Waiting for His Word

“I will hear what God the LORD will speak: for He will speak peace unto His people… Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other” (Psalm 85:8-10).  “They crucified Him… When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, He said, It is finished” (John 19:30). 

I’ll wait to hear what God will speak;

Let all the other chatter cease! 

The Lord will answer those who seek,

And He will show to them His peace. 

I hear the word that He has spoken:

His mercy and His truth have met!

Their bond of peace shall not be broken;

His promise He shall not forget. 

His righteousness and peace kissed: 

They are forever reconciled!

Though judgment cannot be dismissed,

His blood can cleanse the soul defiled! 

These words have been fulfilled in Christ

Who suffered on the cross for us. 

The Lamb of God was sacrificed;  

His grace and truth are marvelous! 

I scarcely now can take it in

That Christ my Lord has died for me

To take away my dreadful sin

And save my soul eternally! 

It’s not my word but rather HIS

That fills me with this confidence:   

He said it’s FINISHED, so it IS!

I’m resting in my Lord’s defense.

O Lord, I’ve waited for Your word

For comfort, for admonishment,

And for instruction which I’ve heard

That leaves me in astonishment! 

I’ve waited for Your word of grace,  

Amazed to hear, Lord, all You did

That I might find my Hiding Place

In You where I am safely hid!

Trust the Truth

“O LORD of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in Thee” (Psalm 84:12).  “I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths” (Proverbs 4:11).  “Jesus answered… for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth My voice.  Pilate saith unto Him, What is truth?” (John 18:37,38). 

The Lord has not abandoned us

To search for truth upon our own. 

His evidence is marvelous

Which He abundantly makes known!

The Lord has taught us in His way

And rightly led us in His path. 

He sought us when we went astray

And boldly rescued us from wrath. 

He stood before the Roman court

When Pilate asked Him to reply

To “What is truth?” then cut Him short,

Exchanging truth for Satan’s lie. 

Our Savior proved that He was true

Fulfilling every prophecy

Which no one else could ever do,

Declaring truth that makes us free. 

Now everyone who hears His voice

Responds by calling on His name,

Amazed at grace that gives the choice

To thus be saved from sin and shame!

How rightly, Lord, in You we trust! 

The other options that we trace

Are world views that turn to dust

And thus forsake Your saving grace!

Receive our thanks and praise, O Lord,

That we may trust the truth we find

In all Your evidence explored

That thrills our heart, our soul, and mind.  

Withholding His Word?

“Now Joshua was old and stricken in years; and the LORD said unto him, Thou art old and stricken in years, and there remaineth yet very much land to be possessed” (Joshua 13:1).  “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).  “I have given them Thy Word… As Thou hast sent Me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world… that the world may believe that Thou hast sent Me” (John 17:14-21). 

When Joshua in years progressed,

Since by the Lord he was sustained,

There still was land to be possessed

Which God confirmed there yet remained. 

As long as Joshua had power,

This man of God did not withhold

The blessing given in that hour

To serve the Lord as he was told. 

The Lord has given us His Word,

And with His Gospel we are sent. 

Shall we withhold what we have heard

From souls who need to still repent? 

Our Lord has said, “Lift up your eyes”

And look upon the harvest fields. 

The one who sows His Word wise,

Rejoicing in the fruit it yields. 

Do not withhold the Word in youth

Or when advanced in later years,

For we are stewards of God’s truth

And debtors to this world’s ears.

We hold the key to heaven’s favor;

We have the truth that makes us free.

The Gospel of our Lord and Savior

Will save a soul eternally.   

We thank You, Lord, for Your salvation  

Which You have sent us to proclaim,

Withholding not Your invitation

To turn and call upon Your name!  

Changeless Cheer

“I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you… These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me ye might have peace.  In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 6:22,33). 

There is a cause for changeless cheer

That Jesus Christ our Savior gives,

Removing every cause for fear

Because forevermore He lives. 

He gives us reason to rejoice

With joy that no one takes away. 

We are His sheep who hear His voice,

Delighting in what He will say. 

His voice from Scripture we have heard

Assuring us He’ll come again.  

Our joy unspeakable is stirred

To know we shall behold Him then!

In Christ alone we have our peace,

Though all around is tribulation.

His tender mercies never cease

In every changing situation. 

Our Lord has overcome the world;

His triumph is our confidence!

Our sins into the depths were hurled

By what He did in our defense!

We know in every circumstance

The changeless hope that cheers our soul

Is anchored, not in changing chance,

But rather in our Lord’s control. 

Lord, thank You for Your gracious favor

With changeless cheer that You extend

Because You fought to be our Savior

And were triumphant in the end! 

Haters of Heaven

“The haters of the LORD should have submitted themselves unto Him: but their time should have endured forever” (Psalm 81:15).  “They despised all My reproof” (Proverbs 1:30).  “They hated Me without a cause” (John 15:25). 

The haters of Christ have thus spoken:  

We’ll not have Him over us reign!

The bands of His mercy they’ve broken,

The cords of His love they disdain. 

Despising our Savior’s reproof

And thus making light of His laws,

They blindly are standing aloof

And hating our Lord without cause. 

These haters of heaven by choice

Have turned from the Lord and His love. 

They’ve chosen to not hear the voice

Of Him who yet speaks from above. 

Let souls now beware of their way

And distance themselves from the path

Of souls blindly going astray,

Unmindful of God’s coming wrath!

O Lord, we are debtors to grace

And objects of heaven’s compassion! 

How great is Your love that we trace

Which sought after us in this fashion! 

We see, Lord, the pathway is broad

That leads to the soul’s condemnation,

That turns from the mercy of God,

And thereby refuses salvation. 

Lord, help us by grace to be wise

To turn those yet blinded by hate,

That You may thus open their eyes

To trust You before it’s too late!