How can they Halt?

“How long halt ye between two opinions?” (1 Kings 18:21).  “For we have not followed cunningly devised fables… but were eyewitnesses of His majesty… We have also a more sure Word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place” (2 Peter 1:16-19). 

If all the eyewitness accounts are ignored,

If all the miraculous deeds are dismissed

(Including the triumph of our risen Lord),

Perhaps then a reason to halt might exist.

If people forget that effects need a cause

Regarding the wonders they see in creation,

If wrath executed does not give them pause,

Perhaps they could halt and refuse God’s salvation.

If all of the prophecies God has fulfilled

Are just set aside (though none have defaulted),

Like those which foretold how our Lord would be killed,

Then that might explain why a sinner had halted.

Alas, Lord, the lost shall not find an occasion

To give an excuse for the proof that they scorned!

So help us convince them with Your own persuasion

To no longer halt, as Your Gospel has warned.

Trusting the True

“The God of all grace… hath called us unto His eternal glory by Christ Jesus… this is the TRUE grace of God wherein ye stand” (1 Peter 1:10-12).

The God of all grace who has called us by Christ,

Has done for our souls what we never could do: 

Christ Jesus left heaven to be sacrificed,

That He might extend to us grace that is true. 

The contrast between mere religion and this

Can only be told by an infinite measure.

This is the TRUE grace of heavenly bliss,

Securing salvation, eternity’s treasure!

We thank You for TRUE grace wherein we now stand,

O Lord Jesus Christ, so abundantly proved!

This is the grace of Your nail-pierced hand

By which every doubt is forever removed!

God-Given Gift

“As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God… if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen” (1 Peter 4:10,11). 

The Lord has provided the gift of His choosing

To each of His people by manifold grace.

As stewards of God, then, we ought to be using

Our God-given gift in our God-given place.

We serve one another with gifts God assigned,

That God may in all things be thus glorified

Through Jesus with all of our heart, soul, and mind,

Performed with ability God will provide.

O Lord, to whom praise and dominion belongs,

The name of our Lord Jesus Christ we would lift

Forever and ever with worship, with songs,

And service reflecting our God-given gift.

Sanctity and Sanity

“Sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear” (1 Peter 3:15).

Sanctify means “set apart”,

As thrones are set apart for kings.

Shouldn’t we reserve our heart

For God instead of earthly things?

A heart that’s sanctified for God

Is consecrated as His throne.

It matters not who will applaud

If life is lived for God alone. 

Be ready then to answer those

Who ask you where your hope is found,

Then point to Christ who died and rose

To reign in hearts where He is crowned.

We thank You, Lord, for sanity

And reason in this senseless place,

That spares us from the vanity

That robs the soul of hope and grace.

Privileged Priesthood

“Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ… Ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:5,9). 

What a privileged priesthood here,

For we who once by sin were far,

Are now by grace brought very near:

A holy priesthood we now are!

The veil now has been removed

Which symbolized our separation.

We enter, and are not reproved,

To thank the God of our salvation!

We are a royal priesthood, too,

To praise the Lord who fought our fight

And out of darkness brought us through

To now show forth His wondrous light!

Our priesthood, Lord, may now look frail

As we are dwelling in these tents,

But You have promised to prevail,

And here we rest our confidence.