Mercy Or Judgment

Four years ago there was an election

that could have been a leap in the wrong direction.

A Socialist agenda seemed set to advance,

but God gave America another chance

in allowing Trump to become President.

He’s a man with a backbone like well set cement.

He has fought to keep our nation free;

continuing to walk in liberty.

To the Christian community he’s been a friend,

but many seemed determined to have that end.

 

I know the next election very well could be

the toppling of our democracy.

As a nation in general, we’ve turned our back on God.

He has every right to bring judgment to our sod.

Yet I’m praying for mercy that we don’t deserve

and that President Trump has 4 more years to serve.

7/9/2020

Pray For Our President

Say a prayer for our president.

Attacks against him seem not to relent.

Small thing to show you really care;

for our president, say a prayer.

 

Into his ears, so many voices

demanding he make important choices.

Some speaking from deception or fears

so many voices into his ears.

 

In spite of the tension, Lord, help him stand

for righteousness and freedom of our land.

When on your knees, his name do mention.

Lord, help him to stand, in spite of the tension.

 

An enormous task, at the helm of a nation,

He could benefit from your supplication.

God’s wisdom and guidance for him, do ask;

at the helm of a nation, an enormous task.

 

5/14/2020

1Timothy 2:1,2  First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people,

for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.

The Call

 

Call in the lefties,

those rambunctious boys,

to hammer and clamor

and make lots of noise.

 

Fill folks with fear.

Tell them some lies.

Make them stay home

under health safety guise.

 

Bark out strict orders.

You have the potential

to keep open businesses

you deem essential.

 

Use some scare tactics

of falsely called science,

lest the masses get wise

and rise up in defiance.

 

Daily and nightly

spew out fake news.

Blind obedience of people

you don’t want to lose.

************************

Call the true Christians

to get on their knees

and cry out to God

in desperate pleas

 

for wisdom to know

how to fight the corruption

that oozes and flows

like volcanic eruption,

 

for restoration of freedom

that teeters and lurches

threatening long closure

of our much needed churches,

 

for courage to speak,

the gospel, still spread

and boldly declare

our God is not dead!

 

Our grit is not sufficient

God of battle, our Lord.

Give us the strength

to wield your sword.

 

Use common folks

like you and like me

to help us preserve

sweet liberty.

 

5/5/2020

 

Ephesians 6:12-18  For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.
Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,
and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.
In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one;
and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,
praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, 

 

 

 

Stirring In The Stable Part 3

After making this exclamation, Othniel took off again in a flurry of feathers, circling around the roof and landing again.

Chava in an agitated voice boomed , “Could you please stop with the aerial acrobatics and tell us about this baby?”

“Oh yes, of course, “ replied Othniel. “I am just beside myself in wonder and amazement. As soon as I looked upon the child, I knew, yet I don’t know how except that it must be by divine revelation. It sounds outlandish, but that baby that is lying there is the God that created me! Somehow, when I looked at his face I just knew it. God has come to earth in a human form, although I’m not sure why.”

As soon as Othniel made his startling proclamation, a bright star suddenly appeared that lit up the sky, and light began filtering into the barn. If that wasn’t strange enough the doors to every animal stall began to open as though guided by invisible hands.

“Chava,” exclaimed Adonijah excitedly, “You are not going to believe this but the door to my stall just opened of its own accord!

“Adonijah, I’m a believer!” bellowed Chava. “The same thing has happened here. What Othniel has said must be true. What are we waiting for? Let’s go see the God baby!”

Adonijah and Chava then rushed out of their stalls, followed by the rest of the barn animals who also had been liberated from their nooks.  They quickly rounded the corner and came to the place where Mary and Yosef dwelt and the young child, who had been placed in Tikvah’s feeding trough.  Mary and Yosef did not notice their presence at first, because they were lost in the glory of beholding this new little life with which they had been blessed.  Mary looked up toward the barn roof and spoke to her husband.

“Yosef,  does it seem to have become lighter in this barn?” Yosef was about to answer when Mary clutched her heart, pointed and said, “Yosef, look!”

There stood a group of animals about ten feet away from them. There were cows, donkeys, several sheep and baby lambs and even an owl, which was gracefully perched on a beam.

“Fear not, Mary,” replied Yosef tenderly, “Somehow these animals know that something special has happened here and that this is not an ordinary baby. I’ve always felt that animals can sometimes sense things that humans are slow to pick up. The animals will do us no harm.”

“But love,” answered Mary, “How did they all get out of their stalls? There is nobody else in this barn besides you and me.”

“The same One who has caused this heavenly light to shine into the barn, must have chosen to also loose these animals from their dwelling places,” answered Yosef.

While this discourse took place between husband and wife, there was also communication going on between the animals.

Chava, always the outspoken one, questioned Othniel. “Oh wise owl, I don’t understand why the God of the universe would choose to be born here, in our humble stable. Wouldn’t a palace be more fitting as a birthplace, and why aren’t there kings and queens and dignitaries to come and pay homage to their Maker?”

After a thoughtful pause, Othniel  replied, “These are deep and noble questions, dear Chava. I’m afraid I can only offer my limited opinion. God is sovereign and will do as He pleases and knows is best. Perhaps the mode of coming as a baby would not seem threatening to others. Everybody seems to love babies. You know how we animals dote over our young ones. It could be there are no dignitaries or important people here because they are too wrapped up in their own meager kingdoms  to notice God coming to earth in such an unpredictable way. But we are here, and we know the identity of this Babe lying in a manger.  For that reason, we should not hold our peace, but we should glorify this great God who has come to visit our lowly stable.”

Having spoken these words, Othniel lifted his wings in flight, and as he began to soar through the barn, the spirit of prophesy came upon him as he roared,

“Cry out and shout, thou  inhabitants of Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee!”

Upon hearing this proclamation, the animals began to worship in the only way that they knew how. The cows bellowed and mooed, donkeys brayed, sheep bleated and the wise old owl hooted until he was hoarse.

As Yosef, listened to the orchestra of animals, he broke out in a wide grin as he turned to Mary and said, “Beloved, these animals recognize who the Babe is, God manifested in the flesh. They cannot help but praise Him. Oh, this is a holy night, but it definitely will not be a silent one!”

The End

12/6/19

Stirring In The Stable-Part Two

Chava raised her head toward the sky and bellowed, “Who is up there on the roof? Please identify your self immediately.”

“Othniel Owl”, spoke the bird in a most dignified manner, “here at your service. I have followed this couple for the past five hours. There is something about them that intrigues me. Do you know that feeling we animals get before an earthquake happens?”

“Certainly!” answered Chava with Adonijah snorting in agreement.

“It’s a premonition that God gives us to let us know of approaching disaster. Well, I had that same feeling when I saw this couple, only it’s not a foreboding feeling but a sense that something wonderful and miraculous is going to happen. I don’t understand it all together, but I am waiting and watching to see what will come to pass.”

Chava laughed a somewhat scornful laugh. “Is Othniel Owl among the prophets? What miraculous event could possibly take place in this old, dilapidated barn?”

Othniel, unruffled by her incredulity calmly answered, “I don’t know, but we shall wait and see what comes to pass.”

This is exactly what they did for the next hour. The woman continued her cycle of moaning, rolling on the hay that was underneath her, mumbling prayers and asking for Yosef(the name that the animals heard her use)to put the crude, wet cloth on her forehead. Yosef continued to speak words of comfort and reassurance to his “beloved Mary” (as he called her).
Chava mooed and yawned. She was getting a little bored with the sameness that had been going on for about an hour.

“When is she going to give birth? When is this so called wonderful miracle, whatever it is going to be, supposed to happen? I’m getting tired of just standing here, listening to you, Othniel, give play by play over and over again of the same thing.”

Othniel, being a bird of great wisdom and infinite patience answered, “It won’t be long now. The baby will be born soon.”

Approximately five minutes later, Adonijah, Chava and Othniel heard exclamations of praise and laughter coming from Mary and Yosef and then the unmistakable cry of a newborn baby.

Suddenly Othniel began to flap his wings excitedly and hover over the barn roof. He landed, took off again, then landed in obvious excitement.  With a voice quavering with giddy enthusiasm , he exclaimed, “I understand now! I know HOO this baby is!”

end of part 2
– to be continued

12/5/19

Stirring In The Stable Part 1

Adonijah was asleep in his usual standing position, but he was having a dream. It was a strange dream involving mostly sounds. He was in the barn, but he was hearing odd noises. A woman was moaning intermittently and asking God to help her. The pain she was experiencing must have been great, for he could hear labored breathing as well.  The voice of a man was heard also occasionally, speaking softly and calmly in words of comfort and reassurance.

He was awakened from his dream by the voice of Chava in the next stall. “Adonijah, wake up! Something most extraordinary is going on here.”

The donkey shook himself and turned toward the stall where his neighbor dwelt. “Huh, what? You just woke me up from a bizarre dream I was having about some humans.”

“Adonijah,” answered the cow, “There are humans in the barn right now! It’s a man and a woman. I saw the innkeeper bring them in a couple of hours ago. It’s a husband and wife, and the husband said something about his wife would be having a baby very soon. The innkeeper was apologizing to them, telling them there were no rooms left but they could spend the night in Tikvah’s(may she rest in peace) stall.”

Tikvah was an old sheep that had died a week ago.

Adonijah snorted. “Well, that explains the dream I was having. I heard a woman moaning and groaning and a man speaking words of comfort to her. It makes sense now, but what an awful place to have a child. Has Tikvah’s stall even been cleaned since she uh……?”

“How should I know!” answered Chava. (At this point, Adonijah was wondering how she could NOT know for the chatty cow was a terrible gossip that made it her business to try and know everybody’s business.) “Anyhow, it sounds like this young lady is having a rough time of it. Oh, I wish I wasn’t in this stall. I would so love to see and not just hear what is happening with these 2 humans.”

Just then Adonijah and Chava heard a fluttering of wings overhead as something landed on top of the barn’s weathered roof.  A voice spoke out of the darkness, saying, “I know someone who can tell you everything that is going on here.”

to be continued……..

12/5/19

Thou Little One

Thou little acorn of great potential
fear not, your growth can be exponential.
Although you have a tiny start,
it need not produce faintness of heart.
Fall deep in the earth, and let the sun’s rays
be the thing that hallows all of your days.
Stand fast. You’ll find it is no joke.
One day you’ll be a might oak.

Thou new born believer of great worth,
remember, Christ had a lowly birth.
Don’t despise your spiritual bottle.
You can’t advance overnight to full throttle.
Fall deep in love with the Word of God.
Let it shape the path you trod.
Hold fast to the Master.  One day you will be
a lovely and righteous fruit bearing tree.

11/14/19

Psalm 1:1-6  Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. 
But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. 
And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. 
The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. 
Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. 
For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish. 

Copyright © Carol Connell

Pleasant Perk Of Aging

Each day I’m engaging with this thing called aging,

and sometimes it doesn’t seem fair.

I let out a sigh as in mirror I spy

on my chin a new granny hair.

 

It seems my forgetter works better and better.

Now what was I going to do?

For those in your youth, let me tell you the truth.

This reality is heading toward you.

 

My get up and go never more says hello.

It left without saying adieu.

Rocking chair is my friend, right up till the end.

With marathons, I think I’m through.

 

Age spots dot me like sprinkles. There are plenty of wrinkles.

Most of physical beauty has waned.

Yet I do not despair. For with joy I declare

I can see one thing I have gained.

 

Through life’s school of hard knocks and its aftershocks

and Biblical application,

wrongs I have spurned and lessons I’ve learned

give me cause for celebration.

 

I’m now somewhat wiser, can be an adviser

to those traveling life’s shifting road.

By God’s grace be spurred to give encouraging word

and perhaps lighten somebody’s load.

 

Though steps are measured, still there’s one thing I’ve treasured

in spite of youth taking backstage.

Experiences of life have left me rife

with the gift to bear fruit in old age.

6/6/19

Psalm 92:12-15  The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. 

Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God. 

They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing; 

To shew that the LORD is upright: he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Showdown

 

He was no stranger to the attacks of the enemy and his minions. Although he could not see them, he sensed their presence, and he was sure that confrontation would come. Confrontation must come. There were hints from the congregation that the insidious infiltration had begun. He had prayed, and he was ready. It was time to lay the deceptive demon to rest. Thursday night would be the moment of truth. The pastor stepped to the pulpit and opened up his worn, brown, leather covered Bible. A tension filled the air that was reminiscent of the prelude to the showdown at the O.K. Corral.

Suddenly Scriptures fired off in rapid succession, quick and powerful, one after another, repeatedly pommeling their target. Unseen to the naked eye, but in the Spirit, false doctrine buckled and fell over. Stone cold dead.

8/15/19

Hebrews 4:12 ” For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

Psalm 119:104,105  “Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way.
Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”

Psalm 119:89  “For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.”

Psalm 119:130  “The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.”

Proverbs 9:6 ” Forsake the foolish, and live; and go in the way of understanding.”

Proverbs 15:32  “He that refuseth instruction despiseth his own soul: but he that heareth reproof getteth understanding.”

John 17:17 ” Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.”

 

Don’t Get Caught Up On The Whys

When doubts invade as an unwelcomed prancer;
questions eat at you like a growing cancer.
You don’t understand and long for an answer.
Don’t get caught up on the whys.

For this calamity you had to make room.
Somber clouds on your horizon now loom.
You long for joy, but you wrestle with gloom.
Don’t get caught up on the whys.

You may feel you’re at the end or your rope.
You’re struggling to function, go forward or cope.
There’s a key to not giving up all hope.
Don’t get caught up on the whys.

If you love God, all things work together for good
though you may not see now how they possibly could.
The Lord knows best, be it understood.
Don’t get caught up on the whys.

When despair and depression seem to be pally,
the passageways of your mind you must rally.
Start praising your way out of this lonely valley.
Don’t get caught up on the whys.

Life is not always fair, this is true.
Your tranquil essence can turn suddenly askew,
but you can be a victor. Determine that you
don’t get caught up on the whys.

6/1/19

Proverbs 3:5,6 – “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”

I Peter 1:6 – “Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:”

Romans 8:28 -” And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”