8-26-15 Give and Give

hands-out

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

7-20-15 Born Again

born-again-silhouette

Jesus answered and said unto him,

Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again,

he cannot see the kingdom of God.

John 3:3 KJV

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A birth into this world means tears and pain;

Your mother can’t forget nor you recall.

But when you come to Christ you’re born again,

A new creation free from Adam’s fall.

Now quickened by God’s Spirit through and through,

The blood of Christ has washed your sins away.

No longer bound by flesh you live anew,

A citizen of Heaven now to stay.

Admit that you’re a sinner, dead and lost,

That Jesus paid the price for all your sins.

Put all your trust in Him whate’er the cost

And you will be reborn – your life begins!

Drink deep the Word as milk, then eat as meat,

And watch the Grace of God make you complete.

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sonnet #411

7-3-15 Secret Faults

main-pigpen

Who can understand his errors?

Cleanse thou me from secret faults.

Psalm 19:12 KJV

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The times that we meander from the Lord

Cannot be counted with our mortal mind.

No matter how we keep our virtue stored

The thieves of sin get in and steal us blind.

Some vain and shameful thoughts just can’t be stopped,

And oh, the words we wish we could take back!

Tis easier to have the ocean mopped

Than to recall the times we’ve gone off track.

Dear God, forgive us of our many sins,

The endless march of wrongs we perpetrate.

Your Grace, sufficient done, our prayer begins

With faith upon the cross to set it straight.

We can’t remember all the sins we’ve done.

Please cleanse us of our faults, Lord, through the Son.

~~~~~~~~~~~

 

sonnet #404

6-28-15 God’s Loving Mercy

God's Forgiveness

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

5-11-15 Spread the Word

gospel sharing

And as ye go, preach, saying,

The kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Matthew 10:7 KJV

            ~~~~~~~~~~~

The time has come, the time is here, my friend,

To share the news of Jesus to all men,

And when you hear some mock Him, then defend,

For He will stand for you and them, amen.

The Savior is returning, be of haste,

And spread the Word as if He’s coming now,

Then bring them to the cross where sin was placed,

Where Jesus died for them with humble vow.

Now, be like Christ and preach to all you meet,

Pour out the living water for their soul.

If you bring one to Jesus on the street,

It will be worth the effort as a whole.

Don’t be so shy, recall how you were freed;

How someone let the Spirit take the lead.

~~~~~~~~~~~

sonnet #357