Jesus said He would return,
He told us in His Word.
Will you believe the Bible,
Or the fables you have heard?
2 Peter 1:16 For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.
The King of Glory, Jesus Christ, does not dwell in inanimate objects.
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Isaiah 44:20 … Is there not a lie in my right hand?
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THE LIE
The palm tree, lovely, regal, tall,
The sculpture, most beloved by all,
The chamber, made of finest gold,
Their beauty do our eyes behold.
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Majestic though they seem to be,
They cannot hear, nor can they see.
Inanimate, things not alive,
Is not where Jesus Christ abides.
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In bread and wine He won’t be found,
Although these teachings do abound.
The Serpent, as in days of old,
Deceives the many, scores untold.
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God’s Spirit dwells in man alone,
Not in an object made of stone,
Not in the lifeless things of earth,
But by His Spirit, the new birth.
Cathy White 2019 ©
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Psalm 115:
4 Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands.
5 They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not:
6 They have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not:
7 They have hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they walk not: neither speak they through their throat.
8They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusteth in them.
Isaiah 44:
9They that make a graven image are all of them vanity; and their delectable things shall not profit; and they are their own witnesses; they see not, nor know; that they may be ashamed. 10Who hath formed a god, or molten a graven image that is profitable for nothing? 11Behold, all his fellows shall be ashamed: and the workmen, they are of men: let them all be gathered together, let them stand up; yet they shall fear, and they shall be ashamed together.
12The smith with the tongs both worketh in the coals, and fashioneth it with hammers, and worketh it with the strength of his arms: yea, he is hungry, and his strength faileth: he drinketh no water, and is faint. 13The carpenter stretcheth out his rule; he marketh it out with a line; he fitteth it with planes, and he marketh it out with the compass, and maketh it after the figure of a man, according to the beauty of a man; that it may remain in the house. 14He heweth him down cedars, and taketh the cypress and the oak, which he strengtheneth for himself among the trees of the forest: he planteth an ash, and the rain doth nourish it. 15Then shall it be for a man to burn: for he will take thereof, and warm himself; yea, he kindleth it, and baketh bread; yea, he maketh a god, and worshippeth it; he maketh it a graven image, and falleth down thereto. 16He burneth part thereof in the fire; with part thereof he eateth flesh; he roasteth roast, and is satisfied: yea, he warmeth himself, and saith, Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire: 17And the residue thereof he maketh a god, even his graven image: he falleth down unto it, and worshippeth it, and prayeth unto it, and saith, Deliver me; for thou art my god.
18They have not known nor understood: for he hath shut their eyes, that they cannot see; and their hearts, that they cannot understand. 19And none considereth in his heart, neither is there knowledge nor understanding to say, I have burned part of it in the fire; yea, also I have baked bread upon the coals thereof; I have roasted flesh, and eaten it: and shall I make the residue thereof an abomination? shall I fall down to the stock of a tree? 20He feedeth on ashes: a deceived heart hath turned him aside, that he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand?
Just to be clear, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with singing Happy Birthday on any day of the week. But recently it was my birthday on the Lord’s day, and the Lord blessed me with this poem, a reflection of how I was feeling.
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MY BIRTHDAY POEM
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I’ld rather sing to Jesus,
Than you sing a song to me.
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It’s Him I want to honor,
Because He created me,
And blessed me with salvation,
I’ve been born again you see.
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Three score and ten a milestone,
Many years upon this earth,
But my true celebration,
Is the day of my new birth.
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So let us sing to Jesus,
Singing praises to His name,
Who saved me from damnation,
And a life of sin and shame.
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Let’s praise Him all together,
Tell the world what He has done.
He shed His blood for sinners,
Tell them all about God’s Son.
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I’ld rather sing to Jesus,
Than you sing a song to me.
Back in ninteen eighty eight,
My Lord Jesus set me free.
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Cathy White 2019
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Have a blessed Lord’s Day!
Years ago I had a desire to become involved in Vacation Bible School (VBS), so I asked the Lord to open a door for me to do so. The years passed and no opportunity came. I all but forgot my prayer until one day, years later, it came to mind again and I asked the Lord why He didn’t answer my prayer, because I thought it was a good prayer. I also told the Lord that I accepted His ways in my life, and that He knew best, even though I didn’t understand. It was at that point that my prayer was answered.
THE DELAY
Once upon a summertime past,
I talked to the Lord, and this I asked,
Remember my prayer for a VBS,
Lord, why did it never come to pass?
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A good prayer I thought, for the summer season,
But Lord I know you have a reason,
I will trust whatever comes from your hand,
But I must confess Lord, I don’t understand.
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A still small voice I heard in my spirit,
“Do it now” … I could hardly believe it!
The timing was perfect, this I now saw,
The children around me, the Lord would draw.
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I was so excited, all doubts were gone,
That very summer a VBS was born,
Neighborhood children, so many were they,
Gathered together they learned of God’s ways.
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The Bible was taught to these sweet little ones,
A beautiful work our God had begun,
They ate and they played, and sang many a song,
We had VBS for three summers long!
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The Lord hears all of the prayers we have prayed,
And in His great wisdom sometimes He delays,
To answer until the time is just right,
Giving us seasons of joy and delight!
Cathy White 2018 ©
The VBS lasted for three summers. The parents were very open to their children coming and some even asked if we would have another VBS when summer came around again the following year. I gave each parent a sheet of paper showing them what would be taught, and I asked them to sign a permission slip for their children to attend. I also asked the parents to list any food allergies their children had. (I used to work for a large church.) These were the children and families that I knew, and my grandchildren knew, from the neighborhood.
1 Corinthians 3:7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.
Delay is not denial…
John 11:14 Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.
The necessity of the new birth is a fact of life, a fact of Scripture, whether we believe the words of Jesus or not. Whether we are born again or not will determine our eternal destiny. There are many wonderful promises in the Bible, but “tomorrow” is not one of them. Time is short. Today is the day of salvation.
BORN AGAIN
Nicodemus was an old man
Who had some questions for the Lord
He saw His mighty miracles
And wanted to know more
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In the darkness, in the starlight
He made his inquiry
Hoping for some answers
To the signs that he had seen
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Surprised by the Lord’s answer
He said how can these things be
Be born again at my old age
Nicodemus could not see
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Yes, Nicodemus had some questions
He, an old man getting closer to the tomb
How could he be born a second time
Again, from his mother’s womb
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But Jesus was not talking
Of his flesh that soon would die
It was the Holy Spirit
That would give a man new life
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Except a man be born again
God’s kingdom he cannot see
Except a man be born again
In God’s heaven he will never be
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Jesus loved Nicodemus
Wanted salvation to bestow
Jesus loved Nicodemus
And He wanted him to know
Cathy White 2017
