12-28-15 Lost and Found

¹² How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray?

¹³ And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray.

Matthew 18:12-13 KJV

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You wandered lost within the wilderness

Before you even knew that you were lost,

And by the time you came to some distress

In jagged rocks and winter winds that tossed,

The Savior had pursued you all along

With such a love that can’t be full explained.

His outstretched hand was there your whole lifelong;

His mark upon your heart so deep ingrained,

And when you finally fall into His arms,

He’ll put you on His shoulders safe and strong,

To bring you Home where nothing hurts or harms,

Rejoicing all the way with cheer and song.

O can you hear Him calling out your name?

Just put your hand in His. That’s why He came.

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REMEMBER: The instant you make Jesus your personal Lord and Savior there is a celebration in Heaven that continues forever.

9-25-15 The Perfect Example

²¹ For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:

²² Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:

²³ Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:

²⁴ Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

²⁵ For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.

1 Peter 2:21-25 KJV

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There is no greater love than Christ has shown,

The perfect model for a perfect life,

Who chose to leave His bright celestial throne

To come and save His sheep through pain and strife.

He had no sin Himself but came for ours,

Enduring all the wrath of God and man,

Who could have freed Himself with awesome powers

But chose to bring salvation as His plan,

And all the torment that our Lord endured,

Reviled, threatened, beaten, crucified,

He did for you so you could be secured.

He loved you so He suffered, bled and died.

O friend, I know He thought of you that day

As He was hanging on the cross that way!

8-18-15 On Scripture

¹⁶ All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

¹⁷ That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 KJV

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The scriptures are a God inspired work,

It’s meant to bring salvation to the soul.

Within each page the Holy Spirit lurks

To break the heart and with God’s grace make whole.

The Bible is alive and breathes the Word,

The perfect source for teaching doctrine truth.

The way to righteousness is thus conferred,

And well designed to train us from our youth.

To those who go astray it brings reproof,

To prick the soul and cut sin to the quick.

Good works reflect on those who find the proof

That Jesus is the Savior of the sick.

This is the map to those who seek the Way,

A compass sent from God for all who stray.

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sonnet #440

7-31-15 I Am With You Always

…lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.

Matthew 28:20 KJV

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This place most surely wears your spirit down,

A constant battle fighting for your soul.

It feels sometimes that you are going to drown,

Like being trapped within a sinking hole.

You feel like giving up most every day,

Just giving in to all things sensual.

Remember this and you won’t go astray:

The Lord is always with you stand or fall.

He’s with you every moment, even now,

No matter where you go or what you do.

Christ never will forsake you, that’s His vow;

O, feel Him touch your heart this second, too!

He’s always just a word of prayer away.

You never are alone, so don’t dismay.

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sonnet #422

7-25-15 Least in the Kingdom

Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 5:19 KJV

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A doctor telling patients they should smoke

Would soon not have a practice left to hold.

A man who works for Pepsi selling Coke

Won’t have a job for long to be enrolled.

If you’re a Christian teach the Christian way:

You meet the Father only through the Son. *

To tell that other ways to God’s okay

Will find that in the end you’ve come undone.

The least of God’s commandments should be kept;

Don’t break one and then teach that this is good,

For if you do, you’ve really overstepped;

The least belongs to you, as well it should.

It’s bad enough that you should go astray;

It’s worse if you lead others on that way.

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* John 14:6

 

sonnet #416

6-28-15 God’s Loving Mercy

But he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath.

Psalm 78:38 KJV

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The Lord is always ready to forgive;

His Mercy can subdue His mighty wrath,

For God in His great Love wants us to live

To walk along the true and righteous path.

God’s full of such compassion for us all;

It breaks His heart when we go so astray.

The sins that we persist to oft recall,

Without God’s clemency we’ve Hell to pay.

The richness of God’s Grace will long acquit,

Yet only through the blood of Christ atones,

For God set forth His Son we must submit

To lead us past our mortal skin and bones.

God made the universe – He made you, too.

Show gratitude – let Jesus live through you.

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sonnet #402

6-22-15 Call

In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried to my God:

and he did hear my voice out of his temple,

and my cry did enter into his ears.

2 Samuel 22:7 KJV

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Thank God you have the Lord that you can call

When in distress and frantic for His aid.

Be sure that He will hear you when you fall;

He understood your voice each time you prayed.

Don’t be afraid to seek the Savior’s help

When all seems lost and you have gone astray.

You may feel like a homeless, helpless whelp,

But call upon the Lord though you dismay.

There never is a time when Christ won’t hear;

If you are His you’re linked eternally.

The groanings of your heart in pain or fear

Within the grace of God will set you free.

Your cries will reach the temple of the Lord

You will not be unheard nor worse ignored.

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sonnet #395

5-15-15 On His Side

³⁸ And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and he followeth not us: and we forbad him, because he followeth not us.

³⁹ But Jesus said, Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me.

⁴⁰ For he that is not against us is on our part.

Mark 9:38-40 KJV

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When you arrive in Heaven one fine day

You just might be surprised at who you find.

There will be those you thought had gone astray,

Believing doctrine you once knew was blind.

There’s one prerequisite to step inside,

And it’s not what you know, but rather who.

If you let Jesus in your heart abide

You will be counted then among the few.

Accept Him as your Lord and Savior now

And He will guide you where you need to be.

If you work in His name He will endow

The things that you will need to set men free.

Don’t tell a child of God to soon depart,

For he that’s not against is on our part.

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sonnet #361

4-2-15 THE Voice

Though God calls out your name both night and day

You almost always never hear His voice,

And  though you ask your friends “What did you say?”

That haunting sound persists and lessens choice.

It’s easier to guess when does God not

Reach out to you with love and call your name;

A million times a second you are sought

To stand and in the Savior’s name acclaim

That Jesus is the Truth, the Life, the Way,

And if you listen, Spirit’s voice is clear

That through the cross you’ll never go astray,

So when God calls your name say “Speak, I hear.”

Then when you come to know God’s gentle call

You never will forget His voice at all.

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And the LORD came, and stood,

and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel.

Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth.

1 Samuel 3:10 KJV

3-13-15 Matters of the Heart

If you feel love express it openly,

For it’s a precious gem that must be shared,

But love that’s locked away lives brokenly

Just like a bird that’s caged too long turns scared.

Be honest with your feelings all the time

And you won’t have to worry what to say;

The matters of the heart are so sublime,

One little lie in love leads truth astray.

The love you have for God and Christ and man

Should be more than the words you can express.

Beyond the tongue are deeds and truth that can

Reveal more than a million words profess.

Hypocrisy in love destroys the soul;

If this is you, pray Jesus make you whole.

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Let love be without dissimulation.

Romans 12:9 KJV