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)

12-18-15 More Than Kin

⁴¹ And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost:

Luke 1:41 KJV

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MORE THAN KIN

When dear Elizabeth heard Mary’s voice,

Her baby John the Baptist leapt within.

The presence of the Lord made both rejoice,

For John and Jesus were much more than kin.

Then thirty years would pass until that day

When John did baptize Jesus to commence

The start of such a mission that would stay

Within the hearts of men forever thence.

Did they grow up as cousins sometimes do,

Together playing games and running ’round?

Most surely did they know then as they grew

The things they had to do were so profound?

One day upon the Jordan John would point

Toward the Lamb of God did God appoint.

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REMEMBER: The Holy Spirit will fill you with joy when you contemplate upon Jesus.

12-17-15 Gifts of the Magi

And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshiped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.

Matthew 2:11 KJV

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GIFTS OF THE MAGI

The Magi came by following a star

To pay their homage to the King of Kings,

For it was worth their traveling so far

To meet the Lord of Lords and what He brings.

They opened up their treasures and withdrew

Some frankincense and myrrh and precious gold,

These gifts they gave to baby Jesus true

As symbols of the mission He’d uphold.

The gold paid homage to His royalty;

The frankincense for His divinity;

The myrrh to signify humanity:

A King, a God, a sacrifice was He.

The Son of God was born so He could die,

Atonement for our sins to sanctify

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REMEMBER: The best gift you can give Jesus is complete surrender of your body, mind and soul to Him. Do this constantly.

12-15-15 For You

⁶ And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.

⁷ And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

Luke 2:6-7 KJV

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The King of Kings and Lord of Lords was born

Into this world of sickness, pain and death,

A helpless infant on that chilly morn

Who in His father’s arms took His first breath.

The God of all the universe cried out,

His body cold and naked, small and weak

Until His mother wrapped Him all about

And held Him close and kissed His tiny cheek.

The Savior soon was placed with love and care

Within a manger cleaned and filled with hay.

Had those within the inn been made aware

They might have traded places right away.

The Lamb of God was born with you in mind;

He came so you would not be left behind.

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REMEMBER: Every breath Jesus took on this earth He gave to you.

12-11-15 True Unbelievers

⁴⁵ And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not. ⁴⁶ Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me? ⁴⁷ He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.

John 8:45-47 KJV

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TRUE UNBELIEVERS

Some people will not hear the Word of God

No matter how they’re told or what is said.

You will not be believed and called a fraud,

As if you were the one with the thick head.

Forgive them for they know not what they do;

There is no spark of Spirit in their heart.

You speak the truth until your face is blue;

They’ll take your words and tear them all apart.

It’s more than just resistance to the Word;

How well you know, you’ve turned it down before.

You might as well be talking to a bird;

The Holy Ghost will tell you Try no more.

The Lamb of God was sinless yet accused;

Beware the ones who want you so abused.

10-24-15 Let All the People Praise Thee

Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee.

Psalm 67:3

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Let all the people praise Thee, O my Lord!

Let’s raise the roof for Jesus, multitude!

O Savior, listen to this vast accord!

Redeemer, You have made our hearts renewed!

Let all the people praise Thee, O my God!

Let’s get this gathering up on its feet!

O Christ, receive this song as we applaud!

Messiah, You have made our hearts complete!

Let all the people praise Thee, O my King!

Let’s bring revival to this neighborhood!

O Lamb of God, we feel the love You bring!

Good Shepherd, You have changed these hearts for good!

Now let the people praise Thee, Lord of Lords!

Let all the people sing these fervid chords!

7-6-15 On Obedience

⁵¹ And, behold, one of them which were with Jesus stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and struck a servant of the high priest’s, and smote off his ear.

⁵² Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.

⁵³ Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?

Matthew 26:51-53 KJV

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The sacrificial Lamb, obedient,

Stood ready to be given up for you,

Could call for legioned angels to be sent

To save Him from the death that would ensue.

But no, this was not time to wield a sword;

The days of ‘eye for eye’ had passed away.

Christ came to yield His life, our sovereign Lord;

The pure unspotted Lamb would have His day.

The sins of all the world would soon be borne

Upon the shoulders of the Lamb of God,

Then beaten, bloody, His whole body torn

Was bound for victory with love to laud.

The sword was put away as so much dross

And in its stead was glory on the cross.

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sonnet #407

7-5-15 Ministers of the Spirit

Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament;

not of the letter, but of the spirit:

for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.

2 Corinthians 3:6 KJV

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The Holy Spirit breathes a life anew

When we with Jesus Christ are crucified.

A new creation rises into view,

Not bound by laws designed with sin implied.

The Lamb of God was slain to satisfy

The letter of the covenant of old.

Now death, the price of sin, will pass us by;

We’re covered by the blood and thus paroled.

The Spirit sparks a testament of love,

That turns us into ministers of grace.

Our stories, once of sin, now rise above

To share salvation with the human race.

The letter kills, but Spirit brings alive

A faith surpassing all the laws contrive.

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sonnet #406

5-17-15 Grace and Truth

For the law was given by Moses, 

but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

John 1:17 KJV

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The Lord gave Moses laws defining sin,

And spelled the things that man should never do,

But laws don’t teach forgiveness there within,

And do not mention grace the whole way through.

So once a year a lamb was sacrificed

To pay for all the sins men did accrue,

Then came along our Savior Jesus Christ,

To be the truth and give God’s grace to you.

He taught the way of love to all who’d hear,

And lived the fullness of God’s righteousness.

He gave His life, a sacrifice so dear,

And through this perfect Grace God’s love confess.

The substance of the shadows of the law

Lived as the Lamb of God without a flaw.

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sonnet #363

2-25-14 Father, Forgive Them

When Jesus had been beaten, scorned and mocked

Then hung upon the cruel and rugged cross,

He saw the crowd and soldiers as they flocked,

Those naive to this implicated loss.

Some did not know the evil they performed

To crucify the perfect Lamb of God;

So ignorant the prophesies performed,

They did what they were told with just a nod,

And even on the cross compassion swelled

Within the Savior’s faintly beating heart;

He called His Father where in Heaven dwelled:

Forgive them, they are unaware their part.

Such love that Jesus had unto the end

To intercede as our eternal Friend.

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Then said Jesus,

Father,

forgive them;

for they know not what they do.

And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.

Luke 23:34 KJV