Moving at the Speed of Love

Colossians 3:9 - Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds
 
As dead in Christ and now in Him you live,
No longer have to deal with sin and shame,
For that old self is gone; He did forgive
And freed you from the devil’s deathly claim.
Here Jesus is the Truth and now are you,
For He lives in you now forevermore.
There’s no need to relate to what’s untrue,
And no need to speak lies like once before.
But if you find yourself within the flesh
And speak a lie no matter what the cause,
The Spirit will convict your heart afresh.
Repent to God, to those you lied – no pause!
            To all the truth the Holy Ghost will guide;
            Now learn to be attentive and abide.

John 20:16 - Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to Him, “Rabboni!” (which is to say, Teacher).
 
The sweetest sound in heaven and on earth
Is Jesus calling softly out your name.
He knew you long before your mortal birth
And waited all this time for just this aim,
That when you hear His voice your spirit sighs,
A recognition of the Master’s voice,
Then O the love you feel so deeply rise,
And every atom in you does rejoice!
Celestial notes from angels can’t compare
To just a single whispered word from Christ.
So intimate, so precious and so rare!
Eternity is found as this sufficed!
            Pay close attention to the words you hear.
            It may be the Beloved’s voice so near.

Romans 10:3 - For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God.
 
The righteousness of God is plain and true,
But don’t assume you’ve got it figured out,
For ignorance can have you gripped by two:
Not knowing and ignoring it throughout.
With faith you find God’s righteousness indeed,
Believing Christ is Lord rose from the dead,
Then give your all to Jesus and concede
It’s not your righteousness but God’s instead.
Submit yourself to Him and Him alone.
Submerse yourself in Jesus, seek His voice
Until you can walk boldly to the throne,
His righteousness secure and so rejoice!
            Don’t stablish righteousness upon your own.
            Instead let God’s pure righteousness be known.

James 1:27 - Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.
 
The word ‘religion’ has a bad repute;
Most Christians tend to run away from it,
But in its purest form is resolute:
The very depth of love you can commit.
Compassion borne from Christ inside of you
Will draw you to the destitute and poor:
The widowed, orphaned and the desperate few
Spurs you to service that you can’t ignore.
Be subject to the Spirit and He’ll draw
Your heart’s desire from the world at large
Where men obey the fleshly rules of law,
And toward unspotted realm where God’s in charge.
            The true religion takes a servant’s path:
            A walk of grace and not the walk of wrath.

II Corinthians 5:17 - Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
 
To be in Christ you must pick up your cross
And die with Him upon that lonely hill.
Once crucified, the sins you bore are dross;
The price you had to pay He’s now fulfilled.
Now dead in Christ, in Christ you are reborn
As He is resurrected from the tomb!
God’s grace replaces law, the veil is torn;
You live in Jesus, straight from Spirit’s womb.
The flesh has passed away, its nature passed,
And with it all the power that Satan bore.
A new creation now in Him surpassed
To grow into His likeness more and more.
            The old man now is gone – bid him adieu.
            Behold! In Christ alone you now are new!

Matthew 11:28 - Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
 
Though wretched and alone you may now feel,
Though tired and afraid and full of pain,
There is a source of peace that’s more than real
And you can enter in this sweet refrain.
Come here to Jesus, rest within His love,
Your burden disappears as you draw near,
Replaced with pure serenity thereof
Beyond this world of suffering severe.
This calm within your soul His Spirit sets,
And while you’re in His presence all is well.
Tranquility in Christ lends no regrets,
For all eternity can your heart dwell.
            “Here, come to Me,” the Savior says to you,
            “And I will give you rest, your soul renew.”

John 13:34-35 – “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.
 
The love of Christ for us transcends the mind;
The heart cannot approach in poet’s words.
To understand agape love refined
Is like a gusty wind controlled by birds.
Suffice to say His love is better shone
Considering the needs of others first,
Directed by the Spirit’s guidance known,
Done in the moment and so unrehearsed.
Love one another as He loves you so,
And all the world will see this manifest
Your innate demonstration lets them know
This action multiplies to leave all blessed.
            A new commandment Jesus gives to you:
            Love one another as He loves you too.

Luke 14:26 - If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.
 
If Jesus Christ is not your number one,
If He is not your greatest love of all,
If you put anything above the Son,
You’re headed to a spiritual downfall.
You’re not a true disciple if you hold
One single thing above the Lord of Lords,
But if you love Him first You will behold
The love within will magnify rewards.
Put Jesus first and follow in His path;
Into His likeness you will be transformed.
As you become like Him the aftermath
Increases love for all in grace conformed.
            If you will seek the Savior be prepared
            To put the world in second place declared.

Matthew 16:25 - For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.
 
Take up your cross and follow Christ alone;
Be willing then to suffer, even die,
For nothing less than this will strike the tone;
To die to self and bid your life goodbye.
Bring only faith and love upon the hill;
Be crucified with Jesus: die to live!
Just leave the old self there, with it your will;
He gave His all that all your sins forgive.
If you hang on to anything that’s flesh
You cannot follow Jesus to the cross.
The flesh is doomed to die; it can’t refresh,
And all you gain in this life count as loss.
            I beg you, lose your life, surrender all;
            Forsake it all for His sake – Heed the call!

II Peter 1:21 - for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.
 
How many times have we heard prophecy
From men who claim to know the word of God,
But then to find they cannot truly see
A single thing He says, for they are flawed.
The will of man won’t ever know the truth
Without the Holy Spirit as his guide;
The things he claims from God are all uncouth
And from the start are so disqualified.
Prophetic words don’t come from heart or mind;
You cannot wish the things you say are true.
The Holy Ghost with verity aligned
Reveals through revelation God’s purview.
            The will of man is marred in every way,
            So listen to the Spirit every day.