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Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Bible Word Study - Fellowship With God





WHAT DOES THE HOLY WORD SAY?

The more you fellowship with the Father, the more you'll realize how reliable His Word is. God's Word becoming fruitful in and through you is directly linked to the maintaining of a living, rich, continuing fellowship with God. It is the Holy Spirit who quickens the Word to you.

It's God Himself, the Person and Power behind the Word, Who makes it come alive in your life.


Psalm 16:11
What are some practical ways you can practice the presence of God?



John 15:4-8
How do we abide in Him, day after day?



John 14:15-17
What is the Holy Spirit's role in fellowshipping with the Father?




Fellowshipping With The Father:
CONNECTING WITH THE HEART OF GOD
 


"That which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. And these things we write to you that your joy may be full" 1 John 1:3-4
 



Created For Pleasure

We are called into fellowship with the Father. Why do you suppose God made man in the first place? He created man for fellowship. We were created for His pleasure. In return, fellowship, the intimacy of everyday closeness, is what gives us joy. Fellowship with the Father and the Word of God lifts us up so we can rejoice all the day long, knowing that we win in this life regardless of what is going on around us.


We've been invited to fellowship with the Most High God, His Son, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. That's the highest honor that could ever be conferred on us! We're called to fellowship with Him, to walk with Him, to talk with Him and to discuss the things of life with Him. In fact, 2 Peter 1:4 says we're called to "participate in the divine nature".


God desires for us to spend time with Him, talk to Him, and think about Him and His Word. As we walk with God, we can have continual fellowship with Him. We can talk to Him as a loving Father and listen to our hearts as He talks to us. 



Why Fellowship?


We must maintain the life of God within us. God is calling us to cultivate a relationship with Him where we fellowship with Him constantly, all day long. He not only wants us to bring our needs and desires and petitions before Him, but to live daily in union and communion with Him.
 




Enjoy His Friendship


We fellowship with the Father because we desire His company; because of our love for God and His love for us. We'll never truly know God's will and way for our lives or know Him for Who He really is until we learn to fellowship with Him and develop a good friendship with Him. We bless God when we give Him our friendship. We need to make our friendship with Him the most important thing in our lives.



Cultivate Your Hunger For God


When a person is hungry, the deepest part of his spirit begins to call out to God for something to fill that hunger. He might not even know what it is he is calling for, but God knows, and this cry touches the depths of His heart and causes Him to respond. The more of God we get, the more of Him we want. We can never live on past experiences. We're always needing fresh manna from heaven.



Guard Your Time


Those who do begin to discover the wonders of daily communion with God inevitably run into other difficulties; the devil, for instance. He is so frightened of the Christian who abides in God that he will go to great lengths to interfere with those times of fellowship. He will see to it that interruptions, distractions, schedule conflicts arise until it seems almost impossible to find a quiet time and place for fellowship. We must lay aside the natural things that scream for our attention and do what it takes to make our time with Him our first priority. 


WORD STUDY:


Fellowship



Joy (Joyful)



Full (Fullness)




Thoughts To Ponder On


We have been united with God but this union alone is not the end of God's plan. God longs for fellowship, and fellowship becomes communion. Our pursuit for fellowship with God is what makes our union with Him vibrant and alive. We need to do whatever we have to do to spend time with God every day. If we have to get up earlier, we must do it! If we have to go to bed later, we must do it! All the answers we need are in His presence and in His Word.


Since God created us for fellowship with Him, He has planned for our lives to be full and complete when we walk closely with Him. The closer we get to Him, the more He reveals to us His plan for our lives. If we stay in fellowship with the Father and abide in His Word, and follow the leading of the Holy Spirit, we too can know how the adversities in our lives will turn out. We can face every circumstance with joy, and endure it through to victory. 


Fellowshipping With The Father: Scriptures:

Psalm 16:11
1 John 1:6
John 15:4-8
James 4:8a
Romans 8:15-16
1 Corinthians 1:9
John 14:15-17
1 John 2:24, 3:24



Further Scripture Reading:

1 John 1:9
4:12-16
2 John 1:9


Friday, April 26, 2013

A Lesson in Conservation


This Green Generation
 

Standing in line at the check out out at the store, I overheard a young cashier suggest to an older woman, that she should bring her own grocery bags because "plastic bags weren't good for the environment".

The older woman apologized and stated, "We didn't have this green thing back in my day."

The young clerk responded, "That's the whole problem today. Your generation did not care enough to save the environment for future generations."





Ohh; really?

When my turn came up in the check out line I decided to give this little smartass a lesson in Conservation and thus I said:






"Back in our day, we returned milk bottles, soda bottles and beer bottles to the store- each netting us an income of approximately 5 cents per bottle. The store then sent them back to the plant to be washed and sterilized and refilled, so the same bottles could be used over and over. So they really were truly "recycled".







Grocery stores bagged our groceries in brown paper bags, that we reused for numerous things, most memorable (besides household garbage bags), was the use of brown paper bags as book covers for our schoolbooks. This was to ensure that public property, (the books provided for our use by the school) was not defaced by our scribblings. Then we were able to personalize our books on the brown paper bags. Which in our time was "way cool" as it encouraged our creative abilities.








We walked to the grocery store and didn't climb into a 300-horsepower machine every time we had to go two blocks down the street for a carton of milk. Milk; which by the way, was brought to us courtesy of the "milk man" which not only netted thousands of Americans a JOB- something that has long since been out sourced- but it too came in a Glass bottle - which we returned back to the "milk man" each week to be washed and reused again and again and again. We did not use plastic milk cartons that are not bio degradable. Plastic that if strung together could circle the globe several hundred times- but ultimately are dumped in a land fill to poison the earth.







Back then, we washed the baby's diapers because we didn't have the throwaway kind. Later; we used those same diapers as wash rags. We washed the windows, scrubbed the floors and polished the furniture- all using those same diapers that once covered the bottoms of our children. We dried clothes on a line, not in an energy-gobbling machine burning up 220 volts -- wind and solar power really did dry our clothes back in our  day. Kids got hand-me-down clothes from their brothers or sisters, not always brand-new clothing. Thus we saved loads of money.


Back then, we had one TV, or radio, in the house -- not a TV in every room. And the TV had a small screen the size of a handkerchief (remember them?), not a screen the size of the state of Montana. In the kitchen, we blended and stirred by hand because we didn't have electric machines to do everything for us. When we packaged a fragile item to send in the mail, we used wadded up old newspapers to cushion it, not Styrofoam or plastic bubble wrap. Back then, we didn't fire up an engine and burn gasoline just to cut the lawn. We used a push mower that ran on human power.



We walked up stairs, because we didn't have an escalator in every store and office building. We exercised by this thing called WORKING so we didn't need to go to a health club to run on treadmills that operate on electricity.







We drank from a fountain when we were thirsty instead of using a plastic bottle every time we had a drink of water. We refilled writing pens with ink instead of buying a new pen, and we replaced the razor blades in a razor instead of throwing away the whole razor just because the blade got dull.


Back then, people took the streetcar or a bus and kids rode their bikes to school or walked instead of turning their moms into a 24-hour taxi service.


We had one electrical outlet in each room, not an entire bank of sockets to power a dozen appliances. And we didn't need a computerized gadget to receive a signal beamed from satellites 23,000 miles out in space in order to find the nearest burger joint. We used a phone book- which we later turned into cutesy little Christmas tree decoration by folding them backwards and gluing the pages together with good old Elmer's, lastly painting them a lovely shade of green or yellow gold and sitting them out for display- year after year. Nah; we didn't have your brand of the "green thing" back in our day".


Having no brown paper bags (only plastic)  in the store in which to bag my groceries; I simply paid my bill and left this young Miss with a decidedly sour expression on her face.


That, my friends, is the way you Teach people (young or old) that have Closed Minds but Open Mouths ....





Thursday, April 25, 2013

Living Life In the Vine



A Life of Weeds and Roses

“The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose.  It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing…” Isaiah 35:1-2

God says that your wilderness will blossom, and not just blossom, but it will blossom “abundantly.”  Can you claim and receive into your spirit this Word today from the Book of Isaiah?

If so, but you really are not seeing the evidence of it in your life, then dig around a little in your rose garden and see if you have believed any lies about yourself or lies about those around you. Lies from the enemy will stunt your growth. A lack of peace and a stunted spiritual growth are symptoms that nasty little weed lies have been embraced; rooted and have allowed to grow. And we can not have that; can we?

Just as a natural rose garden must be cleared of the weeds and debris, the heart needs to be cleared of any lies we have believed. Lies we have believed about ourselves and lies we have believed about others.

Did you know that every thought that you have is not your own?

Thoughts like: “I’m worthless”, “I can’t do anything right”, “I’m not good enough,” or "he'll never change" are not from God, they are from the enemy. The enemy plants thoughts like these into our minds and we embrace them fully as if they were  the truth. If you believe his lies, they can choke out the truth; much like weeds choke out the life in the garden. Believing lies will utterly destroy your life. Lies will kill your life. Lies will steal your life. Lies just plain make you miserable. 

These weeds in your garden must be pulled out so the roses can grow. But not just grow but flourish in abundance. To break out in joy and song.

Look to your own garden. What is growing in it, roses or weeds? If your life is not in full bloom, clear out every the lie you have believed and you will soon blossom abundantly.







Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Life In the Flock




The Lambs of the Flock

"I have gone astray like a lost sheep...”  Psalm 119:176


Our Heavenly Father is a loving Father. Look at the beautiful garden He placed Adam and Eve in. It was beautiful and complete with everything that they needed to thrive. But, Eve strayed and got tangled up in the snare of the enemy. With just one bad decision, both Adam and Eve found themselves outside of the presence of God. What happened? Why did they stray?

In the Bible, God compare’s us to sheep, and rightfully so; sheep can’t survive without a shepherd. Think of all the other animals that can live on their own in the wild; bears, lions, coyotes and even some types of farm animals. But sheep can’t live on their own; within a day they are over a cliff or tangled up in the briar patch somewhere. If God said you are like a sheep, you can’t make it on your own. You will get tangled up within a day. One wrong decision can set you on a path that leads you right out of the blessings of God just like Adam and Eve. Think about it, what decisions have you made without seeking God? Are you tangled up in a mess? That’s certainly no little thing! 

When Jesus came things changed. He was the Good Shepherd that goes after the lost sheep. He left the ninety nine and went after the one sheep that strayed. He is the same today as He was yesterday; He reaches out to you with loving arms if you have strayed away. If you have made a mistake or made a wrong decision that has got you tangled up in a mess, cry out to Him and He will lift you out of the pit or the briar patch you are tangled up in.


Now, stay close to Jesus, He is The Good Shepherd the One that you must listen to in order to be safe.



Don’t Run After Every Thing...

“All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way…” Isaiah 53:6

We must face it. We are a bit like sheep, and it is our soul (mind, will, and emotions) that are the sheep-like part of us. Our soul strays away and runs after every thought. With just one fleeting thought, we can be disconnected from the conversation, and off we go into la-la land.

This is how it works: you can be sitting in a Bible study or an important meeting, and embrace the thought of how hungry you are. This one thought can lead your mind to stray into the kitchen and feast on the thought of German-chocolate cake. All the while, the meeting is still going and you have zoned out on the most important part. The good news is that this can stop today. You don’t have to run after every thought!

Once you understand that your mind is the sheep-like part of you, you will have to build a fence so that your mind does not stray away anymore. A fence is a predetermined boundary that you set up in your mind. Your spirit is the shepherd part of you that keeps your soul inside this fence. Your spirit is strengthened through worship and the Word of God. When your spirit is strong in the Lord, it can keep your soul or mind from running after fleeting thoughts. Your spirit keeps the fence up and says no to those thoughts when they are offered. A fence is built ahead of time. You determine what you will allow yourself to think on and what you will not allow.  Your mind needs to be shepherded in green grass; good thoughts full of life.


 “…Whatsoever is pure, lovely, and of a good report …think on these things.”  Phillipians 4:8







The ~Sheep~ Flock Response

Through age and time; God knew our body would be exposed to injuries that would create wounds that would need to heal.  He knew we would never live a life without pain and wounding.  This is proven by how He designed our body.  Our body has been built to respond to injury.
 

For example; the most common ways a wound occurs is through injury due to trauma (a thorn punctures your skin), or an invader (pathogen such as bacteria/virus) gets beyond our natural protective barriers (skin and the mucous membranes that line our nose, mouth, throat, lungs, etc).  We have a built in “911” call that goes throughout our body that calls for “HELP” when we are wounded through either one of these methods.  This process is called inflammation and is one of the first stages in wound healing. Inflammation is a type of survival mode.  There is damage, but work is being done to repair and clean up the damage and prevent further wounding.

Our body begins to send signals (chemicals, enzymes, proteins) that send out a message to specific “helpers”.  Those helpers get the message and come to help repair the damage.  The response your body has when there has been wounding is astounding.  Our body reacts as a community; helping one another to repair and restore that which was hurt.
 

This process would fail to happen if it were dependent on just one type of cell.  It needs many types of cells to help in order for healing to begin.  Each “helper” that receives the call for help and responds, has it’s own function.  Some cells come to clean up, some come to patch up what’s been breached, some fight off harmful bacteria, and some are still calling for more help.  Each one has it’s own role and each role is critical.
 

I believe that 1 Corinthians 12:25-26 MSG says it best.
 

The way God designed our bodies is a model for understanding our lives together as the many membered body of Christ: every part is dependent on every other part, the parts we mention and the parts we don’t, the parts we see and the parts we don’t. If one part hurts, every other part is involved in the hurt, and in the healing. If one part flourishes, every other part enters into the exuberance.
 

God has designed us to help one another.  As we can see in the design of our own body, we need relationships with other Christians in times of trouble. Other sheep of the flock to look out for us and us for them.
 

“Then those ‘sheep’ are going to say, ‘Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry and feed you, thirsty and give you a drink? And when did we ever see you sick or in prison and come to you?’ Then the King will say, ‘I’m telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me — you did it to me.’ – Matthew 25:40

In closing; I find it completely fantastic that the Word of the Lord so often refers to sheep and in the reference compares us to His sheep, His flock. When I visit my daughter; I often sit in a swing that look out over the back pasture that is filled with sheep as far as the eye can see. I am reminded that being a sheep is a wonderful thing ... in a whole lot of ways.


Thank You Lord for including me in Your Flock.


Friday, April 12, 2013

Early Historical Facts




Facts From the Early Years (around 1500 AD)


Have you ever wondered where certain phrases originated?
Wondered why we say some of the things that we say during the course of an ordinary conversation? 

Historical research can be fun, sometimes sad, enlightening, entertaining (and so on) but never boring! Dig around; who knows what you might discover in your search.




In the early years; human urine was used to tan animal skins, thus all family members were encouraged to urinate (to pee) in a pot; once per day all collected urine was taken and sold to the tannery ... if you had to do this to survive you were considered "Piss Poor"

But worse were the really poor folk who couldn't even afford to buy the actual pot to urinate in ... which lead to the coined phrase "they don't have a pot to piss in" .

The next time you are washing your hands or taking a bath and complain because the water temperature isn't just how you like it, think about how things used to be.








Most people got married in June because they took their yearly bath in May, and they still smelled pretty good by June.. However, since they were starting to smell .... Brides carried a bouquet of flowers to hide the body odor. Hence the custom today of carrying a "bouquet" when getting married.

Baths consisted of a big tub filled with hot water. The man of the house had the privilege of the nice clean water, then all the other sons and men, then the women and finally the children. Last of all the babies. By then the water was so dirty you could actually lose someone in it.. Hence the saying, "Don't throw the baby out with the bath water!"

Houses had thatched roofs-thick straw-piled high, with no wood underneath. It was the only place for animals to get warm, so all the cats and other small animals (mice, bugs) lived in the roof. When it rained it became slippery and sometimes the animals would slip and fall off the roof... Hence the saying "It's raining cats and dogs."

There was nothing to stop things from falling into the house. This posed a real problem in the bedroom where bugs and other droppings could mess up your nice clean bed. Hence, a bed with big posts and a sheet hung over the top afforded some protection. That's how "canopy beds" came into existence.

The floor was dirt. Only the wealthy had something other than dirt. Hence the saying, "Dirt poor." The wealthy had slate floors that would get slippery in the winter when wet, so they spread thresh (straw) on floor to help keep their footing. As the winter wore on, they added more thresh until, when you opened the door, it would all start slipping outside. A piece of wood was placed in the entrance-way. Hence: a "thresh hold".

In those old days, they cooked in the kitchen with a big kettle that always hung over the fire.. Every day they lit the fire and added things to the pot. They ate mostly vegetables and did not get much meat. They would eat the stew for dinner, leaving leftovers in the pot to get cold overnight and then start over the next day. Sometimes stew had food in it that had been there for quite a while. Hence the rhyme: "Peas porridge hot, peas porridge cold, peas porridge in the pot nine days old". Sometimes they could obtain pork, which made them feel quite special. When visitors came over, they would hang up their bacon to show off. It was a sign of wealth that a man could, "bring home the bacon" They would cut off a little to share with guests and would all sit around and "chew the fat".

Those with money had plates made of pewter. Food with high acid content caused some of the lead to leach onto the food, causing lead poisoning death. This happened most often with tomatoes, so for the next 400 years or so, tomatoes were considered poisonous.

Bread was divided according to status. Workers got the burnt bottom of the loaf, the family got the middle, and guests got the top, or the "upper crust".

Lead cups were used to drink ale or whisky. The combination would sometimes knock the imbibers out for a couple of days. Someone walking along the road would take them for dead and prepare them for burial.. They were laid out on the kitchen table for a couple of days and the family would gather around and eat and drink and wait and see if they would wake up. Hence the custom of holding a "wake".

England during this period in history was quite small and the local folks started running out of places to bury people. So they would dig up coffins and would take the bones to a bone-house, and reuse the grave. When reopening these coffins, 1 out of 25 coffins were found to have scratch marks on the inside and they realized they had been burying people alive... So they would tie a string on the wrist of the corpse, lead it through the coffin and up through the ground and tie it to a bell. Someone would have to sit out in the graveyard all night (the graveyard shift.) to listen for the bell; thus, someone could be, "saved by the bell" or was considered a "dead ringer".

And that's the truth ...

Monday, April 8, 2013

The Path




In The Presence Of The Lord Is The Fullness Of Joy

“Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at Thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.”  Psalm 16:11

“Hold up my goings in thy paths, that my footsteps slip not.” Psalm 17:5
 

As we travel down the path of life the Lord will make the path very clear. The path of life is to do what is right. You know you are on the right path by the peace that comes as you choose to do what is right. Sin draws you away from God’s presence, when you continue in sin you will feel farther and farther away from Him. It feels like being lost and all alone; far away from home. The steps to get back home can be found in His Word.

Psalm 119:105 says, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.” Just like Adam, we still run and hide from Him when we feel guilt and shame. When we have sinned we need to run towards Him for forgiveness. “I said, Lord, be merciful to me: heal my soul; for I have sinned.”  (Psalm 41:4)


We all are at times like a prodigal son that needs to run back home. Our God is a Father who is always waiting at the door for us with His arms opened wide to receive us.
 


Follow The Path
 

Pray now asking Him to help you to get back on the right track, the path that will lead you home.
 


Father God, I have a lack of peace and joy in my heart.  Holy Spirit, I ask you to reveal to me the areas of my life in which I have turned away from You.  I have gotten off the path and left home by _______________.  I ask for your forgiveness.  Draw me close to You again and show me Your promises for me in Your Word.  I desire to be in Your presence once again.
 


In Jesus’ Name, Amen.




Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Hands in Prayer



Grandpa's Hands


Grandpa, some ninety plus years, sat feebly on the patio bench. He didn’t move, just sat with his head down staring at his hands. When I sat down beside him he didn’t acknowledge my presence and the longer I sat, I wondered if he was OK. Finally, not really wanting to disturb him but wanting to check on him at the same time, I asked him if he was OK.

He raised his head and looked at me smiled and said.”Yes, I’m fine. Thank you for asking,” he said in a clear strong voice.

"I didn’t mean to disturb you, Grandpa, but you were just sitting here staring at your hands and I wanted to make sure you were OK,” I explained to him.”

“Have you ever looked at your hands,” he asked. “I mean really looked at your hands?”

I slowly opened my hands and stared down at them. I turned them over, palms up and then palms down.

No, I guess I had never really looked at my hands as I tried to figure out the point he was making.


Grandpa smiled and related this story:


“Stop and think for a moment about the hands you have, how they have served you well throughout your years ...

These hands, though wrinkled, shriveled, and weak have been the tools I have used all my life to reach out and grab and embrace life.

They put food in my mouth and clothes on my back.

As a child my mother taught me to fold them in prayer.

They tied my shoes and pulled on my boots.

They have been dirty, scraped and raw, swollen and bent.

They were uneasy and clumsy when I tried to hold my newborn son.

Decorated with my wedding band they showed the world that I was married and loved someone special.

They trembled and shook when I buried my parents and spouse and walked my daughter down the aisle.

They have covered my face, combed my hair, and washed and cleansed the rest of my body.

They have been dirty and wet, bent and broken, dried and raw.

And to this day, when not much of anything else of me works real well, these hands hold me up, lay me down, and again continue to fold in prayer.
These hands are the mark of where I’ve been and the ruggedness of my life.

But more importantly it will be these hands that God will reach out and take when he leads me home. And with my hands He will lift me to His side and there I will use these hands to touch the face of Christ.


I will never look at my hands the same again.


When my hands are hurt or sore I think of Grandpa. I know he has been stroked and caressed and held by the hands of God. I, too, want to touch the face of God and feel His hands upon my face.

How was Grandpa SO certain that he was going to see the face of God when he passed to the next life?

Well, it’s not because he was such a “good person” or because he belonged to a particular church or because he was baptized in a special way. There is nothing he could have possibly done in his own power to attain such a precious Gift.

The only way he was able to be certain that when he died he would see the face of God and take a hold of His hand  was  through  Faith.

The Faith that was given and placed in his heart to believe that Jesus is the Only way to God the Father and to be certain that He died on the cross to pay for every single sin he ever committed.


For this faith to take action, he believed in ...


GRACE… Heaven is A Free Gift

“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23

We cannot earn our way to heaven, and none of us deserves to go. It is a gift.


MAN… We Are All Sinners

“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23

Every person who has ever lived has missed God’s standard of perfection.


GOD…He Loves Us.. HE LOVES YOU

“…God is love.” I John 4:8

While God loves us and does not want to punish us, we should also know that, as a just God, He must punish sin.

“…the soul that sinneth, it shall die.” Ezekiel 18:4


CHRIST… God Balanced Justice and Love Through His Son Jesus

Jesus is the infinite God-man, God in the flesh (John 1:1). He died on the cross and rose from the dead to pay the penalty for our sins and to purchase a place for us in heaven, which he offers as a free gift.


FAITH… The Gift of Eternal Life is Received By Faith

Saving faith is not merely intellectual assent. It is trusting in Jesus Christ alone and what He has done rather that what we can do to get us to heaven.

“…what must I do to be saved? …Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved…” Acts 16:30b, 31


The Bible says ,

“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
Romans 10:13

You can do that now by simply praying, “Lord Jesus, I know I am a sinner and do not deserve eternal life. I believe You died and rose from the grave to purchase a place in heaven for me. Jesus, come into my life, take control of my life, forgive my sins, and save me. I am now placing my trust in You alone for my salvation, and I accept your free gift of eternal life.”

If this prayer is the sincere desire of your heart, look at the promise of Jesus,
“Verily, verily, I say unto you. He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.”
 John 6:47


If in anyway you feel this has offended you or you think this is foolishness ... well; I could only leave you with this ...


“For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.”
1 Corinthians 1:18



GOD Loves You ... anyway!

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Guest Post



One Door, One Way, One Master


Written by Mary Wilbers (Blakely) at age 17, now 57

I hear a very persistent knocking,
Coming from one of two doors,
The door on my left is golden and jeweled,
The one on my right is plain wood.

The knocking has doubled persistence now,
It’s coming from both of those doors,
I must choose, and so must you,
For at one time or another we all will stand,

In front of two doors,
In front of two roads,
In front of two masters,
Do not be deceived,
You will walk a road of your own choosing.

The world with all its’ deceiving ways,
lies waiting behind the jeweled door.
Christ has chosen the rough and plain wooden door,
His cross supported no jewels.
Which master will you choose?

Christ will reach out a loving hand,
He will lead you down a lighted path.
The world will hide its’ snatching claws,
The better to snatch your soul away.

The earth is a dark place where we all must grope,
Trying to find our way.
We stumble blindly in this darkness,
Hatred, worry, hopelessness and despair.

Yes, the Prince of Darkness stands behind that jeweled door.
Isn’t it frightening that we will open that door and let,
His claws snatch our very life away?
You cannot peak without opening a door,
You are being called to serve,
Whose knocking will you answer?

Sad but true, we all have answered.
Even our indifference has answered for us.
If the road you are walking down is dark,
For your own sake, take the next lighted detour.
Walk down the path less traveled by.
You are a prisoner.
Will you not try to escape?


red ribbon typing on onion skin typing paper