The Way, the Truth, the Life

Jesus answered: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”                                          John 14:6-7

Truth;

when the last breath has been breathed,

when the fantasies and illusions are stripped away,

when the imposters and wannabes have all faded;

what else is there?

Truth does not come easy,

it lies hidden among the wreckage

and excess baggage,

simple and plain,

without motive or agenda,

without prejudice or conditions,

no compromise,

no faltering,

no respecter of persons,

truth is not dependent

on belief or faith,

it stands sparkling and clear,

shining like the sun

in the eyes of a child;

truth stands alone.

Many claim truth,

twisting and turning facts,

attempting to fit preconceived ideas,

creating vast empty empires complete with

testimonies of flesh and blood,

monuments of self-glorification,

exercises in futility,

deceiving themselves and others

with grand ideas and philosophical babble,

crumbling like dust into the morning mist,

but in the end truth remains,

in the end truth will be all there is,

in the end there is only

one way, one life;

one truth.

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Out In The Wasteland

Is it possible to write

and still maintain integrity?

do people really want to hear

mysterious confessions

hidden deep within

crazed, carnivorous caverns?

lost fantasies

beyond moral redemption,

or am I only fooling myself?

who cares?

You want drama,

you want unspoken promises,

you want flesh-filled, flailing

among pieces of uncontrollable stench,

you want madness in the shape of art;

(I hear they’re having a sale at Wal-Mart.)

Questions, questions, questions,

searching, searching, searching,

one surprise after another,

most never get past the door,

some barely hear the answers,

others quietly bury their head

in the burning, sinking sand,

then there are the rest:

sleeping,

eating,

shitting,

locked-up alone

in silent solitude,

never making a sound,

never giving a clue;

dying without a chance.

That’s how it is

out here in the wasteland,

the price

of doing business;

the cost no one

can afford.

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What We Are

Into nighttime dreams

you come,

soft and warm,

young and sweet,

a gentle reminder

that once there was life,

once there was more

than met the eye,

proud and unwavering,

a warrior ready for battle,

full of strength and tomorrow;

now I can only remember,

now I can only dream.

These years slowly pass,

what pompous,

self-righteous creatures are we,

climbing slippery slopes,

passing judgment,

determining sentence,

drawing lines in the sand,

never seeing beyond all

that we know,

never knowing more

than what we are;

forever trapped

behind these bars

of flesh and blood.

Words come slow

out here in this

forgotten land,

I sleep a sleep

that is no sleep,

I live a life

that is no life,

I die a death

that is no death,

darkness fills the void,

the world goes on

despite the absence,

bubbling to the surface

in spite of the loss;

is it really just pretend?

is it really something more?

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300 Miles Away (Please Wake Up America)

Up in Knoxville

the Vols are taking the field,

down in Tuscaloosa

the Tide begins to roll,

out in Gatlinburg

they’re packin em in

for a big Dollywood weekend;

while 300 miles away

people die.

All across the nation

plans get underway,

for backyard barbecues

and family trips to the beach,

as supermarket shelves

are stacked in anticipation

with more than anybody

could possibly eat or drink;

while 300 miles away

people die.

Stunned by what they are seeing,

people watch the news

and shake their heads,

calling in 50 dollar pledges,

vowing to make a difference;

while 300 miles away

people die.

In Washington, in Jackson

and in Baton Rouge,

fingers are being pointed

as the blame game begins,

all across the nation

the great debate rages,

filling the blogs and chat rooms

with wisdom and advice

from every self-made expert

the internet has to offer;

while 300 miles away

people die.

Please wake up America,

we are all to blame,

we are all guilty,

we all watched and waited

from afar;

while 300 miles away

people died.

More than homes

and people have disappeared,

more than dreams are shattered,

more than a way of life is gone,

part of a nation has died with them.

Now is the time to stop

the finger pointing and blame,

now is the time to stop

worrying about the pursuit

of perpetual pleasure,

now is the time to reach out

and love one another

as never before,

now is the time to trust

in the One who can

heal all things,

now is the time for repentance;

please wake up America,

before it is too late.

New Orleans

Down sultry, winding streets

we wander,

two becoming one,

wrapped safely

within one another,

exploring new beginnings,

only to find final

and satisfying ends.

In my arms she lies,

naked and alone,

cool fan breeze blowing

across smooth exposed skin,

her love a shelter

where I can safely hide,

a calm and peaceful harbor

where all is forgiven,

she fills me with her love,

and I have no need

for any other;

she overwhelms me.

This then shall be the place

where forever begins,

saying goodbye

to yesterdays and tomorrows

that never really were,

now is the time

for which it has all

been played out.

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Literary Genius

When he wrote,

his stuff

wasn’t half bad,

the problem was

he was more in love

with the idea of writing

than he was with

the actual writing itself,

so he hardly

ever wrote,

it tired him out,

it bored the hell out of him;

it was too much

like work.

Besides,

his mind was like a squirrel

on steroids,

he could barely

hold a thought

for more than 10 seconds,

so when he did write

he had to type fast

before the moment

was gone,

and he couldn’t type

worth a shit,

so he almost

never captured

the idea floating

in his head,

somehow

the translation

was lost

between his brain

and his fingertips.

So he mostly

sat and fantasized

about writing,

with rock n roll music

blaring on the headphones,

but every now and then,

if he was ready,

and the moon

and sun were aligned,

and he hadn’t stuffed

his face with junk food,

and the music was loud

enough,

and the energy level

was high enough,

and his wife didn’t

have her period,

and the house was clean,

and his dog didn’t

need a bath,

and there were no

aches or pains

in his body,

and there wasn’t

anything on tv worth

watching,

he’d catch the wave,

and the words

would spill out

like some

giant puke machine,

flowing from his

fingertips,

plopping and fizzing,

sizzling hot,

and for a few brief

seconds;

wow!

he was amazing!

but then

as quick as

it began,

it was all over,

he’d usually fall asleep then;

it’s not easy

being a literary

genius.

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For the First Time

I read their poems,

I feel their rage,

I see their sadness,

I understand their frustration,

I know their darkness,

I have been on that side

of the fence;

I have been where they are.

Like a giant vacuum,

it sucks you into

the deep murky mire,

echoes from below

cry out within,

as visions of madmen

standing on the platform

waiting for a train

that never comes

flash before your burned out

cynical eyes;

I have been to their edge.

This body fades,

for the first time

words come to life,

for the first time

the possibilities

far outweigh the

realities;

for the first time

I am clean.

The pain grows,

as you hold it inside,

like a deformed child,

locked away,

out of sight,

out of mind;

no one listens,

no one sees,

no one understands;

but You.

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In The Morning

In the morning when I awake,

You are there,

flooding my soul with hope,

removing the internal darkness,

bringing comfort and relief,

renewing my strength,

providing the joy and peace

I so desperately need.

Being where You are

is all I ask,

standing at the foot

of Your throne

is all I desire,

for You shall provide

everything I need,

You shall wipe away

every tear.

What words can describe

Your mighty glory?

What thoughts can compare

with Your magnificent truth?

You who made the heavens,

You who command the seas,

You who control the winds,

You who know the hearts

of every man.

I fall down in humility and awe

in the face of Your

wonderful presence;

let every breath

be breathed for You,

let every lip

praise Your holy name;

let me worship You

forever.

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Romans 12:21

Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.                                        Ephesians 5:11-12

In the depths of my carnal mind

the master of darkness and lies

quietly searches for weakness and flaws,

silently planting his evil seeds;

seeds of lust and temptation,

seeds of doubt and fear,

seeds of hatred and anger,

seeds of revenge and retribution.

They corrupt and twist the truth,

clouding all that is real,

tearing down and destroying

until there is nothing left within,

building walls and divisions

between my brother and I,

putting words of venomous hate

on the tip of my imperfect tongue,

attempting to devastate and waste

all that is good,

all that is pure,

all that is holy and righteous;

all that is from God.

You patiently discipline and rebuke,

until at last I am able to understand,

providing the light for my blinded eyes

while gently holding my trembling hand,

guiding my feeble and wavering steps

as I slowly learn to stand.

Raise me up above the filth and mire,

hold me in Your mighty arms,

remove the darkness surrounding my soul;

teach me to not be overcome by evil

but to overcome evil with good.

Praise Your Holy name forever.

Where is Thy Sting?

I declare to you brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Listen, I tell you a mystery; We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed – in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”

                                    “Where, O death, is your victory?

                                    Where, O death, is your sting?”

                                                                                                I Corinthians 15:50-55

We live in a world ruled by fear,

it dominates our thoughts,

it determines our decisions,

it decides how we live our lives;

fear of illness and disease,

fear of starvation and death,

fear of destruction and chaos,

fear of losing loved ones,

fear of losing money or possessions,

fear of being different,

fear of growing old,

fear of not being attractive,

fear of being sad and alone,

fear of not being loved,

fear of rejection,

fear of suffering and pain,

fear of the unknown,

fear of living life,

spiritual fears so dark and deep

we don’t even like to admit they exist;

fear of the truth.

We live in a world

which thrives on fear,

where many prey

on the fears of others,

commercializing their existence,

capitalizing on their opportunities,

exploiting their weakness,

surviving on their reactions.

There is One who has

conquered death,

there is One who has

overcome fear,

through Him we are free

to live again,

through Him we are free

to ask:

O death, where is thy sting?

O grave where is thy victory?

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Just On The Edge

Breathe deep,

the cool ocean air,

dance with the moment

for as long as you can,

feast with your eyes

until they see no more;

make it last forever.

Don’t let me lie down quietly,

let me go quickly and smoothly,

like a bird gliding through the air,

don’t let them know,

don’t let them see,

that this is all there is;

I never quite belong,

I never fit in,

I’m always somewhere

just on the edge.

See me Oh LORD

here among the lost,

rescue me from this darkness,

hear my cry in the wilderness,

restore the light of day.

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Backup

My computer crashed today,
everything I had written
for the last 4 months was lost,
no cd or floppy,
no backup,
it was simply gone;

forever.

It’s not like I can recreate it,
this stuff doesn’t work like that,
it comes and it goes,
and when it’s gone
it is gone,
never to return.

I felt like I had lost a child,
something precious and dear,
but even when you lose a child,
eventually you have to move on,
life is like that,
here today,
gone tomorrow;

like a crashed computer;

moments piled upon moments,
some good,
some bad,
some precious,
some unremarkable,
coming and going
with the blink of an eye,
yet every moment sacred,
every moment uniquely yours;

never to return again.

I prayed to the Lord,
He gave me peace,
He made me remember
what is truly important,
that it’s not the words I write,
not the respect or glory
they might earn,
not the admiration of others,
not about feeding
my vanity and ego,
He is what is truly important,
He is my King and Lord,
serving Him is where
my true joy lies,
glorifying His name
is all that matters.

There will be more words,
there will be other moments
piled upon moments,
like sheets of ice
during a Lake Michigan
winter storm,
forming vast mounds
of forgotten dreams,
full of dramatic melodramas,
they will fade
like the setting evening sun,
but the Lord shall be forever,
His kingdom will shine
for all eternity;

He is my backup,
He is my guarantee.
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Rejoice

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4: 4-7

The cold black night
quietly closes in,
the pain
steadily intensifies,
blinding and overwhelming,
becoming more than I think
my spirit can possibly bear,
hope slowly fades,
rage fills my mind and heart,
bitterness and anger grow,
until it feels as though
I am about to burst;

the enemy silently waits,
ready for the final kill.

Then You reach out
across the long lonely miles,
using unsuspecting
and unexpected messengers,
gently reminding me
that You are near,
softly speaking words
of encouragement,
renewing my faltering spirit,
providing new found courage,
making it possible
to rise once again.

The pain begins to dissolve,
the darkness turns to light,
hope comes flooding in
like a mighty river,
Your blessed peace surrounds me
like a well worn blanket,
the enemy retreats
back into the blackness
from which he came.

Once more
You have delivered me
from unseen traps and snares,
once more
You have brought hope
where there was none
to be found,
once more
You have saved me
through Your never ending
mercy and grace;

I will rejoice in You,
I will declare Your wondrous love,
I will praise Your holy name,
forever.
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Forever

When you are troubled,
turn to Him,
and He will be there,
when you are despaired,
call out His name,
and He will hear;

this world,
this life,
this time,
this moment,
all pass away;

but His love
is forever.

He will never forsake us,
never leave us,
this is His word,
this is His holy promise,
to all who believe,
to all who trust,
on His wonderful
and precious name.
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Every Tear (Revelations 7:17)

Imagine if you can,
a world where everything
is as it should be,
as it was meant to be;

no darkness,
no evil,
no fear,
no doubt,
no suffering or pain,
no greed or lust,
no jealousy or envy,
no sadness or anger;

only love.

It’s easy to speak about,
much harder to truly see,
in a world ruled by flesh and lust,
where everything is about
satisfying fleshly desires,
where self-indulgence
and carnal pleasure dominate,
with fear controlling
every thought and action,
trying to imagine such a world
is almost beyond
normal human comprehension;

but try anyway.

This is the world which was
in the beginning,
the world which shall be restored,
the kingdom that is too come,
where the One who lived
the only perfect life,
will sit on His throne
and rule with justice,
protecting all who believe in
and belong to Him.

Where hunger and thirst
will no longer exist,
where the sun shall not beat
nor heat scorch,
where the Lamb shall
be their shepherd,
leading them to springs
of living water;

where every tear
shall be wiped away
forever.
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He is There

The time draws near,
the journey almost at an end,
home is just beyond the distant horizon,
lying only a heartbeat away;

and I am ready.

He is there waiting,
ready to make all things new,
removing the darkness,
wiping away every tear.

The pain will pass,
the doubt removed,
suffering will be no more,
night turned into day;

the joy shall be forever.

And He is there waiting,
ready to make all things new,
removing the darkness,
wiping away every tear.

The words fade away,
time passes
like a dream in the night,
prison walls crumble
into the dust,
all things will be as intended;

all things will be made right.

He is there waiting,
ready to make all things new,
removing the darkness,
wiping away every tear.
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Just Believe

Ignoring what they said, Jesus told the synagogue ruler “Don’t be afraid; just believe.” Mark 5:36

In the middle of the night
I awake,
gripped with fear,
overcome by the immensity,
afraid of the unknown road ahead,
thinking of all the possible dangers,
unable to control even the smallest detail,
completely inadequate and out of control,
heading on a collision course with disaster.

Then I remember the places
from where I have come,
all the doors that have been opened,
all the chains which have been removed,
the love and grace that has
brought me to this place,
and I hear His soft, cool voice,
gently whispering in the nighttime darkness:

“Don’t be afraid, just believe.”

The fear fades away,
the doubt dissolves into nothing,
the darkness turns to light,
there is only love,
there is only Him;

and that is all that matters.

In the deepest depths,
on the highest heights,
He is there
guiding my path,
showing the way,
the Friend who stands by my side
closer than a brother,
the King who laid down His life
that I might live;

the One who I will love
forever.
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Do Not Fear

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:37-39

Alone in the shadows,
lost with no way home,
afraid and unsure;
do not worry,
do not fear;

God is near.

In the darkness,
in the light,
within the sorrow,
within the joy,
through the suffering,
through the pain,
through times
both good and bad,
do not worry,
do not fear;

God is near.

All things pass,
everything fades away,
but His mercy endures forever,
His love knows no bounds,
so rest your tired head
my troubled and worried child,
do not worry,
do not fear;

God is near.
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