Better All the Way

“A temple is to be built”

I hear some say,

“But the Muslim sacred dome

Is standing in its way.”

 

That dome must be moved

Can’t be there still,

The temple will be there

Believe me it will.

 

It will be the signal

Of Israel’s Messiah’s coming

For which devout Jews

Are currently looking.

 

Sacrifices must restart

So, the temple is a must,

Dispensationalists believe it

And do make a fuss.

 

Israel will be in charge

As nations go up to her,

This will follow the tribulation

To which the Bible refer.

 

Thus, a new temple

And animal sacrifice

Though this in the first place

Did not quite suffice.

 

There’s no temple need

Or for animal sacrifice,

Jesus’ once for all atonement

More than sufficed.

 

 

Why return, I ask,

To the beggarly elements

After the veil in the temple

Was permanently rent?

 

Showcasing for all

A much better way,

Jesus’ once for all sacrifice

Speaks to a better day.

 

A better High Priest

Than any before him,

The only High Priest ever

That can forgive sin.

 

Jesus is our temple

And our sacrifice,

He is also our High Priest

That gave his life.

 

This is borne out

In the book of Hebrews,

Go there I recommend

For a better view.

 

Better than the angels

And of better things,

We are so wonderfully blessed

We’ve a right to sing.

 

A better blessing

And a better hope,

Jesus is a better testament

Please take note.

 

 

A better covenant

Built on better promises,

The heavenly things themselves

With better sacrifices.

 

A better country

With a better resurrection

God providing a better thing

To bring us salvation.

 

Jesus is the mediator

Of this better covenant

That speaks of better things

For the elect remnant.

 

 

Better all the way:

From the Old to the New,

For the Jew and the Gentile:

For me and for you.

 

Better here and now

And still better to come,

Heirs to the kingdom of God

Through Jesus, His Son.

 

 

 

Christ the new temple,

Believers his lively stones,

Built up in Jesus the Christ

As the Spirit tones.

 

Go to Hebrews now

To study the word better

And see how Jesus shines

In this descriptive letter.

 

To God be the glory

And praise to the Son,

Honour to the Holy Spirit:

Three yet one.

 

Stewart Russell © July 12, 2024

 

The Author of Freedom

 

 

What is the author of freedom?

Who wrote its book?

It was written by a unique author;

Let’s take a look.

 

Now, freedom is not earned

Freedom is a gift

Yet many have futilely fought for it

If you get my drift.

 

Yes, though fought for,

It has remained at large

And the pseudo freedom that ensued

Was a bully in charge.

 

A freedom with limitations

Imposed by the strong

Lording it over the less fortunate,

Forced to go along.

 

A freedom with few rights

Like the “wild Indians”

That were free to live out their life

On stipulated reservations.

 

This is not the freedom

To which I am referring

But a freedom that actually releases

The one who is hurting.

 

Its author is not obvious

To the unforgiving

But a step in the right direction

Improves one’s living.

 

 

 

It is forgiveness:

The author of freedom,

The author of freedom is forgiveness!

See the problem?

 

Forgiveness releases me

To get on with my life,

Setting me free from the bitter humbug

And its attendant strife.

 

‘Tis the problem

That we see in the world:

Engulfing individuals and communities

Its tentacles unfurl.

 

‘Tis no ethnicity

Its tentacles reach not

And from generation to generation

They teach the lot.

 

Fathers ate sour grapes,

Set children’s teeth on edge

And unforgiveness separates us all

Like an evil wedge.

 

The quest for freedom

Is a futile affair

But when forgiveness shows up

Bondage must disappear.

 

The wars that we fight

Did not start yesterday

But they all have their genesis

In an original fray.

 

And this festered

And grew alarmingly,

Its wedge going deeper and deeper

Diminishing unity.

 

Unforgiveness set in

And forgiveness receded

Thus, real freedom was thwarted,

Its cry not heeded.

 

Both parties in a bind

Not to mention also blind

And freedom sought remains at large

In unforgiveness’ grind.

 

 

 

I dare say it matters not

Who was wronged,

Forgiveness is that critical first step

In the liberty song.

 

To forgive and forget

Though the latter takes time

But let forgiveness be uppermost

In the mind.

 

“And forgive those,”

The model prayer instructs

Thus, hastening the freedom we need

And for which we look.

 

The only freedom there is

Is freedom in God

And He has designed the path thus:

Forgiveness is His call.

 

Stewart Russell © October 10, 2025

 

Defeated at the Cross

 

 

Defeated at the cross

Our primary adversary,

Not to come as some believe

But proven in history.

 

It is finished!

The shout of victory,

Not of defeat or delirium

Because of agony.

 

Satan the Prosecutor

Defeated at the cross,

Thus, to the victor the spoils

And recovery of the lost.

 

The scathing criticism,

The mocking and the scorn,

Transformed in but a moment,

Antichrists, be warned!

 

 

Oft we bind the devil

Who is already bound,

Note, captivity was led captive;

The victory resounds.

 

Do not fear the devil

Who thought he had won

But have faith in Christ Jesus

For the work is done.

 

King of kings is he

And Lord of lords as well,

The prince of darkness is defeated

Listen to his death knell.

 

Defeated at the cross

Satan and his demons,

And this for the believer means

So great salvation.

 

 

Defeated at the cross:

Hope for you and me

And all that believe in Christ

Shall live eternally.

 

No more prosecutor,

Satan is out of work,

He’s bound as bound can be,

Liberty to the Church!

 

No need for justice

Where there’s no accuser,

God’s mercy and His grace

Vanquished the abuser.

 

 

Defeated at the cross,

Satan’s head is crushed,

Tell me, if you truly believe this,

Why do you still fuss?

 

If Jesus said it’s finished,

What more is there

Other than to walk in victory

Rather than in fear?

 

Stewart Russell © February 2, 2025

 

My Best Hour of All

  

 

“I also had my hour;

One far fierce hour and sweet:

There was a shout about my ears

And palms before my feet.”

 

The poet got it right

Regarding that Palm Sunday,

When Jesus rode into Jerusalem

Palms in the way lay.

 

Not only palms as told,

But people’s garments too

And that donkey carrying Jesus

Was also in view.

 

 

 

From parody to prominence

From a scourge to a song:

The wonderful shouts in adoration

As King Jesus rode along.

 

No horse as of a king

Or horse drawn carriage

But a scourge and derided donkey:

A parody of marriage.

 

O what elevation,

The donkey enjoyed that day

When the creator of all donkeys

Travelled the Calvary way!

 

 

 

For these adoring Jews

Would soon change the tune

And the Redeemer of the human race

Would be interred in a tomb.

 

 

 

But not before crucifixion:

A slow and horrendous death,

Sentenced for your sins and mine

Bringing eternal rest.

 

It was the donkey’s hour

Shared with the King of kings

As they journeyed into Jerusalem

And heard the people sing.

 

Temporary though it was,

None can take it away:

There were palms beneath its feet;

Shouts about its ears.

 

 

 

G. K. Chesterton got it right

Hence, his poem I quote

About the donkey’s greatest hour

That he also wrote.

 

Gone down in History

A donkey without a name

But featured that first Palm Sunday

And when the Saviour came.

 

The journey to Bethlehem

Bearing an unborn child,

Whose mother and father later on

Would have to hide.

 

No doubt another donkey,

To Egypt took them

When King Herod’s crazy decree

Caused a dire problem.

 

 

 

But the best hour of all

Was in the Master’s control

When she carried the King of kings

Walking fearless and bold.

 

“For I also had my hour;

One far fierce hour and sweet:

There was a shout about my ears

And palms before my feet.”

 

Stewart Russell © March 29, 2026

 

False Versions of God

  

Idolatrous behaviour

Is even in the church

And I dare say, my brother, my sister,

It’s on a growth spurt.

 

By leaps and bounds

It is growing daily

As false versions of God, the Father

Satisfy the greedy.

 

A God of convenience

Is a false version of God

No different from the sun and stars

On which pagans call.

 

Presented as a God

Who will meet our needs

Without acknowledging our sin

Or unrighteous deeds.

 

A God who does miracles

Every time we call

Especially for the specially anointed

To show off to all.

 

Worship that is directed

To this kind of God

Is just plain downright idolatrous

And not worship at all.

 

All of these such gods

Are false versions of God

And to worship or acknowledge such

Is to invite the fall.

 

 

 

God is not our genie

Acquiescing to our whims,

No, He is the God that passed judgment

On our sins.

 

But having done this,

He placed them on his Son

Who became the scapegoat as it were

And a great victory won.

 

  Victory over sin

And triumph over death

And His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ,

Is become our rest.

 

Rest for all those

Who put trust in him

Not to satisfy their insatiable greed

But to cleanse from sin.

 

 

 

Prayer meetings now are

A constant grocery-list

Which we take to God’s storehouse

And ask Him to assist.

 

Oblivious to the fact

Of His everyday supplies

And that it is He that wakes us up

To see the sun rise.

 

He gives us all things

But we must ask for more

For after all, all we need in this life,

He is the door. 

 

And so, we worship Him

For what He gives to us

Meaning His daily treats and gifts

And not Jesus.

 

 

 

This is false worship

To a false version of God

And like the pagans we are no better

In our idolatrous fall.

 

Stewart Russell © March 5, 2026

 

Worth a Smile

  

 

I have a confession

I will share with you

But you must promise to keep it

Between us two.

 

I passed water in my car

It was quite a bit,

You’d say that was shameful

But wait for it.

 

It was a very long while

I was in traffic,

I took the wrong road home

And couldn’t quit.

 

No turn off less congested,

Not a single one

And the water kept on coming

On and on.

 

 

 

You’d say weak bladder

Or it was full

But you still don’t understand;

You are too dull.

 

I passed water in my car

For a while,

Maybe it’s never happened to you;

It’s not your style.

 

I couldn’t pass it quickly

Traffic was heavy

So, I was forced to do it slowly

And steadily.

 

 

 

Embarrassing, you’d say

But I was alone,

Absolutely no one was with me;

I was on my own.

 

I couldn’t wait to get home

This was a mess,

Had I taken the longer road

It’d be less stress.

 

I passed water in my car

But I had to

And if you were in that traffic,

So would you.

 

 

 

A long line was in front

And a longer one behind

And we all were in that same traffic

A long time.

 

They passed water too

In their vehicle

For they drove along that coast

Like many people.

 

And this you cannot do

Unless you pass water

So, whatever you had in your mind,

Quit your laughter.

 

 

 

Go back to the beginning;

See the word smile?

Along the coast you pass water

Mile after mile.

 

Stewart Russell © March 24, 2026

 

The Word Is Quick

  

 

I wonder sometimes

Whether we realize

That the life within the Word of God

Is not disguised.

 

I sometimes ask me

What does this mean

And I go to Hebrews 4:12 to observe

What can be seen.

 

The written Word

Is about the Living Word

And that this is the Lord Christ,

You have heard.

 

John in the Gospel

Starts out with this:

“In the beginning, was the Word.”

Sharp and crisp!

 

 

 

Explicit from the get-go

No need to interpret,

Take it just as it has been stated,

From eternity set.

 

A statement of fact

About the First Cause:

And that this necessary first cause

Had to be uncaused.

 

John echoed Moses,

It’s not a contradiction!

They both are citing the first cause

For all creation.

 

One singular causation

Definitely not two!

Go directly to John 1 and verse 1

And take in the view.

 

“The Word was God.”

Don’t you see it there?

Upon this fact hangs all that exists

Here and everywhere.

 

“In him was life”

There’s life in the Word!

Let that sink into your very being

Now you have heard.

 

 

 

In the beginning God

And so too, the Word,

Yet so many say this cannot be;

That it’s absurd.

 

The Word is quick:

Meaning that it is alive

And does not need one’s rhetoric

In order to survive.

 

Be careful not to add

Or even to subtract,

The Word needs no amendments:

It is eternal fact.

 

Be sure not to multiply

And definitely not divide

Unless we are using 2 Timothy 2:15

As our guide.

 

Study to shew thyself

Approved unto God,

A workman that needeth not to be ashamed,

Rightly dividing

The Word of Truth. 

 

The only dividing required

Is rightly dividing

And this one and only operation

Is the Spirit’s guiding.

 

 

 

Yes, the Word is quick

So, let us all stick to it

And let us also do like in Hollywood:

“Stick to the script”.

 

Stewart Russell © March 22, 2026