John the Baptist, a man sent from God,
Was sent to preach God's Holy Word;
Sent from God and authorized,
Christ and His apostles to baptize.
Thus
the material was prepared
For
building the church, and Christ declared,
In
Matthew sixteen, He would not fail,
For
the gates of hell should not prevail!
Christ
built His church while on this earth,
The
twelve apostles He set in first,
But
one of them fell from this high position;
He
was Judas Iscariot, the son of perdition.
The
others consisted His "little flock",
Their
feet set firmly upon the "Rock";
On
the Rock, Christ Jesus, His church was built,
And
for His Church His blood was spilt.
He
gave them the "Supper" ere He died on the tree,
And
bade them do this, "In remembrance of Me";
Remember
My body, broken, My blood shed for you,
'Til
I come, keep the Supper and my commandments too.
Christ
arose from the dead and ascended to heaven,
But
first, to His church, His commission was given;
You
can see it written there on the holy page,
With
His church He would be to the end of the age.
He
bade them to tarry at Jerusalem,
'Til
empowered by the Spirit sent by Him;
They
waited, prayed and witnessed a plenty,
And
grew from twelve to one hundred and twenty.
Then
assembled at Pentecost, in the upper room,
Lo,
the Spirit of God came down with a zoom!
With
tongues of fire they were all baptized,
And
His church was empowered, they all realized!
With
foreign tongues which men understood,
They
began to speak as the Spirit would
Give
them utterence, and with words so bold,
The
gospel story they preached and told.
Three
thousand souls were saved that day
And
to the church added, a splendid display
Of
what Christ, through His church, is able to do,
When
men will obey Him faithfully and true.
But
alas, Satan's ire, aroused before long,
Brought
the church persecution, swift and strong;
The
disciples were scattered throughout the land;
To
destroy the Lord's church was the devil's plan.
But
God, in His wisdom, had planned otherwise,
For
by persecution the churches multiplied;
Each
church reaching out to establish another,
Still,
all independent of each other.
Thus
the churches grew, multiplied and prevailed,
'Til
Satan realized his plan had surely failed;
'Twas
then he devised his master plan - this was it:
That
the churches of Christ he would counterfeit!
'Twas
around three hundred A.D. that he found,
The
churches around Rome had not remained sound,
For
they had apostated and gone astray,
Bringing
the true churches grief and dismay.
Satan
took these churches which had left the word of God,
Over
which the Lord had written the word, "Ichobod";
Thus
it was that the Catholic church did begin,
Claiming
to be the Lord's church, deceiving ignorant men!
This
monstrous church began to grow and to persecute
The
truth-loving churches, which Christ did institute;
Because
they would not recant the doctrines which they loved,
Fifty
million sealed their testimony with their martyr's blood!
And
though, at times, the gates of hell seemed almost to prevail,
God's
word is surely true, and it surely will not fail;
For
through the darkest ages, Christ brought His church, His bride,
Holding
fast the precious doctrines for which their brethren died!
She's
here today, though still hated and despised it's true,
Not
only by the "whore" but her "harlot daughters" too;
She's
here and will be until that glorious day,
When
Jesus comes in all His glory to take His bride away.
Now
all the blood-bought children for whom Jesus died,
Will
surely go to meet Him when He comes for His bride;
For
many are in His kingdom who are not in His church,
To
them it does not seem important for "His church" to search!
Often
poor and small in number, you can find them if you look,
Still
holding fast the teachings of the precious Holy Book!
Chosen
and peculiar people, they've been called by many names,
But
today they call them Baptists and their teachings
Have
not changed!
The
Bible
There
it stands, like a mighty rock
In
the midst of a raging sea;
The
Bible stands, though men may mock
And
attack it vehemently!
Why
do men mock and hate it so?
This
Book of eternal salvation!
Could
it be that wicked men know
It
warns of their condemnation?
They
have burned it, and spurned it,
And
explained it away;
They
have denied and spiritualized,
But
the Book is here to stay!
And
though wicked men like Jehoiakim,
May
take their penknives and whittle,
The
Bible will not be expired by them,
Not
even one jot or tittle!
For
should they destroy it from the earth,
This
Book which God has given;
'Tis
settled forever from the first,
And
has been presereved in heaven!
They
shall be judged by this Holy Word,
All
whose sins have not been atoned,
When
they meet a thrice-Holy God
At
the great white judgement throne!
What
Would He Think Or Say
There was no room
for Him in the inn,
That's why He was
laid in a manger;
And to this world
of lost, sinful men,
Unto this day He remains
a stranger.
Now once a year they
become quite merry,
And celebrate His
birthday - or so they claim;
But the rest of the
year they seem in a hurry,
To dishonor Him and
blaspheme His name.
Oh, they like to think
of Him as a babe,
But they have no love
for Him on the cross;
That He would come
to die and to save
Seems quite foolish
to those who are lost.
Yes, the gospel is
hid to those who perish,
For Satan has surely
blinded their eyes;
This world of sin
they love and cherish,
And their lost condition
do not realize.
But scattered among
them are His dear sheep,
'Twas for them He
was born, for them He died;
He kept the law which
they could not keep,
And to their sins
was His blood applied.
So thankful am I that
my Saviour came
To this wicked, sin
- cursed earth;
Oh, praise His precious,
holy name,
I'm thankful for His
virgin birth!
But 'tis not my Saviour's
desire or plan,
That with His birthday
I be concerned;
'Tis, instead, His
solemn command,
That I watch and wait
for His return.
Yes, He tells me to
be watching and waiting,
And I wonder what
He would think or say,
If He should return
and find me celebrating,
With the world, it's
pagan holiday.
God's
Truth Versus Satan's Lies
So
many churches and cults today
Are
teaching the devil's lies,
Leading
millions of folk astray,
For
Satan has blinded their eyes.
The
world is full of Satan's lies,
Confusion
on every hand;
God's
word is twisted and denied,
Just
as Satan has planned.
Truth,
it seems, is cast in the street,
For
men by the devil are led;
Tramp'ing
God's truth under their feet,
They
prefer to teach error instead.
God's
word is true, He says what He means,
And
those who believe Him are wise;
Reject
God's word and it's plainly seen,
He'll
let you believe Satan's lies!
Now
if you believe God's word and obey,
Your
life will surely be blessed;
He'll
save you and keep you from going astray,
Your
soul will find peace and rest.
He
Will Be Satisfied
We're made for the
glory of God,
Created by His own
hand,
And by His sovereign
grace we will trod,
Just the way that
He has planned.
The word of the Lord
will not fail,
Each tittle will come
to pass,
God's word will surely
prevail,
So let us stand steadfast.
God will not be defeated,
His word will be fulfilled,
His work will be completed,
According to His sovereign
will.
Does it not thrill
your soul?
We're on the winning
side!
He shall see the travail
of His soul,
And He shall be satisfied.
Sovereignty
The earth is the Lord's
and the fullness thereof;
His are the cattle
on a thousand hills,
His , the starry host
in the heavens above,
He calls them by name
and they do His will.
He has measured the
hills and the dust of the earth,
And measured the waters
in His hand;
By His knowledge He
made this vast universe,
And meted out heaven
with a span.
As a drop in a bucket
He counts the nations,
Considers them as
a very little thing,
For when He compares
them to His great creation,
They are vanity, no
profit do they bring.
Oh, the power and strength
of His might!
He fainteth not and
never is weary;
Men are as grasshoppers
in His sight,
And vanity, too, as
we can see clearly.
Why, then, should the
spirit of man be proud?
He's only here for
a few short days;
He lives out his time
which God has allowed,
Then like the grass,
he withers and fades.
Oh, each man's soul
lives on and on,
Forever and forever
it lives,
Either in hell, hopeless
and forlorn,
Or in the joy and
peace which Jesus gives!
Jesus, God's Son, came
to seek and to save,
By His sinless life
and death on the cross;
His life for lost
sinners He freely gave,
That He might save
them from infinite loss.
All that the Father
gave Him will come,
And He will in nowise
cast them out,
For He draws them
and loves them every one;
They are His forever
and there is no doubt!
Thou
Hast Provided So Great Salvation
Thy glory, Lord, the
heavens declare,
Giving assurance that
Thou art there;
And by Thy power and
Thy decree,
All things move in
harmony.
When I consider the
works of Thy hands,
All so magnificent
and grand,
Then I wonder why
Thou would condescend,
With such mercy for
fallen men.
Why would Thou choose
some of Adam's race
To be recipients of
Thy grace,
When chains of darkness
have been the fate,
Of angels who left
their first estate?
No wondrous mercy to
them was shown,
Nor for their sins
didst Thou atone,
No shadow of Thou
ever turning,
To pluck them from
the brand of burning.
But through the death
of Thy spotless Son,
All men to Thee may
freely come;
Oh, Thou God of this
vast creation,
Thou has provided
so great salvation!
Oh, God of mercy, 'tis
my earnest prayer,
That Thine elect ones
everywhere
May repent of their
sins and quickly flee,
To the Saviour who
died at Calvery.
God's
Precious Gift
Joyful praise we would
ascribe
To Jesus, our Lord,
so wonderful;
Oh, for words that
would describe
God's precious gift,
unspeakable!
Oh, great and bountiful
salvation,
Priceless gift of
our Saviour's love!
'Twas not by works
that we have done,
But cost our Lord
His precious blood.
Oh, riches in Christ,
unsearchable,
Oh, for words to thank
Him as we should,
But in this life it
is impossible
To love and serve
Him as we would.
Some day we'll put
on immortality,
Up to glory with Him
we'll soar;
To bear the image
of the heavenly,
And praise Him as
we never have before!
What
Can Separate Me From God's Love?
Oh, what can separate
me from God's love,
Can powers on earth
or in heaven above?
Can angels or principalities?
No, nothing from His
love can separate me!
Oh, who can pluck me
from my Father's hand?
My Saviour has spoken,
on His word I stand;
For He has given me
eternal life,
Oh, He paid with His
blood the terrible price!
Now I was once burdened
with Satan and sin,
But my heart was opened,
the Saviour came in;
He whispered so sweetly,
now you are mine,
For you I have purchased
with my blood divine!
Oh, what a change has
now come over me,
I'm living for Jesus
so happy and free;
One day I'll see Him
in heaven above,
For nothing can separate
me from God's love!
Oh,
What Manner Of Love Is This
Eternal Father, God
of love,
Seated on Thy throne
above,
Ruling this vast universe,
Thy will is done in
heaven and earth.
Wouldst Thou, then,
allow Thine own dear Son,
To this world of sin
to come?
Thrice Holy God, so
pure and just,
Hast Thou so loved
this worm of the dust?
Yes, Thou foreknew
me in Thy love,
Chose me in Thine
portals above,
Predestined me to
become
Conformed to the image
of Thy Son.
Ordained before the
world had foundation,
Christ came and purchased
my salvation;
Not with corruptible
silver or gold,
But with His own blood
He redeemed my soul!
In His own body upon
the tree,
He bore my sins and
set me free;
Imputed to me His
righteousness,
My soul, in Him, is
forever blessed.
Oh, what love He bestowed
upon me,
That through the ages
of eternity,
I'll live with Him
in perfect bliss;
Oh, what manner of
love is this?
The
Glorious Gospel
This is the gospel
wherein I stand,
Whereby I am saved
as God has planned;
Christ died for my
sins as the scriptures say,
Was buried, and rose
again the third day.
Oh, this glorious gospel
light
Shone in my soul so
wondrously bright,
Bringing me peace
from heaven on high;
Glory to God! He passed
me not by!
'Tis by God's grace
I am what I am;
'Tis by His grace
that God's holy Lamb
Paid for my sins at
Calvary,
Shedding His blood
to ransom me.
'Tis by His grace that
I am sealed,
By God's Holy Spirit,
the one who revealed
To me this gospel,
so crystal clear,
Gave me eyes to see
and ears to hear.
But the natural man
cannot perceive
This glorious gospel,
for Satan deceives,
Blinding their eyes
that they may not see
The gospel in all
it's simplicity.
Still, God's chosen
ones are scattered around,
Through the country,
cities and towns;
God uses the gospel
to reach their souls,
And bring His sheep
into His fold.
The gospel, then, must
be faithfully preached,
That God's elect ones
may be reached;
For by God's grace,
'tis His decree,
That they be His for
eternity.
From
Every Kindred, Tongue And Nation
Man's life is short
and full of trouble;
He lives his God-allotted
time,
Then doth vanish like
a bubble,
Leaving his house
of clay behind.
For "Dust thou art
to dust returneth",
To man's soul does
not apply;
For the world he ever
yearneth,
But to his Maker he
must fly.
And he must answer
to his Maker,
For the deeds which
he has done;
Unless, by grace,
he is partaker
Of life eternal, through
God, the Son.
But sinful man just
will not come
To the Saviour, the
Lord Jesus Christ,
For his affection
is set upon
This wicked world
of sin and strife.
Still, God has chosen
a multitude,
To be the heirs of
eternal salvation;
And they will come,
in gratitude,
From every kindred,
tongue and nation.
For in the day of His
mighty power,
God's Holy Spirit,
so loving and bold,
Will enter in and
that very hour,
Bring salvation into
their souls.
He will grant to them
repentance,
Grace to turn away
from sin,
Faith to see the loving
Saviour,
And to put their trust
in Him!
So
Must The Son Of Man Be Lifted Up
Through the wilderness,
wild and wide,
God led His people,
the Israelites;
And in His mercy did
provide
A cloud by day, pillar
of fire by night.
He sent th m manna
down from heaven,
Yea, angel's food
they ate;
And when thirsty,
they were given
Water from a rock
so great.
All their needs God
did provide,
Performed miracles
again and again;
Still, they were never
satisfied,
But constantly murmured
and complained.
Then God sent serpents
to distress,
Many were bitten and
some died too;
They cried to Moses,
their sins confessed,
And God told Moses
just what to do.
Make a brazen, fiery
serpent,
Place it on a pole
for all to see;
All who looked IN
FAITH on that brazen serpent
Were healed. This
was God's simple remedy.
Now the fiery serpent
spoke of sin,
Which, like an adder,
stings at last;
God's judgement on
sin was typified in
The fiery serpent
made of brass.
As Moses lifted up
the serpent in the wilderness,
So must Jesus, the
Son of man, be lifted up;
Christ lived a life
of perfect righteousness,
And for His people
drank the bitter cup.
He who knew no sin
was made sin for us;
Lifted up on the cross,
He paid the awful price,
For He suffered, bled,
and died for us;
All who trust in Him
shall have eternal life.
The
Rich Man And Lazarus
There is a true story
which Jesus told,
Of a rich man in purple,
with silver and gold;
And a beggar named
Lazarus who lay at the gate,
Longing for crumbs
from the rich man's plate.
Now the rich man fared
sumptuously, as I recall,
Showing no mercy for
Lazarus at all;
Yea, the dogs, with
more compassion than he,
Licked the sores of
the beggar in his misery.
But then the scene
changed and things were reversed,
No longer in misery
was Lazarus immersed;
For he died and was
carried into paradise,
Trusting the Saviour
who paid the great price.
The rich man died,
too, and to hell he was sent,
To suffer forever
in flames and torment;
For mercy he begged
and that Lazarus might come,
With a drop of water
to cool his poor tongue.
But the rich man cried
for mercy too late,
For a great gulf is
fixed and there's no escape;
All help, all hope,
all good things were ended,
For to those in hell,
there's no mercy extended.
Then the rich man thought
of his brothers in sin,
Who would soon be
in hell, tormented like him;
So he prayed that
one from the dead be sent,
To warn his five brothers,
that they might repent.
But one from the dead
they would not heed,
If Moses and the prophets
they did not believe;
For they told of the
Christ who would die for sin,
And save all from
hell who trust in Him.
Now Jesus told this
story that we might escape,
And not be partakers
of the rich man's fate;
Heaven, not hell,
is my destiny,
For I've trusted in
Jesus who died for me!
Salvation
What must I do to
be saved?
Cried the jailer at
Phillippi;
Believe on the Lord
Jesus Christ, said Paul,
As he looked him in
the eye.
But it can't be as
simple as that,
I hear someone exclaim;
Surely there are things
I must do,
Ere salvation I can
attain.
Nothing! No, nothing
can we do,
For our righteousness
is as filthy rags;
Salvation is a gift,
so full and free,
'Tis not of works,
lest man should boast, or brag.
Look to the Son of
God, dear friend,
Look! And you shall
have eternal life;
See Him as He suffered,
bled, and died,
He finished the work,
He paid the price!
Oh, what a sinner was
I!
Oh, what a Saviour
is He!
He took my sins upon
Himself,
Imputed His righteousness
to me.
My sins are gone! My
sins are gone!
Cast by Him into the
deepest sea;
He will remember them
no more,
And I am free! Praise
God, I'm free!
