2-2-16 The Way of Hate

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 2:11 KJV

~~~~~~~~~~~

The man who hates is dwelling in the dark;

The light of Christ is nowhere to be found.

He stumbles, trips and falls far off the mark,

For blindness steals his vision all around.

Both love and hate can’t share the selfsame space;

The heart of man is not designed that way.

Antipathy just shows a lack of grace,

And without grace the heart will fade away.

Call on the Lord the instant hate arrives;

He’ll lead you to forgive as He forgives.

It won’t be easy but you will survive,

And you will walk the path of light and live.

A hater does not know the way he goes.

A blind man in the dark has no repose.

~~~~~~~~~~~

REMEMBER: Hate drags you down. Love lifts you up.

9-30-15 What He Has Done

Sing unto the LORD; for he hath done excellent things: this is known in all the earth.

Isaiah 12:5 KJV

~~~~~~~~~~~

Behold the many things the Lord has done:

He made the universe and all within;

He came to earth the essence of the Son;

He’s offered us salvation from our sin;

He had the prophets write His holy word;

He gave us with His love such blessed grace;

He promised us He’d come back undeterred;

He’s gifted us the Spirit to embrace;

He loves us more than we will ever know;

He formed us in His image from the start;

He carries us with Him and won’t let go;

He’s conquered death and hell; He’s done His part.

The things the Lord has done are excellent!

The earth and all that’s in it give assent!

9-11-15 You Are Not Alone

The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.

Psalm 34:15 KJV

~~~~~~~~~~~

No matter where you go you’re not alone;

The presence of the Lord will see you through.

His eyes are on you now, His grace is shown:

The righteousness of Jesus dwells in you.

God’s eye of Providence: a blanket warm,

To comfort and protect you faithfully.

His eye of Love to see you through each storm,

A Father’s gaze upon His child set free.

He hears your cries within the tempest roar

When all the world is shouting out their sins.

He answers all your prayers and even more

Responds to every groan as it begins.

You put your faith in Christ upon the throne;

Now rest assured you’ll never be alone.

9-6-15 You’re Being Watched

And his master saw that the LORD was with him, and that the LORD made all that he did to prosper in his hand.

Genesis 39:3 KJV

~~~~~~~~~~~

When you go through this day do not forget

The light of Christ is shining through your deeds,

And others see there’s something special yet,

In all you say and do a peace proceeds.

Remember that to most you represent

The closest thing to Jesus they will know.

Those hungry for the Word will soon relent

To find out what it is that makes you go.

When Jesus lives through you it surely shows,

Especially the moments love’s revealed.

The Holy Spirit is affirmed in those

Who feel the fire and begin to yield.

You have a deep responsibility

To serve the Lord and act as His trustee.

~~~~~~~~~~~

8-30-15 Have Faith in Him

And he said unto her,

Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole;

go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.

Mark 5:34 KJV

~~~~~~~~~~~

It isn’t faith alone that saves the sick,

For if it were we’d all be sound in health.

The gospel of success is just a trick

To take up all your time and all your wealth.

There are no magic words to make you whole;

The name it and then claim it crowd are wrong.

It’s Jesus Christ Himself that cures the soul;

The Son of God alone can make you strong.

There is no guarantee that you’ll be cured;

The grace of God sometimes is all you need. ¹

Put all your faith in Christ and rest assured

You’ll be at peace and whole with Him indeed.

Reach out in fervent faith that Christ is real.

Believe that He alone can save and heal.

~~~~~~~~~~~

1 – 2 Corinthians 12:9 KJV

7-31-15 I Am With You Always

…lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.

Matthew 28:20 KJV

~~~~~~~~~~~

This place most surely wears your spirit down,

A constant battle fighting for your soul.

It feels sometimes that you are going to drown,

Like being trapped within a sinking hole.

You feel like giving up most every day,

Just giving in to all things sensual.

Remember this and you won’t go astray:

The Lord is always with you stand or fall.

He’s with you every moment, even now,

No matter where you go or what you do.

Christ never will forsake you, that’s His vow;

O, feel Him touch your heart this second, too!

He’s always just a word of prayer away.

You never are alone, so don’t dismay.

~~~~~~~~~~~

 

sonnet #422

4-16-15 Give and Take

What do you own that God has not conferred?

The same is yours to take with you at death.

The wealth you gained, the debt you once incurred

Mean nothing when you’ve drawn your final breath.

For naked did you come; the same to go,

And all you wear between the two is thread.

The only covering that’s worth to show

Came from the Son of God, the blood He shed.

The Lord does give; He also takes away,

But once you are His child it’s understood.

The Earth and all that’s in it will decay,

But your eternal Home is here for good.

Now let us praise the holy name of God,

And all that He has given us be awed!

~~~~~~~~~~~

Naked came I out of my mother’s womb,

and naked shall I return thither:

the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away;

blessed be the name of the LORD.

Job 1:21 KJV

4-6-15 Submit

The forty years of wandering were through,

And Canaan lay beyond the Jordan’s banks;

The tribes want Joshua to lead them to

The land that they were promised with much thanks.

We spent our life just wandering in sin

Until we found salvation on the cross;

Will we’ve surrendered all to Jesus when

The moment comes when we must go across?

Submit all that you are now every day

And let Christ tell you what to say and do.

The moment that you cross could be today,

So act as if it is; To God be true.

Tell Jesus where He sends you, you will go,

And all that He commands do even so.

~~~~~~~~~~~

And they answered Joshua, saying,

All that thou commandest us we will do,

and whithersoever thou sendest us, we will go.

Joshua 1:16 KJV

1-15-15 Be of Good Cheer

Whatever trouble has you far from shore,

Whenever you’re adrift in need of aid,

Wherever life has left you with no oar,

The Savior’s standing there; “be not afraid”.

There is no place that Jesus cannot go,

There is no problem that is too severe,

There is no question asked that He won’t know,

Don’t worry half as much; “be of good cheer”.

Just when you think that you are all alone,

Just when you sink your head and start to cry,

Just when your heart’s as heavy as a stone,

You’ll hear the voice of Jesus: “It is I”.

And as you dream of meeting Him one day,

He’s with you even now, not far away.

~~~~~~~~~~~

And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them,

walking on the sea.

And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea,

they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit;

and they cried out for fear.

But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying,

Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.

Matthew 14:25-27 KJV

1-13-15 God or Bust

Unless the Lord is present count it dead

Whatever that is built with human hands;

It may exist a thousand years ahead

But might as well be built with desert sand.

A city that’s forgotten God is doomed

Like Sodom and Gormorrah full of sin;

Then soon by wickedness it is consumed,

As dead inside as though it’s never been.

Invite the Lord to sanction all you do,

And let His Spirit guide your heart and mind;

The earthly things that honor God are true,

And all without His love will fall behind.

Let God build both your church and family,

And everywhere you go, there He will be.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Except the LORD build the house,

they labour in vain that build it:

except the LORD keep the city,

the watchman waketh but in vain.

Psalm 127:1 KJV