⁴⁵ Then came the officers to the chief priests and Pharisees; and they said unto them, Why have ye not brought him? ⁴⁶ The officers answered, Never man spake like this man.

John 7:45-46 KJV

~~~~~~~~~~~

NOT LIKE THIS MAN

The guards who went to capture Christ that day

Would never be prepared for what they heard.

The things they heard that Jesus came to say

Compelled their hearts and minds to both be stirred.

Not any of the prophets spoke this way

With such authority and truth were graced.

Twas as if God Himself each word did weigh.

The very air itself His words embraced!

Not one of all the guards their charge obey,

For Jesus had not reached His fullness yet.

Perhaps their feet and hands did then betray;

Perhaps they drank from thirst and mercy met.

No man had ever spoken like this Man.

Thank God we…

Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.

Hebrews 10:38 KJV

~~~~~~~~~~~

LIVE BY FAITH

Obedience to Christ is lived by faith,

A sober and regenerating love.

A child of God is not some flimsy wraith

Who always doubts salvation from above.

When justified, the saved will turn to Christ,

As natural as flowers turn to light.

Redemption’s not a treat that thinly sliced,

It’s paid for at the cross in full, outright.

If any man draw back from fear or shame,

To shrink away completely from belief,

Or think that righteousness is his to claim,

Perdition will be his with no relief.

Go boldly now in Christ with confidence;

Have faith in Jesus – He’s deliverance.

For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath.

Mark 4:25 KJV

~~~~~~~~~~~

THE HAVES AND HAVE–NOTS

The light of Christ distinctly shines from you,

And as He grows within it will shine more.

The means of grace and knowledge blessed to few

In time shall be much richer than before.

And O! the love that burns within your soul

Increases til that’s all you will become,

But those that lack the fire true and whole

Will smolder, growing colder, then succumb.

Like Judas they may seem at first one saved,

Yet one day be revealed for their facade.

They’re kind upon the surface, well behaved,

But with no real salvation just a fraud.

To those that have is given more and more;

To those that don’t there’s no accounting for.