Poetic Pause XII

WORDS

Well – we can all enjoy words

you can – if you can

We can all weasel-out words

Straight from the can

Some words stink – garbage

Some words are fragrant

Perfume-bottled – and nicely arranged

Dousing the road-side vagrant

He won’t appreciate the gesture

‘cause your superior dousing stinks

As far as he is concerned “don’t

Cover me with your rhyme-word links”

Words are starting to go astray here

Having introduced the negative

Get them back on the track of acceptability

And let them loose on the delicate

Words can be wholesome and pure

These words appear – from a pure heart

Appearing from hearts set-apart

Mouths speak-‘em-out in exhortation-art

Now excuse me I must go

I have more to say on words

But I haven’t the time just now

Must go and feed the birds

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Poetic Pause XI

MAKING UP WORDS

Making up words –

had to decide if a new word could be made –

and if it would abide –

in the world’s dictionaries –

or is this just a dream –

as I reach for the keyboard and begin to glean –

the fruit –

of thought –

as another word is added –

does it make sense? –

I ask myself –

put the bottle back on the shelf –

I have shortened to pu-bottle-back-she –

my spelling check says no –

so I stretch my mind for another go –

how about simply bot-back? –

no that won’t do –

making up new words is a task indeed –

how much money is in it for me? –

not enough to earn a living –

that’s plain to see –

an inventor of words is a thankless task –

so I won’t ask –

if you think that it’s cool –

I will just free myself from the task

and instead write poems that won’t last…

 

…and correction?

…and correction?

Most Christian bloggers like to edify, exhort positively, and comfort us all, in our journey through this fallen world.

I have received from a number of Christian blogs, the encouragement I needed for a certain ‘day in the life’.

It would seem though, that some subject matter is best avoided if your goal is to be popular, when blogging.

However most Christians would agree that we are not called to win popularity competitions, and yet they love the ‘amen’ to their posts, and often (or mostly) it is genuinely given.

They are glad when others are edified, and rightly so. We all need encouragement.

But again I often wonder if anyone wants to address the mess?

Sometimes we need to repent and return to the first works – indeed repentance from ‘dead’ works returning to our first love of the Lord Jesus Christ, entering into a closer walk with Him.

For this to happen we need to be corrected.

The human heart and mind is prone to wander. And sometimes in the midst of our convicted conscience –  the last thing we need is someone laying heavies upon us that point out our faults and failings.

But conversely – does this mean this should never be done? We live in a world where no one wants to listen to correction.

Does that include the Christians? Who are told:

NKJV – Hebrews 12/5 …do not despise the chastening of the Lord, Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him…

Amplified version – 

“My son, do not make light of the discipline of the Lord,

And do not lose heart and give up when you are corrected by Him;

Going on to say:

For the Lord disciplines and corrects those whom He loves,…

This is like a foreign language to some Christians, who have been fed on daily bread that is only buttered on one side and coated with sugar.

Having said that – some have suffered dry bread with no butter or sugar!

If you get the analogy – I refer to an unbalanced diet. Too much or too little of one thing. Christians who are ‘unexposed’ to necessary teaching to enable proper spiritual growth.

You see we all need different sustenance. We all need a different word from The Lord, according to our developmental requirements.

God the Father has one priority, like any good father, He wants to raise His children well, and allow them to reflect more perfectly the image of their brother – The Lord Jesus Christ.

We by inheritance are also children of God. There is only one ‘Only Begotten’, but:

Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.

So correction is very much a part of a good wholesome growth plan for a child’s life.

Not some harsh unfair manipulation or provoking of children, through abuse – but a balanced diet of edification, exhortation, and comfort – and correction.

But what about God’s adult children, who are still children in grown-up bodies manifesting self-absorption and injuring others?

This is a big subject I know. And I am not going to do it justice in this short post.

But let’s remember we are meant to grow in grace (thank God it’s grace!) and be changed from glory to glory, as by the working of the Holy Spirit in our lives, who might just tell us from time to time:

 ‘You are wrong’.

I don’t find correction easy to take – do you? Especially if it comes from a source other than God. But that’s where we must step away and examine and discern if it is just our own flesh and self-will that doesn’t like the truth, or if in fact the devil is trying (as we say) ‘to do a number on us’. Usually his condemnation has a tiny reference to something true and a whole deluge of lies. Know the difference.

 

Prayer: Lord help us to hear the still small voice of edification or correction. Amen

 

Extremes or…

 

EXTREMES OR…

There are many extremes in life. Extreme cults, extreme doctrines, extreme sinful behaviour, extreme fanaticism, extreme politics, indeed – extremes in everything.

Proverbs 11

Dishonest scales are an abomination to the Lord, But a just weight is His delight.

Balance is a word we could use to describe the antithesis of extreme. However, the opposite to extreme in a dictionary definition may not include the word balance.

But in the context I wish to use it – usually extreme views allow for none other, and are completely unbalanced or imbalanced.

There is a closed heart and mind in extremity, that is obsessed with a particular aspect of something, to the exclusion of all other considerations that might be presented as just as, or more feasible.

A just ‘weighing-up’ in considering a given view, is necessary.

A willingness to allow for – another aspect, without leaving already held convictions, which you are in no doubt about.

To come to a balanced view on a given subject in the context of biblical truth, we need to search the scriptures.

Understand that we cannot contain all of God’s understanding.

Job chapter 36/25-26

All humanity has seen it;

    mortals gaze on it from afar.

How great is God—beyond our understanding!

    The number of his years is past finding out.

Romans 11/32-34

Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!

    How unsearchable his judgments,

    and his paths beyond tracing out!

“Who has known the mind of the Lord?

    Or who has been his counsellor?”

It is difficult to remain true to something or someone when we don’t understand that persons attitude, opinions, behaviour, words, etc.

But the character of God communicated in the pages of scripture – if we seek them out diligently – will inform us of the fact that ‘God is love’.(I John 4/8) His character is revealed clearly – and He can be trusted!

But we must not mistake what love is.

And the poets have been trying to tell us for centuries.

If we are to hold a balanced understanding of God and his attributes of love – again – we need to make a study. Many form lifelong conclusions on little to no knowledge of the Word of God.

Vehemently denouncing God as simply a tyrant who is out to destroy us all.

Lack of knowledge or the desire to seek it out – leaves us with an extreme view.

Yes God is long-suffering forgiving the humble who request that forgiveness.

Yes God will eventually judge the world and destroy evil, and whoever chooses to remain in rebellion against Him.

Yes God does not always reveal things He knows we cannot handle.

Yes even when we don’t understand He asks us to trust Him.

When all hell breaks loose – let us remember:

One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

…and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation—as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you,

16 as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand…

There we have it – Paul by God-given revelation still spoke of some things that even the Apostle Peter admitted were some times hard to understand.

But the balance to this is there are things clearly shown to us – upon which we can trust – guaranteeing our eternal future, if we embrace them and the giver of all truth Himself.

Prayer – Help us with hard things, and assure us more – of the certain things.

Spiritually natural

Spiritually natural

It’s difficult to write about many of the wonderful things of God – in the present climate, when so much needs fixing.

There needs to be a turning wholeheartedly to The Only Living and True God, through His Son The Lord Jesus Christ.

There is nothing new under the sun. In simple terms good and evil is in conflict, and has been since the beginning or before. 

The rise and fall of evil men will go on. The Rise and Rise of good men will also continue.

There is an event we term The Rapture, when Christ will return, but no man knows the hour or the day. That will be the greatest ‘uprising’ in history!

Meantime evil men grow worse and worse.

There is a scripture that encourages those who carry precious pearls to not throw them before swine:

6 “Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.

This is a snippet of wisdom communicated by The Lord Jesus. Clearly informing us that there are precious and beautiful things God is willing to reveal to mankind. But these precious things are not to be shared with animalistic natures, who will have no discernment as to their beauty, and who will trample them under foot.

Treating the things of God’s nature with disdain, ‘like the horse or like the mule which have no understanding….’

John 2:24 Amplified Bible:

24 But Jesus, for His part, did not entrust Himself to them, because He knew all people [and understood the superficiality and fickleness of human nature],

Superficiality and fickleness will not receive the things of God. God will not entrust His precious hidden treasures of wisdom and knowledge and revelation of Himself to such.

This teaches us that to even begin to understand, experience and prove the goodness and self-evident existence of the creator of the universe – we must first approach Him with a heart that desires to depart from evil, whilst honouring and respecting the things of God.

All around us is animalistic and ungodly defiance. But read ‘the book’ to see how it all pans out.

Most genuine preachers, feel their own inadequacies when it comes to the things of God, desiring to be a more worthy expounder of His truth.

If only we could walk flawlessly before Him, practicing everything we preach.

God does not however require an unnatural ‘holier than thou’ attitude, cloaked in false humility, whereby we unrealistically take on some kind of pseudo ‘holiness’ – as one preacher put it becoming so heavenly minded we are no earthly use.

Conversely however – some are so earthly minded they are no heavenly use.

God wants us to be human and spiritually-natural, able to laugh, be normal, have fun and talk about everyday things.

But at the same time holding close to our hearts the things of Himself He has revealed to us.

Allowing His thoughts (Bible) to fill our minds – giving them priority over the natural things of life.

There is no holiness without The Holy Spirit!

Balance – a great word to keep us on track.

To sum up we are to mind the natural things as in for example: culture, – with the enablement of God – who gives us spiritual discernment to separate the wheat from the chaff. So that we can enjoy those everyday things of life because our minds, hearts and spirits are fixed on God.

As a painter and a poet (as far as I know 😎) I cannot enjoy any of these or any other activities for that matter, unless my heart is right with The Lord. Then I experience His promise:

I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

Helped and energised to enjoy all the things that make up life – He has given us – to enjoy.

I Timothy 6/17

Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy.

Poetic Pause IX

FRIENDSHIP 

“Hope everything is ok

I’ll be on my way…”

We young ones ought to stay clean

Coffee tomorrow see what it brings

Get together again doing friendship

With all that it means

Solid ever-after friendship

Would’n you just love

To trust your fellow-man or woman?

Wouldn’t it be cool to have an abundance of

The trust commodity?

Band of brothers and all that

Band of sisters too

Genuine

Thick and thin times

Times to unwind – rest easy

Relaxed in your company

You know me – as I know you

Relationship forged through highs and lows

Just friendship – no romantic interruptions

To foggy-waters-make

Just telephones – keeping up to date

Real concern when concern is needed

Real listening ears when talk must be spoken

Helping hand when legs are football-broken

Or –

‘something in your eye?’ – let me have a look

Long distance calls – you’re away on a course

See you soon – look forward to our discourse

You brought me back a present from the other town

A hand-made doll of a clown

You’re trying to tell me something – I can tell…

Banter exchange like only we know

How to take it and give it too

No animosity

as again – you know me and I know you

Life long – don’t let it go wrong

The only thing in this rat race

Is to find a friend

Nothing can take it’s place…

Falling

FALLING

Unfortunately we hear of prominent and not so prominent Christians falling into sin.

We know of those on the front line, presenting themselves as leaders and wanting to please God in all things, who fall into sin. (usually sexual in nature).

Others who are depending on their leadership, are startled and disappointed and feel betrayed.

When this happens it creates the idea that in leadership, there seems to be no one to trust, no one living  according to God’s right way. There seems to be a dearth of victorious Christian Living, starting with leaders.

However we wrestle not against flesh and blood. And those in the front line are first to stand in the gun sights of the devil.

We must first therefore realise this fact, and cover them with prayer.

No one in leadership is any more ‘impenetrable’ than others. They are human and subject to the same like passions as anyone else.

Things of protocol must be put into place and the need to be covered with answerability to a plural leadership of their fellow eldership – lived out practically.

The wicked have drawn the sword

And have bent their bow,

To cast down the poor and needy,

To slay those who are of upright conduct.

We see from these verses who is in line for the ‘roaring lions’ attention – those of upright conduct. (I Peter 5/8)

Often before they fell they were men or women of upright conduct. We often forget quickly the character they have shown, and the good they have accomplished. The body of Christ (the church) killing their own wounded.

At the same time we must keep before us the standard God’s word clearly spells out. And not slide into moral laxity.

There is one paramount way to keep our hearts from the demands of the prince of the power of the air – and it is by having presence of mind to appropriate continuously what the Grace of God has provided.

Our God in calling us to forgive 70×7 per day – gives us a glimpse into the fact that He too will practice what He preaches. Plenteous in mercy and forgiveness.

He will not respond to pretenders however, who think to laughingly avail themselves of this promise of forgiveness, whilst they carry on sinning, as though it was acceptable to do so.

That’s called hypocrisy.

Grace is a revelation. It is a revelation not just for salvation – but that through the grace of God we can LIVE!

Always availing ourselves of His promises and His strength to maintain our hearts in good condition before Him.

Let’s pray for those who have fallen. And if they were in a position of leadership and injured others in their fall, let’s still allow them into fellowship with forgiving embrace – but only where we find the sincerity of humility and true repentance. Otherwise if they continue in sin, we become guilty of bidding them God’s-speed in their misdemeanours.

This calls for good discernment. The bible warns about wolves in sheep’s clothing:

5 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles?

We shall (we are told) know them (the sincere men and women of God) by their fruits. The actions they take, the attitude they carry, the character they show, their speech, prayer life, fairness, empathy, and so on.

Prayer:

Lord help us to stand dependant on you alone. Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.

 

Endurance

ENDURANCE

2 Timothy 4:3

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;

Hebrews 6:14-16 King James Version (KJV)

14 Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee.15 And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.

James 5:11

Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.

There are people who have endured terrible things and have come forth as gold tried in the fire.

I want to sit at the feet of such people, and confess that because of your experiences, (and there is no knowledge without experience) – I can learn of you.

Compared with many folks, – I have only experienced a light affliction by comparison.

It would be right therefore that I sit at their feet to learn of them.

But if you are a lesser mortal like me – one of the biggest things you have had to endure IS YOU!

Hello? Often I have been my own worst enemy. When God is ‘straining’ as it were – to get me to accept His word, His promises, and His forgiveness – I have failed to receive because of my own thoughts. And He tells me (Isaiah 55 7-9)

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord.

All of us are born only knowing OUR WAYS. And mankind seeks answers WITHIN THE CONFINES and notice I emphasise the CONFINES of his own thoughts and his own ways.

But this is the word of  God – Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.

Regardless of how many people corrupt this Word, regardless of how many twist it to mean what it doesn’t mean and throw it aside like SOME CULT LEADER who lead hundreds to their death – THIS WORD WILL NEVER PASS AWAY.

This Word will never conform to man’s opinion, man must conform to THIS WORD.

And this word tells me –

 ‘Last days’ things we must do:

Matthew 10:22

… you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved.

So that tells me that part of THE GOSPEL MESSAGE OF SALVATION and there is no other message for the salvation of the world, other than this one.

This message tells me that part of salvation entails

ENDURANCE. Notice ENDURE – BE SAVED.

So the terrible times we are living in – must court the response of endurance, having entered into the free gift experience of acceptance with God through Our Lord Jesus Christ.

How’s your endurance level?

And when we hear of some of the things people – Christians fall out over – it lets me know their endurance/tolerance level is very low.

A somewhat humorous illustration of weak endurance is the fact – that – if a man takes the flu he needs a woman to show him how to ENDURE IT.

But this message of ENDURANCE is the Word of the Lord

And when we want answers of how we should respond in these days we will ONLY find them in this word of God.

This Word who was in the beginning…and who is God – was sent forth to call into being the very planet we live on. (John 1/1-5)

That’s how powerful this Word is –

That same word was sent forth by the Holy Spirit into the hearts of mankind – to open the heavenly realm to them.

And this Word comes to give us many different instructions. And instructions for these end times.

I do not have a strong Theological position when it comes to eschatology. But I see enough to know that end times – means hard times.

And hard times – end times or not – sometimes must be endured.

But part of the ability to endure comes from the very word that tells us TO ENDURE. It is our rock-solid foundation that insulates us from the bad times to come.

God’s word is the BALM that takes away the pain. It ‘rights’ the mind.

A man demon-possessed met the word of The Lord which was – ‘…come out of him’ – and the result was healing. Concerning God’s Word the people asked:

“What is this? What new doctrine is this? For with authority He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him.”

If you are like me you consider yourself a rather weak kind of soldier, whose endurance level is poor. But one thing I know – without the Word of God and the Presence of God in my life, as I trust Him daily – I could not cope.

…His truth shall be your shield and buckler. (Psalm 91/4)

God is a very present help in times of trouble.

Prayer – 

“God give us your tenacity to endure joyfully to the end!”

Poetic Pause VIII

DREAMS

He heard animals in his doze

The clink of chains holding bulls at bay

He heard dogs barking and sheep bleating

Wolves howling and rats squeaking

And then he woke up

Stupefied stare – at what just happened

Real and unreal conclusions considered:

‘I know it’s a dream

But is this the scene –

Round about me – nearby

this Bed and Breakfast?

Where green fields greet

my parting of curtains

Give me a minute while I just check

Looking to and fro

But yes – but no…?’

No evidence yet that

reality had authored his dream

Time now to laugh at the silly thing

His wife lay – still dozing

Time to playfully wake her up

With a tickled chin

Now they were both making their way

Through the corn flakes and toast

“I had a dream about animals and

The clinking of chains” she said

He choked on the lumpy marmalade

Poetic Pause VII

VACATION

In the shack – logged-up-insulated

Warmth created by log fire

With smell of coffee hanging in the warmth

And wooden tables – wooden chairs

Wooden kingdom of-all-things-wood

The floor also on which we stood

Vacation time – time to unwind

Go fishing – trudging through nature

Early morning dew

Late afternoon return – making sleep

A new experience

Beans and burgers and bacon

And barley-made soup

And laughs at silly things

Like drinking from empty cups –

So absorbed in reading are we

And neon firelight

Flashing intermittently

Across our faces as we glance at each other

Absorbed in married-love that is cosy and guilt-free

We laugh and pretend – syrupy sentiment

When really we know it’s the real thing

And not the callous acidity of skepticism

We have left far behind

in the rat-race-pace of post modernism

Solid together – joining in deep felt love

And not only felt – but agreed on

We are people we can trust – whittled down to two

Loyal – immensely real – immense and intense

Loves emotion – that rises and falls

But in falling – falls into something

Equally good

As emotion rises and falls like the eternal sea

High-tide low-tide – is still the tide

Relationship in the shack – bedroom at the back

Taking turns about – to make the breakfast

Dishes done – part of the fun

Vacation time – time to unwind

It’s ok to enjoy being kind

Tender advances and hug-dancing

To music quiet in the background

Just loud enough to know it’s there

All stretched out in more than romance

Covenant agreement once for all

Fast forward to old age

Neither having ever left the stage

Love continues as the play is played-out

Poetic Pause VI

EXHIBITION CONVERSATION

“I just quickly wanted to say…

I enjoyed your work

Not in a position to buy – you understand…

But just love it

I like the way you handled this lower part…

And I like the way you did the mountain…

I’d love to have them all…

But anyway – 

Nice stuff

How long did that take?

How much did you leave out..?

I just love art

But I can’t make the next exhibition I’m afraid

I think artists add spice to life…

I won’t be buying one tonight

But thanks for inviting me along

I’m buying a new car next week

Otherwise I would buy one of your pieces…

I love art”

Poetic Pause V

THE MASTERPIECE

The masterpiece of you and I

Something you contributed – but with a sigh

You can’t live up to the critics hype

That’s not you – you’re not the type

The masterpiece came into sight

Proudly displayed in the early evening light

At the railings – propped up well

‘All my own work’ – it’s not hard to tell

Masterpieces – might smile or frown

Before the wind blows them down

As the public pass to have a look

They also saw me – as an open book

And to my surprise after-awhile

It suddenly became clear the artistic-style

Was more about me – than my elbow grease

The oddity I was – became the masterpiece