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

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

Writers Block

A Writers Block Poem by Me
aka The Schizophrenic Writer

I'm in the process of writing a book right now.
It's the sequel to Unchain.
I'm finding it hard to get past the first chapter.
How annoying!

"Just write" I tell myself.
And for the most part I will and do...
when I'm not distracted.

I'm so thankful and grateful for this blog
so that I can at least type
what is on my mind at the moment.

I also have ideas floating around
my head for a new book...
and another series.
Not going to tell you about those ones,
as they are still in the works.

It's frustrating having writers block.

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

Ambush

It was an
ambush
only He knew
about
before time
began.
A betrayal
made by
one of His
own friends
who
had
been
deceived
by the Deceiver.

As simple as a
kiss would be
the kiss
of
death
unraveling
a plan.
(Who knew greed
was all it took?)

An innocent Man
arrested for being
the Truth,
dishonoured
by untruth.

He knew what was
next.

He was
treated like a
common
criminal
amoungst
those who
really
were
criminals.
Speaking of Life
to them as He was
dying-
hanging
on a cross.

He knew that His
own plan was
being unraveled-
not by
a kiss
of betrayal
or by deception,
but by
His
own
death.

He had an
ambush
of His own.
___
CEC

Have a blessed Easter celebrating Jesus resurrection!

Cori-Beth

Piece of Peace Before and After

I felt like sharing these with everyone. They talk about peace. The first one is titled "Piece of Peace" and the second one "Before and After". It shows how far we may or may not have come in world peace and peace within ourselves.

What is this
thing called peace?
World peace?
World domination?
Is it a piece of
cake
covered in
ooey-gooey
frosting?

Somehow
I don't think
a piece of pie
is going to cut it.

Do we need to
break peace
down on a pie
chart so we'll have
peace of mind?

Peace with God.
Real peace.
___
CEC
*Written in 1991 while Desert Storm was occurring

Before and after
in only mere moments.
A world
torn
apart.
A world brought together.

Despair
and loss.
Hope and faith.

Sorrow
and tears...
and miracles.

Unanswered questions.
Where was God?
He was there.
He allows.
He saves.
He heals...
in a world where in mere moments
can be defined as
before and after.
___
CEC
*Written after September 11, 2001

Be still in the silence and you will find wisdom!

For He himself is our peace, Who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility - Ephesians 4:14

Cori-Beth

The Steps of the Father

This post was originally posted on one of my previous blogs on August 20, 2006. I feel that it still very much applies to today and needed to post it again.

One night just last week, God gave me a vision of a group of people, mainly youth, running out of a small cabin out in the wilderness at a high rate of speed. I saw Jesus walking behind them. I wasn't sure what all this meant until God spoke to my heart and told me that there are those, especially youth and young adults who lead themselves, instead of allowing Jesus to lead them. They follow their own path, running aimlessly and think that they can do it on their own. They are out in the wilderness wandering and running towards nowhere. I am myself guilty of this as many of us are from Generation X. We tend to give into the cliche label that we are all lazy and don't have any work ethic, we lack a sense of direction and tend to lead ourselves to nowhereville in the wilderness.

But Jesus doesn't want us to be that way. We need to stop living up to the cliche and start living for God. We need stop running aimlessly to nowhere and have Him lead us and guide us and show us direction.

The Steps of the Father

Following a path
of destruction.
Surrounded by
the wilderness
of your own making.
Following your own way.
Lead by yourself.
Aimlessly plotting
a course unknown.

Walk in the Way.
Walk in the Truth.
Walk in the steps of the Father.
Step our of despair
and into His arms.
Walk in the steps of the Father.

Following your
own beliefs
Surrounded by
the comforts of home.
Following yourself
and your selfish ways.
Lead by yourself.
Aimlessly wandering
a course unknown.

Walk in the Way.
Walk in the Truth.
Walk in the steps of the Father.
Step out of despair
and into His arms.
Walk in the steps of the Father.
Let Him lead you.
Wander no more.
Walk in the steps of the Father.
Let Him take your hand.
He'll be your guide.
Walk in the steps of the Father.
The steps of the Father.
-CEC

To add to the original post: I will not be a cliche! I will not follow myself, but follow Jesus. And as I am writing, the old hymn "I have decided to follow Jesus" is running around in my head. This song just doesn't apply to non-believers when they first accept Jesus, but those of who have been Christian's for many years as well.

It's a daily thing of taking up your cross and following Him just like it says in Mark 8:34. Deny that apathetic selfishness in your heart. Deny everything about yourself and hand it over to Jesus. Stop living a cliche! Stop being Generation X and Generation Y! Be a generation after God's own heart. Stop running in the wilderness of your own making and come to civilization with Jesus. It's the best reality you could ever have! The highest high you could ever have! Freedom beyond belief! Peace that passes all understanding! ...that's only some of the idea...trust me!

Be a freedom fighter, and again, don't be a cliche! Walk in the Steps of the Father.

Some of my weird thoughts

I have some pretty strange thoughts that go through my head. I don't know which side of the family that it comes from. It could just be me....yah, I think it's just me!;-)

I think God gives me these weird thoughts to sort out the true ones. Either that, or they are my true thoughts, at least at the time. In which case, I have a strange mind!

Anyway, here are some of those thoughts that I have in my warped sense of humour, and of course my strange mind.

Sensibility

Sensibility
has lost
it's mind.
That is...
if it has
a mind to begin
with.
That doesn't
make sense
that sensibility
has a mind.
And, if it had
a mind,
how would it
lose it anyway?
Sensibility has
more sense
than to lose it's
mind because
then it wouldn't
be sensibility
anymore.
All things considering,
sensibility can't truly
lose it's mind.
That would just
be plain
nonsense...ilbility.
-CEC

Know

I know that
you know,
but do you
know that I
know you know?
How do you
know that I
know that you know?
You just know that
I know that you
know?
Well, if you know
that I know that
you know that I know,
then we're all
okay, you know.
-CEC

And last but not least (at least for now), one that I wrote when I was 16.

Say What?

Nobody wants to be a Somebody
But when Nobody doesn't
Become Somebody
He's a Nobody.
In other words,
We're either a Nobody
Or a Somebody
Trying to figure out
Our real names.
-CEC

Hope you had fun reading these. I'll share more later, including one about Door Hinge Squeezed Oranges.(-:

Ancient Relic

Tainted
Stained
Misused
Publicity Stunt
Fashion Statement
Misrepresented
Mistrusted
Destroyed
Burned
Broken
Misunderstood
Glamorized
Categorized
Bloodstained...
The Cross.
- CEC