INSPIRATIONAL POEMS

INTRO: 

As of this writing, the United states is experiencing a national shut-down encompassing every aspect of our daily lives. The Corona Virus has affected one hundred fifty-one nations so far and has run roughshod over entire populations, changing our very way of life. Many of us are now separated from friends and family. As Christians, we have been cut off from our church families as services and other activities have been cancelled. But we need God right now more than ever! We are living in serious times and such times call for serious prayer. We need to shut ourselves in to be alone with God, repent of our wrong-doings, and humbly seek His face. And if we linger long enough, we will find ourselves in His wonderful presence where His peace and assurance will flood our souls. For he truly cares for us and will meet our every need according to His riches in glory, (see Philippians 4:19).

TEXT: 

2 Chronicles 7:14; (KJV).

“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”

Matthew 6; (NLT).

“6 But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private.”

Philippians 4:6-7; (NIV).

“6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

SHADOW ON THE WALL

When I go . . . into my secret prayer room . . . it’s a peaceful place to be.

The holiness of God, shines there . . . so brilliantly on me.

And in His presence, I forget all my worldly cares.

I get to be . . . His shadow on the wall.

Oh, if I could share the feeling, of how it is when I bow there.

How His eyes are like cool fire, and the sun melts in His hair.

Golden moments spent with Jesus; there is nothing can compare.

He’s my Savior; I’m His shadow on the wall.

Bathing in His presence there, ‘til the moon is out of sight.

The day star blinks its warning, of the early morning light.

So I rise in full surrender, where His presence has made me

humbly His; His shadow on the wall.

Now I go . . . into my secret prayer room . . . it’s a peaceful place to be.

The holiness of God, shines there . . . so brilliantly on me.

And in His presence, I forget all my worldly cares.

I get to be . . . His shadow on the wall.

© rdouglasVeer 1//2000

INTRO: 

Have you ever wondered why Jesus prayed? After all, He is the Son of God. While He walked this earth He was fully God, but He was fully human too, (yet without sin). Prayer was His communication line to God the Father. You see, before Jesus arrived into this world, He was in total communication with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit. Prayer kept those lines open. Furthermore, Jesus exhibited His prayer life as an example for others to follow. His model prayer was the Lord’s prayer. Also, there are many instances when Jesus prayed for others and with others for specific needs. So what is prayer? It is simply talking to God in an intimate way. And the more time we spend in prayer and meditation, the more we will come to know the Lord. In His presence we can be sheltered under His wings; through prayer we can take refuge in Him.

TEXT: 

Mark 1:35; (NLT).

“Before daybreak the next morning, Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray.”

Psalm 91:1-4; 14-16; (HCSB).

“1 The one who lives under the protection of the Most High dwells in the shadow of the Almighty. 2 I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust. 3 He Himself will deliver you from the hunter’s net, from the destructive plague. 4 He will cover you with His feathers; you will take refuge under His wings. His faithfulness will be a protective shield . . . 14 Because he is lovingly devoted to Me, I will deliver him; I will protect him because he knows My name. 15 When he calls out to Me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble. I will rescue him and give him honor. 16  I will satisfy him with a long life and show him My salvation.”

The Quiet Before The Storm

Early in the morning when the sun is sleeping still,

The moon yet has a shadow cast upon your window sill.

If you listen with your spirit, sitting in God’s perfect will,

you can hear a heavenly anthem rising o'er the distant hill.

Why sleepeth thou so lengthily? Why so long at rest?

When the God of our creation yearns to draw you at His breast.

He would see with you the dawning when the day is at its best.

While the world in sin’s still sleeping ere man’s troubles hit its crest.

See the clouds, how God has balanced them upon a starry sky,

and the dew upon your feet from flowers in the night have cried.

Hear the stars a-singing of God’s glory, sounding far and wide,

as he opens up the morning, causing night to run and hide.

Oh, He's coming soon beloved, for the years are now but days,

when the time of His returning standeth in the shadowy maze.

Soon we'll see Him in His glory; no more shrouded in a haze.

In His hand He'll carry judgement; in His eyes a crimson blaze.

From His mouth a sword proceedeth for destroying every sin,

both upon the earth appearing and for that which hides within.

Oh, the terror and the weeping we will see when He begins

to destroy His own creation and reclaim this world from sin.

He is coming soon my children, so while time is waiting still,

just before His heavenly army marches up and o'er the hill,

won’t you meet Him in the shadows of the morning on your sill?

Will you give your quiet time to Him--rest in His perfect will?

                             © rdouglasVeer 1/17/1998

INTRO: 

The Garden of Eden must have been a beautiful place. There, began the crown of God’s creation: it was there man took his first breath. But it didn’t take long for things to become spoiled. It happened because we wanted to do things our own way instead of listening to the wisdom of God. And so a terrible darkness entered our world. It is still with us today. It is called “sin” and it ruins everything it touches. So how will we ever get free from this mess? Thank God, Jesus made a way of escape for us. He paid the price for eternal freedom by giving up His own life to cover our debt. He became our shining Light in the darkness. He is the true hope for humanity. Recognizing the Light of the world is good, but to be saved, we have to go all the way. We must confess our faultiness, and ask Jesus to enter our heart--to forgive us and cleanse us and be our Savior and Lord. If we do this, our relationship with God will be restored with the assurance that when this life is over, we will spend eternity in Heaven with Him. Oh, how wonderful. Praise God forever!

TEXT: 

John 1:4, 5; (NLT).

“The Word [Jesus Christ] gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.”

Titus 3:3-7; (NLT).

“Once we, too, were foolish and disobedient. We were misled and became slaves to many lusts and pleasures. Our lives were full of evil and envy, and we hated each other. But-When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. Because of his grace he made us right in his sight and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life.”

A Light In The Darkness

In the beginning, He was the Word.

In the beginning, no sound was heard.

It was God who spoke with an awesome sound.

He created the earth with no one around.

He made all the animals and birds of the air,

and fishes and crawling things tucked everywhere.

Soon there were people who filled all the earth,

but in darkness they lived. Themselves they did serve.

One day a soldier cried, “God forgive what I've done.

I pierced the dear side . . . of Your only Son.

The ground started shaking by His holy power.

He departed in darkness that very hour.

Finally, the end came; His Spirit went down,

and all who stood there heard only this sound:

“Father forgive them. They know not what they do.

I yield now My Spirit and come back to You.”

Then all the earth turned as black as could be.

God summoned His lighthouse that hung on the tree.

Yes, the Lord took Him home for the battle was won,

and seated Him there on His heavenly throne.

The Good News did travel the earth far and wide,

defeating the darkness like a shimmering tide.

My prayer was that Jesus would shine upon me,

and illumine my heart . . . that I might see.

The light in the darkness shone ever so bright.

‘Twas the light of His holiness that lit up the night.

He answered my prayer; filled me with His love.

And forever I’ll praise my dear Savior above.

                  © rdouglasVeer 12/26/2009

My Deepest Fear

My deepest fear is not that I’m inadequate,

but that in me, the power of God’s treasure abides.

My deepest fear is not the existence of darkness,

but that there’s brilliant light beyond measure inside.

                                          ~ ~ ~

My deepest fear isn’t frowning on others

because they are harmful as evil can be.

My deepest fear is that I can not handle

the beauty of Jesus shining from me.

My deepest fear isn't NOT having Jesus,

but that I won't show others where He abides.

My deepest fear isn't knocking on doors,

but that Jesus in me, will take me inside.

And if my God took me into their parlor,

and if He were seen as bright as can be,

my deepest fear is that I couldn't be humble,

and let Jesus talk . . . instead of just me.

My deepest fear is not that I’m powerless,

but that Jesus living in me is so strong,

that I'd try to rule over Him and His witness,

and I know for sure, that I would be wrong.

My deepest fear is I don't love like You, Lord.

My deepest fear is I can't make them see,

that Your love is made up of mercy and kindness,

even though you have chosen to live it through me.

Now, here’s my prayer, dear Lord in heaven

as You sit next to the Father above:

please show me the way I can share You, Jesus,

without bragging when I say, "It's me that You love".

So please fill my heart, Lord; remove me from power.

Come set up your throne and reside here in me.

Set me aside; sanctify, Holy spirit,

until only You, Lord, are all that I need.

                          ©rdouglasVeer 7/1/2000

INTRO:
There is no shortage of things I could be afraid of, but my deepest fear is that I will fail God in some way. If I think about it long enough, I realize that grieving God would be the worse thing I could do. Oh, yes, I admit that I fall down a lot. I know my flesh is weak, and sin lies in the hidden recesses of my heart. But God forbid that I should not admit that, or that I should practice sin. Instead, I should practice confession, each and every day, laying myself open and bare before the Lord. Let my motives be pure and my fearful respect of God, healthy. My prayer is that I will wholly lean on God every moment that I might live a life that is pleasing to Him. And also, that I would understand more and more about God’s profound love for me.


TEXT:
Jeremiah 17:9; (NIV)
“The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?”


Psalm 139:23-24; (NLT)
“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.”

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

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 remember to 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.”

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

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

 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