What Fools Will Forget

"The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God" (Psalm 14:1). "Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? Who hath gathered the wind in his fists? Who hath bound the waters in a garment? Who hath established all the ends of the earth? What is His name, and what is His Son's name, if thou canst tell? (Proverbs 30:4). "Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulcher?" (Mark 16:3).

The fool has said within his heart
That God does not exist.
Well, how then did this world start?
Who holds it in His fist?

Who told the waters not to pass
The bounds that He had set?
Who clothed the earth with trees and grass?
(No, I'm not finished yet!)

Who also made it clearly known
He'd rise on the third day?
And after they had sealed the stone,
Who rolled that stone away?

The fool may never count it odd
That questions such as these
Are answered only by the God
Whom he forgets with ease.

Creator of the universe
And Savior of the soul,
Though fools forget, we will rehearse
Your name which we extol!

Answering the Anguish

"At the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?.... And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom" (Mark 15:34-38).

My God, My God, that anguished prayer
Your Son addressed to You,
Was answered when You chose to tear
The temple veil in two.

Forever gone, that separation
Dividing God and man!
His anguish was for our salvation;
There was no other plan!

We find His answer prophesied
Throughout Psalm twenty-two:
It was for sinners there He died,
As only He could do!

We did not understand the way
Or comprehend the cost.
Our Savior knew, and He would pay
To ransom thus the lost.

O Lord, we thank You for Your love
That You could not deny,
For which You left Your throne above
To suffer and to die.

So may that anguished prayer You prayed
Be answered without fail
By grace in us with love displayed,
Since You removed the veil.

Set in Safety

"For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the Lord; I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him. The words of the Lord are pure words" (Psalm 12:5-6). "And the Scripture was fulfilled, which saith, And He was numbered with the transgressors.... Likewise the chief priests mocking said... He saved others; Himself He cannot save" (Mark 15:28-31).

The enemy may huff and puff,
Oppressing us with all his lies,
But God has said (and that's enough!)
In our defense, He would arise.

Poor and needy as we were
The Lord alone would hear our cries,
Fulfilling thus His words so pure,
Declaring: Now will I arise.

And thus He came as He declared
To bear the shame He would despise.
He gave Himself and was not spared,
Because for us He would arise.

And so the Scriptures were fulfilled,
And as His tomb yet testifies,
The Lamb of God for us was killed,
And on the third day, did arise.

Lord, we lift our voice of praise
And on You, Lord, would fix our eyes,
Thus set in safety all our days
Till in Your presence, we arise.

Think Thereon

"Peter called to mind the word that Jesus said unto him, Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. And when he thought thereon, he wept" (Mark 15:72).

How thoughtless we may often be
In words and deeds unkind
Until we think on Calvary,
And call our Lord to mind.

Peter once became aware,
Before he was restored,
That even he could curse and swear,
Denying thus his Lord.

But after thinking on the Word
That Jesus Christ had spoken,
He called to mind what he had heard,
And then his heart was broken.

When Peter thought thereon, he wept,
And so indeed should we,
When we perceive we have not kept
The Word that makes us free.

And thus we find ourselves enslaved
With testimony gone
Because of how we have behaved,
Until we think thereon.

O Lord, we know these things are written
To warn of such behavior.
So teach our hearts to thus be smitten,
And think upon our Savior.

Hubris or Humility?

"The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God.... He hath said in his heart, I shall not be moved.... He hath said in his heart, God hath forgotten: He hideth His face; He will never see it.... He hath said in his heart, Thou wilt not require it.... Lord, Thou hast heard the desire of the humble: Thou wilt prepare their heart; Thou wilt cause Thine ear to hear" (Psalm 10:4-17).

Our God can hear the heart of pride
Engage in conversation;
He sees the hubris there inside,
Rejecting His salvation.

This hubris has a twisted view
That thinks God hides His face,
Rejecting counsel that is true
And thus refusing grace.

But God beholds humility
That draws the sinner near,
Who prays in his sincerity
And with a godly fear.

Hubris or humility?
The choice is ours to make.
The welfare for eternity
Of souls is now at stake.

Without Walls

"He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls" (Proverbs 25:28). "Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak" (Mark 14:38).

Come now, Lord, receive the crown
Acknowledging Your rule!
Erect the walls once broken down
By enemies so cruel.

Come now, Lord, receive my prayer
To take Your rightful place.
The enemy can't enter where
You're ruling by Your grace.

Come now, Lord, my spirit calls
To You with confidence.
I'm like a city without walls
That cries for Your defense.

Come now, Lord, receive my thanks
For grace and victory,
As powers of darkness break their ranks
And from Your presence flee!

Extreme Epitaphs

"And Jesus said.... She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint My body to the burying.... this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her. And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went unto the chief priests to betray Him unto them.... [Jesus] said unto them... Woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! Good were it for that man if he had never been born" (Mark 14:6-21).

Could epitaphs be more extreme
In good and evil so contrasting
As in this woman's praise supreme
And Judas' horror everlasting?

Our Savior spoke with satisfaction
Regarding what this woman did,
While others then maligned her action
Because her heart to them was hid.

Yet oh, that we might likewise hear
That we, like her, did all we could!
There is no epitaph as dear
Or tribute to a life so good!

And but for grace we surely know
Our epitaph would be as well
Like that of Judas in his woe,
Lamenting in eternal hell!

Lord, for us You gave Your all!
Why should we then give You half?
Lift us to the higher call
To hear that sweeter epitaph!

Perennial Porters

"Be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long. For surely there is an end, and thine expectation shall not be cut off" (Proverbs 23:17,18). "Take ye heed, watch and pray... for the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch.... And what I say unto you I say unto all: Watch" (Mark 13:33-37).

There's not a moment of the day
When Satan safely is ignored,
And so we're called to watch and pray,
As all day long we fear the Lord.

Our Lord is coming back again,
Yet ponders how we now behave.
The coming day approaches when
We'll give account for what we gave.

He gave to us authority
And every man his work to do.
He gave responsibility
To watch and pray as porters too.

He called us to give diligence
To all His work to us assigned.
And with a porter's vigilance
To watch with an attentive mind.

O Lord, we know there is an end,
And all Your words shall be fulfilled.
We watch, yet trust You to defend
Your Church You said that You will build.

Widow's Worship

"And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld HOW the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. And He called unto Him His disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast more in than all they which have cast in to the treasury" (Mark 12:41-43).

Our Lord beheld the treasury
Back then (as well as now)
To see what others could not see:
Not just how much, but how.

He saw the widow's worship then
Exceed more than them all.
He saw her inward treasure when
Her outward wealth was small.

We know, Lord, that You watch us still
And ponder all our ways.
We would surrender all our will,
And give You all our praise.

Upward Understanding

"My voice shalt Thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto Thee, and will look up" (Psalm 5:3).

I hear Your voice, Lord, everyday
Within Your wondrous Book.
And You shall hear me when I pray
As I will upward look.

I look to You, Lord, every morning;
There's nowhere else to turn
To find Your wisdom and Your warning
I need so much to learn!

Everyday I wake to find
This world no less confused:
The blind are leading still the blind,
And God's Word is refused.

It comes, therefore, as no surprise
To hear this world's scorning,
And therefore I will lift my eyes
To You, Lord, every morning.

I cannot even trust my heart;
Deception is within.
And so before the day will start,
Lord, cleanse my heart from sin.

Thank You, Lord, that You've agreed
With me to daily sup.
The understanding that I need
Will come as I look up.

Simply Saying

"Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man, who can find?.... Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?.... The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord, searching all he inward parts" (Proverbs 20:6,9,27).

Simply saying we are clean
And by ourselves are pure from sin,
Doesn't change what God has seen,
As He has searched us from within.

Simply saying we are free,
Doesn't break the chains that bind.
Simply saying we can see,
Doesn't change the fact we're blind.

God alone can cleanse our hearts.
God alone can free the soul.
God alone His grace imparts
To give us sight and make us whole.

Lord, You didn't simply say
The words You knew would not suffice.
You knew there was a price to pay,
And on the cross You paid that price.

Thank You, Lord, for what You said
And what You did for us as well:
We who once we were lost and dead,
You made alive and saved from hell!

Mountain Mandate

"And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. For verily I say unto you, that whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea, and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe those things which he saith shall come to pass, he shall have whatsoever he saith.... And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses" (Mark 11:22-25). "He will have compassion upon us; He will subdue our iniquities, and Thou shalt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea" (Micah 7:19).

Is there a mountain in your way
That God has told you to remove,
A bitterness from yesterday
You know that God does not approve?

It's an impossibility
To lift a mountain with a prayer
And have it cast into the sea
Unless the hand of God is there.

But such is prayer by God's command,
A gracious access to His fountain
From which the power of His hand
Can easily remove a mountain.

Lord, we hear Your mandate now
To pardon others as we pray.
Your own forgiveness shows us how
To cast these mountains all away.

Cords of Counsel

"The rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against His Anointed, saying, Let break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us" (Psalm 2:1-3). "Blind Bartimaeus... began to cry out, and say, Jesus, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me. And many charged him that he should hold his peace: but he cried out the more a great deal.... And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called. And.... he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way" (Mark 10:46-52).

There's counsel that we ought to heed
And counsel that should be ignored.
The Word of God is what we need
To follow Jesus Christ our Lord.

Opinions from the noisy crowd
May shout and tell us what to do,
But though their words are long and loud,
That doesn't make their counsel true.

With cords of love God draws us near;
The crowd will cast His cords away.
Ignore the crowd, and rather hear
And heed the Word of God today!

Now drawn to Christ, we leave behind
The counsel of this world's opinion.
We're led no longer by the blind,
But by the cords of Christ's dominion!

Prospering or Perishing

"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 whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.... but the way of the ungodly shall perish" (Psalm 1:1-6).

There simply is no middle ground
Between the two extremes:
The only souls in heaven found
Are those whom Christ redeems.

We'll prosper in our Savior's love,
Or perish in our shame.
Our home is with our Lord above,
Or in perdition's flame.

In Christ is true prosperity;
We dare not be confused!
There is no hope eternally,
If grace has been refused!

O Lord, we thank You that You came
To give our souls a choice
To find our Refuge in Your name,
And in Your love rejoice!

Imparting the Impossible

"They were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, Who then can be saved? And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible" (Mark 10:26,27).

With men it is impossible
Forever to be saved,
For all have sinned, and every soul
Is hopelessly depraved!

Our souls would have no remedy
Apart from Jesus Christ.
Our efforts for eternity
Would never have sufficed.

How rightly we ourselves should be
Astonished out of measure
That God so loved the world that He
Imparted such a Treasure!

Thank You, Lord, for wondrous grace
For souls like ours undone.
There was no other hiding place
But in Your righteous Son!

For us it was impossible
Before we even started,
But by Your grace, O Lord, so full,
Salvation was imparted!

Hard Look at Hell's Lake

"Hell and destruction are before the Lord: how much more then the hearts of the children of men?" (Proverbs 15:11). "It is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire: where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched" (Mark 9:47).

There is a hard reality
That forces us to look
At where we'll spend eternity,
According to God's Book.

Yes, hell is hard to think about;
We'd rather look away.
But God has left no room for doubt;
He sees it everyday!

For God so loved the world He gave
His Son forever cherished,
That He in mercy thus might save
Our souls which would have perished.

And what would prompt the Lord to do
That work of pain and grief?
He saw indeed that hell is true,
Where there is no relief!

How great His love, that would compel
Our Lord to leave His throne
To save our wretched souls from hell
And claim us as His own!

Thank You, Lord, for Your desire,
That prompted Your decision
To save us from the lake of fire;
Now send us with Your vision!

Godly v. Gullible

"The simple believeth every word: but the prudent man looketh well to his going" (Proverbs 14:15). "Now faith is... the evidence of things not seen" (Hebrews 11:1).

A prudent faith has evidence
(By Hebrews thus defined),
That gives a logical defense
That satisfies the mind.

I know this goes against the grain
Of scorners who suppose
Believers do not use their brain,
And science thus oppose.

But science that is true agrees
With honest observation
Which analyzes what one sees
In search for its causation.

Godly faith thus understands
That matter, time, and space
Within this universe demands
A First Cause we can trace.

Godly faith is logical
That sees that God has spoken.
True faith isn't gullible
In Scripture never broken.

Mockers now may count it odd
That faith has evidence,
But when they stand before our God,
They'll know it just made sense!

Like those Lepers

"There were four leprous men at the entering in of the gate: and they said one to another, Why sit we here until we die?.... And when these lepers came to the uttermost part of the camp, they went into one tent, and did eat and drink, and carried thence silver, and gold, and raiment... and went and hid it. Then said they one to another, We do not well: this day is a day of good tidings, and we hold our peace" (2 Kings 7:3-9). "A faithful ambassador is health" (Proverbs 13:17). "For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" (Mark 8:36).

Lepers sitting at the gate,
Just waiting there to die,
Contemplating then their fate,
Then posed the question: "Why?"

They talked of an alternative
To famine in the city:
Perhaps their foes would let them live,
And on them would take pity.

They reached the camp and were surprised:
Their enemies had fled!
They ate their fill, then realized:
"We do not well," they said.

They knew good tidings should be told
Which they had come to cherish,
For they had more than they could hold
While others soon would perish.

We see an illustration true
That we should surely heed:
We ought to take Good Tidings too,
And sow the Gospel seed!

We do not well if we don't tell
Our own community
That Jesus Christ will save from hell
For all eternity!

Are we like God's ambassadors
Declaring His salvation,
Or like the world that ignores
His gracious invitation?

Lord, we hear Your earnest plea
To think about the loss
That souls must face eternally
That will neglect Your cross.

Lord, like those lepers on the wall,
Now teach us to not to miss,
As your ambassadors, Your call
For such a time as this!

Forever Faithful

"Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God: which made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that therein is: which keepeth truth forever" (Psalm 146:5,6). "The lip of truth shall be established forever: but a lying tongue is but for a moment" (Proverbs 12:19).

Forever faithful is the One
Who made the heaven, earth, and sea.
He gave is own beloved Son,
Who kept His Word of prophecy.

And thus He clearly demonstrated
The Word He speaks is always true.
The promise God communicated
We can be sure that He will do.

Happy is the one who knows
His help and hope are in the Lord,
Who, as He promised, died and rose,
And shall forever be adored.

And so we speak with confidence
With lips of truth that make us free,
For truth from God has its defense
By Him who lives eternally.

We know, O Lord, Your truth goes on,
Forever faithful as Your throne.
A lying tongue shall soon be gone;
Your truth shall stand, and Yours alone!

Everyday and Evermore

"Everyday will I bless Thee, and I will praise Thy name forever and ever.... One generation shall praise Thy works to another, and shall declare Thy mighty acts.... The Lord upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that be bowed down.... The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon Him, to all that call upon Him in truth.... He also will hear their cry, and will save them" (Psalm 145:2-19). "He hath done all things well" (Mark 7:37).

Everyday I'll praise the name
And evermore I'll live to tell
The wondrous works and matchless fame
Of Jesus who does all things well!

Yes, everyday and evermore
I'd speak of Him who saves from hell.
How great the acts are we explore
Of Jesus who does all things well!

His majesty in star lit skies,
His mercy to each soul that fell,
One by one now testifies
Of Jesus who does all things well!

O Lord, You are unsearchable!
We bless Your name, Emmanuel!
The praise of every blood bought soul
Is Jesus who does all things well!

Summer Season

"And Elisha said unto him.... Is it a time to receive money, and to receive garments, and oliveyards, and vineyards, and sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and maidservants?" (2 Kings 5:25,26). "He that gathereth in summer is a wise son: but he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame" (Proverbs 10:5).

There is a time when we should sleep,
A time as well when we should rise,
A time to sow, a time to reap
When harvest gathering is wise.

In Israel, when summer came,
Beginning at the Pentecost,
It surely then was counted shame
For sons to sleep as crops were lost.

Is it a time for things so small
That waste our time and energy,
Displacing thus the greater call
For reaping souls eternally?

The summer season soon shall wane,
Symbolic of the harvest time.
A life absorbed with self is vain;
A life that's lived for God, sublime.

O Lord, You've said to lift our eyes
And look upon the harvest fields.
Revive in us a heart that's wise
To reap the joy obedience yields.

Listening for His Lovingkindness

"Cause me to hear Thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in Thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto Thee.... Teach me to do Thy will, for Thou art my God: Thy Spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness" (Psalm 143:8-10).

Listening for my Savior's love
That He communicates each morning,
My soul is lifted far above
This world's thoughtless voice of scorning.

I hear the voice of lovingkindness,
As God, through Scripture, stoops to talk.
He lifts me from this world's blindness,
And shows the way where I should walk.

He teaches me to do His will,
Reminding me He's on the throne.
In love He says to me, "Be still,"
To hear no voice but His alone.

How good His Holy Spirit is
Who kindly makes me understand
That He is mine and I am His,
And He will lead me by the hand.

So cause me, Lord, to hear Your voice;
Let every vain distraction cease,
That by Your words I may rejoice
In love that guarantees Your peace.

Overture of the Overwhelmed

"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 portion in the land of the living" (Psalm 142:3-5).

When I was overwhelmed, O Lord,
You surely knew my path,
As no one else I looked toward
Could save my soul from wrath.

Eternity! Eternity!
Why was it no one cared?
Why was there so much apathy?
Why was there no one scared?

I turned to God in desperation,
For what else could I do?
I found a Refuge of salvation
At last, O Lord, in You!

Thank You, Lord, for truth and grace
That met me when I cried.
Apart from You there was no place
My soul could safely hide!

Earnest Eyes

"But mine eyes are unto Thee, O God the Lord: in Thee is my trust; leave not my soul destitute" (Psalm 141:8).

My eyes are fixed on You, O Lord;
There is no other resting place.
In You alone is peace restored;
You are the Fountainhead of grace.

My eyes are fixed on You, O Lord;
You will not leave me destitute.
The seeds of trust in You afford
A harvest that will bear much fruit.

My eyes are fixed on You, O Lord,
For You alone are my Defense.
There's no one else I look toward
So worthy of my confidence!

My eyes are fixed on You, O Lord;
And not the trends of so-called chance.
In You I find my sure Reward
And peace in every circumstance.

Hope at Home

"Jesus... saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee" (Mark 5:19).

Go home to your friends, and tell them how great
The things are that God did for you;
Moved with compassion in our low estate,
He saved us and made all things new!

Waking to the Wonder

"How precious also are Thy thoughts unto me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with Thee" (Psalm 139:17,18).

O God, I wake each day to find
Your precious thoughts that seem
So awesome I could be inclined
To think they are a dream!

But dreams are gone when one awakes,
Yet I am still with You!
I know You never make mistakes;
Your Word is always true.

So let the world go on scorning,
And count my comfort strange.
Your Word is no less true each morning,
And that will never change.

The Measure we Mete

"And He said unto them, Is a candle brought to be put under a bushel, or a bed, and not to be set on a candle stick?.... Take heed what ye hear: for with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given. For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath" (Mark 4:21-25).

Take heed what you hear,
For the Lord gives His Word
And makes His truth clear
To mete out what we've heard.

The measure that's meted,
As we're serving the Lord,
Shall not be depleted,
But be promptly restored.

Take heed to the treasure
That the Lord has bestowed.
We'll reap by the measure
That we faithfully sowed.

Take heed to be true
To God's Word in His sight,
Which was given to you
To be salt and give light.

Take heed to obey
And mete out what is taught.
The Lord takes away
From the one who will not.

Triumphant Trust

"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart.... The Lord by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath He established the heavens.... The Lord shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken.... He giveth grace unto to the lowly" (Proverbs 3:5,19-26).

Trust in God with all your heart,
Though all the earth may mock;
The confidence He will impart
Is solid as a rock!

Trust in God who made the earth
And heavens all above.
Ponder this, for what it's worth,
Then contemplate His love!

Trust in God, for as you do,
Your foot shall never stumble,
And you shall find His promise true:
He gives grace to the humble.

Binding Beelzebub

"And the scribes which came down from Jerusalem said, He hath Beelzebub, and by the prince of the devils casteth He out devils. And He called them unto Him, and said unto them in parables, How can Satan cast out Satan?.... No man can enter into a strong man's house and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man, and then he will spoil his house" (Matthew 3:22-27).

Beelzebub has been subdued;
His prison house is spoiled!
His fallen armies are pursued,
His strategies are foiled!

Christ Jesus, God's beloved Son,
Our Savior and our Lord,
Has claimed the spoil He has won:
Our souls are His reward!

Alas! Beelzebub today,
Undaunted by his loss,
Seduces souls to throw away
The riches of the cross!

Lord, we are amazed to see
The ransom that we find
You paid for us at Calvary,
And thus our foe would bind!

Enlist us, Lord, to now proclaim
That freedom can be found
In Christ, for by no other name
Beelzebub is bound!

Magnificent Memorials

"Thy name, O Lord, endureth forever, and Thy memorial, O Lord, throughout all generations" (Psalm 135:13).

How great are Your memorials
We see, Lord, everywhere:
Creation's editorials
Your attributes declare!

Beyond our finite comprehension
Of things that You have made,
Creation calls to our attention
Your majesty displayed.

And yet there is another place
Where You display Your name:
That great memorial of Your grace,
Where Jesus bore our shame.

The cross commemorates Your love
Through every generation;
You set aside Your throne above
To die for our salvation.

You are alive forevermore,
Yet Your memorial stands
In marks of love Your body bore:
Your wounded feet and hands.