Friday, December 29, 2006

Jesus Ain't No Super-Hero

Jesus isn't a superhero
He can't fly around with a cape

He isn't some street vigilante
Who shows up to prevent a rape

Jesus isn't like Superman
You can poke holes in him and he'll bleed

And Jesus isn't like Midas,
He won't give you the cash that you need

Jesus won't topple a Hitler
Jesus won't gentrify your town
Jesus won't feed your children
Or cheer them when they're feeling down

But Jesus has one super power
Some claim that it is the best,
Jesus can save human souls
-it's our job to do all the rest.

Thursday, December 28, 2006

Don't Feed Satan

Christ charges us to be wise in our efforts and prudent with our resources, and for good reason.

It is very easy to hear the word, and rejoice, and try to serve, but have all one's efforts be absorbed in dealing with the unimportant cares of this world.

It is not in the best interests of The Light if you find yourself spending your time and treasure on that which does not last, or which helps few.

There are needy people in the world who will absorb every ounce of your effort and money. There are greedy people in the world who will do the same. The government can absorb huge amounts of money and paperwork.

Where you can, you should minimize the time and money spent on these things. To the degree you can, you must cut Satan out of your payroll, and out of your schedule.

Don't spend your efforts on endeavors which are gone in a moment.
Don't do 'what is percieved as proper' if that time and treasure could be spent getting someone to a new place, teaching someone, creating opportunities, or doing something else of real long-term worth.

To some degree the world will insist you waste your time and treasure. It will insist that you feed Satan. And you can spend all your time fighting to keep your treasure out of Satan's hands, or vice-versa.

Here is where we must be wise in our use of our time. Cut Satan out wherever you can, but don't waste your time on battles that you won't win, and that will use up your time.

Come up with an idea of what your time is worth, and use it to evaluate your efforts. Spend your time and treasure generously, but wisely.

Make Satan work for your money, and spend for his time with you. Make him make appointments with you, take out your trash, help someone along the way. But be diligent, lest in shorting Satan, you are unjust to someone else. Be as wise as you are able, and as kind as you can afford.

But don't ever miss a chance to share love, if you can help it. Because love, unlike time and treasure, only increases when it is spent.

All My Love to You

Wednesday, December 27, 2006

Listen...

Have you listened to your personal prayer lately? What do you pray?
is it rote, or personal? Is it all complaints, or all thanksgivings? Do you tell God your concerns? Do you wait for, or look for answers? Do you write down your prayers? Do you stop praying, or do you try to keep the conversation going? Would you want to be on the other end of your prayer life? How do you pray? Have you listened to your personal prayer lately?

Monday, December 25, 2006

Not a Fallen, But an Arisen World

Sometimes I get glimpses
Of how we are supposed to be
"Oh, That's How It Is!"
And how far short of the mark we, I fall.

Is it a sign of a fallen world,
The fallen world we live in?

No, it is a sign of the growing,
Created world we live in,

Where The Friend shows us the next step,
What is and might be possible.

To encourage us.
To lead and guide us.

We are beings of great potential.
In a world of amazing possibilities.

Have faith.
God did not create a purgatory for his flock,
Nor did he create a gilded cage.

We are here to struggle, learn, and gow,
And strive towards a better world.

There is work to do here.

Go forth to love, and serve the Lord

Digg This

Sunday, December 24, 2006

Nova

It really only takes one known star to find your way.

But we have constellations of stars

Billions and billions

Wheeling in a celestial dance

Circling the one star at true north,

Each guiding us in it's own way.

Similarly we have been provided with a great cloud of witnesses.

Each testifying in his or her own way,

And each helping us to find our path in life.

And walk a little closer to the one true life.

God said 'See, I am doing a New Thing.'

And so it has come to pass.

Merry Christmas!

Saturday, December 23, 2006

Push towards the Light!

When a child is born
Sometimes it seems to sleep in the womb
And the mother works hard to push it out
Other children feel the womb moving and squeezing
And push with their legs
Striving to be born
We are like unborn ones in the womb
Push towards the light!

Friday, December 22, 2006

God bends down

God bends down and digs in the dirt
He probes in the earth around the roots of his planting.
Is the soil moist enough?
It's not too moist, is it?
Is it loose enough?
Dirt clings in the cracks of his fingers.
The warm sun beats down.
A light breeze blows.
God surveys his planting.
He prunes it back a little.
Is it hardy enough?
Will it withstand the heat to come?
Will it live through the cold?
God thinks so.
God has planted well.

Wednesday, December 20, 2006

Deliverance

Yesterday I was doomed.

There were wolves at my heels,
And ahead, smoke and fire.
My way is blocked,
I have no escape.
I will not despair-
I will either march through the flames,
Or fight the wolves.

The wolves who run and run
And never tire,
And never stop,
And never die,
And show no mercy.

The fire is high and hot.
But as I come close to it,
Chased by the relentless wolves,
It is less, and I am able to pass through.

I am not burned,
I am not less,
I am not hurt,
I am clothed in a new garment.
White clothing of celebration
And peace.

And today I am free,
And the wolves howl distantly.
And it was none of my doing.
I merely moved ahead,
In a Godly direction,
But without much faith.

I am going to leave this writing
Unresolved.
I do not have an answer.
I am not sure of the question.

Soldier on.
Have what faith you can.
Pray.

We will meet again,
The wolves,
The fire,
And I.

Friday, December 15, 2006

The busy-ness of God

Is God busy now?
Certainly God is busy.
Even as the Devil is always to and fro among us.
Even more so is God,
And God's Angels,
And their apprentices.
God is busy in his vinyard.
He is at work with us.

Tuesday, December 12, 2006

The Business of Satan

When you are so busy that you can't catch your breath, you are being pursued by evil... ...you don't have time to think to do the right thing-and are more liable to do wrong. Find ways to bring balance to your life. It is better to lose a job where you can't act thoughtfully than to live an unmindful life:

Mark 4:3-4:20 Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow:
And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up.
And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth:
But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.
And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.
And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred.
And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable.
And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all [these] things are done in parables:
That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and [their] sins should be forgiven them.
And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables?
The sower soweth the word.
And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.
And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness;
And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, immediately they are offended.
And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word,
And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.
And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive [it], and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred

Luke 10:38-42
Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.
And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word.
But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.
And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:
But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

Monday, December 11, 2006

With Love For Each

Today I fly over a new city
It spreads below me like a bed of luminescent coral.

I imagine each little glow
Singing a hymn to life.

God bends close,
Holds them in caring hands,
Not wishing even one faint spark to come to harm.

Sunday, December 10, 2006

Ninevah

There was no Ninevah in Jonah's time.
It fell quite long before.
So Jonah's message wasn't to
Those that he abhored.

God's love is deep, His purview broad, His patience very wide,
And when we rule a person out, to God, he's still inside.

Saturday, December 9, 2006

Nothingness

A spark
In the dark
A glimmer
A shape
Boiling darkness
Rumpled black velvet
A twinkle - there!
Something there
Where before was nothing
So it begins again
Creation
From Nothingness