Show Me in the Bible

 

 

Show me in the Bible

Is this too hard to ask?

When you give me your position,

Is this a herculean task?

 

Show me in the Bible

This is my benchmark

And it should be yours as well

From the very start.

 

Show me in the Bible

Not some commentary,

Commentaries were not inspired

And this we need to see.

 

Bible commentaries

Are scholastic positions

But they don’t replace the Word

In any form or fashion.

 

 

Show me in the Bible

Because unless you do,

You can talk all day and all night

And not alter my view.

 

The Bible is God’s Word,

The God-breathe Word

And to no other book I know of

Does it ever defer.

 

Some are very well read

In Hebrew and in Greek

But I dare to trust the Holy Spirit

Because I know he speaks.

 

He speaks in the Word,

He opens up the truth

And he uses this same very Word

To supply the needed proof.

 

Show me in the Bible

Not a denomination

For all denominational sects

Sit on interpretation.

 

 

Show me in the Bible

Both chapter and verse,

It’s not your opinion I am after

Or how well rehearsed.

 

Show me in the Bible

Just like Jesus showed

Those two distraught disciples

On the Emmaus Road.

 

Beginning at Moses

And all of the prophets

Jesus showed them the word

And himself in it.

 

I stand on the Word

For all else is sinking sand

But the Rock that is Christ Jesus,

Secures as only he can.

 

Show me in the Bible

And you should use it too

For the unadulterated Holy Word

Is the God's eye view.

 

It points us to God

And shows us who we are:

Sinners deserving of damnation

Adrift from God by far.

 

But there is a Saviour

From God the Father came

To redeem us from damnation

By his precious name.

 

John chapter 3 verse 16

See it in the Bible,

God’s love through Jesus Christ

Was offered to all peoples.

 

Yes, there is a Saviour

Who from the Father came;

From the dead he rose triumphant,

Glory to his name!

 

 

Show me in the Bible

And I’ll be satisfied

For like that shepherd-king of old,

God’s word is my guide.

 

Stewart Russell © August 28, 2024

 

All Earth’s Joys

 

 

What is the greatest joy

You have experienced on earth?

Whatever that was

Must have brought great mirth.

 

Laughter and excitement

What lasting treasures!

And the unforgettable memories

That brought us pleasure.

 

But all of earth’s joys

Eventually come to an end

And that for all of us

Could be around the next bend.

 

Like our life, they are short lived

As is the withering grass

And regardless of status or position

We are all in that class.

 

 

All of earth’s joys

Are lined with sorrow

And for every event we enjoy

There is a pending horror.

 

So, what is your greatest joy?

Can you tell it to me?

For whatever it is I can tell you this

Its sorrow lining you will see.

 

Is it a happy marriage?

It will be marred by death,

Did you win the lottery?

Well, you will leave that wealth.

 

Of course, we do understand

It could be the other way around,

The joys set us up

But the sorrow brings us down.

 

 

Death is the lining of sorrow

That shadows life

In the same way that earthly peace

Is shattered by strife.

 

So whatever earthly joy we seek

After that joy comes the bleak,

Just like the summer and the winter

These changes come even as we speak.

 

It is not so in heaven, though

Whenever that time shall be,

Then will be an eternity of untinged joy

When our Saviour, Jesus we see.

 

Stewart Russell © January 31, 2021

 

A Popular Name

 

 

I remember my school days

Not so very long ago,

Lots of things I have forgotten

But somethings I still know.

 

Not me is one of them

You would hear it every day,

As boys we were often up to mischief

And not me we would say.

 

Who was talking in the class?

Not me would be the reply,

Who stole the missing pencil?

Not me would be the lie.

 

An entire class with one name

Not me was that appellation,

So many boys with this name

Was surely beyond comprehension.

 

Even when the culprit was seen

He still would plea not me

And since not me was everyone

He could not be found guilty.

 

Well, at least not him alone

Since everybody was guilty,

Not me could never be punished

Since not me was everybody.

 

Maybe, it’s “hiding in a crowd”

Like people are wont to do,

How can you tell who’s done it?

Not me is also not you.

Not me has another slant

Which has to do with the exception,

Everybody must comply with the rule

Except the not me appellation.

 

Different strokes for different folks

Or perhaps, par for the course,

For every rule there is an exception

Sometimes it is even worse.

 

Under no condition whatever

Should anyone be allowed to pass

But it does not apply to not me,

Not me is in a special class.

 

And the lengths to which we go

To vindicate not me

Bearing in mind, of course,

The guilty is innocent until proven guilty.

 

Not me though guilty is innocent

And invariably wins each case,

After all, that is to be expected

Since the law can be two-faced.

 

The court says you must pay

But not me says not me,

From whom will you extract the charge?

Not me is somebody.

 

Somebody big and important

That is who is not me,

It would be better to leave this matter alone

And enter a not guilty plea.

Sometimes not me is nobody

Sometimes not me is somebody

But whether somebody or nobody

Not me is never guilty.

 

Sometimes not me is everybody

That is the not me in the crowd,

But the not me that can’t be touched

Is the not me that’s large and loud.

 

That’s the not me with power

And the not me that has position,

That’s not the not me that hides

But the not me that makes decisions.

 

Who is responsible for this poem?

The answer to that is not me,

Not me is the person now reading it

Not guilty as charged; you are free.

 

Stewart Russell © May 2020

A Church Member’s Worth

 

 

What is a church member’s worth?

Pray, can someone please tell?

Is it standard across the board?

Are they all encouraged to gel?

 

Before I move on any further

Please, I beg you, do understand

That the church of which I speak

Is not the one triumphant, grand.

 

I need not ask this question

Concerning the Church of Christ

For its members are infinitely valued

On account of his sacrifice.

  

I mean the visible church

With its myriad denominational sects

Doing promotions and proselytizing

But ignoring perceived rejects.

 

Hence, this question I am asking:

What is a church member worth?

Maybe it depends on his size

And I do not mean his height or girth.

 

By size I mean his profession-

Is he a big one; is he guru?

Does he hold societal prominence?

Has he an influential view?

 

Is he a doctor or a lawyer?

A Cabinet Minister or economist?

Can he get the Prime Minister’s ears?

In what ways does he assist?

 

Sounds like an interview to me

To fill a vacant position,

Upon such rests the member’s worth:

Upon his secular qualification.

 

For what other reason, tell me,

Would members be treated differently?

I have looked hard and long, my friend,

But that’s pretty much what I see.

 

Except for nepotism of course,

Which we can’t completely ignore:

Biological family over church family-

Tell me, need I say more?

 

 

What is a church member’s worth?

They ought to be worth the same:

No partiality, no bias or prejudice

Once they are bearing Jesus’ name.

 

The born-again are one in Christ Jesus,

For him, on the cross Jesus was laid,

In effect, before earth’s foundation,

His redemption price was paid.

 

Hence, the believer’s infinite worth

Is his position in Jesus Christ

For no value can ever be attached

In respect to our Saviour’s sacrifice.

 

What ought the church’s response be

But to treat all members the same?

After all, whatever we have received

Have been received in Jesus’ name.

 

Our time, out tithe, our talent

Have all been given to us

And therefore, what ultimately matters,

Is our position in Christ Jesus.

 

The Pharisee boasted about these three:

His time, his tithe and his talent

But the lowly and despised Publican

Knew what it was to repent.

 

His worth was elevated in Christ

While the Pharisee’s sunk to a horrible low

For our time and tithe and talent,

Mean nothing if Christ we do not know.

 

Stewart Russell © June 18, 2022

 

Aspirants and Aspirins

He’s at the top

I’m just halfway there,

I’ll probably never make it

And that’s my fear.

He was halfway up

When I started out

But moving at his rate?

That’s not what I’m about.

The top is mine

It was promised to me,

I was born to lead

Any blind man can see.

For too long now

I have been led,

He’s in my position

I must be at the head.

I need to move now

And quicken up my rate

Or I won’t make it,

What a terrible fate!

Just middle management

Are you kidding me?

By the end of this year

The top is where I’ll be.

But so short a period

In which to achieve,

So many in between

That will likely impede.

Twenty years it took

To be where I am now

But in a year’s time

I’ll be at the top somehow.

It’s not about the salary

Well, not that alone

But I like the importance

Of being in that zone.

  

I like the accolades they get

And I see how they strut

And besides all that

I’ve been too long in this rut.

Middle management

 For these last five years!

It is time to move on

I must change gear.

Full speed ahead!

Get out of my way!

I am coming for the top

I don’t care who is there.

All of this aspiration

It’s giving me a headache,

I’d better take an aspirin

Or I might be “the late”.

A word to the wise

And to the foolish too,

At times there appears no difference

Between these two.

Better take your time

And pay your dues,

Focus on the next level

Even with the top in view.

There are enough headaches

Between this and the next,

An aspirin may not work

Especially when you’re vexed.

Your time will come

If you wait your turn,

Impatience is like a match

It can really burn.

Aspiration is all right

And it is very necessary too

But too many aspirins

And we could be burying you.

Stewart Russell © February 2019

Unaware

Unaware I was lost

Thought I had it all down-packed,

Unaware of the cost

And the burden I carried on my back.

Groping my way through life

But pretending to be bold,

Confronting the daily strife

With the challenge of my load.

Unaware of my plight

Since I was a normal guy,

Unaware of the light

And just kept passing it by.

I had done well in life

As far as my career was concerned,

Attending church with the wife

And two lovely kids of our own.

Unaware there was better

I was the king on my throne,

Unaware of the loneliness

And the fact that I was alone.

What a peril to be in!

What a dangerous path to tread!

To be unaware that in sin

And trespasses you lie dead.

To be fooled you are alive

By the adversary of your soul

And while dead you think you thrive

Though stone dead and cold.

Unaware of the genuine

Satisfied with the constant sham

Unaware of the deadly sin

That causes your soul to be damned.

Yes, seemingly happy and proud

As you journey on life’s way

But unaware of the death shroud

That hugs you every day.

  

A success in life as it were

A fair share of money on the bank,

A comfortable house for sure

And a managerial position to thank.

For what more can a guy ask

When he is sitting so smug

And when the perils of this economy

Off his back he can shrug?

For money answers everything

You must have heard that before,

In this life you can have a fling

And enjoy it to the fullest for sure.

Unaware of a life hereafter

With its impending doom,

Here there might be lots of laughter

But there eternal darkness looms.

Unaware of the coming disaster

As propagated in God’s Word,

Made drunk by fun and laughter

Too drunk to be bothered or disturbed.

But where there is life there is hope

And the Word still reaches you,

In this life without Christ you grope

And blind man’s view is no view.

Being unaware is no excuse

It just means you are spiritually dumb

And each time the Word you refuse

Your heart continues to be numbed.

So now is the time to be aware

Of the need of your eternal soul,

Respond to the Saviour’s call and care

As he invites you into his fold.

For there is coming a time

When you will be more than aware

And in hell you will certainly find

There will be a lot of company there.

Those you laughed and joke with

When confronted by the truth

Will miss what you also missed

In hell you will have that proof.

Nowadays it’s not politically correct

For some to preach about hell

And even in the church they reject

When some preachers this bad news tell.

But the good news begins at the bad

Concerning the issue of sin

And the receiver’s heart is made glad

As the good news is told to him.

What a contrast one gets to ponder

As one considers the good and the bad!

What a marvelous miraculous wonder

That in Jesus this good can be had!

Confession and repentance is key

And acceptance of the crucified Christ,

His offer is priceless yet free

For you he paid sin’s price.

You need not be unaware

That in Christ there is so much more

When you walk with him right here

And trust him for what is in store.

Stewart Russell © November 2017