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The Fruit of The Spirit
The
fruit of the Spirit in Galatians we see,
Is Love, Joy and Peace, that's one, two and three,
Patience and Kindness
and Goodness then follow,
But we are still left short, still feel hollow.
Without Faithfulness, Meekness
and Self-control,
The work of the Spirit is like but a foal,
That has all the attributes of a full-grown horse,
With
out the power and completeness of course.
So love here is more than the lusts of this world,
And joy to
a Christian is like a banner unfurled,
Peace is contentment no matter the trouble,
Then patience we seek, almost
at the double.
Kindness we find where never before,
And Goodness becomes no longer a chore,
Faithfulness
comes to us to make us whole,
When Meekness and Self-control hold sway over our soul.
IN CHRIST WE ARE
We are not guilty of sin by His pardoning grace, Rom
3:24
No condemnation awaits us in His eternal space, Rom. 8;1
We are free from sin and death holds not sway,
Rom.8:2
When we accept that Jesus shows us Gods way. 1Cor 1:2
We are pure and holy and we will rise again,
1Cor.1:30
We know that us trying to be good is all in vain, 2Cor 3:17
We are now brand new inside since re-born
from above, 2Cor.5;17
And are filled with His goodness, His grace and His love. 2Cor 5:21.
We are one in
Christ in a family so wide, Gal 3:28
We have all the blessing of heaven while still on this side. Eph 1:3
We
are holy and faultless and covered by the robe, Eph 1:4
He has bought us and we follow His mighty strobe. Eph1:5,6
We
are forgiven and our sins taken away, Eph 1:7
Forever with Him we will live from the great judgement day. Eph1;10
Marked
by the Spirit we are gifts to our God, Eph 1;13
We are lifted to glory from under the sod. Eph 2;6
We have
been brought near to God and given new life, Eph 2;10
We are so blessed we can enter His presence like man with his
wife.
Eph3;6
We have everything as part of His church and in Christ we are filled,
Eph 3;12
We are free
from evil desires and headed for the glory that He has so
willed
Eph. 5;29,30 Col.2;10,11 2Tim. 2:10
John The Baptist
A son of a priest was John
called Baptist,
He lived in the hills in the fog and the mist,
Living on Locusts mixed with honey,
He
had very little need for money.
His father Zechariah was for a while struck dumb,
Elizabeth
was the name given his mum,
John would prepare the way for our Lord to come,
And in the end there would be some,
Who
through repentance changed their ways,
To prepare themselves for everlasting days.
Now John baptised within the Jordan,
When Jesus came
through that cordon,
Of the hundreds gathered there,
Who could only stand and stare,
As the Spirit descended
like a dove,
On the epitome of love.
A voice from heaven said "This is My beloved Son",
And His work
among you has just begun.
John for his part lost his head,
When King Herod, so I've read,
Gave his
soul for lust of women,
And cannot now be seen in heaven.
Jesus said of this John there has not risen,
A
greater man that was born of women.
Joshua According to Saint William
This is the story
of a fellow named Josh,
Whose remarkable deeds cause us all to say gosh,
For he was not one of the ordinary clan,
Our
Joshua was indeed, a real Godly man.
When old Moses had died at the end of his time.
He passed over his mantel to
an octogenarian prime,
Who at eighty years was full fighting fit,
And strong enough to cause the giant Anakim to quit.
He
lined up his troops on the wide Jordan's bank,
But of course he never had a gun or a tank,
What he had was a mighty
trust in his God,
Who got them across on completely dry sod.
Next he sought God to give him a hand,
To oust all
the citizens of Jericho's land.
The message he got was to march round the walls,
That in one week crumpled to his trumpet
calls.
At Ai he tried to go it alone,
And for this sin he soon had to atone,
The one that brought much
trouble in the camp,
Was soon buried beneath rocks in the cold and the damp.
Now in the campaign was a battle supreme,
The
likes of which no man had ever seen,
The fighting went on through all of the night,
But strangely enough it was always
daylight.
For Joshua had begged his God that time would stand still,
While his men did their best the Canaanites
to kill,
And finish that battle right under that sun,
That never before stood still since time first begun.
The
foes of Joshua never saw that he had,
A real secret weapon that was making them mad,
For the Lord had sent the Captain
of His mighty army,
To defeat the foe and drive them all balmy.
When all of the tribes conquered all of the land,
Peace
came to pass by God's mighty hand,
And Joshua lined up the tribes one and all,
To see that in future they all would
play ball.
After reading the law that Moses once wrote,
He admonished the tribes that all should take note,
Of
who they would serve and who they would not,
The Lord we will serve was the answer he got.
When at the age of one
hundred and ten,
After serving the Lord with all of his ken,
Joshua our hero at last went to heaven,
For a reward
for the faith that to God he had given.
Come To Me
Come to Me, the master calls,
You who
stumble and almost fall,
Under loads to great to bare,
I am willing your load to share.
My promise to you is
lasting rest,
Far greater than the worldly best,
With a yoke that is not hard to take,
My wisdom is but yours to
make.
I am gentle, meek and mild,
Like an unhindered little child,
and My love will set you free,
from those
burdens binding thee.
THE EARLY CHURCH Acts2. 42-47
When the church
was first filled with pentecostal power,
Men had no fear to speak within that very hour,
And as these men began to speak,
Others
found they were no longer weak.
On that day three thousand came,
And pledged allegience to that name,
They listened
to what the apostles taught,
And prayed together as they ought.
They ate there meals in fellowship sweet,
Thanking
God for signs and wonders that were so neat.
Selling there property so all might share,
In the blessings God had placed
within their care.
Daily they were in the temple found,
Hearing the leaders God's word expound,
And in the evenings
they all ate tea,
With young ones sitting on their knee.
Receiving spiritual and material food,
And to the word
their ears were ever glued,
Gladly with happy hearts and souls,
They received new converts to their folds.
The
one that they had come to know,
Was Jesus of Nazareth who will show,
The way for you to get to heaven,
Is by faith
in Him the Father's given.
The Centurian From Acts 10
A
centurian lived so long ago,
In the days of St. Peter and St. Paul,
Who was by name, Cornelius
And a good example
to us all.
He followed all the rules of law,
And worshipped every day,
Because he loved the God of Abraham,
And
to Him he would always pray.
Now in the hour of prayer, as he knelt there,
An angel came and gave him a mighty fright,
But
he spoke kindly of his many deeds,
That God found pleasing in His sight.
Send to Joppa the angel did say,
For
Simon Peter to come and stay,
And teach of the things to you unknown,
About the way to heaven that God has shown.
Saint
Peter also at this time,
Was praying in a roof top trance,
When down to earth from heaven came,
Many creatures in
a blanket dance.
Arise and kill the command came thrice,
But Peter thought the food not nice,
For they were animals
the law called unclean,
And had never before passed his lips between.
God was giving Peter a message clear,
That
the time for change had now come near,
He must not refuse what the Lord had cleaned,
The gentile race was no longer
demeaned.
While he was thus in troubled mind,
Pondering the question and trying to find,
An answer to this riddle
he did implore,
When came a knocking at Simon's door.
Three men from Caesarea were standing there,
The message
from Cornelius they stated clear,
And so on the very next day they sallied forth,
For thirty miles they headed north.
Peter
told the gospel with great power,
And saw many converted within that hour,
Being filled with the Holy Spirit just like
the Jews.
God proved that He gives His love to all He chose
Out of Prison From Acts 12
Horrible King
Herod, ruler of the Jews.
Captured some disciples and some he slew.
One of these was James, brother of John,
Him
he used a sword upon.
When this pleased the leaders of the pack,
He sought after Peter to stab him in the back.
But
becaause it was a Jewish holiday,
He threw Peter into prison for a shortish stay.
Four times four soldiers guarded
Peter night and day,
When all of the church now began to pray,
Double chains held him tightly bound,
But next morning
Peter could not be found.
Suddenly an angel appeared and lit up the cell,
Freeing the chains the guards had tied
so well,
"Put on your clothes and follow me!",
The angel instructed the man set free.
They passed the guards
without being seen,
The gate opened as if by a machine,
And down the road the pair did go,
Until the angel did vanish
and no more did show.
Peter came to the house of John named Mark,
Where all were gathered and at the door he did
hark,
But Rhoda who came to answer the knock,
Did not open the door in her state of shock.
She went back to the
people all gathered there,
Trying to convince them her joy to share,
But seeing is believing was the order that day,
So
the door was opened and they heard what he had to say.
When Horrible Herod his prisoner could not find,
He killed
all the guards Peter left behind,
Then at Caesarea an angel struck him dead,
For not giving God glory, in my bible I
read.
The Sheep and the Goats
O
for the day when the Lord will come,
With all the angels,....not just some,
And be seated on that majestic throne,
As
he seperates a people for his own.
Away to the left He will point to one,
As the final drafting is begun.
You
have played the goat most every day,
So now has come the time to pay.
But to His right the meek sheep will find,
A
place of refuge with peace of mind,
And an invitation to inherit a place prepared,
By a God of love who for them has
cared.
In a kingdom with foundations from long ago,
A prize for mercy for that to me You did show,
As when I
was hungry you gave me food,
And drink a plenty when in thirst mood.
As a stranger to your gate I came,
Naked
and a little lame,
When on My back your cloak you put,
And shoes were placed on My aching foot.
In sickness your
help was a real balm,
As was the visit to the prison farm,
And if you cannot remember being there for Me,
When you
did it for My people is just the same you see.
Now those who drafted to the left,
Were of compassion completely
bereft,
So into the fire of eternal hell,
The Lord cast these near-do-wells.
But glory be to those on the right,
Who
sought righteousness day and night,
For they were part of the bride and wife,
Of the King of kings for eternal life.
On James 4: 13-17
Who knows the days that we
have left?
With riches hidden beneath the cleft,
But plans are made and God's left out,
So who is to say they will
come about?
Who knows that within another town,
Fortune will smile of fortune frown?
Upon our efforts blessed
not from above,
Wrought in greed and not in love.
Who knows the day the mist will clear,
Our vapour vanished
within the year,
But if God willing we must say
We will plan towards His coming day.
Who knows in what things
a man may boast,
Save in the power of God's sweet toast.
Our Saviour died that we might gain,
Our spirits lifted
to a higher plane.
God knows all these and more besides
His righteousness in us he hides,
To do the good He commands
us to,
To see the need, our only cue.
Peace Be Still
In the evening of the day the time had come,
To send away the fathers,
the children and the mums.
To go by ship to the lake's far shore,
And rest from feeding the hungry and the poor.
Lying
on a pillow in the midst of the boat,
The Master slept while the wild winds wrote,
Havoc on that flimsy little craft,
Water
breaking over fore and aft.
Rising up in that floundering hulk,
Jesus commanded heaven's bulk,
Wind and wave
did settle in place,
Makes our Jesus number one ace!
I Am The Bread of Life Jn.6:31-40
In the wilderness God provided bread from heaven,
Made
without an ounce of leaven,
And although it kept them for forty years,
It was not the bread that wipes away all tears.
The
true bread is He who comes from above,
And gives life to all with abundant love.
"Give us this bread we plead!"
Was
the call to Him from all who need.
Jesus said "I am the bread of life",
And he who believes on me will never strife,
Or
want for water any more,
For I will provide from the eternal store.
Although you see me with your eyes,
Your
little faith leaves you in your lies,
But if you will only come to me,
Eternal life you will ever see.
Now I
have come down to you,
To do the things my Father sent me to,
And this is what I would have to say,
Repent now and
arise alive on that final day.
The Prodigal
A long time ago in a far away land,
A father had two sons, both
doing grand,
When the younger asked for his inheritance now,
For he was tired of grubbing and following the plough.
He
sailed away to the cesspools of sin,
And abandoned the God of his kith and his kin,
Until after a while all his money
ran out,
With all his new friends leaving, after the last shout.
Forced to take a job on a farm full of pigs,
He
was given nothing to eat, not even figs,
So he headed back home to work for his dad,
Thinking the servant's tucker enough
to make glad.
From a long way away the father spotted the son,
And ran to meet him - the two were like one,
As
the servants came with the best of the meat,
To the prodigal son the fatted calf was a treat.
Now the older boy
on hearing the commotion,
Was filled with rage at the bla'gard's promotion,
But dad settled him down and made him see
reason,
His brother returned who had been dead for a season.
If you too find you have strayed from the home,
Your
heavenly Father sent Jesus to atone,
And is waiting for you with arms open wide,
If you will return to your first love
and stay by His side.
Jubilee in Pentecost
"Tarry here, wait and
pray,"
The risen master once did say,
For you will receive Godley power,
If you will stay the appointed hour.
For
fifty days in that upper room,
Fervent prayer pierced the gloom,
And broke through the leaden heavenly dome,
To those
glories that are in heaven shown.
First a whisper and then a roar,
A mighty wind poured through that door,
And
tongues of fire came down to rest,
Upon those chosen to be blest.
Now from their mouths came words of power,
In
the language needed for that hour,
To let those of other lands and nations,
Know of our Saviour's plan for salvation.
Amazement
filled the faces of the people,
As Peter stood up near the temple,
Listen carefully to what I say,
About what is
happening on this day.
What has come to pass was told by Joel,
Concerning the saving of man's soul,
And how young
men will visions see,
As their fathers dream of eternity.
The wonders and signs in heaven and earth,
Will make
you call for all you are worth,
Upon the name of the crucified one,
Whose saving work for you is done
A DISCIPLES DISSERTATION ON A PILGRIM'S PROGRESS
Like old pilgrim many years ago. His utmost wish was heaven's way to
know, So on that path our hero took.
This makes the basis for this little
book.
After leaving wife and children home. (To follow him they had no desire
shown) He headed out towards that slippery track, Without one desire
for ever turning back.
But before he could
tell the way to go, One called Evangelist came to
show, The door to let him in the way. Was across yon slurry pond and
clay.
Two others came with him across that pond, Who were to the world's way
a little fond. So when the track
grew some what tough, They soon backed
off that sticky stuff.
And back to town they quickly ran. Wishing that they
had never once
began. A pilgrimage is for much stouter men, They quote to each other in
their den.
Now as the
others ran away, The feet of Disciple stuck fast in the
clay, But then he called loud to his Master, Who extracted him
from this
disaster.
Freed from despond and lack of friends, Made him search for other ends,
So through wicker
gate and up the path, The keeper treated him to a
welcome bath.
He washed the miry clay from off his feet And showed
him an ancient
cross for a treat, To remind him how his Lord had died, Upon that cross He
was crucified.
The
keeper of the gate then did show, A narrow path that few could go,
Straight to the city with the golden gates, Where One
man had already
paid the rates.
Along that track disciple strove, Past temptations that only goodness
knows,
Like Lions in chains and Giant Despair, Who trapped him for
sometime in his lair.
A Faithful friend did join our
man, Until a Kangaroo Court cut short
his span, Of three score years he did not see, This "Vanity Fair' is no
place
for you or me.
On from here with a lot of Hope, Disciple stumbled over tradition and
pope, And though he passed
through death's dark vale, He needed neither
smoke nor ale.
At resting places he was received, Because by faith
he had steadily
believed. That God above sent forth his Son, And salvation was with this
Holy One.
Finally
crawling to the Jordan's banks, Disciple kneels and gives all
thanks, Before passing through those waters wide, To milk
and honey on
the other side.
Now he walks with the shineing ones, On golden streets where life's
river runs,
And speaks each day with that land's King, About who next will
homage bring.
Now an an addition to his story About
the time he was received in
Glory, Disciplette, her heart filled with remorse, Set her life on a brand
new course.
To
follow husband she did declare, Would be her vow from year to year,
And off along that slippery track, She and children
set off in weeds of
black.
Evangelist along with Mercy's smile, Showed her a way across a stile,
That kept
her safe from the murky pond, Of which Disciple had not been
fond.
Now shaking feebly passed devil's cur, She manages
to bring gatekeeper
to a stir, To let her start upon that way, That reaches heaven on that
final day.
Helped
by the Great Heart of her guide, She advanced quickly towards
the other side, While her boys were left in marriage, Disciplette
road
home in Elijah's carriage.
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