Principle of Praise

"One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after, that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in His temple.... When Thou saidst, Seek ye My face, my heart said unto Thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek" (Psalm 27:4,8).

Our resolutions may compete
Beyond the New Year's dawn.
The old year then will be complete
And time shall press us on.

How then shall we now decide
What goals are best and worst?
Let this be our surest guide:
To put our Savior first!

Seek then first our awesome Lord
And dwell upon His beauty
That He may rightly be adored
And purify our duty.

Behold the beauty of our King,
And give Him all your heart.
Prioritizing this ONE THING
Brings blessing from the start.

Then let this principle of praise
Ensure our greatest gain,
For this shall guarantee our days
Shall not be spent in vain.

Place of our Pleasure

"LORD, I have loved the habitation of Thy house, and the place where Thine honor dwelleth" (Psalm 26:8). "Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular" (1 Corinthians 12:27).

How marvelous, Lord, is the place where You dwell,
For who could have possibly known
That You would reside in those rescued from hell,
And there You would set up Your throne!

O Lord, we have cherished this unlikely place
Where You have decided to stay!
For we are the body of Christ by Your grace,
Your temple of praise everyday!

Great God, though You fill all of heaven and earth
As Maker and Lord of creation,
It gives so much pleasure to know we were worth
A place for Your own habitation.

Selected Secrets

"Hast thou heard the secret of God?.... Are the consolations of God small with thee? Is there any secret thing with thee?" (Job 15:8,11). "What man is he that feareth the LORD? Him shall He teach in the way that He shall choose.... The secret of the LORD is with them that fear Him; and He will show them His covenant" (Psalm 25:12,14).

The Lord is waiting to reveal
His secrets whispered in the ear
With consolations that will heal
And comfort those with godly fear.

Have you heard His secret yet?
Now come with reverent expectation!
Fear the Lord and don't forget
The blessings of His consolation.

Come, delight in His correction
That cleanses us from secret sin,
As we're humbled with confession
When God has searched our heart within.

Come with boldness to His throne,
For though His strength is infinite,
God has welcomed all His own
To hear His secrets intimate.

O Lord, we come to hear Your voice
To learn how we may love You more,
To know the secrets of Your choice,
And serve You better than before.

Kindness of our King

"Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? Not one" (Job 14:4). "Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who shall stand in His holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart, who hath not lifted up his soul to vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of His salvation.... The LORD of hosts, He is King of glory" (Psalm 24:3-10).

Since we were all declared unclean,
Then none were guiltless; no, not one.
Our God alone could intervene
By Jesus Christ, His spotless Son.

The hands, the heart, and soul of Christ
Ascended to God's holy place.
The Lamb of God was sacrificed
To cleanse us by His saving grace.

And thus the blessing was received
With righteousness Christ freely gave
To all who in Him have believed:
The hosts of those whom He would save.

The Lord of hosts, so good and kind,
Is Jesus Christ, our King of glory!
All His hosts would still be blind
And lost without redemption's story!

Great Lord, we are the hosts You'll bring
When earth shall lift her waiting gates,
Proclaiming then You are the King
Whom all the world celebrates!

Shining in the Shadow

"He discovereth the deep things out of darkness, and bringeth out to light the shadow of death.... They grope in the dark without light, and He maketh them to stagger like a drunken man" (Job 12:22,25). "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me" (Psalm 23:4).

How dark was the forecast ahead that was plain:
The shadow of death like the clouds of a storm
Had darkened the sky, and it seemed quite insane
That apathy ruled as society's norm.

I felt so alone as in darkness I groped!
Why were the people content to be blind?
Then out of that darkness I cried and I hoped:
God heard my prayer, and in darkness He shined.

Then there was Light in the shadow of death!
God was not silent; He gave us His Word:
Our Lord came to earth, and He spent His last breath
Declaring the Gospel this world has heard!

Yet even today there is little concern
In matters eternal where God sheds His light.
The truth makes us free if we're willing to learn,
But time has a limit, and day turns to night.

We thank You, O Lord, for the Light that You gave
When You came from heaven to die in our place
To shine in the shadow of death and the grave,
Redeeming all those who will trust in Your grace!

Declared Done

"My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?.... All they that see Me laugh Me to scorn.... They pierced My hands and My feet.... All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before Thee.... A seed shall serve Him; it shall be accounted unto the Lord for a generation. They shall come, and shall declare His righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that He hath done this" (Psalm 22:1-31).

O God, our God, we hear those cries
Foretold of Jesus Christ Your Son.
We are the seed who testifies
The saving work He did is done!

They pierced His hands, His feet, His side,
And crowned His head with woven thorn;
They mocked Him as for us He died
And laughed the Son of God to scorn!

We give You thanks, Lord, for Your love
That spared our souls from condemnation,
That left Your splendid throne above,
And did the work of our salvation!

Good News of God's Nativity

"Canst thou by searching find out God?" (Job 7:11). "As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country" (Proverbs 25:25). "Behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, saying, Where is He that is born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the east, and are come to worship Him" (Matthew 1:1,2).

Wise men came from lands afar
Into Jerusalem
Guided by that wondrous star
That led to Bethlehem.

And though the starlight became dim,
Their joyfulness increased
As still they came to worship Him
And traveled from the east.

Ah! So is good news to the thirst
In all who search and find
That God indeed had sought us first
And drew each heart and mind.

Can we by searching find out God?
The Gospel says we can!
For though our search is weak and flawed,
God draws the heart of man.

We thank You, Lord, for such good news
That came from heaven above,
Which drew our hearts to gladly choose
To search and find Your love!

Our Need of His Name

"Now know I that the LORD saveth His anointed.... we will remember the name of the Lord our God" (Psalm 20:6,7). "And thou shalt call His name JESUS [lit. Jehovah's Salvation]: for He shall save His people from their sins" (Matthew 1:21).

We will remember our Lord's precious name:
JESUS, translated "Jehovah's salvation".
That is the reason our Lord Jesus came;
That is the greatness of His reputation!

We will remember that Christ came to save
A world where no one was righteous; not one.
How great was our need of the Treasure God gave:
The Wonderful Gift of Christ Jesus His Son!

We will remember that scene of the manger:
The Lord of the universe, born in a stall!
As Man He was homeless and lived as a Stranger,
Though we were the sinners estranged by the fall!

We will remember the price that He paid
To ransom our souls with redemption complete.
How great was the love on the cross He displayed
Beheld in His head, in His hands, and His feet.

O Lord, we were helplessly, hopelessly lost;
Our need that You met was enormous indeed!
Jehovah's salvation demanded a cost;
We thank You, Lord Jesus, that You met our need!

Starry Statements

"Then Job answered and said... How should man be just with God?.... Which alone spreadeth out the heavens.... Which maketh Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the chambers of the south. Which doeth great things past finding out; yea, and wonders without number" (Job 9:2-9). "The heavens declare the glory of God.... Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night uttereth knowledge.... Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world" (Psalm 19:1-4).

The heavens declare the glory of God,
And day after day utters speech.
Since God named the stars, it seems very odd
That we don't seem to care what they teach!

Job knew the names of the stars in the night
And their meanings that came from the Lord:
Arcturus "Coming", Orion "Prince of Light",
And Pleiades, "The Jewels that Are Stored".

Surely, there's wealth in the words of each star,
As the night is spread out like a scroll.
Their words are declaring God's glory afar,
And telling the worth of each soul!

How vast are the things that we cannot find out,
Yet great are the things God will show!
We know God has spoken, removing all doubt,
And thereby salvation we know!

The heavens declare what the Scriptures convey:
That the Lord would reveal His glory
Through His precious Son to provide us the way
To be saved! O how wondrous the story!

Note: An excellent resource to explore Biblical Astronomy in the light of the original star names given by God (Psalm 147:4) is a book by Kenneth Fleming (Emmaus Bible College) called "God's voice in the Stars." Astrology is not only a lie, it is a cover up! Satan is tirelessly working to obscure and pervert all that declares the glory of God. I have also posted star name charts and corresponding references in Scripture on my Blog entitled "Mazzaroth Gospel" (http://mazzarothgospel.blogspot.com/) with illustrations from Kenneth Fleming's book used by his permission.

Loving the Living Lord

"I will love Thee, O LORD, my strength. The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust, my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.... The LORD liveth; and blessed be my rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted" (Psalm 18:1-3,46).

Lord, I will love You, for how could I not?
For You are my rock and my fortress so strong!
You have delivered me, and You have fought
Against all my foes (and their list is quite long!).

Lord, I will love You, my God and my strength,
In whom I will trust as my buckler and power,
My horn of salvation eternal in length,
My refuge of mercy, my strong and high tower.

Lord, I will love You, for thus I am led
To worship You now as I think on Your ways:
You came down from heaven to die in my stead,
And now You are risen, so worthy of praise!

Lord, I will love You; how rightly I should
With all the redeemed now surrounding Your throne!
May You be exalted, for You are so good,
Extending salvation to all of Your own!

Precious Presents

"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).

It isn't really hard to know
The gifts our God has sought.
Behold the presents He will show:
They are the ones He bought!

It isn't gold, or frankincense,
Or myrrh that He requires.
The gifts He bought at Christ's expense
Are those which He desires!

The gifts we therefore ought to give
Today, if we will hear it,
Are given by the life we live
In body, soul, and spirit.

We see, O Lord, Your sacrifice
Upon the cross, and thus
We are amazed You paid that price
For sinners such as us!

It seems a little strange, O Lord,
To bring now what You own
As gifts, which we could not afford,
Are given at Your throne.

Yet this is why You came to earth,
Though we had gone astray,
Because You thought our souls were worth
The ransom You would pay!

O Lord, we would not hesitate
To bring our heart to You,
Nor would we fail consecrate
Our soul and body too.

Lord, help us everyday to bring
These gifts for which You died.
With all we are, O Lord our King,
May You be glorified!

Heavenly Heritage

"The LORD is the portion of mine inheritance.... The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage.... Thou wilt show me the path of life: in Thy presence is fullness of joy; at Thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore" (Psalm 16:5-11).

How good is the heritage given to us,
Affording the greatest of treasures!
The Lord is our portion; in Him is our trust,
And in Him the truest of pleasures!

For what can compare with His infinite worth,
And who else could heal our soul?
The lines of our lot which we have by new birth
Have thrilled us with joy that is full!

O Lord, we give thanks for our treasure in You
We've only begun to explore,
For morning by morning Your mercies are new;
Your pleasures extend evermore!

Standard for Stewards

"Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end. There are many devices in a man's heart; nevertheless, the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand" (Proverbs 19:20,21). "Let a man so account of us, as the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover, it is required in stewards that a man be found faithful.... He that judgeth me is the Lord" (1 Corinthians 4:1-4).

The counsel of the Lord shall stand,
And His assessment is what matters.
The greatest scheme we may have planned,
If not from God, so quickly scatters!

Each steward has a ministry
With gifts from God he should invest.
And this responsibility
By God and men shall be assessed.

But though another shares his view,
Assessing us by his opinion,
The standard that is always true
Is only that of God's dominion.

Lord, help us by this standard live
Beneath Your holy, searching eyes:
Found faithful with the gifts You give,
That You at last may count us wise.

Separated Seekers

"The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good. The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no not one" (Psalm 14:1-3). "Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeketh and intermeddleth with all wisdom. A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself" (Proverbs 18:1,2).

The way of the foolish was seen in the land
As God looked from heaven above
To see who would seek Him, and thus understand,
And set upon God their heart's love.

Alas! There was no one! No, not even one!
Yet God would not thrust us away,
But sent to this earth His own precious Son,
Though all we like sheep went astray!

Thus prompted by God and convinced by His Spirit,
We fled from the wrath that will come.
Though not every sinner desires to hear it,
The Gospel is still saving some.

We thank You, O Lord, that you loved us first
And sent to the earth Your salvation,
Then gave to our hearts the unquenchable thirst
To find You through our separation.

Glorious Giver

"Ye are in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: that, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord" (1 Corinthians 1:30,31).

Glorious Giver! How great is His love
That gave us salvation in Christ!
All of the riches in heaven above
Without Him would not have sufficed!

We needed wisdom, for we were not wise,
And God made us wise in His Son.
We needed righteousness, since in God's eyes,
Without Him we surely had none!

We needed sanctification as well
To set us apart for the Lord.
We needed also redemption from hell,
Which only His grace could afford!

How great are the gifts, gracious Lord, that You gave!
How precious indeed was their cost,
For only by Jesus our Lord could You save
And give all these gifts to the lost!

Medicinal Message

"The words of the LORD are pure words" (Psalm 12:6). "Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones" (Proverbs 16:24).

The words of the Lord are pleasant and pure,
With sweetness and health for the soul.
Their message provides the medicinal cure
To satisfy, save, and make whole.

The words of the Lord are able to save
And heal us when we receive
The Savior who died and rose from the grave
To ransom all those who believe.

The words of the Lord are a lamp to our feet
And a light that leads all the way home.
Lord, thank You for words that are healthy and sweet,
Which are likened to Your honeycomb.

Eyeing Everything

"The LORD'S throne is in heaven: His eyes behold, His eyelids try, the children of men" (Psalm 11:4). "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 15:4,11).

The Lord is ruling on the throne;
He has His eye on everything.
He tries the hearts of all His own,
He is their Shepherd and their King.

The Lord is eyeing every place,
Beholding bad and good as well,
Persuading souls to seek His face,
To turn their hearts away from hell.

We thank You, Lord, that You provide
The vision to behold Your love,
That shows us there's a Place to hide,
In Christ upon His throne above.

Lord, knowing that Your eyes behold
Our every motive, word, and deed,
Refine our hearts as tested gold
To purge the sin we do not need.

Hearing the Humble

"LORD, Thou hast heard the desire of the humble: Thou wilt prepare their heart, Thou wilt cause Thine ear to hear" (Psalm 10:17).

Lord, even before their words have been spoken,
You hear the desire of hearts that are humble.
You hear with compassion the heart that is broken;
You hear as they call out to You when they stumble.

Lord, upon You we can cast every care;
This is the promise of Your invitation.
Touched by our weakness and moved by our prayer,
You hear and You heal with Your consolation.

Lord, we give thanks for the mercy You've shown,
Preparing our hearts to respond to Your love.
But for Your mercy, we would not have known
The love of our Savior who came from above.

Likeminded Love

"Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: that ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 15:5,6).

Consider the patience of God that we find:
What great consolation we have in His love!
So should His people with one mouth and mind
Now glorify God in Christ Jesus above.

Sometimes it's hard to have likeminded hearts
With other believers with differing views,
Yet with the likeminded love God imparts,
We may with one mouth proclaim the good news.

O Lord, help us focus on our common ground:
Christ Jesus is Lord and alone is our Savior!
So may a likeminded passion be found
With Your love beheld in our words and behavior.

Children Chosen

"Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings Thou ordained strength because of Thine enemies, that Thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger" (Psalm 8:2).

Out of the mouth of children ordained
The Lord has prepared His victorious defense.
Children who are in the Word of God trained
Will answer His enemies with confidence.

O Lord, give us children in our day to stand
Against adversaries rejecting Your will.
Hold up these little ones with Your mighty hand,
To answer the rebels, that they may be still.

And Lord, give us wisdom to train them aright,
As arrows a mighty man shoots to prevail
To speak in the gate with Your foes in the fight,
Assured by Your mercy that they shall not fail.

Waking for Warring

"It is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.... Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof" (Romans 13:11-14).

Surely it's time to awake out of sleep:
The day is at hand; far spent is the night.
The battle is raging, the darkness is deep,
But we are provided with armor of light.

The armor of light is our Lord Jesus Christ!
Put on His righteousness! Walk in His love!
Make no provision for flesh that's enticed,
And do not fulfill the affections thereof.

O Lord, You have given the armor that's best;
We know that the battle at last shall be won.
Until that day comes when You tell us to rest,
Lord, teach us to fight the good fight till it's done.

The Hanging of Haman

"So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then was the king's wrath pacified" (Esther 7:10). "The fear of the wicked, it shall come upon him: but the desire of the righteous shall be granted.... The hope of the righteous shall be gladness: but the expectation of the wicked shall perish" (Proverbs 10:24,28). "Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good" (Romans 12:21).

The hanging of Haman is one illustration
Whereby it should be understood
That God makes a way in our tribulation
To overcome evil with good.

Thus we are taught, and commanded as well,
To overcome evil that's known,
Assured by our Lord that the forces of hell
Shall never unsettle His throne.

The fear of the wicked, unless they will turn,
Shall surely upon them descend.
The hanging of Haman should help us discern
The judgment of God in the end.

So overcome evil with good, we are told;
This is God's mandate today.
Trusting the Lord, in His time we'll behold
How God drives the wicked away.

Teach us, O Lord, the way to withstand
The evil each day that we face,
Prevailing with good by Your sovereign hand
Upholding our souls by Your grace.

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). "Come, eat of My bread.... and go in the way of understanding" (Proverbs 9:5,6). "O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!.... For of Him, and through Him, and to Him are all things: to whom be glory forever. Amen" (Romans 11:33-36).

There is a place where we can look
To give us understanding.
It's not the latest "How-To" book
That readers are demanding.

It is the upward look to God
That gives a right perspective,
For every other view is flawed,
Unholy, and deceptive.

We need to see God's awesome hand
Which orchestrates all things,
That we may rightly understand
He's still the King of kings.

The upward look to God each morning
Before the day begins,
Provides us counsel, wisdom, warning,
And cleansing from our sins.

We thank You, Lord, that as we pray
To You and we look up,
We understand more everyday
As with You, Lord, we sup.

Treasures of Truth

"O ye sons of men.... how long will love vanity?.... There be many that say, Who will show us any good? LORD, lift up the light of Thy countenance upon us. Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased" (Psalm 4:2-7). "Doth not wisdom cry?.... Unto you, O men, I call, and my voice is to the sons of men.... For My mouth shall speak truth.... Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold. For wisdom is better than rubies, and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.... I will fill their treasures" (Proverbs 8:1-21).

O children of men, how long will you love
Your lies that have led to confusion,
Despising the wisdom that comes from above,
Removing the truth in conclusion?

You study the earth, the seas, and the sky,
But never discern truth, of course,
As science (so-called) is confined by a lie,
When God is removed as its Source.

The treasures of truth are certainly greater
Than material things they contain.
Behold now their Source, their magnificent Maker!
How long will you love what is vain?

O Lord, You have given us gladness of heart
And riches with much greater measure
Than all that this world could ever impart,
Abundantly filling our treasure!

For abounding much more than all of creation
Are mercy and truth to our soul
Affording forever Your wondrous salvation,
With treasures eternal and full!

Terms of Time

"For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall enlargement and deliverance arise... from another place... and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" (Esther 4:14). "Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? 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 10:13-15).

Our life and opportunities
Are framed in terms of time
That we must circumspectly seize,
Or waste what is sublime.

Is this a time to hold our peace
While many need to hear
The Gospel that we should not cease
To preach, both far and near?

The terms of time and energy
Are wasted if we miss
Their purpose for eternity
For such a time as this.

It is a time to preach God's Word,
That sinners may repent,
And bring good tidings we have heard
Wherever we are sent.

Lord, teach us by Your Spirit how
To use the grace You give
In terms of time that we call now,
Each moment that we live.

Reasoning with Rage

"Why do the heathen rage and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against His anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder and cast away their cords from us" (Psalm 2:1-3). "O man, who art thou that repliest against God?" (Romans 9:20).

Why do nations rage today?
What are they thinking of,
Who cast the cords of God away
And spurn His wondrous love?

To rage against the living God
Is so completely vain
With reasoning that is so flawed,
It surely is insane!

For who are you, O little man,
In your imagination,
That you reply with fisted hand
To God with indignation?

The God who made each blazing star
Extends His cords of grace:
Who, then, do you think you are
To fling them in His face?

Now stop and think! Eternity
Shall soon engulf your soul,
And neither rage nor apathy
Shall make God's judgment null.

Alas, in spite of evidence
Inviting honest reason,
The fool replies with insolence
And perishes in season.

We thank You, Lord, for love beyond
Our human comprehension
That urges sinners to respond,
In spite of their contention.

Mercifully Mindful

"Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly... but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law doth he meditate day and night" (Psalm 1:1,2). "The ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD, and He pondereth all his goings" (Proverbs 5:21). "He that... searcheth the hearts.... spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all" (Romans 8:26-32).

It certainly seems logical
To fix our meditation
On God who is so wonderful,
The Lord of all creation.

But viewing, on the other hand,
The gracious thoughts of God
On us are hard to understand,
So mercifully odd!

For why should God in us delight,
In view of who we are?
Now shouldn't sinners in His sight
Be thrust from Him afar?

O Lord, we thank You for Your love
That thought on with grace
And sent our Savior from above
To take the sinner's place!

Led into Light

"Hear, O My son, and receive my sayings.... I have taught thee the way of wisdom, I have led thee in right paths.... The path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day" (Proverbs 4:10-18). "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God" (Romans 8:14).

I know that the path on which I am led
Is leading me into the light.
If I will receive what my Father has said,
I know that the path will be right.

For all of God's sons are led by His Spirit,
Though sometimes our feet tend to stray.
His mercy reproves us, for when we will hear it,
He teaches us then to obey.

Thank You, dear Father, for leading my soul
And teaching my heart from Your Word,
Though often You know that my hearing is dull
And slow to obey what I've heard.

Lord, You have led me through all of my life;
I know You are leading me still.
So whether You lead me in peace or in strife,
Lord, teach me to follow Your will.

Royal Responsibility

"The LORD taketh pleasure in His people: He will beautify the meek with salvation.... Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two edged sword in their hand... this honor have all His saints. Praise ye the Lord" (Psalm 149:4-9). "The Lord shall be thy confidence.... His secret is with the righteous.... He giveth grace unto the lowly. The wise shall inherit glory" (Proverbs 3:26-35).

The debt of service we have owed
Is measured now by this degree:
When greater honor is bestowed
So is responsibility.

Our God has placed within our hand
And in our hearts His two-edge sword,
Which is the Word of His command
To praise and glorify the Lord.

The Lord shall be our confidence,
His secret shall be clearly shown,
His glory, our inheritance
By grace and truth to us made known.

O Lord, we thank You for Your love
With daily benefits so full,
And for Your blessings from above
For which we are accountable.

Freedom and Fruitfulness

"Understanding shall keep thee: to deliver thee from the way of the evil man.... that thou mayest walk in the way of good men" (Proverbs 2:11,20). "But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end, everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 6:22,23).

Thank the Lord for what He gives
And what He also takes:
For fruitfulness because He lives,
For freedom from mistakes.

Being now made free from sin,
No longer thus enslaved,
We have the power to begin
To live like people saved.

The wages that we all deserve
Are death and condemnation;
Instead we are made fit to serve,
Endowed with God's salvation!

We thank You for the gift, O Lord,
Of life eternally,
And for the freedom You afford
By truth that makes us free.

He Heals

"Praise ye the LORD.... He gathereth together the outcasts.... He healeth the broken in heart.... He showeth His Word" (Psalm 147:1-3,19). "Turn you at My reproof: behold, I will pour out My Spirit unto you, I will make known My words unto you" (Proverbs 1:23). "God commendeth His love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.... When we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son" (Romans 5:8,10).

Praise the Lord, and heed His voice:
He calls the outcast from disgrace.
He makes the sorrowful rejoice;
He heals the broken heart with grace.

He calls the rebel now to turn.
He pours His Spirit freely out.
He shows His Word to thus discern
And thereby purge remaining doubt.

For sinners Christ was sacrificed,
And thus He demonstrates His love.
For us, when enemies of Christ,
He left His majesty above!

Our loving Savior never fails,
As our Lord Jesus Christ reveals:
In life and death His love prevails,
And in His faithfulness He heals.