The Walls We Build

  

We spend much time building walls of hate and greed,

In no time relationships are severed with lightning speed!

These are the walls we build not low, but high;

Nothing good about our neighbor must ever catch the eye.

Construction is swift on walls of jealousy and envy,

Look at me as I build and tell me what you see.

I see a wall tall, great and strong, I cannot breach,

I see a soul in need, next to me, but yet out of reach.

Then there are the walls of un-forgiveness, what a sight!

Casting great shadows around thus blocking the light.

But we, refusing to yield even the slightest bit

Will carry this fight to our neighbor showing true grit.

I see a great wall only concerned with mine and me,

My sanctum sanctorum, there I alone can be free.

It blocks my view from anyone without,

I am simply concerned with just me without a doubt.

You complain and fret while bombarded with fear,

I am secure behind my wall why should I care?

Your problem’s your own, it’s none of my concern,

I couldn’t care whether you sink, crash or burn.

Why should I bother about what concerns me not?

Why should I care whether someone lives or rot?

Why should I take precious time and ponder your mess,

When my walls are secure and I am at rest?

If only you could be in my position what would you do?

About the plight of your neighbour tell me your view.

I am sure you would do just as I am doing now,

Beyond your wall you wouldn’t see anyone anyhow.

Are you aware of how I come by what I now possess?

Do you know of the sacrifice and many hours of stress?

I tell you, man, I struggled and fought to attain this crest

That bears testimony that I was intent on doing my best.

And now you want me to share as though it were a free for all

While you criticize me making your pious judgment call.

I am unmoved by your chat and your silly little game,

I shall endeavour to build my walls of security just the same.

  

There was only one Jesus and I know you know I am not he

Take up the Bible and read, it won’t take you long to see.

I do not intend to match his life for that’s sheer futility

And anyone who believes he can is displaying sheer stupidity.

Oh, the walls of excuses have been built so very tall,

That there’s almost no way to breach them at all, at all!

Remember, the walls we construct to shut out our neighbour

Are the walls that block the way that leads to the Saviour.

So let’s examine the walls we have tirelessly built to last,

The walls we construct to protect our endeavours of the past.

They will come to naught for only in Christ they can stand,

Nothing is forever, except that which is held by His hand.

Stewart Russell © 2011

Secured in Christ

What’s in these four prepositions?

In and for and with and through,

How can they express my spiritual condition?

How can such words influence my view?

Christ in me the hope of glory,

Christ in me oh what a wondrous story

Of a Father’s love and a Son’s sacrifice,

Of an empty tomb and my risen Christ!

Christ for me; he took my place,

Christ for me bore my disgrace,

Christ for me nailed to Calvary’s cross,

Christ for me restored all that was lost.

Christ with me my confidence assures,

Christ with me, I’m not alone any more,

Christ with me, he has promised to stay

All along life’s journey each and every day.

Christ through me, his light ever shines,

Christ through me invites you, “come and dine.”

Christ through me his love made manifest

Such that Satan has lost this soul he once possessed.

I’m in Christ for he is the vine,

I’m in Christ and I’m nurtured all the time,

I’m in Christ, his strength replaces mine,

I need not fear for on him I know I can recline.

Now I live for Christ, my Saviour and my Lord,

I live for Christ and I stand on his Word,

I live for Christ; I’m a testimony of his love

When at that first advent he came from above.

I’m with Christ for he walks with me each day,

I’m with Christ and he hears me when I pray,

I’m with Christ; I would it have no other way

For with Christ I know I will never stray.

Through Christ my crown is guaranteed,

Through Christ I’ll follow and I’ll let him lead,

Through Christ none can pluck me from his hand,

Through Christ my faith and trust will ever stand.

  

In Christ, for Christ, with Christ and through

Him every day is what shapes my view;

In me, for me, with me and through

I am that creation that Christ has made anew.

Stewart Russell © 2016

My Phobia’s Not Your Fear

“Why’re you waiting at the bridge?” I asked.

“Waiting to cross,” was his reply.

“Well, let’s go ahead now it’s clear.”

“The water is still passing, look down there!”

I went my way and then returned,

By then he must have felt the sun burn.

“I see you are still waiting old chap

Even though I went and now come back.”

“Well, there is a lengthy flow today,

It never stopped while you were away.

But patience is a virtue some would say,

So I guess I am in for a very long stay.”

“But what has water there to do with here?

And what is it that you really fear?

The bridge has held for many a year,

And by the way the water’s not even near.”

But while he gazed disconcertingly down,

His expression took on a quizzical frown.

“Should the bridge collapse I would drown.”

And he said this while he looked around.

“Look around and tell me what you see,

There’s nobody here but you and me.

Should I be thrown in that watery strife

Would you jump in and save my life?”

“It wouldn’t make sense,” I said to him.

“Then two would be gone, I cannot swim.

It’s better you wait till the water passes on

But if the bridge collapses you’d still be gone.

Whether by drowning or a bashed-in head,

It really doesn’t matter you’d still be dead.

I’ll take my chance on the bridge holding up

Rather than traverse life like a frightened pup.”

I went my way but next day he was there,

Still transfixed by his mortal fear.

I asked again, “Why are you waiting here?”

“Oh, I have a fear of heights, isn’t that clear?”

  

This fore-day morning just before I woke

I titter-tottered on a slope, no joke.

And just when I could hold on no more

I woke up from sleep lying on the floor.

Every one of us has a phobia or fear,

None of us traverses life without fret or care.

By day it bothers us way down deep

And at night it torments us even in our sleep.

Psychiatrists and psychologists try to stem

But fears and phobias also affect them.

Whatever your fear of phobia my friend

You’ll have to cross some bridge at the end.

Stewart Russell © 2015

Five L’s to Safeguard Our Walk

L number 1 is Looking unto Jesus

The Author and Finisher of our faith

Not the faith that sets store by miracles

But that which becomes the Christian’s lathe

The Holy Spirit is the machinist

And the lathe is the apostles’ doctrine

Its measurements are very precise

And it is set to rid us of all sin

Looking unto Jesus is an imperative

This must never be treated lightly

Particularly in a world of “men like trees”

Determining their followers’ reality

Looking unto Jesus our only Saviour

The One that was lifted up

That promised them that look to him

They would be spared that bitter cup

For none could drink the bitter cup

That Christ drank for everyone

That would look to him for salvation

All such ones would be reborn

Even as Moses lifted up long ago

The bronze serpent in the wilderness

Similarly by looking unto Jesus

We can be rid of our sinful mess

Yes, he is the Author of our faith

Its origin was in Calvary’s cross

But he is also the Finisher too

When from death he rose for all the lost

So as we looked towards the cross

Dismayed by the setting sun

We are heartened at the imminent sunrise

And the sign that the work is done

For no sooner had the sun set

Than it was shining in the east again

Look and live the hymn declares

What a joyous and glorious refrain!

  

Look to Jesus I would admonish

He exceeds our greatest wish

Let all other objects be diminished

The Bread of Life is our satisfying dish

L number 2 is Longing for Jesus

With all our heart and soul and mind

A desire and yearning to be closer

To him through the passage of time

A longing in which one’s self diminishes

And Christ steadily increases within

A foregoing of instant gratitude

And constant renouncing of sin

A longing to love as he loved

A compassion that moves us to action

That replaces all whims and fancies

And makes Christ the main attraction

A longing to be more like Jesus

A yearning to walk as he walked

A mind full of purity and wisdom

Constantly adjusting our conduct and talk

A yearning that says I’d rather have Jesus

Than all the gold in the world

Our confidence alone in the Saviour

As the events around us unfurl

Long after Jesus I would advise

For in him there is no disappointment

There is no failure in the Master

Christ’s mind in you should be your intent

L number 3 is Living for Jesus

Our source of life is in him

With a witness that is clear and focused

From a light that never grows dim

Living for Jesus, a light that is true

Reflecting his truth and righteousness too

Manifesting the word with lip and life

Telling all men what he has done for you

Living the life of the pure in heart

Living for Jesus as the times get dark

Walking the straight path never there depart

Living for Jesus…have you yet made a start?

Abiding in the Vine as a living branch

Taking in nourishment day by day

A living epistle as the Bible instructs

Living for Jesus as he directs our way

A life lived example for all to see

Not I but Christ alive in me

A testimony of his mercy, love and grace

To a grateful soul from sin set free

Salting the earth with our refined taste

As our Saviour said we should

Lighting every corner as lights in the world

Displacing the evil with Christian good

Standing up for Jesus as a good soldier

In the armour of Ephesians six

Always alert to the enemies’ strategies

And never falling victim to his tricks

Live for Jesus I would counsel all

It was he who died for you

Live for Jesus who is coming again

That’s the best that you can do

L no 4 is Learning from Jesus

Learning while sitting at his feet

Or sitting on his knee like a little child

Expecting a delicious treat

Learning from Jesus the Living Word

Absorbing the pages of Holy Writ

Line upon line precept and all

Paying close attention to the script

Not of pretext but in context

Treating the Written Word as a whole

Trusting the Holy Spirit as He guides into truth

The truth that ministers to the soul

Recall how the crowds had pressed him sore

“Never man spake like this man”

He was Rabboni, Master and teacher too

Willing students still understand

Sometimes he taught from a hillside

Sometimes he climbed into a boat

Wherever he taught the lessons were precious

Today we should still take note

Learning not only from his words

But also the example he showed by his life

As he reached out to the sick and the needy

And dissipated the Pharisees’ strife

Before Abraham was Jesus is

And though David’s son, still his Lord

The Lamb and the Shepherd all in one

Both the Living and the Written Word

Looking for a teacher true to his word?

Look no further than Jesus the Christ

Learn from Jesus I implore you today

Lessons from the one who paid sin’s price

L number 5 is Leaning on Jesus

No other safe support is there

All others will crumple and fail

There is a limit to which they can care

Learning to lean is more than a song

That we sing from lips of clay

The truth of the matter really is

It’s a lesson to be learned along the way

Our faith must develop to the point of trust

As upon the Savior we rest

Jesus is the Rock that can’t be moved

The One that is greater than our greatest test

Leaning on Jesus is a sure retreat

The One that holds the world in space

He the creator of the entire universe

Keeps all the cosmos in place

So that if the cosmos on Jesus depend

Surely on him we can also lean

Whether threatened by a monstrous wave

Or tricky rapids in a disturbed stream

“I’ll never leave nor forsake,” he says,

Underneath are his everlasting arms

Extended for all those who want to lean

No need to fear or be alarmed

Lean on me if you are not strong

Appeals to the apparent weak

But Jesus’ invitation is to one and all

Both to the strong and weak he speaks

Lean on Jesus I entreat all of you

And as for me, I am no exception

Jesus is the way the truth and the life

It’s only in him that we find salvation

Five L’s to safeguard our walk

Looking and longing are two

Living and learning to follow these

And leaning completes the five L crew

Looking to Jesus who is our Lord

Longing for Jesus who satisfies

Living for Jesus while Learning his Word

Leaning on Jesus the choice of the wise.

Stewart Russell © 2015

Adam’s Soliloquy

 

I am Adam

The first man

Formed by God’s own hand

Straight out of the land

Not a natural birth

Molded from the earth

One of a kind

Not another origin like mine

This is my wife, Eve

Note Eve, not Steve

She is really different

With differing intent

Bone of my bones, yes

And flesh of my flesh

The most beautiful sight in all of Eden

Our first home an amazing garden

You may say

It was too good to last

One disobedient step

And it was a thing of the past

God gave a warning though to Eve and me

Never to eat of a particular tree

But we both disobeyed

And all of humanity was made to pay

Driven from that garden in a hurry

Our first experience of God’s fury

Apart from the tree of life

Into a world of sin and strife

Out of us twain

Came our first born, Cain

After that Abel and Seth

Were followed by all of the rest

Disabuse your mind of Mother Earth

Cain is the first of natural birth

All of our children came

Through birth pangs and much pain

  

And now you’re reading this

Here’s something you shouldn’t miss

You are one of my clan

And one of Eve’s great grands

How different things had become

Very early on we lost Abel, one son

Killed by the other out of jealousy

Sin had filled Cain’s heart with murderous envy

Imagine our great pain and void

Imagine no daily news or tabloid

Imagine when we first got the news

About the way our first-born did choose

Choosing to slay his brother

Then walking away without a bother

Reprimanding God in the process

“Am I my brother’s keeper?” was his protest

Soon my entire family was torn apart

Bringing much grief to Eve’s and my heart

Cain continued in his ungodly way

Further and further from God he strayed

But out of Seth came a line

That called out to God in that time

Enoch walk with God for three hundred years

And one day, just like that, he just disappeared

Reminds me of a time when in the future

This will happen to every born again believer

One moment that great company will be here

The next the entire throng will disappear

A day is but a thousand years in God’s sight

With Him there is no morning, noon and night

We reckoned by the appearing of the great sunlight

God sits in eternity through His infinite might

Each time I recall the following I can only sigh

“The day that you eat thereof you will surely die”

None has ever reached that thousand year score

Nine hundred sixty-nine was Methuselah’s, not a year more

I was one of the ‘nine-hundred’ achievers

Besides me the Pentateuch records only six others

We were certainly limited by what was prophesied

In that before one thousand years we would all die

Nine hundred years experiencing the curse

Nine hundred years regretting my sin, the first

Nine hundreds years of sorrow and bereft

Nine hundred years with the prospect of death

How I wished I could return again to that start

How I dreamed after Eden with all of my heart

How I longed for that communion never to part

How I yearned for Father’s fellowship deep in my heart

Within a single day in God’s sight

All my sunshine had turned to night

It appeared Satan had won this particular fight

But suddenly I recalled something much to my delight

At first I did not understand

When first banished from the Eden land

It was not all a curse but there was a blessed strand

Of grace extended from God’s own hand

Enmity will rage between Satan and man

And it would appear as though man will be damned

But Satan’s onslaught will be a temporary show

For the Messiah will deliver to him a fatal blow

Even now as I reminisce these hundreds of years

Nine hundred years of toil and fret and care

I introduce to you the second Adam

God’s Son and my Saviour, the God-Man

Since I walked the face of this earth

Thousands of years have passed with billions of births

By now you should be looking back at Calvary’s cross

And thanking God you don’t have to be lost

In the garden I fell

In the garden Jesus excelled

I fell to my first trial

But he triumphed over Belial

I sold out the human race

Jesus was the conduit of God’s grace

My love was flawed I do regret

But Jesus’ love is absolutely perfect

I caused death but he brought life

I wilted under pressure but Jesus conquered in the strife

I took all I could but he just gives and gives

I died and decayed but Jesus died and yet lives

I was the first Adam and Jesus the second

There are mostly contrasts but little comparison

My demise was due to my own offense

But his death was for our recompense

He died that you and I can be made alive

It doesn’t matter what Satan and his demons contrive

Death shall be swallowed up and the grave will be no more

As Jesus reveals all that he has in store

 

I am Adam

The first man

This is my soliloquy

My heart felt plea

Stewart Russell © 2016

The “Whosoever”

 

And the Spirit and the Bride say Come,

An open invitation to enlist in God’s kingdom,

An invitation to the wedding feast

Opened to the “whosoever”, the greatest and the least.

The “whosoever” will may come

Compliments of Jesus, God’s crucified and risen Son

Who died an “ignominious death”

But who forgave his perpetrators with his dying breath.

Today he calls out to the “whosoever” will,

Come while he patiently waits for you and me still,

Come, he is far more than a cheap emotional thrill,

Come, he’ll satisfy your soul; you’ll need no refill.

What an invitation signed in blood!

As he hung from that cross of blood stained wood,

Accept this invitation; the “whosoever” should,

For us Jesus has done all that he really could.

No less did God do, no more could he have done

Than to give Himself in the essence of His Son

To afford the “whosoever” an undeserving invitation

To the wedding of His Son and His everlasting kingdom.

If any man thirst let him come and drink,

Open to the “whosoever” with whom the Spirit links,

What a guarantee, what a revealing assurance!

Such an invitation should make all the difference.

For God so loved the world that He gave

That the “whosoever” won’t perish but be saved;

Nothing really matters regarding what you have achieved

If in Jesus Christ, the Saviour you have not believed.

The “whosoever” that lives and believes in Him

Jesus has relieved them from the penalty of sin,

Their sin has been expunged and death holds no sway,

Over the believer the grave no longer has that say.

Remission of sins is now the lot of the believer,

All them that are born again are the blessed receivers,

God indwells the “whosoever” that has confessed His Son

And promises safe harbor when earth’s journey is done.

  

Jesus is the propitiation for everyone’s sin,

He died on the cross our eternal souls to win,

Today some “whosoever” can be among the redeemed

If he accepts Jesus right now and let him intervene.

While this grand word “whosoever” still rings within your ears,

Harden not you heart but believe that Jesus cares,

For “whosoever” believes in Jesus shall not be ashamed

For he gave up heaven’s splendor our souls to reclaim.

“For God so loved the world” may be treated as all

But, “that whosoever will” is an individual call,

While in Adam the entire world suffered from the fall,

In Jesus “whosoever” can be saved; why do you yet stall?

Jesus is come as that promised Light to guide

That “whosoever” believes on him in darkness should not abide

But rather trust in him and in him alone confide,

Cognizant of the fact that this life is an unpredictable ride.

“Whosoever” is “whosoever” hears the voice of the Lord,

“Whosoever” is “whosoever” trusts in His written word,

“Whosoever” is the “whosoever” that daily does His bidding,

“Whosoever” is the “whosoever” that will be present at the wedding.

Think about this poem seriously rather than deem it as sport,

Refuse the devil’s offer to continue reveling in his court,

I shall be eternally grateful that “whosoever” became “Stewart”

For I know my Savior will conduct me safely to heaven’s port.

Stewart Russell © 2016