I want to (b) present for Christmas,
I think that would be better than (a).
A person can be so focused on the future
that he forgets about today.
Each morning I open up the present
of a sound mind focused on Jesus.
The gift of our Lord given to save our souls,
the Bible says is guaranteed us.
© Joel Tipple
377
It’s so tempting to keep your salvation to yourself,
protecting it, like a beautiful bird in a pretty cage.
But God’s love really flies out in the real world.
You need to let it show; don’t keep the faith.
Don’t keep the faith, don’t keep it, all locked up inside you.
Don’t keep the faith, growing cold, away from the sun in the sky.
Don’t keep the faith. That anthem always had it wrong, I believe.
Because a glass of water held under lock and key…
will still go dry.
Now the Holy Spirit is a gentleman. He doesn’t go knocking down doors.
He goes where He’s invited and empowers the children of God.
Those born again, are given a part in the great commission
and that doesn’t involve keeping Him on a shelf like a set of laws.
Don’t keep the faith, children, don’t keep it, all locked up inside you.
Don’t keep the faith, growing cold, away from the sun in the sky.
Don’t keep the faith. That anthem always had it wrong, I believe.
Because a glass of water held under lock and key…
will still go dry.
Release it. Sonshine. Release it. Now is the time.
Release it. Sonshine. Release it…
Don’t keep the faith.
© Joel Tipple
373
It wasn’t my idea that water come in raindrops.
They aren’t very convenient and arrive unannounced.
The weather person gives his best guess when I turn on my television,
but if a butterfly does a barrel roll
all bets are off.
It’s an unpredictable world
and thank God for it.
It’s an unpredictable world
though we think we can.
It’s an unpredictable world
and I trust Him,
though I’m not always in on the divine plan.
Avoid tainted water.
Avoid declassified ads.
Avoid mono-sodium glutimawhatzit.
Now doesn’t that last sound awful bad?
Are we to avoid negative ions?
Or are the positive ones what we should fear?
It’s no wonder some folks just check out and have a beer.
But even though…
It’s an unpredictable world
with its bulging waistline,
and earthquakes and storms and huge floods,
I’ve got faith that even if I don’t, God has this,
so I continue to pray and worship and trust.
It’s an unpredictable world, but that’s okay.
God knows whats going on.
God, I trust.
© Joel Tipple
356
Except God, I take no one seriously,
especially myself.
The moment I think I’m deep,
I’m surely beyond help.
I’ll live simply and earnestly,
not worshiping trophies
on my shelf.
I’ll value most highly
those times when God speaks
and I listen well.
© Joel Tipple
345
Our thanks to God
is simply our part
in the chain of gratitude
that binds our hearts.
This is not a chain that weighs
as a burden would;
It’s a chain of arms and hands
transforming shoulds
to: I do, I am, I give.
Thanks transform.
Thanks cause us to thrive.
Thanks teach us to live,
not merely be alive.
Thanks don’t talk.
Thanks proclaim.
Thanks give credit
and don’t bother with blame.
Lord, please catch us giving thanks
at the beginning
and the ending
of our days.
© Joel Tipple
342
Whether walking trembling on stormy seas, or asleep in the boat,
we reject a hopeless end in favor of endless hope.
Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.
Hebrews 10:23 ESV
22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. 23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.
Romans 8:22-25 ESV
© Joel Tipple
336
Lord; my heart is not proud;
my eyes are not haughty.
I don’t concern myself with matters too
great
or awesome for me.
But I have stilled and quieted myself,
just as a small child is quiet with its
mother.
Yes, like a small child is my soul within
me.
O Israel, put your hope in the Lord—
now and always. Psalm 131 NIV
Listening to God
is always a choice.
A critical first step
is
to silence the noise.
Getting quiet
is harder than you would think.
Thoughts,
like trains on parallel tracks,
heading toward the brink,
cry out for attention.
Teach me, Lord, not to define my agenda
without diligently seeking You first.
Rather, let me follow Your lead,
and for Your mind
hunger and thirst.
© Joel Tipple
334
You have taken account of my wanderings;
Put my tears in Your
bottle.
Are they not in Your
book?
Psalm 56:8 NASB
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
A broken and a contrite
heart, O God, You will
not despise.
Psalm 51:17 NASB
If at the end of my life
my tears are weighed
and found wanting,
let me stay a little longer.
My life does not belong to me,
but please, until then,
let me stay.
If I said no
one too many times,
Let me stay a little longer
and say yes.
If I take credit
for a gift from You Lord,
let me give You the glory, Father.
Let me stay.
If I grow too comfortable,
and decide it’s what I deserve,
remind me of the value
You place in brokenness.
Until then, let me stay.
Lord, you taught me to smile
and You’ve given me
so many laughing days,
but if You call me to be here overtime,
let it be for tears I stayed.
© Joel Tipple
333
What on earth has gravity to do with you earthling?
Just cause you say you want to float.
Yet you’re always complaining, earth person,
so you’re stuck there on the ground…
where you mope.
Listen, I’m sincere, earth person.
This is just between me, you and
about seven billion
others…
Gravity is a grave situation,
a heavy feeling holding you to the ground.
At least that’s the impression you’ve been saddled with
ever since you fell short with the ball on 3rd down.
How will you get ahead?
How will you even possibly
manage your way out of bed?
You need
area 54 inspired
patent pending
extra special
shoes.
You need
foot covering
mountain climbing
cloud hovering
river running
chase away the blues
sneakers.
Sneakers that don’t hold you down
like the shoes most of the
rest of your fellow 7 billion own.
For a limited time only
you can get the left one
and for the low low cost of
a very small separate shipping and handling fee…
you can own the right one too!
They’re the
sneakers of your dreams.
You’ll run so fast your feet will glow at night.
Don’t let anyone else on the block get them first.
If they do, you can be sure it’ll keep you
from flying as high as you might.
So the clock is counting down.
We know you have some money left on that card
Don’t be like those other clowns!
Buy, buy, buy!!
Before they’re not around.
© Joel Tipple
332
We do not know what we should pray for as we ought,
but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us
with groanings which cannot be uttered —Romans 8:26
Thank you Holy Spirit for Your work in me,
praying for me in ways too high for me to understand.
I keep my body a temple for You, while you intercede
for me in accordance with God’s plan.
Heaven on earth may not seem possible
due to our earthly circumstance,
but we have an advocate in the Spirit of God
so we are never left to chance.
© Joel Tipple
331
Write here, Joel. 