OF GOD’S MAJESTY,  MERCY AND GRACE, PART 1 OF 2

 

Opening
I intend these preliminary words and thoughts to speak of God, and thus show forth His own Majesty and Glory.  Yes; we humans are enjoined to do everything for His Glory, whether we eat, drink, dream or speak.

 

But whether we do these things consciously or not, there are animate and inanimate things from the whole realm of creation that CONSTANTLY confirm and celebrate Jehovah and extol His Name.

 

As a reminder, I wish to commit the rest of body of this text to God’s special Glory!  The second, Part 2, is my visual record of how the Knowledge of God is imprinted in every mind, body and soul, irrespective of place, time age, or circumstance, which is a confirmation of Romans 1:19-20. It is very common for vendors and commercial cars to display, in writing, short quotations or sayings that affirm the scriptures and which are essential strategies for advertising their wares and engaging clientele and general audience. This common practice builds on our indigenous world view and spiritual-religious orientations where the Supreme God is often invoked and acknowledged, both in everyday life and in special  or highly framed contexts. For example GRACE (and their local re-translations such as ADOM in Akan, AMENUVEVE in Ewe, and DROMɔ in Ga), GOD FIRST, NYAME TEASE (God lives/exists, in Akan, or  MAWULI in Ewe) and others are often among the favorite inscriptions. Part 2 is thus a photographic documentation of some of these everyday encounters in the Ghanaian society—all to HIS GLORY, indeed, even if commercial goals are primary.

His Glory?

As you and I can imagine or understand, there is no exact equivalent in any language that would most appropriately translate “glory.” Especially God’s glory. All of us should then appreciate the fact that there is actually no way a mere mortal—not even angels—can grasp the full extent and impact of His Glory.

 

How can I, then,  fill these pages (or complete the writing of this text) in order to truly record His Glory?
We can only imagine an infinite (endless) number of pages, a feeble and faulty estimation of His Infinite Glory. I can barely capture or sense and describe a fraction of that Wondrous Glory.

These pages are punctuated, high and low:,

of epiphanies, theophanies, and most often by the taints of my gross failings—aka “sin.” Regardless of the impressions on these pages, it is the same Almighty who created and endowed a mere butterfly to hatch, nurse, and bring out  most resplendent and variegated moths and butterflies out of ugly, disgusting and repulsive-looking pupae and larvae!

 

I couldn’t help but join the  writer of the hymn

“The Love of God”, v. 3
Could we with ink the ocean fill,
  And were the skies of parchment made;
Were every stalk on earth a quill,
  And every man a scribe by trade;
To write the love of God above
  Would drain the ocean dry;
Nor could the scroll contain the whole,
  Though stretched from sky to sky.

[Author: Frederick M. Lehman in 1917]

 

 

 

                            ► ▒ ◄

 

 

 

 

 

 HIS GOODNESS
JUNE 13, 2000  (GHANA)

 

Have you tasted the Love of God?

Have you heard of His pardoning Grace?

Have you seen His Majesty displayed?

Then, Unto Him give the Glory

Unto Him give the Praise

Unto Him give the Honor

 



SIMPLE PRAISE

JUNE 14, 2000 (GHANA)

 

Let's give back Unto Him all the Blessing

Let the Praises ascend Unto Him

Let the sounds of joy Lift Him up

 

 

 LORD OF GLORY

JUNE 15, 2000  (GHANA)

 

Beyond comprehension

Beyond description

Beyond all wonders

Beyond sight and sound
Beyond mind and reason

Beyond a borderless universe

Beyond gold and diamond

Beyond the most distant sun

...He is the Lord of Glory

Behold, behold His Glory.

 



KING OF GLORY

JUNE 16, 2000  (GHANA)

 

Every day, every hour, every moment

His Majesty shines forth

He reveals His Grace to all

But to His children, a Special Grace

To His own, a Love Supreme

They walk in His mercies

They broadcast His Love

Their hearts overflow  with thanksgiving

For He  is GOOD

And no human eye can see or imagine them all

What He has done for me..

 

 

GOD IS GOD AT ALL TIMES
JUNE 17, 2000 (GHANA)

 

God in all His Grace

God in all His Love

God in all His Mercy

God in all His Might

God in all His Justice

God in all His Holiness

 

Creation reveals Him

The gold and the diamond

The worm and the cuckoo

The Cross reveals Him

The Sacrifice and the cleansing

Every moment reveals Him

Yesterday, today, tomorrow -- He is always there!

 

God of a boundless universe

God of indescribable Kingdom

 

 

HE IS EVERYWHERE
JUNE 18, 2000  (GHANA)

 

Day or night

At home, or abroad

Alive or dead

Asleep or awake

The Lord's mercies are true

He guides the feet of those who  trust Him completely

Yesterday, today, tomorrow

And in all Eternity

God is always there! And Here!!!

 

 

TAKE CONTROL, LORD
JUNE 19, 2000  (GHANA, contd.)

 

Take my every word

Examine my every thought

Weigh my every motive

Straighten my every step

 

 Remove the pride

and fill me with humility

This, Lord, do for all eternity

 

Light my way

So that my steps will be secure

Give me strength and integrity

To walk boldly in your Truth

 

Forgive the sins of today…
But they have been washed away!

Now, lead me toward the highway of righteousness

My life a sweet holy fragrance unto You.

 

 

 HE MADE EVERYTHING
JUNE 20, 2000 (GHANA)

 

God, who made us all

God, who loves all

God, who knows all

God, who rules over all

 

To you be the Glory

To you be the Honor

 

Your Creation too majestic to behold

Your Ways too deep to discern

Your Love too generous to describe
… … … that is, lack of words…, …
… … … that is, unworthy to behold it all.

 

 

HE LIVES FOREVER
JUNE 21, 2000 (GHANA)

 

The moon shines for a season

The waters fill their shores for a season

The flowers blossom for a season

Kings and queens reign for a season

But the Almighty‑‑He is Eternal

He lives and reigns forever

 

 

HIS LOVING KINDNESS
JUNE 22, 2000 (GHANA)

 

All I can see

All that I cannot see

He guides and He blesses

And I stand in awe

I stand dumbfounded

For His Grace and Loving kindness

Surround and protect me

 

 

TO BE WHOLE, HOLY, AND WHOLLY HIS
JUNE 23, 2000 (GHANA)

 

I long for that hour, that moment

To be totally free in Christ

To be totally free of sin

To be a true overcomer

To be a true hero of the Faith

So that I can truly praise Him

So that I can truly honor Him

So that I can truly serve Him

 

But for now, Lord

Guide my spirit

Guide my mind

Guide my desires

Guide my secret meditations

So that I do not repeat former sins

So that every time

I can overcome
With praise and thanksoffering to your Name.

… To be holy, and wholly yours!

 

 

 

 

THE LORD OF ALL
JUNE 23, 2000 (GHANA)

 

Some lord it over others

Some look down on the Law

Some are led by the letters of the Law only

But…. the Spirit's Law

It is the Lord

The Lord of all…Law of all laws

‘Tis the Lord, whose Law of Love is Christ

 

 

FOR HIS NAME'S SAKE
JUNE 24, 2000 (GHANA)

 

Lord, your name is holy

Help me to keep it holy

Help me to hate

All things that dishonor your name

All things that grieve your heart

 

You have shown me how to fear your name

How to reverence your name

And that is: TO HAVE EVIL

Yes, Thou art holy

Lord, help me keep your name holy

For your holy name's sake

 

 

ONE MORE CHANCE

JUNE  25, 2000 (GHANA)

 

He gives grace, NOT TO SIN

Time and time again

Out of His lovingkindness

But there is sin in me

I sin everyday

Help me Lord

To overcome completely

To be completely free of sin in your awesome presence

... And Grace to cover all my sin

 

 

THE GODLY LIFE
JUNE 26, 2000 (GHANA)

 

The life that is controlled by the Holy Spirit

The life that is humble and full of integrity

The life that is full of the fear of the Lord

The life that causes all to say, "Lord, thank you"

The life that is always seeking to honor Christ

The life that is always conscious of God’s awesome presence

The life that is always the sweet‑smelling sacrifice

 

 

HE IS ALL IN ALL
JUNE 27, 2000 (GHANA)

 

Christ is the King of kings

Ruler of the universe

He will come again

To complete our perfection

He is the only hope

The source of all goodness and perfection

While we struggle here below

 

Often in sin, often in doubt

Bringing shame and dishonor to His name

But He is  and remains the King of kings

Lord of lords

He who pardons and heals

He who restores

To make us worthy of His true worship

Lord, have mercy on me

You are, indeed

ALL-IN-ALL!


THE MERCIES OF GOD
JUNE 28, 2000 (GHANA)

 

Everyday I sin against His holy name

Everyday I look up to Him for help

Everyday I am torn between good and evil

Everyday He proves merciful

Everyday  He gives me another chance

Everyday He provides

But every time I try to please Him on my own

I bring Him only disgrace
Only when He leads [Phil 2:13]
Then I am able to do His will, even if imperfectly

 

It is His mercy

It is His love

It is His longsuffering

It is His Fatherly heart

It is His Omnipotence

It is His Omniscience

It is His Omnipresence

It is His Great Mercy
It is His Mighty Power--El_Shaddai

That keeps me going

Always with a song of thanksgiving

 

 

 

THE GREAT HEART OF GOD
JUNE 30, 2000 (GHANA)

 

For every step I take

For every word I speak

For every thought I imagine

For every friend I have

For every blessing

They all come from the GREAT HEART OF GOD

 

For every Victory

For every Honor or award

For every Recognition

For every Assignment

For every will to Thank You

They all come from the GREAT HEART OF GOD

 

 

THE MIRACLE OF HIS LOVE
JULY 2, 2000 (GHANA)

 

He speaks to me in His Word

He speaks to me in His Creation

He speaks to me in His Spirit

He speaks to me in His Compassion

He speaks to me in His Correction

He speaks to me in His great Providence

He speaks to me in His Faithfulness

He speaks to me in His great Love

The Love that knows no boundaries

The Love that is unconditional

The Love that brings life to the dead

The Love that pardons all

 

 

DEATH‑LIFE  SENTENCE
JULY 4, 2000 (GHANA)

 

He hates sin

His wrath is against sin

And there is always sin in me

But the death sentence I deserve

Christ bore it all

He gave me a special delivery: eternal life

What should I do then for Him?

He has shown me what to do

Micah 6:8

Lord, help me to walk with you today

 

 

ANOTHER DAY

JULY 5, 2000  (GHANA)

 

Let me look up to Him

Give up myself totally

That He may reign

That He may lead

That He may instruct

That He may be glorified

 

Help me not to repeat the sins of yesterday

Help me not to worry about tomorrow

Help me not to put anyone down

Help me to lift up someone today

Help me to fear your name today

Another day when you must be honored

 

 

 

 

NEW MERCIES
JUNE 6, 2000 (GHANA)

 

His almighty hands

Bring new and fresh mercies

They reveal His Love--all excelling

Not that we might continue to sin

But to be convicted

To be restrained by the Holy Spirit

To partake in the worship of His name

To raise up hands and voices without blemish

For the King of kings is Holy and Just

 

AT THE THRESHOLD OF THE HOLY
JULY 7, 2000 (GHANA)

 

Help me  take one more step

To enter your perfect holiness

Where there is no sin or imperfection

Where my Savior is all Real

Where sin has not opportunity

Take me beyond this threshold

Into the perfect realm of holiness

Where all life is a holy offering unto God

Where He will always occupy my consciousness

 

 

HELP ME TO OVERCOME
JULY 9, 2000  (GHANA)

 

Every temptation

Every challenge

Every opportunity

Let your will be done

Le your Holy Light shine through

Let your strong arms lead me

To overcome

To give you the praise

To say, "Thank you, Lord"

 

 

 

GOD, AND THERE IS NONE OTHER
JULY 11, 2000  (GHANA)

 

'Tis God; none other

'Tis His might; no other power

'Tis His Love; no other love

'Tis His wonder; no other miracle

'Tis His Word; no other Bible

'Tis His salvation; no other savior

'Tis His world; no other creator

''Tis His infinite grace and mercy

Before Him and the whole world

I stand prostrate and amazed!

 

 

 

YOU PUT IT THERE, JEHOVAH-JIREH!
JULY 13, 2000 (GHANA)

 

For every blessing

For every act of kindness

For every help

For every kind surprise

...You put there, Lord

 

For every smile on my face

For every joy in heart

For every friend  I have

For every moment to live

For every opportunity

...You put it there, Lord


For every struggle
For every stumble
For every pain
For every disappointment
These are but a call
To behold, acknowledge and celebrate you
With much joy, hope, victory---the very opposites
For you are God who provides—Jehovah-Jireh!

 

THANK YOU, LORD!
Thank you for this day

Thank you for the birds waking

Thank you for the sun coming

Thank you for the morning breeze

Thank you for a hope for today

 

Thank you, Lord

But the real thanksoffering

When I am fully yielded to you

When I do your perfect will

When I serve you gladly and with a zeal

When I am a doer of your Word

Glory be to your name today

 

 

 IN PRAISE OF GOD
In Toronto, Canada, November 1, 2000

 

Who else?

No spirit, imagined or real

Can compare with

God in His majesty and great mercy

So what?

My life's business:  To praise and honor Him

 

How do you define praise?

Not empty words or some fancy deeds

But words or songs that are Spirit-sent

Do you get it?

Such is the nature of real praise unto God--

It comes out naturally

And flows without any hindrance
Because it comes from and led by His Spirit

 

But why praise?

Of course, I said it is spontaneous act of worship

Why spontaneous?

Because it is Spirit-sent

Why Spirit-sent?

Because your spirit is witnessing to God and all

About the unspeakable things He has done for you!

 

Why praise?

Because He gives abundantly

More so

He gives in ways we cannot see

And since He gives only what's good

There's the reason to give the praise and thanks

 

Why praise?

If you believe He exists and made you

Then you, how miserable a sinner you are

So, when we deserve so much punishment and the ultimate death

He forgives all--the Cross says so

As for this, there is no excuse BUT to give praise and thanks UNCEASINGLY

 

           

ANOTHER DAY IS DONE-1 THANK YOU, LORD!
Nov. 2, 2000  (Toronto, Canada)

 

I have indulged myself in some unwholesome words

Be it a gossip, complain, or uncontrolled jesting

Lord, let it be

That I might truly give reverence to your Name

That I might fear your Holy presence

That your omnipresence will lead me to honor you

With all my heart, soul and strength

 

Father, do not hold the sins of today against me

For I cannot bear the punishment they deserve

Instead, remove the stubbornness in me

And let me give heed to Your instructions

Though I have heard and read enough

Teach me again in your patience

That I might remain your  faithful and obedient servant

 

This day is done

But no noble deed done

To raise your Name

But lead me to a better tomorrow

Where I can shine with the light of Christ

To let the whole world see you Face

In the face of Christ and through me

Yes, your Everlasting Love

Has wrought the unspeakable in my life

All I can say is:

"Thank you, Lord."

 

 

 

ANOTHER DAY IS DONE-2 THANK YOU, LORD!
 Nov. 2, 2000  (Toronto, Canada)

 

Thank you for all the people I met today

Thank you for those few who love your name

Thank you for my roommates here: Mark and Eric

Thank you for old friends here

 

Thank you for this place, Toronto

Thank you for the gifts you have given us

Thank you for the different tongues and faces

Thank you for the great minds and skills you gave to many

 

 

The night is come

I am weary and coffee will not help

But Lord, let me reflect on your goodness

Before I fall asleep

Forgive my failings of today

Forgive my gossiping of today

Forgive my resentment of today

Forgive my pride of today

Forgive me for the opportunities missed

Forgive me for the opportunities misused

Forgive me for any idle word spoken today

Help me to encourage someone tomorrow

And let my heart be ever thankful unto you.

 

 

 

NB: The following poems are from the original Reflections: poems of faith booklet of 1985, written and compiled in Bloomington, IN, USA.

 

 

1. CONDESCENSION
My prayers are but rags

Which I throw at God

Some are blown away by the wind

Some get caught up in the trees

Some sluggishly fall at His feet

 

But you know what!

He is a Master Architect
He perceives a design in those that fall at His side

Or, He collects them and constructs
Beautiful designs out of them

He then sends them back to adorn my ragged life.



2. AMIDST THE TUMULT
My daily tasks and cares

From the twilight to the dusk

My lifeblood runs hot

Whether cool day or mid-day Tropical

This world’s problems

Converging swiftly and surely on me

 

To pause and take that sweet breadth

To renew my strength and hope

To walk abreast with the Lord

Rather than abreast with the world

To be AT REST while ACTIVE in my call

To be at peace in a world that is in deep disarray.

 

 

3. ABOUT GOD, OUR PRAISE
The Lord is good, say it again

Perfect goodness

A perfect superlative of "Good"

But, you know what?

That Goodness our carnal minds cannot comprehend

 

He is Good

He is most Perfect

Words His greatness cannot reveal

We are forever handicapped

But we can be whole

Because He was once handicapped

For a while on our behalf

 

The Psalms teach you how to praise Him

This a spontaneous  duty must be

When His love our hearts has filled

There's no place for sorrow or bitterness

Let Him dwell in your unconsciousness

Let Him dwell in your consciousness

 

 

4. VICTORY ASSURED
When in the time of ills

Thy heart frail and cold

Thy Maker is there and here

To warm thee with the Spirit's fire

That thou may respond to all situations

With love and smile

And VICTORY is assured

 

Christ once was a "Victim"

But now a Victor forever

When the General overcomes

Loyal soldiers in the booty feast together

But in our lives He must first rule

 

 

 

 

 

5. DYING EVERYDAY
Each day let's die to the "self"

Resigning into the fuller life in Christ

So that having lost all

We can life abundant find

In Him who is the Source of all life

 

This flesh, a reminder of this empty world

But flesh is temporal, just like the world

It is the Spirit of God in Christ that quickens life eternal

And all saints eternal life gain

 

Let's die to self

Go the extra mile--though slapped twice

This is dying to self

And the ability comes from Christ within

Who enables every good act

But the self must die

For Christ to live and reign within

 

 

6. THESE OUR TIMES
The Voice that's eternal

The Word that's sure

The promise that stands

The warning that's real

...this generation must heed

 

The quake, the storm

The deluge, and the murder

The cult and rebel kingdoms

The famine and the drought

That dubious prophet and the curious mind

OH, these hard times

 

 

7. THERE'S NO OTHER ROOM
When God's love fills my life

There's no room for hatred

When Heavenly joy fills my life

There's no room for grief

 

When the Holy Spirit overwhelms me

There's no room for other spirits

When Christ is on the Throne

There's no place for other masters

 

When Jesus has served

There's no room for a boast

When His blood was shed

There's no room for my "sacrifice"

 

When Resurrection story is told

There's no room for Death

When He and the Father are One

There's no room for distrust

 

When all things freely given

There's no room for hoarding or wanting

When Salvation is free

There's no room for waiting!

 

 

 

 

8. HIS PRAISE
Have a reason to pray?

Then have a reason to PRAISE

While we laud Him, some choose to doubt

 

Turn the Asking into PRAISE

And let PRAISE be prayerful

Only we are blind

Ignorant of what He has already supplied

 

For a single drop of rain

For an invisible grain of sand

For the shrill of night creatures

All laud and PRAISE him

 

For the promise of Christ's return

For the joy, peace, and sins forgiven

For the personal encounter with Him

Let's laud and PRAISE Him

 

For one more soul redeemed

For this period of Grace

And Grace to choose Him now

Let's laud and PRAISE Him

 

 

9. FOR THE INFIDEL
He who denies Him

Fails to receive a highest gift ever bestowed

For Christ is the Life

The True Life

But do you know?

This richer life is FREE

 

He  kept on promising

And forgiving

In our hours of erring

I listened as He speaks

I was encouraged

Then the trouble changed

Then a VICTORY!

H-A-L-L-E-L-U-J-A-H!

Christ, God of the Old and New Testaments

Let's make you God of our present predicament

For Thou art ALL IN ALL AND FOR ALL

 

 

He is still on the Throne

But where is that Throne?

In your heart?

He is still in the Temple

But where is that Temple?

Your body not the Temple?

 

 

10. WHY I SHOULD BELIEVE

I know Him

                He made us all

He made me

                I know Him, even in this imperfection

He reigns o'er all His creation

                He must rule o'er me

I know Him

                For He is in my life

And oft I dare sin

                But He's my loving Father

I know him
                For He knew and called me FIRST!

 

 

 

12.  PERFECTION FAR OFF?
Oh, How?

Oh, When?

To be totally free and pure

And still live in this world

To reflect on the bright and pure image of Christ

 

But Thou has promised

And I do believe...all things are possible

Even to be more like You

To remain perfect amidst imperfections

But when You come again—we shall see perfection, at last!

 

Thy glory and Mercy to transform me now

And I'll enter Thy presence

As Thou art Everywhere - Omnipresence

But I am ashamed in your presence
For there is sin in me!
But thank you Lord, Jesus
For standing in my place, a holy place!

 

Before we destroy this thy world

Thy Word must be fulfilled

We know Thou art coming

And all things shall surely come to pass

 

 

13.  A HITCHHIKER'S STORY
 Genuine and frank outpourings

A catalog of past deeds

Fully recounted, though not noble

Full of misery, broken hearted, confusion and vagary

Chased here and there

And held behind bars once

In vain attempt at vengeance

 

I suspected him at first

Took caution to avoid being mugged

When he thumbed for a ride

A hiker in search of abode, peace, and Salvation

 

I first hesitated, then played the Good Samaritan

En route, spiritual problems encountered

A troubled man he was

But look, he knows the scriptures

God and His mercy he acknowledged

But his accounts contradicted the acknowledgments

Yes, he recounted his misdeeds

All due to a lover lost

 

"I'm tired of sinning," said he

Thinking he has a right to reclaim a former lover

And wants God's will  in that direction

But God's will should be done

And how hard it was for him

To forego an unfaithful lover and to  receive  JESUS

A true story applicable to  many!

   (all happened on my way from Bloomington, IN to Nashville, IN, USA)

 

 

 

14. MOMENT OF SILENCE
LORD, speak to me

Within this dreary hour of loneliness

That I, from this Satan's hold removed

Might fully enter Thy Holiness

 

Lord, this moment of silence

My needs and thoughts I lay bare

Though hid in my heart

Thou knowest them all

 

LORD, this moment of silence

Before it's gone

Let the story of Christ unfold

Totally envelop me now and forever

 

Before the world intrudes again

Or, before I relapse

Before this hour is past

Lord, strengthen and arm me

To fight the Peace Battle for Christ

 

Oh, this moment of silence

My heart dark with sin

Kindly accept this faintest praise

And rule all, possess all

Till Thy kingdom is established

 

 

15. HE'S COMING 
Some wait in sin, in doubt

Some in fears waiting

Some in tears waiting

Yes, He's coming without a doubt

 

Waiting takes on faithfulness

Waiting is acting on in His righteousness

Waiting is running the race

In His kingdom to win a place

...wait: run to meet Him … He's coming!

 

 

 

16.  WHAT A GOD!

What a Mercy, what a Love!

A God Who came down

A God so Humble?

All to do away with our wretchedness

 

What a God!

Himself hath taught us

How to PRAY AND PRAISE HIM!

 

What a God!

Who forgives the worst and repeated sins

This is our mocking we pay back

But this is His LOVE!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

17. THESE FINAL DAYS
Heard of the earthquake?

That a hundred souls hath swallowed?

Heard of the plane crash?

That many bodies hath dismembered?

Heard of the Holiday accident toll?

That left many speechless on the highway?

Heard of the armed robbery?

The slaughter and murder?

 

Surely, we're helping Satan disfigure God's beautiful creation

 

But can man nullify the work of God?

NO! Christ is coming again!

 

Heard of the flood

That swept souls into eternity?

Heard of the landslide

That buried many alive?

Heard of the tornado

That dislodged many from their homes?

Heard of the "Sahel," drought and famine?

Oh Savior, come quickly!

 

 

18. HIM, HIM, HIM!
OH, THANK HIM

Thank Him till He says, "'Tis enough"

                But do you know...

'Twill never be "enough"

'Cause His love is more than enough!

 

OH, LOVE HIM

Love Him till He says,
Enter into my Rest
But there is no rest from praising Him!
Never give up loving Him

And loving means DOING HIS WILL

 

OH,PRAISE HIM

Praise Him till He says, "Stop"

                But do you know...

He gives power to praise continually

Praise as you've never done before

There is no rest from Praising and Worshipping Him

 

 

 

19.  AMIDST THE TUMULT
My daily tasks and cares

From the twilight to the dusk

My lifeblood runs hot

Whether cool day or mid-day Tropical

This world's problems

Converging swiftly and surely on me

 

To pause and take that sweet breath

To renew my strength and hope

To walk abreast with THEE, GOD

Rather than abreast with the world

To be AT REST while  ACTIVE in my call

To be at peace in a world disarray

 

 

 

20. THIS IS HIS LOVE
What have I done for His name?

Does He give strength

So that I may multiply in sin?

Does He give more years

So that I may shame Him?

You gave yourself for a sacrifice

And you endured pain and shame for me

This is LOVE!

 

 

 

 

The following prayerful and meditative thoughts were composed during my trip to Ghana in the summer of 2001.

 

 

 

 

DIVINE FAVOR
JUNE 11, 2001 [*Juanita” is a substitute ; real name withheld]

 

“I need a divine favor, Oh Lord,” says Juanita*

When bogged down by Ghanaian airport culture-Tedious customs and curious crowds

But that was no mean expression of Faith supplied

Faith supplied by the  Almighty Himself--He’s always Here and there

 

Then she found her sweetheart

Both of them trust in the Lord

My room and camera testify to this

That the mercies of God

How unspeakable

And He remains so

Even after Eternity is gone (Eternity does not end, anyway)

Even for our bloody hands of sin

 

This is the beginning and a continuation

Of praise and thanksoffering in a different place

That He makes the way

That He provides

That He forgives

That He does not repay us according to our sins

 

Today, and before yesterday

Through it all

I have had doubts,

Serious fears and doubts

About this trip

About this wonderful provision again

That His Love will never cease

Even if our hearts are imperfect

Great, Great, Great is your faithfulness unto me

  [It was on December 4, 2008 that I grasped a fuller meaning of “Great” in relation to His Faithfulness, as summed up in Lamentations 3: 23]

 

 

SATISFIED

JUNE 12, 2001

Are your words consistent with what you believe?

What about your complains

One pastor Joel Cooper once said:

“Every complain is ultimately a complaint against God”

What about that?

 

Did I complain today?

Yes, I did

Did my words match with what I believe?

No, not quite

Was there any song of praise in my heart today?

I can’t even remember

 

But one thing I do remember and well:

This French Bible in my “guest” room:

“Il intercède pour nous!”

Which  translates:

“He intercedes on our behalf”  ROMANS 8:34

 

In other words, I am still a sinner

But he covered me on Calvary

And more so, He intervenes

And intercedes

In my moments of recklessness or wretchedness

Or both

 

But more so, do  you notice the French emphasis “!”

That’s  comforting

And this is why I am SATISFIED

 

 

 

WHO ARE THE CHILDREN OF GOD [ROMANS 8:14]

JUNE 13, 2001

 

Those who suffer with Christ

Those who conquer with Christ

Those who rejoice in Christ

Those who share the love of Christ

Those have the Spirit of Christ

Those whom the Father has called

Before the beginning of the world

 

Who are these children of God?
They are those who names are written in Heaven

They are those who names live on earth

They are those who are ..led by Him

They are those whose spirits testify about the Spirit

 They are those trust Him daily

They are those  who praise Him in EVERY SITUATION

They are those know how to FEAR Him

They are those who take time to listen to Him

They are those who love His word

They are those who love and honor His name

They are those whose blessings are beyond human imagination

They are those whose minds are focused on Him

They are those whose hearts are broken and can say,

“Lord, forgive my many sins”

They are those who will judge the world with Him!

 

 

 

 

 

 

HE CHANGETH NOT
June 14, 2001

 

I was not patient today,

I was not quite loving today

I did not control my temper enough

You see, this is not Godly

To be like Him, to take on the character of God

We must always remain faithful

We must always be loving

We must always be patient

We must always be kind

We must always be longsuffering

We must be forgiving, ALWAYS!

 

So, Lord

Forgive my lack of trust in you today

When I wavered, and doubted

Take charge, Lord

And let your will be done

And this will includes:

Loving you

Honoring you with a holy fear

Trusting you in everything

 

I do not have to look hard

Or think hard

In order to behold and recount your grace

Your, love toward me

Your unspeakable blessings toward me

You are in the broom

You are in the matchbox

You are in the dragon

You are in Sun’s rays

You are in teardrops

You are in the saliva

You are in falling hair

You are in the biscuit and gravy

In other words:

Your love shines through everything

You leave your glory in EVERYTHING

And more so,

YOU ARE  ALWAYS THE SAME; you change not

I can always count on you… ALWAYS

 

 

HOW DO YOU SPELL GOD?
June 15, 2001

 

How you live daily

This is how you spell God

G for His wondrous GLORY

O for His Omnipotence

D for Divine mercy

 

God  Infinite

No human words, letters or mind can spell you completely

But what you give us

That’s what we will use to praise you

But God spelled Himself completely in Jesus!

 

 

 

 

 


LESSONS IN AND THROUGH HUMILITY

June 17, 2001

Savior, you are the Great Shepherd

You are the Potter

Therefore I submit myself

That you can guide me in all things

And at all times

And your ways are always higher than man’s wisdom

 

Receive my humble gratitude

For what you have done for me today

Though and through doubts here and there

Difficulties here and there

Thine be the Glory

Thine be the Praise

And Thine be the honor

Wait for my morning Praise

And humble my heart in all things

 

 

NEW MERCIES I SEE / RECEIVE
June 18, 2001

 

Have you truly tasted of the Lord?

A taste so good you want it last forever?

But do you remember also the song that says:

“It grows sweeter everyday”

God is His own measure—INFINITE MEASURE

That’s why you cannot measure

The sweetness of that taste

That’s why His latter rain

Is always more refreshing than the former

 

I say these--the Divine traits of God

He always increases toward His own

For His own name’s sake

Yes, today, I have seen His latter rain

I have seen His Divine mercies

I have seen Him increase toward me

I have seen Him confound the wise

I have seen Him give me a double portion

Over, and over again

But for His own name’s sake.

 

 

NEW BEGINNINGS
May 26, 2012
Accra, Lakeside Estates  Community 8

 

What He does is always NEW
Like the latter rain-unpredictable
But because of His great love
He does it freely and for us all
His latter rain

Is always greater than the one before

Even when we say
“He does it again”

The second is always more amazing

More refreshing

More overwhelming

More than the former

This is all because of G-R-A-C-E

He brings His yesterday
To today

And yesterday is new again!

 

When the Psalmist

Talks of New Song

It’s all an appreciation

Of what new thing He has done

The new is always

Richer

Heavier

Thicker

Emotionally and spiritually overwhelming

That’s the effect of the New

The God of New lasting joy

 

For He has done it again

But this latest--the New

Is ever greater

Than the one before

The empty tomb is a new sight

A new experience

A new unspeakable encounter

Ultimately a new life!

 

He who was dead

I now alive again

Because He is immortal

The new risen Savior

And a New Jerusalem

A New Day in Zion

A new joy and hope for my life

 

 

THIS DAY, YOU GAVE STRENGTH

June 18, 2001

He opened the way

He led, though I resisted many times

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart

And He will surely lead and guide you

When the burden is heavy and stressful

When my hands are full of tasks unfulfilled

You prove that you are the Builder

I work in vain if I build myself

You are the perfect Watchman

Who can see in all directions and at all times

 Then I am safe

For He slumbers not

 

Thank you for every good time

Thank you for you provided for us today

Thank you for the smiles on our face

Thank you for  every victory

Thank you for covering my sins today

Lord, help me not to repeat past sins

 

 

YOUR MERCIES WILL NEVER CEASE

June 19, 2001

 

Thank you, Lord

For you are most compassionate

As you led me today

As you brought along

Everything in its proper time and place

That my soul bursts to praise you

That Your mercies are registered in me

Not just in memory

But in my whole self: body and spirit

 

Look up and around you

Do you see, hear, smell, taste, and feel?

These—or anything

They are the majestic expression of His mercy

They are the embodiment of His Love

They are the visible or invisible evidence of His great compassion

They are the finite expressions  of  Infinite Love and Mercy

They are the external expressions of  His great and eternal Mercy

 

Today, a confession from one uncertain

Daily sinful tendencies freely acknowledged

He brought along a book on The Mind of Christ

He quoted the Scriptures freely

But is he the same man

Who many taught is out of his mind?

Oh, the mercies of God

Help us, help us to love you in return

To do your will, which includes:

Fleeing youthful lust.

For your name’s sake, Lord

Don’t withdraw or minimize  your mercies from me

 

 

EVERY PERFECT GIFT

June 10, 2001

 

My Lord gave me a “break” today

When I was overwhelmed with a load of care and caring

Then He shows me

That He has provided for me at all times

I only have to trust in Him

I only have to thank Him always

For the Lord has been good to me

 

He opens new doors

He sends the new rain or blessing

For, He does not hold my sins against me

He makes a way

When the road seems dreary and dreadful

His leading is a sweet, sweet experience

For those who yield

For those who call on Him

For those who know He is Lord

For those who fear Him

For those love Him

 

Thank you, Lord

For Today, Yesterday, and tomorrow

 

 

GOD AND TRADITIONAL SPOKESMAN (at Kpando, Volta Region, Ghana—see below)

  The African king and his palace

The noble and the giant

The Queen and the Royal Mother

Not to be addressed directly

Out of honor, awe, splendor, etc.

There must be a distance

A buffer zone that qualifies the King’s word and presence

 

Messages are relayed through  a Third, Spokesman

A spokesman who re-arranges the text

To suit the royal highness

And the ears of those present

And wraps the wrath of the king

In a nobler sheath

The imminent death sentence

Is delivered with precision and with fine art

The court executioner, the accuser

Stands readily to devour the guilty

 

But there is the Almighty King with extraordinary  power

Both to take life and to spare it

This King is the Eternal Spokesman also

But this King has a palace beyond description

A Spokesman Plenipotentiary, very God of very God

 He intercedes

He executes judgment and pardons

THIS IS THE KING AND SPOKESMAN!

 

 

GOD and gods?

JUNE 24, 2001  AT Kpando, Volta region, Ghana

 

This place, Kpando, Volta Region of Ghana

A grotto, Catholic shrine

The “Three Sisters of Mary”

The famed scene in Portugal

Reproduced here, a visitor’s site/sight

Stone and sculptured images

Depict the 14 Stations of the Cross

And the “Apparition”

And the site guide reaffirmed the “message”:

“Jesus is coming, everyone must live right”

 

In this town

A history and remnants of German mission work

Traditional religion  and Christ coexist?

Chapels, personal names that reflect the given sense of the One Supreme God:

Mawufemᴐ (God’s way)

Mawunyo (God is good)

 

Mawulɔ (God accepts)

Mawukoenya (Only God knows)

The Secondary School here is also called, “Mawuli [God exists]”

Then there are the big stones and molded images from traditional religion

At the center of the town

 

Do you have too?

Do you have both light and darkness?

Well, there can be only one Master

And Light chases away darkness—the darkness is shamed

The spirits of darkness will be totally destroyed

When Christ comes again

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MY TESTAMENT
[From handwriting in cover of bible]

I cannot give anything to God,

Al things come from Him

All I must do  is to obey, trust and thank Him continually

This will then be my worship—continual sacrifice, continual giving

I cannot do this perfectly in this life

But when I see Him face-to-face

He  will complete my transformation

And then I will spend Eternity with Him,

With the saints and His angels

A mere imperfect worship

Now in a perfect way.  Dec 3, 2007; rev Aug 17, 2008; Jan. 23, 2008;  March 15, 2009

 

 

 

GOD’S DELIVERANCE
Dec. 2007

 

No one—not even angels

No power can fathom the depth, breadth and weight of God’s love

 

He reaches out to you—wherever you are

There is no hiding from  His presence, anywhere

Even in our most sinful state

When we  think we are most removed from Him

Then, ……

In His Glory

 

 

ALL NATURE IN PRAISE

[Brattleboro, VT, USA Aug. 2010]

 

The day open, as the flowers open

Some birds begin a song

The mist ushers in delight

Half-blinding, half in sunlight

Yet, gradually,

The sun takes over in full glory

 

Whose Glory?

They all,

In sync,

In tandem

Display God’s Glory

 

The Glory

That all nature cannot hold

The  sight and imagination--only a glimpse of His Glory

A Greater Glory is yet to be revealed

 

For all nature cannot contain and reveal His Glory fully

But, for your sake

For His Name’s sake

He chose to reveal

His fuller Glory, anyhow

As contained, enlarged and revealed in His Son

The Lord Jesus Christ, the Word made Flesh

 

I see the rocks, stones, marbles...endless

Roc k of Ages, cleft for me?

My hiding place? [insert pic]

My secure place?

My life support?

Yes; the mineral and the water

Nourishing and protecting
With roots and trees \

Drawing forth life from the [R]rock

 

I’ rather employ my tongue

To feebly utter

And thus proclaim

His wondrous Glory,

Than idle, malign, and gossip

 

That if He is truly in control

My tongue is under control

And that means:

Praise and adoration,

Spiritual sacrifice, unceasingly
not tokenisms, or church display

 

Moments don’t stay

But the Savior stays/remains

Through years, today, and tomorrow

 He remains faithful through

Yesterday, today, and tomorrow

 He forgives, and has forgiven,

Past, now, and future,

 

So that we might enter His full Glory

Eternally,

Where there is no Now or snow

No Today, or Tomorrow

 

I did see the mist today (August 14, 2010)

When descending the Brattleboro hills

Early in the morning

As the Ewe translation of the Bible says,

“The mountains give up smoke”

I saw the mist over the mountains,

As if they are clouds moving but got stuck

Or intercepted by the mountains.

Then, gradually, the Sun takes over

To reveal the other sides of His Glory

The wonders of His creation

For man to enjoy

For man to Glorify Him

Unceasingly, forever.

 

 

IN GHANA, LATE AUGUST---2010

[Written October 5, 2010, Accra, GRNA Hostel/Guest House]

 

Here the sounds of His Majesty multiply

Beyond those of Brattleboro hills

Myriad birds

Wake up early morn

In voices of different color and intensity

They also usher in the evening hours

The dove

The cuckoo

The owl

The mourning dove

The crow, attempting to drown all

While some other birds

Try to speak or talk to us

 

Sounds of His majesty

The roosters

Helping mankind (or those without alarm clock)

Segment the dawn

In sync with--and to sync-- our activities

Man can build highest towers,

But can never attain

The praise capabilities

Of all nature, in ensemble

But we, the Levites,

Have an everlasting duty

That is:

To praise our Maker

Unceasingly

This is our lifelong calling!

 

 

[SAME PLACE BUT April 4, 2011. GRNA—GHANA REGISTERED NURSES ASSOCIATION, Accra]

HUMBLED DOUBLE

I am humbled
As I watch this little spider
Furnished by the Creator
With endless supply of weaving materials
Even with a place to hang the finished web/net

I am humbled
As reflect on my own feeble weaving skills and materials
I wove to buy food
Spider weaves to catch food
His Great Majesty
Has endowed all
Both small and tiniest
with His abundant and merciful providence
That we lack nothing, indeed
Even the spiders have  their weaving supplies
From His boundless stores of grace

I am humbled
As the turtle and the porcupine
All fully armored with their shields and arrows
A defense system so sure and tested
For, He makes no mistakes
He’s no respecter of persons
And no partiality when we are judged
Consider--even the tiniest creatures
Are all fully supplied
To our wonder, joy, and pleasure
But, most of all
To Him who made them all—the Glory.

I am humbled
As I hear both the dove and cuckoo
Faithfully return to retune their songs of praise
Usually between 4:00 P.M. and 5:00 P.M., daily
Then a harvest of songs of praise
As their other species join in the chorus
Each, with timbre and rhythm of voice unique to its own kind

I am humbled double
Pondering over the works of Master of masters and mysteries
With no words or ideas adequate
To describe His Majesty
But I sure cannot miss His great designs
Such as He built the horse strong enough
To help with our burdens

I am humbled double
Pondering over the works of Master of masters and mysteries
Master-Artist, indeed!!!
Look at the stripes of the zebra
the “fake” pastoral gown of the crow
Made a special bird
Close to mankind
In speech form and splendor—the parrot
That we have myriad companions
Which are reminders of his Love and Care
He even gave us the model
How to build and ride an airplane—common birds

I am humbled double
Pondering over the works of Master of masters and mysteries
Whose sharp, contrastive colors and geometries excite the whole creation
Even if the blind cannot see; they can touch and feel
Even if the deaf cannot hear; they can see, touch and feel
Even those who see and hear,
Do not hear or listen to the Master
They do not really see His majesty
As displayed forth in numberless ways
So that we cannot miss them

I am humbled double
To see the glow worm and the firefly
As they light a match/torch without your aid
Or as some so smart
They camouflage and outsmart you, me and other creatures
Some call it “instinct,”
Some call it “nature,”
Some call it “chance,”
But I name them all CHRIST
Through Whom God created the world


I am humbled double
As I watch the sound and architecture of the waterfalls
Fed by spring waters flowing unceasingly
from the depths of the Earth/rocks
To keep the falls, rocks, and lakes singing unceasingly
And still maintain the kaleidoscope
Of sights, sounds and sensations
Wanting to calm the spirit
Better still---bring us closer to Him

 

I am humbled
That even herbs are flavored with perfume varieties
So great variety to serve our individual tastes
Combining abundance with variety but in style--
That’s God
The source of all things, great and small
Dead or sharp scent
Even a skunk has its own for a great purpose
Or the giraffe using its neck as ladder
Just appropriate for its type of food
And the means of procuring it
Therefore,
“I nothing lack if I am His.”

 

I am humbled double
As I read how He taught Amos –4:6
How evaporation takes place
And how rain is made to replenish the Earth!
Divine Wisdom
The science of tomorrow
Can never Know it all
And all our wisdom
Is utter foolishness before Him!

 

I am humbled double
Pondering on the varieties of oil
To satisfy our taste buds:
From all kinds of nut
Some even produce cream for our skin and taste
And yet another oil
Deep under the Earth
To give us heat, and drive us along
You have it double: gas and oil
Not just one type of gas
But shades, smells, varieties and varied uses

I am humbled double
Too see His humor in creation
Why do  bats hang up, upside down?
Then they confuse further: mammal or bird?
The millipede---what a train to take?
How fast can it go, then?
Then that antelope-type with many horns
Looking like a bundle of firewood in disarray

There is ALWAYS a middle ground:
Amphibians have it both ways
To display forth His grace, mercy and providence
A true Master of masters

There is our faux-paint
We learn from Him:
Myriads of “false” fruits
Even there are sea horses
Or even star fish
Comparing and uniting the heavens with the Earth
That is ALWAYS His divine plan
Unity and Harmony in all
But not our kind of unity or harmony

AND  to close off:
PRAISE TO THE LORD
THE ALMIGHTY
THE KING OF CREATION
OH MY SOUL PRAISE HIM
FOR HE IS THY STRENGTH AND SALVATION

 

 

 


THE GLORY THAT NEVER FADES
MAY 12, 2011

The Glory of the Almighty King
The Love of the Most High
The Protection of the Most Faithful
The Providence of the Name-Above-All-Names
The  Power and Awe of His eternal presence
These are revealed and perfected
In those who love Him
Those He first loved

 

 

MAJESTIC GRANDEUR  (October 12, 2011: Cape Coast, Ghana)

The majesty of His Love
The majesty of His Grace
The majesty of His Mercy
and the overwhelming
Majesty of His Creation

Find all the superlatives
That man can conjure
None can describe His Majesty
None can reach up to Him entirely
For He envelopes His entire Creation
and His entire Creation is contained in His bosom

His Love reigns
In every speck of dust
In the unseen force of wind
He is the Majesty, His Majesty, Really
And that’s why we can say,
King of kings, with none to compare.


BACK TO HIS WONDROUS LOVE


AS SEEN AND FELT IN HIS CREATION

Well… anything is part of His creation, anyway
Coming from, or going to it
Behold the avocado pear
Its thick and fruity flesh
To give us a different taste
Another taste of His love

Then He leaves one big, round seed inside
While some—such as

Peanut/groundnut –watch its shape
Then it uprooted from the ground
Freshly awake from the womb that nurtured it
Same with cassava / yuca,

or sweet potato
(Or is there a sour potato?)
Their dwelling place
Shallow or deep in the earth
To give us pleasure when we dig them out
To appreciate the varieties
Varieties and depths of His Love

 

 

 

 

 

LET ALL THINGS THAT HAVE BREATH OR NONE PRAISE THE LORD
AUGUST 14, 2024 en route returning from Kenya


Those that have electrical charges

Those that shine and yet without soul or breath

Those that move and flow (such as rivers and the waters)and yet without breath

Those that move—such as the clouds and winds

Those that whisper and move—such as the wind

Those that glitters—such as diamond

Those that shine, glitter and sparkle –such as the stars

Those with life and yet without breath

Those that are invisible and yet can suspend you—such as gravity

 

But humans, made in God’s own image

Redeemed and set apart for His glory

Can make the lifeless come to life

Can give life to objects and instruments
A life that is total praise

Such as the drums, stringed and wind instruments

That instantly emit life and transmit life

A life of total Praise

The sounds of musical instruments
Transcending the human voice

But it is the essence of Praise

Praise that transcends boundaries between the life and lifeless (innate)

Living and the dead

The living and the lifeless

That’s why stones can even begin to praise God

When we fail Him

God has His army

The army and chorus of pure saints and angels

That sing His Eternal Praise

Whether living, live, dormant, insouciant/recalcitrant or lifeless

All things and all peoples will finally enter the heavenly chorus

To praise our Maker who changes not

Whose songs praise shall never cease

 

We cannot see God, but we see Him in Christ
And one day,

We shall stand before His Divien Throne of worship and judgment

We cannot see God--
We experience Him
We feel His awesome presence
Only if you would allow Him

We cannot  see God

Yet we see Him in the feel of the waters
As our feed touch this earth
As we peel off that mango
As we cut the pineapple
As we drink the coonut milk
As we taste the palm wine

As  we taste the palm oil

The oil from the flesh of the nut

As we taste the  palm nut oil

The oild that comes from the nut itself

As the crabs feed on the palm kernel
As the ants run in line to taste the palm wine

 

We cannot see God
But we see Him as the heavens move with life

As the heavens defy naming
As the heavens defy measuring out
As the heavens defy any human or angelic knowledge or probe

As He occupies a place that is everywhere

As He occupies a place that is beyond the infinite
As He occupies a place where the heavens do not end

We cannot see God

But we see Him in the narrow blade of grass
We see Him in the hard nut encased in soft tissue

We see Him in the soft nut encased in hard tissue
We see Hm in the green beans
We see Him in the yellow beans
We see Him in the black beans
We see Him in the white beans
We see Him in the purple beans
We see Him in the brown beans
We see Him in the round beans
We see Him in the oval beans
We see Him in the rectangular beans
We see Him in the craggy beans

We see Him in the spotted beans

We cannot see God

But we see Him in the bitter taste of leaves, grasses, and herbs
We see Him in the fragrance and aroma
We see Him in the incense of praise, worship, sacrifice and adoration

We see Him in the spotted eggs

We see Him in the round eggs
We see Him in the oval eggs

We see Him in the hard eggs
We see Him in the soft eggs
We see Him in the faithfulness of the broody hen
We see Him in the leap of the kid the very day it was born

We see Him in the leaves that retreat on human contact
We see Him in the thorns that cling forever to you

…and the list will continue, into Eternity

 

 

THE TWAIN SHALL MEET: GODS’ PARALLELISM [November 29, 2011: Cape Coast, Ghana]

 

Earthly Harmonies; Heavenly melodies

Heavenly harmonies, Earthly melodies

See the stars in the heavens
See the starfish in the seas
See the horses of the fields

See the seahorses of the waters

Even the stellar constellations

Find their double on earth:
The Big Dipper,

 

What about the those prepared for battle?
Well armoured, well armed
The tortoise of the sea
The turtle of the land
Both replete, secure and protected
With their impregnable, impenetrable shields,

Who clothed them as such,

And for which purpose?

What are they that the Almighty

Should care so much about their safety?

 

Ooh, well---the snail has one, too
But a shell wrapped around
Both from within and without
Fragile, though, if you step too hard one one

But they are all too secure and safe
From their earthly predators
What are these
That the Almighty

The Maker should devote

Such thought, pattern, and security?

 

[November 30, 2011]

Some shoots arrows
Or the darts of a porcupine
Some shoots/secretes out poison—saliva

And yet little ants and roaches feign death

Lying flat, as if fully yielded to death

But woe unto you

Take a step away

These little/giants suddenly come back to life

Running as fast as they can

Away from a desperate mortal like me

 

But all these are in praise of the Master
The Master Builder
The Maker of all
The Maker of all things
Seen and unseen
Hid or flat in your eyes
Heard or buried under the earth

All praise Him, the same
All evoke his Awesome presence
All intone His Awesome Glory
All display His Magnificent Love


MORNING LOBEGESANG [PRAISE SONG] pour l’année 2012 [Dec 1, 2011 Cape Coast,Ghana]


Early in the morning

At noon

In the evening

At midnight

At every hour

In every moment

At every corner
In every place

His praise must swell up

From my entire being

From morning till evening
Hands, feet, heat, eyes, and tongue

Mind, body, spirit
All must intone

Sounds of praise
Praise that swells up and overflows
From the depths of the human whole

Spirit, mind and flesh

To give it all back to the Maker

 

Thank you for the rising day, Lord

Thank you for the unexpected miracles
Thank you for your mighty hands of deliverance

Thank you for being there just in time

Both to rescue and bless

 

Now I can proclaim

Together with the chorus of Angels

All praise and thanks to God

Lord, give us strength and the will
to Thank and praise you unceasingly

At all times:

In the morning,

At noon

In the evening

At midnight
At every hour

In every moment

His praise must endure


All praise must ring
Sometimes a whisper

Sometimes a commotion

Sometimes unseen, unheard
That’s the praise
To the One Indescribable

 

In the market place

At the chief’s palace
In the prisoner’s dungeon

At the roof of a humble hut

Join the praises

That issue from the leaves,

The branches, even the whole trunk that sway

All in their own rhythms of praise

In their own gesture and timbre of praise

In their own languages and tongues

 

Praise is Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is praise-in-action

Praise-in-action is the ultimate self-offering

The sweet smelling savor or flavor

The flagrance of flowers

The morning glory

Those that intone their flowery praise late

Those that suspend their flowery praise early

Those intone their flowery praise early

They all, in all their varieties,

In all their different timings

In all their life-spans

In all their various fragrances
In all their colorful designs

In all their shapes and sounds
In all their sizes and heights

Whether bulb, grafted, perennial

Or transient,

They reveal and punctuate the songs of praise

To the one who designed them for His glory

And to His glory alone—

To our joy, wonder, and delight

That’s why praise has no duration

Praise has no volume limit
Praise is not limited by language

Praise is not limited by our senses of beauty

 

The day is almost over
What should I bring home with me
If, indeed, I spent most hours outside?

I bring home more praise
I bring fresh praise
I enter old and new praise
I encounter familiar praise
But each sound is different
Each letter different articulation
Each enunciation different
Each vowel or consonant has breath

The breath of fresh praise
With the golden mark of the Savior’s goodness

 

I bring praise
I carry praise
I bear praise
I embody praise

But can you hear, see, or testify?

When my failings speak louder

Than the praises?

I am all the more at His mercy

 

Come see what Praise has wrought
Come see, then, what God has done
This is praise:
To let each breath sigh with thanksgiving

To let each twinkle of an eye

Behold the praise of the Maker
To let each footstep
Tread on the drops and routes of praise

 

Sit, move, stand
Yawn, doze, gaze

Let each step be the step of steps
For, each step, a ladder of praise
The rungs, the posts of highest praise
Till our lungs, our hearts

Till our mouths, our tongues

Till our bodies sweat with blood

Till we cannot sweat

Why? Because praise now transcends

The heaven of heavens

The holy of holies
And praise-singers take on the incorruptible

They are translated into new bodies

Bodies without mortal bodies

Where there is no weariness, no sweat

Only praise,

To inhabit us

He to inhabit the praise of His people

 

I now thank Him this day
For what He has done
Just for me
But who am I?

Yes; He died for me

No one else can do that for me

That’s why

His praise will always

Inform my mouth full

Till I sing it anew

In the great company of saints

The praise of praises.

 

 

 

ON DREAMS DIRECTED AND FILLED BY GOD

[December 3, 2011]

Why do God’s people’s dream come true?

Because God gave it, in the first place

Why do God’s people’s dream come true?

Because God’s people’s dreams are prayers offered
Why do God’s peoples’ dreams come true?
Because dreams are prayers answered

Why do God’s people’s dream come true?

Because God’s people pray and worship Him day and night—unceasingly

Why do God’s people’s dreams come true?

Because He is ever faithful--
Whatever He promised comes true, to pass

 

Why do God’s people’s dreams come true?

Because He reveals Himself to comfort us



WHY THERE IS NO FRIEND LIKE JESUS

[JFK, NEW YORK, JUNE 3, 2012]

Because He’s not just a friend;

Because He remains faithful when you disown and distrust Him

Because it was through Him other friends were made

Because without Him all earthly friends are but a shadow

Because He is larger than all the friendship you long for

Because in Him all friendships are secure;

 

All other friends are but disappointments;

All other friends are but temporary;

All other friends depend on Him for what they must supply

All other friends will fail you, to your surprise

All other friends--you see now and then

But He is there, always, everywhere

 

 

 

STEPS TOWARD OBEDIENCE

[JFK, New York, JUNE 3, 2012]

 

There are but simple ways

As clearly proclaimed and taught in His Word

Step 1: Fear Him
Step 2: How do you fear Him? Hate all forms of evil

Step 3; Continue to Trust and Obey
Step 4: You have all of His Love, all of His pleasure, all of His supply, and all of His protection, and all of His joy when you FEAR HIM!!!



FOUND, LOST AND FOUND: ON THE PASSING ON OF CAROL, [DECEMBER 24-25, 2012]

 

In a flicker

As the moments fly and linger

The tenderness of human frailty

The frailty of humane tenderness

The path to where there is path

A path to where there is no past

This temporary place

Where the Now becomes a Future

A future which is NOW Eternal

The Eternal, the whole future of the Lord’s own

 

Hope for a hope—not hope against hope

Hope has been

God has walked Heaven on Earth

Thus assuring life and continuity into Eternity

 

But beware, ye travelers

Especially travelers who do not go anywhere

There is a Rest Stop

A Transition without a stop or pause

Some drop along the way

But there is a way

That is most secure

There is a way—Grace

What is done Here

Is just begun There

There is a way, the place of peace

There is a way, the Temple of God

There is a way, the place of Eternal Rest

 

Shakespeare had it only half-way, half-truth
When he says,

Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player.

Tthat struts and frets his hour upon the stage.

And then  is heard no more It is a tale .

Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,

Signifying nothing. [Shakespeare, Macbeth. Act 5, Scene 5.]

 

But life’s not all that empty or hopeless

Instead, according to Carol,
You lose it and gain more of Christ

That’s the reason for living, for life

The total life: here and beyond the grave.

Peace means you are already resting in the Lord

Someday, we will all prostrate before His Majesty

For the Real and timeless worship,

for He is worth and through it all!

“Oh Victory in Jesus”—Carol’s last word
“When we all go to Heaven
We shall shout the  V-I-C-T-O-R-Y”

 

 

CHRISTMAS 2011

Should I wish you something for the New Year?

Should I bring you something for the Old Year?

Should I desire something in your favor??

Should I just recline under the snow?

Should I just sit under the sun?

Should I just crouch under the moon?

Should I now welcome the Star of Bethlehem?

If not, just say YES to the last One

 

Do you know the Star of Divine Birth?

Do you know the Star of Divine Help?
Do you know the Star of Salvation?

The Herald of Good News?

The Promise of Everlasting Life—
He is J-E-S-U-S the CHRIST



HOW TO GIVE THANKS WHEN THERE IS ROOM TO COMPLAIN

November 21, 2012.

 

Not just a ritual

Not just a passing fad

Not just another November 22—Thursday, 2012

Not just another Thanksgiving Day

Not just a juggling of days

Just to find a room to make/say/give Thanks

 

In most rooms

There is none to give Thanks to

There is  no recipient—only imaginary, for a short while

But for some

Thanksgiving is a daily act, fervor, and a favorite

We do give Thanks

Collectively or individually

In rooms or outdoors

Even when the doors of our hearts are firmly closed

But there is a room there, too

Whose room?

Whose Thanks?

To who?

And the response?

Thank You, Lord!

 

 

TRUE PRAISE CAN BE SILENCE/SILENT
April 9, 2013

Silence, silence, Silence!

Why silence/silent!

For His mercies are beyond number
Why silence/silent?
For I am dumbfounded at what He can do for me
Why silence/silent?

For I cannot pay Him back in any way--
In salary, kind act, or labor
But this I know, and what He desires:

To Trust and Obey, fully.

This will be more than silence

‘twill be full of the praise and glory He deserves
This will be the true sacrifice of praise—with our without sound or silence.

 

 

WHY PRAISE HIM   
June 3, 2010 over the Atlantic ocean between Europe and the Americas; based partly on the classic hymn Praise to the Lord; and Psalm 147:10-11

 

Has thou not seen

Has thou not felt

Has thou not experienced

Has thou not understood

Has thou not known

Has thou not praised

Has thou not announced

Has thou not written

Has thou not remembered

Has thou not tried to boast

All that beautiful have been

All that He has done for you

All that He will do for you

 

High Cost of Cheap Idle Words
Three things have you spoken

Teaching and warning about idle words, idle thoughts

For idle words reveal the nature of the speaker

For idle words are a synonym for sin

For idle words have consequences

So, “Let the words of my mouth,

And the meditations of my heart,

Be acceptable in your sight, Lord” [source: Ps. 139:]

 

 

HOW TO FEAR GOD

Ponder His presence

He’s real before, within and around you

You are in the courts of the Great I am

In the innermost chamber—Holy of Holies

Where all thoughts, desires and ways

Are perpetually on display before Him

No hiding: If you cannot live transparently

He surely knows our thoughts before you think them

As boldly uttered by the prophet, To fear God is to hate evil [Prov. 8:13]

To serve Him is to hate evil

To love Him is to hate evil

To trust Him is to hate evil

To praise Him is to hate evil

And to hate evil is to know Him completely

 

 

HOW TO WORSHIP HIM

Do you need a special garment?  NO/YES

Yes; if you (and others) organize special celebrations, wish to display His blessings and glory in a special way and have the means

Do you need to fast seven days?  NO/YES

Yes, if you wish to bless His name not extort anything from Him, and if you want to devote attention and time to Him that way, and if you understand the health hazards and to display only your dejectedness and humility

Do you need to donate/give $500? NO/YES

Yes; if you are blessed in a special way and wish to do so from the bounty He has provided

Therefore, whether we eat or drink, let’s do all to the praise and glory of His name. [1 Cor. 10:31]

 

 

 

ON PROVING GOD EXISTS: an humble advice
                  [May 5, 2013]


Whoever sets out to prove Him

Must first be like Him

And this is, beyond angelic doubt, Impossible
How can a carnal mind
Come that close to God Almighty

Experience Him in all His entirety—

For to be able to describe Him fully

You must grasp of His entire
Which is, beyond angelic doubts, Impossible

Thus. We must acknowledge humbly

That He is beyond description
That He is beyond comparison

That He is beyond exposition

That He is beyond any private or public Treatise

That He is beyond any erudite mind, pro-Christ or anti-Christ

 

Do not be deceived

In your feeble attempt to describe or compare Him

When you cannot even feel or see the evidence of Him within you

Or, if hearts are totally closed

They can never understand or know Him fully

 

 

Great minds have tried it
Blaise Paschal and René Descartes

But unless you have the mind of Christ
Unless you are with  Him in his Temple

Even so, our vision, feel, thoughts of Him are limited

Who withstand His Consuming-Fire presence?

 

 

 

HS MAJESTY IN HIS CREATION
--THE “MASTER ARTIST”

 

The Might and Power of the Lord

The Great Newness

The Overwhelming Presence

In all that He has created

The Great and Awesome Designer

Even for little fishes

Small and broad leaves

Which He has SCULPTURED

As the Infinite of all fine artists—

In the mortal minds and skills

 

The Artist of all artists

Creator of artists and the common person

For His gracious love

He inhabits all He has created

He is close to them--even those who reject Him

 

He arranges the hair, fur, bones, leaves and branches

Beyond the ordinary—in very spectacular ways

A wonder to behold, smell, and feel—always!

See how He sculptured the leaf of the lilly

The stripes of the zebra,

The woolly, black-and-white of the common goat

 

 

HIS MAJESTY IN HIS CREATION, contd.
JANUARY 15, 2012

He gave me one more chance

Another experience of His majesty is revealed in His Creation

Over the cloud, through the clouds, under the clouds,

The cloud like a white cotton

With contours like valleys and mountains

All in airy and airless spaces

Then the purple clouds lining the base and circumference   of the horizon

Where the sun is about to set

When the  sun announces The Day is Over

With its “spilled gallons of red palm oil”

 

 

MOON OVER KIGALI

JANUARY 16, 2012


He prospers my way

And delivers me

Praise to the Lord the Almighty

The King of Creation

The hills and valleys of Kigali

The place of Thousand Hills—Mille Collines

The moon at dusk and night

Sets over the hills and valleys

Revealing kaleidoscope of lights of the city

All spreading the ever-increasing light

And their kaleidoscopes above

The Almighty Creator has blessed us double:

In Earth and in the Heavens

Lights of lights

He is the One who came from above

To take us to Heaven

These wonders of His Creation

Introducing the majesties of the Collines—Thousand Hills, Kigali

Praise to the Lord the Almighty

The King of Heaven and Earth

 

 

 

DAY-BY-DAY

JUNE 7-8, 2010

 

Day by Day

Day of Days

Each Day proves His unbounded mercy

Each Day unleashes a torrent of His Love

Each Day more grace I receive

Each Day, He multiplies His blessings

Each Day brings a major thing out of Zion

Each Day His majesty is revealed

Each Day His  special… varied ways

Each Day is greater than the one before

A Day of Days

Each Day we are ..

For His love knows no bounds

The Day of the Lord will crown the Day of Days  

 

 

NEW  EBENEZER [I Samue1 7:12]]
[2013]

Thus far

The Lord has helped me

Thus far

He has not left me alone

Thus far

He has been faithful

Thus far

His mercies endure

Thus far

He has not relented on His promise

Thus far

He has helped me

On rough, ragged paths

Thus far

He has cheered me up

Thus far

He alone is God

Thus far

His name remains Jehovah-Jireh [Provider]

 

 

GOD IN/OVER/ AND BEYOND TIME

[Feb 3, 2014\

 

He is always on time
A present help in time of need, indeed

Before the dawn—He is here
Before the dusk—He is there
Before I reach out to Him—He is with me

God of the past-future-present

A present, a splendid Gift of out of Time—the Lord Jesus
He who was before time

He who will endure through time

He who was not made,

Existed before time was created

God of Ages—he Eternal

There is no Age or Epoch

Where His majesty is not known

He breathed us out into time—for a while

But then, he in-hallowed us

Into Eternity in Christ

 

Today, a thousand years is like a day

Tomorrow, Eternity with Jesus

Is Time bound into Out-of-Time, forever

To witness—

To partake in the praise and worship

That cease not

That endure through Eternity!

 

 

THE NAME OF THE LORD

[May 15, 2014]

The Lord is named after Himself
For there’s none greater than Him

That’s why He swears by Himself

The name of the Lord
A  window to His Infinite Majesty

The name of the Lord
An encounter with his manifold Divinity
The name of the Lord
A reach into his Bosom of Mercy

 

The name of the Lord
An unspeakable presence
Unnamable Majesty
The name of the Lord
Causes all Creation to vibrate in adoration

The name of the Lord
A revelation of the most Divine
The name of the Lord
The name that spells Christ-the-Lord
The name that spells JOSHUA
The name that spells JESUS
The name that spells SAVIOR of the World
The name that spells WONDROUS GLORY

The name of the Lord

We’ll continue to name Him,

Both on earth and in Eternity
The name that endures
The name that brings comfort

The name that stills the storm

The name that routs the enemy
The name that mends broken hearts

That name, that name, and this name—

This is He, the name above all names


 

GREAT AND AWESOME DESIGNER-PROVIDER

 

The Glory of the Lord

The Might and Power of the Lord

The Great Newness

The overwhelming Presence

In all that He has created

The Great and Awesome Designer

Even for little fishes

Small and big leaves

Which He has sculptured

As the Infinite of all fine and finite artists

In their mortal minds and skills’

 

The Artist of all artists

For He has special love and relationship

With all He has created

He is close to them

For His touch and breadth indwell them all

 

He arranged the hair, leaves, and branches in spectacular ways

See how He sculptured the leaf of a lilly

See how He sculptured the leaves of banana trees

Or spread like a royal palm for a king!

Then He adorns the budding fruit with purple color And with tassels
wrapped as a special gift for you and me!

 

In great variety and wonder—fruits and nuts

Fruit and flesh/meat/juice

Even those with big seeds—delicious
To over-satisfy the  appetite
Sugar, bitter, sour, etc.

Great varieties in taste, texture, color, size

Even those that are in-between to deceive you

As if they are practical jokes

Can you imagine canes bearing juice so sweet

 

The flesh /meat drenched with the juice

Some carry special drinks for you:

Coconut, guava, nectar, pineapple------

And the all-color purple—beetroot?


Some either in a container or contained

Or, their  flesh all soaked  in the juice

Some you squeeze
Some you crush

Some you just peel down

Some you split

Some you suck  or chew

Some you pop 

Some you slide over

Some you push

You smell, feel, touch, etc.
Some in a form of power

For some there’s nothing to take out

He has even set a table before you
Food and drink, as in coconut
He makes and gives it ALL   to you!
In ways and varieties indescribable
Just like His ways
That are past finding out
Beyond any imagination of men or angels!

 

 

 

FEB 27, 2015 (after Carol’s Birthday, Feb. 26)
I opened at random to pp. 74-75 of GRACES: Prayers and Poems for Everyday Meals and Special Occasions by June Cotner. San Francisco: Harper, 1994. The poem there is titled,

“I WONDER IF GOD HAS A BIRTHDAY” This inspired me to write the following:

 

Does God have a Birthday?
He was before the Days

He is Lord of the Days

He Who created all things perfect—an eternal celebration

Always in that perpetual, eternal state

Seeking the beginning and end of the Birthday

A Birthday always and ever-present

 

The stars lit their candles

The winds blow over, but not quenching them

Angels’ trumpets sound and intone

The rapturous and ever-present Mercies of Joy

And Joy of Mercy

A Birthday idea—mere mortal idea
There’s no category for the Majesty!

There are no words adequate to speak of that feast
There are no minds capable of imagining and comprehending that feast

That Feast is His Eternal Love—given us as Christ the Lord

 

Nuts   

Some dressed up and encased in hard or soft shells

Nuts and tuber, can also hide and bud under the ground

Hidden from your sight

in order to draw your sight, attract anyway

 

Spices:
they do not grow upstairs only

their source hidden or shelved underground: ginger, onion,...

Who am I?, Who are you?

That the Almighty should also perfume you?

 

Incenses, from trees, bushes 

AND Stones, Rocks, Minerals, etc

Who has seen

or known, smelled, tasted

 

And nutritious green leaves
Some wrapped, from inside!
Neatly packed and handed over to you!

Broccoli spouts! They sprout out for you!

Cucumber is full of fresh flesh
Cauliflower! Collard greens!
Is it a bouquet of flowers
That edible wrapped as flowers?
For who?

Who deserves it?
God so loved the world……
Now try this: sour sop

Milk mixed with special fruity serving
Made a bit “ugly,” just like that part of a human
Where it derives its other name—scrotum, as it is called in some cultures

 

Grades of pepper: soft, mild and hottest!
Make your choice, ye mortals
Or try the flesh/meat of a turtle
Varieties, located and seasoned differently

Even before you taste that special meat—chicken
You have a glorious choice of an egg!

Fry, boil, or scramble it

 

A PRAYER
[2015]

Prayer of Penitence / Call to Prayer
Lord, I am unworthy of your Grace and Name

Lord, I am unworthy to call  on your Name

Lord, But in your mercy and grace

You pardon and listen to me

 

Lord, I know you care
You see, hear and judge all I say, do or think

Lord, who can hide from your Omnipresence?

Lord, here is one more day

Given out of your grace

That I might serve you

That I might praise you

That I might know you intimately

 

Above all

That I might obey

That I might thank and praise you continually

 

You are, indeed, a Great Rewarder

Of those who seek you diligently

 

“Take the Name of Jesus with you

Child of sorrow and of woe

It will joy and comfort give you

Take it then where ‘re you go

Precious name

Oh how sweet

Hope of Earth
and Joy of Heaven”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THEN, WE ALL THE REDEEMED MUST, ONE DAY, SING TOGETHER WITH THE ANGELS:
March 21, 2016, Ghana

 

Worthy is the Lamb

That was slain…

Praise to the Lord, Almighty

The King of Creation

All my soul praise Him!
Praise God from whom all blessings flow
Praise Him all ye creatures below
Praise Him above ye heavenly hosts

Praise Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

 


THIS DAY, MARCH 2
2016

We move out and someone else must move in
Into the house, the earthly house of 1998-2016
In Columbus, OH, 159 Desantis Drive
Exchanging one state for another
Exchanging one dwelling place for another
Exchanging the physical for the spiritual
Exchanging the temporal for the Eternal
Exchanging the now for the Best and forever!

Thus, we enter a new praise, a new place
A new phase of life and praise.

 


MY WHOLE BEING TO PRAISE HIM
JUNE 7, 2017 Montreal, Canada

 

Behold, these hands—God’s glory
He made these hands and fingers
Out of His wondrous love

Why these fingers?

That I may hold them up in prayer

In praise to His Name

That I may hold them against my chest
In praise and amazement of His Love

That I may hold then say,
“Thank You, Lord!”

 

In praise expressing the inexpressible

The magnificent awe that overwhelms

That I can only sigh….!!!

Thank you, Lord

For your goodness and mercy

For your infinite store of blessings

 

What are these hands and fingers for?
That I may point exactly toward His Throne of Grace

That I may call His attention in my hour need

That I may stretch forth my hands for help

That I may fully receive of His mercies

That I may clap my them (hands)  in prayer

That I may enrich His glory with sounds of praise

With these hands
To clap, express and feel the sound, sense and sensation of His praise

With rhythm, timbre, and gesture

All to His Glory and Praise

 

 

He made me hands
That I may clasp my hands

And hold tight unto His gifts of Love

That I may wave—a wave offering unto Him

That I may wave Bye, Bye to Sin, Satan, and Death

Into all eternity

That I may finally uncover my face

To face and receive the finished work of Christ—Salvation

The One who took my sins away

 

That I may count, on my ten fingers

The Ten Commandments

That these fingers of unequal length

May show forth unequivocally

The equal power and blessing of each fingers

 

 

THE MASTER NARRATIVE IS HERE TO STAY
February 25, 2016
Atlanta in the air to New York city, JFK, to Accra

 

I open my eyes

I open my ears

I open all my senses of feeling

I look out in earnest

I anticipate and remain anxious

Imagining, ready to behold

In much wonder and amazement

Wondering about

Just how much

How much surprise

How much awe

How much wonder

How much Glory

How to behold this Wonder
How to behold, explain and retell this Glory

…That the Almighty

He has revealed

His Majesty

In all that He has made

….Indeed!

 

In deed—wondrous deeds!

The Invisible revealed?

In all His Creation

As seen, felt, heard and spoken of

What are these visible images of His wonder?

How has He revealed Himself?

Yes—indeed, in and through His Creation

 

 

JESUS! NO OTHER NAME

November December 12, 2016
(In the air, from Montreal to Accra)

 

Preamble: Which name are we talking about? Why “we” and not “I”?
For, in the end of all things, some individuals and groups will agree, or disagree with me in some areas. What about those who are just plain neutral?

Back to the original proposition: NO Other Name.

This sub-title assumes and is framed in relation to the existence of some names who are ….. some of these names! Why do I induce “What” and not just “Who”?

 

I want to capture everything made, visible, invisible. These include various beliefs and attributes, such as some disembodied (non-tangible) beings or  that is believed to be closely  or interdependently identified with the material, the invisible.

 

In brief, all power, seen or unseen and which are located somewhere but stand in challenge or measure with the One Risen Savior, by whom all things were made.

 

So, everything, seen or invisible, are definitely and completely under Him. Now, we are seeing and reasoning with why THERE IS NO OTHER NAME, at least in these developing pages.

 

There are both general and specific conditions and criteria by which we must begin to apprehend and appreciate and then apply the significant worth of THE NAME—JESUS! These conditions are an important premise from which to unfold the apprehension, etc. Fortunately, and unfortunately, (i.e., in human terms and in fully spiritual understanding)

 

 

ENCOUNTER WITH THE HOLY
July 18, 2016
Dublin (University of Limerick, Ireland)


HOW?
for How long?

Why?

Where?

 

WHY

If He lives with you

If He communicates with you

 

WHEN

If you call on Him

When you are in great need

 

HOW
Through someone
Situation
Through an Angel

Or through the “Still Small Voice”

 

HOW LONG

His own choosing

As long as you can allow Him

 

WHERE

Any time
Any place

Now
When He comes again

After the Resurrection

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

STRIVE TO KNOW HIM FULLY

July 18, 2017

Dublin (University of Limerick, Ireland)

Because He is Infinite
Because He was and is before all things

Because He is above and beyond  all

Because He  is All-Knowing

Because He knows and sets our limits

 

He has shown and revealed much of His Majesty

FIRST, through the Son, our Savior

SECOND, through the Lord Jesus Christ

THIRD, through all that He has created

FOURTH, through the Spirit that dwells in us

FIFTH, through the promises and design

That we will see Him more fully after the Resurrection

At the Second Coming of His Son

When all eyes shall behold Him face-to-face

Then all the saints and angels shall see Him more fully!

 

 

A MOMENT OF PRAISE

April 3, 2018
In the air to Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison


A moment of praise

Is a moment to praise

To praise our Maker

To praise our Redeemer

To praise Him
He who gave us
All of Himself

 

A moment of praise

Is a moment of close fellowship with Him

To praise Him is to talk to Him

To praise Him is to talk with Him

To praise Him is to behold Him

To praise Him is to enter into His awesome Majesty

 

A moment of praise

Is  a moment to thank Him

To praise Him is to recount His goodness

To praise Him is to know Him more

To praise Him is to tell someone about Him

To praise Him  is to live right before Him and before all.

 

 

HIS GLORY REVEALED, CONTD.

Observe the water lily
See the round, sculptured leaves

More so, as they glide

And settle gently but firmly

Resting just on top of the waters

 

From there it shoots up

Its single but glorious flower

With a stem so fragile, succulent

And yet firmly holds up

And sits quietly on top of the waters

And without breaking down

Even when the gentle waves pass by

 

 

So many coco-s

So many nuts

Not only varieties of fruit, etc\but also variety of size and yield

Even in one fruit—what else do we want?

 

Meat and flesh of fruits that remind of angel’s food—manna

A refreshing drink

A tasty oil—coconut oil

A pig’s favorite is the chaff

When the meat is ripe—it is called copra

Leaves and branches are woven into mats and fence patches



PRAISE AND THANKSGIVING EVERMORE!

MAY 25, 2018

 

1 Thessalonians 5:18 ; Philippians 2:11

You might say

How can I give thanks

In situations where only complaints are justified or make sense

Some would say

How can I give thanks

When I just had an accident?

Some would say

How can I give thanks when I just lost my spouse or job?

Some would say

How can I give thanks when God did not heal me?
Some would dare say

How can I give thanks when God did not show me the right medicine after 15 years of suffering

But who can know the mind of God?
Who can determine His will and action?

But through all these situations

He reveals Himself more powerful  ever than before

Above, do not forget:

The secret things of the Lord

Belong to those who love Him

He reveals His will

And confers His mercies on both the just and the unjust

Praise to His name-He is all in all!

 

 

WHAT’S A GOOD TIME TO PRAISE THE LORD?

June 9, 2018   Accra, Legon, University of Ghana

 

Well, the hymnist has said it all:
“I’ll praise my Maker while I’ve breath” (Isaac Watts)

What’s a good time
To smile at His goodness?
In both good and “bad” times
So that means
You must always smile in His presence

But let’s be real:

There are “bad” times—Yes; NO?

But you can only be real

If you can smile

And praise in Him in all situations—bad or good

 

To be real—no fake I am

To be real—no forced smile
To be real—

Is to live like the way He designed it before the fall

But we shall be REAL
The Real You and I

When He comes again to take us Home

 

What’s the best time to praise Him?

As soon as you become aware of your existence

Even when you sleep
Or in dream state

That’s the  Real You
It is time to praise Him—NOWI

 

 

BACK TO NATURE, BACK TO GOD
Of color, shape-design, texture,

Of fragrance, not just a smell
Of thorny texture and not just soft
Of spongy texture
Birds have feathers
Porcupines have quills
Turtles have shields—coat of amour

Sheep have wool

But bats sit and hang in-between

Some tree barks spew forth sugar
Some spew forth gum
Some flower quit by 4 P.M.
While some blossom all-year

Wine from the palm tree
Wine from grapes
The smooth skin of a coconut
The rough, thorny skin of pineapple

The smooth skin and an apple

MORE OF HIM!

[AUGUST 16, 2018]

To see more of Him

To experience more of Him

Although what He has created

That is, the whole universe
Seen and invisible

 

See and imagine

The ways in which leaves are arranged

On the branches of various trees, flowers, plants shrubs, ad infinitum

The shapes of each leaf

And the Design-Master’s arranging:

Some are staggered

Some in parallel rows

Some in clusters

Some forever cured up or down, in or outward

Some are just one piece

Some with special sculpture (In fact all are!)

Some are terraced

Some in terraces (watch the almond tree)

 

Different looks;

Different tastes;

Different smells;

Different feels;

Different nutrients;

 

But the most wondrous of all—

His Son, the Lord Jesus

With the “sign of Jonah”

The one who died and rose again

To make us new

Just as He renews the earth after the rain

 

 

ONGOING THANKSGIVING

The words of an Ewe hymnal
Hymn No. 440 says:

Glaubenslieder‎#495
Author Hermann M. Görcke, 1803-1883

[Auf, Brüder, stimmt ein Loblied an]

Composer: Johann Georg Frech, 1790-1864

https://hymnary.org/hymn/GL2001/495

 

1
Nɔviwo, midzi kafuha
Mina miakpɔ dzidzɔ !
Mía Mawu wɔ nu gã na mi,
Miva, mida ‘kpe nɛ!
Mía Mawu ƒ’a-levi la dze,
I: Be mí kata míabui tegbe! :I

2
Tsa la míenɔ adzɔge ke
Tso mawu lɔlɔ gbɔ;
Ke azɔ la wokplɔ mí vɛ,
Ɖe agbemɔ la dzi !
Míete va mía ɖela la gbɔ,
I: Eya gbɔ dzidzɔ mavɔ le ! :I

3
Míele aseye tsom azɔ
Yesu le mía dome.
Efe ŋusẽ ƒoa xlã mí ɖaa,
Esea míaƒe gbe hã.
Xexeame nawɔ aʋa faa,
I: Mía ɖela enye dziɖula ! :I

 

So, the hymn says great things He has done  for us—Is this true with you?

Another song hymn says, “He has done great things.”
But in any thanksoffering

The act is very personal

It is not just “He has done great  things” for some people

It is, and continues to be certain that

He has done great things for me

And greater things He will yet do

 

But as suggested in the Ewe hymn

The greatest gift

The greatest deed

About from the actual creation

And forgiveness of our sins

Through the … unimaginable act of grace

And sacrifice through the blood of His only Son!

Imagine you are about to give away your only, first-born son

Imagine how Abraham

Who dared, by faith, to sacrifice his son

But was saved by and through the best  and all-time sacrifice—

The Lord Jesus Christ

 

So, for some people

They will say they have a song in their heart

But a song of praise—and that’s thanksgiving

 

In my humble, most imperfect ways

Let us, therefore, enjoin the choir of angels and saints above and below

To offer the Thanksgiving

The sweet smelling aroma of praise acceptable to Him

 

As the psalmists say

I will, therefore, yet praise and thank Him

For what He has done

For what He is doing

And for the great things He will do, forevermore!

 

But, of course, the practice of thanksgiving

For He has to first sanctify  the imperfect  offering coming from a sinful heart

And this very deed the Lord Jesus has accomplished through His death and resurrection.

 

So, now, it is possible to offer a thanksgiving that is wholly acceptable to Him and ONLY through our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

Yes, now, there is therefore no condemnation for those in Him

This is the greatest opportunity to knock and present our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving

We must first stand on others’ solid ground

This holy place—like in the days of old

Behind the veil

 

In the Holy of Holies

Let us, therefore,  draw closer to Him

And sing the His everlasting praise:

He has done great things!

He is doing great things!

Great things He will yet do, forevermore.

 

And such praise and thanksgiving

Will remain eternal, transcending all things, times and places

Because He changes not

His free gift and eternal love are guaranteed

That what He has accomplished for us

These are for eternity, valid for all times

Yes, His mercies endure!

 

 

 

 

 

 

HIS LOVE UNSPEAKABLE

EPC Hymn 445 Nyanuie Hame Hadzigbalẽ Gã (5th edition). Sogakofe: Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Ghana & Eglise Evangélique Presbytérianne du Togo. Printed by Comboni Printing School, 2002; Global Evangelical Church Hymn 159
[Beny. Onipayede 1898]
1
Lɔlɔ̃ mavɔ la ƒe ŋusẽ
Wɔ dɔ gã le nye dzi me.
Medze si Mawu ƒe nyonyo,
Eya ta mada ‘kpe nɛ.
Dzidzɔ, ɛ̃, dzidzɔ ko makpɔ,
Si xexeame menya o;
Akpedada sɔŋ ko anye
Nye agbemedɔ gã la.


2
Lɔlɔ̃ mavɔ la ƒe ŋusẽ
Klɔ ŋutinye keŋ azɔ,
Eɖe nu vɔ̃ ƒe fiƒode,
Si le dzinye la, ɖa keŋ.
Dzidzɔ, ɛ̃, dzidzɔ ko makpɔ,
Mawu wɔ nu gã ‘ɖe nam!
Akpedada sɔŋ ko anye
Nye agbemedɔ gã la.

3
Lɔlɔ̃ mavɔ la ƒe ŋusẽ
Ɖo dɔ nyuia-ɖe nam azɔ
Ebe mazu ɖasefo na
Nyanyui la le xexeame
Dzidzɔ, ɛ̃, dzidzɔ ko makpɔ;
Mekpɔ mɔ, maɖe gbeƒã
Nu gã, si Mawu wɔ nam la,
Hena xexeame katã.

4
Mlɔeba la lɔlɔ̃ mavɔ sia
Axɔm ɖe eɖokui gbɔ,
Atsɔ dziɖuɖukuku la
Aɖo atsyɔ̃ na nye ta.
Dzidzɔ, ɛ̃, dzidzɔ ko makpɔ
Le dziƒofiaɖuƒe me;
Akpe sɔŋ ko da ge mala
Yi ɖase ɖe mavɔ me!
[http://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ws.ewehymnal]

 

PRAISE: FURTHER NOTES--1

MAY 25 2018

A thanksgiving …
1 Thes 5:18; Philippians 2:11

 

You might say

How can I give thanks,

Especially in situations where only complaints would make sense, humanly

Some would say

How can I give thanks when I just had an accident?

Some would say

How can I give thanks when I just lost my job?

Some would say

How can I give thanks when I just failed my final examination?

But in all these

We are more than conquerors

But in all these

We have a Friend

Who sticks closer than a brother

 

 

PRAISE: FURTHER NOTES-- 2

January 26, 2019

 

When and what time is best to praise the Lord?

Well, the Psalmist has said it all:

“I’ll praise my Maker while I’ve breath” [Isaac Watts]

“I will sing of Thy mercies forever I will sing  [Ps 89]

 

When and what time is best  to praise the Lord?

When and what time is best to smile at His Goodness?

In both good and “bad”  times
And thus we must always smile in His presence

And, surely, this is one way

To be ready for his Second Coming!

 

But you are Real only if  you smile and praise Him in all situations—band and good!

 

To real—

     No fake I am

To be Real—

     No forced smile

To be Real is to live the way He designed it before the fall

But we shall be Real, REAL when we behold Him at His Second Coming!

 

When and what time is best to praise Him?

Now and Forever!

To find the best time is to enter into His Eternity

When and what is the best time to praise Him, then?

 

Praise Him now till we enter Eternity

Praise Him now till when Time is worn out or rolled away

 

When and what time is best to praise the Lord?

As soon as you realize  that you’re alive—

i.e., the Real You or I!

 

SPECIAL THANKSOFFERING—MY UTMOST DESIRE

January 26, 2019

 

What can I render to the Lord for all His blessings and mercies towards me? The true sacrifice of Thanksoffering acceptable to Him  surely includes repentance, obedience, and walking in the Light of His Word. Yes; this is what pleases Him and this is what He requires of us—Micah 6:8; Psalm 116:12; Psalm 51:17] So help me, God, to walk in the Light of your Word and in the Righteousness of my Savior, the sweet aroma pleasing to you. AMEN.

 

 

 

HIS SPLENDOR IS EVERYWHERE
December 18, 2017; Fairmonte Hotel, Winneba

 

His splendor
His majesty

In the remotest places
In hidden places

Deep, below the high seas

Within the crags and crevices
Between hair strands on your head
In the appendix—ruptured, incised, or whole
In the fish holes
Between the eggs of a hen over her brood

Between the hen and the shadow of a predatory hawks

Between the seven colors of a rainbow

Between the five petals of that flower

Between interweaves of a spiderweb

Between the inner castings of an anthill

 

Between the earth the Most Profound mystery of an Infinite universe!

 

 

THERE’S NONE LIKE YOU!

March 25, 2019. Lakeside Estates
Ashaley Botwe, Accra, Ghana

There’s none like  you

There is nothing else to compare you with

 

There is nothing in the heavens

On earth

And in the entire universe

That can compare with You—

YOU made them all, anyway

 

You have uncountable attributes

Any one of which we cannot fully understand

Or even appreciate fully

Then, how much more the entire set of them?

 

 But I say—and and will say again and again—

There is no limit—your attributes are uncountable

And that You
Know – Observe – Weigh – Correct – Reprove

And direct my ways

Which are ever present before You!

 

As the Psalmist says:
You know my thoughts far off!

Even before I imagine anything or thought

You know them all.

 

So how do I, then
Dare to live in Your presence

Especially the  way I do?

It is only Your Divine Love
Mercy
Kindness
Grace
And Longsuffering

 

 

 

 

HIS DIVINE MERCY TOWARDS ALL
2018, Lakeside Estates, Ashaley Botwe, Accra


Does it rain on the “saved” only?

Does the garlic grow to feed the “saved” only?

Even thorns have their special purpose

In time of need and hunger for everyone

Saved or unsaved.

Oh, of salt, ginger, and honey

The most painful sting

From the honeymaker—bees
He allows the stinger

To produce both—sting, honey

But the ultimate Maker of them all

The Creator and Lord of all

Who gave us all the world

To occupy

To enjoy

To play with

And—Lo and Behold!

He gave Himself up

So that we can be saved

From the cursed  and fallen world

To enjoy His Heaven on earth

And to fully reign
And fully enjoy Him in the real Heaven!

 


HE GAVE IT ALL
Pre-Easter Meditation, April 12-21, 2019

Lakeside Estates, Accra

He gave it all for me (Day 1 of 7)
He gave all of Himself on the Cross for me (Day 2 of 7)

He gave up of His clothes and He was stripped and whipped (Day 3 of 7)
He lives forevermore and for all (Day 4 of 7)

He, our Maker, came to all of us but we would not receive Him (Day 5 of 7)

He went through all, He suffered all

From shame to pain, from grave to Heaven (Day 6 of 7)

Hosanna, Hosanna He is Risen indeed (Day 7 of 7)

 

 

THE WHOLE CREATON IN UNIFORM PRAISE

MAY 1, 2019
Lakeside Estates, Ashaley Botwe, Accra

 

Different voices;
Some loud and piercing:

Some muted or muffled;

Some aggressive, with much sound energy;

Some short calls;
Some long calls;
Some incessant and almost a nuisance [noisome?]

Some quite repetitive;

Some quite “talkative”;

Some hoot;

Some screech;

Some piercing;

Some twitter;

Some voices equivalent to raising an alarm

Some go into business early in the morning and soon close;

Then they return when day is closing

Some are our natural time-keepers--roster or cock

Some voices just bring speculations;

Some prefer tallest places;

Some invite themselves to your homes for a play;

Some would even make part of your home a baby nursery;

Some are “wild”;

Some are “domesticated”;

But where do they sleep when it is raining?

All these voices for our comfort, pleasure and admiration;

Some are very tasty;

Satisfying the innermost cleft;

Some are extremely colorful;

Some are extremely playful;
Even engaged in a special choreography;

Some are just temperamental, with no permanent home;

Some even cast doubt on their identity--

Is is a bird-bat, or animal bat?

Their voices may rival those of frogs--

Another set of multiple identities--amphibians?
Some are more playful than kittens
Such as dolphin--
God has designed grand theatre to even entertain us!

 

But one days
One day;

We will join them all

In an everlasting song

The Eternal praise of our Maker and King Majestic!!!

No matter the color;

No matter the strength or reach of the voice;

No matter their favorite dwelling places;

No matter their favorite diets;

No matter how amble;

Glide, hop;

Crawl, walk or run;

Even in their oft-mistaken identities-
How many types of a dove, for example;

How many eggs can each lay:
How many days to brood over them?

How do they hatch them?

Who gave them that wisdom, knowledge and skill?

Why does a hen reject an egg because someone has touched it?

 

Yes; voices, colors, and habits and dwelling places of birds?

You should hear them as they sing or call out to the Creator and their friends in that heavenly ensemble, especially in the forests?

 

Each piece of creation has a significant role to play--

To remind and help us praise and raise anthems to our King of Kings;

Meanwhile, they satisfy many of our human needs;

Although some turn them blindly into object of worship or empty wander;

One day;

I say, One day;

We shall hear and participate in these voices and songs anew!

The everlasting Chorus;

Worthy, Worthy, Worth is the Lamb
That was slain and who lives forever more;

With all the saints in GLORY!!!

 

 

 

OH BLESSED RAIN, HEAT, COLD, WARMTH
MAY 3 2019 Lakeside Estates, Ashaley Botwe, Accra

 

The Grace

The Love that gives us all we need
In infinite varieties
What about the rain?

First, the Spirit of the Lord inhabits the waters
Then He sends us that important symbol of His Eternal Presence—the R-A-I-N-B-O-W!

Which also reminds of His eternal promise
The Pardoning Grace
The Grace that drew out blood and WATER out of His body
Rain or Water—same manifold Grace at work

When it rains

When it drizzles

When it pours

When it comes with or without a thunder
When it comes with or without a storm

It is the same Lord

The Lord who stills the storm

The Lord who seals his Covenant of Peace with his Blood

And once with the Rainbow

Rain brings a certain feeling

A certain presence
But Rain can also come to wreak havoc

But the Rainbow
Now with the Cross

We have Eternal peace
A place where there’s no longer fear of  havoc

Or displacement
Or deluge

Instead, to be totally inundated with His peace

In those peaceful waters where there are no storms

No fear of sinking

You can hear and see Him fresh

As you watch, feel, and enjoy the rain

The rain which He sends

To refresh your soul

To quench your thirst

And to cleanse your dirt away

And, above all

To nourish the ground to bear fruit for you

So that your life can continue

According to the everlasting promise
The Rainbow, the Covenant Blood

Lo, Come ye that thirst and hunger

Come drink freely

Pure and fresh uncontaminated water from above

To revive the dying soul

And live to testify of His Love Unspeakable

Yes; the Rain—free for both the just and the unjust!!!

Oh blessed Rain, Heat, Cold, and Ice
Blessed be the name of the Provider, forever and ever!

 

I feel it!

I am in the rain and I feel it

The cool, fresh rain drops

The gushing wind and the storm
I see them coming

I smell them, too

The rain touches and regulates my body temperature

Then I taste it

There is none like it

Fresh drink direct from the heavens

I see it, too

The clouds have color

Each has its own story to bring

Those Cumulus Nimbus types

Bear special gift boxes--

The cool rain

That gift box has weight

Then it breaks apart

To unleash and scatter the special gift

On both the just and the unjust

What a Wonderful God of Love we serve and must serve!

Yes, the rains come in rhythm

And with variety of sounds-- indeed

Some barely audible

Some will wake you up

Now they are near and here

Then they retreat

Beckoning from afar

Then the rhythms also change

Then the weight and volume of water change

But He changes not
The Almighty, Jehovah God

The giver of all good gifts



AT THE SEASHORE
Oct. 9, 2021
Whuti, Volta Region, Ghana

The ocean waves

Beating and retreating

On the shores with majestic sounds

The sounds that wake up my soul

The sights that point me to the Maker

The One who has fixed the boundaries for the waters

Even those visit us in our homes

To inundate and displace

Sometimes driven by tornadoes

They overflow their banks

But God is still God

The One who makes a way

Even in the floods

So that we can remain safe and secure

For we have an anchor

When nature gets wild

When the floods overwhelm

When food is scarce

When temptations abound

When unseen forces rise against us

When the physical body is weak

Yet in all these

He remains faithful-- true to His word
He neither slumbers nor sleeps

Watching over us
Renewing our health—and strength

For He is the Porter

We are the broken pieces

He will repair us again

Only be sure to Trust and Obey

And live rightly

For the days are short!

Let’s devote the every hour

Every moment

To give Him the glory

The thanks

The praise

And enter into His joy

And join the songs of angels

And the song of the redeemed

Unto Eternity

 

 

HE IS THE WAY
April 18, 2021 Lakeside Estates, Accra

 

Because He is the Way
He makes a way
Where there is no way
Because He’s Omnipotent
He lifts up my weakness

Because His mercies endure

I can trust Him forever
Because His love is ever new
I can talk to Him at any time
Because He is Lord and King of Kings

I must always submit to Him

Because He took my sins away

I can fully rest secure in Him.

 

 

HE LIFTED ME UP!
December 31, 2020, Accra

Out of the lowly beginnings
Out of scanty supply
Out of dreary moments
Out of imminent danger
Out of shame and disaster
Even when I couldn’t utter a word
He proved faithful and heard me
He saw my condition
He never deserted me
He fed me
He led me
Showed me places far and near
Which I could only dream about
He once  put a word
In the mouth of a colleague
Who proclaimed
“Daniel, you will become an international scholar”

When he raised me up as school pianist at Ketasco
I received the most number of prizes
Inscription on one which quotes and reads:
Matthew 25:23 “‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’

 

He makes a way where there seems to be no way
When all doubted, I was offered a university scholarship

When I gained admission but didn’t have money
To attend Keta Secondary School

 Lo and behold

Headmaster sent a letter

Inviting me for a Bursary

I enjoyed fee-free education--Ketasco

University of Ghana

And in America
His faithfulness is ever sure
His supply shall never cease
To those who cry to Him
Even to hose who are so distressed to cry out
His grace is more than enough!

 

MY CUP RUNS OVER--OVERFLOWS!

April 1, 2022, Lakeside Estates, Accra

 

In times of very little

He fills my cup

In times of Nothing
He fills my cup

In times of plenty

He fills my cup

He fills it to overflowing

 

In times of stress/distress

He fills my cup

In times of great doubt

He fills my cup with Hope

In times of loneliness

He fills my cup with His omnipresence
In times of great danger

He fills and protects my cup

 

I lift up to you all I don’t understand

I lift up to you this frail frame of mine

I lift up to you  my circumstances

I lift up to you my circle of friends

I lift up to you all those who trust in you

I lift up to you those who doubt you

I lift up to you all those who love You

I lift up to you the wonders of your creation

I lift up to all those washed by the Blood

I lift up to you all those who are against Your Name
I lift up to you what you have already provided
I lift up to you the everlasting song of Praise!

 

 

He Lifted Me Up, Again and Again
July 27, 2022
Lisbon, Portugal


He lifted me up again, literally
He puts the building blocks in their proper places

One-by-one
Block-by-block
But sometimes more than two blocks at a time

He can build fast

He can build slow

But whether slow or fast

His ways are sure

His ways are perfect.

 

But Who am I?
I am but a frail figure

And I stumble many times
But He rescues, always

Time and time again

Because He alone...

Because He alone...

Because He alone
Is the Great I AM!

 

It is that Great I am
Who makes something out of nothing

It is that Great I am

Who lifts me up

Out of shame

Out of poverty

Out of danger

And clothes me with riches unspeakable

And lifts me up

And puts me on a high hill

So that the whole world may see

The depth and breadth of His mercies toward me.

 

 

I REMEMBER (HIS FAVOR)
(On the way to South Africa, a second time)

August 20, 2022

I remember

Down and up from my spine and guts

That what catalog

What loads of mercy

Of His unfailing love

Of special moments’

When God in Christ

Draws near

To rescue

To provide

To comfort

To raise me up

That which cannot be cataloged

That which cannot be spoken

That which can be described

Simply that which cannot be kept in journals

Or even in our memories

The mind and memory will fail

What remains is His everlasting grace

Written and renewed daily

That kind of indelible writing

That’s His Everlasting Love, clear and legible

In letters visible

In letters audible

In letters ever radian and indelible

In colors that never fade

In hues that glow with Divine Love

Written by His own Master Hands

I, filled up with His mercies

Which I want to write down

But they are beyond words

Beyond the ink and the pen

Beyond the mind’s grasp

Yes----this is His Love

His Mercy

I am a child of His grace, merc,,.,,,,y and love

All that I am

Vile as I am

Yet I will praise Him

Yet I want to honor Him

Even through these printed words

 

 

AFTER GOD’S INTERVENTION FOR A VERY SUCCESSFUL ICTM CONFERENCE OF  13-19 JULY, 2023, UNIVERSITY OF GHANA, LEGON
(Myself as Chair of Local Arrangements Committee)

 

JULY 25, 2023
A:

It's beyond the daily diary notes

It's beyond the memory of man

It's beyond speech

It's simply beyond recall

The acts of God

The God of Mercy

The God of grace unspeakable

That He should unleash His kindness and favor on me

One more time

A special moment

When everyone else thought it impossible

But God being on my side

But because I am nothing most helpless

But because of His Holy name

But because of His unmerited favor

But because of His deep deep love

But because His love has been established even before heaven and earth were made

He knew me

Wretched as I am

That He would pour His love on me

That He should stand by me

That He should cause His face to shine over me

In the midst of the multitude

Not once

Not twice

Not thrice

But each time

A new thing in Zion

Each time His love is renewed

He has lifted me up again

This time with a new and louder song in my heart

He has planted my feet on a high hill,--indeed

Who can understand it?

Who can tell it all

What He did for me

The ICTM  conference in Ghana--2023!

The amazement of many--the multitude

Of many nations

A crowd of witnesses

No doubt-- God has prevailed and vindicated me!

Praise, Glory, and Honor to His most Holy name!!!

 

 

B:

A great success--they say
A byword in the mouth of many

But they must say
The Lord  has been on my side

Let them say

The Lord has been my strength

Let them say

The Lord has vindicated me

Let them say

The Lord has been faithful to me

Let them say

“Praise and Glory to His name”

Praise to none other

He has done it!

What was impossible with men

That’s what He has done

Making the Impossible possible

He filled our mouths and hearts

With joy and wonder

For--He alone has led us into victory

The lasting memories of ICTM 2023 in Ghana

But if the Lord

Has not been on our side

If the Lord has not been on our side

If the Lord has not opened the way

If the Lord has not provided

If He has not worked through and with individuals

His unfailing love

Has led us into victory

The good news of success

But the true, everlasting news--

The birth, death, resurrection

And the true new life in Christ

Enter into the fountain of the best news

Where the joy of any success is about Him

The joy that exceeds any joy of success of ICTM 2023

I will trust and rest in this joy--

The Joy of the Lord!

 

 

JUST AS HE WANTS

Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
December 3, 2023

 

Just as He wants to me to be

I wait for that day

To enter His eternal praise

To join the everlasting sounds of worship

To really proclaim His eternal Goodness

Especially His goodness towards me

Which I can never fully express

Especially when I am all sin

When I am all frail

When I am all disobedient

When I often dishonor Him

When I often fail to nurture the redeemed

When I often fail to serve as an example

To show the way to the blind

To give strength to the weak

But He knows it all

But I have no excuse

But all I can say

He loves me beyond measure

Who am I, then?

All I want

Is to be like Him!

 

 

MIRACLES AS BLESSINGS,
BLESSINGS AS/IN MIRACLES

December 31, 2024

 

If God’s miracles are for a few special moments only,

But if blessings are for everyday

But if miracles are blessings disclosed

But if blessings are miracles

And if blessings are common in my life

Then miracles are common in my life

And who is the Source, the Giver?

And do I deserve miracles and/or blessings
Wretched as I am
A sinner of all sinners

Then it’s a miracle, indeed

That I, should be blessed-and miraculously

Blessed multiple times

Blessed continually

To the point that
I am not able to start counting them

 

The Preacher, the Psalmist,, the Apostles

The Counselor, the Songwriter

All admonish us to count our blessings

And when blessings are about miracles

And when miracles are blessings fully disclosed

They all come from the Majesty, the Holy One

And for the same one purpose—

Glorify Him, and for His name’s sake
So when I say my life is full of Gods’ blessings

And when I say my life is full of God’s miracles

The blessings of miracles

The miracle of blessings

That He is the God of all

Who is clothed in Eternal and Awesome Glory

He Who is His own Glory
Whom we can only approach

Through the Light of Lights
The Eternal Light and Life Everlasting—Christ!

 

Each blessing, each miracle

They are all new each time
That, indeed, He changed not

Our  Infinite God

The Infinite Universe
The Infinite Fountain

Of  MIRACLES and BLESSINGS

Thus, EBENEZER
He has helped me

He continues to help me

Through the free outpouring of His blessings and miracles

In my life, here and hereafter!

 

What shall I do, then?

Blessed assurance—Jesus is mine!
And this will be my song
Praising my Savior eternally!

 


I WANT TO BE WHOLE
June, 2025
 

I want to be whole and holy in Jesus

All this while

Much has gone by

He is coming soon

What do I have ready to offer him?

I am a broken vessel

Shattered pieces

Failing to hold together

Because I have allowed sin

To come and disintegrate me

The whole has fallen apart

There's no fullness of the holy

Integrity remains a shadow

But it's never too late

To hold into the Master's hands

In obedience

In repentance

In brokenness

In the fear of the Lord

The fear that draws me nearer to Him

The obedience that brings joy

For He rewards those who seek Him in sincerity

Day by day

New mercies I receive

And I will yet praise Him

My King, Saviour, and my God!



AND TO CLOSE, FOR NOW:

THE ETERNAL DOXOLOGY
June 26, 2019
Lakeside Estates, Accra

 

Before He made the world

There was His Glory
While He was creating the world

His Glory was filling up the creation

When the creation was completed

His Glory testified to it
When His creation and creatures fell

His own Glory restored us!

For His own Glory’s sake

All was finished and was good

But we are still under construction

Christ will finish it all
And on that resurrection Day of the saints

We shall then finally proclaim the eternal chorus

 

 

The heavenly chorus—IT IS FINISHED

The repair of a broken creation is FINISHED

So, we come together

Together with the Lamb on the Throne

We will worship and hail Him
King of Kings

_Worthy, worthy

Worthy is the Pascal Lamb

From eternity to eternity

Amen, Amen and  A-M-E-N!

                   ► ▒ ◄