Monday 30 August 2010

Help me forgive

Help Me Forgive


When rage and fury overwhelm my heart,
It’s time to look to God’s own Holy Word.
I search the Bible for His good advice;
My will to His commands must be deferred.

In Romans God reveals His love for me;
In all things God works only for my good;
He gives me blessings I can’t understand;
I’d be peaceful if I’d do the things I should.

Jesus forgave so much; why then can’t I?
I want to mold my life after His own.
I pray, I try, but my sinful nature wins;
Lord, help me, I can’t do this thing alone.

In Colossians, I read about the peace of Christ;
Oh, how I long to feel it in my heart.
All I have to do is to forgive,
But Lord, it seems I don’t know where to start.

I need to walk a mile in the other’s shoes;
They’re doing what they think they have to do.
I know some problems are blessings in disguise,
But Lord, sometimes I feel so doggone blue.

Ephesians says "forgive as the Lord forgave you;
Get rid of anger and every form of malice."
I’d love to just let go and release it all,
But upon my heart is a wound that’s become a callus.

I’ll keep praying, trying, Lord, no matter what;
I’m determined to let go and relinquish blame;
Some day, I’ll say, and be truly sincere:
"I forgive it all in Jesus’ precious name."

(Romans 8:28, Colossians 3:13, Ephesians 4:31)
By Joanna Fuchs

A Poem

I’m Trying, But…


I’m trying, but…
what I want to do,
I don’t do enough of,
and what I don’t want to do,
I do too much of.
I know the rules for a Christian life,
according to the Bible,
and I’m trying; I really am, but…
heaven and eternity seem so far away,
and the rampantly materialistic world
presses in so close
from every direction, every side,
that I get distracted.

Focus, focus, focus!
I need to focus, laser-like
on a simple, God-centered life.
Do I really need
to make that frivolous purchase,
instead of giving the money
to someone who needs it
so much more than I do?
Can I watch that TV show,
read that book, listen to that song
that contains (and promotes!)
even a little bit
of what the Bible forbids,
without being corrupted?
Do I do enough
to love and help and encourage others?
Pride always hovers,
eagerly waiting
to subdue and conquer humility,
so I think too much of myself.
I know the rules;
the Bible makes everything clear.
Forgive me, Lord;
I’m trying, but…
(Romans 7:15, Matthew 6:19, Matthew 22:39, Philippians 4:8)
By Joanna Fuchs

Wednesday 25 August 2010

A Praying Man















The most beautiful sight in the whole wide world... that of a man praying!
Especially my man... in holy communion with his Father.

Tuesday 24 August 2010

Faith, tried & Tested




a crown... fit for a queen
a queen... loved by the King
a King... who honoured her faith
a faith...that saved a nation

Friday 20 August 2010

The Psalmist and I

Hide your face from my sins
and blot out all my iniquity.

Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.

Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
Psalm 51:10-12
 
A psalm that goes wayyyy back with me...
It has brought me through so many trials & tribulations in my past ... & my present - I have literally spend hours and hours reading, meditating, quoting, praying and crying over these few precious scriptures. Holding on to them, for my life depended on it....
 
...if only this psalmist could know how the words that flew from his pen has touched my broken spirit in so many ways, so many times...

Wednesday 18 August 2010

Here!

Here ek het vanaand weer een van U kinders se getuienis gelees.... 'n stukkie storie van 'n deel van 'n vrou...'n vrou nes ek - en met daardie 'amper unreal intieme storie' in my hart voel ek so ver van U af Here - ek voel so lou-erig.  So flou-erig.  As ek dink aan haar unfailing liefde vir U, haar kinderlike geloof in U, haar belewenisse saam met U, haar ervarings dan voel ek half af, soos sout wat laf geword het, selfs jaloers (askies Here!) omdat ek nog nie daardie maat van intimiteit al ooit beleef het wat ek in haar woorde ondervind nie. Sy praat van dinge wat ek nog nie eens van gehoor het nie Here.  Van haar ander ervaringe van U in soveel diversiele aardse omstandighede... droom ek ook van Vader. Ek wil U van nog nader leer ken, ek wil van vooraf begin Abba!  Ek wil U op elke level ontmoet en ken.  Here my hart roep uit na U vanaand.... RAAAAAK my net weer van vooraf aan. Op 'n wyse wat my omruk. Onderstebo.  Intens. Ontnugterend. Diep. Intiem... Openbarend.

Ek het U lief. Vir altyd. Met alles in my.

Wednesday 4 August 2010

Falling In-&-Out of Love

I still remember the butterflies in my stomach the day I realized I fell head-over-heels in love with Jesus. Shortly after I gave my heart to Jesus, I learned the importance of waking up in the waking of the dawn, spending hours and hours in prayer, pouring out my heart .... It felt like I just fell deeper and deeper in love with Jesus the more I spend time with Him. I could spent days on end reading the bible and thinking about Jesus, talking to Him…

Then as time went by a couple of years later, I realized one day…”I am not “in-love” anymore.

Why?? Is it like being married? At first you met Mr. Right and you fall madly in love with him. You spend hours and hours, days, in each other’s company, you share grief and laughter. If things are working out you get engaged, your marry him …  Eventually you have children together ... then life happens!  Untill one day you realize …. You are in not “in love” anymore.

In-Love

The difference between then and now is; You now love your man deeply. Intensely. Vigorously. Immensely. Don't you?

Do I love Jesus Intensely, Vigorously, Immensely?   Do I?

I honestly do!

But why, why is it sometimes such an effort to set time aside with The Man I love the most? Why is it so hard to stay dedicated and focused and true to Him; He who died for me? Why do I find it so easy to still sin?

Why is it so easy to fall “out of love”….

Is that what it is?
Am I the only one? Is it just me?
I don’t want to live a ‘roller-coaster’ life.!

I love being in-love. I loved every minute of being in love with Jesus!! I want to be in love. I need to be in love.

With Jesus, my Saviour