December 29, 2012

A prayer of guidance


Oh Lord
Dear Lord
I seek guidance for another
Another who knows You
has ventured forth with You,
believing in You,
but has since
drawn away from
what is true,
unsure and afraid.
Another who has fallen backward,
allowing the ‘world’
to step inside his (her) space
and so consume him
there is no power within
to fight back.
He moves about
in darkness
unable to find the
light switch
of eternal hope
he desperately needs.

Oh Lord
I plead
do not hide Your face
from another

Enable him (her), I plead,
to hear Your lovingkindness
in the morning
when he awakes
and in the evening
as his eyes close.

Enable him Lord
to know the way
he should walk -
the path of honesty,
patience, goodness,
faithfulness, self-control,
the path of love.

Deliver him Lord
from his enemies …
the enemies of selfishness,
of anger, impurity,
jealousy, disputing,
envy; the enemies of
physical pain,
mental anguish.

Enable him Lord
to seek You alone
for his shelter
from the storms
that brew

Only You Lord
can be all of what
he needs.
It cannot be found
in confused thinking
that we alone can fix.
We cannot.
We are indeed lost
without the Almighty One
in our lives day by day,
moment by moment.

Teach him (her) Lord
to do Your will
Lead him away from
the land of sin
and to the land of
uprightness,
encouraged daily
by fellow believers.
Hearts one with His
who we commune.

Lead him (her) O Lord
away from the loneliness,
the coldness
and the emptiness
that lurks in the recesses of our mind,
destroying us,
separating us
from You Christ Jesus.

Enable him (her) to desire
spending time reading
Your Holy Book and
meditating on things
important to You.
Enable him to pray O Lord.

Revive him O Lord.
For Your righteousness’ sake,
bring his soul out of trouble,
cut off his enemies,
destroy all that afflicts his (her) soul.

Enable him to remember …
“Jesus loves me”
…for the Bible tells me so

Little ones to Him belong
They are weak, but He is strong
Yes, Jesus loves me
Yes, Jesus loves me
Yes, Jesus loves me
The Bible tells me so.
(c) December 29, 2012 

December 28, 2012

We have done wrong


We have done wrong
Yet we see it not
A day of judgment
will come
The Lord pleads
with us
and for us
He will execute justice
His will will prevail.

We have done wrong
and continue
a path of
progress
and success
Yet our hoped for victory
is at a
standstill.

We have done wrong
Our hour
is coming
We see our weaknesses
Our lostness
We see our need
for ONE who is
greater
and wiser
and more powerful
We see our need
for God
The Holy One

We have done wrong
We have forgotten much
Yet in that last final breath
of human life
we seek
His forgiveness
His love
His comfort

We grasp
the hand of God
extended

All our wrongs
done
made right

We have found
peace – cool, soothing,
Eternal and Everlasting
Peace
as we enter the gates
of His Heavenly Kingdom.

(c) December 28, 2012






December 27, 2012

When I sit in darkness ...


“…When I sit in darkness the Lord will be a light to me.” (Micah 7:8)

Not moon bright
Not evening, nor
night of day
I sit in the darkness
of life
It is still and quiet
Yet loud and boisterous
clanging noises
unsettling to my nerves
in disarray
constant turmoil

Questions I have
Answers hidden from me
I am frightened
fearful of outcomes
yet needing to know

Do I?
Need to know I mean

If I listen,
intently listen
I hear
The Lord’s sweet voice
calling
responding
and
The answer
I believe necessary
will come to me

Not found in others
No human has
the answer sought

Only my Lord
can provide –
can and will
He is my Light
He is my Answer

He is my ALL
everywhere I am
everywhere I go
He is my Light
My Salvation
My Strength
My Shield
My Everlasting Glory

In the darkness
of day
and that of night
The Lord is the Light
that directs my steps
in the path I go.
(c) December 27, 2012  





December 25, 2012

Jesus is The Light of the World


Paint the Light

Love is the greatest Light

Walk in the Light

BE obedient
BE His Hands, His Feet, His Voice

Write of the Light

See the world
See the pain
See the hardships
Consider it all 

But share the Light
through what God has empowered you
His hands – yours
His feet – yours
His voice – yours

Go and do
Go and be

Be the Light
Live the Light
Paint the Light
Share the Light

The Light
Jesus is the Light

As He spoke in John 8:12,
“I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”

Let it be so. As He walked, let us walk.
As He is, let us be.

(c) December 25, 2012 



December 24, 2012

On this Christmas morn - December 25

On this December day … Christmas
The birth of God
in human flesh
Christians come together
and celebrate


He
who is The Christ
Jesus Christ
Son of God
Emmanuel

He came
He lived
He died
He came again
He lives

His reign
continuous

Almighty God
our Lord Jesus
the eternal Holy Spirit
within our hearts

He
the great I AM
is the Promise foretold
The Promise
of Light
and Gladness
of Liberty
and Peace
of Extraordinary King
and Everlasting Reign

He is
Our deliverer
Our preserver
Our strength
Our sustainer
Our healer
Our disciplinarian
Our guide
along paths wide and narrow

He is
Our Savior … My Savior
Our Redeemer … Mine
Our hearer
of many prayers given
questions asked
concerns voiced

He is All Powerful
He has All Authority
He is Creator

He is My Rock
My fortress
My guard
My shelter
from storms within and without

He is
Loving
and Kind
He is Good

He carries
our brokenness
He weeps
when we
He gives comfort

He is sufficient

He is gracious
He is righteous
He rightfully judges

He comes to us
waits for us
still

He is my shield
My stronghold
He holds us,
enfolds us
within His wings

He empowers us
with all He has for us
to do
in the midst of
our enemies … what ere they be

He is the lifter of our souls
from the depths of
deep despair

He is waiting
for us to seek
for us to find
for us to believe. 

He is merciful
He is holy
He is faithful

He is our Salvation … mine

He is worthy
Worthy of praise
Worthy of honor
Worthy of worship
Worthy of unending, unfailing love

Oh yes,
on this coming Christmas day
we celebrate the birth
of He
who was and is
and is to come …

Jesus Christ

Merry Christmas! 
(c) December 24, 2012














December 20, 2012

Go To ... The Child in the Manger


Go ….
Go to
Go where?
To what?

Go
To
The child in the manger
The babe born of the Virgin Mary
and God Himself
Believe Him to be
the Son of God
Find in Him
wonders to behold
He is Wonderful
Our Counselor
Almighty God
Everlasting Father
Prince of Peace
and so much more

Go To Him
The child in the manger
full of grace
Believe Him to be
ALL He says He is
All He does
past, present and
time yet to come
He is The One
for whom you seek

Go To Him
Seek His forgiveness
for He came
to take your place
ALL your sins
carried upon
His shoulder
Your burdens are His

Go To
The child in the manger
Believe Him to be
The Son of God

The shepherds came
The astrologers came
to worship Him,
bearing gifts of
gold, frankincense and myrrh
The little drummer boy
came too
worshiping through his gift
of music

Go To
The child in the manger
The only begotten Son of God
sent to be
our Savior
Believe in Him
Find in Him
ALL you seek

Go
To
Him
Believe
In
Him

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)

(c) December 20, 2012

December 05, 2012

A just reward


Based on Psalm 11

The wickedness
and evilness
prevails
in the land
If destruction of the
righteous
is complete
where is their God --
He who they cling?

God is on His throne
His eyes see all
His ears hear all
Every good
Every bad
He tests
the righteous
But the
wicked
and evil-minded
He loathes
The Almighty God
will give them their portion
Their reward
of fire and brimstone
will come.

(c) December 5, 2012

December 02, 2012

What is there to doubt? ... God came


What is there to doubt
He came
God came
as  the Christ child
He who walked on water
and commanded demons to be gone
He who made the blind see
and the crippled to walk
He who made the sick well
God came
as a servant to the masses
The One who knew no sin
took the sins of all mankind
upon Himself
He was rejected,
despised,
judged
condemned
He took our guilt
to the cross
at Calvary
He bore the shame
that was ours alone
God came
to live and walk
in the world
as we,
yes,
but never of the world,
for He was not.
God came
as Jesus
the baby born to the Virgin Mary
the man destined to die
to save the human race …
from death
… the death of selfishness
of idolatry
of witchcraft
of hatred
of jealousy
of anger
of lies
of adultery
of uncleanness
of murder
of envy
of drunkenness
and countless more
to save us from ourselves
and bring us
to a new life
in Him,
The One who came
who lived
who died
who was buried
who rose again
who lives.
God alone
came.
(c) December 2, 2012 

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”  John 3:16-17 NKJV

November 25, 2012

The end or the beginning?


The End.
Death.
The world
of
the moment
stops
when
death
pursues us
with a vengeance
and we
lie in wait
for
the end.

Our end
Our death
Our world

But is it
really
the end?
Is death
the end
or is it
only
the beginning
of a glorious
new world …
of eternity in heaven.
(c) November 25, 2012

November 20, 2012

a precious gift


The Lord says
you are a precious gift, a precious jewel
but so
that one gone
from physical presence
is …
a hidden treasure
deep within our hearts

Joy and sadness
intermingled
memories flooding

Friends and family
far far away
cannot reach
nor touch
nor talk
but in our minds
we go back
to a time shared
and we are thankful.
(c) November 19-20, 2012

November 13, 2012

Wake up folks!


Almighty God rules
His rule is greater
than all the haphazard rule
of foreign gods, idols
clung to in times of
vast distress and need.
 
Injustice prevails
partiality is shown to
evil-minded folk
who want more and more things
whose moral values sink into
nothingness
We move about
unaware of how low
we have come
 
Pro Choice is the claim
A woman should be able to choose
to have an abortion – to kill
an unborn child
and I ask,
why would you choose death?
Why would you not choose life?
 
It is not pro choice you seek,
but destruction of your souls
 
Marriage
between a man and a woman
has become nearly obsolete
Wickedness flaunts its fiery head
and more injustice rises
 
A man loves another man
A woman loves another woman
Let’s get married
And it is done.
 
There is no concept that it is wrong.
God’s judgments
are of little concern
to those who refute His very existence
and even those who profess to be believers
stand in agreement with their sinning neighbor
 
God says do not
We say we will do as we please
God says I AM the LORD Your God
We say you are not my God. I rule me.
 
Snares and traps and thorns
everywhere
If we see, and make attempt to sidestep,
we are punished
by the wickedness that prevails.

Christianity is vetoed
right and left.
No longer can we say
without doubt
America is a free nation,
a Christian nation

 
We are not free
We become enslaved
more and more
to wickedness.
 
Praying – in our homes and our churches
still allowed
But not on street corners
not often in schools
We allow the evil one
to take control
 
Where oh where
is Christian unity

We have gone the way of
Old Testament Jews
who disobeyed the Lord,
who separated
and followed
their own thinking,
foreign gods and idols ruling 
 
God will bless those who follow and obey Him
 
He is The Almighty JudgeThe Forever King
 
Judgment will come
Judgment and death
Wickedness will be destroyed
God will destroy
 
The time will come
Your time
My time
Wake up now!

November 12, 2012

We are Yours ... but


We are Yours
but You are not always ours

You seek our best
You extend, reaching for us,
blessing to bestow
but we
close our hearts and minds,
refusing You,
searching elsewhere

You surround us
beside
in front
and in back
You guide us
You deliver us
from our enemies
You give us nourishment
protection from the elements
but we
do not listen
do not see
do not comprehend
do not care
We walk in our own ways

You love us
You made man from dust
We were nothing
You made us something
You made us alive,
human
but we
do not thank you

We do not walk in Your ways

“There shall be no foreign god among you;
Nor shall you worship any foreign god.”
The Lord commands (Psalm 81:9)

But there is
and we do

We do not listen

There was and is
no greater love than Yours
You became like us
You sent Your Son
born of God
and the Virgin Mary
that through Him
all who believe in Him
would have eternal life

You were sorrowful,
painfully so
You sent Your Son, Jesus,
to take our place
You could have condemned us all
Yet Your love was so great
You sought to save us

and many did and continue to believe
and strive to walk
in the Light of Your Love

But many more
do not believe
but walk in the darkness
in opposition to You

Deeds done seem right
but without You in our midst,
we remain in the dark,
our minds and hearts
closed to You.

You do not condemn us
We condemn ourselves
The Lord heals
the brokenness of our lives

Won’t you come
Won’t you come

Into the Light
The Light of Love.

(c) November 12, 2012 




November 11, 2012

Many do not know ... God is the missing link

We travel the route
We follow The One
who has traveled it before
We move forward
step by step
we move on
Others see us
watching how we move
considering if it be for them


The Holy One
Moving forward
we sometimes move backward
we sometimes don’t follow
His guiding,
but listen to ourselves,
react to our feelings,
our emotions that slither
through us like the devil snake himself


We hear what we think another says
We believe what we think another says
We do not hear or comprehend
what is real or true
 
God knows our every thought,
our every word, our every action
conceived and carried out
We say one thing.
Another hears it differently.
You say “Are you done?”
Another replies, “No”
but not in answer to your question,
but to the perceived question
they hear – “Do you want anymore?”
 
Why is that?
 
It is no wonder we don’t believe another
when “I love you” is said

We perceive a lie
We – some of us – profess to be a
follower of Christ
Some do not.
God listens
God hears
God comprehends
 
Every last one of us struggles
to see as God sees
and does and is.
 
No one is perfect.
No one can lay claim
that they always walk with God,
always listen, always make time
for everyone, always do
what is right.
 
But there are those who do believe
they never swerve off the path
They travel in other circles
They are God’s child
and they make no mistakes.
They always listen – but do they?
 
You are not Jesus
Only He is the perfect one
Only He is the true and the real
He is our helpmate
He is The One who truly knows
and truly cares
and truly listens, truly understands,
truly loves.
 
Only God knows what we need
He is our creator.
He is our Father.
Truly, he says to you,
You are My beloved. 

I sent My Son
to live among you
to show you the way
to be your guide
 
I sent My Son
to die for you
to be Your Savior
 
I and My Son are one
 
I raised My Son
On the third day
after death and burial
He rose up from the grave
 
I sent My Son
as the Holy Spirit
to reign within your heart
 
I sent My Son to live
to show you the way
to be your guide
 
He is true
He is real
He is love
Through Him you find the way
Through Him are all the answers
to all the questions

I sent My Son
He is true
and righteous
He truly loves you
as I
for we are one

I sent My Son
to be the forever
sacrifice
for the sins of all
my children
 
He died for you
and He lives forever.
 
He died for you
Do you not believe?
Why not?
He is real
He is True
We are flesh and blood
We are human
Our emotions
overcome us
We do not stay
steadfast in His word
We do not remain
true to His message
We are swallowed up
whole like Jonah in the whale
We listen to our thoughts
We listen to our wants
We do not fine tune
our ears and heart and mind
to the truth of God
but listen instead to our truth
and follow our own agenda 
 
We remain lost
We do not seek God
and when we do, it is not
continually.
We stray.
 
Every moment of every day
we need to stay focused
on The One who can bring
us the truth, who can bring us
the Love.
 
He is Truth
He is Love
He shows us The Way
He is The Way
 
But we do not remember
We continually forget
We continually step past Him
do our own thing
We do not listen

We do not abide
 
Time and time again
He loves us so much
and we
do not care.
 
Lost  and forlorn
And the answer
is there for the taking
Yet we refuse
Satan has us
where he wants us
and we let him have his way.
We find it easier to give in
and give up
than to push on and
strive for God’s truth, God’s love.
 
Yet He remains
steadfast and trustworthy
He continues seeking us out
showing us the better way,
the best way
 
He is our Maker
With His breath
His hand
We became.
Without Him we
are nothing.
 
Sadly, many are
without Him
and do not know
cannot comprehend
what they need
what is missing
 
Not more and more
of things
Things do not bring happiness
Things do not bring peace
nor love
nor satisfaction

God is the answer to our every need,
our every want
God is the missing link
from your life

He misses you
He loves you
He strives to bring you
to completeness
Oneness
you and me in God
and God in you and in me.
 
(c) November 10 and 11, 2012 











Prayer and responsible action


“Our being Christian today will consist in only two things – in praying and in doing justice among people.” – Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Are we ready to take on this responsibility
or do we allow government to be and do all
Do we just sit back and let the government
run our lives
Do we just complain about the government

OR

Do we take on Christian values
Do we live morally
Do we live responsibly
Are we ready for action
Do we pray
and meditate
seeking answers from The One
who is our answer
and follow through
obedient to His every command?

“Restore us O God
Cause Your face to shine
Restore us
Return, we beseech You
Revive us
Restore us O Lord God of hosts;
Cause Your face to shine,
And we shall be saved!”  
(from Psalm 80)

(c) November 11, 2012

November 04, 2012

I say I'll ...

I say I'll go to the doctor
I say I'll wait until later,
when the appropriate time is here
I say I'll ask about
this and that
and question whether tests
should be done

I say I'll ...
I will

But what about now
What about this moment
this time
God's presence is here
surrounding me

I say He is all sufficient
I say He gives comfort
and is compassionate
I say He guides me
along the way

I say ...
but

I missed
I failed
I didn't recognize

I say I'll go and do ...
but first
I must bow down ...

and pray.

(c) November 4, 2012 

October 29, 2012

Choose ... Believe ... His Love

failure to thrive
we die

failure to believe God's unfailing love
we die

death surrounds us
within and out

There is death
We don't know how to live!

it is sin
it is sickness
it is disturbing
we feel it
we think about it
yet we don't understand it
we don't recognize the problem
for what it truly is

we remain burdened
trapped within our bodies
and our minds
unable to break free
and get past
our hurts, our anxieties,
our unbelief

For God so loved the world
the world of you and me
the world of people burdened
and lost, roaming here
and there, seeking,
searching for love

It is there, here
in our midst

God has said it
We must turn away from all
that comes against us and
turn to The One who brings us
truth and hope and love

and believe.

The freshness of life
and goodness
cascading upon us

Christ overcame the darkness
to bring us to the light
because of God's love
given
today
tomorrow
and forevermore

Choose to accept
Choose to believe
Choose to be His child
Choose to be loved
Choose to know His love

or

Choose not
and remain shackled
in the chains
of unbelief.

(c) October 29, 2012 

October 24, 2012

God's love is patient


Love
God is love
We think we know love
We think we have it
and can give it away
But our love is simplistic,
only human.

Love
God is love
Love is more than
our passion
more than compassion
for our neighbor,
our family,
our homeland

Love
is of God
He demonstrates love to us,
for us at every turn
Have we missed it

Love is
patient
God is patient
He waits for us
to turn away
from evil
and to Him
He waits for our call
He waits for our listening ear
and the questions
only He can answer

Love is patient
God is patient
God is love

We think we have come so far
in our quest
for patience
We have barely touched
the hem of His undergarment

Patience is far more
than what we have achieved,
than what we surmise

Patience – to wait,
perhaps endless years
of holding on, waiting
for one to come home,
to say “I miss you,”
“I love you,” I’m sorry.”
God does not give up.
He never strays
He is ever patient,
ever loving

Patience has come through –
for one whose heart and soul
has been released
from the grip of hell
But love is not finished
God is not finished

One soul
one heart
Millions, billions, trillions more
God is waiting for you
to come

His patience endures
He waits to rejoice
with you in your new life
with Him

God is Love
Love is God
Love is patient
God is patient

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”   (John 3:16-17)

Patience and Love
God Is.

© October 24, 2012 









October 22, 2012

Do not stray


We receive
We hear
His Word pierces our heart
We contemplate
His Word prompts us
to seek Him
to follow Him
to stay a path
of right and righteousness
of endurance and patience

The devil too
entices us
tempts us
to take the path of many
before us and long after
to turn from
His Word
His Word we heard
His Word we received
His Word that pierced
our heart, our very soul
His Word that brings new life
to an old one of deceit and despair
and death.

The Lord Jesus came
to save you
He came in love
not hate
To build up
not  tear down
Eternal everlasting love
and joy and Life
can be yours

Remember
The Word
His Word
that set you free,
your soul on fire
Remember
The Love
His Love for you
Think of the love
you have for your child
Think of the discipline
given by you for that child

The Lord Jesus loves you
and disciplines you

Do not become sucked into
the ways of the world
Do not become distant,
forgetful of God’s precious gift
to you

Do not stray from your first love

Do not allow the vision …
of your eyes and ears, mind and heart
be so fogged over you miss
God’s holiness and grace.

Do not stray

Do not become so consumed
with your current day-to-day world
that you miss all God is

His hand reaches out
Did you remove your hand, your life
from His clasp
Are you at a loss
how to get back
to where you were
when?

Ask
Seek
Find
and stay focused
Study
Meditate
Pray
and seek again
His Word
The Word of the Lord
for you.

© October 22, 2012


October 19, 2012

Turn from … turn to The Holy One


God the Father – Jesus the Son – The Holy Spirit
In the beginning
Throughout
At the final hour
Here.

Chooses His followers
but some wander
upon paths thought
to be more promising

Ridiculed, Blasphemed
Brought down to a level
thought fitting for someone
who spat lies, professed falsehoods
and tales of who
He deemed to be

Disobeyed
He set the commandments
to be followed
He set the punishment
to be passed
But we look away,
refuse to be ruled
by a higher authority.
Only when what is given
is more than
we can withstand,
do we cry out
and make claims
of allegiance to
The Holy One,
but then again,
we withdraw
and say no more, no more.

Me is more important
than a Holy God.
Me!
My wants
My desires
My reasons
My point of view
My beliefs

He still stands
He is here
For all our pushing away
and condemning
He remains.

Death could not keep Him
Satan’s power is minuscule
next to our glorious Lord
whose power is immense
He is King
He is Ruler
He knows our final destiny
He knows you
Yes, even you who know not of Him
who claim no need, no desire

Your destiny
is in the hands of a strong
and powerful God
who wields judgments
and in finality,
condemns you to sentences
of no escape.

He is loving yes
He desires you to turn
from selfish ways
to Him
who truly sets us free.

But His love,
His grace, His mercy
will not be our reward IF
He is not to whom we live.

© October 18-19, 2012