2-10-16 Be Like Jesus

Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;

Colossians 3:12 KJV

~~~~~~~~~~~

Now, having taken off the old man’s guise,

Put on the mind of Christ who died for you,

Whom now you are elect of God likewise,

Both holy and beloved and tried and true.

With deep compassion free from all deceit

To sympathize with those who are distressed,

Let kindness, grace and love be so complete

You weep with them who weep, sincere expressed.

Have humbleness of mind in thought and deed,

Be gentle with all men and always meek;

Submissive to the Spirit so proceed,

And dwell in patience; suffer long the weak.

Christ took the weight of sin from off your soul.

Now be just like the One who made you whole.

~~~~~~~~~~~

REMEMBER: Christ lives in you now. Let Him live through you.

10-24-15 Let All the People Praise Thee

Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee.

Psalm 67:3

~~~~~~~~~~~

Let all the people praise Thee, O my Lord!

Let’s raise the roof for Jesus, multitude!

O Savior, listen to this vast accord!

Redeemer, You have made our hearts renewed!

Let all the people praise Thee, O my God!

Let’s get this gathering up on its feet!

O Christ, receive this song as we applaud!

Messiah, You have made our hearts complete!

Let all the people praise Thee, O my King!

Let’s bring revival to this neighborhood!

O Lamb of God, we feel the love You bring!

Good Shepherd, You have changed these hearts for good!

Now let the people praise Thee, Lord of Lords!

Let all the people sing these fervid chords!

10-10-15 Bittersweet

⁸ But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.

⁹ Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.

¹⁰ Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.

¹¹ Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?

James 3:8-11 KJV

~~~~~~~~~~~

It’s easier for man to tame a rock

Than teach his tongue to stop its reckless ways.

A stone can learn to sit and stay and balk,

But not the tongue; it runs for days and days.

How many times have words jumped from your mouth

That you regret the instant it is done?

A friendly conversation’s headed south

With just an unplanned phrase or bawdy pun.

If you can hesitate to choose your words,

The tongue might find some worse to say instead.

Best cut it out and feed it to the birds

Or keep a clean, blank slate within your head.

The mind of Christ is possible to gain:

It takes complete surrender to attain.

7-22-15 With All Your Life

This is my commandment,

That ye love one another, as I have loved you.

John 15:12 KJV

~~~~~~~~~~~~

The world is filled with malice, hate and scorn,

And every day is darker than the last,

But don’t despair, it is not time to mourn,

Just love your fellow man despite his caste.

The Savior loves you more than you can know,

He died for all your sins upon the cross.

If you love one another you will grow

To better understand His pain and loss.

If you show love to everyone you meet,

And give without a thought of some return,

The love of Christ in you is more complete,

And love begets more love with less concern.

This is the Lord’s command, that you should love

With all your life, as Jesus has above.

~~~~~~~~~~~

 

sonnet #413

7-20-15 Born Again

Jesus answered and said unto him,

Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again,

he cannot see the kingdom of God.

John 3:3 KJV

~~~~~~~~~~~

A birth into this world means tears and pain;

Your mother can’t forget nor you recall.

But when you come to Christ you’re born again,

A new creation free from Adam’s fall.

Now quickened by God’s Spirit through and through,

The blood of Christ has washed your sins away.

No longer bound by flesh you live anew,

A citizen of Heaven now to stay.

Admit that you’re a sinner, dead and lost,

That Jesus paid the price for all your sins.

Put all your trust in Him whate’er the cost

And you will be reborn – your life begins!

Drink deep the Word as milk, then eat as meat,

And watch the Grace of God make you complete.

~~~~~~~~~~~

sonnet #411

6-2-15 Give When You’ve Got

¹³ For I mean not that other men be eased, and ye burdened:

¹⁴ But by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want: that there may be equality:

¹⁵ As it is written, He that had gathered much had nothing over; and he that had gathered little had no lack.

2 Corinthians 8:13-15 KJV

~~~~~~~~~~~

To love your neighbor as yourself is work,

But work that stems from love is worth the sweat,

And if you have abundance do not shirk

To give to those whose needs have not been met.

If your own children had no food to eat,

You’d ask your wealthy neighbor for some aid.

Then when you’ve gained your riches so complete,

Please help a hungry family who’s dismayed.

The scales of love are balanced when you give,

For we are all but equal in God’s eyes,

And even if your neighbor is a sieve,

Still love him as yourself – don’t compromise.

A man that gathers much has no surplus;

And he that gathers scant lacks nothing thus.

~~~~~~~~~~~

 

sonnet #377