He Is (Spoken Word)

He is…

The truth the light

Love

Everlasting

All-consuming

Never failing

Unending

Undying

Even when we’re undeserving

He is….

Righteous

Blameless

Patient

Gentle

And Kind

Forgiving

Even when we won’t forgive ourselves

Stainless

He is…

Protector

Father

Arms out-stretched

Never look back

Lover of my soul

Healer of my faith

Freedom

He is…

A rebel

Not black not white

But

Somewhere in between

Not to be confused with

Buddah

Allah

Krishna

Or me

He is…

A mystery

An enigma

A puzzle that can only be solved

Through believing

That miracles do come true

That the dead will rise

That His blood and body will satisfy

That the Son of Man

Should, could, would

Want

To die for us

Hang for us

For the love that He felt for us

He is …

Shameless

But he took the shame for us

That we may live

Live

Live again

Free from the old ways

When we were bound by that shame

The same that made him a slave

He is…

The good Shepard

The great advocate

The rock on which I stand

Worthy of the praise

The king of the ages

The true light

The redeemer

The son of David

Of God

Of Man

The great I AM

He is…

Jesus

(This was written quite some time ago- but I just recently revisited this spoken word)

Building the Burning Bridge

             

              To burn a bridge is to say with irreversible finality that you are ending something. That’s it, no turning back, no revisiting the past. When you burn a wooden bridge after you’ve crossed it there is no way you can go back to the road you left. End. Done. Finito.

                Burning bridges can be a good thing, in our Christian walk we see the story of Lot’s wife as an example of the consequence of turning back. Her bridge was not completely burned because there was that desire to turn back, the desire that ultimately was her demise. The bridges we burn in our walk; the strongholds, the desires and the relationships serve the purpose of helping us to move into greater glory. But what about the bridges we burned when we weren’t supposed to? Ecclesiastes tells us that there is a time and a season for everything, “a time to tear and a time to mend” (3:7), this time presumably being God’s time! How infallible is man that we sometimes take on the role of God? Revelations 3:8 says “I have put an open door before you, which no one can close”, God’s purpose and will in our lives is dependent on His actions and our acceptance of those actions. What do you do when you’ve burned a bridge with someone that you want to build back? How do you reverse something irreversible?

“Love builds a bridge when there are none” R.H. Delaney

In 1 Peter 4:8 we see that “love covers a multitude of sins”, a multitude of mess, of mistakes, of miss-interpretations and miss-communication. Love is the mortar, the metal, the nails the iron that not only re-builds a bridge but re-enforces it. It makes what was once a rickety wood bridge into a strong, sturdy metal bridge. One that will not be easily swayed by the wind.

“We build too many walls and not enough bridges.” Isaac Newton

Friendships are one of the bridges that God commands us to have; we become brothers and sisters of Christ when we are grafted into the vine, fully able to share in the kingdom with the Father and Son.  Proverbs tells us that a “friend loves at all times” and so we must love one another. “Let us pursue what makes for peace and mutual upbringing” (Romans 14:19), “Encourage one another” (Hebrews 10:25b) in the love of the Lord. These bridges (the ones founded on love) lead us to new places that were only seen previously by God himself. 1 Peter 5:6 says “Humble yourselves therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time”… that is being humble enough to realize the error of burning a bridge and taking the steps (again in love) to rebuild it.

Love is what it is all about.

This latest blog is one which comes from a very intimate and real place for me. I encourage any thoughts that you may have on it. Sisters, I ask you in faith to pray about any bridges you might have pre-maturely burned and how you can go about the steps of repentance, forgiveness and restoration.

Priscila L

xoxo



The Power of Words and Why May 21st Just isn't Funny

　

                     Words carry a lot of power. For years we've tried to combat that power with the saying, "Sticks and Stones will break my bones, but words will never hurt me"; knowing fully well that they do; that a mother yelling at her "stupid" son, a classmate calling you "fat", a teacher saying "you're not going to make it far" or the enemy whispering "You're not worth it" not only hurts, but can hold you and have a lasting effect on you. For the weak as well as the strong words carry a lot of weight to them. Proverbs 18:21a says "The tongue has the power of life and death..." and I am sure we've all exhibited the 'life' and 'death' part at some time in our lives with the great outpouring that is the human mind. In the same vein we have life that is spoken into us; Jesus says to the Samaritan woman in John 4 "Whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life"; He tells His disciples ""I am the way and the truth and the life" (John 14:6a); an angel utters to Mary Magdelene the words which are the foothold of our salvation in Matthew 28:6 "He is not here; He has risen, just as He said." Perhaps even the words spoken by friend in encouragement or a teacher who sees beyond who you are but who you can become. This is life.

         The video I posted above is not Christ-centered, in fact I believe it is supposed to be a motivational commercial promoting a consultation firm, however when I first stumbled upon it I was brought to tears. Granted, I am an extremely emotional person (prone to tears during commercials and music-videos), but there was something so powerful in the message of how a change of words alters people's perception of someone or someones situation. How that one ladies' conscious decision to not offer a temporary reprieve (like just tossing in spare change) but to help him in a way that completely changes his life (short of offering him a job; in another world this could of taken a very "Pursuit of Happiness" route and been okay) and the way he perceives it. The people who walked by the blind man will probably never look homeless or disabled people the same way again. Maybe they will stop to think about someones plight, or maybe they will be thankful for the gift that God has given them in life. You cannot stumble upon that and not be moved in some way.
　

         You see the picture above and as you read the words posted on here (after all a picture is worth a thousand words) you also are moved in some way. As a bible believing Christian my first point of reference is always Matthew 24:36 "But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father." As evident biblical proof that no one, not ONE of us will know. As you continue to read this passage of scripture Jesus tells us that it will be like in the day of Noah where everyone went about their own business doing what they wanted until "Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left." (v. 40-41) Jesus gives us further warning in the next few verses "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into.So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him." He isn't telling us when, but He's telling us we have to be on our P's and Q's at all times. But Harold Camping and Family Radio are proclaiming the exact opposite, in fact they are 'guarenteeing' that they know (based on random mathematical formulas that they have contrived) the exact hour of judgement and claiming that the "bible guarantees it" as well.

      I have been reading a lot of blogs and articles from believers and non-believers alike and I've noticed that people are mainly focusing on judgement day, and those May 21st-ers that believe it to be tomorrow; with a huge sense of ridicule. I've read things mocking judgment day and the rapture, seen cartoons depicting Jesus in mocking, Camping's people as mindless drones and just a profound sense of ridicule for not only those believers but Christians in general. I even read about an atheist group that were throwing an all night and all day party on Sunday May 22nd for those "who no longer believe the hype". And that's why May 21st isn't funny. Because come May 22nd, these zealous people [Judgement Day believers]; who I believe love Jesus and look forward to being with the Father will wake up confused and disillusioned because what they have believed is false. What they ceaselessly campaigned for, given their hard earned money for, met with ridicule for.... is a lie. My heart weeps for those who will cease to believe in God, who will add to the many who mock Christians for our 'fairytales', but also for those who continue to believe in Family Radio. Who will wait for the next 'date' and continue to go without a home church (as they believe the time for churches to be over), fellowship with the brethren, or perhaps without a full understanding of the bible in which they proclaim. My heart weeps for those who will fall further and further from the flock; who will lump all Christians together and mock this agenda as one of the entire body. In the days after 'judgement' Christianity is going to take a big hit, our faith will be put up to the test; which is perhaps a good thing and is all in His plans. Who can understand the mind of God after all? I know that God can even take this situation and make it for the good of His people, but still my heart cries out for those who May 21st will truly be their reckoning. There is power in words- life and death- as the bible says, and I will blatantly say here that Harold Camping is abusing the power he wields. One can only pray that too much death does not flow out. And that isn't funny.


xoxo
Priscilla


　
　
　
　
　
　            

In the beginning...

I'v been writing blogs for Rekindle Magazine for some time now but honestly never had the motivation/dedication/desire to actually blog for myself, I mean, really who wants to know what's going on with little ol' me? With the rise of twitter (ugh) and Facebook (guilty!) even the most mundane of things can be said in X amount of characters but there is something different about a blog. So, here is first spark of my own addition to the internet madness!