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 

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 

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

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

If ... You

If my aim is not to be deceitful
and my sin is acknowledged before You

You forgive and surround me
with Your love

If the instructions and teachings of You
and Your Word

penetrate my entire being
and I allow Your guidance
to be my path to follow

You surround me
with love and mercy and joy.

If You o Lord, who is trustworthy,
find me too to be trusting in You,
You are pleased
and surround me
with gladness of heart
and joy of spirit.

O Lord
My Lord
You reign
in heaven above
and here
within my heart

All glory and honor
belong to You
You are robed in majesty
The glories surround us

You alone are the most powerful

There is none other to show otherwise
You reign over the waters,
the mountains, the forests,
all and everywhere.

Your voice
we hear it in the thunder
the rushing flood waters
the splintering trees
the leaping flames of fire

and too,
in the still of the night …

when the distresses
and distractions
of the day
do not hinder us
and
all is quiet
around us.

We are alone
with You
as our tears flow
and our hearts ache.
You are there.

You reign.

You are victorious

You seek us out
in our lostness
You keep us connected
You

You

You
Most Holy God
are more

than I will ever
see or understand

But if my aim
is not to be –

If the path I take
is not of deceit,
dishonesty,
disloyalty,
disobedience,
and if my sin
is ever acknowledged
before You
You forgive me
You surround me and
protect me
with Your great love and mercy.

You are King
You are my King
My Savior
My Lord
I want to forever be
Your faithful child.

Amen.

© October 16-17, 2012

All answers found

All my answers
are found
in God’s Holy Book
from the beginning of time
when God created
earth and mankind
and the animal kingdom
to the end of time
when the Lord Jesus
returns to earth
carries His own home
avenges His loved ones
judges against those
already condemned
for unbelief.

All my answers
to my every question
spoken and unspoken
are within
The Scriptures

The history of me
and how His Word
applies to me
is found in every word written,
every i dotted, every t crossed

My history
began the moment
The Lord Jesus
became my personal Savior
for without Him
what is me
is so very incomplete.

All my answers
are there … in His Word
ready to be gleaned
and wielded

All my answers
are found in Him
and His Almighty Word
My life is in Him.

Is yours? 

October 6, 2012

a dream of questions

It is night
I am asleep

I wake
yet it is in a distant land
within my mind
and nowhere beyond

I am driving
others too
travel around me
down the highway
My eyes
forced to look up,
yet struggling to retain control
of the wheel,
I see
a plane
alone in the sky
Gold flames of fire
erupting
and parts disintegrating,
hurtling downward

I want to escape
Stop the car!
Go faster!

But I cannot find the brake
and I cannot go faster
There is only one speed
It is constant
and before me
the flames

I travel on.
In the distance
in formation
jets
like birds heading south

Other planes
descending,
spiraling downward.

I wake.
It is morning.

But I question …
What does it mean?
Is it war?
Is it a premonition
of things to come?
Is God showing me
something I need to know?

 

October 1, 2012