Woe to the World!

"O LORD... enter not into judgment with Thy servant: for in Thy sight shall no man living be justified... Teach me to do Thy will" (Psalm 143:1,2,10).  "Open thy mouth for the dumb in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction" (143:8-11).  "They shall know that I am the LORD, and that I have not said in vain that I would do this evil (רַע `rah, calamity) unto them" (Ezekiel 6:10).  "Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of... the trumpet... yet to sound!" (Revelation 8:13). 

Since no one can be justified

Without the saving grace of God

And time is short before we've died,

Should not our silence now seem odd?

The Lord has made His judgment plain,

Though many now continue scorning,

Yet God has spoken not in vain

Of wrath by His prophetic warning. 

How shall the lost escape His wrath

When they refuse what God reveals? 

How woeful is their darkened path

And great the danger it conceals!

O Lord, we hear the fearful woes

As scrolls of judgment are unfurled! 

We take Your Gospel to disclose

Salvation offered to the world. 

Cry to Christ!

"When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then Thou knewest my path... refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul.  I cried unto thee, O LORD: I said, Thou art my Refuge" (Psalm 142:3-5).  "Every word of God is pure: He is a Shield unto them that put their trust in Him" (Proverbs 30:5).  "I have set it in the midst of the nations" (Ezekiel 5:5).  "A great multitude... of all nations... cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb" (Revelation 7:9,10). 

I do remember very well

When I was overwhelmed with fear

As I had contemplated hell

And no escape to me was clear. 

At last I lifted up my prayer

To God (the One I'd never known),

For no man for my soul could care

And rescue me but Christ alone! 

Praise God, who reached me with His Word

Which He has sent to every nation,

And placed me where I could be heard

To show the truth of His salvation! 

For me, Lord, You were sacrificed

To answer me with saving grace

With all who cry to You, O Christ,

And find in You their Hiding Place. 

Hearing when Hopeless

"When their judges are overthrown in stony places, they shall hear my words" (Psalm 141:6).  "He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy" (Proverbs 29:1).  "They shall eat bread by weight, and with care; and they shall drink water by measure, and with astonishment... and consume away for their iniquity" (Ezekiel 4:16,17).  "I heard a voice... say, A measure of wheat for a penny... and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine" (Revelation 6:6). 

The Lord has made His judgments known;

The wrath of God has been revealed. 

Yet some wait till they're overthrown

When there's no hope of being healed. 

The time when hardened hearts will hear

Who have refused God's remedy

Is when they are consumed with fear

And hopeless then eternally. 

God's Word came with admonishment,

Foretelling through Ezekiel

The famine of astonishment

Upon the house of Israel. 

We're hearing, Lord, in Revelation,

That there are hopeless days to come.

Yet NOW we preach of Your salvation,

That we, by all means, may save some.  

Watchmen for Warning

"O GOD the Lord, the strength of my salvation, Thou hast covered my head in the day of battle" (Psalm 140:7).  "Evil men understand not judgment: but they that seek the LORD understand all things" (Proverbs 28:5).  "Son of man, I have made thee a watchman... therefore hear the Word at My mouth, and give them warning from Me" (Ezekiel 3:17).  "Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by Thy blood...  and hast made us unto our God kings and priests" (Revelation 5:9,10).

The Lord, the Strength of our salvation

Has made us watchmen who are warning

That judgment comes with condemnation

To sinful men who yet are scorning. 

The battle in our day yet rages,

Yet evil men know not these things.

We speak to them from Scripture's pages

By God's command as priests and kings. 

As Noah built before the flood

The ark, where safety was assured,

We show redemption through Christ's blood

By God's authoritative Word. 

O Lord, as watchmen You have sent,

We take the warning You convey

To plead with sinners to repent

And trust in You while yet they may. 

Rebellion Revealed

"Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:  and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting" (Psalm 139:23,24).  "My son, be wise, and make My heart glad... A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself" (Proverbs 27:11,12).  "But thou, son of man, hear what I say unto thee; be not thou rebellious" (Ezekiel 2:8).  "Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power" (Revelation 4:11).    

The Lord has searched and known each heart. 

He knows our sinful inclination. 

He sees right through our hidden part

And shows us His investigation. 

How rightly, then, should we invite

Our Father's loving, searching eyes

To show rebellion in His sight

That we may turn, and thus be wise. 

May God explore our heart within,

And may rebellion be revealed,  

So we may thus confess our sin,

Receive His cleansing, and be healed.

How worthy, Lord, You truly are

Of glory You've revealed here:  

By our rebellion, we were far,

But now by grace we are brought near!