Friendship with God

 

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MY FRIEND

"…there is a friend

who sticks closer than a brother."

Proverbs 18:24

 

Sometimes I go to God's house, sometimes He visits mine;

He often comes to work with me and helps me pass the time.

 

He's with me in the kitchen when I cook and as I scrub;

I meditate upon Him while lolling in the tub.

 

He keeps me company driving and when I take a walk;

God and I stroll quietly and other times, we talk.

 

God's there when I am shopping and watering my flowers;

He inspires my writing, in computer weary hours.

 

He's in me as I minister and hears me as I pray,

lifts me up when I am downcast and helps me through the day.

 

He sups with me at table and He joins me in my rest.

Oh, when we are communing, they're the times I like the best.

 

God loves it when I worship Him and glorify His Name;

He shines His face upon me and ignites me with His flame!

 

I read to know God better, for He knows all about me;

fills sleepy thoughts at bedtime with His sweet tranquility.

 

How blessed I am to know Him! Love overflows my heart!

I count upon His faithfulness and know we'll never part.

 

My heart is filled with gladness every moment that I spend

with the Creator of the Universe, Holy God, my Friend.

 

Maude Carolan

Get Ready for Lent...

Maude's book of poems

about the Birth, Death & Resurrection of Jesus

is available online at Amazon & Barnes & Noble.

Order your copy today!

Sound the Shofar!

 

A Book for Our Times...

Go Set a Watchman!

By Thomas Greaves

My friend, Thomas Greaves, leads the Shofar Ministry at our congregation, Beth Israel Worship Center in Wayne, NJ. He's written a book and the book has been released this week. It's available at Amazon.com.

I asked Thomas to share why he wrote the book and his vision for it. This is what he told me:

"As a career military veteran, I felt God's hand gently urging me to write just before the COVID virus hit us, to encourage all of us to be open instruments for God's purposes. I wrote this book to call us to action in this increasing spiritual darkness as watchwomen and watchmen, to stand in this late "hour" as prayer warriors who never rest until our Messiah comes.

My vision for this book is for us to keep using the full armor of God in spiritual warfare, to be open instruments to God's personal calling on each of us. I want to encourage all to be that open instrument to be used by our coming King, as our assignment is not complete; not yet. As this world gets darker, we must be God's instruments of light. We must stand ready, for the trumpet will sound. The King is coming and His arrival is imminent!" 

The book is available now with hard and soft covers and an ebook is in the process of being created. By the way, that's Thomas blowing the shofar on the cover. I congratulate my author/friend and wish him much success! 

And speaking of watchmen & shofars...

I have a poem to share with you from my 2006 Holyland pilgrimage:

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MARCO SOUNDS THE SHOFAR

Israel Pilgrimage—2006

 

Marco bought a shofar in Galilee—

a long and spiraled Yemenite shofar

made from the horn

of a kudo antelope

 

With a deep and steady breath

Marco blows its harrowing thunder

over the Mount of Olives

the Western Wall

the Jordan River

and just about every site

we visit in holy Zion

 

trumpeting its long distinctive wail

to jolt us from our complacency—

 

Wake up!

 

Warning all hearers:

 

Prepare! Repent!

 

Wake up! Oh, Sleepers—

Wake up! and follow the Lord, your God!

 

Anne brought her tambourine

from New Jersey—

It’s shaped like a Star of David

Colorful ribbons stream

from its six points

 

Like Miriam, Anne lifts it high

and dances with delight

praising Adonai with worshipful women

from all over the world

as their swirling skirts sweep the ground

It’s Shabbat, in Jerusalem

at the Western Wall

 

and I bought a tallit in Tiberius—

blue and white like the Israeli flag

with knotted fringes in the corners

to remind me God’s promises are true

 

a traditional prayer shawl

to wrap snuggly around my shoulders

like God’s loving arms

enfolding me

as I pray

 

Maude Carolan Pych

Get Ready for Lent...

Maude's book, "Behold the Lamb...poetically!"

is a compilation of poems about the Birth, Death & Resurrection of Jesus.

It's available online at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

For more information go to: www.maudecarolanpych.net

Longing for Peace...

 What our nation needs now

is PEACE, sweet PEACE

and LOVE, sweet LOVE...

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PEACE IN OUR DAY

 

I have hammered my sword

into a pruning hook.

Can peace begin

with one pruning hook?

If you melt your gun

or trade it for toys,

might your brother

and your neighbor?

As one lit candle

disperses darkness,

then another and another

sets a whole room aglow,

we could start

a chain reaction,

a Great Commandment Movement,

loving one another

for the sake

of the Sar ha Shalom[i].

It might catch on.

 

Maude Carolan

---

[i] Hebrew for Prince of Peace

Revive Us, O Lord!

 Thank you, Lord, for my pastor's important, encouraging, and healing message this morning. God has given him so much wisdom. In light of the events this week in Washington, one of the things Jonathan Cahn, pastor/rabbi of Beth Israel Worship Center, Wayne, NJ, said was, "The bottom line is not who's president...It is Who is King!" Praise God. We need to keep our eyes on You!

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REVIVE US, DEAREST JESUS ll

My Prayer for Revival in America

 

The morning sun is streaming in as I prepare to pray

recalling what my pastor said in his word to us one day.

He spoke of the time we live in and of people losing faith,

of disregard for God’s Holy Word, and an increase in hate.

 

Many churches are closing or the Gospel gets watered down,

there’s disrespect for spiritual things and God is made a clown.

My pastor said he’s burdened; therefore he’s asking us to pray

for a nationwide revival; hope for all who’ve gone astray.

 

Oh, my dear Lord Jesus, You were born to save us, this I know,

and by Your death upon the Cross, You conquered the evil foe.

I know Your desire is that none be lost, that’s my desire, too,

therefore, I am humbly on my knees and crying out to You,

 

to reveal to all who know You, Lord, the need to repent.

Point us back to Your Holy Cross and why Your Blood was spent.

America must turn back to You, and live our lives Your way.

Oh! Let there be revival here.  Let us see it in our day!

 

We must have sorrow for our sins, and confess those sins to You.

We need to call upon Your Name, and then be Born Anew.

Through Your amazing grace and love, there’ll be splendors in store

and by Your Resurrection, we will have life forevermore!

 

May multitudes flock unto You, countless as grains of sand.

May churches fill up with faithful folks all across our land.

May dusty Bibles be opened and hearts abound with love.

Lord, I’m sending my morning prayer, straight to Your throne above.

 

O Savior, You are worthy to receive our honor and praise.

Draw the backsliders; draw the lost, to walk in all Your ways—

Revive! Revive us, Jesus! I long to see what You will do

in answer to this earnest prayer…all glory belongs to You!

 

Maude Carolan Pych

"Another Silent Night"

This is the final Christmas poem of the season...

 

ANOTHER SILENT NIGHT

 

My friend Holly (who has a special

affinity with all things Christmas)

once gave me a picture

of Mary at the crib of Jesus—

She said the image of Mary

reminded her of one of my daughters

 

I framed the picture

and hung it on the wall

not because of any resemblance

to my daughter, but

because I was moved

by the striking look of anguish

upon Mary’s lovely face

 

This had to have been the day

Mary and Joseph went to the temple

to dedicate Jesus, the day

they offered two turtledoves

as a sacrifice for their firstborn son

 

Simeon was present when they came in

and knew immediately

by the power of the Holy Spirit

that this Child was

God’s promised Savior

 

He told Mary—

A sword will pierce your soul!

 

This silent night in Bethlehem

as Jesus lay sleeping

Mary lifts his tiny hand

to her trembling lips

She wonders about God’s marvelous plan

wonders how a Savior saves

 

and as she wonders, she feels

the point of an unseen sword

pressing against her flesh—

 

What did that wise old man mean?

 

There’s so much I do not know—

So much I do not want to know

 

tonight

 

Maude Carolan Pych