2-23-16 On Faith

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Hebrews 11:1 KJV

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You go to bed assured that you will wake;

A pregnant woman knows her child will come;

You drool just thinking of that chocolate cake;

Guitarists play the song before they strum.

Now, faith is not believing it will be,

It’s knowing that it is before it is.

I do not have to touch, don’t have to see

To know that Jesus lives; my heart is His.

It was by faith Christ calmed the tempest sea,

By faith He made the blind man see anew.

Within the grace of God you’ll find the key:

You live by faith in everything you do.

In faith you have the truth to set you free.

The tiny seed contains the mighty tree.

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REMEMBER: Faith is not belief without proof, but trust without reservation. (D. Elton Trueblood)

1-22-16 Consider All God’s Done For You

Only fear the LORD, and serve him in truth with all your heart: for consider how great things he hath done for you.

1 Samuel 12:24 KJV

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Consider all that God has done for you!

With His eternal grace you’re given breath;

The joy of love that comes to you anew.

He gave His Son so you through Him’s no death.

So serve the Lord in truth with all your heart!

Submit your will to Him new every day;

Be humble in your duties from the start.

Remember He is all you need today.

With great affection only fear the Lord!

Now love Him as a child will love her Dad;

Simplistic awe and worship in accord,

In reverential yearning pure and glad.

Consider all God’s done with gratitude.

Give everything you do this attitude.

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REMEMBER: He is all you need today.

6-25-15 Every Thing

In every thing give thanks:

for this is the will of God

in Christ Jesus concerning you.

1 Thessalonians 5:18 KJV

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Give thanks unto the Lord for everything!

Without His grace then nothing would exist.

The fact that you’re alive is cause to sing!

Each time that you inhale, that air God’s kissed.

No matter what the scene, have gratitude.

Your bus breaks down in route? Meet someone new.

If you hate what you eat, thank God you’ve food.

If you drive off a cliff, enjoy the view.

With Jesus as your Savior you are blessed,

For home is where the Lord wants you to be.

Your very life is gratitude expressed,

So share the Word with everyone you see.

In every thing give thanks, this is God’s will

In Jesus Christ concerning you, fulfill.

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sonnet #398

6-12-15 Rule Number One

Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

Exodus 20:3 KJV

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We like to think we keep the ten commands

That God gave Moses on Mount Sinai,

But we can’t even keep the one that stands

As first among them all, and some don’t try.

We push Jehovah back to make more room

For all the other gods we worship now,

Like money, food, the TV we consume,

And everything we claim to disavow.

Whatever stands between the Lord and you,

Whatever steals attention from His face,

Is just like cheating on a spouse that’s true,

And then to have the gall to seek His grace!

The way to keep the Lord your number one

Is follow in the footsteps of His Son.

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sonnet #387

5-21-15 Every Eye Shall See

Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.

Revelation 1:7 KJV

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Then like a thief at night will Jesus come,

Surprising all but those who are prepared,

And all with eyes to see will then become

To know that He is here, His presence bared.

The dead in Christ shall rise from in the ground;

The righteous all will know and so rejoice.

The terror of His enemies abound,

And they will wail and weep as if one voice.

He’ll come to judge the quick and judge the dead,

Including those who harmed the ones He chose.

His presence in the clouds will make some dread:

The final days are coming to a close.

Oh, how magnificent that day will be!

The Savior will return for all to see!

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sonnet #366

5-10-15 The Glory of God

Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do,

do all to the glory of God.

1 Corinthians 10:31 KJV

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God’s glory is the end of all His deeds;

The fact that you are here is proof of that.

You count on Him for all your wants and needs,

He always knows exactly where you’re at.

Acknowledge God in everything you do,

For by His Grace and Mercy you are here.

When Jesus walked the earth He always knew

God’s glory was the goal to persevere.

You glorify our God in Jesus’ name,

When you do anything with Him in mind.

Your love in deed and word gives God acclaim,

And when you share the gospel love’s refined.

Give glory to the Lord with every prayer;

Give glory when you breathe His precious air.

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sonnet #356

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

4-23-15 The Lamb

There comes a day when all the universe

Will rise up with one voice and praise the Lamb,

And everything that is, though so diverse,

Acclaims the worthy One of the I AM.

The Lamb was slain for all the sins of man,

Receiving power as the Lord of Lords,

And riches of the grace that e’er began,

And wisdom far beyond the mind explored,

And strength to conquer evil dark and grim,

And honor equal to our Father God,

And glory of salvation promised Him,

And blessings evermore the heavens laud.

            The Lamb will always sit upon the throne

            Forever and forever, ever known.

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¹¹ And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands;

¹² Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.

¹³ And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.

Revelation 5:11-13 KJV

4-8-15 How Great You Are!

As far as we can see are galaxies,

Yet when our eyes look to things very small

The atoms mirrors galaxies with ease,

And wonder fills our spirits and enthral.

O Lord, how great Your works in everything!

The flea, the sun, the rose, the forest deep.

Amazing more the insights that You bring;

How great Your thoughts, the wisdom that You keep!

You’ve known us since before we came to be;

Can look into the hearts of all at once.

The secrets of the universe You see!

The smartest of us all is just a dunce.

I dare consider all Thy hands have made,

That You can just say “BE” and it’s displayed!

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O LORD, how great are thy works! 

and thy thoughts are very deep.

Psalm 92:5 KJV

3-26-15 Greatest in the Kingdom

The greatest in the kingdom is the least:

A little child without pretentious claim

Who waits until the guests have left the feast

To have the smallest portion all the same.

A little child is humble, kind and shy,

Who lives to hear her Father’s loving call

Then runs into His arms not asking why,

Expecting no reward or gift at all.

The child of God thinks nothing of herself,

Without the selfishness of evil’s sting,

And leaves her own needs high upon the shelf,

Reliant on her God for everything.

            Whoever’s humble as a little child

            Is greatest in the kingdom, meek and mild.

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Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child,

the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 18:4 KJV