There! There!

There, there at the Mercy Seat,
There where Love and Justice meet,
There, there at Jesus' feet,
    is a Refuge for my soul!

There under that Crimson Tide,
There where atonement is applied,
There springing from Jesus' side,
    is a Fount to make me whole!

There, there in sweet hour of prayer,
There where I cast all my care,
There where I foil the tempter's snare,
    is my Rock whom I extol!

There, there will I find relief,
There, there will He send His peace,
There, there will He still my grief,
    for there He is—my goal!

- D. Benning

There Amidst the Darkness

There!  There amidst the darkness,
   the hurting, seething blackness,
   the whirling, haunting void,
Comes a growing, glowing Light,
   a comforting, consoling Sight,
   a calming, stabilizing Bright,
       that comes from God.

There!  There amidst the fear,
   the gnawing, debilitating worry,
   the active, maligning hatred,
Comes a powerful, perfect Peace,
   a balancing, unwavering Quietude,
   a motivating, energizing Fortitude,
       that comes from God.

There!  There amidst the battle,
   the wearying, wearing war,
   the fracturing, shattering skirmish,
Comes a renewing, inspiring Victory,
   a reassuring, stirring Sure Defense,
   a gripping, arousing Confidence,
       that realizes God: Sovereign o'er all.

- D. Benning

Build Up Your Church!

Build up Your Church, O Lord our King,
  Build up Your Church, Your glory bring;
     Banish night and evil foes,
     Defend Your Name, Your kingdom grows—
Shelter Your people neath Your wing!

Build up Your Church, O Mighty Lord,
  Rise up, defend, gird on Your sword!
     Against Your flock the nations rage,
     Take up hate, fell battles wage—
But You will act; our cries are not ignored.

Build up Your Church, O Sovereign God,
  Like surgeon, rid all that which gnawed
     And ate away our strength and unity;
     None shall have impunity!
Your Justice shall right all error and fraud.

Build up Your Church, You said You would!
  Your Kingdom's increase firmly stood;
     Equip Your saints, bless us Your feeble band;
     Establish now the work of our hand—
That Your Name be praised as right and good!

- D. Benning

You Know These Are the Darkest Hours

Children, you know these are the darkest hours,
  the fetch* of evil plays out long—
     dark shadows blot the hope of light,
     black gloom drapes the soul with blight,
     drab sameness takes the shine from right.
Yet you know these times are here and will be till anon
  the Morning Star of Righteousness,
      glad hope in glorious dawn,
Shall come again!  Ah, this calling that is ours!

Yet here on earth the anti-Christs we see:
  spirits that oppose the truth,
      run hard to hinder right,
      work keenly to snuff out light,
      fight wildly to raise dark night.
There will be some that fight you nail and tooth;
  those you thought were closest friends
      rush out from church to worldly thrills,
Taunting you, proclaiming  that they're "free."

My children, do not think it strange for them;
  the call of evil beckons such:
      the heart seeks that for which it yearns,
      passions call and passions burn,
      the twisted soul can't long pretend a righteous turn.
They left, dear children; they loved not much
  our fellowship nor the One who with us sits—
      It is our Lord they spurn and cast aside!
They proved they were never grafted into Him.

- D. Benning

* fetch can mean the distance traveled by wind or waves over open water or, in an older meaning, a contrivance or a trick.

Children, it is the last hour, 

and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, 

so now many antichrists have come. 

Therefore we know that it is the last hour.  

They went out from us, but they were not of us;

 for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. 

But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us.

1 John 2:18-19 ESV

Lord, Your Truth Abides

Lord, Your truth abides, enduring for all days;
Your words are sure:
      both promises that cheer
      and threatenings that will blaze!

You wrap Yourself in majesty, power clothed in faithfulness;
We are fickle, vacillating here and there:
      yet You remain true,
      You alone are goodness—

You cannot deny Yourself nor break Your spoken Word.
If we remain faithful to the calling and Your truth
      You will raise us to reign with You;
      Else we shall be spurned

And cast away, for Your threats are true.
Help us, O Mighty Lord of hearts,
      for we are weak and fickle;
      may we ever live for You.

- D. Benning

If we have died with him, we will also live with him;
if we endure, we will also reign with him;
if we deny him, he also will deny us;
if we are faithless, he remains faithful—
   for he cannot deny himself.

2 Timothy 2:11 - 13