by Faith

Follow the Clues
     I will lift up my eyes unto the hills
        Seeing the trees drop leaves
        Only to return each spring
        Alive again with a new song to sing

Ask for Guidance 

     "Follow me," says the Carpenter
        In fear I put my feet out of the ship
        Leaving it's "safety" only to flail
        Nothing of mine to hold me                  

Inspect the Record
     Abraham left home for the unknown land
        Noah's ark, Abel's witness, Moses' stand
        All esteeming the reproach of Christ
        Greater gain then self's demand

Take the Gift
     Freely offered--He reaches out to me
        Waiting for my struggle to rest fully
         In His love--my helpless soul
         Redeemed by His Holy Blood

Hide in the Shelter
     My heart sees Truth--Perfect Peace my reward
        My feet now fall where He placed His own
        Walking on water in the midst of the wind
        Something precious provided--the Promise.....

                 I'm His!

Titus 2:14
Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar (special, one's own) people, zealous of good works.

Growing in Christ happens very much the same way as accepting Him for salvation: by faith. God's Word is revealed to the heart, a choice is made to deem it worthy of trust, and to  follow God's direction. It is a claiming of God's promise for a personal need.

How much more true this poem is to me today than when I first wrote it! Like one of the older hymns have said, " Each day He grows still sweeter than He was the day before."!

Why do I sing (and write) about Jesus?

1. I love talking about my Saviour--He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. I had heard these words and believed them when I was a child, but they have grown sweeter and dearer. The Lord truly is my Shepherd.

2. It is fun to share with others this joy!

I John 1:4-5
And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.
This then is the message which we heard of him, and declare unto you, God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

"I"

To Follow His Example

You suffered from the very beginning

From the Robes of Glory to scratchy manger hay

From the power of God to weakness made of clay

From the Father's Beloved Son to Man of Sorrows and acquainted with grief

Yet, You came

Taking from the Father's hand to supply the needs of others

Walking meek and lowly--a servant to your brothers

Bleeding and Dying on Calv'ry's Cross--Risen again to reach the lost

Therefore

 God hath highly exalted You

He's given you a Precious Name:

The Way, the Life, the Truth

**********

May I, too, this suffering choose

To follow You, the world I lose

Bearing Your burden I take up my cross

To know Christ is gain--all else is loss

I Peter 2:21

For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps.

I Peter 1:3-8    Phil. 3:10

Faith, Hope, Charity

Failing to find peace in the life that I
           make
Acknowledging sin, my way I forsake
Inspecting God's Word, its path to take
Turning to Jesus Who died for my sake
Having true peace, His life I partake


Happily anticipating a joyful end
Opening the Book that God did send
Promised blessings of my Faithful Friend
Exercising confidence--on Him I depend

                  And

Crying over the sufferer's plight
Humbly serving in Jesus' might
Asking that sinners receive their sight
Rejoicing in The Truth, The Light
Iniquity causing me no delight
Taking reproach without holding a spite
Yearning that others come out of the  
           night

And now abideth faith, hope, and charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
        I Corinthians 13:13

Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
          I John 4:10

The Danger of Doing Things My Way or Proverbs 3:5-6

Do you remember the story of the 12 spies that went to spy out the land of Canaan? They saw many great sights--a land flowing with milk and honey, grapes that took two men to carry a cluster, and GIANTS!

10 spies saw the obstacles....

 2 spies saw God's promises

These men saw! They walked on the land God had promised! 10 spies let the enemy defeat them without a battle.

How could this happen????

1. Rebellion-they chose their own way of seeing and doing. God's way is found in the Bible.

2. Complaining-infecting others with rebellion.

3. Doubting God's ability, character, and Word. This breaks down absolute truth making everything subject to opinion.

4. Fear-Without the boundaries in God's Word, who will know what is safe?

5. Unbelief-The spies chose to walk away from God based on the decision that He was not worthy or able to lead them.

When man chooses to be his own "god", he ignores God's good and perfect way.

" As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the Lord is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.". Psalm 18:30

There were two other spies. Caleb and Joshua were different. They trusted God--even though the rest of the Israelites were planning to throw rocks at them until they died!

God led Israel back into the Wilderness. Those 10 spies died in that Wilderness. Only Caleb and Joshua went into the Promised Land--40 years later with the next generation. Were they a failure for having to wait??? NO! This was a growing time for them and their families!

They found that truly:

"Thy mercy, O LORD, is in the heavens; and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds."

 "How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings."

Psalm 36:5 and 7


"Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

 In all thy way acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths."

Proverbs 3:5 and 6

"That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life.

For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved.

He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

For everyone that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be manifest, that they are wrought in God.

John 3: 15-21


The danger of doing things my own way is that I will miss God's way. He has the only way of salvation:
1. A person recognizing self as a sinner in need of a Saviour (Ro. 3:23)
2. Recognize that Jesus Christ took the punishment for sin on the cross. He bled, died, and rose again to become our Saviour.
Ro. 10:9, 10, 13
3. Ask for Jesus to save their soul

He has the only way to an abundant life--because Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life.

Psalm 145:3, 8, and 18

Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable.

 The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy.

The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth.

            **************

Our God is so great that we will never understand all His greatness!
 His way is perfect! I am so glad I can call upon Him in truth! That truth is the Word of God--it is also the Risen Son of God. What a Glorious God!