In the Interim

Lord, I know, from past experiences,

All will be well indeed.

It is only in the interim

That we ask our questions.

In this dreary, weary land, O Lord,

Where I am now searching,

This, my “interim time,” is so hard;

Your love seems far away.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

In the darkness of my nighttime fears,

When sin looms over me,

Still, I realize all will be well

When Your light dawns again!

Foundation of Grace

Thefoundation of grace 

In a believer’s heart,

Can become undermined

By guilt-evoking words.

Don’t build a tunnel, build bridges.

The foundation of grace,

A God-given blessing,

Is to be encouraged

By love-inspired words.

Build bridges by helping others.

A Season

Often, it seems, that evil reigns.

We’ll go through a season of brokenness,

Do not despair, for the Lord surely reigns.

Open your heart, for He‘ll yet send

A season for restoration.

In deserts, chasing mirages,

And encountering delusions;

When your heart is closed, you can’t see the truth.

So, you’ll remain in your desert

  Until you’ll seek after the Lord

When you seek more than a season,

If you’ll open your heart and invite Him,

He will dwell within, and will guide your path.

For God is kind, and He’s loving;

His mercy endures forever.

Eternal Life

Eternal life begins right now,

With the full measure of Christ’s love

We are not OF this world,

We have been set apart, for God.

We are called to serve within this world

To be God’s light, to share His word.

A Life Well-Lived

As deeds beyond yourself

Prove your Christianity,

Entering church membership

Is not the end, but the beginning

Of your involvement in the world.

As you forgive yourself

For what you’ve done in your past;

In all your longing to be

All that God meant for you to become,

Echoes God’s own longing for you.

With the sound of thunder,

Our God, the Judge, approaches.

We tremble as He comes near.

God’s Light shines, revealing His glory,

His love holds us accountable. 

Drawn by God’s purity,

We’ll be touched with joy in Him!

In distress, when we’ve called out,

Approached His citadel, He’s answered.

We’ve found simplicity, in Christ.

ANY ENEMIES

I don’t know if I have any enemies—

And I really don’t care if I do.

The true issue, Lord, is how will I treat them,

Assuming there’s any that hate me.

If I’m a true follower of Jesus Christ,

I’ll not resent, nor retaliate;

I’ll not rejoice when they get their comeuppance;

I’ll not be happy when they stumble.

I’ll not let evil resentment destroy me,

For evil has no future ahead.

I’ll do all I can to live peacefully;

Loving Christ, I can forgive them all.

GOD'S LAVISH LOVE

God loves lavishly, soaking creation

With rain and with sunshine;

With joys and with sorrows.

The Spiritual life – a journey complete –

Entering into joy,

We’ll join our Lord in love.

Lord, in Your presence, is fullness of joy;

Your presence, forever,

Is Your free gift of love!

Although We Have Trials

Although we have trials,

Remember your hope

Your blessings are promised,

O Father, our Savior

Deliver us, Lord,

Whatever YOU wish

Will come to pass,

(In spite of, or with us.)

Your Gospel story

Will ever be told

(By us – or another.)

Help us to tell others.

When we’re in need,

Or when we have plenty,

Let not our great wealth

Keep us from You,

Doomed, Raised, Chosen

I was doomed, because of my sins.

I refused to obey my God.

But You are rich in Your mercy,

It is by Your favor I’m saved.

As Jesus was raised from the dead

I know God will raise me as well.

I’ll live as a good example

Of what You can do through Your grace.

I was created for good works

Which were chosen before my birth.

Lord, help me accept my calling,

May I do as I’ve been gifted.

For All

Thank You for Your words to us today,

Thank You, for points of insight I have gleaned

Thank you for Your cross, O Lord;

For gifts of trust, and of waiting,

And of the great gift of Your salvation.

For all, I lift up Your holy name,

For all, I praise You, O Lord, my God,

For you are deep within my heart!

A Season

Often, it seems, that evil reigns.

We’ll go through a season of brokenness,

Do not despair, for the Lord surely reigns.

Open your heart, for He‘ll yet send

A season for restoration.

In deserts, chasing mirages,

And encountering delusions;

When your heart is closed, you can’t see the truth.

So, you’ll remain in your desert

  Until you’ll seek after the Lord

When you seek more than a season,

If you’ll open your heart and invite Him,

He will dwell within, and will guide your path.

For God is kind, and He’s loving;

His mercy endures forever.

Act - Reflect

We need the pattern and rhythm

Of action and of reflection.

We need to be in God’s presence—

It’s essential for life itself.

Never forget the wonderment—

We’re chosen for greater service

Than merely surviving entails.

We’ve been chosen to do God’s work!

Action for another’s welfare,

Is but “action” if it not be

For God’s holy glory alone.

Reflect on your motivation.

If you’ve done all for God’s glory,

If you feel God’s holy presence,

Actions taken for others are

Blessings given for you as well.

Although We Have Trials

Although we have trials,

Remember your hope

Your blessings are promised,

O Father, our Savior

Deliver us, Lord,

Whatever YOU wish

Will come to pass,

(In spite of, or with us.)

Your Gospel story

Will ever be told

(By us – or another.)

Help us to tell others.

When we’re in need,

Or when we have plenty,

Let not our great wealth

Keep us from You,

Age

Sometimes “age” arrives alone,

Without maturity.

Be not selfish – be mature –

Be a help to other souls

Who may have need of you.

Let God’s light shine from within,

Do not allow your eyes

To build a wall from others.

Reflecting God’s own glory

Would be a “better way.”

Only God can hold your doubts

And your faith together.

Allow His strength to help you

Whenever you’re in trouble,

Be assured of His love!

Help, Lord

Within each prayer is the possibility

Of coming face-to-face with God, the Lord

Within each life we can see, if we but look,

The face of the glory of our God.

When we come face-to-face with our fears on earth

We see the bitter needs of our past

We must not resist our Lord’s amazing light,

Luring us away from our evil.

The Lord grants us His strength as He blesses us.

His love calls us in as His people.

He gives us peace, not as the world would grant it.

God’s peace is deep, and everlasting.

As Jesus

As Jesus gave Himself – completely,

Neither stinting, nor holding back,

So too are we to live our lives.

We share in the ministry of Christ

When we give ourselves to others

In their time of pain, of sorrows.

He taught as one with authority     *

Duh! He had the authority!

For He Himself was the Lord God.

We too can teach with authority,

For He gave us His commission

To teach the world of His good news.     **

*Mark 1:2

**Matthew

By His Choice

By His choice, before I was born,

He set me apart to honor His name.

Here I sit, writing poetry

To honor God in every word.

I’ve been blessed, to be a blessing

By His choice, Jesus lives in me,

Fragile, and easily crushed though I am.

As His “clay pot;” shaped by His love,

Although am weak, He chose me

To tell His story to others.

By His choice, I will trust in God

Within the everyday moments of life.

By name, I may be called “Christian;”

It is His choice that I love Him.

But, does that reflect my actions?

I thank my God with all my heart.

By His choice, I’m called to personal faith.

My response will be my changed life.

I know real change starts inwardly,

But is confirmed by behaviors.

Therefore, by my choice, I will love. 

I’ll serve the Lord by living for others.

I know I can, for God promised.

That by His choice, He’ll dwell within.

I’ll love Him forever. Amen!

AS GOD WANTS

Do you truly trust that God is within you?

That He is waiting to work in you, and through you?

By working within, He will deepen your soul

From shallow wants to a deeper desire

For Him, and for His wishes.

By working through, he will embolden your vision

From shallow thoughts to an active desire

For Him, to do as He wishes

As God desires -- Ahhhh, to follow him!