1-16-16 Beware the Man

³ If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words,even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; ⁴ He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, ⁵ Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.

1 Timothy 6:3-5 KJV

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Beware the man who quarrels with the Word,

Who picks at tiny things and contradicts,

Who makes a show to have his feelings stirred,

Displaying traits the Spirit sure convicts.

He thinks that if you claim it, it is yours,

Especially the things that money buys;

He’ll tell a dirty joke beyond church doors

And never seems to look you in the eyes.

Stay far away as possible, my friend,

For all your wholesome words fall on deaf ears.

Associate with him to no good end;

He is a scourge among his friends and peers.

If Jesus isn’t in his repertoire,

The only thing to say is au revoir.

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REMEMBER: Pray for the contentious, but avoid them whenever possible.

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

6-24-15 First to Last

So the last shall be first, and the first last:

for many be called, but few chosen.

Matthew 20:16 KJV

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The souls who are forgotten by the crowd:

The meek, the low, the bullied and the plain,

Are lost among the ego-driven proud

And last to find a post they can attain.

The Lord will not ignore the seventh son,

The shepherd boy who one day would be king.

The manger-born became the perfect One

To save a sinful world who hopeless cling.

We all are called to come unto the cross,

Invited to the wedding feast by Christ;

The proud will all be counted as a loss,

The chosen ones are those who’ve paid the price.

Down here we choose the leader of the pack;

If you would follow Christ, then serve in back.

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sonnet #397

2-8-15 Parable of the Flea

Recall the flea that landed on the wheel

And kicked up grains of dust beneath his feet;

How proud he was and shouted in his zeal:

“How powerful I am upon this street!”

Now were it not for God you would not be.

His Grace has carried you this very day,

So when you’re all puffed up think of the flea;

Perspective crushes ego gone astray.

Don’t think yourself more highly than you are,

But soberly reflect with gratitude.

God gave you everything to get this far;

The gifts you have He graciously imbued.

The measure of your faith was granted you,

So love with all you’ve got; He’ll see you through.

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For I say, through the grace given unto me,

to every man that is among you,

not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think;

but to think soberly,

according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

Romans 12:3 KJV

11-25-14 Within the Crowd

Whenever you begin to praise yourself

Or keep your mind affixed on worldly things,

You put perspective high upon a shelf

And soon forget the truth and what it brings.

The lowly man is humbled by his sin,

And knows without the Savior he is lost.

He bears affliction silently within,

And thinks less of himself whate’er the cost.

You cannot do one thing without God’s grace;

Remember that when you grow arrogant.

Christ’s sacrifice should put you in your place;

Life isn’t your own private treasure hunt.

Don’t count your treasure here among the proud,

Or you will lose your way within the crowd.

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Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly,

than to divide the spoil with the proud.

Proverbs 16:19 KJV

11-18-14 Be Careful What You Say

Beware the idle words that you would say,

The boastful, hurtful things slid off your tongue;

You’ll hear them once again on judgment day,

And you will be ashamed of all that dung.

You tell a dirty joke in whispered tone,

Make fun of other people to your friend,

But every syllable you’ll one day own,

And how will you to Jesus then defend?

It’s easier to go along the crowd,

Than keep your mouth shut or not go at all;

Make sure the things you say will make God proud,

For they will be repeated in His hall.

If you must speak, tell all about your Lord,

For everything you say will be restored.

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But I say unto you,

That every idle word that men shall speak,

they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.

Matthew 12:36 KJV

7-4-14 Dirge #17: The Conceited

“I’m just so funny I can’t stand myself!” quipped the puffed up young man to his pal;

He was the wittiest guy that he knew, and he thought he was great for morale.

Beware, vain and glorious, you’ll soon be notorious!

Inflate your own ego and lose your amigo.

The conceited won’t be so victorious!

“We are Americans, don’t mess with us!” bragged the tourists to their poor cab driver;

They had no clue they were hated abroad because of such stupid behavior.

Beware, you that rant, you’re so arrogant!

You think you’re so special, you’re eager to wrestle;

Satan uses you, for Jesus can’t!

“I have forgotten more than you could know,” crowed the old man to his young grandson.

He rested on all the things he had learned, forgetting all the dumb things he had done.

Go away and beware, you so full of hot air!

All that ego and pride; once in Hell you can’t hide.

Keep it up and you’ll know deep despair!

If you would hope to be saved in the end, you had better be saved here and now.

Your only hope is to come to the cross and surrender to Christ with a vow.

Bring all your conceit and just lay at His feet.

You are nothing at all – without Jesus you fall.

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¹ “But know this: Difficult times will come in the last days.

² For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, proud,

blasphemers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy,

³ unloving, irreconcilable, slanderers, without self control,

brutal, without love for what is good,

⁴ traitors, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasures

rather than lovers of God,

⁵ holding to the form of godliness but denying its power.

Avoid these people!”

 

2 Timothy 3:1-5 (HCS)

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