Sure and Steadfast

"We... have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the veil, whither the Forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an High Priest forever" (Hebrews 6:18-20).

Sure and steadfast is our hope:
Christ, the Anchor of the soul!
In His arms that envelope,
We are sure He's in control.

Jesus Christ within the veil
Draws us homeward with His arm.
He Who promised cannot fail;
He will keep our souls from harm.

This has been our consolation
Sure and steadfast through the year.
Christ, our Refuge of salvation,
Has removed our cause for fear.

In the year two thousand eight,
God was faithful everyday.
Next year He may come or wait:
Let us therefore watch and pray!

Priesthood Paradigms

"We have a great High Priest that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God.... called of God, as was Aaron.... As He saith also in another place, Thou art a Priest forever after the order of Melchisedec" (Hebrews 4:14, 5:4,6).

How marvelous it is to know,
For every need, in all our times,
There is a Priest to Whom we go
Portrayed by Scripture's paradigms.

Jesus Christ, the Son of God,
Called like Aaron, sacrificed.
Yet the Lamb He brought, unflawed,
Was Himself, our Lord and Christ!

And also in another place,
We see another Priest reflect
Our Lord's eternal truth and grace,
Called as was Melchisedec.

What a Savior is portrayed
In these Priesthood types foreshown!
What perfection is displayed
In our High Priest on His throne!

Labor with the Lord

"Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it; except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so He giveth His beloved sleep" (Psalm 127:1,2). "Let us labor therefore to enter into that rest" (Hebrews 4:11).

We have a battle yet to fight,
We have a building yet to build,
We have a burden in the night
Until God's work has been fulfilled.

But all our efforts are in vain
Except the Lord will go before
To build, to battle, and sustain
The burden of this daily war.

We need not work without His power,
We need not watch without His keeping,
We need not worry any hour,
But rest, for God is never sleeping.

Yet while we rest, we labor too,
As fellow workers with God's Son.
His work upon the cross is through;
The church He builds is not yet done.

Renewed Rejoicing

"When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream. Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The Lord hath done great things for them. The Lord hath done great things for us, whereof we are glad. Turn again our captivity, O Lord" (Psalm 126:1-4).

Remember when you found the Lord
And asked Him to come in.
Let your joy now be restored
By Him Who took your sin.

Remember it was like a dream
When Christ came into you,
So marvelous it did not seem
The Gospel could be true.

But Jesus Christ is real indeed,
And He came in to stay,
And when He did your soul was freed!
Recall that happy day!

When others looked upon your life,
They may have thought it strange:
They saw your peace instead of strife,
And marveled at the change.

Do not let the laughter cease
That once your mouth had filled,
But let rejoicing now increase,
For why should it be stilled?

If you had won the lottery,
The riches you had won
Are not worth the reality
Of God's beloved Son!

Thank You, Lord, for all You did
To save us by Your grace!
Renew the joy that can't be hid
Upon our life and face!

Ark and Altar

"And God said unto Noah.... Make thee an ark.... Thus did Noah; according to all the God commanded him, so, did he.... And Noah builded an altar unto the Lord.... And the Lord smelled a sweet savor; and the Lord said in His heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth" (Genesis 6:13-22, 8:20,21). "The Lord is round about His people from henceforth even forever" (Psalm 125:2). "He... by Himself purged our sins" (Hebrews 1:3).

Noah feared and he obeyed
When God told him to build an ark.
When time elapsed that God conveyed,
The rain-filled clouds then gathered dark.

What a portrait here we see:
The ark is surely like our Lord,
Surrounding us eternally,
Shielding us from judgment's sword.

Noah built an altar too,
And God regarded its sweet savor,
And with this sacrifice in view,
He gave the promise of His favor.

What a picture here in truth
Of Christ this altar thus displays!
Though we're sinful from our youth,
He inhabits now our praise!

The ark is Christ we're shielded in;
The altar's fragrances reveal,
Our Lord Himself who purged our sin,
And bruised the serpent with His heel.

Remembering our Rescuer

"And God remembered Noah... and the waters assuaged; the fountains also of the deep and the windows of heaven were stopped, and the rain from heaven was restrained" (Genesis 8:1,2). "If it had not been the Lord Who was on our side... then the waters had overwhelmed us, the stream had gone over our soul" (Psalm 124:1-4).

If it hadn't been the Lord
Then none would have been saved
When the rains of heaven poured
To judge a world depraved.

The flood above the mountains
Assuaged by God's command.
The deep then stopped her fountains,
By God's arresting hand.

Our God remembered Noah then
And brought him through the flood.
And He remembered sinful men,
And shed for them His blood.

Remember now that rescue well,
Which granted us new birth!
Refresh your memory and tell
How Jesus came to earth.

A Child was born to bear our load
And rescue us from sin.
The judgment waters overflowed
And plunged Him deep within.

But on the third day He arose
And conquered thus the grave.
We recall Him with all those
Christ Jesus came to save.

Messengers for the Master

"Unto Thee lift I up mine eyes, O Thou that dwellest in the heavens... as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters" (Psalms 123:1,2). "A faithful messenger... refresheth the soul of his masters" (Proverbs 25:13).

To You, O Lord, we lift our eyes
To heaven's highest throne,
And pray that You would make us wise,
To make Your glory known.

We see by faith where You now dwell
Where praise proclaims Your worth,
From those whom You redeemed from hell
When You came down to earth.

Those shepherds now are where You are
Who tended sheep in Bethlehem;
The wisemen, too, who saw Your star,
When You were leading them.

Make us, Lord, like each of these,
That we might thus proclaim
And spread the message where You please,
That Christ our Savior came.

Grasping Grace

"Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord" (Genesis 6:8). "The grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men" (Titus 2:11).

The saving grace that Noah found
Before the coming flood,
Yet flows from Christ and will abound
To cleanse us by His blood.

The grace of God has now appeared
That brings to us salvation.
Our Savior bore the wrath we feared,
Removing condemnation!

The grace of God extends to all
Who call upon the Lord.
He hears the sinner's urgent call
Who flees from judgment's sword.

Behold, the time for grasping grace
Is while it's called today.
You don't know the time and place
When you'll be swept away.

Now come to Christ! You dare not wait
Or boast of a tomorrow.
There is a time when it's too late
That brings eternal sorrow.

We thank you, Lord, for grace that came
So long ago to earth.
To save our souls, remove our shame,
And give us a new birth!

And thank you, Lord, for grace that stays
And vows to never leave!
Our adoration, grateful praise,
And love, O Lord, receive.

Gift for God

"My son, give Me thine heart" (Proverbs 23:26).

God has one gift on His list
That you and I should give:
That He might reign within our midst
And in our hearts might live.

Neither gold nor frankincense
Nor costliness of myrrh
Nor other treasures of expense
Does Christ our Lord prefer.

Give to Him the life He bought
At heaven's highest price!
This is what our Savior sought
When He was sacrificed.

Lord, we bring our hearts to You,
Our souls for which You paid,
And bodies sanctified anew,
All on Your altar laid.

Greatness of His Graciousness

"Great are Thy tender mercies, O Lord.... I rejoice at Thy Word, as one that findeth great spoil.... Great peace have they which love Thy law: and nothing shall offend them" (Psalm 119:156,162,165).

Beyond what we can understand
Is His majestic power
Who made the heavens, sea, and land,
And keeps them at this hour.

And, oh, the greatness of the love
In Jesus Christ we've heard,
Who left His majesty above
According to His Word.

How great His tender mercies are!
How great His Word to us,
Which preaches peace to those once were far
And reaches rebels thus!

Oh, Lord, we thank you for Your peace,
A treasure that transcends
All this world's vain increase
That very shortly ends.

Oh Lord, we came in poverty,
But You gave us the spoil
That You had won by Calvary
By suffering and toil!

We thank you, Lord, for graciousness
That draws us near to You,
For perfect peace, for tenderness,
And for Your Word so true!

Destiny beyond Dust

"Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.... Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them.... And in the process of time... Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering" (Genesis 3:19,21, 4:3,4).

Death came to humanity,
Consigning man to dust.
And thus the law of entropy
Was on this world thrust.

As from dust we came to be,
To dust shall we return.
But this is not our destiny,
As God's would have us learn.

For God instructed fallen man
By making coats of skins,
Revealing thus His wondrous plan
For covering their sins.

A sinless, living sacrifice,
By death, their clothing made.
Their bloodless work would not suffice
To show a ransom paid.

Abel brought his offering,
And God was pleased as well,
To thereby show that He would bring
The Lamb that saves from hell.

The sacrifices now are gone
But Jesus Christ remains.
The work He did goes on and on
In each heart where He reigns.

And thus we see our destiny,
So far beyond the dust,
Extends with Christ eternally
To all who in Him trust.

Needing His Nearness

"They draw nigh that follow after mischief: they are far from Thy law. Thou art near, O Lord; and all Thy commandments are truth" (Psalm 119:150,151). "There is a Friend that sticketh closer than a brother" (Proverbs 18:24).

The mischievous are drawing near
Who hate the law of God.
And many give to them an ear,
Approve them, and applaud.

Yet God is with us, praise His name,
Our Lord, Emmanuel!
What a comfort we can claim,
Assured that all is well!

For God has never left His own;
His promises are true.
The Lord is ruling on His throne;
He sees what sinners do.

There is day of reckoning
Approaching even now
When sinners who have mocked our King
Shall then be forced to bow.

Thus we comfort one another
Until He shall appear:
Our Lord sticks closer than a brother;
He is a Friend that's near.

Enmity for Eternity

"And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her Seed; it (lit. He) shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise His heel" (Genesis 3:15). "Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd, and against the Man that is My Fellow, saith the Lord of hosts" (Zechariah 13:7). "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.... And a man's foes shall be they of his own household" (Matthew 10:34-36).

The Lord has put His enmity,
Where once there had been none,
That now divides humanity
By Jesus Christ His Son.

Destruction's path is wide and broad,
Where once we all did dwell.
But Jesus Christ brought peace with God
That plucked our souls from hell.

Praise the Lord that He thus came,
To wake that awful sword
By which He bore our sin and shame
And severed judgment's cord.

Thank You, Lord, for the division
That makes us now Your own
By love that prompted Your decision
To leave Your glorious throne!

Lord, at Your feet in love we kneel!
You suffered in our stead,
But when the serpent bruised Your heel,
You thereby crushed his head!

Said and Settled

"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).

Caution! There is subtlety
That's lurking round about!
Satan works relentlessly
To sow the seeds of doubt.

Are you sure that God has said...?
The serpent thus began,
And when the doubt like cancer spread,
He had achieved his plan.

God has said, and we have heard,
His counsel and instruction.
We either will believe God's Word,
Or fall by our seduction.

Though dispensations have gone by,
And much has been achieved,
Satan sows the same old lie,
And many are deceived.

God has said just what he meant,
And meant just what He said.
Except the sinner shall repent,
He'll perish when he's dead.

Be on guard for Satan's lies!
Let nothing slip away.
God will bless and make those wise
Who trust Him and obey.

Testing Times

"Deal with Thy servant.... I am Thy servant; give me understanding.... It is time for Thee, Lord, to work: for they have made void Thy law" (Psalm 119:124-126). "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils" (1 Timothy 4:1).

The time has come to work, O God.
Lord, show Your servants what to do.
Beneath their feet have sinners trod
Your Law they mock and call untrue.

These are times that You foretold,
When Satan would unleash His lies.
Times of testing now unfold:
Let Your servants now arise!

Faithful servants stand the test,
And others fail by seduction.
Thereby God shall manifest
The path of life and of destruction.

Yet faithful servants sometimes fail,
But by God's grace they are restored.
For by His strength they shall prevail,
And by His mercy serve the Lord.

Faithful servants stand by grace,
Not by power of their own,
To work in such a time and place
Assigned by God, and God alone.

Times of testing now are here:
Lord, give Your servants understanding
So that we, by grace and fear,
May do the work that You're commanding.

Holding the Holy

"Hold Thou me up, and I shall be safe: and I will have respect unto Thy statutes continually" (Psalm 119:117). "The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways: and a good man shall be satisfied from himself.... The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death" (Psalm 119:27).

Lord, You know my tendency
To backslide down the slope
When I forget You're holding me,
And You're my only hope!

The Fountain of my hope is Christ,
Who gives grace to the lowly.
His grace to save alone sufficed,
And grace shall make me holy.

Lord, I know You hold my hand,
And that You draw me near,
And by Your grace alone I stand,
Perfected by Your fear.

So I will trust You, Lord, to hold
And strengthen me each day
To make me holy, humble, bold,
And lead me in Your way.

Let there be Light

"Darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness" (Genesis 1:2-4). "Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path" (Psalm 119:105). "The light of the righteous rejoiceth: but the lamp of the wicked shall be put out" (Proverbs 13:9). "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners... Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth" (1 Timothy 1:15, 2:4).

In the beginning before there was light,
When darkness had covered the face of the earth,
God spoke a word that invaded the night:
"Let there be light", and light had its birth.

The Word that God authored gives light to our path
And gives us a message to this world sent:
The Light of the World will save you from wrath,
And you shall not perish if you will repent.

The light of God's Word is a lamp for our feet,
Feet that should carry Good News to the lost.
Jesus came into this world to complete
His work to save sinners at so great a cost.

God would have everyone come to the light,
But He will not force them to trust in the Savior.
Yet He commands us to shine in their sight,
As lights in this world by word and behavior.

"Let there be light," our Lord still decrees,
And thus He has given to us our commission.
So whether we're walking or down on our knees,
Let us be praying that sinners will listen.

Jewels for Jesus

"Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon His name. And they shall be Mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up My jewels" (Malachi 3:16,17).

So let the world count us fools
As we think upon our Lord.
God is making up His jewels,
By all those who have adored.

God has hearkened to the speech
And also to the meditation
Of those who often think and teach
On Jesus Christ and His salvation.

What privilege it is
And what a prospect we can see:
We who love the Lord are His,
Both now and for eternity!

So let think upon His name
And let us at His beauty look,
Rejoicing that our Savior came,
And we are written in His book!

Cherish His Changelessness

"Thy faithfulness is unto all generations.... Unless Thy law had been my delights, I should then have perished in mine affliction" (Psalm 119:89,92). "I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed" (Malachi 3:6). "The Lord is faithful, Who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil" (2 Thessalonians 3:3).

As faithful as His Word decreed,
As changeless as His throne,
As sure as Scripture that we read,
The Lord is to His own.

What a comfort to our hearts!
His changelessness we cherish!
What assurance He imparts
That we shall never perish!

He is faithful! That is why
We shall not be consumed.
Surely otherwise we'd die
And be forever doomed.

Faithful, changeless, loving Lord,
The labor is so sweet
That seeks a crown with this reward:
To lay it at Your feet!

When Clouds Will Clear

"My soul fainteth for Thy salvation: but I hope in Thy Word.... For I am become like a bottle in the smoke; yet do I not forget Thy statutes" (Psalm 119:81,83). "The hope of the righteous shall be gladness: but the expectation of the wicked shall perish" (Proverbs 10:28). "And it shall come to pass in that day, that the light shall not be clear, nor dark: but it shall be one day known to the Lord, not day, nor night: but it shall come to pass, that at evening time it shall be light.... And the Lord shall be King over all the earth" (Zechariah 14:6-9). "He shall come to be glorified in His saints, and to be admired in all them that believe" (2 Thessalonians 1:10).

Our hope of gladness is not vain,
Though clouds obscure that day.
When Jesus Christ returns again
Those clouds shall clear away.

And though the clouds have not yet cleared,
To faith it is not dark,
As when the time of judgment neared
When Noah built the ark.

Thus we walk by faith, not sight,
For God has now assured
That everything will be alright
For those who trust His Word.

Our faith is like a periscope
That sees above the clouds.
Behold the gladness of our hope
That human vision shrouds!

For Christ the Lord, our glorious King,
Shall govern all the earth.
The clouds will clear, and we shall sing,
Admiring His worth!

His Hands

"Thy hands have made me and fashioned me: give me understanding that I may learn Thy commandments" (Psalm 119:73). "I will pour... the Spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon Me whom they have pierced... 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" (Zechariah 12:11, 13:6).

Lord, Your hands have fashioned me.
Only You can clearly show
The truth that You would have me see,
To understand what I should know.

Here is where it all begins;
My heart by this now understands:
I see the horror of my sins
As I now look upon Your hands.

Here is where it also ends,
For on the cross Your love prevailed
As in the house of Your own friends
Your holy hands for us were nailed.

Your holy Law was satisfied!
Your hands yet wounded still display
That Love for me was crucified,
To put my horrid sins away.

Lord of all of Your creation,
You have taught my heart and mind
By hands once pierced for my salvation:
You are holy and so kind!

Pricing the Precious

"The law of Thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver" (Psalm 119:72). "My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold, and My revenue than choice silver" (Proverbs 8:19). "And I said unto them, If ye think good, give me My price... So they weighed for My price thirty pieces of silver" (Zechariah 11:12).

Far better now it is to choose
The Word of God today
Than gold and silver revenues
The earth has on display.

The world casts aside its worth,
The same as it does Christ,
For when He came down to this earth,
How poorly He was priced!

The silver that they gave for Christ
Was thirty pieces weighed.
The Lamb of God was sacrificed
And for this price betrayed!

Lord and Savior of the earth,
With what shall we compare
The value You are truly worth
That heaven did not spare?

Lord, not a trillion worlds full
Of silver and fine gold
Can weigh Your Gift unspeakable
Of priceless worth untold.

Precious Lord, receive our love
As humbly we adore,
Until we're face to face above
To praise You even more.

Greatness of His Goodness

"Behold, thy King cometh unto thee: He is just, and having salvation, lowly, and riding upon an ass, upon a colt the foal of an ass.... Turn you to the strong hold, ye prisoners of hope.... For how great is His goodness, and how great is His beauty!" (Zechariah 9:9,12,17).

How great is the goodness of Jesus our King!
How great is His beauty Who came meek and lowly!
How great His salvation He came down to bring,
That sinners, once hopeless, by grace are made holy!

How great is the distance that Jesus Christ came,
Descending to earth from eternity's throne!
How great is His mercy that purges our shame,
That holds us in love and that calls us His own!

How great was His ransom for captives set free,
Purchased by blood that is precious and pure.
How great is the strong hold to which we now flee:
Our refuge in Christ shall forever endure!

Chorus of Comfort

"This is my comfort in my affliction: for Thy word hath quickened me.... I remembered Thy judgments of old, O Lord, and have comforted myself.... Thy statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage" (Psalm 119:50,52,54). "My son, keep thy Father's commandment.... When thou goest, it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee; and when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee" (Proverbs 6:20,21).

There is a daily chorus found
Of comfort that our Lord imparts,
For though afflictions may abound,
Yet His Word revives our hearts.

When you go, His Word shall lead,
Guiding, guarding all the way.
In this pilgrimage we need
His Word of comfort everyday.

When you come at each day's end,
As you close your eyes to sleep,
Thank the Lord, Your faithful Friend,
Watches those He vows to keep.

When you wake to read His Word,
Listen, and you'll hear His voice.
Let your heart by Him be stirred;
Wake to worship, and rejoice!

When our pilgrimage is through,
We will sing on heaven's shore
Of all the things in life we view
That God had meant for good before.

Beauty of the Branch

"Behold, I will bring forth my SERVANT the Branch.... And I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day.... Behold the MAN, whose name is The Branch.... He shall be a Priest upon His throne" (Zechariah 3:8,9, 6:12,13). "In that day shall the Branch of the LORD be beautiful and glorious" (Isaiah 4:2). "Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a KING shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment in the earth" (Jeremiah 23:5).

Behold the beauty of the BRANCH!
The SERVANT of the Lord who came
To save us when we had no chance,
Hopeless in our sin and shame.

Behold the BRANCH who is the MAN
Who came to be our saving Priest.
He carried out salvation's plan
When every other hope had ceased.

Behold the BRANCH who is the LORD;
How beautiful and glorious now!
How worthy is the Lamb adored
With many crowns upon His brow!

Behold the BRANCH who is the KING
Who soon shall reign upon the earth.
Bring to Him your offering
In worship that proclaims His worth!

Plain Path

"Make me to go in the path of Thy commandments, for therein do I delight... Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity, and quicken me in Thy way" (Psalm 119:35,37). "Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee. Ponder the path of Thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. Turn not to the right hand or to the left: remove thy foot from evil" (Proverbs 4:25-27).

Help me, Lord, to understand
And walk the way that You make plain.
It is the path of Your command;
Every other way is vain.

Turn my feet, O Lord, away
From paths that spend my energy
On things that waste the time of day
And dead end in futility.

Your path is surely plain to see;
Your Word illumines it with light.
The problem is the vanity
That turns my eyes from left to right.

It boils down to just one thing:
I need to fix my eyes on You.
O Lord, my Savior, God, and King,
This is what I long to do!

Guarded Garments

"Joshua was clothed with filthy garments.... And unto him He [the Lord] said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment" (Zechariah 3:3,4). "But now ye also put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing ye have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of Him that created him" (Colossians 3:9,10).

Filthy garments! What a mess!
These are all I had before.
But now the robe of righteousness
Is mine in Christ, and so much more!

Those garments now I would not touch,
Much less choose again to wear!
Since God has given me so much,
Those filthy rags cannot compare.

Still, the old man is not gone,
With his malice, filth, and lies,
And he bids me to put them on;
Telling me they're just my size!

Guard me, Lord, in each temptation;
Wash me thoroughly within.
Since I'm clothed in Your salvation,
Keep me free and far from sin.

Manifest the Mystery

"The mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations... now is made manifest to His saints: to whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Colossians 1:26,27).

The mystery hid from long ages past
Cloaked in the shadows of prophetic story,
Is manifest now to the world at last:
Christ in His people, the Hope of God's glory!

God would make known this mystery now
To show all the riches of glory He gives.
We should be those who manifest how
This hope is revealed, for Christ in us lives!

He's dwelling in heaven upon His great throne,
And living in those who surrender their hearts.
This is the mystery God would make known:
This is the glorious hope He imparts!

Lord, we're Your people in whom You display
The hope of Your glory that You would not hide.
Help us to show forth Your mystery today
As vessels of mercy in whom You abide.

Prioritize His Preeminence

"All things were created by Him (Christ), and for Him: and He is before all things, and by Him all things consist. And He is the Head of the body, the church: Who is the beginning, the Firstborn from the dead; that in all things He might have the preeminence" (Colossians 1:16-18).

Before there was time,
Any matter, or space,
Our Savior sublime
Was enthroned in His place.

He is the Creator
Of things near and far,
Eternally greater
Than all things that are.

For by Him the earth
And the heavens exist,
Which herald His worth
By Whom they consist.

And He is the Head
Of each one He will save,
Firstborn from the dead,
Who has conquered the grave.

Lord, reign in my heart,
As You purge its pretense!
Invade every part;
Have the preeminence!

Heart for Him

"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 119:2,3). "Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:13,14).

Away with distracted, unworthy desire
That gives to my Lord a halfhearted praise!
Lord, I would give You my heart now on fire,
That seeks You completely and walks in Your ways!

Surely, I know I have not apprehended
This wholehearted search that I hope to attain.
I'll press for that mark till my journey has ended,
Where living is Christ and my dying is gain.

Here is my heart, Lord, submitted to You,
Aimless without You, toward evil prone.
This is the one thing I'm longing to do:
To seek to be pleasing to You, Lord, alone.

Singing with the Savior

"The Lord is my Strength and Song, and is become my Salvation" (Psalm 118:14). "Sing... be glad and rejoice with all the heart.... 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 3:14-17).

The Lord is our Strength and our Song,
And He has become our Salvation.
The Savior is singing along
Rejoicing with His new creation!

Yes! Our Savior is singing as well
With joy over those He redeemed
And those He has rescued from hell;
How hopeless and helpless they seemed!

But Christ has delivered our souls,
And sings with us now on our path.
We sing now the song that extols
The Love that delivered from wrath!

How sweet is His singing that blends
His song with His own people's voices!
The song of our Lord never ends
That rests in His love and rejoices.

He Humbled Himself

"O praise the Lord, all ye nations: praise him all ye people. For His merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the Lord endureth forever. Praise ye the Lord" (Psalm 117:1,2). "He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Philippians 2:9-11).

He humbled Himself: now what does that mean?
How can we know what that meant for our Lord?
Can we comprehend that spectacular scene
When He was by angels in heaven adored?

He humbled Himself! He set it aside!
He came down to earth in the likeness of man.
For us He would suffer and be crucified:
If we would be saved, there was no other plan.

He humbled Himself! We scarcely begin
To ponder that distance when He stooped so low!
That we might be rescued and ransomed from sin,
Even to death on the cross He would go!

He humbled Himself, but God has now raised
His name above all other names for His worth!
How rightly the name of our Savior is praised
And worshipped in heaven and nations on earth!

Thoughtful and Thankful

"I love the Lord because He hath heard my voice.... I was brought low, and He helped me.... What shall I render unto the Lord for all His benefits toward me?.... I will offer to Thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name o the Lord" (Psalm 116:17). "Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen" (Ephesians 6:24).

Do you remember that wonderful day
When you cried to the Lord and He heard your voice?
The sorrows of death, of hell, and dismay
Were conquered by Christ! Recall and rejoice!

No wonder we love Him! We all surely know
The price that He paid to answer our prayer.
We each can remember when we were brought low,
And His nail-pierced hand delivered us there!

In view of His benefits, what shall we render?
We cannot repay that unspeakable price!
But we can in love and thanksgiving surrender
Ourselves as a living and right sacrifice.

Bless our Blesser

"The Lord hath been mindful of us.... He will bless them that fear the Lord, both small and great.... Ye are blessed of he Lord which made heaven and earth.... But we will bless the Lord from this time forth and for evermore. Praise ye the Lord" (Psalm 115:12-18). "Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Ephesians 5:20).

Come, bless the Lord, for the way He has blessed;
How great are the blessings our Savior bestows!
Forgiveness, redemption, revival and rest:
Yes, Christ is the Fountain from Whom blessing flows!

Come, bless the Savior for all He has done:
Give Him the praise Who made heaven and earth.
For all of His blessings bestowed in God's Son,
We will give thanks, magnifying His worth.

Come, bless the Blesser, Who came from above
To meet us with mercy and truth on the cross.
Bless Him forever for His wondrous love
That spared not His life to protect us from loss.

Dread of His Dominion

"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?.... Tremble, thou earth, at the presence of the Lord" (Psalm 114:1-7). "Wherefore He saith, Awake... because the days are evil. Wherefore.... be filled with the Spirit" (Ephesians 5:1,18).

Looking back in history,
When Israel was God's dominion,
Why did Jordan have to flee?
Now what is your informed opinion?

No, it wasn't Israel
From whom those waters fled.
The presence of Immanuel
Then caused the earth her dread.

Now in these dark and evil days,
The Devil rages like a flood.
The hellish army he arrays
Is surely not of flesh and blood.

Let us therefore be aware,
And let us be awake!
Our feeble powers neither scare
Nor Satan's forces shake.

But through our God, Immanuel,
The battle shall be won
And turn away the powers of hell
For dread of God the Son.

Lord, we know we have no power
Or wisdom of our own
Within this present evil hour
To make Your Gospel known.

So come and reign, Lord, as You please;
All other help must fail!
For by Your presence Satan flees,
And thus shall we prevail!

Fall at the Feet

"The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit Thou at my right hand, until I make Thine enemies thy footstool... Thy people shall be willing in the day of Thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning" (Psalm 110:1,3). "The God of our Lord Jesus Christ, Father of glory... hath raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places... and hath put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be the head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him that filleth all in all" (Ephesians 1:17-23).

Scripture knows no middle ground,
For Jesus Christ is Lord of all.
The saved delight to see Him crowned,
His enemies will surely fall.

We'll fall in worship or in wrath:
There simply is other choice.
There is a broad or narrow path:
The lost will weep; the saved rejoice.

Oh how thrilling it is now
To worship humbly at His feet!
One day every knee shall bow
When at His throne we all shall meet.

Before His feet our joy is full;
Beneath His feet His foes lament.
We praise the Lord who saved our soul,
And so will they if they repent.

Blessed in the Beloved

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: according as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love... to the praise of the glory of His grace, wherein He hath made us accepted (Greek "charito" = highly favored) in the Beloved" (Ephesians 1:3,6).

God bestows the highest favor
That can come from heaven's place
Through the love of Christ our Savior:
Praise the glory of His grace!

We are more than just "accepted":
Christ removed from us our blame.
By His grace we were perfected
When we called upon His name.

Before He gave the earth foundation,
Even then our Lord foresaw
And chose us to receive salvation
With grace that satisfied His law.

What countless blessings are bestowed
(Yes, all that heaven can afford!)
When we exchange sin's heavy load
For favor found in Christ our Lord.

Reaping vs. Retiring

"And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith" (Galatians 6:9,10).

The thought that one day we retire
To live for leisure and to sleep,
Is out of step with God's desire
To never faint and thus to reap.

Strength of body may diminish,
But never God's sustaining grace.
Fight the good fight to the finish,
Keep the faith, and run the race.

While there's opportunity
Let us do what good we can.
In view of our eternity,
Retirees should have this plan!

Cost of the Calm

"He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.... Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the Lord" (Psalm 107:29,43). "Then said they unto him, What shall we do unto thee, that the sea may be calm unto us? For the sea wrought, and was tempestuous. And he said unto them, Take me up, and cast me forth into the sea; so shall the sea be calm unto you.... So they took up Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea: and the sea ceased from her raging" (Psalm 107:11,16).

We read in Psalm one hundred seven,
This sweet, majestic Psalm,
That God extends His hand from heaven
To make the storm a calm.

Whoever will observe these things
Will see there was a price:
The calm of spirit that God brings
Required Sacrifice.

The storm that Jonah's ship was in
Where souls were nearly lost,
Portrays God's wrath against our sin,
And for the calm, the cost.

For Jonah was a type of Christ,
Then lifted up and hurled.
The Lamb of God was sacrificed,
For God so loved the world.

The sea is calm that used to toss
And rage because of wrath,
For Christ was lifted on the cross:
Peace had no other path.

O let us praise and thank the Lord
Who left His throne above!
The wrath of God was on Him poured,
But on us streams of love.

Jarring Jonah

"The Lord sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken.... But Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep. So the shipmaster came to him, and said unto him, What meanest thou, O sleeper? Arise, call upon thy God, if so be that God will think upon us, that we perish not" (Jonah 1:4-6).

The downward slope we clearly see
When Jonah fled from God's command,
And then he slept in apathy,
Despite the fearful storm at hand.

If not the tempest, who could wake
This wayward prophet sleeping hard?
If not the storm, what would it take,
So that God's servant might be jarred?

At last the prophet would be wise,
By words that stirred within him shame:
What mean you, sleeper? Now arise!
Call on God! Invoke His name!

The lesson here to us applies
And bids us think upon this scene,
That we might hear those fearful cries:
O sleeper, rise! What do you mean?

For even now there is a storm,
That threatens souls with every wave.
Though apathy accepts this norm,
God does not, and longs to save.

So let us hear the Savior's voice,
And go wherever He has sent,
For heaven's angels still rejoice
When one lost sinner will repent.

Wellspring of Wisdom

"The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the Lord.... Understanding is a wellspring of life unto him that hath it.... The heart of the wise teacheth his mouth, and addeth learning to his lips" (Proverbs 16:1,22,23).

The well of our wisdom will surely run dry
Unless there's a Spring that will give understanding.
God is the Wellspring, our Source of supply,
That fills us with truth that the need is demanding.

God gives the answer for which we are yearning.
God gives His wisdom to those who will ask.
God is the Teacher of lips that are learning,
Providing the word that is right for each task.

The heart may prepare, but God gives the word
That has understanding and wisdom He gives.
Let us then pray till this has occurred,
And thus by His wellspring declare that He lives.

Song of my Soul

"The glory of the Lord shall endure forever: Lord shall rejoice in His works.... I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live: I will sing praise to my God while I have my being. My meditation of Him shall be sweet: I will be glad in the Lord" (Psalm 104:31,33,34).

Sing, to the Lord with a sweet meditation.
Sing, to the Lord with all heaven above.
Sing, for His wonders displayed in creation.
Sing for the joy of His unceasing love.

Sing, O my soul, for as long as you live.
Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving and praise.
He gave Himself; how much more could He give?
Sing, O my soul, bless the Lord all your days.

Sing, O my soul, and forever rejoice.
Sing, for the Lord is rejoicing as well.
Sing to the Lord with your heart and your voice;
Sing of your Lord who redeemed you from hell.

Sing, O my soul, and be glad in the Lord.
Sing, for He gave you a new song to sing.
Sing, O my soul, now redeemed and restored.
Sing to your Savior, Creator, and King!

Famine of Forgetfulness

"Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits" (Psalm 103:2). "A scorner seeketh wisdom, and findeth it not" (Proverbs 14:6). "Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord: and they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the Word of the Lord, and shall not find it" (Amos 8:11,12). "I marvel that ye are so soon removed from Him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: which is not another" (Galatians 1:6,7).

There is a famine in the land,
No, not for water or for bread,
But rather for the Lord's command,
To hear and do what He has said.

How odd it is that we should be
From Christ so easily removed,
Our Fountainhead of liberty,
Whose faithfulness is surely proved.

In view of all that God has done
To save us, keep us, and to bless,
How great our famine if we shun
Our God by our forgetfulness!

The scorners seek and cannot find
A puzzle piece of truth to fit,
And then lead others who are blind
To likewise fall into their pit.

Oh may our land again return
To seek her blessings known at first,
To feed the hungry hearts that yearn
And satisfy our nation's thirst.

Meeting Majesty

"Prepare to meet Thy God.... He that formeth the mountains, and createth the wind, and declareth unto man what is his thought, that maketh the morning darkness, and treadeth upon the high places of the earth, The LORD, The God of hosts is His name.... Seek Him that maketh the seven stars and Orion, and turneth the shadow of death into the morning, and maketh the day dark with night: that calleth for the waters of the sea, and poureth them out upon the face of the earth: The LORD is His name" (Amos 4:12,13, 5:8).

Prepare to meet with Majesty,
Far greater that we thought!
The day approaches when we'll see
And praise Him as we ought.

Yet even now we may prepare
To meet and praise Him here,
Who formed the mountains, wind, and air,
And shaped our atmosphere.

He made the sea and all therein;
He made the morning light.
He came to earth to bear our sin
And save us from our plight.

He declares each thought we hide;
He knows them one by one,
And yet He'll meet us and abide
When we receive His Son.

Seek the Lord who made the stars
And shows us what shall be.
What a privilege is ours
To meet with Majesty!

Agressive Agreement

"I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way. O when wilt Thou come to me? I will walk in my house with a perfect heart. I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes" (Psalm 101:2,3). "Can two walk together, except they be agreed?" (Amos 3:3).

Can two now walk together, except they be agreed?
Is God content to dwell with us without reproving sin?
The answer "NO!" is obvious. And thus I see my need
To purge my life aggressively; now where should I begin?

Perhaps I'd better start with what I put before my eyes:
Things not only wicked, but the things that waste my time.
Why should I give energy to things that are not wise,
Since God has offered me instead His Word that is sublime?

Do I have God's approving eye on every secret thought?
The Word of God is like a sword dividing wrong from right,
And God will thereby show me what is true and what is not,
As every thought in darkness is reproved within His light.

So let me work aggressively to purify my way
That I may walk in harmony with Jesus Christ my Savior.
Search me and create in me a clean heart, Lord, today,
That our agreement may be seen in all of my behavior.

Simplicity vs. Subtlety

"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).

Remember Satan's subtlety,
That serpent in the garden,
Who turned Eve from simplicity,
So that her heart would harden.

Remembering the subtle ways
And words that Satan used
Will thus expose the snare he lays
For those whom he's confused.

Satan's question: "Hath God said?"
Was all that he would need
To take Eve down the path he led
And sow his doubtful seed.

Let us take this for instruction,
And hold fast to God's Word,
Lest doubting God be our destruction,
In spite of what we've heard.

Chastened and Challenged

"Moses and Aaron among His priests, and Samuel among them that call upon His name; they called upon the Lord, and He answered them. He spake unto them in the cloudy pillar: they kept His testimonies, and the ordinance that He gave them. Thou answeredst them, O Lord our God: Thou was a God that forgavest them, though Thou tookest vengeance of their inventions" (Psalm 99:5-8).

Flawless perfection shall never be found
When looking in people, whoever they be.
Even the prophets and priests so renowned,
All had sin natures, just like you and me.

Moses the prophet and Aaron the priest
Were chastened by God for sinful inventions.
Samuel's favor with God had increased,
Yet he also failed, despite good intentions.

We do not find comfort because they were flawed,
But rather because they were men God forgave.
And though we have sinned, there is pardon from God,
There is challenge to grow, and His power to save.

Openly Offered

"The Lord hath made known His salvation: His righteousness hath He openly showed in the sight of the heathen" (Psalm 98:2). "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).

You know of the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Who left heaven's riches to come to this place
To make Himself poor, to be sacrificed,
And openly offer His riches of grace.

We've seen the historical proof of His love.
We've heard of the grace that He graciously gives.
We know that our Savior ascended above,
And saves to the utmost, since He ever lives!

The grace of our Savior has never been hid;
All of these things have been openly shown.
Those who will choose to ignore what He did
Shall have no excuse when they stand at His throne.

Helping Holiness

"Ye that love the Lord, hate evil: He preserveth the souls of His saints; He delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked" (Psalm 97:10). "The fear of the Lord is to hate evil" (Proverbs 8:13). "Let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God" (2 Corinthians 7:1).

There is a help for holiness
In godly fear and love
That promises to cleanse and bless,
With help from God above.

Love the Lord with all your heart,
And then you will despise
The evil prompting to depart
From truth (exchanged for lies).

The fear of God, then, simply stated,
Is living for His smile
And hating all that He has hated
Because it will defile.

So let us cleanse ourselves from all
Our filth of flesh and spirit,
With fear that heeds our holy call
And love with ears to hear it.

Daily Declaration

"Sing unto the Lord, bless His name; show forth His salvation from day to day. Declare His glory among the heathen, His wonders among the people" (Psalm 96:2,3). "Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech (literally, implore) you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.... Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation" (2 Corinthians 5:20, 6:2).

Among the reasons to declare
Salvation day by day,
Is so that souls may be aware
Before they're swept away.

Eternity is like a wave
That crashes on the shore,
A tide that sweeps us to the grave,
And then returns for more.

Thus we are ambassadors
Imploring in Christ's stead,
Though the mocker yet ignores
And scorns what God has said.

We use the time, we seize the day,
And boast not of tomorrow.
We point to Christ, the only Way
To flee from judgment's sorrow.

Day by day we now proclaim
The Good News of salvation:
To those who trust in Jesus' name,
There is no condemnation!

Redeemer's Remedy

"O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself, but in Me is thine help. I will be thy King: where is any other that may save thee?.... I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death" (Hosea 13:9,10,14).

The self-help books upon our shelves
Won't help us when we've stumbled,
If we who have destroyed ourselves
By pride will not be humbled.

These remedies cannot begin
To heal our condition
If we will not admit our sin
And turn with true contrition.

In spite of our rebellious pride
And foolishness employed,
The love of God calls us aside
When we are self-destroyed.

We hear the Lord in kindness say:
"Come, find your help in Me,
For I will be your King today,
And I will set you free.

Are there others who can save?
Their boasts are wasted breath!
I will ransom from the grave,
Redeeming you from death."

What redemption is extended
To the one who will take heed!
What a Savior has befriended
Sinners in their time of need!

Readiness for Righteousness

"Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy, break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the Lord, till He come and rain righteousness upon you" (Hosea 10:12).

God shall send His righteousness
As rain to bless our thirsty land,
But till that time He comes to bless
There's surely labor now at hand.

Sow the land with Gospel seeds,
And reap where mercy may abound.
Cultivate your righteous deeds,
And thus break up your fallow ground.

For now it's time to seek the Lord,
Lest all our efforts be in vain.
Let prayerful hearts be thus outpoured,
Till righteousness come down like rain.

Floundering Floods

Election Day 2008

"Yet have I set my King upon my holy hill of Zion.... The Lord reigneth, He is clothed with majesty.... Thy throne is established of old: Thou art from everlasting. The floods have lifted up, O Lord, the floods have lifted up their voice; the floods lift up their waves. The Lord on high is mightier than the noise of many waters, yea, than the mighty waves of the sea" (Psalm 2:6, 93:1-4).

Within this season of election
We would do well to note
That God has made His own selection
With His deciding vote.

The floods have lifted up their voice;
God sees the vote their casting,
But God already made His choice,
In fact, from everlasting.

The floods of people vainly roared
Against our Lord and Savior,
But Jesus Christ is still the Lord,
No matter whom they favor.

What a privilege, by election,
We too may choose to own
And worship Christ in His perfection
As King of our heart's throne!

Give Thanks for God's Thoughts

"It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord.... For Thou, Lord, hast made me glad through Thy work: I will triumph in the works of Thy hands. O Lord, how great are Thy works! And Thy thoughts are very deep. A brutish man knoweth not, neither doth a fool understand this" (Psalm 92:1,4-6).

How good and wonderful it is
To thank the Lord for all He's done:
Wisdom, might, and love are His,
Displayed in Jesus Christ His Son.

Your thoughts, O Lord, are very deep!
How great the works are of Your hands!
Your promises You always keep;
Your counsel thus forever stands.

The fool by choice will know You not
And sets aside the evidence
Preserved in Your prophetic thought,
And thus remains without defense.

Receive our thanks, Lord, once again,
That You, in love, upon us thought.
How hopeless we all would have been
And helpless, Lord, if You had not!

Opened for Obedience

"Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.... For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries" (1 Corinthians 15:58, 16:9).

Behold a door is open wide
With opportunity today.
God now bids us step inside
And then with diligence obey.

This door of opportunity
Is opened for obedience.
The impact on eternity
Should summon all our diligence.

God includes this guarantee:
Our labor shall not be in vain.
To live through Christ is victory,
To die in Christ, eternal gain.

So how can we afford to wait
While God commands us enter in?
The opportunities are great;
To turn away is surely sin.

Beauty and the Believer

(Change We Can REALLY Believe In!)

"And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us: and establish Thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish Thou it" (Psalm 90:17). "As we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.... and we shall be changed" (1 Corinthians 15:49,52).

Let the beauty of the Lord
Be evident upon our lives.
This is what we look toward,
And that for which His Spirit strives.

Strengthen, Lord, our feeble hands
So that our work by grace may last,
And leave a monument the stands
To future generations passed.

This is now our Christian duty,
For such a time by God arranged.
Yet God shall grant eternal beauty
In that day we shall be changed!

How beautiful the victory
That we may see on history's pages!
Behold as well eternity:
We shall be changed for endless ages!

Met by Mercy

"Justice and judgment are the habitation of Thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before Thy face" (Psalm 89:14).

Justice cannot compromise
Nor from God's standard deviate.
Judgment falls, the guilty dies:
Prepare to meet your hopeless fate!

This was all that I could see.
I couldn't see God's truth and grace,
Until His mercy rescued me,
With truth that went before His face.

Mercy went before His face
With truth that couldn't be denied.
Justice then would rest its case,
And judgment would be satisfied.

Justice thus demanded death.
Judgment lifted up its rod.
Jesus gave His final breath
To satisfy the law of God.

It is finished! Thus He cried
When He took the sinner's place.
This is why the Savior died;
This is how we're saved by grace.

Met by mercy: what relief!
There is for me no condemnation!
His truth has vanquished unbelief,
And I am safe in His salvation!

Steadfast as Stars

"And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever" (Daniel 12:3).

The darker the night,
The more the stars shine.
And so is the light
That is yours and is mine.

This world is darkened
In these final days
As so few have hearkened,
Or give to God praise.

So let us endeavor,
Each one as a star,
To shine forth forever
Wherever we are.

By God's own design
In you and in me,
Let each of us shine
That our world may see.

Dwarfing the Dwellings

"The Lord loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob.... And of Zion it shall be said, This and that man was born in her: and the Highest Himself shall establish her. The Lord shall count, when He writeth up the people, that this man was born there. Selah." (Psalm 87:2,5,6).

The Lord loves Zion's pearly gates
More than all the dwellings found
In all this world's grand estates,
Where fleeting treasures there abound.

Behold the place that God prepares
Where He will dwell within our midst!
What in all the earth compares?
Nothing like it can exist!

For there in heaven God records
Every soul that's born anew.
Rejoice, all you who are the Lord's,
For He's prepared a place for you!

Usefully United

"Teach me Thy way, O Lord; I will walk in Thy truth: unite my heart to fear Thy name. I will praise Thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify Thy name for evermore" (Psalm 86:11,12).

Teach me, Lord, Your perfect way;
Unite my heart to fear Your name,
For double hearts are led astray
And by distraction brought to shame.

Let my life be simplified
To praise You, Lord, with all my heart.
Let Your name be glorified,
With all that's in me, every part.

Let my heart, my soul, and mind
Be thus united in Your fear,
And thereby usefully inclined
To make Your Gospel message clear.

Revived to Rejoice

"Wilt Thou not revive us again: that Thy people may rejoice in Thee?... I will hear what God the Lord will speak: for He will speak peace to His people, and to His saints: but let them not turn again to folly" (Psalm 85:6,8).

Let us hear what God will speak.
God will surely meet us when
We acknowledge we are weak
And we seek His face again.

Let us hear our Savior's voice;
He alone can give true peace
That His people may rejoice
And His glory may increase.

Let us hear what God will say,
And so reproved, let us repent
Putting folly thus away
That revival may be sent.

Favored with Forgiveness

"O Lord, to us belongeth confusion of face... because we have sinned against Thee. To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against Him" (Daniel 9:8,9).

Lord, You can see our confusion of face
Because we have sinned against You,
And yet you continue to show us Your grace
With mercy and pardon anew.

Thank You, dear Lord, for continuing favor
To the rebels deserving your wrath.
Thank You, O Lord, our Refuge and Savior,
For the light of Your love on our path.

Blueprinted Blessings

"Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established: and by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches.... Prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thyself in the field; and afterward build thine house" (Proverbs 24:3,27). "I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air" (1 Corinthians 9:26).

We cannot build with certainty;
We cannot fight or run,
Unless there is some clarity
On how to get it done.

We need a blueprint, so to speak,
That lays out what's required.
What is it that we truly seek?
How much is it desired?

Are there obstacles to clear
From God's appointed field?
Are there sins that we hold dear
That we have yet to yield?

May God give us a heart to plan,
Before we start to build.
The question is not if we can,
But rather if we've willed.

Fed with the Finest

"I am the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt: open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it. But My people would not hearken to My voice, and Israel would none of Me.... He should have fed them also with the finest of wheat, and with honey out of the rock should I have satisfied thee" (Psalm 81:10,11,16).

Out of the land where I was enslaved,
Into the place where I am now free:
This was the purpose for which I was saved;
This was the reason that Christ died for me.

And yet there is more that His love had in mind:
He wanted my spirit to be satisfied,
Fed with the finest of wheat He could find,
Paying the price that it might be supplied.

How great was that cost! It wasn't with money,
But His precious blood on the cross that He shed.
The Rock that was smitten has brought forth the honey
And finest of wheat by which we are fed.

Lord, I would open my mouth wide today
That I may be filled with true satisfaction.
Keep me from foolishly turning away
By empty adventure and pointless distraction.

Decree of Darius

"King Darius wrote unto all people, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied unto you. I make a decree, that in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel, for He is the living God.... He delivereth and rescueth, and He worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions" (Daniel 6:25-27).

Darius the king decreed
To all the nations far and near,
That everyone of them take heed:
The God of Daniel they should fear.

The God of Daniel, this is He
Who works in heaven and in earth.
Own His Lordship, bow the knee,
And declare His matchless worth.

God delivers the distressed,
And He rescues all His own,
As Daniel surely could attest,
And the lion's den had shown.

How great the peace to you and me
Is multiplied from God our Savior!
How high He sits in majesty!
How low He stoops to show His favor!

Temples and Treasures

"What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's" (1 Corinthians 6:19,20). "There is treasure to be desired, and oil in the dwelling of the wise" (Proverbs 21:20).

We are temples, Lord, and treasures
That all belong to You.
Purchased with a price that measures
Our worth in heaven's view.

Lord, give us hearts that realize,
With attentive ears to hear it,
And let this wonder fill our eyes:
We're indwelt by Your Spirit!

And since You bought us with a price,
Lord, help us to surrender
To Christ our Lord, our Sacrifice,
Redeemer, and Defender.

Indispensable Integrity

"He chose David also His servant, and took him from the sheepfolds.... So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart, and guided them by the skillfulness of his hands" (Psalm 78:70,72). "A faithful man who can find? The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him" (Proverbs 20:6,7).

God is looking for the one
In whom He finds integrity.
When His search in us is done,
Will He find that quality?

God is searching through the earth
(And in the heart of you and me)
For the faithfulness and worth
That's molded by integrity.

What in David did God see
That gave him hands of skill?
He saw in him integrity
Inclined to do God's will.

May we likewise, Lord, pursue
That integrity we need
By the model seen in You,
And thus Your people feed.

Fretting or Fearing?

"The foolishness of man perverteth his way, and his heart fretteth against the Lord.... The fear of the Lord tendeth to life, and he that hath it shall abide satisfied; he shall not be visited with evil" (Proverbs 19:3,23).

Foolishness perverts our way
And frets against the Lord.
It leads our wayward hearts astray
And robs us of reward.

The fear of God will lead to life
And keeps us satisfied,
And even through the times of strife,
No evil shall abide.

Let us therefore not forget
God's way to judge our hearts:
By foolishness our hearts will fret,
But peace His fear imparts.

Restraining the Remaining

"God arose to judgment, to save all the meek of the earth. Selah. Surely the wrath shall praise Thee: the remainder of wrath shalt Thou restrain" (Psalm 76:9,10).

God arose in days of old
To save all of those who were meek.
This is what we see unfold
As we will let history speak.

And this is what we also find
In the present regarding God's way:
For God is faithful and so kind
To those who will seek Him today.

For God in His mercy yet will arise
In judgment to save all His own.
For God sees His children, and He hears their cries,
As history likewise has shown.

For even the wrath of man He may choose
To thus make His purposes plain.
The wrath that will serve His purpose He'll use;
The rest He will surely restrain.

Favor of the Furnace

"The fining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold: but the Lord trieth the hearts" (Proverbs 17:3). "And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. Then Nebuchadnezzar the king.... answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God" (Daniel 3:23-25).

The silver has the fining pot,
The furnace is for gold.
But God refines each inner thought
Within the heart we hold.

The furnace may be tribulation
To draw our hearts in prayer.
It may include exasperation,
Or seasons of despair.

But there's no reason for despair,
For God is in control.
The Son of God is always there
To guide and guard our soul.

Behold the furnace and its favor,
And what it will impart:
God will thereby purge behavior,
Beginning with the heart.

Made Manifest

"Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever.... He revealeth the deep and secret things: He knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with Him.... There is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets" (Daniel 2:20-28). "The preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery... was kept secret since the world began, but now is made manifest, and by the Scriptures of the prophets... made known to all nations for the obedience of faith" (Romans 16:25-27).

There is a God on heaven's throne
Who graciously reveals
The deep and secret things unknown,
Which heaven had concealed.

But now has He made manifest
His wondrous Gospel plan,
By which humanity was blest
Before the world began.

The things in retrospect we see
God saw before they came.
He saw the cross at Calvary
Where Christ would bear our shame.

And thus we view the mystery
Through heaven's looking glass,
Where God foretells the history
Before it comes to pass.

According to this revelation
Is Christ our Lord now preached,
And thus made known to every nation
To which His Word has reached.

When Little is a Whole Lot

"Better is little with the fear of the Lord than great treasure and trouble therewith" (Proverbs 15:16).

Riches are a fragile bubble
That vanish with their pleasures,
And with them there is ample trouble
To dim the brightest treasures.

How much better is the fear
That draws our hearts to God,
Delighting that the Lord is near
To guide with staff and rod!

So let this be our estimation:
That little is a lot
When Christ is found in our equation
With all His grace has wrought.

Daniel's Determination

"Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself" (Daniel 1:8).

Daniel purposed in his heart
To do the thing he knew was right,
Determining to not take part
With what was evil in God's sight.

What a model we see here!
What a confidence portrayed!
What a proper godly fear
Daniel clearly thus displayed!

And so may we partake as well
In godly fear in peace or strife.
And thus by our behavior tell
That God is ruling in our life.

Continual Commandment

"Be Thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort: Thou hast given commandment to save me; for Thou art my rock and my fortress... I will hope continually, and will yet praise Thee more and more" (Psalm 71:3,14).

Rejoice, O my soul, continually,
For God has become your strong habitation!
The Lord has commanded perpetually
That you shall be kept by His endless salvation!

Give thanks, O my soul, for the Lord will restore
And strengthen your hope yet again and again.
So I will yet praise You, O Lord, more and more;
To God be the glory forever, Amen!

Happiness for Heaviness

"The tongue of the wise is health.... To the counselors of peace is joy.... Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop: but a good word maketh it glad" (Proverbs 12:18,20,25).

Hearts are heavy, stooping low,
Most everywhere we look.
But we may share the peace we know
From God's amazing Book.

Oh, what an opportunity
To share a Word that's good!
And what responsibility
To share, as well we should!

We dare not look the other way
Until another dawn
To say the Word that we should say;
That soul may then be gone.

Counselors of peace have joy
They surely should be sharing,
So may the Gospel they employ
Be preached to those despairing.

Yes, heaviness within the heart
Shall always make it sad.
But counselors of peace impart
The Word that makes it glad.

Divine Depths

"O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out!" (Romans 11:33).

How deep are the riches that may be explored
Of wisdom, of knowledge, of power, and love
That we may consider in Jesus our Lord,
Unsearchably vast as the heavens above!

His judgments of wisdom and knowledge we trace
Had planned our redemption before time began.
His merciful power, His love, and His grace,
Have found their expression when God became Man.

And so with our with our feeble and limited mind,
We search the unsearchable splendors made known
In Jesus the Savior and Lord of mankind,
As deep as His sorrow, as high as His throne.

Riches for Rebels

"God setteth the solitary in families: He bringeth out those which are bound with chains: but the rebellious dwell in a dry land.... Thou hast ascended on high, Thou hast led captivity captive: Thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the Lord God might dwell among them" (Psalm 68:6,18). The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and He addeth no sorrow with it" (Proverbs 10:22).

Brought from a land that is barren and dry,
Set in the family of God by His grace,
These were all rebels who now testify
That Jesus Christ suffered and died in their place.

Astounding the thought! Amazing the love!
That prompted our Savior to suffer these pains,
That we might be with Him in heaven above,
And even now freed from captivity's chains.

Such is the blessing that comes from our Lord
To rebels who turn from their sin and draw near.
Who are these rebels that God has restored?
The Christian needs only to look in the mirror.

Shing Face, Sharing Feet

"God be merciful unto us, and bless us; and cause His face to shine upon us (Selah); that Thy way may be known upon earth, Thy saving health among all nations" (Psalm 67:1,2). "And how shall they preach, except they be sent? As it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the Gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!" (Romans 10:15).

May God in mercy cause His face
To shine upon our hearts
That we may share His saving grace
With earth's most distant parts.

May we reflect what God has shown:
His blessings of salvation
By which His saving health is known
To every tribe and nation.

May we be therefore diligent
To mobilize our feet
To take the Gospel where we're sent
To share its message sweet.

May we have the feet of beauty
To share the Word we preach
With our delight, yet also duty,
While there are souls to reach.

Testimony of Tenderness

"O bless our God, ye people, and make the voice of His praise to be heard: which holdeth our soul in life, and suffereth not our feet to be moved.... Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what He hath done for my soul.... Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor His mercy from me" (Psalm 66:9-20).

Come and hear, and I will tell
What God did for my soul.
He saved me from eternal hell
And paid my debt in full.

Come and hear, and I'll declare
What Jesus does for me.
He has not turned away my prayer;
He holds me tenderly.

Come and hear, and I will say
His tenderness is sweet
Whose hand will hold us everyday
And guide and guard our feet.

Come and hear; I'll testify
Of times of peace and strife,
And you will know the reason why
I trust Him with my life.

Appropriating our Approach

"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" (Psalm 65:3,4).

Woe is me! For sins prevail
That mock me everyday.
Alas! For I am doomed to fail,
So quickly led astray.

It doesn't matter how sincere
Or earnest my confessions.
The Judge of all is drawing near
Who sees all my transgressions.

What is this I hear Him say?
Can I believe my ears?
That Christ has washed my sins away,
And vanquished all my fears?

Come and see what God has done,
Who bids us to approach:
He purged our sins through God the Son
Who bore our sins' reproach!

Praise the Lord! Behold, the Lamb
For me was sacrificed!
I come, in spite of what I am
To worship Jesus Christ!

Certainty in our Circumstances

"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28).

Do you have the certainty
That all things work for good?
Contemplate the sovereignty
Of Jesus as you should!

Children of the sovereign King,
There's nothing left to chance.
He's working good in everything,
In every circumstance!

This isn't true for everyone,
For many have rejected
The sovereign love of God the Son,
By which we are perfected.

If you have received the Lord,
His promise is to you,
And sovereign grace can well afford
To make that promise true.

His Love vs. This Life

"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.... because Thy lovingkindness is better than life" (Psalm 63:1,3).

How dry and thirsty is this land
That cannot quench my thirst.
Like cloudless skies and desert sand,
Its barren land is cursed.

How empty is this world's life,
So void of lovingkindness,
Yet filled with murder, hatred, strife,
Unhappiness, and blindness.

How sweet the love of Jesus is
Who satisfies my soul!
I know He's mine and I am His
And He is in control.

This world's life cannot compare,
No matter how it's sliced,
With love that we are called to share
That's found in Jesus Christ.

Perennial Pouring

"Trust in Him at all times, ye people; pour out your heart before Him: God is a refuge for us" (Psalm 62:8).

Pour out your heart to the Lord.
Hold nothing back that you find.
Thus shall your joy be restored,
And then shall you have peace of mind.

Pour out your heart to the Lord.
Trust at all times in His love.
His riches in grace can afford
The blessings we need from above.

Pour out your heart to the Lord.
God is a Refuge for us.
The more that our prayers are outpoured,
The more He is glorified thus.

Rise to the Rock

"Hear my cry, O God; attend my prayer. 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 hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy (Psalm 63:1-3).

Lord, lead me to the higher Rock.
Attend my prayer; Lord, hear my cry.
Let me rise up in my walk
To Christ, the higher Rock than I.

Wherever I may be on earth,
Lord, let me rise up to that place,
To see the wonder and the worth
Of Your mercy, truth, and grace.

Sometimes life can take its toll,
When my eyes are down and dim.
But Christ, the Lover of my soul,
Bids me set my eyes on Him.

This is where my heart shall rise,
This is where my worries end,
This is where I lift my eyes:
To Christ my Rock and dearest Friend.

God vs. Gog

"Thus saith the Lord God: Behold, I am against thee, O Gog.... Thou shalt fall upon the open field, for I have spoken it, saith the Lord God" (Ezekiel 39:1,5).

The day is surely drawing near
That God has clearly prophesied:
The northern nation "Gog" shall fear
When her army ranks have died.

They shall fall, for God has spoken,
Thus proclaiming what shall be.
Gog the nation shall be broken,
And her remnant then shall flee.

Israel shall surely know,
And so shall every nation,
That judgment from the Lord shall flow,
As well as His salvation.

In view of what will thus take place,
Be sure you have received
The Lord who saves those by His grace
Who in Him have believed.

Wanting Wisdom

"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" (Proverbs 1:22,23).

The simple love simplicity,
While scorners love their scorning;
The foolish hate reality
And will not heed God's warning.

Yet some will look with open eyes
And hear with open ears
To heed the truth that makes them wise
And quiets all their fears.

Turn now at the Lord's reproof;
He's pouring out His Spirit!
Depart from those who stand aloof,
And turn with those who hear it.

For God will make His wisdom known
To those who are sincere.
Come now, and approach His throne:
He calls you to draw near!

Managing the Mouth

"If thou hast thought evil, lay thine hand upon thy mouth.... the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife.... Open thy mouth for the dumb in the case of all such as are appointed for destruction. Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy" (Proverbs 30:32,33, 31:8,9). "To everything there is a season.... a time to keep silence, and a time to speak" (Ecclesiastes 3:1,7).

Sometimes we should speak our mind
To share a timely truth in life.
Sometimes speaking is not kind
And only serves to kindle strife.

Sometimes we should plead the cause
Of those who need a clear defense.
Sometimes we should wisely pause
Until we hear the evidence.

Sometimes speaking has its season,
Persuading souls we seek to win.
Sometime silence has good reason,
But silence oftentimes is sin.

Lord, help us know in every case
When our mouth should speak or cease.
Teach us to be led by grace
To be Your counselors of peace.

Highest Helper

"Behold, God is mine Helper: the Lord is with them that uphold my soul" (Psalm 54:4).

God is my Helper on whom I rely.
He is with them who uphold my soul.
No other helper would suffer and die
In order to pay my redemption in full.

God is my Helper; then why should I fret?
He is the Lord over each circumstance.
I look to His cross when I tend to forget
That there are no matters that He leaves to chance.

God is my Helper, and this shall suffice
To calm every fear and to settle my rest.
Since He gave Himself as my Sacrifice,
I'll trust Him to order my life for the best.

Watchman Wisdom

"As the cold of snow in the time of harvest, so is a faithful messenger to them that send him" (Proverbs 25:13). "So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman... therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me" (Ezekiel 33:7). "I am debtor... both to the wise, and to the unwise. So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the Gospel" (Romans 1:14,15).

I am a messenger that's sent,
A watchman on the wall,
To warn the lost to now repent
And heed the Gospel call.

I am a debtor to the earth,
To give the Gospel's warning
And share its vast, eternal worth,
Rejected by those scorning.

And though they scorn, the charge yet stands
To warn them anyway.
So I will follow God's commands
To watch, to warn, and pray.

Rest and Resilience

"Why boastest thou thyself in mischief, O mighty man? The goodness of God endureth continually. Thy tongue deviseth mischiefs, like a razor, working deceitfully.... But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God: I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever" (Psalm 52:1,8). "Lay not wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous; spoil not his resting place: for a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again" (Proverbs 24:15,16).

The man of mischief may devise
The evil he has planned,
And yet he sees the righteous rise,
Held by the unseen Hand.

The mighty man may plot each hour
For Christians to be falling,
Yet God upholds them with His power,
To rise up to their calling.

So let the wicked boast of deeds
That work out his deception;
The child of God has all he needs
To rest in God's protection.

For God is still his resting place,
And that is why he'll be
Resilient and sustained by grace
To flourish as a tree.

Condtions for Converting

"Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.... Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation, and uphold me with Thy free Spirit. THEN will I teach transgressors Thy ways, and sinners shall be converted unto Thee" (Psalm 51:10,12,13).

There are conditions I should heed
Before I seek to win
And point a soul to this great need:
Deliverance from sin.

It starts within my attitude:
My need for a clean heart,
A spirit in me that's renewed,
A spiritual new start.

I daily need my joy restored
That springs from God's salvation,
And from the Spirit of the Lord
I find my liberation.

THEN and surely only then
I know I'll be prepared
To teach God's ways to other men
Who are by sin ensnared.

Teach me, Lord, and I shall teach
The truth You have asserted.
Cleanse me, Lord, that I may reach
A soul yet unconverted.

Gathered to God

"Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence.... He shall call to the heavens from above and to the earth.... Gather My saints together unto Me, those that have made a covenant with Me by Sacrifice" (Psalm 50:3-5). "For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the Archangel, and with the trumpet of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord" (1 Thessalonians 4:16,17).

Our God shall come from heaven above
And gather His people as He said He would.
All who have trusted in His saving love
Shall praise Him because He is faithful and good.

His shout from the heavens, the great trumpet blast,
Shall summon all His who have already died,
And we who remain shall be caught up at last,
To meet Him together with those glorified.

And who shall be gathered when our God shall call?
All those who have trusted our Lord Jesus Christ,
For He is their Savior, the Lord of them all,
And covenant Keeper for them sacrificed!

Redemption for Reception

"They that trust in their wealth... 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 49:6-8,15).

How very strange indeed it seems
That so few trust the Lord!
While Christ alone the soul redeems,
He largely is ignored.

Many trust their fleeting wealth,
And multitudes applaud,
Yet soon they come to failing health,
And then they must meet God.

They see they're headed for the grave
With their posterity;
Yet neither can their children save
Their souls eternally.

There is but one escape in view
For every generation:
To pay the ransom that is due
To purchase their salvation.

God alone has paid in full
Redemption's awful price
To ransom each eternal soul
Through Christ, our Sacrifice.

Will you come to Christ today,
Or will you be deceived?
Redemption is the only Way
That we may be received.

Zion vs. Zidon

"Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of His holiness. Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King.... Let mount Zion rejoice, let the daughters of Judah be glad, because of Thy judgments. Walk about Zion, and go round about her: tell the towers thereof.... that ye may tell it to the generation following. For this God is our God forever and ever: He will be our Guide even unto death" (Psalm 48:1-14). "And say, Thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I am against thee, O Zidon (i.e., Sidon), and I will be glorified in the midst of thee: and they shall know that I am the Lord, when I have executed judgments in her, and shall be sanctified in her" (Ezekiel 27:22).

Walk around Zion, consider her towers.
This is the city the future will bring.
The Lord will destroy all the temporal powers
Of those who rise up against God, the great King.

Walk around Zidon, and see her destruction,
Upon whom the judgments of God are outpoured.
Ponder it well and receive her instruction:
The world shall know that our God is the Lord.

The people Zion (all those with new birth),
Shall joy in the knowledge that He is their God
When He is exalted in all of the earth;
O clap your hands, Zion's people, applaud!

Yes, this is our God forever and ever;
The Lord strong and mighty is able to save.
And He is our Guide who has promised to never
Forsake us through life, from our birth to the grave.

Minister Maker

"I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness... to open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in Me" (Acts 26:15,18).

God is the Maker of ministers wise;
He gives them their purpose and might
To witness to nations, to open their eyes,
And turn them from darkness to light.

Man's ordination is so often flawed,
But God molds the servant who wins
The lost from the power Satan to God,
Receiving forgiveness of sins.

No one but God can a minister make;
His purpose is not left to chance.
God will ordain each one for His sake
And guide them in each circumstance.

Reputation Refuge

"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.... Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth" (Psalm 46:1,10). "The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe" (Proverbs 18:10).

We have a refuge in our God,
A tower strong in our Lord's name,
Where there is no more judgment rod,
Because our Savior bore our shame.

We rest within the reputation
Of our Savior Jesus Christ
Who accomplished our salvation
When He for us was sacrificed.

Now we truly can be still
As our Lord Himself commands,
For we have seen the Lord fulfill
The judgment that His law demands.

There is no other place to run,
There is no other refuge now,
But in the name of God the Son,
Before whom every knee shall bow.

Difference in Daughters

"Thou art fairer than the children of men.... Hearken, O daughter, and consider, and incline thine ear; forget also thine own people, and thy father's house; so shall the King greatly desire thy beauty: for He is thy Lord; and worship thou Him. And the daughter of Tyre shall be there with a gift, even the rich among the people shall entreat Thy favor. The King's daughter is all glorious within: her clothing is of wrought gold" (Psalm 45:2,12,13).

Consider the difference of daughters we see
In the glorious daughter and daughter of Tyre.
The glory within is the priority,
For this is the beauty our King shall desire!

The daughter of Tyre entreats with a gift,
Seeking for favor with riches external.
The King's daughter enters to worship and lift
The name of her Savior, whose praise is eternal.

What is the secret for beauty within,
And clothing of gold that is wrought with perfection?
Look to the Lord who will cleanse you from sin;
The garments of gold are the Savior's reflection.

Let us consider this difference well.
Forget the distractions that clutter your mind.
Worship the Savior, then go forth to tell
That no one is fairer in all of mankind!

Searching our Secrets

"If we have forgotten the name of our God, or stretched out our hands to a strange god, shall not God search this out? For He knoweth the secrets of the heart" (Psalm 44:20,21). "All the ways of man are clean in his own eyes, but the Lord weigheth the spirits" (Proverbs 16:2).

If we have declined to give our God praise,
If we have replaced thanksgiving with pride,
If we have departed from God's perfect ways,
Shall not our God search our secrets inside?

If we have forgotten to follow the Lord,
If we have invited the entrance of sin,
If we have preferred this world's reward,
Shall not our God search our spirits within?

We are Your temple, Lord. Search out our hearts!
Though we once thought we were clean in our eyes,
You weigh our motives; that's where it all starts:
Purge out our folly that we may be wise.