At the door…Salvation comes. (Poem)

Dear Lord,

you know these feeble hands

and waning strength

ebbing away as the ticking hand progresses

You know my thoughts

and how they stray wondering

further then a troubled runaway…

I can’t pretend in your presence

I can’t put up a front before you

You see right through me like

a window pane freshly washed

this house is open, doors unlocked

I cannot hide from you

not deny any skeletons yet residing.

yet you come to me

you still come to my level

and embrace me like everything

is alright…I know it’s not

and yet you remind me again

that your sacrifice has made me clean

you have made it right

made it right for me…

how can I accept this?

when I know i’m a mess?

How can I agree to this

when I can’t forgive who I am

the battle isn’t about what you are

and what you’ve done

but what I am and where I’ve been…

how can I let you in?

How can I let you see me like this?

Yet your grace, your face

your love your hope

surrounds me completely.

It’s too good for me and yet

you let me see that you grant

this gift to me freely!

Such amazing love,

such unmerited grace

falls upon me in this place

and I am whole again

I am so much more than I used to be

you have mended me

you have set me free…

and so I no longer let you stand

at the door on my front porch

but I let you in and let this

salvation thing in me begin.

May 13, 2013 1

Ashamed? Hell No!

2 Timothy 1:5-8 (NIV)
⁵I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also. ⁶For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. ⁷For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. ⁸So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God,

I hope I didn’t offend you…not my purpose. My purpose in my title is to ask which do we prefer Eternity in Heaven or Eternity in Hell. My choice? Hell? NO! Heaven? Yes! From this perspective I will not be ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ! I know in whom I have placed my trust and I will not back down from that!

The Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy to remind him to carry on the mission of Christ…to fan it into flame to ignite others and to never be ashamed of the Lord. I can imagine the early Christians facing all kinds of ridicule, mockery, imprisonment and death…Paul’s words go beyond basic embarrassment or shame it picks at the very heart of being a Christian. We are to be in essence gate keepers of heaven…guides if you will to the one who holds the keys of heaven and eternal life – Christ himself.

When we shy away from this role, when we passively allow injustices to occur and we look the other way because we’re afraid to get involved or how it will look we may as well be gate keepers of hell. I know that sounds pretty harsh but we have to stand for something or else we’ll fall for anything or allow anything to go in this life. And if we’re wise in our understanding of scripture we ought to acknowledge that scripture certainly doesn’t endorse an ‘anything goes’ notion in this life.

Timothy took up the gauntlet from the Apostle Paul. He did continue in spreading the word of Christ to all the world. He was a pivotal early church leader.

In our lives are we ashamed of Christ? Are we afraid to share our faith of Him to those we meet? I’m not talking about handing out “Get Saved Or Else” pamphlets here. I’m talking about developing trusting relationships with people so that when you present the gospel you are making a lasting impact on them. Being unashamed is a part of the role of a Christian. We can’t do this in our own strength however. We need the strength and power of the Holy Spirit to get it right and to be effective.

Ashamed? If we allow hell to prevail…I say Hell no! Stand up, be bold, be unashamed..and heaven Yes!

May 13, 2013 1

Sermon Podcast: A Mother’s Heritage

Sermon Link via Podomatic:

http://scottstrissel.podomatic.com/entry/2013-05-12T13_07_09-07_00

Also podcasts are a available free by download via iTunes: key word: brainerdcorps
Sermon Scripture Passage:

2 Timothy 1:3-8 (NIV)
³I thank God, whom I serve, as my forefathers did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. ⁴Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy. ⁵I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also. ⁶For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. ⁷For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. ⁸So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God,

3 Marks of Love (A Mother’s Heritage to pass on to her children):

1) Knowledge of a Savior

2) Knowledge of the Scriptures

3) A Passion to Serve!

May 12, 2013 0

Jesus Wept

Jesus wept…

did He weep for me?

Was He weeping

for Himself?

Was He afraid

knowing the path

that lay ahead…

it says he sweat

like drops of blood

was He conflicted

before the tree?

Was it a conflict

that He should die for me?

Two simple words

that pierce my heart

carrying with it a weight

of power and a wealth of love…

was I on His mind – with future

edging in, threatening Him?

Jesus wept…two words

that form on my tongue

and creep deeply in my soul

knowing in His tears he

carried my burdens

and washed them away.

May 9, 2013 0

Whispers or the love song? (Poem)

There is a whisper

breathless and full of repine

counting down the ifs

the and couldas and the shouldas…

the well is full of these regrets

with night as black as coal

and eyes that stare menacingly back

as if in reproach and in contrition.

Were it so and the hands of time

were to cooperate

the hands of man might undo

that which enslaves the mind, body and soul.

We are all slaves.

Shackled, broken, held against our

will, our identities wiped away

how wretched it must be

to remain if freedom loomed

with open door and nail pierced hands.

Though the whispers may continue

we do not have to listen anymore.

For there is a far better song

a lyric sewn with love

webbed with compassion

and grafted like our blood line

to our Father.

Yes, the whispers might continue

but give ear to the song of love

for it beckons and grants a much kinder

destination without chains or remorse.

May 9, 2013 0

Yeah it’s that time of year again…shorts are kicking jeans and khakis to the curb, ankle socks are in need of antidepressants as they are carelessly flung into some silent and dark corner of a draw in the dresser. The whirring and groaning of a leaf blower echoes off of the walls in this room as a neighbor attempts to tame his lawn again with the remnants of yesterday’s littering his driveway and the corners his fence line. Today summer is in the air thick and rife with hope, green grass sproutings and the children ambling down the block on post hibernating bicycles and summer clothing lines. Taking this moment, in breathing it in washing it down with a ball game on tv and longing longingly in my summer gear.

May 7, 2013 0

To my loving wife (A Poem)

In the breaking of the morning light

when the sun shakes the cobwebs of the dew

in the faceted mornings bright

that’s where I fell in love with you.

Flaxen hair golden in the sun

treasured heart of my heart

and hand intertwined with mine

on a sandy beach we promised forever.

and in the waning hours of the sun set

with ring in hand and promises of tomorrows

on knee I bent and ask you there

with passion of this love inside.

And still, though many a sun has come and gone

since then, and time has carried on its way

this love of mine, oh heart of my heart

still beats in time to the promised forevers.

I’m not just content to grow old with you

but rather in wisdom of age and heart

to speak the languages of your love

and cherish each day as a preview of eternity.

I love you.

May 6, 2013 0

At the finish line… (Poem)

From the gathering souls

who long to cherish our days

the light parades upon

the fallen ones.

While in the darkness

the blind, content to remain

not knowing there is so much more

settling for anything…losing identities

given at the creation.

I don’t wish to just make

it through

skin of my teeth peeled off

my hair beating me to the finish line

a split second dividing us by.

I don’t want to settle for mediocrity

for being just average

for fitting into a mold

that thousands have already

passed through…

to do so cheapens it

makes who we were created to be

so much less…and limited.

We are not limited to the air we breathe

I will not be held back by the

‘You can’ts’ and the ‘It’s can never be dones’

If I am held back, if I restrain but for a moment

this whole meaning of existence

loses its significance…this isn’t arrogance

this is faith in the One who sustains

and provides our proddings onward,

not our ploddings out into nowhere.

we are on a journey,

but there too is a destination…

So I’ll keep going…how about you?

May 3, 2013 0

“Anything to Declare?”

“You just have to get rid of so much baggage to be light enough to dance, to sing, to play. You don’t have time to carry grudges; you don’t have time to cling to the need to be right.” – Anne Lamott

“There’s a luggage limit to every passenger on a flight. The same rules apply to your life. You must eliminate some baggage before you can fly.” – Rosalind Johnson

“Do you have anything to declare?” This is commonly heard at international airports as a traveler, sometimes weary, enters their destination. It’s a question that must be asked for safety and security purposes that I think begs answering in our lives as well. I’ve never received a degree in counseling or psychology, but I’ve been around long enough to know that sometimes when we enter the present moment which is the doorway to the future we often are still carrying baggage from the past that prohibits us from entering and from moving on. Baggage, which is anger, regret, hurts, fears, scars (emotional & physical) can seriously limit us and that of the potential for personal and spiritual growth if we continue to carry them with us.

Jesus even alluded to these types of burdens when he said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30 NIV)

What is Jesus saying here? He is telling us to let go of our baggage! He is saying if you learn from me you will understand that you don’t have to carry this heavy burden any longer, my way is lighter and it will free you of your past, your baggage, your worries and fears. Jesus says to us in this passage that we ought to let go of it all…it doesn’t matter anymore…we can be free! Wouldn’t you like to forget some things about your past? Wouldn’t you like to let go of burdens that you’ve carried around with you for far too long? We were never meant to heap these worries, regrets and scars around with us for the rest of our lives! That was not God’s plan for us. Sure from time to time we have screwed up. Sure from time to time others have hurt us so very deeply. Sure from time to time we find it difficult to forgive that one person who broke our heart or betrayed us…yet that’s precisely what Jesus is asking us to do. He wants us to leave our past behind. He wants us to lay it down at His feet and for us to allow Him to help us.

I don’t presume to understand how God’s grace works, but I do know that it does. By faith, daily I must once again surrender my past to Him. I know that from time to time that even Satan will try and remind me of those things from my past. He will try to discourage me and persuade me that I really haven’t changed…and yet when I seek the Lord, when I read His word God shows me just how far I’ve come. The same is true for you as well. You can let go. You will be free. The answers to healing your past and restoring your future lies with the One that made you, not the ones that have hurt you, or the situations that you fiercely regret.

The Lord is asking us today; “Do you have anything to declare?” If we are wise we will declare everything to Him, and allow Him to restore our present and future by letting go of the baggage that weighs us down and holds us back. Don’t let your past dictate where you go today or tomorrow! You and I can be free…but first we must confront and let go of the baggage.

There’s an old prayer chorus our church used to sing and it goes like this:

“Burdens are lifted at Calvary, Calvary, Calvary, Burdens are lifted at Calvary…Jesus is very near!” Jesus wants to be near to you today, He wants to lift your burdens, your baggage from you…will you let Him?

Prayer:

Lord I have been carrying around this baggage from my past for far too long and it is weighing me down. This baggage is holding me back from growing in your grace. Help me to surrender it all to you today! I know that it may not happen all at once, but grant me your strength to surrender it all to you! I want to learn from you, I want that freedom that only you can offer. Thank you Lord for guiding me and for being here with me each step of the way. –Amen.

May 3, 2013 1

On the journey

Like the sorrows of the sea

drifting back and forth,

froth with foam

deep as the midnight sky

a firmament of wonder

that stretches out far beyond

our eyes can see…

there we find our humble

existence.

There we recognize

just how finite we are

within an infinite realm.

As the ebb and flow

the undertow

and the currents of time

cast us about messages in bottles

and washed up wreckages

we tell our tale, a story to share

existential clarity

never charity but love

centered and fine.

This pure hope resounds

keeps stillness at bay,

at arms length the death knell

is silenced.

Thankful

I close my eyes…

and enjoy this journey.

May 2, 2013 0

Category: Faith Ponderings