Peace Delivered, Prince Defeated

“Let Thy hand be upon the Man of Thy right hand, upon the Son of Man whom Thou madest strong for Thyself” (Psalm 80:17).  “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you.  Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid…  The prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in Me” (John 14:27-30). 

The peace our Savior freely gave

Was purchased at a great expense.

The awful price He paid to save

Our soul’s was death in our defense. 

There was a foe that He would face: 

This world’s prince was drawing near. 

Our Savior fought to give us grace;

The battle lines were surely clear. 

The world’s prince would stake his claim,

Accusing every soul of sin,

Except in Christ, O praise His name,

Who for our souls would fight and win! 

Let not your heart be troubled then,

And neither let it be afraid,

Christ Jesus died for sinful men,

And for our peace He surely paid. 

Behold the Man at God’s right hand

Who rose in triumph from the dead

Was cursed for us that He might stand

And bear God’s judgment in our stead! 

O Lord, You died to purchase peace

For those deserving condemnation.

O may our gratitude increase

For all You did for our salvation!  

Exalted Example

“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).  “Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.  If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet… for I have given you an example… The servant is not greater than his Lord… If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them” (John 13:13-17). 

We know the One who has ascended

Is Jesus Christ who first came down. 

Eternal souls on Him depended

To win for them salvation’s crown. 

Our Sovereign surely had a choice. 

The winds are gathered in His fists! 

The waters still obey His voice,

And by Him everything exists! 

Yet He who had established earth

Then left His majesty above

And came to us in lowly birth

Compelled by His amazing love!

We call Him Lord, and we say well

He is our Master and Creator,

Who stooped to save our souls from hell! 

Now who is like Him?  None is greater! 

Are servants greater than their Master? 

We surely know it isn’t so! 

Our Lord who saved us from disaster

Now bids us follow Him below. 

We see Him wash the feet of others

Portraying that which we should do

To those in Christ we call our brothers

And to the lost He sends us to. 

This is the path of happiness! 

We follow our exalted Head

When serving others we would bless

Before we serve ourselves instead.

O Lord, forevermore exalted,

How far You stooped to be our Savior!

By Your example we are halted

As we examine our behavior. 

We give You thanks, Lord, for Your grace

By which we’re saved, by which we live,

And thereby serve You in this place

By Your example that You give.  

Fleeting Flattery

“They remembered that God was their Rock… Nevertheless they did flatter Him with their mouth, and they lied unto Him with their tongues.  For their heart was not right with Him” (Psalm 78:35-37).  “A man that flattereth his neighbor spreadeth a net for his feet… Many seek the ruler's favor; but every man's judgment cometh from the LORD” (Proverbs 29:5,26).  “They loved the praise of men more than the praise of God” (John 12:43). 

How fleeting is the flattery

Which people seek for and applaud

That fills the heart with vanity

And fills the mouth with lies to God. 

Our hearts are plagued with sinful pride  

Which God would heal by removal

When we remember why Christ died

And thereby seek our Lord’s approval.

Has flattery for prayer sufficed? 

Our Lord disdains it in His sight! 

It neither honors Jesus Christ,

Nor shows a heart with God that’s right. 

It spreads a net before the feet

Of those to whom it is directed.

Though flattery at first seems sweet,

It stumbles those who are affected. 

It tends to make our hearts forget

That God’s approval is supreme,

And thus we fall into this net

By vainly seeking man’s esteem. 

Though many seek the ruler’s favor,

We stand at last before the Lord. 

Our life belongs to Christ the Savior;

Let Him honored and adored!

Lord, let Your gaze now melt as dross

The fleeting flattery that clings,

That we may glory in Your cross

And seek Your praise above all things.  

Hidden Hindrance

“There is an accursed thing in the midst of thee… thou canst not stand before thine enemies, until ye take away the accursed thing from among you” (Joshua 7:13).  “My spirit made diligent search… and I said, This is my infirmity” (Psalm 77:6,10).  “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy” (Proverbs 28:13,14).  “Jesus said, Take ye away the stone… Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?” (John 11:39,40).

There is a thing that is accursed

Where hidden sin will yet abide.   

We cannot stand unless we first

Confess the sins we tend to hide. 

This hidden hindrance has been pondered

By God who searches us within. 

He knows when hearts from Him have wandered; 

He sees when we have harbored sin. 

It’s time for us to search as well,

So sin may thus be recognized! 

We cannot storm the gates of hell

When holiness is compromised! 

It’s sin!  Let’s call it what it is!

It isn’t just “infirmity.” 

The Lord knows those who now are His;

Let such forsake iniquity! 

When Christ returned to Lazarus

To raise him who was four days dead,

We hear Him speak (also to us),

To now obey what He has said.  

Did not our Savior clearly say

That we should take away the stone? 

Should not we hear Him and obey

That we might make His glory known? 

Let such rebellion be reproved

As sin confessed and thus forsaken.

Let every hindrance be removed

That we may stand and not be shaken.

O Lord, we thank for Your Word  

Which searches every inward part

And cleanses us by what we’ve heard

From hidden hindrance in our heart. 

Let hidden hindrance, Lord, be purged

Throughout our secret inventory. 

Let every sin be thus disclosed

And then forsaken for Your glory.