Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Elijah's Fervent Prayer: Prayer Note # 9

    



Dutch Sheets tells us, “In 1 Kings 18 we find the story of God needing and using a person to accomplish His will through prayer. 

It is the account of Elijah praying for rain after three years of drought…we know that not only did Elijah’s prayers bring rain, but they also stopped the rain three years earlier.

     In verse one of 1 Kings 18, after three years of this judgment, God spoke to Elijah and said,  "Go, show yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the face of the earth." 

     Then at the end of this chapter, after several other events have occurred, Elijah prays seven times and finally the rain comes.

     According to the statement in verse one, whose idea was it to send rain?...whose will?...Whose initiation? Answer: God’s, not Elijah’s. 

     Then why, if it was God’s will, idea and timing, did it take a human’s prayer to ‘birth’ the rain? 

     (Elijah was in the posture of a woman in that culture giving birth, symbolizing the concept of travailing prayer.)

     And finally, did Elijah’s prayers really produce the rain or was it simply coincidental that he happened to be praying when God sent it?”

 “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.”  James 5:16b NKJV

Prayer Note # 9 Elijah’s Fervent Prayer - Taken from Dutch Sheets’ book, Intercessory Prayer  (pgs 29, 30)

Next Prayer Note Feb. 2nd- Elijah Was a Man With a nature Like Ours: Prayer Note # 10

 Tomorrow’s post: I Need Rest by Gwen Smith 

Monday, January 30, 2012

God's Call is Expressive of His Nature

“But when it pleased God…to reveal His son in me…”  Gal. 1:15-16

The following is from Devotions for MORNING and EVENING with OSWALD CHAMBERS  

              “The call of God is not a call to any particular service; my interpretation of it may be because contact with the nature of God has made me realize what I would like to do for Him. The call of God is essentially expressive of His nature; service is the outcome of what is fitted to my nature. The vocation of the natural life is stated by the apostle Paul – ‘when it pleased God to reveal His Son in me that I might preach Him’ (i.e., sacramentally express) among the Gentiles.’

              Service is the overflow of super abounding devotion; but, profoundly speaking, there Is no call to that, it Is my own little actual bit and is the echo of my identification with the nature of God. Service is the natural part of my life. God gets me into a relationship with Himself whereby I understand His call, then I do things out of sheer love for Him on my own account. To serve God is the deliberate love-gift of a nature; consequently when I receive His nature and hear His call, the voice of the Divine nature sounds in both and the two work together. The Son of God reveals Himself in me, and I serve Him in the ordinary ways of life out of devotion to Him.” (pg 34)

              “There is so much talk about our decision for Christ, our determination to be Christians, our decision for this and for that. When we come to the New Testament we find that the other aspect, God’s choosing of us, is the one that is brought out the oftenest. ‘Ye did not choose me, but I chose you…’ We are not taken up into conscious agreement with God’s purpose, we are taken up into His purpose without any consciousness on our part at all; we have no conception of what God is aiming at, and it gets more and more vague as we go on.

At the beginning of our Christian life we have our own particular notions as to what God’s purpose is – we are meant to go here, or there; or, God has called us to do this or that piece of work. We go and do the thing and still we find the big compelling of God remains. The majority of the work we do is so much scaffolding to further the purpose of the big compelling of God. ‘He took unto him the twelve.’ He takes us all the time; there is more than we have got at, something we have not seen.

        The call of God embarrasses us because of two things – it presents us with sealed orders, and urges us to a vast venture. When God calls us He does not tell us along the line of our natural senses what to expect: God’s call is a command that asks us, that means there is always a possibility of refusal on our part.”
(pg 35)  (some italics are Jean’s)

The following is taken from Pocket Devotions of The Pocket Testament League on 1/17/12

"As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, 'Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?'" (Acts 9:3-4)

“Saul was on his way to Damascus to do his will -- not the Lord's will. I'm sure Saul thought the two were the same, but the Lord used this extraordinary event to halt Saul in his tracks -- to get his full attention. Then the Lord spoke directly to him in verse 4 saying, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?’

When I was a child sometimes my mother would become disappointed in something I had said or done and she would say to me, ‘Michael, Michael, why did you do such and such?’ Repeating my name twice, my mother would be saying – ‘I expected so much more of you, you are capable of so much more -- yet you are doing the wrong things.’ I think this is the tone of the Lord's voice -- disappointment that Saul was using his talents and gifts the wrong way.”

Are you using your talents for Christ’s glory?

jowildflowers@gmail.com  jean-oathout.blogspot.com  Tomorrow’s post: Elijah’s Fervent Prayers: Prayer Note # 9




Saturday, January 28, 2012

Measuring Up

“Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised” (Proverbs 31:30).

Gwen Smith on Crosswalk.com  11/18/11

                  "My girlfriend Denise is a knockout. She’s got the whole beauty package going on. She’s tall, slender, athletic, bright, and funny. To know her is to love her. But she is so pretty that if you didn’t know her, you might love to hate her. Kind of like the supermodels.

                  Denise is a former model and gymnast who lived much of her life in the shadow of perfection’s impossible measuring stick. She grew up in a small town just outside of Cleveland, Ohio, and made a decision for Christ as a child. Though she was a believer, Denise still struggled with common issues of measuring up.

                ‘It was very important to me to be well-liked and to be very successful in every aspect of my life,” she said. “My family strived to be the ideal, all-American family. I worked hard to have great grades, be a great athlete, and wear the right clothes; to overachieve. As a model and gymnast, body type and strength were very important to winning, as well as to my identity.’

                 By nature, Denise is competitive. Most would refer to her personality as type-A. A go-getter. A perfectionist. She’s the kind of girl you want on your team: determined, focused, and disciplined. Her quest to be the best, however, left Denise feeling helpless and unsuccessful. Even though she was a fierce competitor as a gymnast, she never felt she was good enough. For years, Denise tried to control the circumstances and the people in her life in an attempt to make things perfect. Eventually, her pursuit of perfection got Denise into a heap of trouble. As Edwin Bliss has said, “The pursuit of excellence is gratifying and healthy. The pursuit of perfection is frustrating, neurotic, and a terrible waste of time.”

                As a high school gymnast, Denise dealt with the pressures to measure up in a destructive way. She became bulimic. She wanted to be in control of her body and manage her weight but she became enslaved to an addictive and damaging behavior. She was a Christian girl who knew that God loved her. She had been told that she was beautiful to Him, but for a season of her life, Denise didn’t consider that enough. At first, to her delight, Denise’s bulimia resulted in weight loss. Keeping extra weight off allowed her to be competitive in the gym and to look good. She wasn’t alone. Most of her teammates had eating disorders too.

                ‘What I thought was just a phase became my way of life,’ Denise remembers.

                  Her destructive behavior followed her to college. Denise thought she was in control of the bulimia, but eventually realized that bulimia was in control of her. It consumed her thoughts. It swung the gates of deception wide open for the enemy to stroll right through. He laughed all the way, because he had her right where he wanted her.

                  Negative self-talk filled her head. A thought as simple as, ‘I’m a little bit nervous about teaching this fitness class, ’would snowball into, ‘You are so fat. You should never have eaten all that food this afternoon. You’re such an idiot! You won’t even be able to get through this class.’ The voice in her head constantly told her she didn’t measure up.

                  She prayed, ‘Lord, help me find a way to cut that ticker tape. I need a reprieve.’ God eventually did cut it with truth, but it took a while for Denise to learn to recognize Satan’s lies for what they were.

                  The Lord placed many Christian friends in Denise’s path who encouraged her to see a counselor. She went, though she still wanted her way more than God’s way. The counselor told her that she must want to be healed of her eating disorder. She needed motivation to change. Denise lacked the motivation until she went home for fall break and finally hit rock bottom.

A Time for Change

                  Denise was consumed with being fit. Each day of break was another opportunity to strive for physical perfection, and she trained hard. . She had been fasting for a few days—something she relished because of the dramatic physical results, not for the spiritual benefits the Bible speaks of—and then ate something. The ticker in her mind told her that she should feel terrible about eating, so Denise went upstairs and made herself throw up. Her body had grown so weak that she fell to the floor before making it to her bed.
                  Her brother found her on the floor crying and completely out of it.

                  Denise’s brother, who suffers from a mild form of cerebral palsy and has struggled to overcome the challenges of his disability, was alarmed and angry. Once Denise was able to get up from the floor, her brother confronted her with strong words that became a catalyst of change in her life.

                ‘I have worked all my life to overcome my physical deformity,’ he said. ‘And here you are intentionally destroying yourself.’ It was true and she knew it.

                  In that moment, Denise felt the weight of truth, and finally crumbled. Her previous casual attempts to allow God to intervene were now replaced with sincere cries for help. She needed to change and she needed God’s help for the change to happen. She needed Him to consume her thoughts and transform her mind. She needed Him desperately.

                  Denise had known the truth from the beginning. She just resisted it. She knew that bulimia was destructive, but the pressures of the world had a greater hold on her.

                  When she turned to Jesus for help, He began to transform her from the inside out. As a child, Denise gave her heart to Jesus. As an adult, she surrendered her life to Him. There’s a big difference. In the surrendering, Denise found healing for the bulimia and emotional freedom from the need to measure up to the world’s standard of perfection.

                  Her healing took time. It progressed slowly. God used His Word, Christian counseling, and friends to replace lies with His truth. Denise has experienced full healing through the strength of the Lord and now regularly shares her story with women and young girls.

                  Healing begins when we hold tightly to the truth of God and allow the truth of God to hold tightly to us. God gives each of us the freedom to accept or reject His way. When we lean into His truth, we are less likely to conform to the world. His truth, His Word can be the light for each step we take. It illuminates the path that leads to His heart. God’s Word transforms. The apostle Paul said, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2a).

                  We live in a competitive world. The pressures to be thin, beautiful, fit, smart, sexy, funny, rich, and popular trap us in a relentless vise-grip. Denise’s story isn’t much different from yours or mine. You don’t need to be a model or a gymnast to get trapped in a disorder or an addictive lifestyle. You could be a college student, a businesswoman, a nurse, a mom, a dance instructor, a retail clerk, or a Sunday school teacher. No one is exempt. Feelings of inadequacy and inferiority ravage hearts of Christians and non-Christians alike.

                  Our attempts to measure up are all-consuming traps. They focus our attention inward verses upward, just as they did with Denise. When we get caught in the trap of striving to measure up, we focus on ourselves. That was never God’s plan. We were designed to focus on Him. Shifting our attention from ourselves to God will change our perspective. God longs for our obsession to be Him.

“I am the Lord; that is my name! I will not give my glory to another or my praise to idols” (Isaiah 42:8).

Let’s Pray:   Dear God, please renew and transform me from the inside out! When feelings of inferiority, insecurity, and self-doubt creep into my heart, help me to see myself the way you do. I want to be held tightly by your truth.
In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”
          

jowildflowers@gmail.com  jean-oathout.blogspot.com   Monday’s post: God’s Call is Expressive Of His Nature  by  Oswald Chambers

Where the Battle's Lost and Won

“If thou wilt return, O Israel, saith the Lord…”  (Jer. 4:1)

The following is taken from Devotions for MORNING and EVENING with OSWALD CHAMBERS:

     “The battle is lost or won in the secret places of the will before God, never first in the external world. The Spirit of God apprehends me and I am obliged to get alone with God and fight the battle out before Him. Until this is done, I lose every time. The battle may take one minute or a year, that will depend on me, not on God; but it must be wrestled out alone before God, and I must resolutely go through the hell of a renunciation before God. Nothing has any power over the man who has fought out the battle before God and won there.

     If I say, ‘I will wait till I get into the circumstances and then put God to the test,’ I shall find I cannot. I must get the thing settled between myself and God in the secret places of my soul where no stranger intermeddles, and then I can go forth with the certainty that the battle is won. Lose it there, and calamity and disaster and upset are as sure as God’s decree. The reason the Battle is not won is because I try to win it in the external world first. Get alone with God, fight it out before Him, and settle the matter there once and for all.

     In dealing with other people, the line to take is to push them to an issue of will. That is the way abandonment begins. Every now and again, not often, but sometimes, God brings us to a point of climax. That is the way abandonment begins. Every now and again, not often, but sometimes, God brings us to a point of climax. That is the Great Divide in the life; from that point we either go towards a more and more dilatory and useless type of Christian life, or we become more and more ablaze for the glory of God---My utmost for His Highest.” (pg 746)

“Give ear to my words, O LORD, Consider my meditation. Give heed to the voice of my cry, my King and my God, for to You I will pray. My voice You shall hear in the morning, O LORD; In the morning I will direct it to You, and I will look up.”  Ps. 5:1-3 NKJV
“God never built a Christian strong enough to carry today’s duties and tomorrow’s anxieties piled on the top of them.”
—Theodore L. Cuyler

The following is by Dr. Charles Stanley on Crosswalk.com   1/ 11/12    Read Matthew 9:11-13

Godliness:
 “There is a common misconception that believers should be perfect. Pretending to have our lives in order, many of us wear happy faces and speak words that sound acceptable. At times we’re ashamed to admit our shortcomings, as if they should not exist. Salvation through Jesus, however, doesn’t change the fact that sin is present in our life. When we’re born again, God forgives us and sees us as righteous. Yet our battle with sin continues till we arrive in heaven.

              In fact, striving for perfection actually can be a trap that pulls us away from living a godly life. Functioning in this way is a form of relying on our own capability. Jesus said that He came to heal the spiritually sick because they recognized their weakness. With an awareness of our inadequacy comes the realization of our need for Him.

              The world sees successful individuals as powerful and self-sufficient, but Jesus didn’t care about these qualities. Instead, He wants people to be aware of their own brokenness. This is the foundation for godliness. We should accept our neediness and seek God passionately. Doing so allows the following attributes to develop: a hunger for God’s Word, faithful service, deepening trust, and decision-making based upon principle rather than preference. Patiently and mercifully, God matures us.

              Be careful not to cover up your sins in order to look like a 'good Christian.' Without recognition and confession of our sinfulness, we are unable to rely fully on God. It is only with this awareness that we can passionately seek Him, obey in His strength, and confess with repentance when we miss the mark.”

For more biblical teaching and resources from Dr. Charles Stanley, please visit www.intouch.org

Used with permission from In Touch Ministries, Inc. © 2009 All Rights Reserved.

jowildflowers@gmail.com   jean-oathout.blogspot.com  Tomorrow’s post: Measuring Up by Gwen Smith

Thursday, January 26, 2012

From the Time of the Creation Prayer Note # 8

     “God chose, from the time of the Creation, to work on the earth through humans, not independent of them. He always has and always will, even at the cost of becoming one. Though God is sovereign and all-powerful, Scripture clearly tells us that He limited Himself, concerning the affairs of earth, to working through human beings.

     Doesn’t He need us to ask for His kingdom to come, His will to be done (see Matt. 6:10)?  Surely He wouldn’t want us to waste our time asking for something that was going to happen anyway, would He?

     Why, then, am I supposed to ask Him for something He already wants to do if it’s not that my asking somehow releases Him to do it? Let’s look briefly at three more biblical passages which support this.

     In 1 Kings 18 we find the story of God needing and using a person to accomplish His will through prayer…”

“Now it came to pass after many days that the word of the LORD came to Elijah, in the third year, saying, ‘Go, present yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the earth.’ ” 1 Kings 18:1

Prayer Note # 8- From the Time of the Creation - Taken from Dutch Sheets’ book, Intercessory Prayer from pgs 28, 29

jowildflowers@gmail.com    jean-oathout.blogspot.com  Tomorrow’s post: Hope: The Anchor of the Soul by  Dr. Charles Stanley

Next Prayer Note Jan.31st-    Elijah’s Fervent Prayers: Prayer Note # 9

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

God Works through the Prayers of His People: Prayer Note # 7

     “So complete and final was Adam’s authority over the earth that he, not just God, had the ability to give it away to another! Listen to the words of Satan in Luke 4:6, 7 as he tempted Jesus: I will give You all this domain and its glory; for it has been handed over to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. Therefore, if you worship before me, it shall all be Yours.’

     The part about the domain being handed over to him was true and Jesus knew it…. So complete and final was God’s decision to do things on earth through human beings that it cost God the Incarnation to regain what Adam gave away. He had to become a part of the human race. .. Without question, humans were forever to be God’s link to authority and activity on the earth.

     Here we have, I believe, the reason for the necessity of prayer.”

Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders my be done through the name of Your holy servant Jesus.”  Act. 4:29, 30

Prayer Note # 7- God Works Through the Prayers of His People - Taken from Dutch Sheets’ book, Intercessory Prayer   for 1/24/12   from pg 28

jowildflowers@gmail.com  jean-oathout.blogspot.com  Tomorrow’s post: God is for Us  by  Dr. Charles Stanley

Next Prayer Note Jan. 26th -  From the Time of the Creation: Prayer Note # 8


Monday, January 23, 2012

A Focus on Fairness

“Life is not fair, but God is always faithful.”

From Our Daily Bread for Personal and Family Devotions   on 9/17/11

Read: Prov. 1:1-9


“Hate evil, love good; establish justice in the gate”Amos 5:15

     "During the past 135 years of Major League Baseball, only 20 pitchers have thrown a perfect game. On June 2, 2010, Armando Galarraga of the Detroit Tigers would have been number 21 but an umpire’s mistake denied him what every pitcher dreams of. The video replay showed the truth. Even though the umpire later acknowledged his error and apologized to Galarraga, the call made on the field could not be changed.

     Through it all, Galarraga remained calm, expressed sympathy for the umpire, and never criticized him. Armando’s refusal to retaliate amazed fans, players, and sportswriters alike.

     If we insist on fair treatment for ourselves, we can become angry and frustrated. But when we embrace the Bible’s wisdom, we will seek the welfare of others. Proverbs calls us ‘to perceive the words of understanding, to receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, judgment, and equity’ Prov. 1:2-3.

     Oswald Chambers said of our personal dealings with others, ‘Never look for justice, but never cease to give it; and never allow anything you meet with to sour your relationship to men through Jesus Christ.’

     When we experience unfairness, it is our privilege and responsibility as followers of Christ to respond with honesty and integrity, doing what is right, just, and fair. –David McCasland

How others handle justice
    May not be up to me;
But when I react to others,
         I must show integrity. –Branon"

“The mouth of the righteous speaks wisdom, and his tongue talks of justice. The law of his God is in his heart; None of his steps shall slide.”  Ps. 37:30 NKJV

“God will strengthen you with his own great power so that you will not give up when troubles come, but you will be patient. And you will joyfully give thanks to the Father who has made you able to have a share in all that he has prepared for his people in the kingdom of light.”  Col. 1:11-12 NCV

“God, who has called you to share everything with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.”  1 Cor. 1:9 NCV                                 

jowildflowers@gmail.com  jean-oathout.blogspot.com  Tomorrow’s post: God works through the Prayers of His People: Prayer Note # 7


Sunday, January 22, 2012

Hang On!






              Sharon Jaynes shares with us, "Have you ever felt that this thing called life is just too hard? 

              I know I have.  Sometimes life just does not turn out like I thought it would. 

              That’s when I have to hang onto God and simply trust Him.


              I remember when my son was four-years-old and I was trying to teach him how to snow ski.  

              The first day was just horrible…at least it was for me.  I felt like a down-covered workhorse as I lugged two sets of skis in one arm while dragging along Steven with the other. 

              Clunky ski boots, overstuffed mittens, and a hooded snowsuit made it difficult for Steven to maneuver. Add all that to the slippery snow, and we had the perfect formula for a day of whining in winter wonderland.


              I tried to teach Steven how to snow plow to keep from going too fast.  That’s when you point the tips of the skis toward the center and the backs of the skis point out.  

              Well, he just wasn’t catching on.  He fell and he fell and he fell.


              Finally, I came up with another idea.  I made an A-frame tent with my legs, Steven stood in front of me, and wrapped his arms around my thighs.  Off we went. 

             We moved as one.  If I turned left, he went with me.  If I turned right, he went with me.  

                   His only responsibility was to hang on and relinquish control.  And even though he thought he was skiing, in reality, I was the one skiing and he was simply along for the ride.

              That is a great picture of what trusting God is all about.  That’s a picture of what ‘abiding in Jesus’ is all about.  We cling to him, hang on to Him, abide in Him.  If He goes left, I go left.  If He goes right, I go right.  

              David wrote in Psalm 63:8, ‘My soul clings to You.’ In other words, David was saying, ‘I’m hanging on for dear life’ Just like Steven did.


              Today, as you move through life, cling to Jesus.  Hang on to Him.  Acknowledge His presence with you and His Spirit in you. Trust Him!


Let’s Pray: Jesus, I’m trusting You today. I’m clinging to You. I’m hanging on Your every word.  In Your Name, Amen.”


“My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me.” Psalm 63:8 NIV


By Sharon Jaynes on Crosswalk.com  for 12/12/11
                                                                  
“Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed.”  Hebrews 12:12, 13


“I Leave you peace; my peace I give you. I do not give it to you as the world does. So don’t let your hearts be troubled or afraid.  John 14:27 NCV


“So do not lose the courage you had in the past, which has a great reward. You must hold on, so you can do what God wants and receive what he has promised.  Heb. 10:35-36 NCV



Hold Fast Till I Come
Rejoicing in Hope, believing His word,
We look for the coming of Jesus our Lord;
But till He return thru heaven’s blue dome,
He bids His disciples, “Hold fast till I come.”
“Hold fast till I come,” hear the word of the Master;
The omens increase, and the signs thicken faster;
“Until I restore your lost Eden home,
Give heed to the message, Hold fast till I come.”

By Thoro Harris   1914

Tomorrow’s post: A Focus on Fairness  Our Daily Bread


Saturday, January 21, 2012

The Me That You See is NOT What Will Be!


From Lift the Cross of Jesus! by Hope Flinchbaugh  (1/21/12)

“A few of you were at the Montrose Christian Writers Conference when I quoted this poem that I wrote last summer.  We laughed SO hard!  I wrote this with all humor and never read it to anyone except my mother (who loves me even in my carnal state) until that day in July in Montrose.  If you're feeling a tad grumpy, a little irritated at "the man in the mirror" hang on.

This face that you see
Is not what will be
I’m destined for heaven
And eternity

His glory will shine
All my wrinkles away
Clear skin like that model
On Oil of Olay!

These teeth that you see
Are not what will be
I’m destined for heaven,
Not one cavity!

 My teeth won’t need whitened,
Filled, or replaced.
That’s how I’ll be smiling
When I see His face!

This body you see
Is not what will be
I’m destined for heaven
No fat rolls on me!

St. Peter’s not standing
With scales at the gate.
Or writing down fat grams
Of all that I ate.

No one will complain,
“My nose is too big!”
Or want hair replacement,
Extender, or wig.

My face will be glowing!
Redeemed!  Without sin!
I won’t need to shop
For the robe that I'm in.

So why do I pick up
These cares on the earth?
And let them determine
My value and worth?

My makeup, my hairdo
My modern attire
Like everything else will
Be tried in the fire.


By now I should know that
There’s going to be trouble
If all of my works here are
Wood, hay, and stubble.

Money and beauty?
My face on TV?
Up on the stage
For people to see?

DOWN with the idols
And self-adoration
I will not be swayed
By the sins of my nation.

And so I’ve determined
To live my life’s story
And go for the gold,
That crown of God’s glory.

 I’ll (write) live for the cross,
The Christ, and the Bible,
And shake myself loose
From American Idol.

The “me” that you see
Is not what will be
I’m destined for glory
Because of that tree.

My body perfected,
My face full of light,
Dressed in His glory,
Oh, wonderful sight!

O heart, dark and fearful
Consider that tree,
Its message its power
But don’t look at me!

For I shall be changed
When my soul leaves this earth
To join heaven’s family,
A glorious re-birth.

O, Look to the cross!
See your sins nailed up there.
Deprived of their power,
Deprived of their snare.

There you are pardoned,
Your sins thrown away.
Your enemies vanquished,
Disarmed, and dismayed!

My Lord, in his triumph,
His blood, and His name
Finished my faith
Despising the shame.

Enduring the cross
For sinners like me,
Surrounded by mockers
And hostility.

The voice of the wicked
Cried out for His pain,
Refused to be quiet
Until He was slain.

And when others scatter
Or hide in their fear
I pray now for courage
To ever stay near

The cross, for its power
Forever will be
Messiah who suffered
Obediently.

Jesus, my Savior,
My love and my friend,
I pledge my allegiance
To You to the end.

Though wars rage about me
Wherever I am
I will overcome
By the blood of the Lamb

And my testimony
Forever will be
That I am for Jesus
And HE is for ME.


Lift the Cross of Jesus! | January 7, 2012 at 8:48 AM | Tags: fat rolls; clear skin; cross; scales;hairdo; teeth whitened; beauty;glory; | Categories: The Cross and the Christian | URL: http://wp.me/p1Kveb-5v

(Hope gives her permission to use this poem, but asks that you not edit it)

“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”  1 Cor. 1:18 NKJV

jowildflowers@gmail.com   jean-oathout.blogspot.com   Tomorrow’s post: Hang On! by Sharon Jaynes on Crosswalk.com