Healing Hardened Hearts

“Today if ye will hear His voice, harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness” (Psalm 95:7,8).  “Hell and destruction are before the Lord: how much more, then, the hearts of the children of men?... The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom; and before honor is humility” (Proverbs 15:11,33).  “Thy heart is not right in the sight of God.  Repent therefore” (Acts 8:21,22). 

The only hope for hardened hearts

Is found as they obey God’s voice.

The healing that our Lord imparts

Is never forced; it is a choice. 

The hearts of men are now revealed

As in the day of provocation,

And yet by grace they may be healed,

As they repent and find salvation. 

The fear of God is the beginning

When God will heal hearts with pride. 

The Lord reproves those who are sinning,

Then shows them Christ in whom we hide.

The Lord resists the heart that’s proud,

Yet gives His grace to all the humble.

When hearts and knees to Him are bowed,

They walk in light, and shall not stumble. 

The Lord decrees to all the earth: 

Repent therefore without delay!

He gives the gift of second birth

And heals hearts that humbly pray! 

O Lord, our Savior and Physician,

We thank You for Your wondrous healing

Provided for the heart’s condition

Which You in mercy are revealing.

We pray, O Lord, for hearts yet hardened,

That they may turn at last to You

And thereby know that they are pardoned

And given hearts by grace made new.  

Our Refuge, His Rest

“Choose you this day whom ye will serve… but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD” (Joshua 24:15).  “The LORD is my Defense; and my God is the Rock of my refuge” (Psalm 94:22).  “In the fear of the LORD is strong confidence: and His children shall have a Place of refuge” (Proverbs 14:26).  “What house will ye build Me? saith the Lord, or what is the place of My rest?” (Acts 7:49). 

There is a Refuge God provides

To those who gladly serve the Lord. 

There is a rest where God resides

In hearts where He shall be adored.

“Choose you this day whom ye will serve,”

Said Joshua with clarity,  

Yet from the Lord he would not swerve

From serving with his family. 

Apart from God there’s no defense,

For every other hope is flawed. 

How awful is the consequence

Awaiting those refusing God!

There is a principle that’s clear

Whereby our confidence begins:

We flee to Christ by Godly fear  

Who is the Refuge from our sins! 

Christ died to be our Hiding Place,

And yet He waits for us to choose

To either humbly seek His face,

Or otherwise His grace refuse. 

How greatly by Him we are blest

As we have found in Him salvation,

And in us He has found His rest  

When we obey His invitation! 

Lord, occupy Your rightful throne

And find Your rest today in those  

Whom You have ransomed as Your own

Within the house of Your repose.  

Godless Waves vs. God's Word

“The LORD your God is He that hath fought for you… Cleave unto the LORD your God… Love the LORD your God” (Joshua 23:3-11).  “The floods have lifted up, O LORD, the floods have lifted up their voice; the floods lift up their waves.  The LORD on high is mightier… than the mighty waves of the sea” (Psalm 93:3,4).  “The Word of God increased… Then there arose certain of the synagogue… disputing with Stephen.  And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake” (Acts 6:7-10). 

We hear the great farewell address

When Joshua was full of years

Confirming that the Lord will bless

Each one who diligently hears. 

The Lord your God for you has fought,

So “cleave unto the Lord” who saves,

And “love the Lord” now as you ought,

Whose Word yet stills the mighty waves. 

When Christ ascended up on high

He sent the Holy Spirit then

With power that would testify

Against the godless waves of men.

And so the Word of God increased

Exactly as the Lord intended.

When Stephen spoke, the godless ceased:

His case for Christ was well defended. 

We hear the godless yet disputing

The basic truth that God exists! 

Such lies we ought to be refuting

To show the evidence dismissed!

We need to speak the truth in love,

And yet with reasons we defend. 

The Holy Spirit from above

Persuades humble in the end. 

We thank You, Lord, for saving grace

Extended to humanity

And for the truth that makes Your case

Against such blind insanity! 

The floods have lifted up, O Lord,

Their godless waves which raise their voice. 

Your Word thus willfully ignored

Is our defense, and we rejoice! 

Advantage of the Aged

“The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree… They shall still bring forth fruit in old age… To show that the LORD is upright: He is my Rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him” (Psalm 92:12-15).  “In the way of righteousness is life; and in the pathway thereof there is no death” (Proverbs 12:28).   “Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men… And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ” (Acts 5:29-42). 

We see a strong advantage gained

By those who live by Scripture’s page. 

We see their blessings God ordained: 

They still bear fruit in their old age. 

They show that God has been their Rock

And He is upright in His ways. 

They glorify Him in their walk

And magnify Him with their praise. 

They found the path of righteousness

By walking hand in hand with God.

He is the Shepherd they confess,

Who led them by His staff and rod. 

They often felt their Lord’s correction,

Yet found His peace amid the strife.  

By His reproof, He gave direction

To give Him glory in their life. 

As Peter with the others said,

To God we give obedience

And not to mortal man instead;

This was their bedrock confidence! 

Their Gospel then would not be hidden,

For they confirmed they would not cease

To preach the Word by men forbidden

That offered souls our Savior’s peace. 

The great advantage, Lord, is clear

In those whose days You will extend: 

It’s found as old age draws us near

To You at last, our dearest Friend. 

Basis of our Boldness

“There failed not ought of any good thing which the LORD had spoken unto the house of Israel; all came to pass” (Joshua 21:45).  “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty” (Psalm 91:1).  “This is the Stone which was set at naught of you builders, which is become the Head of the corner.  Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.  Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John… they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus” (Acts 4:11-13). 

The basis of our boldness rests

Upon the Word that God has spoken. 

His Word of prophecy attests

That not one promise has been broken. 

We find our boldness as we dwell

Beneath the shadow of our Lord,

That secret place where all is well,  

For He Himself is our Reward. 

He is the Stone who was rejected

But then at last became the Head,

The Corner Stone whom God selected,

Our Savior risen from the dead! 

In Him alone we have salvation;  

There is no other saving name

That rescues us from condemnation  

But Jesus Christ, whom we proclaim. 

The boldness seen in the behavior

Of John and Peter, simple men,

Reflected that of Christ their Savior,

Acknowledged by the council then. 

These men once hidden in a room

For fear of Jewish retribution,

Now boldly showed Christ’s empty tomb,  

Unsilenced by the persecution. 

O Lord, give us this boldness too  

To preach the Gospel in our day

That souls may know Your Word is true

And trust in You without delay. 

Lord, thank You for Your saving grace

Which prophets long ago foretold. 

How wonderful it is to trace

The basis that we may be bold!