2-12-16 Only One

It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man.

Psalm 118:8 KJV

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Whenever you put confidence in man,

Don’t get your hopes much higher than the ground,

For he will disappoint more often than

A lighter without fluid that’s been found.

A broken cane can’t give you much support,

A shadow offers little in relief.

There’s only One will never sell you short,

There’s only One will never cause you grief.

When you lay all your trust up in the Lord,

There’s nothing left for faith in mortal man.

Serenity and peace is your reward

When you place hope in God’s own perfect plan.

Begin right now: surrender to the Lord.

Entrust Him with your life: you’ll be restored.

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REMEMBER: The Lord is faithful; He will strengthen and protect you from the evil one. (2 Thessalonians 3:3)

1-27-16 From Dark to Light

The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.

Isaiah 9:2 KJV

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Isaiah heard the Lord and prophesied

That Christ would come and dwell in Galilee,

But in a larger sense is magnified

To show when Jesus dwells in you and me.

Before He is our Savior all is dark

And we march in despair to ashy death.

When we go to the cross the Spirit’s spark

Enlightens and begins eternal breath.

The light of Christ ignites within our soul

The moment we accept Him as our Lord,

And all our brokenness is then made whole,

In victory His love is our reward.

We once who walked in darkness shine His light,

For Jesus lives within us warm and bright.

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REMEMBER: Jesus is the Light of the world. Whoever follows Him shall not live in darkness, but will have the light of life. (John 8:12)

1-11-16 Live to Serve

For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

Mark 10:45 KJV

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To be an imitation of the Lord

You must become a servant through and through,

To give love with no thought of a reward,

To minister to all, this must you do.

Christ gave His life a ransom for your soul,

Was beaten, bled and died for all your sin.

He did this for He dared assume the role

A servant with the key to let you in.

Can you do any less than minister

To everyone around you all the time?

Let Christ become your Lord so deep and pure;

He’ll then begin His work through you sublime.

Christ came not to be served, but came to serve.

Work with Him serving others – don’t conserve.

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REMEMBER: Treat everyone as if you would treat Jesus.

12-26-15 Do It For Him

With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men

Ephesians 6:7 KJV

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Whatever service you are tasked to do,

Your attitude reflects its quality.

If you work as for man your point of view

Will be to please a transient degree.

But if you act as if it were the Lord

Who will receive the fruit of your employ,

You’ll strive for excellence to one adored,

With love, devotion, gratitude and joy.

To be just good enough’s not good enough.

You represent the Lord of Lords today.

Your work now demonstrates more noble stuff

Than what can be produced then cast away.

With good will do your work as to the Lord,

And not to men, who seek their own reward.

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REMEMBER: Whatever you do in the name of Christ, in the spirit of His love, He will sanctify. It doesn’t get any better than that!

111015 Well Done!

His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

Matthew 25:21 KJV

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When we have fin’lly crossed the finish line,

When we at last this mortal race has run,

No greater words could meet us then so fine

Than when we see the Lord and hear “Well done!”

Good servants have the grace of God within,

The faithful few know Jesus Christ, God’s Son.

The few things we are faithful to therein

Will be revealed when Jesus says “Well done!”

Then though the things we rule is God’s reward,

And though eternity has long begun,

Though we’ve embraced the full joy of the Lord,

No sweeter words will we hear but “Well done!”

When we take our last breath the race is won;

The Lord will meet us first and say “Well done!”

10-20-15 Unclean Spirits

²³ And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out,

²⁴ Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God.

²⁵ And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him.

²⁶ And when the unclean spirit had torn him, and cried with a loud voice, he came out of him.

²⁷ And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying, What thing is this? what new doctrine is this? for with authority commandeth he even the unclean spirits, and they do obey him.

Mark 1:23-27 KJV

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An unclean spirit likes to sow discord

And seeks to own the weakest mind around.

Such fights and arguments are their reward;

Where trouble’s stirred this spirit can be found.

Unless the Holy Spirit fills your heart

Ask Christ to guard your soul or you’ll be next.

They spot a child of God and then will start

To try to tear you down and leave you vexed.

The Savior lives within so call His name!

The Holy Ghost will lead you through this scene.

He might have you rebuke it out in shame

Or lead the man possessed to Christ to clean.

You’re led to where you’re needed most of all.

Let Christ stay in control and heed His call.

9-14-15 A House Not Made With Hands

For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

2 Corinthians 5:1 KJV

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The end of life is not the end of life

For those whose faith is in the Son of God.

This earthly body’s filled with pain and strife

To crumble one day like a poor facade.

But we will not despair when that day comes;

You’ll see us smile upon our final breath.

The moment we’re evicted from the slums

We move into a mansion void of death.

In this eternal home not made with hands,

We’ll tarry in the presence of the Lord.

The family of the Spirit understands

This glorious domain’s our first reward.

Don’t grieve when we escape this earthen shell.

Our new estate’s in heaven – there we dwell.

8-17-15 Justice

¹⁹ Fret not thyself because of evil men,

neither be thou envious at the wicked;

²⁰ For there shall be no reward to the evil man;

the candle of the wicked shall be put out.

Proverbs 24:19-20 KJV

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These days the wicked dance and strut around

As if they own the theater and the stage,

And evil men around the world are bound

To be so honored for their public rage.

Corruption is the norm; they shout amen

With flashy golden teeth and endless cash.

Fret not yourself because of evil men:

The day is coming soon their teeth shall gnash.

The wicked will not live to see the Son,

When angels fill the sky with righteous swords,

So don’t be envious of all this fun;

I tell you they will get their just rewards.

The candle of the wicked will be snuffed;

When darkness settles in they’ll be rebuffed.

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sonnet #439

8-13-15 Unconditional

But love ye your enemies, and do good,

and lend, hoping for nothing again;

and your reward shall be great,

and ye shall be the children of the Highest:

for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.

Luke 6:35 KJV

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The Savior shed His blood for good and bad;

Remember this when you’ve an enemy,

And anyone who’s lost should make you sad,

So share the love God has to set them free.

Not only lend expecting nothing back,

Give love in deed without thought of return.

Without God’s grace you would be ruin and wrack;

If He would take it back you’d surely burn.

To be this way is not so hard to do;

For all your faults the Lord still gives you love.

He’s kind to evil people, thankless, too;

You are a child of God, who rules above.

A child that wants to please his Father should;

Do this by loving all, both bad and good.

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sonnet #435

7-29-15 On Persecution

¹¹ Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

¹² Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

Matthew 5:11-12 KJV

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These days when you say Jesus best beware,

The chance is good you’ll meet a wall of hate.

Consider yourself blessed when they just stare,

For there are places killing us is great.

Just tell them Christ arose alive from death

And you’ll be shouted down and shown the door.

In some parts of the world give Christ your breath

And they will roll your head along the floor.

Rejoice when you are persecuted here,

For so the prophets suffered this and worse.

Count it a blessing when your pain’s severe,

For your reward in heaven’s worth their curse.

When persecution comes be glad in Christ

He’ll be there with you when you’re sacrificed.

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sonnet #420