In His Image, according to His Likeness

Being a Christian means being a human being - as Christ became a human being.

The race we belong to is human. God created us --

"Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness;" (Genesis 1:26a)

"And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being." (Genesis 2:7)

In Our image

According to Our likeness

Jesus

Son of God

came

as us --

created by

Him and His Father God

in

Their image,

according to Their likeness.

Jesus

Son of God

the culmination

of us all

came

took our place

showing us

how to live

and

how to die

in Him,

and according to Him,

Lord Jesus Christ.

It is not

appearances

not emotions

not price tags

not traditions, not customs

These do not make a "human being."

We became

through God

How we

become,

what we become

is dependent on

who we perceive

our maker, our creator.

Is it

the Word of God

or

is it

the word of me

Do we share,

Do we participate

in the sufferings

of our Lord Jesus,

the bearer of new life

and unending love,

in the life of this world,

a society of human beings

living in hopelessness ...

reaching, seeking ...

Are we there? Like Jesus,

in His image,

according to His likeness?

(c) March 31, 2011

Christ is the Light -- are we a follower?

Christ is The Light -- are we a follower?

"The only visible sign of God in the world is the cross." - Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Christ is the Light of the world

He came among us

to show us the Light

the way out

of the darkness

that consumes us

Christ died

and was reborn

He is the resurrection of the Light

Christ's death on the cross

All the darkness of humankind

was upon Him

He could not escape it

He sought its removal,

but His destiny was upon Him

A prayer to the Father

amid a grove of olive trees

in a place called Gethsemane ...

"Abba, Father,
All things are possible for You. 
Take this cup away from Me; 
Nevertheless, not what I will, 
but what You will." (Mark 14:36 NKJ)

The burden

The heaviness

of each of everyone

our sin

upon Him, who is without

taken

each step, each stripe, each lashing,

each pounding

All He embraced

All our sin

upon Himself

His destiny

His Father's will

All the darkness

that Jesus took upon Himself

separated Him

from the Love of His Father

but

in dying came rebirth

Three days

in the tomb

buried

just as He foretold

The resurrected body

of Jesus Christ

All the darkness of the world

was not enough

to overcome The Light.

"And the light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness did not comprehend it."

(John 1:5 NKJ)

The Light of God

of the Son

triumphs

Judgment is made.

What of you and me --

The very ones whose souls

He came to save

Who do you follow

Do you remain in the darkness

or has the Light

found you?

(c) April 2, 2011

Peace comes from the Father

Peace comes to

me

from Him

my Savior

my Redeemer

my Father

in Heaven

Peace surrounds me

Embraces me

Protects me

Peace

I leave you My peace

(c) April 4, 2011

The Light returns

A new day

dawning

The Lord's Day,

every day

In days long past

night expectantly waits

for the coming

of Light

He is here!

Morning comes

bringing joy

gladness of heart

The baby Jesus is born

a light

in the

surrounding darkness

The Light - Jesus.

The message

proclaimed. He

dominates

the darkness,

overcoming the evil

that threatens us,

that seeks to destroy us.

Satan

and all of his followers

have not won,

darkness does not rule

Appearances can be deceiving.

The Light - Jesus

dominates

overcomes

He is The Victor

His life

given

for yours

for mine

Fulfillment.

Completeness.

Morning comes again

The sun shines

The Son has risen

bringing renewed joy

hope

love

The Lord has risen!

He has risen indeed.

(c) April 30, 2011

The Lord reigns over fear

Fear overwhelms us

Takes control

Drags us along the crooked and perverse

passages

over rocks

pebbles

we stumble upon

missing,

and falling

deep

withdrawing

into cocoons

the unknown

scares us

We want to know

what will be tomorrow

today

yet we do not

God knows

All

In knowing

for ourselves

all He knows

wouldn't greater fear

protrude its

ugly head?

Is it not safer

Are we not more secure

alas, even more confident

if / when

fear envelopes us

we look upward

to Him

Him

The Lord Jesus Christ

The Lord of all

of life

of death

of fear

of courage

of strength

of love

Look upward!

and pray

share your concerns, your worry, your fears

with The One

who does understand

Seek the meaning of His Word for you

Believe in His promises

of hope and a better tomorrow

Believe in Him

In His Love for you.

He has conquered fear

and death

He is The Overcomer

Fear does not belong

here

For if / since

we are one

with Him

through Faith

we have His peace

His peace

His love

Peace.

Whatever comes

God knows all

and we are surrounded

by His presence,

His love

and that is enough.

We face an unknown

our fear escalates

But the fear within us

will dissipate, yield and fade

Freedom reigns

through faith

in the strong and living Savior

The Lord Jesus Christ.

(c) May 7, 2011

God's will or yours?

"And lo, I am with you always.'' - Matthew 28:20 (NKJV)

God's will ... different?

Can it be

Is it true

What we believe to be God's will one day

may not be another day.

How can we

follow the path

we believe God has laid out for us

if it may change at a moment's notice

Have you stopped to consider ...

We can follow the Lord, yes,

but we each can make changes,

detours along the way

that may prove to be

vastly different from God's plan.

Have we asked God

about the detour we ponder taking

or have we made our own decision

Is it right or or is it wrong --

to seek God's will

perhaps find it

but ignore it

to discredit it

to say no, God's doesn't know.

I know.

God's will ... different?

Perhaps it is our will

that is different

out of step

not in tune with His

If we are really His believers,

His followers,

living under His truth,

in obedience to Him,

our will would be His will.

We would look anew

every day

at what He

has to say

to us.

We would continually

ask of Him ...

Lord, is this the way?

Lord, what will you have for me today?

Lord, show me how to get out of this pity party.

Lord, where do you want me to go today?

Lord, who do you want me to be a blessing to today?

Lord, is this the job you want me to continue?

Lord, what is your desire for me this day?

"Lo, I am with your always"

Jesus tells us

Where are we

Are we with Him?

Have we forgotten

what He has taught us

Do we follow and listen

only to the sounds

of our steps

within our heart and mind,

within our personal observations

and experiences

Or,

can we truthfully say

we seek God's will

and rejoice when we do find

(c) May 14, 2011

The call

The call

extended

The answer

given

Obediently

I go

from a life

past lived

to one anew

Learning,

growing,

fellowship

sweet

Faith blossoms

with Him

as my Lord

and me

as His child

(c) May 24, 2011 

Room for Jesus

There was no room

No place

Not for His mother Mary

Nor His stepdad Joseph

Not for Himself

The Christ Child

Infant Holy

There was no room

No place

Foxes had holes

Birds had nests

But for the Son of Man

There was no place

to dwell and rest

He had the whole world

and has it still

For He, God Almighty

formed it from nothing

Our Creator is He

But there is no room

No place

The Call extended

to you and you and you

to become like Christ

There is no room

No place

No home on earth

to call his own

We, His followers

To Go Forth

to be His witnesses

to everyone

and everywhere --

within our community

our city or state

or another more distant

with cultures beyond our own

To Seek

the poor,

the sorrowful,

the weak,

the hungry,

the thirsty,

the lame,

the blind,

the disillusioned and misguided

to show all

the way

to Him, Our Eternal Savior.

There is no room

There is no place

Except within our hearts

It is our choice

to invite Him, The Holy Spirit,

into our hearts

a place to abide

to dwell and rest

a place to call home

a place of life

There was no room

There was no place

But there can be ...

When you accept God's call

When you give your heart to Him

Won't you give Him room

a place

to be Lord of your life?

(c) June 13, 2011

Who in the world ...?

The world changed

when

Adam and Eve

no longer

followed God

when

Adam and Eve

listened

to the voice of a serpent

when

Adam and Eve

reasoned

God did not know All

when

Adam and Eve

sinned.

As the world changed

the people

followed

their own desires and interests

the people

listened

to their peers

the people

reasoned

they could find a way out of the chaos

the people's

choice

was to sin.

The world changes still

good and bad

ugly and sweet

poor and rich

life and death

Who owns the world

Who causes its problems

Who will destroy it

Who?!

Who are you

You, who live in the world

Are you of the world

Do you too follow

the voice

of error

Or have you

heard

the still small voice

of God

amid your pain

and sorrow

Have you turned away

from the world

and what it represents

Have you turned to

the One Way

the Only Way

to

redemption

salvation

completeness

Have you turned to

God

through His Son,

Jesus Christ?

(c) June 29, 2011

It is God's gift

It is God's gift of grace

that found us

and through the shed blood of

His Son,

gave us new life.

It is God's gift of grace

that brings us,

His followers,

into fellowship sweet,

a source of

incomparable joy and strength.

It is God's gift of grace

in the midst of sorrow

wherever we are

to gather

gaining nourishment

for the weariness

that seeks to overcome us.

It is God's gift of grace

that destroys

the tall gangling weed

or short stubby one

and replaces it with

roses and lilies.

It is God's gift of grace

His very love

that encircles us

renews us

enhances us

in the home

in a letter

in a phone call

in a prayer

in a Bible Study

in the workplace

in the food court

in fun and games

in community worship.

It is God's gift of grace

that reminds us

without Him

there is nothing,

we are nothing,

But

with Him

All things are possible.

It is God's gift of grace

that binds us --

our compassion,

our kindness,

our humility,

our gentleness,

our patience,

our forbearance,

our forgiveness,

our love for the Lord --

together as One.

 (c) July 1, 2011

What is Love? ... God

Speech

becomes

meaningless,

obnoxious,

without thought,

noisy like a clanging bell.

Predictions

foretold

of a future time

Fortune tellers

they are -

past

and present -

for personal gain.

Feed

clothe

fund

the poor

the less advantaged.

Do it all

But,

without God,

without Love,

you and I gain nothing

we are of

no value.

Love Is God

It is

more than what may unfold between man and woman

more than friendship

more, much more.

Love Is

God's gift of His Son, The Christ, to mankind

Love Is

patient

... kind

Love

seeks after the truth

.... rejoices in the truth

Love

builds up another,

... encourages

Love Is

... Unselfish

... Unending

... Unfailing

... Undeserved

... and without thought of return.

Love Believes

Love Hopes

Love Endures

What is love?

God.

(c) July 19, 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 

Jesus Is The Way

It is not the Christian religion we follow,

but Jesus Christ Himself.

It is not the way to God

but the way of God

that is our salvation.

It is called Grace

It is called Love

and it brings Hope.

(c) July 28, 2011

We are not separated from His love

The family gathers
surrounding the loved one,
whose life is withering
away, becoming more absent
with each passing breath.

Of all that is
that was
and that is yet to come
we are not separated
from the love
of  the Lord,
our  God of Hope
and Promise.

We are not separated
from His eternal
and everlasting love.
We are kept, surrounded by
Him, who in the midst
of our pain and agitation,
gives us true freedom, and
release, our light still shining with the glow

of  The Holy One within. 

© May 6, 2012

The pain will be no more ....

The end
The final word
is not for us to say
or know
Only God knows
and gives the answer
when the path
we take in life
is finished.

Young or old
it is God alone
who fills us, completes us.
We trudge onward
pursuing in faith
that place only He can bring us

Reaching that golden shore
where everything that mattered
does not matter
where seeing and being
with our redeemer
and loved ones gone on before
is within reach

The burdens of our life
however big or small
lifted
when we accepted
Jesus' offer
to shoulder our load of distress
to take on our guilt
The pain and suffering remained
remains still

But that too will diminish
and be no more
That moment He calls us home.

(c) May 6, 2012

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