THEORY–SMEARY!
–
We humans love theories,
Arguing over trite queries…
Salvation needs
Done by deeds,
Debaters would whip up furies!
–
Some adhere to total free will,
Or God has us planned to the hilt…
Clever ruses
Debating who chooses,
Causing the hopeful to wilt.
–
Whether its God or you.
We still have a choice to do…
Come now decide
With God abide,
Or are you stuck in glue?
–
–Jonathan Caswell
THE LORD CLEANED MY COMPUTER
(or arranged it!)
–
To say that God cleaned it
Is to say He arranged the act…
There is no doubt that without His clout
I once again would have been smacked.
–
The on-line guy never called back
So I was left in the lurch…
I asked Pastor for prayer and
He and others prayed right in church.
–
My neighbor introduced me to the man who
Had been fixing computers a while…
He didn’t upload what I wanted,
But left me with a smile.
–
He did as he’d normally done,
Cleaned and set things up right…
So now I’m safer with protection besides
And the cost was much less of a fright!
–
The Lord in His mercy sent someone along,
Of that I am entirely convinced…
If I had gone with my original plan,
The bank account would have winced!
–
–Jonathan Caswell
–
THIS ISN’T POETRY…?
I read the New Testament Bible book of “JUDE”, this AM. Jude was, according to most scholars–or tradition, whichever you wish t follow–the brother of James, the brother of Jesus Christ our (and his) Lord.
–
What do you do when you are third down the list of importance in your family and you have sisters–trust my observations on this–and someone encourages you to “write something?”
–
I’ve never experienced this–having no sisters and was the sickly baby in our family of two brothers and Mom and Dad–but think about it. Technically Jude was 3rd in command, behind James and Joses (see the Gospel of Mark, Chapter 6, verses 2 through 3). Why wasn’t Joses (or Joseph–the second brother) asked to write something? The old tale about the middle brother or sister being “forgotten?”…I wouldn’t know! 🙂
–
So Jude ( the baby in the line of brothers–maybe this makes more sense to me after all!) is asked to write SOMETHING for his fellow believers of our Lord and his Elder Half-Brother. What can he say?
–
Notice how this simple (?) guy, once he gets going, latches onto the most important point in the life of the Body of Christ…then and now: false teachers among God’s flock. Jude, maybe with some coaching (I needed some) combines what he knows with Hebrew tradition (such as the quote of Enoch…otherwise not in the Bible…and the arch-angel Michael disputing over the body of Moses) to make his point:
–
False teachers are no good and they’ll ruin the witness of the Church and corrupt individual believers to satisfy their own lusts and hunger. Their fruit, such as it is, comes from the pit of hell and they’ll just as soon drag whomever they can in with them as look at you!
–
Good job Jude…you’ve hit it on the head for all of us!
–Jonathan Caswell–second son of my own earthly family…
and unworthy servant of the Lord Jesus Christ.
WHY EVEN MENTION IT?
He saw it happening again,
Desiring more than a friend…
Resisting that pull
To pull the wool
Over his eyes and pretend.
–
At least once a year he goes,
into these attraction throes…
Always one-way
He dare not stay
Too close to a prospective rose.
–
Happens so often he
Knows eventually…
The “old nature”
Legislature
Votes for a juicy affaire!
–
“Resistance is futile,” some say,
But rather just walk away…
Run if you must
From growing lust,
Be true to your beloved night and day.
–Jonathan Caswell
(christianity.com)
DUE DILIGENCE
John Hagee preached on diligence,*
Today I’m apt to agree…
I lost my ride, am staying inside
The word fits today to a “T”.
–
It feels like I have to scramble
And we aren’t referring to eggs…
Pesky details when insurance fails
Have given my effort new legs!
–
I’m praying a social worker
Perhaps will take pity on me…
Running to help my feeble yelp
And doing so diligently!
==Jonathan Caswell
* Hagee…check out http://www.jhm.org
HIS SPIRIT POURED OUT
Praise God for Deborah Grey,
She’d been too long away…
Her phone call
Blesses us all
So thankful for God’s display.
–
We hadn’t spoken for months,
My wife did write her once…
Told her my story,
To God be glory,
He uses this spiritual dunce.
–
Knowing the truth made her laugh
WITH ME and on my behalf…
It’s joyful knowing
No one I’m snowing
Nor subject to judgmental wrath!
–
We talked for nearly an hour,
A wonderful cleansing shower…
This sister close
Deliberately chose
In us to His sweet Spirit pour!
–Jonathan Caswell
ROLE REVERSALS–NO PROBLEM!
Caretaker of his wife, he was
Until amputation thus…
Found care of him
Under her whim,
His ego matured for the cause.
–
Their life in Christ was in being,
Through His love seeing…
Encouraging souls
Ultimate goals,
Whom they were was in Him succeeding.
–
Success not a matter of role,
But God’s encouraging the whole…
Definition by deed
It was Christ’s to succeed,
While His children with Him are clothed.
–
Working this through mortal frames
Is but one of Spiritual aims…
To work His will
Whether healthy or ill,
In Godly mercy and love Christ came.
–
Who thus the greater be,
But Christ, Who lives in me…
We are man and wife,
Ransomed for life–
Father God as Daddy!
–Jonathan Caswell
THEOLOGY KOOL-AID
An Andrew Womack reminder:
Churches often wear blinders…
To simple grace,
Preferring to face
Works-based idols unkinder.
–
Most misunderstand the Law,
Considering relative flaw…
Is able to see
Immortality,
Alas…an old pagan saw.
–
The Law pointed to perfection,
Beyond mere mortal conception…
That only one*
Has ever done
Fulfillment upon close inspection.
–Jonathan Caswell
* only one…that is, Jesus Christ…our substitute.
IS HE DEAD?
Discovered my laptop’s webcam,
And saw what I really am…
Flaky skin tired,
Half-cylinder-fired–
hardly the once-handsome man.
–
Eyes half-closed in sleep,
Evidence of age creep…
Spark within
Needs a little wind
Fanning the flame a heap!
–Jonathan Caswell
T.-G.-I.-S.-! *
T-G
-I-S,
Corporate worship
We address…
As the temples
Of the Lord
Together
Faith restored.
–
T-G
-I-S,
You must greet
Our Special Guest…
God the Father
Comes to you
In scripture
And worship too!
–
T-G
-I-S,
Corporately
God’s love addressed…
Come before
God’s holy throne:
Accept His mercy
For your own!
–
T-G
-I-S,
Clothed with peace
And righteousness…
Gather together
As if one,
Waiting for
God’s own Son!
–Jonathan Caswell
* T.-G.-I,-S….”Thank God For Saturday or Sunday…when we may worship the Lord Most High! :0)
By the Mighty Mumford 