MY CIRCLE DRAWS YOU IN

Some circled in some circled out

But it doesn’t mean a thing.

For love transcends the walls you build

Of your dividing little ring.

Just as light puts out the dark

My circle draws you in.

As dark can not extinguish light

So love can conquer sin.

It’s a sin to cause disunity

And raise yourself up higher.

But love will pray the Holy Ghost

Will baptize with Holy Fire.

Without a life of love

Your scriptures have no meaning.

Your quotes are empty words

Just suiting bitter scheming.

But with love a wild wolf is tamed

And excluding circles breached

As love is exercised in life

Not just a sermon preached.

Do you know where there's disunity, the Spirit of the God is not welcome?
Did you know when Jesus went in to rise, raise up Jairus' daughter, and the people said why she... He said, "She's not dead; she sleepeth." And they laughed at Him. Is that right? And He put them all out of the building. Is that right? He taken the believers.
William Branham, Only One True Living Church 51-07-27

This man said, "We're drawing a little ring, and we're drawing you out of our circle."
I said, "Then I'm going to draw a little ring, and draw you back in again." See? That's it, bring you right back. You can't put me out, 'cause God put me in. See? So you can't put me out, so that's the way we're going to do. See? Believe that.
William Branham, From That Time 61-04-15

ONCE AGAIN WE REUNITE

The years have past in silence and a distance more than miles,

We’ve both been through experiences, and life’s hardest trials,

Life’s moulding wasn’t kind; the breaking down caused pain,

And many times we couldn’t see, this hurt was for our gain.

There were times we didn’t handle it, which only brought on more,

 Our vision too short sighted, to see the character in store.

With more peace and rest now in our hearts, once again we reunite,

And the friendship we once cherished, we see again ignite.

Humility and a contrite heart, make the failings of the past,

Of no consequence, in the Word this friendship lasts.

Outside the boundaries of the Word things won’t last much longer,

But a friendship based on Christ can only end up stronger.

Many things don’t matter now, the springs not wound so tight.

We’ve learnt to relax a whole lot more in the presence of the Light.

The mistakes we’ve made have taught us that we’re not as needed as we thought,

And it’s best to keep our heads down and try and live what we’ve been taught.

So again as we embrace with lined faces and gray hairs ,

And scars and limps and aches, that mark the passage of the years.

There’s a higher admiration and love is purer too,

And more respect is gained, for the way we’ve made it through.

TAKE IT EASY ON THE PREACHER

Take it easy on the preacher

There’re things that they go through.

Things that you know nothing of

Unless you’ve been there too.

There’re things that they would rather leave,

But must say what God insists,

Though they know that some will criticize,

And the Word resist.

Some agree and compliment,

But don’t take it home to use,

Then when tested on that thing,

Are always bound to loose.

There’s exhaustion after preaching,

And the weariness on Sunday,

But the worst is yet to come,

With the blues on Monday.

There’re those that go for counsel,

And though he’s proven true,

Resist advice that’s given,

Or neglect to see it through.

There’re wolves they have to deal with,

Not just sheep amongst the flocks.

Think about the reason,

They’re anointed like an ox.

And so the list goes on and on,

The half just won’t be told.

It’s really not a pretty job,

To be shepherd of the fold.

There’re times they’ll make mistakes,

They’re on their journey too.

It’s just by grace together,

That we’ll all make it through.

THE SENSES OF A CANARY BRAIN

 

We can study with our reasoning,

With emotion feel led.

It’s absolutely nothing,

If it’s not what God has said.

That our conscience isn’t bothered,

Doesn’t mean a thing.

Search it in the Word,

Then line up with what you’ve seen.

So much for all your memories,

Coincidence can occur.

And the way that you perceived it,

May not be very sure.

How affection weakens us,

Makes excuse for those we love,

Allows for you to compromise,

When push comes down to shove.

Humanities achievement,

At it’s very best,

Is really quite embarrassing,

When it’s finally put to test.

All the effort we put in,

Isn’t any gain,

Since all we have to work it out,

Is a small canary brain.

...what if there is a cage full of canaries....And one little canary bird flies up in the cage and says, "Gentlemen, I want to tell you all something. I happen to be just a little superior to you all. You see, I'm a canary that knows all about the human being. Oh, I can explain it all. I seen the lady walk through the house; I've seen the children play. I know all about it. Now, you all listen to me."
And about the time he's pouting off his little brain, a Princeton University, college man steps up with a polishedness of grammar. And he begins to carry a conversation with that little canary bird using the highest grammar that he can, and speaking to this little canary bird. I'd imagine the little fellow'd turn his head sideways; he would listen from one side to another. But he don't know a thing he's talking about. Yet, he can hear him, Yet, he can see him, but what does his knowledge amount to? Nothing. Because he don't know what the man's talking about. Why? He's got a canary brain. He hasn't got a human brain. He just understands as canaries understand.
And that's the way the human is. I don't care how intellectual you are, we still got canary brains, because we're only human beings. God's knowed by the Spirit and by the revelation by the Holy Ghost. We'll never be able to understand Him through intellectuals. You might ... have intellectual meetings, and psychology, as much as you want to, and people will never know God. They can't.
You can explain, and say the people that cry and turn the other cheek are just the old fashion. But that's the man that's reflecting Christ in his life, a man who is humble. A man who will walk with God will act like Jesus.
 But, you see, the little bird couldn't understand. Yet, he thought he could. Because he's not made that way; his intellectual will not compare with the intellectual of this smart student.
And neither will our intellectuals ever match God. How can our little ... the finite mind of us ever compare with the infinite mind of God? That infinite mind of God is so far beyond human intellectuals until it would never be.
The only way that bird will ever know what the man's talking about is by yielding himself, and accepting it, and doing whatever he thinks that the man wants him to do.
William Branham, Images of Christ 59-05-25

IN LOVING MEMORY

I grieve the loss of a loving friend; there’s sadness in my heart

And like all death it took its toll, and from me stole a part.

I wander to the telephone, then remember I can’t ring

I treasure memories in her house, of the songs we used to sing.

I long to sit with pen and write, open up my heart

To see her and embrace her, how it hurts to be apart.

Past are the times of tenderness, of the warmth and loving care

There’s a part of me that’s empty now; there’s sorrow that I bear.

Within the boundaries of my faults, I gave better than my best

I laboured well and gave my all, but now in death this rests.

Maybe it’s old fashioned, but I try to be committed

I’d do all I could to help a friend, say sorry when conflicted.

I have my ups and downs, but a deep love for my friends

Courses strongly through my heart, but in death my heart it rends.

It actually wouldn’t be so bad, if in glory they were waiting

But no, this death has come, in a letter laced with hating.

The grave is where I kneel; the flowers are my prayers

The pile of dirt: unchristian words; I wash them with my tears.

Harder than a fort with bars, to retrieve a friend offended

How can this be in Christ, to see a friendship ended?

Threatened with Jehovah’s wrath, though my heart is filled with love

But I pray that this same Jesus, will brood softly like the dove.

Love can resurrect the dead, love can still the storm

Love gives eyesight to the blind, and a cold heart love can warm.

In the Old Testament Christ the same, Christ the same in the New Testament, and Christ, the same, forevermore... Then if we can see what He was, then what He had been, and what He will be, then we've got it. Is that right?
Moses said, now, "He'll be like me, a Prophet like unto me." Then when He come, what Christ that was, He had to be what He... Then He had to be what He was before then. So now, let's start from right there, and then we'll see what He will be forever. That's the only way to make it.
Same yesterday, now here was, we find the Hebrew writer Paul, saying, "Jesus Christ the same yesterday," speaking to the Hebrews. And we all know that Jehovah of the Old Testament was Jesus of the New, and it's the Holy Spirit of today. It's just the same God just manifested in three different offices. And so, the same God... And all that God was, He poured into Christ, all Christ was He poured into the Church. So, see, you can find quickly what He is, "The same yesterday, today, and forever."

William Branham, We Would See Jesus, 62-07-04

TODAY WE FIND GREAT HEROES

Emperor Constantine with political motivation legalized Christianity in the Roman Empire in A.D. 320 to consolidate his power by bringing an ecumenical union between paganism and Christianity. He achieved this by dictating the decision to implement trinitarian doctrine at the First Council of Nicaea.  However, Marcus Licinius Crassus, who controlled the Eastern half of the empire, broke allegiance with the West and continued to suppress Christianity.

When Licinius demanded that every soldier under his command sacrifice to the Roman gods, the forty Christian men of the “Thundering Legion” refused. Their general, Lysias, had them whipped, torn with hooks, and then imprisoned in chains. When they still refused to bow down and give up their worship of God, he ordered them stripped of their clothing and left in the middle of a frozen lake until they relented.

A warm bath was poured for any who would give up their convictions. The men prayed together that their number would not be broken. However, as it grew dark, one could not bear the cold any longer and ran to the warm bath.

One of the guards who had watched the forty brave soldiers sing to Christ became angry that one would give in to Lysias’s orders. His anger turned to conviction, and then his conviction turned to faith. He tore off his clothes and ran out on the icy lake, fulfilling their promise to be “forty brave soldiers for Christ!”
The forty died together that day. The one who gave up his faith for a warm bath also died.

Today We Find Great Heroes

We’ve all heard the story

Of the soldiers 40 strong,

Who were put out on the ice to die

Because others thought they were wrong.

Valiantly they stood for Christ

Unbending with conviction.

In agony they froze to death

Because of interdiction.

In admiration we look back

But stop and think a while

Bring it forward to now

Apply it to your trial

Despite discomfort to the flesh

They knew exactly why they died,

But now we’re killed the whole day long

Not knowing why we’re tried.

To make amends unable

Disallowed to make defense.

Not sure why such small thing

Could make such great offense.

Apologies make no difference

And the good that you have done,

In their bitterness evaporates

Like water in hot sun.

To die upon the ice

Might be easier you’ll find,

Than to bear this persecution

And the battle of the mind.

So today we find great heroes

They lay their lives down for the Lord,

Crucified they bear the cross

But are faithful with the Sword.

For the Word they’ll stand regardless

Though they stand alone,

And pray God forgives their enemy

And that grace for sin atones.

LIFE'S TRAMP (HIKE)

Life is like a tramping trip and should everything go well

We’ll sit down at the end; share the stories we can tell.

We’ll remember all the hardship when we started on that day

Because we lost our map and couldn’t find our way.

Though there may be others, so we can laugh and talk

The things you suffer differ; it’s an individual walk.

Some can climb the mountain while others fall apart.

Some can’t handle mud and quickly they loose heart.

By far the hardest part is when you set off on up the track,

You’re unfit and inexperienced and there’s too much in your pack.

You haven’t learned the way to measure out your pace,

And instead of going steady you treat it like a race.

First up there’s the bluff that never seems to end,

And constantly you hope the top, is just around the bend.

There’s blisters, aching muscles and your shoulder straps give pain.

Uncomfortably the sweat runs down, and your back can feel the strain.

I’ve seen some turn around, to continue, unprepared,

They found the obstacles and risk, a challenge to be feared.

But worse still is the next day the price for missing training,

And not only that, the weather’s rough and raining.

It’s different now to starting, in all you gear impressing.

The third day’s muscle aches are really quite distressing.

There’re ravines that get your knees, and climbs that get your thighs,

Mostly you’re just puffing, though occasionally you sigh.

Your lungs just stress to get some air though it’s everywhere around

So you focus on the end, of the journey that you’re bound.

It’s not all bad; you’ll climb the heights of rapture as you view,

Amazing panoramas only seen by just a few.

Waterfalls and mossy banks, as the sunshine filters through,

Mountains, streams and gentle glades and coves of glistening blue.

Towering cliffs and thundering seas, cloud swirling on the tops,

Valley mists, and rapids, and impressive rock outcrops.

Sometimes you’re damaged by a fall, and hope that some ones near,

So you can ask for help and comfort, and ease the burden that you bear.

You’d gladly lend a hand, to pull them up a bank,

Or warn them of the bog, and the mud where you just sank.

Is it easy? No!  There’re troubles on the way,

But it’s a journey you must make, at the start you just can’t stay.

Be encouraged it does ease up, as your body slowly strengthens,

You can enjoy the view, as you speed the pace and your stride begins to lengthen.

It’s only towering mountains, and cliffs that seem to fall,

That cause you now to strain and make you give your all.

One day upon the mountain top will be the finished story,

As we step off into Jesus arms and He takes us into glory.