WHEN MEN MEET GOD
IF THE STORIES COULD BE KNOWN
OF MEN CHANGED BY GOD'S HAND
FROM FACTORIES OR FISHING
TO PREACHING THROUGH THE LAND;
WE'D ALL BE STRUCK WITH WONDER
AT THE FEATS PERFORMED,
WHEN MAN MEETS JEHOVAH GOD,
AND HAS HIS LIFE TRANSFORMED.
FAMILY MEN OF COMMON BIRTH,
OR YOUTHS SEEKING GOD;
WHEN GIVEN POWER FROM ON HIGH
FEARLESS IN BATTLE TROD.
AS SEEING THE ONE INVISIBLE;
AS MYSTERIOUSLY DRIVEN ON;
SOME MEN TO THE BURNING STAKE;
SOME PREACH TILL BREATH IS GONE.
ABEL, PERHAPS, WAS THE FIRST
TO DIE FOR DOING RIGHT;
PLEASING GOD HAS A COST;
IT ALWAYS BRINGS A FIGHT.
NOAH PREACHED THE TRUTH OF GOD;
WAS FORCED TO STAND ALONE.
ABRAHAM LEFT FAMILY AND FRIEND,
AND HAD NO TELEPHONE.
ELIJAH FLED FOR HIS LIFE-
JEALOUS FOR GOD, THE CRIME.
JEREMIAH, WITH HIS TEARS OF LOVE,
WAS CONFINED TO A PIT OF SLIME.
ISAIAH, STUFFED IN A HOLLOW LOG,
WAS CRUELLY SAWN ASUNDER.
HEROD SEVERED JOHN BAPTIST'S HEAD
FOR REPROVING HIS WICKED BLUNDER.
JESUS, THE MASTER OF THEM ALL,
NOT FORCED TO BLEED AND DIE,
WENT TO THE CROSS TO PAY THE COST
SO WE COULD LIVE ON HIGH.
STEPHEN, WITH ANGELIC FACE,
WAS CRUSHED BENEATH GREAT STONES;
PRAYING GOD FORGIVE THEM,
AS THEY BROKE EACH OF HIS BONES.
MATTHEW WITH A SWORD WAS SLAIN;
ETHIOPIAN MISSIONARY HE.
AND HORSES DRAGGED MARK THROUGH THE STREETS
UNTIL HIS SOUL WAS FREE.
LUKE WAS HANGED FOR THE CAUSE
OF SERVICE TO THE KING.
SIMEON AND PETER WERE CRUCIFIED
FOR DOING THE VERY SAME THING.
ANDREW WAS TIED TO A CROSS,
AND PREACHED TO CROWDS BELOW;
HIS BLEEDING WOUNDS RAN AS HE PREACHED,
TILL NO MORE BLOOD COULD FLOW.
HEROD KILLED JOHN'S BROTHER JAMES
WITH SWORD TO PLEASE SOME JEWS;
WHO DESPISED GOD'S HOLY SON,
AND HELL INSTEAD WOULD CHOOSE.
PHILIP, FOR THE LOVE OF CHRIST,
WAS CRUCIFIED-THEN STONED.
BARTHOLOMEW WAS FLAYED ALIVE:
I'M SURE THE ANGELS GROANED.
DOUBTING THOMAS TOUCHED THE WOUND:
THE PIERCE IN JESUS' SIDE;
AND PIERCING LANCES WERE THE CAUSE
FOR WHY THIS PREACHER DIED.
THROWN FROM THE TEMPLE AND BEATEN,
JAMES, THE LESS, EXPIRED.
JUDE PASSED TO THOSE PEARLY GATES
AS MANY ARROWS WERE FIRED.
MATTHIAS WAS STONED TO DEATH
TIMOTHY BEATEN SORE,
THEN DIED A FEW DAYS LATER
TO LIVE FOR EVERMORE.
PAUL THEY HAD TO MURDER TWICE:
WAS STONED, THEN PREACHED AGAIN.
THEY FINALLY TOOK OFF HIS HEAD,
FOR PREACHING ON THEIR SIN.
THEY BOILED ST. JOHN IN OIL
FOR TAKING SUCH A STAND;
BUT HE SURVIVED TO PREACH SOME MORE
AND SEE REVELATION'S PLAN.
THOUSANDS COULD BE LISTED MORE
OF THOSE WHO GAVE THEIR ALL.
WERE JUST MEN LIKE YOU AND ME;
BUT TRUSTED GOD'S CLEAR CALL.
THE DEVIL AND HIS CROWD
WANT YOUR LIFE TOO, MY FRIEND.
IF YOU WILL STAND FOR JESUS' SAKE,
THEY'LL TRY TO MAKE YOU BEND.
ON THE RACK, OR AT THE STAKE;
STARVATION, LIONS, OR SWORD;
BUT HALLELUJAH, NONE OF THESE
CAN BREAK SALVATION'S CORD.
IF YOU WILL NOT LIVE FOR HIM
AND PLEASE HIM FOR TODAY;
YOU WOULD NEVER DIE FOR HIM,
NO MATTER WHAT YOU SAY.
WILL YOU STAND AMONGST YOUR FRIENDS
AND FAM'LY TO DO RIGHT?
HAVE YOU COURAGE IN YOUR SCHOOL
OR AT THE JOB TO FIGHT?
JESUS NEEDS SOME SOLDIERS;
NO COWARDS OF SELFISH GOALS;
TO WIN THE WAR FOR RIGHT AND GOOD;
TO RESCUE PRECIOUS SOULS.
SHOULD YOU LIVE AT EASE, MY FRIEND,
AS BATTLE RAGES SORE?
GIRD ON YOUR SWORD, FIGHT TO THE DEATH,
THEN CROSS THAT GOLDEN SHORE.
MANY WAIT AND CHEER YOU ON,
THOUSANDS WATCH THE FIGHT,
WEEPING O'R YOUR COWARDICE
AND SHOUTING FOR YOUR MIGHT
THEY ONCE, TOO, WERE ON THE LINE
AND KNOW WHAT YOU NOW FEEL.
DON'T THINK THIS IS A FANTASY,
IT COULD NOT BE MORE REAL.
WE HAVE A CLOUD OF WITNESSES;
OUR LIVES TO THEIRS COMPARED.
GOD WILL MATCH LIFE TO LIFE,
AND SEE JUST HOW YOU FARED.
LET THIS, SOLDIER, CHALLENGE YOU,
SET YOUR SOUL AFLAME.
WE ARE ON THE WINNING TEAM,
WE HAVE HIS HOLY NAME.
BE TRUE AS THESE MEN OF OLD
AND LADIES JUST THE SAME.
FORGET ABOUT YOUR WORLDLY GOALS,
AND SHOOT FOR HEAVEN'S FAME!
MARK BULLEN