12-15-15 For You

⁶ And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.

⁷ And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

Luke 2:6-7 KJV

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The King of Kings and Lord of Lords was born

Into this world of sickness, pain and death,

A helpless infant on that chilly morn

Who in His father’s arms took His first breath.

The God of all the universe cried out,

His body cold and naked, small and weak

Until His mother wrapped Him all about

And held Him close and kissed His tiny cheek.

The Savior soon was placed with love and care

Within a manger cleaned and filled with hay.

Had those within the inn been made aware

They might have traded places right away.

The Lamb of God was born with you in mind;

He came so you would not be left behind.

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REMEMBER: Every breath Jesus took on this earth He gave to you.

10-02-15 These Stumbling Times

¹⁰ He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.

¹¹ But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.

1 John 2:10-11 KJV

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There is no question these are darker times

Than all the days this world has ever known.

The moral structure failed, there are more crimes,

The stench of sin makes all the earth to groan.

There’s so much hate we see it in the air;

The people that you pass won’t look at you.

Sweet life has lost it’s value; most don’t care,

As if we’ve all gone blind and can’t see through.

The only hope we have is Jesus Christ;

He lights the way with nothing less than love,

And here the grace of God is so sufficed;

Believe in Him and see the way above.

It’s not so hard to love our brother when

We have the perfect light of Christ within.

9-4-15 Render

¹⁴ And when they were come, they say unto him, Master, we know that thou art true, and carest for no man: for thou regardest not the person of men, but teachest the way of God in truth: Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or not?

¹⁵ Shall we give, or shall we not give? But he, knowing their hypocrisy, said unto them, Why tempt ye me? bring me a penny, that I may see it.

¹⁶ And they brought it. And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? And they said unto him, Caesar’s.

¹⁷ And Jesus answering said unto them, Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s. And they marveled at him.

Mark 12:14-17 KJV

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We have an obligation to the world

To give unto the rulers what is theirs.

Whatever flag above us is unfurled,

Obey that government; give them their shares.

We can’t forsake this world while we are here,

And still employ the money of the land.

Rebel and soon officials will appear

Reminding us the debt we owe at hand.

So render unto Caesar what is his,

And render unto God what’s His as well.

If you think taxes are too high as is,

Then use the laws to change it where you dwell.

No matter what the levy is, just pay,

And give your heart to Christ without delay.

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8-27-15 An Exhortation

Now we exhort you, brethren,

warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded,

support the weak, be patient toward all men.

1 Thessalonians 5:14 KJV

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We have our own responsibilities,

And that includes a call to help the poor:

The poor in heart, in mind, in strength are these

That need some extra care we can’t ignore.

Admonish those that step across the line:

The busybody, troublemaking sort.

Teach discipline and selfless service fine;

These diamonds in the rough, do not sell short.

Uplift the ones who struggle with the cross:

The simple and the slow to understand.

The weak need love who cannot bear a loss;

Please help them with their faith and to withstand.

Have patience with the souls who trip and fall;

Be one to help them up. See Christ in all.

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sonnet #449

6-27-15 Hypocrisy

²⁷ Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchers, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.

²⁸ Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

Matthew 23:27-28 KJV

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Hypocrisy is practiced more than not,

And chances are you practice every day,

Pretending you are wise and know a lot

When really you’re an ass that loves to bray.

That suit you wear on Sunday, crisp and clean,

Is like a coat of paint on rust and rot.

That Bible in your hand on Sunday seen

Back home is tucked away behind your pot.

Remember, were it not for God’s good Grace,

You would be bound for Hell for all you’ve done.

Get humble now and fall upon your face;

Repent and follow Christ, the perfect one.

If you don’t think you are a hypocrite,

You’re worse along than you care to admit.

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sonnet #400

6-6-15 No Peace

There is no peace, saith the LORD, unto the wicked.

Isaiah 48:22 KJV

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Today the wicked roam the earth with glee

Without a sense of consequence or care.

They take what isn’t theirs and say it’s free;

Depravity and death stink up the air.

Don’t think that they are getting by with this,

Although it seems that now it is the case.

A reckoning will come that they can’t miss;

The wicked won’t have peace – no, not a trace.

The evil that men do will haunt their souls

If they don’t turn to Jesus and confess.

When death arrives they’ll see then He controls

And it will be too late: there’s no redress.

Eternity’s forever without peace.

Serenity in Christ will never cease.

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sonnet #381

5-23-15 Grace-Full Gifts

⁶ Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;

⁷ Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching;

⁸ Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.

Romans 12:6-8 KJV

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We all have talents given us by grace

According to the nature of our soul;

Just as the body has each part in place

That has a special function toward the whole.

The ones with prophesy speak truth so bold,

With ministry to aid the poor and weak;

The teachers lay the doctrine out as gold,

Exhorters urge, advise and so critique.

To those who give do with simplicity,

And those that rule are earnest in their care;

The merciful attend the anxious plea,

And everyone above immersed in prayer.

The gifts that God has given us to use

Should be to serve the Savior, not abuse.

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sonnet #368

5-2-15 The Earth is the Lord’s

Although you think the world a wicked place,

So full of hate and pain and anguish, too,

Don’t blame the earth, it’s under God’s good grace,

But blame the lord of darkness and his crew.

The earth and everything that dwells therein

Belongs to Jesus Christ, He made it all,

But Adam disobeyed, and that is sin,

Forgetting it’s all His both great and small.

So Satan runs around without a care,

And tries to make us think it’s not his fault,

Yet as a child of God you must prepare,

To help Christ win the day with full assault.

To save the world, it helps to first save man.

The gospel brings us back to God’s great plan.

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The earth is the LORD’S, and the fulness thereof;

the world, and they that dwell therein.

Psalm 24:1 KJV

 

sonnet #348

1-30-14 Obedience

Obedience is crucial as a child

Who does not have a full awareness yet,

As such maturity will get him riled

Then later to be filled with some regret.

But if he does the things that he is told

By those who really want him to evolve,

He’ll take the Lord’s commandments to uphold

In love to God and from his own resolve.

But he that doesn’t care to thus obey

The rules of his own parents or his God

Will lack the skills of life and then fall prey

To Satan’s will whose way is wide and broad.

Obey the smaller things when you are young,

And you will climb with ease the highest rung.

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He that keepeth the commandment keepeth his own soul; 

but he that despiseth his ways shall die.

Proverbs 19:16 KJV

1-26-15 A Friend’s Reproof

You are my friend, and friend you’ll always be

If I say something wrong and you speak up,

For such rebuke from you is wine to me:

First tart then sweet to drink your chiding cup.

I may not like your criticism now

But you speak from a heart of love and care.

Much more from you than others I’d allow;

Their motives may not be sincere and fair.

An enemy may flatter with his tongue

But stab you in the back first chance he gets.

A kiss from Judas, then the armed crowd sprung;

He was no friend of Jesus when they met.

Your admonition, friend, is better than

The stench from some perfume some foe would fan.

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Faithful are the wounds of a friend;

but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.

Proverbs 27:6 KJV