2-4-16 Laying Our Foundation

²⁴ Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: ²⁵ And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

Matthew 7:24-25 KJV

~~~~~~~~~~~

We all are building our eternal home,

And as you know location’s everything.

The world and all that’s in it is as loam,

And heaven is the rock of Christ our king.

The carpenter from Nazareth knows best

Where we should lay our home’s foundation base.

With His instructions we’ll be double blessed:

We’ll be entrenched between His love and grace.

When troubles come upon us like a storm,

And rain and flood and winds do beat and knock,

We’ll be inside with Jesus safe and warm,

For nothing can prevail against this Rock.

The rock of our salvation is in Christ.

Let’s build our home on Him and be sufficed.

~~~~~~~~~~~

REMEMBER: The foundation of your heavenly home is built by doing His commandments.

1-12-16 Speaking Of

Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.

Colossians 4:6 KJV

~~~~~~~~~~~

May every word proceeding from your lips

Be spoken as if Christ is next to you.

Beware of foolish talk and vulgar rips

Or doublespeak that might be misconstrued.

Instead let grace be voiced to every man,

With all sincerity and prudent truth,

And let it be as savory as you can

Without an angry edge or as uncouth.

When you let Spirit tell you what to say,

The mind of Christ with love will manifest,

So learn to be in tune the prayerful way,

And both you and the hearer will be blessed.

As salt brings taste be tasteful in your speech.

The Savior’s words are well within your reach.

~~~~~~~~~~~

REMEMBER: When you are in accord with Jesus, He will speak through you.

1-4-16 Blessed is the Man

Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

Psalm 1:1 KJV

~~~~~~~~~~~

How blessed is the man that walks with God,

Who listens to His counsel night and day,

For those that don’t are living a facade,

Whose best advice no more than a cliché.

How blessed is the man that stands with Christ,

Who keeps the Lord’s commandments out of love,

For those that don’t the world has so enticed,

Whose fate is bound in darkness and thereof.

How blessed is the man that kneels in prayer,

Whose faith is in the Lord so full of grace,

For those that don’t are sitting in despair,

Whose scorn and hate are all they can embrace.

Keep focused on the Word in thought and deed.

He’ll guide you through this place of sin and need.

~~~~~~~~~~~

REMEMBER: When you walk in the Light of Christ you will not stumble.

12-31-15 Living Walking

If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

Galatians 5:25 KJV

~~~~~~~~~~~

To live in sin is then to live in death,

But those who live in Christ do truly live.

The blessed Holy Spirit gives new breath

Within the grace of God that He does give.

Then when we live in Spirit let us walk,

And then by faith we never walk alone.

So when we walk the walk we talk the talk,

For when we’re Heaven-bound the Way is shown.

You have new life from Jesus through His blood,

And life from Christ is life in Christ to stay.

A plant once dead so watered springs a bud,

Now let the whole world see it bloom today.

If you live in the Spirit of the Lord,

Then walk that way as well with one accord.

~~~~~~~~~~~

REMEMBER: Your walk shows the life you have.

12-1-15 The Haves and Have-Nots

For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath.

Mark 4:25 KJV

~~~~~~~~~~~

THE HAVES AND HAVE–NOTS

The light of Christ distinctly shines from you,

And as He grows within it will shine more.

The means of grace and knowledge blessed to few

In time shall be much richer than before.

And O! the love that burns within your soul

Increases til that’s all you will become,

But those that lack the fire true and whole

Will smolder, growing colder, then succumb.

Like Judas they may seem at first one saved,

Yet one day be revealed for their facade.

They’re kind upon the surface, well behaved,

But with no real salvation just a fraud.

To those that have is given more and more;

To those that don’t there’s no accounting for.

11-27-15 Return Unto Your Rest

Return unto thy rest, O my soul; for the LORD hath dealt bountifully with thee.

Psalm 116:7 KJV

~~~~~~~~~~~

When all the work and play of day is done,

The dishes washed, the children laid in bed,

Reflect upon the struggles and the fun,

The things you didn’t do or done instead,

Return unto your rest, my weary soul:

The Lord has dealt so bountifully with you.

His grace has carried you from role to role,

His love a shining light the whole day through.

Despite your tribulation He’s been here

Within the very center of your heart.

You’ll never be alone, no need to fear;

Relax, my soul: the Savior won’t depart.

Tomorrow comes too soon; for now just rest.

The stars are bright tonight and you are blessed.

10-21-15 Partiality

¹ My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.

² For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment;

³ And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool:

⁴ Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?

James 2:1-4 KJV

~~~~~~~~~~~

In church we always want to look our best;

We’ve got our Sunday-go-to-meeting clothes,

But there’s a fellow that’s so poorly dressed

His only suit’s so worn his elbows shows.

I promise you someone in church will gasp,

Will roll their eyes, then whisper to a friend.

Don’t be the one to shun the poor man’s grasp;

Please don’t compare him to the latest trend.

The Savior doesn’t see a rag from gloss;

A tattered shirt’s the same as Vera Wang.

It all is level at the bloody cross;

He only wore our sins when He did hang.

A judging heart is evil at its best;

See all alike and you’ll be surely blessed.

9-30-15 What He Has Done

Sing unto the LORD; for he hath done excellent things: this is known in all the earth.

Isaiah 12:5 KJV

~~~~~~~~~~~

Behold the many things the Lord has done:

He made the universe and all within;

He came to earth the essence of the Son;

He’s offered us salvation from our sin;

He had the prophets write His holy word;

He gave us with His love such blessed grace;

He promised us He’d come back undeterred;

He’s gifted us the Spirit to embrace;

He loves us more than we will ever know;

He formed us in His image from the start;

He carries us with Him and won’t let go;

He’s conquered death and hell; He’s done His part.

The things the Lord has done are excellent!

The earth and all that’s in it give assent!

8-7-15 Yet Believe

Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.

John 20:29 KJV

~~~~~~~~~~~

When Thomas needed proof that Jesus rose,

It did not mean he loved the Savior less.

His faith, though slow, with all its highs and lows

Arrived when he saw Christ to then assess.

Christ could have scolded Thomas mightily,

But in His love He showed His hands and side.

Yet blessed are they, He said, who could not see

But still believed He lived after He died.

If you have faith that Jesus conquered death

And lives within you now in truth and love,

You should not fear your final mortal breath,

For life will then begin for you above.

So blessed are those not seeing still believe;

Through grace by faith ’tis heaven they’ll achieve.

~~~~~~~~~~~

 

sonnet #429

7-29-15 On Persecution

¹¹ Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

¹² Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

Matthew 5:11-12 KJV

~~~~~~~~~~~

These days when you say Jesus best beware,

The chance is good you’ll meet a wall of hate.

Consider yourself blessed when they just stare,

For there are places killing us is great.

Just tell them Christ arose alive from death

And you’ll be shouted down and shown the door.

In some parts of the world give Christ your breath

And they will roll your head along the floor.

Rejoice when you are persecuted here,

For so the prophets suffered this and worse.

Count it a blessing when your pain’s severe,

For your reward in heaven’s worth their curse.

When persecution comes be glad in Christ

He’ll be there with you when you’re sacrificed.

~~~~~~~~~~~

 

sonnet #420