Sit and Pray
Not a Drop
Not a drop was wasted Lord
When You died that day.
My Garden
I look out the window,
Just a glance, and see
Happy blossoms yellow
Facing not to me.
But they're looking outward
Seeking for the sun.
Waiting for the golden rays
That will warm each one.
Presently contented
To be in the shade.
Maybe they are resting
In the One Who made
All things that are living;
Every single one.
He made them for His glory,
He made them through His Son.
Do those flowers yellow
Hear each chirping bird?
Is there some connection,
Are those voices heard?
So they seem to me to
Join with all around
That which likewise reaches,
Stretching from the ground.
All around in nature
Live those things He made
Working all together
In life's grand parade.
How I long to be like
Some sweet, happy bloom.
Growing in the sunlight,
Sleeping by the moon.
Hap'ly taking what my
God has planned for me.
In times of spring or winter.
Content to simply be.
Bringing Him the glory
He has made me for;
Resting in His presence.
Safe, forevermore.
Look Beyond
Look beyond the obvious
See past all the fluff
Through the mounds of trinkets
Underneath the stuff.
This is not what life is
All these things we see
This is not how we are
Meant to live, and be.
Do not be controlled by
What the others do
They are chasing wishes
Never to come true.
So much is illusion
Meant to snare our hearts
Keep us in a stupor
Till our souls depart.
Do not think that all is
As appears to be
There are forces working
That we cannot see.
So it has been ever
Since the world began
When the serpent slithered
But God had a plan.
He has sent a Saviour
He has sent His Son
If you will find refuge
He's the only One.
Things you've not control of
Nor can understand
He is Ruler over
He has all in hand.
Governments and kingdoms
Health and wealth and power
These will all come crashing
In that certain hour.
So if you will look to
Him Who holds all things
Trust Him for the outcome
Who true salvation brings.
If you need a purpose
Reason for Your life
Burdened by a world that's
Full of sin and strife.
Look not unto people's
Promises or plans
They are just as helpless
They are only man
Look instead to Jesus
Lest your fear increase
Bow the knee before him
Then you will find peace.
Why do the nations rage
and the peoples plot in vain?
The kings of the earth set themselves,
and the rulers take counsel together,
against the Lord
and against his Anointed, saying,
“Let us burst their bonds apart
and cast away their cords from us.”
He who sits in the heavens
laughs;
the Lord holds them in derision.
Then he will speak to them in his wrath,
and terrify them in his fury, saying,
“As for me, I have set my King
on Zion, my holy hill.”
I will tell of the decree:
The Lord said to me, “You are my
Son;
today I have begotten you.
Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage,
and the ends of the earth your possession.
You shall break them with a rod of iron
and dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.”
Now therefore, O kings, be wise;
be warned, O rulers of the earth.
Serve the Lord
with fear,
and rejoice with trembling.
Kiss the Son,
lest he be angry, and you perish in the way,
for his wrath is quickly kindled.
Blessed are all who take refuge in him.
(Psalm 2)
Those He Loves
I’ve Seen
I’ve seen what lies can do;
Create divide
Side against side
I’ve seen what lies can do.
I’ve seen what fear can do;
It robs of life
It brings on strife
I’ve seen what fear can do.
I’ve seen what hate can do;
Words that kill
With voices shrill
I’ve seen what hate can do.
I’ve seen what truth can do;
It sets things right
It’s worth the fight
I’ve seen what truth can do.
I’ve seen what hope can do;
It lifts the head
Removes all dread
I’ve seen what hope can do.
I’ve seen what love can do;
It softens hearts
And makes new starts
I’ve seen what love can do.
I’ve seen what God can do;
He has His way
He owns the day
I’ve seen what God can do.
The lies, the fear, the hate
In that order, death they make.
But truth and love will out
And bring a victory shout.
The fear of man or death
Of taking that last breath.
Only God can lift them
As our lives, He sifts them.
Fear Him instead, admit it
Your life, your soul, submit it.
To His most awesome power
He’ll keep you, every hour;
I’ve known what God can do.
They Can’t Take Jesus
Things are getting scary
All the world o’er.
News is ever threatening;
Will there be a war?
Asking many questions,
Seeking what is true,
It can be confusing,
Wish I only knew
What is really happening
Underneath the hype.
Who it is controlling
What’s coming down the pipe.
I have my opinions;
I know that you do too.
Time will be the thing that
Tells us which is true.
Seems that we are losing
Things we always had.
Things we took for granted.
Things that make us glad.
I can get discouraged
If I dwell too much.
It can be depressing.
Doom and gloom and such.
They can take my freedom
Right to come and go.
They can take my privilege
To tell of what I know.
Maybe they will take away
Houses, money, land.
Things that I’ve worked hard for.
Things I thought would stand.
Seems they even want to
Take the air we breathe.
Keep our faces covered;
So we’ll strangers be.
All these things could vanish
Overnight, it’s true.
You might think I’m kidding.
Pulling one on you.
But I’m speaking honest.
Straight from my own heart.
Wish it wouldn’t be so;
Wish it would depart.
It takes a real effort
To turn from worldly things,
And focus on those solid
Truths that God can bring.
I don’t have all the answers,
I only know of one.
That answer is a Person.
That answer is God’s Son.
You see, this world is only
For a little while.
We’re given life to live here.
To love, to cry, to smile.
And in these days we’re living
We face uncertainty.
We look for what to hope in.
We want to have safety.
But safety’s an illusion,
A thing we’ll never grasp.
Life is full of dangers,
And life will end at last.
But here’s a thing that’s certain,
I know it to be right.
My safety is in Jesus
And He has won the fight.
I might lose all my money,
My right to come and go.
Disease can claim my body
And death stand at the door.
But they can’t take Jesus,
Or all to me He’s giving.
Death is just an entrance;
Forever I’ll be living.
They say if you have Jesus
Then you have everything.
But if you don’t have Jesus
You surely have nothing.
I pray that you may know Him
And have Him in this way.
Then you will have everything.
They can’t take Him away.
This is eternal life, that they may know You,
the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom
You have sent. (John 17:3)
Show me only rather
What You would have me say
Let me first consider
Before I start to speak
What You've said already
You, so mild and meek
Help me not consider
What man may think of me
Help me show them You Lord
So You,in me, they'll see
SAFE
It is alright.
When my eyes can’t hold themselves open
It won’t make any difference
In how You feel about me;
You let me rest.
“Be still”, You say.
“I am God”.
Now I know
What You meant
When You said
“Be still”.
This is all I need know for now:
You are all that I need to be.
All that I cannot be, You are.
You will never stop
You will never end
You will always be
What I can never be
For me.
If I never move from here
If my mind gives way to madness
I will not have moved
Away from my place
In You.
If I never lift a finger
Speak a word
Pray a prayer
You will
Still keep me.
Your thoughts
Will be for me.
I am deformed
Yet lovely.
I am empty, void of good
But full of every good thing
That comes from You.
I am learning
As You teach
Where to look:
To You.
I am dead.
My life is hid.
With Christ.
In God.
In You.
Safe.
Could money obtain, secure, or regain,
The rest only grace can afford?
An apple, so shiny, and bright red, with candy,
Can sparkle and catch the eye
But hidden within, are bruises, like sin,
That fester unseen, and defile.
O joy of knowing His forgiving embrace,
Of meeting His gaze without shame.
Much dearer and priceless, more lovely by far,
Than all idols your heart longed to claim.
O LORD grant us grace, these lessons to learn,
Us who are dull, fickle, and vain.
We long to be like you, our heart next to yours,
With nary a blemish or stain.
Teach us our weakness, our proneness to fail,
So daily we might look to You,
For strength and discernment, and grace, to prevail,
In striving to be, like You, true.
Reward here and now, in knowing You near,
So rich, undeserved, and so sweet;
To think that there waits, in heaven, for us,
Delights that we have yet to meet.
But may we look forward, in all of our hope,
Most often, most deeply, with love,
To the moment, and moments, forever to come,
Seeing You, face to face, at last Home.
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WINTER SONG
Winds that blast across the fields;
Dry cold, they steal your breath,
And take away what little warmth
The sun gives, in their path.
Tiny birds chirp bitter words
While huddled tight in branches.
Squirrels scurry; quickly now!
For food they take their chances.
Sound asleep the flowers seem,
Hid deep beneath the earth.
Waiting Spring so patiently,
And with it, once more birth.
Dark and drear the days may be
When pondered on their own.
But think behind to years gone past;
Each season, as it’s flown
So quickly by has always brought
The next, in faithful keeping.
We have this hope, it will be done;
Again, buds will be peeping!
And while we bear with nights so long,
So dark, no light is seen,
We still can be so thankful now
As when all things are green.
The Faithful One who holds all things
Each moment will remain;
His hand upon all that He’s made
And life He will sustain.
For so it pleases him to do;
He made us for His pleasure!
And when we gaze out at this earth
We’ll see a hidden treasure.
This world is His and all that’s in;
We only these things borrow!
Our lives He holds, our hope He is,
For all of our tomorrows.
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We’ll know You when we see You, Lord
When freed from this life’s hold,
And carried to our final home
To walk on streets of gold.
While in this earthly body now
Our eyes but dimly see.
The beauty that is fully Yours
We’ll view eternally.
For now as in a glass so dim
With feeble sight, in part.
But then full known You’ll be to us,
As us to You now art.
We’ll need no one to introduce us.
Standing at Your throne,
You’ll look at us with that same love
That let us be Your own.
We’ll know You by the wounds You bear.
Though given long ago.
These marks You will forever wear
That all may look and know
The price You paid to set us free,
When led so meek and mild,
You took our place at Calvary
So each would be Your child.
With faith we look to what will be
When we will be transformed.
Completely from all sin set free
Pure worship we’ll perform.
This truth to us an anchor sure
We wait in hope, enduring;
So zealous to have hearts made pure
To show at Your appearing.
All praise and thanks to You we give
For only by Your grace
We have eternal life to live
And strength to run this race.
The here and now is but a taste
Of what You have in store
When not a second will we waste;
We’ll praise forevermore.
So till that time when faith is sight
O Lord be pleased to give
Your grace to make our hearts more right;
Our lives to you we’ll live.
“For now we see in a mirror dimly, but
then face to face; now I know in part,
but then I will know fully just as I also
have been fully known.” (1Cor 13:12)
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my sin to you I brought.
I thought that I could somehow keep
its damage down to naught.
And so sin has had its way in me
in all its wretched death.
Stole my peace, my joy, my strength,
I scarce have kept my breath.
I leave all with you, now, dear Lord
on Your mercy I depend.
My soul to heal, my strength to be
Your grace, mine to the end.
So close I came, and nearly fell,
to the bottom of the pit,
That sin had surely made for me;
But Your grace kept me from it.
So much wicked treachery,
I contemplate within.
So much grieving it deserves,
Until I smile again.
But I could mourn forever, Lord,
and never grieve enough,
For that which caused Your blood to fall,
Your last breath on that cross.
Then in Your lovingkindness, now,
would You impart to me,
Your own permission that I might
joy in what’s yet to be.
No other hope, I find, than this
No other place to trust
Than in Your own unchanging love
and Your great faithfulness.
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DON'T LOOK AT ME
“Don’t look at me!” I want to say. "Don’t judge Him by my words.
My thoughts are selfish, my motives weak, My heart, it must be stirred."
To do His will, I know I must, For what else was I born?
Yet still I struggle, and hold so tight, to that which I should shun.
His grace is all that I can boast of, His love my only hope.
I wish that I could show you where I was on that slippery slope!
He seemed to grab me just in time; I had slipped right to the brink.
But He had other plans for me, and of His mercy I did drink.
From that time on, Himself to me, in wisdom He has shown.
I am His, and He is mine, His guarantee I’ve known.
I long to show Him now to you, but prideful flesh intrudes.
It threatens me with fear and doubt, till my zeal is subdued.
Yet hope still lives, His will be done; He is the Sovereign true.
And so my feeble self I give, His Spirit to endue.
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A STRONG CITY
The mighty walls, made ready, the gates await the day
When righteousness may enter, and evil fade away.
We trust in Thee, our Saviour, we trust in Thee, our King
To smooth the path before us, that praises we may bring.
Thy Name is our great longing, our best and only rest.
Thy hand has been upon us, our head upon Thy breast.
In perfect peace You keep us, when thoughts we keep on Thee.
We know Thou wilt not leave us, thy faithfulness we see.
Almighty Lord, forever, Thy praises we will sing
In that eternal city, our worship we will bring.
Oh help us make our time here, a monument to Thee
Who brings the righteous homeward; forever Yours we'll be.
(Sung to tune of "Oh Sacred Head, Now Wounded")
Isaiah 26:1-8
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GOOD TO ME
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I saw the tree, how bent it grew,
Tall standing, hanging o’er.
It seemed to reach the highest height,
Could knock on Heaven’s door!
All bare, the branches made their mark
Set dark against the sky.
Their gracious foliage stripped away,
For winter’s drawing nigh.
What was it made that sturdy trunk
To lean as though to tumble?
Had raging wind so fiercely pressed
While summer storm did rumble?
No matter now, its place is set,
Nor can there be a question.
It reigns above the neighbourhood;
Almost defies destruction!
And there it grows, withstanding time;
How long ago its birth!
Its rugged arms long, reaching out,
Its roots dig deep the earth.
Though majesty it now enjoys
And seems will ever be,
Like every living, growing thing
It will Death’s stamp yet see.
In ages still to come, perhaps,
Though only God can say,
Disease and weakness it will know;
Its life will slip away.
As with all things this earth brings forth
It will wax old, defeated.
Return to that from which it came,
Its purpose be completed.
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My wish for you this Christmas time.
This season, special though it be
Is not the only time, you see
To celebrate and praises give
For what God did so we might live.
We love to look with tender eyes
On Baby Jesus, where He lies
And wonder at Him, sweet and mild
This precious, tiny, Saviour Child.
But did you know that even now
He reigns above, and we should bow,
Give worship, honour, and adore;
He’s not a baby anymore!
He grew up like us, so He knew
All that we face; He faced it too!
He knows our greatest need is met
When He forgives our sins, and yet
We still resist, and He must move
To open hearts, and to us prove
That He is all we’ll ever need,
And in us place one tiny seed
Of faith that saves, and holds us fast
Until we see His face at last.
And so my wish, my prayer for you
Is that in grace, He would so do
If you have not Him yet received
Into your heart, then I would plead
That you might please consider then
Long past when Chrismas Season ends
This Jesus Christ, Who owns each day;
He is the Life, the Truth, the Way.
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