1-14-16 Faith in Action

¹⁴ What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? ¹⁵ If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, ¹⁶ And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?

James 2:14-16 KJV

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A couple poor as dirt with hungry child:

The husband says, “I’ve faith we’ll get some food.”

The wife replied, “O fool! You’ve got me riled!

Go get a job! We can’t eat attitude!”

Professing faith is easy; say the word,

But if your faith is real then it will show.

A kindness given first was faith that stirred.

When grace meets gratitude you can’t lie low.

When Jesus said “Your faith has made you whole,”

He knew that she believed that by her touch.

If she had not had faith both heart and soul,

She wouldn’t have reached out His cloak to clutch. (Matthew 9:20-22)

Declaring faith won’t keep you warm and filled.

Put action to those words and be fulfilled.

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REMEMBER: For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. (James 2:26)

11-25-15 Even So

Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.

John 20:21 KJV

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EVEN SO

Our Father God sent Jesus to the earth

To save those who believe upon His name,

To bring about such miracles of worth,

There is no doubt at all upon His claim.

Our Father sent His Son to do His will,

To sacrifice His life to save His friends,

To take upon Him all our sins until

His blood could serve to cover and to cleanse.

And now the Savior sends disciples out

To save those who believe upon His name,

To show all that we meet there is no doubt

That Jesus died for them – that’s why He came.

If God sent down His Son to save mankind,

Are you not now His child and so inclined?

11-17-15 When Pigs Drown

¹⁸ And when he was come into the ship, he that had been possessed with the devil prayed him that he might be with him.

¹⁹ Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee.

²⁰ And he departed, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men did marvel.

Mark 5:18-20 KJV (When Jesus cast demons into pigs Mark 5:1-20)

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WHEN PIGS DROWN

Possessed by sin, you wandered through the graves,

For all that did remain for you was death.

Your soul, enslaved by Satan, lived in caves,

Resigned to cut and run ’til out of breath.

When Jesus came the Holy Spirit called;

You gave your life to Him and called Him Lord.

Christ touched you as upon the cross you sprawled;

He saved you with His loving blood that poured.

Instead of staying ‘neath the cross so true,

The Savior bid you go to those you meet

To tell all what the Lord had done for you,

And all that hear will marvel so complete.

When all the pigs have drowned the Lord remains.

He lives within your heart, no more in chains.

10-19-15 Advice From the Shepherd

Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.

Matthew 10:16 KJV

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The wolves won’t hesitate to eat you up,

For you’re the Shepherd’s sheep sent forth to save.

They hate the One who drank the bitter cup

And now He lives within you strong and brave.

The children of the night now circle ’round

And wait for you to stumble in their midst.

Be wise, therefore, as serpents to confound,

And keep the mind of Christ when they persist.

You cannot last a moment on your own;

Depend upon the Savior all the time.

Be harmless, then, as doves – you’re not alone;

No matter what they do remain sublime.

With cunning Jesus rose above the hate.

In innocence He set the record straight.

9-26-15 The Final Authority

For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our king; he will save us.

Isaiah 33:22 KJV

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While here you should obey the worldly laws,

For here you lay upon your earthly bed,

But if they clash with Spirit give them pause,

For Christ is your authority and head.

The laws that Jesus gives are Spirit born,

Yet they impact each aspect of your life.

He is your Lord and King when you’re reborn;

He is your final judge through stress and strife.

When you obey God’s laws instead of man’s,

You might incur the wrath of earthly judge,

But prison may be part of God’s own plans,

So always listen to the Spirit’s nudge.

The Lord will save your soul – man’s laws cannot.

You’ll still be His when all that’s mortal rots.

9-25-15 The Perfect Example

²¹ For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:

²² Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:

²³ Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:

²⁴ Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

²⁵ For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.

1 Peter 2:21-25 KJV

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There is no greater love than Christ has shown,

The perfect model for a perfect life,

Who chose to leave His bright celestial throne

To come and save His sheep through pain and strife.

He had no sin Himself but came for ours,

Enduring all the wrath of God and man,

Who could have freed Himself with awesome powers

But chose to bring salvation as His plan,

And all the torment that our Lord endured,

Reviled, threatened, beaten, crucified,

He did for you so you could be secured.

He loved you so He suffered, bled and died.

O friend, I know He thought of you that day

As He was hanging on the cross that way!

7-6-15 On Obedience

⁵¹ And, behold, one of them which were with Jesus stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and struck a servant of the high priest’s, and smote off his ear.

⁵² Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.

⁵³ Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?

Matthew 26:51-53 KJV

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The sacrificial Lamb, obedient,

Stood ready to be given up for you,

Could call for legioned angels to be sent

To save Him from the death that would ensue.

But no, this was not time to wield a sword;

The days of ‘eye for eye’ had passed away.

Christ came to yield His life, our sovereign Lord;

The pure unspotted Lamb would have His day.

The sins of all the world would soon be borne

Upon the shoulders of the Lamb of God,

Then beaten, bloody, His whole body torn

Was bound for victory with love to laud.

The sword was put away as so much dross

And in its stead was glory on the cross.

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sonnet #407

6-24-15 First to Last

So the last shall be first, and the first last:

for many be called, but few chosen.

Matthew 20:16 KJV

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The souls who are forgotten by the crowd:

The meek, the low, the bullied and the plain,

Are lost among the ego-driven proud

And last to find a post they can attain.

The Lord will not ignore the seventh son,

The shepherd boy who one day would be king.

The manger-born became the perfect One

To save a sinful world who hopeless cling.

We all are called to come unto the cross,

Invited to the wedding feast by Christ;

The proud will all be counted as a loss,

The chosen ones are those who’ve paid the price.

Down here we choose the leader of the pack;

If you would follow Christ, then serve in back.

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sonnet #397

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

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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!

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sonnet #354

5-2-15 The Earth is the Lord’s

Although you think the world a wicked place,

So full of hate and pain and anguish, too,

Don’t blame the earth, it’s under God’s good grace,

But blame the lord of darkness and his crew.

The earth and everything that dwells therein

Belongs to Jesus Christ, He made it all,

But Adam disobeyed, and that is sin,

Forgetting it’s all His both great and small.

So Satan runs around without a care,

And tries to make us think it’s not his fault,

Yet as a child of God you must prepare,

To help Christ win the day with full assault.

To save the world, it helps to first save man.

The gospel brings us back to God’s great plan.

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The earth is the LORD’S, and the fulness thereof;

the world, and they that dwell therein.

Psalm 24:1 KJV

 

sonnet #348