Are We with God?

 

 

Are we with God?

That is the real question!

But in the time of turmoil and strife

It’s the one we shun.

 

A question was asked

So very long ago

Of a warrior in the old times

Who suddenly showed.

 

“Are you for us

Or are you for our enemies?”

Neither, the warrior replied,

And was not being silly.

 

You may have thought,

It must be one or the other

But Jehovah does not take sides;

That’s not his bother.

 

 

One anthem speaks

Of the side the Lord is on

But regarding the world’s nations

There is not one.

 

That error’s been there

For nigh six decades

And none has dared to change it

Though dismayed.

 

It’s a rather silly notion

We ought to confess

For if Jehovah God be on our side

Then we would be best.

 

Better than God, even,

Since He aligns with us,

Isn’t this the tail wagging the dog?

Answer if you must!

 

 

Rather, ask the question

Like a leader long ago,

Who is on the Lord’s side, he asked,

And we ought to know.

 

For the bottom line is:

Who is following God?

Who is willing to walk the path

The Saviour trod?

 

Being on the Lord’s side

Is following his lead,

Not the world powers around

And man-made creeds.

 

It’s, “Are we with God?”

Not whether He is with us,

For His way is holy and righteous

And this means just.

 

He’s no respecter of persons:

Of world leader or Pope

But draws nigh to all who in him

Place their hope.

 

Here’s a word to the wise

And to the foolish too,

And while the latter may be me,

I trust it’s not you.

 

Are we with God

Given our trajectory?

Perhaps no would be the answer

If you see like me.

 

Wither our spirituality

And wither our morality?

The key is not whose side God is on

But whose we be.

 

 

If we be for God

Then we must serve Him

For Almighty God is not pleased

When we legalize sin.

 

Stewart Russell © May 28, 2025

 

Brain Alacrity and Body Lethargy

 

 

As a man thinks so he is

But his body may disagree,

Check Proverbs chapter 23 verse 7

And this you will almost see.

 

Please note the difference

That I shall mention,

Heart and brain are not the same

To this you must pay attention.

 

“For as a man thinks in his heart

That is the character he be,

Eat and drink says he

But his heart is not with thee.

 

So one gets the impression

There be two with which we think,

We think in the heart it seems to me

And with the brain there is a link.

 

 

Check out the heart

When dealing with the emotional

But consult the brain

If the matter appears intellectual.

 

My focus I must submit

Targets the brain and not the heart,

Body alacrity and brain lethargy:

That’s the point at which I start.

 

No doubt you are wondering

What I am talking about,

This idea came to me this morning

When I gave my neighbour a shout.

 

 

 

He is quite a way up in age

But his brain is still thinking alacrity

And the speed at which it says to move

Conflicts with his body’s lethargy.

 

A stumble or a stump is the oft result

Whenever these two conflict,

When his brain says to “Go!”

At the same time his body says, “Quit!”

 

Often times then what a man thinks

He really is not,

The brain might be ready to go

But the body’s age says stop.

 

So as a man thinks in his brain

He very often is not

For depending on his age

He may be rooted to the spot.

 

 

This is no conflict with the Bible

For to the heart Solomon spoke,

I am thinking with my brain’s alacrity

But my body says, “Must be a joke.”

 

Consider your age my body dictates

“You are not as young as before.”

And before you step with alacrity

Contemplate body lethargy a bit more.

 

A word to the wise is sufficient

And by now you know I’m not that wise:

Brain alacrity and Body lethargy

Only precedes old people’s demise.

 

The young will never experience it

That is if they die before they get old,

Brain alacrity and body lethargy

Is for senior citizens only, I am told.

 

Stewart Russell © February 2019

 

Absolute Nonsense

There is sense in nonsense

But only in the word,

In day to day living however

That saying is absurd.

There is no sense in nonsense

It must not be excused,

From the youngest to the oldest

Such we must refuse.

It’s not the needle in the haystack

That you might find it by chance,

You can search all you like

Nonsense does not sense enhance.

If what a person says or does

Is replete with nonsense

Do not expect to find sense

There can be no defense.

If something is full of something

There can be nothing more

Hence if it’s full of nonsense

Of that you can be sure.

You must have been admonished

To pick sense from nonsense,

Of course that’s not possible

Because in nonsense there’s no sense.

A lesson you might learn is

Not to do what the idiot did

Like playing “hide and seek”

And finding me before I hid.

Closing one’s eyes so he won’t be seen

Is absolute nonsense you’d agree

But people do it all day long

In a moment I’ll help you to see.

It’s like you are driving

And someone deliberately cuts across

But feigns he doesn’t see you

So your vision too must be lost.

And if further along the road

You should him accost

His response would be, “Not me my friend

You could not have seen me, boss.”

Peter felt if he could close his eyes

To what Jesus had said

Then those who saw him

Would have been deluded instead.

There’s no way one can do nonsense

And then reason it is sense,

It’s like saying he’s neither dead nor alive

Instead he’s sitting on the fence.

All I am saying is

You can’t pick sense from nonsense

Even if you are a magician

And I am totally dense.

It is absolute nonsense

Some of the things we say and do

And then add insult to injury

With, “Others say and do it too.”

A high point of our nonsense

Is pointing to the majority

As though once the majority does it

That gives us indemnity.

Maybe you are wondering

Why I am giving you this caution,

It’s because politicians are out

And this is the silly season.

They will come prepared

With manifestos and notes

Trying to impress you

So they can woo your vote.

Don’t fall for their nonsense

And try to pick from it sense

Even if it sounds impressive

And appears intense.

Think with your conscience

Even if they ignore theirs,

Tell them you’ve made your choice

And in you mind it is clear.

Do not tell them for whom

You plan to place your vote,

Tell them you’ve been following closely

And you have taken note.

Tell them it’s an informed decision

And they need not worry,

They need not waste time with you

And to the next they can hurry.

Do not encourage vote buying

It will get you nowhere,

Your integrity is costless

And such politicians don’t care.

And even if you don’t support

The one who bought your vote

You’ve given him a promise

Upon which he can always quote.

A vote buyer is worse that a vote seller

That should be clear to see,

One has clearly lost all conscience

The other has lost his integrity

Some have advocated

If money sharing out get some of it,

I say act like informed electorate

Not like the dumb and illiterate.

And bear in mind this little quip:

Nonsense is sure to return to haunt

Even the wise and ignorant

When ostensibly such they flaunt.

Stewart Russell © April 2018

Be Wise Not Otherwise

Well the year is winding down

Be it with a smile or frown,

Some have remained with us

The others are not around.

These have passed to the beyond

However is that fact

But for sure we are aware

They have left the beaten track.

Trodden by each and every soul

Be that journey short or long

And by the end of it be assure

You’d have written your life’s song.

What we have written is written

And that we cannot erase

And those no longer among us

Are awaiting the next phase.

Exactly how that phase will be

We are not completely sure,

The Bible does give us a few hints

But beyond that we know no more.

The wise among us that remain

Have taken God at His word,

We have given our lives to Jesus

The otherwise consider this absurd.

As this year into eternity fades

Becoming the past as those before

I would like to take this opportunity

To appeal to you once more.

Let not the New Year find you

Walking the way of the otherwise,

That is the path of wretchedness

That will lead to your eternal demise.

However foolish it might appear

Give Jesus the rest of your years,

Don’t wait for the year to begin

Commit to Christ right now right here.

Dear unsaved but believing friend

If this poem has arrested you thoughts

It’s a good sign that you have found

That after which you have sought.

For nothing in this life will bring you

The satisfaction that you seek,

Perhaps this is your defining moment

When you and the Saviour meet.

However absurd it may seem

Identify yourself with the wise,

The cross is to the otherwise nonsense

Therein is the devil’s disguise.

As this year’s moments tick away

If conviction on you weighs

This is the opportune time to say

Lord, come into my heart today.

Be wise I dare say, not otherwise

You have no time put down,

Do not put it off for another year

Like the others you might not be around.

Stewart Russell © December 2017