I CAME NOT TO SEND PEACE, BUT A SWORD
MATTHEW 10:34-39
BY BRO. MARK BULLEN
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 THE 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 CHRIST 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,
TIS 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 ARE PERFORMING
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.