Gazing at the Giver

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning” (James 1:17).

Every good and perfect gift

Comes down from God above.

We gaze upon Him as we lift

Our eyes to view His love. 

The Father looks from heaven’s heights

With mercy on His own.

Behold the splendor of His lights

In Christ that He has shown!

The gifts He gives are great indeed,

Yet now we are discerning

The love of God who met our need,

Without a shade of turning.

There never was a moment’s hint

That Christ would change His mind,

Who set His face then as a flint

To die for all mankind.

We marvel that He would deliver

Our souls at such a cost!

We stand amazed now at the Giver

Who ransomed thus the lost!

O Lord, we marvel as we gaze

At mercies ever new,

Yet You, the Giver, more amaze

Our hearts now drawn to You.

Fallacy of Forsaking

“O forsake me not utterly” (Psalm 119:8).  “He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” (Hebrews 13:5).

We’re wasting our time and our energy

If we think our Savior might ever forsake

The souls He has saved:  it’s a fallacy!

Beware of this needless, deceptive mistake!

Rejoice in the Savior for what He has said!

His promise to keep us shall never be broken.

The Lord kept His promise to rise from the dead.

We rest in the sureness of all He has spoken.

Now no one who comes to the Lord is cast out;

Rejoice in this promise our Lord Jesus made!

Let this great assurance eliminate doubt

And make us courageous instead of afraid.

O Lord, we give thanks for the promise You gave

That terminates worry and gives us direction,

And since You will never forsake those You save,

Replace all our worry with trust and affection!

Founder and Finisher

“The Stone which the builders refused is become the Head Stone of the corner.  This is the LORD'S doing; it is marvelous in our eyes” (Psalm 118:22,23).  “Lay not wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous; spoil not his resting place:  for a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again” (Proverbs 24:15,16).  “Looking unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrew 12:2,3).

The Stone which builders once refused

Is now our Sure Foundation.

Behold our Savior, once abused,

The Founder of Salvation!

How marvelous to longing eyes

It is to see this done

By God, who is supremely wise,

By sending forth His Son!

The enemy in waiting lies

Against our Resting Place.

Though he condemns, God justifies

And raises us by grace!

We look to Jesus Christ alone

To finish what He started,

Who gives us access to His throne,

That grace may be imparted.

O Lord, we thank you for assurance

That time cannot diminish!

You are the Founder of endurance

Until the day we finish.

Reach and Reason

“O praise the LORD, all ye nations: praise Him, all ye people.  For His merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the LORD endureth forever” (Psalm 117:1,2).  “Grace and truth came by Jesus Christ” (John 1:17).  “He that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a Rewarder of them that diligently seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6).

Come and see the reach of God

Which He extends to every nation!

All people here and those abroad

May now partake in His salvation!

How does God extend such favor

To people who deserve His wrath?

His grace and truth came by the Savior:

Salvation has no other path.

For mercy does not render null

The truth which calls for judgment’s rod.

So Christ in grace poured out His soul

To satisfy the truth of God.

The reach of God extends to all

Who put their trust in Christ our Lord.

The rich and poor, the great and small

Receive by faith His great reward.

O Lord, we praise Your wondrous name

Wherein Your grace and truth are blended!

We know, Lord, why You bore our shame:

That grace to us might be extended.

Lord versus Liars

“I said in my haste, All men are liars” (Psalm 116:11).  “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 to them that send unto thee?”  (Proverbs 22:19-21).  “We are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.” (Hebrews 10:39).

What does it matter if all men are liars?

Though all be unfaithful, our God remains true.

God holds the evidence true faith requires:

Whatever He promised, He surely will do.

The Lord clearly wrote to us excellent things

In counsels and knowledge that He might make known

The certainty of every word that He brings

That all of our trust may be in Him alone.

The Lord has provided what saving faith needs,

Presenting a basis to give a defense,

Persuasively showing where evidence leads,

Since no other answer but Christ will make sense.

O Lord, we give thanks for the counsels You’ve spoken,

Which from the beginning Your prophets foretold.

Among all Your promises, not one was broken;

Let all men be liars: to You we will hold!

Determining which Destiny

“And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:  so Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for Him shall He appear the second time without sin unto salvation” (Hebrews 9:27,28).

The day approaches when we’ll be

Released from time forevermore.

We’ll enter then the destiny

Determined by our choice before.

The only Savior, God’s Anointed,

Will save those who will hear His voice.

Though death at last has been appointed,

We reach our destiny of choice.  

The souls that look for Jesus Christ,

Have trusted Him as Lord and Savior.

There was no other sacrificed

Through which the Lord extends His favor.

O Lord, we thank You that You gave

The grace of this determination:

For none but You, O Lord, can save;

By choosing You, we have salvation!

Remembrance Removed

“I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more” (Hebrews 8:12). 

Remembrance of sin is removed from God’s court,

Yet justice and judgment have surely prevailed.

The Lord still remembers the sinful report,

But all of our sins to His cross have been nailed!

Our God is the Judge, yet He justifies

The souls who will trust Him to be their Defender.

The judgment He bore on the cross satisfies

His justice for those who to Christ will surrender.

O Lord, we are sure that You’ll never forget

The judgment You bore that we surely deserved,

But now the demands of Your law have been met,

Our sins are removed, and Your justice is served!

Higher than the Heavens

“The LORD is high above all nations, and His glory above the heavens… Who humbleth Himself” (Psalm 113:4-6). “Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He… higher than the heavens… offered up Himself” (Hebrews 7:25-27).

Higher than the heavens are,

Our Savior takes His place

To draw us near who once were far,

Enabled by His grace.

He saves us to the uttermost!

Now washed from sin and shame,

We come to God by Him and boast

Alone in Jesus’ name.

The Lord, exalted far above

The earth and every nation,

Has offered up Himself in love

To bring to us salvation.

We cannot comprehend, O Lord,

Such deep humility

Which You, in death, for us explored,

That You might set us free.

Though heaven is above us high,

Your mercy, Lord, is higher!

It was for love You came to die

With infinite desire!