LIGHT FROM THE GRAVE

God loves you and me
even in our sins
He would not give us up
but came to rescue all
who would just turn around
to face our dying Savior
on the cross at Calvary
Absorb the depth of love
Jesus radiates from His heart
as the loving Savior and Creator
Who died for you and me

Christ knew not how it would end
For the Father had made Him
to be all humanity's sin
so heinous in God's sight
The Father withdrew
and Jesus feared this separation
would  become His permanent lot
Our dear Jesus laid in the grave
His friends thought that was the end
They didn't yet understand His mission

But Jesus was destined 
to rise from the dead
in living glory
honored by the Father
and adored by those
who would love Him back
When we are faithful 
to Him through the end
He gives us His righteousness
Our passport to eternity
earned by Jesus
at Calvary

GOD’S BLESSINGS

Jesus gave us the Beatitudes, recorded in the Bible , Matthew 5:1-12.  When I read through them I find joy, hope and comfort.  They are promises to you and me and all those who want to prepare for heaven.  

Jesus declares those who are “poor in spirit” and “who realize their need for Him” (v. 3) will surely enter the kingdom of heaven.  Jesus promises that His Father blesses those who mourn, giving them comfort.  This promise of God is most applicable to our pandemic.  We have pretty much all lost someone or something of value and great meaning to us that cannot be replaced.  Yet God will comfort us as no one else can. 

Also, God blesses those with a gentle and lowly manner.  They know how to treat others with love and compassion.  They are the meek of heart whom God promises will inherit the earth.  Wow! 

God will bless those who “hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled” (v. 6).  

“God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy” (v. 7).

As a gift to those whose hearts are pure, God promises they will see Him and live with Him forever.

God blesses the peacemakers for they will be called the children of God, worthy of heaven.

God blesses those who are persecuted because their lives are dedicated to God, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

God blesses everyone who is mocked and persecuted and lied about because they are Christ’s followers, for they are promised a great reward in heaven.

        Scripture quotations taken from the New Living Translation of the Bible

 

 

SURRENDER OF SELF

Jesus Christ is beckoning you
to walk with Him
Everyday
A  relationship with Him
will nurture you
Come what may
Everyday
He'll ask for complete
surrender of self
to follow His Way
Everyday
Surrender your heart
in growing relationship
Surrender your mind
to always please Him

His Being is love
He'll draw you closer
to reveal His heart
You'll just want to stay
close to Him

Be aware
Your deeds point others
to Jesus Christ
You've become a light
to the dying world
Convicting others of their
need to repent
and follow Jesus
our Lord and Savior

He can transform the worst
offender
Melt the heart of a callous
criminal
Jesus can turn their affections 
to Himself
His love embraces
and transforms

Jesus Christ is calling you
Take a step toward Him 
today
For He loves you with
an everlasting love
and wants to guide 
your journey
toward life in His 
glorious Kingdom
Be joyful of Christ's
imminent return

A PRAYER

I give my being to You, O Lord
Center me in Your love
Surround my heart 
with Your goodness
Keep me uplifted
with Your lovingkindness

Be gentle with my petitions
In my sorrow, comfort me
If sin freezes my walk with You
Woo me with Your mercy and love

I don't know all You've 
planned for me
I'm conscious You will
never hurt me
but bring me safely into
the harbor of Your love
and help me share with others
the Good News of salvation in 
You alone

OUR LIFE IS IN HIM

His promise was sure
A virgin gave birth
to the Christ Child
The infant of the ages
Immanuel

A plan set forth before time began
to save humanity
Proclaimed by God Himself
to our parents of the Fall

Then endless generations
looked for a Savior
When God sent His only Son
He was born in a stable
amongst a donkey, cattle, and sheep

His Mother, Mary named Him Jesus
as spoken by the angel Gabriel
His father, Joseph whisked them to Egypt
for King Herod, Satan's agent 
plotted Christ's death

On the Holy Family's return
Mary taught the growing toddler
in the knowledge of God's own Word

God and Man intertwined as One
Jesus swept human error aside
Confirmed all Ten Commandments

He healed the sick
Brought sight to the blind
And raised the dead to life
He taught us how to live

Christ set a new standard
by which one could be measured:
To die for our friends
as He did for us
Indeed the highest expression of love

He became sin for us
and died in our place
that we could attain
to life everlasting with Him

We kneel before the Christ Child today
The Word made Flesh
born to free the captives of sin
To draw us close to Him

May we put our faith in Him 
For Jesus is the only Way,
the Truth, and the Life
Amen
 

HE GIVES ALL GOOD GIFTS

Mercy and goodness
shower from heaven
Those who open their arms
will be blessed

God is our Provider
He sustains us through life
Our outlook comes from Him
When crisis strikes
we put our faith in Him

He brings stability
when we work together
Happiness, when we love
each other

All good things come from God
Let us not reject His gifts
But pause to consider 
how blessed we are
as on this Thanksgiving Day

OPEN OUR HEARTS

• 

Why would you die?
Turn to Jesus and live.
Our hearts become corrupted
with our worldly endeavors.
We naturally don't seek God
We strive for merit and success.
Our natural inclination
leans toward comfort and selfishness.

When we come to Jesus
He unlocks our chained up hearts.
He interests us in others needs
and opens wide 
our fledgling hearts. 

Jesus directs us toward
those who weep,
comforting these whom Jesus loves.
He leads us to the lost and weary
to rescue them from Satan's lies,
pointing out his deadly deceptions.

We give them hope
in Jesus' promises,
directing them to
the Word of God.

Christ puts us on 
a better path
bound for heaven's
pearly gates.
He leads us through life's 
struggles together
Our lives bound up in Him --
Our God, our Savior, and our King.

 

STEP OUT

The intruding thought

Another stressful task to perform

You turn it off

like silencing Christian Radio

A preacher broadcasting your pass to Heaven

then airing your sins

reigniting in your mind

a fear of Hell

STOP.

You will not be threatened

anymore

You’ve journeyed far

with your mind fixed on Jesus

aware the Holy Spirit

will be with you

when you tackle witnessing

You’ll tell your peers

that Jesus saves

and how He’s changed your life

A friend comes to mind

One who needs the assurance

Jesus can save them, too

A stressful task?

Not at all

for your help comes from God

He will empower you

with the Holy Spirit

Give you words as you speak

His work is to strengthen you

to know Him

and to bring others

into His presence

So, go ahead

Step out

For He lives

 

WHEN WILL WORLD PEACE COME

Are we meant to achieve peace on earth in our own strength and human wisdom?  Don’t we have to value every human life, including the fetus and the elderly, before we can attain status to rule the world in peace and safety?  Do we have within us the moral fiber to embrace peace, or are some of us so diseased with iniquity that it will take divine intervention to bring this whole mess to order and a lasting peace?

Humanity tends to flatter itself, looking forward to a day when all is brought under control by man’s wisdom.  The Apostle Paul writes, “For the wisdom of the world is foolishness with God” (1 Cor. 3:19).

The perfect plan for man lies in God’s heart.  Only He can draw us to Himself, recreating us in His image.  Only the Holy Spirit can bring us to our knees in confession.  Only God can forgive us of our sins, as He prepares us for our right place in His Kingdom.

There would always be the dark stain of sin against all of us without a Savior, our precious Jesus.  His love for us is vast and led Him to give His life for us, even a cruel death on the Cross.  We cannot save ourselves, but must believe in Jesus and trust in His sacrifice to save us.

How, then, is world peace going to be established in a world where leaders and many clergymen trust that man can bring lasting peace to this broken planet?

The Gospel of what God has done to save us is being preached to the whole world.  The Bible is being opened for the first time before many everyday.  You might ask whether God devised a plan to make sure all people who come to love and obey Him are finally reunited with Him.

Jesus promised He would come back to take His faithful to heaven.  He said there will be signs on the earth and in the heavens heralding His imminent return.  But will mankind have established peace on earth before Christ’s Second Coming, or will Christ need to come, rescuing the world from an impending global disaster we cannot extricate ourselves from?

Jesus said the Last Days will be like the days of Noah, when there was much evil and violence fomented by men having little interest in God.  Christ’s coming will be an overwhelming and unexpected event to those who don’t have a relationship with God.  When He comes, He will usher in the perfect peace of His Kingdom for all who love Him and obey all of His Commandments.

GOD’S WORD OFFERS PROTECTION

Everyone loves a story with danger, suspense, and romance.  Some of you are aware Christ’s soon Second  Coming is in dispute.  My novel, “The Casting of Crowns” relates world events in the End Times as well as the fervor of God-fearing young adults as they are introduced to Bible truths most pertinent in the End Times.

Not all students accept Bible teachings that are clear and unambiguous.  Only those willing to accept the truth embedded in the Word, stick with the Bible study Carissa and her friends attend, longing to follow Jesus fully.

The characters all bring to the story different beliefs, lifestyles, and priorities.  Living in the End Times brings to Carissa, the protagonist, an urgency about aligning her beliefs with God’s Word.  These beliefs compel her to actions having everlasting consequences.

What would you do if you were ordered to bring your Bible(s) downtown to burn them?  This event and other plausible scenarios occur as the New World Order clamps down.

Would you trust another person (a priest) to tell you what to believe?  Or would you want to study the Bible for yourself, so as to know you have eternal life?

Do you think it’s OK to follow your conscience in matters of faith, or be told what to believe, following blindly?  What about Carissa’s wanting to please God?  Wouldn’t she be a desirable character for young women to emulate?

If your heart is with the Lord and you want to be prepared to overcome Satan’s deceptions in these Last Days, you’ll want to pick up a copy of “The Casting of Crowns” by Betsy O. Borchardt, available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble online, and any online bookseller.