2-9-16 Hear Hear

And he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given.

Mark 4:24 KJV

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Attend to all the teachings of the Lord,

For they’re designed to bring you home to God.

Be diligent that what you learn is stored,

Then share them with all men near and abroad.

The more that you distribute of the Word,

A greater portion of the Word’s revealed.

Attune your heart to living what you’ve heard;

You’ll find the harvest brings a greater yield.

The Holy Spirit leads you to the truth,

Then tells you what it means if you just hear.

You do not have to be a brilliant sleuth;

Just listen with your heart and all is clear.

The more you give the more you shall be given.

This economic lesson’s Jesus-driven.

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REMEMBER: The more you love unconditionally, substantially more love will return to you.

2-4-16 Laying Our Foundation

²⁴ Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: ²⁵ And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

Matthew 7:24-25 KJV

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We all are building our eternal home,

And as you know location’s everything.

The world and all that’s in it is as loam,

And heaven is the rock of Christ our king.

The carpenter from Nazareth knows best

Where we should lay our home’s foundation base.

With His instructions we’ll be double blessed:

We’ll be entrenched between His love and grace.

When troubles come upon us like a storm,

And rain and flood and winds do beat and knock,

We’ll be inside with Jesus safe and warm,

For nothing can prevail against this Rock.

The rock of our salvation is in Christ.

Let’s build our home on Him and be sufficed.

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REMEMBER: The foundation of your heavenly home is built by doing His commandments.

12-28-15 Lost and Found

¹² How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray?

¹³ And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray.

Matthew 18:12-13 KJV

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You wandered lost within the wilderness

Before you even knew that you were lost,

And by the time you came to some distress

In jagged rocks and winter winds that tossed,

The Savior had pursued you all along

With such a love that can’t be full explained.

His outstretched hand was there your whole lifelong;

His mark upon your heart so deep ingrained,

And when you finally fall into His arms,

He’ll put you on His shoulders safe and strong,

To bring you Home where nothing hurts or harms,

Rejoicing all the way with cheer and song.

O can you hear Him calling out your name?

Just put your hand in His. That’s why He came.

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REMEMBER: The instant you make Jesus your personal Lord and Savior there is a celebration in Heaven that continues forever.

12-19-15 In Jesus’ Name

Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ

Ephesians 5:20 KJV

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IN JESUS’ NAME

We give to God our every gratitude;

Without Him we would not be here today.

He gave His firstborn Son with rectitude

So we could be His children, too, and stay.

The sacrifice Christ made has set us free,

And now we live by faith for all He’s done.

It is through Christ we go; He is the key

To open Heaven’s door, then Home we run.

A prayer is ended thus: “In Jesus’ name,”

For He is now the source of our new life,

The living advocate of all acclaim,

The High Priest of our soul in glory rife.

Give thanks to God our Father for all things,

In Jesus’ name, in whom our hope now springs.

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REMEMBER: When you give thanks to God in the name of Jesus, your heart stretches to hold more of the Holy Spirit.

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!

11-17-15 When Pigs Drown

¹⁸ And when he was come into the ship, he that had been possessed with the devil prayed him that he might be with him.

¹⁹ Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee.

²⁰ And he departed, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men did marvel.

Mark 5:18-20 KJV (When Jesus cast demons into pigs Mark 5:1-20)

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WHEN PIGS DROWN

Possessed by sin, you wandered through the graves,

For all that did remain for you was death.

Your soul, enslaved by Satan, lived in caves,

Resigned to cut and run ’til out of breath.

When Jesus came the Holy Spirit called;

You gave your life to Him and called Him Lord.

Christ touched you as upon the cross you sprawled;

He saved you with His loving blood that poured.

Instead of staying ‘neath the cross so true,

The Savior bid you go to those you meet

To tell all what the Lord had done for you,

And all that hear will marvel so complete.

When all the pigs have drowned the Lord remains.

He lives within your heart, no more in chains.

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.

9-7-58 Made by His Hands

Thy hands have made me and fashioned me: give me understanding, that I may learn thy commandments.

Psalm 119:73 KJV

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The Lord created every part of you;

That little sparked conception was His kiss.

Your life began that moment, rare and true;

There’s nothing more mysterious than this!

God made you in His image: wonderful;

He fashioned you with love and tenderness.

No matter how you look you’re beautiful:

There is no part of you He didn’t bless.

Now pray for understanding you may learn

All God’s commandments meant to bring you home.

The longing in your heart that makes you yearn

Is Spirit guiding you so you don’t roam.

God gave you life eternal through His Son

Who bled and died that you may be as one.

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7-28-14 Every Good and Perfect Gift

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above,

and cometh down from the Father of lights,

with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

James 1:17 KJV

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If you should start to doubt God’s love for you,

Consider all the gifts He showers down,

A Father giving freely kind and true,

His blessings good and perfect so abound.

God sacrificed His Son so you may live,

And now Christ lives in you so bold and pure.

If you repent your sins He will forgive,

God wants you to come Home, of this be sure.

This light that’s in you, God’s the Father of,

The essence of the Word that’s always been,

Unchanging and eternal source of love,

The DNA of Spirit makes you kin.

God’s gifts, too many for this pen to trace

Are found upon the cross and in His Grace.

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sonnet #419