JESUS IS GOD

If as a Man  He never will ignore
Those who repent  nor spurn those who implore,
Not only as  a perfect Man He bore
Sorrows and sins  and all that men deplore;
Not only as a Man  could He restore
And add to all  that had been God’s before,
Deliver us  to that celestial shore,
Or be for us  Shepherd or Friend or Door;
Jesus is God  - blessed for evermore!
- And has a glory  which no man can explore
Since it transcends  sublimest human lore:
What can we do  but worship and adore!

MORNING STAR

O dark, dark, dark  - irrecoverably dark:
Darkness that can be felt  invests the land;
Darkness that can be felt  encumbers man.
But we have light  in which we are apart:
The Morning Star  arising in our hearts!
The day is near  - while we await its start
Jesus the Lord  has this peculiar charm:
The Morning Star,  brilliantly coruscant.
Among our pressures  the Lord Himself imparts
To overcomers  joys that are sure to last:
Imparts Himself  so that, exuberant,
They praise Him as the Bright  and Morning Star.

THE LAMB OF GOD

Behold the Lamb of God,  taker away
Of sin by which the world  has been debased!
Behold the Lamb of God  whose graceful gait
Attracts the souls  who follow in the Way!
Worthy the tender Lamb  who stands as slain
Since by His sacrifice  He overcame
And thus acquired  an ambience of grace
Where His redeemed,  as kings and priests, shall reign;
And thus acquired  His wife with whom to share
His heart of love  and an eternal place.
Worthy the Lamb  whose fineness will engage
His own through this  and every coming age.

THE LION OF THE TRIBE OF JUDAH

Behold the Lion,  that of the tribe of Judah,
The One in whom  king David’s line is rooted,
Who overcame  through warring resolutely
And has secured  God’s glory in its fulness:
Towards His God  His victory is fruitful;
Towards His own His victory is goodness;
Towards the devil  His victory is ruthless.
Since none withstand  the Lion’s stately footsteps
Throughout the universe  let praise be bruited
To Him who made  this glorious revolution:
Toward His Name  let praises be effusive
Since He has brought  God’s counsels to conclusion.

AMEN

You cannot trust  what other men aver
Nor rest in what  they strenuously assert,
But Jesus was  the witness in Himself
Of everything  He audibly expressed;
The Name of Jesus  requires no epithet
Since in that Name  God’s love is manifest
And in His life  God’s heart is evident
Because obedience  informed each step;
Where love grows cold  and life becomes pretence
Faithful and true  He patiently presents
His endless grace  towards rekindling them:
He is the source  and He is the Amen.




This goes back to the series "Touching the King".

ASCENDED

Like someone who has fought and won
So that peace reigns for all his own
Christ, with His work for sinners done,
Sits now upon the Father’s throne.

As the sun’s warmth and vigour beam
From its pavilion in the sky
The Father had the Spirit stream
From Christ as glorified on high.

As Israelites could hear the bells
On Aaron in the holiest place
So, as the Holy Spirit tells,
We know Christ acts as Priest through grace.

As a rich king delights to give
Favour and grace where he resides
The Lord is glad that we should live
In blessings from where He abides.

Here on the earth from which His life
Was taken, and men thought Him dead,
The Lord now has His faithful wife
Linked to Him as her heavenly Head.

The Bridegroom waits to take His Bride
Who with the Spirit lifts her voice,
“Lord Jesus, come”; and at His side
In love’s delight they will rejoice.

He will come out as Conqueror
With all His saints, establish peace,
Heal nations, and abolish war,
Giving this groaning earth release.

REJOS FOR JOY

Jerusalem rejos for joy:
Jesus, the sterne of most bewte
In thee is rissin as richtous roy,
Fro dirknes to illumyne thee.
With glorius sound of angell gle
Thy prince is borne in Baithlem
Quhilk sall thee mak of thraldome fre.
Illuminare, Jerusalem.

With angellis licht in legionis
Thou art illumynit all about.
Thre kingis of strenge regionis
To thee ar cumin with lusty rout,
All drest with dyamantis but dout,
Reverst with gold in every hem,
Sounding attonis with a schout,
Illuminare, Jerusalem.

The regeand tirrant that in thee rang,
Herod, is exilit and his ofspring,
The land of Juda that josit wrang,
And rissin is now thy richtous king.
So he so mychtie is and ding,
Quhen men his glorius name dois nem,
Hevin erd and hell makis inclyning.
Illuminare, Jerusalem.

His cumming knew all element -
the air be sterne did him persaife:
the water quhen dry he on it went:
the erd that trymlit all and raife:
the sone quhen he no lichtis gaif:
the ceoce quhen it wes done contem:
the stanis qrhen they in pecis claif:
Illuminare, Jerusalem.

The deid him knew that rais upricht
quhilk lang time had the erd lyne undir:
crukit and blind declarit his micht
that helit of thame so mony hundir:
Nature him knew and had grit wundir
quhen he of virgin was orn but wem:
Hell, quhen thair yettis were brokin asundir.
Illuminare, Jerusalem.

I thought I would throw in an anonymous Scots medieval poem today.  It's interesting to see something of this before the Reformation.  maybe I wouldn't go with every word - but the tenor of it is fine, and to the Lord's glory.

Can you understand the language mainly?

Blessings to all readers.

NOT ONLY ...

    We are not only
Placed in His house but given
    Suitable clothing.

NOT ONLY…

    He gave not only
The Best Robe but the setting
    Where it will shine best.

WONDERS

A long dispensation of mercy and grace
Which comes from a Man in a heavenly place,
Where all of God’s glory is seen in His face -
    What wonders have come from the death of the Lord!

The sinners secured from sins, dwelling in night,
And given a place in the kingdom of light,
Who will through eternity be God’s delight -
    What wonders have come from the death of the Lord!

The saints where the Spirit of God can abide,
Conjoined by His presence and work as Christ’s bride,
One fit to continually be at His side -
    What wonders have come from the death of the Lord!

The Name of the Father has now been revealed
To sons, whom the Spirit of God thus has sealed,
Who give to the Father one-hundred-fold yield -
    What wonders have come from the death of the Lord!

BENEFITS

    “God’s benefits are
Administered to us through
    Our Lord Jesus Christ.”

CENTRED

Around the holiest place where all was dark
And seen by the high priest just once a year
God had a system centred in the ark.

But now since light has shone to cast out fear
God has a system centred in one Man
Through whom His grace and love to men appear.

According to His past eternal plan
God has a system centred in His Christ
Whose worth was known before the worlds began.

Since against sin Christ’s sacrifice sufficed
God has a system centred in His Son,
Who value before God cannot be priced.

Thus God delights that all He has begun
Centres in Him by whom the work was done.

18/02/05

We baptised Ingrid

In the Name of a Person

Who is out of death.

17/02/05

How vital it is

To know humanity is

More than cells and blood.

16/02/05

He gives bread and fish -

Both blessings from above, and

Blessings from beneath.

15/02/05

Arms are for comfort,

Care, hugs - underneath are the

Everlasting arms.

14/02/05

The anointing shows

God's committal to Christ, and

To the assembly.

13/02/05

Our God and Father

Is the God and Father of

Our Lord Jesus Christ.

12/02/05

The lowering sun bright,

The breeze keen, happily, we

Sauntered by the loch.

11/02/05

Let me name a few -

Psalms, hymns and spiritual songs,

Assembly choiring.

RELATIONSHIPS

He could have been the Healer of His saints
And that relationship would have been fine
When they found grace and power that were divine
Removed their ills and answered their complaints;
He could have been the One who cleansed the taints
Of sin, and used His chastening to refine
Reluctant souls; holding them to His line
He could have been One binding by constraints.

And He is all of these; and many more
Relationships of blessing or of claim
Direct our hearts to worship and adore,
Conscious of His transcendent, holy Name;
Yet how much grander that He chose to gather
Us as His sons, and took the place of Father.

FAMILY

    We’re to be with Christ
In family relationship
    Through eternity!

VOYAGE

      
God is working in the Son
And the Son is His ideal;
Through the One who set the keel
He has made the vessel run.

He through whom the voyage begun
Will unlade the laden creel:
God is working in the Son
And the Son is His ideal.

Soon the journey will be done
And the morning will reveal
Christ’s eternal fresh appeal;
Till that verdant shore is won
God is working in the Son.


This is meant to be a rondel or rondeau or something like that!  I like they way these old forms interweave.

ANSWER

    The counsel of God
Finds its perfect answer
    In the work of God.

LITTLE CREATURES

There are four little creatures
And they are very wise;
The Proverbs names their features
Which no one should despise.
We’ll think of them and then we’ll see
Lessons from them, for you and me.

The first one which would rather
Work when it can - the ant -
Eats what it worked to gather
In winter when it can’t.  
So let us work to gather food
And when it’s Christ it will be good.

Rock-badgers are the second
And nobody should mock
- However weak they’re reckoned -
Because their house is rock.
We will be safe from beasts which roam
While Christ, the Rock, remains our home.

The locusts have none leading
As king in all their bands,
But while they’re wisely feeding
They go about in bands.
Young friend, so very much depends
On having Christians as our friends!

The last beasts we must ponder
Are lizards, tiny things,
Who still are free to wander
In palaces of kings!
Jesus, our King, in all His grace,
Invites us to His heavenly place.

God made these little creatures
    To show us how to live;
Let’s gather from those teachers
    The lessons which they give;
And, lastly, learn this from them all:
God helps us best when we feel small.


First written for Marianne when she was little, and rewritten for other young people afterwards.  But none of us are too old for these lessons, are we?

FLOW

    The Jewish system
Was not great enough to hold
    The flow of blessing!

PAST, FUTURE AND PRESENT

My past was dealt with in the work
    Of Jesus on the cross;
Now no sins mar, and no doubts lurk
    While gain replaces loss.

My future is to be with Him
    Among the saints in light;
No earthly saints or cherubim
    Have hopes that are so bright.

While for the present I have Christ
    As Model for my way,
And grace lest I should be enticed
    To dally or to stray.

Christ is my help if it should be
    I feel I cannot cope;
It is His face I long to see:
    He is my present Hope.

And I have Christ my Lord on high
    As Advocate and Priest,
And source of grace on whose supply
    I bountifully feast.

I have a place in Christ before
    The Father as a son;
The Spirit brings stupendous store
    Straight from the heavenly One.

SOLOMON

Almighty God  - give judgments to the King
And He will judge  according to Thy will!
He will do justice to those whom sin afflicts:
By righteousness  peace will flow from the hills;
He will descend  as a delicious smirr
While grace and truth  will both be flourishing;
Kings of the earth  will render precious gifts
And all mankind  will own His rulership.
Each day He shall be blessed:  and He shall live
While corn shall pullulate  from fertile tilth
Even upon  the mountain’s loftiest ridge:
Seeing His glory  let all the people sing!

DAVID

If in his face  and figure he was charming
While he was famed  for deftness as a harpist
Both strong in soul  and vigorous in action,
Before Goliath  indomitably valiant
Feebly in this  David portrayed the Master.
Christ has both charm of form  and charm of manner;
In antitype  He is the sweeter Psalmist
While our vile foe  who brought us to disaster
Is now defeated  and stripped of all his armour.
David secured  an empire through his battles
But Christ secured  God’s glory and our pardon:
He is a king  whose crown is amaranthine!

JOSEPH

Who should in truth  be named Zaphnath-paaneah,
Who is not only  the Saviour from all evil,
By whom the power of sin  has been defeated,
As crucified  where, spiritually, is Egypt
To bring His own  into eternal freedom,
Not only He  who has sustained His people
- His very flesh  the food that has been eaten -
To keep them in another  modus of being
But He who, come from God,  is the Revealer
Of God’s great love  and His abundant secrets
Which, till He came,  were in profound concealment?
None could sustain  this splendid name but Jesus.

ISAAC

As God’s provision,  the true Jehovah-jireh,
No angel’s voice  could interrupt His dying,
No mitigation  could ease His sacrificing:
He had to bear  God’s judgment in its direness
And enter death  to conquer it entirely.
So God secured for Him,  the greater Isaac,
A heavenly bride  appropriately highborn,
Agile for Him  for so God was desirous,
Led by the Spirit  and consequently lively.
Christ has a Bride,  companion and admirer
In the broad place  won safely from man’s violence
Where constantly  she loves and magnifies Him.

AVAILABLE

    The breast of Jesus
And His bosom…available
    For you and for me.

IF

If you have died with Christ to this world’s features    (Colossians)   
    Why still submit to what mere men command?
If you are raised with Christ raise up your thinking
    To what concerns the man at God’s right hand.

If we hold fast the boldness and the hope                        (Hebrews)
    We are the house of God, moved by the Son;
If we maintain assurance to the end
    We are become companions of that One.

If you love Jesus you will keep His word                          (John)
    And give the Father an abiding place;
If someone else abides till Jesus comes,
    Leave that to Him, follow, and grow in grace.

SNAKES AND LADDERS

Sometimes my Christian life seems
A game of snakes and ladders.

I edge forward and backward
With the top a long way away.

Snakes lurk - even
After I throw a six.  Some long.

Glimpses of heaven - I, sometimes
Climb where Jacob looked.

Sometimes the top of a ladder
Is close to a serpent’s mouth.

Holy Spirit, help me
To overleap the snakes.

Lord Jesus, help me
To reach and climb the ladders.

Father, help me to remember
The home prepared for me.

I CANNOT TELL

I cannot tell how much my Saviour loves me -
Love led Him to the uttermost to save,
To bless, to heal, to ransom and to free me;
His love has set me free to be His slave.

I cannot tell how much the Shepherd loves me -
His way was far too hard, His woes too deep
For any other man to comprehend them;
But through them He secured me as His sheep.

I cannot tell how much the Bridegroom loves me
With love which longs to have me at His side;
He cherishes and nourishes me always
As I am part of His resplendent bride.

BRIDEGROOM AND BRIDE

10/02/05

After centuries

Of decline Scotland's forests

Pullulate again.

09/02/05

Among the world's doubts

The Christian has ground which is

Absolutely sure.

08/02/05

From atom to cell

To the solar system all

Have a nucleus.

07/02/05

Speaking or singing

We distinguish people by

Distinctive voices.

06/02/05

God made man so that

He could enjoy communion

And relationship.

05/02/05

A lamb or baby

- Or a saint - each is born with

The instinct to feed.

04/02/05

He who - yea - did not

Spare His own Son secures saints

Conformed to His Son.

03/02/05

When the way gets rough

We are glad of people to

Talk things over with.

COMPANY

    Christ will not ignore
A company of saints with
    Affection for Him.

HE CAME

        He came
        To die
        In shame
        That I
        Might know the fulness of the love of God,
        That there for me He should endure God’s wrath
        And that forgiveness might be shed abroad.
        My path
        Is led
        By Him
        My Head.
        His claim
        On me
        Must be
        Each limb,
        Or cell,
        Or breath.
        In life or death
        Everything will be well
        Since, through the grace of God, He came.

WONDERFUL

In the majesty of His Person
He is wonderful;
In the perfection of His manhood
He is wonderful.

In the dignity of His actions
He is wonderful;
In the grandeur of His victories
He is wonderful.

In the mercy which looked out for us
He is wonderful;
In the grace which has looked after us
He is wonderful.

In the view of God the Father
He is wonderful;
In the mind of His saints and brethren
He is wonderful.

In the love which is His nature
He is wonderful;
In the light which has beamed upon us
He is wonderful.

THE LORD IS IN CONTROL

Though raging billows roll
And winds are contrary
Fear need not fill us with dismay -
The Lord is in control,

Should iron pierce your soul
Or catch you in its gin
Help is at hand, and Hope within -
The Lord is in control.

Should your boat nudge a shoal
Or shudder in a squall
Trust in the One who made them all -
The Lord is in control.

MARY

As He made Himself
Known to Mary, death could not
Come into her mind.

THRONE

The Lord God will give Him the throne
Of David His father;
To reign in the midst of His own,
The saints He shall gather.

The earth shall acknowledge His right
And all things will flourish;
His sway will be grace, to give light,
To comfort and nourish.

The hills will be covered with corn
And no perturbation
Will menace His close, reborn
And Spirit-filled nation.

PASSOVER

Outside is the blood
Smeared on the doorposts; inside
They feast on the lamb.

GIVER

He gave Himself to ransom me,
He gave His life that I might live,
He gave in grace that I might see,
He is a Man who loves to give.

He gave me life, He gave me light,
He gave me righteousness and peace;
He gave me grace and power and sight:
He gives me joys that will not cease.

He gave His Spirit from above,
He gave adornment to His bride:
He gave me love - He gives her love
And gives a place at His own side.

He loves to give, He loves to bless:
His grace flows towards me like a river;
My heart goes out in thankfulness
That through His gifts I learn the Giver.


And He has given fresh grace during the visit to Andhra Pradesh during the last 10 day.

02/02/05

God shows great care for

The bodies of His people

And we should do so.

01/02/05

In Ingrid's picture

See no mere parcel of cells -

This is character.

01/02/05

31/01/05

At the school again

I remember the benefits

Of education.

30/01/05

The Head in heaven

And the body on the earth

Are inseparable.

29/01/05

How does the low sun

Elevate the usual to

Momentary gold?

28/1/05

28/01/05

Potatoes give

Roast, baked, boiled... variety

In simplicity.





Greetings from Kurnool! Not too many potatoes about. All going well in the visit.

SHEPHERD

Being no hireling He did not run away
And by His love, because He kept the faith
The mauling wolf was finally outfaced;
What was the cost? The Shepherd has been slain:
The sword of God against Him was awake.
Risen He works, showing the young His care,
Healing the sick, pursuing those who stray,
Leading the healthy where they may safely graze.
Lord, help me, as Thy sheep, discriminate
Thy Shepherd voice from voices that are strange;
Guide my thrawn feet far from iniquity
Into the flock of those enjoying grace.


"Thrawn; twisted: wry: cross-grained, perverse" according to the dictionary. Sometimes I need a Scots word to express myself properly.


The blog will be under other management for the next ten days as my wife and I take a trip to Andhra Pradesh to see our Christian friends there. Pray for us!

HELPER

Jehovah helped His old repentant people
And by His thunder the Philistines were beaten:
They raised to God the rock of Eben-ezer;
Upon the sea, loving but doubting Peter
Exclaimed “Lord, help me” and was sustained by Jesus.
But this is not confined to history merely:
The Lord is near and gives His help to me now
As I can tell because of my experience -
I have Thy help in overcoming evil,
I have Thy help for shepherding and healing,
I have Thy help exploring heavenly regions
And for these things - how much Thy help is needed!

PROVIDER

What I required as thrall to sin and grief -
That one should be ransom for my release -
Thou, Lord, provided, giving Thy life for me;
What I required that I might have relief
By precious blood with which to be redeemed
Thou, Lord, provided, bringing me into peace;
What I required on which to drink and feed -
Thy blood to drink, Thy body as my meat -
Thou, Lord, provided, so that I am replete;
What I required - to quicken and to lead
Thou, Lord, provided, the Holy Paraclete:
Whatever I require I have from Thee.

FRIEND

Whilst wandering this bitter wilderness
Whose sand abrades and by whose rock I bled
Among dry thorns and evidence of death
I come to Thee because I need Thy help
To turn my feet from their disordered trends
Down Egypt’s way to pungent tastes and smells
My soul still craves when guided by my flesh,
Down subtle tracks forged to avoid the dearth
Whose termini would vitiate my health,
Or up the track that Hormah represents -
Fleshly essays at heavenly ascents
Since I am lost without Thee as my Friend.

THE BRIDEGROOM

The Bride proclaims with joy: “Behold He cometh!”
Under His shadow her gracefulness will flourish
Helped by His sweetness from which she will be nourished.
She is His helpmate in this requiring nothing
But what the Spirit in grace has wisely furnished;
He is the Bridegroom and He is the Beloved.
Jesus is more than one who carries burdens
But One she knows as, in each aspect, worthy.
She knows His face, that it is white and ruddy;
She knows His voice, affectionately urgent;
She knows His heart since He revealed its wonders:
And she acclaims Him as “Altogether lovely!”

THE PRIEST

His priestly order, that of Melchisedec,
Is intransmissible, and has no end,
Triumphant over the tentacles of death.
In priestly garb “Holinesse on the Head”,
Light and perfection cherished within the breast,
“Harmonious bells below, raising the dead”
To bear and lead them to lasting life and rest,
In heavenly blue - thus our true Aaron’s drest.
He has approached as perfect offerer,
His offering perfection of Himself:
In power of blood which He Himself had shed
He made the way into the holiest.


(Includes references to George Herbert's poem.)

KING

God has secured an everlasting kingdom
And introduced another kind of kingship
By one who proved His every act was king-like
And demonstrated His expertise in kingcraft.
Jesus is King, true as no other king is
Because His blood establishes the King’s peace;
Grace is the salient principle of His kinghood
Through righteousness in which His rule is kingly.
And with Him rule the ones who are His kindred
Who know the Lord as their Redeemer-Kinsman -
Not merely His as simply fleshly kinsfolk
But made His own in an eternal kinship.

ALL THINGS

For we who are the members of the body
All things are ours - and who do we belong to?
We are the Christ’s, we happily acknowledge.
In love we will grow up to Him in all things
Who is the Head, the Christ, from whom the body
Builds itself up, increasingly responsive.
God gave the Christ to be Head over all things
For benefit, of His own church, the body
Which is the fulness of Him who will fill all things.
That He might have the primal place in all things
Christ is the Head of His own church, the body
For in Him dwelt the fulness of the Godhead.

THE LORD

Once He died for me,
Now He lives for me, and soon
He will come for me.

THE MAN

I love the Man who died for me
Not only for that death
But for a love of such degree,
Which gives me life and breath.

LIGHT

“Let there be light!” - thus
God began - and finished with
A shining city.

ANSWERS

I need redemption - where can it be found?
“Through His own blood”: there is no other ground.

I need forgiveness - and I can be led
To know it since the Saviour’s blood was shed.

I need peace here, where sins and conscience toss;
God made peace through the blood of Jesus’ cross.

And reconciliation is required -
God reconciled me since His Son expired.

I wish that sin and flesh in me had died -
It is with Christ that I am crucified.

PASSOVER

"its head with its legs and with its inwards", Exodus 12: 9

What of His head? It was as finest gold,
Concordant with the glory of God’s throne.
But men bestowed upon Him many a blow:
His was the head they spat upon and smote.
But God who saw men smite Him here below
Rejoiced in Him as He rejoiced to know.
God by whose will He suffered pain and woe
Crowned Him because of all the grief He bore,
Glorified Jesus for all the grace He showed
And showered Him with wealth of heaven’s resource.

What of His legs? They are as marble pillars;
They bore Him on His gracious holy mission
Which brought God’s thoughts of blessing to their fulfilment.
Men led the Lord towards the cross to kill Him
But Stephen saw Christ glorified and risen
Standing to bless though Israel had been wilful.
Stately in bearing the Lord, once dead, but living
Comes to His own, a people who are willing.

What of His inwards? In tenderness He wept
Seeing a world impacted on by death;
But He rejoiced in simple pious men
Who were God’s gift to One whom He had sent.
And as He came towards Golgotha’s depths
His soul recoiled in perfect holiness!
And His great cry as One who was bereft -
No words can tell what its profoundness meant.
And still His inwards are towards those on earth
Whom He secured at infinite expense.

BOW THE KNEE

One who always has existed
And will always be
Took His lowly place in manhood:
Bow the knee!

Seeing Christ who suffered for us
That we might be free
To enjoy God’s love and favour
Bow the knee!

As you read the Holy Scriptures
And rejoice to see
Christ as Helper of the needy,
Bow the knee!

Knowing Jesus, caring for us,
Raised us up that we
Might have part in praise and worship,
Bow the knee!

QUALITY

Through Christ God secured
A quality of manhood
Ready to be led.

SAINTS

Not only cherubim
Whose robes are bright
Will be
For Thee
But saints in light
With Christ, conformed to Him.

27/01/05

Far on the hillsides,
Or near in the park, grass is
A consolation.

26/01/05

Things past (and thus which
Are always present) are fixed
Through the written word.

25/01/05

Giving wool and meat,
Being emblems of Jesus,
Sheep are a blessing.

24/01/05

Men depend on Man
But God has a company
Who depend on Him.

23/01/05

In the Beloved,
Brought in by the Beloved
They conform to Him.

22/01/05

In the physical
Or spiritual God looks for
Its natural growth.

21/01/05

We can thank the Lord
For holy women, with a meek
And quiet spirit.

THE SON

When God desired to promulgate His word
He, with a language to demonstrate His love,
Has spoken in the Person of the Son,
The Heir of all, through whom all things had birth,
The One by whom His glory is effulged
While of His substance the Son is the efflux.
Still all He was in all He has become,
A new relationship has now begun,
So that the Firstborn as brought into the world
Proved a fresh cause for angels to exult;
His place of glory exceeds them by so much
As His Name has a more exceeding worth.

THE SON OF GOD

Healed, but cast out, seeing, but sorely scorned
The man once blind was glad, but yet forlorn,
Till Jesus found him and it was his reward
To have revealed to him the Son of God
And homage was his instant true response.
On God’s behalf and come from God, Christ walked
Until His power displayed, while on the cross,
The Son of God to the centurion.
The time has come when all may hear His call:
Morally dead and spiritually lost
May wake to God raised and believing on
The Son of God, each moral problem solved.

THE SON OF MAN

As come from God but here on Man’s behalf
Christ usually called Himself “ the Son of Man”.
Throughout the days He walked His pilgrim path
He was approachable to every class
And undeterred by nation, race or caste:
Syrophoenician or loathed Samaritan
Were beneficiaries of virtuous acts.
This is the One who has been seen to stand
Ready to act again from God’s right hand.
The Son of Man will soon be in command;
Coming in clouds of power He will take charge:
Men will enjoy His perfect governance.

THE SON OF DAVID

Blind Bartimeus while sitting by the wayside
Loudly implored the Lord, the Son of David,
To give him sight, the blessing He was craving:
When he was healed children began proclaiming
The Son of David who came as King and Saviour.
The Pharisees averse to their displacement
Rejected Him for them and for the nation.
But God had promised that there would be no failure
Of David’s throne - so Jesus is awaiting
The time when Israel will gain salvation;
Meanwhile we Gentiles who have no rights by nature
Acquire our blessing through Israel’s betrayal.

FOOD

He gave Himself; now He provides Himself.
Christ is the substance of all that nourishes
Those who are His and whom He cherishes;
He is the Manna which graciously descends,
Fine, granular, upon the wilderness
Sustaining where conditions are adverse.
The Old Corn of the Land is nourishment
Within the realm where He Himself has led
Outwith the power and influence of death.
For all His own He is the living Bread:
Souls only who have fed upon His flesh
And drunk His blood have life within themselves.

SUN

Since He accomplished all the redeeming work
And since it is the right of His own worth
The Lord is set on the Father's throne above:
In that position Christ Jesus is the hub
Of a new system to which He is the Sun ‑
He orders each in his own orbit's curve.
If we are true no influence will perturb
No falling star will move us or disrupt
But we shall share the benefits of love:
To gain His light where once we had been dull,
To gain His warmth where bitter frosts occurred,
To gain His peace which nothing can disturb.

TREE

The Tree of Life planted within the garden
Was even then attractionless to Adam
And when at length the Lord was seen in manhood,
One Sprout of green, within a desert landscape,
Men saw no beauty and found Him unattractive.
But by God's grace saved from the power of darkness
Our taste is changed with all our hearts' reactions
So that to Christ our new affections answer:
We are replete in scenes that once seemed barren.
We love the Olive Tree whence we gain fatness;
We love the sweetness hung in the Fig Tree's branches;
We love the Vine which moves our hearts to gladness.

THE ROCK

He is my Rock in whom I can confide;
Ensconced within the warmth of its defile,
Safe from the storm and Satan's foul device.
I build on Him according to design:
Where could I build except on Jesus Christ?
God took me up and set me on these Heights,
Transformed my gait: I now have feet like hinds’!
But, no mere base or timeless place to hide,
Out of itself the smitten Rock provides
Abundant water imbuing me with life,
Abundant oil enduing me with light,
Abundant honey to sate my appetite.

We'll having a few, if the Lord will, from "Touching the King". (They have the TTK tag.)

20/01/05

What a blessing that
In every circumstance
There is cause to praise.

19/01/05

Mark loves to show us
The Man of whom they could say
"He does all things well!”

18/01/05

Snow transforms the world
In the nearest to magic
That God allows us.

17/01/05

God provided in
Christ a Man who has never
Taken a shortcut.

16/01/05

Colin has come to
The Saviour - and the Saviour
Has come to Colin.






Again - one day, I trust, it was you!

15/01/05

Keep yourself conscious
That there is a Person who
Did nothing amiss.

14/01/05

Judging light and form
The photographer secures
Life beyond lifetimes.

SATISFACTION

God’s love has found its
Satisfaction in saints who
Have eternal life.

PRAYER

(To a Brother)

The finest commendation is the first:
That Jesus, as come into manhood, prayed;
Thus in a perfect Man a perfect thirst
For speaking to the Father was portrayed.
And since then generations of His saints
Sought for their Father or their Lord to tell
Their needs and thoughts - and even their complaints -,
Were listened to, and knew that all was well.
Since Jesus as a Man could understand
Our need for prayer He made it His command;
The Father has expressed His love to hear
The voices of His sons as they draw near;
So let us go, leaning on another,
To confidently speak to Him, my brother.

HEAD

His head is the only head
Which God’s crown of glory fits;
For the thoughts in it -
The mind - attained the level
Of the glory of God
Whether men crowned it with thorns
Or love anointed it.

FACE

Angel's who behold Christ's visage
In its majesty and grace
Know a sinner has repented
By the joy in Jesus' face.

STANDING

The Son of God, who did God’s will,
The Son of Man, who came to die,
The Son of David, Christ, stood still
In answer to a beggar’s cry.

The Man who is the Lord of all,
Who soon will reign in equity,
Stood prisoner in the judgment hall
Of one steeped in iniquity.

He stood as the Victorious One
Within the circle of His own
Bringing His peace since all was done
By which the Father might be known.

Soon He will come to claim His right
And stand upon the sea and land;
All shall be set for His delight
And all shall prosper in His hand.

SHEEP

“My sheep,” said Jesus,
“Know, my voice, and I know them,
And they follow me”.

PROGRESS XV

But where God wished a sanctuary
He quickly found idolatry
As Israel's fervour failed;
Though you may have the greatest light
You need still to maintain its height
For it will be assailed.

The time was long, the bondage sore,
The word occasional before
Recovery came in;
Oh Christian soul, do not relax
For joys will wane and sorrows wax
As you make way for sin.

For when the conquest would restart
God found a man after His heart
Who would do all His will;
As Christ in beauty fills our view
Abundant blessing will ensue
Through what He will fulfil.

David, through all life's storms and calms
Distilled experience into psalms
For God's unending praise;
And Christ now, as He moves and tends
Our souls wakes worship which ascends
In anthems that we raise.

Affection and affliction shared
In the material prepared
For what his son would build;
Love answers love to bring us near
While suffering shapes how we appear
So that God's house is filled.

See the resplendent house unfold,
With all its plenitude of gold,
Which Solomon has made;
See the grand place that Christ has wrought,
Formed by the persons He has brought
And sumptuously arrayed.

The ark that graced the desert sand
And led them in the promised land
Is finally at rest;
Christ is before the Father's face,
Appreciated in His grace,
And in Him we are blest.

Trumpets and singers in accord
Proclaim the glory of the LORD:
The house fills with the cloud;
Now glory fills the courts above
And sons praise with united love,
Reverent, but uncowed.

Let hallelujahs now resound
Unto the LORD for He has crowned
The work He had begun;
Praise Him by whom all was conceived,
And now the matchless deed's achieved,
Determined, dared, and done.

END

The final two lines have been taken from "A Song for David" by Christopher Smart

PROGRESS XIV

Gilgal's the first place they approach;
They're circumcised; and the reproach
Of Egypt's rolled away;
The circumcision of the Christ
In moral working has sufficed
To clear a heavenly way.

Another cause to celebrate
Was when the sons of Israel ate
The old corn of the land;
The heavenly Man sustains the thought
Of heavenly persons who are brought
To take a heavenly stand.

Led by the ark the people go
Around the walls of Jericho
Daily, for seven days;
No other ensign is unfurled
Than Christ, to overcome the world
Which seeks to thwart God's ways.

They shout, and the ensuing fall
Of Jericho's surrounding wall
Brings Rahab forth to life;
In conflicts which the soul endures
It rests in this: God's love ensures
His spoil from any strife.

Defying what God had decreed
Achan was lured by fatal greed
For things that were accursed:
Although the world's defeated now
Its things still harm when we allow
Temptations as at first.

Directed by Jehovah's hand
Israel battle for the land
God promised long ago;
Combat in prayer; let grace abound;
And, by the Spirit's power, gain ground
From our insidious foe.

Caleb, whom God had caused to live,
Called for the place they were to give
Despite the Anakim;
The Lord provides a heavenly place
Now, through the Spirit's power, and grace,
For those who trust in Him.

At Caleb's challenge Othniel took
Debir, the city of the book,
And Achsah was his prize;
Now vigorously overthrow
Man's wisdom - and God's love will show
Fresh blessings to your eyes.

When Caleb gave a southern land
He blessed, at Achsah's fresh demand,
Upper and lower springs;
In spiritual or moral thought
It's by the Spirit that we're brought
To life in holy things.

PROGRESS XIII

Joshua has assumed the lead;
Victuals are cooked on which to feed;
The ark fills Israel's view;
Christ formed in you may be your guide;
Christ is the food God will provide;
Christ is the Way for you.

Although the Jordan overflows
The priest-borne ark serenely goes
Into the watercourse;
The One who is the Prince of life
Has boldly entered into strife
Against death's awesome force.

O Jordan, why do you retreat
The moment that these priestly feet
Rest in your water's flow?
O death, why do you taste defeat?
The work of Christ is so complete
It quells our ancient foe.

Now as the Israelites embark
As following Jehovah's ark
The river's bed is dry;
With Christ our Saviour we have died:
Baptised, we are identified
With One who came to die.

As Israel stands on Canaan's shore
'The Jordan flows on as before
With undiminished tide';
Now we enjoy our heavenly tryst
As 'buried we, and raised with Christ
Stand on the other side'.

PROGRESS XII

Jehovah showed that He was glad
The daughters of Zelophehad
Claimed their inheritance;
Claim the rich blessings there for you.
Confident that what will ensue
Is heavenly jubilance.

After such fervour it is sad
That those of Reuben and of Gad
Prefer a lower place;
Go on to all the good that's yours
Because of all God's heart assures
In its unbounded grace!

The half tribe of Manasseh found
They too were allocated ground
Upon the eastern bank;
In all the good He will provide,
In land, or family, or bride,
You have the Lord to thank.

Now Moses, at the LORD's command
Climbs Pisgah to survey the land
Where Israel shall dwell;
So, by the Spirit, we may view
The blessings God will bring us to
Since He does all things well.

He saw the end of his pursuit,
Seeing it lived in, yet his foot
Would never tread its loam;
Authority may bring you near
The blessings of the heavenly sphere
But love must draw you home.

PROGRESS XI

Travelling by ways He has prepared
They gather, for God had declared
He'll water them at Beer;
We move with God, obediently;
We assemble to Him, faithfully;
He gives refreshment here.

Well, that Jehovah told about;
Well, that the nobles hollowed out:
Rise up! Respond to it!
Praise now the Spirit as He springs
Within your heart; the Christian sings
For surely that is fit.

Victoriously they now unclog
The lands of Sihon and of Og,
Beginnings of the land;
Defying pride and laziness
Go, with God's favour, to possess
Good given by God's hand.

Hear Balaam, from the rocks, confess
This is a people God will bless
And which shall dwell alone;
Rejoice, ye saints, in heaven's view
Of separated Christians who
Are unknown yet well known.

God has not seen iniquity
In Israel, but the quality
Of what His love has wrought;
God loves to see His saints "in Christ",
In dignity which has sufficed
To answer to His thought.

How goodly, Jacob, are your tents!
How good the view the camp presents
To one with opened eyes;
How good the people of the Lord
Who congregate, with one accord,
In more than nature's ties.

But Israel falls to sin, alas,
Until the spear of Phinehas
Has executed wrath;
For sin assails us constantly
And must be dealt with ruthlessly
For all who take this path.

Moses and Eleazar count
The generation that will mount
The invasion of the land;
Our God rejoices to record
A generation like their Lord
To share what He has planned.

Since God has kept them both alive
Caleb and Joshua survive
All that might overwhelm;
Trust that the Lord will bear you through
And grace and power assure that you
Will come within His realm.

PROGRESS X

As in the wilderness at first
The people murmur about thirst
With blasphemous complaints.
For life you must not only think
Of blessings, but must daily drink
What God provides His saints.

Israel's blessing would ensue
From God when Moses speaks unto
The rock before their eyes;
Speak to the One following the flock
And you have water from the Rock
In bountiful supplies.

Dishonouring Jehovah's name
Moses was tinged with lasting blame
And failed to reach the land;
Jesus alone is fit to lead
As true to God in every deed,
As Christians understand.

Then the impatient people said
That their souls hated the "light bread"
Jehovah's goodness gave.
We find our hearts can be enticed
Through flesh to disregard the Christ
Who gave Himself to save.

But what the pains they underwent
From fiery serpents which God sent!
And many people died.
For still there operates within
The working of the power of sin
Which must be mortified.

Moses is told by God to make,
And set upon a pole, a snake
And all who look will live;
Faith apprehends that it is in
His Son that God condemns our sin
Which He cannot forgive.

Now are effectual journeying days
For those who've held within their gaze
The serpent on the pole;
As Christ is fixed before your sight,
Christian, you travel towards the light,
Since He has made you whole.

PROGRESS IX

First they rebelliously refuse
To go; and then to wait; and lose
Their lives at Hormah's heights;
Oh Christian, learn to fear the flesh
And judge it as it makes each fresh
Revolt against God's rights.

Despite the will, or flaws, of men
Immediately God speaks of "when
Ye come into the land".
Although temptation may assail
And we, in human weakness, fail
God's purposes will stand.

Despite their errors which God loathes
He marks them out, because their clothes
All bear a lace of blue;
Though here on earth still you may roam
The truth that heaven is your home
Is constantly in view.

But quickly Korah and his band
Claim that they have a right to stand
And offer priestly fire;
Religious flesh desires to seize
A place with God; it will not please
Or answer His desire.

All whom vain-glory caused to strive
For pride were swallowed up alive
And sank into the ground;
There is no feature of the mind,
However speciously refined,
That God will not confound.

The prince of each of Israel's tribes
Must bring a staff, as God prescribes,
To find whom He approves;
To quell in us the flesh's strife
God now will demonstrate the life
In which His Spirit moves.

Here is God's answer to their strife:
The power of resurrection life
In Aaron's budding rod;
Who, with His company, has sufficed
To act in priestly order? Christ,
The risen Son of God.

PROGRESS VIII

The Israelites now bake and beat
The manna given them to eat
Each morning on the dew;
Oh! Christian, pray you will not tire
Of Christ, who's worthy to acquire
Increasing worth to you!

They lust for meat - and soon you see
The quails Jehovah sent; yet He
Put leanness in the soul;
Judge lust by which you will not feed
On Christ, who answers every need
And makes the Christian whole.

When Moses' siblings' jealousy
Results in Miriam's leprosy
How fervently he pleads!
How well, when sins seems to enmesh,
Through sin that's working in the flesh
Our Patron intercedes!

They chose a man from every tribe
To find what blessings they describe
In spying out the land;
The Spirit helps you to explore
God's purposes, though they are more
Than you can understand.

While all affirm the land is good
And bring back samples of its food
Most make the people cower;
God's thought are good, and He has stRength
To bring you to His land at length
In spite of Satan's power.

But Caleb makes the people still
Assuring them that by God's will
The land will yet be theirs;
As we, obediently, employ
Our faculties we may enjoy
All that God's love confers.

PROGRESS VII

A chastened people now imparts
Wealth for the tent, because their hearts
Are willing, and are wise;
Recovered by God's grace, provide
For His place, where God may abide,
In spiritual supplies.

And soon, upon the desert sands,
The anointed tabernacle stands,
Enfolded in the cloud;
Now, by the Spirit, have a part
In what will answer to God's heart,
Spiritually endowed.

And now a priestly family
Begin to function comelily
According to God's ways;
Thus persons who are sanctified,
Influenced by Christ as glorified,
Begin to give God praise.

And should the camp remove, observe
The separated Levites serve
Under the priest's command;
Take opportunities God brings
To bear the consecrated things,
Lifting up holy hands.

Disdaining any human guide,
Israel, see the ark provide
The way for you to go;
Discounting man and all his views
Following Jesus you must choose
The road that He will show.

PROGRESS VI

Before they build their sanctuary
See Israel's idolatry
Before the calf of gold;
Despite your blessings, Christian, start
To learn the evil of your heart
And see its wiles unfold.

How good that Israel can count
On Moses who, upon the mount,
Is near to God to plead;
How good, failed Christian, that you can
Depend on the ascended Man
Who lives to intercede.

Observe how Levi righteously
Enacts God's word judicially
And does not spare the sword;
Despising claims of blood and flesh
When their entrapments would enmesh,
Be zealous for the Lord!

The Levites, who will not relent,
Now leave the camp towards the tent
Which is their separate tryst;
And, Christians, that we might be found
Before the Lord on righteous ground
We must go forth to Christ!

PROGRESS V

When Moses has inscribed these truths
Taking up priestly work the youths
Make sacrifice to God;
As stony tables of the heart
Are graven with God's words, saint, start
To sound His praise abroad.

After his reading Moses took
The blood to sprinkle men and book
To seal the covenant;
For the new covenant to take place
The blood of Jesus forms the base
Of all that God will grant.

Where He appeared in clarity
The Israelite nobility
Saw God and ate and drank;
By faith you can approach God now
And know that He to whom you bow
Confers the highest rank.

Now Moses goes before God's face
To take the mediator's place
And thus receive God's plan;
You may know all God chose to think
Of you because you have a link
In the ascended Man.

And God shows He desires to dwell
Among His people Israel
Between the cherubim;
The Lord's desire is to reside
In His own house, and there abide
In settings fit for Him.

Jehovah shows His dwelling should
Be centred on an Ark of wood
That's overlaid with gold;
A house that's suited to God's plan
Must have its centre in that Man
Whose worth cannot be told.

And each of the acacia boards
Upon its silver stands affords
Some structure for the tent;
Men fashioned after Christ provide
The dwelling where God may abide,
Eternally content.

And it is the divine intent
That boards and curtains of the tent
Should constitute one whole;
The dwelling suited to the Lord
Has saints in heavenly concord
Conjoined in heart and soul.

And God desires that Israel
Should furnish the materiel
To form His dwelling place;
For Christ desires that He should dwell
Amid the sacred personnel
Configured by His grace.

PROGRESS IV

Remember as you have to fight
The treacherous Amalekite
Moses' uplifted hands;
Though flesh is struggling to deter
Your soul's advance, remember where
Your Intercessor stands!

Not only was a better sphere
In mind - but that you should be near
Through all the LORD has wrought;
Not only did the Lord give grace
To bring you to a better place -
It's to Himself you're brought.

Israel, that, in holiness
To Him, you brave the wilderness
God gladly will record;
Christian, espoused, a virgin chaste
That you have followed in this waste
Is pleasing to the Lord.

Despite the terrors that you saw
When challenged if you'd keep the law
You readily concurred;
Enamoured by the truth of how
Christ died you gladly made a vow
That you would keep His word.

But Israel, through bitter days
You will discover all God's ways
Beyond you to fulfil;
Young Christian, in God's ways you must
Find there is nothing you can trust
In self to do God's will.

But as you bow to God in awe
Learn that the focus of the law
Concerns the Hebrew slave;
Consider love's avowed intent
Which bound Christ Jesus till He went
To cross and death and grave!

In lands of plenty or of dearth
Ensure an altar made of earth
Is raised for sacrifice;
Be diligent in all your days
That God is served as both your praise
And supplications rise.

And if your altar is of stone
Ensure it's formed from that alone
Unmarred by human skill;
One overcame death and reproach -
Through Him you must have your approach
Apart from human will.

PROGRESS III

But, moving in the wilderness,
You find the water bitterness
Until God shows you wood;
How bitter to your unchanged taste
To find your passage through this waste
Till Christ is understood.

Knowing the God whose healing balms
Move now to Elim's seventy palms
And plenitude of springs;
Knowing the Lord heals sin's complaints
Enjoy, among His fruitful saints,
The life His Spirit brings.

To meet your need He will supply
A food descending from on high
To help you as you move;
Christ's graces in humility
Will give you growth and energy
As you must daily prove.

It tastes like coriander seed
And honey-cakes, yet worms will breed
Unless you eat it fresh;
Dwell upon Jesus and His way
On earth - and do it every day
Or you allow the flesh.

If you are suffering from thirst
See the abundant waters burst
Forth from the smitten rock;
Because Christ bore the stoke for you
Life in the Spirit comes to view
Which flesh can never block.

PROGRESS II

When from the land of toil and woe,
Under God's hand you safely go
When Moses speaks - take heed!
Trusting in something greater than
The sin and wilfulness of man
Follow where Christ shall lead.

You shall not leave the place by stealth
But clearly laden with great wealth
Egyptians give to you;
Young Christian, onward, leave this place
Unburdened, and enriched by grace
For all that will ensue.

Though Egypt's troops are swift and proud
Because your shelter is the cloud
They cannot snatch you back;
The world may claim you as its own
But He through whom God's grace is known
Will guard you from attack.

See Moses lifting up his rod
And, through the providence of God,
The Red Sea's bed is dry!
See, Jesus in His victory
Has made, despite our enemy,
The way by which to fly.

Sing to Jehovah now, since He
Threw horse and rider in the sea
And vanquished all your foes;
Oh praise the Saviour who has wrought
A work to save, though you were caught
By sin's constraining woes.

Sing - He who gave you liberty
Will bring you to His sanctuary
Upon His holy hill;
Sing - He who saved you by His grace
Will bring you to His holy place
According to God's will.

PROGRESS I

This is a work in verse in 100 stanzas. Since that is a bit indigestible I will split it over the next week or so. It gives two histories, the first three lines of each stanza being from Israel's history, and the next three lines from the history of a soul, drawing upon that. Its like two stories that rhyme with each other. I had in mind the way in which some psalms and other biblical poems have a parallel between halves of verses:
I will bless Jehovah at all time;
his praise shall continually be in my mouth.


O Israel, as you groan and cower
Beneath the lash of Egypt's power
The LORD has heard your cry;
O sinner, in the thrall of sin
Through deeds without and guilt within
The Lord has heard your sigh.

Jehovah, who has heard your pleas
Now urges you that you should seize
And take yourself a lamb;
The Lamb of God who heard you plead,
Comes - grasp the Man who knows your need,
In person the I AM.

Upon your doorpost you must smear
The blood to shield you as you fear
Jehovah's judgement-sword;
To save you from God's wrath you must
Have precious blood in which to trust,
The blood of Christ the Lord.

God sees the blood and passes on -
But in your dwellings feed upon
The lamb that's roast with fire;
The Lamb whose blood has met your need
Is now the One on whom to feed
To nurture and inspire.

And eat it with unleavened bread
And bitter herbs, as Moses said
Under the LORD's command.
Before the Lord with contrite heart
And with a longing to depart
From evil, called one, stand.

Shod for the journey take your way
From Egypt's bondage in array,
In order, yet with haste;
Go with a purpose that is new
Through faith, for what was life to you
Will now become a waste.

13/01/05

Although Winter grips
Green sprouts between his fingers -
Snowdrops are coming!

I'm afraid I've got out of kilter with the seasons.

12/01/05

As the wind gallops
I am glad of the stout home
God gave to swathe me.

11/01/05

When all else has failed -
When we have failed - the Lord will
Act for us Himself.

10/01/05

We stand by a grave
In the full consciousness of
A resurrection.

09/01/05

Not only to see
But to be integral in
The Bride, the Lamb's Wife!

08/01/05

They come together
“Each knowing Thee as Father...”
What a company!

07/01/05

No place is better
Than that which has been assigned
By divine wisdom.

06/01/05

Conifers - spruce, pine,
Larch, fir, burgeon in Scotland's
Mild and moist climate.


We'll have a few more from my year of counting blessings.

GOSPEL

This is God’s beloved Son,
Hear Him;
God gave judgment to this One,
Fear Him;
Knowing all that He has done
And the triumph He has won
Sinner, seeking mercy, run
Near Him!

Be a sinner saved by grace
Through Him;
In your life give Him the space
Due Him;
He is ready for your case -
Mustered to a heavenly race:
There upon the highest place
View Him!

LOVE

God’s love subsisted
Before the necessity
For grace had come in.

GOD’S WORKS

Oh praise God for His mighty works
For He has made both sea and land;
He shaped and beautified the Earth
In might men cannot understand.

Oh praise God for His detailed works -
The webs of colour in the flower,
Glimpses of colour on a wing,
Or shades of rainbow in a shower.

And praise God for His tender works
As here in Christ to touch man’s need,
To heal, to comfort and to raise,
To bless, to bear, to calm, to feed.

But praise God for His mightiest work
In raising Jesus from the dead -
By power which works in strength towards
The church, for which Christ is the Head.

BELOVED

The Name “Beloved”
Is, through God’s grace, the measure
Of our acceptance

GIVING

He could have given the mountains, the forests, the lakes or the plains;
He could have given the cities, the kingdoms, or all their pelf;
He could have unleashed the tempest, or wakened the force of the rains;
They were His to do as He wished with. But He didn’t - He gave Himself.

POURED OUT

The One by whom Man’s course began
And through whom Man has breath
Because of, and in love for, Man
Poured out His soul to death.

Now grace can overcome sin’s power
Like an advancing flood
Since Jesus, in that solemn hour,
Poured out His precious blood.

Ascended then to God’s right hand,
Acclaimed by heaven’s host
He thought of all His lovers and
Poured out the Holy Ghost.

He is in heaven but His name
Is loved by saints in light -
This is an ointment, they exclaim,
Poured out for our delight.

CLOTHES

Though your wedding clothes
Will shine for one day the Best Robe
Will shine forever.

SAYINGS

“He shall be great” the angel said
Before His birth and drawing near;
Now risen, Victor from the dead,
He shall be great.

“Behold the Man” the Roman said -
Greatest since all this world began,
Proclaimed though His disciples fled -
Behold the Man!

“The Lord is near” the apostle said,
Encouraging through toil and fear;
They relish, who hold fast the Head,
The Lord is near.

“Lord Jesus, come” the bride says now
Engaged in His encomium;
His saints cry, as their spirits bow
“Lord Jesus, come”.

COMFORTERS

The poor woman at
The well, the thief on the cross,
Were Christ’s comforters.

STANDING

The One who is the Lord of all
Stood still to heed a beggar’s call.

He stood because of men’s deceit
Before a Roman judgment seat.

But how His peace and love were known
As Jesus stood amidst His own!

They found His care had gone before
When He was standing on the shore.

His witness Stephen saw Him stand
As Son of Man at God’s right hand.

Sheaves now, as product of His grief,
Bow down to His one standing sheaf.

Claiming His rights He soon will stand
Upon the sea and on the land.

But now He loves to see His bride
Standing in splendour at His side.

CONCENTRATION

He who bore our sins
Is now the concentration
Of the glory of God.

ONE MAN

(A Rondeau)

God’s heart desires that all should know
He is distinguishing one Man,
According to His glorious plan
Which finds an answer here below.

Before Christ’s service here began
The heavens opened up to show
God’s heart desires that all should know
He is distinguishing one Man.

God will have no one other than
His Christ, to whom now praises flow
Because He plumbed the depths of woe:
Delighted with the course Christ ran
He is distinguishing one Man.

TRIUMPH

Entering in triumph,
The risen Saviour would not
Go in without me.

GARDEN

He came to the garden
Which the perfection of His skill
Had planted; yet there was a blight
On the ground, a frost in the air;
Sin was in the garden.
Yet He gave promises of life.

He came to the garden
- Was its name oil press or winepress? -
And there was fruitfulness to God
From a Man whose perfect life
Met its denouement there.

She came to the garden,
Darkness around, winter in her mind;
He found her
And noonday light and summer sun
Pierced her and embraced her.

He came to the garden -
His enclosed garden
And the valley was verdant,
The vine budded,
The pomegranates blossomed.
The love and life of the garden
Transported Him.

HOW GREAT

How great is His mercy! - when we were still lawless,
He came to redeem us from hell;
He came as the Lamb who was perfect and flawless -
The Lord has done everything well!

How great is His goodness! - He heals all who need Him
In grace more than humans can tell;
He comes now as manna for all those who heed Him -
The Lord has done everything well!

How great is His beauty - His charms and His graces
Delight all the hearts they impel
To be near Himself to enjoy His embraces -
The Lord has done everything well!

05/01/05

Hands may create art,
Design engines or buildings,
Or simply hold hands.

04/01/05

Have you seen by faith
Christ in the presence of God
As our great High Priest?

03/01/05

The One who had no
Offences was delivered
For our offences.

02/01/05

The Spirit of God
Gives His authority to
The word of Scripture.

01/01/05

Man took the wrong fruit
In Eden - yet God still grants
Fruit in rich variety.

31/12/10

God determines time,
Year and month and week and day
Being fixed by nature.

30/12/10

One atom infests
Sword, ploughshare, blood, which is one
Of God's ironies.

29/12/10

Opportunity
To hear what the Spirit says
To the assemblies!

HOW GRAND THE REVELATION!

The mighty God, who dwelt alone,
Before the world’s foundation,
In perfect light, has been made known -
How grand the revelation!

The Lord of glory took His place
Within His own creation
To demonstrate transcendent grace -
How grand the revelation!

We know the One who took our part
For our emancipation
And to disclose the Father’s heart -
How grand the revelation!

And, brought to know God’s holy Name,
His sons with exultation
Expand their praises and exclaim -
How grand the revelation!

DISTINGUISHING

God distinguishes
One Man - who distinguishes
Us as His co-heirs.




Off to Yorkshire for a week's holiday, leaving the blog for Jane's care and attention.

PAUL ix

And in all things the Spirit of Christ beamed:
Railed at, he blessed; persecuted, he suffered it;
Every way afflicted, but not straitened;
Seeing no apparent issue, but his way not
Entirely shut up; conscious that if he was
Persecuted he was not abandoned; knowing
He was persecuted because of the cross of Christ.
For who desired like Paul to live piously
In Christ Jesus? Blessed they who are persecuted
For righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of the heavens!
But there was other suffering too – the mark,
Rather than fighting, of a good soldier. If he
Was in tribulation, it was for the encouragement
And salvation for the saints; rejoicing in sufferings
For them, filling up that which is behind of the tribulations
Of Christ in his flesh, for His body, which is the assembly;
Ready to again travail in birth for his children
Until Christ shall have been formed in them.
And for himself he learned, “And he said to me,
My grace suffices thee; for my power is perfected
In weakness”. While he reckoned that the sufferings
Of this present time are not worthy to be compared
With the coming glory to be revealed to us.



This concludes this series of considerations of Paul, particularly based on 2 Timothy 3 10. You'll find another view at:

http://dcbverse.blogspot.com/2009/02/paul.html

PAUL viii

Hard to disentangle persecutions and sufferings
In Paul’s account: in labours exceedingly
Abundant, in stripes to excess, in prisons
Exceedingly abundant, in deaths oft. From the Jews
Five times he received forty stripes, save one.
Thrice he was scourged, once stoned, three times
Have suffered shipwreck; a night and day
He passed in the deep: in journeyings often,
In perils of rivers, in perils of robbers,
In perils from the Jews, in perils from the nations,
In perils in the city, in perils in the desert,
In perils on the sea, in perils among false brethren;
In labour and toil, in watchings often,
In hunger and thirst, in fastings often,
In cold and nakedness. Thus he conquered
And more than conquer through Him that had
Loved him – who had first showed him
How much he must suffer for His name.

PAUL vii

Winds lamming the sapling,
Hail like slingshot,
The frost imposing its grasp on the soil,
Survivors flourish;
Tribulation works endurance.

Roots strengthened, trunk resilient,
The tree grows, drinking
Sun, air and water,
Fresh weathers and seasons;
Endurance works experience.

Greenness fringes the tree,
Blossoms pink or white out,
Life fruits and seeds;
Experience works hope.

PAUL vi

As a sinner to whom
Mercy was shown
He loved the Saviour.

As a son, chosen
In the Beloved,
He loved the Father.

As a mother
Travailing in birth
He loved the Galatians.

As a nurse
With her own children
He loved the Thessalonians.

As a father
In the truth
He loved his children in faith.

As a brother,
Spent for them,
He loved the brethren.

As an apostle,
Selected by the Lord,
He loved the truth.

PAUL v

What long-suffering God had shown
With him! As he kicked against
One goad God set another- although
Saints suffered and truth was blasphemed.
So as one to whom long-suffering
Had been shown he patiently knocked
On Jewish doors, as they shut them
In his face – even his turning to the nations
Was to provoke them to jealousy. And saints,
Saw too the long-suffering of the man
Whose hands worked for them; and if
Corinthians were recalcitrant, Galatians legal,
Or Colossians philosophical he worked quietly,
Not irked by the need to repeat his teachings,
Not complaining if compelled to travail again – by
His Lord’s methods seeking his Lord’s glory.

Paul iv

Faith girded purpose:
He moved in his straight course since
He lived by faith of
The Son of God who loved him,
And who gave Himself for him.

The breastplate of faith
Protected his invasions
Of Satan’s kingdoms –
His way guided through Europe
Philippi was his beachhead.

His pathway ending
Strengthened by God he could say,
I have kept the faith,
I have completed the race,
And I have fought the good fight.

PAUL iii

I envisage Timothy
With an affectionate smile
As he read Paul’s guidance to
Be cutting in a straight line…
The man from the street called Straight
With his tenacious purpose
Had carried the Lord’s standard
Into many a province –
To espouse saints to one man
As a chaste virgin to Christ;
Admonishing every man,
With the desire to present
Every man perfect in Christ;
And for himself to know Christ,
Power of His resurrection,
Fellowship of His sufferings.

PAUL ii

But Timotheus saw conduct that suited
The teaching: a man sensitive to the guide
Of the Spirit of Jesus, probing patiently
To ascertain God’s way – yet urgent
On a straight course once guided; humbly
Settling with praying women, joining
What God had begun; abiding where God
Opened a heart and door; yet ruthless
Against Satan’s pretences; joyful in prayer
And praise though severely beaten; ready,
As in the spirit of Jesus, to pour a blessing
On the man who had beaten him; and to join
In the joy of the house, fresh in baptism
At the jailor’s table; returning quickly to
The brethren to exhort them: triumph and disaster
Equal blasts to enliven his fire.

PAUL i

2 Timothy 3 v 10

The Romans
He taught
Christ as Mercy-seat and Deliverer:
The Spirit as power to walk with God.

The Corinthians
He taught
Jesus Christ and Him crucified,
And the order of the church, His body.

The Galatians
He taught
The Son of God, sonship,
And liberty by the Spirit.

The Ephesians
He taught
Their place in the purposes of God,
And the Man who, in God’s will, heads all.

The Philippians
He taught
The descending mind of Christ
And his own mind to pursue.

The Colossians
He taught
The glory of the Son of God’s love
And the virtue of the Head.

The Thessalonians
He taught
The hope of the believer
And how to live while waiting.

28/12/04

In each circumstance
Christ gives the facility
To learn Him in it.

27/12/04

When the way gets good,
Ingrid, there's always a Rock
To sun yourself on.

26/12/04

When the way gets tough
There's always a Rock, Ingrid,
To hide underneath.


This was 'inspired' by watching my terrapin!

BLESSING

The One who gave me
Every spiritual blessing
Gave me Rosie too.


I can't remember when I wrote this, but I'm posting it on our 33rd wedding anniversary.

25/12/04

He who has given
His Son for me has set me
Among souls who give.

23/12/04

Grief is a blessing

When in it God touches me

In His own sweet way.

22/12/04

God is in control

Measuring both the blessings

And the sufferings.

21/12/04

Lord, what is to be
The blessing to come specially
From today's sorrow?
  
 


This was written at the time when my sister-in-law's brain tumour was diagnosed.  Obviously this affected some of the thoughts for the succeeding period when I was counting blessings.  Coincidentally, she was buried one year after this was written.  You will find "Remembering Elizabeth" at an earlier blog.

JESUS’ BLOOD

Jesus’ blood gives God a basis
That He may for forgive;
That the persons who offended
Now may live.

Jesus’ blood shed at Golgotha
Where He was reviled,
Has effect that all things may be
Reconciled.

Jesus’ blood can cleanse the sinner,
Purging every sin,
That a life in joy and blessing
May begin.

 Jesus’ blood was shed for sinners
That eternally
Those who trust may know God’s favour
Righteously.

 Jesus’ blood sufficed to purchase
All who are redeemed:
God reveals how much its virtue
Is esteemed.

Jesus’ blood upon the leper,
Cleansed in power and grace,
Claims each one on whom the Spirit
Takes His place.

DELIGHT

    God has His delight
Not only in saving us,
    But in having us.

REDEMPTION

Redemption subsists in the worth of the Person
Who holds the first place in the Father’s affection,
The Son of His love, who is given the kingdom
For which we are fit through His worth and perfection.

Redemption is known through the blood of the Saviour
Through which, by God’s grace, we are brought into favour;
Christ satisfied God in the work of atonement
While God’s heart rejoiced in His charm and His savour.

We wait for adoption, the body’s redemption,
And with us is waiting the whole of creation
Till Christ is acclaimed on the throne of his kingdom
And all is transformed at that great liberation.

GIFT

When first I received my Best Gift
I valued it because
It was just what I needed.

And I treasured it more
As I began to realise
What it had cost the Giver.

Now I have a growing knowledge
Of the intrinsic worth and beauty
Of my Best Gift.

I cherish it because it reminds me
Of the Giver
While I learn what it means to Him.

I share it with Him -
And can share it with you -
Since my Best Gift is Jesus.

THE GRACE OF GOD

Does God wish me, who wanders from His will
Following the inclinations of my pleasure
Within His presence? Does He wish to fill
His great eternal home with doubtful treasure
Such as I am? Can He find pleasure in
Unstable, weak, and self-regarding souls
Ensconced in lust and garrisoned by sin
Within whose life a selfish mind controls?

He, as a just and holy God, cannot
Tolerate sin - how can He wish for me,
The sinner? If, as sinful, I am brought
Before Him judgement must be His decree:

Yet such the grace of God that I am won
Into His presence, righteous in His Son.

ENJOYMENT

    We enjoy what God
Is in Christ, and God enjoys
    What He has in Christ.

HE GAVE HIS LIFE FOR ME

For me He gave His life:
No angel stayed the knife;
No other took His place:
He bore it all in grace;
Against Him was God’s judgment stroke;
On Him God’s storm of anger broke.

For me His life He gave -
Such His desire to save!
Such His desire to bless
Despite my worthlessness!
His grace and mercy made Him die
When I was far, to bring me nigh.

He gave His life for me
So that I might be free;
So that I might rejoice
To listen to His voice;
So that I might be sanctified
And all of one with Him who died.

20/12/04

Some aunts may be good
Or great, but Auntie Jessie
Is a great-great Aunt!

19/12/04

God makes the tables,
And by the Spirit of God
Christ writes in our hearts.

18/12/04

His redeemed people

Receive God's message, "I am

The Lord who heals you".

 

For your interest:

Julian on his graduation day, with Rosie and me.

M.A. (Hons) Economics and Accounting

17/12/04

What an embracing
Comfort it is to relax
In my steaming bath.

16/12/04

Value God's methods
In living or in dying,
Marriage and burial.

15/12/04

Because silence is
Elusive relish quiet
Among trees and grass.

14/12/04

Christ's subduing power
Outside - and inside the surge
Of Living Water.

BEFORE CHRIST JESUS EVERY ONE SHALL FALL

(Villanelle)

Before Christ Jesus every one shall fall
Of heavenly, earthly, and infernal things
Acknowledging that He is Lord of all.

When He, whose humble birth was in a stall,
Appears as Lord of Lord and King of kings
Before Christ Jesus every one shall fall.

Since He has known the wormwood and the gall
We love Him for the sweetness which He brings
Acknowledging that He is Lord of all.

He was before all things, and He could call
On winds and storms to cease their buffetings:
Before Christ Jesus every one shall fall.

And God has been delighted to install
Him on His throne, while each redeemed one sings
Acknowledging that He is Lord of all.

He has a glory which will never pall
While in His praise the court of heaven rings;
Before Christ Jesus every one shall fall
Acknowledging that He is Lord of all.

I AM

I am
A sinner in being and doing;

I am
A sinner, saved by grace;

I am
Less than the lest of all saints;

I am
One of the sons of God;

I am
A narcissus of Sharon;

I am,
By God's grace
What I am.


15/06/10

GLAD TIDINGS

Upon the shameful tree
Christ suffered to atone;
He bore the judgment due to me
And made my sins His own.

When all was dark and grim
- The sun as black as night -
God’s righteous judgment fell on Him
In concentrated might.

The penalty of sin,
The prison-house of death,
For me the Saviour came within
When yielding up His breath.

His precious blood was shed,
In grace no words can tell,
By Jesus, as He hung there dead:
He has done all things well!

They laid Him in the grave -
But in God’s timing He
Rose omnicompetent to save;
All this He did for me.

All this He did for me
And now upon the throne
He blesses me, He sets me free
And makes His place my own.

Praise for what He has done
In working out God’s ways;
Grace crowns what mercy has begun:
Praise without ceasing, praise.