Month: August 2020

WHEN CLOUDS FURROW YOUR BROW

WHEN CLOUDS FURROW YOUR BROW

When dark clouds crease your brow in your life’s path,
Lessen not your pace walking in the dark,
Shadow’s gloom may cover your face awhile,
Heaven’s Son that made them has watching smile,
Hidden from downcast eyes of transfixed gaze.

Sun’s rays make silver linings in cloud’s maze,
No matter your waiting for rendezvous,
Pain endures the soul for a night! It’s true!
But in the morn’ comes joy’s radiant sight!
Soon ‘twill be dawning day of hope and light,

Then your own woe will not long be your plight,
Your knees may be feeble, hands hung not right,
But grace will lift them! Soon will go the frown.
He makes straightened paths for your feet’s new sound.
Lame steps once cowered in grief, He makes bound;

Once a flagging dawdler, now leaps on ground,
Former hapless walk becomes a quicker stride,
Vim’s vigour born on hope’s rising tide.
“Laugh at impossibility!” faith cried.
The fading night of darkness has belied:-

Righteous faith, stark, leaping grace from on high.
Where is your flight carrying sparks of light?
Youth renewed, mounting up in eagle-flight?
Will-o-the-wisp has gone; true glow leads on:
The Lord has taken your hand with a song.
John David 2020

WHEN CLOUDS FURROW YOUR BROW

Ten of Christ’s Commandments

Ten of Christ’s Commandments
These were given to the eleven apostles over forty days.
1. Do not leave Jerusalem. (Acts 1:4a)
2. Wait in Jerusalem for the promise of the Father. (Acts 1:4b)
3. Tarry in prayer at Jerusalem. (Luke 24:49)
4. Be my witnesses from Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the regions beyond. (Acts 1:8)
5. Preach repentance and remission of sins. (Luke 24:47)
6. Feed my sheep; feed my sheep, and feed my sheep. (John 21:17)
7. Go! As my Father sent me, so I send you. (John 20:21)
8. Be baptized with the Holy Ghost. (Acts 1:5)
9. Do not be looking up for heaven’s phenomena. (Acts 1:11)
10. Do not try to know dispensations of future times. (Acts 1:7)
Nine were given to the apostles in Judea near or a little distant from Jerusalem on the day of resurrection and the day of ascension from Jerusalem’s nearby Mount of Olives at the Sea of Tiberias.

Ten of Christ’s Commandments

LOST CAPTIVE UNDONE.

LOST CAPTIVE UNDONE.
Oh, the shackles cramping both my legs in this heat;
My heavy hands hang down, utter total defeat.
My head is bent eyeing their bonds with a stiff neck;
Where are the wise who’ve done no wrong; without defect?

Let them learn from my cries, dead in sins I had vent;
Life was half gone before it dawned I was hell-bent.
God’s finger of Law lit my soul and showed my fate,
When I learned my state, reading commands far too late.

In rebel’s room with no way out, locked and no relief
Beyond belief, when I found that I’m sinners’ chief.
My, oh my! What a plight, condemned and out of sight!
To whom shall I appeal? Is there proof I’m not right?

Surely I’m not that bad; some goodness must avail.
He’ll balance me up, weigh the scales if justice fails.
Then when I appear before the judge, I’ll not fudge.
I’m the man, O Lord, I admit I did misjudge.

But at last, I’ve come to my senses; I can’t succeed!
Pardon is my only hope! To whom shall I plead?
Against the laws that indict my offence
To a just judge, this would not be right. Oh, I’m dense!

Who is this that hearkens my call, coat stained with red?
His voice in the wind calls: “I’ve borne your sin instead
I’ve been bleeding, but how can I help you the best?”
Lord, save my soul from this body’s death; this my quest.

“Come follow me to my tree! Find a sight to see,
Where my burst heart’s water paid penalty for thee
My blood was shed to wash your sins, to blot them out!
I ransomed you to break your iron chains apart.”

John David

John 19:34
But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water.
1 John 5:6.
This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood..
1 John 5:8
And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood..
*1Titus 3:5-
according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost..
*1 Corinthians 12:13
For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body…and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
*Ephesians 4:5
One Lord, one faith, one baptism…
*Ephesians 5:26
That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word..

*The sole baptism required for regeneration. To hope in others for it brings damnable false hope.
Poem: John David
Scriptures quoted from King James Version of the Bible (Public Domain)

LOST CAPTIVE UNDONE.

DAILY BATTLE OF THE SAINT (1)

THE DAILY BATTLE OF THE SAINT (James 5:16)
We need transparency and each other’s prayers.

Here are some thoughts from Scripture that may be helpful in reminding us of the cycle of temptation lest we let these things slip. (Hebrews 2:1)

James says that our own inner lust of body members can tempt us. Jesus agrees with James by his description of the inner recesses of the human heart and its capacity for evil, if left to itself. Jeremiah says that the heart is deceitful and desperately wicked. (James 1:14-15; Jeremiah 29:13)

After a sinner repents, believes, and has the washing of regeneration by the water of the Word and renewal of the Holy Ghost, the ‘old man’ and his deeds are banished and buried. But despite the indwelling Spirit of Christ in the saint, there remains another force within that opposes the Spirit. It is called the flesh. It will be his bane until the redemption of his body when he is promoted to glory. It will need to be constantly mortified and resisted if the believer is to walk in the Spirit and live in its direction.
(Galatians 5:17; Romans 6:6; Romans 6:6.)

The joyous newborn lamb, free of condemnation and at peace, will be soon tempted, as will the mature sheep of the fold. Too often Satan is seen as responsible for temptation, or his demons that wage warfare against the saints. But before he can do his work the believer must neglect his armour (Ephesians 6) and forget to put off the motions of the flesh in his members.
(Romans 7:18; 7:22-23; Ephesians 4:22)

Suggested catalysts hereunder are those that determine whether or not we succumb or resist the temptations by the flesh. When we succumb it can give an opportunity for the roaring lion to set in motion a chain of events unless we quickly have a penitent attitude of confession for cleansing & reconciliation to our Abba Father and the indwelling Spirit which was grieved. (1 John 1:6-10; James 5:16)

Determinants and/or catalysts to the saint’s response to temptation.
1. Ignoring or admitting that the flesh is the antagonist of the indwelling Spirit
2. The individual’s besetting sin admitted or excused
3. The motions of the flesh in the body admitted or excused
4. Doubt & self-condemnation from self-pity or the reigning assurance thru walking in the light.
5. Inherited family traits: recognized or ignored.
6. Personality flaws and foibles: admitted or denied.
Bible References.
Falling: Proverbs 24:16;
Temptation: James 1:2; 1:12;
Common temptations: 1 Corinthians 10:13.

DAILY BATTLE OF THE SAINT (1)