Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Praise God, Jehovah
Praise God Jehovah; He is our King.
Praise be the God of everything.
Praise the Father, just and kind.
He is worthy of all glory.
Praise the God- Head, Lord of mine
Soul, which he has saved, surly!
We give Him honor; call Him “I AM,”
“Shepherd,” for we are as the sheep
Ready to be offered as a lamb,
So we may join in His eternal keep!
Praise God Jehovah; He is our King.
Praise be the God of everything.
Praise the Son, our blessed Savior.
He has paid for all our evil deeds
So that He may find in us favor.
Rise now, and plant Holy seeds.
If you love Him, keep his commandments,
Love your neighbor and your God.
Expect quick and hard punishments
If under foot, His blood, you trod.
Praise God Jehovah; He is our King.
Praise be the God of everything.
Praise the Holy Spirit; guide us
Into the path of righteousness.
Comfort us when we give to lust.
Lead us back to Holiness.
You give wisdom to the lowly,
You bind our hearts as one to You.
Guide to the Light, not slowly!
Make haste conforming us to You.
Praise God Jehovah; He is our King.
Praise be the God of everything.
Praise be the God of everything.
Praise the Father, just and kind.
He is worthy of all glory.
Praise the God- Head, Lord of mine
Soul, which he has saved, surly!
We give Him honor; call Him “I AM,”
“Shepherd,” for we are as the sheep
Ready to be offered as a lamb,
So we may join in His eternal keep!
Praise God Jehovah; He is our King.
Praise be the God of everything.
Praise the Son, our blessed Savior.
He has paid for all our evil deeds
So that He may find in us favor.
Rise now, and plant Holy seeds.
If you love Him, keep his commandments,
Love your neighbor and your God.
Expect quick and hard punishments
If under foot, His blood, you trod.
Praise God Jehovah; He is our King.
Praise be the God of everything.
Praise the Holy Spirit; guide us
Into the path of righteousness.
Comfort us when we give to lust.
Lead us back to Holiness.
You give wisdom to the lowly,
You bind our hearts as one to You.
Guide to the Light, not slowly!
Make haste conforming us to You.
Praise God Jehovah; He is our King.
Praise be the God of everything.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
The Mercy of God
Our days on this earth are as the chaff;
They are dried and blown in the wind.
But our Lord in Heaven rules with the staff
And rod of iron to rule for aft'
And our souls, from our bodies, ascend.
Pure are Your ways, Lord dressed in white.
Dark as red blood is your shadow.
Power and majesty are Thy might,
Yet we have found favor in your sight.
Such mercy on us do You bestow.
We were condemned; we are sinners all.
Why save what has been made unclean?
You take the weak and make them stand tall;
You cause the wicked to rise and fall.
You are just with mercy; we're made clean.
So I ask You my one desire;
That You grant me freedom from sin
That I may serve You with a fire
And wallow no more in the dark mire.
My wish, Lord: that you my heart defend
They are dried and blown in the wind.
But our Lord in Heaven rules with the staff
And rod of iron to rule for aft'
And our souls, from our bodies, ascend.
Pure are Your ways, Lord dressed in white.
Dark as red blood is your shadow.
Power and majesty are Thy might,
Yet we have found favor in your sight.
Such mercy on us do You bestow.
We were condemned; we are sinners all.
Why save what has been made unclean?
You take the weak and make them stand tall;
You cause the wicked to rise and fall.
You are just with mercy; we're made clean.
So I ask You my one desire;
That You grant me freedom from sin
That I may serve You with a fire
And wallow no more in the dark mire.
My wish, Lord: that you my heart defend
Sunday, January 4, 2009
God's Champion
After the fall of the Roman Empire, darkness and unrest filled the known world. Only a few spots of God's grace was evident thru-out the Dark Ages, especially in Spain before the First Crusade. After great conquest of the Muslims, one man brought light to all of Spain, using his political and military guineas. Rodrego de Vivar, called El Cid, ( c. 1043-99) was exiled for spite of the king of Spain unjustly, but he continued to fight for Spain, his family, his king, and his God. At the time this poem takes place, the greatest force of the muslims make their move on the shore of Valencia in 1099, earlier captured by El Cid in 1094. This is the final battle in a generational war between the light and the darkness, and El Cid is God's champion.
Dark was the night the enemy came
To our haven in Golden Espania.
Dark their intent, and without shame
Did they lay siege to Valencia.
Though my heart pains to remember more,
I must sing the deeds done on that shore.
The Saracen banner they held high,
Within their endless, ominous ranks,
Towering onward into the sky,
Shadowing the glittering, peaceful banks
That were to be silent forever no more.
God, save us all on this, Your shore.
Lo, El Cid, our conquistador and lord,
Can even you fight this monstrous throng?
Hear the drums, the horns, the noise abhorred?
It is their battle cry, their bloody song.
But our champion opens the gates wide
So that many may charge by his side.
Morning after morning, night after night,
The drums kept time with the cries of death.
The arrows were flung with no end in sight
And many brave soldiers gave their last breath.
None would falter; all gave cheer
As long as our El Cid was near.
Oh! Ill hand who unfurled the shaft
That struck our champion's shoulder,
Were you half as steady and half as daft
You would have caused all hope be over.
Poison heads can men kill alone;
Tis the heart that is made of stone.
What can men do while their God given hope
Is on death's bed, and they with him.
Out side these walls, the darkness gropes
For the final blow, to destroy from within.
They call out, "El Cid is dead at last!"
Can we be saved from this fell blast?
"El Cid! El Cid!" is our thundering reply
As our champion rides to front of our ranks
The morning has come. In God we rely
To give the courage to retake His banks.
All fear has past, all doubts undone
With the coming of light added to the sun.
The gates were opened wider than the first.
El Cid was the first to charge the fray.
The enemy was panicked, their hope had burst
Before their eyes with the light of day.
We could not stop nor slow our pace.
Now the war had turned to a race.
The foes now ran faster than we could chase
But that would not begin to slow us.
We chased them to Africa, to their base.
The ending of it all was, at last, before us.
But none had expected nor foreseen
The sadness our return had been.
The truth was found; El Cid was dead
His wife had strapped him to his armor.
For he commanded to be put at the head
Of the ranks, to lead them to the shore.
He said, "Be I in heaven, allow one thing more,
That the darkness forever leave this glittering shore."
Cruel, cruel! and yet, mercies abound.
That in his death, he gave us life.
The Lord takes our lord for all to astound
With His Providential ways of relieving all strife.
Light has returned and gives us communion.
So is the deeds of our God's champion.
To our haven in Golden Espania.
Dark their intent, and without shame
Did they lay siege to Valencia.
Though my heart pains to remember more,
I must sing the deeds done on that shore.
The Saracen banner they held high,
Within their endless, ominous ranks,
Towering onward into the sky,
Shadowing the glittering, peaceful banks
That were to be silent forever no more.
God, save us all on this, Your shore.
Lo, El Cid, our conquistador and lord,
Can even you fight this monstrous throng?
Hear the drums, the horns, the noise abhorred?
It is their battle cry, their bloody song.
But our champion opens the gates wide
So that many may charge by his side.
Morning after morning, night after night,
The drums kept time with the cries of death.
The arrows were flung with no end in sight
And many brave soldiers gave their last breath.
None would falter; all gave cheer
As long as our El Cid was near.
Oh! Ill hand who unfurled the shaft
That struck our champion's shoulder,
Were you half as steady and half as daft
You would have caused all hope be over.
Poison heads can men kill alone;
Tis the heart that is made of stone.
What can men do while their God given hope
Is on death's bed, and they with him.
Out side these walls, the darkness gropes
For the final blow, to destroy from within.
They call out, "El Cid is dead at last!"
Can we be saved from this fell blast?
"El Cid! El Cid!" is our thundering reply
As our champion rides to front of our ranks
The morning has come. In God we rely
To give the courage to retake His banks.
All fear has past, all doubts undone
With the coming of light added to the sun.
The gates were opened wider than the first.
El Cid was the first to charge the fray.
The enemy was panicked, their hope had burst
Before their eyes with the light of day.
We could not stop nor slow our pace.
Now the war had turned to a race.
The foes now ran faster than we could chase
But that would not begin to slow us.
We chased them to Africa, to their base.
The ending of it all was, at last, before us.
But none had expected nor foreseen
The sadness our return had been.
The truth was found; El Cid was dead
His wife had strapped him to his armor.
For he commanded to be put at the head
Of the ranks, to lead them to the shore.
He said, "Be I in heaven, allow one thing more,
That the darkness forever leave this glittering shore."
Cruel, cruel! and yet, mercies abound.
That in his death, he gave us life.
The Lord takes our lord for all to astound
With His Providential ways of relieving all strife.
Light has returned and gives us communion.
So is the deeds of our God's champion.
About this time, the First Crusade was in full effect, and the eastern muslims had the retaking of Jerusalem to deal with. Without effective forces, Spain was not attacked again for quite some time, allowing it to be Christian for most of its existence until recently, when an increasing number of Muslims are gaining influence in Europe. Talk has even been seriously taken to exclude El Cid as the national hero of Spain. If he is, God pity them, but he should never be forgotten. His efforts as the true knight in shining armor are a beacon to all to stand in the gap for the cause of truth, no matter the cost. A loving husband, father, soldier, and politician, he still pointed all to his Lord's mercy, remaining loyal to his principals even into exile and death. May we all remember that God has champions for us to look to, and that we must follow their examples.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Tragedy
There was once a poor, old man,
He had over ten children
He barely fed them
It looked so hopeless, but then,
He united with friends
From where his people had been.
They said, “God comes first,
May all the rest die and burn.”
The man’s son’s life was worse yet,
But they worked the land until
Hope had a chance yet.
The next child they could save still.
They had just nine children,
They could not afford all ten!
They said, “Country first,
May all the rest die and burn!”
It was a blessing from God!
That son’s son became wealthy.
He thought something odd,
“Those children are unhealthy.”
He would only had five,
But Christianity survived.
He said, “Our state first,
May all the rest die and burn.”
His child had no self control
He sold all his father saved.
He had diamond bowls,
But, in turn, he could not pay.
He had one boy, one girl.
He loved them more than the world.
He said, “Family first,
May all the rest die and burn.
The boy hated all that breathed,
He thought, “No one understands.”
He could not conceive
Obeying his Lord’s commands.
He tried to kill his child
With abortion, but it failed.
He said, “My life first,
May all the rest die and burn.”
The survivor was hated,
He had dreams none could explain
Of a life sated
Filled with children who complained.
He only sat and cried
Until the day he died.
He said, “Forgive first,
Please, oh Lord, don’t let us burn.”
He had over ten children
He barely fed them
It looked so hopeless, but then,
He united with friends
From where his people had been.
They said, “God comes first,
May all the rest die and burn.”
The man’s son’s life was worse yet,
But they worked the land until
Hope had a chance yet.
The next child they could save still.
They had just nine children,
They could not afford all ten!
They said, “Country first,
May all the rest die and burn!”
It was a blessing from God!
That son’s son became wealthy.
He thought something odd,
“Those children are unhealthy.”
He would only had five,
But Christianity survived.
He said, “Our state first,
May all the rest die and burn.”
His child had no self control
He sold all his father saved.
He had diamond bowls,
But, in turn, he could not pay.
He had one boy, one girl.
He loved them more than the world.
He said, “Family first,
May all the rest die and burn.
The boy hated all that breathed,
He thought, “No one understands.”
He could not conceive
Obeying his Lord’s commands.
He tried to kill his child
With abortion, but it failed.
He said, “My life first,
May all the rest die and burn.”
The survivor was hated,
He had dreams none could explain
Of a life sated
Filled with children who complained.
He only sat and cried
Until the day he died.
He said, “Forgive first,
Please, oh Lord, don’t let us burn.”
Friday, August 29, 2008
God's Will
As I wait and listen for a word
To come and stop me, from a bird
Or message or letter. T’is absurd
To hesitate… my mind is blurred…
God in heaven! I pray to thee hard.
Send to me your Will through a Bard,
Who is Your Spirit, perfect, unmarred.
Heal my war torn heart, shard by shard.
What is Thy Will, mysterious, true;
What is it that you’d have me do?
To speak my mind, or to see it through
One road to me, another, You.
Thus I lay, then with a start
I grasp how dark is my heart
Patience! God will soon impart
His Great Will, His Perfect Art.
Monday, August 4, 2008
Requiem of the Dark
Feel the wind? T'is strange today,
Thick with the smell of the rain
For the waters are filled with blood.
The vials have been poured in the flood.
Angels cheer, for the Lord is just.
They cry, "They have killed your prophets!
Let the vials flow into the dust!"
Our prayers of peace are as forfeit.
For the world does not repent,
Nay, it curses God's own name.
And so the sixth vial, it is sent,
Alas, our answer is the same.
Feel the wind? T'is strange today.
The sixth vial, it has flowed away.
The final pours under the sun.
A voice is heard; hear? "It is done."
Thick with the smell of the rain
For the waters are filled with blood.
The vials have been poured in the flood.
Angels cheer, for the Lord is just.
They cry, "They have killed your prophets!
Let the vials flow into the dust!"
Our prayers of peace are as forfeit.
For the world does not repent,
Nay, it curses God's own name.
And so the sixth vial, it is sent,
Alas, our answer is the same.
Feel the wind? T'is strange today.
The sixth vial, it has flowed away.
The final pours under the sun.
A voice is heard; hear? "It is done."
Saturday, July 12, 2008
We are Blessed
How blessed we are! How blessed we are!
Sing unto the mountain tops,
Unto the ships and mills and shops,
Until time be for all to stop.
Who has blessed us? Who has blessed us?
T’is not by mine own hand.
Nay, it is done by none in the land.
Jehovah , our Lord, hath made us to stand!
Why doth He bless? Why doth He bless?
There’s nothing good of me.
I have given naught to He.
Yet He loves me; Love He be!
But what of He? But what of He?
Is that Man, Christ, not his own Son?
God let us slay Him! His blood did run
So that we sinners may of sin be done?
Look to the tomb! Look to the tomb!
Jesus has risen again to life.
For the faithfull’s sins He’s suffered strife.
Sing unto the mountain tops,
Unto the ships and mills and shops,
Until time be for all to stop.
Who has blessed us? Who has blessed us?
T’is not by mine own hand.
Nay, it is done by none in the land.
Jehovah , our Lord, hath made us to stand!
Why doth He bless? Why doth He bless?
There’s nothing good of me.
I have given naught to He.
Yet He loves me; Love He be!
But what of He? But what of He?
Is that Man, Christ, not his own Son?
God let us slay Him! His blood did run
So that we sinners may of sin be done?
Look to the tomb! Look to the tomb!
Jesus has risen again to life.
For the faithfull’s sins He’s suffered strife.
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
What I have to Give
How can I attempt to serve?
How can I attempt to praise?
Can I be faithful to your Word
When I have sinned for all these days?
All my righteousness is as rags.
And I have none to look up to,
For all men have these sins, these filthy snags!
We can offer nothing unto You.
But You have died so that we might live.
You, God, have covered us with your blood.
We have nothing of our own to give.
Jehovah, we give back to You: Your precious Love!
How can I attempt to praise?
Can I be faithful to your Word
When I have sinned for all these days?
All my righteousness is as rags.
And I have none to look up to,
For all men have these sins, these filthy snags!
We can offer nothing unto You.
But You have died so that we might live.
You, God, have covered us with your blood.
We have nothing of our own to give.
Jehovah, we give back to You: Your precious Love!
Monday, July 7, 2008
The Psalmist’s Lullaby
Have I believed in vain?
The darkness has prospered much.
All I feel is the pain
Of the burning of Your touch.
When evil does as evil is
No evil to him befalls.
Yet I give thought to one dark sin;
Despair reigns o’er all!
Then I am reminded of His promise sure,
And I fall down and repent.
The wicked will much sorrow endure,
And I, to God, will be sent.
Light still rules, though the present be dark,
For the darkness is here in might.
Christ shall return when the trumpet we hark
And the faithful shall live in His sight.
The darkness has prospered much.
All I feel is the pain
Of the burning of Your touch.
When evil does as evil is
No evil to him befalls.
Yet I give thought to one dark sin;
Despair reigns o’er all!
Then I am reminded of His promise sure,
And I fall down and repent.
The wicked will much sorrow endure,
And I, to God, will be sent.
Light still rules, though the present be dark,
For the darkness is here in might.
Christ shall return when the trumpet we hark
And the faithful shall live in His sight.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Hold Fast to Him
Light shines through to us today,
Darkness tries to cast dismay.
Keep true to what God does say.
Hold fast to Him.
When the night casts you to dust,
There is only One to trust.
Keep to the Light, for you must
Hold fast to Him.
When your sins are shown to you,
Repent of them, and in all you do
Keep His Word; obey it true.
Hold fast to Him.
Jehovah, the great Three in One
Is waiting for us when we’re done
Through the work, began by His Son.
Hold fast to Him.
Darkness tries to cast dismay.
Keep true to what God does say.
Hold fast to Him.
When the night casts you to dust,
There is only One to trust.
Keep to the Light, for you must
Hold fast to Him.
When your sins are shown to you,
Repent of them, and in all you do
Keep His Word; obey it true.
Hold fast to Him.
Jehovah, the great Three in One
Is waiting for us when we’re done
Through the work, began by His Son.
Hold fast to Him.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
An Ode to Ezekiel 37: 1- 14
Light is here, shed a tear, for the darkness soon draws nigh.
Yet, never fear the sword or spear, for our Lord, God, reigns on high.
Soon you shall see the enemy bleed, and you ne’er raised your hand.
How can this be? Tis not through thee, but Him and His command.
But, lo, we are tossed on foaming waves
And strong men are sent to their icy graves.
Our bones are laid there, dead.
Have we lost? Has God forgotten?
We have been left, bodies rotten
The reality is what we’ve dread.
What’s this I hear? God has appeared? The bones are brought to life!
Have we to fear the sword and spear when Jehovah has no strife?
Soon we’ll see God’s destiny. It’s then we shall understand.
How can this be? Tis plain to me. In God alone must thou stand.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Sons of God, Awaken
Wake, oh sons of God, I say!
Rise and hear; this is the day.
Cry out to sea and mountain side,
To desert sands where hate abides.
Know that love will win all war
‘Gainst the foe that God abhors.
Therefore, press on, and do not fear!
Our Lord’s commands we will adhere.
See, the Light in that horizon, long has it called us
Wake! His Will must be done; do not betray His trust.
Our Lord, Jehovah, hear our prayer.
Guide us 'till we meet You there,
In the heavens up above
Where we’ll be surrounded by Your Love!
Thursday, February 21, 2008
The Dying Sinner’s Ode to Humanity
Darkness consumes my soul; I have not faltered,
For how can I falter into what I am?
Sinner is my name. I am unaltered
From when I was conceived; I am damned
To life without Light, to darkness unbroken.
Listen, I pray, to this my last token
Of my life, of which I have not spoken
Since I was a youth, by a fisherman fathered.
Listen to me, you must stray
From the path you are on to the Light of day.
Follow not your heart, for it is a snare
To trap you and excuse you from your own prayer,
To be free from your sin, your burden heavily weighed.
Flee for your lives, children of Cain!
Or you shall know nothing but sorrow and pain,
For I tell you the truth: we are conceived in sin -
Our father, Adam, has betrayed us within,
And our own soul Hell has gained.
Instead, look to the Bible, and place (there) your trust.
It holds the key to our salvation.
For as Adam betrayed us, Jesus Christ has remade us
And has taken our condemnation.
But, woe to those who yet refuse
To give their sinners’ lives to God!
Is it worth being so amused,
While we sink as bread in the sod?
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Requiem
Weep for the passing days gone by
Cry out for the birds that fill the sky
And the creatures that swim in the deepest sea
And the beasts that walk the whole world free
But weep most of all for us, we man
For we are the ones who are forever damned
For our crimes that went against God above
The One Who’s purity and love
Created us all and gave us life
With no trouble, pain, or strife
But, lo, from above, what Light I see
Is it true that You have died for me?
God of Heaven, God of Light
God of Earth that gave me sight
Mercy tender, pure, and true
Tell me, Lord, what You’d have me do
Yet I can not help but weep
For your dying, drowning sheep
Who still reject You; I can only pray
That You will guide them to Thee today
God save us from our selfish ways
Before we leave you for all our days!
My King
God, my Lord, what can we say
We love and adore thee
Be our King, Lord, every day
We love and adore thee
You chose us, we did not choose you
Command us in all we do
We need you, you do not need us
In you, God, is all we trust
Oh, God, my Lord, can I but speak
Your Name without falling down - no
My King, we are helpless and weak
Save us from our fate, from eternal woe
Save us from ourselves, have mercy
You are everything, the perfect being
You are Christ, our eternal King
Save us from what we are, Your Grace please bring
What can I say to give You praise
When You are infinite as you have always been
You are our One, to Thee we raise
Our beings, Lord, though no eye hath ever seen
God, my Lord, we are as clay
Mercy, Christ, from day to day
We are not worthy, this we know
Yet Grace you forever t’wards us show
God, my Lord, what can I say
Let us praise you all our days
Hope
Darkness has come, shadows are nigh
As sun fades down, young babes cry
The wolves’ howls are heard far too oft’
The thunder clashes in the black
The rain has made the hard earth soft
And lightning rakes the tree’s back
Yet… when all seems to end in sorrow
Lift your eyes to the dawn of tomorrow
When the darkness seems too strong
When the shadows loom with ill content
When the night is all too long
Fear not, God has his enemies already spent.
When the darkness grips your heart
Hold fast to Him and ne’er forget
That He has been there since the start
He is with thee- I am with thee- and will be yet.