The Second Stanza

“The Lord has been the people’s guide

For past three hundred years,

With Him still on the people’s side

We have no doubts or fears”.

How oft this verse do we hear?

When does it ring in our ear?

Appears to me more often than not

That the first verse is the entire lot.

For if you want to see some fun,

Check when the second verse is being sung

And you will note the mumbling lip

With memory gone there’s many a slip.

I challenge you this morning too,

Whether the second verse is known by you

Or you are stuck on the first as well?

It’s only by singing that we can tell.

But we proudly stand ramrod straight

As we esteem Barbados the greatest state

Seldom remembering the God who led,

Nothing much about Him is said.

Yes, “In plenty and in time of need

When this fair land was young

Our brave forefathers sow the seed

From which our pride is sprung”.

For while this might be true in part,

From whom did they get strength of heart?

To accomplish what they did achieve,

Really and truly, tell, what do you believe?

Do you really think they did it on their own,

In their own strength, yes, all alone?

No way could they have braced the trouble tide

If the gracious Lord were not by their side.

But now we have the hero’s hall of fame

And great men and women we acclaim,

Giving them credit for all that’s been done,

God’s out of the picture and so is His Son.

I say this morning let’s open our eyes

And look to the One who lives in the skies,

For in many hearts He still resides,

He makes the difference, there’s none besides.

But now we are higher up and better off,

In pride we strut with our heads held aloft

Giving the impression to one and all

We did it all alone, time to have a ball.

Like the famous fool whose crops yielded greater

Our souls are fed on every whim and caper,

We legalize this and we legislate that

As long as it meets our fancy and that’s a fact.

I know this is not the usual thanksgiving theme

But I want you to picture this current scene,

As we commemorate Independence forty-nine,

Let’s take stock, arrest this dive and look to the Divine.

God be praised for again we’ve been spared

Relatively speaking, for yet another year

But who can tell when our turn will come?

It could happen, you know, before the set of sun.

There’s much to thank God for I’m sure you’ll agree

As we celebrate another year in a land of the free,

Let’s lift our hearts to Him in praise

As the second verse of the anthem we raise.

“The Lord has been the people’s guide

For past three hundred years,

With Him still on the people’s side

We have no doubts or fears”.

Stewart Russell © 2010
Revised 2015

What’s in A Name?

 

 

What’s in a name?

Depends on association, I suppose,

Could be related to fame

Or status as it sometimes goes.

What’s in a name?

Could be affiliation, I gather,

Like the name of a church

With a prominent church leader.

What’s in a name?

Third time I am inquiring,

Could be some medication you claim

That worked where others were lacking.

What’s in a name?

Could be a party or a group,

A ‘promise-it kind of game’

Simply to get to lead the troupe.

What’s in a name?

Could be a long lost friend, I opine,

A childhood memory simple and plain

That you are yearning again to find.

What’s in a name?

Depends on who you are, I believe,

Could be a monarch that reigned

Whom you wish you could succeed.

What’s in a name?

Could even be just a peculiarity,

To others the reason might be lame

But to you, it’s your reality.

What’s in a name?

Could depend on your state of mind,

To some it might be insane

But to you - the way you felt at the time.

What’s in a name?

By now I must be driving you mad,

Could be you are the one to blame,

Stay with me or you’d wished you had.

  

What’s in a name?

Could be so many different things,

Something so deeply ingrained

Or just a song a favourite artist sings.

What’s in a name?

Could be someone special, someone who cares,

Someone who has promised

That he’ll always be there.

What’s in a name?

And, who could that someone be?

Who could make such a claim?

And, who could make it a reality?

I know a name…

It is such a beautiful name,

A name above all names,

It soothes my doubts and calms my every fear,

And yes, I know he is always near.

That name can comfort the anxious soul,

That name is able to make one whole,

That name provides riches untold,

That name makes weaklings bold.

And his name shall be called Jesus

For he shall save his people from their sin,

His name shall be called Jesus,

That is the name that gives us hope within.

That name spells light and life and love,

The name of the One that came from above,

Precious name of joy and peace

Brings the weary soul sweet relief.

A tested name and a proven name

Of the sympathetic One who took my blame,

On such a name I stake my claim

And never will this name profane.

Jesus, Jesus, Jesus!

Sweetest name I know,

Jesus, Jesus, Jesus!

From him all blessings flow

Jesus, Jesus, Jesus!

O how he loves me so

Jesus, Jesus, Jesus!

In his love I’ll grow.

What’s in a name?

Depends on whose name you call,

Could be you’ve called on many with a claim

Now make Jesus your all in all!

He’ll not fail you, I guarantee,

He is as true as his claim,

He can do for you all he’s done for me,

He is the source of all my gain.

What’s in a name?

If the name is Jesus, therein is the difference,

In this life and the life to come

He is your only sure reference.

Any other will surely fail,

Only in Jesus we can avail,

In him none of life’s challenges can assail,

Matters not what they all entail.

What’s in a name?

What is there to gain?

Who justifiably stakes the claim?

None but Jesus!

All may fail but Jesus never,

Glory to his name!

Stewart Russell © 2015

The Heart of the Matter Is the Matter of the Heart

It doesn’t matter what the matter of the matter is.  What matters is that all matters that matter are at the heart of the matter, as a matter of fact.

“What’s the matter?” one asked.

“Is anything the matter?” another queried.

“What matters to me matters not to you

For deep inside of me this matter is buried.”

It matters not what matters to you

Three can solve that matter; that is true!

No matter is too deep a matter for the Eternal Three

Who created all matter that you and I see.

That matter you speak of is different from mine

That’s the matter from the beginning of time

The matter I speak of matters to me now

And that it matters to you, I can’t see how.

As a matter of fact I am aware of your matter

I mean the former matter not the latter

I mentioned that matter so that you could see

The One who deals with all matters is from eternity.

He not only created matter but all that matters

The matter of life and the matter that reasons

The matter of time and the matter of space

The matters of earth: the weather and the seasons.

Whatever the matter it matters to Him

Whether it’s an external matter or one deep within

For the greatest matter is the matter of the heart

And the heart of the matter is a good place to start.

Okay, the first matter that matters to me

Is the matter of who comprise the Eternal Three

For if all that matter also matters to them

Then I can share my matter now rather than then.

The matter of the Eternal Three is rather complex

It’s the matter of Father Son and Holy Spirit

It’s a three-in-one matter hard to explain

But the matter of faith offers much to be gained.

In the beginning were these T

hree, no matter before

In six days they created matter, space and more

No matter the matter all matter they created

Read it in the Bible where the entire matter is stated.

All God’s creation really mattered to Him

At first all was perfect without the matter of sin

But the matter of matters was a matter so subtle

The matter for the serpent was the very first people.

The matter of disobeying God was a matter so grave

When Eve took matters in hand and entertained the knave

Then came the matter that really got out of hand

The matter of sin had entered Eden’s land.

So the heart of the matter became the heart of sin

And that matter festered and spoilt us deep within

The matter of perfection was no longer to be seen

Sin compounded all matter and cluttered up the scene.

Then emerged the matter of Redemption’s plan

God took the entire matter into His omnipotent hand

This gave rise to a matter that matters to every man

The matter of choice to be saved or to be damned.

As a result came the matter of Calvary cross

And the matter of a Savior dying to save the lost

The matter of the miraculous and glorious resurrection

And the powerful matter of a sinner becoming a son.

So that it doesn’t matter if one is black or white

What really matters is the change from darkness to light

The matter of putting off blindness and receiving one’s sight

The matter of resisting the wrong and doing what’s right.

If there is a matter that is worrying to you

 And you can’t find a solution no matter what you do

It’s time to bring that matter to the One who cares

His is a matter of renewal he does not do repairs.

For the heart of the matter is the matter of the heart

And what really matters is a brand new start

A new heart is required; that’s a matter for Christ

We mattered to him; that why he paid our price

Only thirty pieces of silver mattered to Judas of old

A small matter to him and for such Jesus was sold

But the stone mattered not to Christ and away it was rolled

Just a matter of three days the event would unfold.

The matter of all matters that should matter to us

Is the matter of sin and the Saviour, Jesus

Who died in our place; that’s a matter of fact

And dealt with the matter of getting us back on track.

Today, if you hear his voice no matter what you are after

Regard it not as fun or a matter for laughter

For this is not a matter for comedy or trifling debate

It’s a grave matter and it should matter before it’s too late.

 

“What’s the matter?” I am asking you.

Don’t tell me “nothing's the matter” for that wouldn’t be true

The matter of your heart is the heart of your matter

The devil or Christ…settle this matter and choose the latter!

Stewart Russell © 2015

As True As John 3:16

I like “John three-sixteen” a story about God’s love,

How He sent His only Son, far from heaven above

Into a dark, dark world to show His wondrous light,

Leaving His loving Father to free us from our plight.

“For God so love the world” is the Bible’s golden text,

Romans chapter five verse eight truly must be next.

They both tell of the love God showed to you and me,

Jesus came and died alone back there at Calvary.

“That He gave His only Son” who from glory came

That first Christmas morn, yes, Jesus is his name.

He came to save the lost, from sin he still sets free,

His triumph on the cross brings life and liberty.

“That whosoever believes”, means all who come to him

In simple faith believing, will be cleansed from sin.

Matters not our ancestry or whatever we have done,

Just heed the invitation “all who are heavy laden come”.

“In him” cannot be less counted the source of our new birth,

The beginning and the end, he came from heaven to earth.

To heaven he did return to come from thence once more

For all that call him Saviour and know him as their Lord.

“Shall not perish”, the hope of the blood washed throng

Trusting him sincerely in this life as they move along.

No need to fear or doubt as with him we walk this road

For he has settled sin’s question and took our heavy load.

“But have everlasting life”, to all the called and blest,

Oh what Blessed Assurance ‘tis Jesus who gives the rest.

Jesus Is Coming Again, a sight ‘twill be glorious to behold,

He’s coming for the redeemed, in the Bible we are told.

 

“But God commended His Love”, yet we in our sinful state

Roamed free and far and wide while blinded by our hate,

“In that while we were yet sinners” we never cared to know,

“That Christ died for the ungodly” and the Bible tells us so.

But thanks be to God for his wondrous, unspeakable gift,

Jesus died upon the cross to remove the sin caused rift.

So that now it’s Glorious Freedom for One Day Jesus Came,

Christ Returneth, Hallelujah, O Glory to His name!

Stewart Russell © 2012

De Pain De Pain

 

De pain, de pain it got muh fuh so,

It got me in me back as well as me toe!

From morn till night I can't get nuh rest,

I could only groan and moan at de very best.

De doctor check me over wid he stethoscope,

I can't begin to tell you how he press and poke.

I could see he did puzzle, he en had a clue,

Time for a next opinion I tink I done wid you.

From doctor to doctor I still in real pain,

Dem en know wuh wrong but still mekking gain,

Still tekking me money and driving me insane,

It matter not if it be sun or if be blinding rain.

A friend tell me you got arthritis or lumbago,

I would see another doctor if I did you though.

But that I did doing morning, noon and night,

Still when dis pain hit muh it does gih muh a fright.

 

I don't know wuh to do I must be try everyting,

It got me weak in muh spirit I can't even sing,

A old fellow tell me you should see a specialist,

I just look in he face and then I shook muh fist.

Cause I went to dem too and spend real money

Only to hear you got a very grave problem, sonny.

Take these pills after every meal and also before

And when they have gone do come back for more.

I tek all de pills and then went back for some again

While all de time all I getting is pain and more pain.

I tell de specialist but dese pills en doing me nuh good,

He tell me, "Sir if I could do better I really, really, would."

Yuh don’t have to look close to see my predicament,

I spen more than I had and now I en even got a cent.

I can’t even think ‘bout de doctor one more time

Cause if I en got a cent yuh know I en got a dime.

  I know wuh you thinking; wuh ‘bout my family,

If dey so uncaring that duh can’t even help me?

But dey got their troubles too, if dey could dey would,

But fuh right now dem too got to do as they should.

Yuh see we got to be real, we can’t just pretend

That all problems solve once we got money to spend,

Cause I gine tell yuh man I spen a pretty piece

Yet I still hey wid dis problem and can’t get nuh relief.

Listen doctors are important, I am sure you agree

But dem en got all de answers no matter how big dey fee.

Dem families got pain too and not much dey could do

Wid all de brains dey got and dey medical point of view.

So who can I turn to especially when all de money gone?

Who can I go to when pain hitting me from dawn till dawn?

Who could help me out ta dis pain and misery?

Tell me somebody that you know that could help me!

I waiting fuh de answer… like wunna en know nobody,

Cause wunna gone silent pun me; dis must be a mystery.

Well I guess I must be at my wit’s end, I can’t get no aid,

I must be do something real bad and now I getting paid.

Yes wunna old hypocrites what I sow I now gotta reap!

You feel it is justified cause de pain won’t let me sleep?

Which a wunna did always pun de narrow and straight?

Don’t let me begin to tell wunna wuh I hearing hey of late.

De truth be told, none o’ we hey en widout a fault,

If you want to blame my pain on sin hold up and halt!

Cause if pain was commensurate wid wrong tings we do

De people widout pain would be less than a few.

Wait, hold a minute, I like I getting a lull in de pain,

I tink I getting a message, it beginning to reach muh brain.

It getting plainer and clearer, yes, here is what it says,

My grace is sufficient for you, trust me in all your ways.

  

  But what about de pain I asked; I’ve prayed so many a time,

Trust me, trust me, He said and on me you can recline.

But what about de pain I asked you promised to bring relief,

Yes but all in my good time He said, don’t give up your belief.

Yes but what about de pain I nagged and nagged again,

Keep on trusting, He said, for your trust will never be in vain.

I hear you Lord, but do you understand what I’m going through?

I know only too well my child I sent my Son to die for you.

He suffered much pain and anguish the like you’ve never known,

He took it all upon himself and from that cross his love was shown

For a world so burdened with guilt and sin right there he died,

So that freedom from a greater pain you will never be denied.

So I’ll pose to you this question one you’d better not ignore,

For the more you try to avoid it, it’ll hurt you more and more.

The pain of sin, is it not greater than de pain that’s in your back?

For even should that go away there still would be a painful lack.

For de pain that’s in the body is nothing like that in your soul,

Doctor Jesus is the only one that can free us and make us whole.

Doesn’t cost us a single cent for He has paid the required price

When to Calvary’s cross he went, that was the ultimate sacrifice.

This invitation is offered to you; please come without delay,

There is a cure for de greater pain, yes come to Him today.

He is the balm in Gilead that will heal de pain and shame;

New brand he will make you so that you will never be the same.

Acknowledge his supremacy then confess your inadequacy,

Trust him to heal de pain and he will restore your serenity.

Just confess your sin to him, allow him first place in your heart,

For with the heart man believeth and confession is the way to start.

De pain de pain I hear you ask; has it all gone away?

No, I will have to tell you but I know that Jesus is my stay.

With my confidence in him I can confront challenges and the strife,

Despite de pain his grace is sufficient to live each day of this life.

Stewart Russell © 2012