Merciful Mouth

"Open thy mouth for the dumb in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction. Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.... A virtuous woman.... openeth her mouth with wisdom, and in her tongue is the law of kindness" (Proverbs 31:8-10,26). "Speaking the truth in love.... let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers" (Ephesians 4:15,29).

Open your mouth with heaven's instruction;
Open your mouth for the weak who cannot,
Pleading the cause against their destruction,
Bringing the mercy and truth they have sought.

Speaking the truth in love is the way
That we should convey our communication.
O Lord, give us wisdom in all that we say
To minister grace in each situation.

Assessing His Ascension

"Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended?.... What is His name, and what is His Son's name, if thou canst tell?" (Proverbs 30:4). "Now He that ascended, what is it but that He also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that He might fill all things" (Ephesians 4:9,10).

Who has ascended to heaven above,
Arising in triumph from earth where He came?
Who first descended to save us with love?
Who is so glorious, and what is His name?

Who has ascended and sits on His throne
Where heaven unceasingly announces His fame?
Who has redeemed and delivered His own?
Who is so glorious, and what is His name?

Who has ascended? There only is One!
Eternally God, yet a Man He became:
The Lord Jesus Christ, our God's precious Son!
O Lord, You are glorious, and this is Your name!

Time to Tell

"To everything there is a season.... a time to keep silence, and a time to speak" (Ecclesiastes 3:1,7). "The dispensation of the grace of God... which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now.... Unto me, who am least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ" (Ephesians 3:1-8).

To everything there is a season,
And now it's time to tell
To everyone who asks the reason
We know we're saved from hell.

The time for silence now is past!
The Gospel should be preached
To show, in Christ, the riches vast,
Till every soul is reached.

The dispensation of God's grace
Upon our souls has dawned.
We ought to teach in every place
To all who will respond.

O Lord, we know the time is now
To preach where You will lead.
We know Your Spirit will endow
The power that we need.

Amazing Ages!

"But God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ (by grace are ye saved), and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus" (Ephesians 2:4-7).

Once we were hopelessly dead in our sins,
But God raised up with Christ Jesus above,
As now (and in ages to come) He begins
Unveiling the riches of His wondrous love.

How great is His mercy! How vast is the sum
Of blessings upon us that heaven has poured!
And O how amazing the ages to come
Shall be as He shows us the grace of our Lord!

O Lord, as we think of Your grace, we're amazed,
Though now we see darkly with vision obscured.
But when in Your presence at last we are raised,
How greatly shall joy through the ages be stirred!

Prompted to Pray

"And the Lord turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends" (Job 42:10). "Hear my prayer, O God; give ear to the words of my mouth" (Psalm 54:2). "Boast not thyself of tomorrow, for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.... Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks., and look well to thy herds. For riches are not forever" (Proverbs 27:1,23,24). "Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers" (Ephesians 1:15,16).

We boast not ourselves of tomorrow;
We're prompted to pray everyday.
Our time is not something we borrow;
We use it or waste it away.

Be diligent, therefore, to pray
As Job also did for his friends.
Like sheep they may still go astray;
The conflict for souls never ends.

For those in our God given sphere
We pray with more diligence,
Assured that the reason they're near
Is more than coincidence.

Be diligent, therefore, as Paul
Who prayed for believers with love,
That they would be true to their call,
And focused on riches above.

O Lord, we would live every hour
With diligence that You deserve.
We're prompted to pray for Your power
And grace that equips us to serve.

Doubly Deceived

"Then Job answered the LORD, and said, I know that Thou canst do everything, and that no thought can be withholden from Thee. Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? Therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not.... but now mine eye seeth Thee. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes" (Job 42:1-6). "If a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.... God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Galatians 6:3,14).

Job had said, in retrospect,
Some things he didn't understand.
Yes, he said some things correct,
But some things God would reprimand.

Whenever God was glorified,
Job was true, and rightly humble.
But then when Job was filled with pride,
That's when he began to stumble.

Now lest we doubly be deceived,
God humbles every soul on earth.
His judgment rightly is received;
Redemption, though, is what we're worth.

Measure all things by the cross:
For guilt and grace are thereby priced.
We warranted eternal loss,
Yet we're redeemed by Jesus Christ!

How unworthy, Lord, we are,
And yet how much we're worth to You!
Sin and shame would thrust so far
The souls Your cross with mercy drew!

O Lord, we would not be deceived
To think we're something by our measure,
Yet we rejoice that we've received
In Jesus Christ redemption's treasure!

Mischief vs. Mercy

"Why boasteth thou thyself in mischief, O mighty man? The goodness of God endureth continually.... God shall likewise destroy thee forever, He shall take thee away, and pluck thee out of thy dwelling place, and root thee out of the land of the living.... 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).

The mighty man of mischief boasts,
But not for very long.
The mighty God, the Lord of hosts,
Will set right what is wrong.

Our God is good continually
And full of truth and grace.
The man of mischief soon will be
Uprooted from his place.

Though mighty men of sin may tout
Of mischief framed today,
Our God in time shall pluck them out,
And take them all away.

But everyone who trusts the Lord
Shall never be forsaken.
What confidence this will afford:
His goodness can't be shaken!

Your mercies, Lord, unceasingly
Toward Your own abound,
For we are like an olive tree
Wherein Your fruit is found.

Map to Mercy

"Then answered the Lord.... Wilt thou also disannul My judgment? Wilt thou condemn Me, that thou mayest be righteous?" (Job 40:6-8). "Have mercy upon me, O God.... Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions.... that Thou mightest be justified when Thou speakest, and be clear when Thou judgest.... Behold, Thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom" (Psalm 51:1-6).

There is a map with God's direction
To find His righteousness,
As we acknowledge our transgression
And honestly confess.

The path of mercy for our soul
Directs us to repent,
Though fools will think they disannul
His judgment they resent.

But God desires truth within
Our hidden, inward parts,
That He may cleanse us from our sin,
And purify our hearts.

Our God alone through Jesus Christ
Can wash us thoroughly;
His truth and mercy have sufficed
To purge iniquity.

We thank You, Lord, that You have shown
Your map to mercy's favor
That bids us trust in Christ alone;
There is no other Savior.

Star Song

"When I laid the foundations of the earth.... the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy.... Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion? Canst thou bring forth Mazzaroth [the Constellations] in his season? Or canst thou guide Arcturus with his sons? Knowest thou the ordinances of heaven?" (Job 38:4,7,31-33). "The mighty God, even the LORD, hath spoken, and called the earth from the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof.... He shall call to the heavens above, and to the earth, that He may judge His people. Gather My saints together unto Me, those that have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice, and the heavens shall declare His righteousness" (Psalm 50:1-6).

Even from the earth's foundation
The morning stars did sing
The wondrous song of our salvation
That Jesus Christ would bring!

The stars of heaven have their theme
From Him who gave each name:
Behold the Prince who would redeem
Our souls from sin and shame!

Now listen to their names translated
And let their words suffice
To show why heaven celebrated
The promised Sacrifice!

Pleiades: the Judge's congregation,
Orion: Prince of Light,
Arcturus: He comes (our expectation!);
How sweet their song at night!

Explore the other names God gave
In every star that's found,
And you shall find His plan to save
In all their words abound!

O Lord, we join with every star
To thus declare Your glory
And worship You for who You are
And for redemption's story!

Riches in our Redeemer

"They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches: 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 49:6-15). "A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favor than silver and gold" (Proverbs 22:1). "The Son of God... loved me and gave Himself for me.... Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us" (Galatians 2:20, 3:13).

The riches we have, we could never have dreamed,
Are found in Christ Jesus our Lord!
Our ransom is purchased, and we are redeemed
With wealth we could never afford!

The Son of God loved us, and for us He gave
Himself by His death on the cross,
For this was the ransom required to save
And spare us from infinite loss!

How fleeting are riches! How transient their favor
That never can ransom the soul!
How good is the name of Christ Jesus our Savior,
Who paid our redemption in full!

O Lord our Redeemer, how great is our debt:
The curse we deserved, You became!
We thank You, O Lord, and would not forget
The riches we have in Your name.

Whirlwind Wisdom

"Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said.... Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if thou hast understanding" (Job 38:1-4). "This God is our God forever and ever: He will be our Guide even unto death" (Psalm 48:14). "As for the upright, He directeth his way. There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the LORD" (Proverbs 21:29,30).

Out of the wind spoke the Lord of creation,
And answered His servant, demanding:
Where were you, Job, when I laid earth's foundation?
Declare, if you have understanding!

The Lord heard the words that were said on that day
Before His own voice was injected.
Perhaps Job's companions would have less to say
And pray more, if that was expected!

And knowing that God, the Redeemer of Job,
Is our God forever and ever,
We ought to remember that this God will probe
Our motives in speech and endeavor.

How wisely we choose, then, to be slow to speak,
But hastened to listen and pray,
That God may give wisdom to us as we seek
To thereby be guided today.

O Lord, give us wisdom to weigh every word
By Scripture confirming what's true,
And make us more willing to hear than be heard
To gain understanding from You.

Lordly Lessons

"Behold, God exalteth by His power: who teacheth like Him?.... God thundereth marvelously with His voice; great things doeth He, which we cannot comprehend.... Stand still, and consider the wondrous works of God" (Job 36:22, 37:4,14). "The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the Lord hath made even both of them" (Proverbs 20:12).

Who teaches like God with His marvelous power,
Revealing such wonderful things?
Each star in the heavens and each tender flower
Are lessons of mercy He brings.

The Lord who created our ears and our eyes
Has called us to hear and to see
The truth He is teaching, that we may be wise
And, by our obedience, free.

There's so many things that we can't comprehend;
Such things we could never take in!
But God, through the Gospel of Christ, will extend
The mercy that takes away sin.

O Lord, we consider the lessons You teach
By which You unveil Your love,
Amazed above all by Your infinite reach
That sent Jesus Christ from above!

Heathen vs. Heaven

"The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: He uttered His voice, the earth melted.... Be still and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth" (Psalm 46:6,10). "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 shall stand" (Proverbs 19:20,21).

The heathen raged against the Lord
With strife the kingdoms felt.
Then Heaven spoke with wrath outpoured:
The earth at once did melt.

Be still, and know the Lord is God,
And He will be exalted!
The arrogance that fools applaud
Shall very soon be halted.

The heathen do not stand a chance
Against our great Creator!
He shows us His prophetic glance
At what will happen later.

So let our troubled hearts be stilled
And hold His counsel fast.
His promises shall be fulfilled,
As always in the past.

O Lord, we know we can depend
Upon Your counsel true,
And thereby in our latter end
Be wise in trusting You.

And though the heathen raging now
Resist Your sovereign hand,
We know that every knee shall bow,
And Heaven's Word shall stand.

Much More than My Mind

"Surely it is meet to be said unto God.... That which I see not, teach Thou me: if I have done iniquity, I will do no more. Should it be according to thy mind?" (Job 34:31-33). "A fool has no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself" (Proverbs 18:2). "There was given to me a thorn in the flesh... lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord.... And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness" (2 Corinthians 12:7-9).

Surely it's right that I say to my God,
O Lord, I'm a child who needs Your direction!
For all of my wisdom is hopelessly flawed,
But You understand everything with perfection.

Surely it's good now to seek my Lord's face,
And wait on His answer, whatever it is,
For all of His counsel is governed by grace,
Sufficient to strengthen all those who are His.

Surely the Lord has abundantly taught
That I need His teaching, for there I shall find
His counsel is better than my highest thought,
For He understands so much more than my mind!

Surely, O Lord, You have shown Yourself good,
As morning by morning Your mercies are new!
Surely, much more than my mind understood,
I've found all my heart's satisfaction in You!

Blessed Boast

"In God we boast all the day long, and praise Thy name forever" (Psalm 44:8).

There is a blessing we may claim
Throughout the whole day long:
We boast in God and praise His name
Forever in our song!

We neither praise what men applaud
Nor praise our own endeavor:
Our boast is in the living God;
We praise His name forever!

The name we praise is Jesus Christ,
The Lord of all creation,
The Lamb of God once sacrificed,
Our Captain of salvation!

What wondrous themes His names unfold
That call us to adore!
The glories heaven will unfold
Shall thrill us more and more!

O Lord, we would not waste the time
With boasting that is vain;
We glory in Your name sublime;
No other boast is sane!

Simplicity vs. Subtlety

"O send out Thy light and Thy truth: let them lead me.... Then will I go unto the altar of God, unto God my exceeding joy" (Psalm 43:3,4). "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).

Light and truth from God will lead
In only one direction:
To Jesus Christ, who met our need
With singular perfection.

Light and truth lead to the cross,
The altar of our God,
Where other gain is seen as loss,
And other glory flawed.

Light and truth will lead to Christ
And simply thus display
That He alone was sacrificed
To take our sins away.

Light and truth expose the lies
That subtlety deceive,
As Satan, like a serpent, tries
To snare us, just like Eve.

Thank You, Lord for truth and light
That save and set us free,
Which fill our vision with the sight
Of Christ's simplicity.

Continual Contentment

"Why art thou cast down, O my soul? And why art thou disquieted within me? Hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise Him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God" (Psalm 42:11). "A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance.... He that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast" (Proverbs 15:13,15).

Why, my soul, are you cast down?
Who robbed you of contentment?
When did you commence to frown?
What caused in you resentment?

Now hope in God, and give control
To Him who is your health,
To Him who reconciled your soul,
And gives you endless wealth.

Though sorrows surely come in life
And burdens are increased,
Still God is greater than our strife
Who spreads for us His feast.

We thank You, Lord, for what You've done
That fills our hearts with cheer,
Because we hope in God the Son
And know that He is near.

Answer of the Almighty

"Behold, my desire is that the Almighty would answer me, and that mine adversary had written a book" (Job 31:35). "I said, LORD, be merciful to me: heal my soul, for I have sinned against Thee.... By this I know that Thou favorest me, because mine enemy doth not triumph over me. And as for me, Thou upholdest me in mine integrity, and settest me before Thy face forever" (Psalm 41:4,11,12).

The longing in Job's broken heart
Was really not so odd,
That the Almighty would impart
An answer then from God.

For we were moved to likewise pray
When we had knelt in shame:
We sought to know what God would say
Until His answer came.

And how should God reply to such
Who warrant condemnation?
God answered that He loved so much
He paid for our salvation!

For God commanded in His Book,
To those by sin undone,
That all the world to Him should look,
Receiving Christ His Son.

By this we know we have His favor
Upon salvation's path,
That God has sent to us a Savior
Who bore our judgment's wrath.

We thank You, Lord, for wondrous grace
That answered us with love,
And soon we'll praise You face to face
Forevermore above!

Riches Reckoned

"There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing: there is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches. The ransom of a man's life are his riches" (Proverbs 13:7,8). "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).

The riches reckoned by this world
Will soon be turned away,
As is a flower, once unfurled,
That withers in decay.

The riches reckoned by the Lord
Shall make us rich indeed.
The ransom we could not afford
In Christ is all we need.

We know the grace of Jesus Christ
Who set His throne aside
To pay the ransom that sufficed
When on the cross He died.

How very rich we have become
By heaven's perfect measure,
Since Christ has paid that awful sum
That we might have His treasure!

O Lord, receive our thanks today
And evermore as well:
The ransom that You came to pay
Has saved our souls from hell!

Musing is a Must

"My heart was hot within me; while I was musing, the fire burned: then spake I with my tongue, LORD make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is, that I may know how frail I am" (Psalm 39:3,4).

It's better when my heart is hot
To then withhold my views,
And go to God with prayerful thought,
And in His presence muse.

For words of wisdom won't reside
With those who speak in haste.
They often wish that they could hide
What cannot be erased.

There surely is a time to speak
To people, old and young,
A word in season as we seek
God's wisdom for our tongue.

We muse and know, though we are frail,
Our God is surely strong,
And by His promise we'll prevail,
For He is never wrong.

Lord, teach us as we muse in prayer
On words we know are true,
To hear Your voice and then declare
The truth we have from You.

Winning Workers

"The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he that winneth souls is wise" (Proverbs 11:30). "We then, as workers together with Him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain. (For He saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succored thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)" (2 Corinthians 6:1,2).

The grace of God has been received,
But will it be in vain?
Salvation came when we believed,
But souls unsaved remain!

Are we recipients of grace,
With blessings so sublime,
Who do not understand our place
As workers in this time?

The God of grace has called us now
Into His harvest fields:
We know by grace He will endow
The fruit our labor yields!

Together with You, Lord, we stand
To labor while we may;
By grace we follow Your command
While it is called Today.

Perspective on our Perfecting

"Though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.... while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.... Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh.... Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new" (2 Corinthians 4:16-18, 5:16,17).

Day after day we are being perfected,
Renewed in our most inward part.
Though outwardly now this isn't detected,
Still God is perfecting our heart.

These are the things we're called now to see,
Unseen by our natural eyes
That give us perspective eternally,
As God is perfecting the wise.

We no longer look at the flesh as our guide
To measure our God-given worth,
For God sees the heart and He searches inside,
Perfecting our souls with new birth.

We thank You, O Lord, for eternity's treasure
Within us that never shall perish.
Lord, give us perspective with heavenly pleasure,
Beholding the Savior we cherish.

Life in His Light

"With Thee is the fountain of life: in Thy light shall we see light" (Psalm 36:9). "For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ" (2 Corinthians 4:6).

All I could see was a meaningless strife,
As time pressed me on unprepared.
The darkness was growing and death swallowed life;
It troubled me nobody cared!

But God, who commanded His glorious light
To shine out of darkness on earth
Then shined in my heart to give to me sight
And life that would flow from new birth.

The Fountain of life is the Lord Jesus Christ,
And He is the Light that has shined,
For He is the Savior for us sacrificed
To taste death for all of mankind.

How marvelous, Lord, is the love You have shown
And the life You extend by Your grace
To manifest mercy and truth from Your throne
In the light of our Lord Jesus' face!

Plea for Plainness

"Doth not wisdom cry?.... All the words of my mouth are in righteousness.... They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge" (Proverbs 8:1-9). "Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech" (2 Corinthians 3:12).

The Gospel isn't complicated;
The Word of God is plain.
Salvation has been demonstrated:
The Lamb of God was slain!

The speech we use is not unclear:
The Savior's work is done.
Let everyone with ears to hear
Now trust in God the Son.

Seeing then that we're assured
By promises so good,
We ought to teach what we have heard
With speech that’s understood.

Lord, grant us clarity of speech
With power from Your Spirit
To take the Gospel that we preach
To those with ears to hear it.

Trusting His Trying

"He knoweth the way that I take: when He hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.... For He performeth the thing that is appointed for me" (Job 23:10,14).

The Lord knows the way that I take;
He sees what I never could see.
I know that he makes no mistake;
He knows what is needful for me.

The Lord is performing with love
The thing that He knows will be best.
Beholding my ways from above,
He perfectly measures each test.

Your ways, Lord, are higher than mine;
I trust that I soon shall behold
That things You appoint will refine,
And I shall come forth then as gold.

Correct Counsel

"The LORD bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought: He maketh the devices of the people of none effect. The counsel of the LORD standeth forever, the thoughts of His heart to all generations" (Psalm 33:10,11).

The Lord brings the counsel of nations to nought
And makes their devices to have no effect,
But God has preserved His own counsel and thought
For all generations to teach and direct.

How great is our error when we set aside
The counsel of God that we have in His Word.
How rightly we turn to His counsel to guide,
Conforming our ways to His truth we have heard.

O Lord, we give thanks that the thoughts of Your heart
Are standing forever in all their perfection!
How right is the counsel Your Word will impart!
How needful we are of Your loving correction!

Everlasting Eyes

"I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with Mine eye. Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle" (Psalm 32:8,9). "My son, attend unto My wisdom.... lest thou give... thy years unto the cruel.... For the ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD, and He pondereth all his goings" (Proverbs 5:1,9,21).

Everlasting eyes of love
Have fixed their holy gaze
To look upon us from above
And ponder all our ways.

Eyes that see eternal gain
Would guide us where to go
And spare us from the years of pain
Surrendered to our foe.

Holy eyes would purify
The temple of our heart,
That God may therein occupy
And purge our inward part.

O Lord, we're thankful that Your eyes
Have looked on us with grace;
Though sinful, You did not despise
Nor thrust us from Your face.

So may Your eyes of wisdom rule,
And may we now obey,
Not bridled as the horse or mule,
Constrained by love each day.

Straight and Steadfast

"I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths.... 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 nor to the left" (Proverbs 4:25-27). "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" (1 Corinthians 15:58).

The Lord has led without mistake
Upon His paths of righteousness.
He leads us for His own name's sake
That He abundantly may bless.

So may our eyes then never turn
From looking straightly at Him still,
For as we follow we will learn
The glories centered in His will.

Thus walking in our Savior's light,
Both straight and steadfast all the way,
We turn not to the left or right,
And labor in His love today.

We thank You, Lord, for this we know:
In Christ our labor is not vain;
The work of faith that we bestow
Shall surely reap eternal gain.

Morning without Mourning

"I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: and though worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold" (Job 19:25-27). "Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning" (Psalm 30:5). "The wise shall inherit glory" (Proverbs 3:35). "As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive" (1 Corinthians 15:22).

There shines a morning just ahead
With gladness that our Savior gives
When tears shall nevermore be shed,
For joy that our Redeemer lives.

Weeping shall be obsolete
As memories faded from the past.
Joy in Christ shall be complete
When we are face to face at last!

And though this body shall decay,
The Lord shall change and make it new,
And we shall see Him on that day;
What glorious things are yet in view!

For as in Adam all must die,
So all in Christ are made alive.
O may this prospect purify
Our hearts that He would thus revive!

O Lord, we thank You for the sight
Which we, by faith, can see afar,
As we behold that morning bright
When we shall be, Lord, where You are!

Giving what's Given

"Give unto the LORD, O ye mighty, give unto the LORD glory and strength.... The LORD will give strength unto His people; the LORD will bless His people with peace" (Psalm 29:1,2,11). "The LORD giveth wisdom" (Proverbs 2:6). "By the grace of God I am what I am: and His grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain" (1 Corinthians 15:10).

Give to the Lord what He graciously gave
Out of the riches of grace He bestowed.
Acknowledge the wonder that He stooped to save
By reaping the judgment our sinfulness sowed!

Give to the Lord what you know He will seek:
Your heart, soul, and strength, which He bought with a price!
For when we were hopelessly sinful and weak,
He ransomed us fully through Christ's sacrifice!

Give to the Lord an obedient heart,
Filled with the wisdom He gives to His own,
Equipped with the grace He will freely impart
To all who will boldly draw near to His throne.

We give to You now, Lord, what we have received;
We're stewards of grace that we do not deserve,
For once we were lost and were blindly deceived,
But now grace that saves us equips us to serve!

Regarding Resolving

"Unto Thee will I cry, O LORD, my Rock; be not silent to me: lest, if Thou be silent to me, I become like them that go down into the pit.... Because they regard not the works of the LORD, nor the operation of His hands, He shall destroy them, and not build them up" (Psalm 28:1,5). "I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out My hand, and no man regarded.... The prosperity of fools shall destroy them. But whoso hearkeneth unto Me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil" (Proverbs 1:24-33).

Lord, on this first day of the year,
I now resolve that I will pray
That You may give me ears to hear
Your voice of counsel everyday.

Oh, be not silent, Lord, to me,
So that my heart will not be hard,
That I may never come to be
Like those who give You no regard.

Oh, it's marvelous indeed
That You would let me understand
Your Word of truth that I may heed
And thus be led, Lord, by Your hand!

Oh, spare me from prosperity
That turns my heart away from You!
Lord, give me, rather, eyes to see
And ears discerning what is true.