No Defense

As I sat in the county court room on a dreary December Monday waiting for my son's case to be called, I was taken in by the scene that was unfolding as defendants formed a single-file line as their names were called. The overcrowded room was filled with people from all walks of life; old and young, tall and short, all races and creeds seemed to be represented. Faces wore expressions of fear, frustration, and anger while others looked as if they didn't care. Some were represented by attorneys, some stood with a friend or family member (perhaps a parent) but most stood before the judge alone.

Straining to listen to their stories above the exhaust fan that muffled their voices, I leaned as far forward in my seat as I could to hear what they had been charged with and how they would plead. Charges ranged from minor traffic violations to more serious offenses like assault and drug possession. The ones that were represented by attorneys seemed to be in and out within a few minutes as the attorney did all the talking for them. There was one young girl, probably about 16, who couldn't stop crying. Her father's face looked weary but after a few words between the judge and her lawyer they were out of there quickly. The scuttlebutt was that she had taken her parent's car without permission, consumed alcohol, and ultimately was involved in a serious accident.

While others lingered there for what I'm sure seemed like eternity, defendant after defendant would make their plea and one after another sentences were handed down with most receiving fairly heavy fines and court supervision, and some were given a continuance while only a few were declared not guilty.

One young lady in particular really captivated my attention. As she stood before the judge and heard the charge against her she uttered a plea of “guilty”. The judge quickly announced her sentence and asked her if she could pay her fine. I could hear her tell the judge “no” while motioning the same with her head as it began to sink. As the judge contemplated what order he was going to issue the clerk handed him some documents that brought a pause to the proceedings. After reviewing the documents the judge looked at the woman and said, “it seems that there other charges against you that the court needs to consider before sentencing can be handed out in this matter.” Her head was now fully dropped and you could begin to hear the sound of tears coming out of her as a sense of hopelessness defined the scene. The judge suggested she accept a continuance in the current matter and to consider hiring an attorney to represent her. She nodded her acceptance and walked away.

My heart was saddened by all that I had witnessed and heard as it brought to my mind what the judgments the Bible speaks of might look like. You see, the ones that were represented by an attorney are those that have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ. He has paid the penalty for their sins. They will be escorted to the Judgment Seat of Christ to receive a crown of life while the next group will be the ones that will plead not guilty because they think they have done nothing wrong. They believe they’ve been a good person and therefore should go unpunished. Hear the words of Jesus from the Gospel of Matthew found in chapter 7;

22Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' 23Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'

The following verses from Scripture clearly tell us that we could never be good enough to earn salvation.


Ephesians 2:8-9
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9not by works, so that no one can boast.

Isaiah 64:6
All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.

The last group are those that realize at that moment before the Great White Throne of which Jesus is Judge that they are guilty and much like the lady in the courtroom they will not be able to pay their penalty. They will be condemned by their offenses to an eternity separated from the God who loved them.

If you have read this and considered your eternal state before God and realize that you are guilty and unable to pay the penalty for your sins perhaps this is the time that Jesus is drawing you to Himself for redemption. The exchange is immeasurable; your sin for His life, eternal life with Him in glory. On that day when you stand before God you will have an advocate, an attorney if you will, that will represent you before God as one of His own and you will not be left without a defense.

In Me Do You Trust?

In Me Do You Trust?


In a still small voice Jesus does speak
Relief from the pain, my soul it does seek.
I cry out to Him, answer He must
He whispers to me, “in Me do you trust”?

My burdens are heavy, too much to bear
Jesus you’re quiet, are you still there?
My bones are decaying, returning to dust
Your question still lingers, “in Me do you trust”?

You said in your word that faith is my seed.
Oh Lord, please hear me, it's answers I need.
Please Lord you’ve said you’re faithful and just
Yet all You respond is, “in Me do you trust”?

I try to sound holy and respond, “surely I do”
But I cannot deceive You, my words are not true.
Oh Lord forgive me, I’ve complained and I’ve fussed

Lord please forgive me for my complete lack of trust.

I so long to trust you and know you complete
to no longer live a life of defeat.
In order to do this my faith cannot rust
In you Jesus only, I must place my trust.

Written By: Jerry Hodge

These Walls

These Walls

You promised to protect me
safe inside your keep
If I’d stay behind you
no more in fear I’d weep

Twas in my darkest fears
I learned to hide behind
I could run to you
and there I’d have peace for my weary mind

There none could ever harm me,
in you I’d safely dwell
But now it is plain to see
you are a lonely hell

Twas for safety I had built these walls
forever there to hide
But now I see these walls I’ve built
have trapped me deep inside.

Yes, these walls they promised to protect me
to keep me safe within
But now I find within these walls
my very own prison.




Written By: Jerry Hodge

A Prayer

A Prayer

When in my life’s heartaches
I’ve come to my limit
I search for the answers
that come in a minute

Please don’t delay
the pain is so great
Come now to Me Jesus
don’t make me wait.

My cries seem in vain
It seems on deaf ears
Please come to me Jesus,
please Jesus draw near.

My ears cannot hear You
nor my eyes can they see
All that You’re doing
inside of me.

No hope, no grace
no freedom from sin
No good can I find
that comes from within

I’ve tried to do it my way
only to fall
You must be my everything
or nothing at all

I so long to hear You
You’re so lowly and meek
So I’ll try to be quiet
lest You may speak



Written By: Jerry Hodge
Jerry Hodge

Broken Cisterns

Jeremiah was God's prophet to the kings and people of Judah. Having served under the leadership of three different kings, Jeremiah witnessed a gradual decline in Judah's reverence and obedience to God as they rebelled and fell into a moral and spiritual decay under the kingships of Jehoiakim and Zedekiah. This societal decay led to immoral practices such as child sacrifice and a sexual sin that the people didn't try to hide. We are experiencing this same attitude toward God in out world today.

When we stop and think about how gracious and merciful that God has been toward America having the freedom to possess and know God's perfect word (the Bible) and that he made sure to include the history of His people that we might learn from their ungodly behaviors, why would we want to repeat their sins? Have we somehow convinced ourselves that God's holiness has changed and our sins are now more acceptable in His sight than those of the people of Judah? Has God become more tolerant of our generation and culture because we live in a more stress-filled time than they did? Have we adopted an attitude that perceives things as the world sees them, that if there really is a God why doesn't He just make everything right or God is a loving God and He won't judge me.

Whatever the reason, the people of Judah were living as if there was no God and so they put their trust in the things that appealed to their flesh. Things that made them feel good. Jeremiah uses the example of a broken cistern to illustrate how futile it was for the people of Judah to trust in man or possessions. In Jeremiah's time the cisterns were basins that farmers would hewn out of limestone hills that were lined with lime plaster so the rainwater would not seep out. Unfortunately, over time the plaster would erode and the cisterns would develop cracks and the water would leak out. What God was saying to His people was that what they were trusting in what was broken and it would not sustain them in their time of need. Read what God is saying to all of His children in Jeremiah 17:5-9;

5 This is what the Lord says: “Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans, who rely on human strength and turn their hearts away from the Lord.

6 They are like stunted shrubs in the desert, with no hope for the future. They will live in the barren wilderness, in an uninhabited salty land.

7 “But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence.

8 They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit.

9 “The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?

What is your "broken cistern"? Is it your career? Is it your marriage? Is it your material possessions? Is it your retirement fund? Unless Jesus is the only well from which we draw living water all these things will only disappoint us in our greatest time of need.

Jesus tells us that He who drinks from the well of living water will never thirst again. Jesus is that well. Let's place our trust and hope in Him.