THE SOUL SET FREE!

As I knelt before His presence

Wrapped in garments stained by sin

I could not look up to heaven

For the shame revealed within.

Then the Lamb of God Incarnate

Stood in robes of dazzling white

As His holy justice vanquished

Every pretense from His sight.

Tears of anguish broke upon me

Waves of guilt exposed my soul

As repentance ceased my wanderings

I became as white as snow.

Then His words of love came flowing

From above the Mercy Seat

Where the nail prints of His justice

Offered grace for my defeat.

Shouts of praise began to fill me

Freedom's song began to flow

As the honor and the glory

Rose to Christ who loved me so.

Ben Pent

THEN FREEDOM CAME!

ONCE I STOOD IN GRAVE CLOTHES

Bound by sin and shame

Then the voice of Jesus echoed:

“Loose those chains!” then freedom came!

All at once its grip was broken

Satan’s power no longer ruled

Sin had lost its claim upon me

On redemption’s Rock I stood.

Heaven’s Light burst all around me

Sin’s dark shadow hid its face

All the past was now forgiven

In the fullness of His grace.

Then the shouts of victory sounded

Songs of praise were lifted high

As the cross of Jesus conquered,

Hallelujah’s filled the sky!

---B. Pent

FREE AT LAST

Once I lived for earthly pleasure
By sin's blindness I was bound
Chained by guilt & things they offered
Only darkness hung around.

Then I heard that Jesus loved me
That He came to set me free
And His Blood for my redemption
Was the price He paid for me.

Oh the pain He bore on Calvary!
On the Cross He spoke my name:
"Please forgive this Hell-bound sinner"
Then He died to take my blame!

When I saw the God of Glory
Pouring out His life for me
I cried out in faith for mercy
Then He came and set me free!

Now I stand redeemed, forgiven
All the past is wiped away
To the Lamb be all the glory
I am saved by grace today!
B. Pent

FREE AT LAST

Once I lived for earthly pleasure
By sin's blindness I was bound
Chained by guilt & things they offered
Only darkness hung around.

Then I heard that Jesus loved me
That He came to set me free
And His Blood for my redemption
Was the price He paid for me.

Oh the pain He bore on Calvary!
On the Cross He spoke my name
"Please fotgive this Hell-bound sinner"
Then He died to take my blame.

When I saw the God of Glory
Pouring out His life for me
I cried out in faith for mercy
Then He came to set me free!

Now I stand redeemed, forgiven
All the past is wiped away
To the Lamb be all the glory
I am saved by grace today!
B. Pent
 
 

FREE AT LAST

Once I lived for earthly pleasures

By sin's blindness I was bound

Chained by guilt & things they offered

Only darkness hung around.

Then I heard that Jesus loved me

That He came to set me free

And His death for my redemption

Was the price for you and me.

Oh the pain He bore on Calvary!

From His lips He spoke my name

"Please forgive this guilty sinner!"

Then He died to take my blame.

When I saw the God of Glory

Pouring out His life for me

I cried out in faith for mercy

Then He came and set me free.

Now I stand redeemed, forgiven

All the past is wiped away.

To the Lamb be all the glory

I am saved by grace today!

--B. Pent 

THEN FREEDOM CAME!

Once I stood in grave clothes

Bound by sin and shame

Then the voice of Jesus echoed

“Loose those chains!” then freedom came!

All at once its grip was broken

Satan’s power no longer ruled

Sin had lost its claim upon me

On redemption’s Rock I stood.

Heaven’s Light burst all around me

Sin’s dark shadow hid its face

All the past was now forgiven

In the fullness of His grace.

Then the shouts of victory sounded

Songs of praise were lifted high

As the cross of Jesus conquered

Hallelujah’s filled the sky!

---B. Pent

LESSONS FROM A BUTTERFLY

As I was walking through the forest green

By chance I came across the strangest scene.

Two caterpillars talked of taking flight

Yet absent wings revealed their awful plight.

Twas then I saw them climb a large oak tree

Two leaves became their hope for liberty

They fanned the leaves to soar the azure sky

But gravitation almost bid them die.

Just then by chance they saw a butterfly

Who said that just like him they too could fly

But they must choose the path that leads to death

For freedom’s birth comes through a chrysalis.

At first the cost was far too much to bear

The path from death to life did not seem fair

Yet crawling on the ground was not the way

And so they yielded to its “call” that day.

In time, their tomb revealed a miracle

The caterpillar’s crypt gave way to wings

And there above the trees I saw them fly

While lifting praise to Him Who dwells on high.

Just then God’s Voice spoke clearly to my heart

“True freedom comes to those He sets apart!”

So when my yielded will gave Him control

His metamorphic work released my soul.

Now grace bids me to fly and gives me wings

To soar above the lure of earthly things

And share the News from Him Who reigns above

So those enslaved can also find God’s love.

--B. Pent

THE CALVARY ROAD

I've walked life's road for many years

At times I've faced some bitter tears
I've seen the good which made me glad
I've known the wrong which made me sad
Yet when I weighed each gain or loss
I sensed the conflict of the Cross.

Just why should love and grace appear
When man rejects God's offer here?
The Law revealed the Judge's claim

All men are slaves and bound by shame
When Jesus showed His nail pierced hand

The Cross revealed salvation's plan.

The Serpent's lie to be a “god”

Enslaved all men upon earth's sod

Yet God ordained sin's price be paid

Upon His Son our sins were laid

This Calvary Road will always be

The only place to be set free.
--B. Pent

THE WEB OF DECEPTION

Deceptive thoughts that trick the mind

Like flies caught in a spider’s web

Try hard to shake its silken grip

Before its venom strikes it dead.

How subtle is this rude disguise

Intriguing lures that bate their prey

While scintillating to the eye

Dark shades of night eclipse the day.

Yet that is how a habit forms

In innocence we take the bate

By first enduring then embrace

A slave to what we later hate.

In this imprisoned wilderness

Like blowing winds that blind the eye

The only path through desert storm

Is taking flight above the sky.

The Pilot comes to rescue all

Who in repentance take His hand

For freedom is the promise made

Who in Christ's victory take their stand.

--B. Pent

THEN FREEDOM CAME!

Once I stood in grave clothes

Bound by sin and shame

Then the voice of Jesus echoed

“Loose those chains!” then freedom came!

All at once its grip was broken

Satan’s power no longer ruled

Sin had lost its claim upon me

On redemption’s Rock I stood.

Heaven’s Light burst all around me

Sin’s dark shadow hid its face

All the past was now forgiven

In the fullness of His grace.

Then the shouts of victory sounded

Songs of praise were lifted high

As the cross of Jesus conquered,

Hallelujah’s filled the sky!

---B. Pent

HE RANSOMED ME

ONCE I WAS LOST IN DARKNESS BOUND
CHRIST TOUCHED MY HEART, NEW LIFE I FOUND
THE STING OF DEATH FOR ME HE PAID
THE GREATEST PRICE MY RANSOM MADE.

NEW GLORY SHINES IN EVERY PART
SINCE CHRIST MY LORD CAME IN MY HEART.
THE BLACKEST SIN, THE DARKEST NIGHT
IS WIPED AWAY BEFORE HIS SIGHT.

NOW GRACE DIVINE IN EACH DAY'S TASK
FILLS EVERY NEED FOR WHICH I ASK
SINCE I HAVE FOUND THIS GOD ABOVE
I'LL GLADLY SERVE THE LORD I LOVE.

CHORUS

HOW GLAD I AM MY SIN WAS PAID
HOW GLAD I AM A RANSOM MADE
IN JOYOUS PRAISE I NOW CAN SING
TO JESUS CHRIST MY LORD AND KING
--B. Pent

AMERICA IN THE BALANCE

At about the time our original 13 States adopted their new Constitution, in the year 1787, Alexander Tyler (a Scottish history professor at The University of Edinburgh) had this to say about "The Fall of The Athenian Republic" some 2,000 years prior."

"A democracy is always temporary in nature; it simply cannot exist as a permanent form of government. A democracy will continue to exist up until the time that voters discover that they can vote themselves generous gifts from the public treasury."

"From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates who promise the most benefits from the public treasury, with the result that every democracy will finally collapse due to loose fiscal policy, (which is) always followed by a dictatorship."

"The average age of the world's greatest civilizations from the beginning of history has been about 200 years. During those 200 years, these nations always progressed through the following sequence:
From bondage to spiritual faith;
From spiritual faith to great courage;
From courage to liberty;
From liberty to abundance;
From abundance to complacency;
From complacency to apathy;
From apathy to dependence;
From dependence back into bondage."
(Source unknown)

FEELING FREE

I was born in sin's dominion
Held a captive by the Foe
Prison bars were my companions
Dark and dreadful, full of woe.

Cruel the master that enslaved me
Fear became my dreaded chains
While the auctioneer gave orders
To be sold for piteous gains.

Then amidst the frenzied bidding
There appeared the Son of Man
With the highest price as payment
His own blood, redemption's plan.

Suddenly the doors swung open
As the fetters loosed their grip
I ran out and fell before Him
Freed from Satan's horrible pit.

Then He called me to His family
As a dear beloved son
Now by grace I stand forgiven
Through my Lord, the risen One.

Praises fill my inmost being
Once a captive now set free
Glorious is my Lord and Master
I am His eternally.
--B. Pent

LONGING TO FLY

As I was walking through the forest green
By chance I came across the strangest scene
Two caterpillars talked of taking flight
But absent wings brought only fear in sight.

Twas then I saw them climb a large oak tree
Two leaves became their hope for liberty.
They fanned the leaves to soar the azure sky
But gravitation almost bid them die.

Just then by chance they saw a butterfly
Who said that just like him they too could fly
But they must choose the path that leads to death
For freedom's birth comes only through a chrysalis.

At first the cost was far too much to bear
The path from death to life did not seem fair
But crawling on the ground was not the way
And so they yielded to its call that day.

In time, their tomb revealed a miracle
The caterpillar's crypt gave way to wings
And there above the trees I saw them fly
While lifting praise to Him Who dwells on high.

But then God's voice spoke clearly to my heart
"True freedom comes to those He sets apart."
So when my yielded will was lost in Him
His metamorphic work freed me from sin.

Now grace bids me to fly and gives me wings
So I can soar above the lure of earthly things
And share the News from Him Who reigns above
That those enslaved by sin can find God's love.
--B. Pent

THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT - Matthew 6:25-34

Someone stated that worry is the advance interest you pay on troubles that seldom come. It springs from the desire that things should happen as we wish rather than as God wills. Pressure to succeed is today's biggest contributing factor to anxiety and worry. Worry not only affects us mentally but also physically. It affects circulation, the heart, the glands and our whole nervous system. It also affects us spiritually by robbing us of peace and trust in God's leading and plan for our lives. The Anglo-Saxon word for worry means "to strangle or chock." It also means "to divide the mind; to be drawn in different directions."

What does Jesus say about living worry free? Obviously, it was a high priority in His agenda for happy, victorious and productive living. So six times in these verses he commands us:
"do not worry about your life." He explains that the cause of worry stems from a wrong emphasis on materialism. If we get out of focus spiritually we become slaves to money or the things that money buys. When money rules, we becomes greedy, selfish, covetous and self-indulgent. Our Western cultures is obsessed with body shape, nutrition, vacations, cars, clothes, homes and an endless accumulation of toys and gadgets. Jesus stated emphatically, "no one can serve two masters."

Kingdom servants have a Master that promises to supply all our needs. So He moves from one command ("do not worry") to another command ("seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness"). If we transfer our focus from the earthly kingdom ruled by Satan to the heavenly Kingdom ruled by Christ, He promises "all these things" (what you are going to eat, drink, or wear)"will be given to you as well." While dealing with this same issue, Paul concludes in Phil.4:7, "the peace of God will guard your hearts and your minds through Christ Jesus." God's prescription sure beats the Enemies, wouldn't you say? So then, lets put it into practice and begin living it. That is what I want to do! Don't you?

THEN FREEDOM CAME!

Once I stood in grave clothes
Bound by sin and shame
Then the voice of Jesus echoed
"Loose those bands!" then freedom came.

All at once my chains were broken
Satan's power no longer ruled
Sin had lost its claim upon me
On redemption's Rock I stood.

Heaven's Light burst all around me
Sin's dark shadow hid its face
All the past was now forgiven
As God's fullness took its place.

Then the shouts of victory sounded
Songs of praise were lifted high
As the blood of Jesus conquered,
Hallelujahs filled the sky.
--B. Pent

BEFORE HIS THRONE

All holiness surrounds His Throne
In unmatched power He reigns alone
No sin can stand before His face
For guilt has marred the human race.

Condemned, the sentence clearly gave
No hope for those beyond the grave
The flames of hell in darkened shame
Engulf the souls who bore the blame.

Yet on life's pathway stands a Cross
Where love and mercy bare the loss
When sinner's guilt on Him is laid
The blood of Christ completely paid.

Real freedom opens wide the door
Its guilty past is there no more
For wings have given flight to soar
The Spirit's power to sin no more.
--B. Pent