Correct Counsel

“Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with Thee?  Mine hour is not yet come.  His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever He saith unto you, do it…. Jesus saith unto them, Fill the water pots with water.  And they filled them up to the brim” (John 2:4-7).

The Word of our Savior is faithful and true.

His counsel is clear that will give us direction.

Whatever He says to us, let us now do:

Obey His instruction, and heed His correction.

What does the Lord have to do in our life?

Let us now listen to what He will say.

In times of temptation, of toil, or strife,

His counsel is waiting for those who obey.

Mary, the mother of Christ, had it right,

Who told them to do as commanded by Him.

This is the counsel of unerring light

Securing His blessing that’s filled to the brim.

Wonderful Counselor, merciful Savior,

We thank You that You have provided Your Word

To lead in the path of Your marvelous favor

Extended to those who will DO what they’ve heard.

Seeking the Supreme

“Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye?  They said unto Him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master) where dwellest Thou?  He saith unto them, Come and see” (John 1:38,39). 

What are you seeking?  What is the prize

For which you are living your life to obtain?

Jesus our Savior alone satisfies,

And life without Him is vexatious and vain.

Why are you seeking?  The answer is this:

The Lord put that hunger for Him in your heart.

Beware, lest distraction should cause you to miss

The blessings supreme that our Lord would impart.

Where are you seeking?  There’s only one Place

That quenches the longings of our thirsty soul:

Our Lord is the Fountain abounding with grace

And truth that will justify sinners in full.

O Lord, we give thanks for the great invitation

To come and see all of Your fullness supreme

Abounding in You and Your wondrous salvation,

Which flows from the Rock as a great desert stream!

Waken His Words

“Why seek ye the living among the dead?  He is not here, but is risen:  remember how He spake unto you when He was yet in Galilee, saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.  And they remembered His words” (Luke 24:5-8).  “These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me ye might have peace.  In the world ye shall have tribulation:  but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

Now waken His words, and attentively listen,

Recalling what Jesus our Savior has said.

He promised to rise, and behold:  He is risen!

His tomb is now vacant; He’s no longer dead!

Awaken His words in the day of temptation:

Since He overcame, we should “be of good cheer,”

For though in this life we “shall have tribulation,”

In Christ we “have peace” and our refuge from fear.

Awaken His words now; do not let them sleep!

Stir up the remembrance of what our Lord taught,

For He is our Shepherd and we are His sheep,

His purchased possession by precious blood bought.

O Lord, we are weary of vain words of men,

And even our own thoughts will trouble us too;

But we find our solace again and again

In words that we waken with comfort from You!

Reasoning, Ruling, Religious

“When they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified Him…. and a superscription also was written over Him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS” (Luke 23:33,38).

Our Lord and our Savior was mocked and was smitten.

They wrote out a script on His cross to accuse:

In Greek, and in Latin, and Hebrew was written

The statement that THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

Greek was the language of those who would reason,

Yet wisdom escaped them who blindly would muse.

They didn’t consider that Christ, in His season,

Was both Lamb of God and THE KING OF THE JEWS.

Latin was used by the rulers in power,

Like Pilate who thought he could carelessly choose.

He didn’t know Heaven had chosen that hour

To ransom our souls by THE KING OF THE JEWS.

Hebrew, the tongue the religious would claim,

Like scribes then renowned for their Scriptural views,

Were too blind to see their Messiah who came

To lay down His life as THE KING OF THE JEWS.

The reasoning, ruling, religious domains

Were blind to the mercy they chose to refuse.

Yet Lord, while there’s still any time that remains,

We pray for the harvest of Gentiles and Jews.

Peace in the Press

“Princes have persecuted me without a cause:  but my heart standeth in awe of Thy Word…. Great peace have they which love Thy law:  and nothing shall offend them” (Psalm 119:161,165).  “Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand before envy?... My son, be wise, and make My heart glad” (Proverbs 27:4,11).  “He took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them saying, This is My body which is given for you:  this do in remembrance of Me…. And the men that held Jesus mocked Him and smote Him” (Luke 22:19,63).

Though princes may persecute us without cause

With wrath that is cruel and with anger that rages,

Great peace is yet found as we search our Lord’s laws,

And call to remembrance His love through the ages.

Though envy and unprovoked hatred should rise,

We know that our Savior withstood even worse,

So we as His children are told to be, “Be wise”,

And call to remembrance that He bore our curse.

Can we find great peace in the midst of the press,

A peace that our foe cannot rob or destroy?

The answer we have from our Savior is “Yes!”

For He is our Peace and the Source of our joy!

O Lord, we give thanks that Your promise is sure

That, though in this life we shall have tribulation,

The peace that You gave us will always endure,

Since You have procured it with so great salvation!

Take Heart and Take Heed

“Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom and against kingdom: and great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences…. Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled…. When these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads, for your redemption draweth nigh…. When ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand…. Take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with… cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares” (Luke 21:24-34).

Nation rising against nation,
Earthquakes, famine, and disease
Are signs which are an indication
That these are end time prophecies.

Jerusalem was trodden down
By Gentiles till their times were full.
The signs are clear! Let nothing drown
The expectation of your soul!

Do not let life’s concerns now capture
And overcharge you with its cares
Lest our approaching day of rapture
Thus come upon you unawares.

How many signs today are found
To show Christ’s kingdom is at hand!
We soon shall hear the trumpet sound
To call us home at His command!

Take heart! Take heed! Our Lord has said
He’ll come again for all His own.
Believe His Word! Lift up your head,
And fix your heart on Him alone!

Lord, guard our hearts from vain distraction;
Revive us to rejoice in You!
Our time is short for taking action
On what You’ve called us now to do.

Near and Needful

“They draw nigh that follow after mischief: they are far from Thy law. Thou art near, O LORD; and all Thy commandments are truth” (Psalm 119:150,151).

Those who follow lies draw near,
So distant from God’s law and light.
The mischief they promote is clear,
Opposing all God says is right.

The Lord our God is near as well,
Who guides us by His precious Word
And sends us forth that we may tell
The Gospel truth that we have heard.

How needful is Your presence, Lord,
As enemies of truth increase!
Your Word equips us with Your sword
To preach the Gospel of Your peace.

We thank You for this confidence,
O Lord, in knowing You are there
To be our Refuge and Defense
Who hears us as we lift each prayer.

Despite being Despised

“Thy Word is very pure…. I am small and despised, yet I do not forget Thy precepts” (Psalms 119:140,141). “Zaccheus…. was little of stature…. Jesus came… and said unto him, Zaccheus, make haste, and come down, for today I must abide at Thy house. And he made haste, and came down, and received Him joyfully…. And Jesus said unto him, this day is salvation come to this house…. for the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:2-10).

We are the messengers of grace
Whom others may despise,
Yet truth still firmly holds its place,
Though we are small in size.

The truth does not depend on us,
But on the Lord who reigns.
He purifies His Word and thus
Preserves what He sustains.

Zaccheus was despised and small,
But Christ would spare no cost,
To ransom him, as well as all
His sheep who once were lost.

Zaccheus was so joyful when
The Lord had saved his soul.
And grace that saved a sinner then,
Today is just as full.

O Lord, though we are small indeed,
Despised by many too,
Your saving grace is all we need,
And we delight in You.

End and Expectation

“Surely there is an end; and thine expectation shall not be cut off” (Proverbs 23:18).

There is an end that is defined
For every soul that trusts in Christ.
There is a comfort for the mind
For whom the Lord was sacrificed.

We see that end with expectation,
Which God has surely guaranteed:
It is the promise of salvation,
The truth that makes us free indeed.

Our expectation is not frail,
As if it leaned on human aid.
We trust the God who cannot fail
Who shall fulfill His promise made.

O Lord, we rest on what is sure:
Your faithfulness is on display.
We know Your promise shall endure,
Though fleeting things shall pass away.

Mistaken Majority

“I am Thy servant…. It is time for Thee, LORD, to work: for they have made void Thy law…. Therefore I esteem all Thy precepts concerning all things to be right; and I hate every false way” (Psalm 119:125-128). “Have not I written to thee excellent things in counsels and knowledge, that I might make thee to know the certainty of the words of truth; that thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee?” (Proverbs 22:20,21). “As it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all” (Luke 17:26,27).

Traditional sayings that many recite,
Such as, “The majority rules”,
Though widely accepted, are often not right,
Embracing the dogma of fools.

The time has now come to examine the facts
That many ignore in their pride,
Regarding the truth of the Lord and His acts
Of judgment when He was defied.

Historical judgments of God in the past
Were never performed without warning,
Yet in many ignored Him until at the last,
When judgment then silenced their scorning.

Has not God recorded these things in His writing
In Scripture and history’s pages?
Has not He provided salvation, inviting
A refuge in Christ through the ages?

We see an example from history taken:
Majority crowds held their sway
When Noah was mocked, yet they were mistaken,
Till flood waters swept them away.

Lord, we are Your servants, redeemed by Your grace,
Convinced that Your Scriptures are true.
We’re seeking the favor alone of Your face,
No matter what others may do.

Prophecy's Persuasion

“If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead” (Luke 16:31).

The final Word that makes the case
When all at last is heard
And witnessed by the human race
Is God’s prophetic Word.

There simply is no strategy
Or argument that flies
Which can diminish prophecy
By which God testifies.

Prophetic genealogies
Which Moses wrote of Christ
Were given with his prophecies
Which saw Him sacrificed.

The prophets after Moses came
Who prophesied of grace:
They showed that Christ would bear our shame
And suffer in our place.

King David spoke of resurrection
Of Christ without decay;
Our Lord foretold it with perfection:
He’d rise on the third day.

Now all attempts to set aside
These prophets’ words are vain!
Their testimonies still abide;
Their verity is plain.

O Lord, we see how serious
This matter is today:
These prophecies You gave to us
Should not be hid away!

So teach us to communicate,
O Lord, in each occasion
To speak before it is too late
For prophecy’s persuasion.

Loving the Light

“O how I love Thy Law!.... How sweet are Thy words!....Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” (Psalm 119:97,103,105). “God is not a man, that He should lie, neither the son of man, that He should repent: hath He said, and shall He not do it? Or hath He spoken, and shall He not make it good? Behold, I have received commandment to bless: and He hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it” (Numbers 23:19,20).

Where in this world is light to be found,
Where blind are yet leading the blind?
Why are we here, and where are we bound?
Now what are the answers we find?

Praise God for the light that shines on our path!
How clearly our Savior has spoken!
His promise to save from eternity’s wrath
Cannot be reversed or be broken!

How rightly we cherish the Law that God gave
That taught us to seek for His favor.
How sweet are the words of His Gospel that save
The sinner who trusts in the Savior!

We thank You, O Lord, for the lamp to our feet
And light on our path from Your Word!
There’s nothing You promised You did not complete:
Each prophecy given occurred!

We’re loving the light, Lord, and trusting in You,
For blessings that can’t be reversed!
We know what You’ve said You will certainly do,
As history has clearly rehearsed!

Wiser Words

“Thou through Thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies: for they are ever with me…. Therefore I hate every false way” (Psalm 119:98,104). “Cease, My son, to hear the instruction that causeth to err from the words of knowledge. An ungodly witness scorneth judgment…. Judgments are prepared for scorners” (Proverbs 19:27-29).

There is no way to compromise,
Nor are there terms of peace,
With those exchanging truth for lies,
Whose scorning will not cease.

Well, can’t we all just get along?
The simple answer: No.
For right will not agree with wrong,
And falsehood is our foe.

If God had not conveyed His Word
With ample evidence,
Contending now would be absurd
Without a clear defense.

But that is surely not the case!
There is authority
In every Word of God we trace
Confirmed by prophecy.

The scorner speaks dismissively
Of things that are sublime.
He thinks not of eternity;
Why would he waste his time?

Should not we count their blindness strange,
With stakes so very high,
When they refuse a fair exchange
Of truth before they die?

The scorner soon must give account
For proofs that were profuse
In such a plentiful amount,
There will be no excuse.

Be ready always, then, to speak
With wiser words perceived,
For scorners also sometimes seek
To know WHY we’ve believed.

The enemies of truth may hate
These wiser words extended;
But when their words evaporate,
Their scorning shall be ended.

For wiser words, we thank You, Lord,
Confirming Your salvation!
Though evidence may be ignored,
We rest on its foundation!

People will Perish

“The people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD and against thee; pray unto the LORD, that He take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people. And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that everyone that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live” (Number 21:7,8). “Unless Thy law had been my delights, I should then have perished in mine affliction” (Psalm 119:92). “The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe” (Proverbs 18:10). “Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish” (Luke 13:3). “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up: that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:14,15).

People will perish unless they repent
And turn to the Savior who died in their place.
To perishing people the Gospel is sent,
Declaring salvation through Christ by His grace!

People will perish like those in the day
When Moses was leading, and sinners rebelled.
The people then pleaded with Moses to pray,
When fiery serpents could not be repelled.

People will perish like those who were bitten,
Unless there’s a remedy coming from God.
Praise God for the Savior who for us was smitten,
Bearing the wrath we deserved from His rod!

O Lord, we would perish if not for Your love
That caused You to suffer for us on the cross!
You left all the splendor of heaven above
That we might not perish and suffer such loss!

We thank You, O Lord, that we now “look and live,”
As we fix the eyes of our faith upon You.
Now none need to perish! You graciously give
Your wondrous salvation to Gentile and Jew!

Speaking Sparingly

“The LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Take the rod, and gather thou the assembly together, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye to the rock before their eyes, and it shall give forth water…. And Moses… said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels, must we fetch you water out of this rock? And Moses lifted up His hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice” (Numbers 20:7-11). “They angered him also at the waters of strife, so that it went ill with Moses for their sakes: because they provoked his spirit, so that he spake unadvisedly with his lips” (Psalm 106:32,33). “Leave off contention, before it be meddled with…. He that hath knowledge spareth his words” (Proverbs 17:14,27). “The Holy Ghost shall teach you…what ye ought to say” (Luke 12:12).

The Lord gave instruction for Moses to go
And stand at the rock with his rod;
Then speak to rock and the water would flow,
Attributing glory to God.

But Moses was angry, provoked by contention,
And acted therefore in self will.
He spoke out of anger at Israel’s convention,
And therefore things went for him ill.

We know there are times when we surely should speak,
Yet other times words should be spared.
The Lord will give wisdom to those who are meek,
With hearts that are humbly prepared.

O Lord, we can see at the waters of strife
That Moses responded in haste.
Alas, we can see it as well in our life
In similar conflicts we faced!

We thank You for Scriptures, O Lord, such as these
That we may be thereby corrected,
To speak as You tell us, and not as we please,
With words by Your Spirit directed.

Inward Insight

“Thy hands have made me and fashioned me: give me understanding, that I may learn Thy commandments…. I know, O LORD, that Thy judgments are right, and that Thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me” (Psalm 119:73,75). “All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the LORD weigheth the spirits…. By mercy and truth iniquity is purged, and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil” (Proverbs 16:2,6). “The Lord said unto him, Now do ye Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter; but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness. Ye fools, did not He that made that which is without make that which is within also?” (Luke 11:39,40).

The Lord sees our inward, invisible part;
The deepest of motives He’s seen,
For He is the One who has fashioned our heart,
And He knows our need to be clean.

A man thinks he’s clean when he judges himself
And sees no iniquity there.
The books that agree he will place on his shelf,
So pleased with the insight they share.

By mercy and truth is iniquity purged,
Accomplished when Jesus Christ died!
The Lord saw that need, and His Spirit has urged
The sinner to be cleansed inside!

The need still continues for those who are saved,
Though heaven for them is secure,
To walk in His fear for their holiness craved,
Departing from all things impure.

We thank You, O Lord, for the insight to live,
By which You will cleanse us each day.
Yes, even the times of affliction You give,
Are needful to walk in Your way!

Rejoicing in the Record

“And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through Thy name. And He said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven…. Notwithstanding, in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven. In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit” (Luke 10:17-21).

Rejoicing comes for many reasons
Throughout the Christian’s life,
And still we know that there are seasons
Of sorrow, pain, and strife.

Our hearts with sorrow may be smitten,
Yet Christ confirms with love
To all His own: their names are written
In heaven’s book above!

The comfort of our Savior’s voice
With joy we gladly heed!
He is our reason to rejoice,
For He is all we need!

The record stands eternally
On heaven’s joyful shore:
The souls who trust in Christ shall be
With Him forevermore!

O happy thought that far transcends
This day of transient sorrow:
That this is how the record ends
In heaven’s bright tomorrow!

O Lord, we thank You for the grace
For all receiving You,
Whose names no power can erase
From heaven’s record true!

We thank You, Lord, for endless joy
The Book of Life proclaims,
A record no one can destroy
With all those blood-bought names!

Delusion of Delay

“I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto Thy testimonies. I made haste, and delayed not to keep Thy commandments” (Psalm 119:59,60). “He [Jesus] said unto another, Follow Me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father…. And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell which are at home at my house. And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:59-62).

There is the danger of delusion,
Which we disguise by our delay,
When to our sorrow and confusion,
We will not turn from sin TODAY.

Delusion cloaks our coming sorrow
When we delay to act, as some,
On God’s command until tomorrow,
A day for us which may not come.

The Lord has given His command
Today for such a time as this!
Who knows what blessings He has planned
Which by delay we thus would miss?

The Lord commands! Should we be slack
To put our hand upon the plough?
Delusion calls us to look back;
The Lord says “Follow Me” right NOW!

O Lord, we would forsake our ways,
And Your commandments we would do.
Sufficient are the past delays:
It’s time right now to follow You!

Finding our Faith

“And He said unto them, Where is your faith? And they being afraid wondered, saying one to another, What manner of Man is this? For He commandeth even the winds and the water, and they obey Him!” (Luke 8:25).

“Where is your faith?” our Savior inquired,
When He had commanded the waves.
He surely provided what faith had required
By showing His power that saves.

“Where is your faith?” our Lord may yet say,
When we’re giving in to frustration.
The winds and the water still hear and obey,
Since He is the Lord of creation!

“Where is your faith?” It’s not hard to find,
Though often we find it’s misplaced.
How soon we forget that our Savior was kind
In all of our trials we faced!

“Where is your faith?” This question alone
Reproves us who often forget
That God is still faithful, though we may be prone
To wander from Him and to fret.

O Lord, we give thanks for Your patience and love
Providing reproof that we need!
We’re finding our faith is still anchored above,
Since You are still faithful indeed!

Not Ashamed and Now Assured

“I will speak of Thy testimonies also before kings, and will not be ashamed” (Psalm 119:46).

Our Lord and Savior surely came
As Scripture promised He would do.
So why, then, would it cause us shame
To now affirm that this is true?

It doesn’t matter who they are:
For Jews and Gentiles, paupers, kings,
The rich and poor, those near and far,
And young and old should hear these things.

It is the truth that makes us free.
It is the Gospel some resist.
It manifests eternity,
Which mockers hope does not exist.

Yet we who know the Gospel truth
Should be prepared and unashamed
To teach its precepts to our youth
That they may be as arrows aimed.

We thank You, Lord, that You equip
Your people with Your precious Word.
The Gospel is our stewardship:
We’re not ashamed and now assured!

Riches vs. Righteousness

“Riches profit not in the day of wrath: but righteousness delivereth from death” (Proverbs 11:4).

Our riches surely profit not
When judgment day arrives,
For righteousness cannot be bought,
And nothing else survives.

Since righteousness is what we need
To rescue us from wrath,
We dare not let deception lead
To any other path.

It’s not a time to second guess,
Since God has made it plain:
We need His perfect righteousness,
And all else will be vain.

Religion shall not be esteemed,
Regardless of tradition.
Unless at last we are redeemed,
Our souls must face perdition.

O Lord, we thank You for the price
For righteousness You paid
Through Your amazing sacrifice
Upon the cross displayed.

We thank You, Lord, You freely give
This righteousness You’ve shown,
And those who trust in You shall live
By grace, and grace alone!

Delightful Denial

“Now when He [Jesus] had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught…. And when they had this done, they enclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake…. When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord…. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men” (Luke 5:4-10).

We hear the prayer of Simon Peter
That Jesus Christ denied,
Because denial was much sweeter
Than taking Peter’s side.

“Depart from me,” was Peter’s prayer,
“I am a sinful man.”
Yet that is why our Lord was there:
To bring salvation’s plan!

How loving was the Savior’s heart
In how He answered then,
For Christ would surely not depart,
And Peter would catch men.

There is a principle we find
Regarding prayer’s denial:
Our Savior’s plan is far more kind!
We’ll see it in awhile.

The lesson here we surely learn
In all that we request
Is that we always should discern
God’s answer will be best.

We thank You, Lord, that we may go
To prayer in every season,
And if Your answer must be “No”,
It’s for a perfect reason!

Sword against Satan

“Princes also did sit and speak against me, but Thy servant did meditate in Thy statutes. Thy testimonies are my delight and my counselors” (Psalm 119:23,24). “And Jesus answered him [Satan] saying, It is written, that man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God…. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve…. And Jesus answering said unto him, It is said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed” (Luke 4:4-13).

We hear the prince of darkness speak
To undermine our Lord,
And though our powers may be weak,
We have a mighty sword!

The sword of truth which shall endure
Is counsel from our God:
For every word of God is pure,
Though words of men are flawed.

This sword of truth can never fail:
It is God’s written Word
By which His people shall prevail,
As Christ Himself assured!

Against mere flesh and blood, of course,
Our battle does not stand:
There is a dark, satanic force
Deployed throughout the land.

Our Lord addressed this hidden foe,
Declaring, “It is written.”
How clearly these encounters show
How Satan may be smitten!

We thank You, Lord, that You displayed
That when this sword is held,
Though Satan’s armies are arrayed,
His hosts shall be repelled!