Only thru the Blood Of Jesus

Have You Two Met? By: Maxine M. The Bible records how, on the Damascus Road, the risen Jesus MET the Pharisee Saul Stopping him in his zealous pursuit…blinded by the light, he heard the Saviour call Why!! are you persecuting Me by locking My servants in a prison stall Saul fell to the ground in astonishment & fear, retaining no strength at all “Who are You, Lord? What do You want ME to do?” he asked in trembling voice weak and small Oh, how that encounter altered his life…even changing his name to Paul The Bible also tells of Peter, who MET Jesus one day at his brother, Andrew’s request His nets were FILLED when fishing on the “RIGHT” side, as Jesus would suggest “I’ll make you a “Fisher of Men”, Peter, if your life, in ME you invest Oh, he had rough edges to smooth, words & instructions from the Lord to digest A change from what “I will do” to what the Holy Spirit said was best So from s

Where do YOU live? By: Maxine M. Some people love the countryside, while others in a big city want to be free Many prefer an arid desert, others the mountains…enjoy giant cactus or stately pine tree From the arctic to the tropics, God’s beautiful creation is there for all to see East coast, west coast, every continent is open for habitation to some degree It’s good we are a diverse people…to each their own we all agree And ALL people everywhere desire to live where they can live free But the ONE place it’s not feasible to live is in the PAST It’s unsuitable to sustain a healthy lifestyle…the exuberance of yesterday doesn’t last For yesterday is UNCHANGEABLE… “if onlys” “should haves” bring depression into the forecast Regret or remorse over things that could have been prevented at the time Or anger, bitterness, hostility…the result of being an innocent victim of crime Making “yesterday” a wilely pit, out of wh

Is IT Hidden Deep Within YOU? By: Maxine M. The dawn is breaking and so ends your long restless sleepless night You went to bed early, but your mind just wouldn’t give up the fight Thus producing far-reaching effects for the day…a day that should be cheery & bright You wonder “What can be the matter?” “I just don’t feel right!!” You snap at the 1st person who annoys you, even tho the offense is slight The brow is drawn & head aches from nerves stretched taut & tight Neck is tense, stomach upset, there’s a DEFIANT tilt to your chin Self-esteem is low, you judge yourself as one who never can win Is this ALL a result of hidden ANGER residing deep within? Anger can take many forms…from a quick hot flash of temper’s flare To resentment that may SMOLDER, turning into a long-term affair Envy, spite and animosity are REALLY disguised anger over circumstances that seem unfair Perhaps you’

The Wedding…United as One By: Maxine M. The wedding was absolutely beautiful…oh, the joy to our heart it brought Traditional but superbly elegant…the perfect day, of which she’d often thought Every detail was LABORED over to achieve the flawless effect that was sought The bride was LOVELY!! Her gown glimmering white, altered to fit just right To the groom and the guests as well, she was an awe-inspiring sight Praise, adoration & emotional well wishes for their future, the day would invite Very apparent was that their love for each other was burning bright A NEW life together started that day…much to everyone’s delight Certainly a day of celebration and the party lasted well into the night But would the day have been the same if the groom had spilled mustard on his shirt Or the bride had somehow gotten a big muddy stain on her skirt PERFECTION would have been LOST at the appearance of wrinkles or dirt Now, the bible declares that the Church, made up of TRUE Christians, will be His e

Milk and Meat By: Maxine A baby’s distressed wail fills the night…“I’m hungry” is what is meant For newborns WANT & NEED milk to keep them happy & content Milk!! Nature’s perfect food, promoting growth & development…good health will represent But then as time goes on, solid foods are introduced, much to their delight Cereals & mashed vegetables to help a baby sleep through the night Then finally MEAT as their digestive system develops, acquiring strength & might Now, the bible states that as Christians, we move from “milk” to “meat” as we mature & grow Remember!!, how verses like John 3:16, in our “infancy”, made our faces glow That 1st realization that GOD LOVES US…the greatest love we’ll ever know Beautiful psalms soothed our spirit, chased away fear, brought His presence near As a parent quiets their child, we could feel His everlasting arms appear Promises of one day knowing He

Is There a Purpose to Pain? By: Maxine M. From one to ten, ten being the greatest, please rate your pain!! Doctors & nurses often ask this question so valuable insight they’ll gain Pain is when nerve endings trigger a message to our brain We immediately react to something HOT…instantly moving away For at the pain of burning, RETREAT is what our mind will convey But even a minor, vague ache can cause a day to seem bleak & gray Cuts, bruises, broken bones, surgery, disease…all cause pain from mild to severe No one has ever been EXEMPT since Eve’s 1st labor pains would appear Pain clouds the future, as the UNKNOWN may bring apprehension & fear Imagine, the progressive pain of leprosy, treated as an out-cast everywhere you went But Jesus showed great compassion for those of His day in physical torment He healed many, relieved their pain, forgave the sins of those that would repent

If a Man Dies, Will He Live Again? By: Maxine M. Job pondered this question at a time when he prayed for death’s release Oh!! That my soul would just fly away and be at peace That all this pain & suffering…soul searching would finally release But then he wondered, “What then?” “What would be my fate?” Will I live again, just in a different form? …perhaps he’d heard ancient philosophers debate The wisdom gained from meditation was that man WOULD live forever in an altered state Because man was created in the VERY image of God…the ultimate Supreme ETERNAL Being For He gave man the “Breath of Live”…a continual perpetual existence decreeing Thus, man has a SOUL, an immortal part of our being, that’s EVERLASTING we are conceding So Job concluded he’d see God in a conscious state…even when his body underwent decay Now, all of humanity was given this GIFT so ALL will have an awareness of their Creator one

Looking for TRUTH? By: Maxine M. What is truth?! Where can we find it in our world today? Truth is the COMPLETE accuracy of a fact…the reality a circumstance may convey The unerring CERTAINTY that a statement is free of falsehood in every way Children expect all adults to speak truth but sadly that ISN’T true Often, their own bias, prejudice & misunderstanding is what their words construe Or, they outright DECEIVE to gain advantage or hide guilt from view But the search for truth is an aspiration to which all man-kind is inclined Because conflict and confusion can reign if there’s uncertainty in our mind Confidence & trust in a deceptive person, misleading report, or one’s false motives can leave us completely blind Perhaps we even hide truth from OURSELVES…push it down deep inside Ignoring or denying our falses & failures…a counterfeit façade is tried But truth has a way of coming to the surface causing an emotional divide Now, there is one source of TOTAL TRUTH…on which,

The Face of Success By: Maxine M. It’s that time of year when happy graduates throw their hat into the air They are looking ahead…school days will soon be just a memorable affair Everyone will congratulate them on their achievement… “FREEDOM” at last they will declare They will be wished SUCCESS in their future days that lie ahead We will pray they are thoughtful & cautious on the new path they tread And that when facing life’s problems, they’ll recall some wisdom a good teacher said Some will go for an even higher degree, so in the TOP of their field they can participate Others will join the labor force, provide services, or a professional career create All taking their place in society…their personal worth validate But as they FIND that “nitch” in life, consider “what does success look like?!” Is it the business suit or calloused hand, or can both a successful note strike? Is success an Olympic gold

Look for the Miracles By: Maxine M. Miracles!! Described as things & events impossible for humans to achieve Circumstances that transcend the “normal”…go beyond what our minds conceive Things only the Supreme Being can accomplish and so hard for us to perceive But they are all around us, if we take time to contemplate The earth itself…it’s beauty & how season after season it can regenerate Stop & weigh the wonderful truth that only an almighty God could possible create The universe & how it moves in harmony, kept in place by His all-powerful hand Where the wind comes from and where it goes, how it brings the rain our crops demand The ocean’s current & tides, controlled miraculously by His command Science has uncovered only a portion of the mystery that has existed all along Reflect on music, how a calibration of sound can produce a beautiful song Or the miracle of BIRTH, how tiny cells

In The Coming Days… By: Maxine M. Did life as a child seem calm and serene…goals back then were easy to obtain? Your parents taught the “Golden Rule” & that by honesty & hard work prosperity would reign Provide a better future for your children, their instruction would contain And that THROUGH the hard times, faith in God & country would sustain Christ’s inner-peace will shine…like glimmering stars after the rain All so true!! But doesn’t it NOW appear the world around us has gone INSANE? Our founding father’s ideals & principles, they’re trying to eliminate or at least rearrange Long established foreign & domestic policies are undergoing a huge change Personal freedoms and choices are being LIMITED & it all seems SO strange Worry, anxiety & misgivings fill each day…Is there ANY GOOD news to share? A soldier’s heroic deeds are over shadowed by a celebrity’s latest affair Nature APP

Multiple Divisions By: Maxine M. In battle, the area between combatants is referred to as “no-man’s land” Could there be a more dangerous place for a casual observer to stand? One side or the other must be chosen…decide if its friend or foe at hand So if, as a nation, we’re a people divided, how can we possibly avoid disaster? The bible warns that a kingdom divided will surely fall…and it’s an UNQUESTIONABLY PRECISE forecaster! Now with wars abroad, fighting in Congress, indebtedness to China, won’t our demise come even faster? Has our policy towards Israel CHANGED?...since our TRUE allies are very few But God told Abram “I’ll bless those who bless you & curse those who curse you” Isn’t that a SCARY thought…to be a nation cursed by God & we know His words are true Seems like recently fear & apprehension are in the back of everyone’s mind CHANGES are underway…new laws, for a

Are YOU Ready? By: Maxine M. You’re ready to set the world on fire for Christ…that’s your heart’s desire But have you spent time PREPARING in life’s crucible, obtaining the strength you’ll need to acquire? Salvation comes the instant we believe & accept, BUT DURABILITY is achieved under FIRE An illuminating fire that can purge away impurities that daily our lives can fill For it’s when in that time spent ALONE with God, He conforms our being to His will A time of PURIFYING, LEARNING, LISTENING to the wisdom the Holy Spirit can instill Now, God gave “examples” of this refining process in the bible in which ALL can read Those used greatly in fulfilling His purpose, needed to LEARN how to lead Some would become fugitives, prisoners, wilderness wanderers…His guidance, came to heed We see how He USED Joseph to save His people in their hour of need But Joseph had some maturing to do first, hard times t

Can I Really Be Free? By: Maxine M. Enthusiastically he had participated in political riots… “Over throw Rome!!” had been his cry He’d taken lives in his zeal…now HE was condemned to die In a dim, damp, dismal prison he pondered his fate with a resigned sigh Tomorrow, during the Jew’s Passover Feast, the deed would be done Did fear grip his inner-being at evening’s setting sun? I’m sure sleep eluded him and at the roaster’s crowing, he knew the fatal day had begun Soon Roman soldiers arrived & dragged him from his cold pitiful cell The sun light hurt his eyes…suddenly the noise of the crowd began to swell “Barabbas, Barabbas!!” they were shouting…WHAT did it all mean, he couldn’t tell He saw a man standing BOUND on the platform above the crowd for all to see The man turned and looked at Barabbas...his eyes were warm & kind…love to the sincerest degree Then he heard Governor Pilate declare, “Set this ma

Got Those Winter Blues? By: Maxine M. Your trip has been cancelled, the meeting rescheduled, school is closed AGAIN Now the kids are BORED and your day is in a sudden tail-spin Mail delivery is late and that nasty flu bug just won’t give in For the country is still in winter’s deadly grip…how much longer can it be? Days of cold, snow, ice & wind…OH, when will we, warm sunny days, see? It had to be in winter when the psalmist wrote “Why is my soul cast down and disquieted within me?” There’s something about sunshine that lifts the spirit high But day after day of cloudy skies brings fatigue, weariness & a mournful sigh Emotions plummet downward and we don’t even specifically know why So, do you have those winter blues…life seems only dull depressing shades of gray? It’s then we remember God’s UNFAILING promise of resurrection…we’ll see come April or May Be PATIENT!! The sun will grow stronger…sho

One Door…On Which Side Are You? By: Maxine M. God spoke and the universe was created!!...the primeval darkness sent fleeing The solar system, earth, sea & sky all just came into being Light was provided by the sun, moon & stars…those we today are still seeing And He said; let living creatures fill the sea & birds to rule the sky Animals of every kind, trees and seed bearing plants…all pleasant to the eye Then, from the dust of the earth, He formed MAN on His very 1st try A perfect specimen (didn’t take eons of time to finally become “evolved”) A companion from man’s own body & the problem of loneliness was solved Abundant food for man & animals the ground provided, UNTIL a curse became involved Because one day the sin of doubt & disobedience was committed & its eternal consequence was learned The ground would no longer EASILY yield its produce…by hard work it now would be earned And, to the man, God declared “Dust thou art and to dust thou shall be returned”

He’s Just THAT Kind Of God By: Maxine M. You’ve heard His name spoken when speech turns crude & profane Curses uttered in a conversation as though EMPHASIS they’d gain Irreverent jokes can also foolishly take His name in vain Perhaps one day you said a hasty prayer but it never came to fruition Not realizing HIS will was far better in this circumstance with its unseen condition So you became indifferent, viewing everything about Him with suspicion But just how much do YOU KNOW about the God you’ve heard of since you were a child? What is YOUR comprehension of a Sovereign Supreme being…Creater of the entire universe compiled? Is there insight & perception into His Holy Righteous nature…pure & undefiled? OR do you see Him as just a “big busy” God with no interest in the small details? But, remember He gave EXPLICIT instructions about Noah’s Ark…down to the very nails He created wit &

What Does the Future Hold? BY: Maxine M. Remember the beautiful song that was released a few years ago Proclaiming how the writer could ONLY IMAGINE the wonder Heaven would bestow What will we do when face-to-face with Jesus?! Who can truly know? Our imagination simply cannot comprehend the splendor of that day The awesomeness that awaits those who have CHOSEN to obey How can mere words describe? Are there any His Glory fully convey? We can only imagine how wonderful that experience will be Eternal joy & happiness just by ACCEPTING, in FAITH, that His death & resurrection has set us free But can we even BEGIN to imagine the hopelessness of those who have never bowed their knee?! Where do they turn when life brings heartache & sorrow…and surely it will Health, prosperity, excitement, romance…many days a life will fill But it’s INEVITABLE that it will fade in time…all will lose its thrill How can t

There’s Been a Change in Plans BY: Maxine M. Christmas 2009!! Did it bring the celebration YOU had planned? Or was it determined by whatever God’s changing would demand? Perhaps STUCK in an airport dreaming of a tropical island’s soft sand Food was bought & carefully prepared, but the day forced cancellation of expected guests Yes, many family gatherings had to be “scrubbed”…as common sense would suggest Interstates were closed, power outages; authorities did their best to answer emergency requests Roadway workers & hospital employees were called upon for an extra shift While their minds were on home & family and the excitement of that special gift But a baby’s on the way and a foolish motorist is stuck in a huge drift Those at home were simply praying that the family was safe & sound Children were reassured their missing parent SOON would be homeward bound Was this blizzard God’s way of show