"I CAME NOT TO SEND PEACE, BUT A SWORD"





MATTHEW 10:34-39

WHAT IS IT? I ASK 'MONG FAMILY AND FRIEND

THAT STIRS THE OUGHT, MAKES PEACE TO END:

MAKES FELLOWSHIP BREAK; UNEASINESS REIGNS;

SMILES AND WORDS AND KINDNESS STRAINS.

IS IT THE CHILDREN THAT INNOCENT PLAY;

SINGING AND LAUGHING THEIR TIME AWAY?

WE ALL KNOW WELL IT IS NOT THEY

WHO HINDER OUR TIME AND KEEP YOU AWAY.

IS IT OUR PERSON, OUR MANNER AND WORD;

OUR LAUGH OR SMELL? NO, THAT'S ABSURD.

YOU LOVED US BEFORE, WHEN, JUST LIKE YOU,

WE LIVED AND WALKED-- DID AS YOU DO.

SO WHAT IS IT THEN? MAKES STRANGERS OF FRIENDS,

MAKES FOES OF FAMILY, AND CLOSENESS RENDS.

WHAT IS IT THAT MAKES FALSE AND FEIGNED SPEECHES,

SHALLOW "I LOVE YOU" 'S, AND BROTHERHOOD BREECHES?

THERE'S ONLY ONE THING THAT IT COULD BE:

IT IS WHAT JESUS HAS MADE US SEE.

THE TRUTH HE HAS GIVEN, PRECIOUS AS GOLD;

THAT MAKES A NEW MAN OUT OF THE OLD.

IT'S NOT MY INVENTION OR MAKESHIFT CREED;

BUT GOD'S HOLY SON THAT FROM ERROR FREED.

TOOK US OUT OF OLD VANITY FAIR:

THE WORLDLY FIXING OF FACE AND HAIR;

THE WORSHIP OF THINGS, COMFORTS AND SELF;

THE SEEKING OF GLORY, STATUS AND WEALTH.

AND SET US TO SEEKING A CITY RARE;

WHERE RIGHTEOUSNESS DWELLETH LOVELY AND FAIR.

ZEALOUS OF GOOD WORKS, IS WHAT HE DESIRES:

HOLY AND TEMPERATE FREE FROM THE MIRES...

OF BONDAGE TO FLESH AND SELF AND PRIDE.

THIS ONLY COMES FROM HIS WORD APPLIED.

OBEY EVERY WORD WITHOUT FLESHLY BIAS;

WITHOUT FEAR OF MEN TO HALT AND DEFY US.

THIS IS ALL, I SAY, ALL WE HAVE DONE,

YET DOING THIS THING YOUR FROWN WE HAVE WON.

YET, YOU CLAIM TO LOVE JESUS AS WE;

BUT HOLD TO THE WORLD, AND FROM HIS CROSS FLEE.

WON'T ZEALOUSLY FOLLOW HIS EVERY COMMAND;

YET LOVING MERCY EXPECT FROM HIS HAND.

HIS WORD IS CLEAR, NOT HARD TO SEE;

IF NOT FOR DECEPTION, WE KNOW YOU'D AGREE.

WITHOUT PURSUING HOLINESS AND LIGHT,

OUR FAITH IS WORTHLESS AND DEAD IN HIS SIGHT.

WHY DON'T YOU LOVE THE CHANGES YOU SEE

THAT OBEYING GOD'S WORD HAS MADE IN ME?

YOU OUGHT TO BE HAPPY AND SEEK TO KNOW MORE;

TO HUNGER AND THIRST AND RIGHT TO ADORE.

IS YOUR HEART TOO FILLED WITH THE PRAISE OF MEN;

LUSTS OF YOUR FLESH, AND JUSTIFIED SIN?

THE DEVIL DECEIVES YOU AND DRIVES US APART,

LEST THE LIGHT WE'VE LEARNED SHOULD GRIP YOUR HEART.

THE END-TIMES DECEPTION IS HERE AND IS STRONG

YOUR PREACHER'S SINCERE; BUT SINCERELY WRONG.

HE SPEAKS OF LIBERTY; BUT IS BOUND BY SIN,

AND KNOWS NOT HOW HIS OWN HOUSE TO WIN.

THOSE WHO WILL NOT OBEY ALL HE SAID,

CAN NEVER FIND TRUTH, IN DARKNESS ARE LED.

TO THINK THAT MEN CAN DO AS THEY PLEASE,

LIVE AS THE WORLD IN PLEASURE AND EASE

AVOIDING THE CROSS AND CRUCIFIED LIFE;

YET MAKE IT TO HEAVEN WITHOUT HOLY STRIFE.

IS GROSS PERVERSION OF GOD'S CLEAR VOICE

TO REPENT AND BE HOLY THERE'S NO OTHER CHOICE.

IF HEAVEN WE SEEK, AND HELL WE WOULD SHUN,

THIS CHOICE IT MUST BE, IF OUR SOUL'S TO BE WON.

THE CHANGE WE'VE MADE; THE THINGS YOU PROTEST;

ARE COMMANDS OF JESUS, IS HIS WORD YOU WREST.

IT IS NOT US YOU AVOID AND SHUN;

IT IS GOD'S WORD AND JESUS HIS SON.

WITH HIM YOU QUARREL OVER VEILING YOUR HEAD;

PUTTING AWAY FASHION, DRESSING MODEST INSTEAD.

WITH JESUS YOU FIGHT OVER COSTLY ARRAY,

JEWELRY AND MAKE-UP, THE SUIT OF THE DAY.

DON'T HOLD TO FALSE DOCTRINE, YOUR SPORTS AND TV;

RATHER THAN THE PREACHING OF THE FIRST CENTURY.

THE HOLIDAY PARTIES: FROM PAGANS THEY STEM,

AND CATHOLICS OF ROME, AND ORIGINS GRIM.

GOD CALLS YOU "COME OUT", THE UNCLEAN NEVER TOUCH;

AND, OF COURSE, DON'T ATTACH HIS NAME TO SUCH.

WE ARE TO PROTEST THE UNGODLY WAY;

NOT WITH THE BLASPHEMY TO FROLIC AND PLAY.

THE CHURCH WASN'T MEANT ENTERTAINMENT TO SERVE;

BUT TO PREACH THE CROSS, AND NEVER TO SWERVE.

TO CHIDE WITH THE WICKED, NOT WATCH THEM WITH GLEE,

WHILE THEY PERFORM ON THE WICKED TV.

THE APOSTLE PAUL, AND PETER, AND JAMES

WOULD SCOLD YOU WITH FIRE, AND WARN YOU WITH FLAMES.

APOSTATE, WOULD LABEL YOUR SPECIALS AND PLAYS;

WOULD NEVER BEEN ALLOWED IN THE CHURCH OF THEIR DAYS.

YOUR DOCTRINE THEY FOUGHT FROM GNOSTICS OF OLD.

THIS FALSE SECURITY-- FROM HERETICS BOLD.

THEIR WOMEN WERE SILENT; SUBMISSIVE AND HOME;

MODEST AND VEILED; NOT MOTHERS THAT ROAM.

THEIR MEN WERE HOLY, SEPARATE AND PLAIN;

STRONG IN THE LORD, NOT MONEY AND FAME.

THEIR CHURCHES THEY LED TO WATCH AND TO PRAY;

NOT STUDY TO PLEASE THE CROWD OF THE DAY.

THEIR PREACHERS FULFILLED THE SCRIPTURAL CODE;

THEIR CHILDREN THEY LED DOWN THE NARROW ROAD.

THE PREACHING WAS STRAIGHT, REPENTANCE WAS CLEAR;

AND NOT LIVING HOLY WAS SOMETHING TO FEAR.

TIS SO DIFFERENT NOW, I WANT THE OLD WAY.

THOSE WHO DON'T CHOOSE IT, ARE SURELY TO STRAY.

FOR GOD NEVER CHANGES: HIS WORD IS THE SAME.

THIS NEW STUFF TODAY IS THE DEVIL'S GAME.

HOW CAN YOU HOPE TO SEE HEAVEN SURE,

WHILE SATAN'S DECEPTIONS YOU HAPPILY ENDURE?

TO ABHOR WHAT IS EVIL, AND LOVE WHAT IS RIGHT,

IS WHAT HE COMMANDS, IF WE WALK IN THE LIGHT.

DON'T THINK YOU CAN PLAY WITH MAMMON AND SIN;

YET AT THE SAME TIME BE PLEASING TO HIM.

FLEE! FLEE! I SAY, FROM WRATH SO NEAR.

WATCH AND PRAY, AND HIS WORD REVERE.

FEAR NOT TO OBSERVE ALL HE DID COMMAND;

FOR IF YOU REFUSE, YOU BUILD ON THE SAND.

AND WHEN JUDGMENT COMES YOUR SAND WILL GIVE WAY.

WILL BE FAR TOO LATE TO CHANGE ON THAT DAY.

 

by

Living Faith Christian Fellowship