Confidence shaker

Satan seeks to shake
The confidence of God's people
By all the means in his power...

We must hearken to the voice
Of warning and reproof 
Through which God designs
To purify the church 
And prosper His cause...

It is Satan's plan to weaken the faith
Of God's people in the "Testimonies"
Next follows scepticism
In regard to the vital points of our faith"
The pillars of our position
Then doubt as to the Holy scriptures
Then the downward march to perdition
When the "Testimonies" 
Which were once believed: are doubted
And given up: Satan knows
The deceived ones will not stop at this
He redoubles his efforts till 
He launches them into rebellion
Which becomes incurable and ends in destruction

Ellen G White
Testimonies Volume 4 
Page 211

On the verge of the eternal world

We are on the verge of the eternal world...
The judgements of God have already begun
To fall upon the inhabitants of the land...
God sends His judgements to bring
Men and women to their senses...
He has a purpose in everything
That He permits to take place in the world
He desires us to be so spiritually minded
That we shall be able to perceive
His working in events so unusual in the past
But now they are almost a daily occurrence
Our leaders are treading around and around 
Over the same ground, while around us
Is a neglected world...
lying in wickedness and corruption
A world as yet un-warned...
This is an awful picture!
What appalling indifference we manifest
To the needs of a perishing world


Ellen G White
Testimonies Volume 7 
Page 103

Adullam

When David slew Goliath
After all that he had done
He was chosen of God: yes
Of the Father and the Son
With his steady eye of faith: he
Vanquished the Philistine giant
Believed in God: went in His name
But was hunted and persecuted
With perplexity, distress then came 
As God was nearly hidden from his sight...
Experience was to be his teacher
Wisdom: still: he had to learn
He had to realise his weakness: his
Constant dependence upon his God...

David and his men hid in the caves
Of Adullam: there they fought 
For their very lives: well defended
They held out until the end... 

God's spirit comes to many others 
It comes to those despairing souls
Encouraging the faint hearted...
Strengthening the feeble: imparting courage
To the tried servants of the Lord!
God deals gently with the erring
Manifests His patience, tenderness
In adversity, when we are overwhelmed
With great sorrow too...
Every failure on the part of us, His children
Due to our lack of faith...
When shadows encompass our soul
When we want for light and guidance
We must look up...yes look up to Him
For there is light beyond the darkness
If we remove our mind from our situation
Into which we are placed...
Think of God's power and His majesty
We would be at peace...
Even though the shadow of death falls
We could with confidence
Repeat the promise of the Lord...

"The mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed
But my kindness shall not depart from thee, 
Neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed" 
Isaiah 54:10

It's in God's hands

After all is said and done
It's all in God's hands
Everything that man plans
Will come to nought 
Unless through prayer
And supplication
We ask His many blessings
We humans are
As the sand of the sea
We are like ants...
To be seen
Maybe crushed under heel
But if we turn our eyes
Upon Him
Ask and we will receive
Trust in Him: believe
He has promised...
To grant our heart's desire
His promises ring true...
So into His hands
I commend my spirit...
Into His loving arms
Would I fly!
As a butterfly to his eagle
In Him will I trust!
There is no other way

Pride and man's fall

In this day and age
I see a huge problem
People are so full of
Pride and prejudice
They go about their days
So full of themselves
Never thinking to ask
Of their dearest Lord
"Am I really doing okay?
Have I neglected anything?
My sweet Lord: my King
Am I truly on the right road?
Am I doing everything?
As you would have me do..."

Ask the Lord and he will tell
You: about your every fault
He will illuminate them all
Pointing to your very fall
He will show you if you ask
He will guide you in your task
Only take a look inside...
Put aside your will and pride
Seek honestly your every lack
Then and only then will you be
Amazed and enlightened: see
For He knows your every thought 
He sees into your very soul
Ask your Lord to take control
Ask and you will receive 
If only you would believe...
Seek and you will find
Our dear Lord is very kind...
He wants to open up the door
Welcome us inside to come
Home to heaven with Him our king
He waits to take us home...

Knowing how precious you are to Him
Will you not answer His beloved voice?
He gives us every chance to repent
He gives us freedom to choose our path
Will you be among the lost?
Please choose NOW he begs of you
Please accept all as paid in full...
Your sins taken up on Calvary...
Your Lord has paid to set you free...

Their master's voice

Forgive them Lord for they know not
They cannot understand your plans...
Forgive them Lord for they hear not
They will not listen to your pleas...
Forgive them Lord for they see not
They are blinded by their own pride...
Forgive them Lord for they care not
They are lost within their tiny lives...
Forgive them Lord for they feel not
Their hearts are hardened by greed...
Forgive them Lord for they are afraid
They do not seek another's touch...
Forgive them Lord for they are your sheep
Yet they do not hear their master's voice...

Hold fast to the tempests

Let us all be good servants
Let us all be good women and men
That the Lord does not forsake us
Nor allow the winds of destruction loose
The angels hold back those four winds
They obey their magnanimous Lord...
"A little while longer he pleads
Hold fast to the tempests
Until my people are sealed..."
He is waiting to save all of His people
He would not lose a single dear soul
Also He knows that His servants
Must come out when they are called

Lift up your eyes

Times are tough all over the earth
Things are going wrong: terrible wars
Fires, floods, famines and earthquakes
People dying everywhere by the scores
Where can we look for our salvation?
To whom can we lift up our eyes?
Who will hear the cries of the starving?
Give them what they need: deserve...
Oh Lord I am crying for the lost ones
I am sighing for this poor dying earth
All over there is injustice: hatred
People are fighting: anger erupts 
Jealousy flares: ah it hurts: it hurts
Death and destruction: murders
Bombings and shootings: we're scared
Fear drives many to attack others
Ah dear Lord please hear our prayers
Please help us stay strong in our Lord
Please give us of your courage my saviour
For without you there can be no peace...

God has blessed me today

My God has blessed me today
By sending another angel my way
It's like we've known each other
From the very start
It's like we've never been apart
We confided in each other
Talked of many things
The conversation just flowed
We spoke of music and of words
Of dreams and of our God
It was a meeting made in heaven
It was a blessing in disguise
For how many times
Do we actually connect?
With another kindred soul
Thank you Lord for this precious link
It is a blessing true: straight from you 
No coincidence: not chance: no lies
Simply a wonderful answer to our prayers

Seeking answers

Do you ever pray for answers?

Do you ever seek to find?

Some question deep inside you 

Needs answering: you're worried: blind

You ask the Lord for solutions

You ask the Lord: then wait

Sometimes it seems to take ages

While at others it's simply there

Do you always have the patience?

Do you sometimes wish you had more?

Some questions seem to make you fumble

Lost for words as to which way to go?

Sometimes it's like there's...

A distance between you and the Lord

Some crazy interference: some discord

Does the Holy Spirit evade you?

As your soul cries out for aid

Has your sin separated you?

From your loving God

Some insurmountable distance there

That weighs upon your mind

Clouding your perception...

Creating some interference

Some blockage of some kind...

Is it my imagination?

Is it just some weird thing?

But I feel a distance between me 

And my precious king

When I have not been doing things right

Like there is a gap in communication

Yes a communication breakdown...

Yet when I am closer to my dearest Lord

Everything goes better: I can tell

There is a simplicity and quietness

There is a wonderful connection

We talk as if we were together

Right here beside me He seems to be

Yes when I am good and obedient

Everything works better...

Prayers are answered...

Thoughts are quieter...

Things are better...

For we are in accord

My Lord and I...

Put away all your idols

Put away all your idols
Put away all of your sins
Repent dear sinner...
Allow Jesus to save you 
Allow His many blessings in

Put away all self-seeking 
Put away all pride too
Repent dear sinner...
Allow dear sweet Jesus: king
Allow His light to shine in

Put away all your fears: troubles
Put away all your sad imaginings
Repent dear sinner...
Allow Jesus to uplift you
Allow peace to reign again

Put away all your worries
Put away all of your cares
Repent dear sinner...
Allow Jesus to separate you
Allow the wheat sifted from the tares

Newstart

New start

Hospitals are over crowded

Too many are weak and ill

Diseases are rampant

So many are killed...

God help us to realise

We create our own pain

When we ignore your messages

When we will not abstain

From wrong doing...from sin

We ignore your warnings

We refuse to hear the news

We go on doing what we like

No matter the end results...

Not enough fresh air

Not enough exercise

Not enough raw food

Those things we despise...

Not enough caring

Not enough love

Not enough praying

Ah dear Lord above

Please hear the health message

Please take note and then do

Those things that God teaches

Those things he sends

Just for me and you 

He gave us laws for good health

Eight wonderful blessings 

Fresh air and exercise

Good food and God's rest

Temperance, pure water

Sunlight and trusting in God

N nutrition

E exercise

W water

S sunlight

T temperance

A air

R rest

T trust in God

But man will not hear...

Man will not entertain

He hears what he wants to hear

Disregards the rest...ah the shame

There is no one else...but himself to blame

Always something there to remind us

Our great and loving God 
Always has some precious 
Gift for us, His children
No matter our troubles...
No matter out trials...
He promised to aid us
Promised us smiles
When times are difficult
When times are tough
When we kneel down 
Our prayers offer up
His angels come near us
Bearing His blessed love
Sharing the wonder
Of heaven above...
A key for every problem
A light for every shadow
A relief for every sorrow
A plan for every tomorrow

Speak Lord

Do you hear His voice calling?
Do you understand man's plight?
Do you know how much it matters?
That we hear Him in darkest night?
The voice of wisdom is calling to us...
The voice of our dearest Lord is to be heard
Do you hear Him in the quiet stillness?
Or is there too much noise within your head?
We, of ourselves cannot change or control
Our hearts...our thoughts...
Our impulses...our affections...
We cannot make ourselves pure...
Fit for God's service...
But we can choose to serve God
We can give Him our will...
Then He will work in us to will and do
According to His good pleasure...

If you love me

If you love me let me go
Let me live my life and so
Let me see the flowers grow
Allow me to feel the breezes blow
Expect nothing I would not bestow
Upon you 

If you love me let me be
Let me come and let me go
Let me live my life beside the sea
Allow me to hear the waves: you know
I expect nothing you would not bestow
Upon me

If you love me let me fly
Let me live and let me die
Let me watch the stars in velvet skies
Allow me freedom to dream my dreams
Expect nothing I would not bestow
Upon mine

If you love me let me breathe
Let me return then let me leave
Let the wisdom of our love feel free
Allow me to wander; sow some seeds
I expect nothing you would not bestow
Upon me

If you love me let me cry
Let me weep then let me smile
Let the blessings of our dear Lord
Allow me to climb up ever so high
I expect nothing He would not bestow
Freely


Buddha explained it like this:
When you like a flower
You just pluck it...
When you love a flower
You water it daily...
One who understands this
Understands life...

If any little word of mine

A precious hymn we sang today
"If any little word of mine
May make a dark life brighter...
If any little song of mine
May make a sad heart lighter...
God help me speak the helping word
And sweeten it with singing
And drop it in some lonely vale
To set the echoes ringing..."

In this dark and crazy world
There are many lost and lonely
Craving a gentle word here and there
Despairing of living: alone: solely
For ever searching for someone
But finding no comfort: only
Crying out: their hearts a-feared
Oh Lord let us take up your word
Let us spread glad tidings daily
For Jesus has already paid our price
We await His second coming: clearly
This He promised to us all
"I come quickly: please my children
Hear me!"

The judgement has set

At church last Sabbath
We commemorated Jesus' last supper
We honoured our Lord 
We washed each other's feet
In remembrance of His great sacrifice
We took of the bread of life: His body
We drank of the wine of life: His blood
We offered up our prayers in His honour
Our Lord who died for us all...
Our Lord who died for you and for me
We sang beautiful hymns in praise
My tears flowed for the sadness within
The words of this hymn touched my heart

The judgement has set

The judgement has set...
The book has been opened...
How shall we stand in that great day...
When every thought, word and action
God the righteous judge shall weigh

Chorus
How shall we stand in that great day?
How shall we stand in that great day?
Shall we be found before Him wanting?
Or with our sins all washed away...

The work has begun
With those who are sleeping
Soon will the living here be tried
Out of the books of God's remembrance
His decision to abide...

Chorus

O how shall we stand
That moment of searching
When all our sins those books reveal
When from that court, each case decided
Shall be granted no appeal

Chorus

How many of us truly understand God's gift?
How many of us actually want to be saved?
Jesus has taken up our sins to Calvary
Carried them for us so we could be free
But each time we sin again...
We hurt Him...it is as if we whip him again
Is is as if we are there at His crucifixion?
Causing Him to feel our pain...again!
Causing Him to feel our shame...again!

Though it is difficult...for we are human
Though we struggle each and every day
We must cease to sin if we hope to win
This battle before us: this uphill way

Everything we say and do is written down
Our angels watch over us and see us
Every little thing...every thought, word and deed
Is to be put before us on our judgement day
Do we know when out probation is over?
Do we know how much time we have left?
Have we made sure of our blessed salvation?
By honouring our vows to our precious Lord?
Please choose wisely while you yet have time
Too late: when He is seen coming in the clouds
By then the judgement will already be in place...

It still hurts

It's been almost 19 months since you left us

Sadness comes to call: regularly: after all

We miss you in so very many ways: it's true

Honey we all miss you! Some days more so

We'd been together for more than half our lives

Married young, I was but 22, you almost 24

Were we too young to settle down?

Were we too naive, too irresponsible?

I just spent an hour talking with our daughter

Reminiscing, remembering: feeling sad...

Together we will try to make it through

Some days will be worse than others

Some days we will be okay...

But it still hurts to be without you...

Your children are grown up already

Adults in their own right: living, working

Your grand children are thriving too

You would be amazed at the changes

How tall they have grown: without you

To see them playing, laughing, crying too

Days go on, weeks pass, months fly by

Soon it will be two years without you here

I drove past the cemetery just the other day

When was the last time I took you flowers?

It wasn't all that long ago...

Yet time is flying past like a silent wind

They say "time stands still for no man"

I guess that's true...but...

It still hurts...this missing you...

A mother's grief

The telephone rang that Monday morning 
A woman's tears were heard that day
It was the 22nd of July 2013...
My husband didn't know what to say
She was crying as she tried to speak
"Thank you" she said...
"You do not know me..."
Though her tears flowed freely
Her sadness remained....uncomforted
Until she explained...
Her lost child: was remembered
At that cross beside the road
She was there last week 
As I was driving by, I took a peek
I invaded her privacy: so to speak
I watched her grieving for her child
Saw her tears and felt her grief
Saw the sadness in her eyes
As she stood there, silently
Tears streaming down her cheeks
I'd written a few words of comfort
Hoping to show how much I cared
For there are many other crosses too
That I see every time I drive along
These winding country roads...

Final destination

A few weeks ago I was stopped by a train

As I waited I saw a couple at the road way

A poor mum and dad come to place some flowers

At the foot of the cross beside the road

I watched them at their sad job

Obviously it was their loved ones

Last place where they maybe took 

Their very last breath; their final destination!

I see so many crosses beside the roads

Those markers that show where someone died

Our road fatalities just grow and grow

Because too few will drive real slow

Lord so many young people wasting their lives

I pray that those poor parents are helped by you!

His words are my light

His words are my light
They guide me
Through darkest night
Surely loving my God
Brings me delight
I am redeemed
Within His sight...
When my feet wander
And darkness falls
Then am I confounded
Then am I appalled...
Ah Lord I need you
Cannot survive
Unless I feel that
You are nearby...

If I could love you

If I could love you from afar
Would it still be love: somehow
Would my adoration seem enough?
If I could love you: give you my vow
If I worshipped that very ground
That you had walked upon
Would you still know me?
Though I followed far behind...
If I could tell you how much I cared?
Explain the reasons: would I be spared?
Would you feel thankful?
Would you feel angered: that I so dared?
If I could see you far up ahead?
Would you wait for me?
Or would you turn your face from me
Knowing that I could never succeed
Ah my Lord Jesus: though I follow
I am undeserving of your precious love
I see that distance between us: I know
You are my saviour: I am but your shadow

Come what may

The question must be asked

It must be asked right now

What have I got to do?

To make it out of here somehow

How do I survive this life?

How escape doing sin?

Oh Lord I am a sinner

But Lord I'll not give in...

What have I got to do?

To be even considered?

An actual winner...

There are so many obstacles

There are so many things

Ready to bring me down

If I should give in

If I should stumble and fall

Will you still love me at all?

How much longer do I have?

Before my probation closes

How much longer till it's done?

This life and all it imposes...

What have I got to do?

To stay close and blessed by you

To escape the coming plagues

And all the terrible wars too?

Oh Lord I would like to know

Just how far I need to go

But I also know that I must pray

Must trust in you my dearest Lord

And be thankful for this gift of life

Come: what may...

Preparation day

It's preparation day today
Getting ready for Sabbath
Cooking enough for today 
And also for tomorrow...
Even in the desert the Israelites
Gathered manna on preparation day
Twice as much they gathered
So it would be enough...
For God declared the Sabbath day 
Holy: blessed unto the Lord
No one was to do any work
Everyone was to rest...
Everyone was to be blessed
On God's blessed Sabbath day

The thin edge of the wedge

They say "resist the devil
And he will flee from you"
I have been sorely tested
I tell you it is true...
If we give in to temptation?
Just one time: we are lost
The next time will be harder
For he seeks to conquer us
Any little relaxation of our will 
Any little hesitation on our part
Gives him that tiniest edge...
Gives him that thinnest wedge
That chance to tempt us will be
His utmost privilege: his joy 
Temptation will come upon us: yes
Come upon us over and over again
Little by little we will slip and fall
It wont seem that bad: just a little bit
Little by little he leads us to an epic fail
Better to resist than look back later on
When it's too late to turn tail...

Sifted through His fingers

Raindrops upon the rooftops
Dripping from the eaves
Raindrops falling upon me
Dripping from the leaves
Tears from our Heavenly Father
Showing how much he cares
We are sifted through his fingers
Sorting the wheat from the tares
Probation is almost over now
When will it be your turn?
Have you forgotten your vows?
Oh mankind: will you never learn?

Childhood memories relived

I found an old friend on Facebook

We grew up together as kids...

Time stood still as we chatted

About all those long ago things

We remembered many years ago

How we used to hang around

Our families getting together

Good memories and bad...

Lost his mum and little sister 

In that car accident: back in 1978

Rest in peace dear Mary Anne

Rest in peace dear mother Elizabeth

I can still hear your voices calling 

As if it was just yesterday...

He lost his dad in March 1993: to cancer

Just about when my dad nearly died

A brain aneurysm almost took him then

We talked of marriages, divorce

Children's births: illnesses of course

We remembered so many times

Yes: both good and bad...

Such is the life we have both had

Since we went our separate ways...

Time marches on around us

It does not stop for anyone

We must take what comes...

Be thankful for all that happens: for

We never know when our time is up...