Does Anyone Know?

 

 

Does anyone know

The question I am going to ask?

Should I allow you to guess,

That would be quite a task.

 

Chances are too

Somebody would guess right

But chances are too

By then it could be night.

 

There’s a question on my mind

It’s probably on yours too,

Pertaining to it

I’ve heard a lot of views.

 

It is rather amazing

The time we spend

In futile attempts

Our positions to defend.

 

And at the end of the day

We remain unconvinced

Simply because

That was our view ever since.

 

 

But back to the question,

Does anyone know?

I guess nobody does

For the Bible tells me so.

 

Therein lies the clue

To the question on my mind,

The question about which

So many people opine.

 

The opinions vary

As to the time and the place

And events are occurring

At a rapid pace.

 

Events have always happened

Of one kind or another

But some argue this rate

Causes more than a bother.

 

 

Each and every day

And almost everywhere

People’s hearts are troubled

Even to the point of fear.

 

Earthquakes and flooding

Plague many a land

And with all our resources

We still can’t understand.

 

The mysterious phenomena

That boggle the mind,

No wonder some say

We’re running out of time.

 

So I really must ask,

“When will he come?”

Jesus I mean

To set up his kingdom.

 

The fact is, no one knows

Just when he will come

Even though it could be

Before the setting of the sun.

 

When will he come?

That’s the question for me

But more importantly

 If he does, am I ready?

 

That question I suggest

Should be on every mind,

Not just when he’ll come

But will I be left behind?

 

 

Ask this moment now

Like I am doing as well,

“Am I prepared for heaven

Or on my way to hell?”

 

Are my sins forgiven?

Am I washed in his blood?

Have I trusted in him

To make me whole and good?

 

For there’s no merit in us

That can stir God’s heart,

It’s only what Jesus has done

That provides us the start.

 

Why not open up to him?

Let him come into your heart

And should he come this minute

With him you would depart.

 

Stewart Russell © January 2018

 

Who Are These?

  

 

Grab a hold of this

And give it some thought

And at some point, I guarantee you

You will see the soul Jesus bought.

 

That was me, that was you

If to Jesus you have come,

With your sins forgiven

You are a child of his kingdom.

 

Oh, these are they whose robes are white

Washed in the blood of the Lamb,

These are they that have come to the Light

Washed in the blood of the Lamb.

 

I find this intriguing

That through the Saviour’s bleeding

My robe is washed white

By my simple believing.

 

My dark and sinful soul

After a washing in Jesus’ blood

Comes out of that wash white-

None but Jesus could.

 

 

It’s not an optical delusion

It’s not a magic trick,

It is the miraculous work of Jesus

When in his blood we dip.

 

His life saving blood

Spilt on Calvary’s cross,

Hence that innumerable multitude

That was once lost.

 

I am in that number

And I trust so are you,

My robe has been made white

I am in that crew.

 

It started with the Jews

Twelve thousand from each tribe

And thereafter, since Pentecost,

Both Jew and Gentile have arrived.

 

John had a glimpsed of the future

Of his time and ours

And in that panoramic view

Jesus displayed his power.

 

His power to save

Peoples of all kinds,

Not only in the apostle’s time

But in yours and mine.

 

And as long as time shall last

However long that may be,

Whether we go or Christ comes

Some day we will see...

 

An innumerable number

That no man could name,

When Jesus comes again

Over all he will reign.

 

Stewart Russell © October 3, 2020

 

Reprogramming

 

 

Due to the change to which we’ve changed

There is a desperate need for change,

Perhaps a change back to a change before

Before we all become deranged.

 

Best said, would be reprogramming

For our circuitry is all messed up,

Too many dried joints over time

And we are reveling in the muck.

 

Hollywood is a terminal disease

And as a result so is television

And what is being thrown at our children

Is really the devil’s vision.

 

Even the news is x-rated

But grows higher in the populace’s rating

And like a body starved of water

We are rapidly dehydrating.

 

Hence, this call for reprogramming

We are desperately in need,

Please give a contemplative hearing

And halt the negative feed.

 

The feed of pornography

And the illicit sex trade,

The feed of adultery

And the fornication parade...

 

The feed of broken promises

As the acceptable way of life,

The feed of gossip and scandal

That is breeding so much strife...

 

The feed of licentious activity

As is done at a particular time

While our children are allowed to observe

Lewdness of every kind.

 

The feed of bodily gyrations

In sparse uninhibited attire

Teasing the imagination of young and old

And stirring up lustful fires.

 

The feed of dishonesty

Presented as acceptable and clever,

In loosing the depraved cravings of self

To access this world’s filthy lucre.

 

The feed of gambling

As a means of getting-rich-quick

And that survival is especially dependent

On one’s ability to be slick.

A reprogramming in the church

That has been caught up in the world’s web,

A return to the beatitudes

And being salt and light instead.

 

A dismantling of the satellite feed

For the manna which is from heaven

And from the feed of instant gratification

For the knowledge of sins forgiven.

 

Feeding the whole wide world

With the wonderful bread of life

And the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ

That saves the penitent from sin’s strife.

 

A safe heaven in this world

And in the world to come

When God programs the affairs of men

In His eternal kingdom.

 

Stewart Russell © November 2019

 

Guilty of the Same Error

Have you ever noticed

How we often accuse others

For the same things we do

As though ours didn’t matter?

And often the facts will show

That we are just as guilty

But we only can see their fault

Since ours lack visibility.

We sit in our armchairs

And accuse other denominations,

We say they are guilty

Of promoting a works salvation.

They are like the Pharisees

And emphasize the letter of the law

And we sit in our judgment seat

And expose their every flaw.

And we are quick to propagate

A salvation by faith and grace

Yet, we work hard to get to heaven

And to see Jesus face to face.

 

We were ushered in not by works

But works must get us there,

We are just like those we accuse

Though we are not aware.

Keen to see another’s fault

We seldom see our own

And as far as we are concerned

It’s the other’s fault alone.

But the judgment that we use

Can be used against us also

Hence, it is time we look inward

And see what is there to know.

  

Like those we often censure

We too are without merit

And the filthy rags we call our works

Are to our own discredit.

Not one of us is righteous

Certainly not in our own selves

And it is only in Jesus

That we have spiritual health.

 

So be careful when you criticize

Begin with an inward look,

The Pharisees too were lost

Their works were all they took.

We can know them by their fruit

But that is not a call to judge

And if you feel you need to help

Just give a friendly nudge.

For, there go I

But for the grace of God,

The humble portion belongs to us

But God gets the applause.

Let not the problem at Galatia

Be your problem too:

“O foolish Galatians,

Who hath bewitched you?”

 

Truly, we are called to a standard

But that is not our salvation,

Our salvation is in Jesus Christ

In whom we have redemption.

It is only the born again

That is on his way to heaven

And that is only because

His sins have been forgiven.

Stewart Russell © July 2020