A Blood Obsession

 

 

I am beginning to wonder,

And maybe you should

About the apparent obsession

We have about the blood.

 

Especially, I must say,

The blood of the Jesus

Which was shed at Mt Calvary

For every one of us.

 

Some will sprinkle it,

As though they could,

And draw a protective line too

With the blood.

 

Some plead it on others

As though they are foes

And what comes out of such,

Only God knows.

 

A seeming obsession

That the blood gives power

Over the enemy and misfortune

Every day and hour. 

 

 

Like the covenantal ark

Of the Ancient Isrealites

That would win them the victory

Over whom they fight.

 

Was the blood spiritual

Or was it real?

The blood we sprinkled today,

Of what is it made?

 

Who collected the blood

Off the cross and the ground

And please tell me if you can,

Is this blood still around?

 

The life is in the blood

And Christ gave his for us,

The blood given on Mt Calvary,

Was the life of Jesus.

 

 

He is no longer dead

As he conquered death

And because of his resurrection

The believer has rest.

 

The price for our sin

Was Jesus’ precious blood,

The beautiful hymn correctly says,

That no one else could.

 

No one was good enough

To pay the price of sin,

It took Jesus to open heaven’s door

And let the born-again in.

 

No sprinkling required

Except in the sinner’s heart

And everyone can rest assure

It’s where the Spirit starts.

 

No shedding of blood,

No remission of sin,

Nothing Apostle or Pastor can do;

Jesus must be allowed in.

 

 

‘Tis via the Holy Spirit

That Jesus will come in

And together with the Almighty

Will make his abode within.

 

The atonement was done

In a once-for-all sacrifice

And that once-for-all sacrifice

Was the blood of Jesus Christ.

 

So why this obsession

With this so-called blood?

It is time to stop the sprinkling;

I think we really should.

 

Stewart Russell © November 23, 2024

 

Two Comings

 

 

He hung on the cross

Knowing for this he came,

For you and for me

Glory to his name!

 

“Father forgive them

They know not what they do.”

All part of salvation’s plan

For me and for you.

 

“Truly this was God’s Son,”

The centurion did say

Words that are remembered

Even up to this day.

 

They buried him in a grave

That was not even his own

And there he lay

Having left his throne.

 

He rose triumphantly

The gave couldn’t hold him down,

Death he defeated

He again wears his crown.

 

None saw him rise

But many saw him alive,

Which proves it was nothing

That somebody contrived.

 

 

On the Emmaus road

Two disciples with him walked

And they too were convinced

As they with him talked.

 

Thomas touched his wounds

He required such proof,

And when he did

He confessed the truth.

 

These saw him ascend

And the angels they heard,

“He is coming in like manner.”

Accept their word.

 

He is coming again

For those who are prepared,

We are not sure when

It could be far or near.

 

 

What we do know is

That he came before

And today he is standing

Knocking at someone’s door.

 

Open your heart

And let Jesus come in,

That is the only way

You can be saved from your sin.

 

Believe him in your heart

And confess with your mouth

And like Zacchaeus

 He will come to your house.

 

He will make it his temple

And dwell in you there

And you’ll go to be with him

When he shall appear.

 

Prepare to meet thy God

Amos had declared,

That same calls goes out today

To people everywhere.

 

 

Two comings there must be

One has gone,

The second is on the way

We need to be warned.

 

It may be while we are living

Or sometime after instead

But we cannot make a decision

After we are dead.

 

Whether Jesus comes or calls

You must be prepared,

Let neither of these two

Take you unawares.

 

For this cause he came

To redeem the elect

And he is coming again

Whether or not you expect.

 

He will take to himself

Those that are his own

And there they will worship

Before his throne.

 

Stewart Russell © November 2019

 

Ye Do Err

 

Matthew 22:29

 

Jesus answered and said unto them,

Ye do err,

not knowing the scriptures,

nor the power of God.

 

Ye do err,

Not knowing the scriptures,

Your agenda in view

Blocks the true picture.

 

The Sadducees had said

There was no resurrection

And had tried to trap Jesus

With a difficult question.

 

They wanted to prove

What it was they believed

But they were the very ones

That had been deceived.

“Ye do err,” said Jesus,

“Not knowing the scriptures,”

And then proceeded to give them

The true picture.

 

A woman had seven husbands

Seven brothers they were,

Each of the predeceased left her

To the brother after.

 

“Whose wife shall she be?”

The Sadducees asked eagerly,

Hoping to trap the Master

With their perceived mystery.

 

“Ye do err,” said Jesus,

“Not knowing the scriptures,”

No marriage in the resurrection

End of the lecture.

 

My brother’s first wife died,

He is now on his second

But for either in the resurrection

There is no provision.

 

They will have a new name

And it will not be Russell,

There’s no need in the resurrection

For any such tussle.

.

I know the assurance given

Is that we will meet over there

But not as husband and wife,

Only one bridegroom appears.

 

The Church is his bride

And he is Head of his Church,

Consult the Holy Scriptures

And forget the experts.

“Ye do err,” said Jesus,

“Not knowing the scriptures,”

They were blind to the truth

Though they looked on its picture.

 

Pilate had the same problem

When he asked what is truth,

Before him stood Jesus

Its undeniable proof.

 

I am grateful for Lynette,

My adorable wife

But this union will end forever

When I leave this life.

 

I will enjoy all she offers me

For as long as we live

And with God being my helper

Give her what I can give.

 

At my graveside

I hope she will understand

I am no longer hers

But totally in God’s hand.

 

We have discussed together

That death will part us forever,

No husband and wife in eternity

But heaven to treasure.

 

Stewart Russell © December 7, 2021

 

Hope or Hoax?

 

 

How confusing it is

To hear a God-believing cleric

Publicly denounce the Bible

And be a vociferous critic!

 

Proclaimed as delusional:

That is, the Word of God,

On the airwaves and television

This was spread abroad.

 

If Christianity is a hoax

Then what does he believe?

What does he really teach

Or coax people to receive?

 

If the first 11 chapters

Of the Holy Bible are mythical

Then please tell me my dear cleric

What in there is believable?

 

If creation falls down,

On what can we rely?

Surely the whole Bible becomes

A colossal lie!

 

 

No Adam and Eve,

No Noah or Abraham,

No Moses and no Exodus

And no redemptive plan.

 

No Christ and no Gospel

No dying or resurrection,

No ascension or coming again

And definitely no salvation!

 

No creation and no Creator

It is all a huge scam!

All this preaching about eternity

And a salvation plan.

 

 

Hope or Hoax?

The latter it must be

When even leading church clerics

Preach such heresy.

 

No wonder the world

Appears “going to the dogs”
For the church the world sees

Denies its very God.

 

This is an indictment

On leaders like the noted cleric

That propagate so-called sermons

That are without merit.

 

 

If the Bible’s first 11 chapters

Are to be considered as mythical,

There’s no hope beyond death

For all of earth’s people.

 

Then nothing is absolute

And a man’s truth is only his own

And this augurs well

Once he stays in his zone.

 

However, such is impossible

For social beings,

They must of necessity interact

As their survival deems.

 

So that all who believe the lie

As propagated by this cleric

Are on their way to hell

For heaven they will forfeit.

 

Anyone who comes to God

Must believe that He exists

And without faith in God’s Word

Eternal life he will miss.

 

For if creation is a tale

Then the whole Bible is a myth

And Christ must be denounced

As being the Father’s Gift.

 

There is no Word of God

And there is no Holy Spirit

And ultimately no eternal hope

As implied by this cleric.

  

What is he really doing then

As he stands in the pulpit

When much of what he preaches

He doesn’t even believe it.

 

Stewart Russell © February 24, 2022

 

He’s Alive! He’s Alive!

 

 

How they laughed and shouted!

How they danced and skipped!

When the news had sunken in

Like those two on that trip.

 

They need not look for another

The Messiah had come,

Yes! The one whom they walked with

Was indeed God’s Son.

 

For a moment there

The disciples were in great doubt

But Jesus’ glorious resurrection

Had brought them out.

 

 

He’s alive!  He’s alive!

The message to the world,

First the Jews then the Gentiles

To the entire world.

 

The knowledge of the glory of God

Shall cover the earth,

Because of Jesus’ resurrection

Here comes the new birth.

 

They hid behind closed doors

The whole of Saturday

But with this wonder unfolding

There was much to say.

 

He’s alive! He’s alive!

He’s no longer in the tomb!

And he is ready to fill every heart

That would give him room.

 

The Christ has come

Yes!  The Messiah is here!

No longer do we have to grieve

Or cower in fear.

 

Our only submission now

Is to humbly submit to him

And hold very dear to our hearts

His sacrifice for our sin.

 

He died that we might live,

He rose that we too might rise

And one day he is coming back-

We shall see him in the skies.

 

 

Meanwhile we spread the word

He’s alive!  He’s alive!

He was crucified once and buried

But today, He’s alive! He’s alive!

 

Stewart Russell © April 2, 2021

Thirty-Seven Miracles of Jesus

1. The first was at a wedding

Where he turned water into wine

And all present agreed

The wine was absolutely fine.

2. Then at Cana of Galilee

He healed a noble man’s son,

3. Next, he cast out an evil spirit

Also at Capernaum.

4. Peter’s mother-in-law was sick

And Jesus was the cure,

In no time she was up

And going about her chores.

5. On one particular evening

He healed a lot of people

6. Then on the Lake Gennesaret

He did the first fishing miracle.

7. Next, he cleansed a leper

8. And after, a centurion’s servant

9. Then the suspended paralytic

Hanging from ropes like a pendant.

10. Next, Jesus healed a man

That had a withered hand

And though it was on the Sabbath

“Doing good” was Jesus’ plan.

11. Next, he raised a widow’s son

12. And calmed a stormy sea

13. Then deliver demons into pigs

And the citizens responded angrily.

14. Then there was the woman

With the issue of blood,

15. Next, the raising of Jairus’ daughter

Done only as Jesus could.

16. Jesus healed two blind men

17. Then a man who could not speak,

18. Next, an invalid at Bethesda

19. And from little, 5000 plus did eat.

  

20. This man was possessed by a devil

He was both blind and dumb,

Jesus wonderfully healed him

But was said to be in league with Satan.

21. Next, he walked on water

22. Then healed many that were sick,

As each one touched his garment

He was healed; it was no trick.

23. He healed a Gentile girl

By a demon, she was possessed,

In response to Jesus’ challenge

Her mother’s faith passed the test.

24. He healed a deaf and dumb man

25. Then next it was the 4000 plus,

With seven loaves and a few fishes

He fed them without a fuss.

26. He healed a blind man at Bethsaida

Whom he touched a second time,

27. Quite unlike the next blind man

Where clay and spittle were fine.

28. A man brought his son to Jesus

Whom the disciples could not cure

But was Jesus able to heal him?

The answer to that is “sure”.

29. Then there was the temple tax

That was delivered by a fish,

Peter went down to collect it

And the tax collectors got their wish.

30. Then there was this woman

That was sick for eighteen years,

Jesus loosed her from her infirmity

Which she no longer had to bear.

31. Jesus healed a man with dropsy

32. And cleansed ten lepers too

33. Next, he raised Lazarus from the dead

34. And gave Bartimaeus a perfect view.

35. Just a word and a fig tree withered

36. Next, he restored a severed ear,

37. Then came the second fishing miracle:

Thirty-seven miracles that’s clear.

Perhaps, you can find another

That I may have overlooked...

Like the calming of the storm,

So I could check it in the Book.

The truth of the matter is:

There were many more miracles

For on more than one occasion

Jesus healed many people.

And, add to these His resurrection,

And his ascension too

As his disciples stood upward gazing,

Having such a remarkable view.

Then, of course, there is mine,

I have a miracle all my own,

If from sin Jesus has set you free

Such a miracle is not mine alone.

The salvation of a soul:

That is the greatest miracle today,

I implore you, my friend, believe in him

And let him have his way.

Stewart Russell © September 2018

Modified: August 2019