A Small Wild Rose

Just a small wild rose; is a pretty sight to see,
Even when no one seems to notice it still continues to be.
Just a tiny flower that perfumes the air,
With a pleasant aroma to with others share.
What good is this rose doing you say?
Who cares if it just dies and fades away?
What is it worth if it does not grace the halls of fame?
Why does it still on the bush remain?
Just like the small rose we may be,
But we are well known to Christ the King.
We wonder why He reached out His hand.
And does not overlook us, we cannot understand
Why is it He picked us to His heavenly home grace?
Why does He offer us the most valuable place?
I shall be thankful I am like the tiny rose instead,
Of the large fragrant ones or much pride will fill my head.
I’m so thankful He allows me to be of Him apartI may be just like a small wild rose; but, He holds me in His heart.

Psalms 8:3-5
When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?  For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.

        Life has many opportunities to practice love.  It may sound like an easy assignment but as this poem shows we  all fall short of perfection.  I am so thankful our Lord forgives and helps us to do as He did, to forgive and to love the unlovely.

Learning Love’s Lessons

The largest lesson a man must learn,
That will brings great results until God returns,
Is the appeal of God above;
To live in an attitude of love.
It is simple many may say;
It is not a hard word to obey.
But I tell you every person can improve in this.
The Holy Spirit sees all and is ready to assist.
This word is not to condemn, no indeed.
It is to lift up and to plant kingdom seeds.
To replace the seed of bitterness of the hurt hard to touch,
The anger-walls within you have built up,
The niggling irritation at a glimpse of someone,
The memory that rises up at the remembrance of something done,
Words that taunt you, that fill the heart with tears,
The path of regret you have traveled on for many years,
The neighbor you cannot imagine as a friend,
The unwanted individual who tries to your life enter in,
The loud, obnoxious, bore who rubs you wrong
The inner jealousy that you know does not belong.
The wounds of a love rejected,
All this and more is by your God detected.
Practicing love teaches to forgive, and will for others pray.
Love admits when you fail and recommits to obey.
Love turns on the light and steps under God’s mercy and grace,
And will ask for His help on each trial you face.
Love sees the truth and in repentance weeps in shame;
Expecting, their loving God to breaks life’s unloving chains.

Prayer
Father please forgive me for I find I have failed love’s test in so many ways.  I choose to learn how to successfully forgive others.

Matthew 6:21
For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

            The older I get I find my treasures are changing.  I now value friendships, and family above material things.  My greatest treasure is my relationship with my Lord.  He is the treasure of my heart.  My great desire is to share Him with others.

The Treasures of Man

Treasures are precious and are kept safe;
Sometimes they are put on display.
Some favorite possessions have great value upon the earth,
And some are sentimental and not of much material worth.
Some treasure family and some treasure friends.
The list of valuables seem to never end.
A treasure can be a memory kept safe deep inside.
Other treasures may be things you need to hide.
Treasure surely can become
A burden when it is all said and done.
When this happens what you need to do,
Is to examine close what is gathered to you.
Are they more significant to you than Christ?
Do they hold the most important place in your life?
If you were asked to give up any or all of them;
Would your life be worth living then?
Could you offer them as a sacrifice?
Would you be able to let them go for Jesus Christ?
Know, God loves you and does not desire to take away from thee.
His desire is to pour more abundance on thee.
But he desires to be your greatest treasure; He is jealous of your love.
Know this is a word delivered from above.

Prayer
Lord You are my greatest treasure.  Thank You for all the lovely people and things You have bestowed upon me.

Jesus is our example in every way.  He loved us so much He died to save us from the consequences of our sins, and eternal loss. We also need to learn to love….By                dying to the selfish nature that places our own needs and desires above those of others that touch our lives. In our families we have ample opportunity to practice the Lord’s example set before us. The Holy Spirit will help us when we choose to do as our God desires.  Lord, help us to choose to do the good, right thing even when it hurts and it feels so wrong!

Love Never Takes a Vacation

Love never takes a vacation; God displays His love on every side.
His creation shouts, It is good to be alive!
Love extends itself, in sunshine or the rain.
It is evident in every place, even in great pain.
Jesus offered His life to pay the debt of sin.
There was no greater pain than what was endured by Him.
Love said, “Forgive them they know not what they do.”
With love is so generous; He still shares His love with you.
Love fills your life with His breath.
Love follows the faithful even unto death.
When you are weary, love revives and gives strength.
When you are thirsty, love is the sweet water to drink.
When you are hungry and become thin,
He will place you at His table and will feed you again.
The world has a darkness that is very black it is true.
But one act of love will light the way for you.
Evil and hatred is on every side,
But, they flee when in love you abide.
Love never a vacation takes,
For each day God shares His love by provision of His Grace.

Romans 5:8
But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we
Were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

It seems this is a repeat poem.  It is still very true, and perhaps more needed that before.

Romans 12:1
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

       There is a time when we just have to put down our baby toys and pick up the shovel and get to work.  This is true in real life and in the spiritual sense too.  It is sad to say but I have seen some baby Christians who put some so called mature Christians to shame. They have rolled up their sleeves and are pushing back the evil ones lines; one prayer, one testimony, and one good deed at a time.

Everyone Has a Job to Do

Everyone has a job to do, after accepting God’s Son.
There are many people to tell, and so much to be done.
You do not need to look off afar;
Listen to the Holy Spirit, who lives within,
And your ministry begins.
Perhaps your life is confined and you cannot get away,
But you have opportunity and the time to pray.
You can reach across the miles; there is no limit to prayer’s touch.
There is no reason to be dry and useless, you can accomplish so much.
Perhaps you feel you are not witty, or you are difficult to know.
However, if you allow the Word to drop like nuggets of gold;
Its wisdom draws seeking hearts unto me
Your life can shine more than you perceive
Perhaps you are not as comely as another close by.
But your beauty is evident… I see inside.
I see the lovely smile that draws people’s gaze.
At the value of your testimony you would stand amazed.
Perhaps you do not believe this word could apply to you
And you still think there isn’t anything you can do.
You have the ability,
To resist the lies the evil one whispers to thee.
Even now if you hear and you choose to believe it
You will cause to God’s Kingdom great benefit

Prayer
Lord allow me to be used to draw another to the cross.  Holy Spirit, lead and guide my every step.  My Lord You are the Word that dwells within and the good news I share with others.

Salvation is the greatest gift I have ever received.  I am proud to tell the world I am a born again believer.  It is my pleasure sharing the Good News with all I meet.  I am free to serve the One I adore, by serving the ones He died to save from sin’s trap.

Access, Assurance, Acceptance, and Acknowledgment

I ignorantly was walking toward what I could not see;
A forever separation from whatever was good for eternity.
When truth, was brought before my bewildered eyes,
My precarious situation was recognized.
As fear quaked the foundation of my life,
I was introduced to the provision of Jesus Christ.
He brought me to the place,
Where, I had access to His amazing grace.
He assured me, He had me in mind the day,
He died, to my debt of sin pay.
At His invitation, I grasped on with delight..
He accepted me into His glorious light.
Fear was replaced with hope and peace within.
My blinded eyes were opened.
The sure damnation for my soul.
Is now forever canceled.
The joy of salvation, is a endless song my heart sings,
As an anthem of praise; to Jesus my King.
He acknowledges me as His each and every day
I wish to also acknowledge Him in all I do, think, and say.

Proverbs 16:16
How much better is it to get wisdom than gold! and to get understanding rather to be chosen than silver!

When An Appetite for More is Sin

There are men and women too
That wants their life to improve
Their pockets are empty but they have good taste;
The finer things in life they desire to embrace.
It is not at all unusual to see,
That an appetite for more may become fixation of greed.
With a drive to possess no matter the cost,
The hunger becomes sin, and must be brought to the cross.
The diligent worker may say, I have earned the right,
To get what my hearts delights.
By the sweat of their brow they may reach their goal;
Doing their best to be in full control.
It is by their own effort they claim,
To enjoy the finer things without an ounce of shame.
But there is One who paid your debt for you.
Who sweat great drops of blood in His decision to carry through.
He died so you could hunger to find,
The greatest, most beautiful, treasure of all time.
Jesus took your place….He died for your sin and shame,
So you could enjoy all the abundance applied to His name.
He who was richest became the most poor;
So the lost could spend eternity in the rich presence of the Lord.

Laminations 3:40
Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the LORD.

         It is easy to see what others need to change.  When busy trying to fix everyone else we forget that we also need improvement.  In fact, sometimes when we compare ourselves with world around us, we look pretty good!  But, when we look into the Word of God, and when we listen to the voice within, we see that there is no real reason to be proud and haughty.   I do believe in my Father’s eyes I am clean and whole for He sees through the blood of Jesus.  But I know also that the Holy Spirit is very observant and hears everything I think, say, or do.   He beholds everything and weighs even the motives behind every action.   I must always be very careful not to grieve the Spirit by covering over or excusing my own sins while examining others..

Examine Yourself

Self-analysis eliminates the possibility that a flaw will stay.
Along with careful scrutiny and a will to God’s Word obey
A dangerous deception the enemy tells;
Is that you are fine and all is well.
He says “You are much better than you used to be,”
And encourages you not to worry, for now you are free.
Free from bondage of the Law, and free from rules of right or wrong.
He whispers, “You now to a special group belong.”
The heart that loves God and truly desires to please,
Will ask their Lord, to search inside and to help them to see.
They are confident His blood covers them as they seek to change,
But, they also know, any hidden sin must not in them remain.

             Psalms 139:23-24
Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts
And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Nahum 1:7
The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble;
and he knoweth them that trust in him.

          We find countless opportunities in everyday life to practice our professions of trust. Many times it is misplaced, and proven untrue; with the action of another trust is broken.  God is faithful, and trustworthy.  He is always on our side, and can be trusted to help, lead and guide us to the place best for us.

Trust is

Trust, a small word with a large meaning; it encompasses much.
These word just a tip of its meanings touch.
Trust does not strive or work to meet its goal;
It is more like rest which peacefully flows.
Trust does not accuse or condemn; it does not easily turn away.
Trust stands firm and cannot easily be swayed.
When God asks His children to trust, it His desire for them to believe,
In His provisions; no matter the harsh winds, or how desperate is their needs.
Trust is not grounded on perfect knowledge or an understanding of all things.
It is founded on the reliability of the Most High, the Risen King.
Trust is unable to successfully survive,
In the same vessel where fear and worry abide.
Worry is an opposite emotion, it testifies distrust.
To glorify God, to renounce anxiety is a must.
Trust will expect the best, and marches forward without pause.
Trust will rejoice in truth and the integrity of God’s laws.
To trust God and His ability and might,
Is the greatest wisdom your soul is able to delight.

Prayer
Father, I trust Your help in whatever situation I find myself in.  Forgive me when I allow fear, anxiety or worry to spoil the wonderful peaceful place provided for souls that place their trust in the Word of God.

Hebrew 6:10
For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.

            Our Lord loves us.  We are made in His image. Before sin we were perfect.  After sin we are torn. Before the cross we all are lost. This truth must always be kept in mind. Rich, poor, and in every race; all are torn before the cross. We all have the same need, we all need a Savior.

All Torn Before the Cross

Wind tossed, weather beaten, colors faded by life;
They are the torn flowers, unseen but still in sight.
Their silent cry is shouting, but few will hear.
In the noise and clamor of the world’s clatter they almost disappear.
He or she is almost breathing your air,
But they are alone and feel no one cares.
All have different stories that sound the same;
With sad excuses, and accusations, to help share the blame.
The world’s attractions change hot and cold,
But still held in chains with hurts untold.
Torn, broken but there is hope ahead for them.
Jesus paid the price so they can be born again.
Their beauty is so valued in His sight.
His love will mold and them to cause great delight.
Look about you, recognize them and you will see,
They are just like you were before you found me.
You were just as lost, and torn within.
Before the cross all the Father saw was sin.