Mysterious Love (Repost)

Love of God - revealed in Jesus,
to a world wrapped up in night;
Born a babe in Bethlehem's stable
bringing courage, hope and light.
Love so warm - where cold hearts languish
and it seems that no one cares;
Love so strong - where human weakness
numbs with fear and no one dares.

Love so pure, offsets wild passions -
dignity to life restores;
Love enduring, never failing;
even on foes its grace outpours!
Love beyond all comprehension
such was God's salvation plan;
Justice? No! but mercy matchless;
He would die for sinful man.

Love of God - He still is waiting
to restore the severed bond;
While man curses, He is pleading
for the rebel to respond.
No one barred - the most notorious
can be saved from sin and shame;
None so good to bypass Calvary;
all must come in Jesus' name.

Wonderful - eternal Father;
Mighty God, the Prince of Peace;
Counselor, with all the answers;
born to give the soul release.
For and with us - King Immanuel;
Conquering Captain, Christ the Lord.
Lamb of God and Lion of Judah -
Be exalted and adored!

fpn 12/81



Photo credit: depositphotos.com #10774121

Oh, Precious Mystery (Repost)

Oh, precious mystery, that my Creator,
who fills the universe—earth, sea and sky—
came to be born within a lowly stable,
on manger bed in swaddling clothes did lie.

Oh, precious mystery, what matchless glory
and boundless wealth Christ Jesus left behind;
though He was rich beyond all comprehension,
bore pain and poverty with lowly mind.

Oh, precious mystery, with life eternal,
He tasted death on earth for you and me;
though He was buried, yet He rose triumphant
and lives today to set sin's captives free.

Refrain:
Oh, precious mystery, the High and Holy
who fills the universe—earth, sea and sky—
The great "I AM," who spoke the worlds to being,
for me He came, to suffer and to die.

fpn/1963
This poem is set to music as song #13 in "Sing and Give Thanks"
Contact Joyce for a copy.



Artwork: "Adoration of the Child" by Gerard van Honthorst, 1620, from Wikimedia Commons

The Unbelievable Miracle (repost)

The Unbelievable Miracle—
to the natural mind

“A sign…spoken against” Luke 1:34

This Child. . . is for a sign
which some will hate—deny!
And others will, defending it,
if need be, choose to die.
Because there rests upon this,
our sure eternal hope,
and for the present hour,
the strength with life to cope.

“A virgin shall conceive!”
’Tis said, “Can never be!”
yet science cannot side-step
the facts of history.
The prophecy made audible
seven hundred years before;
and holy men confirmed it—
their faithful witness bore.

This whole world is divided,
the camps are only two;
the virgin-birth of Jesus
is the issue clear and true.
We cannot say, “God with us,”
if this we dare deny;
God gave the sign—believe it!
Or reject, and you must die!

fpn/undated



Art: Kissing the Face of God by Morgan Weistling

Our Matchless Lord (Repost)

Royalty, born in a stable
with no regal robes to wear.
Wrapped in bands, oft used as grave clothes.
He would die, our sins to bear.

Paradox beyond explaining
that the highest of the high
chose to live in flesh among us,
learning what it is to cry.

Strategy of God, victorious,
subtle enemies to foil;
ruthless tyrants thus evading,
identified with men of toil.

Sinless spirit - human body -
with no taint of sin or guile,
demonstrating that one human
did live justly all the while.

Prophecies of old fulfilling,
so precisely - not a few
giving details of his coming -
life, death, resurrection, too.

Mystery - that his great power
so transforms a sinful soul,
changing lives from loss to profit,
untamed drives to self-control.

Destiny? There's no more guessing.
Heaven and earth shall both be new.
Christ came down to live among us.
We shall rise when life is through.

fpn 12/82




Photo by Ryan Graybill on Unsplash

The Prince of Peace (Repost)

In Bethlehem, one holy day
slept God’s own Son on bed of hay.
The virgin-born, sin’s debt would pay;
the Christ, the Prince of Peace.

The wise men saw His eastern star
and brought rich gifts form lands afar
to where the babe and mother were;
to Christ, the Prince of Peace.

Why is our world by war so torn
and why are hearts so sad, forlorn?
It is because they treat with scorn
the Christ, the Prince of Peace.

Wise men today, on land and sea
revere His name and bend their knee
acknowledging the deity
of Christ the Prince of Peace.

Chorus:
Thou Holy One, Thou Prince of Peace,
Thou King of Kings, make wars to cease;
may men acknowledge Thee as Lord
and Christ, the Prince of Peace.

fpn/undated
If you wish a copy of the printed music, contact Joyce


Picture: depositphotos.com #18080945, standard license

The First and Second Coming (Repost)

Originally posted on this blog July 22, 2017

’Twas not unto the masses
that “glory shone around,”
but to the lowly shepherds
all seated on the ground.
Their longing hearts enraptured,
so many years forlorn;
their trusting faith rewarded,
Jesus Christ is born!

Word of His first appearing
by faithful prophets shared,
fulfilled, yet found the masses
completely unprepared.
Though many knew the scriptures
pertaining to His birth,
yet few believed the message:
Christ had come to earth.

The dawning of the morning
when Christ shall reappear
is surely now upon us,
yet who shall see and hear?
Oh, may His second coming,
much heralded today,
find us awake and waiting;
let us watch and pray!

fpn/1972

Published as Poem #13 in Contemporary Psalms ©1975 by Radiant Light Enterprises
This poem has been set to music (Rutherford, by Chréten Urhan; arr. by Edward F. Rimbault).
For a copy of the printed music, contact Joyce.



Picture: Govert Flinck [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Rejoice! (repost)

“And the angel said unto them, ‘Fear not, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.” Luke 2:10,11

Fear not! – (don’t worry!)
I bring you good tidings of great joy!
Fear not! – (don’t worry!)
A Savior is born—not just an ordinary boy!
This is the birth of the unique God-man.
He is at the heart of God’s redemption plan!
He affords hope now, as much as He did then.
Fear not! – (don’t worry!)

And when these things (end time calamaties) begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth night.” Luke 21:28

Look up! – and rejoice!
Your redemption is now drawing near;
Look up! – and rejoice!
Very shortly, this world will see and hear.
The trumpet will sound in that hour;
Christ will return in great glory and power;
A new world will start to blossom as a flower!
Look up! – and rejoice!

fpn/91



Art: The Shepherds and the Angel, Carl Bloch [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons