Walking and living

"if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. ... if we live by the Spirit, let us walk in the Spirit." (Galatians, 5:18, 25 NKJV)

Walking

and living

being

and doing

What we do

What we say

Is that who we are

Our actions

a result of our beliefs

Do our beliefs

always reveal

goodness

and love within

without

Are we always true

Do sometimes

we allow grumpiness

to get in the way

to supercede

better intentions?

Is it sometimes better to

say nothing

Everyone different

None the same

Even within the same body of believers

or smaller family unit

Some alert and cordial

every waking moment

Some not so alert

nor so cordial

Some soak in their surroundings

before pursuing the day

and greater moments

of relating to another.

Should we apologize

for our differences?

Does another frown

on us

because we are different

Not like them

Not like they perceive

we should be.

Is it a sin

because I am not

like you.

Are you the right one

Are you so perfect

that you have no room

for the differences

reflected in another?

Did Jesus forgive you

and judge you so righteous

that you needn't forgive

another?

Did Jesus forgive you

and say,

'go, condemn another'?

Did Jesus say,

'your way is best'?

Who are you?

What did Jesus say?

What does He say

Is He constant

Does He change

(c) November 20, 2010 

God created ... He is ... It is enough

I see
what is written

I hear

what is spoken

I listen

to God's spirit

within me

I study

His word

I seek

His purpose for my life

I find rest

from the days' struggles

Through Him

in music

soothing to my soul

in worship

in prayer

in fellowship

I rejoice and thank Him and praise Him

in that it is my soul

as much as yours

He came to save

Through His Son

Through Jesus,

The Christ, The Messiah.

But still,

I do not understand

why You,

IF you really believe in God

and of God

Why would you not believe

Jesus and God are one?

God created.

Period.

God gives life

And He takes it away.

Period.

The miracle of birth

is because of God.

God created.

The stars, the planets,

the mountains and valleys,

all that is and was

and is to come --

God created.

He is more,

above and beyond more.

God created.

This is His world,

His creation.

How dare we put God

underneath us?

How dare we claim

to know more ...

oh we know so much ...

what we believe we think is true.

How dare we?!

Before us

There was no us.

God created.

Before the earth was formed,

There was no earth.

God created.

God is

Today

Tomorrow

Yesterday

God spoke

To prophets

and apostles

Men and women

And speaks still

To you and me.

He is

He was

He always has been

He continues

He came.

God can do

and be all,

at anytime.

God created.

He planted His seed

In Mary, the young girl

engaged to wed Joseph

And Mary gave birth

It was prophesied

Isaiah foretold

what the Lord would do

who the child would be

"for unto us a child is born,

unto us a Son is given;

And the government

will be upon His shoulder.

And His name will be called

Wonderful,

Counselor,

Mighty God,

Everlasting Father,

Prince of Peace."

(Isaiah 9:6 NKJV)

God created.

He is.

Jesus is.

It is enough.

(c) January 10, 2011 

Teach me, revive me, strengthen me, save me

Teach me

the way

Direct me,

my walk

in the path

of Your will,

Your commandments

Revive me

Remind me

Rejuvenate me

Turn me

from worthless things

and toward

Your righteousness

Keep me

firmly planted

in the ways

of You

My precious Lord

and Savior

so shame

in You

and You in me

does not,

is not.

Strengthen me

so my weaknesses

do not overcome me

and I lie distressed,

filled with remorse,

fallen from Your

wondrous love.

Accept me,

Save me,

Deliver me,

Your child

Your daughter.

Do not forsake me

Do not reject me

The stone

which the builders

rejected,

The chief cornerstone --

Your Son

Jesus

I accept

I believe

Accept me God

through Him

who came to save ...

me.

"Let my soul live, and it shall praise You; And let Your judgments help me. I have gone astray like a lost sheep; Seek your servant, For I do not forget Your commandments." (Psalm 119: 175-176)

(c) February 23, 2011 

a new day will rise

a new day rises

the earth is freshened

with rains from above

the darkness of the preceding day

retains its hold

but God sees all.

To and fro

He goes as we go

and as our gaze

settles on Him

and Him alone

-- not darting or questioning or

taking too quick action --

another day will rise

tomorrow perhaps

or the next.

the darkness

will not keep us

secluded and fearful.

Our God

who sees

all

and knows

all

our comings and goings

will show us

what He knew

in the beginning.

We see oh so dimly now

as in a mirror

fogged over.

Another new day will rise

the darkness will fade

We will be in the Light

and it will be good.

(c) July 22, 2011 

To be as Him

Not to be "like Jesus"
But to be as Him

His being
becomes our being

His will 

becomes our will 

Christ forms us, 

molds us,

shapes us

Not we ourselves 

His life 

becomes our life

His death 

becomes our death 

His resurrection 

becomes our salvation 

His walk 

becomes our walk

He in us 

The Alpha and The Omega 

He and He alone

He is our answer 

He is our because, 

our reason

He seeks us out

He is the question

He is The Almighty

He is our Father

He is the Holy Spirit

residing within our hearts

He is The One who came 

to bring us to Him

to renew us 

to restore us

He in Us 

We in Him

One.

(c) May 5, 2012

Is Christ magnified in me?

Is Christ magnified in me

wherever I go
whatever I do
Is it to God my Father I live
or
am I
me myself only
magnified 


What do I gain
What is gained
Is Christ magnified in me
whether I live
needed still to do the Lord’s service
or whether I die

Has the life I’ve led
been fruitful
have I done the Lord’s bidding
Is my work
here in the physical world
finished

Is it wrong
to desire staying
are my motives wrong

The decision
not mine to make

Hard-pressed
I am
to stay
to leave

He will determine

if only
I could come to terms
and be joyful
whatever the outcome
whatever the determination made
by Him
whose life, death and resurrection
saved me
from an eternal hell

Is my conduct
worthy
Do I pray
the trials of others lessen
or is it
only
my personal trials
my personal sphere of friends or family

Woe is me
I do not know
The answers I seek
I do not hear
I cannot find

The Apostle Paul
says it is
“far better”
to be with Christ

But…
is it time
must I give in,
give up
and let it be

Is it better ...
Maybe so ...
to be free
than tied down
to so many
limitations

Help me know Lord
Help me know
Help me be at peace
Help me to be joyful

In Your name O Lord I pray.

(c) May 4, 2012

God moves the stones

We bury our sins at the cross of Jesus
at His feet
our burdens removed
are no more
Our guilt forgiven

and Jesus is raised
Not like a blooming flower
lain dormant through the winter months
He is dead

But God, in His sovereignty
His Oneness
Awakened Him
from the grave he lay
Awakened Him to
regain eternal divine glory,
union with His Father.

The dead shall rise
The dead in Christ
will rise first at His second coming
and those remaining will join Him
in the air … on the cloud

But without the
promised resurrection
of The Holy Son of God
there would be nothing.

We cannot join what is not

We cannot be with Him
nor He with us
Our guilt would run wild
Our sins would know no bound
We would be lost and
we wouldn’t know it.

What would we have to compare?
Where is our glorious hope? …
dashed, snipped in the bud.

The “woe is me” scenario
would be accurate

But Jesus’ death was not
the end of His life, nor our life
Jesus lay in the tomb
3 days
and then! it was resurrection morning

The stone
meant to keep outsiders out
was rolled away
The stone
to hold Jesus in,
to keep you out
Removed

God was there first
Remember … He is always there,
where we are
and where we are not
When we least expect Him
Where we hope He is.

God moved the stone away
God raised Jesus from the dead
God sent the Holy Spirit to live within our hearts
God moves the stones that hinder our growth,
working to defeat us
God loves you
God creates you
God brought His Son, His only Son,
The Son of God,
Son of Man
The Lord Jesus
to life
to death
to life again and forever
God is all powerful
our dilemmas are not beyond Him

We pray

Do our prayers bring us closer
to God … are we grounded in the
Stone of Hope and T riumph
offered by The One whose
death, burial and resurrection
was for us
or have we only found
stepping stones from one
troubling point to another?

© April 21, 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)

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

I call

I call
You hear
I am Yours
yet disjointed
are my thoughts

Darkness all around me
But Lord
with You
there is Light

Loneliness comes upon me
even when surrounded
by many
But You remain
constant
You do not leave
my presence
and I am comforted

My body is weary
and restless,
movement escapes me
But You, O Lord
bring peace,
a calmness to my soul

Bitterness over turmoils
past and present
churns
But You
have enabled me
to endure
and be patient
as I go,
whatever the outcome

I do not understand
Your ways
But I know
Your Way
is the best way,
the only way,
the right way.

O Lord,
help me
to accept all
that comes
The good
with the bad

Help me O Lord
to live
fully live
to life
prolonged
to death
however soon

You will not give me
more than I can bear
for You are with me
You carry my burden
You enable me to endure
You bring me assurance
I can rest in You,
the shelter of Your wings.
I am free in You.

(c) February 29, 2012

Silence

Silent we
First Word
Last Word
Not mine
Not yours
But His

Waiting
Listening
Hearing
Speaking
Obedient to Him

Are we?

Silent to His Word?
Listening to His Word?
Hearing His Word?
Speaking His Word rightly?

(c)  February 27, 2012

A visit ...

We visit
We part
Steps retreat
The door closes
The silence
The longings begin

Replayed
over and over and over again
Why is it so
Why must it be
Is it useless, meaningless
Or is there some grand plan
to be gleaned
from everything
in a former day
that only our Father God
knows and in His wisdom,
leaves us to ponder,
however disturbing
that may be.

Remember ...
the past,
but not to dwell.
A visit.
Remember ...
you accepted.
Jesus died to bring you
new life
and you accepted ...
You accepted
His offering, His gift.
Accepted
the offering of a
new life, a better life.
Remember ...
yesterday,
many years ago,
last month,
the day before today,
but live ...
today,
this moment,
for it is enough.
Tomorrow ...
we plan, but
may it be with a
new hope,
not an old pain.

In looking back,
don't let that glimpse
be your destruction.

You gave your past life
to Jesus
Let Him build your life today
And live in a new life forevermore.

(c) February 20, 2012

In the mood?

We cannot be
in the
"right"
frame of mind,
"in the mood"
 before we have
an encounter
with God.

God
is all around us,
waiting for us
to join Him,
interact with Him,
but we cannot
wait
and wait
and wait
some more.

What do we wait for?
A better time?
There is
no better time
than now.
We wait and then
when our numbered days
are finished,
there is no time.

No time to wait,
no time to begin.
The right time,
the right mood
escapes us.
We are no more.

We need
to be
ready.
How to prepare
 It certainly
is not
by doing
all there is to do
whenever
we please
with no thought
of another.

We say
practice
makes perfect.
What kind
of perfect
do we
achieve.
Practice
makes things
come together,
jell.

Are you
"in the mood?
to practice?
Practice
living,
learning,
teaching,
hearing,
listening,
obeying.
Perhaps not.

Not inclined
to be
nor
inclined
to practice
to be.

But God
He is
still waiting
He waits
whether
we are
in the mood
or not.

He waits
for that
chance
encounter.
He waits
for you.

He waits with love.

(c) February 18, 2012

Only the best

I ask 

for guidance

I ask

for Him

to show me

a better way

I ask 

and He answers

Yet

the answer He gives

Is not

entrenched into my being

I do not hear the answer

I do not hear ... 

I ask

for guidance

and He provides

guidance.

He says,

“I wouldn’t if I were you.”

“Are you sure that is what you really want to do, my child?”

And where am I?

Why do I not hear?
Surely I am listening.

Is it because

Satan knows his part so well

knows how to dig deep

how to invade

into my

personal space

knows how to pursue

my desires and wants and wishes

how to snag me

so all thought of

pleasing My Lord

vanishes?

Oh!

woe is me.
The Lord is

not happy with me.

I  ask

He answers

He has answered before

Time and time again

I continue to ask

He still answers.

When will I hear?

When will the still small voice

Of my precious Lord

reach my inner being

and I will respond

in loving obedience?

He wants only

The best for me.

Do I?

(c) February 11, 2012

Ignorance is bliss?

Ignorance is bliss
or so it seems
for the many
who do not
have a clue

but alas!
a lightning flash
mind
a whirl

innocence
gives way

despair
dismay
dominates
uncertainty follows

Reach
Seek
Look

it’s what we
seem to be about
how do we
find
the answer?

How did I ....
find
the answer?

What method
Who answered

How did
I
get there
I know
where
I've been

I know
what
I've found

But only God
knows
the
path
I now journey
To
follow.

Hopefully, True to Him alone.

(c) October 15, 2008

Jesus is the vine

Jesus is the vine
I am but one of His branches
I can do
I can be
anything and all
but if not to Jesus
for Jesus
that I give my all
All achieved
is to nothing
to no avail.

My eternal bliss
has died on the vine
I am alone
and my aloneness
brings no joy
only dismal thought
and torment
as I face bitterness,
defeat,
death in the deep.

Jesus is the vine
I am but one of His branches
I draw my lifeblood from Him
who died for my soul
who rose from the dead
who reigns on high
who lives within me.

Jesus is the vine
I am but one of His branches.

For me to bear fruit
I must succumb to His pruning
I must abide in Him

for Jesus is the vine
My Lord and Savior
and I am but one of His branches
A child of The King

(c) September 4, 2011