Hope we Hold

"Thou art my Hiding Place and my Shield: I hope in Thy Word… Uphold me according unto Thy Word, that I may live: and let me not be ashamed of my hope" (Psalm 119:114,116).  "So shall the knowledge of wisdom be unto thy soul: when thou hast found it, then there shall be a reward, and thy expectation shall not be cut off" (Proverbs 24:14).  "We… have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:  which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast" (Hebrews 6:18,19).   

The hope we hold is holding us,

Providing us a Hiding Place.

It leads us forth victorious

And shields us with saving grace. 

The hope we hold is wonderful!

How marvelous is its reward! 

It is the anchor of our soul,

The promise of our faithful Lord. 

In Christ we have our expectation;

Our hope in Him has been assured. 

His promise is our consolation;

God's solemn oath confirms His Word. 

Lord, thank You for this hope we hold,

Both sure and steadfast evermore.

Behold, the half has not been told

Of all Your glory we'll explore!  

Increase the Inclination

"Stand every morning to thank and praise the LORD, and likewise at even" (1 Chronicles 23:30).  "Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path… I have inclined mine heart to perform Thy statutes alway, even unto the end" (Psalm 119:105,112).  "Surely there is an end; and thine expectation shall not be cut off.  Hear thou, My son, and be wise, and guide thine heart in the way… My son, give Me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe My ways" (Proverbs 23:18,19,26). 

Give thanks and praise to God each morning,

And every night be so inclined,

Though many still will go on scorning

With those who blindly lead the blind.   

The Word of God shall be our light

That shines His truth upon our path

To please the Lord who fought our fight

And who delivered us from wrath. 

We surely know there is an end

When we shall see our Savior's face. 

We soon shall meet our dearest Friend

Who has prepared for us a place. 

O Lord, we've heard Your invitation

To fully give our hearts to You. 

May we increase this inclination

In all we think, and say, and do!  

Two-Edge Truth (Thank You, Lord!)

"O how love I Thy Law!  It is my meditation all the day… therefore I hate every false way" (Psalm 119:97,104).  "Train up a child in the way he should go… The eyes of the LORD preserve knowledge, and He overthroweth the words of the transgressor… [to] 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 22:6,12,21).  "For the Word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword" (Hebrews 4:12). 

We learn to love God's precious Word

As on His Law we meditate,

In contrast to the lies we've heard,

Which we, conversely, learn to hate. 

The Lord preserves His truth forever,

Yet overthrows transgressors' lies,

Unmasking Satan's long endeavor

To tell the fool that he is wise. 

How wondrous is the certainty

Of every precious word of truth,

With counsels written perfectly

That we may thereby train our youth.

We THANK YOU for Your perfect will,

Dividing true and false, O Lord. 

Your Word of truth is sharper still

Than any other two-edge sword.  

Humbled or Hardened

"David said unto God, I have sinned greatly… and called upon the LORD; and He answered him from heaven" (1 Chronicles 21:8,26).  "Unless Thy law had been my delights, I should then have perished" (Psalm 119:92).  "A wicked man hardeneth his face: but as for the upright, He directeth his way" (Proverbs 21:29).  "Wherefore, as the Holy Ghost saith, Today if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts, as… your fathers… They have not known My ways… They shall not enter into My rest" (Hebrews 3:7-11). 

We are like David, after all,

Who brought before the Lord his case.

Confessing sin, God heard his call

And answered him with heaven's grace. 

We all have sinned; we all have stumbled,

Yet by God's grace we have been pardoned,

Approaching God when we were humbled

And turning from a heart once hardened. 

The Lord has shown to us His way

And given each of us a choice. 

His Spirit calls the lost today

To humbly hear the Savior's voice. 

O Lord, You see each humbled heart

And every hardened heart as well. 

We plead with sinners to depart 

From pride which leads a soul to hell.  

Smiling in the Smoke

"I am become like a bottle in the smoke; yet do I not forget Thy statutes… All Thy commandments are faithful" (Psalm 119:83,86).   "Most men will proclaim everyone his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?... Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?" (Proverbs 20:6,9).  "But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that He by the grace of God should taste death for every man" (Hebrews 2:9). 

Despite much confusion, like smoke

Obscuring our vision today,

We smile, assured that God spoke,

And He overrules what men say. 

Though many proclaim they are good,

And flattering men will applaud,

We all have not done as we should;

We're sinners, according to God. 

In spite of the smoke we can see

That Christ tasted death for each man.  

His suffering and death made us free

And justified us by His plan. 

O Lord, we are smiling with pleasure

At truth that the smoke cannot hide:

You purchased our ultimate treasure

And ransomed our souls when You died!  

Fashioned by His Fear

"Be of good courage… behave ourselves valiantly… and let the LORD do that which is good in His sight" (1 Chronicles 19:13).  "Thy hands have made me and fashioned me… They that fear Thee will be glad when they see me; because I have hoped in Thy Word" (Psalm 119:73,74).  "The fear of the LORD tendeth to life: and he that hath it shall abide satisfied; he shall not be visited with evil" (Proverbs 19:23).  "His Son… by Himself purged our sins… Let all the angels of God worship Him" (Hebrews 1:2,3,6). 

As we are walking in God's fear,

When trouble comes, we do not flee,

For we are sure that God is near;

By Him we shall do valiantly.

The Lord still fashions heroes thus

Who fear the Lord instead of men

In these last days, reminding us

That He will surely come again. 

The fear of God will mold our life

And we shall then be satisfied

As we are faithful in the strife

To honor Christ who for us died. 

We thank You, Lord, for Your compassion,

And with the angels at Your throne, 

We praise You as with fear You fashion

Our hearts to worship You alone.