I lift my eyes and see my enemy.
He stands over me and threatens to take my life.
I am in constant fear and worry, unable to defend myself.
I am weak and powerless.
I have no hope in myself or my strength.
But I lift my eyes again to see my helper.
He comes from high on top of the mountains.
He is the creator of the heavens and earth.
No evil will stand over me while my helper is here.
He defeats my enemy with a single breath.
He has all the power I do not.
My maker, he never stumbles, never sleeps.
He will never allow harm to come to me.
He is my everlasting protection and hope.
In him, I have everything.
He will watch over me at night.
He stands beside my bed and watches me sleep, warding off evil.
My helper is the Lord, the Lord almighty.
He alone is worthy to receive glory and honor.
He has saved me from my enemy and from the pit of despair.
He has set my feet upon a rock and I will not be shaken,
for he holds me steady in his arms and will never let me go.
I have a helper and he is GOD!
I am blessed and forever safe in his embrace.
May the glory be his, for he has given me everything.
This poem was inspired by Psalm 121 and the words were provided by God.
Psalm 121 (NIV)
I lift up my eyes to the hills— where does my help come from?
My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot slip— he who watches over you will not slumber;
indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
The LORD watches over you— the LORD is your shade at your right hand;
the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.
The LORD will keep you from all harm— he will watch over your life;
the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Monday, November 2, 2009
Sold Out
The following I stole from a book called "Crazy Love" by Francis Chan. Chan dedicates a chapter to telling the stories of real-life christians who are sold out for Christ. I'm going to quote two of them. Needless to say, the stories of these people's lives challenge me to be more than I am. My hope for you, and for myself, is that God would move us to change because of these stories, not to just think about changing.
Rich Mullins
"Rich was born in 1955 in Richmond, Indiana, the third of six children. He began to study music at a young age and wrote his first song on the piano when he was just four years old...His two most well-known songs are "Awesome God" and "Step by Step." His songs have been covered by artists and bands like John Tesh, Rebecca St. James, Michael W. Smith, Amy Grant, Third Day, Caedmon's Call, and Jars of Clay. Despite his success in the music industry, Rich often ruffled the feathers of Christian music culture. He didn't consider music to be his primary purpose in life; to him, it simply enabled him to pursue the higher calling of loving people: children, his neighbors, enemies, and non-Christians. Sometimes he showed up to his concerts unshaven and barefoot. To keep others from putting him on a pedestal, he often confessed his sins and failures in public.
In 1995, Rich moved to a Navajo reservation in Arizona to teach music to the children who lived there. Rich never knew how successfully his albums sold because the profits form his concerts and albums went directly to his church. They paid him a small salary and gave the rest of the money away.
In September 1997, Rich and a friend were driving to a benefit concert in Wichita, Kansas, when their Jeep flipped. Both men were thrown from the car; Rich was killed when a passing semi swerved to miss the Jeep and accidentally hit him. He was forty-one years old."
Rings
"I don't know how old exactly Rings is, but he's definitely what you would call an old man. I also don't know where he was born or what his real name is; he simply goes by Rings. His home is the cab of his pickup, which he parks near downtown Ocean Beach, CA. He is a chain smoker, an ex-convict, ex-addict, and ex-alcoholic.
Rings likes to say that if Jesus saved him, then Jesus is able to save anyone and everyone. So instead of using his monthly check to buy alcohol or a hotel room for himself, he spends all of it on food at the local supermarket. He transfers the food he buys to coolers in the back of his truck, then he drives to the beach and makes meals for his fellow homeless.
While preparing the food, Rings tells the gathering crowd about the freedom that Jesus brought into his life. He tells them that God is the One who told him to feed others with his money, and that it's because God loves each of them. This man gives everything he has to others- literally everything- because he knows he has nothing that wasn't given to him by God."
Recently I have been feeling God pulling me closer and challenging me to be something more. My two lingering questions are "What is He asking me to do?" and "Will I do it?"
Rich Mullins
"Rich was born in 1955 in Richmond, Indiana, the third of six children. He began to study music at a young age and wrote his first song on the piano when he was just four years old...His two most well-known songs are "Awesome God" and "Step by Step." His songs have been covered by artists and bands like John Tesh, Rebecca St. James, Michael W. Smith, Amy Grant, Third Day, Caedmon's Call, and Jars of Clay. Despite his success in the music industry, Rich often ruffled the feathers of Christian music culture. He didn't consider music to be his primary purpose in life; to him, it simply enabled him to pursue the higher calling of loving people: children, his neighbors, enemies, and non-Christians. Sometimes he showed up to his concerts unshaven and barefoot. To keep others from putting him on a pedestal, he often confessed his sins and failures in public.
In 1995, Rich moved to a Navajo reservation in Arizona to teach music to the children who lived there. Rich never knew how successfully his albums sold because the profits form his concerts and albums went directly to his church. They paid him a small salary and gave the rest of the money away.
In September 1997, Rich and a friend were driving to a benefit concert in Wichita, Kansas, when their Jeep flipped. Both men were thrown from the car; Rich was killed when a passing semi swerved to miss the Jeep and accidentally hit him. He was forty-one years old."
Rings
"I don't know how old exactly Rings is, but he's definitely what you would call an old man. I also don't know where he was born or what his real name is; he simply goes by Rings. His home is the cab of his pickup, which he parks near downtown Ocean Beach, CA. He is a chain smoker, an ex-convict, ex-addict, and ex-alcoholic.
Rings likes to say that if Jesus saved him, then Jesus is able to save anyone and everyone. So instead of using his monthly check to buy alcohol or a hotel room for himself, he spends all of it on food at the local supermarket. He transfers the food he buys to coolers in the back of his truck, then he drives to the beach and makes meals for his fellow homeless.
While preparing the food, Rings tells the gathering crowd about the freedom that Jesus brought into his life. He tells them that God is the One who told him to feed others with his money, and that it's because God loves each of them. This man gives everything he has to others- literally everything- because he knows he has nothing that wasn't given to him by God."
Recently I have been feeling God pulling me closer and challenging me to be something more. My two lingering questions are "What is He asking me to do?" and "Will I do it?"
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About Me
- ktkoell
- There's not much to know, except that I'm a teacher and constantly in pursuit of God.