2-10-16 Be Like Jesus

Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;

Colossians 3:12 KJV

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Now, having taken off the old man’s guise,

Put on the mind of Christ who died for you,

Whom now you are elect of God likewise,

Both holy and beloved and tried and true.

With deep compassion free from all deceit

To sympathize with those who are distressed,

Let kindness, grace and love be so complete

You weep with them who weep, sincere expressed.

Have humbleness of mind in thought and deed,

Be gentle with all men and always meek;

Submissive to the Spirit so proceed,

And dwell in patience; suffer long the weak.

Christ took the weight of sin from off your soul.

Now be just like the One who made you whole.

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REMEMBER: Christ lives in you now. Let Him live through you.

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!

8-16-15 Let the Dead Bury the Dead

²¹ And another of his disciples said unto him,

Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.

²² But Jesus said unto him, Follow me;

and let the dead bury their dead.

Matthew 8:21-22 KJV

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When Jesus once to His disciple said

While thick within the Savior’s ministry,

“This way, and let the dead bury their dead,”

He wasn’t speaking disrespectfully.

When Jesus says “Come, follow Me,” you should,

For after all that’s what it’s all about.

A lion-caught gazelle can do no good

Requesting time to seek his family out.

The unregenerate are dead within;

There’s plenty of that kind to go around.

As God, the Savior knew His friend had kin,

Enough to put his father in the ground.

When Spirit tells you “Here,” don’t whine and curse;

Choose then the Living Christ and not a hearse.

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Sonnet #438

6-14-15 On Priorities

²¹ And another of his disciples said unto him,

Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.

²² But Jesus said unto him, Follow me;

and let the dead bury their dead.

Matthew 8:21-22 KJV

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When Jesus calls you come and follow Him

And He has set about you plans and goals,

Don’t step aside – don’t drop your voice mid hymn,

To do the work that’s meant for other souls.

You may think it important that you go,

And there are times appropriate for this,

But when Christ marks a path to undergo,

To look behind while plowing is to miss.

When Jesus lived He had no time to wait;

Disciples fell away and ne’er came back.

I pray when you’re with Him you keep His gait,

And let somebody else take up the slack.

The presence of the Master trumps the dead;

Let others do the burying instead.

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sonnet #389

6-10-15 Cast Your Burden

Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee:

he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.

Psalm 55:22 KJV

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Whatever you may have belongs to God,

And moreso if you gave your life to Christ,

Yet here you sit, this body roughly shod,

Bombarded by temptation’s daily tryst.

So cast your burden now unto the Lord.

Don’t let this moment pass with one concern.

He died on your behalf, His blood was poured,

So live with love for Him and all in turn.

Now, Jesus won’t endure your fall from grace,

He promised He would keep you safe from harm.

Let go of all the burdens you embrace

And fall into the Savior’s loving arms.

Release unto the Lord your laded pain;

He’ll lift you up, and you He shall sustain.

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sonnet #385

5-13-15 Be Counted Worthy

And they departed from the presence of the council,

rejoicing that they were counted worthy

to suffer shame for his name.

Acts 5:41 KJV

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Are you prepared to suffer in His name,

The Son of God who died on Calvary?

Would you then follow Jesus just the same

If all your kin and friends should disagree?

The Christians in Iraq are being killed,

And in Somalia are flogged and flayed,

But if believers here are slightly grilled

They hide their crosses for they’re so afraid.

No matter what the world may do to you,

Remember what it did to Christ the King.

So count as worthy what you’re going through;

It’s only temporary what they bring.

            Are you prepared to suffer in His name?

            Are you prepared to suffer death or shame?

            ~~~~~~~~~~~

sonnet #359

3-18-15 Temptation

Temptation is a tawdry, painted whore

Seducing you into her bed of death;

How well she knows afflictions always pour

And promises respite within her breath.

We all must suffer hardships in our life;

They are a gift from God to help us grow,

But if we are enticed to dodge our strife

We soon can not endure its ebb and flow.

Our trials are meant to draw us to the Lord,

Temptation, though, does claim a better way.

In Jesus do we find our true reward:

He suffered unto death and did not stray.

Say “Get behind me, Satan! Out the door!

With Christ I can endure it all and more.”

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Blessed is the man that endureth temptation:

for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life,

which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

James 1:12 KJV

2-20-15 Take It Up With Him

To follow Jesus, be prepared to die,

And more than that, to suffer pain and hate,

To see both wealth and health then pass you by,

To live with disrespect from small and great.

You can’t come after Christ and think of you;

Both prayer and service must fill up your day,

And don’t just say you will, but see it through.

You can’t walk halfway there; go all the way.

If you think taking up your cross is less,

Then you must think that Jesus compromised.

When God says ‘Follow Me,’ don’t second guess;

Take up your cross and don’t look so surprised.

Remember in whose steps you’re following;

To have your fill of love, start swallowing.

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Then said Jesus unto his disciples,

If any man will come after me,

let him deny himself,

and take up his cross,

and follow me.

Matthew 16:24 KJV

11-29-14 The Day is Here

The day is here when Christians suffer much;

They’re taunted, tortured, murdered for their Lord.

They bear the cross as He once bore it such,

Then kneel and lose their head by brutal sword.

They must not be ashamed to claim His name;

They could have lied and stayed alive instead,

But these great martyrs boldly do exclaim

And glorify our God to lose their head.

Don’t be ashamed if you must suffer, too,

The blades and hammers of such men that hate

Because you call Christ Lord and His word true.

Exalt the name of Jesus; don’t abate!

He suffered much and died upon the cross.

Can you not stand for Him whate’er the loss?

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Yet if any man suffer as a Christian,

let him not be ashamed;

but let him glorify God on this behalf.

1 Peter 4:16 KJV

11-28-14 Courage Under Fire

No weapon used against me shall I fear,

No enemy the strength to break my will,

For Jesus is my shield, He is my spear,

He’s with me in the valley, on the hill.

The Lord is my salvation, He’s my light.

Why be afraid with Jesus by my side?

He gives my spirit power with His might

And brings me victory, for He’s my guide.

He gives me life, so I’ve no fear of death;

I can’t complain; He suffered for my soul.

I’ll live for Him until my dying breath

And die for Him, for He has made me whole.

Though missiles fly around me I am calm,

For Jesus shelters me within His palm.

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The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?

the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

Psalm 27:1 KJV