What’s Glory? (Poem, Part 1)

(See the series here) 

Glory seems to be something we know little about.

An old song mentions being ‘under God’s ‘glory spout’. ¹

We also speak of glory as Heaven, i.e., a place,

Yet ‘giving honor and glory to God’ is commonplace.

Without any thought, we ‘give ALL glory to God’,

But He’s no ‘glory hog’, so that notion is flawed!

We’ve all heard He meets our needs ‘by His riches in glory’.

Is that from Heaven, or might there be …another story??

A place, a thing, down here, up there …glory notions.

I conclude about glory there’s much confusion!

So by ‘glory’ exactly what do we mean?

Where can we go for glory insights to glean?

Dictionaries define glory as a noun and verb,

Relating to things impressively splendid, superb,

To actions that highlight distinctive excellence,

Also relating to God’s powerful brilliance.

Then, The Bible’s references to glory add to this long list:

Glory of man, the heavenlies, even boasting …that’s a twist.

But about this ubiquitous word and God’s intention,

There are some great things that really

captured my attention!

From the start to the end, glory dominates the scene,

As the light and power of God, both seen and unseen,

His overshadowing presence that is infinite,

And His love, nature and character that are perfect.

We could speak endlessly of The Glory of God,

And in doing so, we would be totally awed.

But let’s focus on a different aspect:

That is the glory by which we are bedecked!

For us who are the righteousness of God in Christ,

We have been given His glory power and light.

Within our earthen vessels, His glory is hidden. ²

So why think of glory as everywhere but within?!

In lieu of wanting to be ‘under God’s glory spout’,

We are the spouts where His Glory in Earth is poured out!

The Lord says for lack of knowledge His folk perish. ³

Could our understanding of glory be childish??

Stay tuned and let us try our lives to salvage,

As about glory we e-x-p-a-n-d our knowledge.
(Stay tuned for Part 2)

----------

¹ Under the Glory Spout

² See: 2 Corinthians 4:1-7

³ See: Hosea 4:6

The 4th DoA (Poem, Part 4)

(See the series here)

The Bible: The Mind of Christ, synopsized.

Believe It, Become Love Evangelized.

(B.I.B.L.E.)

Summarizing life’s complexity:

Life, Internship for Eternity.

(L.I.F.E.)

It reveals God’s plan very clearly,

To reverse our sin calamity.

To restore righteousness on Earth, sustainably,

He gives 4 Delegations of Authority. (DOA)

He gave the 1^st to our 1^st parents, a couple,

The 2^nd to a childless man’s kin, a people.

He is now extending the 3^rd to people, selective. ¹

The 4^th will be the final, His DOA, conclusive!

Each group that received His authority delegation,

Started well, then stubbed its toes on its implementation.

Adam and Eve, Abraham’s kinfolk, now Christians today,

All started well, then became satan’s prey along the way. ²

Into our world, DOAs 1 and 2 were designed,

To usher in Jesus Christ, God’s Son, to us assigned,

This same theme DOA 3 now retains:

To usher in Christ’s Millennial Reign.

The scarlet thread throughout all of this,

Goes through a remnant that would be His,

From every tongue, people and nation.

Of history, THIS is the caption.

With that context, let’s peel open and try to perceive,

Insights into DOA 4, yet to be received.

While DOAs 2 and 3 were clearly so segregating,

God’s 4^th DOA will be to all, and ALL encompassing.

DOA #4

Before His people selective totally miss the boat, ²

Of this current age, God will unveil His written endnote.

The rapture will signal the beginning of the end,

When the righteous, dead and alive, to Heaven ascend. ³

For 7 years, tribulation judgments will be unleashed,

While in Heaven, the righteous will enjoy

Christ’s marriage feast.

At the end, He’ll return with them for a new beginning,

And His 4^th, last, worldwide DOA He’ll be decreeing.

Unlike the others, this DOA will be unique!

So sit back, relax, allow your interest to be piqued.

It will cover everyone who has been called, human,

And at the end, God’s human mortal project will be done.

It will be trifurcated, to 3 groups given:

More than a thousand years will be its duration.

To righteous immortals, survivors of 'tribulation week',

And indirectly to the un-righteous dead it will ‘speak’.

To each un-righteous dead, this DOA will authorize:

Until you hear My voice, stay dead, right where your body lies! ⁴

And to those who through the tribulation will have survived:

Bow! Be ruled by immortals who back on Earth have arrived! ⁵

For a thousand years, under Jesus Christ’s proclamation,

Mortals and immortals will comprise Earth’s population.

Tribulation survivors and their offspring won’t applaud,

Being thus ruled by immortals wielding Christ’s iron rod! ⁶

Of all human beings who will have ever existed,

Tribulation survivors may be the most hardheaded!

They will have survived God’s longest, most harsh judgments,

So concerning evil, they won’t be innocents!! ⁷

For a thousand years, devils will be in abeyance, ⁸

But with these survivors, will there be much difference?!

Stay tuned to perceive what may transpire,

And how DOA 4 will expire.

There is so more to explore,

In God’s final DOA 4…

----------

¹ All who, by faith in Jesus Christ as Savior, become born-again. (John 3:15)

² We generally know how Adam, Eve and ancient Jews failed God’s tests. To understand how Christians today are failing, as predicted, see: Laodicean Lackadaisicalness (Series) and also 2 Thessalonians 2:3.

³ See: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

⁴ See: Revelation 20:5

⁵ Thus the Lord my God will come, and all the saints with You. (Zechariah 14:5. See also Daniel 12:1-3, Revelation 7:14), equipped to govern tribulation survivors and their eventual off-spring. 

⁶ See: Psalm 2:9, Revelation 2:27, 12:5, 19:15

⁷ See: Worst of the Worst (Poem)

⁸ See: Revelation 20:2

Make America GREAT (Poem)

Dear God:

Recently across our land, many folk were swept up,

In waves promising a return to ‘ole glory days’.

The promised notion was to Make America GREAT!

This led to quite a major political shake-up,

That left many of my fellow Americans …dazed!

To find out what it all would mean, we could only wait.

Since her founding, America’s gone through quite a lot!

Among all the nations, she has since climbed to the top.

For centuries, people wondered what would be her fate,

As against her, many enemies evil would plot.

Much of that was based on evil she had elsewhere propped!

Thus, some labeled calls for ‘ole glory days’, a mistake.

In 50 years, we’ve had big shifts in demographics,

From abortion, immigration and our affluence.

We’ve helped other nations our values to inculcate,

And also led the way in fighting epidemics,

Although such may have been for our own self-insurance.

But now, calls for ‘ole glory days’ have unleashed much hate.

Some say hate stems from concerns of our nation’s browning,

And only immigration reform can stem the tide.

But they don’t link abortion-and-immigration rates! ¹

They see in brown immigrants, America’s drowning.

Sadly, this reflects sentiments of much of Your bride,

And that’s impacted her works on your Commission - Great.

May You open w-i-d-e her eyes to clearly see,

Links between those aborted, their offspring and immigrants.

No matter about what political leaders prate, ²

Before You, may Your bride always bend her knee,

To understand her actions are the key determinants,

To the quality of our national glory state.

To You I pray in this time of our national need,

For Grace to shift our focus on what makes Your ‘heart bleed’.

Open our eyes to see that we have swallowed devils’ bait,

And see by our ‘ole glory days’, You were not all pleased.

Help Your bride to walk faithfully in Your righteous creed. ³

As she turns from evil, You will make America GREAT!

May we cease from pointing our accusing finger,

To all others for false perceptions of our glory lost.

May we see how You’ve linked a land’s health and glory,

Not to whether one is a right- or left-winger,

Not to political parties or their national boss, ⁴

But to the Christians’ righteousness walk and story.

…for You have said:

When I shut up heaven and there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land, or send pestilence among My people, if My people who are called by My name [today, Christians] will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their [own] wicked ways, then I will hear from Heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. (2 Chronicles 7:14)

In Jesus’ Name I pray.

Amen [So be it…]

----------

¹ See: Babes and Those of Theirs (Poem)

² Prate: To talk foolishly or at tedious length about something

³ See: Micah 6:8 and Colossians 4:5

⁴ These six things the Lord hates, yes, seven are an abomination to Him: a proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are swift in running to evil, a false witness who speaks lies, and one who sows discord among brethren. (Proverbs 6:16)

For Mine Is The Kingdom (Poem)

Brace yourself if you can’t handle meat of God’s Word,

And if only ‘the milk of The Word’ feeds your soul.

Whether it’s milk or meat, it’s ALL GOOD and nourishes. ¹

But I must admit my mind and heart are disturbed,

When by babes on milk, meat eaters are not extoled,

But are encouraged to return to milk practices.

Might those on milk do good to recall,

The times in The Gospels when Jesus exclaimed,

‘O ye of little faith!’, to those who disbelieved,

And how by ‘great faith’ He was enthralled?

On one occasion His disciples were shamed:

‘Where is your faith?!’ -- worse than faith that underachieved. ²

Pulling meat eaters down to lower levels of faith,

May merely be a sign of deception,

Or possibly just simple jealousy.

It’s essentially just the result of devils play.

If it is great faith that you envision,

By babes, you may be received …jeeringly. ³

God’s Word says, ‘By bread alone man shall not live,

But by every Word of The Lord.’ ⁴

Receiving this as both a command and promise,

Means in your life, His Word will be conclusive.

If to His Word you’re tightly moored,

Then you will aim for great faith, based on this premise.

Too many focus on what they don’t believe,

And thus we edit those things out of The Bible.

This is just like dissecting a precious gift!

By this, imagine how God’s heart must be grieved.

If God’s Good News is much more than the Gospels,

Then nothing that’s good therein deserves short shrift.

Born in America, I became a citizen,

With all the rights, privileges and responsibilities.

Of these, what could I exercise before I grew?

Re-born in Christ, I am a citizen of Heaven,

Though I’m still learning to conquer sinful proclivities,

Jesus said, ‘The Kingdom of God is within you.’ ⁵

In teaching His disciples to pray, Jesus concluded,

‘For Thine is The Kingdom, power and glory forever.’ ⁶

Indeed, to God Almighty, all things belong,

This prayer was before to us righteousness was credited.

God’s now pleased when I say, ‘Mine is The Kingdom, forever!’

What’s more, to me power and glory belong! ⁷

Don’t expect an apology when I aim for great faith.

I won’t seek an apology if you linger on milk.

In His Grace, God will respect both our choices.

Just be satisfied with His food you have put on your plate.

When the milk you eat begins to make your spirit’s strength wilt,

Try meat. Become one of God’s great faith voices.

----------

¹ …you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. (Hebrews 5:12-14)  …as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby… (1 Peter 2:2)

² See: Luke 8:25

³ See: Matthew 9:24, Nehemiah 2:19 and 2 Chronicles 36:16

⁴ See: Deuteronomy 8:23, Matthew 4:4 and Luke 4:4

⁵ See: Luke 17:21

⁶ And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one… (John 17:22) See also: Matthew 6:13

⁷ To God be ALL glory?  No, not quite because He quite benevolently gives glory to you and me. Surprised?  There is not only ‘Glory@End-of-My-Story’ because Jesus is keenly interested in sharing glory with us in-the-NOW!!!  How awesome! See: John 17:22, 2 Corinthians 3:18 and 4:6-7, Ephesians 1:18, Hebrews 2:7-10, 1 Peter 4:14. Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you The Kingdom. (Luke 12:32)

Fruit From Beauty (Poem)

That The Lord intends for mankind to be fruitful,

Is obvious and also very beautiful.

This we’ve done, both in and out of His structure, ‘family’,

Thus, this is the one command we have fulfilled, faithfully!

Imagine being as faithful, spiritually,

Just as we have obviously been physically!

Ahhh, but with Grace, it’s never too late,

For us to change our ‘fruitfulness state’.

You may have noticed or possibly heard,

Of a kind of double-speak in God’s Word.

While He is addressing situations, physically,

He’s referring to their roots and fruits, spiritually.

So what are the roots and fruits of His

‘Be fruitful’ command?

How can we comply if these things we may not understand?

Could it be that He spoke of much more than procreation,

That has resulted in Earth’s explosive population?

T’was likely in the presence of fallen angels,

Who had been very jealous of The Lord laurels,

That God made man and placed him in Eden’s garden,

As lord of the Earth, exercising dominion. ¹

Knowing these angels would persist in evil works,

Just like those they did in Heaven with much fireworks, ²

In advance, God pre-pared good works that would counter,

Any and all evil works devils would conjure! ³

Is it possible that these good works could be,

What The Lord referred to spiritually,

When to our first parents He said,

‘Be fruitful! Fill the Earth!’

Did He mean to good works give birth,

and thus enhance life’s worth?

Imagine…

From Eden, in its un-paralleled beauty,

God commanded fruitfulness of their body,

And He also intended fruit that to Him is sweet,

Fruit that counters evil, ensuring devils’ defeat.

From mankind’s beauty, thus He would fill the Earth:

By ordaining fruit from women to be birthed,

And from righteous spirits, fruits of good works,

Thereby overwhelming satan’s networks!

Fruit from beauty, what an awesome notion,

That God ordained for His ‘project human’,

Like plants on which other creatures depend to survive,

Grow beautiful flowers, from which fruits we eat derive.

Fruit from beauty in your life God intends,

When the righteousness of Christ He extends.

Ours is the fruit of good works He pre-pared for us,

And the fruit of praise that to Him is …glorious! ⁴

As all fruits come from flowers, but not all flowers bear fruits, ⁵

And as all flowers are fed from a plant’s system of roots, 
Godly fruits come from lives full of good works and praise,
Rooted in His Word and lived on righteous pathways.

To Him, is your life fruitful?

May you walk worthy of The Lord, fully pleasing Him,
being fruitful in every good work
and increasing in the knowledge of God…

(Colossians 1:10)

----------

¹ Be fruitful and multiply…have dominion… (Genesis 1:26-28. See also: Genesis 8:17, 9:1&7 and 35:11) 

² See: Isaiah 14:12-15 and Luke 10:18

³ For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:10. See also: Titus 1:16 and 2:14) This in no way suggests good works are the gateway to His salvation, as many folks erroneously believe.

⁴ Praise from the upright in heart is beautiful. (Psalm 33:1)

⁵ See: All Fruits Come From Flowers

When Right is Left (Poem)

When wrong and un-natural are rapidly growing,

When getting high brings the lowest of lows, legalized,

When wealth and power are right, and all else is debased,

When governments don’t govern, and lives are imploding,

When stars are crooks, and crook have their records sanitized,

When in markets and poli-tricks, hope and trust are placed…

When singles shack-up, and married couples unshackle,

When a government tries to parent, and parents won’t,

When every aspect of culture has been polarized,

When children grow up not learning to be respectful,

When followers of Jesus Christ, seemingly don’t,

When it seems like, by devils, our world has been hypnotized…

Ask yourself, ‘So what’s new?’ The answer is, ‘Nothing,’

Except perhaps the means by which these things are done.

From time immemorial, such things have happened. ¹

Towards the predicted end, all things are nudging.
Thus, we embrace evil, and righteousness we shun.
To its predicted end, this age is now beckoned.

As challenging as these things to some may be,

To a point, there remains a reason to hope.

In our pursuit of evil, we become deft,

As from every restraint we push to be free.

We increase our slide down sin’s slippery slope,

Until all hope may be lost …when ‘right’ is ‘left’.

I don’t mean when right becomes wrong, or vice versa,

Or when light and righteous insight become darkness,

Or when what’s sweet is called bitter. ²

Though such things as these would be quite an enigma,

Take a moment to ponder the response to such madness,

When God says, ‘Grace, come up hither!’

Here’s a point that may be an inconvenient truth:

Grace, from God to us all extended,

Comes with an un-disclosed expiration date.

When sins reach beyond the point of being uncouth,

Rest assured, judgment is intended. ³

God turns and leaves the scene, through His exit gate!

Israel, chosen by God to be right,

Soon flipped so much that was once right, to wrong.

King Saul began in an humble and right way,

Then did increasing evil in God’s sight.

Many prophets warned of judgments erelong.

Eventually, God turned and walked away…

Pharisees, so-called right in their day,

Challenged Jesus right, left and center.

With very harsh words, He answered them all.

From them He just turned and walked away… ⁴

He warned faith in our day would falter.

Now, modern Laodiceans, they’re called. ⁵

Friend, in each of these examples above,

It’s wrongs that become right, that are then left!

That happens as God’s standard, we leave,

And with our self-rightness, we fall in love.

Of any sense of Truth, we are bereft,

All because by devils, we’re deceived.

History shows the so-called right, are so often wrong!

At the rapture, many presumed right, will be left,

Left behind to endure tribulation horrors.

To be pre-qualified to sing Christ redemption’s song,

In our pursuit of His rightness, let’s become deft.

This requires filling our hearts with His Truth treasures.

So what is the standard of your rightness?

Is it the cultural norms of our day,

Norms that are ever sliding downward, and will soon betray?

Christ frees us from such cultural blindness,

And from devilish deceptions that sway.

His promise is, from us ...to never turn and walk away.

----------

¹ That which has been is what will be, that which is done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun. (Ecclesiastes 1:9)

²  Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight! (Isaiah 5:20-21)

³ Jeremiah 9:24 insightfully reveals judgment follows after Grace, when there is no repentance, and a time of righteousness among a remnant, follows judgment. Count on it!

⁴ ‘A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign shall be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.’ And He left them… (Matthew 16:4) And Jesus said to them, “Yes. Have you never read, ‘Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have perfected praise’?” Then He left them… (Matthew 21:16) Then the Pharisees came out and began to dispute with Him, seeking from Him a sign from heaven, testing Him. But He sighed deeply in His spirit, and said, ‘Why does this generation seek a sign? Assuredly, I say to you, no sign shall be given to this generation.’ And He left them… (Mark 8:11-13)

⁵ See: Laodicean Lackadaisicalness (Series)