Jesus All in All

 

 

What does it really mean

Jesus our all in all?

Well, I will give you as much

As I can quickly recall.

 

And it is strange

Re the roles he fulfilled

For they are rather conflicting

Yet complementary still.

 

He is the shepherd

And he is also the sheep,

That he can be both of these

Is profound and deep.

 

 

He identified with both

As shepherd and lamb

And as to his care and protection

The ewe yet a ram.

 

He knew the sheep

Being a lamb himself

And as himself the shepherd,

He cared for its health.

 

He is the fold

And the door to the fold

And to declare that he is both

Seems rather bold.

 

The born-again child

Becomes one with Christ

And since he is also the door,

This more that suffice.

 

 

Jesus is the door

As well as the enclosure

Sustaining the sheep in himself

As Shepherd and Saviour.

 

Jesus is the sacrificer

As well as the sacrifice,

And the shedding of his own blood

Doth more than suffice.

 

He sacrificed his life

And he took it up again

Having satisfied his own demand

As he took our blame.

 

The lamb without spot

In whom was no sin

As both sacrificer and sacrifice,

Now calls all to him.

 

 

Look nowhere else

For whatever you need,

Jesus, both shepherd and lamb,

Is our all in all indeed.

 

Stewart Russell © July 29, 2024

 

Animal Like Behaviour

 

 

They say that we are animals

A higher class of course

But often times we behave

Much lower than the worse.

 

And we may earn their names

By some of the things we do

Though this is highly offensive

To both me and to you.

 

Like “you stupid old goat”

When we do something foolish

Or, what a “sloppy pig”!

When what we do is a mess.

 

What an “ignorant donkey”!

Just don’t use the other name,

Male it is, not female,

But both genders are to blame.

 

 

Dare to stand your ground

And you are a “stubborn mule”

Or do something most despicable

And “dog’ is the naming tool.

 

Go back on your word

And you are a “backbiting snake”,

Or “chameleon” might be better

Just to show you are a fake.

 

Some authority on looks

May refer to another as a “monkey”

And if perchance one’s ears shoot out

“Bat-ears” it then would be.

 

 

A lowdown act: you’re a “dog”

Lower than that you’re a “snake”

And for females in pregnancy

She waddles like a “duck”, not “drake”

 

I had to put that in

Because of the confusion gender wise,

These days you mightn’t be sure

Some don’t wear disguise.

  

Check out the “lower animals”

They are surer than we are,

Especially when mating time comes around

They make more sense by far.

 

How can I leave out the “sheep”?

This is a regular name,

It is the one I mostly like

For I am one, in Jesus’ name.

 

The good shepherd calls us such

Especially, when we follow him,

He gave his life for his dear “sheep”

To free those “sheep” from sin

 

“Wolf” is the name for those

Pretending that they are “sheep”

However, they don’t eat grass

Their diet is strictly meat.

 

 

“Vipers” is one we hear from Jesus,

In the same verse “serpents” is used,

Matthew 23:33 is the text…

Such people are without excuse.

 

I choose to end with the following:

These are “turtledove” and “lamb”,

The former is a romantic term

The latter is held in the Shepherd’s hand.

 

For when as “lambs” we frisk around

We sometimes go astray,

It’s then the Shepherd breaks our leg

And carries us along the way.

 

Just one set of footprints

The prints of the Shepherd’s feet

Not yours or mine, I hope you see

He is carrying his little “sheep”.

 

Stewart Russell © August 2019

 

Choosing to Give Thanks

 

I just want to give God thanks

For having lived this long.

For family and friends

And for still being somewhat strong.

There is a pain right here

And every day an ache somewhere

But I am assured of the fact

That I am in God’s care.

I thank Him for his faithfulness

Each and every day

And how He keeps on keeping me

When I let Him lead the way.

I am His very special sheep

As a matter of fact, still a lamb,

For one day I am frisky

Though the next I’m like a ram.

I thank Him for understanding

All of my frailties

And I credit Him above all else

For my every capability.

He wakes me every morning

And gives to me His breath

And I am assured He will do this

Until the time of my death.

I thank Him for the fact

That I am in His hand,

Not because I deserve it

But because it is His plan.

And yet another day

He has caused me to see,

I am in my right mind

And seeing quite clearly.

There are many consolations

Too many to fully mention

And in my every difficulty

He is on top of the problem.

I thank Him for the water

Which is back on again

And wish I could make a promise

That when it’s off I won’t complain.

For the electricity too

That is now up and going well

And on the fact it will happen again

I choose not to dwell.

 

Yes, I choose to give God thanks

Not simply fret and complain,

For every problem we’ve had before

We are likely to encounter it again.

Giving God thanks is a choice

It is a decision we should make,

It doesn’t happen automatically

It's a course we all should take.

I choose to give God thanks

There is nothing better I can do,

With Him, life here is much easier

And in the life to come, too.

Stewart Russell © December 2019

The Only Wise God

 

 

Can you tell what I am thinking?

I know someone who can,

He even knows my future

And He never reads my palm.

Crystal balls are not His thing

And He never ever predicts,

He doesn’t even prophesy

Yet He sees all from where he sits.

He knows when we are sincere

And whenever we pretend,

He knows what we will decide

And all that we intend.

What question he cannot answer?

There is actually none,

He alone can decide

How long each course will run.

Time’s clock has been set by Him

From its beginning to its end,

He knows every twist and turn

Every tunnel and every bend.

He is the ultimate Ruler

King of kings and Lord of lords,

He is one yet three

As substantiated by the Word

There’s much we do not understand

As expressed in His Word,

And often in our brilliance

We deem that Word absurd.

He alone orders the wind

And the boundaries of the sea,

No effort or struggle is required

Just a simple “Let there be”.

He transcends all of creation

It is all contained in Him,

Everything is for His purpose

Not our fancy or our whim.

We were created in His image

Though we often tend to forget

And the balance that He initiated

We constantly try to upset.

His ways are past finding out

His thoughts are not our thoughts,

He is from everlasting to everlasting

And He cannot be bought.

All in the earth are His

There is nothing that He needs,

He has provided it for our sustainment

Not to satisfy our greed.

He is the Lord God Jehovah

The I AM that I AM,

Revealed in Christ the Saviour

The Shepherd and yet the Lamb.

That he died for me is amazing

That he lives in me is comforting,

That he is coming for me is reassuring

That I am in him is enlightening.

It is my honour to know Him

It is my privilege to be called His own

His slave I may be but I am free

Free to enjoy true liberty.

What blessed freedom in Christ!

My Shepherd, Lamb and Sacrifice,

Nothing brought I but one sin-sick soul

Yet he washed me and made me whole.

All of Him and none of me

No credit can I take,

No merit in me, no merit at all

God did it all for Jesus’ sake.

And now I rest assured in Him

Until my earthly rest shall be,

Anticipating the glorious resurrection

When I shall live eternally.

Stewart Russell (c) April 2019

Hell Is Real

 

 

“Go to hell!” he angrily exclaimed.

“Where is hell?  Please… do explain.”

“Hell is here.  Don’t you feel the pain?”

If that’s so, what’s the Bible’s claim?

The Bible records there’s such a place,

For hope therein there’s not a trace,

Created for the Devil and his demons

And all who refuse God’s salvation.

Some scorn at the very thought,

Others mock reducing it to naught,

Many regard it with great contempt,

Following are reasons why they resent.

Of a loving God it doesn’t make sense,

For a short life span no fit recompense,

Such won’t be justice, just victimization

If God could stoop to such damnation.

What depth of evil could merit hell?

Somebody, please, I’m listening, do tell.

These are some, not by any means all

Reasons why hell’s a poor judgment call.

God must be vindictive to go to this length

To demonstrate His power and His strength

And then rate such as abhorrence for sin!

I wonder what could be the matter with Him.

How could God be loving and gracious?

How could God be merciful yet so vicious?

How could he be so holy and righteous?

How could an eternity in hell be just?

Listen up and I will tell you how,

Disabuse your mind of your ranting now!

Do not dwell on your semblance of truth,

Let’s go to the Bible and get the real proof!

The Bible does declare there is a hell,

In Matthew 13 we hear Jesus clearly tell

The wicked will be cast into a furnace of fire,

Later he spoke of torment that doesn’t expire.

  

The book of Revelation keeps us on track,

Revelation chapter 20 verse15 to be exact,

Read of God’s judgment concerning the issue of sin

And regarding all who object to be united to Him.

Hell really comes down to a matter of choice,

Choose Jesus and the reason to rejoice,

He that chooses otherwise is already condemned

Because he has denied the Son the Father did send.

Bear in mind what God placed on His Son,

Who died in our stead and that work is done,

He murmured not but in humility bore

Our sins on the cross and opened heaven’s door.

Hell need not be an issue for anyone

That will come to Jesus and be reborn,

For he that comes he will in no wise cast out;

Hallelujah to the Lamb!  That one can shout.

Just like heaven is, hell’s a real place too

But it was not created for the likes of you,

Jesus came to seek and to save the lost,

The evidence was displayed on Calvary’s cross.

Think if you may what Jesus went through

To prepare a way of escape for me, for you;

How will you escape if you reject the Way?

Choose Christ now!  Do it today!

“Go to hell!” may not be so bad today

But there is coming a time when Christ will say

I never knew you, depart from me!

And hell will be yours for all eternity.

A word to the wise is sufficient they say,

Turn to Jesus now and no longer delay,

Today may be the last chance that comes you way,

No more opportunity when in the ground you lay.

Opinion and feeling do not alter the fact,

Neither does diplomacy nor any amount of tact,

Once in hell there is no coming back,

My brother and sister, time to get off that track.

Stewart Russell© 2015