7-3-15 Secret Faults

Who can understand his errors?

Cleanse thou me from secret faults.

Psalm 19:12 KJV

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The times that we meander from the Lord

Cannot be counted with our mortal mind.

No matter how we keep our virtue stored

The thieves of sin get in and steal us blind.

Some vain and shameful thoughts just can’t be stopped,

And oh, the words we wish we could take back!

Tis easier to have the ocean mopped

Than to recall the times we’ve gone off track.

Dear God, forgive us of our many sins,

The endless march of wrongs we perpetrate.

Your Grace, sufficient done, our prayer begins

With faith upon the cross to set it straight.

We can’t remember all the sins we’ve done.

Please cleanse us of our faults, Lord, through the Son.

~~~~~~~~~~~

 

sonnet #404

6-24-15 First to Last

So the last shall be first, and the first last:

for many be called, but few chosen.

Matthew 20:16 KJV

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The souls who are forgotten by the crowd:

The meek, the low, the bullied and the plain,

Are lost among the ego-driven proud

And last to find a post they can attain.

The Lord will not ignore the seventh son,

The shepherd boy who one day would be king.

The manger-born became the perfect One

To save a sinful world who hopeless cling.

We all are called to come unto the cross,

Invited to the wedding feast by Christ;

The proud will all be counted as a loss,

The chosen ones are those who’ve paid the price.

Down here we choose the leader of the pack;

If you would follow Christ, then serve in back.

~~~~~~~~~~~

sonnet #397

5-15-15 On His Side

³⁸ And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and he followeth not us: and we forbad him, because he followeth not us.

³⁹ But Jesus said, Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me.

⁴⁰ For he that is not against us is on our part.

Mark 9:38-40 KJV

            ~~~~~~~~~~~

When you arrive in Heaven one fine day

You just might be surprised at who you find.

There will be those you thought had gone astray,

Believing doctrine you once knew was blind.

There’s one prerequisite to step inside,

And it’s not what you know, but rather who.

If you let Jesus in your heart abide

You will be counted then among the few.

Accept Him as your Lord and Savior now

And He will guide you where you need to be.

If you work in His name He will endow

The things that you will need to set men free.

Don’t tell a child of God to soon depart,

For he that’s not against is on our part.

~~~~~~~~~~~

sonnet #361

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

            ~~~~~~~~~~~

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?

            ~~~~~~~~~~~

sonnet #359

4-9-15 The Bond of Peace

The Holy Spirit binds us all as one

Who came unto the shadow of the cross

And gave our life to Christ, God’s first-born Son,

Now counted closer than a family’s gloss.

So here we are as one and Spirit led.

The things that caused contention surely cease,

For now the love of Christ’s the common thread

That brings so naturally a bond of peace.

Where there was once dissension we find grace,

No longer slave to sin and anger’s hook;

Forgiveness helps us run the longer race,

A stamina not gained by hook or crook.

When differences arise within the flock,

The key of Christ will open any lock.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Endeavour to keep the unity of the Spirit

in the bond of peace.

Ephesians 4:3 KJV