Looking Just to my Lord Jesus

“My son, be wise, and make My heart glad, that I may answer him that reproacheth Me” (Proverbs 27:11).  “A voice out of the cloud… said, This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye Him… And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only” (Matthew 17:5-8). 

A voice from heaven to my soul

Has spoken in the clearest tone,

And though it wasn’t audible,

God surely made His comfort known. 

The Word of God conveys His voice,

Which God allows my heart to hear

To stir my spirit to rejoice

As He reminds me He is near. 

Beholding thus my Savior’s beauty,

Now quieted, I hear Him speak.  

I’m drawn by love, not merely duty,

To Christ exalted, yet so meek. 

My Father knows that I am one

Who is distracted easily. 

He calls me to behold His Son

And hear Him as He speaks to me. 

As on the mount where Christ was speaking

To Moses and Elijah then,

He shows me who I should be seeking:

My Lord alone, not mortal men! 

As others have departed now,

I lift my eyes to Christ above,

And see Him only as I bow,

Astonished at His wondrous love. 

I sense my Savior’s gentle touch;

He tells me not to be afraid.

I scarcely understand how much

The Lord for my redemption paid! 

Lord, thank You for this hallowed place

Where I approach on holy ground

To lift my eyes and see Your face

Where fullest joy and peace are found! 

O Lord, there’s no one else like You

Who can impart such perfect peace! 

Your mercies everyday are new;

Your lovingkindness does not cease!

I thank You, Lord, my God and Savior,

For saving me from condemnation,

And still I’m drawing from Your favor

To preach Your Gospel of salvation.  

Worthless World

“For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?  Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Matthew 16:26). 

If we are given to the goal

Of gaining riches of this earth,

Yet in the process, lose our soul,

Then what at last are those things worth? 

Should not we give this careful thought?

Should not we think it very strange

That people sell their souls for naught,

And boast themselves of their exchange? 

What profit is there in the end,

Though all the world should applaud,

Without a Savior to defend

Their souls before the throne of God? 

These questions rightly make us dwell

On where we’ll spend eternity. 

Christ died to save our souls from  hell,

But we must choose our destiny. 

The world shall be worthless then,

For all its riches pass away,

But Jesus died for sinful men

And saves those who will humbly pray.

O Lord, You’ve shown to us the path

With all the riches of salvation

That saves us from eternal wrath

Removing thus our condemnation. 

That path we’ve found, O Lord, is You,

For You have paid redemption’s price!

You are the narrow Way we view,

The Lamb, our spotless Sacrifice!

Lord, help us show to others now

How worthless is this world’s wealth,

That You may save them as they bow

And find in You Your saving health.  

Lost Leaders

“Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it.  But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we” (Numbers 13:30,31).  “But I have trusted in Thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in Thy salvation” (Psalm 13:5).  “As an earring of gold… so is a wise reprover upon an obedient ear” (Proverbs 25:12).  “Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch” (Matthew 15:14). 

No wonder Caleb was so bold

To thus reprove the people’s fear: 

He trusted what he had been told

Which God, by Moses, had made clear. 

Though he and Joshua agreed,

They were outnumbered by the ten

Who were not competent to lead,  

Discouraging God’s people then. 

These leaders surely lost their way,

Since their conclusions were so wrong. 

They trusted not in God that day,

But feared those whom they thought were strong. 

The Lord held them responsible

As leaders then for what they said. 

Forgetting God was in control,

They trusted in themselves instead.

How many lessons were ignored

As they refused then to repent! 

Rebelling thus against the Lord,

Their ears were not obedient. 

If they had only changed their mind,

Repentance would have made them rich!

Alas, blind leaders of the blind

Were bound to fall into the ditch!

O Lord, you see this tragedy

In leaders who are far from You.  

Thus cloaked in their hypocrisy,

They say the things that are not true.  

Reprove us, Lord, and cleanse our hearts

From every sinful way You ponder.

By strength Your Spirit now imparts,

Constrain our hearts to no more wander. 

You see the leaders who are lost

Endangering the flock You own. 

We pray, Lord, that they’ll count the cost,

And if they won’t, You’ll make them known. 

Word vs. Wind

“Now will I arise, saith the LORD; I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him.  The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.  Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation forever” (Psalm 12:5-7).  “But when he [Peter] saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.  And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?  And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased” (Matthew 14:30-32). 

The Lord has said He will arise

Against those puffing like the wind,

By giving us His Word so wise,

Refuting liars who have sinned.

The Word of God has been preserved

As God Himself has thus decreed. 

Though many from His way have swerved,

The Word of God is truth indeed. 

We do not need to be dismayed

By fools yet blinded by their pride.  

God’s Word fulfilled has been displayed

Which He preserved and prophesied. 

We see this principle is found

When Peter followed Christ’s command

To walk on water like the ground,

For Christ enabled him to stand. 

But Peter than began to think

About the threat of wind and waves

And that’s when he began to sink,

Yet prayed and found that Jesus saves.

Yet Jesus Christ reproves as well,

When we are looking round about,

As He who saved our souls from hell

Now asks us also why we doubt!   

O Lord, we thank You for Your Word! 

The wind indeed is boisterous,

But we delight that we have heard

Your voice that is victorious! 

Lord, help us reach the lost today,

Amid these winds by which they're led.

Prepare their hearts to humbly pray

And trust Your precious Word instead!