Infection

 

Jesus looked directly at them and asked. “Then what is the meaning of that which is written: ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone?’ Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed.”   Luke 20:17-18

From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!” Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.” Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, and 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? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?”  Matthew 16:21-26

“To face what we are in the end, we stand before the light

and our true nature is revealed. Self-revelation is annihilation of self.”

Kathleen Conklin – ‘The Addiction’

we all stand afflicted,

hopelessly addicted,

ravaged and abused,

scourged and inflicted;

infected by the disease;

we choose this road,

because that is who we are,

what we have become,

there simply is no other choice,

no other path;

a leopard cannot change

its spots,

nor can a flea become

a dog;

hopelessly addicted,

infected by the disease;

self-induced delusions,

self-abused illusions,

self-taught dreams,

self-righteous justification;

hopelessly addicted,

infected by the disease.

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Delusion

For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming. The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and be saved. For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.   II Thessalonians 2:7-12

Therefore in one day her plagues will overtake her; death, mourning and famine. She will be consumed by fire, for mighty is the Lord God who judges her.   Revelation 18:8

the joy does end,

here in this land

of limited sun,

cold hearted and alone,

forsaken and forgotten,

the gate is closing,

the gap is narrowing,

the light is starting to

disappear,

there are things bigger

than life,

bigger than death;

bigger than dreams;

even now they mock,

twisting the truth,

creating monuments of self-glory,

worshiping idols of their own doing,

maligning anyone and everything,

laughing at the misery and suffering,

exploiting the helpless and weak,

drowning in self-proclaimed wisdom,

unable to understand truth,

incapable of anything more

than what they are,

refusing to see past themselves,

seeking life, liberty and the pursuit

of perpetual pleasure,

blinded by their superiority,

wallowing in the fantasy,

delighting in the delusion;

finding comfort in the lie.

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Everything In Its Place

He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”   Luke 10:18-20

Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.   John 19:28-30

everything in its time,

everything in its place,

everything changes,

everything remains the same;

the wind blows where it will;

who knows the approaching shadows?

who understands the raging depths?

who can see this terrible darkness?

the growing tempest looms

on the far off horizon;

it has begun,

it is finished;

“Nothing will harm you”

everything is temporary,

everything fades,

this never ending dream,

rises like some ancient

early morning mist,

building from ashes

long since past,

as the day comes for those

who hold on to tomorrow;

while night waits for the rest;

here we shall fall,

here we shall stand;

if I only could,

you know I certainly would;

for everything there is a cost,

for everything there is a loss;

you were mine,

and I was yours.

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Sifted

“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”   Luke 22:31-32

another feeling,

another emotion,

another disappointment,

another lie;

I no longer know,

who or what I am,

I no longer see,

where I belong,

or where I need to be;

the darkness grows,

swallowing everything

in its path;

I can deny myself,

but I cannot deny You,

I can run from everything

and everyone,

but I cannot run from You;

everything I know,

falls away,

everything I am,

becomes less,

everywhere I go,

is nowhere;

there is nothing

without You;

like a light shining

in the night,

You lead me back,

guiding my steps,

restoring the hope,

calming the storm,

providing the only

reassurance I will

ever need;

there is nothing

without You.

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A Dark Day

Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself; That frustrateth the tokens of the liars, and maketh diviners mad; that turneth wise men backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish;   Isaiah 44:24-25

today was a dark day,

rainy and cloudy,

windy and cold;

gloomy and sinister;

it felt like there was

something I needed to do,

but I didn’t know what,

sometimes it feels

as though this is the

story of my life;

dark days and

not knowing what

to do;

I saw a specialist yesterday

about my herniated disk,

he suggested trying a nerve block

to relieve the pain,

he doesn’t know if it will work,

but it beats the alternatives,

so I’m going to go with it;

I watched a show about Hitler

on the military channel,

it was about his rise to power

and the extraordinary events

that made it happen,

it almost seemed supernatural,

which is exactly what it was;

monsters like him

only exist because God allows it;

while watching the thought occurred

that perhaps his whole purpose,

was to put the Jewish people

through a great refining trial,

a test,

before being allowed

to return to their ancient homeland,

it made me wonder if perhaps

the whole purpose of America

becoming a nation,

almost 200 years earlier,

was to make it possible

for Hitler’s eventual defeat,

and pave the way

for God’s chosen people

to return to their promised land,

just like perhaps,

the purpose of the Roman Empire

was to create the circumstances

through which a 700 year old prophecy

that the Messiah would die on a tree

could be fulfilled,

and that the news of His resurrection

could be spread through the known world of the time,

by the technology of Roman roads

and transportation systems;

perhaps;

of course, I’m sure

scholars and experts

much wiser than I,

would laugh at such a notion,

but then it wouldn’t be

the first time, God has used seemingly

unrelated and unimaginable plans,

to confound the wise and knowledgeable;

would it?

who would have thought

that a rag-tag band of uneducated,

fishermen and peasants,

would confound and confuse

the wise men of their day,

witnessing and testifying

to the greatest event

in the history of mankind?

who could have imagined it?

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Stolen Ground

I have tasted heights so high,

I have swam depths so deep,

touching things along the way,

which were never mine to keep,

traveling beyond all there

was to know,

yet still there is more,

so much more to go;

confusion and sorrow color

these early morning skies,

answers lie hidden

among alternatives and

cascading lies,

places once called home,

crumble into the far-off fading light,

faces once called friends,

disappear into the approaching black

of this forever growing night;

take my hand,

lead me from this land,

hear my voice,

help me make a stand;

darkness grows above,

storms rise from below,

over-fed pretenders

prepare for the final show,

in this never ending battle

which can never be won,

raging just beyond

all that can be overcome;

into the nighttime void a

whisper does sound,

shadows of tomorrow looming large

across this stolen ground,

mistakes of yesterday forever lost,

innocent blood shed,

freedom at such a staggering cost;

take my hand,

lead me from this land,

hear my voice,

help me make a stand.

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Wasichus

Wasichus;

you have come without asking,

you have taken without giving,

plundering our land,

stealing our food,

go back from where you came;

until you have learned

some manners.

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