Stubborn Stone

"Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto Him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days. Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?" (John 11:39,40).

The glories that our God reveals
To those who will obey,
The stone of unbelief conceals;
Now take the stone away!

A thousand reasons we may say
The stone must stay in place.
The bottom line: We disobey,
And so we miss God's grace.

We may not have it figured out
Why God commands us so,
But that is no excuse to doubt
What God will wait to show.

Trust in God and God alone,
And do what He has said.
Now take away the stubborn stone
That renders our faith dead.

Shade and Shield

"The Lord is thy Keeper: the Lord is thy Shade upon thy right hand" (Psalm 121:5). "Every word of God is pure: He is a Shield unto them that put their trust in Him" (Proverbs 30:5).

Lord, I'm resting in Your shade
That covers me at my right hand.
Here no enemies invade
As I follow Your command.

Where You lead me I am sure,
For there Your shade will also be.
Every word of God is pure,
And thus You are Shield to me.

Weakness of my Woes

"In my distress I cried unto the Lord, and He heard me.... Woe is me.... My soul hath long dwelt with him that hateth peace. I am for peace: but when I speak, they are for war" (Psalm 120:1,5,7). "He that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.... If a wise man contendeth with a foolish man, whether he rage or laugh, there is no rest" (Proverbs 29:1,9). "Then came the Jews round about Him, and said unto Him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If Thou be the Christ, tell us plainly. Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not.... Then the Jews took up stones again to stone Him" (John 10:24,25,31).

Woe is me! I've lived so long,
With those who hate the word of peace.
No matter what I say, it's wrong;
They war with words that never cease.

And so I turned to God distressed,
And in effect He answered me:
Why are you expecting rest
From souls who spurn God's remedy?

It's been the same from age to age;
They scorned your Lord on earth as well.
Yes, you may laugh or you may rage,
But souls still choose to go to hell.

Of course you dwell with those who hate
The Gospel more each time they hear it!
Yet thirsty souls still yearn and wait,
Responsive to God's Holy Spirit.

At last I see reality!
God's Spirit and His Word expose
That I forget eternity
When dwelling on my selfish woes.

Showing the Shepherd

"I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek Thy servant, for I do not forget Thy commandments" (Psalm 119:176). "I am the good Shepherd: the good Shepherd giveth His life for the sheep" (John 10:11).

Seek me, Lord, I've gone astray,
Like a lost, endangered sheep.
Show Yourself to me today;
Only You can save and keep.

For even though I'm seeking You,
Lord, I know You sought me first.
No one loves me like You do,
Nor satisfies my inner thirst.

I know this prayer sounds kind of odd,
That You should seek for me.
But since it's in the Word of God,
I'll pray it earnestly.

Lord, You saw my hopeless strife,
Before I thought to pray.
What kind of Love surrendered life,
For sheep that went astray?

Lord, since Your love is still the same,
Unchanged with passing years,
I will call upon Your name,
And know my Shepherd hears.

Marvelous Madness

"One thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see.... Why herein is a marvelous thing, that ye know not from whence He is, and yet He hath opened mine eyes" (John 9:25,30).

There was a man who once was blind
Whom Jesus made to see.
How marvelous it was to find
His sight by God's decree!

Yet still more marvelous that day
Than his new sight received,
Was stubborn blindness on display
In those by choice deceived.

How could it be they did not know
That God was in their midst?
How could they miss what God would show?
How could they still resist?

We need not look to days of old
For blindness of this kind.
In this our day we still behold
This madness of the mind.

Abraham's Awe

"Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day: and he saw it, and was glad. Then said the Jews unto Him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast Thou seen Abraham? Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am" (John 8:56-58).

Abraham could see the day
That God would send His Lamb
To die and take our sins away:
Behold, the great "I Am"!

What an awesome sight he saw,
Beholding Christ his Seed!
Filled with gladness and with awe,
He saw Him meet our need.

And so with Abraham we share
The ability to see
The Lamb of God who came to bare
Our sins at Calvary.

Yet we also see the time
When Christ shall come again.
What an awesome sight sublime
Shall fill our vision then!

Solomon's Sorrows

"King Solomon loved many strange women... of the nations concerning which the Lord said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall the come in unto you: for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon clave unto these in love.... and his wives turned away his heart. For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods" (1 Kings 11:1-4).

How sad the state of Solomon
Who had it all— or so it seemed.
Yet by his lust was he undone,
Deprived of what he most esteemed.

His power, wealth, and many wives
Could not satisfy his soul.
God alone can fill the lives
Of all who give to Him control.

May this be a lesson learned,
Lest our hearts be turned away;
Lest we cease to be concerned,
When our souls have gone astray.

Haven't Heard the Half!

"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 she said to the king, It was a true report that I heard in mine own land of thy acts and of thy wisdom. Howbeit I believed not the words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it, and behold, the half was not told me: thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame which I heard" (1 Kings 10:1,6,7).

The half has not been told
Of the wisdom and the love
That God shall yet unfold
When Christ is seen above.

Our human words must fail,
Nor could we comprehend
What God will yet unveil
In Christ, our dearest Friend.

We see not all His heart
Nor the fullness of His grace.
For now we see in part,
But soon we'll see His face!

Right Rivers

"Rivers of waters run down mine eyes, because they keep not Thy law" (Psalm 119:136). "He that believeth on Me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water" (John 7:38).

Rivers of sorrow have run down my eyes;
God surely knows the tears and the pain
I could have avoided if I had been wise,
If I had been true to His teaching so plain.

Rivers of life are now flowing within,
Refreshing my soul and quenching my thirst.
These are the rivers that cleanse me from sin,
Filling with blessing a life that was cursed.

Rivers of sorrow or rivers of life
Will flow from the choices we make— right or wrong.
Choosing our own way brings weakness and strife.
Choosing to honor the Lord makes us strong.

Time for Truth

"It is time for Thee, Lord, to work: for they have made void Thy law. Therefore I love Thy commandments above gold; yea, above fine gold. Therefore I esteem all Thy precepts concerning all things to be right, and I hate every false way" (Psalm 119:126-128). "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 22:20,21). "There hath not failed one word of all His good promise" (1 Kings 8:56). "If any man will do His will, He shall know of the doctrine" (John 7:17).

The world thinks they have made void
The truth of God's unerring Word.
The reasoning that have employed
Is blind, dishonest, and absurd.

It's time to set the record straight!
It's time to show the evidence!
It's time to clearly demonstrate
The certainty of our defense!

Has not the Word of God prevailed
By promises we've read?
There has not even one word failed
Of all that God has said!

It's time the truth of God be shared
With confidence and skill.
Study therefore! Be prepared
According to God's will!

Soul Safety

"Thou art my hiding place and my shield: I hope in Thy word.... Hold Thou me up, and I shall be safe" (Psalm 119:114,117). "The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the Lord" (Proverbs 21:31).

Lord, You are my Hiding Place;
Where I find a safe retreat.
Here I rest in saving grace;
Where redemption is complete.

Yet also, Lord, You are my Shield;
Protecting me from harm.
You call me to the battle field;
Your Word sounds the alarm.

So whether I am called to hide
Or battle is in view,
My soul in safety shall abide
Upheld, oh Lord, by You.

Lamp and Light

"Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.... The wicked have laid a snare for me: yet I erred not from Thy precepts.... I have inclined mine heart to perform Thy statutes always, even unto the end" (Psalm 119:105,110,112).

Your Word, oh Lord, shines at my feet,
A lamp to guide each step with care.
Thereby I may always meet
Each day avoiding every snare.

Your Word, oh Lord, shines on my path,
To show the things which lie ahead.
Thereby I have fled from wrath,
And heavenward I now am led.

Your Word is both a lamp and light
To guide my feet and show Your way.
Lord, guard and guide my steps aright,
And lead me lest I go astray.

It Is I

"They were afraid. But He (Jesus) saith unto them, It is I; be not afraid" (John 6:19,20).

Storms will come from time to time;
The howling winds may terrify.
But our Savior's voice sublime
Calms us, saying: It is I.

It is I; be not afraid:
What a word to fearful souls!
Peace and joy are thus conveyed,
Just in knowing He controls.

It is I! We hear His voice
Within His word; in answered prayer.
Throughout the storm we still rejoice
Just to know that He is there.

Impossibe Impasses

"How can ye believe, which receive honor one of another, and seek not the honor that cometh from God only?.... Moses... wrote of Me. But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe My words?" (John 5:44-47).

There are two obstacles so great,
Which Jesus Christ reproved,
That saving faith is made to wait
Until they are removed.

The first is in the lust to hear
Approving men applaud,
So much so that there is no fear
Nor honor left for God.

The second obstacle we see
To which our Lord referred,
Is lack of the integrity
To search God's holy Word.

How indeed can they believe
Who never have been stirred
To turn to God and thus perceive
The truth within His Word?

Climax of Clarity

"I am become like a bottle in the smoke; yet do I not forget Thy statutes" (Psalm 119:83). "Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that heareth My word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death unto life" (John 5:24).

This world still is blowing smoke,
And living daily in denial;
As if God's judgment were a joke,
As if His truth were out of style.

But God has cleared the smoke to see
His glorious truth before our eyes,
And oh the wondrous clarity
With which His Word now testifies!

For all God's children it is clear:
Their future holds no condemnation;
The past and present hold no fear
For those who trust Him for salvation.

But to the lost God has appealed,
And still continues by His Spirit:
The wrath of God shall be revealed
Though scorners rather would not hear it.

Fashioned with Faithfulness

"Thy hands have made me and fashioned me: give me understanding, that I may learn Thy commandments.... I know, O Lord, that thy judgments are right, and that Thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me" (Psalm 119:73,75).

Lord, You made and fashioned me;
That's why it's no surprise,
You see the good I cannot see,
Nor ever could devise.

You are Lord of all creation
In majesty above.
Yet my every situation
Is governed by Your love.

At times I need correction,
The affliction of Your rod;
By this You give direction
And show the love of God.

Lord, You made me by Your hands
As one You long to bless.
Give me a heart that understands,
Your love and faithfulness.

Examining Eyes

"The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.... Hell and destruction are before the Lord: how much more then the hearts of the children of men?" (Proverbs 15:3,11).

The eyes of the Lord are in every place,
Beholding the evil and good in our lives.
Nothing is hid from the light of His face,
In hearts that He humbles, and hearts He revives.

The eyes of the Lord are in every place;
So, what do the eyes of my Lord see in me?
Lord, search me and purge me of every disgrace,
That You may find pleasure in what You will see.

The Good Fellowship of the God Fearing

"I am a companion of all them that fear Thee, and of them that keep Thy precepts" (Psalm 119:14). "In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence: and His children shall have a place of refuge. The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death" (Proverbs 14:26,27).

The principles that draw us near,
And give us confidence,
Are love for God and holy fear
Which prompt obedience.

Here we have our hiding place,
Protecting us in strife.
Our common ground is saving grace
In Christ who is our life.

Here we have the fountainhead
That satisfies our thirst,
That bids us be like Christ instead
Of putting ourselves first.

This is my family in Christ,
Companions I hold dear,
Who love our Lord once sacrificed,
And worship Him with fear.

Holy Horror

"Horror hath taken hold upon me because of the wicked that forsake Thy law" (Psalm 119:53). "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.... He that believeth not on Him is condemned" (John 3:16,18).

Does "horror" sound a bit extreme
When pondering the lost?
With what word shall we then esteem
Those who into hell have crossed?

How should we describe the fate
Of time and circumstance
For those who call on God too late,
And thus forfeit their chance?

For God so loved the world He feared
The fate of souls undone,
By sin condemned as judgment neared,
Had He not sent His Son.

Yes, "horror" is a fitting word
For praying with desire,
When fervent hearts are rightly stirred
About the lake of fire.

Assured vs. Ashamed

"I will speak of Thy testimonies also before kings, and will not be ashamed" (Psalm 119:46).

Kings or paupers, wealthy, poor,
Whatever status these have claimed,
Still need Christ, no less or more,
So I will preach Him unashamed.

INCLINED by INTEGRITY

"Incline my heart unto Thy testimonies, and not to covetousness" (Psalm 119:36). "The integrity of the upright shall guide them" (Proverbs 11:3). "Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto Him, Rabbi (which is to say, being interpreted, Master), where dwellest Thou? He saith unto them, Come and see.... Jesus saw Nathanael coming to Him, and saith of him, Behold, and Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!" (John 1:38,39,47).

Lord, guide me by integrity,
Incline my wayward heart toward
The blessings of eternity
Which flow from Jesus Christ my Lord.

I hear you ask, What do you seek?
My heart begins to inventory,
Things I covet, vain and weak,
Rather than Your awesome glory.

Come and see, I hear You say,
As lesser things now seem so vile!
Rise, my soul, and come away,
Forsaking foolishness and guile.

Let this be my inclination,
And integrity's reward;
Let this be my restoration:
Draw me nearer to You, Lord.

UNDERSTANDING before UTTERING

"Make me to understand the way of Thy precepts: so shall I talk of Thy wondrous works" (Psalm 119:27). "In the lips of him that hath understanding wisdom is found.... The lips of the righteous feed many" (Proverbs 10:13,21). "There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe" (John 1:6,7).

Lord, how can I speak without understanding?
What could I say that would have any worth?
Lord, give me the wisdom the need is demanding,
To talk of Your wonderful works in the earth.

Lord, how can I speak without righteousness?
Only the lips of the righteous can feed
The hearts of those hungering for You to bless.
Lord, give me the wisdom to speak to their need.

Lord, how can I speak without being sent,
As John who bore witness to Christ, the true Light?
Lord, You are the Fountain that never is spent;
I thirst for the wisdom to say what is right.

OPERATION OPEN

"Open Thou mine eyes, that I may behold the wondrous things out of Thy law" (Psalm 119:18). "And beginning as Moses and all the prophets, He expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.... And it came to pass, as He sat at meat with them, He took bread, and bless it, and brake, and gave to them. And their eyes were opened, and they knew Him.... Then opened He their understanding, that they might understand the Scriptures" (Luke 24:27,30,31,45).

Open my eyes, Lord, that I may behold
The wonderful things that the prophets foretold.
Open my ears, Lord, to your precious Word,
As those on the road to Emmaus once heard.
Open my mind, Lord, so I'll understand
The way that conforms to Your righteous command.
Open my heart, Lord, as when you broke bread,
Showing Yourself then alive from the dead!

HOLY HATRED

"The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.... But he that sinneth against Me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate Me love death" (Proverb 8:13,36).

There is a hatred that is good
That holy fear controls
Against the evil way that would
Destroy eternal souls.

The love of God must also hate;
We should not think it odd
That truest love won't tolerate
The sin that grieves our God.

The fear of God will teach us well
The wretchedness of pride
That sends eternal souls to hell
By pushing grace aside.

Love is not indifferent,
Unless it is not strong.
The love of God bids us repent
And hate the way that's wrong.

DEFILEMENT DEFIED

"Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord. Blessed are they that keep His testimonies, and that seek Him with the whole heart. They also do no iniquity: they walk in His ways" (Psalm 119:1-3). "Be thou strong, therefore... and keep the charge of the Lord thy God, to walk in His ways" (1 Kings 2:2,3).

There is a principle we find
That keeps us undefiled,
That gives us purity of mind
And cannot be beguiled.

Seek the Lord with all your heart:
And walk in all His ways.
Defilement must then depart,
And be replaced with praise.

Defilement is thus defied
And holiness perfected.
God is thereby glorified,
And Christ is thus reflected.

Bumbling 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 118:21,22). "And the men that held Jesus mocked Him, and smote Him.... And He said unto them... Hereafter shall the Son of man sit on the right hand of the power of God" (Luke 22:63,67,69).

The corner stone must be just right;
It squares the whole foundation.
So is Jesus in our sight
The Rock of our salvation.

But bumbling builders have refused
That precious Corner Stone.
For they rejected and abused
The Lord of heaven's throne.

How marvelous indeed it is
In our astonished eyes
That God should call this doing His,
That used men so unwise!

And yet these bumbling builders show
That God was in command.
For God was faithful even though
They did not understand.

Herein we learn so vividly
To trust the Lord alone.
He is for all eternity
The precious Corner Stone.

Hour of Honor

"When I was daily with you in the temple, ye stretched forth no hands against Me: but this is your hour, and the power of darkness" (Luke 22:53).

The finest and the darkest hour
When love came shining through,
Was when the darkness saw its power
Thus conquered, Lord, by You.

Satan in his darkest rage
With all his wicked bands
Then drafted history's brightest page
When they stretched forth their hands.

Those wicked hands that did their worst
Unwittingly unveiled
The heart of God that loved us first,
And never, never failed.

Hatred had its hour, Lord,
And darkness had its ways.
But honor had its sweet reward
Of our Redeemer's praise.

Rendering Remembrance

"The sorrows of death compassed me.... Thou hast delivered my soul from death.... What shall I render unto the Lord for all His benefits toward me? I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord" (Psalm 116:3,8,12,13). "This do in remembrance of Me" (Luke 22:19).

Lord, You have delivered me
From death that stalked my soul!
You gave Your life to set me free,
Your suffering made me whole.

Death no longer has its sting;
The grave no longer wins.
Let the bells of freedom ring,
For Christ removed my sins!

My bonds of sin are cast away!
For, Lord, You paid my debt.
You paid a price I could not pay,
And I should not forget.

Dispel the Doubt

"Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is now their God? But our God is in the heavens: He hath done whatsoever He hath pleased. Their idols.... speak not... see not... hear not... smell not... handle not... walk not... neither speak" (Psalm 115:2-7). "The Lord by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath He established the heavens. By His knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew" (Proverbs 3:19,20).

Why indeed should people ask,
Where is now your God today?
But since they do, it is our task
To show the proof that's on display.

Our God is seated on His throne
Where He created all we see.
The earth and heavens are His own,
By right of His divine decree.

We see His hand in all creation:
Design is everywhere we look.
We see His heart in His salvation,
And in the suffering that it took.

The heathen idols, this is clear,
Are all without their own defense.
They do not speak, or see, or hear;
They have no shred of evidence.

Come to Christ who calls you out—
Out of darkness into light.
Let the Lord dispel your doubt.
He will show you what is right.

Refuge of His Reign

"When Israel went out of Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of strange language, Judah was His sanctuary, and Israel His dominion. The sea saw it, and fled: Jordan was driven back.... What ailed thee, O thou sea, that thou fleddest? Thou Jordan, that thou wast driven back?" (Psalm 114:1-3).

When Israel had left the land
In which God's people had been slaves,
They surely knew it well firsthand
That God alone protects and saves.

The Red Sea saw it then, and fled.
The Jordan, too, was driven back;
God by cloud and pillar led,
And never did His people lack.

What accounts for their success?
How on earth could they survive?
Throughout that desert wilderness
God alone kept them alive.

And so it is through joy or pain,
That as we walk this desert land,
We have our refuge in His reign;
Our preservation by His hand.

Perrenial Praise

"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 he same, the Lord's name is to be praised" (Psalm 113:2,3). "And He answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.... because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation" (Luke 19:40,44).

Whatever God decrees is done:
The earth shall praise His name
From the rising of the sun
To the setting of the same.

It isn't our prerogative
To halt His ceaseless praise,
But we may join in while we live
In our visitation days.

But God will have His praise from others,
If we miss our visitation.
No one hinders, neither smothers,
Praise from all of His creation.

And should it please the Lord to make
The rocks cry out to praise His name.
He will do it for His sake,
If we fail, to our shame.

Let the rocks keep silence, Lord,
For why should we not rather thus
Declare His praise Who has restored
His praise perennial in us?