6-11-15 For Unto Us

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6 KJV

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Isaiah spoke of Christ ere He was born,

Assured by prophecy it comes to pass,

Both fully man and God, His message sworn;

A Prince above all Kings, no one surpass.

Both earth and heaven Jesus comes to rule,

The governance of both His shoulders bear;

So Wonderful indeed, most precious jewel,

In glory and in beauty none compare.

The Counselor advising sinners come,

The everlasting Father to the saved;

The Prince of Peace indeed to all, not some,

The Alpha and Omega, Love engraved.

Our Savior and our Lord, our all in all

Is Jesus Christ, the name the saints do call.

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sonnet #386

5-23-15 Grace-Full Gifts

⁶ Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;

⁷ Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching;

⁸ Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.

Romans 12:6-8 KJV

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We all have talents given us by grace

According to the nature of our soul;

Just as the body has each part in place

That has a special function toward the whole.

The ones with prophesy speak truth so bold,

With ministry to aid the poor and weak;

The teachers lay the doctrine out as gold,

Exhorters urge, advise and so critique.

To those who give do with simplicity,

And those that rule are earnest in their care;

The merciful attend the anxious plea,

And everyone above immersed in prayer.

The gifts that God has given us to use

Should be to serve the Savior, not abuse.

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sonnet #368

4-22-15 Press Toward the Mark

If you believe the promises of God,

And of His only Son who spoke for Him,

By Grace will we be saved though we are flawed,

The blood of Christ alone atones the grim.

Then those of us whom Jesus Christ has called

Know well the crown of glory that awaits,

And all the things of earth no more than galled,

We keep our sight on Him and His estate.

Then let us hold the faith and move ahead,

To imitate the Savior’s life and love,

Remembering His blood for us was shed,

And all that we have now comes from above.

Press toward the mark: with Christ eternal life,

And be not so deterred through pain and strife.

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¹⁴ I press toward the mark for the prize

of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

¹⁵ Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded:

and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded,

God shall reveal even this unto you.

¹⁶ Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained,

let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.

Philippians 3:14-16 KJV

sonnet #338

3-22-15 Straining at Gnats

Now pray you don’t remain a hypocrite!

The blind that lead the blind into a ditch,

Who tells the world you surely will commit

But won’t begin until you strike it rich.

Don’t be the one who points your finger out

To judge the man that breaks the smallest rule,

But when no one is looking goes about

To disregard them all and think you’re cool.

Please don’t continue turning up your nose

As if your toilet smells like baby’s breath.

The stench that comes from you is not a rose;

You think you are alive but reek of death.

I ought to know a hypocrite by now:

I am the first in line to disavow.

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Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat,

and swallow a camel.

Matthew 23:24 KJV

3-10-15 One Spirit One Body

When you let Jesus rule your heart and mind,

Accepting Him as Savior, King and Lord,

And so in faith believe His Love defined,

His blood was shed for you, your sins deplored.

The Holy Spirit washes over you,

And who you used to be is dead and gone;

You’re born again, regenerating new,

Now one within His Spirit to live on.

The body’s compromised of many parts,

Each doing what is needed for the whole;

The blood of Jesus beats within our hearts,

Enabling us to seek the unsaved soul.

Oh friend, believe that Jesus died for you

And drink the Spirit’s cup – be born anew!

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¹³ For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body,

whether we be Jews or Gentiles,

whether we be bond or free;

and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

¹⁴ For the body is not one member, but many.

1 Corinthians 12:13-14 KJV

9-6-14 Every Knee Shall Bow

 

Of all the things in earth and heaven’s realm

The name of Jesus resonates with pow’r,

And there’s no doubt He’s truly at the helm

To guide the will of God home ev’ry hour.

With reverence all knees shall bow to Him

Acknowledging His sovereign rule and reign.

The angels up above break out in hymn

And all the things on earth join the refrain.

And God exalts Him to the highest place

Where He belongs to rule forever more.

We all exist in Jesus Christ’s embrace

To rest within His heart that we adore.

            All things in heaven and all things on earth

            With honor bow to Jesus and His worth.

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That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,

of things in heaven, and things in earth,

and things under the earth

Philippians 2:10 KJV

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