2-23-16 On Faith

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Hebrews 11:1 KJV

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You go to bed assured that you will wake;

A pregnant woman knows her child will come;

You drool just thinking of that chocolate cake;

Guitarists play the song before they strum.

Now, faith is not believing it will be,

It’s knowing that it is before it is.

I do not have to touch, don’t have to see

To know that Jesus lives; my heart is His.

It was by faith Christ calmed the tempest sea,

By faith He made the blind man see anew.

Within the grace of God you’ll find the key:

You live by faith in everything you do.

In faith you have the truth to set you free.

The tiny seed contains the mighty tree.

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REMEMBER: Faith is not belief without proof, but trust without reservation. (D. Elton Trueblood)

2-19-16 Like Night and Day

³ O LORD, thou hast brought up my soul from the grave: thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit. ⁴ Sing unto the LORD, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness. ⁵ For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.

Psalm 30:3-5 KJV

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Depression drags your soul into the grave

And whispers that this pit is all there is;

Here hope is gone, here darkness does enslave,

Here death does pierce your heart and claims as his.

It seems as if the Lord has turned away,

As if His anger’s robbed your faith and dream.

But turn around, my friend, please don’t dismay.

He’s never left your side; you’re still a team.

Reach out to Jesus! Life is in His hand;

His love is like the morning over night.

He holds you in His arms, the dark is banned.

God’s grace shines all the time; the future’s bright.

When darkest night of soul weighs down on you,

The dawn is certain: Christ will see you through.

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REMEMBER: It is always the darkest before the dawn.

1-20-16 Be Not Afraid

⁴⁸ And he saw them toiling in rowing; for the wind was contrary unto them: and about the fourth watch of the night he cometh unto them, walking upon the sea, and would have passed by them. ⁴⁹ But when they saw him walking upon the sea, they supposed it had been a spirit, and cried out: ⁵⁰ For they all saw him, and were troubled. And immediately he talked with them, and saith unto them, Be of good cheer: it is I; be not afraid. ⁵¹ And he went up unto them into the ship; and the wind ceased: and they were sore amazed in themselves beyond measure, and wondered.

Mark 6:48-51 KJV

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When troubles come to push you off your path,

And if it seems you’re rowing ‘gainst the wind,

The struggle that you face in all its wrath

Might leave your efforts moot and you chagrined.

Look through the dark of night and see Me there!

I am not just a thought inside your head,

Not just some passing need when you despair,

Nor ghostly spirit filling you with dread.

Be of good cheer! Have courage! It is I!

Be not afraid, I’ve come to bring you peace.

I’ve been here all along, I won’t pass by.

I’m right beside you now; the wind will cease.

In life when conflict blows with its attack,

Be not afraid, my child, I’ve got your back.

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REMEMBER: Even in the darkest of nights you will see Him near.

1-18-16 Known by His Fruit

Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit.

Matthew 12:33 KJV

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To know a man just watch his words and deeds,

For he can’t hide the nature of his heart.

An evil sort’s revealed by his misdeeds;

A poisoned well its harm will sure impart.

A fruit will show what kind of tree it’s from;

You cannot harvest olives from the ground.

Guitarists bare their talent when they thrum,

And you can tell a good one from his sound.

True Christians will exhibit Christ within;

The body of their works His presence shows.

They cannot be successful in their sin;

The essence of His truth and love still flows.

The blind can tell a fruit by taste and feel.

See Jesus with His works in you reveal.

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REMEMBER: Jesus lives within you. Get out of the way so He can live through you.

11-28-15 Taste

Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

Matthew 7:20 KJV

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TASTE

It isn’t always easy judging fruit.

Sometimes you have to take a bite to see.

The tree it came from may have good repute,

But in the end it’s taste, don’t you agree?

A man who beats his wife may go to church

And act as pious as the Son of Man.

If you’re attune to Spirit in your search

You’ll see he’s filthy as a garbage can.

The Holy Ghost will lead you to the truth,

Will pull away the curtain of a lie.

Not everybody evil acts uncouth.

Some heavenly discretion trumps the sly.

Most times a rotten fruit’s as plain as day,

But some will fool; let Spirit lead the way.

111415 Show Us Something Good

Shew me a token for good; that they which hate me may see it, and be ashamed: because thou, LORD, hast holpen (helped) me, and comforted me.

Psalm 86:17 KJV

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SHOW US SOMETHING GOOD

O Lord, it seems the wicked rules the day;

I see my brother’s blood upon the ground.

Please show me something good from this, I pray,

To fill my enemy with shame profound.

You’ve helped me, Lord, when I have called on You,

You’ve soothed me with the comfort of Your love.

Console the suffering, help see them through

Please show us something good from up above.

Reveal to those who hate us You are God,

Cause them to be disgraced among their friends.

Lay bare their evil hearts here and abroad;

Humiliate them to the furthest ends.

Please show us something good so all may see

The righteous will prevail; in You we’re free.

11-13-15 Speaking in Parables

Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.

Matthew 13:13 KJV

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The Savior spoke in parables to most

Because they did not want the patent truth.

They wanted to go back to friends and boast

They’d seen a miracle and played the sleuth.

When Jesus showed His face He drew a crowd;

The vast majority went for the show.

They saw Him with their eyes but were not bowed,

They heard His voice but did not want to know.

He spoke in stories, fables, myths and tales;

Those hungry for the truth would understand.

The Spirit opened ears and took off scales

To those who sought the Kingdom here at hand.

To some the gospel seems like falsity;

You cannot get this kind to hear and see.

11-11-15 A Child of Light

For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:

Ephesians 5:8 KJV

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A CHILD OF LIGHT

There was a time when you were lost and blind,

Not only dark, but darkness, void of light.

You may have been so brilliant and refined,

But in the spirit you were starless night.

Then Jesus knocked upon your darkened door;

You answered, and the Light came rushing in.

The Holy Spirit knocked you to the floor;

The blood of Jesus covered all your sin.

Since then the light of Christ does shine from you,

And now you are a child of light itself.

No darkness left within; those days are through.

No longer blind, you’re seeing God Himself.

You are a child of light, now walk that way.

Let Christ illuminate your life today.

11-5-15 Tonight

And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.

Luke 6:12 KJV

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Tonight you must stay up all night in prayer,

For if you put it off you never will.

I promise you, beloved, if you dare,

A different soul will feel the morning chill.

When you’re alone with God don’t fall asleep.

He’s waited all your life for this one night.

If you’re sincere then be prepared to weep;

You’ll see how rare the times you’ve got it right.

Pray for your friends, your foes, your family,

And take your time, you can’t get too involved.

Christ prayed for you, that you might one day see;

He interceded that you’ll be absolved.

Stay up tonight and pray; it’s worth the time.

The Holy Ghost will show God’s love sublime.

10-8-15 Name Above All

² For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.

³ He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

⁴ Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

⁵ But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

Isaiah 53:2-5 KJV

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No good can come from Nazareth, they said,

The lowly son of Joseph, carpenter.

He had no place to lay his weary head,

A man of sorrows, none we would prefer.

Despised and unesteemed, our grief he bore;

We hid our face from him and still we do.

He took the wrath of God as none before,

Was wounded for our sins, his blood soaked through.

Afflicted, bruised and beaten, he was hung

Upon a rugged cross between two thieves.

He died there with our names upon his tongue

And lives within all those who still believes.

His name will resonate forever more;

If you but think of Him, your heart will soar.