World Watch

 

Life Framed

 

Color My World

 

Scarves - And More

 

Restoration

 

Living Water

 

Heaven Came Down

 

Dual Realities

 

SURPRISE

 

40 winks

 

wake up, little sardis, wake up

letter to sardis, the fifth church 

my last show-and-tell session before paris to lurch

the song that comes to mind

a wake-up call find

wake up, little sardis, wake up 

wake up, slacky sardis, make up 

the spirit wasn’t so hot, God most forgot 

we fell asleep, our goose is cooked, our reputation is shot 

repent sardis or your names won't be found in book-of-life slot

choose the plight of your flight

choose dark or light

choose black or white

choose blind or sight

choose fool, wise in own eyes

choose God's wisdom from ashes to rise

coming week 

meek renewal trio seek 

i enter easter with esther

full of God without His utter

on april 26, i share fool's folly in psalm 26

and for my last show and tell, sardis expression to fix   

there is no thrill

with fool on the hill

seven abominations fill

an empty worldly till

void of hope in seventh seal

psalm 14:1 "the fool says there is no God..."

psalm 53:1 "the fool says there is no God..."

psalm 26:11 "as a dog returns to its vomit, so fools repeat their folly."

idols nikolaitës

i spy
with my eye
steeped in pergamum-thyatira dye
charles stanley's "idol" definition wry
"anything that distracts from God" is woeful cry


if i were a rich man
then i can tan
conceive deceiving plan
feel important in the clan


if i had power
then i can shower 
fear and beer on those who cower
who needs God as a wowser
when u can have balaam browser
and multiple pleasure arouser


if i know it and have it all
i can make the call
people on my feet fall
i can parade ten feet tall
squandering in nicolaitan mall
frolicking in superiority hall

REUTERS/Aly Song

what's the epicenter of your quake
am i asleep or awake
before i shake and bake?
no earthly thing can i take...


2 timothy 3:1-4
but know this, that in the last days perilous times will come:
for men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, 
proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal,
despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, 
lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God....

7 gleanings from 7 churches

we wrap up show and tell
after habakkuk, job, jonah - revelations of heaven and hell
what looms for mankind on planet earth?
is time drawing nigh for new jerusalem birth?

Jesus "who is, who was and who is to come" reveals
john's pen profusely spills the seals
if you have ears to hear
and eyes to see, heart to revere, 
evil to steer, for time is near

o ephesus in us

looking in reverse

fallen, forsaking Him

our fervor is dim

let us repent, endure to revive

by feeding from the tree of Life

in God's paradise

o smyrna in us

sufferings to nurse

let's remain faithful till we die

a crown awaits and mortality defy

o pergamum in us

do not be lured into immorality curse 

endure to receive admission stone with new nama

to access His hidden manna   

o thyatira in us

prey to jezebel idols, we sucuumb and immorality immerse 

if we conquer lust

authority over nations to cast and blast

o sardis in us

lulled in sloth slumber cocoon purse

if we overcome and stay vigilant

our names remain in the book of life forever gallant

o philadelphia freedom, shine a light on me

we have little strength, help us keep the faith, victorious be

make us pillars to God's temple

where none will trample

o laodicea in us

like frog in warm water immerse

complacent and luke warm

unwax our ears to hear Your knocks

for supping with each other, rocks

let's keep our eyes fixed on Thee

so we sit with You on Your throne with eternal glee

gleaning from adrian roger's devotional -
"Jesus Christ is the invisible part of the christian.
the christian is the visible part of Christ.
He is seen in us and through us. 
we are the visible part of the invisible Christ."


psalm 18:20
the Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath He recompensed me.

exhilarated choice

choose to proclaim than to complain

choose delight than disdain

choose give than to receive
choose nerve to serve than self-deceive

choose contentment, joy to deploy
choose gratitude versus self and others destroy

choose to humble than to grumble
choose His lead than self-fumble

choose to bear the brunt instead of grunt
choose to do it with glee instead of flee

choose to float instead of gloat

choose to exalt instead of stewing in pot
choose glory sprout instead of anger spout

choose to intersect, quit trying to dissect in disrespect

choose introspect in retrospect instead of elusive expect

kjv psalm 25:4-7  ⁴shew me thy ways, O LORD; teach me thy paths.⁵lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day. ⁶remember, O LORD, thy tender mercies and thy lovingkindnesses; for they have been ever of old. ⁷remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness' sake, O LORD.

kjv psalm 27:11 teach me thy way, O LORD, and lead me in a plain path.....
kjv psalm 86:11 teach me thy way, O LORD; i will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name.

playing god

you want me to do what?

kicked my butt, spitted me from the gut

wiped my smut

but, U angered my heart

how could U forgive ninevite crut?

U should have spurned and burned evil

they should have been obliterated in Your fury swivel

i am stumped, U averted holy trump

i am grump, there's no point living, U prevailed and i am dumb crumb 

anger, like worms

eats away the gourd of my terms

how dare i, to play god and desire to die

what a trap and lie

Your grace and mercy to complain, accuse and defy

it is me who should repent

instead of Your compassion upon sinners resent 

i am jonah mad 

to hurl at my maker and Dad

so i'd rather insignificantly die

as though it'll erase my significant sinful dye

o what satanic logic i've narcisstically applied

to limit God who gives life to me graciously supplied

who am i kidding? why am i bidding? 

doing it my way is not succeeding

results in only pride and rage bleeding

what's the point of speeding

without divine heeding

an infested gourd wake-up call needling

the God-placed seedling

i have been out-of-line

forgive me, pull me out of self-centered slime

let me sup and dine with the Vine

who am i to nickel and dime

don't let defiance and anger retard spiritual growth

let Your love and grace nurture my worth

job's right - You giveth and taketh

without God, i nothing worthy of Your glory maketh

all else is vain

a doomed soul brings no gain

Lord, deliver me from self-inflicted pain

arguing with God over a gourd tree

o God, set me free

get me off blasphemy spree

hurl me into obeying Thy decree 

through jonah's strife U show it's foolhardy god to be

drawing on right is from wiki commons

proverbs 25:28

he that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.

ephesians 4:27

be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: neither give place to the devil.

ecclesiastes 7:9

be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.

bellygerence restored

whoa woe yea
God loves jonah more than He can say
a second chance to head for nineveh
this time jonah succumbs to God's way

i recall the times i disobeyed 
from His will i swayed


swimming uphill against the tide


forcing square peg in circle rather than in Omega to abide


  
a sackcloth moment to seek redemption, His chide to hide
willful ways only got me fried
flee from pride, i cried


proverbs 11:2
when pride comes, then comes disgrace but with humility comes wisdom.

a whale of a time

as i walk along
i think of the things i've done wrong
i'm a walking in the rain
tears are falling and i feel the pain
and i wonder
like jonah did ponder
inside the belly
it was hairy
to flee 
from a power greater than thee
many a times we rebel
only to experience hell
we are terrible farmers in the dell
when we allow divine seeds to shrivel and mortal ego to swell


when You said "go"
and we said "no"
choosing to suffer blow
allowing self-pride flow
instead of Thy glory glow
why You deliver us despite our dreadfulness, we'll never know
but we are grateful Your loving kindness to shower and show
thank goodness for the life lines You throw


jonah 2:10

and the LORD commanded the fish, and it vomited jonah onto dry land.

merapi mumbles

how did i get here

it's becoming clear

through the sweltering heat i must steer

molten memories sear 

who would have thought

once surrender sought

back to tropics He brought

parked me in His lot

a hot lingo spot

i am not sure what i got

it's amazing
to observe human race racing
no matter where
to fill cupboards bare
when full, only emptiness stare
self-imposed life burdens to bear

ignorance is bliss
for you'd have less to compare and miss
so many paths i could have taken
despite my weak faith, i was never forsaken

like job's journey
i've been faith-blessed a-plenty 

faith-tested in many dark alleys

faith-coped with His pulleys

          faith-transformed in work-in-progress galleys

humming... 

i, i who have nothing

i, i who have only You

adore You, and want You so

i'm just a no one with nothing to give to You, but oh how You love me...

 job 42:2, 5-6 

 “ i know that you can do all things;
   no purpose of yours can be thwarted

   my ears had heard of you
   but now my eyes have seen you.
   therefore i despise myself
   and repent in dust and ashes.”

naica leica

job 28, what speakest thou?

i dug for pearls, raised my brow

i don't need to know

for wisdom to sow

i need not look far nor deep

i need only Your wisdom to heed

in Wisdom my soul to keep

to shun evil creep  

i know not how i got here

wisdom whispered, have no fear

a leap of faith to set in gear

things are not what they appear

it suffices to dwell in Wisdom

to be enveloped in its Kingdom

there's no need to fathom

just be the atom

circulating in reverent trajectory

living for its glory is life in victory

kjv job 28:28 ....behold, the fear of the Lord,that is wisdom, and to depart from evil is understanding.

naked circular

42 chapters of job compressed

wisdom and reverent fear addressed

exemplar job's might

in face of trials and plight

deep insight

into God's delight

to be blameless and upright

to fear God and shun evil fight

satan roams earth seeking opportunity to derail

our path to righteousness, hail to impale

why is woman both wise (in proverbs) and foolish (job2:10, eve) gale?

is "fearing God for nothing" a satanic jail? 

fear God because He is God of life

the story of God-centric job, accepting His good and strife

"naked i came from my mother's womb, and naked i will depart."

the Lord giveth and the Lord taketh is at heart

from womb to tomb

from dust to dust,

good and evil looms upon earth's crust

how shall we then live, blameless and upright we must 

job 28:28 "the fear of the Lord - that is wisdom, 

and to shun evil is understanding."

"the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" 

proverbs 1:7, 9:10, psalm 111:10 echoing

sovereign closure

zephaniah 3:17 kjv  
the Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty;
He will save, He will rejoice over thee with joy;
He will rest His love, He will joy over thee with singing.   

sovereign God spoke and shook
in closing hook of habakkuk 

in parallel, a revealing respite i took

through His eyes, a renewed look

yes, i too stand in awe of Your deeds

thank You for ridding my weeds

that blocked my view to do Thy will

i needed to still and empty for Thy Spirit to fill

how dare we confine and limit what You choose to do

we can't fathom Your sovereignity, we have limited clue

we need only let loose 

for Your spirit to choose

to use the keys You've given us for way out of wicked noose

to rest in Your balm

of peace and calm

in face of calamity

i have all i need in a sovereign God to supply strength and sanity

to withstand manmade fears and smears

as end nears

i've got the keys

i will rejoice and be joyful in the triune God, no matter how rough the seas

1 thessalonians 5:16-18 kjv

rejoice evermore. 

pray without ceasing. 

in everything give thanks: 

for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

mayday m'aider

o how long must this go on?

external plunder and internal thunder

woe to us, our walls crumbling under forlorn 

in hours of darkness, shine Your light

in pity parties and narcisstic battles, come to our plight

in a world fraught with fraud, give us safe flight

in descent and desperation, cradle us in hope and might to continue fight

woe to whinnings and wondering wanderings

woe to worldly ways, idols and shortcomings

when injustice and pride stab the soul

we are reminded of man's futility and Your heavenly goal

let us unshackle from idols of our own making

let us not be drunk in stupor so we live in Your awakening 

let us not forsake truths but bow in reverence to Thee

let us let go and rest in Your peace, hear our plea

psalm 111:10 the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom

dragnet of dots

habakkuk 1:12  "Lord, are you not from everlasting?"
to ramrom raps page 11 entry "omega" seeking


free me from human bondage, choking me
man's grotesque reflections
sinking into the mud of life
it's hideous greed and monstrosity
like You
i wish to be
no beginning
no end
yet feeling good
the mere mortal in me understood...

we are caught in net
of consequent idols deadset
we bit the bait
will we get to pearly gate?


meanwhile humble tumble
hear our habakkuk grumble
we await for the big rumble
for hell to crumble
no longer need to fumble
no longer evil to jumble


habakkuk 2:3 "for the revelation awaits an appointed tiime;
it speaks of the end
and will not prove false.
though it linger, wait for it;
it will certainly come..."


o sinner man
where you gonna run to 
all on that day

habakkuk nook

psalm 96

"oh sing to the Lord a new song... 

...for He is coming to judge the earth. 

He shall judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with His truth." 

Michelangelo's Last Judgment from wiki commons 

so here i am...You brought me to this nook

You provided me time, health, mentors, habakkuk book  

what lectio divina food to cook?

open my eyes to see, not just look

filter out worldy din so i harken Thy babbling brook

intake fruitscent, taste Thy goodness and holiness, touch in love to spook

o God, i am weak but Thou art strong

it's hard to live in a world gone wrong

it's easy to substitute You with false gods 

and worship decaying sods

i place at Your feet, the idols of what we desire to be

smash them, release the design in us that You decree

remove doubts, darkness and delusion

reign in our fears, refrain us from evil collusion

help me stay upright in but not of world of babylonians

Thou art the only God to revere and fear, tame my bohemians

people write to me, i only have you to write

but You already know my woes and might

i do not need to be uptight and right

o God, let me not lose sight

that You formed me for your delight

direct my nostrils to smell Your perfume instead of hellish stench

control my heart, head and hands that i feel Your touch and taste the fruits of Your ranch

hear me God, be each other's iTune 

unplug my ears to listen in You  

that's my mew on Thy pew

thank you Lord, my spirit to renew.

cherish cherith

a coincidence
for preponderance
the power of three
of divine revelation spree
in fellowship community
recharging my immunity


elijah first appeared as a choice versus proverbs
then surfaced to be the study in neighboring curbs
today and next 5 sermons focus is on elijah blurbs
in ahab-jezebel southern kingdom turfs

a theme of God's sovereignty,
in face of misguided idolatory.
spiritual wealth, 
intertwined by physical and emotional health.
back to school for tai-chi and fitness added to lap swims,
this fall, cherith quenches and trims. 


"you will drink from the brook, and I have ordered the ravens to feed you there."
1 kings 17:4


john peterson's lyrics drenching me
cherith springs forth glee


drinking at the springs of living water,
happy now am i
my soul they satisfy;
drinking at the springs of living water,
o wonderful and bountiful supply.

goodness gracious

oh Doctor i'm in trouble
well goodness gracious me
caught again in rough and tumble
calm spirit tossed in rough sea

bring us safe ashore

shed light to what's in store

convert our flaws

sharpen our saws

help us claw

our way to Thy open door

to dry safe land

Your grand design to blend 

for goodness to pour

a healing chore

bring out inner beauty galore

Your fingerprints in time sands 

captured by bea chia's lens

  

a reminder to reflect 

goodness to inject and infect 

2 peter 1:5-8 (niv)

⁵for this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; ⁶and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; ⁷and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.^8for if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.