8-14-15 All for One

⁴ Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.

⁵ And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.

⁶ And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.

1 Corinthians 12:4-6 KJV

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A breeze wafts through a window open wide;

The curtain shudders, papers flutter, too;

A candle light makes shadows dance and glide,

And all these things a single breeze can do.

The Spirit moves ten million souls and more

As preachers, teachers, missionaries, clerks,

To prophesy, to write, to mind the store;

We serve a single Master in our work.

Discretion, grace and patience all are gifts

Bestowed by just a single, holy God;

The Father’s love that heals, reveals, uplifts

Can resurrect the dead and leave us awed.

Such wondrous grace upholds the universe

And shows in all we do as we traverse.

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sonnet #436

5-17-15 Grace and Truth

For the law was given by Moses, 

but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

John 1:17 KJV

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The Lord gave Moses laws defining sin,

And spelled the things that man should never do,

But laws don’t teach forgiveness there within,

And do not mention grace the whole way through.

So once a year a lamb was sacrificed

To pay for all the sins men did accrue,

Then came along our Savior Jesus Christ,

To be the truth and give God’s grace to you.

He taught the way of love to all who’d hear,

And lived the fullness of God’s righteousness.

He gave His life, a sacrifice so dear,

And through this perfect Grace God’s love confess.

The substance of the shadows of the law

Lived as the Lamb of God without a flaw.

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sonnet #363

12-21-14 You Know Me

You see into the shadows of my soul.

You know me better than I know myself.

You stretch me out and read me like a scroll.

You’ve found the secrets on my secret shelf.

To think of all you’ve seen me say and do,

Makes me ashamed in my unworthiness.

I can’t get small enough to hide from You.

O Lord, accuse me now and I’ll confess!

Yet even though You know me through and through,

You love me still regardless of my sin.

You sent Your Son to save the world, it’s true,

And saved a wretch like me in my chagrin.

Unworthy though I am You love me so,

You must see something in me I don’t know.

~~~~~~~~~~~

O LORD, thou hast searched me,

and known me.

Psalm 139:1 KJV

12-04-14 Be Vigilant

My friend in Christ, no time to sleep this night,

For Satan prowls the Earth hollow and mean.

He hungers for the lonely sheep of light

Who wander through the shadows in between.

The devil stomps about and roars out loud;

So many prey around, no need to creep.

Be vigilant, my sister, don’t be cowed;

He seeks your sons and daughters as they sleep.

The perfect Lamb protects us with his blood,

But not all of our brothers are secure.

They squat a drunken stupor in the mud;

We must still try to save them, so endure.

Your adversary’s longing to devour,

A starved voracious lion this dark hour.

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Be sober, be vigilant;

because your adversary the devil,

as a roaring lion, walketh about,

seeking whom he may devour

1 Peter 5:8 KJV

10-13-14 Thoughts and Ways

The thoughts of God are not the thoughts of men,

For men’s are limited and God’s are limitless.

We think of God the Father now and then,

But God thinks of us constantly to bless.

We think that we can save ourselves with deeds;

God’s thoughts are full of grace and love so pure,

And while we work to earn our common needs,

Our God provides the ways we can endure.

Our ways are crooked, complicated, too;

The ways of God are plain, transparent, manifest.

We move among the shadows to subdue

While God is full of light unchained and blessed.

The thoughts and ways of men lead but to death;

God grants eternal life with Spirit’s breath.

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For my thoughts are not your thoughts,

neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.

Isaiah 55:8 KJV