More Showers of Flowers

KODAK Digital Still Camera
KODAK Digital Still Camera
KODAK Digital Still Camera
KODAK Digital Still Camera
KODAK Digital Still Camera
KODAK Digital Still Camera
KODAK Digital Still Camera
KODAK Digital Still Camera
KODAK Digital Still Camera
KODAK Digital Still Camera
KODAK Digital Still Camera

Today was fairly overcast but without the sun, it was nice and cool. Couldn’t resist some more flower pictures from the riverwalk. I even managed to get a red cardinal to pose for me. The locust bushes were heavy with white flowers, and there were cascades of honeysuckle flowers everywhere. Their sweet smells were heavy in the morning air. Have a blessed day and Praise God!!!

 

Following Christ

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Photo by Luis Quintero on Pexels.com
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Photo by Karolina Grabowska on Pexels.com

 

Trying to be a devoted follower of Jesus of Nazareth is not easy. Christianity is not for anyone who wants an easy life. Christ on the last night of his life before he would be cruelly tortured to death said:

If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember what I told you: A servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. John 15:18-20 NIV

The first century church’s members were willing and many times faced severe persecution because of their strong love for their leader, the living Christ/God. In so much of the overly industrialized wealthier parts of the world, the churches struggle because the love of the world has crept into the church too much. Some preachers even preach God just wants to give them prosperity and blessings. This is true. God does love people and want to bless us. However, he does expect a level of obedience and devotion from us even when it means picking up our crosses and following him. Christ says:

Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn
A man against his father,
A daughter against her mother
A daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law
A man’s enemies will be the member of his own household.
Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it. Matthew 10:34-39 NIV.

Here He is not saying to not love your family or neighbors but simply to put Him first. The first century churches knew how to do that. Their strong faith in the living Christ is what spread a small group starting in Jerusalem all around the Mediterranean until it has been spread around the world.

God wants to give us a much higher level of life, existence. Just to live in His presence is going to be so much higher, better than any level we could live on here in this world with the way it is now. We should make Christ our passion because we truly are His. He left the throne room of Heaven’s bliss and ecstasy to die on a cross for us. Won’t you get to know Him better today.

May you have a very blessed day and Praise God!!!

Longing

Longing

 

Longing

Weak and frail
My physical shell
How much longer
Must I down here roam
Longing for a perfected
home

Orphaned into the
Wild
Of a rough, unruly
Place
Longing for the face
Of love

Though not kept waiting
Long
Soon God sounded
His lovely celestial
song
Of love and delight

Within, I felt amidst
the dark
A light
Small at first but
Still given enough
strength
To fight

To rise
Above my darkened
Heart
That refuses to
Part
With its evil ways

Ancient foe, surely
He knows
He will not win
This battle within
& soon it will begin
The end of
His cruel hold

On our frail
World
From here into
Infinity’s dark
He will
be place, hurled
forever
no more damage
may he do
no more pain to
cause to you
& you & you

Rejoice the light
Arrives
In ever increasing
Tides
Allowed to ride
Will we be
Upon love’s shining
Crystal Seas

Is it Not?

writershand

 

Is it Not?

Is it not
To be read
A writer writes
Formed words
From thoughts
Within one’ head
Or heart

Others may read
Writers, I, must
Take great care
Walking in line
With you, Lord
Of this I have to
Stay aware

But still there
Is a joy
To express
This God may
Allow
But be careful.
In this can be
Great power

From a Spirit
So Ancient & Holy
Every moment
Remembering
In His Heart
His Creation
Loving us
Completely & purely.

Perfume

 

Perfume

Jasmine, Lilac
Honeysuckle in
Full bloom
Scents of earth
Created by You
Bringing Your Face
Into a closer view

And so, this
Essence
Scent of your
Glory, Beauty
Power
Follows, surrounds
Your Presence

Evidence of this
On Moses’ face
Descending from
The mountain
bearing the mark
Of your Holy Grace

It took a veil
to hide
This Perfume, Glory
That resides,
Surrounds each step
& at Your side

Today let us remove
The veil
Look fully on Your
Glory
Gaze
with deeper longing
Into this cloud

Of your perfume
Sweet scent of
Your Very Self
As we achingly await
To pass through
heaven’s gates
Enveloped by
Your love,
& alive again
in your embrace.

Petulant Child

artpetulantchild

 

Petulant Child

Petulant child
Under the fair
Shading tree
Everything you see
is perfect

a freshly created
world
pure, untouched
harmony, peace
for now, no other
way is seen

you live
you glide
your companion
at your side
in joy

all needs are
met
abundance of all,
food, love,
not touched by
any dark corruption
yet

blithely you live
moment to moment
unaware of peril,
danger
until one day
a very dark stranger
enters

This perfect Paradise
Created by your
Father
Intended by Him
To be
Forever

The stranger smiles
Oh, he is clever
He knows how to beguile
Anyone

He comes to you
Shaking your head
At first you refuse
Until he says,
Be like the Father

Novel idea
Unthought before
Could this be possible?
But inner darkness lies at
its core

you acquiesce
nod your head
Yes
Receiving the fruit
One bite won’t hurt
You guess

But this stranger
Has the heart of a brute,
A monster
And that bright fruit
Was never intended
For your lips

Living further down the
Road of time
We shake our heads
& wish,
What you had, perhaps
Unknown to you
Was the already sublime

It you had just not,
Turned your head
And refused to listen
This fair world
Would still glisten
With perfection.
Where was your, Our
Gratitude?