The Blackness

The Blackness
dark
blank
deep.

Do we crawl under
Do we dig deeper

The walk we travel
is it
will it
are we okay
are our wishes and desires
different
have we given up,
given in
do we still feel safe
is the Lord protecting me
have we now become more real
more human
more guilty
are we closer to knowing,
to understanding
the meaning of
participation with God
in His suffering?
is this, this personal suffering,
yet abiding in Him

some days the blackness goes away
and we
see the light
And our desires
are to be with Him, our Father
but our hour has not come
He is not yet ready for us
Our rooms are not quite prepared
We must still wait

In our perception of good days
we hang on
me and they
they and me
each to each other
to memories we cling
to another's future
and wish we could
see them then
but we have them now
and it must be enough

The Future - the days ahead
not ours to know
not mine, yours or theirs

We walk on
slowly
quickly
with purpose
we have people to see,
places to go.

Remember,
God goes before you,
behind you too
He surrounds you,
He is right there beside you
Do you feel His presence
He is carrying you.
His love knows no bounds.

(c) March 30, 2012

Sinners we are, but forgiven

Sinners
we are
you and you
described
as "others"
unbelievers
and me too
once
upon a time

But, alas,
The Lord God Above
found me
and
in His finding,
showed me
His forgiveness
I accepted
His death
His burial
His resurrection
I accepted
His offering
of a new
and better
life.

And I,
still a sinner,
because different
became His
A child of the King
A new creation

Sinner still,
but no longer bound
Set free

I became a Christian
a follower
of the Living Lord
My Savior
My Redeemer

No longer
was I
one of the "others"
I was
I am
a believer
in and of
Christ Jesus.
I strive to trust
in His promises
be obedient
to His commands
to rest
in Him.

(c) March 25, 2012

More of God's Love

God's Love

is patient, kind

Not envious

Not jealous

Not proud

Not selfish

Not in a hurry

Not bearing grudges

Not rude

is passionate

Rejoices In the Truth

Not wrongdoing

Not a falsehood

Not a lie

(not even a little white one)

Sees clearly

Not with malice

is faithful

Not dependent on our courage or lack thereof

Not giving in when we fail

is miraculous

is mighty and strong, powerful

Not weary

Not weak

is perfect

Not to be feared

is complete

Not separated from the frenzied hurriedness,

busyness of our lives

Shares with others

Moves you to live righteously,

not as sinners

is gentle and compassionate

Not angry

Not quarrelsome

Not forceful

is supportive

Always concerned about the well-being of His children

Never fails

is like a lamb

Not a roaring lion.

is for us

undeserving,

without any thought of return

is calming

Pursues us

Not to punish,

but to have a relationship

because of love …

God’s Love.

God’s Love

is a reminder -

He is Pure and Holy,

without blemish

Not flawed

Not the deceiver

Not the enemy

God’s Love

is invisible, yet not

Surrounds you

Embraces you

Reveals His Son to you and reveals Himself as your Holy Father

is the Holy Spirit,

living within your heart

when you have accepted His Son

as your Savior.

God’s Love

Builds you up

Not a disappointment

Not conditional

Sets you free

Not enslaved

God’s Love

grows

Not stagnant

Fills you to overflowing

Instructs, guides you

on your life’s journey of twists and turns

Created you

Gives meaning and purpose

Understands your pain and anxiety

and gives comfort

Shows you the foolishness

you give in to

God’s Love

searches high and low

for you, His lost child,

and when He finds you,

there is much rejoicing

and gladness of heart

God’s Love

gives you reason to thank Him

always, continually

Shows us how expressing

our love for His Son, Jesus,

frees us

from the burden of our guilt

Knows you,

your innermost being

your troubled heart

Helps us

to forgive others

to let go of the past

is genuine

Not a list of errors

does He keep

is always with you

Always has your best interest

God's Love

expresses joy

in the face of a believer

when we give

sacrificially

to Him alone

a single solitary act

of returning His love

for us

to Him.

to Him alone.

God's Love

a longing for more and more

of Him.

God's Love

brought us

a mediator,

a savior

Jesus!

God's Love

is sufficient

deserves our praise, our honor

Not our mocking

Invades us

our very being

enfolds us with Him

bring us to Him

one with Him .... alone without Him

is never ending.

Eternal.

(c) October 30 / November 2, 2010

“... God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him. Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment.”  (1 John 4:16-18)

 “does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.” ( 1 Corinthians 13:6-8)

“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become as sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.” (1 Corinthians 13:1)

“Thus says the Lord: Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, Let not the mighty man glory in his might, nor let the rich man glory in his riches; But let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight, says the Lord.” (Jeremiah 9:23-24)

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? ... yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us." (Romans 8:35, 37)

His song

Praying
singing
praising
rejoicing

Morning light
noon day fair
in the night
His Song -
The Song of Life
The Song of Joy
The Song of Sweet Remembrance

His Song -
shall be with me

(c) March 15, 2012

You shall love your neighbor as yourself

You shall love your neighbor as yourself
That is
The Lord's command

Your neighbor
All those around you

Your self

Love
does no harm
is the fulfillment
of the law
is all Jesus is
all Jesus does

I am
sorrowful
saddened
dismal

An encounter
with another
does not bring
does not bear
the fruit God desires
of each

Where is our love
and patience
and kindness
and self-control

Where is Jesus
to whom
we both
profess to be one with

Where indeed?!

We see instead
outbursts
of anger
selfishness
dissension
conceit
provocation

One provokes
One responds
but not
I tell you
in God's love

We provoke another
We respond in kind

Did it set us free?
No.

It gives Satan pleasure

but it saddens the Lord
and breaks our fellowship with Him.

We are
to do good
to all,
as the opportunity comes,
and especially,
to our brothers and sisters
in Christ.

We are
to walk in the Spirit,
as we live in the Spirit.

(c)  March 26, 2012

"Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another." (Galatians 5:26) 

"Let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith." (Galatians 6:9-10)

In our temptation, do we remember?

In the wilderness
when we
completely alone
no aid comes
we are
in solitude
tested
how well

God watches
sees
but does not show Himself
Is removed
from us
No one
for us to turn to
We call out
but He does not
answer.

We are
alone
in our weakness
our temptation
whatever it may be

Are we overwhelmed?

Jesus was not
Jesus withstood the test
40 days,
40 agonizing days
He spent
alone
weary, hungry
He remembered
His Father
He remembered
and He spoke
the Scriptures
again and again.

"Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God." (Matthew 4:4 and Deuteronomy 8:3 NKJV)

"It is written again, You shall not tempt the Lord your God." (Matthew 4:7 and Deuteronomy 6:16)

"Away with you, Satan! For it is written, You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve." (Matthew 4:10 and Deuteronomy 6:13, 10:20, Joshua 24:14)

Do we turn to what we know,
what we remember.
Do we use God's word
to keep us away
from Satan's tactics
when faced with
that which looks good
and promising
but is really not?!

Be it 40 days
40 years
40 minutes
or even
40 seconds
the temptation
is God's way
of testing.

"And you shall remember that the Lord your God led you all the way these 40 years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not." (Deuteronomy 8:2)

How well do we fare?

(c) March 24, 2012

wanderings within

rejection
rational
honest
hope -- wasted?
more here than nothing
return return
to the love of your first
remember
from where you came
to where you go

to whom do you listen
who is calling

what is life
is it only a vapor
a mist
small and narrow
without meaning
without purpose
without joy?

is it all for naught?
to have some
but not all
to give up
you cannot make that decision
you can,
but you cannot

you belong to God
you are God's dear child.

do not turn away
do not escape
to an older path
perhaps as well-worn
as another
is it any safer?
is it safe at all.

illusions
wishful thinking
things
unnecessary
more here than nothing
you are more
you are life
a living being
created
by
a living God.

more
return
struggles remain
up the hill
down the valley
nothing easy

Yet you have hope
your burden lighter
less cumbersome
less painful

remember
from where you came
remember
He who brought you to His side
He who gave you new life
He who returned your joy
remember
and return
to Him
who knows your name
every speck on your body
every hair on your head
every part
of you
who loves you
completely
compassionately
fervently

remember,
return,
be mindful of Him
as He
is
mindful of you.

 (c) March 13, 2012

The Door is still open ...

Feelings

get in the way

of what God has said to us.

We ask for a sign,

we look for the open door,

and it is there,

ready for you to enter in

and explore and be

and do great things,

all for His sake.

But our feelings

about this or that,

whatever

we find

after we enter that door

God had readied for us,

stop us

from fulfilling

His plan for our life.

We see reasons

not to go on

we see our life lived

and then come up short,

all because

our plans

failed to come to fruition.

Our plans.

Our plans are only ours

in so far as they are in

God’s will.

Our plans may change.

We make choices.

What about God’s plan,

His will, His desire

for our life?

You heard the call.

Why do you

not hear it anymore?

Have you closed the door

He opened for you?
Have you decided

there is no reason

to go on?

Some doors God closes

because of

disobedience to Him.

But God

does not close every door.

A turn of events,

happenings

in our lives,

however humbling,

even disabling,

is not a closed door.

Perhaps our walk

has slowed.

Age or health,

even finances

may be deterrents.

But deterrents

are not

synonymous with a

closed door.

God did not say

life would be

all beautiful roses

for even roses have thorns.

You want to live

You want your life back

You don’t like the changes

appearing –

the good health has given way to poor  health

the great job has become no job

God desires us to walk with Him

all our days,

to not give in to feelings,

to not give up and close the door.

God has opened a door –

and you stepped inside.

The door

did not latch shut

and lock.

You are free.

Free --- to be,

to do, to fail,

to get up and go again,

free to live totally with Him.

Free to live a life 
centered on God.

Free too

to rely on outside influences,

free to allow conflicting

thoughts fester

and cause turmoil

and poor decisions.

Free to live a life 
centered on Self 
and feelings.

The door is open, still.

You stepped in.

What now?

© March 12, 2012

Jesus shows us the way

Jesus shows us the way

He is
the way
to salvation
He is
the solution
to Sin
He is
our redeemer
gifting us
with freedom
from our sins

He is
through His very life
He is
the illustration
of how we
are to live

He shows us the way

He is
all
about
being
obedient
to His Father
Being loyal
and trustworthy
faithful
and true
embracing righteousness
living responsibly

He is
the standard
our standard
He is
the Light
He is
Love

In Him
there is
no darkness
And we,
if we
claim fellowship
with Him,
if we
profess to abide
in Him,
we must not
walk in darkness.

In the darkness
sin awakens
and we stumble
and we do not practice
the Truth

Jesus is
the Truth.

Do you know
where you go
or
has an area
of darkness
overshadowed you
causing blindness

He is
the One who loves
the One who is love
the One to whom we love

He is
our guide
Do we pray for guidance?
He is
patient
Do we pray for patience?
He is
our encourager
Do we pray for encouragement?
He is
all powerful
Do we pray for strength to continue in the midst of struggle?
Do we pray for greater faith?
Do we pray for compassion?

Jesus shows us the way
It is up to us to go the way
Not just any ole way,
but His way

Are you committed?
Are you obedient?
In your life walk,
do you walk with Jesus
or apart from Him?

(c) March  10, 2012

God ~ Jesus

God can do it all
He created the heavens
He created the world
From dust He created man
and from man's rib He created woman

God does not change
He is not at your disposal
He does not move at your whim

God is Lord of all
He is love
He implanted the seed of life
in the woman destined to be
the mother of the Christ Child

God is that seed,
that baby,
the Son of God,
the Spirit within us

God is the I AM
He is everywhere,
wherever you are
and where you are not
In the silence before dawn
In the crackling thunder

God desires our faithfulness
He seeks a relationship
with each one

He has no favorites
We are all sinners
and He desires to set us all free
from the bondage of sin
that keeps us trapped
within our selves

God is one
All He does He does alone

And in that "oneness"
we are reminded --

There is only 1 Truth
There is only 1  Savior
There is only 1 basic problem with humanity -- Sin
There is only 1 solution for that problem

The Way, The Truth, The Life
is found in
Jesus!

"in Him we live and move and have our being" - Acts 17:28a NKJV

(c) March 8, 2012

Single-Minded Obedience: So simplistic yet so hard

To obey
To be obedient
To rely totally
always
only
on Christ
on His Word

Not on self
Not on peers
Not on feelings
Not on governments
peeling promises
resulting in half truths
and lies

But to cling
to all that the Lord is
to all the security He offers
no matter what the world
suggests

To remember
the dream
He gave you

To listen
to His still small voice
heard
during the nights you cannot sleep
or during an exam you struggle to comprehend
or even with another with whom personalities clash
Don't let barriers prevent you
from hearing
with your ears, your eyes, your heart

Jesus hears
He listens
He answers

Do you pour out your heart to Him
who does hear your agony and
frustration?

Do you wait for His reply?

Are you obedient in your response
when His answer
requires
a step of faith?

(c) May 27, 2011