gap

"O God, forsake me not; until I have showed Thy strength unto this generation, and Thy power to every one that is come" (Psalm 71:18). "There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother. There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness. There is a generation, O how lofty are their eyes! And their eyelids are lifted up. there is a generation, whose teeth are as swords, and their jaw teeth as knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy from among men" (Proverbs 30:11-14).

The so-called generation gap
Has never bothered me.
The greater problem is the trap
That robs morality.

The Gospel gap, that void of truth,
Is really what is wrong.
Without God's Word, our troubled youth
Cannot survive for long.

They need to see the Gospel's power
In their own generation.
This is their crucial need this hour:
To taste of God's salvation.

This generation learned too well
Their rule of revolution:
The fittest lived, the weaker fell;
They call it evolution.

Thus we reap what we have sown;
Why should we be surprised?
The consequences now are known
For God's Word compromised.

Let us therefore work to lay
A Gospel-based foundation.
For Christ is still the only way
To save this generation.

Divine Dimensions

"For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.... That ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height, and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God" (Ephesians 3:14-19). "For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward them that fear Him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath He removed our transgressions from us. Like as a father pitieth His children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear Him.... The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting" (Psalm 103:11-17).

What is the breadth and length of God's love,
That measures His glory abroad?
What is the depth and height up above
That measures the fullness of God?

We measure the breadth as east is from west,
Knowing they never shall meet.
We measure the length by eternity's rest
In Christ, everlasting and sweet.

We measure the depth by the Fatherlike pity,
That stooped down to save us with grace.
We measure the height by the heavenly city
Where mercy reserves us a place.

Oh Lord, hear our prayer for our comprehension
Regarding Your infinite love!
It passess our knowledge in every dimension:
Around us, beneath, and above!

Quietly Quickened

"And you hath He quickened (made alive), who were dead in trespasses and sins.... But God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ (by grace are ye saved), and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus" (Ephesians 2:1-7).

Quietly quickened; no sirens were heard.
I prayed— I listened: no audible word.
No blinding light there, no earthshaking voice,
But God heard my prayer when I made my choice.

Quietly quickened; I remember that day:
No longer burdened, my sins washed away!
No human could hear heaven's jubilant shout
When I lost my fear and abandoned my doubt.

Quietly quickened, when Christ entered in;
God has transitioned my soul dead in sin.
He changed me forever to be His own child,
Forsaking me never, to Him reconciled.

Burdened with Benefits

"Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah" (Psalm 68:19). "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ" (Ephesians 1:3).

Loaded with benefits! The burden is sweet!
How is it possible then to complain?
For we have the Blesser and blessings complete;
God has not spoken this promise in vain!

All of the blessings that God could afford
Were purchased for us by His spotless Lamb.
We have it all, if we have Christ the Lord;
How burdened indeed with blessings I am!

Glaring Glory

"But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world" (Galatians 6:16).

God forbid that I should glory,
Save in my Savior's cross.
Though the world hates the story
That says their gain in loss.

The cross condemns this world of sin
With glaring clarity
And shows the state that it is in
With its hostility.

The cross has nothing glorious
Save Jesus, Whom it bore,
Who lived, Who died, Who rose for us,
And lives forevermore.

So let the world be crucified,
As on the cross condemned,
That Christ may thus be glorified:
The Hope of sinful men.

Testimony Time

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

Come and hear, and I will tell
What the Lord did for my soul,
How He ransomed me from hell,
Bore my judgment, made me whole!

Come and hear, and we'll take turns
Sharing testimonies thus;
Blessed time where each one learns
How the Lord has rescued us!

Come and hear, and if you find
You do not have a testimony,
Leave your doubts and fears behind,
Come to Christ, and trust Him only!

Purpose of Purging

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

Lord, my iniquities today
Have called for my reproach!
But You have purged them all away,
And caused me to approach.

Thus approaching You I find
The fullest satisfaction,
The cleansing of my heart and mind,
And call to urgent action.

For soon all flesh to You shall come,
But some are not prepared!
Lord, would You send me now to some
To tell them You hear prayer?

Lord, surely to this end You purge
And send us forth today.
So lead us, Lord, that we may urge
And lead the lost to pray.

Inexpressible Inheritance

Thanksgiving Day

"Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable Gift" (2 Corinthians 9:15). "For the Lord Thy God hath blessed thee... the Lord thy God hath been with thee; thou hast lacked nothing" (Deuteronomy 2:7). "But when the fullness of time was come, God sent forth His Son.... God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore thou art... an heir of God through Christ" (Galatians 4:4-7).

How can human lips express
Our thanks in proper measure
For all that God has done to bless
With heaven's highest treasure?

For when the fullness of the time
Had finally sufficed,
God sent forth His Gift Sublime,
Our Savior Jesus Christ.

Unspeakable! Yet we can hear it
By grace that God imparts!
For God sent forth His Holy Spirit
Into our very hearts!

How feeble are the words we speak,
Though God made us His heir!
Still we come, with praise so weak,
And God receives our prayer!

Thirsting and Thanking

"O God, Thou art my God; early will I seek Thee: my soul thirsteth for Thee, my flesh longeth for Thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is.... Because Thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise Thee.... Because Thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of Thy wings will I rejoice" (Psalm 63:1,3,7).

Oh Lord, in this land so dry, how I thirst!
I'm weary of searching for water to drink.
I'm learning again, Lord, to come to You first;
How gently You're changing the way that I think!

Because life is empty that's void of Your love,
Because life is hopeless without saving grace,
I'm lifting Your praise to the heavens above,
For Your love is better than life in this place.

Debt of Death

"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.... My soul, wait thou only upon God.... He only is my rock and my salvation" (Psalm 53:2,3, 62:5,6). "The Son of God... loved me and gave Himself for me. I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain" (Galatians 2:20,21).

If righteousness could come by law,
Then why did Jesus die?
Is that what God looked down and saw?
We needed just to try?

What awful pride and foolishness
It is to entertain
The notion that for righteousness
Our Savior died in vain!

As if we could ourselves atone
For sin by being nice!
As if another way was known
To pay our ransom's price!

Give thanks, my soul, to God above,
And worship Jesus Christ,
Who gave Himself for me in love!
Nought else would have sufficed.

Higher Heritage

"From the end of the earth will I cry unto Thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.... For Thou, O God... hast given me the heritage of those that fear Thy name" (Psalm 61:2,5).

Lord, higher than I ever dreamed
That I could ever rise,
You lifted me so high, it seemed
To take me by surprise!

The heritage You gave to me
Was not what I expected!
You placed me in Your family
With those by grace perfected.

You lifted me from hopelessness,
The pit that I was in,
And gave to me Your righteousness
And took away my sin.

Everyday, Lord, lead me higher,
By Your Spirit from above
To the Rock of my desire,
To my Savior's changeless love.

Sole Satisfaction

"And ye shall take no satisfaction from him that is fled to the city of his refuge, that he should come again to dwell in the land, until the death of the priest" (Numbers 35:32). "He shall see the travail of His soul, and shall be satisfied: by His knowledge shall by righteous Servant justify many, for He shall bear their iniquities.... because He hath poured out His soul unto death" (Isaiah 53:11,12).

The cities of refuge were built for protection
For those who would flee from the sword.
Yet freedom would never arrive to perfection,
Till death seized the priest of the Lord.

No price could be paid to gain satisfaction,
That he might be free to go home.
The revenger of blood would swiftly take action,
If one from that city should roam.

We see here a picture of mercy and grace
Where judgment has been satisfied:
Our Priest, the Lord Jesus, has died in our place;
We're free and are now justified!

Safety and Sufficiency

"The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.... There is a Friend that sticketh closer than a brother" (Proverbs 18:10,24). "And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness" (2 Corinthians 12:9).

The name of the Lord is our tower of safety;
We rest there in His reputation.
His grace will afford us His own sufficiency;
We run there to find our salvation.

We will praise without end, over every other,
The name of our Lord Jesus Christ!
He's the sinner's best Friend, closer than a brother,
With grace that has always sufficed.

Friend, are you seeking a place now to run
To hide from God's judgment for sin?
His Spirit is speaking of grace in God's Son;
Now why don't you let the Lord in?

Heart to Hear

"Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool to get wisdom, seeing he hath no heart to it?" (Proverb 17:16).

Why should the Lord continue to speak
If my heart is not ready to hear?
Why should I ask for the wisdom I seek
Without an obedient ear?

Oh Lord, how I need Your wisdom each day;
Yet first, an obedient heart!
So give me a heart prepared to obey
The wisdom that You will impart.

Subtlety vs. Simplicity

"Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?" (Genesis 3:1). "But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ" (2 Corinthians 11:3).

Have you heard serpent's latest word?
It really isn't new at all:
"Yea, hath God said?" we have heard
Since the day of Adam's fall.

It does not help shake our head
With disapproval over Eve,
While Satan whispers "Hath God said?"
And we are coaxed to not believe.

YES, God said it, then preserved
His Word's divine authority;
Though some have doubted this and swerved
By Satan's lying subtlety.

Trust the Word of God today.
Don't doubt its promised purity,
Lest your minds be led astray
From Jesus Christ's simplicity.

Heaven and earth shall pass away
But not God's perfect, holy Word.
Let us hear what God will say,
And then obey what we have heard.

Weapons of our Warfare

"The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds; casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ" (2 Corinthians 10:4,5).

The weapons of our warfare
Are mighty through the Lord.
Though war is raging everywhere
We have the mightier sword.

By the Word of God we wield,
By the sword of God the Spirit,
Come, let us take the battlefield:
The hearts of those who hear it.

We're casting down imaginations
Against the truth of God
And pulling down the exaltations
Foolish men applaud.

We know the battle is not won
Till every wayward thought
Is taken captive by God's Son,
And in submission brought.

Thus we fight for liberation
Of the hearts and minds
Of each who longs for God's salvation,
And thereby freedom finds.

Call and Cast

"As for me, I will call upon God; and the Lord shall save me. Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and He shall hear my voice.... Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and He shall sustain thee: He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved" (Psalm 55:16,17,22).

Whether evening, morning, noon,
Times of peace, or times of stress,
Prayer can never be too soon;
Call on God, and He will bless.

Cast your burden on the Lord,
Jesus knows your joy and pain.
He will never give you more
Than His grace and strength sustain.

Really Rich

"There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing: there is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches" (Proverbs 13:7). "For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that ye through His poverty might be rich" (2 Corinthians 8:9).

The one who seeks for more and more
Of this world's passing treasure,
Is not aware he's really poor
By God's eternal measure.

If you would know the truest form
Of riches in God's eyes,
Then look away from this world's norm
And look to Jesus Christ.

For Christ in loving condescension
Gave Himself in grace.
Though rich beyond our comprehension,
He took the lowly place.

So let us thus evaluate
If we are rich or not.
For if our wealth in grace is great,
We'll give the grace we've got.

But heaven measures poverty
By what we fail to give.
We gain or lose eternally
By how we choose to live.

Canvassing for Counselors

"To the counselors of peace is joy" (Proverbs 12:20). "Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my glorying of you: I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation" (2 Corinthians 7:4).

There is a joy that thrills the heart
Of every counselor
Who shares the peace God will impart
Through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Nothing else can quite compare
With this unique elation
Of counselors of peace who share
The way of God's salvation.

But counselors of peace must weep
Before their joys abound,
For sinners lost, for straying sheep,
And pray that they'll be found.

Yes, counselors of peace will go
Through trials and tribulations.
But still God's comfort they shall know
In every situation.

Help wanted: counselors of peace;
God's Spirit will employ.
The benefits shall never cease
Of everlasting joy!

Wisdom Seen in Winning Souls

"The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise" (Proverbs 11:30). "Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us.... As workers together with Him.... by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left" (2 Corinthians 5:20, 6:1,7).

Winning souls for Christ is wise
(Though laborers be few),
As Holy Scripture testifies,
Commending those who do.

We see the tree of life in view
And the ambassador,
The worker, and the soldier too;
We ponder here these four.

We grow as trees with fruit for God
As souls for Christ are won.
How deep the roots, how rich the sod,
That glorify the Son!

We speak as an ambassador
For reconciliation.
Christ is who we're speaking for
To souls for His salvation.

We are workers with the Lord
Together in His field.
We sow with tears and look toward
The souls His Word will yield.

We are soldiers. This is war!
With armor stand and fight!
Stand your ground; advance for more:
Our cause for souls is right!

On these portraits meditate,
And pray that souls be won.
The stakes are high, the hour late;
Our work is not yet done.

Code of Confidence

"We are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: For we walk by faith not by sight. We are confident, I say, and willing rather to absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. Wherefore we labor, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of Him.... For the love of Christ constraineth us" (2 Corinthians 5:6-14).

If from the body absent,
We are present with the Lord:
And therefore we are confident,
In the things we look toward.

In this code of confidence
We walk by faith, not sight;
It does not make a difference,
If men commend or slight.

For surely in this present place
We labor for God's pleasure,
Who daily gives to us His grace
And strength in proper measure.

Thus with joyful confidence,
Constrained by Jesus' love,
We'll labor till He calls us hence
To dwell with Him above.

Vanquishing the Veil

"Their minds were blinded: for unto this day remaineth the same veil.... the veil is upon their heart. Nevertheless, when it (the heart) shall turn to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away.... But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.... For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ" (2 Corinthians 3:14-18, 4:6).

The veil of darkness remains to this day
On hearts yet refusing God's grace.
But if they will turn, it is taken away,
And glory is seen open face.

Glorious light then shines in the heart
And changes the once darkened mind!
Thus when the veil is gone we can start
To see, though before we were blind!

God, who in darkness commanded the light
To shine in the days of creation,
Will vanquish the veil yet blinding the sight
Of all who will cry for salvation.

Pleading with Plainness

"Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech" (2 Corinthians 3:12).

The speech we use is very plain
When speaking of salvation.
Our Lord and Savior bore our pain
To spare us condemnation.

Jesus gave Himself for us;
That's all we need to know.
The Gospel clearly stated thus,
Assures us it is so.

And Christ will take away your sin
If you will hear His voice
With open heart to let Him in:
This plainly is your choice.

Subtlety of Satan

"Forgive... comfort... confirm your love.... lest Satan should get and advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices" (2 Corinthians 2:7-11).

Be ready always to forgive
And to comfort one another
Our Lord has taught us thus to live,
Showing love toward each other.

Beware, lest Satan's subtlety
Through his hateful, dark devices,
Thus seize the opportunity
When our bitterness arises.

Be wise, therefore, and circumspect,
For Satan surely does not rest.
Let your light for Christ reflect
His mercy, love, and tenderness.

Status in the 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).

Lord, I know You'll be exalted
In the nations of the earth.
Yet this question leaves me halted:
Do I thus exalt Your worth?

Am I still, like You command,
Long enough to worship You?
Do I really understand
The things of Christ You want me to?

Help me, Lord, to now be still,
And know the status of my heart.
Thus surrendered to Your will,
Bid my foolishness depart.

In this stillness, so sublime,
Come, Lord, take Your rightful place.
Not just now, but all the time,
Be exalted in Your grace.

Accounted Accursed

"If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema (Accursed); Maranatha (The Lord Comes)" (1 Corinthians 16:22).

If any man love not the Lord,
Then count that one accursed.
His lesser loves cannot afford
A well to quench his thirst.

If any man love not the Lord,
His poverty is great!
He cannot know God's grace outpoured
In his deprived estate.

If any man love not the Lord,
Then let us for him pray!
What does he have to look toward
When Christ returns one day?

If any man love not the Lord,
He has not yet perceived
The reason Christ should be adored,
And He should be received.

If any man love not the Lord,
Oh, what a tragedy,
That Jesus Christ should be ignored
Who is His remedy!

If any man love not the Lord,
Still Christ for him was cursed.
Yes! For him Christ was abhorred,
When Satan wrought his worst.

If any man love not the Lord,
Plead for his soul today,
That he will fear the judgment stored
For those who go astray.

The Land by the Lord

"They got not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them: but Thy right hand, and Thine arm, and the light of Thy countenance, because Thou hadst a favor unto them. Thou art my King, O God: command deliverances for Jacob.... For I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me... In God we boast all the day long, and praise Thy name forever" (Psalm 44:3-8).

The land that our Lord had decreed
To be portioned by His command
Was therefore His people's indeed
Before they stepped foot on the land.

They got not the land by their sword,
And not by the strength of their arm,
But God was their Captain and Lord,
To lead them and keep them from harm.

O Lord, we depend on Your favor;
We need your deliverance today.
You called us to go forth and labor;
Come lead us, Lord, as we obey.

Lord, You are forever our King;
In You we will boast all day long!
And thus by Your favor we'll bring
Our sheaves with rejoicing and song.

Rescued from the Race

"For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive" (1 Corinthians 15:22).

Adam's race is born in sin;
In Adam all must die.
That's the race we all are in,
As Death will testify.

How hopeless it would be for those
Now born in Adam's race,
If Christ had never died and rose
To rescue us with grace!

Amazing love! Astounding plan:
That Christ would leave His throne,
And enter Adam's race as Man,
And thus redeem His own!

And now we are alive in Christ;
We need not fear the grave!
The Lamb of God was sacrificed,
And ever lives to save!

Friend, you need no longer strive
In Adam and be lost.
Come to Christ! Be made alive!
He paid your ransom's cost!

Korah's Kinsmen

"And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up together with Korah, when that company died, what time the fire devoured two hundred and fifty men: and they became a sign. Notwithstanding the children of Korah died not." (Numbers 26:10,11). "To the Chief Musician, Maschil (with Understanding), for the Sons of Korah. As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after Thee, O God" (Psalm 42: Title, verse 1).

Korah and his company
Became a judgment sign.
They perished in their infamy
With rebels of like mind.

The sons of Korah, notwithstanding,
Did not share their fate.
Their thirst for God gave understanding,
Rather than their hate.

Children of this godless age,
Awake! I say, awake!
You do not have to share its rage,
Nor make the same mistake!

The time has come for you to flee
From wrath that's drawing near.
The truth in Christ shall make you free
From judgment and from fear.

Part, I say, from family,
If indeed you must.
For your eternal destiny
Depends on whom you trust.

The sons of Korah, standing true,
Are models for your vision.
May their wisdom guide you through
The valley of decision.

Comfort vs. Confusion

"How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity, and the 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.... Whoso hearkeneth unto Me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from of evil" (Proverbs 1:22,23,33). "God is not the Author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints" (1 Corinthians 14:33).

Our world has many voices,
But they do not agree.
Its contradicting noises
Parade simplicity.

But our God authors peace
For those who gladly hear it.
His comforts never cease
For all who heed His Spirit.

In God there's no confusion,
But comfort and accord
With this one great conclusion:
That Jesus Christ is Lord.

Thank You, Lord, for making known
Your words from age to age.
We find our comfort at Your throne
And on the Scripture's page.