Rhyme of the Modern Parishioner

by Michael Brown

It happened in the vestibule at ten one Sunday morn;
A haggard-looking church-goer sat plaintive and forlorn.

Then suddenly he rose and found a hungry-looking Christian;
He took his hand, took him aside, and asked him a straight question:

"You've read the Word; you know the Book; the promises are clear.
But have you seen the living God? Have you found Him here?

Have you experienced holy fire, the Spirit in His power,
A mighty wave, a rushing wind, a flame that does devour?

Is there something more you're seeking, so high, so wide, so deep?
Do you find yourself frustrated? Is church putting you to sleep?

Then listen well, you heart is ripe; my tale I will tell.
This story is your story too, and it's your tale as well.

For thirty years I've been in church, it seemed like a good show.
But now I've got to meet with God, do you know where to go?

I'm trapped in mundane worship times, the praises have grown cold;
The preaching's dry and dusty. The teaching is stale like mold.

Each service feels like a rerun, the songs all sound the same;
The prophecies so hollow, not worthy of the name!

Words, more words, they're everywhere, but oh there is a stink!
Words, more words, they're everywhere, but none to make us think!

We lack the heavenly Presence, it's clear we're in a rut;
I'm desperate for revival, it burns within my gut!

I'm love-sick for my Jesus, so hungry for my Lord;
Just longing for my Savior; God knows that I'm so bored!

Is there someone who can help me, who's touched the real thing?
A man who's heard from heaven, with a word from God to bring?

Are there prophets burning with fire, servants who are ablaze?
Anointed and overflowing, appointed for these days?

Do they carry the Spirit's burden, and breathe the Lord God's breath?
Are they set apart and holy, obedient to death?

I hear the words of the Master, 'Come follow Me,' He said.
If some Christians go their own way; I'll go with Him instead!

Oh please, don't do as I have done, and waste so many years.
Don't wait and wait for endless months; move on, outgrow your fears!

Forget the twelve step programs; a seminar won't do.
You need a touch from heaven, to fill you through and through.

There must be change in your life, a work of God that's real.
Don't fool yourself with worn clichés, don't let the devil steal!

Don't miss out on God's Presence or let those hours pass;
Don't stop your soul from hungering, get out of the morass!

Dear friend, you are not crazy; dear saint, you are not mad;
There truly is a problem, it's true, you have been had!

There's more! There's more, Believe it! There is that place in God.
There are holy visitations, new paths that must be trod.

Will you get up like old Pilgrim, and seek that better way?
Will you go forth on that journey no matter what men say?

Will you go out now and meet Him, and leave the crowd behind,
Forsaking dead traditions, if Jesus you will find?

It's not in another meeting, a nicely packaged hour;
Another harmless service, devoid of heaven's power.

It's not in another teaching, three points to fill your head.
The Word is always vibrant; but this stuff is so dead!

We need God to send His Spirit, to fully take control,
To transform every member, to come and make them whole!

Enough with man's religion; enough with earthly plans;
Enough with our new programs; produced by fleshly hands."

Just then in strode the pastor his calling to fulfill;
Just doing his weekly duty, then he became frozen still.

For astir was that parishioner he grasped the preacher's clothes,
And grasped the preacher's soul as well, and in that grasp he froze.

"Oh pastor, enter the prayer room and shut yourself inside.
Be emptied of competition, and crucify your pride!

Pray for holy visitations, caught up alone with Him,
Consumed with heavenly vision, that's where you must begin!

You won't find Him in a textbook, buried on page twenty-two.
He is the living God who acts, He wants to move in you!

It's not only the 'apostles', He'll bless and send and use;
He will saturate your own soul, if you will not refuse.

So arise, get up, and pursue Him, Jesus your true best Friend!
He is worthy of devotion; He's faithful to the end!

Why should you starve on crusty bread, and crawl along the ground?
Your Savior is your source of life, see Him, let joy abound!

Renew your life, refresh your heart, press in, take hold, pray through.
Put first things first, make God your goal; what else have you to do?

Your Bible schooling stole your zeal, church life has drained you dry;
You used to have such childlike faith, now budgets have your eye!

You used to be so passionate, so innocent and free.
Now you've become professional; you'll preach for a good fee!

Oh, set your sights on higher goals and not on dollar bills,
Live in the light of Judgment Day; ambition always kills!

Let Jesus be your daily Guide, put Him where He belongs;
And soon His presence will arrive; His praise will fill your songs!

Simplicity will be your style, devotion your new goal:
Communion will become your aim, God's life will flood your soul!

Oh, take your eyes off numbers, church growth can be a trap!
Go out and make disciples, go out and bridge the gap!

Pour out your life for broken lives, let God your heart break too.
Take up the cross, deny yourself; just live His will to do!

Wake up, be brave, be honest; today - oh hear His voice!
Be ruthless with your schedule; seek GOD. Make that your choice.

You won't find Him in your planner, no committee has the key.
You'll find Him when your soul cries out, 'There must be more for me!'

'There must be more than building funds, and sessions past midnight,
And endless talks with leadership, disputing who is right.

Somehow I know I've been misled; the model doesn't work.
I'm not called as executive, nor should I be a clerk.

I'm called to be a man of God, a man who's Spirit-led,
A healer of the sick and lame someday to raise the dead!'

And with that cry new life will rise, your heart will be revived;
Heaven's light will flood your soul, you will not be denied!"

The parishioner then turned his gaze away from flesh and blood:
He looked to Him who sends the showers, to Him who sends the flood.

"Today, oh Lord, do you hear our voice, and pour Your Spirit out.
Saturate the thirsty ground. End this spiritual drought!

Revive us with Your Presence, renew us from above;
Touch the flock called by Your name; come fill us with Your love!

Do greater works in our day than that which you have done.
Bring the fullness of Your rains, and glorify Your Son!"

That old church-goer spoke no more. Another voice was heard.
Yet not the voice of flesh and blood: It was our Father's word.

And if you listen closely, beyond this little rhyme,
You'll hear Him speaking clearly: "MY CHILDREN, IT IS TIME."

America the Beautiful

Judge Roy Moore

America the Beautiful or so you used to be,
Land of the Pilgrims pride, I'm glad they'll never see.
Babies piled in dumpsters, Abortion of demand,
Oh, sweet land of liberty, your house is on the sand.

Our children wander aimlessly poisoned by cocaine,
Choosing to indulge their lusts, when God has said abstain.
From sea to shining sea our Nation turns away,
From the teaching of God's love and a need to always pray.

So many worldly pastors tell lies about our Rock,
Saying God is going broke so they can fleece the flock.
We've kept God in our temples, how callous we have grown,
When earth is but His footstool and Heaven is His throne.

We've voted in a government that's rotting at the core,
Appointing Godless judges who throw reason out the door,
Too soft to place a killer in a well deserved tomb,
But brave enough to kill a baby before he leaves the womb.

You think that God's not angry that our land's a moral slum?
How much longer will he wait before His judgment comes?
How are we to face our God from whom we cannot hide?
What then is left for us to do, but stem this evil tide?

If we who are His children will humbly turn and pray,
Seek His holy face and mend our evil way,
Then God will hear from Heaven and forgive us of our sins,
He'll heal our sickly land and those who live within.

But America the Beautiful if you don't then you will see,
A sad but Holy God withdraw His hand from thee.

What is Truth?

What is truth?
Depending upon who you ask today, the question "What is Truth" will get you very different answers and, perhaps, lead to even more questions. Here are some current thoughts on truth:

There is no absolute truth.
But wait a minute! This statement is making an absolute claim to truth. It defeats its own claim.

Truth is relative.
Does that include the statement that truth is relative? It would have to, making this statement invalid since no claim to truth can be made by this statement, including the claim that truth is relative.

You have your truth and I have my truth.
And if your truth and my truth are in conflict, what do we have? Can there be conflicting truths? If so, then how do you determine what is valid? If my truth is that there is no God, and your truth is that there is a God, does that really effect whether there is a God or not? Saying that we each have our own truth may make us comfortable but we would have to not care about truth to say this, because no matter what my experience or your experience tells us, the truth exists as it is.

Truth is within you.
Seek truth within yourself and you are back to what your experience tells you or to what you want to be the truth. Your perception may affect you and be true to what you want to believe, but it does not affect what the truth really is. Your experience and belief could be telling you that something false is true.

So what is truth?
If you're tired of wondering or of playing these mind games, consider that maybe truth is not all that complex. Maybe it is something a child can grasp. Maybe truth is a person. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me." (John 14:6)

Will you be like Pilate, who asked "What is truth?" (John 18:38) right after Jesus said to him, "To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice." (John 18:37b)

Or will you be like the Roman officer who saw Jesus die on the cross and said, "Truly this man was the Son of God." (Mark 15:39)

As Jesus said, "I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:" (John 11:25) and "I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture." (John 10:9).

Tips on Buying a Boat

Are you thinking of buying a new boat, old one or even a yacht? Here are some things to look for and some things to watch out for when you’re buying a boat.

Good Signs

• Boat is in the water and bilge pumps are not wailing at full speed.
• Fire extinguisher hasn’t been used up.
• You don’t have to take a submarine ride to view it.

Bad Signs

• Lifejackets strapped to outside of hull to “help it float.”
• 460-horsepower outboard engine that you have to pull start.
• The stern is held on with duct tape.
• Owner says, “She floats better in salt water.”
• Teak hull has turned black with mold.
• Biggest safety feature is the word “HELP” painted on the bottom of the hull.
• Bullet holes across the cabin.

The Red Green Book
© 1997 by Steve Smith and Rick Green

Beatitudes of Marriage

Blessed are the husband and wife who continue to be affectionate, considerate, and loving after the wedding bells have ceased ringing.

Blessed are the husband and wife who are as polite and courteous to one another as they are to their friends.

Blessed are they who love their mates more than any other person in the world, and who joyfully fulfill their marriage vow of a lifetime of fidelity and mutual helpfulness to one another.

Blessed are they who attain parenthood, for children are a heritage of the Lord.

Blessed are they who remember to thank God for their food before they partake of it, and who set apart some time each day for the reading of the Bible and for prayer.

Blessed are those mates who never speak loudly to one another, and who make their home a place “where seldom is heard a discouraging word.”

Blessed are the husband and wife who faithfully attend the worship service of the church, and who work together in the church for the advancement of Christ’s kingdom.

Blessed are the husband and wife who can work out the problems of adjustment without interference from relatives.

Blessed is the couple which has complete understanding about financial matters, and have worked out a perfect partnership, with all money under the control of both.

Blessed are the husband and wife who humbly dedicate their lives and their homes to Christ, and who practice the teachings of Christ in the home by being unselfish, loyal and loving.

Our American Birthright

Judge Roy Moore
Circuit Judge, July, 1998

One nation under God was their cry and declaration,
Upon the law of Nature's God they built a mighty Nation.
For unlike mankind before them who had walked this earthen sod,
These men would never question the Sovereignty of God.

That all men were "created" was a truth "self-evident,"
To secure the rights God gave us was the role of government."
And if any form of government became destructive of this end,
It was their right, their duty, a new one to begin.

So with a firm reliance on Divine Providence for protection,
They pledged their sacred honor and sought His wise direction.
They lifted an appeal to God for all the world to see,
And declared their independence forever to be free.

I'm glad they're not here with us to see the mess we're in,
How we've given up our righteousness for a life of indulgent sin.
For when abortion isn't murder and sodomy is deemed a right,
Then evil is now called good and darkness is now called light.

While truth and law were founded on the God of all Creation,
Man now, through law, denies the truth and calls it "separation."
No longer does man see a need for God when he's in full control,
For the only truth self-evident is in the latest poll.

But with man as his own master we fail to count the cost,
Our precious freedoms vanish and our liberty is lost.
Children are told they can't pray and they teach them evolution,
When will they learn the fear of God is the only true solution.

Our schools have become the battleground while all across the land,
Christians shrug their shoulders afraid to take a stand.
And from the grave their voices cry the victory has been won.
Just glorify the Father as did His only Son.

When your work on earth is done, and you've traveled where we've trod,
You'll leave the land we left to you, ONE NATION UNDER GOD!

A Visitor from the Past

by Thelen Paulk

I had a dream the other night, I didn't understand.
A figure walking through the mist, with flintlock in his hand.
His clothes were torn and dirt, as he stood there by the bed.
He took off his three-cornered hat, and speaking low, he said;

"We fought a revolution, to secure our liberty.
We wrote the Constitution, as a shield from tyranny,
For future generations, this legacy we gave,
In this, the land of the free and the home of the brave."

"The freedom we secured for you, we hoped you'd always keep,
But tyrants labored endlessly, while your parents were asleep.
Your freedom gone, your courage lost, you're no more than a slave,
In this, the land of the free and the home of the brave."

"You buy permits to travel, and permits to own a gun,
Permits to start a business, or to build a place for one.
On land that you believe you own, you pay a yearly rent,
Although you have no voice in choosing how the money's spent."

Your children must attend a school that doesn't educate.
Your Christian values can't be taught, according to the state.
You read about the current news, in a regulated press.
You pay a tax you do not owe, to please the I.R.S.."

"Your money is no longer made of silver or of gold.
You trade your wealth for paper, so your life can be controlled.
You apy for crimes that make our nation turn from God in shame,
You've taken Satan's number, as you've traded in your name."

"You've given government control to those who do you harm,
So they can padlock churches, and steal the family farm,
And keep your country deep in debt, put men of God in jail,
Harass your fellow countrymen, while corrupted courts prevail."

"Your public servants don't uphold the solemn oath they've sworn.
Your daughters visit doctors so their children won't be born.
Your leaders ship artillery and guns to foreign shores,
And send your sons to slaughter; fighting other people's wars."

"Can you regain the freedom for which we fought and died?
Or don't you have the courage or the faith to stand with pride?
Are there no more value for which you'll fight to save?
Or do you wish your children to live in fear and be a slave?"

"Sons of the republic, arise and take a stand!
Defend the Constitution, the Supreme Law of the Land!
Preserve our great republic and each God-given right,
And pray to God to keep the torch of freedom burning bright!"

As I awoke he vanished, in the mist from which he came.
His words were true; we are not free. We have ourselves to blame.
For even now as tyrants trample each God-given right,
We only watch and tremble, too afraid to stand and fight.

If he stood by your bedside, in a dream while you're asleep,
And wondered what remains of our fights he fought to keep,
What would be your answer, if he called out from the grave?
Is this still the Land of the Free and Home of the Brave?