Entry #45: Sermons We See

I was inspired by my niece, Jennifer, to post a new entry. Has anyone heard this poem? If so (or if not), what do you think of it? I thought it was worthy of all acceptation:

SERMONS WE SEE (by Edgar A. Guest)  

I’d rather see a sermon than to hear one any day;

I’d rather one should walk with me than merely tell the way.

The eye’s a better pupil and more willing than the ear;

Fine council is confusing, but example’s always clear;

And the best of all the preachers are the men who live their creeds,

For to see good put in action is what everybody needs.
 

I soon can learn to do it if you’ll let me see it done;

I can watch your hands in action, but your tongue too fast may run.

And the lecture you deliver may be very wise and true;

But I’d rather get my lessons by observing what you do.

For I might misunderstand you and the high advice you give,

But there’s no misunderstanding how you act and how you live.
 

When I see a deed of kindness, I am eager to be kind.

When a weaker brother stumbles and a strong man stays behind

Just to see if he can help him, then the wish grows strong in me,

To become as big and thoughtful as I know that I can be.

And all the travelers can witness that the best of guides today

Is not the one who tells you, but the one who shows the way.
 

One good man teaches many, men believe what they behold;

One deed of kindness noticed is worth forty that are told.

Who stands with men of honor learns to hold his honor dear,

For right living speaks a language which to everyone is clear.

Though an able speaker charms me with his eloquence, I say,

I’d rather see a sermon than to hear one, any day.

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
 – Matthew 5:16

Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men: Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.
– II Corinthians 3:2-3 

Entry #44: Better Make Mention of THIS WOMAN

Here is a good but sobering poem about the woman in the Bible and the alabaster box of ointment. I thought that not only the poem but THIS WOMAN and HER HUMILITY were worthy of mention:

She anointed Him with spikenard.
His feet she washed with tears.
She knelt before Him, broken,
‘Til He allayed her fears.

“What a waste of costly ointment!”
The disciple judged and said.
Nay! What she did, she did in love,
Remember when I’m dead.

For I shall rise again, dear friends,
And I shall conquer death.
But this is for my burial,
And done while I have breath.

My feet she washed with tears
And she wiped them with her hair.
What she did will be related
With the Gospel everywhere!

Now many Christians suffered
At the hands of wicked men,
With agonies unspeakable
Why should it be so, then,

That this woman who did cry
And wash our dear Lord’s feet
Should be spoken of so widely?
Is this not indiscreet?

Here then is that great secret
Of the alabaster box.
(And what a revelation
That one small key unlocks.)

The King sat at the table,
The Song of Solomon said.
His bride caused smell of spikenard
To rise there while He fed.

And Christ the Lord, He sat at meat
In that poor leper’s house.
The woman humbled at His feet,
In figure, was His spouse.

The parallel is clear at once,
The shadow we can see.
The bride of our Lord Jesus Christ
Is none but you and me.

The sober lesson we must learn
In parallel complete;
Through humility we become the bride,
By crying at His feet.

Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her.
- Matthew 26:13

By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honour, and life.
- Proverbs 22:4

Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
- I Peter 5:5

He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.
 - Psalm 126:6

Entry #43: The Choice of the Lord?

I am glad I know the author of the best book in the world, the Bible. It is God himself who used men to pen His thoughts. Some of the best poems I’ve seen, however, with the exception of some wondrous poems by family members, have been written by unknown authors. This particular poem, though I know neither the author nor the title of the poem is one of those wondrous poems, in my estimation. I do believe, however, that God knows the author (and that’s the important thing, isn’t it?). If I could name this poem, though, I might name it: “The Choice of the Lord.” See what you think of this:

I may never see tomorrow;
There’s no written guarantee,
And things that happened yesterday,
Belong to history.

I cannot predict the future,
I cannot change the past,
I have just the present moment,
I must treat it as my last.

I must use this moment wisely,
For it soon will pass away,
And be lost to me forever,
As part of yesterday.

I must exercise compassion,
Help the fallen to their feet,
Be a friend unto the friendless,
Make an empty life complete.

The unkind things I do today,
May never be undone,
And friendships that I fail to win,
May nevermore be won.

I may not have another chance,
On bended knee to pray,
And thank God with humble heart,
For giving me this day. 

Life without purpose is barren indeed.
There can’t be a harvest unless you plant seed.
There can’t be attainment unless there’s a goal.
And man’s but a robot unless there’s a soul.

If we send no ships out,
No ships will come in,
And unless there’s a contest,
Nobody can win.

For games can’t be won,
Unless they are played,
And prayers can’t be answered,
Unless they are prayed.

So whatever is wrong with your life today,
You’ll find a solution if you kneel down and pray.
Not just for pleasure, enjoyment and health,
Not just for honors and prestige and wealth.

But pray for a purpose to make life worth living,
And pray for the joy of unselfish giving.
For great is your gladness and rich your reward,
When you make your life’s purpose the choice of the Lord. 

- Author Unknown

Entry #42: Prayer of a Sportsman

Have you ever heard the expression, “It’s not whether you win or lose, it’s how you play the game.”? I tend to be competitive (hopefully in a good way), especially when I think about running in this Christian race (endeavoring always to do better at something than previously done, striving to do what is right, striving against sin). Perhaps the biggest part of our striving “to win” should be in playing the game FAIRLY. I liked this poem that brings out this thought. See what you think:

Prayer of a Sportsman

Dear Lord, in the battle that goes on through life
I ask but a field that is fair,
A chance that is equal with all in the strife,
A courage to strive and to dare;

And if I should win, let it be by the code
With my faith and my honor held high;
And if I should lose, let me stand by the road,
And cheer as the winners go by.

And Lord, may my shouts be ungrudging and clear,
A tribute that comes from the heart,
And let me not cherish a snarl or a sneer
Or play any sniveling part;

Let me say, “There they ride, on whom laurel’s bestowed
Since they played the game better than I.”
Let me stand with a smile by the side of the road,
And cheer as the winners go by.

So grant me to conquer, if conquer I can,
By proving my worth in the fray,
But teach me to lose like a regular man,
And not like a craven, I pray;

Let me take off my hat to the warriors who strode
To victory splendid and high,
Yea, teach me to stand by the side of the road
And cheer as the winners go by.

-Berton Braley

And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully.
- II Timothy 2:5 

Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.
- Daniel 6:3

Entry #41: Take Up Thy Cross

I came across this poem and thought I’d use it as my entry #41. See what you think:

Take up Thy Cross

Take up thy cross, the Saviour said,
If thou wouldst My disciple be;
Deny thyself, the world forsake,
And humbly follow after Me.

Take up thy cross; let not its weight
Fill thy weak soul with vain alarm;
His strength shall bear thy spirit up,
And brace thy heart, and nerve thine arm.

Take up thy cross, nor heed the shame,
Nor let thy foolish pride rebel;
The Lord for thee the cross endured
To save thy soul from death and hell.

Take up thy cross, then, in His strength,
And calmly every danger brave;
‘Twill guide thee to a better home,
And lead to victory o’er the grave.

Take up thy cross, and follow Christ,
Nor think till death to lay it down;
For only he who bears the cross
May hope to wear the glorious crown.               

—Charles William Everest

And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

- Mark 8:34

For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

- Romans 8:18

Entry #40: When You Stand Before The Lord

I came across this poem as I was thinking of a theme for the new year, something I could share with others who might read this blog entry. I thought of blessings and benefits the Lord has granted me this past year and wondered if I should write of those. I thought of some victories of the past months, some prayers answered. I thought of family and friends. I am grateful for all of this, but my heart remains burdened for those who are “without,” who may not know the way, who are caught up in “worldly things,” who are unaware (whether willfully or not) of salvation, God’s love, the gospel message, the sacrifice of Calvary, the triumph of the resurrection, THE HOPE OF THE CHRISTIAN!! This poem is introspective, and I hope that it may cause the reader to “ponder the paths of thy feet” (see Proverbs 4:26), that one may know that TODAY is the day of salvation—the day for ONE AND ALL to take time to walk with Him, to take the proper steps to being saved from sin—which are repentance, baptism in Jesus name, and the receiving of the gift of the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in another (unlearned) tongue as the Spirit of God gives the utterance. This is our entrance into the kingdom of God and the chance to have our names written in the Lamb’s book of life!

When You Stand Before The Lord

The day will soon be coming
To stand before the Lord
God will hold the Book of Life
Where all the names are stored.

Look into the Saviour’s face
Stand on holy ground
Kneel before the King of Kings
Pray your name is found.

The time is nigh, it’s drawing near
Tis’ closer than you think
Eternal life with God above
You’ll either rise or sink.

God doesn’t care ‘bout bank accounts
Or gems of pearl and jade
Your style of home, the car you drive
The money that you’ve made.

He’s not concerned with age or height
The color of your hair
The number of the friends you have
The brand of clothes you wear.

He’ll ask you if you spoke His name
Thought of Him each day
Knew He gave His life for you
Took the time to pray.

He’ll know about your closest friends
About the books you’ve read
The kind of thoughts that fill your mind
On what your spirit fed.

He’ll take a look inside your soul
He’ll go beyond your pride
Your sins will be as crimson red
There’s nothing you can hide.

For once you’ve stood before the Lord
He’ll see through every crack
And if you were to die today
There is no turning back.

You’ll gaze into His crystal eyes
He knows the things you did
There’s nothing you can keep from Him
Your secret thoughts aren’t hid.

So before you meet the Lord
Take time to make it right
Start by getting on your knees
Kneel down to Him tonight.

Get rid of all your worldly ways
They’ll just lead you astray
Find time to walk with Jesus
The Truth, the Light, the Way.

I’m telling you, it’s not too late
God’s waiting up above
To add you to His Book of Life
In Heaven up above.

When life on earth is over
He’ll take one final look
When the roll is called up yonder
Will your name be in “The Book?”

- Marilyn Ferguson 

And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. – Revelation 13:8 

And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither [whatsoever] worketh abomination, or [maketh] a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life. - Revelation 21:27.

Entry #39: What 3 Wise Men?

Christmas cards often depict 3 wise men coming to Bethlehem to seek the child born who was to be Governor and rule God’s people Israel. However, surprising as it may be to some, the Bible never tells the number of wise men who went searching for the child. Perhaps it was the 3 gifts (which the Bible DOES mention—gold, frankincense, and myrrh) the wise men offered that lead some to believe it was also 3 wise men. Regardless of how many wise men came from the east, it was perhaps the 3 gifts themselves that were significant and symbolized some pretty profound and prophetic things. Here’s a poem I found, liked, and thought I’d share. It’s short, but you have to read it “with attention,” I feel, to understand its meaning. See what you think. Hope to hear your comments.

Gold and frankincense and myrrh,
Lord, they brought to Thee;
And myrrh was death, and incense prayer,
And gold was victory.
But first is last, as last was first;
The myrrh they gave Thee in Thy thirst
Upon the tree.

And through the solemn centuries
The prayers of saints have risen
From hearth and chancel, crypt and tomb,
From pyre, and from prison.

Now never was the mystic power
Of the gold fulfilled;
Yet draweth on the mighty hour
By the Father willed
When every knee shall bow to Thee
Who on the cross was lift,
And every tongue acclaim Thee king;
This is the golden gift. 

“Three Gifts” by Edward Judson Hanna

Entry #38: Especially For Jen

My niece, Jennifer (who incidentally just turned 16 and had her first behind-the-wheel driving lesson the other day) INSISTED that I FINALLY do another post. I’d planned to do a Thanksgiving post (which I did in Entry #37 before this one), but this post is in dedication to Jen. Hope she will get a laugh at the end, though she may have seen this before:

Dear God

So far today I have done all right.
I haven’t gossiped.
I haven’t lost my temper.
I haven’t been greedy, grumpy,
nasty, selfish or overindulgent.

I am very thankful for that!

But in a few minutes, Lord,
I am going to get out of this bed,
And from then on,
I’m probably going to need a lot more help.

Entry #37: Special Christian THANKSGIVING Alphabet

Here’s something I came across by an unknown author. It’s what I call a special THANKSGIVING alphabet. See what you think: 

Christian Thanksgiving Alphabet

A lthough things are not perfect
B ecause of trial or pain
C ontinue in Thanksgiving
D o not begin to blame
E ven when the times are hard
F ierce winds are bound to blow
G od is forever able
H old on to what you know
I magine life without His love
J oy would cease to be
K eep thanking Him for all the things
L ove imparts to thee
M ove out of “Camp Complaining”
N o weapon that is known
O n earth can yield power
P raise can do alone
Q uit looking at the future
R edeem the time at hand
S tart every day with worship
T o thank is a command
U ntil we see him coming
V ictorious in the sky
W e’ll run the race with gratitude
X alting God’s Most High
Y es, there will be good times, and yes some will be bad, but…
Z ion waits in glory…where none are ever sad.

Author Unknown

Entry #36: Receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost

When we repent of sin, we identify with Christ in his death (a kind of death to self, death to our own will, wants, and desires).

When we are baptized in Jesus name, we identify with Christ in his burial. We are buried with him in baptism.

When we receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, we identify with Christ in His resurrection. We rise to walk in newness of life.

 

10 Keys—to receiving the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking with other tongues:

  1. Know—it is the will of God for you to receive the Spirit according to the Scriptures!  I John 7:38-39

  2. Repent —by determining to turn from sin to God. Then be baptized in the name of Jesus! Acts 2:36–39

  3. Obey —the Word of God with a willing heart as it is revealed to you day by day! Acts 5:32

  4. Ask —for the Holy Spirit, trusting God will give something good, not something evil! Luke 11:9–13

  5. Pray—earnestly, believing you will receive this glorious gift you desire from God! Mark 11:24

  6. Allow —others to pray with you, exercising the practice of “laying on of hands!’ Acts 19:1–6

  7. Praise—the Lord with all your heart for the promise of His presence in your life! Luke 24:49–53

  8. Believe —you will receive the promise. You cannot earn it by doing good works! Galatians 3:2,11,14

  9. Expect —the Spirit to fall any time, especially when the Word of God is preached! Acts 10:44–48

10. Speak —boldly whatever language the Spirit miraculously imparts! Acts 2:4

“And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” Acts 2:4

The baptism of the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking with other tongues is a thrilling Bible experience!