Walking in His Will

"Blessed are they that… seek Him with the whole heart… they walk in His ways" (Psalm 119:2,3).  "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?... Every word of God is pure: He is a Shield unto them that put their trust in Him" (Proverbs 30:4,5).  "That which I have heard of the LORD of hosts… have I declared unto you" (Isaiah 21:10).  "The will of the Lord be done" (Acts 21:14). 

There is no safer place to walk

Than in God's perfect will and ways. 

It's time to seek the Lord our Rock

With all our heart to give Him praise. 

For Christ ascended up on high

And intercedes for us above. 

Our great Creator came to die

For us, the object of His love! 

The Lord has purified His Word

That He might be to us a Shield

As we obey what we have heard

And do His will that is revealed. 

Lord, keep us walking in Your will.

All other pathways we would shun

As we pursue this purpose still: 

To see Your will in us be done.    

Commending our Confidence

"It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man… The Stone which the builders refused is become the head Stone of the corner" (Psalm 118:8,22).  "The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe" (Proverbs 29:25).  "Behold, such is our expectation… How shall we escape?" (Isaiah 20:6).  "I commend you to God, and to the Word of His grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified" (Acts 20:32). 

It's better to trust in the Lord,

Than man who is often unwise. 

Let truth in God's Word be explored,

Compared to man's infamous lies. 

The Lord is our Head Corner Stone,

Yet He was despised and rejected.

How wisely we trust God alone,

Since failure from man is expected!

The fear of mere man brings a snare,

But God gives our heart confidence,

As we cast on Him all our care

And trust in our Savior's Defense. 

Our confidence, Lord, is in You,

Commending our souls to Your love.   

The Word of Your grace is found true

And settled forever above.  

Mercy Magnified

"O praise the LORD, all ye nations: praise Him, all ye people.  For His merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the LORD endureth forever" (Psalm 117:1,2).  "He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy" (Proverbs 28:13).  "They shall cry unto the LORD… and He shall send them a Savior… and He shall deliver them… and shall heal them" (Isaiah 19:20,22).  "The name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.  And many that believed came, and confessed, and showed their deeds" (Acts 19:17,18).

How wondrous is the invitation

To be partakers of God's grace

With truth abounding in salvation,

Extended to the human race. 

It is not wise to cover sins,

For surely God can see them all.

The mercy of the Lord begins

When sinners heed the Savior's call. 

The Lord has sent to us a Savior

Who bids us find in Him our rest   

Beneath His healing wings of favor,

With sins forsaken and confessed. 

O Lord, we glorify Your name

For mercy that is magnified,

As ransomed sinners gladly claim

The full redemption You provide!  

Tomorrow's Terror

"I love the LORD, because He hath heard my voice… The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me:  I found trouble and sorrow.  Then called I upon the name of the LORD… Gracious is the LORD… For Thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling" (Psalm 116:1-8).  "Boast not thyself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth… A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself; but the simple pass on, and are punished" (Proverbs 27:1,12). 

I love the Lord who knew my sorrow,

Who heard my prayer, and dried my tears. 

I felt the terror of tomorrow,

Foreseeing my eternal fears. 

Each day I sensed approaching terror,

And knew with every fleeting breath

That there would be no room for error

Concerning judgment after death. 

How feeble was my trembling prayer

I formulated, just in case

There was a God, and He would care

To show to me a hiding place. 

Tomorrow's terror, O my Savior,

Which threatened me with endless loss,

Has been replaced with heaven's favor,

Which You procured upon the cross! 

Imagined Idols

"Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is now their God?... Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men's hands" (Psalm 115:2,4).  "Thou hast forgotten the God of thy salvation" (Isaiah 17:10).  "We ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device… God… now commandeth all men everywhere to repent:  because He… will judge the world… by that Man whom He hath ordained; whereof He hath given assurance unto all men, in that He hath raised Him from the dead" (Acts 17:29-31). 

In view of all the evidence

That manifests the truth of God,

Idolatry does not make sense,

And ignorance is surely odd! 

God's hand is seen in all creation,

Which evolution can't explain,

And prophecies foretold salvation

Which Christ fulfilled when He was slain. 

Behold Him risen from the dead,

Fulfilling His prophetic Word. 

He'll come again, as He has said,

And judge the world, we are assured. 

Amid imagined idols, Lord,

By Your commission, we are sent.

Though Gospel truth may be ignored,

We pray that many will repent.  

Macedonian Messengers

"A faithful messenger… refresheth the soul… as cold waters to a thirsty soul; so is good news from a far country" (Proverbs 25:13,25).  "They [Paul and his companions]… were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia… And a vision appeared to Paul in the night:  there stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us.  And… immediately we endeavored to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the Gospel unto them" (Acts 16:6-10). 

A faithful messenger is needed,

Submissive to the Lord's control,

To bring good news that will be heeded,

As waters to a thirsty soul. 

The Gospel surely was not hidden

Where Paul and his companions went,

Yet there were times they were forbidden

To go where they had not been sent. 

The Holy Spirit closed the door

To Asia, thus restraining Paul,

Then sent him to another shore: 

He heard the Macedonian call!   

Like Macedonian messengers

Responding to that urgent vision, 

So send us where the need occurs,

O Lord, fulfilling Your commission.