The Three Enemies - Christina Rossetti


THE FLESH

"Sweet, thou art pale."
"More pale to see,
Christ hung upon the cruel tree
And bore His Father's wrath for me."

"Sweet, thou art sad."
"Beneath a rod
More heavy, Christ for my sake trod
The winepress of the wrath of God."

"Sweet, thou art weary."
"Not so Christ:
Whose mighty love of me suffic'd
For Strength, Salvation, Eucharist."

"Sweet, thou art footsore."
"If I bleed,
His feet have bled; yea in my need
His Heart once bled for mine indeed."

THE WORLD

"Sweet, thou art young."
"So He was young
Who for my sake in silence hung
Upon the Cross with Passion wrung."

"Look, thou art fair."
"He was more fair
Than men, Who deign'd for me to wear
A visage marr'd beyond compare."

"And thou hast riches."
"Daily bread:
All else is His: Who, living, dead,
For me lack'd where to lay His Head."

"And life is sweet."
"It was not so
To Him, Whose Cup did overflow
With mine unutterable woe."

THE DEVIL

"Thou drinkest deep."
"When Christ would sup
He drain'd the dregs from out my cup:
So how should I be lifted up?"

"Thou shalt win Glory."
"In the skies,
Lord Jesus, cover up mine eyes
Lest they should look on vanities."

"Thou shalt have Knowledge."
"Helpless dust!
In Thee, O Lord, I put my trust:
Answer Thou for me, Wise and Just."

"And Might."--
"Get thee behind me. Lord,
Who hast redeem'd and not abhorr'd
My soul, oh keep it by Thy Word." 

“Rules for Self Discovery:
1. What we want most;
2. What we think about most;
3. How we use our money;
4. What we do with our leisure time;
5. The company we enjoy;
6. Who and what we admire;
7. What we laugh at.”
― A.W. Tozer

“I have heard there are troubles of more than one kind. Some come from ahead and some come from behind. But I've bought a big bat. I'm all ready you see. Now my troubles are going to have troubles with me!” 

– Dr. Seuss

     Could I Be Called a Christian

Could I be called a Christian if everybody knew The secret thoughts and feelin's of everything I do Would they see the likeness of Christ in me each day Could they hear Him speaking in every word I say Could I be called a Christian if my faith I did not show If I did not go to places where the Lord would have me go If I do not love His truth, if I do not guard His trust If I cherish more than Jesus, my greatest hidden lust To be all He's commanded To do all that He said To be His true disciple And place no confidence in the flesh To glory in Christ Jesus It's He who justifies O, to find your life you must lose it To live you first must die Let every man examine his own life Could I be called a Christian Could I be called a Christian and believe not His holy word If I take Him as my Savior and then refuse Him as my Lord If I could not love the outcast and am not burdened for the lost If I fail to deny myself and each day take up my cross O, to find your life you must lose it To live you first must die Let every man examine his own life Could I be called a Christian Could I be called a Christian If I refuse Him as the Lord Tell me, could I If I do not guard the truth If I do not guard the trust If everybody knew If everybody knew Could I be called A follower of Jesus If I deny myself, if I take up my cross Then could I be called a Christian Every day.