Sunday, August 24, 2008

Purposed Life

You elevate me so!
No limit I may know.
When I am in Your Presence,
I see my value grow!

You hold me in embrace.
I sample perfect grace!

When I am in Your arms
no thing I cannot face!

You carry me along.
Your each word is a song!
When I am aloft with You
but nothing can go wrong!

You reinforce my life.
Your glance is like a knife.
You see me through each opening
and nothing comes to strife!

And all of this is done because You love me.
O help me understand it if I can!
The total of the favor You have for me—
it cannot be obtained by any man!
I love You and I know that You are for me.
Success You’ve purposed for mine every breath!
I embrace You back, my Lord and Savior,
the Truth, the Life, the Way above all death!

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Thursday, August 21, 2008

Stir up the Gift!

I often hear people say to me that they wish they could write like I do.
Have you heard those same people SING?!

Some have remarked about how they would like to reach as many others as I do with these words.

The same are able to jump in the car when the phone rings and go where God wants them to be!

Others often tell me that they also write poetry, but it is nowhere near as good as _________, and they would dare not show it to anyone! It’s not a contest!! If the Holy Spirit is leading you to write, to sing, to reach, to _______, do so with all of your heart, and He will do the rest! It’s not a popularity contest! It is not a comparison! It is God doing His work through each of us! Are you going to tell God “Thank You for these words, Father. But they are not as good as the ones You give Jim, so I’ll just keep them to myself.”?

It is not you! It is God using the Holy Spirit through you to do HIS accomplishments to reach others for Jesus!

There is a gift or gifts in every one of us. We are commanded by His Word to “…stir up the gifts within…*” even if we feel those gifts are inferior! Those feelings can deceive you, don’t trust them!

Listen to Him.


*2 Timothy 1:6


Wednesday, August 20, 2008

All and Everything!

My darkness and my light,
my blindness and my sight,
my sickness and my health,
my poverty, my wealth;
so real, all and each,
but Jesus Christ can reach
beyond reality—
mine each potential see!

For in His Light revealed,
He looks at me as healed!
I can’t remember pain,
His wealth be all my gain!
So real is His Light!
He is all my delight!
Reality—far more
my Jesus to restore!

Mine all and everything
in Christ—mine only King!
All I may ever be,
already does He see!
And I see Him ahead:
securely am I led!
In HIM does life await—
so glorious, so great!
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The Pain is Real

I pray that your view of the day today and the outcome of it are not based on material achievements, feelings or situations.
May each of us find that place where we are so grounded that we can review the day and realize that, no matter what happens, we remain secure in knowing we followed Jesus' lead.
We are instructed in the Word of God to "....see things that are not as if they are."
Such is an awesome step of faith, but we must not take it to the point of 'denial,' and avoid things that must be done! I did this years ago when I had a slight back pain. The following two years and two surgeries taught me much about wisdom and discernment!


The pain, it is so real,
its affects I feel.
Words come from everywhere,
they love me and they care....
The sickness, it is real,
its affects I feel.
Thoughts come from everywhere,
focus can be rare.

God, He is so real,
His affects I feel.
He is everywhere,
perfect is His care!
When no one else can see,
where no one else can be,
He hides me in embrace--
o, what perfect place!

More real, however, God.
My life does He applaud.
He knows my every ache--
much greater did He take!
Compassionate, though, He,
to stay right here with me
until the pain is gone,
the garments festive don!

However you feel, hang in there. It will not last forever. It hurts, it's scary, it's frustrating; again, He knows. He hurt before we did. He hurt more than we ever would!
Therefore, if you believe as I do that He loves us MORE than anything or anyone, accept that He is right there with you, embracing you through the pain, and offering you HIS yoke and HIS burden, which He affirms we CAN handle. Trust.

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Sunday, August 17, 2008

For 21 years...

...we have prepared for this day,
I was completely unprepared for the emotions that are!
For 21 years, we have prayed about this day,
I forgot to pray about the pain I feel.
For 21 years, I have stood behind her proud and tall; look at me now. (Or see me as soon as I crawl out of the corner!)
21 years. 90% of that time spent celebrating. 100% of that time spent growing...ALL of us growing.
21 years. 21 years of watching God grow a girl, a lady, a woman, a CHRISTIAN.
21 years. No regrets. What a testimony!
The tears that are:
Regret? No way!
Fear? Not with Vicki!
Pain? Perhaps.
Excitement? Probably.
Pride? Absolutely!
Gratitude? Most of all!
Grateful to my Heavenly Father for the honor, privilege, pleasure, pain and everything else that the past 21+ years have been filled with!
Grateful to my wife for over 27 years of not just raising a man and a woman of God, but for raising her husband, as well!
Grateful to my wife, not just for who she is, but for all I become with her in my life!
I AM SO BLESSED!
It is well-known that I have a memory problem, but since Vicki went to that interview down there, the words of a poem that I wrote back on April 20, 1987 have been resounding through my heart without effort...

In absolute humility
I say 'Lord, Who am I,
that with the birth of life, itself,
on us You would rely?'
As praises rang throughout the room
to us did You bestow
a very precious infant girl
to raise as You would show.

Those tiny, little, perfect hands,
that lovely little face;
Dear God, if this is how You see us
through Your saving grace,
then now I sort of understand
everything You've done
to make sure we have everything
through Jesus Christ, Your Son!

And as we are accountable,
Lord Jesus, unto You,
help us to do our best, oh Lord,
to raise her unto You;
that, by the very lives we live,
in us, she would see You;
that, when it come to point of choice,
to You would she be true!"

"Vickilove, GO FOR IT!!"






"Blessed be Your Name!"

Those words ring out to Him!
Blessed be the events of the day? No.
Blessed be the amount of money in my bank account? Surely not!
Blessed be the relationships and the favor of them? Nope.
The Name of the Lord is blessed regardless of ANY situation!
And those who call upon that Name are blessed, regardless what they own, who they are or what they are going through!
Are you blessed?
Surely there are 'things' in life that are a blessing, but if 'things' are what determines if you are blessed or not, you missed it!

"I'm blessed, oh Lord, amongst all men,
far above them all!
Blessed, Lord, in that You, upon
my life, have placed Your Call.
Blessed in that I hear from You
whenever I seek Your face;
Blessed because of just one thing:
YOU SAVED ME BY YOUR GRACE!
I am not blessed because this man
is worthy of it all.
If I thought that, this human world
would surely see me fall!
And I'm not blessed because of
pious rituals I've done;
for there is only One Way:
the One begotten Son!
I'm blessed, oh Lord, in this alone:
the blood of Calvary's Lamb.
I have claimed it in my life
so born again I am!
Far above all others only
in how I must live,
that, by my life, they may desire
what Your love can give!"

"Thank You, Lord Jesus, for causing us to be so blessed!"

Thursday, August 14, 2008

"You're not going to believe this, but..."

I hate saying that, because every time I do, something else happens! (However, with each of those 'something else's,' God ALWAYS comes through in MIGHTY ways!)
We moved my daughter to the other side of the state yesterday.

Last evening, we dropped off the trailer at East Side, then took the truck back to Joe.
After a wonderful time of fellowship, we headed home. We got to the college and...
FLASHING BLUE LIGHTS behind us!!
Immediately, conversation turns into prayer!
"Ma'am is there a reason you're doing 51 in this 40 zone?"
Vicki explains the size difference in the truck we are in and the BIG TRUCK with trailer she had been driving all day.
"License, registration and insurance, please."
While sitting in the back, (PRAYING ALL THE WHILE!) I see his name. It rings a bell...but which bell?!
"Wait here while I check this out. I'll be right back."
After some time, he comes back with his pad. ("Aww, come on, God!!")
"Here you go, Ma'am. I'm not citing you, just slow it down a bit going through here, and be careful."
Then, Vicki did one of her dad's specialties, she smarted off to the cop!!
"Thanks! I guess you're not a jerk like my manager said you were!"
I look up at him.
DING, DONG!! That bell! I worked with him in the last century!!
"STEVE?!"* said I.

He starts laughing! (Praise the Lord!!) As I get out of the car and hug him, he says "Wait here, Jim." He goes and turns off the SEARCHLIGHT shining in my eyes.
"How have you been, Steve?"
"Hold on, Jim. I gotta hear what your daughter said."
"Now, what's this about those McD managers saying I'm a real jerk?"
(WAY TO GO, VICKI!!)
She stuttered her way out of it, (and he ended up in laughter, praise God!) and THEN we made it home!

(*Pseudonym, because of the cops that are on my mailing list!)

Sunday, August 10, 2008

Bridges

The hardest thing in life to learn:
which bridge to cross and which to burn.
So constantly have we such choice...

Will we regret? Will we rejoice?
Progress comes in but two ways,
and both of them abet pure praise:
Will we be taken from the trial?
Or be taken through the trial?
Either way will He anoint.
Unto success does He appoint
them so firm within His grip.
For we may stumble, we may slip,
but we will not do such alone!
His Presence will be surely known
and we must take each lesson learned
and share with whom we are concerned.

Which bridge to cross...which bridge to burn?
One settled will alone discern!
One only Person hold such claim:
God's own Son, Jesus Christ by Name!
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Friday, August 8, 2008

On the horizon...

There is a promise on a cloud
that rises oh so high.
To see the brilliance of its lining
causes deepest sigh!
Proof that, greater than the storm
is Him Who is astride,
and life will go on in abundance
when the blasts subside!

What does your horizon look like? Is it filled with promise? Is it filled with darkness? Does it display a raging storm? There is One that can take anything that you see and use it for His glory. He will cause whatever is hindering your vision to be a blessing? His Word declares that "...all things work together for good for them that love Him." (Romans 8:28) What kind of things? All things!

"O Rider on the cloud,
Your victory avowed!
Be all that You will be
and blessing we will see!"
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Thursday, August 7, 2008

IT HURTS!

How often have I been rebuked for saying that? There is One, however, that will not rebuke me. He will respond.
So many are the truths of Scripture about the power of the Blood, the power of Jesus’ Name, the power of prayer.
I have discovered them to be MORE than just words! Have you?

In Pain that is intense,
am I allowed to wince?
The suffering is real,
and something I can feel!
But just as real to me:
the Christ of Calvary!
For there, He bore it all,
therefore, His Name I call!

"Jesus, only Jesus,
the Name above all names!
The power of the stripes You bore--
Your exclusive claims!
Provided once and ever,
with power even yet!
In none, not any other,
such ministry we get!

Jesus, only Jesus,
far greater and above!
You elevate me with You
in Your abundant love!
I know Your restoration
for all of life at all!
Your touch, embrace, and Your
reality, my wherewithal!
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Tuesday, August 5, 2008

Abundance!

My Father God is so awesome!
He proved that again yesterday, and as I open my pad this morning, it falls open to a page written in April. I find it very appropriate for not only what happened yesterday, but for the awesome ways He provides for all of us...

"You know exactly what I NEED,
but You give me more than I require;
You know exactly what I WANT,
but You give me more than I desire!
I receive far more and better
than even I know how to ask!
Giving me of Your vast bounty--
You say it's not at all a task.
You own everything, my Father;
all is given at Your will.
More of YOU do I desire,
Father, all Your ways instill!
I know that all I need is settled,
crave I, though, but more of You!
I desire...I require...
only YOU will ever do!"

Let Him into your day. He already knows exactly what and where your day will be, why not acknowledge His participation and savor His abundance?
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Monday, August 4, 2008

COOL...

...at last!!
Like so much of the nation, we are in the clutches of a HEAT WAVE here in the Ozarks!
Regardless of how hot it gets, God continues to know what we need and when. Do you know Him that well?
There are many ways to find comfort in this situation. Those ways are more readily-accessible to some than to others. One of the luxuries we savor in this area is air conditioning in the car. For some, it is a luxury. For others, it is a necessity! The air on our truck went out last summer. We thought nothing of it until this current heat wave struck last week.
As stated, God knows our needs even before we ask, and when we will need it. Pastor sent us an e-mail yesterday afternoon. He said that he had the tools and parts needed to fix the air on the truck if we wanted to bring it up to the church this morning. I replied that it did not have to be this morning, it could be at his convenience, preferably when it cools down. He replied that he would rather fix it and know that we were not driving around without air in THIS WEATHER.
Yes, God provides. God even provided a decently-cool morning for him to fix it! The only thing more pleasant was the COOOL drive back home!
God is so good! I spoke a few days back about Him not only taking care of necessities of our lives, but the desires of our hearts, as well. Today was just one more example of that!
Thank you, Pastor!
"Thank YOU, Lord!"

The longings that we own,
the same are not unknown.
The One Who knows us best
He knows our each request!
So generous is He
to bless as He would see.

He sees the need before it comes to be.
He knows what He'll provide for such as we!
Entrust to Him each facet of the heart,
knowing that the best will He impart!

All life to Him is known
because we are His Own.
Acknowledge Him always
as He directs your days!
The giving, loving God
deserves your every laud!

GOD IS SO COOL!
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Friday, August 1, 2008

KING!

Is God actually "King" over everything in your life?
For the longest time, there were areas in my life that I was keeping from Him. (Yea, like I really could!) Those areas that I figured I could 'handle' on my own. Oh, I wasted so much time trying to do things on my own, until I found that HE could actually do them better than I could!
Have you been there?

You are King over the flood.
No matter how high the waters rise, You remain above them!
And since we are in You, we shall remain above, as well.
You ride atop the storm, oh God!
Knowing this, I can rest in the fact that You know all that the storm will do, and I do not have to stress over it.
You have proven that whatever the storm takes cannot compare with what You will replace it with!
Will I be patient enough to realize it?
Will anger overtake me?
Will fear overcome me?
Will impatience prevail?
Will I submit to panic?!
But I rather desire to cling to Your Kingship which is over and above all!
You are King over the flood and the affects of such!
Thank You, Your Majesty, that, regardless of the elements, I can
“…be still and know!”
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Translator

For some, there is one relationship so deep that the known tongue cannot reach it! Some embrace it with all their being; some run from it out of fear, still others are vehemently opposed to it and consider it a tool of the enemy!
My Father gave it to me. My Father only gives good and perfect things to me. What about you?

O Holy Spirit, pray for me,
You are of more effect!
I do my best to voice my heart,
The same, though, You perfect!
You know what I want to say
When, sometimes, I do not.
A perfect understanding with
My Father, thus, I’ve got!

O Holy Spirit, blessed be
The words You give to me!
Greater, far, than understanding
Speech could ever be!
Communication on a level
Few would dare attain!
Conversation never one-way,
Life to always gain!
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