"Forgive me of my sins, as I forgive those who sinned against me."    Jesus taught this as a part of His answer to His disciple's question on how to pray.   Forgive those who sinned---that indicates someone committed an offence against another person that hurt them in some manner.  Jesus didn't teach that if a person has a good reason for the bad behavior to look the other way, excuse it, or otherwise not hold him/her accountable.
     Nowadays, even the most henious crimes are excused if the perpetrator had a rotten childhood, is poor, uneducated, part of a minority race, mentally ill, overweight, etc., etc.  The list of excuses is unending.   It all began with Eve in the garden.   When confronted, she blamed the serpent.  Adam followed suit and blamed Eve.   Cain killed Able because God rejected his sacrifice.   On and on it goes!
     If God's ways were not Holy and far above our ways, then He could have spared His Son the cross.  The blood of Jesus would never have been shed for the forgiveness of our sins.  I think heaven would be more like hell if Father God allowed everyone with an excuse to enter in.   NO----God is Holy---He is light and in Him is no darkness at all!   It is pure delusion to think we can ever be excused for our sins.  We either trust in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior or we take our excuses to Hell's fire.   
     In the news recently a man was found guilty of murdering his wife.  His excuse---she wouldn't shut up and quit nagging him!"  Maybe he believes he is justified but hopefully he will suffer conviction and repent!   I pray that conviction would be a steady companion to all who sin---that covers us all, doesn't it?
     Having compassion upon any person who is in bondage to sin---whether drugs, abusive relationships, bullying, on and on, is good.  Have compassion but don't excuse them.   God won't.  Tell them they need the Savior.  If they have hurt you personally, forgive them!   Don't tell them, "Aw, its okay, I know you didn't really mean it"   Have you ever had someone tell you that the worst kind of hurt should be overlooked because "after all, they just couldn't help it cosidering-----"?   I have.   So, instead of forgiving, I agonized over what I may have done to cause such hatred directed toward me. 
      We all need grace, not excuses.   I  want and need forgiveness for my sins.   I yearn for the Holiness, Purity, and Glory of Heaven.   I pray, 'Father, forgive me of my sins, as I forgive those who have sinned against me.'   amen

In The Name of Jesus

 

Father, unto You we humbly pray

"In the Name of Jesus" we always say

Is there awareness, do we really know?

That the name alone doesn't make it so

 

The word, "Jesus" doesn't invoke power

Father, teach us wisdom in this late hour

Understand, it is not "magical" at all

It's upon His Holy Nature that we must call

 

If we would pray in His Name so dear

We must learn to listen---that we may hear

His voice in our spirits, way-deep

Gently guiding us---His obedient sheep

 

If Jesus'  Name is to be called upon

We must be submissive that His Will be done

Our lives must constantly be purified

Our faith will be tested and tried

 

If our prayers are to His throne arise

To Him alone we must lift our eyes

To ourselves we must daily die

Only then He will hear our cry

 

When we, our Jesus' Name invoke

Know that we are sharing His yoke

Because He has shown the way

We can, in His Holy Name pray!

 



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MORE THAN A NAME By A. W. Tozer
Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. -- 2 Timothy 2:19
There have always been professing Christians who
argue and insist: "I am all right -- I worship in the name of
Jesus." They seem to believe that worship of God is based
on a formula. They seem to think there is a kind of magic
in saying the name of Jesus!
Study the Bible carefully with the help of the Holy
Spirit and you will find that the name and the nature of Jesus
are one. It is not enough to know how to spell Jesus' name!
If we have come to be like Him in nature, if we have
Come to the place  of being able to ask in accordance with
His will. He will give us the good things we desire and need.
We worship God as the result of a new birth from
above in which God has been pleased to give us more than
a name.
He has given us a nature transformed, and Peter
expresses that truth in this way:
And by that same mighty power he has given us
all the other rich and wonderful blessings he promised;
for instance, the promise to save us from the lust and
rottenness all around us, and to give us His own
character. -- 2 Peter 1:4
I wrote the poem years ago.  When I came across this article on the Five Doves site, it brought the poem to mind.  They go hand in hand.  

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Christmas Past

     Amos 5:21  "I hate, I despise your feast days-----" Amos 8:10  "And I will make all your feast days into mourning-----"
     We are in the week between Christmas and New Years.   Wonderfully, I don't have the post-Christmas blues or the let-down that usually comes after the rushing mad dash preceding the day we celebrate as Christ's birthday.  I think that this is the first year I moved through it all without stress.  Its almost as though I was observing and not partaking.   I love Jesus and am glad beyond measure that He was born to Virgin Mary, never sinned, taught Father God's pure and holy heart, laid down His life on the cross as the perfect sacrifice for our sins.  Praise His Holy Name!  This year, He kept me calm---almost as though I was a little girl holding my daddy's hand, trusting Him to keep me safe in the midst of madness.   I think (I hope) that this year's peace may indicate I am drawing closer to Him and to Heaven.   As the old song says, "The things of earth grow stangely dim"............I'm keeping my eyes upon Jesus! 
     I have a question.  God gave the Jews seven feast days to follow and made it clear that any others they celebrated were not of Him---that He even "hated" those extra ones.   I don't believe even the early church celebrated Christmas---that it began when Constantine mixed pagan holidays with Holy days to appeal to the masses.  My question;  Is Father God pleased with our celebration of Christmas?
 Personally, I think not!
    I am dismayed at the mixture of good and evil at Christmas.  Of course, there is the blatant commercializing and over use of plastic.  There is a determination in every heart to have a wonderful Christmas and everyone knows that means spending gobs of money on "stuff".   Giving is good, right?  Giving can also be terrible if the wrong things are given for the wrong reasons.
     The birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ, is so mired in the muck of panic ridden preparations that, for a lot of folks, its just an afterthought!  A lot of money is spent to give needy children toys---but what kind of toys?  A stroll through the toy department at Wally World will reveal mostly toys with an undeniable occult slant.  Harry Potter is still on the wish list of the innocents vulnerable to demonic influence.   I even saw today they have a yoga teaching Barbie.   God help us blind and stupid people who give such things to our kids and then wonder when they have "behavior problems."
     I do love the good will and acts of kindness of Christmas.   The sentiment of giving and friendship is great to behold.   We could use more of it year-round!   We could use the peace, goodwill toward men, too.  God sent His Son that we might become His children. He alone is the source of real peace and goodwill.  He is love, joy and mercy.  It is my prayer that all would come to know Him.  
     All the crazy activity only seems to create in me a yearning for the peace, tranquility, the glory and purity, the holy love of God.   I am "homesick" for heaven, but, oh how I want to see lost souls saved!  That would be the most perfect Christmas gift of all!   
 P.S.   I had a dream that I was expressing all this to a friend on the phone.   She called me a "spoil sport."  My feelings were hurt and, wonderful Christian that I am, I threw a big glass of milk all over the plush seats of her car.  Then I was mortified and frantically trying to clean it up before it soaked in.   Hey---it was just a dream---I'm glad of that!   If that dream means anything--does it mean for me to "lighten up" concerning Christmas or to work on an obvious anger problem?  Maybe both.  Maybe neither---who knows?






 
   

The Angels Sing (a Christmas poem)

The angels sang in abandoned joy

when Mary was delivered of a baby boy

they stayed with Him through the years' span

as He grew in stature and grace to become a man

 

They were close by Him in the desert's hot wind

where Jesus was tempted; but He never gave in

the angels always near Him stayed

as under the stars He nightly prayed

 

They watched every dusty step He took each day

proclaiming Himself the life, the truth, the way

they listened with awe as He taught and spoke

the sick were healed and the dead awoke

 

The angels must have been sorely grieved

when most of the people failed to believe

they agonized when He hung on the cross

wanting to help but at a complete loss

 

They watched in sadness as He hung in shame

shedding His holy blood to pay for our blame

Holy angels knowing that it had to be

to give fallen man a chance to be free

 

Oh, how the angels in triumph sang

when out of the grave our Lord Jesus sprang

They accompanied Him to Father's right hand

Proclaiming their joy---an unnumbered band

 

The angels are worshipping at His throne

rejoicing in heaven over His beloved own

who choose to call Him Master and Friend

rejoicing for everyone who repents of sin

 

Join the angels this Christmas time

sing, too, of the Son of God, divine

Let Him be your Savior, too

He came to redeem me and you!

 

written 'bout 20 yrs ago. CS



Oh, the Children!

Oh, Father, I mourn

The babies unborn

Torn from the womb

Suffering doom

As trash despised

Sacrificed!

I hear their cries

The little ones

Born into evil

Granted no love

Exposed to porn

Unspeakable

Molested, abused

Neglected and used

Carelessly raised

Entertainment dazed

Disciplined not

Values taught

By the TV

Oh, Father, I see

The children dying

The children crying

How will they know?

That

You love them so!

Their hearts turn

To stone

Lost and alone

Learning

Evil ways

Living empty days

Oh, the children

How long

Must they be

Despised?

Sacrificed?

Oh, Come, Lord Jesus!

Save the children!

Jesus said: 

"Suffer the little children,

Come unto Me."

He loved them all

Why can't we? 

 

CS 12/6/12

 

Doomed!

     I had a dream last night that I think may have been from the Lord.   I dreamed I was climbing the steps of one of the federal buildings in Washington, DC.  As I ascended the many white marble steps, I was in anguish.  Over and over I was hearing, "doomed, doomed, doomed."  It was a lamentation first and foremost for lost souls.  The wickedness of our land and the blindness of the people was overwhelming to me.  Before I reached the top I turned to look out upon thousands of people below.   I began praying and crying out to God to have mercy and to save their souls.  Even though I knew America is in deep trouble, it was the people I was praying for---not the nation.
      Father, I pray that You would send Holy Ghost conviction upon the people, that they might repent and be saved---that workers might be raised up for the harvest---and that You will make Your bride without spot or wrinkle.  Perfect Your church, make us over comers who never deny you even in the persecution times ahead.  Praise Your Holy Name forever and ever.  amen

Dare You?

These were written in 1990----it seems even more true in 2012!  The first one is to the sheep, the next to the shepherds, and lastly to the remnant.  

 

 

Dare You?

 

Dare you My Holy Word twist?

Dare you clench your tiny fist?

Dare you shake it in My face?

Dare you? dare you my anger taste?

 

Oh, wicked and perverse generation

You will surely see damnation

You love the world and not Me

You'd rather play than bend your knee

 

You play at church and think you're okay

You use My Name to get your own way

Dare you use My church to sell and buy?

Why dare you ignore Me---oh why?

 

Dare you wear  filthy rags of self-pride

Into My presence---not trying to hide

Thinking I'm pleased with your rottenness

Calling vilest sin, "a small transgress"

 

Dare you?---why, yes you dare

Thinking you are My bride so fair

Where is she, My perfect church, My bride?

I see only you who are filthy inside!

 

I'll have no church except without sin

Without spot or wrinkle---clean without and within

Dare you let Me purge you---dare you to self die?

Pick up your cross, follow Me---I will sanctify

 

My bride, my church, be ye purified

I am waiting to bid you to My side

I am calling---can't you hear?  Can't you see?

Dare you deny yourself and come follow Me?

.................................................................................

 

Ho, you shepherds who mislead My sheep

Ignoring the bitter herbs, feeding them only sweet

You who lulled My bride to sleep

Their blood I will lay at your feet

 

You gave them mush and milk skimmed

You led them in greed, My purpose dimmed

You said, "I'm okay and you are, too,

God wants the very best for you."

 

You didn't tell them to repent

You didn't tell them of the wrath I've sent

on My people when perverted they became

Whoring with Satan---defiling My Holy Name

 

You need to be the first to repent

You who are sleek, fat and content

Judgment comes first to My household

My Word is clear---you have been told

 

Woe unto you---you hirelings paid well

You surely have increased the ranks in Hell

But I shall have My bride---her lamps filled with oil

In spite of your lazy lack of toil

.....................................................................................

 

I have a people---truly small in number

Who watch in the night---denying slumber

Sanctified and Holy they be

A bride prepared for Me

 

Among them are shepherds who won't compromise

Shepherds who willingly lay down their lives

They preach My word with no fear

Praying for faith in those who hear

 

Prepared they are by My hand

Despised and spurned by most every man

Willingly purged by the fiery trial are they

Denying self---they seek My narrow way

 

Never will I leave them, I love them all

They are the ones hearkening to My call

The are my pure and perfect bride

Who shall spend eternity by My side.

 

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