1-29-16 Sufficient

⁸ For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. ⁹ And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

2 Corinthians 12:8-9 KJV

~~~~~~~~~~~

Infirmities and troubles will abound,

Of this the mortal man can be assured,

And though we beg the Lord we not be bound,

Sometimes these weaknesses must be endured.

The grace of God is all you ever need,

For here sufficient lies love’s very root:

Christ sacrificed His perfect life and freed

You from both death and hell without dispute.

His strength’s made perfect in your weakness now,

For how could you survive without His grace?

Through these infirmities the Lord shows how

He manifests the wealth of His embrace.

So glory in your frailty and your faults.

The pow’r of Christ’s made known through life’s assaults.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Remember: God’s awesome grace is enough so that you may depend on Him completely.

11-27-15 Return Unto Your Rest

Return unto thy rest, O my soul; for the LORD hath dealt bountifully with thee.

Psalm 116:7 KJV

~~~~~~~~~~~

When all the work and play of day is done,

The dishes washed, the children laid in bed,

Reflect upon the struggles and the fun,

The things you didn’t do or done instead,

Return unto your rest, my weary soul:

The Lord has dealt so bountifully with you.

His grace has carried you from role to role,

His love a shining light the whole day through.

Despite your tribulation He’s been here

Within the very center of your heart.

You’ll never be alone, no need to fear;

Relax, my soul: the Savior won’t depart.

Tomorrow comes too soon; for now just rest.

The stars are bright tonight and you are blessed.

11-9-15 The Peace of Jesus

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

John 14:27 KJV

~~~~~~~~~~~

The peace that Christ bestowed unto His friends,

Before He walked the path that lead to death,

And sanctified as soon His blood would cleanse,

Could not be given by some worldly breath.

The moment you accepted Christ as Lord,

The Spirit of His peace did rest in you,

And though the beasts of chaos smashed and roared,

Don’t be afraid, His peace has seen you through.

The peace of Jesus calms the stormy sea,

It comforts men upon the battle field,

Descending on those struggling to be free,

And in your final moments is revealed.

Let not your heart be troubled – here is peace:

To know the love of Christ will never cease.

9-16-15 On Parables

I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings of old

Psalm 78:2 KJV

~~~~~~~~~~~

When Jesus spoke in parables He tried

To teach the ways of God in simple terms.

The truth laid bare was too much to abide;

They would not understand much less affirm.

If people of the dark not knowing light

Were told about the sun’s life giving rays,

They’d scratch their heads at words like ‘day’ and ‘bright’

But comprehend a story’s paraphrase.

The deeper truths can’t rest within the mind;

It cannot grasp in whole the Trinity.

The Holy Ghost reveals such things in kind;

It speaks straight to the heart to help us see.

Go out and share the gospel to the world.

A flag is understood when it’s unfurled.

8-30-15 Have Faith in Him

And he said unto her,

Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole;

go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.

Mark 5:34 KJV

~~~~~~~~~~~

It isn’t faith alone that saves the sick,

For if it were we’d all be sound in health.

The gospel of success is just a trick

To take up all your time and all your wealth.

There are no magic words to make you whole;

The name it and then claim it crowd are wrong.

It’s Jesus Christ Himself that cures the soul;

The Son of God alone can make you strong.

There is no guarantee that you’ll be cured;

The grace of God sometimes is all you need. ¹

Put all your faith in Christ and rest assured

You’ll be at peace and whole with Him indeed.

Reach out in fervent faith that Christ is real.

Believe that He alone can save and heal.

~~~~~~~~~~~

1 – 2 Corinthians 12:9 KJV

8-20-15 Made for Man

²³ And it came to pass, that he went through the corn fields on the sabbath day; and his disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of corn.

²⁴ And the Pharisees said unto him, Behold, why do they on the sabbath day that which is not lawful?

²⁵ And he said unto them, Have ye never read what David did, when he had need, and was an hungred, he, and they that were with him?

²⁶ How he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and did eat the shewbread, which is not lawful to eat but for the priests, and gave also to them which were with him?

²⁷ And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath:

²⁸ Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.

Mark 2:23-28 KJV

~~~~~~~~~~~

Christ said the Sabbath day was made for man,

Twas made for good and not to bring him bad:

His soul may benefit in worship span;

His body rest from labor and be glad.

His necessary acts should not be banned:

A sheep can sure be rescued from a ditch, ¹

And David’s hunger could not be pre-planned.²

The Sabbath’s made for man to so enrich.

Here Jesus was the Son of Man divine,³

The instituter of the Sabbath day.

He could have said “The Sabbath day is Mine,”

But taught them out of patient love the way.

Man wasn’t made to keep the Sabbath pure;

It’s made for man so he may rest assure.

~~~~~~~~~~~

sonnet #442

1Matthew 12:11

21 Samuel 21:3

3Daniel 7:13

6-28-15 The Children of Wrath

Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

Ephesians 2:3 KJV

~~~~~~~~~~~

The world is filled with sin up to the brim

And we think we are outside looking in.

I tell you, brother, things are looking grim,

But don’t pretend you’re perfect in your win!

Instead of pointing fingers at the rest,

Remember you were where they are right now.

Right now it is God’s grace that has you blessed;

Without it you’d have hell to pay, and how!

You may have been a step from reprobate

When you chose to accept the Savior’s hand.

Each day such people cross right by your gate.

Please give them love, it may be their last stand!

Don’t be judgmental, be compassionate.

Without Christ’s cleansing blood you’d be unfit.

~~~~~~~~~~~

sonnet #401

6-15-15 Heart to Heart

Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me;

for I am meek and lowly in heart:

and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

Matthew 11:29 KJV

~~~~~~~~~~~

To be like Christ take on His yoke and start,

Align yourself to Him in work and word,

Then as you learn the Savior’s perfect heart,

You’ll find that Jesus kept his wants deferred.

So meek and lowly, Christ was set apart,

Obeying what our Father bade Him do,

For He and God were one in mind and heart

With such agape love and selfless view.

To be like Jesus you must e’er impart

To understand that He is in control.

He bought you with His blood, now heart to heart,

And you shall yet find rest unto your soul.

To learn of Jesus you must soon take part,

To give and share with others heart to heart.

~~~~~~~~~~~

 

sonnet #390

4-19-15 Go Your Way

Now, go your way and eat your bread with joy,

And likewise drink your wine with merry heart!

Such words we’d love to hear and thus enjoy

When we approach the gates of Heaven’s start!

Then after such a long and weary life,

To hear that God’s accepted now our works,

No mortal aches and pains, no longer strife,

Eternal rest in Heaven with its perks!

O let me hear those words when I am gone

Away from all these trials and tragedies!

The Savior’s arm around my shoulders drawn

And said with such a love I’m now at ease!

Now, go your way, and eat and drink in bliss,

Well done, my faithful servant, grace is this!

~~~~~~~~~~~

Go thy way,

eat thy bread with joy,

and drink thy wine with a merry heart;

for God now accepteth thy works.

Ecclesiastes 9:7 KJV

4-3-15 It’s Now or Never

The battle lines are drawn, the challenge made

That who is not with Christ is now His foe.

All those who hate the Word will taste His blade;

The blood of evil will begin to flow.

The Shepherd that is Good now gathers near

The sheep that hear His voice and heed His call,

But wolves still scour the Earth fomenting fear,

To scatter with their lies the ones who stall.

There is so little time to save the rest:

Your friends and family and strangers, too.

More knees should bend and sinners be confessed;

Today might be the day it all comes true.

The Shepherd calls your name across the field.

Please harken to His voice and gently yield.

~~~~~~~~~~~

He that is not with me is against me;

and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.

Matthew 12:30 KJV