Peter's Admonition

I always will remind you then, dear friends,
   These are the Truth, I know you know them well.
   Be rooted in them to the very end.
   It's right that I should stress and warn as well,
   As long as I on earth by Christ do dwell;
   For soon I know I'll put this tent aside,
   As Christ Himself so long ago did tell.
   I'll work so that these Truths are deep inside;
So after my departure, in them still abide!

- D. Benning


In anticipation of our Pastor preaching from 2 Peter 1:12 - 15.

In Honor of Lewis Caroll

Behold the Lewis Caroll Sonnet Poem:
The well-turned twist and aptly made-up word,
Play o'er the lips as treasure from a tome
That printed was before the press was heard.
Look on his rhymes, his Jabberwocky tales:
So brillig, mimsy in its uffish state;
Midst vorpish logic twisted through the veils,
He paints a picture in the mind so great
That actual meanings to his words don't mind
A casual inexactness to their key.
The tales then race along to find
The ending of his tale through tulgey tree!
   The master wordsmith—logic bent in peril—
   Must honor Master Wordsmith, Lewis Caroll.

- D. Benning

Creation

The Father spoke; creation sprang with joy,
   To do His bidding and to win delight!
   Light sprang then forth—against the dark deployed—
   The cosmos formed through Son and His foresight:
   By Him, for Him, creation leaped to sight;
   The Father loved Him, gave to Him as won,
   And showed much greater things to herald His might.
   Creation earned the Father's joy once done,
Then rested He from work and gloried in His Son.

- D. Benning

The Sentinel

Artwork by Alterworld Art, Christopher Story

 
As darkness closes in, don't fear the night!
   The cold and vicious claws of doubt and dread
   Shall not touch you nor spread their wasting blight.
   For there above you and around your head
   With shimmering wing and power round you spread,
   Though hardly seen nor touched—intangible!
   Your night is safe, he guards you on your bed.
   This angel on your watch—dependable!
God gives him charge to guard: your heav'nly sentinel.

D. Benning ©2018

Calling and Election Sure

O soul, there is a coming Judgment Day—
Consider carefully these truths therein;
Make sure your calling and be true alway!

Continue in these qualities—don't stray!
Work hard at them and give not way to sin—
Consider Jesus: let us run to win!
O soul, there is a coming Judgment Day.

Have you no fruit?  Your life reduced to gray?
Grab hold the Spirit's qualities to win,
Possessed increasingly will keep from sin,
Press into God, each day with prayer begin—
Make sure your calling and be true alway!

Your life then lived, these qualities display
The truth regeneration then is in
Your heart and not a mask like phony skin.
The Spirit seals His ownership within;
Secure in Christ—make sure He is your kin.
O soul, there is a coming Judgment Day!

Remember this though still within the fray,
That Christ redeemed and purchased you from sin;
You have no need to walk like that again.
Then on that Day His vict'ry you will win
An entrance into Paradise with Him
Abundantly He'll give forever then!
Make sure your calling and be true alway!

So fight the fight and do what's right,
Take up His cause and sin destroy;
Soon Day will blaze and burst with praise,
So purely live down here with joy!

- D. Benning

Based on the Sunday am service, 24-Jun-2018, by Pastor on 2 Pet. 1:8 - 11.