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!