Gleeful Glory

"Make a joyful noise unto God, all ye lands: sing forth the honor of His name: make His praise glorious.... Come and see the works of God.... Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what He hath done for my soul" (Psalm 66:1,2,5,16). "Jesus said unto him, Receive thy sight: thy faith hath saved thee. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Him, glorifying God: and all the people when they saw it, gave praise unto God" (Luke 18:42,43).

Come and see the works of God!
Come and hear what He has done!
Gather round Him and applaud
Jesus Christ His glorious Son!

Jesus has done all things well
His works are seen in all the earth.
Make His glorious praise to swell;
Magnify the Savior's worth!

Beyond His works throughout creation,
He has saved my hell-bound soul.
Praise the Lord for His salvation!
Sing with joy! His name extol!

I was blind, but now I see;
Jesus gave to me my sight.
O magnify the Lord with me,
As we follow in His light!

Prevailing Prayer

"Praise waiteth for Thee, O God, in Zion: and unto Thee shall the vow be performed: O Thou that hearest prayer, unto Thee shall all flesh come" (Psalm 65:1,2). "Men ought always to pray, and not to faint" (Luke 18:1).

Praise is waiting for You, Lord,
In future days of Zion,
When all the earth shall look toward
The tribe of Judah's Lion.

Yes, there is a future date
When Zion shall give praise.
But there's no need for us to wait
Throughout our fleeting days.

For You have taught us, Lord, to pray,
At all times, not just some.
And since You hear our prayer today,
To You we gladly come!

Negligent Nine

"Ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off... lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. And when He saw them, He said unto them, Go show yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, as they went, they were cleansed. And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God... And Jesus answering said, Were not ten cleansed? But where are the nine?" (Luke 17:12-17).

Cleansed in spirit, soul, and mind!
Lord, I would not neglect to say,
Thank you for Your love so kind:
You have healed me today.

Like those pleading, leprous men,
You heard their voice as well as mine.
Yet one returned among the ten
To give You thanks, unlike those nine.

Thank you, Lord, for all You've done.
Lord, though the nine be negligent
To add their voices with this one,
I'll praise You for Your healing sent.

Fundamentals of Faithfulness

"The ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, and He pondereth all his goings" (Proverbs 5:21). "He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.... God knoweth your hearts" (Luke 16:10,15).

Faithful in little, faithful in much:
Now this is a principle we should observe.
God's eyes examine, He ponders all such
That He calls as stewards to faithfully serve.

Faithful in little, O may we be found,
That likewise in much we'll be faithful too;
That much of His grace may in us abound,
Much fruit for His glory in me and in you.

Similitudes of the Sinner

"And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This Man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them. And He spake this parable to them, saying... Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost... for I have found the piece which I had lost... Let us eat, and be merry, for this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found" (Luke 15:1-24).

This Man receives and eats with sinners;
How true we find this claim!
This Man turns losers into winners;
Christ Jesus is His name!

Like a sheep a shepherd lost
(All we have gone astray),
He knew the suffering and the cost,
And sought us anyway.

Like a coin you lost, and thus
You searched for all around,
Just so the Lord has likened us,
Rejoicing when we're found.

Like a lost son left to roam,
Regretting then his choice,
Jesus woos the sinner home,
And calls us to rejoice!

Higher Heritage

"Lead me to the rock that is higher than I....Thou hast given me the heritage of those that fear Thy name" (Psalm 61:2,5). "Surely He scorneth the scorners, but He giveth grace to the lowly. The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools" (Proverbs 3:34,35). "Go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher... for whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted" (Luke 14:10,11).

There is no higher heritage that anyone can claim
Than given those who shall inherit glory.
God gives it to the humble, to those who fear His name,
Not to those who scorn redemption's story.

What a privilege it is to take the lower place,
And give to Christ the glory He is due.
This is the higher heritage of those He saves by grace;
Too marvelous for words, and yet it's true!

Tender and Terrible

"How often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not!" (Luke 13:34).

How tender the portrait of Jesus we see
In the beautiful traits God instilled in the hen:
Whenever her chickens sense danger they flee,
And under her wings they find refuge then.

How terrible then, that though our Lord would
Be gathering souls as a hen does her own,
That many would not, so forfeit the good
That God in His marvelous love would make known.

Because of the Battle

"Deliver me from mine enemies, O my God: defend me from them that rise up against me.... Because of his strength will I wait upon Thee: for God is my Defense.... I will sing of Thy power; yea, I will sing aloud of Thy mercy in the morning: for Thou hast been my Defense and Refuge in the day of my trouble. Unto Thee, O my Strength, will I sing: for God is my Defense, and the God of my mercy" (Psalm 60:8).

Because of the battle that rages today,
Because my opponents are strong,
Because God has been my Defense in harm's way,
I'll trust in Him all the day long.

And so to the God of my mercy I'll sing;
For He is my Refuge in trouble.
I'll sing of His power; I'll worship my King,
Who brings Satan's strongholds to rubble.

Foolish Forecasters

"Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth; but how is it that ye do not discern this time?" (Luke 13:13:56).

How is it you can rightly say
By looking at the sky,
The forecast calls for rain today,
Or that it will be dry?

And yet the signs of prophecy
Much clearer than the weather,
Are largely by humanity
Unheeded altogether.

About Abundance

"A man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth" (Luke 12:15). "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly" (John 10:10).

How shall a singular life be defined?
Or how shall we weigh a life's worth?
It's not in abundance possessions we find,
Not even the whole of the earth.

This is our worth and our life's definition,
That for us our Lord came
That life may be ours with abundant provision
By trusting in His holy name.

Render the Rod

"And the Lord said unto him, What is that in thine hand? And he said, A rod. And He said, Cast it on the ground.... Thou shalt take this rod in thine hand, wherewith thou shalt do signs.... and Moses took the rod of God in his hand" (Exodus 4:2,3,17,20).

Moses had a common rod
Until it was surrendered.
When he gave it back to God,
Behold what it was rendered!

What was once a rod in hand,
Became God's wondrous sign.
Thus we're led to understand,
This principle divine:

Give to God what He first gave;
Cast it down; hold nothing back.
We will lose what we would save,
But in giving, we won't lack.

O the wondrous transformation
When we consecrate to God
What we have, in dedication,
Though it may be just a rod!

Single Sighted

"No man, when he hath lighted a candle, putteth it in a secret place, neither under a bushel, but on a candlestick, that they which come in may see the light. The light of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light.... If thy whole body therefore be full of light, having no part dark, the whole shall be full of light, as when the bright shining of a candle doeth give thee light" (Luke 11:33-36).

Lord, give me a clear, single eye,
That's focused on all of Your beauty:
On love that compelled You to die
That scorns the mere motive of duty.

Then fill my whole body with light,
And let me thus shine like a star,
As a candle that burns in the night,
Reflecting how awesome You are.

Stronger Striver

"Save me, O God, by Thy name, and judge me by Thy strength.... Behold, God is mine Helper.... He hath delivered me out of all trouble" (Psalm 54:1,4,6). "When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace: But when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armor wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils" (Luke 11:21,22).

The strong arm of Satan has met with a stronger;
His prison is plundered; his goods have been spoiled.
The Lord is our Helper, and we are no longer
Beneath the dominion of sin where we toiled.

The armor of Satan is taken away;
The darkness in which he had trusted is gone.
Put on the armor of God's strength and pray;
The night is far spent, and we look for the dawn.

Looking, Listening, Loving

"And the Lord said, I have surely seen the affliction of My people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows; and I am come down to deliver them" (Exodus 3:7,8). "God looked down upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek God. Every one of them is gone back: they are altogether become filthy; there is none that doeth good, no not one" (Psalm 53:2,3).

God has looked down from heaven to see,
And God listened also to hear
The deeds and thoughts of humanity:
His findings were painfully clear.

All have gone back and all became filthy!
No one was found who was looking for God.
No one does good; each one is found guilty,
Deserving the wrath of His judgment rod.

But God looked and listened with infinite love,
Seeing affliction, and hearing our moan.
Thus knowing our sins, He came from above,
And bearing sorrows, He made them His own.

Rejoicing in Revealing

"Rejoice, because your names are written in heaven. In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Thy sight.... Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see: for I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them: and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them" (Luke 10:20-24).

Rejoice for the things that God has revealed;
How blest are the eyes that can see!
To prophets and kings these things were sealed
That God shows to you and to me!

Rejoice with the Lord, who rejoices in us,
And finds in our blessing delight!
What love He reveals that gladdens Him thus,
For glories revealed in our sight!

Spiritual Specialty

"Ye know not what manner of Spirit ye are of. For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them" (Luke 9:55,56). "For God hath not given us the Spirit of fear: but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind" (2 Timothy 1:7).

The manner of Spirit God's people are of
Is not that of fear, but of power and love.
The mind of the Spirit that God gave to each,
Is sound in the truth of the Gospel we preach.

The Spirit we're of persistently strives
As in Noah's day, for the saving of lives,
To draw them to Christ, and not to destroy.
The cross was endured for that prospect of joy.

Jesus Echoes Joseph's Epilogue

"But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he [Joseph] comforted them, and spake kindly unto them" (Genesis 50:20:21). "The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day.... This is My beloved Son; hear Him" (Luke 9:22,35).

Joseph's words were true and kind
To his brethren when he spoke.
Nothing evil came to mind;
No revenge in him awoke.

What a portrait here he gave!
Like as Joseph understood,
Jesus suffered much to save;
God intended it for good.

"Hear Him," God our Father said,
"This is My beloved Son."
Jesus rises from the dead,
And declares the work is done.

Hear Him! With delight we do!
Words of kindness spoken thus:
"Fear not, I will nourish you,"
Jesus echoes now to us.

Rather than Riches

"They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches, none of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him. For the redemption of their soul is precious.... But God shall redeem my soul from the power of the grave: for He shall receive me" (Psalm 49:6-8, 15). "A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favor rather than silver and gold" (Proverbs 22:1).

They that trust in fleeting wealth
Cannot use their currency
For their soul's eternal health
Or to change their destiny.

Give me rather Jesus' name
Than the riches men applaud.
Neither earthly wealth nor fame,
Can redeem a soul for God.

Choose the loving favor found
In the name of Christ the Lord.
In Him grace and truth abound,
All that heaven can afford!

Shadow of Shiloh

"The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh (i.e., the One who brings peace) come; and unto Him shall the gathering of the people be" (Genesis 49:10).

Shiloh, Bringer of our peace,
Spread Your shadow over us.
Let the joy and praise increase
Of your people gathered thus.

Jesus, as was prophesied,
We are gathered in Your name.
We remember that You died,
As foretold, to bear our shame.

Jesus, Shiloh, Lord of all,
We draw near to crown You King!
In Your shadow we recall,
For our sakes, Your suffering.

Shiloh, Savior, Lord alone,
Center of our love and praise,
Take the scepter and the throne
Of our hearts that You amaze!

Finding our Faith

"Then He arose, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water: and they ceased, and there was a calm. And He said unto them, Where is your faith?" (Luke 8:25).

Where is our faith when sea billows roll?
Why is it so hard to find?
Where is our faith when life takes its toll?
Why do we lose peace of mind?

Do not put faith in the sea when it's calm;
Trust Him who orders its waves.
Christ is our Peace and our triumphant Psalm;
All who will trust Him He saves.

Refuge, River, and Rest

"God is our Refuge and our Strength... There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God.... Be still, and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:1,4,10).

There is a Refuge, whatever betides,
That shelters our souls in this world.
God is that Refuge; He always abides,
No matter what trials are hurled.

There is a River with pleasure-filled streams
That gladdens God's city today.
God is that River for those He redeems;
So let His redeemed people say!

There is a Rest that bids us be still,
And know that our God still controls.
God is that Rest, and He will fulfill
Each promise He made to our souls.

Kiss the King

"Hearken, O daughter, and consider, and incline thine ear; forget also thine own people, and thy father's house; so shall the King greatly desire thy beauty: for He is thy Lord; and worship thou Him" (Psalm 45:10,11). "Kiss the Son" (Psalm 2:12). "Thou gavest Me no kiss" (Luke 7:45).

Kiss the Son and crown Him King!
Days are few; you can't afford
To let a fleeting transient thing
Rob your worship from your Lord.

Listen well, incline your ear,
And let your heart consider this:
Worship Him, lest you should hear,
"You did not give to Me your kiss."

Abomination by Affiliation

"The Egyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews; for that is an abomination unto the Egyptians.... every shepherd is an abomination unto the Egyptians" (Genesis 43:32, 46:34). "Let us go forth therefore unto Him without the camp, bearing His reproach" (Hebrews 13:13).

This age of unbelief will hate
The message of salvation,
And count those who affiliate
With Christ, abomination.

Let us then bear His reproach
(It is so small a price!),
As we see that day approach
When we shall dwell with Christ.

Guide to God

"O send out Thy light and Thy truth: let them lead me; let them bring me unto Thy holy hill, and to Thy tabernacles. Then shall I go unto the altar of God, unto God my exceeding joy" (Psalm 43:3,4).

Send out Your light and Your truth, O Lord,
To guide me to Your holy hill,
To Your tabernacles, and ever toward
The center of Your perfect will.

Send out Your light and Your truth to lead
To the altar of Christ crucified.
There, where my Savior has met every need,
Is my joy and the death of my pride.

Quelling the Question

"My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God?.... As with a sword in my bones, mine enemies reproach me, while they say daily unto me, Where is thy God?" (Psalm 42:3,10).

Where is my God? Is that what you said?
If you open your eyes you surely will see!
Have you not seen? Have you never read
The perfect fulfillment of God's prophecy?

Where is my God? Is that what you say?
His wonders abound throughout His creation!
Those who will honestly seek Him today,
Will also discover His wondrous salvation!

Tell of the Treasures

"And behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that it is my mouth that speaketh unto you. And ye shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt, and of all that ye have seen; and ye shall haste and bring down my father hither" (Genesis 45:12,13).

Tell of the treasures and all of the glory
That wait for the ransomed in heaven above!
Christ died and is risen! Tell the true story
Of all of the riches of His wondrous love!

Need for New

"He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And He hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God" (Psalm 40:2,3). "No man also having drunk old wine straightway desireth new: for he saith, The old is better" (Luke 5:39).

Out of that old and that horrible pit,
And out of that old miry clay!
On to the rock and a path that is lit
With light in God's saving new way!

Gone is the curse of the old Law and letter!
God gave to my heart a new song!
He who insists that old is still better
Is hopelessly, utterly wrong!

Hot Heart

"I was dumb with silence, I held my peace, even from good; and my sorrow was stirred. My heart was hot within me; while I was musing the fire burned: then spake I with my tongue, Lord make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is; that I may know how frail I am" (Psalm 39:2-4).

My heart is so hot, for the fire is burning!
The Word of my God is the fuel for that fire.
How can I be silent as my heart is yearning
To speak of salvation His mercies inspire?

O Lord, make me know how frail I am!
How few are the days that my life will afford
To tell the good news that Christ is the Lamb
Who saves all who truly will call on the Lord!

Shadows of our Surety

"And Judah said unto Israel his father, Send the lad with me... I will be surety for him; of my hand shalt thou require him: if I bring him not unto thee, and set him before thee, then let me bear the blame forever" (Genesis 43:8,9). "He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it" (Proverb 11:15). "By so much was Jesus made a Surety of a better testament" (Hebrews 7:22).

Shadows of our Lord's endeavor
Are cast by Judah's plea,
"Let me bear the blame forever,
I will be a surety."

By so much more was Jesus made
A Surety for us.
His sacrifice shall never fade,
As shadows surely must.

Feeding the Feeder

"Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed" (Psalm 37:3). "The lips of the righteous feed many" (Proverbs 10:21). "And Jesus answered him, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God" (Luke 4:4).

Man shall not live by bread alone,
But also by every word that God gives.
Thus it is written; thus it is shown:
By faith in God's Word, the justified lives.

Trust in the Lord and do good, as He said,
And so shall you dwell in the land where you live.
So shall the lips that feed many be fed:
The more they feed others, the more God will give.

Source of our Satisfaction

"They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of Thy house; and Thou shalt make them drink of the river of Thy pleasures. For with Thee is the fountain of life: in Thy light we shall see light" (Psalm 36:8,9). "And a voice came from heaven, which said, This is My beloved Son; in Thee I am well-pleased" (Luke 3:22).

Jesus, the Source of our soul's satisfaction,
You are the Fountain from which rivers flow,
With pleasures that spring from heaven's Attraction,
Proclaimed by the Father when You were below.

Bountiful Fountain! O Lord, make us drink
From that very Source that gives You delight!
Father in heaven, now help us to think
Your thoughts of our Savior, as You give us light!

Do as Directed

"And when all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread: and Pharaoh said unto all the Egyptians, Go unto Joseph; what he saith to you, do. And the famine was over all the face of the earth" (Genesis 41:55). "His mother [Mary] saith unto the servants, Whatsoever He saith unto you, do" (John 2:5).

In the days wherein Joseph was on Egypt's throne,
And famine had covered the face of the earth,
God then provided through Joseph alone
The storehouses filled with his corn in that dearth.

The people were famished, and all of them knew
They surely would die if they had no bread.
They all were directed to heed and to do
Whatever it was that Joseph had said.

So how much the more in this famine today,
Not famine of bread, but of finding what's true,
Should we likewise heed what we hear our Lord say;
As Mary advised: What He says to you, DO!

Magnify with Me

"O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt His name together" (Psalm 34:3).

O magnify the Lord with me
As we exalt His name!
Confess Him Lord and bow the knee;
His words and works proclaim.

Jesus Christ, that name so sweet,
Fills all of our desire!
He is our focus when we meet;
No privilege is higher.

Comforting Commandment

"My son, keep thy father's commandment.... When thou goest, it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee; and when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee. For the commandment is a lamp" (Proverbs 6:22,23).

What a comfort when I go,
As I walk this pilgrim way!
God's commandment then shall show
And lead me in His truth each day.

What a comfort when I sleep
As the day comes to a close!
God's commandment then shall keep
And give me rest from all my foes.

What a comfort when I wake
As I rise again to walk.
God's commandment then shall take
And counsel me and with me talk.

Excellent Eye

"I will instruct thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with Mine eye" (Psalm 32:8). "For the ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD, and He pondereth all His goings" (Proverbs 5:21).

Counsel me, Lord, in the way I should go;
Guide with Your eye on my ways.
Ponder my goings, and cause me to know
The path of Your will all my days.

Search me, O God, with Your all-seeing eye,
And purge every thought, word, and deed.
Let me thus live, and let me thus die,
With my hand in Your hand as You lead.

Dayspring in Darkness

"The path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day" (Proverbs 4:18). "The Dayspring from on high hath visited us, to give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace" (Luke 1:78,79).

Welcome, Dayspring from on high!
Shine Your light upon our path.
Guide our feet as days go by
In Your peace that saves from wrath.

Thank you, Dayspring, for your light.
When You came, the darkness fled.
You expelled our fearful night,
When You rose up from the dead.

Now Your light shines more and more,
Dayspring, on Your path of love.
Oh what light is yet in store
When we see Your face above!

Gladness for Glory

"Thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness: to the end that my glory may sing praise to Thee, and not be silent" (Psalm 30:11,12). "And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior" (Luke 1:46,47).

Rejoice, my soul, for the robe of sadness
That girded your soul once with sorrow,
The Lord has changed to garments of gladness
Today, and for every tomorrow!

My soul magnifies Christ Jesus my Lord,
And my spirit exalts God my Savior!
I cannot contain this gladness outpoured,
For the mercy of God and His favor!

Voice Choice

"The voice of the LORD is upon the waters: the God of glory thundereth: the LORD is upon many waters.... and in His temple doth everyone (literally, the whole; all the things in it) speak of His glory. The LORD sitteth upon the flood; yea, the LORD sitteth King forever. The LORD will give strength unto His people; the LORD will bless His people with peace" (Psalm 29:3,9-11).

The voice of the Lord has thundered with glory
As in His great judgment by flood.
The voice of the Lord has told His love story
As in His great temple by blood.

The voice of the Lord will judge all His foes,
Who will not pay heed to His voice.
The voice of the Lord speaks peace to all those
Who trust Him; it rests on our choice.

Sickness of Silence

"Unto Thee will I cry, O LORD my Rock; be not silent to me: lest, if Thou be silent to me, I become like them that go down into the pit.... They regard not the works of the LORD, nor the operation of His hands" (Psalm 28:1,5).

Be not silent, Lord, to me
Lest I turn to apathy,
Lest I fail to clearly see
Your works in operation.

Be not silent, Lord, today,
Lest I lose sight of Your way,
Lest I lose the will to pray
And share Your great salvation.

Stone Status

"And they said among themselves, Who shall roll away the stone from the door of the sepulcher? And when they looked, they saw that it was rolled away, for it was very great" (Mark 16:3,4).

Who shall roll away the stone
From the tomb of Christ?
God has done it on His own;
His power has sufficed.

And so it is with every block
Too great to roll away.
God will move the greatest rock,
For those who will obey.

Victory Veil

"And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost. And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom" (Mark 15:37,38).

Behold the veil torn in two,
With top to bottom rip;
By it God bids me and you
Draw near in fellowship.

See, the hand of God has torn
That separating veil!
Hear the shout of Jesus warn
That hell shall not prevail!

Now within that holy place
Where sinners were forbidden,
God invites us by His grace
To view what once was hidden.

Come into the holiest,
Where God and sinners meet!
Come now; find in Christ your rest,
And worship at His feet!

The Fear to Forsake

"What man is he that feareth the Lord? Him shall He teach in the way that He shall choose" (Psalm 25:12). "He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy. Happy is the man that feareth [God] always: but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief" (Proverbs 28:13,14).

Who is the one with the fear of the Lord?
He is the one God will teach in His way.
Though he may stumble, he shall be restored.
The fear of the Lord shall teach him to pray.

Happy is he with the fear of the Lord,
Exposing the sin that God bids him forsake.
This is the mercy God's fear shall afford,
With grace to abandon a sinful mistake.

What further Witnesses?

"Lift up your head, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle... The LORD of hosts, He is the King of glory. Selah" (Psalm 24:7-10). "Again the high priest asked Him, and said unto Him, Art Thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. And the high priest rent his clothes, and saith, What need we any further witnesses?" (Mark 14:61-63).

Who is this King of glory indeed?
Lift up your heads to our Lord glorified!
What further witnesses do we yet need?
Prophets and history all testified!

Who is this King of glory we see,
So mighty in battle and glorious in praise?
It's Jesus, who died for you and for me,
The Son of man coming, the Ancient of Days.

Who is this King who's coming again
With all of His blood-bought host He will lead?
Even so come, Lord Jesus, Amen!
What further witnesses do we yet need?

Shepherd's Shadow

"The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want... He leadeth me" (Psalm 23:1,2). "And Jesus saith unto them, all ye shall be offended because of Me this night: for it is written, I will smite the Shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered. But after that I am risen, I will go before you into Galilee" (Mark 14:27,28).

Risen Shepherd, I would follow
In Your shadow as You as You lead.
Every other hope is hollow;
Only You can meet my need.

How easily I am offended,
And how prone to go astray!
Until my pilgrimage is ended,
Risen Shepherd, lead the way.

Declaration Generation

"They have pierced My hands and My feet.... I will declare Thy name unto My brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise Thee.... A seed shall serve Him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation. They shall come, and shall declare His righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that He hath done this" (Psalm 22:16,22,31). "Ye are a chosen generation... that ye should show forth the praises of Him who hath called you" (1 Peter 2:9).

Jesus Christ has done His task;
He finished what He came to do.
What was it He did, you ask?
He came to die for me and you!

Jesus Christ has done the deed
That has brought to us salvation.
We who trust Him are His seed,
And His chosen generation.

He has done this! Lift your voice,
You who are His congregation!
Praise the Savior, and rejoice
In your Gospel declaration!

Waking, Working, Watching

"For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left His house, and gave authority to His servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch. Watch ye therefore... Lest coming suddenly He find you sleeping" (Mark 13:34, 35).

Wake, my soul, your time to sleep
Will come, but not for now.
This is the time you ought to keep
Your hand upon the plow.

Work, my soul, your time for rest
Will come just after reaping.
Till that time be watching lest
Your Lord should find you sleeping.

Softly Sojourning

"And he [Esau] said, Let us take our journey, and let us go, and I will go before thee. And he [Jacob] said unto him... The children are tender, and the flocks and herds with young are with me: and if men should overdrive them one day, all the flock will die... I will lead on softly, according as the cattle that goeth before me and the children be able to endure" (Genesis 33:12-14).

So softly, Lord, You lead our souls
According as we can endure.
Every step Your love controls;
All Your paths of truth are sure.

So softly, Lord, You lead the way.
So teach us as we follow You
To trust You more each passing day
Till our sojourn here is through.

Spectacular Speech

"The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth His handiwork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night showeth knowledge. There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard. Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath He set a tabernacle for the sun" (Psalm 19:1-4). "He telleth the number of the stars; He calleth them all by their names" (Psalm 147:4).

The heavens are telling the glory of God;
Day after day they are uttering speech.
Their message is spread on the night sky abroad;
Night after night they continue to teach.

Spectacular speech! How majestic the glory
Unveiled by God on that star-engraved scroll!
The stars by their names have been telling the story
Of Jesus who rescues and ransoms the soul!

Treasures of Truth

"I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which Thou hast showed unto Thy servant" (Genesis 32:10).

Lord, I am not worthy of even the least
Of all of the mercies and truth You have shown.
With marvelous mercies You made me a feast!
How vast are the treasures of truth You made known!

Faith Focus

"And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God" (Mark 11:22).

Have faith in God and in all He has said.
Didn't He raise Jesus Christ from the dead?
Didn't He send Him to die in our stead?
His prophets foretold it! Have you not read?

Have faith in God and in all he will do.
This is the key to a right world view.
Focus your faith with a lens that is true,
Believing the promises God made to you.

Lord of my Lot

"The Lord is the Portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: Thou maintainest my lot. The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage. I will bless the Lord who hath given me counsel" (Psalm 16:5-7). "Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end.... the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand" (Proverbs 19:20,21).

The Lord is my Portion: how pleasant and good
Are all of the lines that have fallen to me!
And He guards the boundaries I never could,
Preserving my heritage eternally.

How sweet is the Portion that I have in Him!
How wise is His counsel for my latter end!
How full is the cup that runs over the brim
With blessings for others to whom He will send!

Minister as the Master

"Whosoever will be great among you shall be your minister.... For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many" (Mark 10:43,45).

Would you be great in God's opinion,
Obedient to His call?
Surrender, then, to His dominion,
And minister to all.

For this is what our Master did,
And this is why He came:
To give His life, and then to bid
Us likewise do the same.

Impossible Imported

"There is none that doeth good, no not one" (Psalm 14:3). "There is none good but One, that is, God.... And they were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, Who then can be saved? And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible" (Mark 10:18,26,27).

There is none good, not even one;
So who then can be saved?
If nothing can be paid or done,
And all men are depraved?

It is impossible with men;
That's what Jesus said.
But not with God who raised again
Our Savior from the dead.

Praise the Lord saved us thus,
As God's Word has reported!
Salvation could not come by us;
It had to be imported!

Bountiful and Beautiful

Resurrection Sunday

"I have trusted in Thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in Thy salvation. I will sing unto the Lord, because He hath dealt bountifully with me" (Psalm 13:5,6). "By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the Lord men depart from evil" (Proverbs 16:6). "I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you" (John 16:22).

How bountiful and beautiful
My Savior is to me!
He gave Himself to save my soul;
He lives to make me free!

His mercy and His truth abound
To purge away my sin,
And walking in His fear I've found
His cleansing power within.

I'll joy in Christ, who lives to save,
And to Him I will sing!
He claimed my victory from the grave,
And robbed death of its sting!

How shall it be when ages roll,
And we shall see His face?
How bountiful and beautiful
The end is of His grace!

Musing or Missing

"He taught His disciples, and said unto them, The Son of man is delivered unto the hands of men, and they shall kill Him; and after that He is killed, He shall rise the third day. But they understood not that saying, and were afraid to ask Him.... for by the way they had disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest" (Mark 9:31-34).

How much we occupy our mind
With petty conversation!
Disputing this and that we find
No time for meditation.

No time for musing on God's word?
Alas! We miss the best
That mortal ears have ever heard,
And eyes were thereby blest.

Ah, Lord, forgive our pettiness,
And give us focused thought
On Jesus' love and righteousness,
To worship as we ought!

Promised Presence

"Behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest... I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of. And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not" (Genesis 28:15,16).

Surely the Lord is now in this place,
Though I knew it not when I laid down to sleep.
Awake, my soul, to His marvelous grace
And His promised presence to save and to keep!

Discerning the Desire

"Lord, Thou hast heard the desire of the humble: Thou wilt prepare their heart, Thou wilt cause Thine ear to hear" (Psalm 10:17).

God discerns the humble heart:
He hears its deep desire
Before the prayer will even start,
Before the spark is fire.

God Himself will then prepare
That humble heart to pray.
How He longs to hear that prayer
From sinners gone astray!

Wonderful and Well

"And [they] were beyond measure astonished, saying, He hath done all things well: He maketh both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak.... Having eyes, see ye not? And having ears, hear ye not? And do ye not remember?" (Mark 7:37, 8:18).

Jesus makes the deaf to hear;
The dumb to speak and sing!
How wonderful and well, it's clear,
Our Lord does everything!

For I recall so very well
The darkness of my mind.
I could not see, nor hear, nor tell
That I was deaf and blind.

But Jesus gave me ears and eyes
To hear and see His love.
He gave me speech that testifies
Of unseen things above.

Having eyes, then, let me see;
Having ears, then, hear!
Having speech, I'll tell that He
Is wonderful and dear!

What are We?

"O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is Thy name in all the earth, who hast set Thy glory above the heavens! When I consider Thy heavens, the work of Thy fingers, the moon the and the stars, which Thou hast ordained; what is man, that Thou art mindful of him? And the son of man, that Thou visitest him?" (Psalm 8:3,4).

O Lord, our Lord, how excellent
Is Your name in all the earth!
Your own beloved Son You sent
To pay the price our souls were worth.

What are we, then, our loving God,
That You would think upon us so,
And visit us upon this sod,
And to the cross for sinners go?

Lost in wonder at Your grace,
We give thanks, Lord, for Your love!
Jesus, take the highest place
In our hearts and realms above!

Blowing and Blessing

"And immediately He talked with them, and saith unto them, Be of good cheer: It is I; be not afraid. And He went up unto them into the ship; and the wind ceased" (Mark 6:50,51). "The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and He addeth no sorrow with it" (Proverbs 10:22).

The wind may blow and cause alarm,
But Jesus Christ is near at hand.
He guards our souls from every harm;
The wind will cease at His command.

The storm may come, the waves may swell,
And we may sometimes wonder why.
So may we learn to listen well,
And hear our Lord say, "It is I."

And hearing this, we have good cheer;
We never need to be afraid.
The blowing winds bring Jesus near,
And thus His blessing is displayed.

Look of Love

"And Jesus, when He came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd" (Mark 6:34). "All we like sheep have gone astray" (Isaiah 53:6).

As Jesus looked down from His throne,
When we like sheep had gone astray,
He longed to claim us as His own,
And take our load of sin away.

As Jesus looked out from the mount,
On hopeless people of this earth,
His own compassion made Him count
And pay the price their souls were worth.

As Jesus looked from Calvary,
Where He for us was crucified,
He looked through time on you and me
With eyes of love, and for us died.

Holy Hatred

"The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.... For whoso findeth Me findeth life, and shall obtain favor of the LORD. But he that sinneth against Me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate Me love death" (Proverbs 8:13,35,36).

The fear of the Lord will teach us to hate
All that is evil in God's holy eyes.
There's no middle ground or room for debate:
Love what God loves, and the evil despise.

For God hates the sin that will wrong our own soul,
Depriving us of His pleasure and favor.
The evil we hold to will soon take its toll,
By wronging ourselves and grieving the Savior.

Discipled through Distress

"Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer" (Psalm 4:1).

The circumstances in our lives
Will sometimes cause distress.
Yet this is when God's Spirit strives
To purge, enlarge, and bless.

We know that God still works all things
Together for our good;
Yes, even through distress He brings
The discipline He should.

Sweet vs. Swine

"Now there was nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding. And all the devils besought Him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them. And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea (they were about two thousand), and were choked in the sea. And they that fed the swine fled, and told it in the city, and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that was done. And they come to Jesus, and see him that was possessed with the devil, and had the legion, sitting and clothed, and in his right mind... And they began to pray Him to depart out of their coasts. And when He was come into the ship, he that had been possessed with the devil prayed Him that he might be with Him" (Mark 5:11-18).

The riches of this passing world,
Like the swine those herdsmen cherished,
Are destined one day to be hurled
To the sea of all things perished.

Behold in Christ the riches found:
Life abundant, endless, sweet!
Let the devilish swine be drowned,
While we sit at Jesus feet.

Clothed in righteousness we find,
The peace this world cannot afford;
Seated, clothed, in our right mind,
In sweet surrender to our Lord!

Let the world have its swine,
And bid the Savior to depart.
Yet I am His, and He is mine,
And this gives gladness to my heart.

Finding by Following

"I being in the way, the Lord led me.... And I bowed my head, and worshiped the LORD God... which had led me in right way" (Genesis 24:27,48).

Lead us, Lord our God, we pray
To find Your purpose to fulfill.
The safest place to be today
Is in the center of Your will.

Through the paths of joy or pain,
We look to You to lead the way.
For You will make the right way plain
To those who follow and obey.

Fresh Fruit

"Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in His law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper" (Psalm 1:1-3). "These are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred" (Mark 4:20).

Those who decide to be fruitful for God,
Will seldom receive this world's commendation.
They will not wait for the world to applaud,
But find in God's Word their sweet meditation.

Fresh fruit will thus come to those thus employed,
For they will see the things from God's point of view;
And they will delight in what God has enjoyed,
In doing His will, and proclaiming what's true.

Place in the Praise

"Praise ye the Lord.... Praise Him for His mighty acts: praise Him according to His excellent greatness. Praise Him with the trumpet... Praise Him with the timbrel and dance.... Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord" (Psalm 150:1-6).

For all the Lord did, shall do, and He does,
Give praise to the Lord, and His work proclaim!
For all the Lord is, shall be, and He was,
Give praise to the Lord, for His excellent name!

Now where is your place in this concert of praise?
The sound of a trumpet? The timbrel? The dance?
The place and the part that each one of us plays,
Is ours by God's purpose, not meaningless chance.

Healing on Hand

"And when He [Jesus] had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, He saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other" (Mark 3:5).

In the midst of hardened hearts,
Stretch forth your prayerful hand.
For thereby God imparts
The strength we need to stand.

Stretch forth your needy hand,
And God will fill it full.
He heals by His command,
And thereby makes us whole.

Tenderly Together

"And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together. And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the burnt offering? And Abraham said, My son, God will provide Himself a Lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together" (Genesis 22:6-8). "Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave Me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me" (John 16:32).

Our Savior did not walk alone,
But with His Father up that hill;
For He knew, as He was known,
His Father's presence and His will.

What a portrait that we see
As Isaac and his father walk:
May they speak to you and me,
As together, they thus talk:

"My father," pausing where he stood.
"Here am I, my son," said he.
"Behold the fire and the wood,
But for an offering, what have we?"

"God will provide Himself a Lamb,"
He answers Isaac tenderly.
And in those words of Abraham,
The Lamb of God we clearly see.

So together they went on,
With the fire, knife, and wood.
Praise the Father! Praise the Son!
Shout together: "God is good!"

Stars and Statutes

"He telleth the number of the stars; He calleth them all by their names.... He showeth His word unto Jacob, His statutes and His judgments unto Israel" (Psalm 147:4,19). "Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion? Canst thou bring forth Mazzaroth in his season? Or canst thou guide Arcturus with his sons?" (Job 38:31,32). "But he [the cleansed leper] went out, and began to publish it much, and to blaze abroad the matter" (Mark 1:45).

Twinkle, twinkle, blazing star.
Now I know just what you are.
You're a witness up above,
Of God's majesty and love.

God assigned to you a name
To spread abroad your Maker's fame.
So let Orion magnify
The Prince of Light who came to die.

Mazzaroth, bring forth His praise!
Shine, Arcturus, set ablaze
The sky with words that tell the story
Of redemption and God's glory.

And as we turn our wondering eyes
Away from God's majestic skies,
His statutes, true from age to age,
Are told on Scripture's every page.

Let us therefore blaze abroad
The Gospel of our glorious God!
Like the stars shine in the night,
Let us shed abroad His light.

Happiness, Hope, and Help

"Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God: which made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that therein is: which keepeth truth forever" (Psalm 146:5,6).

Happy is he whose Helper is God,
Happy is he who hopes in the LORD,
Who is led by the comfort His staff and rod,
And is kept by the power His mercies afford.

Happy is he whose trust is in Christ,
The Maker of heaven, the earth, and the sea,
Who came to this earth to be sacrificed,
To rescue the likes of you and of me.

Foolish Fear

"The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe. Many seek the ruler's favor; but every man's judgment cometh from the LORD" (Proverbs 29:25,26).

The fear of man will bring a snare,
Warp discernment, prompt despair.
The fear of God will bring relief,
Guide our steps, promote belief.

Be done with fearing mortal man!
Fear the Lord! Before Him stand!
While many seek the ruler's favor,
God tries and judges our behavior.

Moot Man

"Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch: go your way, make it as sure as ye can. So they went, and made the sepulcher sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch" (Matthew 27:65,66).

"Make it as sure as you can."
That is what Pilate had said.
The tomb would be sealed by man,
But God raised our Lord from the dead.

Make it as sure as you can;
Try, but your efforts must fail.
No counsel, no power, or plan
Can ever against God prevail!

Better Boast

"Boast not thyself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth" (Proverbs 27:1).

Boast not yourself of tomorrow, my friend,
You cannot foretell just how it will end.
God owns tomorrow, and all it contains:
Its mixture of sorrow, of joy, and its gains.

Boast in the Lord, for the future is His,
The past we record, and what presently is.
Trust in the Savior, for He holds tomorrow,
The past that we savor, and the present we borrow.

Solace for Souls

"I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me: refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul. I cried unto Thee, O LORD: I said, Thou art my Refuge and my Portion in the land of the living" (Psalm 142:4,5).

How much I was shaken that day when I cried
Concluding that none would care for my soul;
But I was mistaken, since Christ for me died:
The work now is done and my debt paid in full!

Word Watch

"Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips. Incline not my heart to any evil thing" (Psalm 141:3,4). "A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold" (Proverbs 25:11). "Then he [Peter] began to curse and swear, saying, I know not the Man" (Matthew 26:74).

Set a watch, O my Lord,
At the door of my lips,
And screen every word
Before the word slips.

Be the Guard of my heart
Before my mouth sins.
Yes, it's better to start
Where the problem begins.

Let Your word richly dwell
In my heart everyday.
Let me draw from the well
Of Your word and Your way.

Send a word that is right,
Fitting each situation.
Let Your truth be my light
And my heart's meditation.

Prayer for Preservation

"Deliver me, O Lord.... Keep me, O Lord... preserve me.... O God the Lord, the Strength of my salvation, Thou hast covered my head in the day of battle" (Psalm 140:1-7). "A wise man is strong.... If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small" (Proverbs 24:5,10). "Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but he flesh is weak" (Matthew 26:41).

The spirit indeed is willing,
But the flesh is so very weak.
Let that true assessment be filling
Your heart as in prayer you will speak.

So pray for your own preservation
And watch in adversity's day.
The God of your strength and salvation
Will cover your head as you pray.

Seek and Seen

"And she called the name of the Lord that spake unto her, Thou God seest me; for she said, Have I also looked after Him that seeth me?" (Genesis 16:13). "O Lord, Thou hast searched me and known me.... See if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting" (Psalm 139:1,24).

When at first for God I sought,
I found Him by surprise.
Amazing truth! Who would have thought
God fixed on me His eyes?

My every thought and word and deed
Were pondered in His sight!
I'd sought for Him who saw my need
For love and life and light.

Lord, You've searched and known me well.
I seek You; I am seen.
Search me still, and thus dispel
My sin, and make me clean.

Worship isn't Wasted

"After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy Shield, and thy exceeding great Reward" (Genesis 15:1). "Now when Jesus was in Bethany... there came unto Him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on His head, as He sat at meat. But when His disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose was this waste?" (Matthew 26:6-8).

"Why this waste?" the lost will say,
For they know nothing of
The ransom Jesus died to pay,
Compelled by His own love.

So what if others count it vain
To worship Christ our Lord?
Jesus is our greatest Gain,
Our exceeding great Reward.

No, worship is not wasted;
It's a breath of heaven's air.
It's heaven's joys foretasted,
And heaven's grandest prayer.

Sovereign Searcher

"The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water: He turneth it whithersoever He will. Every way of man is right in his own eyes: but the Lord pondereth the hearts.... A wicked man hardeneth his face: but as for the upright, He directeth his way" (Proverbs 21:1,2,29).

The heart of the king is in the Lord's hand,
To turn it wherever He will.
Whether or not the kings understand,
His purpose they'll surely fulfill.

And God is the searcher of each of our hearts;
The meek will He teach by His grace.
How sweet is the peace that surrender imparts!
How bitter the proud, hardened face!

Back to the Beginning

"And he (Abram) went on his journeys from the south even to Bethel, unto to the place where his tent had been at the beginning... unto the place of the altar, which he had made there at the first: and there Abram called on the name of the Lord.... And the Lord said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art" (Genesis 13:3,4,14). "Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest" (John 4:35).

Look back to the place you began,
To the place where you called on the Lord,
When you learned of His judgment and ran
To the refuge His cross would afford.

Now lift up your eyes on the fields,
From the place where you presently are.
The grace in the harvest that yields
Is the grace that has led you thus far.

The Counsel that Counts

"Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end. There are many devices in a man's heart; nevertheless the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand.... Cease, my son, to hear the instruction that causeth to err from the words of knowledge" (Proverbs 19:21). "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My words shall not pass away" (Matthew 24:35).

Many indeed, are the counsels of man
This world so highly esteems.
The counsel that counts is that which will stand;
All else are just wrongheaded dreams.

Cease from instruction that causes your heart
To go from God's counsel astray.
Heaven and earth shall surely depart
But His words shall not pass away.

Behold Before

"Behold, I have told you before" (Matthew 24:25).

Down through time's long corridor
Our Lord could see clearly and say:
"Behold, I have told you before,"
And speak of this earth's latter day.

What marvelous truths He unveiled!
The earth's final chapters are written!
The Lord will have finally prevailed,
Though He, for our sakes, would be smitten.

Let this be our great expectation:
"Behold, I have told you before."
From the cross to the great tribulation,
And thereafter with Christ evermore.

Gathered by His Goodness

"Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity... for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore" (Psalm 133:1,3). "How often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!" (Matthew 23:37).

How good and how pleasant it is when we gather
Around Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord!
And this is the place where Christ would be rather
Than any place else that He looks toward.

"How often would I have gathered your children"
(How tender the Savior's lamentable thought!),
"Just as a hen also gathers her chickens
All under her wings, and yet you would not."

Astonishing words revealing His heart!
How sweet the assurance that He is same!
One day He'll gather us not to depart;
Till then we'll gather around His dear name.

Weightier Wealth

"Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues without right.... How much better is it to get wisdom than gold! and to get understanding rather to be chosen than silver!.... Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.... He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city" (Proverbs 16:8,16,19,32). "Ye... have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith" (Matthew 23:23).

When measured on the perfect scales
That God Almighty views,
The righteousness from God prevails
Above great revenues.

When wisdom is compared with gold
By God's unerring measure,
How much better, we are told,
Is wisdom's greater treasure.

When God contrasts humility
Against the haughty crowd,
He gives grace to the lowly,
But He resists the proud.

When patience rules our hearts and souls,
We're better than the strong.
How good it is when God controls
Our spirits all day long.

Laws of Love

"Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself" (Matthew 22:36-39).

Of all the mandates of the Law,
The greatest one that we can find
Is: You shall love the Lord your God
With all your heart and soul mind.

The second one is: Love your neighbor
The same as you would love yourself.
May these be found in our behavior,
Not hidden on a dusty shelf.

Wedding Warning

"The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which a made a marriage for his son, and sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come.... They made light of it and went their ways.... And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment. And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless" (Matthew 22:2-12). "I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for He hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, He hath covered me with the robe of righteousness.... But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags" (Isaiah 61:10, 64:6).

You have your wedding invitation;
God bids the greatest and the least.
He gives the garments of salvation,
Required at this wedding feast.

This robe of righteousness He gives
Will cover your unrighteousness;
For Jesus died, He rose, and lives
To justify each wedding guest.

A word of warning to all those
Who think their righteousness will do:
Your righteousness, like filthy clothes,
Will not suffice to cover you!

How shall you stand before the King
Without His garment on that day,
When no excuse that you can bring
Explains your negligence away?

Hope Deferred and Heart Desire

"Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life.... The desire accomplished is sweet to the soul" (Proverbs 13:12,19).

Hope deferred is part of life;
Heart desire is as well.
Look beyond the present strife:
Heaven triumphs over hell.

While our hope is in the Lord,
We can rest; He's in control.
Christ shall come with His reward;
Come, Desire of our soul!

Goodly Fruit in Godly Fear

"Blessed is everyone that feareth the Lord... Happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee. Thy wife shall be as the fruitful vine by the sides of thine house: thy children like olive plants round about thy table" (Psalm 128:1-3). "The root of the righteous yieldeth fruit.... A man shall be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth" (Proverbs 12:12,14). "And when He saw a fig tree in the way, He came to it , and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward forever. And presently the fig tree withered away" (Matthew 21:19).

The goodly fruit of godly fear
Is given by the Savior.
We taste it in the words we hear,
We see it in behavior.

Lord, grant in us this goodly fruit
Through what we say and do.
Lord, give to us that righteous root
That yields fruit for You.

Heavenly Heritage

"Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is His reward" (Psalm 127:3). "Then came the mother of Zebedee's children with her sons, worshiping Him, and desiring a certain thing. And He said unto her, What wilt thou? She saith unto Him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on Thy right hand, and the other on the left in Thy kingdom" (Matthew 20:20,21).

(Note that James and John, this mother's "sons of thunder" (Mark 3:17), were among the three that our Lord drew especially close to Himself throughout His ministry.)

Behold the children that God gives:
They're heaven's precious treasure.
For them our Savior died and lives,
This is their valued measure.

Pray that children of the womb
Be children born again;
Guide them to the empty tomb
Where Jesus rose again.

Petition God to keep them close
And live for Him each day.
Our Savior heeds the prayer of those
Who pray to Him that way.

Weeping vs. Sleeping

"They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him" (Psalm 126:5,6). "He that gathereth in summer is a wise son: but he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame" (Proverbs 10:5).

They that sow the Gospel seed
Are also those who weep.
Those who do not see the need
Are also those who sleep.

Those who weep with tears of love
Can see through Jesus' eyes.
Those who sleep are thoughtless of
The hopeless soul who dies.

Awake! The harvest time is here!
What shall the sleepers say,
When they before the Lord appear
On that approaching day?

Suffer them Sooner

"Then were brought unto Him little children, that He should put His hands on them, and pray: and the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto Me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 19:8).

Suffer the children to come to the Lord.
Do not forbid them or hinder their way.
The Savior is calling, and looking toward,
The children to trust Him and not go astray.

The sooner the better, little children should know
That God is concerned with a child's behavior.
So train up a child in the way he should go,
And guide him to trust in the Lord as his Savior.

Kindred Keeper

"And the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper?" (Genesis 4:9).

Am I my brother's keeper?
These were the words of Cain.
The secret lurking deeper,
Before the Lord was plain.

Before Cain slew his brother
God saw his evil heart.
The murder of another,
Is traced there from the start.

I am my brother's keeper,
A steward of God's love!
I watchman, not a sleeper,
Accountable above.

Asking for Adam

"And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden. And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?" "For the Son of Man is come to save that which was lost" (Matthew 19:11).

Lord, You knew where Adam hid,
And yet you asked him where he was.
Lord, You knew what Adam did,
And what each son of Adam does.

And still Your love has asked for us,
Within this garden cursed by sin.
We hear Your voice, and answer thus:
Forgive us, Lord, and enter in!

Changed as a Child

"And Jesus called a little child unto Him, and set him in the midst of them, and said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 18:2,3).

Jesus called, the child came,
And He set him in their midst.
Thus He calls us, just the same,
Yet our rebel hearts resist.

Becoming as a little child
Does not mean to be naive.
How often rather we're beguiled
By our pride that will deceive.

Lord, we come to You defiled:
Cleanse us from the pride you find.
Change us, as a little child;
Keep us in that frame of mind.

Just Jesus

"This is My beloved Son, in Whom I am well-pleased; hear ye Him.... And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid. And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only" (Matthew 17:5-8).

Jesus only, what a sight!
Oh what peace our Lord imparts!
Jesus only, puts to flight
Every fear that plagues our hearts!

Lift your eyes to Jesus only;
Lend your ears to hear His voice.
We need not be sad or lonely;
Hear Him, see Him, and rejoice!

Decrees in the Darkness

"In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.... And God said, Let there be light in the firmament of the heaven... and let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so" (Genesis 1:1-3,14,15). "And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars forever and ever" (Daniel 12:3).

In the beginning when God had created
The heaven and earth in the darkness of night,
The light was ordained as soon as He stated:
"Let there be light," and then there was light.

And so shall it be with those who are wise,
Shining as stars by God's Gospel decree;
And so may His Spirit illumine the eyes
Of those who in darkness are longing to see.

Ready Remedy

"Fear the Lord, and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones" (Proverbs 3:7,8). "Unto you that fear My name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in His wings" (Malachi 4:2).

There is a ready remedy
That will heal our soul's disease:
Fear the Lord, and thereby flee
From all evil that He sees.

Let Your fear, Lord, make us wise,
With the remedy it brings.
Sun of righteousness, arise
With our healing in Your wings.

Fortune Finder

"I rejoice at Thy word, as one that findeth great spoil" (Psalm 119:162). "My son, if thou wilt receive My words... Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; if thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures, then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord giveth wisdom" (Proverbs 2:1-6).

Rejoice, my soul, at what you've found!
No earthly fortune can compare!
The treasures in God's Word abound;
Who would have thought so much was there!

Come, search with wondrous expectation
The knowledge of our God concealed:
Prophetic words of our salvation,
And His wondrous love revealed.

Lift your voice for understanding;
Search for her as hidden treasure!
Find the wisdom God is handing
To all those who seek His pleasure.

Hypocrisy in the Heart

"Ye hypocrites, well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto Me with their mouth, and honoreth Me with their lips; but their heart is far from Me" (Matthew 15:7,8).

Dear Lord, in view of all You are,
It seems so very odd
That hearts can choose to be so far
With lips that honor God.

Expose my heart's hypocrisy,
And purge it by Your gaze!
Thus shall my heart and lips agree
In love and grateful praise.