Author: Tom

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The End

I took time today
      to visit a friend.
He has been told
      his life will soon end.
The thing that I thought
      as we took time to chat.
We don’t like to think,
     “Am I ready for that?”
We’d much rather keep
      pretending each day.
That nothing could happen
      to take life away.

When we stop to think
      that this day could be it.
Does it change what we do
      with the times we just sit?
To reflect on our life
      that God Himself gave,
We should recognize
      that we need Him to save.
There’s only two choices
      at the end of this life.
Forever with Jesus,
      or eternal strife.

Do I live each day
      like it could be my last?
Long for the future
      with a forgiven past.
Will people surround me
      with stories of good?
Will they say I loved Jesus,
      like I said that I would?
And if I do wonder,
      just what they might say.
A pretty good answer,
      is what’s said today.

So how will I live,
      this day to the full?
Will I draw near to Jesus
      as my heart he does pull?
Will I think more clearly
      than ever before?
And realize without Him,
      I’m way beyond poor.
He’s the great treasure
      that I have received.
His Spirit has filled me
      because I believed.

Because of His presence,
      it’s really okay.
If quite unexpected,
      this is my last day.
But if He should give me
      a little more time.
I pray that He’s seen,
      in my life and my rhyme.
I want to be faithful
      in all I do spend.
So He says, “Welcome home,
      it’s not really the end.”
©

I spent some time yesterday with a friend who has outlived some of his doctor’s expectations and knows he is nearing the end of his life on this earth.  He is ready for those words, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”,  because they fit him.  As I’ve been praying for him and his wife, God put this poem in my mind.  I pray that it helps each of us to spend time with God considering if we are ready for this journey on earth to end.

In prayer,
Tom

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Opinions

We all have opinions
      that we hold to as fact.
They are often seen
      in the way that we act.
We stand up and shout
      in a voice that is loud.
I simply know more,
      it’s not that I’m proud.
We see this in others
      throughout the whole day.
But to see it in my life,
      there’s simply no way.

It seems far too often,
      and without any proof.
We repeat what we hear
      from the top of the roof.
We hear what we like
      and we make up our mind.
We’re so very certain,
      that the truth we don’t find.
We think we’re important
      if we know it all.
So we fail to notice
      that we’re bound for a fall.

We live in a time
      when it’s easy to do.
To let people know
      just what is our view.
I see it on-line,
      in response to all news.
They’re only right
      if they do what I choose.
It is quite amazing
      what people believe.
There’s no rhyme or reason,
      to the comments they leave.

If things are done one way,
      it’s completely wrong.
But do them the other,
      they sing the same song.
You can’t win for losing,
      is what some will say.
But I choose to believe
      there’s a much better way.
I need to be careful
      before I reply.
Before I do answer,
      I ought to ask, “Why?”

Not only ask why,
      but ask what is true.
That my answer is godly,
      not just my own view.
To consider the matter
      beyond what is shown.
And try to see clearly,
      as if their shoes were my own.
What I think doesn’t matter,
      if it’s really off-base.
And I only know that,
      when I seek my God’s face.

So when I read something
      of which I don’t agree.
I look to God’s Word
      to see if it’s me.
When there is a difference
      of opinion, not fact.
I guard my words closely
      and watch how I act.
I choose to know one thing
      and it’s always true.
It’s more than opinion,
      that God does love you.
©

Social media seems to make it easy for people to express their opinions with little regard for truth, fact, or even the whole story.  As I was reflecting this morning on comments I have read about various postings and news items, God put this poem in my mind.  I pray that it helps you to consider the words you use and examine the difference between opinion and truth before you feel obligated to comment.

In prayer,
Tom

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New Man

I went to bed early
      to get some good rest.
It seems I need more sleep
      so that I do my best.
So I sleep for eight hours,
      even more if I can.
And while it does help,
      I don’t wake a new man.
Perhaps it is needed
      as I fight this cold.
Though some actually say,
      it’s because I am old.

We go to extremes
      to change who we are.
We exercise more,
      even buy a new car.
We spend so much time
      on the way that we look.
That we fail to reflect
      what is in the Good Book.
Somehow we think
      if we change the outside.
No one will care much
      about what is inside.

If I really want,
      a new man to be.
I will change what I want,
      and how I do see.
I will look on the inside,
      more than what’s out.
For the battle within
      can be quite a bout.
Take every thought captive,
      don’t give it a place.
To take root and grow,
      then spew out of my face.

To be the new man,
      that God wants of me.
I rest in the Lord,
      His face I do see.
When I become weary
      and feeling quite weak.
I wait on the Lord
      and His presence I seek.
The times of refreshing
      in sickness and health.
Is a joy for the ages,
      even more than great wealth.

When I’m under the weather,
      or feeling my age.
God’s Spirit is with me
      and helps me engage.
A body that’s rested
      and a mind that is fresh.
Helps me listen to God
      as His Word and I mesh.
It is not the sleep
      that’s important to me.
But the new man in Christ
      that I want to be.
©

I’ve been feeling tired and going to bed early to get more rest so I’m ready to start an early day of building prep and cleaning.  This poem began to form in my mind last night before I fell asleep and God finished it up as I did my morning work.  I pray that it encourages you in your efforts to be the person that God has called you to be.

In prayer,
Tom

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Our Mission

I have a mission
      and so do you, too.
It’s a mission for all
      and not just a few.
There are so many
      who still need to know.
Jesus commanded
      to tell as we go.
To live it and teach it
      and help people see.
My life has real purpose
      with Jesus in me.

To always be ready
      to share the Good News.
To share it with all,
      not just those we choose.
But as we do share
      with people each day.
Be gentle and kind
      in the things we do say.
To set apart Christ,
      as Lord of our life.
Treat the Word carefully,
      it’s as sharp as a knife.

We want to help healing
      and not cause a mess.
There’s times I have botched it,
      of that, I confess.
God’s Word can be cutting,
      right down to the bone.
So we must be careful,
      we don’t act on our own.
God’s Spirit lives in us
      to help as we talk.
And sometimes He leads us
      to silently walk.

To speak up or show up,
      should not be our choice.
If we listen to Jesus
      and obey His voice.
Sometimes He leads us
      to sit for a while.
It could be a person
      only needs a big smile.
When words are in order,
      how careful are we?
To point to the Savior,
     instead of at “me”?

We like to have answers
      to show we are smart.
But it’s only God’s power
      that can transform a heart.
So as we consider,
      a commission so great.
We must be about it,
      lost people can’t wait.
We tell a great message
      that they can receive.
God’s goodness and mercy,
      if they would believe.

That is our mission
      that God calls us to.
To share the Good News
      that can make us all new.
We tell of Jesus,
      immersing in His name.
His blood does cleanse us
      and removes all our shame.
We teach His commandments
      as response to His love.
And He remains with us
      as He reigns from above.
©

I was spending time with God this afternoon in preparation for tonight’s Bible study I will lead from 2 Kings 7.  The chapter deals with the story of some men with leprosy discovering some very good news and then having to decide what they would do with that good news.  As I reflected on that story, God put this poem in my mind dealing with the Good News that we have in Jesus and the decision we must make about what we will do with it.  I pray that this poem brings glory to God and accomplishes His purposes for it.

In prayer,
Tom

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2 Kings: Lesson 7 — The Cost of Doubt

The following are discussion questions from a weekly study I am leading through the book of 2 Kings.  We meet each Wednesday evening at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

The Unraveling of a Nation

A Study of the Book of 2 Kings

Lesson 7 (The Cost of Doubt)
 2 Kings 7
         February 12, 2014

The Text:

  1. What was taking place in Samaria?  Who was the king blaming for this?  What message did Elisha share from God?  How did the king’s officer respond to the message?  What did Elisha say would happen to the officer?  
    –
  2. What dilemma did a group of men at the city gate of Samaria find themselves in?  What did they propose to do in an attempt to solve it?  What was their reasoning?  What did they find when they went to the camp of the Arameans?
    –
  3. What had the Lord caused the Arameans to hear?  What did they conclude?  What did they do?  What did they leave behind?  What did the group of men from Samaria initially do when they discovered the Arameans were gone?   
    –
  4. What did the men with leprosy finally conclude?  What did they report back to the gatekeepers in Samaria?  How did the king respond to the news?  What did one of his officers suggest they do?  What did he anticipate the outcome would be?
    –
  5. What did the scouting party discover when they went to the Aramean camp?  What did the people of Samaria do when they heard the news?  What responsibility did the king give to the officer who was with him earlier?  What happened to him?  Why?

  The Application:

  1. Are there things that you don’t have enough of?  Who do you blame?  How would you respond if God said he would meet that need with an abundance that seems impossible? 
    –
  2. Are there times in your life when it seems hopeless to stay where you are and hopeless to go where you think you should?  Does desperation motivate you to take risks?
    –
  3. What would cause you to abandon the things that you value?  Have you ever found something of great value that seems to be free for the taking?  How likely are you to take it?         
    –
  4. How likely are you to share good fortune that comes your way?  What does it take for you to think of the needs of others?  Are you skeptical when it comes to hearing things that sound too good to be true?           
    –
  5. What have you discovered about the availability of God’s free gift to meet any “famine” in your life?  Who have you told?  How eager were you to obtain it?  What is the cost of doubt?

 

Next Week:  Good News and Bad
2 Kings 8

 

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Warnings

I have a computer
      that’s trying to die.
I open a program
      and it asks me, “Why?”.
“This will cause problems,
      for my memory is low.”
“I warned you this time;
      so yes, I’ll be slow.”
“If you do not heed
      this helpful advice.”
“I’ll shut myself down,
      I won’t warn you twice.”

The brain can be like
      this computer of mine.
When it functions well,
      everything does just shine.
But let it fill up
      with unhealthy stuff.
And it isn’t long
      before it’s running rough.
Add to the problem
      some unrelenting stress.
And before very long,
      the whole things a mess.

Just like the computer,
      a warning we get.
The body calls out,
     “I’m here, don’t forget.”
But so very often,
      when we ache and much more.
The warnings God gives us,
      we simply ignore.
Ignore it for too long,
      I say with a frown.
It could be disaster,
      as your body shuts down.

So what do I do
      for my computer and me?
When things are not right
      and the warnings I see.
I look to the manual
      and seek to restore.
The purpose and function,
      I was created for.
I clear out all garbage
      and cleanse from within.
I restore a memory
      that is free from all sin.

I trim down my files
      to what’s needed most.
I only have room,
      for good things to host.
I empty my mind
      of things from the past.
And only hold on to,
      that which should last.
It’s an ongoing process,
      not done in a day.
It’s a daily surrender
      to God and His Way.

If you’ve not noticed,
      the subject is me.
It’s not really about
      the computer, you see.
The warnings God gives me,
      I need to observe.
So I function smoothly
      as His name I serve.
I pray that you notice,
      the warnings in you.
So you would be faithful
      as you serve Him too.
©

My computer has been giving me warning messages and randomly stopping off and on for a few days now.  In addition to that, I’ve had a headache for much of the day and the work going on in the building hasn’t helped much.  As I took some time to rest and listen to God prior to a meeting tonight, He put this poem in my mind.  I pray that it serves His purposes and brings Him glory.

In prayer,
Tom

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Others

The way we treat others
     will say quite a lot.
Not really about them,
     more about what we’ve got.
Do I have compassion
     and kindness for those.
That God puts around me,
     not just those I chose.
Do I tend to order
     and boss those around.
Who don’t benefit me,
     at least that I’ve found.

It would be quite funny,
     if it wasn’t so sad.
There have been leaders
     who have treated me bad.
But that’s not important
     in what I will do.
The much bigger issue
     is how I treat you.
Do I look beyond all
     the things people see.
And love you like Jesus
     has shown love to me.

It is so easy
     to love those like us.
And think that those different
     are not worth the fuss.
It can take much effort
     to see in the heart.
But we’ll never get there
     if we refuse to start.
It can be quite risky
     to let down our guard.
But Jesus did warn us
     to follow Him would be hard.

When we show great favor
     to those who repay.
We’ve not lived like Jesus,
     at least that’s what He’d say.
To give to the needy
     what they can’t return.
Is a lesson from Jesus
     that we all need to learn.
To lift up the weak
     and carry their load.
Is a way to serve others
     as we all walk this road.

So what will you do
     with the choices you make?
When you deal with people
     will you give, not just take?
Will you listen closely
     to all that you hear?
And pay close attention
     to what’s hidden by fear.
To treat people better
     than others might do.
To give them the treatment
     that you’d want for you.

When you stop and think
     of what Jesus taught.
To go and do likewise,
     then really you ought.
There’s no better time
     to begin in that way.
To do good to others
     by starting today.
And when I say “others”,
     I mean everyone.
To put into practice
     what we’ve learned from the Son.
©

God gave me this poem last night as I spent time with Him in prayer and listening. This time I jotted it down so I wouldn’t forget it when I finally made it to the computer. I pray that it encourages each of us to see others as God sees them.

In prayer,
Tom

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Revival

The days of revival
     have long been around.
But even with all that,
     can the faithful be found?
A message of judgment
     we’d rather not hear.
Tell us the good news
     and leave out the fear.
But good news is lacking
     if we don’t tell the bad.
Our rescue from dying,
     is what makes us glad.

 For if there’s no judgment,
     when Christ I reject.
Then there is no reason,
     my life to inspect.
The good news of Jesus,
     calls me to believe.
The wages of my sin,
     I don’t have to receive.
And while it’s a free gift,
     it is up to me.
For I must accept it
     if I want to be free. 

John was sent early
     to prepare the way.
To call for repentance,
     and do it today.
While some liked the idea
     of escaping God’s wrath.
They were quite startled,
     they were on the wrong path.
Some came to see him,
     thinking that they were good.
They had to look closer
     and then do what they should. 

The one who had plenty
     was to share what he had.
Those collecting taxes
     should not treat people bad.
The ones with position
     should not falsely accuse.
Be content with their pay,
     not spreading bad news.
With someone like John
     teaching that which was right.
The people suspected
     that the Christ was in sight. 

John quickly answered,
     “The Messiah, I’m not.”
But the One that is coming
     has more power than I’ve got.
He is much greater
     than one such as I.
The thongs of His sandals,
     I’m not fit to untie.
He will immerse you
     in His Spirit and fire.
For that which is impure,
     the consequence is dire. 

So what will we do
     with the message we hear?
Will we praise God with joy
     or tremble in fear?
The choice seems so simple,
     at least it should be.
When my heart is repentant,
     He will forgive me.
And when I’m forgiven,
     by faith I should live.
The good news of Jesus,
     to all I must give.
©

 
I’ve been spending time with God this afternoon in the beginning of Luke 3 as I prepare for tonight’s sermon.  As I was listening to God for refinement of the sermon, He put this poem in my mind.  I pray that it encourages and challenges you and that it brings glory to His name.
 
In prayer,
Tom