Bearing our Blame

"And Judah said unto Israel his father, Send the lad with me.... I will be a surety for him; of my hand shalt thou require him: if I bring him not unto thee, and set him before thee, then let me bear the blame forever" (Genesis 43:8,9). "Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins" (1 John 4:10).

We view a faint reflection
In the words that Judah said.
The Surety for our protection
Was Jesus in our stead.

Judah was a surety
For the youngest of his brothers.
Yet Christ for all eternity
Would bear the blame for others.

"Let me bear the blame forever!"
So Judah said that day.
Yet our Lord by His endeavor,
Has borne our blame away!

Here is love's initiation:
Before our love begins,
Christ is our Propitiation
To save us from our sins!

Lord of love, to bear our blame,
You left Your throne above,
And on that cruel cross became
Our Surety of love.

There are no words, O Lord, it seems,
To thank You as we should.
You are, beyond our grandest dreams,
Our Surety for good.

So may we give our lives to You
As living sacrifices.
There's nothing more that we can do,
And nothing less suffices.

Purifying Precepts

"Every word of God is pure: He is a shield unto them that put their trust in Him" (Proverbs 30:5). "And now, little children, abide in Him, that, when He shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before Him at His coming.... When He shall appear, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as He is pure" (1 John 2:28, 3:2,3).

Every Word of God is pure,
So when we trust in Him and yield,
God will cause us to endure
As our purifying Shield.

The pure account of history,
Which witnesses have testified,
Was told before through prophecy,
By God's foreknowledge purified.

Thus purified by what God said
As day by day our Savior nears,
We look with confidence ahead:
To be like Him when He appears!

Let the Word of God proclaimed
So purify us as we learn,
That we may not be ashamed
When our Savior shall return.

Finding the Fairest

"Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is? And Pharaoh said... There is none so discreet and wise as thou art.... and they cried before him, Bow the knee: and he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt" (Genesis 41:38-43). "O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is Thy name in all the earth" (Psalm 8:1).

Can we find one such as this
With such a reputation?
We have found the Source of bliss:
The Lord of our salvation!

There is no other in the earth
So mighty, wise, or kind!
We search the world for such worth:
None fairer can we find!

We see the striking parallel
In Joseph's rise to fame,
When every knee in honor fell,
Exalting thus his name.

Yet Lord, our Lord, how excellent
Your name is above all!
We are lost in wonderment
As on Your name we call!

For why would You afford such grace
Through Your redemption plan
By entering the human race
To rescue sinful man?

Lord, we find no other one
Who even can compare!
We bow the knee to God the Son,
The Fairest of the fair!

Cleansing and Closure

"He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy" (Proverbs 28:13). "If we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.... If we confess our sins, He if faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:7,9).

If we walk in the light with Jesus our Savior,
We're bound to catch sight of our sins.
The light from our Lord will expose our behavior
And check it from where it begins.

For even before our thought is a word
Or intentions have formed in our heart,
God is aware; He has seen and has heard
Our inventions before they can start.

So let us not foolishly make this mistake:
To cover our sins with a mask,
But rather confess them as well as forsake,
For cleansing is ours— if we ask!

Grief and Grace

"And Joseph was brought down to Egypt, and... an Egyptian bought him of the hands of the Ishmeelites, which had brought him down thither. And the Lord was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man... the Lord made all that he did to prosper in his hand. And Joseph found grace in his sight" (Genesis 39:1-4). "But grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 3:18).

There is grace for every grief
That we may thereby grow.
There is promise of relief
Our Savior will bestow.

There is grace when we abound,
And when we are abased,
Just as Joseph likewise found
The grace of God he traced.

There is grace amid the strife
To give us inward calm.
In each season of our life,
There is a healing balm.

There is grace today, tomorrow,
And grace for all the past.
God will show that even sorrow
Was for our good at last.

Musing on our Manner

"The Lord is... not willing that any should perish.... But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in the which the heavens shall pass away... the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.... Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be?" (2 Peter 3:9-11).

In view of the love of our God for mankind,
Not willing to see even one sinner perish,
As He looks upon us, what then should He find
Regarding our manner and things that we cherish?

In view of the day of the Lord that draws near
That surely will come as a thief in the night,
What manner of persons ought we to be here,
Assured of the judgment that God brings to light?

Lord, give us wisdom in this latter day
To live in a manner that glorifies You!
The heavens and earth shall soon pass away;
Revive in us holiness with this in view!

Wells Without Water

"Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased" (Psalm 4:7). Whoso boasteth himself of a false gift is like clouds and wind without rain" (Proverbs 25:14). "These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest.... They speak great swelling words of vanity.... While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption" (2 Peter 2:17-19).

Wells without water: how well this portrays
The great swelling promises, hollow and vain,
That this age so proudly and loudly displays,
Like clouds that are empty and wind without rain.

Wells without water: how unlike my Lord,
Whose promises always are faithful and true!
His riches in glory will always afford
The bountiful blessings He promised to you.

Wells without water can never bestow
The joy of the Lord and His wonderful peace.
Wellsprings of gladness from Christ overflow
More than from all of this world's increase.

Lord and Lifter

"Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah. But Thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head" (Psalm 3:2,3). "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). "The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations" (2 Peter 2:9).

Many there are who might say of my soul:
Now there goes a pitiful case!
But God has reminded me He's in control;
He governs my life with His grace.

The Lord is the Comfort and Refuge of all
Who call on Him when they are low.
He is their Lifter when His children fall,
Their Shield against every foe.

The Lord surely knows the way very well
To deliver His own from temptation.
He Who has rescued His children from hell,
Preserves them in each situation.

Savior and Lord, we rest in Your love
That shields our souls from our shame
And lifts us to set our affections above
With all who delight in Your name.

Prophecy vs. Privacy

"For we have not followed cunningly devised fables when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty.... We have also a more sure word of prophecy... knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation" (2 Peter 1:16-20).

We have the word of prophecy
Which God has manifested,
Interpreted by history,
Fulfilled just as expected.

The birth, the life, and death of Christ
Were perfectly foretold.
The Lamb of God was sacrificed
For sinners to behold!

History sets the record straight:
This is no private claim.
The year A.D. still marks the date
That Christ our Savior came!

Our Lord declared that He would rise
Soon after He was killed,
And three days later (no surprise!),
His promise was fulfilled.

There's nothing private or obscure
About the Word of God.
Its prophecy has proved it sure,
And doubt is surely flawed.

Fruitful Factors

"Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in His law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season" (Psalm 1:1-3). "And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue... knowledge... temperance... patience... godliness... brotherly kindness... charity.... that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 1:5-8).

Subtracting and adding must both have their place
As factors essential to fruit cultivation:
Take away things that detract from God's grace,
And add things of virtue to faith and salvation.

There are things we should do, and things we should not.
There are times we should speak, and times to refrain.
There are things we should think; let us filter each thought,
As God's Word replaces the thoughts that are vain.

These are the primary factors we find
That make us like prosperous, fruit bearing trees.
By the virtues we add, and the vain left behind,
Let us be faithful to cultivate these!

Heart in the Hand

"The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water: He turneth it whithersoever He will.... The Lord pondereth the hearts.... A wicked man hardeneth his face: but as for the upright, He directeth His way" (Proverbs 21:1,2,29).

The Lord holds the heart of the king in His hand,
And lends to him every breath that he draws.
By God's sovereign rule he will fall or will stand,
As rivers and planets conform to His laws.

As for the upright who humbles his heart,
God will be pleased to direct in His way.
This is the privilege that God will impart
To all who will humbly and gladly obey.

How good is the option to freely surrender
The throne of our heart to Christ Jesus our Lord!
No one could ask for a greater Defender,
A better Commander, or a sweeter Reward!

Inaudible Inauguration

"Mercy and truth preserve the King: and His throne is upholden by mercy" (Proverbs 20:28). "If any man speak... if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen" (1 Peter 4:11).

Inaugural speeches and loud celebration—
Political leaders acknowledge each other—
The torch has been passed, and the inauguration
Has transitioned power from one to another.

Yet nothing has changed in heaven's opinion:
Christ Jesus is Lord, as all heaven knows.
The heavens declare His praise and dominion,
Inaudibly, though, to all who oppose.

Pray for the president coming to power.
Ask for God's mercy that he may succeed,
Yet never lose sight that our Lord every hour
Remains on the throne; He's all that we need.

So if anyone speaks, if anyone sings,
Or if anyone serves, let all our behavior
Inaugurate freshly the King of all kings,
The Lord Jesus Christ, our God and our Savior.

Unfettered by Unfairness

"Be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: having a good conscience; that whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.... For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the Just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God" (1 Peter 3:15-18).

Be ready always to answer the call,
In every setting, throughout every season,
To speak of your hope in your meekness to all
Who seeing a difference, are asking the reason.

What is the reason, when things are unfair,
That you don't respond or revile in kind?
Why are you free from self-pity and care,
Unfettered by malice that poisons the mind?

Christ is the reason! He gives the power
To live in a manner reflecting His love.
Call on the Lord, every day, every hour,
That He may extend you His help from above.

For Christ also suffered, the Just for unjust:
Falsely accused by unmerciful men.
So may we likewise be ready to trust,
Reflecting His image till He comes again.

He Heals

"He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds. He telleth the number of the stars; He calleth them all by their names" (Psalm 147:3,4). "A wounded spirit who can bear?" (Proverbs 18:14). "Christ also suffered for us... by whose stripes ye were healed" (1 Peter 1:21-24).

God put the stars and the planets in space;
He placed them in orbit and named every star.
Yet we are the objects of His love and grace:
He searches our hearts and He knows who we are.

The sorrows we bear, He knows and He feels,
For He bore our sorrows and suffered for us.
Yet by His stripes and affliction He heals,
And fits us for heaven eternally thus.

He heals the broken in heart who will turn;
He binds up the wounds of the spirit distressed.
While there is much more about Him to learn,
To know that He heals the heart gives us rest.

Troubling Trust

"Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help. His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish. Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope in the Lord his God... which keepeth truth forever" (Psalm 146:3-6). "That your faith and hope might be in God.... for all flesh is a grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away. But the word of the Lord endureth forever" (1 Peter 1:21-25).

Put not your trust in corruptible man,
No matter how solemn his vow is today,
For soon every promise, intention, and plan
Shall vanish the moment he passes away.

Hoping in man is a troubling trust;
The future is out of his sphere of control.
A certain tomorrow returns him to dust,
And then he shall stand before God in his soul.

How happy is he who is trusting the Lord,
Who created all things by the word of His power,
Who never is threatened by man's feeble sword,
Neither his glory which fades like a flower.

So let all your faith and your hope be in God
Who keeps every promise He ever will make.
Trust in another is faith that is flawed,
A hope that will fail, and a troubling mistake.

Motivated Minds

"Salvation [is] ready to be revealed in the last time.... of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently.... which things the angels desire to look into. Wherefore, gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 1:5-13).

Prophets foretold of the grace we would find
Within this salvation they searched and inquired.
Oh what a privilege to gird up our mind
To look into things even angels desired!

Gird up the loins of your mind's motivation,
Steadfast and ready to share the good news.
So may the Gospel with its preparation,
By sharing God's peace, be girded as shoes.

Prophets foretold with unerring detail
The sufferings of Christ to purchase salvation.
The glory they spoke of shall surely not fail
When Christ shall return at His revelation.

Let us then gird up our mind and be sober;
As stewards of grace we are debtors to all.
So may we find when our short life is over
That we were thus girded and true to our call.

Eyeing the Elect

"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). "To the strangers scattered... elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you and peace be multiplied" (1 Peter 1:1,2).

The eyes of the Lord behold every place
And also look forward in time.
Nothing is hidden from His searching face,
No matter how small or sublime.

Looking through time at people's behavior,
The Lord saw the hearts of all those,
In foreknowledge, who would trust in the Savior,
And thus were elect ones He chose.

Marvelous thought! How good and how wise
The God of our salvation is!
How wondrous to know that He sets His eyes
On all those elected as His.

How great is our privilege and duty as well,
Who are by His grace set apart,
To live for the One who has save us from hell,
Obeying our Lord from the heart.

Servant Supplications

"Hear me.... Cause me.... Deliver me.... Teach me.... Lead me.... Quicken me.... for I am Thy servant" (Psalm 143:7-12).

Dear Lord, as Your servant I make supplication;
In order to serve You I've brought You my list.
I'm spreading before You my long application,
And I will be back if there's something I missed.

First, I will need Your attention above
To hear every prayer that I'm bringing to You.
Secondly, cause me to hear of Your love,
And cause me to know in my walk what to do.

Thirdly, dear Savior, deliver my soul
From all of my foes from without and within.
Fourthly, Lord, teach me to do as I'm told,
And not to slide backward again into sin.

Fifthly, Lord, lead me by Your Holy Spirit
Right to the center of Your perfect will.
Sixthly, regarding Your will when I hear it,
Quicken my heart by Your grace to fulfill.

Dear Father, I think that will do it for now.
I know that You don't really need me to serve,
Yet You have employed me and thus shown me how
To ask for the grace that I do not deserve.

Christ Cared

"When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then Thou knewest my path.... I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me: refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul. I cried unto Thee, O Lord: I said, Thou art my Refuge and my Portion in the land of the living" (Psalm 142:3-5).

I was overwhelmed inside
And couldn't find a soul to care,
Then at last my spirit cried:
Show me, God, if You are there!

Surrounded then by apathy
With no one caring for my soul,
The vortex of eternity
Drew me with relentless pull.

I didn't know that Christ would care!
I didn't know that He would hear
My feeble cry, my anguished prayer:
I didn't know that He was near.

But Jesus pulled me with His hand
To the shelter of His love
To be my Portion in this land,
And my Advocate above.

Lord, You knew me on that path,
And You drew me to that place
To there escape eternal wrath
By finding refuge in Your grace.

Thank You, Lord, that when I cried,
My remedy had been prepared:
For on the cross You suffered, died,
And gave Yourself— because You cared.

Jehovah-Jireh

"And Abraham said, My son, God will provide Himself a lamb.... And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold, behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son. And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah-Jireh (i.e., The Lord Provides): as it is said to this day, In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen" (Genesis 22:8,13,14).

Here in the mount of the Lord it is seen:
The offering Abraham saw in the ram.
This is the Scriptural promise we glean:
God has provided Himself as the Lamb!

Here where the father of Isaac obeyed
We see the shadow of Christ in our stead.
This is the portrait in Isaac displayed:
Christ has been offered, and yet is not dead!

Jehovah-Jireh! Yes, that is the name
Abraham gave to that mount of provision.
On Calvary's mountain the ransomed can claim
They saw the Savior and made their decision.

Jehovah-Jireh! The Lord has provided
The blessing He promised from Abraham's Seed.
Mercy and truth in the Lamb coincided,
Providing salvation, our soul's greatest need!

Mirror Meditation

"If any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: for he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was" (James 1:23,24).

When you look into a mirror
And won't fix what's wrong with you,
This is like the careless hearer,
Hearing what he will not do.

God is faithful in His Word
To reprove us by His grace.
We should do what we have heard,
Like a man would wash his face.

Do not hear and then forget
What the Word of God will say.
There's no need for you to let
God's correction slip away.

Hearing only will not make
The changes that our God desires.
Do not make that sad mistake,
But do right now what He requires.

Searching my Sincerity

"O Lord, Thou hast searched me, and known me.... Thou understandest my thought afar off.... for there is not a word in my tongue, but lo, O Lord, Thou knowest it altogether.... Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting" (Psalm 139:1,4,23,24).

Before a word has reached my tongue,
Before my thought has formed a word,
Before my praises have been sung,
Lord, You've searched them and have heard.

Since, O Lord, You search my heart,
And since You understand my ways,
Try me, Lord, and thus impart,
A heart that's cleansed to give You praise.

Surely, Lord, there's much You hear
That demands Your clear reproof.
Am I callous or sincere?
Am I earnest or aloof?

Search and cleanse my heart today,
For this is what I daily need.
Purge from me each wicked way,
And I will walk where You will lead.

Wellpleasing Work

"Though I walk in the midst of trouble.... the Lord will perfect that which concerneth me: Thy mercy, O Lord, endureth forever: forsake not the works of Thine own hands" (Psalm 138:7,8). "Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do His will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen." (Hebrews 13:20,21).

The Lord will continue His work in my life,
Until He's completed the work of His hands.
In each situation, in peace or in strife,
All things conform to His sovereign commands.

The unfailing love of my Shepherd and Savior
By His perfect wisdom and infinite might,
Works in my heart and my outward behavior
His wellpleasing plan in His merciful sight.

The Great Shepherd God brought again from the dead,
Now seated forever on His glorious throne,
Who never forsakes us, will do as He said,
His wellpeasing work in each one of His own.

Near Judgment is No Joke

"And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the Lord will destroy this city. But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law" (Genesis 19:14). "See that ye refuse not Him that speaketh.... for Our God is a consuming fire" (Hebrews 12:25-29).

Judgment day is drawing near
As in the troubling days of Lot.
Mockers mock, they do not fear,
Or even give it second thought.

God, by prophets, clearly spoke,
Whom sinful scorners have refused.
The world thinks it's all a joke,
By which they merely are amused.

Eternity is very long,
And life at best is very brief.
How horrifying to be wrong,
Condemned by stubborn unbelief!

Stir again, Lord, our desire
To woo, to warn, and win the lost,
To thus escape the lake of fire,
Where unbelievers shall be tossed.

Looking at Laughter

"Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? And shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear?.... Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old, shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also? And the Lord said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old? Is any thing too hard for the Lord?.... Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And He said, Nay, but thou didst laugh" (Genesis 17:17, 18:12-15).

Abraham laughed when he worshipped about
The promise that God would yet give him son.
Sarah laughed also, but God saw her doubt,
Reproving her questioning this could be done.

She tried to deny what could never be hid,
For God heard the laughter and thought of her heart.
She said that she didn't, but God said she did,
For God was the Searcher of her inward part.

Looking at laughter in this special case
Gives us an insight to God's holy view:
So may He search and reprove by His grace
Each thought underlying what we say and do.

Savior Who Sees

"And she [Hagar] called the name of the Lord that spake unto her, Thou God seest me: for she said, Have I also here looked after Him that seeth me?" (Genesis 16:13). "The idols of the heathen.... have mouths, but they speak not; eyes have they, but they see not" (Psalm 135:15,16).

Lord, I have looked, and to my delight,
I have discovered that You look at me!
You are the One Who gave me my sight,
And all that is in me You certainly see.

The idols imagined from man's feeble mind
Are crafted with mouths, but they cannot speak.
They're fashioned with eyes, and yet they are blind,
Like those who make them, so mindless and weak!

Lord, You have opened my once-blinded eyes:
How great is the evidence You clearly gave!
My once-muted mouth as well testifies:
God is still looking for those He may save!

Richer by Righteousness

"The Lord that made heaven and earth bless thee out of Zion" (Psalm 134:3). "And Melchizedek blessed him [Abram], and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, Possessor of heaven and earth.... And Abram said, Lord God, what wilt Thou give me?.... And behold, the Word of the Lord came unto him, saying.... So shall thy Seed be. And he believed in the Lord; and He counted it to him for righteousness" (Hebrews 14:18, 15:1-6).

Lord and Possessor of heaven and earth,
Thank You for how You have chosen to bless!
Above all possessions there's far greater worth,
In what You impart by Your own righteousness!

Freely imparted, but not freely gained:
For You were the Priest and the Offering as well.
But where sin abounded Your righteousness reigned,
Imparted to those whom You rescued from hell.

"What will You give me?" Abram inquired.
That's when you pointed to Christ as his Seed.
Above all he asked for or could be desired,
You gave Him righteousness, meeting his need.

What would it profit to give us the earth,
Or anything else, Lord, without Your salvation?
Thank you for righteousness in our new birth
That saves us forever from our condemnation!

Precious Presence

"Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments" (Psalm 133:1,2). "Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering (for He is faithful that promised), and let us consider one another to provoke unto love and good works: not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is, but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching" (Hebrews 10:23-25).

The precious presence of our Lord
Inspires unity.
How pleasant is that sweet accord
When Him alone we see.

When Aaron was anointed,
And Israel gathered round,
This portrait thereby pointed
To where our peace found.

When upon our Lord and Christ
We focus every eye,
We see our Savior sacrificed
And hear Him testify.

We see Him as our great High Priest,
Yet as our Lamb as well.
Let His presence be increased
Who rescued us from hell!

Our Lord is coming back again
To gather all His own.
Exhort each other until then,
By love, to make Him known.

Destiny after Death

"And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment. So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many, and unto them that look for Him shall He appear the second time without sin unto salvation" (Hebrews 9:27,28).

It is appointed once to die,
Then comes our destiny:
When God shall stand to justify
Or judge eternally.

Those who look for Jesus Christ
Have trusted in His grace,
Who for their sins was sacrificed;
And they shall see His face.

Those who will not trust the Savior,
Whose hearts will never budge,
And won't repent of their behavior,
Shall meet Him as their Judge.

O Lord, renew our urgency
To pray for the salvation
Of those who by complacency
Draw near to condemnation.

Renew our joy, O Lord, as well,
For Your enduring love
That changed our destiny from hell
To live with You above!

Sum of our Savior

"Now of the things which we have spoken, this is the sum: We have such an High Priest Who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heaven" (Hebrews 8:1).

After everything is spoken,
After all has been explored,
We perceive yet but a token
Of the glory of our Lord.

We will contemplate the sum,
Of our Savior's majesty
In His kingdom that shall come
And for all eternity.

Yet we see the total now
That the prophets look toward:
When every knee to Him shall bow,
And every tongue confess Him Lord.

Thus we see Him on His throne
As the Lord of our confession
And the High Priest of His own,
Making for us intercession.

Oh! The view is glorious here
As we see our Savior's sum!
One day closer! He draws near!
Even so, Lord Jesus, come!

Abundantly Able

"With the Lord there is mercy, and with Him is plenteous redemption" (Psalm 130:7). "Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them" (Hebrews 7:25).

Able to the uttermost
Is Jesus Christ to save!
In Christ alone we make our boast,
Who rose up from the grave.

He ever lives to intercede
For those who trust in Him.
He fills our cup with every need;
It overflows the brim!

And thus we face the year ahead
With confidence in Christ,
Who robbed our future of its dread
When He was sacrificed.

And even though we cannot show
What future days entail,
Our Savior can, and this we know:
His love shall never fail!