Tag Archives: Pride

WHICH SIDE

17 Sep

He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad. Matthew 12:30 KJV

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When tempests boil and turn,

This way and that,

Uprooting all you find sacred,

All you find worthy –

On which side of the cross do you rest?

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When your thoughts are so strained,

Facts threaten your hope,

Doubts threaten your faith –

On which side of the cross do you rest?

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When your family and friends,

Dwell on sorrows and pain,

Straining joy,

Stretching joy,

Quenching joy –

On which side of the cross do you rest?

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When you’ve let promise down,

To the ones that you love,

To yourself,

To your dreams –

On which side of the cross do you rest?

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Do you curse and cry out,

Blaming God in the dusk,

Screaming “why” in self-pity,

In pride?

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Or do you lay yourself down,

At the foot of the cross,

And rest in His promise,

His love?

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Written 6-20-1998

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OH, COME NOW

13 Sep

“But I have said unto you, Ye shall inherit their land, and I will give it unto you to possess it, a land that floweth with milk and honey: I am the Lord your God, which have separated you from other people.” Leviticus 20:24

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In the challenge of tomorrow,

The world can be so cold,

We are called to shine as beacons,

A task not easily done.

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Yet we walk with pride and victory,

Because we know what’s to come,

As we’re singing hallelujah,

Oh, Lord, we’re coming home.

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Oh, come now,

Sweet Spirit,

Sweet Honey from above,

Precious Bread that’s never gone.

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Bring Rivers,

Of Water,

To lead me along,

As the Spirit takes me home.

 

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  Written as a song – 1991

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Daughter of Zion

11 Jul

 

woman-bowing-down-prayer

Micah 4:8-10  And thou, O tower of the flock, the strong hold of the daughter of Zion, unto thee shall it come, even the first dominion; the kingdom shall come to the daughter of Jerusalem. [9] Now why dost thou cry out aloud? is there no king in thee? is thy counsellor perished? for pangs have taken thee as a woman in travail. [10] Be in pain, and labour to bring forth, O daughter of Zion, like a woman in travail: for now shalt thou go forth out of the city, and thou shalt dwell in the field, and thou shalt go even to Babylon; there shalt thou be delivered; there the Lord shall redeem thee from the hand of thine enemies. . . . . [13]  Arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion: for I will make thine horn iron, and I will make thy hoofs brass: and thou shalt beat in pieces many people: and I will consecrate their gain unto the Lord, and their substance unto the Lord of the whole earth.

 

Why do you weep,

Daughter of Zion?

Have you forgotten who you are?

At the hem of your garment,

Cling the children of Israel,

Dare they see your tears?

 

Why do you cry out,

Daughter of Zion?

Your voice was created,

To put your enemy,

In his place,

Beneath your feet,

Far from the children,

You protect.

 

Let your tears be saved,

For intercession,

And your crying out,

To birth a new mission,

That your children,

Will take forth.

 

Forget not that you are birthed,

Of royalty.

A king and a priest.

Stand your station,

And raise your head high.

 

Forget not that you were birthed,

To counsel.

Prepared to call forth,

The promises and armies,

Of God.

 

Reclaim the territory,

Stolen by the enemy,

The cities and the lands,

That once were a testimony,

To the One true God.

 

Stand in faith,

And watch the evil,

Slither away,

As the hand of the Lord,

Forbids its sting.

 

Stand up,

Daughter of Zion,

With dignity

And righteous pride,

For what is yours.

 

Don’t let the momentary pain,

The enemy has wrought,

Overcome the truth,

Of who you are.

 

Stand up,

Daughter of Zion.

For into your hand,

Have I placed the hope,

Of the Nations.

 

Stand Up!

 

 

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SNOWMAN

27 Apr

Snowman

By Linda J. Humes

“As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” 1 Peter 4:10

Thanksgiving had just passed and Christmas was fast approaching. The skies took on an ashen gray color and the breeze cut to the bone. There was no doubt that winter had arrived. We woke one morning with a thin blanket of snow all around. School was delayed and the children ran anxiously to play. Red ears and noses bounced in and out of sight as snowball fights raged all around. Off to work I drove, careful of all the familiar curves and hills where ice glazed under the snow.

As I drove to town I saw clumps of snow fall from the electrical lines that trailed alongside and crossed over the street. The rising sun gave them a rhythm that caused them to fall in patterns – they seemed to be “playing,” falling in domino succession.

Next were the tree branches, warming just enough to drop entire branches of piled snow and dripping icicles. It put a smile on my face that remained throughout the day. It made me think of a large shaggy dog tossing snow from his coat as he fiercely shook.

After work I drove past the golf course. The snow was thinner, but the coating still clean and fresh – at least until I reached the farthest field. There were footprints and scoop marks across a 40’ circular area, down to mud and leaves. And in the very center stood a small snow man, no taller than 2’ – not exactly white, not exactly round, no where close to picture perfect. It was clear that the group that put this treasure together scrapped every possible flake, and a little mud, and a few leaves, and did the best they could do to pat it together.

The heads in every car that passed by turned to look. Smiles crossed their faces. Perhaps it brought memories of first snowmen, perhaps a time of freeness – playing in the snow and sharing a silly time. I thought of how long it must have taken and how proud some youngster must be to have “created” a small snowman.

For days after pieces remained. Melting took its toll, and all signs soon disappeared. I’ve thought about that snowman so many times. I thought about how we touch the lives of others, perhaps as a memory, perhaps as a time of freeness. I’ve thought that even when we’ve gone a little bit of us remains behind, sometimes for a brief time, sometimes as a lasting touch on the lives of another.

Soon there will be other days of snow and snowmen, but the memory of the first will always remain. Lord, help me to be a lasting memory, a lasting touch, in the lives of others – bringing a moment of peace and freeness. Let me be a little bit of YOU, spread throughout the world.

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