"...For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?
Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?
For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen..." Rom 11:34
"...For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ..." Cor 2:16.
“…Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works…” Matt 16: 24-27.
“….And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God. And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house.b And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God…” Luke 9:59-62.
“…The men of Nineve shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here. No man, when he hath lighted a candle, putteth it in a secret place, neither under a bushel, but on a candlestick, that they which come in may see the light. The light of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light; but when thine eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness. Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness. If thy whole body therefore be full of light, having no part dark, the whole shall be full of light, as when the bright shining of a candle doth give thee light…” Luke 11:32-36.
“… O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith…Rom 11:32-36, 12:1-3.
Again, I must take up my pen,
Oh, may now the Spirit open-
The things my calling must present,
Though all around me may dissent.
And like Jeremiah of old
Though many against, may grow bold;
Defame with fear on every side,
With him I fail to stem the tide.
“In His Name, more I shall not speak,”
When through this fear my soul grows weak;
But still His Word, shut in my bones,
As fire, it burns amidst my groans.
Most are given to love of self,
And all their glory to oneself;
For Jesus’ sake they show no cause,
From men and self they never pause;
From love of self they cannot cease,
Through pride and their own fantasies;
But place the creature above God -
So serve and worship a mere clod.
They cannot love God as Supreme -
Find His Grace and Power all their theme;
As the Apostle truly said
When God the Spirit his mind led.
If our eye is not made single,
With His Grace our self will mingle;
With God’s glory, love, grace and pow’r,
Our own vain nature to empower -
God is jealous of His Honor,
Of His Glory is sole Owner;
His praise to others will not give,
For of and to Him all things live.
He must be true, though men be liars,
Though their reproach as thorns and briars;
Who will vindicate all His Word
Which His Own Purpose has authored.
For it shall surely come to pass ,
To us may seem at an impasse -
Who hath fathomed His Holy Mind,
Or known a creature of His kind?
So, when reproved, like Job of old,
Pride and presumption grow so bold;
His Purpose question from of old -
But wait until His Will unfold;
Lay too, our hand upon our mouth,
And scan the world from north to south;
For we presume, but cannot know,
When not God’s Will, to creatures show;
His Infinite Mind not reveal
To wise and prudent, but did seal -
His Reason He did not consign
That which His Purpose did confine;
Nor will the highest angel know
Beyond that which His Will shall show -
In wonder shall their minds be lost,
That God Himself Has borne the cost;
Whose Divine Purpose did not spare
His Son, with Whom none can compare;
Power, Love, and Grace did make it just
When Christ suffered for the unjust;
Children rejoice - His Will is done !
Rest in the merits of God’s Son !
Who learned conformance to God’s Will
And all God’s Purpose did fulfill.
Copyright 2001,
O. Allen Bailey
