Faithful when Forsaken

“When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up” (Psalms 27:10).  “Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world… At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me… Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me… And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto His heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen” (2 Timothy 4:10-18). 

Though I may be forsaken here

By friendships that I found were frail,

The Lord is faithful and is near: 

I know that that He will never fail.

Though father, mother, brother, friend,

Have each become at last my foe,

The Lord’s compassion does not end;

His love shall never let me go. 

Though Demas in the work partook

With Paul to serve the King of kings,

The time had come when he forsook

Paul’s partnership for earthly things. 

As Paul observed, he was forsaken

By all when answering God’s call,

Yet through it all he was not shaken,

For God stood with him through it all. 

These things are written for my good

That I may find my strength in God,

So I may trust Him as I should,

Though all forsake, and none applaud. 

O Lord, Your counsel is sublime! 

You bring Your comfort in due season

So I may trust You all the time,

Since You have given ample reason!  

Lord, thank You for the love You’ve shown!   

Though all forsake me, You will not. 

I trust Your faithfulness alone: 

I’ve found in You the rest I sought! 

Limited Learning

“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.  For men shall be… ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth… From a child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.  All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:1-16). 

The perilous times have arrived

Of which the apostle Paul warned:    

Men learn, but they still are deprived

Of truth they’ve rejected and scorned. 

They’re learning, yet never are able

To come to the knowledge of truth. 

They're trusting instead in a fable

And teaching it then to their youth. 

How great is the need of this hour

To train up our children aright! 

The Scriptures are holding the power

To  overrule darkness with light. 

The lost pose their own limitation

On what they are able to learn.

Their knowledge excludes their salvation,  

The theme they need most to discern!

All Scripture is given by God,

Inspired and taught by His Spirit. 

The teaching of sinners is flawed,

Yet fools are delighted to hear it.  

Praise God for the Scripture’s perfection,

So needed for doctrine today,

With words for reproof, for correction,

And training in God’s righteous way. 

O Lord, in this day of great need,

We pray that Your Scripture’s instruction

Will guide us in thought, word, and deed

To part from this world’s seduction. 

Lord, send us today with Your yearning

To perishing souls that You see  

May turn from their limited learning

To truth that will set their hearts free!   

Paths of the Pardoned

“Good and upright is the LORD: therefore will He teach sinners in the way… For Thy name's sake, O LORD, pardon mine iniquity; for it is great” (Psalm 25:8,11).  “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).  “Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are His, and, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity… Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace” (2 Timothy 2:19,22). 

How good and upright is the Lord

Who teaches sinners in His way,

Whose erring children are restored

And pardoned as they humbly pray. 

So lay not wait, O wicked one,

Against the children of our God,

For though they fall, God is not done,

Though they are chastened with His rod. 

God’s seal of assurance is

On this foundation in our heart: 

The Lord knows every one of His,

And let them from their sin depart. 

God’s children have an inclination

To follow Christ by whom they’re pardoned,

But those resisting His salvation

Against the Lord are further hardened. 

There are forbidden paths to flee

Where once we walked in youthful lust,

That we may follow charity,

In righteousness, in peace, and trust.

Lord, thank You for Your wondrous grace

That rescued us from endless wrath,

When You became our Hiding Place

And set us on salvation’s path. 

O Lord, we follow where You lead

As we proclaim Your Gospel’s Word:

The pardon now that sinners need

Upon the cross has been secured!

Lord, send us forth to reach the lost

And show Your pardon paid in full,   

So they may marvel at the cost

And run to You to save their soul! 

 

Counsel to Conform

“And Micaiah said, As the LORD liveth, what the LORD saith unto me, that will I speak” (1 Kings 22:14).  “Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle” (Psalm 24:8).  “Be thou in the fear of the LORD all the day long” (Proverbs 23:17).  “For God hath not given us the Spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7). 

Michaiah found himself in prison

Because he would not compromise.

He made a steadfast, bold decision

To fear the Lord, and that was wise!

The counsel that Michaiah heard

When he was in the prison cell

Was to conform and speak a word

Like others, so it would be well. 

Michaiah chose to have no part

Of counsel for conformity. 

He purposed rather in his heart  

To fear the Lord God faithfully.   

Though others may conform like cattle,

We dare not merge with what is wrong.    

The Lord will strengthen us in battle

To serve and fear Him all day long. 

The fear of man shall bring a snare,

But where the fear of God is found,

The Spirit of the Lord is there

Where power, love, and truth abound.

O Lord, You see humanity

Still walking down that path so broad

That welcomes the insanity

Of fearing man instead of God.

Lord, grant us fearlessness today  

With power, love, and ready minds   

To show the lost Your saving way,

To open eyes that Satan blinds.

Lord, as we see the fearful norm

Of those rejecting what is true,

We need Your counsel to conform,  

Not to this world, but to You.  

Showing us Surely

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever” (Psalm 23:6).  “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).  “O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called” (1 Timothy 6:20).    

How surely the truth is secured

With evidence God has afforded

By promises found in His Word

Fulfilled as the prophets recorded. 

In peace or in days filled with strife,

In rest or demanding endeavor,

The goodness of God in our life

Shall follow and keep us forever. 

When heaven and earth pass away

And kingdoms have crumbled to dust,

The counsel of God’s Word today

Shall surely reward those who trust. 

God certainty gives us a reason,

Through counsel with His validation,

To answer with words in due in season,

Declaring the truth of salvation. 

We know there will be opposition

By falsehood (called science in error)

To lead precious souls to perdition

Who blindly draw near to their terror.    

O Lord, lead us forth by Your Spirit,  

Declaring Your counsel of grace  

And showing those surely who hear it

That You gave Your life in our place. 

Lord, thank You for showing us surely

The Gospel we’re called to defend

So hearts may be seeking You early

And trust You as Savior and Friend.