The Ten - God's Covenant of Love

The commandments,
The ordinances,
The regulations,
The rules,
The Covenant --
set forth
by God
to and with His people,
designed to shed light,
to be Light
to give instruction,
guidance
for holy living.

The Lord God seeks
a willing heart,
a love-filled heart.
The gifts, offerings
we bring
show our reverence
to the Lord,
our Master and King.

Those (gifts) given selfishly,
without love
and devotion
to Him,
the giver of life,
are not accepted,
are not approved.

If in our living
it is not to
The Most Holy One
our total allegiance
lies,
we have failed.
Our reward is just --
we face
eternal punishment,
eternal damnation,
eternal separation.

God's Covenant --
He has made many such pacts
But,
The Ten
boils down to
LOVE
"Love the Lord
with ALL your heart,
ALL your soul,
ALL your mind,
All your strength
and
Love your neighbor
as yourself."
(Mark 12:30-31)

Jesus,
son of God,
The Most High,
The Most Holy One,
tells us
no other commandment
is greater than these.

Jesus,
The One
Whom God the Father
destined would fulfill
His plan to bring mankind
to Him,
to Eternal Glory.

Jesus,
born of God and
the Virgin Mary

Jesus,
born to suffer and be rejected,
persecuted.

Jesus,
born to die,
to hang from a cross
pounded nails into flesh
Our Sin, Our Sin!

Jesus
paid the price.

Born to die,
to rise from the dead
to live forevermore
within our hearts
to bring mankind to a
saving knowledge
to Eternal Security
Eternal Life

Jesus
"the living stone
chosen by God
and precious"
(1 Peter 2:4)

Jesus Lives!

(c) October 25, 2011

God's Love

Love
is
patient

Love
is
kind

Love
is
fresh and new
each day

Love
is
viewing life
clearly
plainly
without grudges
without pretense
without masking feelings
that are false
and hateful

Love

True Love
is
God's Love

"It bears all things,
believes all things,
hopes all things,
endures all things."
(I Corinthians 13:7 NKJV)

(c) October 24, 2011

Him

He spoke.
His Word
Became flesh.
His Son
His only begotten
full of grace
and truth
dwelt among us.
Jesus.

He spoke.
His Word
full of grace
and truth
shows us
His commandments
His judgments
His promises

Fulfilled.
In Him
Through Him
in His time
now
and to come.

(c) October 22, 2011

"And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ."         - John 1:14, 17

His glory ... everywhere

His glory
Everywhere
It surrounds us.
We think
sunny
cloudless days
are the best
We feel better
about living
about life
But
even in the midst
of darkness
and seemingly dismal
cloudy days
or lightning storms
He is there
Ever present
Our guiding light
Our protector
over every enemy
that stalks us
We praise Him
for the good
we receive
and perceive
But for
days that make no sense
praise belongs too
He preserves us
for another time
a better time
perhaps
His glory
always shining
We must seek
His word
to find His way
and rejoice
in all
that comes
For we are
only because
He is.

(c) October 21, 2011

We can be complete

God's glory
His power
His majesty
His completeness,
whole
and without blemish

We stand on the rock,
waiting
We want to see
His ...
Him
as He is

But,
His response?
"I will make all My goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion." (Exodus 33:19)

But, however,
"You cannot see My face; for no man shall see Me, and live." (Exodus 33:20)

And so,
He sends His Son --
complete
whole
and without blemish --
JESUS
who is the rock.

"Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected by men, but chosen by God ... a chief cornerstone, a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense." (I Peter 2:4, 6, 8)

We want to see
and when we do
We reject
We rejected God
We reject His Son

We only reach out
when we glimpse
the results
of what sin has done to us.
When we accept
When we believe
When we choose
obedience to Him,
who passes by,
who shelters us
in "the cleft of the rock
and covers us with His hand." (Exodus 33:22)

Obedience
to the King of Kings
who was
and is
and is to come
He is our salvation
our truth
He makes us too
complete
Not pure,
not without blemish
But still complete

We are One with Christ
One with God
One with the Holy Spirit
His grace
His glory
and we are His
... a child of the King.

(c) October 18, 2011

A Prayer for You

O Lord, I pray
Keep these Your children in perfect peace,
 sheltered beneath Your wings.
Let nothing come to separate them
from Your mightiness,
all power and strength
Surround them
with Your compassionate love.
Renew them to a new day, full of life,
here still – I pray it’s Your will --
to bring another to faith in You
You alone Lord
for You are the answer
and yes, the question too
O Lord
Keep my fears away
out of sight, out of mind
Prevent the distress of the situation
from escalating
Bring me a calm assurance
that You are here, You are with me
With You there is
nothing whatsoever to fear
With You, My God,
All things are possible
Deliver me O Lord,
to the possibility hoped for.
Amen.

© October 15, 2011

Find a moment ... for laughter

God is the master ...
turns our burdens
into blessings

The stress
and trauma
and unending pain
in our lives

why do we stay there?

I go
to talk,
visit a friend

life is short
why spend so much of it
churning the turmoil
into bigger

laughter
a better medicine
remembering,
reminiscing,

pleasing the Lord
a much better plan
than distressing
oneself.

I think ...

when I get old
I shall laugh more

but wait,
I am getting old
why wait longer

from the moment of birth
age creeps upon you

how much older do I need to get
before I laugh more
before I see the lighter side
the humor

even in the dark,
there can be laughter.

We mustn't let
all that is
not-so-good
overcome us,
overtake us.

Find a moment
and then find another
for laughter

(c) October 14, 2011

I

I feel somewhat down today
Is it because of the cold
the time of year
the many projects I have
and not all my own
why is it?
not just today though
it has been many days
sometimes

I feel so burdened
I think of many
There are many
who cross,
who come,
who are there

Some
I visit with
through Facebook
or
Twitter
or
E-mail
or
phone
or
mailed letter

Some
I make attempts
but success
is fleeting
No answer
No reply
No comment.

They are not there.
And I don't know
where
or why
or what that means
If there is
something
I should be
doing
I do not know.

The tiredness I feel
is not
necessarily
sleepy tired
but
sort of
tired from thinking

would like to
be free
from it all

not
free from being though

Not
interested
in ending
my being.

There is only
One gospel
There is only
One way
To life eternal
There is only
One Christ
One son of God
Only One

That One
is there for me
He can
lift my burden
if it is
His will
My desires
are not
necessarily
His desires --
His will is what matters
ultimately.
But He hears
He listens
to my turmoil
my fears
my concerns

There are
some
They are
everywhere.
think
they
are
Failures
Junk
Unwanted
Unloved
Bored

So easy to fall
in a trap
of self
So easy to fall
into
believing
what another
says of you

Harder to
ignore
to step aside
to push away

Harder to
recognize
you are worthy
a Child of the
King
of Jesus Christ.
His son
His daughter
His.

So hard to do
So very hard
to do.

Help me
Lord
Lift me up
Lord
Show me
Lord
Where Lord
you would have me
go
or do
or be
Today.

Be me?
Do I hear
Him

Does He

"Be my child."

(c) October 28, 2008

He knows ALL

Problem continues
What to do
Scanning
always scanning
Persists
How to remove
At what cost
Waiting
is dangerous
Sometimes
I think now
Still . . .
Waiting
for a word
From the Lord
He knows
ALL
. . . even computers

(c) October 21, 2008

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

Much To Do

Much to do
Think on
day to day
but not.

So tired
Listless
Encumbered
with lists
and projects
and stuff
but not.

Reading
Studying
Talking
Mostly,
only to God
who knows
where
and what
I am
about.

(c) October 15, 2008

Rain

Rain.
aches
everywhere
culminating

to complete

Pain.

(c) October 15, 2008

God understands

Distressed
Today.
All because
I remembered
what today was.
Of what it became.

I imagine.
I know.
God knows my thoughts.

Life ends
Life begins
What is sandwiched in between
is what is important.

Get me past Lord
these remorseful feelings I have

Gone, but not forgotten.
Help me keep the memories
of her life alive
and
bury the memories
of her death/demise

We all have loved ones die

Help me Lord
stay focused
... on You

Flood my soul with love
Encircle me ...

(c) September 23, 2008

I am a Christian, an Evangelical Christian

I am a Christian
an Evangelical Christian
I believe the Lord Jesus
saved me from my sins
He gave up the ghost
laid down His life
ALL for me.
ALL for me.

I am a Christian
an Evangelical Christian
I have many fears and doubts
I am much like another
But different you see
for I have Jesus
And He means more to me
than whatever you have to offer.

I am a Christian
an Evangelical Christian
I believe in God's power
His holy word
He is my Father
up in heaven
Understands me better
than any being here on Earth.

I am a Christian
an Evangelical Christian
I reside in the United States of America,
in Iowa
in Cedar Rapids
But its only for a while
Someday I will go home ...
to my Father up in heaven
I am a Christian
an Evangelical Christian
a child, daughter
of the King
For Jesus died for me.
ALL for me.
ALL for me.

(c) September 10, 2008

It's About Faith

Faith is not what we see,
what appears to be
Faith is not the spoken word of others
It is not what we view on television
or read in the newspapers.

Faith is
believing, accepting
God is in control
God has all the answers
God knows.

Faith is
Looking to Him for everything,
Thanking Him for everything.
Seeking answers to all our questions from Him alone.
Not questioning
the hows, whys, whens, wheres, what ifs.

Just knowing
Just believing

Faith
can be as tiny as a mustard seed
or as huge as a mountain

We each have a mountain or many to climb
Our successes are not really ours
We achieve through our faith
in Him alone.
My Jesus
My Savior
My Lord
My God

In His Name, Amen.

(c) September 10, 2007

The paths we take

Not from life
nor from experience
should we set into motion
our path
but on the solid ground
of Christ

He is all knowing
of who and what
we are now
and in our future comings

His Word
is the proof
we seek and need.
In His Word,
through study
and intent searching
of the Holy Scriptures
and meditation,
we can know
with certainty
and confidence
the way
of all our comings and goings.

(c) October 8, 2011

God never gives up

God never gives up on us
We give up on Him,
we ignore Him
we pretend He doesn't exist --
at least not in our personal sphere.
He may exist
Somewhere,
but not here,
not right here
and not right now.

We have gone so far away
Yet
God continues

He created us.
He seeks us,
desires we become united
with Him.

We are nothing without Him,
yet
we think we are more
than He ever was.

God is judge and jury,
merciful and loving.

He is the Almighty One,
The King of Kings,
The Great I AM
The Alpha and The Omega
Beginning and End.

Without Him,
what we think is in
the middle --
is meaningless.

(c) October 6, 2011

Won't you come, won't you come and meet with Me?

Many questions, one answer

What will we give
Where will we go
Whose voice do we hear,
and follow

Will the pain thought
prevent us from going
Perceived pain
Experienced pain

Whose word is it
that we listen
that we respond

Is it options of the world
we live in and appear
to thrive under that
keeps us here

Have we forgotten
where Jesus
commanded us to go
Have we missed
the reason
Have we failed
Is body and soul
given way

What will we give --
our possessions
our very lives

Where will we go --
nowhere....
to our neighbor down the street,
across town, in the Appalachian mountains,
the unreachables, untouchables
in Third-World countries

Whose voice do we hear
and follow --

Is it worldly desires, worldly thinking,
worldly pleasures, worldly dreams,
worldly ideals, worldly values,
worldly ambitions, worldly acclaim,
worldly reason

Is it fear of the vast unknown

Is it Jesus, Son of God, the Holy Spirit?

(c) September 24, 2011

"Too long we have been waiting for one another to begin! The time for waiting is past! ... Should such men as we fear? Before the whole world, aye, before the sleepy, lukewarm, faithless, namby-pamby Christian world, we will dare to trust our God, ... and we will do it with His joy unspeakable singing aloud in our hearts. We will a thousand times sooner die trusting only in our God than live trusting in man. And when we come to this position the battle is already won, and the end of the glorious campaign in sight. We will have the real Holiness of God, not the sickly stuff of talk and dainty words and pretty thoughts; we will have a Masculine Holiness, one of daring faith and works for Jesus Christ."                              - C.T. Studd, 1860-1931

(taken from "C.T. Studd: Cricketer and Pioneer" by Norman Grubb, reprinted in "Radical: Taking Back Your Faith From the American Dream" by David Platt)

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 

To see a need and ...

To see a need
to strive to fill it
The Lord's will be done

What -- When -- Where?

To the least of these
is I says the Lord.

To see a need
but fail to act
you believe you say
you trust you say
but why
oh why
is foot not taken
the task not given
not begun
not carried out
not fulfilled.

To see a need
God has called you to
but rules
and regulations
requirements
of the world
all detriments
toward accomplishing
His will, His purpose
for you.

He tells us
in His word
to go forth
not in fear
and trepidation
but in faith
looking to Him
only to Him

Seeking answers
to our many questions
without questioning
His answers.

He knows the way
He created the way
He is the way.

He sees the needs of mankind
He sees my needs
and yours too
And all is fulfilled
And we are witnesses ...
but do we understand,
do we comprehend?

He has given us
eyes to see,
ears to hear,
a mind to discern
a heart to share
a love to give.

To see a need
to strive to fill it
to pray, meditate
and petition
believing without questioning
proceeding without faltering,
without stumbling,
not wondering if you are doing it right.

For what does it matter?
Who are you serving?
The Risen Lord
or the family next door?!

To see a need
to strive to fill it.
Just Go.
Just Do.
And the Lord be with you.

(c) August 1, 2011