9-26-15 The Final Authority

For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our king; he will save us.

Isaiah 33:22 KJV

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While here you should obey the worldly laws,

For here you lay upon your earthly bed,

But if they clash with Spirit give them pause,

For Christ is your authority and head.

The laws that Jesus gives are Spirit born,

Yet they impact each aspect of your life.

He is your Lord and King when you’re reborn;

He is your final judge through stress and strife.

When you obey God’s laws instead of man’s,

You might incur the wrath of earthly judge,

But prison may be part of God’s own plans,

So always listen to the Spirit’s nudge.

The Lord will save your soul – man’s laws cannot.

You’ll still be His when all that’s mortal rots.

9-4-15 Render

¹⁴ And when they were come, they say unto him, Master, we know that thou art true, and carest for no man: for thou regardest not the person of men, but teachest the way of God in truth: Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or not?

¹⁵ Shall we give, or shall we not give? But he, knowing their hypocrisy, said unto them, Why tempt ye me? bring me a penny, that I may see it.

¹⁶ And they brought it. And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? And they said unto him, Caesar’s.

¹⁷ And Jesus answering said unto them, Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s. And they marveled at him.

Mark 12:14-17 KJV

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We have an obligation to the world

To give unto the rulers what is theirs.

Whatever flag above us is unfurled,

Obey that government; give them their shares.

We can’t forsake this world while we are here,

And still employ the money of the land.

Rebel and soon officials will appear

Reminding us the debt we owe at hand.

So render unto Caesar what is his,

And render unto God what’s His as well.

If you think taxes are too high as is,

Then use the laws to change it where you dwell.

No matter what the levy is, just pay,

And give your heart to Christ without delay.

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9-3-15 Here We Go

⁹ That this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the LORD:

¹⁰ Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits:

¹¹ Get you out of the way, turn aside out of the path, cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us.

Isaiah 30:9-11

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The day has come when evil’s in full bloom,

Completely unafraid of consequence,

Destroying children in their mother’s womb

And lacking any hint of moral sense.

The leaders of the earth are fraudulent;

The laws they pass promote such wickedness.

The young walk through the streets so discontent,

With heads replete with rage and wild distress.

The truth is now despised, it’s lies they want,

And any talk of God is shouted down.

The reprobate advance the cause they flaunt

While running God’s own children in the ground.

The day has come upon us, rife with sin,

But Christ is our Commander – we will win.

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8-26-15 Give and Give

Give to him that asketh thee,

and from him that would borrow of thee

turn not thou away.

Matthew 5:42 KJV

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There is this spark of giving in the saved,

A constant pouring out of love to life,

Not born of duty or of laws enslaved,

Not subject to a custom, stale and rife.

The heart of Christ provides to all that needs

Without a thought of getting something back.

The hand of Christ is busy doing deeds,

For what He has He gives to those who lack.

To those who ask deliver what you can;

To those who wish to borrow, them you lend.

The grace that you exhibit once began

With God whose love we cannot comprehend.

Don’t turn away the beggar, but recall

Christ died for that man, too; He gave His all.

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sonnet #448

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

2-4-15 Do Well

Religion tends to make so many laws

Both out of fear or power gone amok,

Before you know it, it has got its claws

Into your home with its judicial muck.

It’s quite one thing to heed the word of God,

But not to legislate the word to death.

The ways of man are volatile and flawed;

God gave us sense enough to take a breath.

The Sabbath day’s for resting, this is true,

But if you have a flat, then change the tire.

Don’t show up just for church and take a pew;

If next door’s up in flames, put out the fire!

The Holy Ghost should be your first real guide;

Just practice listening – He won’t misguide.

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¹¹ What man shall there be among you,

that shall have one sheep,

and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day,

will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out?

¹² How much then is a man better than a sheep?

Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days.

Matthew 12: 11-12 KJV

1-4-15 Do Not Fear

Such evil as the world has never known

Sweeps ‘cross the land like locusts sent from Hell,

But do not fear, for you are not alone;

The Lord is always with you, all is well.

They come with guns to take you in the night,

Or openly with laws corruptly made,

And persecute you with their words and might,

But God is in your heart, be not afraid.

Foul Satan knows his days are at an end;

He rushes round to take what isn’t his.

Be strong and of good courage, do not bend,

For God is here right now, you know He is.

The Lord will not forsake you, sister dear;

O brother, feel His presence, do not fear.

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Be strong and of a good courage,

fear not, nor be afraid of them:

for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee;

he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.

Deuteronomy 31:6 KJV

8-25-14 Jesus

He came to earth and took the form of man

To save humanity from sin and death.

So humbly His mortal life began,

Then meekly lived unto His final breath.

Obedient to all the holy laws,

He took the servant’s way for all to see,

And led a sinless life without one pause

To shed His perfect blood for you and me.

How horribly He suffered on the cross!

The weight of ev’ry sin His soul endured.

If we believe in this we’re borne across

To fall into His arms with love assured.

            He died for you, my friend, so you might be

            A child of God forever, always free.

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And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself,

and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

Philippians 2:8 KJV

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