I Watch I Listened

I watched you and I listened
To each deed and every word
Let Me tell you what I saw in you
Let Me recite just what I heard
When asked about the time of day
The weather, sports and such
You really had a lot to say
Indeed you do know much
But when time came to speak of Me
Your silence screamed so loud
I felt as though I embarrassed you
When I should have made you proud
I watched as you told that joke
They all laughed with such great glee
I waited to hear if any word you spoke
That would reflect that you know Me
So I will watch tomorrow too
Maybe today was just a little ‘off’
If someone asks do you know Me?
Own up, and please don’t scoff

2 Chronicles 16:9 For the eyes of Jehovah run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him.

Tender Anger

My anger is tender
That makes it unique
My wrath is quite gentle
It’s soft when I speak
I wound to heal
I break to correct
My own blood is the balm
Let it have its effect

Psalm 51:8 Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.

Hebrews 12:7-8 If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chastens not? But if ye are without chastening, whereof all have been made partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.

1Peter 2:24 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.

Road Kill

What were they doing on the side of the road anyway? Those people in that earthquake worship the devil. They surely got what they deserved. The godless idol worshipers caught in the tsunami were sinners damned by God. Why were those kids out late at night? Why don’t those people take better care of their bodies? They all have it coming, including the alcoholic, the murderers, child abusers, sexual perverts, prostitutes, illegal aliens, terrorists and the whole lot can go to hell before they expect any help from me. They should not be on the side of the road. I stepped over them. Leave them alone as road kill, in the wrong place at the wrong time. They should know better!

The fascinating thing about Jesus and the parable of The Good Samaritan, is that the Savior never explains why the man chose to travel on a dangerous road all by himself. Apparently it was a known bad place. Jesus, however, focused on the response of the ‘good people’ who happened to pass the injured man.

This parable refers not only to the least of these, but also the least worthy these. I must confess that like Paul I am amongst the least worthy of all. But Christ did not ask me why I was on the side of the road. He bent down, and healed me, and said; ‘go and sin no more!’

I, on the other hand walk by the road kill. It is easier of course. I am one of the good people.

Are you like me; one of the ‘good people?’ Do you find yourself asking; ‘what are they doing on the side of the road?’ Are you blaming or bandaging?

Are you bending down, bathing, applying balms, or standing over accusing?

Lu 10:33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,

Mt 25:45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.

1Ti 1:15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

I Won’t Be Found

I won’t be found by thinking
Your mind is feeble and flawed
Your reasoning won’t reach Me
I AM to be reverenced and awed
With logic you try to approach Me
With mere reason and simple wit
Like multiple choice questions
I AM the I AM, not some it
No I won’t held by your ransom
Following your advice and suggestions
I AM the I AM you can’t fathom
I won’t be found in today’s fashions
I won’t be found in your reasons
What seems fair and logic to you
Moods that change with the seasons
Don’t look for ME in what’s new
Your happiness plays no part
In whether I let you live or die
I speak not to your head but your heart
I AM THE I AM, THE FIRST AND LAST WHY
I won’t be found where you left Me
Where you shed tears of regret
But if you want Me, just call Me
I AM here and near for you yet

Ro 11:33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!

Isa 55:8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.

Ps 34:4 I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.

Jer 29:13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

Never argue with an ass

In our prayer time today, Kay and I learned this lesson in the Bible. It was the example of Balaam in Numbers 22-25 that served to show me the futility and foolishness of arguing with an ass, especially one who speaks for God.

Now if you were the ass in this story, it would be hard to understand why the man riding on your back was being so hard on you. After all the, Bible records the ass’s point of view: Numbers 22:23 And the ass saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and the ass turned aside out of the way, and went into the field:

Balaam had been tasked with delivering a specific word of truth to Balak the king. However the king sought to entice Balaam to deliver a message that would curse the king’s enemies. God wanted Balaam to deliver a message that would instead, bless the king’s enemies. The enticement offered by the king was gifts of material wealth and career prosperity. Balaam was torn between accepting the offer and doing the right thing. It was the ass that made the difference.

If you choose to read that story, you will find that the ass saw the angel and finally spoke to Balaam saying in essence; ‘lighten up dude! What did I ever do to you?’

Well, I exaggerated a little here, but the ass refused to move further for fear of his own life and spoke up in his own defense.

Suffice it to say, Balaam argued with the ass and at the end of their discourse, the angel appeared and told him that the ass saved his life. Balaam went on to confess his disobedience and completed the task God had before him. He went to king Balak and blessed his enemies as God had commanded him to do. He lost out on the high paying job and the perks, but he pleased God.

The moral of the story is.., never argue with an ass. He might be trying to save your life. Read it for yourself. It is in the Bible.

Growing my Grudges

I plant each grudge seed with care
I make sure to give plenty of space
Each plant needs plenty of air
I delete any pretence of grace

Grace only inhibits the growth in soil
It won’t allow the seedlings to sprout
Mercy only makes grudges spoil
So like weeds I pull them both out

At the harvest I have plenty to show
Though nothing that can feed or make well
But the grudges are in a nice row
Take a taste and experience hell

I know my garden serves no Godly reason
It does not help, heal or even make whole
And at the end of each planting season
I lose a little bit more of my soul

I had better let Christ tend my small garden
It would be best to let Him till the ground
The fruit that He grows is sin’s pardon
And life forever in Him is found

Mt 7:20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

Joh 15:4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.

1%

Our Favorite 1 Percent
Think of the U.S. military as the Other 1%

Keturah is back home. Actually she is in Fort Dix New Jersey, not too far away from us, but much further away from the harm we only read about in between the latest Lindsey Lohan news.

Time Magazine’s November 21st edition has an article on the military costs of this war in which it highlights this in “The Other 1%” “Never has the U.S. public been so separate, so removed from the people it pays to protect it. Over the past generation, the world’s lone superpower has created_and grown accustomed to a permanent military caste, increasingly disconnected from U.S. society, waging decade long wars in its name. Think of the U.S. military as the Other 1%, some 2.4 million troops have fought in and around Afghanistan and Iraq since 9/11, exactly 1% of the 240 million Americans over 18. If you remove those who are unlikely to serve because they are too fat or too criminal or in college, only 15% of Americans ages 17-24 are eligible to sign up.”

Keturah has proven herself as one of that other 1%. She went through rigorous mental, physical, psychological and spiritual conditioning. She would write and call us from her base and was frequently interrupted by shouts of ‘incoming’ at which time her voice would and face would disappear from the computer screen or telephone. She would call at odd hours of the night, from a barracks that was pitch black as our mid daytime was her early morning hours. She would whisper. She would assure us she was doing well. She would tell me of her reading her Bible devotions My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers. She would send text messages of how she missed and loved us. Our favorite 1 percent is back home and we will soon be reunited as a family with her.

Time magazine goes on to say much of our thanks we give them, free meals at restaurants, front of the line boarding on airlines is a true thank you. That is ‘thank you for doing what I am afraid to or unwilling to commit myself to do.’

Welcome home PFC Keturah Ruth Johnson. We thank God for her protection. We pray for the remaining portion of the valiant 1%.

Pimples and Dimples

My lover is keeps it simple
My lover makes it plain
My lover knows my laugh
My lover knows my pain

He knows I’m far from perfect
Even when I try my best
He focuses on my good points
And de-emphasize the rest

My lover kisses pimples
Those on the cheek and nose
Just as He smooches dimples
Because my lover knows

The pimples are a part of me
Their marks etched into my face
But my dimples will fade with time
Leaving wrinkles in their trace

So my lover chooses both
That is His preference, you see
Failures, faults and foibles
Is why my lover chooses me

For if he saw only dimples
And as those sweet traits do leave
His love in turn would grow cold
That would cause my heart to grieve

So he kisses every pimple
Every blackhead, mark and mole
That is love, true love indeed
My lover satisfies my soul

Psalms 103:14: For HE knows OUR frame; HE remembers that we dust.

C.S. Lewis: You don’t have a soul, you have a body. You are a soul.

Grace Followed Me There

My appetites were not really perverted
Food and water with no cupboards bare
But my hunger took me to bad places
And yet God’s grace followed me there

My senses and feelings were tingling
Sweet variations of all good and fair
I enjoyed them without even thinking
And yet God’s grace followed me there

Feeding my habits felt normal even healthy
No thought of what lay ahead, or even where
Getting drunk on the best life could offer
And yet God’s grace followed me there

When in trouble with no one to turn to
Deep in sin gasping for life saving air
Heavy darkness enveloped around me
And yet God’s grace followed me there

For His mercy would not leave me lonely
His forgiveness was my comfort and care
It seemed all was lost for eternity
And yet God’s grace followed me there

Oh the joy of sweet mercy undeserved
I thank God that He’s holy, not fair
I was in a state of depravity and uncleanness
And yet God’s grace followed me there

Ps 139:7-10-12 whither shall I go from thy spirit? Or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. If I say, surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.

On Husbands

It takes a tough man to be tender
Ready to forgive and not blame
To give up his rights, to surrender
To take what most would call shame

But to lead best, you become weak
Let God’s strength be yours
Its in surrender, being meek
His full strength on you pours

Being tough is the way to be tender
She knows you’re willing to die
From your own evil, you must defend her
God sends you real strength from on high

2 Corinthians 12:9: And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.

Ephesians 5:28: So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.