1-25-16 Millstone

But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.

Matthew 18:6 KJV

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Whoever does offend a child of God

With hateful, hurtful words that’s evil drawn,

Or cause to stumble on the path he trod,

Or make his testimony be withdrawn,

Whoever leads away My sheep by guile,

To fool him into dropping his belief,

Or persecute him else by harm or trial,

Or bring My new disciple into grief,

It would be better for that wicked one

To hang a heavy stone around his neck

And jump into the sea to then be done,

Than cause My little one be harmed a speck.

Before you lead My little lamb astray,

You might just drown yourself and float away.

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REMEMBER: Treat the young in Christ with tenderness and love and proper discipleship.

12-28-15 Lost and Found

¹² How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray?

¹³ And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray.

Matthew 18:12-13 KJV

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You wandered lost within the wilderness

Before you even knew that you were lost,

And by the time you came to some distress

In jagged rocks and winter winds that tossed,

The Savior had pursued you all along

With such a love that can’t be full explained.

His outstretched hand was there your whole lifelong;

His mark upon your heart so deep ingrained,

And when you finally fall into His arms,

He’ll put you on His shoulders safe and strong,

To bring you Home where nothing hurts or harms,

Rejoicing all the way with cheer and song.

O can you hear Him calling out your name?

Just put your hand in His. That’s why He came.

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REMEMBER: The instant you make Jesus your personal Lord and Savior there is a celebration in Heaven that continues forever.

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.

9-25-15 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!

8-20-15 Made for Man

²³ And it came to pass, that he went through the corn fields on the sabbath day; and his disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of corn.

²⁴ And the Pharisees said unto him, Behold, why do they on the sabbath day that which is not lawful?

²⁵ And he said unto them, Have ye never read what David did, when he had need, and was an hungred, he, and they that were with him?

²⁶ How he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and did eat the shewbread, which is not lawful to eat but for the priests, and gave also to them which were with him?

²⁷ And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath:

²⁸ Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.

Mark 2:23-28 KJV

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Christ said the Sabbath day was made for man,

Twas made for good and not to bring him bad:

His soul may benefit in worship span;

His body rest from labor and be glad.

His necessary acts should not be banned:

A sheep can sure be rescued from a ditch, ¹

And David’s hunger could not be pre-planned.²

The Sabbath’s made for man to so enrich.

Here Jesus was the Son of Man divine,³

The instituter of the Sabbath day.

He could have said “The Sabbath day is Mine,”

But taught them out of patient love the way.

Man wasn’t made to keep the Sabbath pure;

It’s made for man so he may rest assure.

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sonnet #442

1Matthew 12:11

21 Samuel 21:3

3Daniel 7:13

6-4-15 You’re in Good Hands

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish,

neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all;

and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.

John 10:27-29 KJV

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You heard the gospel, how He died for you,

And something stirred within your barren heart;

You recognized His voice and then you knew

You had to follow Him or fall apart.

He knows you, child, He calls you to His side,

And no one can remove you from His hand.

Eternally in Jesus you abide

A gift of Grace no evil can withstand.

Our Father, who gave you to Christ our Lord,

Is mightier than all and loves you so;

Secure within His grasp you’re safely stored,

Assuredly protected to and fro.

No matter what you go through while you’re here,

Remember in Their hands you’ve naught to fear.

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sonnet #379

4-3-15 It’s Now or Never

The battle lines are drawn, the challenge made

That who is not with Christ is now His foe.

All those who hate the Word will taste His blade;

The blood of evil will begin to flow.

The Shepherd that is Good now gathers near

The sheep that hear His voice and heed His call,

But wolves still scour the Earth fomenting fear,

To scatter with their lies the ones who stall.

There is so little time to save the rest:

Your friends and family and strangers, too.

More knees should bend and sinners be confessed;

Today might be the day it all comes true.

The Shepherd calls your name across the field.

Please harken to His voice and gently yield.

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He that is not with me is against me;

and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.

Matthew 12:30 KJV

2-4-15 Do Well

Religion tends to make so many laws

Both out of fear or power gone amok,

Before you know it, it has got its claws

Into your home with its judicial muck.

It’s quite one thing to heed the word of God,

But not to legislate the word to death.

The ways of man are volatile and flawed;

God gave us sense enough to take a breath.

The Sabbath day’s for resting, this is true,

But if you have a flat, then change the tire.

Don’t show up just for church and take a pew;

If next door’s up in flames, put out the fire!

The Holy Ghost should be your first real guide;

Just practice listening – He won’t misguide.

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¹¹ What man shall there be among you,

that shall have one sheep,

and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day,

will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out?

¹² How much then is a man better than a sheep?

Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days.

Matthew 12: 11-12 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

9-7-14 The Lord Is My Shepherd

The pasture is alive with fellow sheep;

We pass the day by grazing in the sun.

My Shepherd watches as I browse and sleep.

He keeps me safe; His work is never done.

He knows just what I need; I shall not want.

And if I start to stray He brings me back.

Sometimes distracted I go on a jaunt.

My Shepherd always gets me back on track.

He loves me, I can tell the way He cares;

When wolves or brambles near He draws me in.

Then when the day is done I won’t despair;

He leads us home where sheltered nights begin.

            There is no other place I’d rather be

            Than close beside my Lord who shepherds me.

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The LORD is my shepherd;

I shall not want.

Psalm 23:1 KJV

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