From the Heights to the Depths

I die a thousand deaths with you,

falling 2000 ft past roles and rules of

dubious impropriety,

beyond decency and molds of

sacred sobriety,

into far-off rolling hills,

gently beckoning,

softly cajoling,

whispering for more,

as reflected changes fade,

and tomorrow blends into today;

together we have faced

the best,

escaped the worst,

survived with all

the rest,

becoming something new,

something else,

something unknown;

distant guns blaze away,

smoking and smoldering,

pounding and hammering,

swirling inside forgotten

and forlorn tempests,

drifting without a home,

floating on the breeze;

out here there are no

agendas,

no pre-determined

destinations,

out here there is only

this and that,

here and now,

closely followed by

felonious miscreants,

sacred imposters,

intent upon perpetrations

of questionable valor,

plundering and pillaging,

falling down before

the dawn,

replacing methods of madness,

silently drowning out

the moment;

this love is like layers,

peeling back one

only reveals another,

quietly hidden

within the depths

of this empty fortress.

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Champions

how can there be;

right or wrong,

good or bad,

yes and no;

every breath is unique,

every voice a beacon,

by which the truth

might call;

judgment a foreign

army,

occupying a land

not of its own;

the morning begins

just as it left,

the breaking day looms ahead,

the trail bending and

unclear,

moving forward with

unsettled uncertainty;

there is very little choice;

illusion remains,

weaving its way into

the fabric of the myth,

mystery hovers like

a descending bird,

with death lying in wait;

mourning the only light

it has ever known;

I watch these children,

they have more than what

could be considered

humanly possible,

giants in a forest

of dwarfs,

victors in a

world of defeat;

champions amidst

the obscurity.

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What Cost?

your humanity,

your life,

your soul;

what cost this freedom?

broken bodies,

broken promises,

broken lives,

broken dreams,

what price to be paid,

what cost this freedom?

life is about moments,

moments of laughter,

moments of joy,

moments of sorrow,

moments of suffering,

every minute a struggle,

every second, another

missed opportunity;

in the end they fade;

what cost this freedom?

I wish I could

have been better,

a better father,

a better husband,

a better brother,

a better son,

a better friend;

that somehow,

I could have been

more than what

I was;

for now we say goodbye,

yet still it does not end,

this too is just another moment,

fading into the evening sun.

what cost this freedom?

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This Prison/Parole

This Prison

in the dead of the hot summer night,

the breeze finally comes,

as the heat floats gently away,

like the breath of a slowly dying man,

his soul crying out to be free from this prison

where it has been held for so long,

never allowed to become all that it

was meant to be,

praying for survival among the destruction

of these decaying prison walls,

returning to a home it has never known;

sleep comes hard,

in this lonely land of pain,

as thoughts of words already said

echo through the silence of the mind,

remembering places nearly forgotten

by this clever disguise called life;

the still, small voice softly calls out,                                                            

offering a refuge of hope and light

amidst the cold and barren darkness

of this forgotten, forsaken cell;

I wish I could walk out of

this prison,

discard it like old clothes,

free at last,

no restrictions,

no fear or rage,

only quiet, simple thought;

this prison which holds me to the earth,

this prison that makes me crave depravity,

this prison in which I was born,

this prison which has grown with me,

but has never let me grow.

Parole

within the conquering depths

of this cold, black cell,

You bring hope and life;

from the empty solitude

of this perpetual dungeon,

You fill me with your light;

trapped in the endless despair

of this eternal bondage,

You bring freedom and peace;

this prison,

holding me captive all my life,

no longer decides

who or what I shall be,

this depraved fortress of iniquity,

filled with unending suffering and pain,

where so much has been lost,

no longer shackles me

in the binding chains of

anger and fear,

the master of eternal night,

whose darkness and lies

deceive the whole world,

no longer blinds my eyes;

freed from this prison

at a cost beyond compare,

paroled by Your sacrifice and love,

through Your amazing mercy and grace;

praise Your Name 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 6:11-12 (NIV)

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.   Romans 12:21

in the depths of my carnal mind,

the master of darkness softly speaks,

quietly searching 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;

corrupting and twisting 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.

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Everyday

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?”   Matthew 6:25-27

“Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.”   Matthew 10:39

That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.   John 3:15-16

And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.   John 6:35

some hold on a little

longer, some a little less,

but eventually,

the sun does set

on us all,

in the end we become equal,

as cruel as this might seem,

at least it is unconditional and

without favor;

God is no respecter of persons;

I think about all the

missed opportunities,

all the special individuals,

all the moments which

slipped through my fingers,

the chances to tell them

how very unique they were,

how much I loved them,

but the time came and went;

now they are gone;

everyday I wait for freedom,

everyday I hang on for tomorrow,

everyday I fight the battle,

everyday I lose the war;

life is not about happiness and joy,

life is not about self-discovery,

life is not about self-satisfaction, or

self-motivation, or any kind of self

at all;

life is about love and forgiveness,

life is about doing unto others

as you would have them

do unto you,

life is about coming to the

realization that we all have

fallen short,

that none of us are going

to escape on our own,

life is about loving God

with all your mind and

heart;

everyday I wait for freedom,

everyday I hang on for tomorrow,

everyday I fight the battle,

everyday I lose the war.

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Next

“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”   Matthew 14:28-33

one more lesson,

one more obstacle,

one more weakness,

one more time, I begin

to sink below the surface;

once again, You grasp

my hand,

once again, You pull

me from the depths,

once again, You teach me

to overcome,

once again, Your power sets

me free;

the world continues on,

wars and rumors of wars,

death and destruction,

joy and laughter,

greed and self-satisfaction,

vanity and pride;

none of that matters now,

the flesh slowly dies,

only a fading mist,

a disappearing shadow,

I am finished with it all,

there is nothing more

I need,

there is nothing more

I want,

all that matters now is

what comes next,

all that matters now,

is You.

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Teach Me

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5

“For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.” Matthew 16:25

You are perfection,

in a sea of turmoil and confusion,

You are mercy and love,

in a world that has gone blind,

all my righteousness and works

are but filthy rags before
Your glorious throne,

break me into pieces that I might

be reformed in Your holy and

wondrous image,

remove all that I am, that I might stand

before Your magnificent presence,

destroy this creation called self,

seeking to raise itself above

the honor and glory that is Yours,

and Yours alone;

teach me how to die

that I might live;

You shine like a mighty light

amidst the darkness and gloom,

You are a drop of cool water

on the lips of a dying man,

You are the spring from which

living waters flow,

You are the bread of life which

comes down from heaven,

You are the vine, I am the branch,

within You I can do all things,

without You I am nothing;

teach me how to die

that I might live.

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These Words

I sometimes wonder why I continue

writing these words,

I've never earned a dime from them,

never had any notoriety or fame

as a result of them,

never had a clue from where they come,

or when they will come,

what they will say or why they say it,

it’s as if they have a life of their own,

an ancient mystery, complete with their

own laws and consequences;

there is a price to be paid for

these words,

a burning sadness that never quits,

a deep, lonely emptiness,

quietly devouring everything in its path,

bringing you to the edge of a dark

bottomless chasm,

where untold millions of words,

flow like liquid truth, into the oblivion below,

without return;

they have almost destroyed me

more than once;

you have to be ready,

they come and go like ghosts,

rising from unimaginable depths,

crystal clear like glass,

bobbing and floating,

creating, destroying,

slowly sinking back into

the night without any advance

warning or consideration;

you have to be ready;

these words wait for no one,

they survive beyond this lump

of flesh called home,

they breathe long after

we have taken our last breath;

these words are forever.

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Haves and Have-nots/A Vision

And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”   Luke 18:6-8

Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming on you. Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. Look! The wages you failed to pay the workers who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter. You have condemned and murdered the innocent one, who was not opposing you.   James 5:1-6

it’s easy to turn your back,

when you’re one of the haves;

have a job,

have a home,

have money,

have food;

have affordable health care;

believing the lies,

giving into the fears,

buying into the stereotypes;

they’re all lazy,

they’re all immoral,

they’re all looking

for a free lunch;

they all get what they

deserve;

so afraid, they might take

something that belongs

to you,

some of your hard earned

treasure,

all the things you sweated

and slaved for,

all the idols you fall down before

and worship;

all the things you sold

your soul for;

the have-nots of the world

are beginning to rise,

they’re not going away quietly

anymore,

they’re tired of the abuse,

they’re no longer content

with the crumbs,

there are things bigger

than themselves;

things worth dying for/

the children of men hold their breath,

a final sigh before the meltdown,

a silent pause within the maelstrom,

hearts fail from fear,

meeting in secret places,

waiting for what is to come;

like a thief in the night

it sweeps them away;

trees smolder and smoke,

bursting into flames as

tires begin to steam,

their rubber melting

to the highway surface;

no where to run,

no where to hide;

like abandoned wells,

their water runs dry,

they sit withering in the sun,

wandering through the wilderness,

lost and alone;

the day is here,

the time is now;

Your mercy endures

to the end,

but who shall hear the message?

who shall accept the grace?

when the Son of Man returns

will he find faith?

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Possibilities

there is a silence here,

it grows like a whisper,

a quiet, controlled pause,

a small, knowing glance,

a foreign substance,

speaking a language

all its own;

we have become a nation of whores,

selling our children to the highest bidder,

devouring their inheritance

for a pittance,

accepting the consequences,

with no thought for tomorrow,

trapped within the madness

of the method,

replacing character with content;

ends justifying the means;

false prophets, in love with

the sound of their own voices,

forever searching, but never seeing,

forever finding, but never understanding,

unaware, unsuspecting;

sometimes knowing the answers,

is not nearly as important

as imagining the possibilities;

the light of a new dawn

begins to break,

I am leaving this dark place,

going to a home unknown,

what tomorrow brings

does not matter;

for You will be there

to make it right,

You will be there to wipe away

every tear.

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Satisfying Day

we walked the beach today,

she made a remark about all the trash

laying around,

I told her it was from the weekend crowd;

“it’s our human footprint” I reply,

“our legacy, everywhere humans go,

their trash is sure to follow;”

“you’re always so dark and negative” she says,

and in my mind I think ‘she’s right of course;’

I wish it were not so;

we talked about current events and

certain actors behaving badly,

“I’m not sure if he’s delusional or a genius,” I say,

“maybe he knows exactly what he’s doing;”

they say bad pr is better than no pr at all;

we discussed my dream from the night before,

(actually I did, she could have cared less,)

“What do you think it means?” I ask,

“I don’t know” she says, ”I never know what

your dreams mean, what do you think it means?”

“I don’t know” I reply;

and that was the end of that;

walking back, I fight the voice whispering

inside my head to go to a bar

and get wasted, along with not giving in

to the inner urge, telling me to stare

at the very attractive young lady

laying on a towel next to her boyfriend,

with a very skimpy string bikini on;

all-in-all, between trash, dreams, and small

personal victories over basic human

weakness and flaws;

it was a very satisfying day.

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Up Here

But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God – having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.   II Timothy 3:1-5

up here, I hear Your voice whispering

through the early morning silence,

up here, I am never alone,

up here, You walk with me;

comforting me,

carrying me,

guiding me,

protecting me;

down there,

You are reduced to a psychology,

a feel-good philosophy,

a self-improvement technique,

a better way of life,

blaspheming Your name,

making a mockery of Your kingdom,

denying the power;

forever looking but never seeing,

forever listening but never hearing;

You are so much more,

far beyond all that our limited minds

can comprehend,

more than anyone can fathom,

giver of life,

creator of all things;

the Great I Am,

the holy King of the universe,

the Alpha and the Omega;

Everything.

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Mumia

sometimes things are exactly as they appear,

despite how badly, so many want to

believe otherwise,

so they forget, or choose not to see,

that the color of a man’s skin,

doesn’t make him innocent,

anymore than it makes him guilty;

those with ulterior motives

and hidden agendas,

turn him into a martyr for their cause,

because they know people don’t

want to hear the truth,

when it comes to martyrs and causes,

they only want to hear that

which is righteous and perfect,

so they spin a fact or two here,

twist a detail there,

to make the whole thing

much bigger,

than a young cop’s life;

now they compare this

cold-blooded murderer,

this prophetic imposter,

to one of the greatest lights

the world has ever known,

one whose feet, Mumia is not

even worthy to kiss,

one whose entire life, was dedicated

to fighting the darkness and evil

that Mumia represents;

Dr King deserves better than this.

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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 and 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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Yeshua

what words have I,

that pay honor to a King?

what gift can be given,

worthy of His name?

He who overcame,

He who defeated death forever,

He who reigns eternally,

He who is our master;

mocked and mistreated,

spit upon and reviled,

beaten and scourged,

led like a lamb to the slaughter,

sacrificed upon a tree, for our

iniquities and transgressions,

resurrected from the grave,

that through faith in Him,

none should perish,

but all might have life;

through Him are all

things possible,

through Him are all things

made new,

to Him does all praise belong,

to Him is all glory given,

lift up His name before

all others;

Yeshua,

the Holy One of God.

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Part of The Cost

southern boys like their trucks,

clean and sweet,

moaning and groaning,

like fresh young virgins

on warm Saturday nights;

dreamers dream,

lovers love,

sleepers sleep,

inside we all silently weep;

part of the cost,

part of the loss;

kingdoms crumble,

melting like sand castles

beneath mighty ocean waves,

crashing violently upon

white sugary beaches,

stranding aqua blue jelly fish

for all eternity;

part of the cost,

part of the loss;

haughty, petulant children,

searching in vain for honor

and truth, which lies

hidden among ruins and

ancient halls of perfect darkness;

never finding,

never knowing,

never understanding;

part of the cost,

part of the loss;

so many memories,

so much lost along the way,

hanging on, holding on

with everything we have,

but in the end they fade away,

like the early morning mist

before the noon day sun,

and all that is left

are echoes,

silently bouncing

off empty, forgotten walls;

there is no hiding,

in this solitary world

called life,

no sanctuary,

no turning back;

part of the cost,

part of the loss;

through it all,

You continue to look down,

through it all,

You stand by my side,

You are the beginning,

You are the end,

You are all there is,

do not leave me here Lord,

do not forsake me,

hear my plea,

forgive my transgressions,

deliver me from evil ways;

bring me home to You.

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In The Morning

in the morning when I awake,

You are there,

flooding my soul with hope,

removing the darkness,

bringing comfort and relief,

renewing my strength,

providing the joy and peace,

that I so desperately need;

being where You are

is all that I ask,

standing at the foot of

Your throne,

all that 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,

at the feet of Your wondrous

presence;

let every breath be breathed

for You,

let every lip praise

Your holy name;

mighty Lord,

let me worship You

forever.

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The True Vine

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”   John 15:1-5

You are the true vine,

I am the branch,

apart from You,

I am nothing,

within You,

I become fruitful;

within You,

I am a son of the

living God;

Your light is greater

than words can express,

Your love fills even the

deepest valley,

Your words speak truth,

far beyond what my

limited mind can

comprehend;

hold on to me

forever.

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Deliver Me

within nighttime dreams,

I walk in cold, forsaken places,

dark, dead lost places;

far beyond the reach of hope;

I listen to the suffering,

I hear the sorrow,

I feel the pain,

I know the emptiness;

they are places through which

I have walked before;

when I awake,

You are there,

standing by my side,

never letting go,

never walking away,

renewing and healing me,

blessing me when I deserve nothing,

forgiving me when I cannot

forgive myself,

reminding me that without You

I can never overcome;

deliver me O Lord,

from dark, dead places,

lost and forgotten places,

hidden within the shadows of dreams;

take away the emptiness

as only You can;

hold me now,

bathe me in Your light,

fill me with Your love,

surround me with Your glory,

let me belong to You forever;

my Savior,

my King,

my God,

my Everything.

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Teach Your Children Well

What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.   Ecclesiastes 1:9

When I applied my mind to know wisdom and to observe the labor that is done on earth—people getting no sleep day or night— then I saw all that God has done. No one can comprehend what goes on under the sun. Despite all their efforts to search it out, no one can discover its meaning. Even if the wise claim they know, they cannot really comprehend it.   Ecclesiastes 8:16-17

we said we would change

the world;

a new society,

the great experiment,

we were different,

a higher standard,

we knew more,

knew better,

we were the solution,

not the problem;

make love not war,

tune in, drop out,

hell no, we won’t go,

rebels with a cause,

defenders of the righteous;

instead we became

more of the same;

just more hypocrites,

in a world of hypocrites,

masters of enlightenment

without the light,

monsters disguised as

children of peace,

dogs licking up their own vomit,

white-washed sepulchers,

dry bones,

sheep without a Shepard;

we fooled the world,

we fooled ourselves;

we became activists,

poets and musicians,

stock brokers and analysts,

doctors and lawyers,

anything but our mothers

and fathers;

we became consumers,

we became users,

we became takers,

we became the future;

we pointed our fingers,

we blamed the man,

we blamed the over thirty crowd,

only to realize we had become

the man,

we were the over

thirty crowd;

it was all about us,

The ‘me’ generation,

gods of our own making;

we taught our

children well.

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Walking Through the Valley

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.   Psalm 23:1-6

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.   Ephesians 6:12

once again,

I enter this dark place,

this cold, empty, deserted place,

this place from which most

never return,

my enemies wait outside,

gloating over the misery,

laughing within at the naivety,

mocking from afar,

standing firm in their ‘moral’

and ‘intellectual’ superiority,

waiting for the fall;

once again,

You stand by my side,

letting me know You

will always be there,

helping me to rise when

so many others would not,

softly reminding me that

I never have anything to fear;

“Don’t be afraid, just believe”

once again,

You prepare me for

a battle most will

never see,

in a war that

rages continuously,

around everyone

and everything,

rescuing me from places

which no man could overcome;

teaching me that through You,

I can do all things.

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Greater

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.   Romans 8:37

Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”   Matthew 19:26

You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in  you is greater than the one who is in the world.   I John 4:4

I awake in the middle of the

dark and silent night,

helpless and afraid,

surrounded by the still

and quiet depths,

overcome by the worries and cares,

reminded of an uncertain tomorrow,

fearful of all that lies beyond my control,

then You softly speak,

filling me with Your love,

overwhelming me with Your grace,

cleansing me of sin,

restoring my soul,

reminding me that I will never be alone;

that with You there is

no condemnation, no rejection;

I sometimes wonder just where

this road is leading,

but I know no matter what lies ahead,

You will see me through,

You will be by my side,

You will provide a way;

through every trial,

through every test,

You are there,

holding me up when I can

no longer stand,

providing strength when

there is nothing left;

through You I am more than a conqueror,

through You all things are possible,

through You I am greater than the world.

.

.

Sitting in a Mall While Growing Old

“For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.  What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?”   Matthew 16:25-26

“The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.”   John 12:25

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he as done has been done through God.”   John 3:16-21

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”   John 16:33

it’s not easy growing old,

but then again it’s not

so bad either,

there’s a calm sort of peace,

sitting on a bench

in the middle of the mall,

drinking a cup of coffee,

watching people pass you by,

knowing that it will soon be

all over,

you start to see the self-serving,

egotistical side to it all,

for the first time you begin

to understand the futility;

and it’s just not so bad;

the curtain is pulled back,

the illusion disappears,

the Holy Spirit speaks and

you realize;

nothing of this world matters,

that everything is temporary,

everything is changing,

yet everything remains the same,

that there is a truth much larger

than life or death,

all the selfishness, pride, ego, emotions,

feelings, lust, fear, anger, frustrations, greed,

are just a bunch of self-absorbed hypocrisy,

coming and going, growing and dying,

fading with each passing moment

of time;

we fail because we choose it,

drowning in the madness,

running from the light,

blaming it on destiny,

making friends with the prince

of this world,

wallowing in our self-pity,

crying at the hopelessness,

preferring the darkness;

hiding from the truth;

without Jesus there is nothing,

He is the vine, we are the branches,

the beginning and the end,

the Alpha and the Omega,

the great I am,

the Truth,

the Light

the Way;

through Him are all things possible,

without him nothing worth having

is obtainable

no man cometh to the Father

but through Him;

praise His holy name forever!

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