A Story of Glory It seemed to me quite suitable, If God should grant the time, To tell the story of the Bible With fitting words that rhyme. But don’t give me the praise, If you should like the story, Just bow your head in humble thanks And give God all the glory. Our story starts in the beginning, When only God was around; There was no sun, no moon, no stars, And no earth could be found. But then creation’s week began When the Almighty said, “Let there be . . .” Then out of nowhere came the skies, The planets, the earth, and the seas. He made the sun, the moon, the stars, Yea, all that the heavens display, And He made a mighty host of angels To serve Him night and day. The earth God made with mountains, With streams, and flowers, and trees; He put fish in the waters, animals on the land, And the sky He filled with birds and bees. The Creator then wanted someone To rule His earthly plan, So He reached to the ground, took a handful of dirt, And created a perfect man. The man was given a wife And commanded to multiply; He was given dominion over all the earth, And no one had to die. But then the evil tempter came And reared his ugly head; The way of sin became man’s choice, And the human spirit was dead. Dead to righteousness, peace, and joy, Dwelling in sin and shame, Journeying back to the dust of the earth, To the ground from which he came. Then came there a signal From the merciful Father above, A sign of hope, a rich red promise Of God’s redeeming love! A perfect Lamb would one day come To shed His blood for all, To open again the gates of glory, To lift man from the fall. Then as man did fill the earth The promise was soon forgotten; Only a few remained faithful to God, While the rest became wicked and rotten. Time and again God sent men warnings, But their ways they would not amend; So the sinful race had to be destroyed With a flood that God would send. But all could not be destroyed, Lest the promise should not survive; So God sought out a faithful man To keep the hope alive. The man He found was perfect, And, in the midst of a world of sin, The man built an ark to preserve the souls Of eight new lives to begin. All the rest were sadly drowned In the wrath of the mighty flood While the faithful family rode safe inside, Securing the promise of blood. Then, finally, the great ark rested, And the waters did asswage, And the grateful family went from the big craft, To begin a brand new age. They first spread abroad and multiplied, Which was a proper plan, But then they clustered together, Not for God, but for the glory of man. They built a wicked tower To reach heaven from the ground, But God beheld the abominable sight, And their language He did confound. So men spread across the land once more, Since their work had come to an end, And God began a diligent search To find a faithful friend. Not that God was lonely, of course, But that the promise must endure; So He searched and found a man of faith, And made His covenant sure. God showered the man with blessings And gave him a pricey deed, But best of all, He used the man The preserve the promised seed. The blessings were passed on down As many descendants came, But, again, sin interrupted the plan of God And brought the family shame. So into a land of bondage The family of promise went, To serve in the furnace of iron Till a deliverer would be sent. It would be from a tiny ark, To the palace of a king, To the backside of a desert, A leader would the Almighty bring. The day finally came at a burning bush, Where God gave the man his call, It was back to the furnace, to the land of bondage, To show God’s power to all. A mighty nation His people had become, After many rigorous years, And their cries had reached the throne of grace, The Father had seen their tears. So, to the people the man of God came, With a shepherd’s rod in hand; By signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds, God would lead them to the promised land. The slave-master king, of course, Wasn’t overflowing with glee, So God smote his land with awesome plagues, And then He buried him in the sea! Yea, out came the children of promise, Well over two million strong; They walked upon an ocean floor, Then they sang redemption’s song. Led through the desert like a flock of sheep, To the mountain of law they trod; They’d known many years of trouble and toil, But they knew very little of God. Then while the curious multitude Resided below to linger, On the mountain above, God’s law was given, Written by His very own finger. Would they keep God’s holy law And learn of all His ways, Or would they be sinful, self-righteous, and proud, And reap judgment in their days? Well, as you may have guessed it, The later is the path they chose; They failed to trust God, and the man with the rod God buried, but where, who knows? In the wilderness they wandered, Living by heaven’s bread; Soon forty years had passed away, And all the rebels were dead. Then God gave the people a captain And armed them with swords and shields; He led them through the great river of death And on to the battlefields. The land would soon be theirs, But not if they walked by sight; By faith they had to wait on God, Then charge into the fight. The heathen were idolaters, Unworthy there to dwell, So in came the armies of Almighty God And sent them on to hell. Some were spared, however, Which was a sad mistake; So, little by little, the heathen ways God’s people began to take. Then the good captain stood And warned them of their ways, But he would soon be dead and in the grave, Having lived out all his days. Soon he died, indeed, And things went from bad to worse; They worshipped idols of wood and stone, And God smote them all with a curse. Back to the hands of the heathen His people would have to go, Until they learned their lesson And stopped living for the foe. So the servitudes began, And the people would cry out to God; Then time and time again He would lift His chastening rod. He always sent deliverance, He always saw their tears, But they always turned back to their sins After just a few short years. God then sent a prophet, A good one too, no doubt, But they insisted on having a king Like all the nations round about. So they got their king, But one thing was clear from the start: Even though the man thought himself small, He wasn’t after God’s own heart. The king then grew more wicked, No longer did he think himself small; Then into the valley walked a fighting giant, Standing over six cubits tall. Suddenly the king felt small again, For he wasn’t about to fight; He mused that some man would slay the thug; If so, he planned to treat him right. But no one cared for the cause, Nor for the honor that victory would bring; Not even a single soldier Stepped forward to fight for the king. But God surely wasn’t fretting, For He’d already found His man, A shepherd boy with a stone and a sling Would be perfect for the plan. So as the giant was defying God, Cursing with his shameful boast, Into the valley ran the shepherd boy In the name of the Lord of hosts. The king thought the whole thing crazy, And many doubts did resound, But everyone had a sudden change of heart When the big giant fell to the ground! The enemies fled for their lives, Seeing their captain was done, And the shepherd boy became a great warrior, To be loved by everyone. Except for the king, that is, Who grew more wicked each day; Being jealous and suspicious of the young hero, To kill him he sought for a way. But God went with the young man, And all the king’s plans were vain, Until one day on the field of battle The foolish king fell down slain. Then, as some time passed by, Division prevailed all around, Until a good king did sit on the throne, Who had once brought a giant to the ground. And a very good king he was, Though not flawless in every way; He always had a heart for God No matter what others would say. Undefeated in seasons of battle, He made the kingdom sure, Because God’s promise had to be kept, The promise of a Lamb so pure. Finally, the king grew old and died, And left all to his son; A glorious kingdom would he oversee, Full of wisdom and riches like none. But this king took many strange women, And his heart wandered after their ways; Yet, because of his faithful father, God spared him throughout his days. Then one day the king gave up the ghost, As all mortal men must do; His son took the throne and made a foolish choice, And the kingdom was divided in two. After that, kings arose on both sides, Some were good, but most were bad; Idolatry began sweeping through the land, The worst it had ever had. God sent prophets to warn them That judgment was sure to begin, But they hardened their hearts and refused to hear, So they persevered in their sin. Then like a flood came their enemies For they had ignored God’s commands; Unworthy to dwell on the soil of promise, They were carried into distant lands. Some returned home after many years, While others remained far away, But the kingdom never knew the glory again It had known in an earlier day. God’s covenant people were subjected To heathen armies and kings; The sun of the prophets ceased to shine, And darkness their days did bring. As the years crept slowly by, God’s promise seemed so far; Until one night a wise group of men Gazed upon a Star! A Star of hope, a Star of love, The King’s Star shining bright; A Star to usher in a brand new day And vanquish sin’s dark night. The precious Lamb of God had come, Virgin-born, the Son of man, Yet still Emmanuel from above, To finish redemption’s plan. Of course, the old enemy of God Wouldn’t take this lying down; A wicked king slew thousands of children, But the child-King couldn’t be found! The wise men finally made their way, And His Majesty did they behold; They brought Him precious gifts from far, Yea, myrrh, frankincense, and gold. Myrrh for the suffering Prophet, Frankincense for the great High Priest, And gold for the glorious King of Kings To rule from the West to the East! Many things the child suffered and learned As along life’s way He trod; Taking on Himself the nature of man, Yet, being the Son of God. God manifest in the flesh, Ah, mystery of mysteries, indeed; Keeping unity with the Father above While meeting man’s greatest need. Then one day at the river of death Stood a prophet, great among men; Boldly proclaiming that the Son of God Was the Lamb to take away sin! The Son was immersed for His holy work, Thus pleasing the Father so well; Fulfilling all righteousness, anointed by God, Sent out with a message to tell. But then came the age-old tempter, All ready to defeat our Lord, But quickly he fled in total loss, Bleeding from the wounds of a sword! Then the Son went about doing good, Gaining favour with God and men, Healing the sick, even raising the dead, And preaching repentance from sin. He gained the following of some common men, By speaking like they’d never heard; He charged them to follow His holy lead By preaching the everlasting word. So He and they traveled all around, Preaching the kingdom of God, Confirming the truth with signs and wonders, Along the paths they trod. Multitudes did turn to God, Escaping sin’s dark curse; Yet, others only hardened their hearts, Making their damnation worse. But as the dreadful day drew near, For the greatest love to be shown, Emmanuel withdrew from the crowds And comforted His own. Then on to the lonesome road That led to victory over all; First, victory in the garden of prayer, Then victory at the judgment hall. Yea, as our Lord approached that day, Victory was the theme; And while most saw only bitter defeat, Others saw His glory gleam! God’s Star shined brighter than ever! God’s King was humble as could be! God’s Lamb was bold as a lion As He marched to the cursed tree! The thorny crown, the mocker’s robe, The scourging, the spitting, the shame; None of these could turn him back, For the bloody cross was His aim. Then on that rugged cross He lay As His hands and feet were nailed; The precious blood of the Lamb did flow And the will of the Father prevailed. With one end pointing to hell below And the other to heaven above, Emmanuel’s cross was raised for all, Revealing the Father’s love. Being numbered with transgressors, He had two thieves close by; Both would draw their final breath, Yet only one would really die! At noon, instead of shining bold Like a strong man to run a race, The sun fled swiftly behind the clouds And refused to show its face. The Father turned His head From beholding the cursed Son; Then Emmanuel yielded up His spirit, And the sacrifice was done. The veil of the temple was rent As it hung there to divide, And a stream of water and blood gushed forth As they pierced the Lamb’s dear side. Yea, flowing water to symbolize The natural birth of all, But holy blood to atone for sin And raise man from the fall! At last, taken from the cross, In the tomb of death He lay; But only a borrowed tomb, that is, Since He had no plans to stay. Soon the day was over, And nighttime began to fall; It seemed that the Lamb had lost the battle And the serpent would reign over all. The faithful followers of the Lamb Felt sure they’d lost their way, And things seemed none the better With the passing of the second day. Death’s dark angel swelled with pride Over his latest and greatest claim: “Sin and death shall reign forever, And away with Emmanuel’s name!” Oh, but then came the third day, And what a story of glory to tell! The Son of God sprang forth to life, Victorious over Death and Hell! Yea, a most glorious Victor! A Champion through the strife! Death could not keep our Lord, For He’s the Way, the Truth, and the Life! Ah, holy Lamb of God, A living Saviour to be. Not for days, or months, or years, But for all eternity! For forty days He showed Himself, To hundreds did He appear; The Son of God was alive and well For all to see and hear. Then with His work completed, He gathered His faithful eleven And gently told them that the time had come For His return to the Father in Heaven. He commissioned them to preach the good news And to immerse those to be won; Then did beckon the doors of heaven, Calling home the faithful Son. The eleven stood there gazing As their Lord soon ascended away, But they were assured of His coming again On yet another glorious day. Yea, the Prophet’s work was finished, And the work of the Priest had begun; Yet, the great throne of the King of Kings Still awaits the anointed One! So, as the word burned in their hearts, His followers preached loud and clear, Proclaiming good tidings all around To those who would lend an ear. Multitudes gave their hearts to God, Being washed in the crimson flow; Yea, washed in Emmanuel’s precious blood And made pure and white as snow. But the serpent-dragon from days of old Really was not impressed; He’d failed to destroy the Seed and the Saviour, But, as for the Saints, he’d do his best. Persecution came to the people of God, And some were even slain, But little did the old dragon know, His scheme was all in vain. For the saints began to spread far and wide, Taking the good news from town to town; Through highways, hedges, and raging seas, They turned the world upside down! Oh, the serpent grew so angry, For no matter what he tried The faithful ambassadors kept preaching the word, And the Lamb was glorified! Then as the years rolled on, One by one did they pass Far beyond this earthly scene To stand on the sea of glass. But the work on earth wasn’t finished, For lost souls had to be reached; So thousands marched on in the army of God, And their news was boldly preached. And this grand work continues on In our present evil day, For every moment new souls arrive Who know not Emmanuel’s way. But, zealous pen, not so fast, Lest we should overlook That final glorious episode In God’s most holy Book! Banned to a lonely island In deep waters far away, Dwelt a faithful saint of God Who had grown old and gray. Before he could leave this world behind, A revelation had to be penned, Special visions from the Son of God, And then the Book would end. He saw the glorified Saviour And was charged by Him to write Of things past, present, and future That came before his sight. Walking among golden candlesticks, He saw the Son of Man, The Saviour among His people, Directing them in His plan. He then saw letters written, Letters of joy and tears, Letters filled with words of wisdom To guide believers through the years. Then at the sound of a trumpet, To heaven he took his flight That many things to come hereafter Might appear before his sight. A grand and glorious worship service The old saint did behold, The Lord sitting upon His throne And elders crowned in gold. “Holy, holy, holy,” The cherubim cried day and night, And before the throne went the elders’ crowns; Oh, what a marvelous sight! A book of seven seals appeared, Then was brought before the throne, So the Lamb, the Lion, the Son of God Could make His judgments known. As the seals were opened, God’s judgments struck the earth and men; The wicked cried to the mountains and rocks, But they turned not from their sin. A sealed remnant the old saint beheld, Twelve thousand times twelve in all; Children of God’s faithful friend of old, Sealed from the judgments to fall. Then a countless multitude, Redeemed from great tribulation, Stood in robes all white and pure, Redeemed by the Lamb’s salvation. Seven trumpets then appeared, Trumpets of judgment to be sent; When sounded they brought indescribable wrath, Yet, still, men refused to repent. Many such things the old saint saw As more judgments were released, He saw the faithful slain, then taken to heaven, While on earth sin only increased. A wicked leader rose to power, The son of perdition, the beast; With the mark of the dragon he claimed the world, From the greatest unto the least. Then the dragon was cast from heaven, That old serpent and his angels as well; With dark deception, they came to the earth To damn humanity to hell. Some refused the wicked mark, And thus their blood did flow, But soon thereafter in heaven above They wore robes as white as snow. The grapes of wrath were gathered And cast into the winepress of God; Then out came a horrible river of blood, As Emmanuel’s feet did trod. Seven last plagues finally came, Yet, men still refused to repent; Evil spirits engulfed the earth, And to the great battle they went. The harlot city then appeared To receive her just reward; Drunken with the blood of the prophets and saints, She was burnt at the will of the Lord. Heaven’s inhabitants greatly rejoiced As the smoke of the city did ascend; Everyone knew with each passing moment, That the old serpent’s rule would soon end. With the great whore having been judged, Emmanuel then took His bride, A spotless virgin, white as snow, The choice one for whom He died. Then the old saint saw a great white horse, And on it sat the KING OF KINGS, The Living Word, the Son of God, And righteousness He brings! Sitting ready to judge and make much war, With many crowns on His head, His eyes were like a flame of fire, And His vesture was dipped blood red. The armies of heaven followed close behind All clad in spotless white; The great day of the Lord had come To replace the dragon’s night. Into a burning lake of fire The beast and his false prophet went; His followers were slain by the sword of the Lord, Then eaten by the fowl that were sent. The deceitful old dragon was taken And bound in a pit with a chain; Then for a thousand righteous years The Saviour and His saints did reign. The kingdom age had come, The meek received their earth, And the covenant people from days of old Enjoyed their second birth. Then at last the dragon was loosed, And vain armies followed his scheme; To attack the saints did the evil crowd go, In hopes of fulfilling his dream. But then a swift fire shot from heaven And devoured the ungodly mob; Then the dragon was cast into the lake of fire, Forever ending his deceitful job. God then appeared on a great white throne, While heaven and earth fled away; The old saint knew that this must be God’s great and final judgment day. One by one they stood before the throne, All the dead of millenniums past; Then to the lake of fire they went, Their punishment forever to last. Only those found in the book of life Could escape this tragic woe; Those who were judged according to their works Were condemned to the fire below. If only they’d forsaken their unrighteousness And been washed in the crimson flow! If only they’d trusted the blood of the Lamb And been made as white as snow! Then, at last, the old saint saw All things made brand new: A new heaven, a new earth, and a brand new city, And he knew it was all so true. For he remembered his Lord once speaking Of going away and preparing a place; Now he saw it coming down, Glittering before his very face! As he stood there gazing, Closer the holy city came; On one of the twelve foundation stones He even read his name! He saw the river of life in the city, And the tree of life there too; And he heard great words assuring him, “These sayings are faithful and true.” While longing for his heavenly home, The old saint wrote “Amen,” A most appropriate word, indeed, So he laid aside his pen. Not only had he finished his book, But God’s Book, too, was complete; The Bible story had reached an end, And, like honey, a story so sweet! Therefore, my story is finished, And, I’ve had a wonderful time; Though I’ve only put together bits and pieces And attempted to make them rhyme. So, please do pass the story along, For my permission you have, indeed; Feel free to duplicate it yourself, Or order from us, if you need. Most of all, please remember That God deserves all the glory, Not you, not I, just the Lord Himself; After all, it is His story. The Day of Your Death Letter Size Tract—Tri-fold Copyright © 2001 James L. Melton Suggested Donation: 8 cents each Friend, will you ponder some words of truth, Though you be up in years, or yet in your youth? With each passing day your life spins by, Death creeps closer till it’s your turn to die. On your bed of death the thought comes to mind – all your dear loved ones you must leave behind. They speak words of comfort and try not to cry, But there is no comfort; it’s your turn to die. As you reflect upon many wasted years, Your poor heart saddens and your eyes fill with tears. You spent so much time for family and friends, Yet so little time being grieved for your sins. You sped through your years consuming worldly pleasures, Yet never investing in Heavenly treasures. With these sobering thoughts you begin to grow scared; It’s your turn to die, and you have not prepared! Year after year you rejected God’s Son; Over and over the Gospel you would shun. God’s Spirit which spoke to your once tender heart Has now been replaced with Satan’s stinging dart. Like a tale which is told, your life has flown by, Your days are expired, and it’s your turn to die. A piercing chill suddenly fills the air While Death enters the room like a strange nightmare. But this is no dream, the time has arrived; You’ll die in a moment to never be revived. All loved ones fade as Death closes in; Your body lies helpless, and you cannot win. With one final struggle you gasp for your breath To find your soul in the arms of Death! As loved ones gaze upon your lifeless frame, Your soul makes its journey to the Land of the Flame. “Why me?” you cry, “I wasn’t that bad!” But then you recall all the chances you had. Time and time again God’s humble servants came, Offering you salvation in Jesus’ name. But you cared not for God’s holy plan; You despised His servants, and from His truth you ran. Now as your feet sink into the flame, All hope is gone to trust in His name. Deeper you go into the fiery bath, Having traded God’s mercy for His never-ending wrath. While horror fills your soul and the pain multiplies, Your screams simply fade into the smoke-filled skies. As you wade through the flames seeking consolation, Those you encounter have the same condemnation. There’s no one to help, there’s nowhere to turn; Refuge has fled, and you’re left here to burn! As your loved ones back home in the world above Comfort one another with words of love, They’re all unaware of your sad plight beneath, Of your weeping, your wailing, and your gnashing teeth! They’ll soon gently lay your body in the ground, But of your screams below they won’t hear a sound. Never again will you see a smiling face, Only faces of agony in this damnable place. No children playing with whom to share your love, Not another second with your sweetheart above. No food to eat, no water in sight, Forever you’re a captive to Hell’s dark night! Sunsets have vanished, no mountains, no streams, Only roaring flames and soul-piercing screams! At last you now see your error so well: when you said “No” to Jesus, you said “Yes” to Hell. Friend, you don’t have to go to Hell. God wants NO ONE in Hell! The Bible says in II Peter 3:9, “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” Revelation 1:5 says, And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood. Jesus Christ has come to your rescue! If youll confess to God that youre a sinner and receive His Son as your one and only Saviour, you can escape the damnation of Hell. Romans 3:23 says, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Then Romans 6:23 says, “ For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Stop justifying your sins and simply confess to God that you are a lost sinner in need of salvation. Jesus shed His sinless blood and died to pay for your sins, and He rose again the third day for your justification. The Bible says Hell save you if youll RECEIVE Him as your Saviour: But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name. (John 1:12) That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. (Romans 10:9-10) For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. (Romans 10:13) The decision is all yours. You can live a lie and spend eternity in the fires of Hell, or you can trust the Lord Jesus Christ and have a glorious home in Heaven. One day you will awake, and it will be your day to die. Will you die in Jesus, or will you die in your sins?
Posted on: Mon, 16 Jun 2014 14:49:18 +0000
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