..........My Plans Changed..........
I
don't understand where it all went wrong,
Things just didn't happen the way I planned.
I envisioned my life one grand, glad song,
I'd walk with God happily, hand in hand.
But
I only thought of the happiness,
I only looked to the rest I would gain;
I never that that to know righteousness
I would also have to come to know pain.
I
thought of Jesus rising from the dead,
But of the crucifixion I thought not;
I thought of the Glory Crown on His Head,
But the crown of thorns...I guess I forgot.
Sometimes
we want our heaven in this life,
We forget that there is a price to pay;
To rise above, we must pass through the strife:
The rest's not ours 'til Resurrection Day.
Maybe,
just maybe, I do understand...
Perhaps I just closed my eyes to the Light;
Yes, I know, that if ever I shall stand
With the Lord in glory I must live right...
But
still it's so hard to do as I should,
I'm so weak and weary, the path so long...
Jesus paid the price that no one else could
And He will help me as I press along.
So
I'll change my plans and keep believing,
Loving and trusting the Son of His Love;
Knowing that someday I'll be receiving
All that I hope for...in that Land...above.
..........H. L. Gradowith..........
02-13-01
Date: Feb 19 2001 10:39:44 EST
From: "Gradowith Poems" <[email protected]>
Subject: Just Think About...
..........Just Think About..........
If
we would stop and think about
The good things God has done;
We'd find it hard to live without
The blessings of His Son.
Imagine
life without His love,
O, where would we be then?
No hope to live with Him above…
Just doomed to die in sin.
And
think about no mercy for
The long years we must fight;
How could we pass through heaven's door
Relying on our might?
And
what if He withdrew His grace,
And gave to each his own?
How could we stand before His face
Just reaping what we'd sown?
Where
would we be without the life
That Jesus lived below?
It serves as roadmap through the strife
We face as on we go.
When
by the grave of someone dear
Our hearts bowed down with grief;
Imagine that without Him near
To bring His sweet relief.
Friend,
picture now your own demise,
Yes, think about your death…
May such thoughts help you realize
Ere you draw your last breath:
That
life without God's precious Son
Comes but to one sad end.
O! Do today what must be done,
Your sinful ways amend.
..........H. L. Gradowith..........
02-19-01
Date: Mar 01 2001 14:40:10 EST
From: "Gradowith Poems" <[email protected]>
Subject: Longing
..........Longing..........
Chorus:
I'm longing for that happy day
When with the Lord I'll soar away;
Beyond the blue, with Him I'll be,
From sin and sorrow then set free.
As
I walk down life's busy street
I love the people that I meet,
Don't get me wrong, I don't complain:
I just desire that fairer plane.
Each
day I live I watch and pray
And press along the Narrow Way;
Endeavoring His Will to do,
A servant faithful, loyal, true.
Sometimes
the burdens press me sore,
It seems I can't take any more;
It's then I take the Spirit's Sword
And find my strength within His Word.
Chorus:
I'm longing for that happy day
When with the Lord I'll soar away;
Beyond the blue, with Him I'll be,
From sin and sorrow then set free.
I
see the Maker's Mighty Hand
In things that I can't understand:
Where did this world come from, I ask?
For man it's far too great a task!
How
could He love one such as me?
How could He die to set me free?
What made Him make that sacrifice
And pay for me so great a price?
How
could He welcome me back home
When often from Him I have roamed?
O! Haste Thy coming, Lord, I pray,
And from this world take me away!
Chorus:
I'm longing for that happy day
When with the Lord I'll soar away;
Beyond the blue, with Him I'll be,
From sin and sorrow then set free.
Why
live we now so carelessly?
Who knows when dawns eternity?
Can we afford to put Him off?
And at His Word to laugh and scoff?
Excuses
here are easy, friend,
But what will we do in the end?
Some day before Him we shall stand
And face the fierce wrath of His Hand.
He
calls you now, Take heed, beware!
And for that Day, friend, please prepare.
In order my house stands today,
And so my heart can gladly say:
Chorus:
I'm longing for that happy day
When with the Lord I'll soar away;
Beyond the blue, with Him I'll be,
From sin and sorrow then set free.
..........H. L. Gradowith..........
03-01-01
Date: Mar 03 2001 07:33:39 EST
From: "Gradowith Poems" <[email protected]>
Subject: Do You Think Of The Savior?
..........Do You Think Of The Savior?..........
Chorus:
Do you think of the Savior ev'ry day
As you press along on the Narrow Way?
Does His great sacrifice motivate you?
Are you being to Him faithful and true?
When
temptations and trials block the road,
And you fear that you're falling 'neath the load,
Do you think of Him as up to Calv'ry
With His cross He did go to set you free?
Chorus:
Do you think of the Savior ev'ry day
As you press along on the Narrow Way?
Does His great sacrifice motivate you?
Are you being to Him faithful and true?
When
your anger is raised at a brother
Who has treated you worse than another:
Stop and think of the kiss that did betray
Jesus Christ in Gethsemane that day.
Chorus:
Do you think of the Savior ev'ry day
As you press along on the Narrow Way?
Does His great sacrifice motivate you?
Are you being to Him faithful and true?
When
you're tired and don't know if you'll make it,
And you fear your poor heart cannot take it:
Do you think of His prayer: "God, not my will..."
Then He bore His own cross up Calv'ry's Hill.
Chorus:
Do you think of the Savior ev'ry day
As you press along on the Narrow Way?
Does His great sacrifice motivate you?
Are you being to Him faithful and true?
When
your life isn't going as you planned,
There's so much that you just don't understand:
Think then of Him who said, "I am the Light..."
He'll lead you in the way that's always right!
Chorus:
Do you think of the Savior ev'ry day
As you press along on the Narrow Way?
Does His great sacrifice motivate you?
Are you being to Him faithful and true?
When
a loved one has gone home to glory,
Do you think of that wonderful story?
Won't you come to the Lord, hear His request:
"Come to me, weary one, I'll give you rest!"
Chorus:
Do you think of the Savior ev'ry day
As you press along on the Narrow Way?
Does His great sacrifice motivate you?
Are you being to Him faithful and true?
..........H. L. Gradowith..........
03-03-01
Date: Mar 08 2001 13:07:16 EST
From: "Gradowith Poems" <[email protected]>
Subject: Wounded
..........Wounded..........
Proverbs 18:21 "Death and life are in the power of the tongue…"
In
the deep recesses of my heart
Dwell a great many sorrows and fears;
From them I cannot seem to depart,
Neither wash them away with my tears.
I
hear the words that others utter:
"You can't… You won't… You're just not that good…"
Such words cause my tired heart to shudder
And stop me from doing what I should.
Those
words take root, and soon I believe
That hopelessly I wander about,
My heart longs for that which will relieve
But finds it not: It's too filled with doubt.
In
vain I reach for one last lifeline,
Hoping to pull myself from life's sea;
Deep down, I know, it shall not be mine…
From fears and doubts I'll never be free.
So
many foes, yet not many friends,
O! How I need a helper today.
Come helper, ere time for me shall end,
Come helper, and chase these fears away.
I
dare not put my left foot forth first,
Who am I to say which foot is best?
For confidence how I long and thirst!
From doubts and fears a moment of rest…
But
no moment of rest is coming,
(In real life it doesn't work that way);
Should it come… I'd from it be running…
So goes it with those who fear the fray.
Shell-shocked
and scarred, wounded deep inside,
To death too near to hope to survive;
So goes the way of those who abide
In limbo - not dead, neither alive.
(Timid,
fearful, -- I wouldn't say shy,
Foolish? Indeed, and hopeless no less.
He who will not live can never die,
The epitome of shamefulness).
Too
much alive to be declared dead,
And potential is certainly there…
But so long as by others I'm led
I know that I won't go anywhere.
And
who's to blame? Not "them", no indeed,
For "they" can do but what I allow.
Within there is the strength that I need -
I can do it! I just don't know how…
For
in the depths of my restless heart
Still dwell those many sorrows and fears;
From them, still, I can't seem to depart,
Neither wash them away with my tears.
..........H. L. Gradowith..........
03-08-01
Date: Mar 16 2001 05:55:53 EST
From: "Gradowith Poems" <[email protected]>
Subject: Why Linger?
..........Why Linger?..........
Why
do you linger in sin, my brother?
The hope of heaven comes from no other.
He longs to redeem,
Your spirit make clean,
There is no need to linger, my brother.
The
Master has a lesson to teach you,
He has done all that He can to reach you.
He paid for the plan
As no other can,
Come; learn the lesson He has to teach you.
What
do you hope to gain by delaying?
What keeps you from His blest Will obeying?
Believe and comply,
On Him then rely,
No good has ever come from delaying.
Your
faithful service is never in vain,
The Lord will help you overcome all pain.
Be faithful and true,
He'll be there for you.
Life lived without Jesus is lived in vain.
Come
back to Him while still He may be found!
Again join the ones who are Heaven-bound!
Lest when comes your end
To Hell you descend…
Right where you left Him is where He is found.
..........H. L. Gradowith..........
03-16-2001
Date: Mar 21 2001 06:08:48 EST
From: "Gradowith Poems" <[email protected]>
Subject: The Wolf and The Crane
..........The Wolf and the Crane..........
Based
on the fable told by Aesop, who was said to have written in the 6th
century B.C. The original fable is as follows:
A
Wolf who had a bone stuck in his throat hired a Crane, for a large sum,
to put her head into his mouth and draw out the bone. When the Crane had
extracted the bone and demanded the promised payment, the Wolf, grinning
and grinding his teeth, exclaimed: "Why, you have surely already had a
sufficient recompense, in having been permitted to draw out your head in
safety from the mouth and jaws of a wolf."
In
serving the wicked, expect no reward, and be thankful if you escape
injury for your pains.
The Poem
Long,
long ago and far away
There lived a wounded Wolf, you see,
His death he would have met one day
But for the Crane who set him free.
He
bargained for a hefty sum,
The Crane then finally agreed;
She did the work, and then, when done,
The wounded Wolf from death was freed.
The
Crane requested then her due,
The Wolf, with grin and grunt, replied:
"Crane, nothing more do I owe you,
Just remember: You could have died."
"I
had you in my jaws before,
Whence no other ever survived;
What payment now do you ask more?
You were dead, and by me revived…"
When
dealing with vile, wicked men,
Think not that you'll profit, my friend;
For those who live their lives in sin
Find all the loopholes in the end.
..........H. L. Gradowith..........
03-21-01
Date: Mar 22 2001 05:22:10 EST
From: "Gradowith Poems" <[email protected]>
Subject: I'm Trying
..........I'm Trying..........
I'm
only trying to do what is right,
Humbly I'm walking in the Savior's Light.
I'm not strong enough by myself to fight --
But the devil I'll tame,
By the might of His Name:
The victory He promised is in sight!
I
wonder what happened to all the plans
Satan had lain to bring trouble to man?
There was something he did not understand:
Our God is much stronger...
He holds out much longer
Than Satan and all of his angels can!
There
would be no chance, if he had his way,
For me to have life, once I've passed away;
But, thank God! he lost and now I can say:
"I will live forever!
Death will never sever
Him from His own come Resurrection Day!"
So
I'll just keep doing that which I should,
Trying to do only what Jesus would.
Why should I stray from the way that is good?
To set my spirit free
He died on Calvary.
He paid the price; He did all that He could.
Should
I surrender to Satan's allure,
And stray from the way that's holy and pure:
Surely I'd forfeit all hope for a cure...
Hopeless, helpless, alone;
Sinful, lost and undone:
That's why my faith in Jesus shall endure!
..........H. L. Gradowith..........
03-08-01
Date: Mar 26 2001 08:23:45 EST
From: "Gradowith Poems" <[email protected]>
Subject: Safely I'll Land
..........Safely I'll Land..........
I'm
heading for a land
Where I shall take my stand
With the Lord and live on forevermore;
The pains of life shall cease,
From guilt I'll find release:
Someday safely I'll land on Heaven's shore!
I'll
deal with bitter tears,
As Heaven to me nears,
Never turning to the left or the right;
And when I am confused,
Or feel myself abused,
I'll fully rely on the Savior's might!
The
petty things I face
As through this world I race
Will not deter me in my noble quest;
For my God is stronger,
He holds out much longer,
And from them He's promised to give me rest!
Disappointments
may come
Before my life is done,
But they won't keep me from serving the Lord;
I'll struggle through the strife
I meet each day in life,
And in all things obey His blessed word!
Though
I'm tempted and tried,
For me the Savior died,
He paid for me the debt I could not pay;
Though forlorn and weary,
Though my eyes be teary,
I keep thinking of Resurrection Day!
I
was lost and undone,
And but for God's Dear Son
I'd have no hope of living over there;
So I'll trust and obey
Along life's rugged way,
Knowing no burden is too great to bear.
Others
may turn aside,
(By them He's oft denied),
But in me He will always have a friend;
Jesus Christ is God's Son!
O! For me what He's done!
On Jesus at all times I can depend!
I'm
heading for a land
Where I shall take my stand
With the Lord and live on forevermore;
The pains of life shall cease,
From guilt I'll find release:
Someday safely I'll land on Heaven's shore!
..........H. L. Gradowith..........
03-26-01
Date: Apr 03 2001 07:00:49 EDT
From: "Gradowith Poems" <[email protected]>
Subject: As It Comes
..........As It Comes..........
Deep
within my heart of hearts
The battle is raging hot,
Disappointment fights with joy,
And the conflict ceases not.
Disappointment
with myself,
The many times I transgress;
O! Why can't I overcome?
Why must I in sin digress?
There's
also satisfaction,
Indeed, joy beyond measure;
Fellowship with the Savior
Greater than all earth's treasure.
Frustration
gains advantage,
And all seems hopeless and gray;
Nothing can soothe my spirit
Or chase my sorrows away.
Then
comes, from somewhere, comfort,
And joy overflows my soul;
Just what brings it on, or why,
Though I've searched, I do not know.
As
quickly as it arrived,
It's replaced with bitter pain;
The future hangs in limbo:
Can I again joy gain???
Just
when it seems all is lost,
And hope with the wind has flown,
With joy the pain is replaced,
Joy like none other I've known.
Still
I don't understand
Why it comes then goes away;
I'll just take it as it comes,
And keep hoping it will stay...
..........H. L. Gradowith..........
03-26-01
Date: Apr 12 2001 13:39:45 EDT
From: "Gradowith Poems" <[email protected]>
Subject: The Way
..........The Way..........
I
am nothing by my own right,
Alone I've not one claim to fame;
I depend on His strength and might
And the verities of His name.
The
dictates are clearly set out:
The sinful soul shall surely die;
That I have sinned there is no doubt,
I'm now left without alibi.
In
this condition He found me,
And He chose to make me His own;
Now I've a home in that city
Far greater than man has e'er known.
Because
of the blood of the cross,
Because of His marvelous grace,
My soul has been rescued from loss
And I have in heaven a place!
Tossed
to and fro by temptation,
In sin from the Way I did stray;
I deserved only damnation --
But His Blood took my sins away.
It's
true I must trust and obey,
There IS something that I MUST do;
But t'was Jesus who showed the Way
That leads beyond the azure blue.
If
I do all that I've been told,
Neither adding nor leaving out...
Still to Jesus I must e'er hold,
And I've nothing to brag about.
Unprofitable,
still, am I,
Still there is nothing in my hand...
Without Him I would surely die,
And ne'er with Him in heaven stand.
By
grace through faith -- not by my strength,
There is no way that I can earn...
My faith in His power at length
Leads me to that for which I yearn.
If
I had all of this worlds gold,
If I owned all that man can own,
Had treasures more than could be told,
And riches beyond any known...
If
I took all this great treasure
And laid it there beneath His throne,
It would bring Jesus no pleasure...
There I'd stand -- forsaken, alone.
He
asks us not for mansions fair,
He says simply, "Trust and obey...
Know that, for you, I'll always care,
And with me you will dwell, someday."
..........H. L. Gradowith..........
04-12-01
Date: Apr 13 2001 07:02:00 EDT
From: "Gradowith Poems" <[email protected]>
Subject: Well Done
..........Well Done..........
When
I'm finished with this life,
All its trouble, grief and strife,
I will enter the city prepared by God's Son.
I am happy just knowing
That someday I'll be going
To meet Him in glory where He will say, "Well done."
There
will be no more dying,
No more weeping or sighing,
When I enter the city prepared by God's Son.
All my troubles then ended,
Ev'ry broken heart mended,
When I've heard Him, in glory, say to me, "Well done."
No
more in sorrow to weep,
No more in death will we sleep,
When we enter the city prepared by God's Son.
Over death the victory!
From its bonds we'll be set free!
When we hear Him, in glory, say to us, "Well done".
When
or where I do not know,
But surely I know I'll go --
I will enter the city prepared by God's Son.
I'll leave behind all sorrow,
And dwell in God's tomorrow,
When I hear Him, in glory, say to me, "Well done".
..........H. L. Gradowith..........
04-12-01
Date: Apr 17 2001 05:43:00 EDT
From: "Gradowith Poems" <[email protected]>
Subject: Come Back
..........Come Back..........
'Tis
sweet to think of heaven,
Where free from this worlds leaven,
We shall dwell with the Lord forever.
No teardrops shall dim the eye,
And no one shall ever die:
O! The fellowship none can sever.
The
saints in white robes arrayed,
With no need to be afraid,
Nothing to it down here will compare;
All the faithful shall abide
Safely by the Savior's side,
Heav'n awaits all those who will prepare.
Why
do you wait, my brother?
There is hope in no other,
Come to Jesus and live evermore;
On the cruel cross He died,
For you He was crucified,
O! Prepare to meet Him on that shore!
Tomorrow
you may not see,
Come from your sins be set free,
There's no hope in procrastination.
O brother, do not delay,
Come back to Jesus today:
He's your only hope for salvation!
..........H. L. Gradowith..........
September 2, 2000
Date: Apr 19 2001 06:58:01 EDT
From: "Gradowith Poems" <[email protected]>
Subject: Like Elijah...
..........Like Elijah..........
Sometimes
I feel sad and lonely,
Thinking of my troubles only,
Forgetting the blessings He's giv'n to me;
To Calvary I give no thought,
Forgetting that my soul was bought
With the blood shed there; by it I'm made free!
When,
like Elijah long ago,
I think I'm alone here below,
Forgetting that others are fighting, too;
My own heartaches, troubles and pain,
I carry through this world in vain,
Forgetting His promise to see me through...
I
face temptations with great fear,
Refusing Him who would draw near,
Forgetting that He overcame the same;
I try to fight the fight alone,
Reaping the harvest that I've sown,
And oft my efforts lead only to shame.
"Come
unto me," the Savior said,
To Him will I come and be led
By the words of this worlds' sweetest story;
No more will I think of my pain,
No more will I worry in vain:
I'll get on the road that leads to glory!
..........H. L. Gradowith..........
09-05-2000
Date: Apr 20 2001 06:38:02 EDT
From: "Gradowith Poems" <[email protected]>
Subject: Grand Thoughts
..........Grand Thoughts..........
What
a beautiful day to tell this world good-bye,
What a beautiful day to see Him in the sky;
Leaving all temptation,
And ev'ry tribulation,
What a beautiful day to tell this world good-bye.
What
a wonderful morn to hear that lovely sound
Of all the sainted dead coming forth from the ground;
Going up to meet Him,
Jesus there to greet them:
What a wonderful morn to hear that lovely sound.
What
a beautiful time for us to be alive,
When the resurrection at long last shall arrive;
Spared from the broken heart
That comes when friends depart,
What a beautiful time for us to be alive.
What
a beautiful sight to see Him in the air,
And know that we shall go to be with Him up there:
To hear God's precious Son
Pronounce those words, "Well done!"
What a beautiful sight to see Him in the air.
What
a wonderful noise, the sound of angels' wings,
Listen for them brother, as they God's glory sing;
This world cannot compare
To what waits over there:
What a wonderful noise, the sound of angels' wings.
What
a blessed affair to meet the sainted dead,
Who followed all the way the blessed Savior led;
Their burdens all laid down,
Donning the blessed crown:
What a blessed affair to meet the sainted dead.
What
a powerful thought: Before Him I shall stand,
As on His throne He sits up in that fairer land;
The verdict He'll announce,
The fate of all pronounce,
What a powerful thought: Before Him I shall stand.
What
a lovely feeling sweeps o'er my lonely heart,
To think of that City from which I'll not depart;
My needs will all be met,
My sins He will forget,
What a lovely feeling sweeps o'er my lonely heart.
What
a grand companion, the sinless Son of God,
Who on earth once traveled the paths that I now trod;
My broken heart He'll mend,
Bring all pain to an end;
What a grand companion, the sinless Son of God.
What
a lovely moment when from this world I'll fly,
Ferried by the Savior to that sweet home on high;
Nothing will remind me
Of sins left behind me:
What a lovely moment when from this world I'll fly!
..........H. L. Gradowith..........
04-19-01
Date: Apr 25 2001 06:39:39 EDT
From: "Gradowith Poems" <[email protected]>
Subject: The Place
..........The Place..........
There's
a place to which I retreat,
When the storm around me rages;
With great comfort there I do meet
Till the storm, at last, assuages.
There
I find no tribulation,
How sweet is the feeling of peace;
I find strength over temptation,
From all troubles I find release.
That
place belongs only to me,
And no one can visit me there;
Only the ones I wish to see
Can with me that special place share.
I
beckon them at my desire,
And then in thought only they come;
O The place to which I retire
When my life becomes burdensome!
There
I'm able with friends to meet,
Who flew from this life long ago,
I recall with them times so sweet,
(If you have such a place, you know...)
They're
all so happy and carefree,
Untouched by the cares of this life;
I love each visit so dearly,
In that special place free from strife.
I've
no great riches or treasures,
Fame and fortune I'll never see;
And this world has many pleasures
That won't come to the likes of me.
But
in that place much more have I
Than riches and honor can buy;
So to it I'll forever fly
Till at long last I come to die.
..........H. L. Gradowith..........
04-24-01
Date: Apr 26 2001 06:21:26 EDT
From: "Gradowith Poems" <[email protected]>
Subject: To Whom Else?
..........To Whom Else?..........
If
not to Jesus, to whom shall we go?
Who else can carry us through?
A closer friend in this world we'll not know,
He's always faithful and true.
When
we are weary and burdened with care,
Thinking ourselves all alone,
We just look heavenward and He is there:
Who else such great love has shown?!
Kneeling
down at the graveside of a friend,
Mourning the loss of one dear;
Jesus reminds us that death's not the end:
How precious to have Him near!
Betrayed
and forsaken with broken heart,
With every breath we sigh;
We feel that our world has been torn apart:
All alone we sit and cry...
Forgetting
the grace that Jesus has shown,
Drifting on life's restless sea;
Then we discover what we've always known:
Jesus longs to set us free!
In
Jesus alone our soul is secure,
There is no greater power;
Get ready to meet Him: Friend, please be sure,
Be ready for that hour!
..........H. L. Gradowith..........
04-18-01
Date: Apr 28 2001 06:46:09 EDT
From: "Gradowith Poems" <[email protected]>
Subject: He Calls
..........He Calls..........
The
loneliness of sin
Is common to all men
But Jesus calls us unto perfect rest;
He lifts us from the strife,
And gives eternal life,
Through Him with life eternal we are blest.
The
fellowship of love
Is like to that above
That we shall know when we reach Heaven's shore;
He gives the sweetest peace,
And offers full release
From the guilt of sin; what could we ask more?
He
fully paid the cost
In dying on the cross
And now says, "Whosoever will may come..."
O friend, do not delay,
Believe Him and obey,
For all too soon your time on earth is done.
..........H. L. Gradowith..........
04-12-01
Date: Apr 30 2001 13:20:23 EDT
From: "Gradowith Poems" <[email protected]>
Subject: A Faithful Friend
..........A Faithful Friend..........
Here
I stumble upon
Many stones on the way
To eternity's dawn,
The bright glorious day;
Yet still onward I press
By the dictates of God,
Knowing that He will bless
As the pathway I trod.
When
temptation I meet,
He is there to assist;
And with victory sweet
I'm blessed if I persist
In the way that is right,
Ever faithful and true,
Walking in heaven's light
He'll see me safely through.
The
cross may be heavy
That I carry each day,
But He'll not forsake me:
By my side He will stay!
He's already crossed o'er
With the ransom in hand,
And He calls from the shore
Of the sweet Promised Land:
"Sinner,
come unto me,
And I will give you rest;
From your sins be set free --
Be forevermore blest!"
On cruel Calvary
He proved His endless love,
Ever with Him I'll be
In that Land up above.
..........H. L. Gradowith..........
04-30-01
Date: May 02 2001 05:51:04 EDT
From: "Gradowith Poems" <[email protected]>
Subject: A Message
..........A Message..........
I
go to prepare a resting place,
A heavenly city built foursquare;
Entrance is offered to all by grace:
Get ready, friend, take time to prepare.
I
came to the world in which you dwell,
Was despised and rejected of men;
On the cross I died to save from hell
All those who have wandered off in sin.
For
the ones who placed the thorny crown
On my head: my shed blood pays the price,
For the ones who sought to bring me down:
My very life I did sacrifice.
My
blood will remove all sinful stains,
It's worth far more than this worlds' treasure;
To bring a gift I've gone to great pains:
Yet I offer ease beyond measure.
I
am guilty of nothing, you see,
Yet it was as a sinner I died;
I came to this world to make men free,
But it was me whom they crucified.
I
came bearing gifts from God on high:
Amazing grace, mercy, peace and love;
At their wicked hands I came to die,
Justice lost when their push came to shove.
I
offended when the truth I told,
But, what else would you want me to say?
Sometimes I was meek, and sometimes bold,
But at all times they sent me away.
For
my "manner" was not what they feared,
It was my message that they despised;
I only told them that judgment neared,
But their plight they would not realize.
I
pointed to their law and implored:
Search the scriptures, Search -- and learn of me;
But each sermon I gave they ignored,
And railed on Him who could set them free.
I
performed mighty wonders and signs,
I healed their sick and I raised their dead;
Still I fell victim to their designs,
For they heard not one word that I said.
Perjurers
they paid to testify,
For in me they found no transgression;
Thirty pieces of silver did buy
A traitor who made false confession.
The
magistrate found me innocent,
But with this the crowd could not agree;
To Golgotha I wrongly was sent --
With two thieves there they crucified me.
A
friend took my body from the tree
And placed it in his own unused tomb;
In three days from the tomb I was free --
The tomb was but eternity's womb.
To
many I showed myself alive,
Mighty works I continued to do;
Up in heaven I soon would arrive,
Where I'd finally see my work through.
On
the altar I offered my blood,
To all men I now send forth the call:
Come and be washed in the crimson flood,
There is blood enough for one and all.
Hear
and believe, repent and confess,
Be baptized -- Then be faithful and true;
Each step of the way your life I'll bless --
Then to heaven I will welcome you.
I've
gone to prepare a resting place,
A heavenly city built foursquare;
Entrance is offered to all by grace:
Get ready, friend, it's time to prepare.
..........H. L. Gradowith..........
05-01-01