How Faithful is the Lord

I don’t understand the Lord—

No person really can.

The nature of his being

Is beyond the scope of man.

He came from a void of nothing

To create all space and time;

He made the skies and heaven

And he made the sun to shine;.

And he made a puny race

To live on this good earth

And enjoy all that he made

And praise his Mighty Worth.

Yet our Lord is ever merciful

And faithful to all men

Even though we turn from Him

And too often fall to sin.

For when He provides a sunset

And we don’t praise his name,

The next day the sun again will rise

And set again the same.

B. Killebrew

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Two Visitors

By Beth Fisher

Used with Permission

Two visitors came to see me, both at the same time,
Both were trying to win control of my body, heart, and mind
One was dressed quite plainly, one dressed fit to kill,
I couldn’t see the battle they were waging for my will.

One promised to give fame, friends and riches beyond compare,
Anything I wanted, it seemed, and while I was standing there,
He showed me how life could be, for a little while at least,
I couldn’t see beneath the clothes, to recognize the beast.

The other told of hard times, of sacrifice and pain,
Ridicule and persecution, nothing much to gain,
But there was something deep in this visitor’s eyes
That made me feel to choose Him, somehow would be wise.

I guess you know the outcome, I hope my life reflects,
The one I picked, the path I chose, the one that He directs.
But now at last I see Him, as He truly is THE KING!
So, did I choose so poorly, I wonder as I sing…

Eternal praises to my God at last in heaven’s city.
Could I have been richer, more popular, what a pity-
For now all I have to show for the pain and unkind laughter,
Is a crystal mansion on a street of gold, living happily ever after.

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One Man

by Ryan Corbi

Used with Permission

One man, kneeling

alone in the night

Blood and sweat mix

outflowing in fright

Kneeling, praying

prone on the grass

“From my lips, Father,

let this cup pass.”

One man, standing

scorned, flogged, and beat

Harsh words still echo

there in the heat

“He is no king,”

he heard them cry

“Give us Barabbas!

and him — CRUCIFY!!”

One man, hanging

dying with thieves

Of the thousands who followed

for him, who grieves?

Friends watch at a distance

afraid to go near

Their whole worlds are shattered

their hearts filled with fear.

One man lived and died

in a rich grave was laid

For His blood was shed

that our debt be paid.

But death could not hold Him

resurrected He stands

To him who is weary

outstretched are His hands

In Christ there is rest

a requiem from strife

To him who believes

He will grant eternal life.

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A Tale of Three Roman Soldiers

In the cool predawn darkness, three battle-hardened Roman soldiers in full armor are guarding Joseph’s tomb where Jesus was buried three days earlier. Despite strict army regulations, they are talking softly, almost at a whisper, between themselves.

“All men die the same,” one mutters.

This apathetic tone ignites a spark of anger from another. “Not like he did!” was the intense whispering reply. “We spiked him to the cross-bar and hoisted it onto the upright, but I’ll never forget the words that he said during his execution.” Turning his head and looking at the others with fire in his eyes and a narrowed brow, he said with slower more precise diction, “I was responsible for killing him, and he forgave me!”

A third insensitive voice quickly responds, “Haven’t you been a soldier too long to be troubled by a guilty conscience?”

The troubled guard continues to blurt out what he can no longer hold within himself. “The thief next to him asked this Jesus from Nazareth to remember him. Oh, his voice while in this nightmare of sure death and torture! He said, “Today you will be with me in paradise,” and in that instant the sky grew dark. Everyone felt the cold chill in the air then, like all the evil forces in the world were gloating when he cried. He sounded like the loneliest man in the world hanging there. The earthquake knocked me to the ground for a moment, and then the darkness began to lift. That was no mere man I crucified I tell you. He was more than just a mere man! Rarely a tomb is sealed as this one is, let alone guarded.”

In the dull light of the dawn, suddenly appears an angel enveloped within a fiercely bright pure light painful to the eyes as if looking directly into the high noon sun. The air reverberated like a crack of vicious thunder lifting the three Roman soldiers off their feet and throwing them to the ground , rendering them dumbfounded and motionless. Turning toward the six foot stone covering the opening of the grave, this immensely strong creature rolls the stone away from the entry of the tomb. The battle-hardened Roman soldiers sit there trembling, each gazing in unbelief yet knowing they have all seen the same thing.

“Sir! It’s gone! The body is gone!”

“Shut your mouth soldier!” the other shouted, scrambling to his feet.

“I tell you, he’s alive! What are we going to tell the Centurion?”

“You didn’t see anything! We fell asleep or something! You don’t know anything! Got it?” demanded the third.

“But I do know, and I did see, Captain! Jesus is out there alive I tell you! More than alive!”

The other two begin shoving, slapping, and shouting at the believing soldier with panic stricken voices, “Forget this ever happened, Marcus!”

A shaky voice on the verge of tears replies, “Forget it if you can sir, but with all due respect, Jesus is alive, and that changes everything.”

Author Unknown
Submitted by Richard

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His Love

Have you ever stopped to wonder

Why they called Good Friday “good”?

It seems to me that sad, black day

Could be misunderstood.

How His Father must have anguished

As He watched His dear Son die,

And not for crimes that He had done,

But for sinners such as I.

What kind of love could be so great,

To suffer willingly

The penalty for someone else;

His blood was shed for me.

But then when Sunday came around

And death had lost its sting,

That glorious morn’ was victory

For Jesus Christ, the King!

Now He’s alive for evermore.

The Father’s will was done.

Forgiveness, pardon, full and free,

By trusting in God’s Son.

It was a “good” Good Friday

For the thief who died there too;

He took his place in Heaven

When that long, dark day was through.

I am grateful to my Saviour:

My life to Him I owe.

I’ll serve and love Him always,

Because He loved me so.

by Rose Newman

Used by Permission

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I Took Your Place

One day, a man went to visit a church. He arrived early, parked his car, and got out. Another car pulled up near him, and the driver told him, “I always park there. You took my place!”

The visitor went inside for Sunday School, found an empty seat, and sat down. A young lady from the church approached him and stated, “That’s my seat! You took my place!” The visitor was somewhat distressed by this rude welcome, but said nothing.

After Sunday School, the visitor went into the church sanctuary and sat down. Another member walked up to him and said, “That’s where I always sit. You took my place!”

The visitor was even more troubled by this treatment, but still said nothing. Later, as the congregation was praying for Christ to dwell among them, the visitor stood, and his appearance began to change.

Horrible scars became visible on his hands and on his sandaled feet. Someone from the congregation noticed him and called out, “What happened to you?” The visitor replied…”I took your place.”

Author Unknown
Submitted by Richard

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One Guy Didn't

Three guys were tried for crimes against humanity.

Two guys committed crimes.

One guy didn’t.

Three guys were given government trials.

Two guys had fair trials.

One guy didn’t.

Three guys were whipped and beaten.

Two guys had it coming.

One guy didn’t.

Three guys were given crosses to carry.

Two guys earned their crosses.

One guy didn’t.

Three guys were mocked and spit at along the way.

Two guys cursed and spit back.

One guy didn’t.

Three guys were nailed to crosses.

Two guys deserved it.

One guy didn’t.

Three guys agonized over their abandonment.

Two guys had reason to be abandoned.

One guy didn’t.

Three guys talked while hanging on their crosses.

Two guys argued.

One guy didn’t.

Three guys knew death was coming.

Two guys resisted.

One guy didn’t.

One.

Two.

Three guys died on three crosses.

Three days later.

Two guys remained in their graves.

One guy didn’t.

-Unknown

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Judge Me by the Footprints I Leave Behind

A story is told about a soldier who was finally coming home after having fought in Vietnam.

He called his parents from San Francisco.

“Mom and Dad, I’m coming home, but I’ve got a favor to ask. I have a friend I’d like to bring with me.”

“Sure,” they replied, “we’d love to meet him.”

“There’s something you should know the son continued, “he was hurt pretty badly in the fighting. He stepped on a land mined and lost an arm and a leg. He has nowhere else to go, and I want him to come live with us.”

“I’m sorry to hear that, son. Maybe we can help him find somewhere to live.”

“No, Mom and Dad, I want him to live with us.”

“Son,” said the father, “you don’t know what you’re asking. Someone with such a handicap would be a terrible burden on us. We have our own lives to live, and we can’t let something like this interfere with our lives. I think you should just come home and forget about this guy. He’ll find a way to live on his own.”

At that point, the son hung up the phone. The parents heard nothing more from him.

A few days later, however, they received a call from the San Francisco police. Their son had died after falling from a building, they were told. The police believed it was suicide. The grief-stricken parents flew to San Francisco and were taken to the city morgue to identify the body of their son. They recognized him, but to their horror they also discovered something they didn’t know, their son had only one arm and one leg.

The parents in this story are like many of us. We find it easy to love those who are good-looking or fun to have around, but we don’t like people who inconvenience us or make us feel uncomfortable. We would rather stay away from people who aren’t as healthy, beautiful, or smart as we are.

Thankfully, there’s someone who won’t treat us that way. Someone who loves us with an unconditional love that welcomes us into the forever family, regardless of how messed up we are.

Tonight, before you tuck yourself in for the night, say a little prayer that God will give you the strength you need to accept people as they are, and to help us all be more understanding of those who are different from us!!!

There’s a miracle called -Friendship- that dwells in the heart. You don’t know how it happens or when it gets started. But you know the special lift It always brings and you realize that Friendship Is God’s most precious gift!

Friends are a very rare jewel, indeed. They make you smile and encourage you to succeed. They lend an ear, they share a word of praise, and they always want to open their hearts to us.

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