IT`S CHRISTIANITY NOT INSANITY
“Seek
ye first the
A Journey
“Now the Lord had said unto Abram, get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father`s house unto a land that I will show thee”: Gen. 12/1.
“And when they had brought their ships to land, they FORSOOK ALL, and followed Him”. Luke 5/11.
Preface
A LETTER TO MY FATHER:
My dear Heavenly Father,
You know who I am.
For a long time I have been searching for something. Something to enrich my life but not knowing what it was or how to pursue it. I`ve seen you perform a miracle and my heart softened a little. My life has been rich in many ways, even through all it`s hurdles, but an unexplained emptiness remained in my heart, even though I knew of your existence. My search for you was becoming stronger and stronger. I didn`t know why. The urgency was becoming greater.
Father, through circumstances, I began questioning a messenger if I may be so bold as to use that word. The more I spoke to this man the more my spiritual need increased. I was soon to realize that this is what I`d been searching for all these years. Father, my questions slowly became answered and the puzzle was fast taking place. The emptiness in my heart and my life was slowly being nurtured in the direction that I knew it would take. My Father, I have wasted a lifetime. What I now feel in my heart is an overwhelming sense of love. I have just begun my journey in faith. The comfort you gave me, the serenity I am feeling. My emptiness has vanished. How can I explain how I really feel. I am weeping while writing this letter, but Father, they are tears of joy.
Father, please help me in my journey of salvation. I know you will always be there for me. Make me the best person that you want me to be. Soften the stones in my heart. Teach me your Word. I know I`ll make mistakes but I know that I will have the faith to know that these mistakes will bring me closer to you and that you`ll be there to pick me up when I stumble. I know that my path of salvation will have sidetracks, bends, high roads and low roads, but I know that I shall find the right track and walk forward in faith.
My dear Heavenly Father, I love you more than anything I know. My tears are still flowing. Thank you. 1997.
SALVATION
My birth in Christ was early this year,
My spirit uncovered, I was bare:
How I questioned with all my might,
The Loving Word of Jesus Christ;
He opened His doors, one by one,
His glorious world for me to come:
Accepting all I`d left behind,
I was no longer walking blind;
I saw His face, yet could not see,
Not understanding, my confusion with me;
His majesty unfolding, I was beholding,
His face became clearer, as I moved nearer;
My spiritual language, By God`s understanding,
Personal communication, my salvation;
How can I tell you what`s in my heart,
Where do I even, begin to start?
My God my Father, I worship thee,
How will my walk perfectly be?
I thank my father for His showing,
I thank my Father for His knowing,
My baptism in Heaven surely will be,
Only for you and I to see:
“Ask,
and it shall be given to you; seek and you shall find; knock and it shall be
opened unto you”. Math. 7/7.
TO MY HUSBAND
You`ve touched my heart,
The way I feel,
How do I thank you for caring?
Your warmth,
Your understanding,
Your playfulness,
Your gentleness, your love;
I`d forgotten how to laugh,
You`re there for me when I cry,
You pick me up when I stumble,
How do I thank you for all the things that have made me so very happy?
I thank you from the bottom of my heart,
I thank God,
I am truly blessed,
I love you:
I thank you. 1997.
A MESSENGER
A messenger from Heaven, from God he did come,
To teach me all the gospel, to God would I succumb?
A gospel so intriguing, the mystery slowly unfolding,
Learning His way and not mine, the Lord is now beholding:
The weeks and months did slowly pass, my life turned upside down,
My will was slowly crumbling, a new way to be found;
I hungered for his teachings, more comfortable by the day,
Questions by the hundreds, how I learned to pray:
How could I resist him, His messenger full of praise,
The love this man has for Him, the gospel and His ways;
The tears he sheds in humbling, I`ve never before seen,
This mighty, mighty, man of God, now standing in between:
Seeing this man`s passion, I knew there was a way,
On bended knees I reached out, the times when I did pray;
I wanted what this man had, no longer satisfied without,
All I had to do was ask, no longer filled with doubt:
My life till now was empty, with many ups and downs,
No longer could I do it, without the Lord around;
Yes I finally surrendered and cried out to God above,
Now the Lord was with me, I was filled with all His love:
He came to me in surrender, what a mess of life I`d made,
But it did not matter, now that I was saved;
He took upon His shoulders, a life consumed with sin,
But He cared not for that, for a prize that I would win:
He gave to me that special touch, a gift forever treasured,
On a lonely road in the dark of night, which could not be measured;
No longer could I run away, I was filled with the Holy Spirit,
Driving along that lonely road, I was now committed:
As the months passed quickly by, time not enough to learn,
His loving presence always there, my heart for Him still yearns;
I thank my Father for His love, His forgiveness and acceptance,
And I thank Him for that special man, whom He sent from Heaven:
“Blessed
are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be
filled”. Math. 5/6.
ODE TO THE PHILIPPIANS
My beloved brethren,
Wherever your hearts may be,
I remember you with fondness,
I will always be there for thee:
No matter what has happened,
I speak to you in love,
Chained together in Jesus Christ,
From the Heavenly Father above:
For us to live in Christ,
And then to die is gain,
For in this place of surrender,
I wish you to remain;
Let your conduct be worthy,
Your faith uncompromising,
For He has granted you salvation,
Forever cease not striving:
Let nothing be done through selfish ambition,
But for the glory of our Father,
Always leaving ourselves last,
Thinking only of the other;
Be humbled in Christ,
And bear your cross daily,
And drop to your knees,
Never walk in frailty:
My brethren, do all things without complaining,
Becoming the children of God,
Hold fast to the Word of life,
So that you may rejoice in Jesus Christ;
Beware of evil workers,
For their mutilation is severe,
Rejoice in the Lord, I say rejoice,
Continue in good cheer:
Put all your past things behind you,
Of which He does not care,
Reach out to what`s ahead of you,
Have faith that you may dare;
Your citizenship in Heaven,
What a glorious place to be,
Your walk in Christ is a great one,
Made only for you to see:
Be united and joyful and in prayer,
His gentleness shining through,
And therefore may the peace of God,
Always be with you:
Finally brethren, God is true,
Open your heart and let the light shine through,
Rejoice in the Lord always, again I say rejoice,
Our Heavenly Father, our only choice:
STEPHEN
Seven spirit filled men were chosen, full of wisdom and good reputation,
Among them a man named Stephen, leading many to salvation;
With many signs and wonders, miracles and healings,
But only after called by God, having waited for His
dealings:
With the synagogue against him, inducing many to lie,
They stirred up the people, the elders and the scribes;
Bringing him to council, with blasphemous words against him,
Stephen stood before them, at the mercy of their whim:
When asked if the accusations against him, were they true or not?
Would Jesus of Nazareth destroy this place, were the words of Moses forgot?
With the counsel looking upon him, anger in their eyes,
Steven told his story, pleading to change their lives:
Speaking out in boldness, you stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart,
You still deny His spirit, resistance is your part;
How many prophets did He send you, persecuted in the name of the Lord?
And you continue to kill them, by your hand, your own accord:
I stand here before you, with the love of the Lord now spoken,
I stand here before you, praying that you be woken;
I gaze into the Heaven, and see the glory of God,
But you still resist Him, only you can make your rod:
There`s my Father clearly, Jesus by His side,
But you do not hear me, hatred in your eyes;
I feel not the rocks you`re pelting, their blows could never shatter,
The spirit that lives within me, the only thing that matters:
Kneeling down before Him, a loud voice crying out,
Lord their sins forgive them, Stephen began to shout;
He fell asleep before them, his physical life had ended,
Standing for the glory of God, transparent and surrendered:
Acts 6 & 7.
1997.
FOREVER AND EVER
I` sorry for the pain you suffered throughout your life,
Your isolation as a little boy,
The struggle with your family;
Just know that His army of angels is always watching over you,
Your tears are seen,
Your prayers always heard and your heart felt by our Father,
He knows who you are,
He knows the beautiful work He has done in you,
Your comfort is in Him,
I know all your prayers will be answered:
“And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it”. 1 Cor. 12/26.
1997.
IT`S CHRISTIANITY NOT INSANITY
It`s Christianity,
Not insanity;
Salvation,
Not damnation;
It`s the Lord`s power,
I will not cower,
I will not fear,
The Lord I`ll revere;
With love and surrender,
To Him I`ll tender,
It`s knowing you know,
Which way to go;
His way,
The only way,
Never I`ll sever,
Forever together:
“But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned”. 1 Cor. 2/14.
“For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God”. 1 Cor. 1/18.
1998.
Oh
How you lived your troubled lives according to illusion;
Standing behind your walls of steel cocooned in wayward living,
Closing out the rest of the world with no thought of giving:
There came a righteous man, Joshua by name,
Standing in the glory of God, of no apparent fame;
Obeying God`s every command, the people in his heart,
Joshua knew what he must do, never question or depart:
Like nomads wandering forty years, their promised land eluded,
The Israelites, led by Joshua, from the world they were secluded;
Yet they were so very close to finding their inheritance,
All they had to do was follow, faith their only essence:
Now
in
She took in Joshua`s people, God`s command remembered;
Her obedience to her Father, in times of tribulation,
How her people would suffer, total annihilation:
The perimeter encircled, wearier by the day,
They carried the ark of the covenant, needing only to pray;
An army totally surrendered, living on faith alone,
Marching with the glory of God, embracing their new home:
They
marched around the walls of
Faithful, silent, weary, waiting only for God`s command;
For six days they obeyed Him, never loosing faith,
For they know of their inheritance, patiently they wait:
A people entombed in their prison, how must they have feared,
To see this mighty army, oh so very near;
To know that they were helpless, to the very core,
Fearful of total destruction, they no longer could ignore:
On the seventh day, with trumpets sounding and faith that could move mountains,
A silence crept upon them, stirring Jericho`s every foundation;
And with Joshua`s faithful command, they gave a mighty shout,
And the walls of Jericho came tumbling round about:
Now Joshua`s obedience to His Father, has delivered a mighty nation,
His faith unswerving, never questioning, leading God`s creation;
And if faith can move mountains, then what more can it do?
Surrender, pray, listen, obey, look to the Lord just Him and you:
HE WHO HAS EARS TO HEAR
Sharing with a friend my thoughts on Jesus,
Holding back the tears of my emotions,
Too frightened to reveal what is truly on my heart, my soul,
Wouldn`t it be good if I could only shout it from the rooftops,
Why should we feel silenced?
Too afraid to bare our souls,
Why do we feel we can`t be ourselves?
Say what`s on our hearts,
They have not ears to hear,
We accept them for what they are, who they are,
Yet they don`t understand us,
Never shall I compromise,
I love the Lord too much,
I am of a different world,
My world is with Him, today, tomorrow and forever.
“For this peoples heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them”. Math. 13/15.
1998.
SILENCE
The ache in your heart,
You can`t tell me what it is,
You don`t know,
Searching for the answer,
Crying out, praying,
The silence, withdrawal,
Your empty smiles, how can I help you?
I do not know, I can pray,
Maybe you`ll talk to me, but I know not;
But that`s allright;
Your burden is mine, your silence is mine;
But my smiles are not empty,
I don`t know what to do,
I`m helpless, I trust only in my Father,
He knows what`s best,
He will give you the answer:
“Bear ye one another`s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ”. Gal. 6/2.
BLESSED THE LITTLE CHILDREN
Jesus, Jesus, is it really you?
Tell us about the stories we`ve heard, Jesus?
Where did you come from, where are you going?
Jesus, please tell us, we want to hear all about you:
Jesus, you`re different to what I thought,
Why is your hair so dirty, Jesus?
Why do you have a beard?
Jesus, your sandals, why are they broken, how can you walk?
You look so tired, Jesus,
Can we get you some food or drink?
Why are you so brown?
Who are these men with you?
Blessed children, do not concern yourselves for me,
I have a friend watching, happier I could not be;
He is my God and can be yours,
Just open your hearts and walk through His doors:
Children, children, my beautiful children, sit by me and a story I`ll tell,
Of a very great God, your Father as well;
A God you can follow forever in time,
A God you can love, He can be yours, not only mine:
Open your hearts and let Him come in,
Be always good and never sin,
Be a good child, the best you can be,
Your life will be wonderful, you surely will see:
Blessed children He loves you all,
He will be there when you stumble and fall;
He will never leave you no matter what,
Cry out to Him always, desert Him not:
Your reward is in Heaven, the best place to be,
For your loyalty, your love, your prayers and your pleas,
As you will see, a most beautiful place,
Side by side with your Father, under His embrace:
“Suffer
the little children to come unto me and forbid them not; for of such is the
1998.
PILOT
John 18/19-40, 19/1-22, Luke 23/1-24, Mk. 15/1-15, Math. 27/1-66.
They brought the Lord to Pilot, the governor of the land,
Pilot listened carefully to the priests and their demands;
What accusations do you bring against this man?
They said an evil doer, judge Him by your hand:
My Kingdom is not of the world, for in it we do not fight,
But yes I am a chosen King, in my Father`s sight;
Everyone who is of the truth, my voice will always hear,
I have a loving Father, who is always near:
Pilot sought to release Him, fault he could not find,
But the high priests in their hatred, were not found to be so kind;
Away with Him, crucify Him, they all began to shout,
Pilot then delivered Him, a burden of great doubt:
A twisted crown of thorns, placed upon His head,
Trickles of blood appearing, by centurions He was led;
Mocking, hitting, spitting, already in so much pain,
Knowing that His sacrifice, forever to be our gain:
Burdened with a wooden cross, much more than He could bear,
He walked among the mockers, every stripe His flesh did tear;
A great multitude of people, following closely by,
Mourning, lamenting, weeping, their spirit to Jesus nigh:
They offered Him wine, mingled with myrrh, at first He would not take,
Hanging from that wooden cross, this sacrifice He must make;
Darkness fell upon the earth, Christ slowly slipping away,
His dearly beloved followers, by His side they waited and prayed:
How He suffered on that cross, unbearable for no sin,
His every breath a struggle, for us to finally win;
And by the grace of our Father, and the love of His only son,
Christ gave up His spirit, so that our battle was finally won:
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son. That whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life”. John 3/16.
1998.
HOW YOU CRADLED, OH YOU CRADLED
How can I imagine, what my eyes do see,
Cradled in your loving arms, ever so tenderly;
How you cradled, oh you cradled, rocking me side by side,
In your arms together, always I`ll abide:
No words spoken, silent, not the slightest sound,
Your loving arms around me, my Heavenly Father found;
A still that does surround us, beauty beyond belief,
My eyes fixed upon you, daring not to speak:
How I ached at the things which were said,
I reached out to You, my heart which was led,
A desperate plea, from top to toe,
My friend disappeared and became my foe:
Why did you say those hurtful things?
Didn`t you know what hasty words would bring?
A beautiful friend whom I dearly love,
At such a great distance from the Almighty above:
I reached out to You in desperation and prayer,
Never leaving nor forsaking You`re always there;
You`re my Mother, my Father, and my Friend,
Spiritually bound, from beginning to end:
“Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew Him not”. 1 John 3/1.
“But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered”. Luke 12/7.
1998.
WALKING BY FAITH
How great was Moses, the commandments he wrote,
Every word, just as God spoke;
He led the Israelites to the promised land,
He found their heritage, guided by God`s hand:
How great were the prophets, Jeremiah and Joel,
Elijah and Enoch, caught up as told;
And what of Joshua the promised land he took,
Many
nations shaking, as
The many battles of David, God speaking to him,
With love and obedience, of which he did win;
He bared his heart, his body, his soul,
Dancing before Him, naked and bold:
His love, his passions, his cries, his prayers,
His heart surrendered, completely bare;
What was so special this mighty King had?
He was surrendered, transparent and glad:
And what of Noah, mocked and jeered,
Intimidations, he never feared;
He stood fast in the prophecies of God,
Built an ark, our future told:
Revelations exposed through the prophecies of John,
At the end of the world, when we get it all wrong;
This disciple, chosen of our Father,
To prophesy a fate, maybe he`d not rather:
Faith comes by hearing and hearing, by the Word of God,
These loving spirit filled prophets, His spoken words they told;
How much they were surrendered, no bible, yes just Him,
Yes they heard the Word of God, their light was never dim:
I`m longing to have that special communion,
In the place of perfect peace,
My life surrendered, with a perfect union,
Waiting only for Him to speak:
“The just shall live by faith”. Gal. 3/11. “But without faith it is impossible to please Him”. Heb. 11/6.
1998.
ABRAHAM AND ISAAC
Gen. 12/21, 22/1-18.
He had a son named Isaac,
Sara his wife did bare,
At an age they comprehended not,
But the Lord knew when and where:
God omniscient, all knowing and seeing,
Abraham and Sarah truly believed,
To be blessed with a child at their age,
Only God a miracle conceived:
Their age they thought was against them,
A maid servant the answer to be,
So Abraham went into Hagar,
The only way which they could see:
Born to Hagar was a son called Ishmael,
But his seed was not to heir,
For Isaac predestined the chosen one,
A true blessing only Isaac could bare:
Abraham loved his son Ishmael,
The promise so he thought to be,
But not the chosen son of the Lord,
The world would never see:
Without faith, however, Abraham,
And Sarah through tired years,
Thought they obeyed the words of God,
Dispelling all their fears:
There came a time when Ishmael,
And the bondwoman had to leave,
Wandering in the wilderness,
To Hagar Ishmael did cleave;
The angel of the Lord spoke to Hagar,
And blessed her son with love,
A leader of a great nation,
I will protect him from above:
The Lord then spoke to Abraham,
And filled with faith Abraham said ‘here I am’,
He listened to His discourse,
Comprehending all His commands:
Take your son, your only son Isaac,
A burnt offering you will make,
To
the
A test of how great your faith:
Abraham saddled a donkey and took with him two young men,
Travelling with Isaac, by his side,
And prepared the wood for his burnt offering,
For three days they continued to ride:
Upon reaching the place of the offering,
Abraham builds the Lord`s altar with wood,
He bound his son Isaac, with much pain before him,
This Abraham knew he should:
He stretched out his hand and took his knife,
To the Lord`s words still Abraham willing;
As Isaac lay bound upon the sacrificial altar,
The Lord stopped Abraham`s motion of killing:
A call from Heaven from the angel of the Lord,
‘Here I am’ his servant cried,
With a humble heart, trembling and fearing God,
Your son Isaac shall not die:
Blessing I will bless you,
All the stars from the Heavens above,
As you withheld not Isaac your son,
Your descendants, forever, blessed with My love:
The nations of your seed shall be blessed,
Because you obeyed my voice;
You withheld not Isaac your son,
Blessed be the love of your choice:
“Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to harken than the fat of rams”. 1 Sam. 15/22. “If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple”. Luke 14/26.
1998.
INTIMACY
How can I touch what I cannot see,
Treasured moments together, just you and me,
Communion, prayer, any time, anywhere,
Surrendered in trust, my soul stripped bare:
Never leaving nor forsaking, in my hours of need,
I reach out for you, my hand you lead;
A journey we take on the long road ahead,
Where will it end, so much sin to shed:
Why is it when things appear to go well,
But just as quickly, Heaven turns into hell;
Why such chaos, the enemy causes,
My walk with God, unpleasant pauses:
Just when I think my life`s in order,
But I`m walking blind, on the border;
He digs his heels in, he has a go,
A timely reminder, he`s always my foe:
A nuisance, a distraction, there in my life,
I look not forward to all this strife;
I turn my attention to Christ, my Lord,
Pauses in walking, I can ill afford:
More communion, more prayer, anytime, anywhere,
Surrendered in trust, my soul stripped bare;
I know I can touch Him, wherever He be,
Helping to change me, perfectly:
“He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most high shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty”. Ps. 91/1.
“There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling”. Ps. 91/10.
1998.
THANKSGIVING
I step into this beautiful world which has been created for His pleasure,
No longer taking the things I see for granted;
The day is peaceful, still,
The sky is beautiful, blue, nothing disturbs its existence;
I watch as one plays with an ant,
An ant so trusting, accommodating the person loving it;
I watch as a grasshopper is gently caressed,
Trusting, knowing that no harm will come to it;
I admire the magnificent red roses in bloom and I look at the rosebuds reaching out to the sunlight of their creator;
I see the little red berries on a tree, perfectly formed, complimenting the tree on which the berries grow;
I admire the creation of the man made lake, the beauty of the foliage, and the birds which nestle in it;
I stroll around the lake breathing the air which has freely been given to us;
I watch as the ducklings swim behind their mother, following her every move, trusting her with no fear in their hearts, fluffy feathers blowing in the wind, perfectly formed, giving me so much pleasure;
I watch as the innocent children play, happy children laughing with their loving parents enjoying the beauty of their surroundings;
Such a peaceful place this is;
I thank you, Lord, for the generosity of your love:
“Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ”. Eph. 5/20.
“Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high minded; nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy”: 1 Tim. 6/17.
1998.
CAIN AND ABLE
Gen. 4/1-16, Heb. 11/4, 1 John 3/12, Jude 11.
Two brothers walked with a blessing,
Raised on the Word of the Lord,
Adam and Eve did love them,
But one walked on his own accord:
Very unlike each other, growing apart as the years passed by,
Cain and Able together, but not walking side by side;
Cain the elder a tiller, the ground he kept for all,
He heard the voice of the Lord Jesus Christ, but could not obey His call:
Abel the younger, a humble man,
Listening to the Holy Spirit,
Tendered his sheep in God`s obedience,
Consumed with only His wishes:
Cain offered the Lord his sacrifice, worked by the sweat of his brow,
But the Lord refused with much indifference, Cain confused as how;
By your hand only spake the Lord, not an offering of your faith;
Your spirit blowing in the wind, by your hand your fate you make:
The offering of Able, by faith he lovingly gave,
He did listen to my voice, a true sacrifice he has made;
I shall bestow upon him a blessing, and he shall receive a great reward,
For Able only walks by faith, trusting only in the Lord”:
“For whatsoever is not of faith is sin”. Ro. 14/23.
“Righteousness which is by faith”. Heb. 11/7, Ro. 10/6, Gal. 5/5.
1998.
DEAR MR. MINISTER
Mr. Minister, I just don`t understand your reaction. We came to you with our hearts in your hands, under the direction of the Lord Jesus Christ. All should have been well. It was at the beginning. We were open and honest with you. We wore our hearts on our sleeves. We wanted not to tell you any untruths. You made a harsh judgment. I thought “judge not lest you be judged”. The judgment was so severe. How can you make this judgment when you know us not? We know what the Lord did, but your ears did not hear. What about the scripture, “there is now therefore no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit”. Why should we be condemned? We did what the spirit told us. We continued worshipping at your church. We enjoyed the fellowship but always a cloud hung over our heads. We were so very isolated, lepers, we left. Why is it that when two people have the love of the Lord in their hearts that they cannot freely worship without condemnation? I am not blaming you Mr. Minister. I am not angry with you. You did what you felt you must. But I do know that I will not be condemned in any one`s eyes any longer. If it`s me, my husband and the Lord, only the three of us forever, so be it. The Lord is my only judge. I love Him. I trust Him. Our lives are in His hands, and His hands only.
“For God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble”. 1 Pet. 5/5.
1998.
A STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND
No longer of this world walking in the opposite direction to which everyone else appears to be walking in. I have no friends, yet I have the two best friends in the world, three, walking side by side. Yes, I do miss the friends from my past but as time passes by, I realize that these friends let me down, even betrayed me. I hold no animosity towards them. I try not to judge them. I forgive them. The thing which puzzles me is their reaction. I thought they were my friends. They appear to have judged us according to the untruths of others. They are not my friends anymore, not because I have rejected them, but because they rejected me. I do know, however, that this is the way it has to be for everyone. We are spiritually miles apart and to be in conflict would just be like walking into a room of flames, them sucking oxygen from me to feed the desires of themselves. I feel isolated, separated, physically from others, yet I have no desire to be part of these friendships any longer, but yes, I do still love them. I have been separated, but I have the two best friends walking with me forever. I love these friends with all my heart, with all my soul, and my life is in their hands. They will never leave me nor forsake me.
“If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: But because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you”. John 15/18-19.
1998.
PSALM 23
“Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death”.
As the spirit in me is tossed to and fro,
Which direction to take, where do I go?
Always in prayer, no answers there seem,
What do I do, what does this all mean?
What if I`m wrong, a precious price has been paid,
By my own hand, a sacrifice has been made;
Tossing and turning, which direction to take,
By my own hand, a terrible mistake:
But what if there`s a reason, for all this great unrest,
Maybe the Lord Jesus Christ just knows what`s best;
Salvation for all, the Lord does them call,
A price to be paid, or will they fall?
But how can they come under the direction of the Lord?
If no discipleship enters, and they are of no accord?
Turn the other cheek He says, in times of great adversity,
Please Lord tell me what to do, show me the greater picture to see:
Tossed by the wind, aching inside and out,
Where`s my direction, I`m filled with doubt;
Please my Father, I only have you,
Please bare my heartache, as only you can do:
“That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death”. Phil. 3/10.
1998
THE LONELY ROAD OF A WAYWARD SOUL
“Seek
ye first the
The lonely road of a wayward soul,
Aimlessly wandering of no spiritual mould;
Not even knowing why, when or how,
Not even knowing salvation is now:
Wondering why, life`s just not right,
Not knowing that, there`s no Jesus Christ;
You struggle, you strive, you can`t find your way,
Lost direction and purpose, you`ve gone astray:
You`re restless, bewildered, your heart`s crying out,
You hold it in, but wish you could shout;
Please someone help me, a cry from within,
A life in turmoil, but still you rescind:
It`s all so easy, just take a chance,
Cleanse your heart and with Him you`ll dance;
A dance so beautiful, it will never end,
Your life long partner, your new found friend:
He will show you what road to take,
He will help you, decisions to make;
Your new found friend, your greatest treasure,
Serving Him, your greatest pleasure:
I can just see the two of you,
In a warm embrace, the Lord will woo;
He`ll hold you gently, with loving care,
Your spirit will soar, a feeling so rare:
You`ll find that peace you`ve been searching for,
You`ll find your way, even more and more;
Oh blessed be the children that He loves,
A special child chosen, soaring like a dove:
“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding”. Pro. 3/5. “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved”. Ro. 10/13. “And this is His commandment, that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as He gave us commandment”. 1 John 3/23.
1998.
SHADRACH MESHACH AND ABEDNEGO
Dan. 3
They led them to a furnace, walking tall, courageous and bold,
For they would not worship, an image made of gold;
Shadrach Meshach and Abednego due regard they would not pay,
To Nebuchadnezzar`s image, they knelt not down to pray:
In a fiery rage Nebuchadnezzar, gave a command to bring them forth,
You bow down not to my God, an image which I taught;
Did I not command you, at the sound of the horn, the flute and the harp?
That all must come to worship it, to the furnace you must be cast:
Behold you disobeyed me, what god will save you now?
And boldly they did answer, our God knows only how;
If it be His will He`ll deliver us, from the fiery furnace of hell,
But oh King Nebuchadnezzar, an image in our hearts cannot dwell:
Nebuchadnezzar was full of fury, his regard for them had changed,
He commanded they heat the furnace, his emotions toward them enraged;
Seven times more hotter than ever, they had heated the furnace before,
A fiery trial before them, these three men, their armour, they wore:
Cast them into the fiery furnace, these three men who disobey,
But the Kings mighty men of valour, at the rim their bodies did lay;
The heat did there consume them, they perished by his hand,
Were sacrificed by an idol, by the King`s outrageous command:
The King was then astonished, and rose in haste and spoke,
Why did these three not perish, a furnace by which they were smote?
But look, I now see four men, walking in the midst of the fire,
The form of the fourth being, the Son of God, The Messiah:
“Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as thought some strange thing happened unto you”. 1 Pet. 4/12.
“That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ”. 1 Pet. 1/7.
1999.
I WILL HISS FOR THEM
Zec. 10/8, Is. 5/26.
At the cross roads of my salvation,
In the wilderness many years,
Many trials and tribulations,
Much more than I could bare:
Seek ye first the Kingdom,
Fifteen earlier years did bring,
But in my total ignorance,
The Lord me did not win:
As a child I knew I loved Him,
But my innocence did not know,
That I could ever touch Him,
The Lord in years would show:
My childlike prayers did reach Him,
From the heart my words did come,
Ich bin klein, mein hertz is rein,
Daft neimandt drin vornen, aus Jesu alien:
A simple prayer of salvation,
Not knowing of times to come,
A child of no reputation,
To the Lord my life would be won:
“Moreover whom He did predestinate, them He also called, and whom He called: them He also justified: and whom He justified, them He also glorified”. Ro. 8/30.
1999.
GOD`S PROTECTIVE HEDGE
Job 1/10, Ez. 13/5, 22/30, Mk. 12/1, Math. 21/33.
The enemy`s lined up for warfare, ready to attack,
To pierce His mighty armour, many weapons they do pack;
The battlelines are drawn up, we`re not frightened to speak His Words,
His feeble attempts to control us, are absolutely absurd:
Gearing up for battle, the Lord`s mighty armour upon,
Walking by the grace of God, faith will do them no wrong;
His helmet of salvation, placed upon their heads,
The breastplate of His righteousness, by the Lord which they are led:
The enemy tries to break out, pacing up and down his cage,
But there`s something about that stops him, God`s chosen cannot be enraged;
He cannot possess them, try hard that he may well,
Because their love is faithful, they`ll not be drawn into hell:
With the Lord`s protection upon them, a band of angels looking on,
Protecting His mighty warriors, time He knows only how long;
Fearless in their challenge, striking the Christians below,
They protect their band of warriors, God`s hedge does only grow:
Retreating in his cowardice, his attack does only fail,
The hedge of God`s protection, it`s all to no avail;
Their prayers are once again answered, affected by their love,
They`ve won another battle, protected by the Almighty above:
“Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil”. Eph. 6/10.
1999.
LET NOT YOUR HEART BE TROUBLED
How can a soul be so troubled?
Yet be so close to the Lord,
How can a soul be so troubled?
And work of it`s own accord:
How can a soul be so troubled?
In conflict to what God teaches,
How can a soul be so troubled?
Even to the Lord as it reaches:
It`s troubled because we need to reach out,
It`s troubled because there`s seed of doubt,
It`s troubled because we need to reach out,
It`s troubled because with God we`re without:
It`s all about perfection in Christ,
It`s all about surrendering our might,
It`s all about Thy will be done,
It`s all about a prize to be won:
PERPLEXED
Pray when the storm clouds gather overhead,
Hiding the light from you,
Filling your soul with darkness and dread,
Pray till the light shines through:
What God is doing you may not know now,
But someday you`ll understand why,
Questions that haunt you and trouble your mind,
Will one day have Heaven`s reply:
When rough our path, dark day by day,
When sorrows fill our eyes with tears,
Our choice to find our Joy in Christ,
Will soothe our soul and calm our fears:
Just rest in His wonderful presence,
Lay back and let Him take control,
Go through that journey of love and peace,
And let His mystery unfold:
“Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid”. John 14/27. “Pray without ceasing”. 1 Thess. 5/17. 1999.
COMPASSION
I wanted to be there for you,
To hop into your bed,
To lie there beside you,
To wipe the sweat from your head:
But I could not do that,
For your condition would not allow,
I could not lie there with you,
Or wipe the sweat from your brow:
I wanted to be there for you,
Hold you in my arms till the end,
But I could not do that,
God for you did send:
You lay on your bed so courageous,
Never complaining, just praying you`ll mend,
But as the days did pass by,
Your life you knew would end:
There was so much for you to say,
Your days were now very numbered,
Your courage through much tribulation,
Every breath now so encumbered:
As you slowly slipped away,
No more strength to even talk,
Your consciousness now fading,
Each struggling breath you fought:
Now you lie their peaceful,
Your body no longer in pain,
Your spirit taken from you,
In Heaven you`re God`s gain:
Sometimes I wish I was there with you,
Life`s situations just too much to bare,
But the thing that keeps me going,
Is knowing that I`m in God`s care:
You`re singing with the angels,
You`re dancing without fear,
You`re in your final place of rest,
A new life with God so near:
“We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord”. 2 Cor. 5/8. 2000.
OUR BEAUTIFUL BLACK CAT
This beautiful black cat turned up at our flat,
No collar or ID, beautiful to see;
This beautiful black cat, skinny not fat,
So gentle and shy, lost but why?
This beautiful black cat, now ours to love,
A beautiful gift from the creator above;
I thank God for our beautiful black cat,
For joining our family and making her fat;
I thank God for our beautiful black cat,
His beautiful creation, sleeping on our mat:
“Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before
God”? Luke 12/6. 2000.
THE LAMB OF GOD
With every stripe did tear,
The pain only He could bare;
His Father`s Son for us He cared,
Those stripes for us, He did gladly wear:
He carried that cross, for our life to repair,
His sacrificed life, it was so rare;
This ultimate gift, He graciously shared,
As He walked that road, for us prepared:
His followers weeping, as they stared,
Their eyes aghast, with complete despair,
As He carried that cross, for us prepared,
He gave His life, His heart did care:
Turn to Jesus, He declares,
For your hearts, for Him to repair,
He gave His life so that we are spared,
And let the Lord, your life now chair:
“Who His own Self bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that we being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed”. 1 Pet. 2/24.
2000.
A STOLEN GENERATION
A stolen generation, the devil wielding his hand,
A stolen generation, so hard for them to stand;
A stolen generation, cheated of salvation,
A stolen generation, stealing entire nations;
The old are feeble and slow,
The enemy there to show,
Denying them salvation,
Stealing an elderly nation;
The mothers and fathers do try,
Teaching enough to get by,
But often too busy to state,
Allowing the devil to take,
The youth with all temptation,
Not stopping to think of salvation,
Being crushed by their oppressor,
No energy to fight their tormentor;
It matters not what you look like, or what background you come from,
What nationality you may be, you can resist the enemy`s wrong,
Just stop all your resistance, and walk forward in His accord;
Don`t let the devil torment you, and reach for His reward,
Don`t let the devil torment, and don`t let the devil control,
Just pray for your salvation and let God your life behold:
“But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them”. 2 Cor. 4/3-4. 2000.
CHOICES
Evolution,
satan`s revolution,
Wicked execution,
Deadly resolution;
His creation,
A world of nations,
His proclamation,
Don`t yield to damnation;
Bolts of fire,
satan`s desire,
Hell bent torture,
Massive slaughter;
Love and mercy,
Forgiveness not cursing,
Heaven`s desire,
Him to admire:
“The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly”. John 10/10. 2000.
THE PRODIGAL SON
A prodigal son, dissatisfied with life,
A restless spirit, not calm but with strife;
Requesting his father distribute to him,
His wealth of inheritance, a son`s wasteful sin:
Having food and raiment, he could not be content,
To a world of illusion, to satan was sent;
Not happy to surrender, to a work he must tender,
A stillness of heart he could not remember:
Many days after gathering his possessions,
Travelling afar burdened with this obsession,
He wasted wealth with no thought of giving,
A prodigal son consumed with extravagant living:
From wandering through the abode of the dead,
His princely nature now squandered and shed,
Upon the land arose a severe drought,
He began to be in want, and have a grave doubt:
Totally confounded,
By living a life unbounded,
Totally disappointed,
For a time appointed:
He joined himself to a citizen,
And was sent to the fields to feed swine,
But he accepted this predicament,
Hunger made him not whine;
He ate the pods that the pigs ate,
As no one gave him any other,
His life was now at a standstill,
No father or no brother:
But the prodigal son came to himself,
Stripped of all his pride and wealth,
Knowing that he`d sinned before Heaven,
He will ask his father to be forgiven:
With his arms reaching out before him,
Could his father again he win?
Tears welling up in the sons eyes,
A father running eagerly to be at his side:
A robe placed upon his shoulders,
Covering his son`s apparent shame,
Gracious in his surrender,
No longer walking lame;
His father`s acceptance unconditional,
No grudge or hatred inside,
Truly surrendered and loving,
In his heart the Lord does reside:
A ring lovingly placed on his finger,
A sense of belonging he surely felt,
Accepted after estrangement,
With his family he once again dwelt;
For this my son was dead,
But is now alive again,
Kill the fatted calf and celebrate,
He is no longer walking lame:
Now his older brother working in the field,
Heard music that was sent,
So he called his servant and asked him,
Just what all this meant;
Your brother`s returned humbled in love,
A feast with fatted calf,
But he was angry and would not go,
But what in this my part?
Son you are always with me,
And all that I have is yours,
And I understand your anger,
The burden that you bore:
But your brother was dead and is alive again,
Please be happy and rejoice;
He was lost but is found again,
In God`s arms forever his choice:
Luke 15/11-32.
2000
NOW IS THE DAY OF SALVATION
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge”. Pro. 1/7.
“The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God”. Ps. 14/1.
An elderly man with fear in his heart,
With all the witnessing still far apart;
Nothing you say and nothing you do,
Can bring him closer together with You:
The tears he shed when his wife departed,
Now he sits so broken hearted,
Nothing it seems for him to live,
Sadly he rejects what he must give:
He`s frail, he`s feeble, and has trouble to stand,
Everyday chores are such a demand;
Just getting by a mountainous task,
For an elderly man, a giant ask:
He`s called unto you, time and time again,
With His great love, His grief still remains;
You heard His whispers so many times,
You`ve denied His existence, and for you He pines:
Just one more plea before the door shuts,
Open your heart, to Him you must,
It`s time for a decision, surrender and trust,
Let Jesus save you, IT`S A MUST:
“BEHOLD, NOW IS THE ACCEPTED TIME; BEHOLD, NOW IS THE DAY OF SALVATION”. 2 COR. 6/2.
2000.
“A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver”. Pro. 25/11.
“Again the Kingdom of Heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field”. Math. 13/44
I HAVE FOUND MY POT OF GOLD.
Rikki Kluver, Straight Talk Ministries: