TO GOD BE THE GLORY
Pray and tell [1/29/2023]
INTRO:
The innocence of a child is so simple, yet what we sometimes learn from children can be quite profound. They teach us how to be ourselves without any pretenses or masks. They pour out their hearts before us, letting their little lights shine for all to see. That’s how we need to approach the God of heaven: with open faces and willing hearts. He looks for us each day. He wants us to pour out our “everything” to Him so He can iron out the rough spots and polish us until we gleam. Then, He wants to fill us with His abundant joy. He wants to set our feet on a straight path. And finally, He wants us to share the wonders of God with others we pass along our way. That’s how we can let our light shine for Jesus and glorify Him. This is God’s will for us.
TEXT:
Matthew 5:14-16; (KJV).
“Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”
Romans 10:14; (TLB).
“But how shall they ask him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them?”
Mark 15:16; (AMP)
“And [Jesus] said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.”
Pray And Tell
My little girl came home from school;
she's only in first grade.
She handed me a little paper thing
that she herself had made.
She said, "Hey Daddy, look at this.
I made it very well!"
I turned it over...looked at it;
said,"What is it...pray tell?”
"Well, my teacher said to make something,
and make it by myself,
and tomorrow, show it to the class
when we have ‘pray and tell’.”
Yes, “pray and tell” is what she said
but it was cute to me,
because I knew that "show and tell"
is what the name should be.
I thought, “Dear Lord, could I do that;
get excited in that way?
If I had something I could tell
that flowed from what I’d prayed?”
“Now when you answer me, dear Lord,
please give me strength as well,
to go right out into the world
and share my ‘pray and tell’.”
I want to make a life of prayer
and do it very well.
Tomorrow, I'll share it with the world
during “pray and tell.”
© rdouglasVeer 11/6/2005
The Indwelling Power [1/15/2023]
INTRO:
We need to get to a place where we hunger and thirst after righteousness. If we don’t have an appetite for the things of God, let that be a red flag that something is wrong. At that point we must choose to apply our will to seek after the Lord in prayer. We must ask Him to forgive us for neglecting Him, cleanse us from our sins of apathy, and fill us with His Spirit so that we can once again rightly serve God. Nothing less will do. Paul reminds us that “. . . when I am weak, then I am strong,” (2 Corinthians 12:10; NIV). Therefore, we need to stay strong in the power of the Holy spirit and not let ourselves slip back into our old ways. John said it so simply: “He must increase, but I must decrease,” (3:30; KJV). While salvation is a free gift, we can’t expect God to do everything for us. We must choose to walk in His indwelling power each day. Yes, it’s a choice.
TEXT:
Ephesians 5:17-19; (NLT).
“Don’t act thoughtlessly, but try to find out and do whatever the Lord wants you to. Don’t drink too much wine, for many evils lie along that path; be filled instead with the Holy Spirit and controlled by him. Talk with each other much about the Lord, quoting psalms and hymns and singing sacred songs, making music in your hearts to the Lord.”
The Indwelling Power
God has sent Jesus to save me,
and I have invited Him in.
Then why does my spirit continue
walking and living in sin?
Wandering onward in sorrow,
my failures reveal waves of shame.
I think that life is just hopeless,
Will I ever be free from my pain?
Oh man of the earth can't you see it?
Your flesh is always in charge.
Why do I have such a small space,
and your flesh, a place that's so large?
Your flesh loves the sin of the worldly,
but self cannot be satisfied.
T’will stain you with the shame of your actions;
stains impossible to hide.
You’ll devour and demand even more sin,
and the larger it grows in your breast,
there’ll be no power to stop it,
And you’ll never have time to take rest.
Now, the fighting, the struggling, the losing;
don't you get tired of it all?
While you're trying to walk you are stumbling.
When you try to run you just fall.
The failures that keep you distracted;
they're part of the enemy’s plan.
He wants you to bow to his spirit
in defeat, just as long as he can.
But you know you belong to the Father.
He's the Victor of spiritual war.
It's not only bread that you live by.
God has given you, oh, so much more.
If you lay down the baggage you carry
of selfishness, pride, and of lust,
then the spirit of God can come fill you,
and give you a power you can trust.
You can trust Him to fight all your battles.
You can trust Him to be your best friend.
You can trust Him to keep you from falling.
He will fight for you right to the end.
No it won't be the end of your battles.
You will probably fight evermore.
But with God’s holy spirit within you,
you’ll have already won this old war.
The choice is yours now dear pilgrim
to walk in the draw of the flesh,
or be filled with God’s holy spirit
with a power divine, full and fresh.
The suffering from guilt will be over.
Together with His spirit you’ll be one.
So why don't you turn to the Father,
and say, “Holy spirit, now come?”
“The self-man I’ll no longer treasure.
He'll be my master no more.
Now, I’ll yield to the power of the spirit.
Oh, fill me with Thyself evermore!”
© rdouglasVeer 9/6/2005
A Brand New Page [1/1/2023]
INTRO:
New beginnings are so inspiring. In them we hear opportunity call, we see hindrances vanish, ideas emerge, and new life arise. The possibilities are endless. It’s also encouraging to know that our God is a God of new things. After all, He created the universe in six short days by speaking them into existence. And after He created mankind, He came to our rescue many times, making new pathways for us. Like when Isaiah prophesied that Israel would be delivered from her enemies; He was creating a new life for His chosen people. And when we personally accepted Him as our Savior and became born-again He created a new work inside of us. As we look to this new year, let us also find new ways to dedicate our lives to the Lord and worship Him.
TEXT:
Isaiah 43:19 (ESV)
“Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.”
2 Corinthians 5:17 (NKJV)
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”
A Brand New Page
There is a saying old and worn
as ancient as the shining sun.
And it’s been proven through the years
that “time and tide waits for no one”.
One minute, hour, day, and week
are followed by a year that’s passed.
Time will not stand still, you know.
No life on earth forever lasts.
The best of days should fill your time
with building blocks that shape your life.
And listen for the Lord’s advice
before the midnight clock does strike.
For soon the new year will arrive.
Can He count on you to do your part?
As you delight in all His ways
He’ll grant those desires of your heart.
No matter how reserved you are
or how unnerving it may sound,
each page of life must well be turned
with care as this year comes around.
My friend, the time has finally come.
Another year has crossed the stage.
So look ahead with hope and courage
as you turn a brand new page.
© rdouglasVeer 12/30/2019
Christmas [12/18/2022]
INTRO:
Some people claim that happiness is what “worldly” people have and joy is what “Godly” people have. Scripturally speaking, there are no examples of this; the two words are used interchangeably in the Bible. What is clear, however, is that people who have a certain type of joy, namely, “spiritual” joy, are much more joyful or happy than those without it: the joy that comes from knowing Christ. Christmas is that time of year when we are reminded of how God came to Earth in the form of a baby; He came to die for the sins of man and save the world. But we have become culturally distracted by decorations and packages and business, and the true meaning of Christmas is often forgotten. We need to intentionally remind ourselves and others about the miracle of Jesus, and about God’s great love for us. Let us celebrate the Christ of Christmas, and not the hubbub of the holidays.
TEXT:
Luke 2:10-14; (NKJV).
“Then the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. . .’ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: ‘Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!’”
Christmas
I was asked to write a poem about
the day that we call Christmas.
It comes but only once a year
and fades so quickly from us.
And if perchance the truth were told
then truth would make us say
that Christmas is remembered only
on that soon forgotten day.
The Golden Cow of merchandising
that fills pockets with bills and coins
has now become the greatest sound
above all the Christmas noise.
"Joy To The World" has waned
and "Away In A Manger" has too,
amongst the glitter and chatter of
what the world has convinced us to do.
"Come celebrate our Macy's sale!
For all, you can buy clothing and toys!
It's Christmas and the spirit of shopping
is how this season of fun is enjoyed."
Yet somewhere from our distant past
the sound of steeple bells
makes us remember a simple call
of One born to save us from Hell.
Yes, this may be hard to face today
due to all the reasons given
for replacing the real reason we celebrate:
. . . a Child, brought to us from Heaven.
In poverty born, yet still a King;
the greatest gift ever known
was offered to us that Christmas day
by Jesus who now sits on the throne.
The gift is called "forgiveness from sin"
and salvation from Him is for all
who don't forget that "Christmas is Jesus";
it’s not about the shopping mall.
© rdouglasVeer 12/7/2019
How It All Happened: The Christmas "Story [12/4/2022]
INTRO:
Isaiah saw Jesus and caught a glimpse of His glory. God used many "code words" to identify Yeshua--Jesus--in the Old Testament book He directed Isaiah to write. As we study this book, Isaiah will come alive to the reader like never before. We will take a journey through the fulfillment of prophetic events--past, present and future including "end-times" prophecies that are relevant for today. Most of all, we’ll see the person of Jesus revealed in its pages.
TEXT:
Isaiah 53:3, 6, 7, 11b, 12; (TLB).
“He was despised and rejected—a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care . . . All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him
the sins of us all. He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet he never said a word. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth. And because of his experience, my righteous servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for he will bear all their sins. I will give him the honors of a victorious soldier, because he exposed himself to death. He was counted among the rebels. He bore the sins of many and interceded for rebels.”
HOW IT ALL HAPPENED:
The Christmas Story
Isaiah listened to the Lord,
and in obedience
He said, “A child will be born to a woman
of total innocence.”
She will be pure and He will be,
“Wonderful counselor.”
And on His shoulders He will carry the weight
of the whole world.
Isaiah just repeated what the Lord had
spoken to him,
but many years would pass before that marvelous
life would begin.
Time had passed on, and One was chosen to be
the mother . . . a virgin,
who would give birth to the One who would carry the world
and all its burdens.
A virgin child? How could that be? How could she
birth a child?
Nothing like this had ever been heard. This was
way too wild!
She was espoused to marry a man of
excellent reputation;
one who had not been with her in an
intimate situation.
And yet an Angel spoke to him and told him,
“Do not fear.
Take this child and treasure her, and the child you
will hold dear.”
So the man obeyed the Angel and took her
as his wife,
even after she gave birth to a precious
little life.
And the girl became a woman, a wife
and mother too,
because she trusted the Angel who told her
what to do.
She married the man . . . he married her . . . and just as
the Angel told,
He became the Savior of the world, a world that
was so cold.
A world that was so cold with hate, that
it rejected Him,
and would not follow in His steps, and
walk away from sin.
Could they have been so wrong, so wrong? That they
just couldn’t see?
Couldn’t they see how much He loved them; enough
to set them free?
Well years have passed since Isaiah spoke
God’s prophetic Word,
and the child was born to the virgin and now
mankind has heard
that if we listen closely to what God has
spoken here,
we’ll see how trust and obedience has
triumphed over fear.
God sent His Son to keep us free and offer
life to us,
and all He asks is that we give Him the right to
win our trust.
If man back then could listen . . . and God
if they’d obey,
you and I can do the same, and
trust in Him today.
© rdouglasVeer 12/16/2018
Ham-Hocks 'N Beans [11/20/2022]
INTRO:
Thanksgiving is a wonderful time to count our blessings. God is so good to us, beyond what we deserve. From the grand to the simplistic, we have so much to be thankful for. We sometimes take for granted what many folks don’t have, like perhaps a warm dish of ham hock’s and beans and a loving Mother who prepared it. This year my prayer is this: “Thank You Jesus for the roof over my head, a bed to sleep in, food on my table, and shoes on my feet. Forgive me if I ever complain and forget my great blessings.”
TEXT:
Psalm 13:6; (NKJV)
“I will sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with me.”
Psalm 68:19; (NKJV)
“Blessed be the Lord, Who daily loads us with benefits, The God of our salvation! Selah.”
1 Thessalonians 5:18; (NKJV)
“In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
Ham-Hocks 'N Beans
Ham-hocks 'n beans, 'n turnip greens,
'n okry on the side.
Thank You, Lord, it's a feast I KNOW I'll eat;
‘sbetter 'n anythin' fried!
Some hot cone-bread 'n buttermilk,
'n sorgum in a jar.
The eatin'est best in east or west
from near or e'en from far.
If it’s a meal you wanta feel
a stickin' t'yer insides.
Then belly up t'Momma’s stuff
'n lordy, don’t be shy!
With cone-bread broke in th'buttermilk,
‘n sorgum on some too,
y'kin look 'n look 'n not find a cook
t'do what Momma kin do.
Y'chew on hocks 'n okry 'n beans
'til yer nearly gonna pop!
Then finish off peach cobbler 'n crust
w'cream all up on top.
Ham-hocks 'n beans 'n turnip greens,
'n okry on the side.
Thank You, Lord, it's a feast I KNOW I'll eat,
at least until I die.
©rdouglasveer 3/17/98
Photo Credit: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/437060338811438886/
A Christian Pumpkin Poem [10/30/2022]
INTRO:
Have you ever lit a match in a room that was pitch black? It's amazing to see how something as tiny as a matchhead could illuminate an entire room. Even a tiny amount of light is powerful and the darkness can never overpower it, (see John 1:5).
In His "sermon on the mount," Jesus said that as Christians, we are the salt and the light of the earth. And He pointed out that salt isn't any good if it's lost its flavor, nor is light effective if it's hidden.
Halloween will be upon us tomorrow and many Christians cringe at the thought, for good reason. But what better time could there be to radiate Jesus to those who live in spiritual darkness, corruption, and confusion? One strike of God's matchhead will uncover those things people do in secret. There's nowhere to run from God's piercing eyes and penetrating truths. He knows our hearts better than we know them, ourselves.
God loves people too much to let anyone perish, so He shines His light of conviction upon us so His truth will set us free. We also need to let the light of Christ shine through us so we can help others find the pathway to the Father and tell them what God's love is all about.
TEXT:
Matthew 5:13-16; (ESV).
“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”
John 1:5; (NLT).
"The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it."
A Christian Pumpkin Poem
I am a Jack O' Lantern
My light will shine so bright
For I am a Christian pumpkin
My symbols tell what's right
My nose is like the cross
On which our Savior died
To set us free from sin
We need no longer hide
My mouth is like a fish
The whole wide world to show
That Christians live in this house
And love their Savior so!
The story starts at Christmas
My eyes are like the star
That shone on Baby Jesus
And wise men saw from far
My color it is orange
Just like the big bright sun
That rose on Easter Day
Along with God's own Son
And so on Halloween
Let's set our pumpkins out
And tell the trick or treaters
What God's love is all about!
Author Unknown
Source: https://discover.hubpages.com/holidays/afewchristianhalloweenpoems
Remembering My Daddy [10/16/2022]
INTRO:
My sister and I were saddened to see our father decline. He said on the phone one day, "I never thought I would see the day when I would pass away." I'm sure we all think about that. For many, it is quite a mystery. We wonder where we will go.
Some people believe there's just a big "blank" when we die. Some people believe God exists, but they don't ask for His help until they're at death's door. And some people don't have a chance to accept God . . . because they die suddenly.
My dad was never religious but he did believe in God and he did understand God sent His Son, the Messiah to save us from our sins. I shared this with him many times and when I saw him in the hospital I encouraged him to "call on the name of Jesus" when his "time" would come.
Later, I learned Dad shared with others, how he had asked God to take him to heaven, and he described a vision of Jesus coming down from the cross to walk with him.
My dad knew the truth. And I am confident he accepted God, personally into his heart.
The gift of salvation is for us all. Each of us will face death one day but if we want to be saved, we need to accept Jesus and humbly ask Him to forgive our sins. This is the Christian faith.
Jesus is the only way to heaven; however, the choice is yours and mine. God will never force anyone.
TEXT:
Romans 10:13; (NLT).
“For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."
John 14:6; (NLT).
"Jesus told him, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.'"
Remembering My Daddy
Such a little tyke was I to get my Daddy’s hug;
he'd call me his mosquito; in Hungarian . . . his petite "Szúnyog."
(Then) came my sister, Sylvia; her name had come to be
but her nickname in Hungarian was my little deer, my sweet "Csimbi."
Dad was rough and he was tough; he seemed hard as a nail
but food upon the table was always there, without fail.
"Hard work" was what he taught us as our lives continued on,
but there were times of goodness, too, when he'd even sing us songs.
My mother's folks would sometimes . . . have us come and stay.
Grandpa'd sit at the piano and all evening he would play.
The house would fill with merriment; with laughter and with joy,
and what I'd say deep in my heart was “Boy, oh boy, oh boy!"
"Nyud-mama" would twirl me, around and all around
and no where could a person find, a better Grandmama in town.
I was just so little then and they all seemed so tall!
But that was truly fine with me; 'cause there was fun for all.
Yes, my Daddy was a worker, as strong as he could be.
He must have spent a million hours each day in that factory.
He put bread on our table and clothes upon our back
and not for either one of these did we find any lack.
The work he did with his strong hands was an expression of his love.
Then one day God began calling him to His Heavenly home above.
Yes, memories of my daddy are a jumble of different thoughts
but he was just a "working man," not some astronaut!
So, was he perfect? Of course not, but then, who can ever be?
Not a brother or a sister, or a neighbor, and not me.
Still, my greatest memory (will) forever be, when he
told me that he saw Jesus nailed upon the "Tree."
And that’s when he asked God, above to come and take him home;
he knew his sin-debt was paid by Christ, and he'd never be alone.
For the God of all creation, sent His perfect, only Son
to die in your place and in mine; He died for everyone . . .
. . . so we could come as Daddy did without silver or gold,
whether we would be quite young, or as Daddy, rather old.
You see, God has created, an entrance that holds true.
That open door will lead to Heaven; a place for me and you.
One day, I will take that road; the one my dad walked on
and I will bet that I will hear him singing still, a song.
But this time he’ll sing out the words “Never more will I to roam,”
as he welcomes every traveler to his Heavenly home.
My daddy, now is waiting. He's been waiting for you and me,
ever since he accepted Jesus there upon Calvary’s Tree.
Yes, Daddy’s with the Savior, the Messiah who calls him friend
and now he has a new life; one that will never end.
Soon, I will be with him when this old life is done,
and I now invite you to come, yes, each and every one.
Well, that’s what I remember. and yes, all of it is true.
I just wanted to share my heart and my dear daddy . . . with you.
rdouglasVeer © 9/22/2022
I Give You Love [10/2/2022]
INTRO:
Falling in love can be one of the most exhilarating, all-consuming experiences in a person’s life. The relationship takes over every waking thought that drives you from bliss to euphoria. The Song of Solomon, sometimes called the Song of Songs, is an Old Testament book that describes the wonderful love between a man and a women, in detail. But scholars have also thought of the writings as a picture of God’s love for His people. We know from Exodus 34:14 that our God is a jealous God. He tells us that worshiping other gods is like committing adultery against Him. We also read in the New Testament that the people of God are called “the bride of Christ”. And when Christ returns for His church in the Second Coming, He will consummate the marriage with His bride beginning with a wedding ceremony that will unite the two forever. Yes, God is love, and His love runs deep. Earthly love is only a spark compared to the eternal love we will have one day in God’s presence. For now, let’s celebrate our love for one another, especially toward those very special people God has placed in our lives, like our spouse . . . Happy Valentine’s Day!
TEXT:
Song of Solomon 4:9-11; (NLT).
“You have captured my heart, my treasure, my bride. You hold it hostage with one glance of your eyes, with a single jewel of your necklace. Your love delights me, my treasure, my bride. Your love is better than wine, your perfume more fragrant than spices. Your lips are as sweet as nectar, my bride. Honey and milk are under your tongue. Your clothes are scented like the cedars of Lebanon.”
I Give You Love
If you desired water for love
I’d give you the mighty seas.
and if you required air as proof
I’d give you what I breathe.
If it was a feather that you desired
I’d give you a flock of birds.
But being just a simple man
I can only give you words.
Words that form not in my tongue
so eloquent and fair,
but come they from my truthful heart
where love is nestled there.
Love is all I have to give,
more precious than a tear;
love that hopeful will be enough
to last us through the years.
© rdouglasVeer 9/5/2018