Blossoms of Blessing

"And it shall come to pass, that the man's rod, whom I shall choose, shall blossom: and I will make to cease from Me the murmurings of the children of Israel, whereby they murmur against you. And Moses spake unto the children of Israel, and every one of their princes gave him a rod apiece, for each prince one, according to their father's houses, even twelve rods: and the rod of Aaron was among their rods. And Moses laid up the rods before the Lord in the tabernacle of witness. And it came to pass, that on the morrow Moses went into the tabernacle of witness; and behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds" (Numbers 17:5-8).

The head of each tribe of Israel came,
And each of them brought to Moses their rod,
On each of those rods inscribing their name,
To find out which one would be chosen by God.

God chose a way, undeniably awesome,
To show who it was that He set apart:
Only the rod that He chose would blossom,
So all of the rebels would take it to heart.

Thus it was Aaron that God clearly chose,
For his was the singular rod that would bloom;
And so, in like manner, our Savior who rose
Refutes all imposters by His empty tomb!

Lord and Lifter

"Thou, O Lord, art a shield for me, my glory, and Lifter up of mine head" (Psalm 3:3). "Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop: but a good word maketh it glad" (Proverbs 12:25).

Lord, You are a shield for me;
You're my glory and my crown.
When contemplating Calvary
You lift my head up when I'm down.

I see You died, Lord, in my stead,
On the cross to bear my shame.
Thus You lift my bowing my head
To magnify Your matchless name!

Heaviness within my heart
Can make it stoop and leave it sad.
But Your good word will impart
The grace of God that makes it glad.

Lord and Lifter of my eyes,
Do not let me waste the time
By stooping down when I should rise
To see Your majesty sublime.

Wise Why's

"Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against His Anointed.... Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth" (Psalm 2:1,2,10). "He [Jesus] perceived their craftiness, and said unto them, Why tempt ye Me?" (Luke 20:23).

Why do nations vainly rage
Against the Lord, supremely wise?
Have they not read Scripture's page
Or viewed creation with their eyes?

Why do kings and rulers make
Against the Lord a foolish plan?
Do they think He's not awake
Or that He is afraid of man?

Why do people tempt the Lord
As if He cannot pass their test?
Have they willfully ignored
The prophecies that Christ addressed?

Be wise therefore, and hear instruction!
Turn now at the Lord's reproof!
The way that leads to sure destruction
Is filled with those who stand aloof!

Nurtured in Not

"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).

How blessed indeed we find ourselves
To WALK NOT as the counselors say,
Who author books upon our shelves
That teach us how to go astray.

How blessed indeed we are as well
To STAND NOT in the sinners' path.
It is the way that leads to hell,
Destruction, and eternal wrath.

How blessed indeed we are at last
To SIT NOT in the scorners' seat.
When all their mockery has passed,
The One they mock, they yet shall meet.

How blessed indeed is meditation
That we NURTURE day and night
In the Word of our salvation
That teaches us to live aright.

How blessed indeed that we may grow,
Thus NURTURED as a fruitful tree,
As in the Word of God we know
We have the truth that makes us free!

Blue Borders

"Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put upon the fringe of the borders a ribbon of blue: and it shall be unto to you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the Lord, and do them; and that ye seek not after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to go a whoring: that ye may remember, and do all My commandments, and be holy unto your God" (Numbers 15:38-40).

The people of Israel had such an order
To aid to them in keeping their calling in view:
On each of their garments they placed on the border
A holy reminder, a ribbon of blue.

That heavenly color was there to recall
Commandments from which they should never depart,
And served as a warning to great and to small
To not go astray through the lusts of their heart.

Those borders may also remind us as well
To seek not the lusts of our heart and our eyes.
Since we are God's people delivered from hell,
We're called to be heavenly, holy, and wise.

Joyful Judgment

"The Lord taketh pleasure in His people: He will beautify the meek with salvation. Let the saints be joyful in glory.... Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand.... to execute upon them the judgment written: this honor have all His saints. Praise ye the Lord" (Psalm 149:5-9). "And [Jesus] said unto him, Zaccheus, make haste, and come down; for today I must abide at thy house. And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully.... And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house" (Luke 19:5-9).

There is a judgment that is written,
An honor that the Lord bestows,
A sword by which the foe is smitten,
That even Satan can't oppose.

That sword is placed into the hands
Of all who will receive the Lord.
It is the Word of God that stands,
His sharp, discerning, two-edged sword.

It is a sword that has two sides,
That joyfully declares salvation,
And yet that judgment still abides:
Without the Lord is condemnation.

It is a sword beyond opinion
To discern what we have heard,
Declaring sin has no dominion
Over those who trust God's Word.

Child of God, rejoice today:
In Christ we have the victory!
Don't let Satan have his way:
Submit to God and he will flee!

Commanded Closeness

"He also exalteth... a people near unto Him. Praise ye the Lord" (Psalm 148:14). "A certain blind man sat by the wayside begging.... Jesus stood, and commanded him to be brought to Him: and when he was come near, He asked him, saying, What wilt thou that I shall do unto thee? And he said, Lord that I may receive my sight. And Jesus said unto him, Receive thy sight: thy faith hath saved thee. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Him, glorifying God" (Luke 18:35-43).

Rise up now, for Christ commands
That mercy now may bring you near.
Extending now to you His hands,
He bids you come, and not to fear.

Hear Him call above the noise
Of all the crowd that would forbid.
Yes, He hears your feeble voice,
And from His sight you are not hid.

Rise up now, and you will find
His healing power gives you sight
To follow Him, no longer blind,
In the pathway of His light.

How good it is that we are brought
So close to Christ, our Lord and Savior!
By His precious blood He bought
A people near Him, in His favor.

Prevailing Prayer

"Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank Thee, that I am not... even as this publican.... And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God, be merciful to me, a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other" (Luke 18:10-14).

Prevailing prayer displays the key
That haughty hearts can never find
That's guarded by humility
And glory to our God in mind.

Many volumes upon our shelves
May now condone the way we pray,
Yet our opinion of ourselves
May be the stone that blocks our way.

The pharisaic prayer thus failed
Because of pride he held within.
The praying publican prevailed
Through true repentance of his sin.

Teach us, Lord, to pray aright,
As You examine us with grace.
Chase the darkness with Your light,
So pride may find no hiding place!

Lot's Loss

"Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; but the same day that Lot went out of Sodom, it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.... Remember Lot's wife" (Luke 17:28-32).

We ought to be giving some serious thought
To the losses that we may observe in Lot's life.
All of his riches were gathered for naught,
And then we are told to remember Lot's wife.

Though Lot had escaped from the fiery wrath,
Sodom corrupted his wife and his daughters.
This was the consequence of his chosen path
That poisoned the well of morality's waters.

No wonder the Scriptures declare he was vexed!
No wonder that Lot had such grief in his soul!
May we well consider this serious text,
And surrender our hearts to our Savior's control!

Nation as the Nine

"One of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine?" (Luke 17:15-17).

None of the nine returned to give thanks
For all of the healing that Jesus had done.
Among those ten lepers, all that broke ranks
To give thanks and praise to the Lord was just one.

And where are the nine that we are addressing
Reflected today in our attitude?
They're seen when we have received the Lord's blessing
And just as those nine, forget gratitude.

Forgive us, O Lord, and heal our nation;
How greatly You've blessed America's land!
Revive us, O Lord, and send Your salvation,
As now we give thanks for Your merciful hand!

State of our Stewardship

"There was a certain rich man which had a steward... And he called him, and said unto him... Give an account of thy stewardship.... He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much" (Luke 16:1-10).

How great are the blessings of God we enjoy;
How great is the grace our stewardship too!
As stewards accountable in His employ,
We'll give an account to Him that is true.

What is the state of our stewardship now?
Will God find us faithful in little and much?
May we employ wisely what God will endow,
Extending to others the grace of His touch.

Daily Discernment

"Cause me to hear Thy lovingkindness in the morning, for in Thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk, for I lift up my soul unto Thee.... Teach me to do Thy will; for Thou art my God: Thy Spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness" (Psalm 143:8,10).

Lord, cause me hear Your love in the morning
Before I advance through the course of the day,
Before I am met with the hatred and scorning
Of those who are bitterly going astray.

Lord, cause me know the path I should walk,
For I lift up my soul this morning to You.
Though conflicts will come and sinners will mock,
I'd walk in Your counsel, eternally true.

Balanced by love and the wisdom You give,
Cause me to live out the truth that I learn.
Teach me, O Lord, everyday how to live,
Led by the Spirit of God to discern.

The Cry to Christ

"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 to Thee, O Lord: I said: Thou art my Refuge and my Portion in the land of the living" (Psalm 142:4,5). "No man gave unto him. And when he came to himself, he said.... I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee" (Luke 15:16-18).

There was a day that I recall
That I had looked around to see
That no man cared for me at all
Regarding my eternity.

Yes, I remember it so well!
I wondered where my soul would be:
In heaven or eternal hell?
How fearful was that time for me!

Finding no one who would care,
I simply had no other choice:
I lifted up my awkward prayer,
And Jesus Christ then heard my voice!

I came to Christ confessing sin,
I thanked Him that He died for me,
And then and there He entered in
To save my soul eternally!

Invalidating the Invitation

"And Moses said... We are journeying unto the place of which the Lord said, I will give it you: come thou with us, and we will do thee good: for the Lord hath spoken good concerning Israel. And he said unto him, I will not go; but I will depart to mine own land, and to my kindred" (Numbers 10:29,30). "A certain man made a great supper, and bade many.... Come, for all things are now ready. And they all with one consent began to make excuse.... I say unto you, that none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper" (Luke 14:16-24).

Come with us and see the good
Of all the promised land!
God has made it understood
And stretches forth His hand.

How marvelous His invitation!
How can it be refused?
Yet many brush aside salvation,
And wish to be excused!

Beware of Satan's great seduction
That smoothes the slippery slope,
And paves the highway of destruction,
Until there is no hope.

Come, for all that saves is done!
We journey to that place
Prepared ahead by God the Son
For all He saves by grace!

Come, and do not hesitate;
Avoid procrastination,
Lest you should thus invalidate
His gracious invitation!

Head and Heels

"The proud have hid a snare for me, and cords; they have spread a net by the wayside; the have set gins for me... O God the Lord, the Strength of my salvation, Thou hast covered my head in the day of battle" (Psalm 140:5,7).

Lord, how many times You have covered my head,
While the enemy hid unawares!
Lord, how many times You have graciously led
And delivered my feet from their snares.

Lord, how many times in the pathway of life
You have rescued my soul from their gins!
Lord, how many times in the battle and strife
You have kept me from unwitting sins!

I know I can't tell now the rest of that story;
Such mercies are hid from my view,
But when I am home, Lord, with You in Your glory,
I'll see then what You brought me through!

Close to the Cloud

"And when the cloud was taken up from the tabernacle, then after that the children of Israel journeyed: and in the place where the cloud abode, there the children of Israel pitched their tents.... whether it were two days, or a month, or a year that the cloud tarried upon the tabernacle... they kept the charge of the Lord, at the commandment of the Lord" (Numbers 9:17-23).

As Israel in the wilderness
Who waited for the cloud to lead,
We wait for God that He may bless
Where and when He has decreed.

A day or two, a month, or year,
Whether time was small or large,
The cloud of God was always near;
For Israel would keep His charge.

And so it is with us today
As pilgrims in this desert land:
Where God will lead, we go or stay,
And keep the charge of His command.

Prayer and Provision

"In the day when I cried, Thou answeredst me and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul" (Psalm 138:3).

In the day when I cried, You answered me, Lord,
And strengthened my faltering soul.
So shall I pray for the strength You afford
And delight in provision so full!

I'll not look for strength in my own fainting heart:
How dry is that well from within!
I'll pray for provision that You will impart,
For strength that will overcome sin.

Thank You, O Lord, for hearing my prayer,
Delivering my soul in that day.
So upon You I will cast every care,
Assured that You hear when I pray.

Much Received, Much Required

"Unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more" (Luke 12:48).

To those who have been given much,
From each of them is much required.
Our stewardship from God is such,
For all the blessings we've acquired.

Surely there's a consequence
For all the truth we have received
That should inspire diligence
In all of us who have believed.

Teach us, Lord, to live in view
Of our accountability,
For all You've done and yet will do
To give us life abundantly.

Sparrow Spectator

"Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows" (Luke 12:6,7).

God, who never once forgot
Or lost a sparrow from His view,
Bids you, dear one, to fear not:
He cares much more for you!

God, who never once has slumbered,
Promises to guard your soul.
Even all your hairs are numbered!
Rest assured, He's in control.

God, who never turns away
His ear from hearing all our prayers,
Bids you come to Him today,
Casting on Him all your cares.

God, the Keeper and Spectator
Of every sparrow on this earth,
As your Savior and Creator
Values you of much more worth!

Manifest Majesty

"For I know that the Lord is great... Whatsoever the Lord pleased, that did He in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places... Thy name, O Lord, endureth forever; and Thy memorial, O Lord, throughout all generations" (Psalm 135:5,6,13).

We surely know our Lord is great;
His greatness surely is not hid.
We only need to contemplate
The wondrous things that our Lord did.

Our Lord has done as He has pleased
As manifested in each place:
In heaven, earth, and in the seas,
We see His greatness and His grace.

His memorial is in creation
By everything that He has made.
Through each and every generation
We see His majesty displayed.

His memory is in salvation
That brought Him down from heaven's throne.
How marvelous His demonstration
Of love that ransomed all His own!

Queenly Questions

"The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation, and condemn them: for she came from the utmost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, a greater than Solomon is here" (Luke 11:23).

Our Lord commended the queen of the south
For asking the questions she did
And hearing the answers from Solomon's mouth
Whose wisdom from her was not hid.

This is the queen who will rise up to judge
The men of this proud generation,
Despising reproof, refusing to budge
To turn to the Lord for salvation.

Come with an honest, inquiring mind,
For God has the answers you need.
Leave all your presuppositions behind,
And let His clear evidence lead.

"Come now," God says; that's not a suggestion!
Come now; you dare not delay!
Come as the queen did with each honest question;
Come while it's still called today.

Uniquely Unified

"How good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity" (Psalm 133:1). "A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favor rather than silver and gold. The rich and the poor meet together: the Lord is the Maker of them all" (Proverbs 22:1,2). "When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name" (Luke 11:2).

How very good indeed it is
As brethren in this family
To know we are forever His
Who gave Himself for you and me!

Gathered thus around our Lord
Who took upon Himself our shame,
Young and old and rich and poor,
Our Lord and Savior is the same.

Uniquely we find unity
As each of us can sweetly claim
For time and all eternity
Access by our Father's name.

Blessing His Beloved

"The Lord bless thee, and keep thee. The Lord make His face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee. The Lord lift up His countenance upon thee, and give thee peace" (Numbers 6:24-26). "The Lord hath chosen Zion; He hath desired it for His habitation. This is My rest forever... I will abundantly bless her provision" (Psalm 132:13-15). "One thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken from her" (Luke 10:42).

The Lord delights to bless His own,
On whom He shines His face.
His sovereign will upon His throne
Secures for them His grace.

The Lord has chosen as His rest
His own by their decision.
Abundantly for them He's blessed
His merciful provision.

This is all we really need:
To give to God our heart,
As Mary gladly gave Him heed
And chose the better part.

Lord, we thank You for Your love
That blessed us with salvation
By our Savior from above
Through His humiliation!

Happy Humility

"Lord, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty: neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me" (Psalm 131:1). "Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?.... Man's goings are of the Lord; how can a man then understand his own way?" (Proverbs 20:9,24). "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 has revealed them unto babes" (Luke 10:21).

Lord of heaven and of earth,
I find I'm in my happiest state,
When I contemplate Your worth,
Confessing You alone are great!

I cannot do the simplest thing,
Such as cleanse myself from sin.
I'm trusting You alone to bring
The grace my heart rejoices in.

I cannot even understand
The things pertaining to my way.
My purposes are in Your hand,
As are my goings everyday.

I am resolved to hear Your voice
And do Your will for me revealed,
And in humility rejoice
That by Your grace I'm cleansed and healed!

The Blessing of the Blotting

"And this water that causeth the curse shall go into thy bowels... And the priest shall write these curses in a book, and he shall blot them out with the bitter water" (Numbers 5:22,23). "If Thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? But there is forgiveness with Thee" (Psalm 130:3,4). "The cup which My Father hath given Me, shall I not drink it?" (John 18:11). "And you, being dead in your sins... hath He quickened together with Him, having blotted out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us" (Colossians 2:13,14).

The curses written in the book
For sins we carried out,
Are gone forever! Come and look!
They've all been blotted out!

That bitter water in the verse
That symbolized our cup,
Has blotted out our dreadful curse,
When Jesus drank it up.

If God would mark iniquities,
How great would be our loss!
He blotted out each sin He sees
By dying on the cross!

Thank You, Lord, for what You did
To purge our sins in love,
Which otherwise could not be hid
From holy eyes above.

Language of Life

"Death and life are in the power of the tongue" (Proverbs 18:21). "James and John... said, Lord, wilt Thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did? But He turned, and rebuked them, and said, 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 9:54-56).

Death and life are in the power
Of the tongue's persuasiveness.
Let us speak in this late hour
Words of life that save and bless.

Words to warn and words to woo,
Words of everlasting life:
Words that God confirms are true
That offer peace amid the strife.

God so loved the world that He
Gave to us His precious Son,
That by His grace we may be free,
Because His work that saves is done.

The Gospel shows God's life and love
Amid this world of death and hate.
This is the Spirit we are of
That we, by love, should demonstrate.

Discernment Denied

"Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool to get wisdom, seeing he hath no heart for it?" (Proverbs 17:16). "And Herod said, John have I beheaded: but who is this, of whom I hear such things? And he desired to see Him.... His disciples were with Him: and He asked them saying.... Whom say ye that I am? Peter answering said, the Christ of God" (Luke 9:9,18-20).

Why do some discern what's right,
While others are without a clue?
Why are some deprived of sight,
While others clearly see what's true?

Discernment comes not by a school
Where only the elite have learned;
The intellect may be a fool,
No matter what degree is earned.

The fool, by Scripture's definition,
Is one who has no heart for God,
Exchanging heaven for perdition,
Refusing grace for judgment's rod.

The reason some will not discern
The truth to which Christ testified,
Is that their hearts refuse to turn,
And thus, by choice, they are denied.

Healing for the Hopeless

"One daughter, about twelve years of age... lay a dying... And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any, came behind Him, and touched the border of His garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched... There cometh one... saying... Thy daughter is dead... [Jesus] took her by the hand, and called, saying, Maid, arise. And her spirit came again, and she arose" (Luke 8:41-55).

How vain is our labor to heal ourselves!
How wasted our time and our resources spent!
How pointless the searching of books on our shelves
Or worldly experts to whom we are sent!

Healing is hopeless without Jesus Christ;
How clearly we see this in Scripture revealed
In the woman who spent all and nothing sufficed
Who languished for twelve years and still was not healed.

We see this as well in the twelve-year old girl
Who helplessly died as she laid on her bed.
These are examples portraying this world,
Hopelessly sin-sick and spiritually dead.

Yet this is exactly why Jesus Christ came,
To accomplish the healing that we never could!
We are dead in our sins, we are not only lame;
There's not even one on this earth who is good.

Our Lord Jesus Christ is still healing today
All who will trust Him as their great Physician!
Hopeless and helpless, we dare not delay
In coming to Him in our hopeless condition!

Weeping and Working

"He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him" (Psalm 126:6). "Now the man out of whom the devils departed besought Him that he might be with Him: but Jesus sent him away, saying, Return to thine own house, and show how great things God hath done unto thee" (Luke 8:38,39).

We ought to go with precious seed
To lost and straying sheep,
As Christ in us supplies this need:
A heart prepared to weep.

How great the things that God has done
Since Christ has entered in!
How great our joy when God the Son
Delivered us from sin!

Yet surely with His joy is grief,
And rightly it is so,
For those yet lost in unbelief,
To whom we ought to go.

Now send us, Lord, into Your fields,
And in us, Lord, employ
Your love that weeps and doubtless yields
A harvest full of joy!

Jeopardy with Jesus

"And there came down a storm of wind on the lake, and they were filled with water, and were in jeopardy. And they came to Him... 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 8:22-23-25).

It's better to be in jeopardy
With Jesus our Lord being here
Than living with ungodly apathy,
As judgment is yet drawing near.

It's better to hear the proper reproof
Of Christ who will question our doubt
Than carelessly standing with sinners aloof,
Indifferent to how things turn out.

It's better, far better, to be with the Lord,
Whether in peace or in dangerous strife,
Than all that this world can vainly afford
In all of its false assurance in life.

Help from Heaven

"If it had not been the Lord who was on our side... the stream had gone over our soul... Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers: the snare is broken, and we are escaped. Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth" (Psalm 124:1-8).

Our soul was entrapped as bird that was snared,
But we have escaped, for the snare has been broken!
Our help came from heaven because our Lord cared
And rescued our souls as the prophets had spoken.

Our Lord who made heaven and earth merely spoke,
And all of creation could thereby begin.
Yet only by coming from heaven He broke
The snare that condemned us and held us in sin.

If it had not been the Lord on our side,
If help had not come from heaven above,
Surely in hopelessness we would have died!
Praise God for the help of His infinite love!

Servant's Serenity

"Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters... so our eyes wait upon the Lord our God... for we are exceedingly filled... with the scorning of those that are at ease, and with the contempt of the proud" (Psalm 123:2-4).

How good it is to keep our eyes
Upon the Lord our God,
And not upon the so-called wise
This world will applaud.

This is the serenity
That God gives to His own:
Our sole escape from vanity
Is in our Lord alone.

How bitter the alternative,
When scorning fills our soul!
How sweet it is at last to give
Our Savior full control!

As servants of the Lord we wait
To do as He will please,
And thus our joy and peace are great,
Though scorned by those at ease.

Pray for the Prince

"Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee" (Psalm 122:6).

All who will pray for Jerusalem's peace
Should pray for the Prince of peace to come back,
For only when Christ and His kingdom increase,
Shall peace be abundant and nevermore lack.

Pray for the Prince of Peace to return,
For then shall Jerusalem break forth and sing!
Let all who are longing for peace now discern
That peace which is true must be brought by our King.

Well of Words

"The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life" (Proverbs 10:11). "A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good... for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh" (Luke 6:45).

How deep is the well where wisdom is found!
How vast are the treasures we find!
God's Word is the well where truth will abound,
Enriching the heart and the mind.

The heart is deceitful above everything;
So wicked there's no human cure.
The well of God's Word will heal and bring
Abundance of wisdom that's pure.

Thank You, O Lord, for healing our hearts
With the well of Your words You gave
That fills us with treasure Your wisdom imparts,
Abundant with power to save!

Perfect Peace Plan

"My soul hath long dwelt with him that hateth peace. I am for peace: but when I speak, they are for war" (Psalm 120:6,7). "But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you" (Luke 6:27,28).

My soul has lived for quite a while
With those despising peace,
Who cloak their hatred with a smile,
Yet cursing does not cease.

We have our orders from above,
God's plan for peace so wise,
To fight our enemies with love,
Though they may still despise.

For God has shown to us His will
Toward our foes today:
That we should love and bless them still,
Do good to them, and pray.

No, it's not the strategy of man
(Nor the way that we would choose);
But it surely is God's perfect plan,
By His Spirit He will use.

The plan of peace that guarantees
The battle will be won
Is fought in prayer upon our knees
To glorify God's Son.

Straying yet Staying

"I have longed for Thy salvation, O Lord, and Thy law is my delight.... I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek Thy servant, for I do not forget Thy commandments" (Psalm 119:174, 176).

It is not hidden, Lord, from You
That sometimes we have strayed,
Yet still we hold to what is true,
And in Your Word have stayed.

To whom else shall we go today
To hear that which is right?
Though like sheep we've gone astray,
In God's Word we delight.

Seek Your servants, Lord, we pray,
For we cannot forget
That You have led us all the way
And all our needs have met.

And yes, I know that it seems odd,
That there would be a season
When ransomed sheep yet stray from God,
Though there's no valid reason.

Faithful Shepherd, come and bless,
And we shall be restored;
And lead us in Your righteousness
Until we're home, O Lord.

Treasure and Tranquility

"I rejoice at Thy Word, as one that findeth GREAT spoil... GREAT peace have they which love Thy Law: and nothing shall offend them" (Psalm 119:162,165).

How great is the treasure we find in Your Word
That causes our hearts to rejoice,
Like those who find spoil by victory secured
As joyfully lift up their voice!

How great is the peace and tranquility known
By those who delight in Your Law,
Now justified fully by God's grace alone,
Who worship in love and in awe.

Lord, thank You for treasure and tranquility,
So rich and so pure without end!
How great is our wealth for eternity
And our peace which no foe can offend.

The NEED for NO

"Simon Peter... fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.... And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men. And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed Him" (Luke 5:10,11).

How good it is that when we pray,
The Lord sometimes says: "No."
As Simon's prayer was turned away,
Who prayed that He would go.

"Depart from me!" was his request,
"I am a sinful man!"
But Jesus Christ our Lord knew best;
He had better plan.

How graciously our Lord declined
To do as Simon pleaded!
Our Lord had all the best in mind;
He knew what Simon needed.

Catching men was better far
Than all the fish they caught!
How wrong our prayers so often are!
How limited our thought!

Thus we pray to God above
And wait for His reply,
Knowing that, in perfect love,
Our prayer He may deny.

What a Word!

"And they were all amazed, and spake among themselves, saying, What a word is this! For with authority and power He commandeth the unclean spirits, and they come out" (Luke 4:36).

What a Word our Lord commands
With power and authority!
My heart in awe and wonder stands
At what His Word has done for me!

What a Word our Lord has shown
Displayed in all of His creation!
Oh what mercies He makes known
In the Word of His salvation!

What a Word our Lord has spoken
Though He is high and lifted up,
Inviting contrite spirits broken
To come and dine and with Him sup.

What a Word from heaven came
To manifest His truth and grace!
Upon the cross He bore our shame
To take the guilty sinner's place!

What a Word we find in Christ!
Lord, we stand in awe amazed:
The Word made flesh was sacrificed;
May Jesus Christ our Lord be praised!

Hope and Healing

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He hath anointed Me to preach the Gospel to the poor; He hath sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised" (Luke 4:18).

To brokenhearted, blind, and bruised,
To captives in oppression bound,
Our Savior preached the Gospel news
That hope and healing could be found.

The good news of our hope and healing
Wasn't found in vain tradition.
The Gospel truth He came revealing
Wasn't cloaked in mere religion.

Our hope and healing finally came,
Yet not from doctrines on a shelf,
But rather in the Savior's name,
When our Lord Jesus gave Himself.

Ordered in His Ordinance

"Order my steps in Thy Word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me" (Psalm 119:133). "Trust in the Lord... Lean not on thine own understanding.... Be not wise in thine own eyes... Despise not the chastening of the Lord; neither be weary of His correction" (Proverbs 3:5-7,11).

Lord, order my steps in Your Word;
Let not any sin have dominion,
Like pride in my heart You have heard,
When wise in my faulty opinion.

Lord, order my steps with correction,
In those times when I think I am wise.
Oh Lord, how I need Your direction!
Your reproof, Lord, I would not despise.

Lord, order my steps in Your way,
Instead of my own understanding.
Lord, teach me to trust what You say
And do what Your Word is commanding.

Understanding for the Undertaking

"I am Thy servant; give me understanding, that I may know Thy testimonies" (Psalm 119:125). "If thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding.... then shall thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of His mouth cometh knowledge and understanding" (Proverbs 2:3,5).

Lord, You see the work at hand
And what Your servants need.
Help me, therefore, understand
And follow where You lead.

Lord, I'm lifting up my voice
For truth and understanding.
I am committed to the choice
To do as You're commanding.

Lord, I am Your servant too
With those who do Your will.
I've made my choice to follow You,
And You uphold me still.

Lord, I know that for each task
There is wisdom You impart,
And therefore I will daily ask
For an understanding heart.

Better Business

"And He said unto them, How is it that ye sought Me? Wist ye not that I must be about My Father's business?" (Luke 2:49).

Our Savior who questioned the anxious concern
Of those who did not understand,
Might question us also, so slow to discern
The business of God now at hand.

For did we not know that His business today
Continues in those He would save?
And did we not know that He wants us to pray,
Fulfilling our mission He gave?

May we be about His business above
That labors in every nation:
To show to the world His marvelous love,
Extending His wondrous salvation!

Joy of Jubilee

"Then shalt thou cause the trumpet of the jubilee to sound... in the day of atonement.... the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof: it shall be a jubilee unto you" (Leviticus 25:9,10). "She shall rejoice in time to come" (Proverbs 31:25). "Mine eyes have seen Thy salvation, which Thou hast prepared before the face of all people; a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of Thy people Israel" (Luke 2:30-32).

The trumpet of the jubilee
Proclaimed the fiftieth year
To be a time of liberty,
Atonement, and of cheer.

The people saw that day draw near,
And temporal things they owned
Were not accounted then so dear,
For they had just been loaned.

It was a day of liberation
Proclaimed through all the land,
And here we see our own salvation
In terms we understand.

For soon our temporal things possessed
Shall all be put aside,
And we shall be forever blessed,
As God has testified.

My eyes of faith have seen the day
Of eternal jubilee!
Hold lightly things that pass away,
But embrace eternity!

Visiting our Vacancy

"Through the tender mercy of our God, whereby 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.... And she brought forth her first born Son... and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn" (Luke 1:78,79, 2:7,8).

Once dwelling in eternity
In that high and holy place,
Descending to our vacancy,
God came to us with grace.

How marvelous that God would come
To rescue us from sin,
Yet find no vacancy in some,
Just like that busy inn.

The place that Mary found to lay
The Lord of all creation
Was just a manger stall with hay
For Him who brought salvation.

So may our Savior in us find
A door that's opened wide
With heart, and soul, and strength, and mind
Inviting Him inside!

Removed from the Remedy

"He that being often reproved hardeneth his neck shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.... If a wise man contendeth with a foolish man, whether he rage or laugh, there is no rest.... every man's judgment cometh from the Lord" (Proverbs 29:1,9,26). "His mercy is on them that fear Him.... He hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts" (Luke 1:50,51).

Those who will not be reproved
And come to Christ for His salvation
Are from His remedy removed,
And soon must face their condemnation.

Those who trust in Christ are blest;
But those who stubbornly contend
Shall never enter in His rest,
And face destruction in the end.

Those who will not trust in Christ
Have thus refused His remedy,
For He alone was sacrificed
To heal them for eternity.

Satisfied Servants

"And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her" (Luke 1:38).

Behold the servants of the Lord;
Behold their satisfaction:
The smile of God is their reward;
All else is a distraction.

Just as Mary testified,
So we may likewise still
As servants thus be satisfied
To do our Savior's will!

Our God has servants in each place
With hearts that He has stirred,
By whom He manifests His grace
According to His Word.

Set Seasons

"The feasts of the Lord... ye shall proclaim in their seasons" (Leviticus 23:4). "These things shall be performed.... which shall be fulfilled in their season" (Luke 1:20).

The seasons were set with the lambs sacrificed,
And thus with prophetic perfection
The unblemished life and the death of the Christ
Were proclaimed with our Lord's resurrection.

The Passover Lamb, the Unleavened Bread,
And the Feast of the First Fruits proclaim,
That Christ would be slain, yet raised from the dead
And exalted above every name.

Now these things were set and proclaimed in their seasons,
And all of their types were fulfilled.
Since God girds our faith with such marvelous reasons,
Let contrary voices be stilled!

Plus Peter

"He is risen; He is not here: behold the place where they laid Him. But go your way, tell His disciples AND PETER that He goeth before you into Galilee: there ye shall see Him, as He said unto you" (Mark 16:6,7).

How sweet were those words to Peter's ear,
Yet two words had made them sweeter:
"He is risen; He is not here...
Tell His disciples AND PETER."

This is the fellowship that our Lord gives,
By the grace that we do not deserve:
The mutual joy that our Savior now lives,
And His calling together to serve.

Thieves and Things

"Thou art my Portion, O Lord: I have said that I would keep Thy words.... The bands of the wicked have robbed me: but I have not forgotten Thy law.... I am a companion of all them that fear Thee, and of them that keep Thy precepts" (Psalm 119:61,63).

Bands of thieves that come to steal
Can only take so much,
For things that are forever real
Those robbers cannot touch.

My greatest Treasure is the Lord,
My Portion now and ever,
From Whom there is no power, sword,
Or robber who can sever.

My heritage is thus secured
In fellowship with those
Who fear the Lord and keep His Word,
Whom thieves cannot oppose!

Choosing to Cherish

"He save others; Himself He cannot save" (Mark 15:31).

There was a choice for Jesus Christ
Regarding us to make:
Either to be sacrificed,
Or us He must forsake.

Either He could leave cross
And thus His own life cherish,
Or suffer then to spare us loss,
That we might never perish.

Praise the Lord who made the choice
To cherish us instead!
Worship Him! In Him rejoice,
Who is no longer dead!

Yes, He saved others; so it was
Himself He could not save.
We choose to cherish Him because
For us His life he gave!

Sorrowful Silence

"Take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth.... I will speak of Thy testimonies also before kings, and will not be ashamed" (Psalm 119:43,46). "Yea, My reins shall rejoice, when thy lips speak right things" (Proverbs 23:16). "And Pilate asked Him again, saying, Answerest thou nothing? Behold how many things they witness against thee. But Jesus yet answered nothing, so that Pilate marvelled" (Mark 15:4,5). "As a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so He openeth not His mouth" (Isaiah 53:7).

Jesus Christ, my suffering Lamb,
Defended me in silence
For all my sin, for all I am,
And all of my defiance.

The time for silence now is gone;
The time to speak is here,
As in our day we're called upon
To make the Gospel clear!

So let this world hear our voice
While yet we may be heard,
And let our Savior's heart rejoice,
To hear His faithful Word!

For such as time as this we stand
To speak in Jesus' name,
So let us speak by His command
And never be ashamed.

Certified Certainty

"Teach me, O Lord.... Give me understanding.... Stablish Thy Word unto Thy servant" (Psalm 119:33,34,38). "That thy trust may be in the Lord, I have made known to thee this day, even to thee. Have not I written to thee excellent things in counsels and knowledge, that I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth, that thou mightest answer the words of truth?" (Proverbs 22:19-21).

Thank You, Lord, for certainty!
Amidst this age that has no clue,
I know the Truth that makes me free,
The Truth that points me back to You!

Thank You, Lord, for all You taught
By prophets that You were commanding.
The words they wrote contained Your thought,
Which now fulfilled, give understanding.

Thank You, Lord, for absolutes
In counsels that You certified.
This is where we find our roots:
In words of truth now verified.

Thank You, Lord, for making known
This day Your truth to even me!
The evidence that You have shown
Has now removed uncertainty!

Thank You, Lord, for opened eyes
To trust in You to save my soul
And evidence that certifies
The Gospel Truth that makes us whole!

Hourly Honesty

"And He cometh, and findeth them sleeping, and saith unto Peter, Simon, sleepest thou? Couldest not thou watch one hour? Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak" (Mark 14:37,38).

It should come as no surprise
That in our flesh we have no power,
When those situations rise
Which try us in temptation's hour.

What we need is honesty,
Admitting that our flesh is weak,
Praying therefore hourly
For the strength in Christ we seek.

Let us now be diligent,
For soon the hour will be past.
Watch and pray! Be vigilant
Until we hear the trumpet blast!

Pricing the Precious

"As He set at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on His head. And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made? For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence.... And Jesus said, Let her alone.... She hath done what she could.... and Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Him unto them. And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him money" (Mark 14:3-11). "And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver" (Matthew 26:15).

"The woman.... has done what she could."
This word was our Lord's affirmation.
Though others had thought it not good,
The Lord gave her His commendation!

And how very precious indeed
This ointment was that she had poured;
Not measured by worldly greed,
But rather by love for her Lord!

Judas knew how it was priced,
And three hundred pence was too much!
For him thirty pieces sufficed;
The worth of our Savior was such!

But heaven has rightly assessed
The infinite worth of our Savior!
May we, like this woman, be blessed,
In awe at the price of His favor!

Counsel that Continues

"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" (Proverbs 19:20,21). "Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away" (Mark 13:31).

How can a person be wise in the end
With so many different counsels today?
That will completely and surely depend
On which of those counsels you choose to obey.

Hold to the counsel of God in His Word!
No other counsel shall finally stay.
All of the contrary counsels you've heard,
Like heaven and earth, shall soon pass away.

The counsel of God shall continue forever,
Instructing us daily, enlightening our eyes.
Hold to His precepts, forsaking them never,
That you may be found in the end to be wise.

Separated Seeker

"Blessed are they that keep His testimonies, and that seek Him with the whole heart. They also do no iniquity: they walk in His ways" (Psalm 119:2,3). "Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeketh and intermeddleth with all wisdom" (Proverbs 18:1).

There is passion like a fire,
A flaming purpose to fulfill,
That separates us by desire,
To seek the Lord and do His will.

There is a heart of separation,
Committed to the cause of Christ.
That seeks a greater consecration,
As lesser things are sacrificed.

Grant us, Lord, this steadfast heart
To do Your will and seek Your face.
Set us by Your truth apart,
And sanctify us by Your grace.

Trusting the True

"It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man" (Psalm 118:8).

Trust in the Lord: He is faithful and true;
Do not put your trust in a mere mortal man.
Impossible things for me and for you
Do not pose a hindrance in God's perfect plan.

Trust in the Lord, and rest in His love;
Let not your heart be troubled with doubt.
Set your affections on things up above;
All things below God will surely work out.

Trust in the Lord who alone wrought salvation:
No other name among men can be found.
Search under heaven among every nation:
Only in Christ does redemption abound.

Sovereign Savior

"His merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the Lord endureth forever" (Psalm 117:2). "The Lord hath made all things for Himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.... By mercy and truth iniquity is purged" (Proverbs 16:4,6). "Have ye not read this Scripture: The Stone which the builders rejected is become the Head of the corner: this was the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes?" (Mark 12:10,11).

Make no mistake: The Lord is in charge,
And mercy and truth are His to impart.
Others make think their impact is large,
But God rules the end as well as the start.

Even the wicked for their evil day
Are made with a view to performing their roles.
God has foreseen the part they will play,
Fulfilling His merciful plan for our souls.

God is not willing that any should perish,
Yet He is allowing the wicked to choose.
Nevertheless His redeemed He will cherish,
And even the wicked, for their sakes, He'll use.

How marvelous are these things in our eyes!
This is the Stone which the builders rejected!
How merciful, faithful, sovereign, and wise
Is God, whose salvation is thereby perfected!

Prospect of Prayer

"I love the Lord, because He hath heard my voice and my supplications. Because He hath inclined His ear unto me, therefore will I call upon Him as long as I live.... For Thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling" (Psalm 116:1,2,8). "Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.... When ye pray, believe" (Mark 11:22,24).

Because the Lord has heard my prayer,
Because I called, and He was there,
Because I know that He will care,
He will hear me when I pray.

Because He heard my supplication,
Because He answered with salvation,
Because He gave this invitation,
All my cares on Him I'll lay.

Because He rescued me from fear,
Because He wiped away each tear,
Because He promised to be near,
He will lead me all the way.

Because He hears the faintest voice,
Because He calls me to rejoice,
Because He gives this gracious choice,
I will call on Him each day.

Because He calls me to believe,
Because each prayer He will receive,
Because He said He'll never leave,
I will trust Him and obey.

Sit or See

"Blind Bartimaeus... sat by the highway side begging. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me. And many charged him that he should hold his peace: but he cried the more a great deal.... And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called.... And he, casting away his garment, rose, and came to Jesus.... received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way" (Mark 10:46-52).

In this age where blind leads blind,
Who fall themselves into the pit,
The darkness they don't seem to mind,
Who charge their fellow blind to sit.

Many therefore close their eyes
And sit as they are sternly told.
But some in darkness choose to rise
To find their sight, though others scold.

Christ can hear the earnest cry
Above the multitude so loud.
Sit no more! Let none deny
Your cries to satisfy the crowd!

Christ has called you; don't delay!
Stand and come into the light.
Cast your darkness now away,
And Jesus Christ will give you sight!

The sight He gives reveals sin,
Yet in His light we see His grace.
Rise! He knocks! Now let Him in,
And every sin He will erase!

Riches of our Ransom

"The ransom of a man's life are his riches" (Proverbs 13:8). "The Son of Man came not to be ministered unto but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many" (Mark 10:45).

How vast beyond imagination
Are these riches we have gained
Within this ransom of salvation
That by faith we have obtained!

Free to us, but oh the cost
Was great indeed that Jesus paid!
The awful debt of all the lost
Upon our Savior then was laid!

From rags to riches! What a story
All the ransomed have to tell!
To God our Savior be the glory
Who redeemed our souls from hell!

Lord, receive our worship now
We bring to You in grateful trust
For all these riches You endow
And for the ransom paid for us.

Astonished and Admonished

"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 10:26,27).

How right it is to be astonished
At what our God has done!
Let apathy be thus admonished
And praise be to His Son!

With men it was impossible
For sinners to be saved;
Only God could save the soul,
So hopelessly depraved.

Forgive our ho-hum attitude
And our complacency
Diminishing our gratitude,
Displaced by apathy!

And thus reproved, we stand amazed
And gratefully adore
Our Lord who is so rightly praised
Both now and evermore!

Infinite Investment

"He hath dispersed, he hath given to the poor, his righteousness endureth forever.... The desire of the wicked shall perish" (Psalm 112:9,10). "When a wicked man dieth, his expectation shall perish: and the hope of unjust men perisheth.... but to him that soweth righteousness shall be a sure reward" (Proverbs 11:7,18). "For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in My name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward" (Mark 9:41).

Righteousness endures forever;
Wickedness will come to naught.
The just are blessed in each endeavor;
The memories of the wicked rot.

There is a sure reward we find
For all who sow in righteousness.
Every word and deed that's kind
Our God will recompense and bless.

This doesn't mean we earn salvation
By the things we say and do,
But rather that our expectation
Is that what God said is true.

Though deserving of His wrath,
He has washed us from our sins
And leads us now upon the path
In which abundant life begins.

Thus every kindness He records
That's done with grace to those we meet,
Eternally shall reap rewards
That we shall place at Jesus feet.

Unreasonable Unbelief

"O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you?... Lord, I believe; help Thou mine unbelief" (Mark 9:19, 24).

In this faithless generation
That chooses not to trust in God,
Reason still is on vacation,
And honesty is scorned as odd.

Unbelief is just a choice
To hide from all the evidence,
Ignoring God's prophetic voice
And all of history's defense.

What further help could God provide?
Unbelief has no excuse!
How else should God have testified?
Which other methods should He use?

The truth of God is everywhere
That unbelief will not receive.
Let us nonetheless declare
The valid reasons we believe.

Learning by Listening

"He [Jesus] was transfigured before them. And there appeared unto them Elias with Moses: and they were talking with Jesus. And Peter answered.... For he wist not what to say, for they were sore afraid. And there was a cloud that overshadowed them: and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is My beloved Son: hear Him" (Mark 9:2-7). "Moses and Elias, who appeared in glory... spake of His decease which He should accomplish at Jerusalem" (Luke 9:30,31).

How bright that sight was when they woke
On Christ's transfiguration day!
Simon Peter therefore spoke,
And yet he knew not what to say.

And then the Father's voice was heard:
"This is My beloved Son:
Hear Him!" was His earnest Word.
And then they heard His Holy One.

What Moses and Elijah said
As Jesus talked to each of them,
Concerned how Christ would soon be led
To suffer at Jerusalem.

Hear Him speak of His decease,
As all His prophets testify!
Hear Him who would be our Peace,
And to that end our Lord would die!

There is a lesson for us here:
If we would know what we should say,
We each must have a listening ear
To hear our Lord and to obey.

How are we Hardened?

"Perceive ye not yet, neither understand? Have ye your heart yet hardened? Having eyes, see ye not? And having ears, hear ye not? And do ye not remember.... How is it that ye do not understand?" (Mark 8:17-21).

How are we yet hardened,
Although we have been saved?
We graciously are pardoned;
We shouldn't act depraved!

Since we’re no longer blind
By Satan's dark deception,
How then is our mind
Still lacking in perception?

By grace God gave us eyes
That we may now perceive,
So how are we not wise
And slow yet to believe?

The Lord has given ears
For obeying His command.
And yet it still appears
We do not understand.

Revive us once again;
Our hardness, Lord, forgive!
For to this very end
By grace we ought to live!

Fixed upon His Faithfulness

"O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise, even with my glory.... Give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man. Through God we shall do valiantly: for He it is that shall tread down our enemies" (Psalm 108:1,12,13). "He hath done all things well" (Mark 7:37).

Our Savior has done all things well;
There is no taint of error mixed
In Him who ransomed us from hell,
So may our hearts on Him be fixed.

The help of man is vanity;
Neither should we trust our arm.
Through God we shall do valiantly,
And He will rescue us from harm.

Trouble comes in every life;
This we know with certainty.
But God is greater than our strife,
And He will grant us victory.

Fixed upon His faithfulness,
Trusting Him who cannot fail,
We have assurance He will bless;
The gates of hell shall not prevail.

Folly of Far

"This people honoreth Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me" (Mark 7:6).

God is calling sinners near,
Though sin had once made them far.
Whoever has an ear to hear:
Come to Christ just as you are!

For Jesus Christ has made a way
By grace to remove the distance!
Come with all your heart today;
Repent and cast off resistance.

The cross has vanquished every sin!
Where only distance was before,
The Savior now has entered in
To all who open their heart's door.

How foolish it is merely pretend
By wearing the mask of religion!
For Christ has died to thus put an end
To the distance of empty tradition.

Draw near with a heart that is true;
Be done with your hardness of heart,
And the Lord with draw near to you,
That distance may thereby depart!

Moveable Motives

"Lest thou shouldest ponder the path of life, her ways are moveable, that thou canst not know them.... There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death" (Proverbs 5:6, 14:12).

There is a single, saving path
In Christ that God provided.
All other ways must lead to wrath;
Do not be undecided!

That gate is wide, the path is broad
And filled with many lanes
That lead a soul astray from God
And to eternal pains.

The ways to hell are moveable
That truth may not be known.
The way to life is provable,
Which God has amply shown!

That single path to life is Christ:
Behold His empty grave!
The Lamb of God was sacrificed,
Yet now He lives to save!

Yet many march to their destruction
And miss the narrow gate,
As Satan leads them by seduction
To hell's eternal state.

Come to Christ in full surrender!
Though other ways seem right,
Christ alone is your Defender;
No other fought your fight!

It's not about what surveys say
In today's opinion poll,
For Christ is still the only Way
To save the sinner's soul.

Talking Topics

"O give thanks unto the Lord; call upon His name: make known His deeds among the people. Sing unto Him, sing psalms unto Him: talk ye of all His wondrous works" (Psalm 105:1,2).

Talk of all the wondrous deeds
That God has done throughout the earth.
This is what the world needs;
You cannot overstate its worth.

How pointless are imaginations
That do not dwell on things that matter!
And certainly our conversations
Without the Lord are empty chatter.

So let us talk of what God did
And what He promised He will do.
His wondrous works have not been hid,
And all His promises are true.

Talk of marvels in creation;
You never can exhaust their store!
Talk of mercy in salvation;
Search the love of God yet more!

Surely we can well afford
To choose the topics of our talk
That call attention to Our Lord,
Our great Redeemer and our Rock!

Purpose of Power

"Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it" (Proverbs 3:27). "And He called... and began to send them forth... and gave them power.... And they went out, and preached that men should repent" (Matthew 6:7-12).

What is the power God placed in your hand?
To whom is its ministry due?
God who equipped you has given command
To give as was given to you.

This is the purpose for power from God:
To minister where He has sent.
It's not so that others may see and applaud,
But rather that they should repent.

Lord, here am I, equipped with Your power;
Now send me wherever You will,
Redeeming the time, every day, every hour,
And thereby Your purpose fulfill.

Bountiful Benefits

"Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: who forgiveth all thine iniquities, who healeth all thy diseases, who redeemeth thy life from destruction, who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies, who satisfieth thy mouth with good things, so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's" (Psalm 103:2-5).

How bountiful these blessings shown
By which our every need is met!
Let all within us make them known,
And never let our souls forget!

He pardons our iniquities.
He heals our sinful, sickened soul
From every spiritual disease;
His healing touch has made us whole!

He has paid redemption's cost,
Since for our life, He laid His down.
He has loved us who were lost,
Whom now His tender mercies crown.

He completely satisfies
And He renews our inner youth.
Like the airborne eagle flies,
He lifts us by His grace and truth.

Lord, receive our thanks and praise
For benefits that You bestow.
Keep us mindful of Your ways
And of the debt of love we owe.

Guiding our Going

"He that had been possessed with the devil prayed Him that he might be with Him. Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee. And he departed, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men did marvel" (Mark 5:18-20).

The man who was once by demons possessed
Prayed to depart with Christ where He went.
But Jesus then firmly denied his request,
And back to his home and his friends he was sent.

Go home to your friends, said Christ in this fashion,
And tell them the things that the Lord did for you.
Tell them how great is His might and compassion,
That they may behold and believe it is true.

Our God is the One who guides where we go.
Be ready to listen and follow His plan,
And don't be surprised if He should say "No."
You answer to Jesus your Lord, and not man.

Dealing with Doubt

"Who hath gathered the wind in His fists? Who hath bound the waters in a garment?" (Proverbs 4:4). "And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship.... And He arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. And He said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? How is it that ye have no faith?" (Mark 4:37-40).

Why are we fearful? Why do we doubt?
Our Savior is Lord of the storm.
Isn't it time that we figured that out,
Though increasingly, doubt is the norm?

Our Lord is the One who has gathered the wind
And is holding its force in His fist.
The waters are bound as a garment He pinned
By His power that none can resist.

At Jesus' command the tempest shall cease;
The wind and the sea shall be calm.
Why do we doubt then, since we have His peace,
And He is the theme of our Psalm?

Storms come and go, and they will reveal
Our measure of doubt or assurance.
So after the storm, let us prudently deal
With doubt that will hinder endurance.

So let us be rid of our doubt and deception,
Assured by our Lord on His throne,
And let us remember His power, perfection,
And pity for all of His own.

Beyond the Basics

"Know ye that the Lord He is God: it is He that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture. Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise: be thankful unto Him, and bless His name. For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting; and His truth endureth to all generations" (Psalm 100:3-5).

Know that the Lord is our God and Creator.
When this basic premise is then understood,
Let us consider His ways even greater,
That we may thankful that our God is good.

Enter His gates with thanksgiving to Christ;
Enter His courts with an offering of praise.
See then the offering there sacrificed;
Behold now the Lamb of God it portrays!

Be thankful to Him who gave Himself thus;
Come, bless His name, who has wrought our salvation!
His mercy is everlasting to us;
His is truth shall endure to each generation!

Fire of His Fear

"The fire shall ever be burning upon the altar; it shall never go out" (Leviticus 6:13). "Happy is the man that feareth [the Lord] always: but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief" (Proverbs 28:14).

The altar with unceasing fire,
Always burning day and night,
Portrayed a steadfast, pure desire
For holy living in God's sight.

This holy fire before God's eyes
Required fuel each night and day,
And here the fear of God applies
In all we think, and do, and say.

We surely are constrained by love
That loved us first and loved us best.
Yet love is a component of
That holy fear we manifest.

There is a sad alternative
That hardens thus our hearts with doubt:
When without God's fear we live,
The fire of holy love goes out.

Let us then by grace now learn
To live for Christ with holy fear,
And daily let love's fire burn;
So much the more as He draws near.

Day for Diligence

"Boast not thyself of tomorrow, for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth... My son, be wise, and make My heart glad, that I may answer him that reproacheth Me... Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds" (Proverbs 27:1,11,23).

Yesterday is gone forever;
Its time we cannot borrow.
Let's focus on today's endeavor,
And pray about tomorrow.

The day for diligence is now;
Our goal, to please the Lord.
The strength we need He will endow;
Our diligence reward.

Be diligent to know the state
Of those you lift in prayer.
God esteems their value great,
Who put them in your care.

God has placed within the sphere
Of our responsibility
The flocks we care for now and here,
In light of their eternity.

So with a view to our Lord's pleasure
In whom His love is poured,
Regarding these as priceless treasure,
We tend them for our Lord.

Messiah's Mission

"Today if ye will hear His voice, harden not your heart" (Psalm 95:7,8). And when the scribes and Pharisees saw Him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto His disciples, How is it that He eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners? When Jesus heard it, He saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance" (Mark 2:16,17).

Jesus saw His crucial mission:
To heal the sin-sick soul.
Thus He came as our Physician
To save and make us whole.

Jesus carried out His mission
By dying in our place
And calling for a clear decision
To turn from sin to grace.

Jesus yet pursues His mission
Now through His Spirit sent,
Reproving sinners who will listen,
And earnestly repent.

Jesus calls us to His mission,
That we might fully yield,
By salvation and submission,
To labor in His field.

Jesus will complete His mission;
His purpose shall not fail.
The Gospel of His great commission
Shall by His Church prevail.

Blazing the Blessing

"And there came a leper to Him, beseeching Him... If Thou wilt, Thou canst make me clean. And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth His hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean. And as soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was cleansed.... and began to publish it much, and to blaze abroad the matter" (Mark 1:40-45).

Blaze the Gospel matter much!
Now spread the Word abroad!
Jesus Christ extends His touch
Of healing power from God!

Blaze the matter of His love:
Descending from His throne,
He left adoring throngs above
To suffer all alone.

Blaze the matter of salvation,
And praise our Savior's name,
Who saves us from our condemnation
And cleanses us from shame!

Blaze the matter that He lives
With power now to save!
Eternal life He freely gives
Because His life He gave.

Mindful of His Majesty

"The Lord reigneth, He is clothed with majesty; the Lord is clothed with strength, wherewith He hath girded Himself: the world also is established, that it cannot be moved. Thy throne is established of old: Thou art from everlasting" (Psalm 93:1,2). "[John] preached saying, There cometh One mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose" (Mark 1:7).

Mindful of His majesty
We try to contemplate
The God of all eternity,
Magnificently great!

This world that He created,
Still established and unmoved
His power has demonstrated,
And His majesty has proved.

Yet we barely have begun,
As we've thought about creation.
The throne of God the Son
Exceeds imagination!

Before all matter, space, and time
Were created by His Word,
Clothed in majesty sublime,
Forever He endured.

As John was heard to testify,
(How correctly it was put!)
We are not worthy to untie
The sandal of His foot.

Perpetual Praise

"It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto Thy name, O Most High: to show forth Thy lovingkindness in the morning and Thy faithfulness every night" (Psalm 92:1,2). "Be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long" (Proverbs 23:17). "And lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world" (Matthew 28:20).

It's good each day to thank and bless
Our loving Lord at morning light,
And also praise His faithfulness
Throughout the day and every night.

It's good each day for us to be
Discerning what is right and wrong
By living here accountably
Before our Savior all day long.

It's good each day that God is near
To be our Counselor and Friend.
From dawn to dusk He gives us cheer,
Yes, even to this world's end.

Discerning Deception

"The chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate, saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while He was yet alive, After three days I will rise again.... And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for He is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay" (Matthew 27:62,63, 28:5,6).

Come, discern, and see the place
Of Him you called "deceiver."
He is not here! Will you embrace
The truth of a believer?

For surely now the Lord requires
Discernment and perception
That God is true and they are liars
Who choose instead deception.

Behold His tomb! It's plain to see:
He's risen, as He said!
He is for all eternity
The Firstborn from the dead!

See the crown of God's defense
In this, His empty grave.
Discern now by the evidence:
He is alive to save!

Transient Treasure

"Teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom... And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us: and establish Thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish Thou it" (Psalm 90:12,17). "There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise, but a foolish man spendeth it up" (Proverbs 21:20).

Transient treasure in a day
Is there for us to use,
And if we don't, it goes away
And all its value lose.

Transient treasure in each hour
Is there from God to take,
To draw upon His grace and power
And live for Jesus' sake.

Transient treasure in a minute
That God now bids us claim:
Eternity is granted in it
To call on Jesus' name.

Tabernacle Testimony

"For the cloud of the Lord was upon the tabernacle by day, and fire was on it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel throughout all their journeys" (Exodus 40:38).

The cloud by day, the fire by night,
Was on the tabernacle tent,
A testimony in their sight,
Where the house Israel went.

In all their journeys and their strife
Throughout their desert wandering,
The tabernacle in their life
Was there for daily pondering.

The tabernacle court within,
With daily offerings sacrificed,
Would bring remembrance of their sin
And their Savior, Lord, and Christ.

The application that we enter
Within the tabernacle shown
Reminds us Christ is still the Center,
And we ought to make Him known.

These tabernacle paradigms,
Until with Christ we're face to face,
Instruct us in our life and times
To magnify our Savior's grace.

Farewell Friends

"Lover and friend hast Thou put far from me, and mine acquaintance into darkness" (Psalm 88:18). "Now Peter sat without in the palace: and a damsel came unto him saying, Thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee. But he denied before them all saying, I know not what thou sayest.... Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shall deny Me thrice. And he went out and wept bitterly" (Matthew 26:69-75).

Let lover and friend, if need be, depart.
Bid every acquaintance farewell,
If they be a hindrance for giving your heart
To Him who has saved you from hell!

Peter's great failure is our illustration,
Who paid such a horrible price
For seeking to hide his affiliation
With Jesus, denying Him thrice.

And Peter went out and bitterly wept;
How awful indeed was his trial.
The palace yard friends he lamentably kept,
Were not worth his wretched denial.

Stand for the Lord now wherever you are;
Regard not the pressure of peers.
Let every acquaintance and friend be put far,
Rather than taste Peter's tears!

Strings and Springs

"The Lord loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob. Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God... The Lord shall count, when He writeth up the people, that this man was born there. Selah. As well as the players on instruments shall be there: all my springs are in thee" (Psalm 87:2-7).

How glorious the gates are of Zion above!
How sweet is the fellowship there!
This is the place where the Lord sets His love,
And the place that He went to prepare.

How glad are the songs as we now draw near,
So skillfully played upon strings!
Christ is the theme of the choirs we hear,
Our life, and the source of our springs!

This one and that one were born there anew;
The Lord counts each spiritual birth.
O city of God, all my springs are in you;
I'm just a sojourner on earth!

Our names have been written in heaven: rejoice!
In the Book of the Lamb they are found
With all the redeemed who have heard the Lord's voice,
Who know there is no sweeter sound!

Unless I'm United

"Teach me Thy way, O Lord; I will walk in Thy truth: unite my heart to fear Thy name" (Psalm 86:11).

Unite now my heart to fear Your name,
And teach me, O Lord, Your way.
Unless I'm united, distractions shall claim
My time and attention all day.

My eyes shall be aimlessly wandering about,
My soul shall be vainly excited,
My heart shall be sowing and reaping my doubt,
Unless by Your fear I'm united.

Spare me, O Lord, from trivial pursuits;
There's much more of You to explore!
Unite now my heart and deepen its roots
In the Word of Your truth evermore!

Unless I'm united in heart I will roam,
So stir now my heart, Lord, anew
To watch and to pray until I am home,
United in heaven with You.

Mercy's Mixture

"Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other" (Psalm 85:10). "By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the Lord men depart from evil" (Proverbs 16:6).

Mercy and truth now together have met.
Righteousness also with peace reconciled.
No other mixture was ever found yet
To save us from sin or to cleanse the defiled.

Mercy and truth in our Lord are fulfilled,
For mercy embraced us and entered our strife,
And truth that demanded a Victim be killed
Was met by our Savior who laid down His life.

Mercy and truth could not compromise;
Peace was denied us, without righteousness.
But God found a way that was loving and wise
By mercy and truth in our Lord that could bless.

Mercy and truth have purged every sin.
Righteousness also has granted us peace.
Salvation in Christ has invited us in
Where praise and thanksgiving to Him never cease.

Affection for the Afflicted

"Blessed is the man whose strength is in Thee... who passing through the valley of Baca (i.e., weeping), make it a well; the rain also filleth the pools.... Every one of them in Zion appeareth before God" (Psalm 84:5-7). "All the days of the afflicted are evil: but he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast" (Proverbs 15:15). "Then shall the King say unto them... I was sick, and ye visited Me: I was in prison, and ye came unto Me.... Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these My brethren, ye have done it unto Me" (Matthew 25:34,40).

Lord, lead us now through this valley of tears
With joy that will spread forth Your feast,
As each of us, thereby, before You appears
Whenever we comfort the least.

In all of their days the afflicted have sorrow;
Lord, show us to whom we should go
To show them Your love and a brighter tomorrow,
That each of Your children may know.

Until we're assembled one day at Your throne,
And the valley of tears is behind,
Lord, teach us to serve You by serving Your own
With words and with deeds that are kind.

Refuge and Rivers

"In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence: and His children shall have a place of refuge. The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death" (Proverbs 14:26,27).

The fear of the Lord is simply defined
As living accountably before His eyes.
This is our confidence and peace of mind;
This is the refuge to which our soul flies.

The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life;
Its rivers revive us in its flowing spring.
Thereby we rise up victorious in strife,
Escaping the dangers of death with its sting.

Come to this refuge as to a strong mountain,
To look for approval from our Lord alone.
Draw from the waters that flow from this fountain,
And drink from the rivers of grace from His throne.

So Serving

" God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; He judgeth.... Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy" (Psalm 82:1-3). "Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing" (Matthew 24:45,46).

God in our midst is observing;
In each congregation He stands.
He sees who is faithfully serving,
According to what He commands.

He sees who delivers the poor,
And cares for the fatherless one.
He sees who would rather ignore
The justice of those who have none.

What will He find us pursuing
In the day we are called to His throne?
Will we be His servants so doing
His will that to us He made known?

Oh Lord, may You find us today,
And each day You graciously give,
Your servants who wisely obey
And faithfully, gratefully live.

Happiness for Heaviness

"To the counselors of peace is joy.... Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop: but a good word maketh it glad" (Proverbs 12:20,25). "And He [Jesus] said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad?.... And they rose up the same hour... saying, The Lord is risen indeed!" (Luke 24:17,33,34).

Shake off your heaviness! Haven't you heard?
Now run to the tomb with great speed!
Counselors of gladness: Spread the good word!
Christ Jesus is risen indeed!

Joy has invaded and conquered the grave;
It's just as the Savior decreed!
Counselors of peace declare He will save:
Christ Jesus is risen indeed!

Sorrow departs as we joyfully sing
That Death surely couldn't succeed,
For Death has been robbed of its horrible sting:
Christ Jesus is risen indeed!

What is this manner of sad conversation?
From sorrow you may now be freed!
Turn to the Savior and Lord of salvation:
Christ Jesus is risen indeed!

Turn us in Time

"Give ear, O Shepherd.... Turn us again, O God, and cause Thy face to shine; and we shall be saved" (Psalm 80:1,3). "How often I would have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!" (Matthew 23:37).

Hear now, O Shepherd, the prayer of this Psalm:
Turn us again, and we shall be saved:
Lead us from tempest back into Your calm,
Grant us revival for which we have craved.

We hear Your compassion portrayed in the hen
That gathers her chickens all under each wing.
Because You are merciful, turn us again,
With Your own protection revival will bring.

Turn us again, from distraction of thought,
Turn us again, Lord, because You are good.
We hear Your indictment of those who would not,
Yet hold to the confidence, Lord, that You would!

Turn us again, Lord, while yet there is time!
You are the Fountain that satisfies thirst!
Draw us again, Lord, by Your love sublime,
To love You because You have so loved us first!

Glorious Goodness

"And he [Moses] said, I beseech Thee, show me Thy glory. And He said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.... And it shall come to pass, while My glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a cleft of the rock, and will cover thee with My hand while I pass by" (Exodus 33:18-22).

Show us Your glory, O Lord, as You did
When You once proclaimed it before Moses' face:
So glorious Your goodness, he had to be hid;
He couldn't behold all Your marvelous grace.

Show us Your glory that we may be wise,
Stirred by Your goodness, amazed by Your love.
We would us see Jesus! Let Him fill our eyes,
And set our affections on His things above.

Show us Your glory: may we understand
Your glorious goodness in all of creation.
Cover our souls with Your nail-pierced hand,
As we are astonished at so great salvation.

Show us Your glory, proclaiming Your name,
As now in the cleft of our Rock we can see,
Our Lord on the cross, despising the shame,
Enduring our sorrow, that we may be free.

Show us Your glory, and thus melt our hearts,
Above and beyond our poor, limited scope.
We're searching the goodness our Savior imparts,
Who fills us with treasures of mercy and hope.

Consecratred for Christ

"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.... What think ye of Christ?.... How then doth David in Spirit call Him Lord?" (Matthew 22:37-43).

The first and greatest commandment we find
Is loving the Lord with all of your heart,
With all of your soul, and all of your mind,
Thus consecrating to Him every part.

Since David acknowledged the Lord of salvation
Was Christ seated high on His throne,
How great was His love and His humiliation
Displayed when He ransomed His own!

Though loving our Lord is the greatest command,
We are prompted not only by duty,
For knowing His love, we can now understand
And are drawn by His passion and beauty.

What think you of Christ? Have you thought on His love?
Have you been to the foot of His cross?
Have you thought on the reason He came from above
To save you from infinite loss?

How rightly He calls for our full consecration,
Since Christ was Himself sacrificed!
So may we thus offer a clear demonstration
Of our love for the Lord Jesus Christ!

Caesar's Cents

"They brought unto Him [Jesus] a penny. And He saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? They say unto Him, Caesar's. Then saith He unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's" (Matthew 22:19-22).

Give unto God the things that are God's;
To Caesar the things that are his.
Live not for things the world applauds,
As tempting today as that is.

The government's image may be on that cent,
Implying a portion you owe.
But God's image on you to you has been lent,
Which God by His grace did bestow.

Render to God what He wondrously gave
By His marvelous work of creation,
And give back to Him what He purchased to save
By His merciful work of salvation.

Surrender to God! Hold nothing back
Of your heart, of your soul, or your mind.
For in doing so, you never shall lack
In the blessings from God you will find.

Restraining the Rest

"Surely the wrath of man shall praise Thee: the remainder of wrath shalt Thou restrain" (Psalm 76:10). "Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes?" (Matthew 21:42).

Whatever the wrath or intention of pain
That men could inflict on the Christ,
If not for His glory, the Lord would restrain:
God suffered what only sufficed.

This is exactly what Scripture had said
About those who thought they were wise:
The Stone which the builder's refused is the Head;
How wondrous this is in our eyes!

How marvelous they could not see in those days
What men should have clearly discerned:
That all of their wrath would result in His praise!
And so many still have not learned!

Lord, thank you for eyes to see what is plain
From here to eternity:
The wrath you permit and the wrath you restrain
Are subject to Your sovereignty.

Faced as a Friend

"And the Lord spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend" (Exodus 33:11). "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" (Proverbs 6:20,22).

Moses had a privileged place,
For God spoke as a Friend
And talked with Moses face to face
That he might comprehend.

What a great experience
That Moses thereby knew:
To have with God an audience
And hear His counsel too!

Yet God speaks freely to His own,
To those whose hearts are lowly,
Though still omniscient on His throne,
Omnipotent, and holy.

For as a Friend who knows us best,
The Word of God will talk
When we awake, when we will rest,
And in our daily walk.

So let us hear what God will say,
And to Him also speak.
For God still hears all those who pray
And talks with those who seek.

Siding with the Savior

"Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on the Lord's side? Let him come unto me" (Exodus 32:26).

Who is on the Savior's side?
Who will stand up for the Lord?
This question will not be denied;
The answer shall not be ignored.

Who is on the Savior's side?
God is searching every thought.
There's no middle ground implied:
We either are, or we are not.

Who is on the Savior's side?
How dangerous is the delay
Of those who let that question slide,
Instead of trusting Him today!

Who is on the Savior's side?
Trust Him while you have a choice!
Come to Christ, and in Him hide,
If today you hear His voice!