Accessible and Acceptable

"Then the word of the LORD came… by Jehu the prophet… [and] by Joshua the son of Nun (1 Kings 16:1,12,34).  "Give ear, O My people… to the words of My mouth… that the generation to come might know them… that they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments" (Psalm 78:1,6,7).  "Every word of God is pure: He is a shield unto them that put their trust in Him" (Proverbs 30:5).  "Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation" (2 Corinthians 6:2). 

The Word of the Lord surely came

By prophets through their declaration 

As they had been sent to proclaim

The truth that pertained to salvation. 

The words of the Lord were not hid

Which He had declared for their good. 

The wonderful works that He did

Should not have been misunderstood. 

The words of our God are still pure

In which He has called us to trust. 

His promises all shall endure

When kingdoms have crumbled to dust. 

We're holding accessible truth  

In this, an acceptable season. 

Lord, help us impart to our youth

A trust in Your Word with good reason. 

Voice and Vision

"Thou art the God that doest wonders: Thou hast declared Thy strength among the people… and Thy footsteps are not known" (Psalm 77:14,19).  "Where there is no vision, the people perish" (Proverbs 29:18).  "Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men… God… hath reconciled us to Himself… and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation… We are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God" (2 Corinthians 5:11,20). 

The Lord our God displays His wonders,

And His redemption has been shown.

His voice was heard with heaven's thunders,

And yet His footsteps are not known. 

How blind are those who cannot see

The footsteps of our God and Savior,

Who led His people faithfully

And rescued them with saving favor! 

If people perish without vision,

It is because they've made the choice

That blinds them by their own decision

To not obey the Savior's voice.

Your voice, Lord, still the lost ignores;

Your vision many yet refuse.

We go as Your ambassadors

To show the grace that they may choose. 

Behind the Back

"Go, tell Jeroboam, Thus saith the LORD… thou hast… cast Me behind thy back" (1 Kings 14:7-9).  "Thou didst cause judgment to be heard from heaven; the earth feared, and was still, when God arose to judgment" (Psalm 76:8-9).  "Evil men understand not judgment: but they that seek the LORD understand all things" (Proverbs 28:5).  "If our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not" (2 Corinthians 4:3,4). 

When Jeroboam was inclined,

He cast the Lord behind his back,

So this explains his darkened mind

And why he thought the Lord was slack. 

How sadly men reject God's Word,

Dismissing judgment with their scorning,

Though God has made his judgment heard

To those who have refused His warning.

The time to turn to Christ is now,

While there is time to seek the Lord. 

Soon every knee on earth shall bow,

And He shall no more be ignored. 

Behind the back of those now lost,

O Lord, the Gospel has been cast.

We pray that they will count the cost

Before their time to choose has passed. 

Only One

"An old prophet in Beth-el… cried unto the man of God that came from Judah, saying, Thus saith the LORD… thou hast disobeyed the mouth of the LORD, and hast not kept the commandment which the LORD thy God commanded thee” (1 Kings 13:11,21).  "God is the Judge" (Psalm 75:7).  "My son, be wise, and make My heart glad" (Proverbs 27:11).  "Do we begin again to commend ourselves?... Our sufficiency is of God" (2 Corinthians 3:1,5). 

A man of God became dismayed

Who did not heed what God had said.

He heard another, and he strayed

By giving heed to him instead.

There's only One we must obey,

No matter who has disagreed. 

The Lord commands our hearts today

To follow Him where He will lead. 

When God says, "Stay," we dare not budge.

When God says "Leave," it's time to go. 

The Lord our Savior is the Judge;

That's all we really need to know. 

O Lord, You are the only One

Who gave Your life for our salvation! 

When everything is said and done,

We only need Your commendation.  

Devil's Devices

"Jeroboam… took counsel, and… ordained a feast… like unto the feast that is in Judah… sacrificing unto the calves that he had made… in the month which he had devised of his own heart" (1 Kings 12:32,33).  "O God… the tumult of those that rise up against Thee increaseth continually" (Psalm 74:22,23).  "A lying tongue… and a flattering mouth worketh ruin" (Proverbs 26:28).  "Be obedient in all things… lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices" (2 Corinthians 2:9,11).

The devil's devices abound

Where flattering counsel is heard,

As king Jeroboam had found

When he had rejected God's Word. 

How dark was the counsel he sought

To turn hearts away from our God,

As Satan inspired the thought

That sinners would gladly applaud. 

The devil deceives old and young

To steal, to kill, and destroy. 

The lying and flattering tongue

Is all that he needs to employ.

The devil's devices, O Lord,

Are surely employed in our day,  

But we have Your two-edged sword

With truth we are called to obey.