Healing of the Nations

 

 

Healing of the nations

What really is it?

Let’s grab the Word of God

And pay a visit.

 

Forget all you have heard

Let the Word speak,

The knowledge you will glean

Will be quite a treat.

 

Revelation 22:2

 

In the midst of the street of it,

And on either side of the river,

Was there the tree of life,

Which bare twelve manner of fruits,

And yielded her fruit every month:

And the leaves of the tree

Were for the healing

Of the nations.

 

The healing of the nations

Via the tree of life

Obviously pertains to a time

When there is some strife.

 

You would recall

Adam and Eve’s plight

When they ate of the forbidden tree

And forfeited their right.

 

Their right to Eden

And all that pertained,

Placing the entire human race

Under sin's stain.

 

 

Cast out of Eden

And from the tree of life

But given the promise of salvation

And atoning sacrifice.

 

A ruggedly hewn cross

Became the tree of life

And the healing of the nations

No matter the strife.

 

Crucified thereon

Was the source of life,

Dying for all of earth’s peoples

Was Jesus the Christ.

 

It was divinely decreed

One must give up his life,

‘Twas for the sins of all peoples

Jesus paid the price.

 

Thus, healing the nations

As they turn to him

Recognizing he's the only remedy

For all earth’s sin.

 

Preaching of the cross

Is foolishness to some

But to every born-again believer

Salvation is come.

 

 

The cross is become

An instrument of life

Because on that cross of Calvary

Was Jesus sacrificed.

 

For the son of man

Had to be lifted up

And, as he said to his disciples,

Drink that bitter cup.

 

"Are ye able to drink?"

He once did ask

But not one of his disciples

Was up to this task.

 

There was no other

To pay the price of our sin,

Only Jesus could unlock the gate

And let us in.

 

The door of the sheep

And tree of life is he,

Only the middle man on the cross

Gives life eternally.

 

Matthew 28:19-20

 

Go ye therefore,

And teach all nations,

Baptizing them in the name of the Father,

And of the Son,

And of the Holy Ghost:

Teaching them to observe all things

Whatsoever I have commanded you:

And, lo, I am with you alway,

Even unto the end of the world.

So let it be. 

Stewart Russell © February 27, 2025

 

Houdini Christians

 

 

Houdini Christians

Just waiting to escape,

Tired of this sinful world

With all of its hate.

 

Trapped here below

While all heaven awaits,

Can’t wait to get up there;

Today would be great!

 

It is getting worse

As it was prophesied,

It is later than we think;

None can deny.

 

Houdini Christians

Just waiting to escape,

It’s not likely to get better

At any rate.

 

Like the escape artist

Whose name was Houdini,

Christians are about heaven

Not anything earthly.

 

 

Trapped here below

While heaven awaits

But still don’t like the idea

Of becoming the late.

 

Ignoring the command

To go and evangelize,

The world at large is being left

To its inevitable demise.

 

Go to Matthew 28

And there you will find

The mandate given to Christians

For all mankind.

 

But we are escapists

Just like Houdini

Hoping the Lord will appear

And usher in eternity.

 

 

 

Houdini Christians:

A group standing alone

Just waiting for the Lord Jesus,

Obsessed with going home.

 

Our hearts are disquieted

And for Jesus we yearn,

It has been a long, long time

Since he promised to return

 

Houdini Christians

Just waiting to escape,

Tired of this sinful world

With all of its hate.

 

Stewart Russell © October 6, 2024

 

Is This You?

 

Is this you

Merely occupying a pew?

Is this you coming often

But with nothing to do?

 

Do you feel

Like you don’t belong?

And after coming all these years

Nobody is around?

 

Is this you

Feeling lonely in a crowd

Silenced in the deafening noise

When most are loud?

 

Have you felt

Like going elsewhere

But wondering where to go

Away from here?

 

 Do you feel

Like you are inactive

And while you hear a lot

You’ve become a sieve?

 

Are you looking

To blame someone else

For why all this fleeting time

You’re yet on a shelf?

 

 

Are you inextricably

Bound by the four walls

That for years have defined

Your purpose and call?

 

If this is you?

It’s time to make a shift

For, like I was not long ago,

You are adrift.

 

Not a physical shift

To some salubrious location

But a spiritual adjustment

Of purpose and direction.

 

A manifestation

Not contained in four walls

But in accordance with Christ

In his Matthew 28 call.

 

Matthew 28:19-20

Go ye therefore,

And teach all nations,

Baptizing them

 In the name of the Father,

And of the Son,

And of the Holy Ghost:

Teaching them

 To observe all things

Whatsoever I have commanded you:

And, lo, I am with you alway,

Even unto the end of the world. Amen.

 

Stewart Russell © December 29, 2023

 

Why Bother?

Why bother…

When Jesus is coming soon?

Why bother?

He could come morning, night or noon.

No bother, I say…

If he should come today,

I am wonderfully saved

And ready to be on my way.

Why bother…

 About what is going on?

Soon the Lord is going to come-

He could do so before dawn.

Why bother...

When nothing we can change?

The world is supposed to get worse

Because people are deranged.

Why bother…

About the trouble I see…

And sing all day long

That nobody knows it but me?

Why bother…

When Jesus is on his way?

Believe you me, you scoffers,

It could even be today.

Why bother…

When the time is drawing nearer?

Given the signs around

To me, it is definitely clearer.

Jesus is standing up

The writing is in the air,

Why bother…

When I have no need to fear?

Why bother…?

But he said, “Occupy till I come.”

Why bother…?

Because he gave you a great commission.

Why sit and recline

Without a care on your mind

Knowing full well

That this is “go and tell” time?

Why bother…?

Like seriously, are you kidding me?

Just waiting for Jesus’ return

Seems so silly.

Where would you be

If that believer did not bother

To tell you about Jesus

And instead had asked, “Why bother?”

 

Why bother…

To keep looking up into heaven

Instead of telling an earthly brother

That his sins can be forgiven?

Why bother…

To vegetate and lose sight of life

Just waiting for Jesus to return

To free you from earth’s strife?

You ask, “Why bother?”

Because there’s much work to do,

Being salt to the world

Is for me and for you too.

So, bother we should...

We are Christ’s lights in this world

To minister his word

Until the whole world has heard.

Stewart Russell © May 2020