Cyberspace and God

 

 

I was looking for cyberspace

But I could not find it,

I looked and looked and looked again

Until I was forced to quit.

 

Have you had this challenge?

Looking for cyberspace?

Were you like me, forced to quit,

Having not found a trace?

 

I know beyond the slightest doubt

That cyberspace is real,

I save all my documents there

And it has never failed.

 

To me that is adequate proof

That cyberspace exists,

If you have successfully found it,

Show me what I've missed.

 

 

 

Consider the level of confidence

We repose in cyberspace

That we consign critical information

To this indescribable place.

 

In yonder post office

It takes many to sort the mail,

Not so in imaginary cyberspace

It’s more like a fairy tale.

 

Yet it is more than imagination

Given its predominant use,

It handles billions of documents

And also suffers abuse.

 

It is a very useful facility

But is also abused by many,

Such is the reality with some minds

That are bent on depravity.

 

I’ve never heard anybody say

That cyberspace is not real,

Even though like the Almighty God,

Its presence is veiled.

 

 

Yet, some say there is no God

And to believe in Him is folly

But they’d rather believe in cyberspace

Which is God’s creativity.

 

Some will boldly declare

“I won’t trust what I cannot see,”

But their morning and evening word

Simply do not agree.

 

They willingly trust cyberspace

But yet they refuse to believe in God-

Both for the same very reason…

Sounds to me like fraud.

 

 

Dropbox, iCloud and Google:

All three were created by man

But the Creator of all that there is

Was handled by cruel hands.

 

Nailed to a cross at Calvary,

Hewn from a tree God created,

The only Son of God there suspended

That man’s sins could be expiated.

 

Yet, we reject the Creator

As well as His only Son He sent

While putting faith in cyberspace

And refusing to repent.

 

Away with that silly excuse

For not believing in God,

If for the same reason you trust cyberspace

Then you must be a fraud.

 

A fraud you would have to be

And a fraud you must be called

If you can believe in cyberspace

But can’t believe in God.

 

Stewart Russell © September 7, 2023

 

Prophecy and Predestination

 

 

Prophecy and predestination

Go hand in hand

Hence, prophecy must be certain

Since predestination is God’s plan.

 

Prophecy says it will happen

Predestination is of God,

We say God is working out His plan

But this tense I appall.

 

God has already worked it out

And His plan is unfolding,

Unlike man he makes no changes

As all things He is upholding.

 

Legislators make amendments-

“Oops! There was an oversight!”

Because at the time they deliberated

Something did not come to light.

 

 

This is a constant with the law

Due to the nature of man

And changes have to be made

When things go adrift of his plan.

 

There are loop holes in the law,

Some say they are deliberate

But not all of them could have been

Unless lawyers are illiterate.

 

However, with an omniscient God

This could never be so,

Unlike the brightest of men

There is nothing God does not know.

 

 

All is laid bare before God:

The past, the future, the present

And nothing can thwart predestination

For predestination is His intent.

 

All He predestined He foreknew

Thus, His plan is foolproof,

Whether it be past, present or future

Bible prophecy is truth.

 

 

Not one single Bible prophecy

Has failed to come true,

Tell this to modern-day prophets-

Maybe they’ll change their view.

 

Their failure rate is high

Though this does not deter them

And the fact that they still persist

Poses a huge problem.

 

There are Biblical prophecies

That do not comprise God’s plan

But that come true, nevertheless,

On account of man.

 

Some prophecies are conditional-

Dependent on how we behave

Like for those that reject the Christ,

That comprise the unsaved.

 

2 Peter 1:21

 

For the prophecy came not in old time

By the will of man:

But holy men of God spake

As they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

 

The prophecy that matters most

Is what God has predestined,

Namely the Holy Bible:

This should occupy our minds.

 

Especially as it points to Christ

And the glorious redemption of man,

This is what God has predestined

Regarding His salvation plan.

 

The validity of the Bible

Is in its fulfilment of prophecy,

God declares the end from the beginning-

Predestination is a certainty.

 

Stewart Russell © May 1, 2021

 

Sleep Could Wait

 

 

 

Trying to write a poem

Head bowing with sleep

Barely making it

Vision narrowed to a peep

 

Thinking what to write

Really should lie down

Thoughts in the head

Just going round and round

 

Sitting next to the bed

So easy to just jump in

But fighting sleep

With brain still thinking

 

It is eleven past four

Time’s really flying

There’s no use denying

My head is still bowing

 

I am still wondering

Where this poem is gong

In the drowsy state

I have no way of knowing

 

 

But I will stick in there

Something will come out

And it will be of value

Of that I have no doubt

 

I have a word for you

What it is I do not know

Just have patience with me

It will eventually flow

 

It is so very amazing

Writing much about nothing

That’s what I have done

I must be joking

 

Don’t stop reading now

It is almost there

I can sense something coming

Though it is not clear

 

In the end you will be glad

You read right through

If you were in this predicament

I would have stayed with you

 

Not quite as sleepy now

It is four: twenty-four

Thirteen minutes have gone

Something’s at the door

 

It’ll come out any moment

Just you bear with me

Read on a few more verses

And you’ll be sure to see

 

 

 

An exercise in patience

It’s the only way to learn

It is waiting for the outcome

For which you yearn

 

So I will keep my promise

If you will just wait

In another verse of so

I will be able to state

 

Verse number fifteen

Stay a mite longer

In the very next verse

You will no more wonder

 

Here is that information

Just like I promised

You are better at patience

It’s gone higher on your list.

 

Stewart Russell © February 2019

 

It's Revelation

 

 

 

I thought it was Hebrews

But not so anymore,

Those who think it is Hebrews

That’s traditional folklore.

 

What is it he talking about?

I thought you’d never ask,

Let me share the facts with you;

That’s not a difficult task.

 

I always used to contend

Hebrews was the Old Testament

Just like Isaiah, in my view,

Reads like the New Testament.

 

Regarding OT references

I thought Hebrews was the book

But three books score higher

When I took a closer look.

 

 

For Hebrews it was 42

While Matthew’s 45 was 3 more,

Romans’ 58 was a surprise to me

Being the highest score.

 

That was according to a study

That included ten books,

It appeared to me there and then

Revelation was overlooked.

 

So, I probed a little deeper

And discovered a little more,

Revelation topped the list

With a whopping 184.

 

A third study revealed

There were actually 278

And that this was out of 404 verses

Signified something great.

 

Of the 184 OT references

Isaiah accounts for 49,

Daniel accounts for 34

And 31 puts Ezekiel next in line.

 

 

Revelation was a letter

About what was soon to take place,

It was written to seven churches

And this can be easily traced.

 

These churches were located

On a circuitous route

And from Ephesus to Laodicea

Numbered seven in the group.

 

The churches were to prepare:

The wrong they must put right

For to neglect the instruction given

Would add to their plight.

 

That Revelation is mostly past

I am now particularly sure

And given its many OT references

I am convinced even more.

 

Stewart Russell © August 9, 2021

 

Stupidity

 

 

Stupidity is on the rise,

Please tell me why,

That we are highly educated

I cannot deny.

 

Yet stupidity is rising

And at a very fast pace

And the rights that we desire

Are a disgrace.

 

The right to live a lie

Because of how we feel

And the right to be accepted

Based on our zeal.

 

The right to be me

And to do as I please

And face no repercussions

When others I squeeze.

 

To be tolerated

When I am intolerant

And to be viewed as different

When I am errant.

 

The right to misbehave

And get on really bad

Especially during festive times

Being merry and glad.

 

The right to any gender

If my birth-gender I refuse

And the right to change gender

As often as I choose.

 

Stupidity is stupidity

Only when done by a fool

But if the academic does it

It’s the golden rule.

 

It’s here I introduce

The great Mark Twain

Regarding advice that he gave

To them that are sane. 

 

 

This may seem jovial

But note the gravity here,

When stupidity takes over

Wisdom disappears.

 

Stupidity revels in a lie

But frowns on truth

And will find incredible ways

To source its proof.

 

For every single fact

Has an opposing non-fact

And where truth tightens up

Lies makes slack.

 

It used to be clear-cut

This matter of truth

But since reason went to sleep

Stupidity hit the roof.

 

It is a staple diet

For which many clamour

Instead of the godly-wisdom

They now hammer.

 

There is no doubt

Stupidity is on the rise,

And it is right out in the open

No longer disguised.

 

When stupid is sense

And sense becomes stupid,

We are not going down stream

We are over the rapids.

 

I fear for our children

In this senseless society

When deception is everything

And wisdom is stupidity.

 

Stewart Russell © October 17, 2023

The Kingdom of God

 

 

Is it really worth it?

The preaching of the kingdom?

Over 2000 years since

The coming of God’s Son?

 

The world is getting worse:

The considered view of some

And there’s little or no influence

Re this heavenly kingdom.

 

John the Baptist preached

That the kingdom was at hand

Then Jesus Christ appeared

According to God’s plan.

 

Jesus in assent to this

Said that the kingdom is come

Yet we are still unduly uncertain

And looking for the Son.

 

Jesus the Son shall reign

Until he subdues every enemy;

The last of these being death

Which is still our reality.

 

The King incarnate came

Just over 2000 years ago,

The evidence shows it was Bethlehem

Just as the prophets foretold.

 

Following his ascension

God sent the Holy Spirit

As the born-again believer’s guide

And an assurance deposit.

 

There in that upper room

One hundred and twenty sat

And when the Holy Spirit arrived

Of evidence there was no lack.

 

Like as of flaming tongs of fire

On each believer he lit

And every one of those believers

Received the Holy Spirit.

 

 

 

From thence was the kingdom

And where every believer went,

And the word to all they encountered

Was the message to repent.

 

From very small beginnings

The kingdom grew and grew

To the extent that on this very day,

It includes both me and you.

 

A slow growth at times,

And sometimes with greater speed,

But a significant growth at other times

As sinners see their need.

 

Small, slow and significant

Like the grain of mustard seed,

But having the power of Almighty God

Which no other tree can impede.

 

From darkness to light

In spite of all the naysayers

Thus, trampling sin and triumphing,

Like David the giant slayer.

 

 

For as story-like that event

It foreshadowed the King of kings,

The King of the heavenly Kingdom

Of whom believers sing.

 

That battle was not about David

But of the kingdom plan,

Conceptualized before the earth

About Jesus, the God-man.

 

John saw that Jerusalem

Coming down out of heaven:

The New Jerusalem he called it

Where all are forgiven.

 

The message of so great salvation

From sin to set us free,

Light had come to bring the kingdom

And so too our liberty.

 

For whomever the Son sets free

That one is free indeed,

An heir and joint heir with Jesus:

A done and finished deal.

 

Souls are still being saved,

Even if not in your backyard,

And the Lord daily adds to the Church

Such as are being saved.

 

One day, we know not when,

The final enemy will be conquered

And Jesus will hand over the kingdom

To God, his Heavenly Father.

 

Death will have been vanquished

And eternal life ushered in,

The arch-deceiver will exist no more

And thus, no temptation to sin.

 

 

In the interim we share the Gospel

In whatever way we can,

This is the mandate which Jesus left us

Concerning the redemptive plan.

 

Stewart Russell © March 12, 2023

 

Simulation

 

 

We've had simulations

With lessons to learn

But never for the real thing

Have we ever yearned.

 

Except for a few

The experience they craved

And when disappointed,

They actually raved.

 

What a waste of time

To painstakingly prepare

And after all the preparation

A false alarm is declared!

 

The experts got it wrong

For yet another time

And with those pent-up emotions

We then had to unwind.

 

 

Like shouting for wolf

When no wolf is around

And making the entire population

Look like a clown.

 

Like October it’s over”

For the Atlantic storms

And these simulation exercises

Still being the norm.

 

Like today for example,

Preparing for Tammy

But who’s taking Tammy seriously?

Scarcely anybody.

 

She will be like the rest;

A promise and that is all

And in the final analysis would be,

Another wrong call.

 

Another simulation

And another waste of time,

Another building of expectation

And having to unwind.

 

 

But for me, I’d rather

Another simulation

Than experience a hurricane

With resulting destruction.

 

Of course, unlike the one

That was a recent fiasco

In which there was much fallout-

That’s a definite a no-no.

 

Let’s stop the deflecting

And face the real issue,

It is not about the simulations

But what we should do.

 

It is preparation, of course,

With goodwill intent

And not unintendedly creating

The actual event.

 

For when a simulation

Becomes the event in itself,

It’s not good for one’s emotions

Or one’s physical health.

 

 

The protocols are key

And thorough preparation

Any and every time

We do a simulation.

 

And if something goes wrong

Take responsibility

For I dare say these days

This is a rare commodity.

 

We used to pass the buck

Now there’s no buck to pass,

If this is the intent of reform

We’ll have no class.

 

Form is temporary

But class is permanent-

Let’s have simulation exercises

That are not the event.

 

Stewart Russell © October 20, 2023