1-28-16 The Need for Thorns

And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.

2 Corinthians 12:7 KJV

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Thank God for all the troubles you must bear:

Infirmities that keep you from your pride,

The weaknesses that drive you to despair,

That thorn within your flesh that won’t subside.

There’s not much worse within than arrogance,

For it takes your attention off of Christ.

It makes you boast of your great competence,

Some dollar souvenir way overpriced.

And but for your affliction you’d be lost,

Your halo bound so tight to make you dumb.

Be grateful to be saved at any cost,

For weakness makes you strongly overcome.

If Satan buffets you with trials enticed,

God may be telling you His grace sufficed.

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REMEMBER: Thorns humbles the rose.

11-7-15 Turn the Other Cheek

³⁸ Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:

³⁹ But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.

Matthew 5:38-39 KJV

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When Jesus said to turn the other cheek,

The world has since ignored it out of hand.

Most people think it makes you look so weak

You’ll fall in line to anyone’s demand.

To turn the other cheek resentfully,

Your indignation makes you anger’s slave.

If you think you are grander morally,

Your haughty pride makes you a moral knave.

When someone strikes you, instantly forgive,

And turn the other cheek with mercy mild.

The Lord’s the only one to judgment give;

Through love you’re free: no sins have you compiled.

So turn the other cheek if you are struck,

And choose the way of grace; you won’t get stuck.

7-27-15 Dumb

³² As they went out, behold, they brought to him a dumb man possessed with a devil.

³³ And when the devil was cast out, the dumb spake: and the multitudes marvelled, saying, It was never so seen in Israel.

Matthew 9:32-33 KJV

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The Devil prowls the earth with rancid breath,

Befouling souls with lies and hate and pride;

His simple goal: to lure us all to death,

To bring us down with him and there abide.

 

When Satan wraps his talons round our throat,

He robs us of our hope and leaves us dumb.

But there is One of whom the prophets wrote,

Who casts all demons out and leaves them mum.

 

When we have faith in Jesus, we reach out

And put our hand in His, then with that touch,

Our lives are changed forever with a shout!

Our tongues are then set free to praise Him much.

 

If you can’t say you’re saved and glory bound,

You’ll find your voice in Christ a loving sound.

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sonnet #418

7-8-15 Sword of the Spirit

⁵ Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple,

⁶ And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.

⁷ Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.

Matthew 4:5-7 KJV

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When Satan brought the Lord to temple’s top

Where all Jerusalem could see the sight,

He tempted Him to try a belly flop

To prove that angels save Him from that height.

The Devil hoped that Jesus would be proud

To show the world He was the Son of God,

But Lucifer was wrong, Christ won’t be bowed,

And tempting God just would not be allowed.

If Satan could attempt this on the Lord,

You know full good and well that he’d tempt you,

But as a child of God you’ve Spirit’s sword,

The Word that, just like Jesus, you turn to.

You shan’t be tempted when you use the Word,

And lean upon the Savior undeterred.

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sonnet #409

5-3-15 Consider Your Ways

Now therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts;

Consider your ways.

Haggai 1:5 KJV

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Observe your life and look at what you’ve wrought.

Now take another look just to be sure.

Consider all your ills as well you ought,

And then consider looking for a cure.

You plant but don’t have plans to yield a crop;

You eat, but you are still not satisfied;

You drink but don’t enjoy the final drop;

You’re cold but then you dress in just your pride.

You earn but put your cash in bags with holes;

The more you look, the less that you do find.

Now ask yourself who sits at the controls;

The temple burns but you don’t seem to mind.

If what you’re doing doesn’t seem to fly,

Put Jesus in control – don’t pass Him by.

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11-30-14 Thoughts of the Wise

You find them in the universities,

Or splashed upon the television screen;

They like to show you all their fine degrees

And always come across as so serene.

Some want you to believe that they are wise,

And you might think they have a smarter brain,

But God knows all their theories, flaws and lies;

If they believe they’re wise they’re truly vain.

Intelligentsia think they have smarts,

But they have only mastered arrogance.

The Lord sees through their minds into their hearts;

To Him their pride and egos are affronts.

The wise are only wise when they think not,

For wisdom comes from God – it can’t be taught.

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The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise,

that they are vain.

1 Corinthians 3:20 KJV

10-6-14 As a Little Child

A child accepts a gift with fervent glee

And lays aside all pride and prejudice.

Those newly dead to sin and so set free

Receives the gospel with unfettered bliss.

The intellect sometimes can know a truth,

But can’t compare to soul accepting Christ.

This kind of joy reflects the golden youth

Who drink salvation’s milk as life sufficed.

God’s kingdom truly is the greatest gift

To those sincere at heart who love the Lord;

No longer lost in sin and set adrift,

The infant child of God gets his reward.

Stretch out your arms, embrace the bold good news;

Redemption’s in your reach, it’s yours to choose.

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Verily I say unto you,

Whosoever shall not receive

the kingdom of God as a little child,

he shall not enter therein.

Mark 10:15 KJV