Though all my wealth be filched by criminals,

My life be threatened by a killer’s sword;

Though I be chained against a pirate’s hulls,

I will rejoice in Jesus as my Lord.

Though famine strikes my crop from year to year,

My business looted by a passing horde;

Though all my friends start treating me severe,

I will rejoice in Jesus as my Lord.

Though pain may wrack my body night and day,

My reputation ruined, my face abhorred;

Though cancer eats my skin and bones away,

I will rejoice in Jesus as my Lord.

The God of my salvation will I praise!

He set me free and set my heart ablaze!

~~~~~~~~~~~

Yet I will rejoice in the LORD,

I will joy in the God of my salvation.

Habakkuk 3:18 KJV

Let not the fear of men hold back your tongue

When telling of your Savior, Christ the King.

The world’s not like your church where hynms are sung;

Its look is harsh, its words like bees will sting.

Be not afraid, but speak both bold and true;

With Jesus by your side He’ll see you through,

And even if they hold a knife to you,

With your last breath forgive them what they do.

Within a crowd there will be one to save,

But if you don’t speak up they may not hear.

The world may put your body in the grave;

The gospel, though, will never disappear.

Though Satan’s at your door and you feel weak,

The Savior’s here with you – stand up and speak!

~~~~~~~~~~~

Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision,

Be not afraid, but speak,

and hold not thy peace

To follow Jesus, be prepared to die,

And more than that, to suffer pain and hate,

To see both wealth and health then pass you by,

To live with disrespect from small and great.

You can’t come after Christ and think of you;

Both prayer and service must fill up your day,

And don’t just say you will, but see it through.

You can’t walk halfway there; go all the way.

If you think taking up your cross is less,

Then you must think that Jesus compromised.

When God says ‘Follow Me,’ don’t second guess;

Take up your cross and don’t look so surprised.

Remember in whose steps you’re following;

To have your fill of love, start swallowing.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Then said Jesus unto his disciples,

If any man will come after me,

let him deny himself,

and take up his cross,

and follow me.

Matthew 16:24 KJV

An angry disposition is unwise;

It’s easy to achieve and hard to lose,

And always seems to linger in disguise

To take away the feelings you might choose.

If you are quick to anger learn to pray,

For something boils within and won’t let go,

And if you bare your soul to God today

You’ll get the aid you need to make wrath slow.

The Lord may lead you to a wiser friend

Who listens with a heart that’s God inclined;

Perhaps a counselor to help you mend,

To find the root of rage that’s had you blind.

If you stay angry, take it to the Lord;

His love will heal you and get peace restored.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry:

for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.

Ecclesiastes 7:9 KJV

Before the world, our Savior was the Word;

Both God and with God, Logos was and is,

Who with His voice the new born heavens stirred,

And all creation rightfully is His.

We cannot scarce imagine this at all,

But God Himself came down and walked the earth,

To save us from the curse of Adam’s fall;

The Word as flesh was perfect from His birth.

How wonderful that God did love us SO

That He BE-came a man, this Word divine!

He sacrificed Himself so all would know

Just how to be the branch with He the vine.

Now, in the first beginning was the Word.

With God and God Himself, the Word is heard.

~~~~~~~~~~~

In the beginning was the Word,

and the Word was with God,

and the Word was God.

John 1:1 KJV

My Savior lives! Yes, my Redeemer lives!

You can’t deny it when He touches you!

Reach out to Jesus; He your sin forgives!
Each day you walk with Him you’ll know it’s true!
Descended from our Father Christ became
Equipped to be a servant unto death.
Embrace the Savior now – He knows your name.
Make Jesus your Redeemer with your breath.
E‘en though the worms may feast upon your flesh,
Rejoice! You will be resurrected soon.

Live now for Christ; when He returns afresh
In glory, you’ll arise and then commune!
Victorious in Jesus, have no fear!
Escape the bonds of death, your Savior’s here!
Surrender all to Him right now, my dear.

            ~~~~~~~~~~~

²⁵ For I know that my redeemer liveth,

and that he shall stand at the latterday upon the earth:

²⁶ And though after my skin worms destroy this body,

The bird is God’s creative form of flight,

Designed to sail the wind and walk the Earth.

It must still give the Lord such great delight;

The Cardinal’s red, the Kookaburra’s mirth.

No matter what their species, they find food

By piercing wood or digging in the ground,

And they don’t seem to worry for their brood,

For God supplies their sustenance year round.

Are we not so much better than the bird?

For we don’t think God will provide or try.

Trust Him for all the needs that you’ve incurred.

You are, my friend, the apple of His eye.

God notices the tiny sparrow fall.

Be still and know He’s giving you His all.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Behold the fowls of the air:

for they sow not,

neither do they reap,

nor gather into barns;

yet your heavenly Father feedeth them.

Are ye not much better than they?

Matthew 6:26 KJV

The universe we see with mortal eyes

Will not endure the patient tick of time.

The sun and stars are physical and dies;

An end will come to that which once was prime.

But we are not concerned with passing things;

The eyes we use were given us through Grace.

Our vision’s fixed instead on what faith brings;

Invisible to all in time and space.

Sublime and precious are the things we see

With hearts attuned to love straight from its source.

We know the empty tomb that set us free

Is more than just your average tour de force.

The Spirit shows eternity to those

Who died with Christ and from the cross arose.

~~~~~~~~~~~

We look not at the things which are seen,

but at the things which are not seen:

for the things which are seen are temporal;

but the things which are not seen are eternal.

2 Corinthians 4:18 KJV

Have faith in Christ to move you through your day,

For you will go as lambs amongst the wolves.

You may think you are safe in all your ways,

But suddenly you’re under Satan’s hooves.

Yet as disciples of the living God

We’re sent to find the gems among the rough,

And where we go some angels fear to trod,

But we’ve been sent by Christ, and that’s enough.

Dear kin in Jesus, do not be afraid;

No matter what, you’re safely in His heart.

Don’t worry what to do against the blade;

He died for everyone, so do your part.

The wolves of hate and scorn are all around.

Be like the Lamb of God; let love abound

~~~~~~~~~~~

Behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves.

Luke 10:3 KJV

Be careful where you lay your weary head:

Contention makes the worst environment.

If it be church or work or even in your bed,

Diversion from the Lord leads to lament.

The corner of a roof is better than

A mansion wide where Satan has his way.

Discarded food within an old trash can

Is worthier than hate cooked steak all day.

Remember that you’ve got a job to do,

For God wants you to bring to Him the lost.

The Holy Spirit cannot breathe through you

If all that you inhale is foul exhaust.

A church would not endure a howling choir,

So do not tolerate another’s ire.

~~~~~~~~~~~

It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop,

than with a brawling woman in a wide house.

Proverbs 21:9 KJV