THE OPEN ROAD

ISAIAH 61:1,2,3

9/14/2019

      ISAIAH 61:1,2,3

    The Spirit of the Lord God
is upon me because the Lord
hath anointed me to preach
good tidings unto the meek

    He hath sent me to bind up
the broken hearted
to proclaim liberty to the captives
and the opening of the prison
to them that are bound

  To proclaim the acceptable year
of the Lord, and the day of vengeance
of our God
To comfort all that mourn

    To appoint them that mourn
in Zion
to give them beauty for ashes
The oil of joy for mourning
The garment of praise
for the spirit of heaviness
that they might be called
trees of righteousness
the planting of the Lord
that he might be glorified

TO RACE AGAIN 587

9/14/2019

TO RACE AGAIN 587

Running
I swiftly go
Toward the finish line
Turning around
I see my nearest competitor
But alas, I fail to see
The pebble in my way
Twisting my ankle
I go down
Rapidly, I rebound
But it is too late
The race is over
My time is spent
I must wait
Until another day
To race again

(First published on February 13, 1979)

ON BEING LITTLE 88

9/11/2019

   ON BEING LITTLE 88 10 15 2012

   "Life" said Benjamin Disraeli,
"is too short to be little."

"Little", here of course, has no reference
to physical size, but rather alludes to
the height of our mental and moral
stature.

Our spiritual tallness does not depend
on harmonal activity, but rather, on our
ability to live in harmony with our God
and fellowman.

Are we growling and grovelling...
or are we growing and glowing?

Do we treat our fellowman with respect
or do we trodden down his soul with a discouraging word and the vindictive
glance?

When the sun comes up in the morning,
whence shall be our direction?...
Toward tallness...or smallness?

After all, life is too short...to belittle.

(First published on October 18, 1975)

ISAIAH 60:7,11,13

9/7/2019

   ISAIAH 60:7,11,13

   All the flocks of Kedar
shall be gathered together
unto thee

  The rams of Nebaioth shall
minister unto thee. They shall
come up with acceptance
on my alter, and I will glorify
the house of my glory

Therefore thy gates shall be
opened continually
They shall not be shut day
nor night, that men may bring
unto thee the forces of the Gentiles,
and that their kings may be brought

  The glory of Lebanon shall come
unto thee, the fir tree, the pine tree,
and the box together, to beautify
the place of my sanctuary

  And I will make the place of my feet
glorious

A TOUCH OF WONDER 208

9/7/2019

   A TOUCH OF WONDER 208

When we were children
We tried to count all the stars
In the sky and we were struck
With a touch of wonder

As we grew, it often amazed us
How little puppies grew
And grew and grew and grew
And every day was new
With a touch of wonder

In our youth, we often sat
At our parents' feet
And marveled at the miracles
Of Jesus, and dreamed
With a touch of wonder

   We cuddle our children now
And snuggle them warm in their beds
Who has privileged us so
We ask as we kneel in prayer
With a touch of wonder

One day we shall take
That fateful journey
Across the gulf of immortality
And place our hand in His
With a touch of wonder

(First published on August 24, 1978
                                       with revisions on September 07, 2019)

HOLY MATRIMONY 600

9/7/2019

HOLY MATRIMONY 600

An interesting question just popped
  into my mind, and I thought that I
  would ask it for all of you husbands
  out there...

Are you learning to live with you wife more,
  or are you learning to live with her less?

Now I anticipate some wise wag to reply,
   "I'm learning to live with my wife, more or less."

But, that's not exactly what I had in mind.
   What was inferred by the question, was
   the supposition that marriage partners
should grow together...closer and closer..
Only then does holy matrimony occur.

Marriages were meant to be continually beautiful.
The Lord is glorified by and through holy matrimony.

How does you grow your marriage this night?
Together...or apart? Holy marriages take time
and patience.

                   A blissful state of matrimony takes a lifetime
                   Of work, worship and prayer.

                  (First published March 25, 1979. Revisions added
                   On September 7, 2019.)

A SIMPLE PRAYER (7)

9/2/2019

A SIMPLE PRAYER (7)

O Lord, I ask of thee
to give to me
the power of the weak
the wisdom of the poor
the understanding of
the pitiful
In Jesus' name, amen

(Written on September 2, 2019)

See:A SIMPLE PRAYER (5), July 28, 2017
for a listing of all A Simple Prayers)

ISAIAH 60:1,2,3,4

9/1/2019

ISAIAH 60:1,2,3,4

   Arise, shine, for the light
is come, and the glory
   of the Lord is risen upon
   thee

For behold, the darkness
shall cover the earth, and
gross darkness the people

But the Lord shall arise upon
thee, and his glory shall be
seen upon thee

And the gentiles shall come
to the light and kings to the
brightness of thy rising

Lift up thine eyes round about,
and see;all they gather themselves
together, they come to thee
thy sons shall come from far,
and thy daughters shall be nursed
at thy side

SPIRITUAL Rx (6) 598

8/31/2019

SPIRITUAL Rx (6)

The holidays have ended (if not all the football
games) and it's back to work for most of us. The
scriptures indicate a norm of six days work to one day
of rest.

Herein are some Scriptures we hope you'll find
helpful for those "working" days ahead...

1. Psalms 3:6..."There be many that say, who will
shew us any good? Lord, lift thou up the light of thy
countenance upon us."

2. Psalms 12:6... "The words of the Lord are pure
words: as silver tried in a furnance of earth, purified
seven times."

3. Psalms 13:6..."I will sing into the Lord because
he hath dealt bountifully with me."

4. Psalms 23:6..."Surely goodness and mercy shall
follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in
the house of the Lord for ever."

5. Psalms 62:6..."He only is my rock and my salvation:
he is my defense" I shall not be moved."

6. Psalms 47:6... "Sing praises to God, sing praises:
sing praises unto our King, sing praises."

7.Psalms 89:6..."For who is in heaven can be compared
unto the Lord? Who among the sons of the mighty can
be likened unto the Lord?"

8. Psalms 96:6..."Honor and majesty are before him"
strength and beauty are in his sanctuary."

9. Psalms 107:6..."Then they cried unto the Lord
in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their
distresses."

10. Psalms 150:6..."Let every thing that hath breath
praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord."

(First published on March 27, 1979)

BOUNTEOUS HARVEST 218

8/31/2019

      BOUNTEOUS HARVEST 218

                                          We are troubled on every side
Or so it would appear
                                          Yet we discern in the distant grey
                                          A golden dawn quietly drawing near

                                          Anxieties of the time press down
                                          Yet our misfortunes are easy to bear
         For we have a Father in Heaven
        Who listens to our humble prayer

                                          Every problem contains a hidden blessing
        We really have nothing to fear
         Clouds of darkness are now dispersing
         And God's plans are becoming clear

                                         With hope we look toward tomorrow
         With faith we cast away care
       Our burdens we leave far behind us
      And in the Lord's bounteous harvest,
      we'll share

(First published on September 9,1976 .
Slight revision made on August 31, 2019 )