Where Is Paradise?

 

 

Where O where is Paradise?

I’d really like to know,

 I know that it must exist

For the Bible tells me so.

 

I can’t but believe the Word

Especially the words of Christ,

Two inferences I therein see

As he spoke of paradise.

 

Luke 23:43

 

The first is found in Luke;

The second in the Revelation

And both of these I noticed

Connect with our salvation.

 

Revelation 2:7

 

The first is about the thief

That with Jesus was crucified,

The other is about the tree of life

That is in the midst of paradise.

 

1 Corinthians 12:4

 

There is a third reference

And this is attributed to Paul:

He was caught up into paradise

And in the Bible, these are all.

 

Some cite Abraham’s bosom

As recorded in Luke 16:

Verses 19 to 31

Paint a picture of this scene.

 

Much is read into this passage,

Much is generally implied

And when there is speculation

In such I won’t confide.

 

The rich man, it is explicit,

Was definitely in torment,

He wanted Abraham to send someone

To warn his brothers to repent.

 

So, not much going here

To explain about paradise,

It’s not Abraham’s bosom for sure:

This is not even implied.

 

 

 Jesus assured the thief,

On the day he was crucified

“Today thou shalt be with me”

And he ends, “in paradise.”

 

What that fully meant?

I surely do not know;

Jesus was buried that same day

Is what the Bible shows.

 

As a result, some conclude,

It’s a compartment in hades

Where the born-again believer goes

On the event of his demise.

 

There in spirit consciousness

He awaits the blessed resurrection

Which shall be on the last day

As recorded in Revelation.

 

“He that overcomes,” Jesus said,

“Will eat of the tree of life,”

And this tree, he continues,

Is in the midst of God’s paradise.

 

No hard and fast conclusion

As far as these references show

But if any of you has seen more

Please, I would like to know.

 

Stewart Russell © May 30, 2021

 

Lovingly not Grudgingly

 

 

Grudgingly is not lovingly

And an apology is not forced,

Both emerge from willing hearts

As a matter of course.

 

Whenever issues arise

As from time to time they will,

Keep a level head and calm spirit;

Let your heart be still.

 

Correct a brother in love

And let the love shine through,

Hostility and animosity, of course,

Will only block his view.

 

In disciplining a sister

Let love be clearly up front

So that the sister will never feel

You are on a witch hunt.

 

For none of us is perfect:

Neither the leader nor the led,

One often has to swallow one’s words

So be careful what is said.

 

 

Lovingly not grudgingly

Especially in the church,

Love is the optimal soothing balm

When a member hurts.

 

Live by the golden rule

As the Bible instructs to do

For a dispute is a golden opportunity

To let love shine through.

 

Love will mend a tear

But a grudge rents it wide,

And there could be serious fallout

When hostilities collide.

 

A grudge is like a sore

That will never ever heal

Unless of course, love intervenes

And with empathy we feel.

 

 

Grudgingly is not lovingly

And an apology is not forced,

Both emerge from willing hearts

As a matter of course.

 

Love and apologizing

Often go hand in hand,

In love we should accept apologies

For we are but man.

 

Prone to err like anyone else

And to do so repeatedly,

We must see ourselves in another

And respond accordingly.

 

Grudgingly is not lovingly

And an apology is not forced,

Both emerge from willing hearts

As a matter of course.

 

Stewart Russell © April 1, 2025

 

Because I Did You Can

 

 

“If I can do it

You can do it too”,

Fact or just a feeling?

What think you?

 

I have heard this

At least three or four times

And for the most part

It grabs my mind.

 

“If I can do it

You can do it too”,

And it does appear to me

It’s a popular view.

 

“If I can do it”

Speaks to the counsellor

While “you can do it too”

Refers to the doubter.

 

“If I can do it”

Says, I’ve been here before

But having triumphed then

I am here no more.

 

“You can do it too”

Says, as I have moved on,

You too can have the victory

And see a new day dawn.

 

But history has shown

This is not always the case

For we bring different skill sets

To the situations we face.

 

So, because one can do it

Does not mean another can

1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd are separate

From the also ran.

 

 

“All things being equal”

Will never be a fact

 Since there are inequalities

Within any given pack.

 

What enabled me to

May not be present in you

And so, because I did it,

Doesn’t mean you can too.

 

This is not a put down,

Only that we are different

And once we find our purpose,

It should be our intent.

 

To be who we are

And not try to be another,

Comparisons are necessary

But can be a bother.

 

Another person’s niche

Is not necessarily mine,

So, I must find my own niche,

And with it stay in line.

 

There is, however a sense

In which it can be true,

And this applies to life’s trials

Affecting me and you.

 

If I can recover from one

I believe so can you,

Especially if I come alongside

And walk along with you.

 

Stewart Russell © August 7, 2023

 

God Himself Our Pardon

 

 

 

God Himself

Became our pardon

And through His Son’s shed blood

We are forgiven.

 

‘Tis a mystery

We must all agree

And infinitely too wonderful

For any to see.

 

Three in one

As in the Divine Trinity:

The Father, Son and Holy Spirit

For you and me.

 

 

An infinite cost

To bring us salvation,

God, the sovereign facilitator,

Of our redemption.

 

In Jesus Christ

Drawing us to Himself

And in the Holy Spirit giving us

Spiritual health.

 

None good enough

To redeem human kind,

It took the Almighty Creator

To enter time.

 

Take heed

Therefore, unto yourselves,

And to all the flock

To feed the church of God

Which He hath purchased

With His own blood.

 

 

Whose blood?

God’s own blood

For none could pay sin’s price;

Only God could.

 

God our pardon

In his begotten Son

Gave Himself for His flock:

Every single one.

 

The church of God

Meaning to all the flock,

Purchased with God’s blood

Every single drop.

 

‘Tis a mystery

We must all agree

And infinitely too wonderful

For any to see.

 

But by faith

We believe the testimony

Found in the written Word:

Saved for eternity.

 

Acts 20:28

 

Take heed therefore

Unto yourselves,

And to all the flock,

Over which

The Holy Ghost hath made you overseers,

To feed the church of God,

Which he hath purchased

With his own blood.

 

 

‘Tis a mystery

We must all agree

But it’s not by the physical eye

Such things we see.

 

God our pardon

In his begotten Son

Gave Himself for His flock:

Every single one.

 

Stewart Russell © January 20, 2025