April 30, 2018

We can live in victory

"Morning by morning The Lord wakens me and opens my understanding to His will." ~ Isaiah 50:4

The best of times
in our lives
can become useless
and we can become defeated

Why?!
Is it because
we do not look anew unto Jesus?

We pray
but is our approach to His throne
fresh, full of love and hope
for each day after
or
do we give up,
no longer open to new ideas
Do we not hear the Master's voice
and when we do,
what is our response?

Is it Yes?
Yes, Lord! Yes!
Wherever Lord
You lead Lord
I'll go wherever you say
or do our fears
take over?
Do we refuse to allow Him
to govern our life?

The best of times
do not have to end
Discouragement
and bitterness
need not be

We can live in victory
every day
every hour
every minute

The Lord Jesus was and is victorious
He defeated the enemy
We can too.
(c) Cathy Orrick Luders
April 30, 2018

April 29, 2018

We pray

We pray
We wait for God's response
We pray again
We look for God's revelation
but there is nothing
Are we so wise that we give up
or do we continue
with relentless endurance

The Lord said He is with us always
We shall pray and pray again
Pray continually
Pray without ceasing
Pray without questioning
Pray without seeing
Pray without knowing the end result
Pray earnestly
Pray always
Pray hopefully
Pray fervently
Pray expectantly

We believe
God's answer will come
God will reveal
in His time all we are to know

In the meantime
We pray.
(c) Cathy Orrick Luders
April 29, 2018

April 19, 2018

Do not give up... Do not give in

"Stand firm" (Exodus 14:13)
The Lord says
Wait for His response
to your plea

Do not give up
Do not give in
to despair,
but be cheerful
and courageous,
rejoicing in His love.

Do not give up
Do not give in
to cowardice,
but follow the Lord only
because we are
children of God.

Do not give up
Do not give in
to impatience,
but keep your mindset
continually on the Lord,
who is always with you.

Do not give up
Do not give in
to arrogance,
but stand firm
as a rock
until you hear
His mighty response,
"Move On. Go Forward." (Exodus 14:15)
(c) Cathy Orrick Luders
April 19, 2018

April 14, 2018

Wasted years...?

Were those years
wasted
as we think and thought?

Others vehemently against,
opposed to what God
had called one to do,
because of mistakes made

Were those years
really wasted?
Maybe not.

The Lord sees
all everywhere
We see oh so dimly
thinking we know how
things are to be
and respond as such
because we are oh so smart

But we are not smart
Our foolish thinking
does not deliver wisdom

God tells us to trust Him
and we try,
but because our focus
has moved from Him
to ourselves
and to those who
think they know all,
we fail.

Our desire
should be in the Lord
Our lives lived
should be led by the Spirit

When our focus
is not on God
our Father
but elsewhere,
we become trapped
within locked doors
with steel bars.

The fruit
of the Holy Spirit -
love, joy, peace,
patience, kindness,
goodness,
faithfulness,
gentleness, self-control -
ours
when we have
professed Jesus
as our Lord and Savior

The fruit
of the Holy Spirit
within us
is truly ours
but not developed
or at best, under-developed

Instead of kindness and gentleness,
we become indifferent,
thoughtless,
mean.
Patience gives way to fear,
frustration,
anxiety.
Goodness is not good,
but evil, dishonest, cruel.
Instead of controlling ourselves,
we are filled with pity
and selfishness.
We trust no one
We look to ourselves
for help, for answers.
There is no joy,
no peace,
no love.

Jesus shows us
how to live
our lives abundantly.

What do we have?
Do we live abundantly?
Do we follow His path?

Or is the only thing we have
an oversupply of foolish,
stupid behavior?

(c) Cathy Orrick Luders
April 13-14, 2018