1-18-16 Known by His Fruit

Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit.

Matthew 12:33 KJV

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To know a man just watch his words and deeds,

For he can’t hide the nature of his heart.

An evil sort’s revealed by his misdeeds;

A poisoned well its harm will sure impart.

A fruit will show what kind of tree it’s from;

You cannot harvest olives from the ground.

Guitarists bare their talent when they thrum,

And you can tell a good one from his sound.

True Christians will exhibit Christ within;

The body of their works His presence shows.

They cannot be successful in their sin;

The essence of His truth and love still flows.

The blind can tell a fruit by taste and feel.

See Jesus with His works in you reveal.

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REMEMBER: Jesus lives within you. Get out of the way so He can live through you.

1-2-15 Arise, O Lord!

Arise, O LORD; O God, lift up thine hand: forget not the humble.

Psalm 10:12 KJV

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Arise, O Lord! Lift up Your hand today;

Rain down upon our enemies Your wrath.

The humble all around the world do pray;

Saints persecuted, killed on every path.

Arise, O Lord! The humble cry Your name;

The followers of Satan run amok.

The leaders of the world are put to shame,

While Christians everywhere die in the muck.

Arise, O Lord! Bring death to all our foes;

They murder us with raw impunity.

The armies of the world will not oppose;

O hear our cries, O Lord! Please hear this plea!

You are the Mighty God! None dare resist.

Lift up Your hand for us; our prayers persist!

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REMEMBER: Pray unceasingly for our brothers and sisters who are being persecuted around the world.

10-0915 Corrupt

And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.

Genesis 6:12 KJV

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Just like the days of Noah we are here, ¹

Surrounded by corrupted flesh in sin,

Young children run the streets without a fear

Committing theft and murder with a grin.

Morality has been tied up and shot,

And no one cares to bring it back to life.

Debauchery is now the thing that’s sought;

We do not know who’s husband, who is wife.

The color of our skin is cause for hate,

And Satan’s men kill Christians on a whim.

Please find the Lord before it grows too late!

The midnight bell is tolling, loud and grim.

The Second Coming’s nigh and we can tell.

Put all your armor on! We’re fighting hell! ²

1 Matthew 24:37

2 Ephesians 6:11-18

8-29-15 Treacherous Times

And then many will be offended,

and shall betray one another,

and shall hate one another.

Matthew 24:10 KJV

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These are the latter days which Christ foretold

When brethren are offended by the Word,

And even those who used to be quite bold

Will turn their backs on those the Gospel stirred.

Though many fall away these shall be worse,

Who once did follow Jesus in the day

But now will stumble back to point and curse

The Christians they once loved yet now betray.

Such hatred shall arise from those thought saved,

With vehemence they’ll trample on the flock.

The lies apostates spread are so depraved

To make the world lash out in fear and shock.

Hold fast in Christ; your faith will long endure.

When they knock down your door His love’s secure.

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sonnet #451

5-13-15 Be Counted Worthy

And they departed from the presence of the council,

rejoicing that they were counted worthy

to suffer shame for his name.

Acts 5:41 KJV

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Are you prepared to suffer in His name,

The Son of God who died on Calvary?

Would you then follow Jesus just the same

If all your kin and friends should disagree?

The Christians in Iraq are being killed,

And in Somalia are flogged and flayed,

But if believers here are slightly grilled

They hide their crosses for they’re so afraid.

No matter what the world may do to you,

Remember what it did to Christ the King.

So count as worthy what you’re going through;

It’s only temporary what they bring.

            Are you prepared to suffer in His name?

            Are you prepared to suffer death or shame?

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sonnet #359