Reason and Repentance

Read:  Psalm 119:73-80 / Proverbs 29 / Exodus 9 / Acts 17

 

Psalm 119:73 ~ Thy hands have made me and fashioned me: give me understanding, that I may learn thy commandments.

Proverbs 29:9 ~ If a wise man contendeth with a foolish man, whether he rage or laugh, there is no rest.

Exodus 9:30 ~ But as for thee and thy servants, I know that ye will not yet fear the LORD God.

Acts 17:2,30,31 ~ Paul... reasoned with them out of the scriptures... God... commandeth all men everywhere to repent... whereof He hath given assurance unto all men.

 

The hands of God have fashioned us,

And by His Word, the truth is known. 

Yet fools reject the obvious,

Ignoring proof that God has shown. 

Like Pharaoh in his blind confusion,

The foolish never are content

To draw the logical conclusion

That should persuade them to repent.  

 

Meditating on our Message

Read:  Psalm 104 / Proverbs 28 / Job 5 /Revelation 22

 

Psalm 104:33-34 ~ I will sing unto the LORD as long as I live:  I will sing praise to my God while I have my being. my meditation of him shall be sweet: I will be glad in the LORD.

Proverbs 28:13 ~ He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.

Job 5:17 ~ Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore, despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty:

Revelation 22:17 ~ And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

 

The message of our meditation

Exalts our Savior and our King,

Rejoices in His great salvation,

And stirs our joyful hearts to sing. 

 

The message of our Lord's correction

Proclaims the Gospel to the cursed,

Provides the lost with clear direction,

And satisfies at last their thirst.  

 

Who Would Withhold?

Read:  Psalm 103 / Proverbs 27 / Job 4 /Revelation 21

 

Psalm 103:2,5 ~ Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits... Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things.

Proverbs 27:12 ~ A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself; but the simple pass on, and are punished.

Job 4:2 ~ Who can withhold himself from speaking?

Revelation 21:6 ~ I am Alpha and Omega... I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.

 

I'll bless the Lord and not forget

The many benefits He gave. 

There was a ransom Jesus met

For sinners He would freely save. 

 

Who would withhold this news sublime

That Jesus Christ will bless the cursed?

Let thirsty souls arise in time

To trust the Lord to quench their thirst! 

 

Justified by Jesus

Read:  Psalm 102 / Proverbs 26 / Job 3 /Revelation 20

 

Psalm 102:18-20 ~ From heaven did the LORD... hear the groaning of the prisoner; to loose those... appointed to death. 

Proverbs 26:2 ~ The curse causeless shall not come.

Job 3:25 ~ For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me.

Revelation 20:12,15 ~ I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life... and whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

 

From heaven's height our Savior heard

The captive sinner's dreadful groan. 

The curse, according to God's Word,

Demanded judgment from His throne. 

 

It was for us our Lord was smitten!

To bear our judgment Jesus died

So that our names could thus be written

With those who have been justified.  

 

Rejoicing in His Rule

Read:  Psalm 101 / Proverbs 25 / Job 2 /Revelation 19

 

Psalm 101:1 ~ I will sing of mercy and judgment: unto thee, O LORD, will I sing.

Proverbs 25:28 ~ He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.

Job 2:10 ~ What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and ... not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.

Revelation 19:11,14 ~ I saw heaven opened...  and he that... was called Faithful and True... and the armies which... followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.

 

I am rejoicing in my King,

My faithful Savior, Jesus Christ. 

To Him I joyfully will sing,

Who for my sake was sacrificed. 

 

I am rejoicing in His rule,

Who holds my hand in tribulation

As He instructs me in His school

To trust Him in each situation.  

 

Eternal or Ephemeral?

Read:  Psalm 100 / Proverbs 24 / Job 1 /Revelation 18

 

Psalm 100:4,5 ~ Be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

Proverbs 24:27 ~ Prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thyself in the field; and afterwards build thine house.

Job 1:20-21 ~ Then Job arose... and worshipped, and said... the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.

Revelation 18:17 ~ In one hour so great riches is come to naught. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off. 

 

Eternal or ephemeral?

Consider well this timely measure.

How fleeting is the temporal! 

How precious is eternal treasure! 

 

Prepare, therefore, to build today

Upon eternity's foundation,

And not on things that pass away,

Unmindful of the Lord's salvation.  

 

Preaching Peace

Read:  Psalm 99 / Proverbs 23 / Esther 10 /Revelation 17

 

Psalm 99:7 ~ He spake unto them in the cloudy pillar: they kept his testimonies, and the ordinance that he gave them.

Proverbs 23:26 ~ My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.

Esther 10:3 ~ For Mordecai the Jew was next unto king...  accepted of the multitude of his brethren, seeking the wealth of his people, and speaking peace to all his seed.

Revelation 17:14 ~ The Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.

 

God spoke to Moses in the cloud,

And Moses told what he had heard.

By grace we likewise are allowed 

To preach the Gospel of His Word. 

 

The Word of God is preaching peace

To all who trust in Christ our Savior.

So let us speak and never cease

To magnify His saving favor. 

 

The Wrath That's Written

Read:  Psalm 98 / Proverbs 22 / Esther 9 /Revelation 16

 

Psalm 98:2 ~ The LORD hath made known his salvation: his righteousness hath he openly showed in the sight of the heathen.

Proverbs 22:3,19-21 ~ A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished... That thy trust may be in the LORD, I have... written to thee.

Esther 9:4,32 ~ For Mordecai was great in the king's house, and his fame went out... Mordecai waxed greater and greater...  and it was written in the book.

Revelation 16:7 ~ And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments.

 

The Lord has made salvation known:

Christ Jesus is the only path. 

The certainty of truth is shown,

By which the sinner flees from wrath. 

 

The judgments written in His Book

Foretell His wrath in Revelation. 

The prudent man shall wisely look

And flee to Christ to find salvation. 

 

Kindness of our King

Read:  Psalm 97 / Proverbs 21 / Esther 8 /Revelation 15

 

Psalm 97:11,12 ~ Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart. Rejoice in the LORD, ye righteous; and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.

Proverbs 21:21 ~ He that followeth after righteousness and mercy findeth life, righteousness, and honor.

Esther 8:2,16 ~ The king took off his ring... taken from Haman, and gave it unto Mordecai... The Jews had light, and gladness. 

Revelation 15:3 ~ And they sing... the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvelous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.

 

Eternal light and gladness nears,

And sorrow then shall find no place

When God shall wipe away all tears, 

And we shall see Him face to face. 

 

Our eyes shall then behold the King

In all His kindness and His splendor

As we give thanks and gladly sing

To praise the Lamb, our soul’s Defender. 

 

Heaven's Favor, Haman's Failure

Read:  Psalm 96 / Proverbs 20 / Esther 7 /Revelation 14

 

Psalm 96:2,8 ~ Sing unto the LORD... shew forth his salvation... Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name.

Proverbs 20:9 ~ Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?

Esther 7:10 ~ So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then was the king's wrath pacified.

Revelation 14:7 ~ Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.

 

Give glory to our God and Savior

Who purged away our sins as dross! 

He died to grant us heaven’s favor

Triumphantly upon His cross. 

 

The failure seen in Haman’s case

Upon his gallows typifies

God’s judgment and His saving grace

That brings an end to Satan’s lies.  

 

Sad Surprise

Read:  Psalm 95 / Proverbs 19 / Esther 6 /Revelation 13

 

Psalm 95:6-9 ~ Today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your heart... as in the day of temptation in the wilderness: when your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my work.

Proverbs 19:20,29 ~ Be wise in thy latter end... Judgments are prepared for scorners, and stripes for the back of fools.   

Esther 6:12 ~ Mordecai came again to the king's gate. But Haman hasted to his house mourning... his head covered.

Revelation 13:10 ~ He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.

 

The time is short to hear Christ’s voice,

Receiving Him as Lord indeed. 

Today God offers souls a choice;

Tomorrow is not guaranteed.   

 

We caution sinners to be wise

And heed the Savior’s urgent warning,

Lest they should meet the sad surprise

Of judgment that rebukes their scorning.

 

Safe and Sane

Read:  Psalm 94 / Proverbs 18 / Esther 5 /Revelation 12

 

Psalm 94:11,19 ~ The LORD knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity...  In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul.

Proverbs 18:10 ~ The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.

Esther 5:14 ~ Haman... caused the gallows to be made.

Revelation 12:9 ~ That old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world... was cast out into the earth.

 

In Christ our hope is safe and sane

Amid this world's insanity. 

The thoughts of man are surely vain

That blindly trust humanity.  

 

In Haman's dreadful contemplation

We see the vanity of mind

Deceived by pride's imagination

And to destruction self-inclined.  

 

Good News vs. Godless Noise

Read:  Psalm 93 / Proverbs 17 / Esther 4 /Revelation 11

 

Psalm 93:4,5 ~ The LORD on high is mightier than the noise of many waters, yea, than the mighty waves... Thy testimonies are very sure... forever.

Proverbs 17:7,28 ~ Excellent speech becometh not a fool... Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise. 

Esther 4:14 ~ If thou... holdest thy peace at this time, then shall... deliverance arise... from another place... who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?

Revelation 11:17 ~ We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned.

 

Declare it to our sons and daughters: 

The Lord is greater than the waves! 

Though fools may rage like noisy waters,

The Good News stands:  Christ Jesus saves! 

 

Proclaim the truth!  Hold not your peace! 

The nations rage, but all in vain,

For soon the godless noise shall cease

When Christ our Lord returns to reign. 

 

Prophecy vs. Perplexity

Read:  Psalm 92 / Proverbs 16 / Esther 3 /Revelation 10

 

Psalm 92:5,6 ~ O LORD, how great are thy works! and thy thoughts are very deep. A brutish man knoweth not; neither doth a fool understand this.

Proverbs 16:6 ~ By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil.

Esther 3:10,14 ~ The king took his ring from his hand, and gave it unto Haman... but the city Shushan was perplexed.

Revelation 10:6,11 ~ There should be time no longer...  And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.

 

The works of God are very great,

Though brutish men are daily scorning.

Yet we are called to clearly state

The truth of God's prophetic warning. 

 

The Lord has given prophecy

To offer proof to every nation. 

Though fools promote perplexity,

The humble wisely choose salvation.