Surrender

 February 11, 2012

Poem

Surrender

In Life we must make a choice, Not once or twice, But many times over. The choice is to be crucified, To let die What we would have to live. We come to a crossroad Time & time again On life's journey Where there's a sign that points to "My Way" & one to the Old Highway "My Way" looks pleasant Free of stumbling blocks & pebbles & rocks The Old Highway is rocky & windy you can't see around the bend It's narrow too & full of thorns that rend. "My Way" seems right but the end leads to a deathly sight The Old Highway may be long but at it's end you will join angels & saints in a Holy song. To many the Old Highway would seem wrong & that's because it's only for the strong. This is not a strength of flesh or heart But a spirit willing to be set apart To walk alone But know dear soldier of the cross It is His grace that keeps you crucified there & tho' all men may stare Count this not as a snare But patiently bare what you would not choose Had you your own will to keep & not lose. Dear friend, has a choice you've made brought you to your knees & bade You sweat drops of blood Have your tears run as a flood? As your mouth cries, "I want Truth & not lies! Abba the path of life I choose what have I to lose? Crucify, crucify my every desire Let me come through this fire fine & solid as gold something so precious it could never be sold Let me be your treasure Abba, even the apple of Your eye For this I will gladly die To my will That Thy will Will be done still." A life of Surrender Had it not been worth it none would be saved & all would be lost. Once it was a lamb, then a dear Son & now my friend the choice comes to everyone, Truly to die is gain When the will is crucified Abba is glorified. Count the cost & be assured nothing good for you will be lost. He is a rewarder to them who seek His will to fulfill. Abba into your hands... I Surrender.

Written by ~Faithful Friend

As a Bird upon the House Top

         Poem

As a Bird upon the House Top

I sit alone as a bird upon the house top, I try to stand, unmoved by what I see,

Let not the weight of it cause me to slide

Let not the fear of it

Make me fly into darkness

Adoni what will be, the end 

Of what I see?

My knees do bend

My tears do send a continual flow

My heart aches, how much must I

Take? To live, & love, & not die-

To hold my peace; yet, proclaim it 

From the house top-To live, & love 

& not die. Charity is the strong tie,

That holds one to love & to live.

The air has made me cold, 

the wind has blown me dry,

the rain has soaked me thru’

the sun has beat upon me

But I keep my watch

He knows what I see

I pray, I read, I hope, I plead

I need You to bear this weight/wait. 

Written by ~Faithful Friend

“Curse not the king, no not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter.”--Ecclesiastes 10:20

A Sacrifice Worth Living For

 Poem

A sacrifice worth living for

 I thought I was ready to die,

Why, why my heart would pry,

Into the mind of God,

Years later, still here,

Shed many more tears,

Re-lived so many fears,

What is it You would have me to do?

Live to glorify You,

by making worldwide fame,

Or should I keep on making stew,

be a godly wife & keep my heart from strife?

In this life I find pain & heartache,

Times of rest by a lake,

Am I livin' for You or my sake?

I know I don't want to be fake.

What should I do?

Seek the lost & few

that will follow You?

What about the world wide oppression:

Those who starve with those who overflow,

Those who are beat & afflicted, & those living in depression, so many loving sin?

It's hard to have peace within

The confines of a life

Filled with strife:

All the discussions & repercussions

of what is right & wrong, evil & good,

It can be so hard to be understood.

Dear God that is true,

& every man a would be liar,

What should I do?

How to stay sane,

in the daily mundane

How to keep focus,

Amidst a pestilence of evil,

Damaging more than all the locust.

The heart would faint & mind grow weary,

With all the media news that makes me leary;

To know a speck of what You know,

of all the evil,

It's pain brings me low,

But I still don't know :

Do I rise up,

What is the cup

You have for me,

Do I quietly keep your commandments:

Work no ill to my neighbor,

In love labor,

Look not upon man or woman to lust,

Lest I turn to dust,

Turn my cheek to the foe,

And for my enemy the extra mile go,

Lay myself to the ground,

that another disciple may be found,

With all my strength & all my mind,

Love You,

that I may seek & find,

First the Kingdom to come,

that Thy will may be done?

If I do all these

will it please?

Christ has pricked the mind

of all mankind,

He is my example,

Do I not possess all that is ample,

To live selfless as He?

From all ungodliness flee:

fornication, self-abuse

drug use,

wanting other people's things;

Lust of the eyes that brings,

adultery, murder, violence,

Violation of the innocent,

over eating, unrestrained passions,

dressing in vain fashions,

strife of heart, lack of forgiveness,

without order, living in a mess,

The list goes on,

Flee these & be strong

For the love of Christ I must not do wrong.

If I stumble once, please not twice,

Oh Dear Lord I cannot be nice,

when I seek my own; I cannot continue in sin,

if I should ever win,

The seen, yet unseen war,

There are souls within, many do not care anymore,

But I know it's worth fighting,

In the end sin will have its sting,

never-ending pain,

joy you cannot feign,

All you choose for self in vain.

Counting the cost,

I know it's not worth the loss,

Life on earth, will I seek to be happy here,

or let it burn off all my dross,

To You Oh God let me surrender fear:

Fear not bodily pain

suffered for Your name,

Fear not letting go

of all that I would have

From day to day, keeping silence,

Tearing down every fence,

Suffering long & having patience

Fear not the face of man or foe,

Defaming & rejection

Knowing it'll bring me into Your perfection.

Help me to let go,

And on this earth sow:

Truth in the hearts of children & those who do not know,

repentance in those who grow,

in contrary directions.

To live this life as Christ in His perfection,

Certainly we must be able.

He was born lowly in a stable,

a Carpenters son,

Your life wasn't about having fun

From Your youth You went about Your FATHER'S business,

You honored Your father & Your mother,

Feared none other,

Than God above,

You taught us true love:

An existence void of self-interest,

and this I believe is the test,

It's not that we should work a miracle

But that we break the cycle,

Of humankind,

Lost & blind,

For all those reading this rhyme,

Do you see,

Here I plea,

With you & me,

We're living in a world with sin

There's a war within,

The only war that's worth the fight,

Is against our selfish desire,

Win this battle,

be free from eternal fire

Yet, warring for this alone still selfish we are,

Dying to self for the love of God & neighbor,

Is by far

A sacrifice worth living for.

Written by ~ Faithful Friend

Little Member

 Poem

Dear Father, help me to be faithful with this little member you have blessed me with. That I spark no strife; that I drown not my neighbor with words too many; that it be not driven by the force of passion. Let me bless and curse not; let me not forget that every idle word shall be taken into account.

O prevent me from spewing out of the abundance of my heart, may I never bite my neighbor, or lay a snare of flattery, may I love to speak good more than evil and praise rather than proud things. Oh that no bow of bitter arrows would shoot forth from me, that my sword would save rather than wound my neighbor. May perversion, deceit and corruption never spring forth. May I never twist the truth to gain treasures.

Oh father of Mercy let me cry on to you with my mouth and extol you with my tongue, may I speak right things and utter knowledge clearly. Let the Law of kindness rest under my tongue and the opening of my mouth be wisdom. Made my lips bring forth honey and milk to bless the poor and needy. May I speak a word in season to the weary. Bless my little member with health and let it be soft, gentle and sweet. May I love life and see good and refrain this member that it speak no evil or guile.

Oh that my conversation would be ordered a right and show forth thy salvation, may I never cease to praise Thee. Amen.

written by~Faithful Friend

Hated, Despised, Rejected

 

Disciples of Christ

Poem

Hated, despised, rejected, Yet, He resurrected, Those who scorned, They failed to mourn, They cheered & sneered You may wonder, How could they not have feared, To reject & disrespect, The King of glory, Whose life was not just a story, Self-less He served, self-less He beckons, "Come, learn of me, I am meek and lowly, Do as I do, and you will be holy." Many were called, but few followed to the cross, They feared to suffer loss, One faithful man kept Christ in sight, And watched how He did not fight, To keep His right to life, Rather, His silence prevailed over the strife, With what strength He had, He was not mad, He spoke forgiveness, This is the power of a risen life, Dead to SELF, for Christ alone alive, For this we all must strive.

Know then you too will be,
Hated, despised rejected,
Endure to the end and you will be resurrected.
While at you they scorn & sneer,
Do not fear,
In His sufferings you share
He is able to help you bear,
The pain, the shame, the loss,
Hold fast to the cross,
Upon it your will, your flesh must be hung,
Count it all dung.
Dead to self is gain,
For Christ over the heart will reign.
A vessel fit for the Master's use
Meek & lowly,
Pure & holy.
His grace enables.
As it disables the old man

From his old scam.
Now a pilgrim, a stranger,
Getting victory over the fear of danger,
Victory over careless rage and anger.
Victory over endless serving of worldly riches,
Learning contentment with food & clothes with modest stitches,
Victory over false shame from man's sneering faces,
Able to glory in Christ's riches and graces.
We must strive on,
It won't be long,
Like a scroll,
The heavens will unroll,
We'll see,
Him as He sees YOU and ME.
Get ready, be ready
In labors, in weariness, in suffering for righteousness stay steady.
This is a poem,
Truth in words flowin,
For ears
That hear.
written by~Faithful Friend