2-16-16 Give and Take

Take heed therefore how ye hear: for whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have.

Luke 8:18 KJV

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This is a warning to you lukewarm soul

Who merely ponders Jesus on a whim:

You say you are a Christian, play the role.

You think you’ll skate on in; your chance is grim.

If you will truly give your life to Christ

And use with grace the gifts He gives to you,

The salt you are will then be double spiced;

The love you have, much more will you accrue.

If you believe that you have got it made,

Your show of knowledge now will disappear.

What little faith you claim will soon be swayed;

Your mediocre worship won’t cohere.

Be careful how you hear: from heart or head.

The one will find the Lord, the other’s dead.

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REMEMBER: You cannot fake your way into the kingdom of heaven. If you don’t think you’re saved, you’re likely not. Go to the cross right now. You’ll gain a lot.

2-1-16 Of Light and Love

He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.

1 John 2:10 KJV

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If you abide in light you know the source;

That light did not originate in you.

That under God’s good grace there is, of course,

The love of Christ that wants to pass it through.

Since Jesus is the light of all the world, (John 8:12)

If you believe in Him, you are that light as well. (Matthew 5:14)

The lifting wings of love cannot stay furled

If you within the arms of Jesus dwell.

So, naturally, your light’s revealed as love,

And love will radiate to all you know,

And even strangers feel the light you’re of

And be attracted to its giving glow.

With light like this there is no stumbling.

There’s so much love around it’s humbling.

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REMEMBER: Christ helps you see every step of your journey.

1-25-16 Millstone

But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.

Matthew 18:6 KJV

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Whoever does offend a child of God

With hateful, hurtful words that’s evil drawn,

Or cause to stumble on the path he trod,

Or make his testimony be withdrawn,

Whoever leads away My sheep by guile,

To fool him into dropping his belief,

Or persecute him else by harm or trial,

Or bring My new disciple into grief,

It would be better for that wicked one

To hang a heavy stone around his neck

And jump into the sea to then be done,

Than cause My little one be harmed a speck.

Before you lead My little lamb astray,

You might just drown yourself and float away.

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REMEMBER: Treat the young in Christ with tenderness and love and proper discipleship.

1-21-16 No Expiration Date

Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.

John 6:27 KJV

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A man must quickly eat the meat he buys

Or else it rots and does nobody good,

And he must live his life until he dies

And then his body’s done the best it could.

Don’t spend your days obsessing on the flesh;

It won’t endure beyond its meted time.

Work toward that meat that always will stay fresh

With everlasting life that’s so sublime.

What must you do to earn eternal food?

Believe in He whom God the Father sealed.

Let Jesus be the one your faith’s pursued.

Be hungry for the Word of Life revealed.

Seek first the sustenance that fills the soul;

The more that you consume the more you’re whole.

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REMEMBER: Be as hungry for the Word as one who hasn’t eaten in three days.

1-14-16 Faith in Action

¹⁴ What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? ¹⁵ If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, ¹⁶ And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?

James 2:14-16 KJV

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A couple poor as dirt with hungry child:

The husband says, “I’ve faith we’ll get some food.”

The wife replied, “O fool! You’ve got me riled!

Go get a job! We can’t eat attitude!”

Professing faith is easy; say the word,

But if your faith is real then it will show.

A kindness given first was faith that stirred.

When grace meets gratitude you can’t lie low.

When Jesus said “Your faith has made you whole,”

He knew that she believed that by her touch.

If she had not had faith both heart and soul,

She wouldn’t have reached out His cloak to clutch. (Matthew 9:20-22)

Declaring faith won’t keep you warm and filled.

Put action to those words and be fulfilled.

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REMEMBER: For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. (James 2:26)

1-6-16 Believe in Jesus

⁵³ And when they had passed over, they came into the land of Gennesaret, and drew to the shore. ⁵⁴ And when they were come out of the ship, straightway they knew him, ⁵⁵ And ran through that whole region round about, and began to carry about in beds those that were sick, where they heard he was. ⁵⁶ And whithersoever he entered, into villages, or cities, or country, they laid the sick in the streets, and besought him that they might touch if it were but the border of his garment: and as many as touched him were made whole.

Mark 6:53-56 KJV

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While Jesus walked the earth He healed the sick,

And has been healing sickness since that time.

When people heard him ’round they gathered quick;

His name should do that now in our lifetime.

We don’t need scores of healers ‘cross the land

In vast revivals pitching tents in town.

We don’t need mega churches gold and grand,

Announcers telling cripples “Come on down!”

The only thing you need is to believe

That Christ can heal your broken heart and more.

A simple faith in Him will soon achieve

The healing that you need and cry out for.

The Savior hears you calling out His name;

Reach out to Him – you’ll never be the same.

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REMEMBER: Believe.

1-5-16 Time to Confess

³² Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. ³³ But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.

Matthew 10:32-33 KJV

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As much as you confess you should believe

That Jesus is your Lord and Savior, too,

For words themselves are easy to achieve,

But let your being shout your love anew.

Your silence is denial as profuse

As claiming Jesus was then just a man.

Lip service is itself a lame excuse;

Now be a true believer, not a fan.

A Christian is in truth a ‘Little Christ,’

A living, breathing representative.

You should be one with He who sacrificed;

He took on all your sins so you may live.

Confess to all He’s Christ, He’ll confess you.

Deny Him and He will deny you, too.

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REMEMBER: Ask Jesus to give you courage, strength and boldness. He certainly will.

12-24-15 Under the Law

But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,

Galatians 4:4 KJV

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Before the earth was formed His time was set

To come into the world the perfect Lamb,

Fulfilling every prophecy and debt,

The son of woman and the great I AM.

He put a period upon the Law,

Conforming to it to the nth degree.

They all were made for Him and this He saw

Unto the cross, then there on Calvary

He bore the penalty of sin, His death,

By taking all our sins, the Law fulfilled,

Yet in three days He took a Holy breath

To bring eternal life with grace instilled.

The Law was satisfied; He broke its curse.

Believe in Jesus, let His love immerse.

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REMEMBER: Jesus said: “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.” (Matthew 5:17)

12-22-15 SO

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

John 3:16 KJV

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For God SO loved the world He gave His Son;

His One begotten Son the world He gave,

That whosoever shall believe the One

Shall never perish, never know the grave.

Christ took all of your sins onto the cross;

He gave His life for you and willingly.

Because He loved you SO He suffered loss,

But it was worth it all to set you free.

An everlasting life belongs to those

Who put their faith in God’s begotten Son,

Enduring death and in three days arose;

For God loved you SO much this all was done.

Claim Jesus as your Savior and believe

God sacrificed His Son for your reprieve.

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REMEMBER: Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. (John 15:13)

12-7-15 Mocked

I am as one mocked of his neighbour, who calleth upon God, and he answereth him: the just upright man is laughed to scorn.

Job 12:4 KJV

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Beware, the days are here when you are mocked

For standing on your Christian principles,

And even other Christians will concoct

The wildest things about you from their skulls.

Don’t dare defend yourself from such a crowd,

For they are fools, and fools are hard to change.

Just listen to the Lord and don’t be cowed;

The godliest of souls have all been strange.

The sort who love to gossip matter not,

It’s those who love the Lord live in your heart.

It will not matter what the scorners thought

When all is said and done the truth impart.

Be bold, be upright and believe in Christ.

Your faith in Him is worth the sacrifice.