Tag Archives: God

A NEW DAY

5 Apr

We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: 2 Peter 1:19

…

You take the darkness of night,

Through the chill of dawn,

And burst forth the morning sky,

Opening in fragrant gold,

As a beautiful yellow rose bud,

Firm yet delicate,

Opening its vulnerable petals,

To bless the waiting soul.

…

The colors race across the sky,

Painted by the wings of Angels.

The sun rises,

Orchestrating warmth and life,

Bringing hope.

…

It’s a new day!

…

And as these miracles of morning,

These miracles of life,

Explode all around,

So many pass right by,

Unaware.

…

My Spirit cries out,

“Look what God has done,

Look what He has made for you.”

They pass right by,

Unaware.

…

Let me always cling,

To the miracles of the moment,

Always aware,

Always grateful,

For the hand of God.

Written 4-2-97

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CYCLE

5 Apr

And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest. Exodus 33:14

…

The rose bushes are pruned and bare, dormant.

The valleys are brown, dry.

The air is crisp, clean, clear.

…

Crystals of cold hang in the air, waiting.

From the first appearance,

It seems as though death has come to overcome.

Look closer still.

…

The cold releases dew, seeping deep underground.

The brief glimpses of sunlight beacon tender buds,

Soon the cycle of life resumes.

…

Like seasoned Christians;

Pruned, trimmed, resting.

The Love of God surges forth,

When weariness gives way to rest in the Son.

 

 

Written 2-6-2002

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A BRAND NEW DAY

4 Apr

 

“For now we see in a mirror, darkly, but then face to face.

Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.

And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”

1 Corinthians 13: 12-13

 

Steam from the frigid water,

Rises up to kiss the sun.

Birds shake loose the morning dew,

And sing the sweetest song.

The leaves and petals raise their face,

To drink the first rays of day.

Music fills the air, chasing away the cold darkness,

Of the night.

Clouds part, allowing the gold and purple hues,

To dance across the sky.

Webs glisten in intricate geometric patterns.

Tiny footprints grace the fresh morning soil.

It’s a brand new day and God has given His first gift.

Lord, teach me to see with spiritual eyes,

The same daily beauty I see in the natural.

Remove the scales of circumstance,

That cloud my spiritual vision.

Help me to receive Your morning kiss,

With more joy and admiration,

Than simple nature.

Help me to receive the miracle of NOW.

 

Written 6-15-2002

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SECRET PLACE

22 Dec

“He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. [2] I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.”   Psalm 91:1-2

—

I have a secret place,

That I alone know.

—

A place I call my own,

Where my Father and I,

Laugh together,

And cry together,

Face to face.

—

It’s a very special place,

I can travel to at will,

Without ever leaving,

The place where I stand.

—

In that secret place,

I see the face of God.

—

Sometimes in a stranger,

Sometimes in the sky,

As I bask in His Holy Creation.

—

My secret place has flowers,

And birds,

And streams,

And fields,

Sweet fragrances of memories,

And music that fills my soul,

Things that bring me closer,

To my Father’s voice.

—

You may sit right near me,

And never see me leave,

But you’ll notice a different glow,

That saturates my spirit,

And lifts me every upward.

—

My secret place can’t be found,

By anybody else.

But yours, my friend,

Waits for you,

Deep within your heart.

 

—

Written 6-16-00

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The Mother

22 Dec

“… how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings…” Luke 13:34

—

A belt of Gold brings together

A Garment of Praise,

Purple and Azure,

And a covering of Righteousness

White and Pure.

—

A Crown of Royalty rests on her Head,

Wrapped in Purple,

Yet unadorned,

For the Wedding Day has not yet come.

—

Majestic Arms,

Strong and Firm,

Reach out to the Nations,

Then gather back together the wounded and grieved,

In a warm embrace.

—

Standing firm,

On a strong foundation,

Not gilded or adorned with useless jewelry,

Set soundly on a true doctrine,

That none may cover.

—

She pours out the sustenance needed,

To strengthen the Saints of God.

—

One vessel holding the Priest’s share of the sacrifices,

Brought to the Brazen Altar,

Given graciously to those who hunger.

—

One vessel holds the precious food of the Spirit,

The Word of God,

Served to build the body of faith.

—

Eyes keenly upon the task at hand,

Not to the left or the right.

—

Face radiant with the glory of God,

Anointed to shepherd the people,

Those unwanted by the church of glass and velvet,

Those needing the foundation and guidance,

To heal.

—

The hand of the 5-fold ministry,

Carefully pours the anointing out,

To those appointed to fulfill the need.

—

The Mother,

The Church,

Will rise,

Bearing the vessels of truth and righteousness,

On its shoulders,

Looking for a people, to dip and drink.

—

It will rise in strength and confidence,

Knowing her place.

—

Only setting her work aside,

For a moment,

That moment when she embraces her children,

Blessing them and sending them forward,

To find their place.

—

Then lifting her vessels again,

Placing them firmly upon her shoulders,

She presses onward.

—

Written 10-11-01

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JOY

22 Dec

“I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them.”  John 17:13

—

I hold in my hand,

the gift of Joy.

—

It’s my gift,

to do with,

what I will.

—

I can place it in my pocket,

hide it from the world,

enjoy it only in my private place,

where no one else can see.

—

Or I can choose to share it,

with a friend,

with a stranger,

with you.

—

It takes courage to remove it,

from my hand,

and place it,

into my heart,

where it can be criticized,

ridiculed,

shared.

—

It’s my gift,

and it’s my choice.

—

God gave it to me,

to do as I will,

In hopes that I will do,

His will,

and give it,

to you.

 

 

—

Written 11-21-98

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MOAB IS MY WASHPOT

24 Nov

Psalm 60 and Psalm 108

—

I have been set between two warring factions,

Each is dear to my heart.

—

I stand between the two and push each back,

Trying in the physical to do that,

Which only the spiritual can change.

—

The anger and violence that explodes is frightening,

It cannot continue – it must not.

—

One faction leaves in rage,

Tainting the lives of those left behind.

—

I grieve.

I grieve in travail that seemingly,

Cannot be quenched.

—

I pray and clean my house,

I pray and stand in faith,

I pray and wait for my miracle,

It is taking so long.

—

“Moab is my washpot,” says God,

my thorn, of incestuous birth,

and my cleansing bowl.

—

Moab is my washpot,

A chosen outsider that I love,

With all of my heart.

—

I long to draw him close,

Yet he has pushed me far away.

—

I kneel before God,

Cleansing my past,

Cleansing my generations,

Cleansing the ground on which I stand,

Cleansing the future for my family to come.

—

As I prepare a new path,

A new home, a new way,

The heaviness of anger and grief lift.

—

When my loved one returns,

Peace will overcome turmoil,

Love will overcome rage.

—

There will be much pain to be healed,

There will be times of testing,

Times of patience,

Times of re-washing and cleansing,

Times of reconciliation.

—

I bless God for the times that Moab rose up,

For we had a mere existence,

An acceptance of the way things were,

Things that were not right.

—

Without Moab, things might never have changed,

Now God can work His will,

In drawing us together,

The way we should have always been,

But couldn’t find the way.

—

Thank you God, for the trial of Moab.

 

 

—

Written 2-8-2001

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Only By Faith

24 Nov

And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace. Luke 7:50

—

By faith stood Abraham,

in the promise of Isaac.

—

By grace it came to pass.

overcoming natural life,

birthing a child,

in a lonely golden year.

—

Faith took the promise,

and blew life into lifelessness.

—

Faith saw Isaac as the sown seed,

laughter come at last,

then grace matured it,

multiplying it.

—

Fourteen generations flowed,

from Abraham to David,

through Jacob and Obed,

and Jesse.

—

Fourteen generations flowed from David,

until the carrying away into Babylon,

through Solomon,

through Manasses,

through Josias.

—

Then fourteen more flowed,

from Babylon to Christ,

the Word manifest in flesh,

the Keeper of eternity.

Through Achim,

Eleazar to Jacob,

the father of Joseph,

the husband of Mary,

the mother of Christ.

—

By faith did Mary accept the promise,

that grew within her womb.

—

By faith did Joseph accept Mary,

heavy with child,

not of his loins,

not of his love.

—

By grace they stood as one,

on a destined night,

the sky brightened,

by the Glory of God,

in the shape of a star,

pointing down to the Son.

—

By faith Joseph took Jesus,

adopted now,

into the lineage of Abraham,

adopted now,

as a child of promise.

—

By grace Joseph watched,

as He grew to a man,

well before His years.

—

Our perfect pattern,

our Shepherd and King.

—

Now, by faith, we trust in His Word,

our heritage blessed by driven saints,

and tarnished by those who did evil,

in the sight of the Lord.

—

By faith are we accepted,

are we adopted,

into His kingdom,

joint-heirs with Christ,

children of promise,

just as He did,

so long ago.

—

By grace will we walk,

in His footsteps,

as best as we are able,

crying out for strength,

for peace, for love.

—

By faith we receive all,

grace has promised,

and more,

for only by our limited faith,

can we see into,

God’s limitless plan.

 

—

Written 11/8/98

 

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Jesus Looks Beyond

23 Nov

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Jeremiah 29:11

—

I’ve never thought much about my abilities, but my inabilities come up and sting me all the time. As I age and become more “wise” I discover that my physical abilities and stamina wan. How could I possibly make a difference in God’s Kingdom; I can’t even open my own water battle half the time.

I think of great people who have made an incredible impact on God’s people; the sacrifices they made, the changes that took place because they took a stand and reached out to hurting people. I see Mother Teresa holding dying people in Calcutta and Billy Graham standing at a podium, speaking to tens of thousands of people about God’s glory. I see A. A. Allen standing in a faith so strong that he laid hands on the hopelessly ill and they became whole. I see Kathryn Kuhlman’s faith and the lives that she touched. How could I ever make a difference in God’s Kingdom; I have nothing? God, how can I make a difference?

I spent time watching these great people on YouTube clips and it all became very clear to me. Each person we call “great” were simple people who recognized their own frailties and inabilities. They were available humble vessels who believed in the power of God to do all things. They realized that in and of themselves, they were nothing – just like me.

God, let me always remember that I am nothing more than an empty vessel, filled with the Holy Spirit. Help me to realize that although I am nothing, when yielded to your plan and guidance, miracles can happen. In my inability, God, You can build a church.

 

—

Written 1-14-2010

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DEAD BRANCHES

19 Nov

 

”But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.” Matthew 18:6 (KJV)

 

Many years ago we experienced a winter far colder than any other I had experienced. Lakes frozen over, streets frozen over, chunks of ice were inches thick on the electrical and telephone wires all over town. People couldn’t drive their cars up the steep streets of Prescott, AZ. Police officers were turning lines of cars around in an attempt to reduce further accidents. It was COLD!

 On a warm afternoon, several months later, I was enjoying a quiet moment on my front porch. There was a light breeze blowing and suddenly a large branch fell out of our tree in the front yard. The tree was beautiful green and full with leaves. There wasn’t any sign of dead branches, until this one fell.

 I wandered over and looked up into the tree. It looked green and healthy. I looked from a different angle; green and . . . oh, wait, what was the brown in the middle? I brought over a ladder and looked closer – dead branches. There were a number of dead branches broken loose from the tree, being held in place by the new growth, waiting for a wind to set them loose. I suspect that these branches were broken loose by the heavy ice that had rested there in the months before. I pulled a few of the branches out and left those that were out of easy reach.

 It made me think about new Christians and how they have broken and wounded spirits that are hiding in their newly born lives. Lives full of enthusiasm and desire to grow with Jesus, covering over the brokenness and wounds that first drew them to Jesus. They look fresh and beautiful on the outside, hiding the pain inside.

 So many times we rejoice with their salvation and ignore the task set before us to help them grow. We often think they’ll find their own way to their faith and the truth. We might “toss” a scripture their way if they ask a specific question or two, but don’t get too involved in explaining what it means. After a while they become discouraged and disappear.

These “Babies” need someone to come along and embrace them, pray with them, teach them to let go and allow the pain and wounds to drop away through the healing of Jesus. Like us, they are called to be fountains of living water. They are to grow and be pruned by the Master, just like we were. They will be shaken clean by the winds of trial. Their roots will grow strong with dedicated study, prayer and intercession. But, only if we will teach them how.

 What sort of witness are we if we spend our time preening ourselves and not guiding them along the way? Do we allow them to be tossed by the winds of doctrine, or do we show them how to receive the wind of the Spirit and the healing Word of God? Do we allow them to wander and be confused by tempting spirits, or do we teach them to discern and recognize the truth? Do we brush away the dead branches we can easily see and leave the deepest, furthest away to remain? Or do we dedicate our works to intercession and instruction, so that they can recognize the things in their lives that they have the authority to cleanse away themselves. Do we care?

 God, help me to never forget how confused and lost I was when I first came to You. Help me to remember the outstretched hands and dedicated prayers that lead me to a strong knowledge of You. Help me remember how strong the pull was to give up and walk away when things just didn’t make sense, and the joy of breaking through with a well guided word and a moment of encouragement. Help me to be the example to help others find true relationship with You.

—

By Linda J. Humes

Written 10-1-2012

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