Entry #40: When You Stand Before The Lord

I came across this poem as I was thinking of a theme for the new year, something I could share with others who might read this blog entry. I thought of blessings and benefits the Lord has granted me this past year and wondered if I should write of those. I thought of some victories of the past months, some prayers answered. I thought of family and friends. I am grateful for all of this, but my heart remains burdened for those who are “without,” who may not know the way, who are caught up in “worldly things,” who are unaware (whether willfully or not) of salvation, God’s love, the gospel message, the sacrifice of Calvary, the triumph of the resurrection, THE HOPE OF THE CHRISTIAN!! This poem is introspective, and I hope that it may cause the reader to “ponder the paths of thy feet” (see Proverbs 4:26), that one may know that TODAY is the day of salvation—the day for ONE AND ALL to take time to walk with Him, to take the proper steps to being saved from sin—which are repentance, baptism in Jesus name, and the receiving of the gift of the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in another (unlearned) tongue as the Spirit of God gives the utterance. This is our entrance into the kingdom of God and the chance to have our names written in the Lamb’s book of life!

When You Stand Before The Lord

The day will soon be coming
To stand before the Lord
God will hold the Book of Life
Where all the names are stored.

Look into the Saviour’s face
Stand on holy ground
Kneel before the King of Kings
Pray your name is found.

The time is nigh, it’s drawing near
Tis’ closer than you think
Eternal life with God above
You’ll either rise or sink.

God doesn’t care ‘bout bank accounts
Or gems of pearl and jade
Your style of home, the car you drive
The money that you’ve made.

He’s not concerned with age or height
The color of your hair
The number of the friends you have
The brand of clothes you wear.

He’ll ask you if you spoke His name
Thought of Him each day
Knew He gave His life for you
Took the time to pray.

He’ll know about your closest friends
About the books you’ve read
The kind of thoughts that fill your mind
On what your spirit fed.

He’ll take a look inside your soul
He’ll go beyond your pride
Your sins will be as crimson red
There’s nothing you can hide.

For once you’ve stood before the Lord
He’ll see through every crack
And if you were to die today
There is no turning back.

You’ll gaze into His crystal eyes
He knows the things you did
There’s nothing you can keep from Him
Your secret thoughts aren’t hid.

So before you meet the Lord
Take time to make it right
Start by getting on your knees
Kneel down to Him tonight.

Get rid of all your worldly ways
They’ll just lead you astray
Find time to walk with Jesus
The Truth, the Light, the Way.

I’m telling you, it’s not too late
God’s waiting up above
To add you to His Book of Life
In Heaven up above.

When life on earth is over
He’ll take one final look
When the roll is called up yonder
Will your name be in “The Book?”

- Marilyn Ferguson 

And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. – Revelation 13:8 

And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither [whatsoever] worketh abomination, or [maketh] a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life. – Revelation 21:27.

Entry #39: What 3 Wise Men?

Christmas cards often depict 3 wise men coming to Bethlehem to seek the child born who was to be Governor and rule God’s people Israel. However, surprising as it may be to some, the Bible never tells the number of wise men who went searching for the child. Perhaps it was the 3 gifts (which the Bible DOES mention—gold, frankincense, and myrrh) the wise men offered that lead some to believe it was also 3 wise men. Regardless of how many wise men came from the east, it was perhaps the 3 gifts themselves that were significant and symbolized some pretty profound and prophetic things. Here’s a poem I found, liked, and thought I’d share. It’s short, but you have to read it “with attention,” I feel, to understand its meaning. See what you think. Hope to hear your comments.

Gold and frankincense and myrrh,
Lord, they brought to Thee;
And myrrh was death, and incense prayer,
And gold was victory.
But first is last, as last was first;
The myrrh they gave Thee in Thy thirst
Upon the tree.

And through the solemn centuries
The prayers of saints have risen
From hearth and chancel, crypt and tomb,
From pyre, and from prison.

Now never was the mystic power
Of the gold fulfilled;
Yet draweth on the mighty hour
By the Father willed
When every knee shall bow to Thee
Who on the cross was lift,
And every tongue acclaim Thee king;
This is the golden gift. 

“Three Gifts” by Edward Judson Hanna