2-18-16 Worth the Wait

⁷ Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. ⁸ Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.

James 5:7-8 KJV

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This food you eat some farmer took the time

To grow the crop from seed to harvest day.

He must have patience for the rainy clime

Like grace upon the thirsty soul convey.

The best things are worth all the waiting for:

A baby takes nine months to come to term.

When mother holds the child she bore before,

The time it took for this she will affirm.

Be patient for the day when Christ returns.

Establish now your heart to persevere,

And love no matter what be your concern,

For when that day arrives will all be clear.

The coming of the Lord is drawing nigh.

The harvest soon will come to glorify.

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REMEMBER: Jesus might come today. Be diligent!

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.

10-26-15 Wait – Don’t Hate

⁸ Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.

⁹ For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth.

Psalm 37:8-9 KJV

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When someone does you wrong it’s natural

To let your anger get the best of you,

But wrath will be your wisdom’s funeral

And then the worst of you will soon break through.

Yet you’re no slave to sin: the old man died; ¹

He’s crucified with Christ when you are saved.

If you’ve been wronged let Spirit be your guide;

Just wait upon the Lord; let hate be waived.

When evil’s done to you first turn to prayer;

The patient love of Jesus will descend.

When you are meek the new earth’s yours to bear. ²

God cuts off evildoers in the end.

Serenity belongs to those who wait;

In Christ there is no room for those who hate.

1Romans 6:6

2Matthew 5:5

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.

10-17-15 Strength Renewed

But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

Isaiah 40:31 KJV

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A bride, a child, a servant and a friend

All wait upon the One who’s worth the wait;

Anticipation breathes without an end,

And hope in confidence does actuate.

Beyond the veil all faith is magnified,

Baptized in love so deep and then returned,

Borne on the sigh of Spirit undenied

Back to the one who waits a grace unearned.

Climb heavenward on graceful eagle wings,

Called on by strength renewed the promised land.

Come now revived and run to arms that brings

Caresses to the soul at last in hand.

Devotion to the Lord brings fortitude.

Delivered with a kiss is love pursued.

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

5-12-15 Worth the Weight

For our light affliction, which is but for a moment,

worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory

2 Corinthians 4:17 KJV

            ~~~~~~~~~~~

We strain beneath the stress of misery;

Our bodies and our minds begin to fail.

Though as we age we have our memory,

Yet also it plays tricks on us as well.

No matter what may happen to us here,

Disease or loss of limb or far much worse,

And even when we face men’s final fear,

We’ll know that we are not within the hearse.

The glory that awaits the child of God

Is worth all of the anguish of this place.

No matter how severe we’re crushed and clawed,

It can’t outlive the splendor of His Grace.

            If we knew all the joy this next life brings,

            We never would complain about a thing.

            ~~~~~~~~~~~

 

sonnet #358

1-7-15 I Look Unto You

My God! I know that You will hear my prayer!

You know how cold and grey the world can be,

With bitter blood and hatred everywhere.

I look unto You, Lord; please help me see.

My enemies encircle night and day;

They hate the light and love from You through me.

Forgive them now, they know not what they say.

I look unto You, Lord; please hear my plea.

No matter what the cost, I’ll wait for You;

One day You will return and set me free!

The promises You made are coming true.

I look unto You, Lord, on bended knee.

O God of my salvation unafraid,

The love I have for You will never fade.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Therefore I will look unto the LORD;

I will wait for the God of my salvation:

my God will hear me.

Micah 7:7 KJV

12-27-14 Alms

The hardest thing a man can learn to do

Is give what he has got unto the poor.

Forgotten is the time he was poor, too,

Now blinded by excess and wanting more.

That which he gives expecting nothing back

Is just like lending riches to the Lord.

The man who gives with love will never lack,

For God will see that he’s ten times restored.

He doesn’t have to wait until he’s asked;

If he is close to God he’ll see the need,

And if he only has two coins amassed,

The one he gives away’s a planted seed.

Have pity on the poor and those without,

For giving is what love is all about.

~~~~~~~~~~~

He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD;

and that which he hath given will he pay him again.

Proverbs 19:17 KJV

12-26-14 Be First to Love

If God did love us so He sent His Son

To be a sacrifice for all our sins,

Then we should love each other barring none,

And those who understand it best begins,

For we should not just sit around and wait

Until the other fellow loves us first,

For that is just as bad as open hate.

All those who wait to drink will die of thirst.

God loves us so despite our wicked way;

Lord knows that we deserve eternal hell.

Begin to love your enemy today

If you should ever hope to Heaven dwell.

My friends, love one another without pause

By loving one another without cause.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Beloved, if God so loved us,

we ought also to love one another.

1 John 4:11 KJV