Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Saturday, July 28, 2007
Meaningful Words (7/28/07)
In light of the changes in my ministry and spiritual life, I share the following poetic thoughts:
I am very grateful for each of you joining me as I share my life and ministry with you in the fashion. When I was preparing to send out the party invitations, I was amazed at just how many people still receive this newsletter. Of course I know many of you may not even read it on a regular basis, but still I find it encouraging knowing at least some of you do. I do pray that God speaks to you through this sharing of His work in and through me. Jesus prayed for you and me during that dark night in Gethsemane and I echo his prayer today: “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. "Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. "Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them” (John 17:20-26).
Hate Sin, Love Sinner
She stares at me through the lenses of her half-priced glasses
All I feel wells up inside me in love,
Yet her lifestyle is of sin
Still He calls me to let her in,
Into my heart, into my world.
Though she has a different companion every night,
Still He calls me to love her with all my might.
(Chorus)
Hate the sin but love the sinner,
That’s what we all should do.
Love the sinner, but hate the sin,
Is what He calls us to do.
He sits in a jailhouse apartment.
A cell which has no windows.
Steel bars his only companions.
He’s on deathrow for his past,
Yet a Bible sits by his side.
(Chorus)
They lie in their beds
Both terminally waiting to be dead,
Without a hope for anything,
Yet I stand at their side knowing the Hope for everything.
They had joined in ways not meant to be,
But He calls me to love them as I do me,
And as their minds fill with anguish and sorrow for their sin,
I hear Him again, “Let them in.”
(Chorus)
I could go on for verse after verse,
And still not totally converse,
That which He has placed in my heart,
And which I, in prayer, must start.
We must love the sinner, but hate the sin.
(Chorus)
Remember, my friends, what ever else you may forget.
What ever else you do and may live to regret.
Though sin is from Satan,
The sinner is a child of God
The sinner is a child of God.
(Chorus).
There is a White
There is a white for this black of ours.
It will show itself in its hour,
But we who hold it in our hearts,
No ray of dark can penetrate our parts.
But what of this light?
What use is it, if it cannot shine bright!
Too often we turn away its source.
We take out our swords,
Made by the hand of Satan,
And slash it into oblivion.
But this light cannot die.
It cannot be swept away.
There are those who have claimed it
And the light lives on in them.
The light has a place in all of our hearts.
Every single one must play its part.
Through them this world will change.
Through them it will exchange
Its darkness for the EVERLASTING LIGHT!
A-men
She stares at me through the lenses of her half-priced glasses
All I feel wells up inside me in love,
Yet her lifestyle is of sin
Still He calls me to let her in,
Into my heart, into my world.
Though she has a different companion every night,
Still He calls me to love her with all my might.
(Chorus)
Hate the sin but love the sinner,
That’s what we all should do.
Love the sinner, but hate the sin,
Is what He calls us to do.
He sits in a jailhouse apartment.
A cell which has no windows.
Steel bars his only companions.
He’s on deathrow for his past,
Yet a Bible sits by his side.
(Chorus)
They lie in their beds
Both terminally waiting to be dead,
Without a hope for anything,
Yet I stand at their side knowing the Hope for everything.
They had joined in ways not meant to be,
But He calls me to love them as I do me,
And as their minds fill with anguish and sorrow for their sin,
I hear Him again, “Let them in.”
(Chorus)
I could go on for verse after verse,
And still not totally converse,
That which He has placed in my heart,
And which I, in prayer, must start.
We must love the sinner, but hate the sin.
(Chorus)
Remember, my friends, what ever else you may forget.
What ever else you do and may live to regret.
Though sin is from Satan,
The sinner is a child of God
The sinner is a child of God.
(Chorus).
There is a White
There is a white for this black of ours.
It will show itself in its hour,
But we who hold it in our hearts,
No ray of dark can penetrate our parts.
But what of this light?
What use is it, if it cannot shine bright!
Too often we turn away its source.
We take out our swords,
Made by the hand of Satan,
And slash it into oblivion.
But this light cannot die.
It cannot be swept away.
There are those who have claimed it
And the light lives on in them.
The light has a place in all of our hearts.
Every single one must play its part.
Through them this world will change.
Through them it will exchange
Its darkness for the EVERLASTING LIGHT!
A-men
I am very grateful for each of you joining me as I share my life and ministry with you in the fashion. When I was preparing to send out the party invitations, I was amazed at just how many people still receive this newsletter. Of course I know many of you may not even read it on a regular basis, but still I find it encouraging knowing at least some of you do. I do pray that God speaks to you through this sharing of His work in and through me. Jesus prayed for you and me during that dark night in Gethsemane and I echo his prayer today: “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. "Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. "Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them” (John 17:20-26).
Sharing My Life (7/28/07): Sharing God’s love
As I make my rounds as a chaplain, one of the most common comments against Christians that I hear is that most of us are hypocritical jerks. We certainly know how to talk the talk, but few of us really know what it means to walk the walk. Normally I just brush such comments off thinking that these people obviously don’t know the same Christians I do, but lately I’ve been thinking that they might not be that far off. When I see someone living in sin, my gut reaction is to judge first and act mercifully later, yet Jesus calls us to a higher standard as Paul indicates in Romans: “Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor” (Romans 12:9-10). This means we, as followers of Christ, must show our love for each other and the world both in what we say and what we do. We must not only speak with love, truth and justice, we must also act in loving, true and just ways. Otherwise, our words will be lost amidst the volume of our actions. As Micah once said,
“He has showed you, O man, what is good.
And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8).
And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8).
Life Update (7/28/07): Should I stay or should I go now?
I originally started volunteering at St. Joseph’s Chemical Dependency Department in an effort to gain more experience in that field and cultivate some more long-term care relationships. Unfortunately I found that their program has a pretty high patient turnout rate and most don’t stay there more than a week or so. That’s hardly enough time for me to invest in their lives in a helping fashion. So, I started looking for other ways to pursue those needs and found that Christian Student Fellowship, which I was already involved with through their Evensong Worship Community and Together Groups, was more than willing to let me become more involved with them! Then, just last Friday, St. Cloud Hospital called saying they would like to interview me for a full-time chaplain position! Two great ministry opportunities came my way within one week. Unfortunately, I cannot pursue both, so right now I’m planning on doing the interview this Friday (8/3) and seeing what happens from there. If the position fits, I am willing to move again, but if it does not, at least I have got good plans for this coming year here.
In addition, most of you should have received invitations to my 32nd Birthday Bash. If not, just send me an email and I will gladly send one off to you. It’s currently scheduled for Wednesday, September 12th at my place. The precise time and other details are still being worked out, so reply soon if you wish to stay informed ;-)
In addition, most of you should have received invitations to my 32nd Birthday Bash. If not, just send me an email and I will gladly send one off to you. It’s currently scheduled for Wednesday, September 12th at my place. The precise time and other details are still being worked out, so reply soon if you wish to stay informed ;-)
Sunday, July 08, 2007
Mike's 32nd Birthday Bash!!!
Each birthday happens only once a lifetimes ;-)
My birthday is coming up in September and I'm starting to plan it a few months out this year, so I can let the party be a bit organic. As people reply with their availability and interest level, we'll work out the details . . . So far the date is set for September 12th, 2007 at my place. Reply by email for more details or check out the Event pages on Facebook and MySpace.
My birthday is coming up in September and I'm starting to plan it a few months out this year, so I can let the party be a bit organic. As people reply with their availability and interest level, we'll work out the details . . . So far the date is set for September 12th, 2007 at my place. Reply by email for more details or check out the Event pages on Facebook and MySpace.
Saturday, June 30, 2007
Meaningful Words (6/30/07)
Continuing to think along those lines reminds of me a few poems I wrote:
Thank you for joining me once again as I share my life and ministry with you in the fashion. I pray God spoke to you through this sharing of His work in and through me. As Paul said to his church in Philippi: “I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:3-6).
Forgiven
The Father:
I have already forgiven your sin.
Why do you bring it before Me again?
I have already washed you clean.
Why do you insist on playing in the dirt?
Accept My forgiveness.
Receive My cleansing.
Why do you cling to that which I have already released you from?
Why do you remain in the dungeon?
The chains have already been broken and the key thrown away.
The gates of iron have been flung wide open
And yet still you cower in this cage of your own making
The light has been shown forth
Yet you prefer the darkness
What more can I do for you, My child?
How else can I bid you come?
The table has already been set and the dinner bell is ringing
Is it possible you have not heard Me calling?
Answer Me and I will give you the desires of your heart.
I am your Father and have always been faithful.
Is this not the truth?
Listen to your heart, My child.
You know Who I am.
You have always known.
His child:
Come unto me, O Desire of my heart!
Beckon me unto Your Feast, O Satisfier of my deepest hunger!
Dance with Me, O Romancer of my soul!
Set me beside the still waters, O Author of my peace!
Run with me, O my Ever True Companion
Guide my steps, O Victorious Winner of the race set before me!
You Who began this good work in me,
You are my Faithful Father
And You will finish what You have started!
Yes, You will finish what you have started!
Let Go
The Father:
I invite you, My child, to let go.
Let go of your need to worry,
for it really does you no good.
Let go of your need to control,
for you really have none.
Let go of your need for a plan,
for I am all you really ever need!
I invite you, My child, to let Me in.
Let Me into your concerns,
for I can bear your load.
Let Me into your life,
for I do know what I am doing.
Let Me into your heart,
for I am the One you were created for.
I invite you, My child,
to know the truth.
Know that I care for you and I will see to your needs.
Know that I am taking care of them even now.
Know that I am Your Faithful Father.
His child:
Lord, help me to trust when I don’t want to trust
Lord, help me to love when I don’t want to love
Lord, help to give, when I don’t want to give
To give my life to You.
For You, O Lord, are the Lover of my soul
And You, O Lord, are faithful
Yes, You O Lord, will watch over me
And care for me better than I ever could.
I end, You begin
God, I’m tired, I’m through, I can’t do anymore
Since when did this life become such a chore?
My body is weary, my spirits are low
Why does it seem what I reap is far from what I sow?
Everything in me says go on and die
Yet deep inside me, there You still lie.
You say, it’s good I’m tired, it’s good I’m through, It’s good I can’t do anymore.
Now the real work begins, now I can really soar.
If I am at my end, that means I must turn to You again
Let Your Spirit refresh me, and Your blood wash me clean
For when I end, then You truly do begin
The Father:
I have already forgiven your sin.
Why do you bring it before Me again?
I have already washed you clean.
Why do you insist on playing in the dirt?
Accept My forgiveness.
Receive My cleansing.
Why do you cling to that which I have already released you from?
Why do you remain in the dungeon?
The chains have already been broken and the key thrown away.
The gates of iron have been flung wide open
And yet still you cower in this cage of your own making
The light has been shown forth
Yet you prefer the darkness
What more can I do for you, My child?
How else can I bid you come?
The table has already been set and the dinner bell is ringing
Is it possible you have not heard Me calling?
Answer Me and I will give you the desires of your heart.
I am your Father and have always been faithful.
Is this not the truth?
Listen to your heart, My child.
You know Who I am.
You have always known.
His child:
Come unto me, O Desire of my heart!
Beckon me unto Your Feast, O Satisfier of my deepest hunger!
Dance with Me, O Romancer of my soul!
Set me beside the still waters, O Author of my peace!
Run with me, O my Ever True Companion
Guide my steps, O Victorious Winner of the race set before me!
You Who began this good work in me,
You are my Faithful Father
And You will finish what You have started!
Yes, You will finish what you have started!
Let Go
The Father:
I invite you, My child, to let go.
Let go of your need to worry,
for it really does you no good.
Let go of your need to control,
for you really have none.
Let go of your need for a plan,
for I am all you really ever need!
I invite you, My child, to let Me in.
Let Me into your concerns,
for I can bear your load.
Let Me into your life,
for I do know what I am doing.
Let Me into your heart,
for I am the One you were created for.
I invite you, My child,
to know the truth.
Know that I care for you and I will see to your needs.
Know that I am taking care of them even now.
Know that I am Your Faithful Father.
His child:
Lord, help me to trust when I don’t want to trust
Lord, help me to love when I don’t want to love
Lord, help to give, when I don’t want to give
To give my life to You.
For You, O Lord, are the Lover of my soul
And You, O Lord, are faithful
Yes, You O Lord, will watch over me
And care for me better than I ever could.
I end, You begin
God, I’m tired, I’m through, I can’t do anymore
Since when did this life become such a chore?
My body is weary, my spirits are low
Why does it seem what I reap is far from what I sow?
Everything in me says go on and die
Yet deep inside me, there You still lie.
You say, it’s good I’m tired, it’s good I’m through, It’s good I can’t do anymore.
Now the real work begins, now I can really soar.
If I am at my end, that means I must turn to You again
Let Your Spirit refresh me, and Your blood wash me clean
For when I end, then You truly do begin
Thank you for joining me once again as I share my life and ministry with you in the fashion. I pray God spoke to you through this sharing of His work in and through me. As Paul said to his church in Philippi: “I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:3-6).
Sharing My Life (6/30/07): Going Biking with God
Speaking of bumpy rides, I was sharing my career and life journey with a friend of mine and he shared a little story from The Twelve Step Prayer Book where our relationship with God is likened to riding a tandem bike with Him up front. The road isn’t always straight and narrow and God definitely has a habit of taking both long ands short cuts. Yet through it all, He stays faithful. There have definitely been sometimes where my faith has felt a bit rocky, but through it all, He has held me firm and I know He will continue to guide me true. I’m posting the entire story on my blog, so you can snag a look at it there.
Thinking along those lines reminds me of a sermon that I heard at Evensong. It’s an Sunday evening service put on by Christian Student Fellowship, a college ministry, at Calvary. Anyway, the pastor there was speaking on walking in sync with God and likened it to being yoked with Jesus, like in Matthew 11:28-30. If we run too far ahead, Jesus will just stay put and let the yoke snap up back in to place. Ouch! On the other hand, if we drag out feet and just sit there, He’ll keep on going and the board designed to keep up in place will hit us in the back. Also ouch! Eventually we learn to keep in step with Jesus and thus we walk in sync with God. Sometimes I wonder if growing really has to be such a painful process ;-)
Thinking along those lines reminds me of a sermon that I heard at Evensong. It’s an Sunday evening service put on by Christian Student Fellowship, a college ministry, at Calvary. Anyway, the pastor there was speaking on walking in sync with God and likened it to being yoked with Jesus, like in Matthew 11:28-30. If we run too far ahead, Jesus will just stay put and let the yoke snap up back in to place. Ouch! On the other hand, if we drag out feet and just sit there, He’ll keep on going and the board designed to keep up in place will hit us in the back. Also ouch! Eventually we learn to keep in step with Jesus and thus we walk in sync with God. Sometimes I wonder if growing really has to be such a painful process ;-)
Life Update (6/30/07): Just a little while longer . . .
I met with Calvary’s Senior Pastor a few weeks ago and after giving me his comments on my Statement of Faith, we finally set an approximate date for the Ordination Council and Service. I wanted to set them up a few weeks apart so that if Council decides, for whatever reason, to delay my ordination, the Service can be rescheduled without too much inconvenience. So, it now looks like the Council will happen in September, with the Service hopefully following shortly there after in October. I know it’s been a bumpy ride, but if you hold on with me for just a little while longer I think we just might make it there ;-)
Bike Ride with God by Anonymous
Taken from the 12 Step Prayer Book:
Bike Ride with God
At first I saw God as my observer, my judge, keeping track of the things I did wrong, so as to know whether I merited heaven or hell when I die. He was out there sort of like the President. I recognized His picture when I saw it, but I didn't really know Him.
But later on when I recognized my Higher Power, it seemed as though life was rather like a bike ride; but it was a tandem bike, and I noticed that God was in the back helping me pedal.
I don't know just when it was that He suggested we change places, but life has not been the same since...life with my God makes life exciting.
When I had control, I knew the way. It was rather boring, but predictable. It was the shortest distance between two points.
But when He took the lead, He knew delightful long cuts, up mountains, and through rocky places and at breakneck speeds. It was all I could do to hang on! Even though it looked like madness, He said "pedal."
I worried and was anxious and asked, "Where are You taking me?" He laughed and didn't answer, and I started to trust.
I forgot my boring life and entered into the adventure; and when I'd say, "I'm scared," He'd lean back and touch my hand.
He took me to people with gifts that I needed, gifts of healing acceptance, and joy. They gave me their gifts to take on my journey; our journey, God's and mine.
And we were off again. He said, "Give the gifts away. They're extra baggage, too much weight." So I did, to the people we met, and I found that in giving I received, and still our burden was light.
I did not trust Him at first, in control of my life. I thought He'd wreck it. But He knew bike secrets, knew how to make it bend to take sharp corners, jump to clear high places filled with rocks, fly to shorten scary passages.
And I'm learning to shut up and pedal in the strangest places, and I'm beginning to enjoy the view and the cool breeze on my face with my delightful constant companion, my God.
And when I'm sure I can't do any more, He just smiles and says, "PEDAL"!
Bike Ride with God
At first I saw God as my observer, my judge, keeping track of the things I did wrong, so as to know whether I merited heaven or hell when I die. He was out there sort of like the President. I recognized His picture when I saw it, but I didn't really know Him.
But later on when I recognized my Higher Power, it seemed as though life was rather like a bike ride; but it was a tandem bike, and I noticed that God was in the back helping me pedal.
I don't know just when it was that He suggested we change places, but life has not been the same since...life with my God makes life exciting.
When I had control, I knew the way. It was rather boring, but predictable. It was the shortest distance between two points.
But when He took the lead, He knew delightful long cuts, up mountains, and through rocky places and at breakneck speeds. It was all I could do to hang on! Even though it looked like madness, He said "pedal."
I worried and was anxious and asked, "Where are You taking me?" He laughed and didn't answer, and I started to trust.
I forgot my boring life and entered into the adventure; and when I'd say, "I'm scared," He'd lean back and touch my hand.
He took me to people with gifts that I needed, gifts of healing acceptance, and joy. They gave me their gifts to take on my journey; our journey, God's and mine.
And we were off again. He said, "Give the gifts away. They're extra baggage, too much weight." So I did, to the people we met, and I found that in giving I received, and still our burden was light.
I did not trust Him at first, in control of my life. I thought He'd wreck it. But He knew bike secrets, knew how to make it bend to take sharp corners, jump to clear high places filled with rocks, fly to shorten scary passages.
And I'm learning to shut up and pedal in the strangest places, and I'm beginning to enjoy the view and the cool breeze on my face with my delightful constant companion, my God.
And when I'm sure I can't do any more, He just smiles and says, "PEDAL"!
Saturday, June 02, 2007
Meaningful Words (6/2/07)
I often hesitate when it comes to defining exactly how we can grow as Christians. I’m not quite sure why, but it really feels like I’m being a modern day Pharisee. Trying to define exactly what it means to grow up spiritually as if the church is another business or corporation where our value is based on our performance and it is being constantly revisited and re-evaluated. Maybe that’s why these two poems came to mind :
Thank you for joining me once again as I share my life and ministry with you in the fashion. I pray God spoke to you through this sharing of His work in and through me. As Paul said to his church in Colosse: “For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:9-14).
Pharisee
Sometimes I feel like a modern-day Pharisee
My outside is all nice and shiny
But inside I’m greasy, grimy
They tell me I’m great, they tell me I’m wonderful
If only they knew the truth, they’d tell me that I’m really full
But I keep it all inside
There in the darkness is where I hide
There where no one else dares abide
Yet into my life You come, O Lord
You, to whom, all my life is as an open door
Away you brush the thin layers of my outer mask
For even the thickest of walls, for You, would not be much of a task.
Deeper and deeper you delve within
Past all the muck, past all the sin
You wash it all clean with Your water of life
Freeing me from all my hate and strife
Lord, I Would Die for You
*If it would mean the salvation
Of one more sinner
Lord, I’d die for you.
For I cried the servant’s tears
It feels like I’ve served for a thousand years
And yet still the joy fulfills me.
But sometimes in the dark
You know I feel so afraid
Afraid to tell them of You
It seems easier to die.
*
I try to follow Your Word
But at times to do so seems almost absurd.
Lord, I want to do Your will.
But instead I just lie still.
And feel the warm embrace of Your love
*
*2I want to be a sacrifice
Lord, take all of me.
I want to be a sacrifice.
Lord, take all of me.
All of me.
All my selfish fear
Let Your precious blood wash away each tear
All my evil sin
Cleanse me from within
Till nothing remains
And there are no more stains
But all that is left is Your love.
And Your Holy Spirit in me as a dove.
**2
Sometimes I feel like a modern-day Pharisee
My outside is all nice and shiny
But inside I’m greasy, grimy
They tell me I’m great, they tell me I’m wonderful
If only they knew the truth, they’d tell me that I’m really full
But I keep it all inside
There in the darkness is where I hide
There where no one else dares abide
Yet into my life You come, O Lord
You, to whom, all my life is as an open door
Away you brush the thin layers of my outer mask
For even the thickest of walls, for You, would not be much of a task.
Deeper and deeper you delve within
Past all the muck, past all the sin
You wash it all clean with Your water of life
Freeing me from all my hate and strife
Lord, I Would Die for You
*If it would mean the salvation
Of one more sinner
Lord, I’d die for you.
For I cried the servant’s tears
It feels like I’ve served for a thousand years
And yet still the joy fulfills me.
But sometimes in the dark
You know I feel so afraid
Afraid to tell them of You
It seems easier to die.
*
I try to follow Your Word
But at times to do so seems almost absurd.
Lord, I want to do Your will.
But instead I just lie still.
And feel the warm embrace of Your love
*
*2I want to be a sacrifice
Lord, take all of me.
I want to be a sacrifice.
Lord, take all of me.
All of me.
All my selfish fear
Let Your precious blood wash away each tear
All my evil sin
Cleanse me from within
Till nothing remains
And there are no more stains
But all that is left is Your love.
And Your Holy Spirit in me as a dove.
**2
Thank you for joining me once again as I share my life and ministry with you in the fashion. I pray God spoke to you through this sharing of His work in and through me. As Paul said to his church in Colosse: “For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:9-14).
Sharing My Life: Heart & Goals (6/2/07)
As part of my one-year anniversary at St. John’s, my supervisor took me through an annual performance evaluation where we looked at how I had done in the past year and what areas needed improvement. Not that I did a shabby job, but here at HealthEast, they have a motto of “If it isn’t broke, make it better,” so there is always room for improvement. Most of this is done through setting goals, coming up with strategies to meet those goals and following through with it all. All of the strategies and goals needed to be Specific, Attainable and Measurable (S.A.M.), which means they needed to focus on particular areas that needed improvement, needed to addressable and changeable by me, the goal-setter, and needed to be able to show the improvement made. So, I couldn’t just have a goal of being a better chaplain, I needed to define what it meant for me to improve as a chaplain, that definition needed to contain factors that I could control and I needed to be able to show exactly how I had improved as a chaplain.
In making goals for my work life, I began to ponder how it might work to make goals in other areas of my life, especially in the area of spiritual growth. Can I make S.A.M. goals and strategies for my spiritual growth? For me, one of the classic scriptural references for how to grow spiritually is this: “For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins” (2Peter 1:5-9) So, the question then becomes, can I make goals and strategies to grow in goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness and love? Hmm. Good question. In reflecting further, I came to realization that many of the goals and strategies like reading more books to growing in knowledge or praying more to grow in godliness were more behavioral changes than heart changes. And while behavioral change is good, perseverance, self control and the rest are best grown from the inside out. What’s more, changing the heart takes not only a lot of work on my part, it also takes a touch of grace from God, and that those heart changes take root as I grow them through fellowship with God and you, my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ and in humanity. So, now I want to open the floor to you. What do you think? Feel free to share your thoughts. You can reply to this email, post a comment on my blog or my Facebook profile. What has helped you grow spiritually? What have you seen work in other’s lives as well? We all want to grow more and more like Christ, don’t we? So, let’s talk about how we can help each other do just that.
In making goals for my work life, I began to ponder how it might work to make goals in other areas of my life, especially in the area of spiritual growth. Can I make S.A.M. goals and strategies for my spiritual growth? For me, one of the classic scriptural references for how to grow spiritually is this: “For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins” (2Peter 1:5-9) So, the question then becomes, can I make goals and strategies to grow in goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness and love? Hmm. Good question. In reflecting further, I came to realization that many of the goals and strategies like reading more books to growing in knowledge or praying more to grow in godliness were more behavioral changes than heart changes. And while behavioral change is good, perseverance, self control and the rest are best grown from the inside out. What’s more, changing the heart takes not only a lot of work on my part, it also takes a touch of grace from God, and that those heart changes take root as I grow them through fellowship with God and you, my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ and in humanity. So, now I want to open the floor to you. What do you think? Feel free to share your thoughts. You can reply to this email, post a comment on my blog or my Facebook profile. What has helped you grow spiritually? What have you seen work in other’s lives as well? We all want to grow more and more like Christ, don’t we? So, let’s talk about how we can help each other do just that.
Life Update: One-Year Anniversary (6/2/07)
Yes, it’s true. I found it hard to believe at first also, but I have now been with St. John’s Hospital for one full year. In that year I have become more adept at functioning as a chaplain in an acute care hospital and have made some progress to getting ordained with the Baptist General Conference. I’ll be meeting with the pastors at Calvary in the coming weeks to discuss the next steps in that process.
Tuesday, May 01, 2007
Meaningful Words (5/1/07)
As I have been thinking through these changes in my life and my vices and virtues, these poems have been returning to my mind:
There is a White
There is a white for this black of ours.
It will show itself in its hour,
But we who hold it in our hearts,
No ray of dark can penetrate our parts.
But what of this light?
What use is it, if it cannot shine bright!
Too often we turn away its source.
We take out our swords,
Made by the hand of Satan,
And slash it into oblivion.
But this light cannot die.
It cannot be swept away.
There are those who have claimed it
And the light lives on in them.
The light has a place in all of our hearts.
Every single one must play its part.
Through them this world will change.
Through them it will exchange
Its darkness for the EVERLASTING LIGHT!
The Inner War
I woke up this morning and there you were in my face
The mirror your eyes, my soul your home
My worst enemy, my best friend
Everything I used to be, everything I might be again
Come back into the dark you whisper
But I’m yearning and fighting for the light
It’s so much easier and more comfortable there
Yet I know here is where I must remain
Hide yourself, it’s so much safer
No, I must be true to the world
I cannot don the mask of security
Cannot fake the act of sincerity
When everything I do and say is just a lie
Truth is more powerful than lie
And more powerful still when backed up by life
I know the life I should live
And I pray one day
It will be the life I do live
There is a white for this black of ours.
It will show itself in its hour,
But we who hold it in our hearts,
No ray of dark can penetrate our parts.
But what of this light?
What use is it, if it cannot shine bright!
Too often we turn away its source.
We take out our swords,
Made by the hand of Satan,
And slash it into oblivion.
But this light cannot die.
It cannot be swept away.
There are those who have claimed it
And the light lives on in them.
The light has a place in all of our hearts.
Every single one must play its part.
Through them this world will change.
Through them it will exchange
Its darkness for the EVERLASTING LIGHT!
The Inner War
I woke up this morning and there you were in my face
The mirror your eyes, my soul your home
My worst enemy, my best friend
Everything I used to be, everything I might be again
Come back into the dark you whisper
But I’m yearning and fighting for the light
It’s so much easier and more comfortable there
Yet I know here is where I must remain
Hide yourself, it’s so much safer
No, I must be true to the world
I cannot don the mask of security
Cannot fake the act of sincerity
When everything I do and say is just a lie
Truth is more powerful than lie
And more powerful still when backed up by life
I know the life I should live
And I pray one day
It will be the life I do live
Thank you for joining me once again as I share my life and ministry with you in the fashion. I pray God spoke to you through this sharing of His work in and through me. As Paul said to his church in Ephesus, “For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge — that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God” (Ephesians 3:14-19).
Sharing My Life (5/1/07): Virtues and Vices
For some reason I have found myself thinking a lot about vices and virtues this month. Traditionally there are 7 virtues (Humility, Generosity, Chastity, Meekness, Temperance, Love, and Fortitude) and 7 vices (Pride, Greed, Lust, Anger, Gluttony, Envy, and Sloth) and each pair can be compared. Pride is self-confidence taken to the extreme and Humility is confidence in new selves as reveled through Christ. Greed is our love of money run amok, while generosity is seeing money for what it really is, a means to an end and nothing more. Lust is our natural sexual desire taken to the extreme and Chastity is containing that same sexual desire within healthy boundaries until it can be fully expressed healthily in context of marriage. Anger is really our desire to control life lashing out uncontrolled, while Meekness is realizing that God is really the One in control after all and acting as such. Gluttony letting our desire to consume control our lives and bodies, and Temperance is learning to control that desire and others. Envy desires what others have while Love sees them for whom they really are. Sloth is doing nothing believing it all to futile anyway and Fortitude is seeing what needs to be done and doing it, knowing that God will help us do what we cannot. Each vice can be seen as a perversion of the good things God created in each of us, while each virtue is learning to express that good thing in healthy ways. In that light, one can almost see evil as merely the perversion of good, yet that might make one discount evil. While I do believe that evil is good perverted, that perverted good is still very potent. A jagged blade can still cut through flesh and bone and a poison can still weaken a person even when neutralized. In our daily lives, I think, we take strides each day either in the way of virtue or the way of vice. The question is do we let our desires control us through vice or gain control over them through virtue and Christ at work in us.
Life Update (5/1/07): Some Things Change . . .
In some ways my life has changed a bit over the past month or so. Then, in some ways, it’s still the same. About a month or so ago, my parents offered to finance me going into chaplaincy full-time. I took them up on that offer and quitting my PCA job. That enables me to do some volunteer chaplaincy work at St. Joseph’s in their Chemical Dependency Dept. while continuing to work for St. John’s, thus broadening my chaplaincy experience. At the same time I also resubmitted my papers to the BGC’s Ministerial Guidance Committee and got the go ahead to proceed to my church’s Ordination Council. So, my pastors are now reading through my papers and will soon meet with the Church Board and then convene the Ordination Council. If I get through that whole process, then the actual service will probably be sometime this Fall, I think. So, these days my life is still pretty busy, it’s just busy with different things.
Sunday, April 22, 2007
A poetic response to the violence during this past week
With the shooting at Virginia Tech, the ongoing conflict in Iraq and other violence this past week, I find myself reminded of a few poems and a song I once wrote:
Too Young
I saw him Thursday,
Who would have thought,
It would be the last time.
He died in random violence.
How or why, it doesn't matter.
He was too young
To Die
Too Young
To make a difference
And yet it hurts
That I will never see him again
I must admit, I didn't know him.
I just saw him in class.
But still I feel sad.
No one should be lost.
He was too young.
Another Life Ends
STAB! STAB! Darkness.
Another life ends. Another kid kills.
Another family mourns.
Another case begins.
What could be the motive?
Why him? Why now?
Now we recognize the violence.
Now it hits close to home.
What response is correct?
Is it payback time, or
Mourning time?
We don't need another death.
This violence must stop
Before it goes too far.
How many other lives must end
Before we realize the time has come?
Pray, Christians, pray.
Work, plan, work.
We all must do something.
We Are One
For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
-Galations 3:27-28
We are one in the Spirit; we are one in the Lord
We are one in the Spirit; we are one in the Lord
And we pray that our unity would one day be restored
And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love
And they’ll know we are Christians by our love.
We, Your children, have suffered injustice
We, Your children look to you for justice
Yet when we look deeper we find ourselves perplexed
For we see within ourselves the perpetrator of this affront
You created each of us unique
And we have tried to be all the same
You made us black, white, red, yellow
And we have tried to be gray
We have denied the very nature of our being as the image of God
And embraced our sinful dust essence.
You created all of us equal
And we have made inequality the rule.
Forgive us, O Lord
We have sinned against You and against each other.
Enable us to forgive each other.
Unify us by the power of the blood of Your Son
May we be servants of Thy peace,
Sowing unity where there is division,
Sowing reconciliation where there is racism
Sowing love where there is hatred
We repent, Abba.
Have mercy on us.
Transform our hearts.
Make us the people You desire us to be
And may we be one in You.
We are one in the Spirit; we are one in the Lord
We are one in the Spirit; we are one in the Lord
And we pray that our unity would one day be restored
And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love
And they’ll know we are Christians by our love.
All praise to the Father from Whom all things come,
And all praise to the Spirit Who makes us one,
And all praise to Christ Jesus His only Son,
And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love
And they’ll know we are Christians by our love
There is a White
There is a white for this black of ours.
It will show itself in its hour,
But we who hold it in our hearts,
No ray of dark can penetrate our parts.
But what of this light?
What use is it, if it cannot shine bright!
Too often we turn away its source.
We take out our swords,
Made by the hand of Satan,
And slash it into oblivion.
But this light cannot die.
It cannot be swept away.
There are those who have claimed it
And the light lives on in them.
The light has a place in all of our hearts.
Every single one must play its part.
Through them this world will change.
Through them it will exchange
Its darkness for the EVERLASTING LIGHT!
Too Young
I saw him Thursday,
Who would have thought,
It would be the last time.
He died in random violence.
How or why, it doesn't matter.
He was too young
To Die
Too Young
To make a difference
And yet it hurts
That I will never see him again
I must admit, I didn't know him.
I just saw him in class.
But still I feel sad.
No one should be lost.
He was too young.
Another Life Ends
STAB! STAB! Darkness.
Another life ends. Another kid kills.
Another family mourns.
Another case begins.
What could be the motive?
Why him? Why now?
Now we recognize the violence.
Now it hits close to home.
What response is correct?
Is it payback time, or
Mourning time?
We don't need another death.
This violence must stop
Before it goes too far.
How many other lives must end
Before we realize the time has come?
Pray, Christians, pray.
Work, plan, work.
We all must do something.
We Are One
For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
-Galations 3:27-28
We are one in the Spirit; we are one in the Lord
We are one in the Spirit; we are one in the Lord
And we pray that our unity would one day be restored
And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love
And they’ll know we are Christians by our love.
We, Your children, have suffered injustice
We, Your children look to you for justice
Yet when we look deeper we find ourselves perplexed
For we see within ourselves the perpetrator of this affront
You created each of us unique
And we have tried to be all the same
You made us black, white, red, yellow
And we have tried to be gray
We have denied the very nature of our being as the image of God
And embraced our sinful dust essence.
You created all of us equal
And we have made inequality the rule.
Forgive us, O Lord
We have sinned against You and against each other.
Enable us to forgive each other.
Unify us by the power of the blood of Your Son
May we be servants of Thy peace,
Sowing unity where there is division,
Sowing reconciliation where there is racism
Sowing love where there is hatred
We repent, Abba.
Have mercy on us.
Transform our hearts.
Make us the people You desire us to be
And may we be one in You.
We are one in the Spirit; we are one in the Lord
We are one in the Spirit; we are one in the Lord
And we pray that our unity would one day be restored
And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love
And they’ll know we are Christians by our love.
All praise to the Father from Whom all things come,
And all praise to the Spirit Who makes us one,
And all praise to Christ Jesus His only Son,
And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love
And they’ll know we are Christians by our love
There is a White
There is a white for this black of ours.
It will show itself in its hour,
But we who hold it in our hearts,
No ray of dark can penetrate our parts.
But what of this light?
What use is it, if it cannot shine bright!
Too often we turn away its source.
We take out our swords,
Made by the hand of Satan,
And slash it into oblivion.
But this light cannot die.
It cannot be swept away.
There are those who have claimed it
And the light lives on in them.
The light has a place in all of our hearts.
Every single one must play its part.
Through them this world will change.
Through them it will exchange
Its darkness for the EVERLASTING LIGHT!
Sunday, April 08, 2007
Chronic Worrier to Prayer Warrior
One day I was talking with a patient when I kept noticing that I was mishearing her. She spoke of how she was always worrying about various things. So much so that her doctor had even prescribed her some medicine to ease her anxiety. She kept on speaking of being a chronic “worrier” and I kept hearing her say “warrior”. At first I thought this was just my tiredness setting in. It is exhausting at times to be working two jobs and trying to be active in my church. Then it occurred to me that this mishearing could be intentional on God’s part. Maybe there was something He wanted me to notice here. So I mentioned this mishearing to the patient and thought aloud that maybe the next time she felt the urge to be a Chronic Worrier, she could, instead, turn her worry into prayer and there by become a Prayer Warrior. She commented that she had never thought about that way and thanked me for sharing that thought with her. I offered to pray for her and she accepted. So, we ended the visit in prayer and I headed off to visit another patient.
Friday, April 06, 2007
Good Friday Poems
Here are a few of my poems appropriate for this Most Holy Day when Christ died to save us from our sins and bring us back to God:
This Cross
I wear this cross around my neck to remind me
To remind me that I am no longer my own
To remind me that I have been bought with a price
To remind me that 2,000 years ago He died in my place
He took the blame that should have been mine
He took the pain that should have been mine
Every bad thought that goes through my head
Every terrible deed that I take part in
Every sin that I commit
Was summed up in those six hours He spent dying on this cross.
This cross reminds me that I have a Savior
No longer must I go it alone
This cross reminds me that I have a Father
No longer must I be a prodigal son
This cross reminds me that I have a family
No longer am I the only one
This cross reminds me of a Man who cared.
He cared for the homeless
He cared for the lonely
He cared for the brokenhearted
He cared for those without a heart
He cared for those society tears apart
He cared for sinners like you and me
He cared for everyone that we do and do not see.
He cared and He still cares
This cross stands for grace
Of greater worth than any gold
This cross stands for mercy
Enough to cover the greatest of sinners a hundred times over
This cross stands for strength
His made perfect in our weakness
This cross stands for power
An immeasurable amount to awesome to even comprehend
This cross stands for love
Unlike any ever imagined or seen
This cross stands for compassion
To receive back a wayward soul that cost Him His own life.
This cross stands for Jesus, my Savior and my Lord!
Born Cracked
Born into the world a cracked vessel needing to be filled
The world she offers many things to fill it
Yet I always come back wanting more
Each things feels right at first
But in time they all turn up lacking
Back in the garden we knew what it was to be filled
Back in the garden we knew what it was to be loved
Back in the garden we knew what it was to be accepted
Dear God why did we ever turn away from You the True Source
Cursed to walk this world abandoned, though we are never alone
You pursue us day and night yet still we run
Unable to turn, unable to be filled
Until by grace You extend the hand
And turn us around in Your Embrace
The cross made this possible
The blood of Jesus fills our cracked vessel
His Blood seals the crack
In Him we are filled
In Him we are loved
In Him we are accepted
Though I know of His Love for me
Though I have soaked in the blood
Still my vessel leaks
Many are the times I know not filling
Many are the times I know not love
Many are the times I know not acceptance
Why is this the case?
Dear God extend Your Hand
Dear God send down Your Grace
Turn me around full in Your Embrace.
Nothing?
My children, I came to live with you.
I gave up My crown and throne to come be with you.
For 33 years I spoke truth and taught My ways.
Though I spoke the truth with love . . .
Still you heard what you wanted.
I spoke of love and grace,
You hear works and striving.
Does it mean nothing to you?
My children, I died for you.
For a long way I carried your sin.
I wore the crown of suffering.
You nailed Me to your cross.
For six hours I hung there praying for you.
I prayed for God to take My life.
To take it as payment for your debts.
I breathed My last in love.
Does it mean nothing?
My children, I stand before you.
My hands outstretched in love.
Look, see My hands and My feet.
The wounds that speak of sacrifice.
These wounds shed blood mixed with tears.
My children, I love you!
Does it mean nothing?
My children, you say it means everything.
You stand and sing My praises.
You claim My cross for your cause.
Yet your actions glorify Me not.
Your lips speak My Word.
Yet your heart plays a different chord.
Does it mean nothing?
Does it mean nothing to you?
DOES IT MEAN NOTHING?
DOES IT MEAN NOTHING TO YOU?
There is a White
There is a white for this black of ours.
It will show itself in its hour,
But we who hold it in our hearts,
No ray of dark can penetrate our parts.
But what of this light?
What use is it, if it cannot shine bright!
Too often we turn away its source.
We take out our swords,
Made by the hand of Satan,
And slash it into oblivion.
But this light cannot die.
It cannot be swept away.
There are those who have claimed it
And the light lives on in them.
The light has a place in all of our hearts.
Every single one must play its part.
Through them this world will change.
Through them it will exchange
Its darkness for the EVERLASTING LIGHT!
Forgiven
I have already forgiven your sin.
Why do you bring it before Me again?
I have already washed you clean.
Why do you insist on playing in the dirt?
Accept My forgiveness.
Receive My cleansing.
Why do you cling to that which I have already released you from?
Why do you remain in the dungeon?
The chains have already been broken and the key thrown away.
The gates of iron have been flung wide open
And yet still you cower in the cage of your own making
The light has been shown forth
Yet you prefer the darkness
What more can I do for you, My child?
How else can I bid you come?
The table has already been set and the dinner bell is ringing
Is it possible you have not heard Me calling?
Answer Me and I will give you the desires of your heart.
I am your Father and have always been faithful.
Is this not the truth?
Listen to your heart, My child.
You know Who I am.
You have always known.
Come unto me, O Desire of my heart!
Beckon me unto Your Feast, O Satisfier of my deepest hunger!
Dance with Me, O Romancer of my soul!
Set me beside the still waters, O Author of my peace!
Run with me, O my Ever True Companion
Guide my steps. O Victorious Winner of the race set before me!
You Who began this good work in me,
You are my Faithful Father
And You will finish what You have started!
Yes, You will finish what you have started!
To remind me that I am no longer my own
To remind me that I have been bought with a price
To remind me that 2,000 years ago He died in my place
He took the blame that should have been mine
He took the pain that should have been mine
Every bad thought that goes through my head
Every terrible deed that I take part in
Every sin that I commit
Was summed up in those six hours He spent dying on this cross.
This cross reminds me that I have a Savior
No longer must I go it alone
This cross reminds me that I have a Father
No longer must I be a prodigal son
This cross reminds me that I have a family
No longer am I the only one
This cross reminds me of a Man who cared.
He cared for the homeless
He cared for the lonely
He cared for the brokenhearted
He cared for those without a heart
He cared for those society tears apart
He cared for sinners like you and me
He cared for everyone that we do and do not see.
He cared and He still cares
This cross stands for grace
Of greater worth than any gold
This cross stands for mercy
Enough to cover the greatest of sinners a hundred times over
This cross stands for strength
His made perfect in our weakness
This cross stands for power
An immeasurable amount to awesome to even comprehend
This cross stands for love
Unlike any ever imagined or seen
This cross stands for compassion
To receive back a wayward soul that cost Him His own life.
This cross stands for Jesus, my Savior and my Lord!
Born Cracked
Born into the world a cracked vessel needing to be filled
The world she offers many things to fill it
Yet I always come back wanting more
Each things feels right at first
But in time they all turn up lacking
Back in the garden we knew what it was to be filled
Back in the garden we knew what it was to be loved
Back in the garden we knew what it was to be accepted
Dear God why did we ever turn away from You the True Source
Cursed to walk this world abandoned, though we are never alone
You pursue us day and night yet still we run
Unable to turn, unable to be filled
Until by grace You extend the hand
And turn us around in Your Embrace
The cross made this possible
The blood of Jesus fills our cracked vessel
His Blood seals the crack
In Him we are filled
In Him we are loved
In Him we are accepted
Though I know of His Love for me
Though I have soaked in the blood
Still my vessel leaks
Many are the times I know not filling
Many are the times I know not love
Many are the times I know not acceptance
Why is this the case?
Dear God extend Your Hand
Dear God send down Your Grace
Turn me around full in Your Embrace.
Nothing?
My children, I came to live with you.
I gave up My crown and throne to come be with you.
For 33 years I spoke truth and taught My ways.
Though I spoke the truth with love . . .
Still you heard what you wanted.
I spoke of love and grace,
You hear works and striving.
Does it mean nothing to you?
My children, I died for you.
For a long way I carried your sin.
I wore the crown of suffering.
You nailed Me to your cross.
For six hours I hung there praying for you.
I prayed for God to take My life.
To take it as payment for your debts.
I breathed My last in love.
Does it mean nothing?
My children, I stand before you.
My hands outstretched in love.
Look, see My hands and My feet.
The wounds that speak of sacrifice.
These wounds shed blood mixed with tears.
My children, I love you!
Does it mean nothing?
My children, you say it means everything.
You stand and sing My praises.
You claim My cross for your cause.
Yet your actions glorify Me not.
Your lips speak My Word.
Yet your heart plays a different chord.
Does it mean nothing?
Does it mean nothing to you?
DOES IT MEAN NOTHING?
DOES IT MEAN NOTHING TO YOU?
There is a White
There is a white for this black of ours.
It will show itself in its hour,
But we who hold it in our hearts,
No ray of dark can penetrate our parts.
But what of this light?
What use is it, if it cannot shine bright!
Too often we turn away its source.
We take out our swords,
Made by the hand of Satan,
And slash it into oblivion.
But this light cannot die.
It cannot be swept away.
There are those who have claimed it
And the light lives on in them.
The light has a place in all of our hearts.
Every single one must play its part.
Through them this world will change.
Through them it will exchange
Its darkness for the EVERLASTING LIGHT!
Forgiven
I have already forgiven your sin.
Why do you bring it before Me again?
I have already washed you clean.
Why do you insist on playing in the dirt?
Accept My forgiveness.
Receive My cleansing.
Why do you cling to that which I have already released you from?
Why do you remain in the dungeon?
The chains have already been broken and the key thrown away.
The gates of iron have been flung wide open
And yet still you cower in the cage of your own making
The light has been shown forth
Yet you prefer the darkness
What more can I do for you, My child?
How else can I bid you come?
The table has already been set and the dinner bell is ringing
Is it possible you have not heard Me calling?
Answer Me and I will give you the desires of your heart.
I am your Father and have always been faithful.
Is this not the truth?
Listen to your heart, My child.
You know Who I am.
You have always known.
Come unto me, O Desire of my heart!
Beckon me unto Your Feast, O Satisfier of my deepest hunger!
Dance with Me, O Romancer of my soul!
Set me beside the still waters, O Author of my peace!
Run with me, O my Ever True Companion
Guide my steps. O Victorious Winner of the race set before me!
You Who began this good work in me,
You are my Faithful Father
And You will finish what You have started!
Yes, You will finish what you have started!
Monday, April 02, 2007
Meaningful Words (4/3/07)
Here’s a couple poems, one for each theme presented in this letter; my struggle and call fleshed out in my poetry:
Thank you again, each an every one of you, for joining with me this month as I share my ministry with you in this fashion. Thank you especially, those who feel God’s call in their lives to pray for me and answer Him. Your prayers constantly fill me the strength and courage to persevere on. Now, as Jude once said, “To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy - to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen” (Jude 24-25).
When Sorrow Abounds
When sorrow abounds
Let Your Love surround us
When the cry of our broken hearts rings from the depths
Incline Your ear, O Lord, and listen to our breaths
You are Jesus, Bearer of our grief
You are our Savior, our only relief
You are God, the Father of all comfort
In this our time of need, be not our last resort
You are the Holy Spirit, Who dwells in our heart
From Your life may we never depart
We are Your children, the sheep of Your fold
Come, O God, fall upon us manifold
We need Your saving grace
Enfold us Father in Your embrace
We need Your Truth from Your Word
Come, Spirit, and penetrate us with Your sword
In You we find life
And solace for our strife
In You we find forgiveness
And strength in our weakness
And though Your gift costs us nothing,
We can never be the same.
For everything changes in the presence of Your Name
You are love and life enfleshed
In You our hearts will never be famished
In You is everything we need
In our hearts, come, plant Your seed
Let Your Spirit dwell within us
Be our heart and soul focus
We are Your children, the sheep of Your hand
On You let us with everything depend
A Blessing for the Man of God
Fall upon this man, O God of our Fathers
May Your Presence surround him
Command Your angels to encamp about him
That the arrows of the enemy may ever fail and fall short
Guard his heart
May Your streams of living water flow ever from her
Keep her undivided in her focus
Ever attentive to You, her Lord and King
Take captive his mind for you, O Holy Spirit
Renew, rewire, and reconfigure it
May it be no longer conformed to this world
Transform it with Your ever Refining Fire
May Your Peace fill his life
Direct the paths of his soul
Recapture it with Your love
Keep it healthy and ever devoted to You
You, O Jesus, Lover of his soul
Take Your Blood, O Jesus, and cleanse his eyes
May your living water flow over them, washing away all remnants of sin
Keep them pure, O Jesus, for they are the portals of all within
Keep his ears attuned to You, O Holy Spirit
Help him discern Your Voice among all those waging for his attention
May Your Words be ever upon his lips, O Lord
May his mouth hang open expectantly
Longing for Your Command
Break free his hands and feet for their shackles
May they be swift and beautiful for Thee
When sorrow abounds
Let Your Love surround us
When the cry of our broken hearts rings from the depths
Incline Your ear, O Lord, and listen to our breaths
You are Jesus, Bearer of our grief
You are our Savior, our only relief
You are God, the Father of all comfort
In this our time of need, be not our last resort
You are the Holy Spirit, Who dwells in our heart
From Your life may we never depart
We are Your children, the sheep of Your fold
Come, O God, fall upon us manifold
We need Your saving grace
Enfold us Father in Your embrace
We need Your Truth from Your Word
Come, Spirit, and penetrate us with Your sword
In You we find life
And solace for our strife
In You we find forgiveness
And strength in our weakness
And though Your gift costs us nothing,
We can never be the same.
For everything changes in the presence of Your Name
You are love and life enfleshed
In You our hearts will never be famished
In You is everything we need
In our hearts, come, plant Your seed
Let Your Spirit dwell within us
Be our heart and soul focus
We are Your children, the sheep of Your hand
On You let us with everything depend
A Blessing for the Man of God
Fall upon this man, O God of our Fathers
May Your Presence surround him
Command Your angels to encamp about him
That the arrows of the enemy may ever fail and fall short
Guard his heart
May Your streams of living water flow ever from her
Keep her undivided in her focus
Ever attentive to You, her Lord and King
Take captive his mind for you, O Holy Spirit
Renew, rewire, and reconfigure it
May it be no longer conformed to this world
Transform it with Your ever Refining Fire
May Your Peace fill his life
Direct the paths of his soul
Recapture it with Your love
Keep it healthy and ever devoted to You
You, O Jesus, Lover of his soul
Take Your Blood, O Jesus, and cleanse his eyes
May your living water flow over them, washing away all remnants of sin
Keep them pure, O Jesus, for they are the portals of all within
Keep his ears attuned to You, O Holy Spirit
Help him discern Your Voice among all those waging for his attention
May Your Words be ever upon his lips, O Lord
May his mouth hang open expectantly
Longing for Your Command
Break free his hands and feet for their shackles
May they be swift and beautiful for Thee
Thank you again, each an every one of you, for joining with me this month as I share my ministry with you in this fashion. Thank you especially, those who feel God’s call in their lives to pray for me and answer Him. Your prayers constantly fill me the strength and courage to persevere on. Now, as Jude once said, “To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy - to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen” (Jude 24-25).
Sharing My Life (4/3/07): Being a Hope-Bringer
Another question my friends often ask me is how I deal with all the death I see in my job. After all, most weeks I am called to minister to a number of families who are either in the process of losing or have lost a family member. To be honest, it was hard at first. Then God reminded me that death is not the final chapter. Those people who are dying are now returning to the God Who loving brought them into this world in the first place and has been compassionately pursing them ever since (Ephesians 1-2). Now it is true that some have never received God’s pursuant compassionate love and I do believe that God, in His mercy will grant them their life long pursuit and finally leave them alone (Hebrews 10:26-30). Yet to those who believe, God has promised to receive them in to the place He has been preparing for them since before they were even born (John 14:2-3). That later truth is the one I share with those who are grieving. I remind them that though their loved ones are not here any more in bodily form, they live on in the memories of their loved ones and in their hearts as they continue to love them with their lives. Even more I encourage the families of those I know are with God, that they will see their loved ones again when it is their time to go and be with Him. That is the hope I bring them and because of that hope, I often leave their presence fulfilled, knowing God’s love is present and encouraging them in their grief.
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