Insanity of Idolatry

“Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is now their God?... Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men's hands… They that make them are like unto them” (Psalm 115:2-8).  “The ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD, and He pondereth all his goings… He shall die without instruction; and in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray” (Proverbs 5:21-23).  “The heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them” (Acts 28:27). 

How strange is the insanity

When hearts deny the obvious,

Who think that their idolatry

With science is synonymous!

Why should they say, “Where is their God?” 

With evidence before their eyes? 

How can their logic be so flawed

As they profess that they are wise?  

The Word of God declares the cause

That willful blindness strangely stands:

Men see the work of heaven’s laws,

Then praise the work of their own hands! 

The ways of man by God are pondered: 

He warns us of approaching doom.

We all, like sheep, had likewise wandered,

As we approached our hopeless tomb! 

Praise God who turned us from our madness

To find the greatness of His love,

The prospect of eternal gladness,

And treasures in our Lord above! 

Though hearts are hard and ears are dull,

Though eyes are closed and minds are spent,

God’s Spirit yet reproves each soul

To turn to Christ as they repent. 

We thank, You, Lord, for saving grace

Which rescued us from condemnation

And gave to us a Hiding Place

In YOU, the God of our salvation!

The logic, Lord, is so insane

Of those who yet mocking what is true.

The idols that they hold are vain;

We pray that they will turn to You.  

Parting Paths

“When Israel went out of Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of strange language, Judah was His sanctuary, and Israel His dominion” (Psalm 114:1,2).  “The path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.  The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble” (Proverbs 4:18,19).  “I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me” (Acts 27:25). 

The parting path of Israel

From Egypt’s long captivity

Was in the path where God would dwell;

He gave to them their liberty. 

This is the path we also take:

The path that parts from condemnation,

Departing from the great mistake

Of yet neglecting God’s salvation. 

Our path departs from the opinion

Of those who turn away from God.  

The narrow path is Christ’s dominion;

Destruction’s way is very broad.

The way is dark that leads to wrath,

Wherein  the lost shall blindly stumble. 

God’s light increases on the path

Where grace is given to the humble. 

How brightly does the pathway shine

Illuminated by God’s Word! 

Prophetic truth has this design,

For what He promised, has occurred. 

Lord, thank You for the evidence

By which we now may show the lost

That they are left without defense,

Persuading them to count the cost. 

Lord, we believe what You have said

And follow thus Your path that parts  

From those who willfully are led

On darkened paths by hardened hearts. 

Immanuel's Inheritance

“The LORD our God… raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill, that He may set him with princes, even with the princes of His people” (Psalm 113:5-8).  “The wise shall inherit glory” (Proverbs 3:35).  “I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness… to open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in Me” (Acts 26:16-18). 

Immanuel’s inheritance,

Reserved for those who in Him trust,

The Lord our God now freely grants

To sinners raised up from the dust. 

He lifts us from the hill of dung

That He may set us with His princes

To praise Him with a grateful tongue

And preach with power that convinces. 

He makes us His ambassadors

As we declare redemption’s story.

We show the blessing that He pours

On those who shall inherit glory. 

The words of Jesus Christ our Savior

By which He had commissioned Paul,

Reflect inheritance and favor

That God has granted to us all. 

For we are likewise called to go

To open eyes as God gives sight

To those in darkness whom we show

The splendor of our Savior’s light. 

We turn the lost from Satan’s power

To God by whom we’re sanctified. 

His cross is like a mighty tower

Where they may run and safely hide.

Lord, thank You for the endless list

Of blessings that You now impart,  

For all the sins You have dismissed,

And for the cleansing of our heart. 

 

We thank You, Lord, Immanuel,

For this inheritance we claim

By grace that rescues us from hell

With all who call upon Your name.  

When Pomp Will Perish

“Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness… he will guide his affairs with discretion… The wicked shall see it, and be grieved; he shall gnash with his teeth, and melt away: the desire of the wicked shall perish” (Psalm 112:4-10).  “Discretion shall preserve thee… for the upright shall dwell in the land, and the perfect shall remain in it.  But the wicked shall be cut off from the earth” (Proverbs 2:11-22).  “When Agrippa was come, and Bernice, with great pomp… Paul was brought forth” (Acts 25:23). 

The upright lives before the Lord,

So in the darkness, he has light. 

His Savior’s joy is his reward;

Discretion guides his steps aright. 

The days of pomp and circumstance

And all the things the wicked cherish

Shall melt with all their arrogance,

And their desire then shall perish. 

O may we early learn this lesson

That we may value things of worth

And thus be guided by discretion

And not the passing things of earth. 

When king Agrippa and Bernice

Came forth with pomp before them all,

They did not have God’s perfect peace

And robes of righteousness, like Paul!

O Lord, receive our thanks today

That we are saved from endless loss,  

Enriched because You found a way

To ransom us upon Your cross! 

We thank You, Lord, for Your salvation

With robes of righteousness we wear, 

Replacing all our condemnation

With pomp that ends in great despair.  

Calamity of Convenience

“In those days… every man did that which was right in his own eyes” (Judges 17:6).  “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do” (Psalm 111:10).  “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction… The prosperity of fools shall destroy them” (Proverbs 1:7,32).  “Felix… sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in Christ.  And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a CONVENIENT season, I will call for thee” (Acts 24:24,25). 

The truth that many will despise

Reproves our sin and warns of wrath.

Men do what’s right in their own eyes,

But God has shown another path. 

Convenience brings calamity

Whenever there’s no fear of God,

As fools in their prosperity

Prefer to hear their friends applaud. 

The fear of God is the beginning

Of wisdom that delivers us

From judgment’s penalty for sinning,

Extending grace so marvelous! 

When one puts off until tomorrow

The call of God he hears today,

He surely sows the seeds of sorrow

As he is hardened in his way. 

As Felix listened well to Paul

And trembled at the things he heard,

He cast aside the Savior’s call,

And thereby he despised God’s Word.

We see “convenience” at its worst

And its calamitous effect

When sinners tremble who are cursed,

Then turn away in their neglect. 

O Lord, we thank for the fear

That prompted us to seek Your face,

When our calamity was near,  

To find our refuge in Your grace!   

Lord, helps us, by Your Spirit, reason

With those who yet are in grave danger,

Lest in an inconvenient season,

They stand before You as a stranger.