faith

Anthem

Though I never said out loud I didn’t trust Him,
There have been nights my faith was tested
till it could break.
And though I’d seen the sun win out
over early clouds,
time and time again
I still found myself
overwhelmed by the rain.

But Jesus here we are
and it’s morning,
I step outside and from above you shine.
While it was dark, the rain poured down,
wind and cold all around,
my selective memory failed me one more time.
Cause time and time again you have answered,
not once have you failed to take me in,
from the cross you felt more
than I will ever feel,
your life blood flowed and covered all my sin.

And I raise my hands to you Lord in thanksgiving,
my words of tribute are my offering.
Please accept this song of praise,
for by your death and life I am amazed.
Our hope was born through your suffering.

Ferry Me Over

Though I can’t see the bank on the other side,
ferry me over, Lord, ferry me over.
As you’ve done it before, you will provide.
Ferry me over this river.

Ferry me over this river, Lord, when all I want to do is drown,
when the burdens of this life start to take me under
and hope is nowhere to be found.
Help me take stock of your promises
I know they’re in your word to be used
I’m holding in my hand a ticket, Father.
I know you won’t refuse
to ferry me over, ferry me over.

I’ve brought nothing for the journey, Lord.
See here my empty hands.
I can’t rely on my own strength
to get me to the promised land.
Anything you see in this mind and this body,
God you know I want you to have.
But please first ferry me over this wind swept river,
When I get there please help me stand. Please ferry me.

Ferry me over this river, Lord, when all I want to do is drown,
when the burdens of this life start to take me under
and hope is nowhere to be found.
Help me take stock of your promises,
I know they’re in your word to be used.
I’m holding in my hand a ticket, Father.
I know you won’t refuse
to ferry me over, ferry me over, carry me over, take me over,
ferry me over.

Dancing in Heaven

In heaven we all can dance.
Limits disappear in a flash.
Those of us not fashion forward
all of a sudden have dash.

The people whose legs don’t work,
or with two lefts instead of one
find their hearts directing moves
that only in their dreams they’ve done.

In heaven I don’t believe
we’ll spend much time playing harp,
instead we’ll spend it doing,
not just waiting for something to start.

So if in your best dreams you’re dancing,
heaven has a floor for you,
and God has the best choreographers
to help those dreams come true.

Fear

Fear,
the bully,
waiting to tap you on the shoulder and remind you why he’s there.
He likes to whisper things like:
you can’t,
you won’t,
or
it’s too hard.
As evidence for his claims he will
use your past against you,
conveniently leaving out that the reason
things went badly was because you
listened to him.
He prefers
the dark
because he knows he doesn’t do well in
the light.
The light causes him to become
small and insignificant.
Knowledge
is his enemy.
Courage
is something he would much rather
not be in the same room with.
Words like:
joy,
truth,
love,
hurt his ears.
Try as he might,
when he digs around in his pockets
for the key
to a home filled with prayer,
unable to find one,
he walks away.

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear but of power,
and of love, and of a sound mind.
2 Timothy 1:7
So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Isaiah 41:10

New Day Beginning

There’s my heart
born in
hope
That place in my soul
well protected
a rechargeable
battery
using the satellite
of my mind
each morning
as it searches for
God
filled up I feel
lifted beyond
circumstances to
connect
elevated above
challenges to
endure
even the oldest
and strongest of trees
from outside of themselves draw
nourishment

True Wisdom

“How blessed is the man who finds wisdom and the man who gains understanding. For her profit is better than the profit of silver and her gain is better than fine gold. She is more precious than jewels; And nothing you desire compares with her.” Proverbs 3:13-15.

Teach me where to find true wisdom, Lord,
the only one who knows my days.
Every time I’ve leaned on what I know, I’ve discovered the error of my ways.
Help me to hold fast your words.
Be my shelter while I’m on this earth.
When I believe I’m too little or too much,
teach me what you say I’m worth.

Help me to not abandon your instruction, Lord.
Help me to not turn away,
for the difference between my mind and yours, Lord,
is like that between night and day.
You who founded the earth and the heavens,
the only source of true light,
when my eyes can’t see what’s before me,
show me the way and the life.

Mine?

First, I would like to say thank you to Tony Roberts, of the blog “A Way With Words” http://writingforfoodinindy.wordpress.com for nominating me for the “Very Inspiring Blogger Award.” (See left) I’ll post more on this later. Now, on to today’s post.

‘The silver is Mine and the gold is Mine,’ declares the Lord of hosts.
Haggai 2:8

“But who am I and who are my people that we should be able to offer as generously as this? For all things come from You, and from Your hand we have given You.
1 Chronicles 29:14

Our attitude towards money and time often reflects that of our children’s towards their possessions. Anyone who has had to referee an argument over the ownership or right to play with a toy is familiar with the back and forth exclamations of: “Mine!” “No, mine!” Our perception of what we own or deserve is often skewed by our sinful nature. It doesn’t take practice to develop, it’s right there from the moment we take our first breath, and we may not always know what we want, but we’re pretty sure we want more.
You probably have a drawer of things that you just can’t seem to give or throw away.
Mine.
We have garage sales to get rid of our clutter, only to take the money to buy other people’s clutter.
It was yours, now it’s…
mine.
If you have the wherewithal, you may just fill a warehouse full of beautiful cars, boats or whatever.
Mine.
Matthew 6:28 says, For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Where is your heart?
Really, where is it?

Here on earth in the mire
I find of my own making
gathered tight in my arms
the things that I’ve been taking

only to find what what I’ve held so tight
turned to refuse and dust.
What first appeared as jewels and silver and gold
turned to sand and rust.

What if I became instead
a caretaker, investor, steward
eager to add value for my Lord
instead of by possessions lured?

Would my attitude change?
Would I become a conduit?
Would I by his love and wisdom give away
all of the time and money and things
by fear of loss kept to stay?

Instead of building prisons of possessions
by our Lord’s mercy might we open doors.
Pray blind eyes like mine be open and see
to give away God’s stores.

Giving of Ourselves

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. Romans 8:18

Our time in this world can weigh on us so
that some days we can seem almost crushed,
and our relationship with God can suffer
when we do what is good because we must.

Instead we should give in joyful expectation
as Gods presence in our lives is revealed,
sharing our gifts because we want to,
not just fulfilling our end of the deal.

A heart that is filled to overflowing
can’t help but give joy away.
All creation is waiting to assist you.
He can use you. You’ll be amazed.

I was always here

Here, before the beginning of time as you know it, before the perfection of My design.
Before temptation and the fall which separated us.
Here when you heard my call, which had been broadcast all along, only waiting for you.
Here in your struggles, in your pain and your joy.
Here, when you turn from me, searching where I am not.
Still here, when you turn back to the truth.
When you submit to being used as my hands and feet I am here.
When the world you touch needs to see all I am, I am here.
Here even when all of your senses reach out and can’t prove it,
when all you have is faith to go on, I’m still here.

An Understanding Heart

Sebastian Temple composed a wonderful hymn in 1967 based on the “Prayer of St. Francis.” The refrain from that hymn says:
Oh Master, grant that I may never seek
so much to be consoled as to console.
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved, as to love with all my soul.

The great King Solomon, the son of King David, represents one of our best models of a wise man. The wisdom he possessed came through his proper relationship with God. The Bible mentions Solomon’s request of wisdom from God in 1 Kings 3:2-4:34. In verse 9 he says, “So give Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people to discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?” Solomon knew that if he was to have any chance of being a proper King and judge over his people he would have to see with God’s eyes.

When I look at the world, Lord
I see through the lens of my own clouded eyes
and it becomes a scene of my own making.
With Your surgeon’s hands clear my sight to see in hearts
as though from a dream I’m waking.