1-19-16 One Eighty

¹⁶ But they and our fathers dealt proudly, and hardened their necks, and hearkened not to thy commandments, ¹⁷ And refused to obey, neither were mindful of thy wonders that thou didst among them; but hardened their necks, and in their rebellion appointed a captain to return to their bondage: but thou art a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and forsookest them not.

Nehemiah 9:16-17 KJV

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You’ve sinned though saved and now are on your knees

Afraid salvation’s lost, God’s turned His back.

Conviction weighs up your chest to squeeze;

You think your white as snow has changed to black.

Repent! One Eighty what you’ve done right now,

Confess to God your sin with sorrowed heart.

He WILL forgive! God’s mercy will endow.

He loves you SO; you’ll never be apart.

Did He not send His own begotten Son

To pay for every sin on your behalf?

Renounce with all you are for what you’ve done

And know God’s written that sin’s epitaph.

He loves you more than you can ever know.

You are His child! Repent and let it go.

~~~~~~~~~~~

REMEMBER: Look at all God’s chosen people did after He brought them out of bondage in Egypt. He did not forsake them. He likewise will never, ever forsake you.

8-6-15 Whosoever

For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Romans 10:13 KJV

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If you would die today where would you go?

Would you be ready on that final day?

If you are sure it’s heaven you must know

That Jesus Christ can be the only way.[i]

So no man comes to God except through Christ;[ii]

You really must believe that this is true.[iii]

He died for all your sins and this sufficed;[iv]

Confess them now and He will forgive you.[v]

Then call upon His name and you’ll be saved;[vi]

It is a gift from God, His mighty Grace.[vii]

The Holy Spirit then becomes engraved,[viii]

To guide you to the truth you can embrace.[ix]

When you are saved you will be heaven bound;[x]

You once were lost but now you have been found.[xi]

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[i] John 14:6

[ii] John 14:6

[iii] Acts 16:31

[iv] 1 Peter 2:24

[v] 1 John 1:9

[vi] Joel 2:32

[vii] Ephesians 2:8

[viii] John 14:15-17

[ix] John 16:13

[x] John 3:16

[xi] Luke 19:10

 

 

Sonnet #428

6-28-15 God’s Loving Mercy

But he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath.

Psalm 78:38 KJV

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The Lord is always ready to forgive;

His Mercy can subdue His mighty wrath,

For God in His great Love wants us to live

To walk along the true and righteous path.

God’s full of such compassion for us all;

It breaks His heart when we go so astray.

The sins that we persist to oft recall,

Without God’s clemency we’ve Hell to pay.

The richness of God’s Grace will long acquit,

Yet only through the blood of Christ atones,

For God set forth His Son we must submit

To lead us past our mortal skin and bones.

God made the universe – He made you, too.

Show gratitude – let Jesus live through you.

~~~~~~~~~~~

sonnet #402

5-8-15 Watch

³⁵ Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh,

at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning:

³⁶ Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping.

³⁷ And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.

Mark 13:35-37 KJV

            ~~~~~~~~~~~

My sister, wake! The Master’s coming soon!

My brother, keep a vigil by the door!

We must be ready under sun or moon!

He’s coming back! Wake up! No time to snore!

Our Savior said that He will come again,

And all that He has said, He’s kept His word.

The ones who treat this promise with disdain

Will wish upon His coming they had heard.

Now scour the earth with haste to save the lost!

Your neighbors, friends and family, save them too!

And while you work keep watch at any cost,

For Jesus will return, this much is true!

            Keep watch both day and night! Don’t go to sleep!

            Those dozing when He comes will surely weep!

            ~~~~~~~~~~~

sonnet #354

2-7-15 Thrive

Although the world around you is a mess

And everyone agrees it won’t last long

Before it all collapses in distress,

Because you are a child of God stand strong.

You live by faith so ready for the day

When you shall see the Lord in glory shown,

That even though the world will fall away

You praise the name of Jesus on His throne!

The body you inhabit soon must die,

Just like the universe so vast and grand,

But there is more to you than meets the eye

For you belong to He who will withstand.

Conduct yourself as one who will survive;

Beyond the mortal realm your soul shall thrive.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved,

what manner of persons ought ye to be

in all holy conversation and godliness

2 Peter 3:11 KJV

1-22-15 To the Elders

The elders of the church have thus been tasked

To shepherd well the members of their church,

To volunteer their time and not be asked,

To be assessible without a search.

This is not any job from nine to five;

Responsibilities are round the clock,

To act not with constraint but always strive

To help all with their needs without a squawk.

The love of Christ is present in you all,

Regardless of your status in the fold.

Not one of you are too high not to fall;

Not one of you are too set to remold.

To oversee the flock you have to be

A servant to them all and happily.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Feed the flock of God which is among you,

taking the oversight thereof,

not by constraint, but willingly;

not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind

1 Peter 5:2 KJV

1-10-15 Tittle

If Jesus said a thing would come to pass

By either the old prophets or himself,

It certainly would happen in its class

And not to be discarded on the shelf.

Then even the small dot above an ‘i’

Could not be cast away before its day,

Because the Lord has purpose to apply

A reason so we know it’s not cliché.

Then every prophecy of Christ came true,

A fact too large to just be swept away,

And even now they still do carry through

So those who know the scriptures know the way.

Be ready, friend, the rest is yet to come,

For Christ will soon return where he left from.

~~~~~~~~~~~

For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass,

one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law,

till all be fulfilled.

Matthew 5:18 KJV

10-5-14 Be Ready

If Jesus comes today are you prepared?

If you have doubt at all then get that way!

Don’t waste another hour and think you’re spared;

He’ll be here any moment of the day.

If Christ’s blood covers you, resign your will

And let His love shine forth in word and deed.

Go out and save the lost, His work fulfill,

And follow God’s commandments though you bleed.

If you are waiting for some proof or sign

Before you give your heart to Jesus then,

This IS the proof, this IS the cue divine,

Don’t wait another second once again!

When He returns your heart will give a shout!

Be ready NOW! He’s near! Don’t be left out!

 ~~~~~

Therefore be ye also ready:

for in such an hour as ye think not

the Son of man cometh.

Matthew 24:44 KJV