111415 Show Us Something Good

Shew me a token for good; that they which hate me may see it, and be ashamed: because thou, LORD, hast holpen (helped) me, and comforted me.

Psalm 86:17 KJV

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SHOW US SOMETHING GOOD

O Lord, it seems the wicked rules the day;

I see my brother’s blood upon the ground.

Please show me something good from this, I pray,

To fill my enemy with shame profound.

You’ve helped me, Lord, when I have called on You,

You’ve soothed me with the comfort of Your love.

Console the suffering, help see them through

Please show us something good from up above.

Reveal to those who hate us You are God,

Cause them to be disgraced among their friends.

Lay bare their evil hearts here and abroad;

Humiliate them to the furthest ends.

Please show us something good so all may see

The righteous will prevail; in You we’re free.

11-12-15 Lukewarm

¹⁵ I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.

¹⁶ So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

Revelation 3:15-16 KJV

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LUKEWARM

If you’re to be a Christian, do your best!

Don’t claim to follow Christ but wander ’round.

Your Bible gathers dust while you attest

To study scriptures daily so profound.

You wear a sliver cross around your neck,

But gossip, cuss and lie for all to see.

You smile at church and tithe with some bad check;

You blew it all on Friday’s gambling spree.

It would be better were you ignorant;

At least a heathen knows just where he stands.

If you’re to be a Christian let’s be blunt:

You’d better ask for help; your time’s at hand.

It’s never good to be a lukewarm saint;

He’ll spew you from His mouth without constraint.

11-6-15 All is Vanity

Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all is vanity.

Ecclesiastes 12:8 KJV

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Don’t get caught up in all this world displays;

You’ll soon forget the reason you are here.

Most everyone you know is in a daze

Believing these illusions are sincere.

The moment you are born the show begins,

And all the lights and sounds will mesmerize;

You’re told the more you have the more you win,

And told the more you know will make you wise.

It’s vanity; all this is meaningless,

For Jesus is the only thing that counts.

He’ll guide your way around this awful mess;

There’s nothing in this world He can’t surmount.

This place is not your home – you’re heaven bound!

Now spread the gospel – help the lost be found!

10-5-15 The Best of Friends

Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.

John 15:15 KJV

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A servant knows not what his Lord has planned;

Until he’s notified, he’ll stay the course.

A friend will share with friend intent firsthand

So there are no surprises, no remorse.

Companions seek to help each other out;

Good news to one will be good news to all.

When Christ becomes your friend there is no doubt

He’ll lead you Home Himself so you don’t fall.

Oh, what a friend we have in Jesus Christ!

He loves us more than we could ever know.

He is your confidant so rare sufficed;

Reveal your heart to Him and watch it grow.

With Jesus you have got the best of friends

Just take the hand that He for you extends.

9-22-15 On Addiction

¹⁴ But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.

¹⁵ Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

James 1:14-15 KJV

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We’ve all been tempted; still we’re tempted now

For Satan pays attention to our lusts.

Then when we fall and break most every vow,

His demons ride our shame, feed our disgust.

Then like a horror movie sin’s revived

As if it will not die by force or will,

Until your prayers seem wooden and contrived,

And then when you give up death has its fill.

Cry out unto the Lord though you feel dead,

And pray until your tears have soaked the ground.

He leads you to the help you need ahead;

Just trust in Jesus – grace much more abounds.

It seems like all is lost; don’t be deceived.

Salvation comes to those who first believed.

8-27-15 An Exhortation

Now we exhort you, brethren,

warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded,

support the weak, be patient toward all men.

1 Thessalonians 5:14 KJV

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We have our own responsibilities,

And that includes a call to help the poor:

The poor in heart, in mind, in strength are these

That need some extra care we can’t ignore.

Admonish those that step across the line:

The busybody, troublemaking sort.

Teach discipline and selfless service fine;

These diamonds in the rough, do not sell short.

Uplift the ones who struggle with the cross:

The simple and the slow to understand.

The weak need love who cannot bear a loss;

Please help them with their faith and to withstand.

Have patience with the souls who trip and fall;

Be one to help them up. See Christ in all.

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sonnet #449

8-4-15 Gone

¹ To the chief Musician upon Sheminith, A Psalm of David.

Help, LORD; for the godly man ceaseth;

for the faithful fail from among the children of men.

2 They speak vanity every one with his neighbour: 

with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak.

Psalm 12:1-2 KJV

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The days of righteous men are all but gone,

For evil spreads the earth just like a plague.

It’s not that saints are hiding and withdrawn,

There’s just so few they seem both hushed and vague.

The faithful few are buried by the mob:

The carnel, unregenerate and vile,

Who smile at you in passing at your job,

Then stab you in the back with that same smile.

These are the days the wicked strut about;

They’re killing unborn babies just to sell.

They stand upon a rainbow box and shout,

And roam the streets like racist mobs from hell.

O Help us, Lord! The faithful fall away!

There’s very little hope for us today!

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sonnet #426

7-21-15 Angels in the Wings

Are they not all ministering spirits,

sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?

Hebrews 1:14 KJV

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Oh child of God, you’ll never be alone,

Though all your friends and family depart.

When dark despair has gripped you to the bone,

There is an angel working on your heart.

He ministers to you when you are down,

Sent forth by God to comfort and restore.

When all the world conspires to make you drown,

An angel’s called to pull you back ashore.

The presence of the Lord is with you now,

And there are angels waiting in the wings.

When grief and pain descends upon your brow,

You’ve got the help you need from where love springs.

Oh child of God, know Jesus lives within,

And angels serve to minister therein.

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sonnet #412

6-19-15 Hope

But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren,

concerning them which are asleep,

that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

1 Thessalonians 4:13 KJV

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The marrow of your soul is thick with grief,

And sorrow’s made a home within your heart.

It feels as if the Lord’s become a thief

For making someone precious to depart.

This is the time to mourn, you’ve lost a friend;

The world seems so much colder than before.

Remember, though,that this is not the end;

Death’s just like walking through an open door.

Your faith confounds the others with no hope;

You know that life exists beyond the grave.

The Holy Ghost is here to help you cope;

Because of Jesus, you are not grief’s slave.

Your heart is heavy now, as it should be,

The day is coming, though, your friend you’ll see.

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sonnet #393

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

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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.

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sonnet #377