2-17-16 Hidden Treasure

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.

Matthew 13:44 KJV

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Those blinded by the god of this world fail

To find the gospel set within their reach.

When you show them this treasure might the scale

At last with Spirit’s nudge fall from the breach.

And then to see the light shine from their eyes

As they begin to feel their soul set free,

And, O, the Holy Ghost within them rise

As they come to the cross and like Him dies!

Then nothing in the world could buy them back

For they have given Jesus all they’ve got.

The Savior paid the price; though sins were black,

He made them white as snow, both sought and bought.

There is a man and woman stumbling ’round,

Just waiting for the gospel to be found.

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REMEMBER: Commit to telling at least one person today about this greatest of all treasures, the gospel.

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

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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.

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

12-24-15 Under the Law

But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,

Galatians 4:4 KJV

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Before the earth was formed His time was set

To come into the world the perfect Lamb,

Fulfilling every prophecy and debt,

The son of woman and the great I AM.

He put a period upon the Law,

Conforming to it to the nth degree.

They all were made for Him and this He saw

Unto the cross, then there on Calvary

He bore the penalty of sin, His death,

By taking all our sins, the Law fulfilled,

Yet in three days He took a Holy breath

To bring eternal life with grace instilled.

The Law was satisfied; He broke its curse.

Believe in Jesus, let His love immerse.

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REMEMBER: Jesus said: “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.” (Matthew 5:17)

12-5-15 Shew Me Thy Ways

Shew me thy ways, O LORD; teach me thy paths.

Psalm 25:4 KJV

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SHEW ME THY WAYS

Please show me, Lord, Your countless holy ways,

The many mysteries beyond this mind.

When I have left this world with all its days

I’ll have eternity to be inclined.

Until I’m there with You, teach me Your paths,

I’ve faith You’ll shepherd me the whole way Home.

I’ll need Your guidance through the aftermath;

While I’m still in this body I may roam.

Beloved Savior, keep me ‘neath Your wing;

I know Your loving Spirit lies within.

You are my Teacher, Counselor and King:

Please show me, teach me, lead me out and in.

But most of all, have mercy on me, Lord!

I want so many things, this smorgasbord!

11-28-15 Taste

Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

Matthew 7:20 KJV

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TASTE

It isn’t always easy judging fruit.

Sometimes you have to take a bite to see.

The tree it came from may have good repute,

But in the end it’s taste, don’t you agree?

A man who beats his wife may go to church

And act as pious as the Son of Man.

If you’re attune to Spirit in your search

You’ll see he’s filthy as a garbage can.

The Holy Ghost will lead you to the truth,

Will pull away the curtain of a lie.

Not everybody evil acts uncouth.

Some heavenly discretion trumps the sly.

Most times a rotten fruit’s as plain as day,

But some will fool; let Spirit lead the way.

9-8-15 Praise Your Name

O LORD, thou art my God; I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name; for thou hast done wonderful things; thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth.

Isaiah 25:1 KJV

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O Lord, you are my God, my sovereign King,

Not only by creation but of grace.

The covenants You’ve made my soul shall sing.

My God, the Love You are I still embrace.

I will exalt you, Lord, I’ll praise Your name.

You’re Holy and perfection without end.

The heavens and the earth will long acclaim

The glory of creation You still tend.

Such wonders have You done I cannot count;

From atoms to the stars and in between.

Your counsels of the ages give account

Of faithfulness and truth we all have seen.

I celebrate You, God, both night and day!

I celebrate with all I do and say!

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8-14-15 All for One

⁴ Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.

⁵ And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.

⁶ And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.

1 Corinthians 12:4-6 KJV

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A breeze wafts through a window open wide;

The curtain shudders, papers flutter, too;

A candle light makes shadows dance and glide,

And all these things a single breeze can do.

The Spirit moves ten million souls and more

As preachers, teachers, missionaries, clerks,

To prophesy, to write, to mind the store;

We serve a single Master in our work.

Discretion, grace and patience all are gifts

Bestowed by just a single, holy God;

The Father’s love that heals, reveals, uplifts

Can resurrect the dead and leave us awed.

Such wondrous grace upholds the universe

And shows in all we do as we traverse.

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sonnet #436

5-20-15 Glory

² Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.

³ And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.

Isaiah 6:2-3 KJV

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Imagine standing fore the throne of God,

With seraphims above it shouting praise.

Our best envisionings would still be flawed;

The mind cannot conceive the slightest gaze.

But here we are surrounded by our things,

While just outside the door the world is wide.

So full of God’s great glory nature sings,

And every grain of earth He did provide.

In Eden and again when all’s complete,

The Earth in all her splendor will be known,

Yet even now her beauty’s so replete

God’s glory can be found in leaf and stone.

Right now we can’t see God upon His throne,

But take a walk outdoors, His glory’s shown.

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sonnet #365

4-24-15 So Well Defined

Once slave to sin, now servant of the Lord,

For as you died with Christ, with Him you rose,

And here eternal life can be explored,

The path to righteousness and where it goes.

The Grace of God sustains you as you move,

One fruit our holy Father loves to give;

So here you are with nothing left to prove,

Just pass the gift along, and so forgive.

Now that the Holy Spirit’s in your soul,

The Savior living in your heart and mind,

It is no longer you who’s in control;

Thank God for this, to be so well defined!

It started when you made a simple choice.

There’s victory in Jesus; now rejoice!

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But now being made free from sin,

and become servants to God,

ye have your fruit unto holiness,

and the end everlasting life.

Romans 6:22 KJV

 

sonnet #340

4-20-15 God is Light

Here is, my brother, wisdom bold and true:

That God the Father of us all is light.

There is no darkness in Him, through and through;

He is both true and holy in His might.

The gloom of sin can’t hide from Him at all;

He sees within our hearts, there’s no disguise.

His light is life to all things great and small;

Illuminating both the earth and skies.

God turned the lowly shepherd boy to king;

He walked the earth as Jesus, two as one.

He makes the dead to live and angels sing;

He calls the second coming of His Son.

Our God’s the light of Grace and Mercy, too;

He is the light of love, and He loves you.

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This then is the message which we have heard of him,

and declare unto you,

that God is light,

and in him is no darkness at all.

1 John 1:5 KJV