Poetry Friday: Rev. Lawrence Keister

 

An Evening Sky in October

Look upon the twilight clouds
Eastward they are marching;
Blue is breaking through the rifts
In the overarching.

Changing forms work silently
As by nature's magic,
For these Autumn breezes know
Nothing wild or tragic.

Banners show their artistry,
While the legion passes;
Showing, too, how nature's work
Human work outclasses.

Wisps and fragments still remain
As the sky is clearing,
Just to signal to the stars
For their next appearing. 

Reverend Laurence Keister
The Shining Pathway 

 Poetry Friday is hosted today at Literary Safari.

Cheque Book of the Bank of Faith

October 26
Because Of Us

For the elect's sale those days be shortened - Matthew 24:22

For the sake of His elect the Lord withholds many judgments and shortens others. In great tribulations the fire would devour all were it not that out of regard to His elect the Lord damps the flame. Thus, while He saves His elect for the sake of Jesus, He also preserves the race for the sake of His chosen.

What an honor is thus put upon saints! How diligently they ought to use their influence with their Lord! He will hear their prayers for sinners and bless their efforts for their salvation. He blesses believers that they may be a blessing to those who are in unbelief. Many a sinner lives because of the prayers of a mother, or wife, or daughter to whom the Lord has respect.

Have we used aright the singular power with which the Lord entrusts us? Do we pray for our country, for other lands, and for the age? Do we, in times of war, famine, pestilence, stand out as intercessors, pleading that the days may be shortened? Do we lament before God the outbursts of infidelity, error, and licentiousness? Do we beseech our Lord Jesus to shorten the reign of sin by hastening His own glorious appearing? Let us get to our knees and never rest till Christ appeareth.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon 

In 15 Words or Less Poems

Unhurried

day by day
leaf by leaf
fall gives way
to winter

In 15 Words  or Less Poems is hosted every Thursday at Lara Salas .

 

Cheque Book of the Bank of Faith

October 25
God First, Then Extras

But seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you - Matthew 6:33

See how the Bible opens: "In the beginning God." Let your life open in the same way. Seek with your whole soul, first and foremost, the kingdom of God, as the place of your citizenship, and His righteousness as the character of your life. As for the rest, it will come from the Lord Himself without your being anxious concerning it. All that is needful for this life and godliness "shall be added unto you."

What a promise this is! Food, raiment, home, and so forth, God undertakes to add to you while you seek Him. You mind His business, and He will mind yours. If you want paper and string, you get them given in when you buy more important goods; and just so all that we need of earthly things we shall have thrown in with the kingdom. He who is an heir of salvation shall not die of starvation; and he who clothes his soul with the righteousness of God cannot be left of the Lord with a naked body. Away with carping care. Set all your mind upon seeking the Lord. Covetousness is poverty, and anxiety is misery: trust in God is an estate, and likeness of God is a heavenly inheritance. Lord, I seek Thee; be found of me.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon 

Cheque Book of the Bank of Faith

October 24
Godly Stability

And I will make thee unto this people a fenced brazen wall: and they shall fight against thee, but they shall not prevail against thee; for I am with thee to save thee and to deliver thee, saith the Lord - Jeremiah 15:20

Stability in the fear and faith of God will make a man like a wall of brass, which no one can batter down or break. Only the Lord can make such; but we need such men in the church, and in the world, but specially in the pulpit.

Against uncompromising men of truth this age of shams will fight tooth and nail. Nothing seems to offend Satan and his seed like decision. They attack holy firmness even as the Assyrians besieged fenced cities. The joy is that they cannot prevail against those whom God has made strong in His strength. Carried about with every wind of doctrine, others only need to be blown upon and away they go; but those who love the doctrines of grace, because they possess the grace of the doctrines, stand like rocks in the midst of raging seas.

Whence this stability? "I am with thee, saith the Lord": that is the true answer. Jehovah will save and deliver faithful souls from all the assaults of the adversary. Hosts are against us, but the Lord of hosts is with us. We dare not budge an inch; for the Lord Himself holds us in our place, and there we will abide forever.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon 

Cheque Book of the Bank of Faith

October 23
Harvest Of Light, Gladness

Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart - Psalm 97:11

Righteousness is often costly to the man who keeps to it at all hazards, but in the end it will bear its own expenses and return an infinite profit. A holy life is like sowing seed: much is going out, and apparently it is buried in the soil, never to be gathered up again. We are mistaken when we look for an immediate harvest; but the error is very natural, for it seems impossible to bury light. Yet light is "sown," says the text. It lies latent: none can see it; it is sown. We are quite sure that it must one day manifest itself.

Full sure are we that the Lord has set a harvest for the sower of light, and they shall reap it, each man for himself. Then shall come their gladness. Sheaves of joy for seeds of light. Their heart was upright before the Lord, though men gave them no credit for it, but even censured them: they were righteous, though those about them denounced them as censorious. They had to wait, as husbandmen wait for the precious fruits of the earth: but the light was sown for them, and gladness was being prepared on their behalf by the Lord of the harvest.

Courage, brothers! We need not he in a hurry. Let us in patience possess our souls, for soon shall our souls possess light and gladness.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon

The Colors of Autumn

 

 

 

 

 

Cheque Book of the Bank of Faith

October 22
Plead His Own Promise

Thou, O Lord God, hast spoken it: and with Thy blessing let the house of Thy servant be blessed for ever - 2 Samuel 7:29

This is a promise pleaded, and so it yields double instruction to us. Anything which the Lord God has spoken we should receive as surely true and then plead it at the throne.

Oh, how sweet to quote what our own God has spoken! How precious to use a "therefore," which the promise suggests, as David does in this verse!

We do not pray because we doubt but because we believe. To pray unbelievingly is unbecoming in the Lord's children. No, Lord, we cannot doubt Thee: we are persuaded that every word of Thine is a sure foundation for the boldest expectation. We come to Thee and say, "Do as Thou hast said." Bless Thy servant's house. Heal our sick; save our hesitating ones; restore those who wander; confirm those who live in Thy fear. Lord, give us food and raiment according to Thy Word. Prosper our undertakings; especially succeed our endeavors to make known Thy gospel in our neighborhood. Make our servants Thy servants, our children Thy children. Let the blessing flow on to future generations, and as long as any of our race remains on earth may they remain true to Thee. O Lord God, "let the house of thy servant be blessed."

Charles Haddon Spurgeon

Indians 2, Red Sox 11

I guess I CAN'T rationalize everything after all.

sniff. 

Quote of the Week: William Booth

“I consider that the chief dangers which confront the coming century will be religion without the Holy Ghost, Christianity without Christ, forgiveness without repentance, salvation without regeneration, politics without God, and heaven without hell.”

--William Booth (1829-1912)
Founder of the Salvation Army 

It's Now or Never

We were hoping the Indians would clinch last night, but alas, it was evident from the first inning that that wasn't likely.  You know it's bad when the men of the house start channel surfing in the second inning.  I drifted away and started playing Cubis on the computer, heard wild cheering, only to be told that it was a football game that had gotten exciting.  Sigh.

Now that we have THAT out of the way, hopes return and we comfort ourselves by telling each other that it's really going to be exciting when they win in the 7th at Fenway Park.  That's the way dreams are; they don't have to be reasonable, or even make sense.  It's really better and more exciting to win as the underdog, don't you think?  That will give us momentum when we face the Rockies.  They've been idle, we've been battling back from shame.  Yeah, that'll really be better.  I can rationalize anything.

We'll be at church this evening, with fellowship time following, so we won't be watching.  Maybe that's a blessing.  Either we lose and we don't have to see it or we win and we have the game forever preserved on tape.

See, I can rationalize anything. 

Sunday Hymn:: Though Troubles Assail Us

Though troubles assail us, and dangers affright,
Though friends should all fail us, and foes all unite,
Yet one thing secures us, whatever betide,
The promise assures us, "The Lord will provide."

The birds, without garner or storehouse, are fed;
From them let us learn to trust God for our bread:
His saints what is fitting shall ne'er be denied
So long as 'tis written, "The Lord will provide."

When Satan assails us to stop up our path,
And courage all fails us, we triumph by faith.
He cannot take from us, though oft he has tried,
This heart-cheering promise, "The Lord will provide."

No strength of our own, and no goodness we claim;
Yet, since we have known of the Saviour's great name,
In this our strong tower for safety we hide:
The Lord is our power, "The Lord will provide."

Blue Trinity Hymnal #79

Cheque Book of the Bank of Faith

October 21
God's Multiplication Table

A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation: I the LORD will hasten it in his time - Isaiah 60:22

Works for the Lord often begin on a small scale, and they are none the worse for this. Feebleness educates faith, brings God near, and wins glory for His name. Prize promises of increase! Mustard seed is the smallest among seeds, and yet it becomes a treelike plant, with branches which lodge the birds of heaven. We may begin with one, and that "a little one," and yet it will "become a thousand." The Lord is great at the multiplication table. How often did He say to His lone servant, "I will multiply thee!" Trust in the Lord, ye ones and twos; for He will be in the midst of you if you are gathered in His name.

"A small one." What can be more despicable in the eyes of those who count heads and weigh forces! Yet this is the nucleus of a great nation. Only one star shines out at first in the evening, but soon the sky is crowded with countless lights. Nor need we think the prospect of increase to be remote, for the promise is, "I Jehovah will hasten it in his time." There will be no premature haste, like that which we see at excited meetings; it will be all in due time, but yet there will be no delay. When the Lord hastens, His speed is glorious.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon 

Uh Oh

1 to 8 in the bottom of the third.

I'd hide, too.

This Could be IT!

Go Tribe! 

I Blame Ellen

My morning bloggy visit to Ellen's revealed: I am an oatmeal raisin cookie. I am a Monet painting. My learning style is independent and innovative.

You Are 12% Texas

Damn Yankee! You think the sun comes up just to hear you crow.

How Texas Are You?

I am 8% New Yorker.

Your English Skills:

Grammar: 100% Punctuation: 100% Spelling: 100% Vocabulary: 80%

Does Your English Cut the Mustard?

I get 100% on all the other parts of the English quiz but I am embarrassed that vocabulary is only 80%. (What DOES Halcyon mean). I apparently have time to squander while my coffee is getting cold on Saturday mornings.

Cheque Book of the Bank of Faith

October 20
From Every Sin

He shall save His people from their sins - Matthew 1:21

Lord, save me from my sins. By the name of Jesus I am encouraged thus to pray. Save me from my past sins, that the habit of them may not hold me captive. Save me from my constitutional sins, that I may not be the slave of my own weaknesses. Save me from the sins which are continually under my eye that I may not lose my horror of them. Save me from secret sins; sins unperceived by me from my want of light. Save me from sudden and surprising sins: let me not be carried off my feet by a rush of temptation. Save me, Lord, from every sin. Let not any iniquity have dominion over me.

Thou alone canst do this. I cannot snap my own chains or slay my own enemies. Thou knowest temptation, for Thou wast tempted. Thou knowest sin, for Thou didst bear the weight of it. Thou knowest how to succor me in my hour of conflict; Thou canst save me from sinning and save me when I have sinned. It is promised in Thy very name that Thou wilt do this, and I pray Thee let me this day verify the prophecy. Let me not give way to temper, or pride, or despondency, or any form of evil; but do Thou save me unto holiness of life, that the name of Jesus may be glorified in me abundantly.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon 

Meet My New Neighbor

Isn't he darling?  He needs a name.

Any suggestions?

Leave your puppy names in the comments.  If my neighbor picks YOUR suggestion, I'll send you something in the mail.  (Hmmm, what do you suppose THAT will be?) 

Update on Saturday, October 20, 2007 at 08:11AM by Kim from Hiraeth

This little guy gets to come to his forever home next Saturday.  I'll let you know what his name is once they have decided.

 I know I said that I would call him Hank, but I've changed my mind.  If he were mine, I'd call him either Snape or Severus.  Or, since he's a pug, maybe Snivellus.

I  love Snape.  He's my favorite character in the Harry Potter books. 

Poetry Friday: Writing Poetry Reading Poetry

“Poetry and Hums aren't things which you get, they're things which get you.
And all you can do is go where they can find you.”

Winnie the Pooh, A.A. Milne

I haven't been writing poetry very long.  I've been participating in the "In 15 Words or Less" exercise for a month or so.  It's been a lot of fun and I love the challenge aspect of it.   I will continue to do it, but it has made me want to write a poem in as many words at it takes to, well, write the poem.

There's a difference between writing poetry and reading poetry, don't you think?

Care to share what you think is the difference between reading poetry and writing poetry? 

Oh, and while we're talking about writing poetry, I'm asking my poetic readers to "come clean" and 'fess up.  And if you'd like, post a poem on your blog, let me know, and I'll come visit.

 

Lest we forget. . .

. . .in the aftermath of last night's game:  The Indians still lead the series.

I know it was ugly.  I "blame" Josh Beckett--the most formidable pitcher in baseball.

Series returns to Fenway Park and it'll all be decided by Sunday evening.

All we need is one.more.win. 

GO TRIBE!