The God that Saves

 

 

Who is this God that saves

None other than YAWEH

Whom the Jews acknowledged

And to whom they prayed.

 

But they had a difficulty

When Jesus forgave sins

And decided among themselves

To disregard him.

 

They knew him well:

His father and his mother

And his words and his works

Were to them a bother.

 

He could not have been

The Messiah they expected

And despite his miraculous works

Him they rejected.

 

They believed not

He was come in the flesh

So consequently, there was no chance

Of entering his rest.

 

They worshipped YAWEH

But ignored His Son

And thus, from the God that Saves

Away they had run. 

 

 

The God that Saves

Is the meaning of a name

Which speaks of two when interpreted

That are one and the same.

 

Yeshua is that name

And it means YAWEH Saves

So that the interpretation really is

Jesus is the God that saves.

 

The stone rejected

Is the chief cornerstone

And to all that believe on his name

Become YAWEH’s own.

 

The Father and I are one

Declared Jesus, God’s Son

But when the Pharisees heard it

They were stunned.

 

Is this not Jesus?

Is not he Joseph’s son?

And is not his mother Mary?

Yes, to all bar none!

 

But there is more!

He is Jesus the God that saves

And unlike the Pharisees and others

There’s no position he craves.

 

 

Co-essential with God

And co-existent too,

He is from eternity to eternity

Unlike me and you.

 

Salvation is in no other

As stated in God’s Word

And God the Father and Holy Spirit

With this concur.

 

Who is this God that saves?

Yeshua is his name!

King of kings and Lord of lords

And who eternally reigns.

 

Philippians 2:10-11

 

That at the name of Jesus

Every knee should bow,

Of things in heaven, and things in the earth,

And things under the earth;

 

 

And that every tongue

Should confess

That Jesus Christ is Lord

To the glory of God, the Father.

 

Stewart Russell © June 12, 2025

 

If I Were PM Mia

 

 

If I were PM Mottley

I would do a January again,

I tell you, even to mention this

Causes the DLP pain.

 

Caught in January, 22

With their pants down,

Not a single seat did the DLP win

Second time around.

 

Now four years after

Not much has changed

Apart from greater splintering

And more disarranged.

 

More was expected

With the advent of Thorne

But there was some seismic activity

And the DLP lost its form.

 

Now out of shape

And severely splintered,

There is seemingly no chance

In the immediate future.

 

Hence, my advice to Mia

Is to call the election,

Do not wait, I am advising her,

Until 2027.

 

She will be guaranteed

Another thirty-nil

And five more years until 2031

To have her fill.

 

 

 

Thus, she will be revered

Like Barrow and Arthur:

Both had three successive terms

And lost thereafter.

 

 

 

Then she could go one up

If her life is spared,

Another General Election win 2036

Will move her clear.

 

I must be dreaming

And talking in my sleep,

If you heard me fellow Barbadians,

Please do not repeat.

 

Rather, tell the DLP

To get their act together,

For if this is not to come true

They must do better.

 

Nothing among four

Is nothing at all,

Zero is what the PM would call it;

That is her call. 

 

Zero charge to parents

For free education,

Never mind, of course, there is

Burdensome taxation.

 

Ralphie doesn’t get it

But neither do I

And that I have long left the system,

I cannot deny.

 

 

 

So, Ralphie and Ronnie,

Kemar and Karina,

Please come together and instead,

Fight PM Mia.

 

You might get a few seats,

Maybe four or five

And in memory of Errol Barrow,

Let the DLP survive.

 

For it is about to die

Imploding from within

And prospects for winning a seat

Appear quite dim.

 

 

 

But I am not PM Mia

For she is one of a kind

And she will call the next election

In her own time.

 

Stewart Russell © December 10, 2025

 

Is There Hope?

 

 

Is there hope

For a Parliamentary Opposition

Given the speedy upcoming

General Election?

 

Due in twenty-seven

But could come in twenty-six,

Already the fragmented DLP

Is in a fix.

 

 

 

A four-way split

With the defector Thorne ahead,

The signs point to a DLP

That appears dead.

 

“Dead in the water”,

A term that is occasionally used

Makes for another BLP

Thirty-nil cruise. 

 

 

 

Defector Atherley

And current defector Thorne-

Neither the twain affecting

The BLP’s form.

 

 

 

Hopeless, I would say

But the question I must still ask

Though a different opinion

Is an uphill task.

 

Take the DLP base

That from the polls stay away-

Will they come back out

On election day?

 

And if they do,

For which DLP will they vote?

Please, Barrow DLP’s,

Do take note.

 

Divided, you’ll fall

But united there is a chance,

Mend the broken fences

To advance.

 

Pride is often bad,

The selfish type invariably is

And fragmented attempts

Will surely fizz. 

 

Four pulling differently

Will obviously split the votes

And the DLP will end up

Cutting their throats.

Their own throats,

In case you didn’t understand

And the DLP will continue

In their dream land. 

 

Yet to be awaken

As in the tale, Sleeping Beauty

Still awaiting a prince

For active duty.

 

 

 

Political Opportunists

Join parties that are in power

And now as it stands

It’s BLP hour.

 

Is there hope

For this dismantled DLP?

I would have to say NO!

Most definitely.

 

 

 

Not in twenty-seven

And certainly not in twenty-six,

Not enough time, I’d say,

To find a fix.

 

Stewart Russell © December 8, 2025

 

This Time of Year

 

 

What is it about this time

That makes it feel like this?

A feeling such as when the time is passed

It is sorely missed?

 

It is unmistakably different

Unlike any other time,

And it matters not, be it child or adult,

It saturates the mind.

 

A greater hustle and bustle

Going from here to there

And for miles and smiles around

Good cheer is everywhere.

 

In supermarkets and stores,

In restaurants and shops,

Music in keeping with the season

Is playing non-stop.

 

 

 

The old tunes and modern

And all those in between,

A selection both young old can enjoy

Are heard at every scene.

 

The honking of car horns

Along the busy streets

Could be in greetings or annoyance

If they could ever speak.

 

What is so special, I ask,

About this time of year

When more than at any other time,

People spread good cheer?

 

I certainly have no doubt

The answers would vary

But the truth be told if we are frank,

One points us heavenly.

 

To a time, the Bible says,

To a precious baby boy

When the heavenly hosts did sing

Of rapturous joy.

 

 

 

Tidings of great joy

Reaching out to all people:

To the Gentile nations afterwards

But firstly, to Israel.

 

In that nativity scene

There were only shepherds

Never mind artists got it very wrong

And painted an error.

 

The magi featured later

About two years hence

Thus, regarding Gentile pagan lands.

Coming from thence.

 

We were no afterthought

As some seem to think

But these pagan travellers so early

Surely give us a hint.

 

 

 

The very word Christmas

Some try to castigate

But to the Christ in that very word,

Millions can relate.

 

For this wonderful feeling

Jesus is the reason,

And that is why around this time

It’s the Christmas season.

 

What is it about this time

That makes it feel like this?

A feeling such as when the time is passed

It is sorely missed?

 

 

 

It is the thought of Jesus

Though no longer a babe

And it can last throughout every year

As long as one is saved.

 

Saved through Jesus Christ

Who is the only way,

Saved and freed from enslaving sin,

Saved this very day.

 

Stewart Russell © December 11, 2025

 

The Gospel

 

 

The Gospel is more than

The Christmas story,

It is more than a universal sect

On their way to glory.

 

The Gospel is more than

Some man-made edict

Proclaimed on Sunday mornings

From a sacred pulpit.

 

The Gospel is more than

That feel good elixir

To bring to someone’s difficult day

A brighter picture.

 

The Gospel is more than

The water-down homily

To further enrich the dynasties

Of the already wealthy.

 

 

 

The Gospel is more than

The emotive altar calls

That stress coming to the altar

As if this is all.

 

The Gospel is more than

The sinner’s prayer

Recited by the so-called seeker

For heaven down here.

 

The Gospel is more than

An escape from hell

To which the filthy rich and famous

Are headed pell-mell.

 

The Gospel is more than

Meeting my felt need

By way of some miraculous event

Or righteous deed.

 

The Gospel is more than

 All of the above,

It is really about a gracious God

And transcending love.

 

Known by many names

And quite a few titles

But knowing Yahweh personally

Is extremely vital.

 

It’s lifesaving for the now

And for all eternity

And from old it was proclaimed

To all humanity.

 

 

 

The Gospel is Christological:

Centred on Christ

Who, to redeem us from the curse,

Gave up his life.

 

The incarnate Son of God

Died upon a cross

Crucified by his created subjects

That were eternally lost.

 

To save them from wrath:

The wrath of their Creator,

Who, through their idolatrous acts,

Became God-haters.

 

Judgment was pronounced

And there was no escape

Unless, as was divinely instituted,

One their place did take.

 

Thus entered Emmanuel

Into humanity’s world

Who actually became “God with us”

As shown in the Word.

 

The Word became flesh

And dwelt among us

In the form of God’s incarnate Son,

Christ Jesus.

 

 

 

The Gospel is Theological:

Conceived by God

Who sent His only begotten Son

To redeem us all. 

 

To buy us back as it were

After the great fall

When our fore parents had chosen

To heed Satan’s call.

 

Choosing Satan’s lie

As he deceptively implied

Rather than the direct instruction

Which God supplied.

 

The Gospel is Biblical

From Genesis to Revelation

In which the Father’s promise unfolded

In our actual salvation.

 

According to the Scriptures

Jesus was born, lived and died,

And then the glorious resurrection

After he was crucified.

 

The Gospel is Biblical

Thus, it’s a divine revelation

In which God through Jesus Christ

Secured our redemption.

 

 

 

The Gospel is Apostolic

As in the words of the Apostles,

The core of whom in Holy Scripture

Were Jesus’ disciples.

 

Paul was at the forefront

Ably supported by Peter,

Add to these James, John and more:

Most of whom were martyred.

 

Martyred for the Gospel

Was their highest honour

When they gave their life for the one

For whom they laboured.

 

 

 

The Gospel is Historical;

It is not a fairy tale,

Though legendary, it is not a legend

As in fictional detail. 

 

The characters are real:

The main one being Christ

And the fact that he created time

Should also suffice.

 

The Gospel is Personal

And this is amazing,

That God wants a personal relationship

Is truly liberating.

 

Jesus knows his sheep

And he calls each by name,

Thus, this personal relationship denotes

No two are the same.

 

He invites you and me

To a relationship with him

Such that all who positively respond,

He saves from sin.

 

Via the Holy Spirit

He walks with me and you,

None is more personal than that,

This is true.

 

The ‘whosoever’

Speaks to the individual

That the Father draws to His Son

To make up His people. 

 

The Gospel is Universal:

Meaning the whole world,

For God so loved, the Bible says-

I’m sure you’ve heard.

 

It is to be proclaimed

To all nations and tribes

And any who call on the name of Jesus

Will not be despised.

 

Pertaining to our end

Most of us are concerned,

Thus, The Gospel is Eschatological:

Of such we can learn.

 

Life is the opportunity

To make our election sure,

“Come unto me,” Jesus now beckons

To open our heart’s door.

 

The change that you need

You need look no more,

The Gospel is transformational-

Real change is assured.

 

Now hear the bad news:

We all were born in sin

But The Gospel is the Good News:

Sinners are invited in. 

 

According to the Scriptures

Christ died but has risen

And all that put their trust in him

Will definitely be forgiven.

Forgiven of their sins

Present, past and future,

And none can pluck us from his hand:

Not a single creature.

 

 

 

The Gospel is all this

And I dare say, even more,

Whosoever believes shall not perish,

John 3:16 assures.

 

Stewart Russell © September 16, 2025

 

Christmas Is A-Coming

 

 

Christmas is a-coming

Porky’s a-getting fat,

If you are Seventh Day Adventist,

Stay away from that.

 

 

In the Moron household

A quarrel is a-brewing,

It is getting near to Christmas

And little is a-doing.

 

  

Moron wanted pork

But Simpleton refused,

She is now a Seventh Day Adventist

And pork she cannot choose.

 

But Moron was adamant

It was never like this

For pork is a definite essential

She wants him to miss.

 

So, noise broke down

All over the place,

All two shouting at one another

And in each other’s face.

 

But there was more,

She wouldn’t do a thing,

Other than take the SDA hymnal

And all day, sing.

 

  

“Simpleton,” Moron, shouted,

“But you for real?

Ever since you join the Adventist

Wifely duties fail.

 

You get real lazy

And scarcely doing a thing

And after every noise, I notice,

You begin to sing.”

 

 

“Moron,” Simpleton replied,

“You need God!

And that is all I planning to say,

That is all!”

  

“Every year before,

We celebrated Christmas

And you of all people, Simpleton,

Made a lot of fuss.

 

 

And now this year

You are trying to tell me

You are a Seventh Day Adventist

So, no festivity?

 

Not even a piece of pork

Or a little ham?

And you want me to understand

That is the plan?

 

Married all these years

And suddenly this?

No pork, no bacon and no ham,

What a miss!

 

No response, Simpleton?

Nothing to say?

At least you could quarrel and fret

Like back in the day.”

 

 

“I said too much already

And I fret my soul,

You can buy in parts like above

Or buy the pig whole.

 

I turn vegetarian

Eating chicken or lamb

With some fish, duck or turkey

But no-pork is my plan.

 

Do not bring any pork

For me to cook!

I am neither cooking nor eating it,

I’ve a different outlook.”

 

Denominations split

And religion parts ways

And for Moron and SDA Simpleton,

These are different days. 

  

Christmas is a-coming

Porky’s a-getting fat,

But Simpleton who is now Adventist

Is nothing to do with that.

 

 

“Grounds for divorce!

And this is surely one,

So, by Christmas time next year,

I Moron will be gone.”

 

 

“Be careful, Moron,

What you predict,

Before Christmas time next year,

You might exit.

 

Stewart Russell © December 8, 2025