Before You Walk the Walk

So many times as Christians we want to burst out onto the scene and preach the good news to all creation all amped up and ready to go...before we are prepared. I often hear the analogy of a soilder going off to war, but without his armor. Would a captain or superior officer send a soilder to war without his shield or sword? How about his chainmail? I know, I know, not many people are in the army with a sword and chainmail now a days, but you get the idea. That solider would get hit left and right and front and back with no defense and no way to protect himself! He is doomed to certain death!

What about us? Do we go off to war - the spiritual war - unarmed and unable to protect ourselves from Satan's evil tricks and his minions taunts and lies? How are you preparing for the battle of all battles? The war of all wars? The fight of your life? The fight of your soul? How are your preparing to walk the Walk in your everyday life let alone on the battlefield? Get down on your knees and bruise them! Find out what weapons of mass destruction a Christian should have. Hint - it's not in the physical sense. The war has just begun! Are you prepared?

Before You Walk the Walk

Before you walk
the Walk,
ask for faith,
ask for love,
and for hope.
Ask for the strength
to live the life
He wants you to
and the courage to carry on.

Before you walk
the Walk,
ask for comfort,
ask for truth,
and forgiveness.
Ask for the patience
of Job and the
wisdom of Solomon.

Before you walk
the Walk...
...you have to bruise your knees.
_______
CEC

This is War!

Love
Joy
Peace
Patience
Kindness
Goodness
Faithfulness
Gentleness
Self-Control
...A Christian's weapons of
Mass Destruction!
_______
CEC


Pray without ceasing - 1 Thessalonians 5:17

When you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. - Matthew 6:6

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. - Galatians 5:22 - 23

Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. - Ephesians 6:10 - 18

Running Blind

About 4 or 5 years ago, I kept hearing the words over and over again "Running Blind" when I thought of how we as humans seem to face life. We tend to run aimlessly with no clear direction, without looking for the Light and Truth that is right before us. We run towards nothing and expect something out of it.

Running blind
heading for nowhere.
You're running blind
and you don't seem to care.

What lies ahead in the darkness?
Is there a light
just down the road?

Running blind
heading for the unknown.
Running blind
heading down the wrong road.

Can you see beyond the darkness?
Can you see
if there's a light?
Can you see
the Truth ahead?

Something's got to give.
Something's got to take.
You must break free
of running blind.

The Truth is right there before you.
Stop running blind
and open your eyes.
___
CEC

The world cannot accept Him, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. - John 14:17

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth, and the life. No one come to the Father except through me." - John 14:6

Through the Eyes of a Child

I wrote this when I was praying about working with the kids again at my church. I heard it as a song running through my head. I've heard it all my life that we are all of God's children and must come to Him as such. So, how do children see their Heavenly Father? Or rather how should they? Well, here's what I wrote down how I personally would like to see Him.

Through the eyes of a child
I long for You.
Through the eyes of a child
I sit at Your feet -
Listening and learning
Of Your Way.

Melt away myself.
Wash me white as snow.
Take away myself,
Because, Lord, I want to know
You, through the eyes of a child.

Innocent eyes
Absorbing Your Truth,
Soaking in Your love.
Touch my heart today, Lord.
I long to feel You
Through the eyes of a child.

Through the eyes of a child
I long for You.
Through the eyes of a child
I long for Your embrace.
I sit at Your feet
Listening and learning
Of Your Way and Truth.
Through the eyes of a child
Soaking in Your love.
Through the eyes of a child.
The eyes of a child.
Through the eyes of a child.

- CC July 7, 2009

Imagine Art Again

Imagine art again,
of white mountains,
and cold seas.

Come down and hear,
sing, and find everyday.

Want more wing, but
do the road.

Dream of colour.
Use time to
imagine art again.

-CEC
















Emblazon by Corinne

Oasis

Be my Oasis, Lord.
Satisfy my thirst.
Fill me up
to overflowing.

My journey through
the desert
has been long
and tiring.
I am dry.
I want to
rest in You -
in the shelter of Your
wings, in the
comfort of Your hand.

I long for
Your
living waters.
I know that
they will satisfy
every ounce
of my being.

Restore my life,
cleanse me,
make me pure.
Make me more
like You.
I need You
to be
my Oasis.
__________
CEC

Come ye to the waters, and I will give you rest. - Isaiah 55:1

Crimson Rain

In the distance
I can hear You
Rolling in
The approaching rain.
Flood my life now
I can feel You
Pouring in
The approaching rain.

In the distance
I can see You
Rolling in
The approaching rain.
Flood my life now
With Your power -
Pour on me
The approaching rain.

Rain on me.
Wash me clean.
Make me pure.
Open wide the flood gates
Of Your love.

Rain on me.
Overwhelm me,
Drown me,
Fill me,
Consume me
With Your
Crimson Rain.
________
CEC

For God so loved the World that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life - John 3:16

Unmask

Are you one who is wearing a mask?

Unmask

You are a mere player
on your own invisible stage;
you are the main character
in the spotlight.
You wear a mask -
you are a different person
playing a phony role
in your unreal life.

Oh, what a tangled web you weave
when you wear too many masks.
Your orchestra is playing
your symphony of life,
as friends, Romans, and country men
will watch and see you fight.
Remove your mask.

Are chandeliers
falling all around you?
Has your Romeo
gone and left?
Have you been lost
and miserable?
Or are you confused
where your "big break" is?

Unmask your true self.
Unmask your hell bound fate;
you must break free, remove your mask.
(Get off your stage)
Unmask your true feelings.
Unmask and confess your sins.
_________
CEC

If you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. As the scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in Him will never be put to shame." For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile - the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on Him, for , "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." - Romans 10:9-13 (NIV)

Cori-Beth

The Rose, the Cactus, and the Sun

A Rose with petals so lovely,
stood...alone
in a vast Desert
somewhere...
unknown to
anyone
in the
world outside.

The Rose noticed a Cactus,
standing magnificently,
in a vast Desert,
somewhere...
unknown to
anyone
who
passed by.

The Cactus looked inviting to the
Rose
as She
touched it
with Her petals so lovely -
but the Cactus
hurt Her
and made
Her cry.

The Cactus only scoffed at the Rose,
which made her feel worse.
She began to wilt
in Her misery.

She
was
dying,
the Rose with petals so lovely.

The Sun saw her in Her pain -
so He
shone
upon
Her
as bright as bright can be.
She
began
to
grow,
and feel so much better!
She was no longer wilting,
but
blossoming
again!

The Sun never left Her, nor dimmed,
but seemed to remain the same.
The Cactus died and shriveled up, to
be nothing more than nothing
in the sand.

A Rose with petals so lovely
stood...not alone
in a vast Desert
somewhere...
unknown to anyone
in the world outside,
but known
to the Morning Star!
_____
CEC