ONE TRIUNE GOD

TH'ETERNAL TRIUNE GOD IN ONE
IN MYSTERY'S UNION GLORY MEET
AS MORTAL MINDS FIND HARD TO TRACE
THE BLOOD-STAINED PATH OF SAVING GRACE.

BEFORE THE WORLDS WERE EVER FORMED
LOVE'S INCUBATING PLOT WAS BORN
A SPOTLESS LAMB WAS FRAMED IN RED
TO PICTURE CHRIST'S REDEMPTION SHED.

THE PRE-INCARNATE WORD THAT SPOKE
WHEN ALL THE UNIVERSE APPEARED
WITH YAHWEH'S SPIRIT HOVERING NEAR
BECAME IN FLESH THE GODHEAD HERE.

INCOMPREHENSIBLE THE THOUGHT
THAT ONE SO AWESOME TO DESCRIBE
SHOULD STOOP TO FORM A SINLESS BIRTH
BY JOINING GOD IN MAN ON EARTH.

THE GREATEST FORM OF LOVE EXPRESSED
WAS ON A RUGGED CROSS THAT DAY
WHEN AFTER HE HAD OFFERED GRACE
THEY PIERCED HIS HANDS AND MARRED HIS FACE.

YET ONCE AGAIN THE PLAN UNFOLDS
WHEN FROM THE GRAVE GOD'S SON APPEARS
BY CRUSHING DEATH, THE SERPENT'S STING
CHRIST NOW BECOMES THE SOVEREIGN KING.

A RADIANT BRIDE COMPLETES THIS PLOT
WHEN FROM A CLOUD OUR BRIDEGROOM CALLS
THEN AT THE MARRIAGE FEAST WE'LL SEE
THE THREE-AS-ONE, HIS MAJESTY!
---B. PENT

WHY END IT ALL?

I WANDER THROUGH MY LIFE ALONE
MY HEAD IS SPINNING OUT IN SPACE
I TRY TO FIGURE WHO I AM
BUT PHANTOMS DANCE BEFORE MY FACE.

I TOUCH THE GUN AND SPIN THE CONE
WITH BULLETS STILL INSIDE THEIR BOX
A LINGERING THOUGHT DARTS THROUGH MY BRAIN
ONE LITTLE SHELL AND NO MORE PAIN!

THE DARKENED MYSTERY OF MY PAST
MY FAMILY'S PLAN TO SHRED MY BIRTH
WITHOUT A MOM OR DAD TO SHARE
AND FOSTER HOMES WHO JUST DIDN'T CARE.

IF DRUGS AND SEX COULD SATISFY
THERE WOULD BE REASON TO GO ON
BUT STOLEN CARS AND NIGHT TIME BARS
WAS FODDER FOR MY EMPTY MOAN.

AND THEN ONE NIGHT WHEN I WAS "HIGH"
MY MIND BEGAN TO FLOAT IN SPACE
WHILE OTHER SPIRITS PASSED MY WAY
REPEATING CRIES I COULD NOT TRACE.

SO THIS IS NOT THE END, I MUSED?
WHILE DRIFTING BACK INTO MY MIND
THEN GUILT AND FEAR TORE ME APART
AS I POURED OUT MY BROKEN HEART.

I FOUND THE LETTER GOD WROTE DOWN
THAT JESUS DIED TO SET ME FREE
THE LOVE THAT BROUGHT SALVATION'S PLAN
I FINALLY UNDERSTOOD FOR ME.

I HAVE A MESSAGE FOR MY FRIEND
LIFE HERE ON EARTH IS NOT THE END
GOD HAS A PLAN FOR YOU IN MIND
RECEIVE HIS GIFT, NEW PURPOSE FIND.
--B. Pent

PAIN
Pain knocked upon my door
I did not ask it to come in
Yet suddenly it pushed its way
An uninvited guest within.

I sought for comfort in distress
A balm to ease the ache and pain
But cries for mercy and relief
Were unattended and in vain.

So why this cross of heavy weight
Be given me so weak and frail?
Must this be carried to my grave
Without some purpose to avail?

Twas then a vision came to light
A Man of Sorrows crushed by blows
Was seen with nails and blood-stained brow
So through His stripes real healing flows.

God's every purpose will prevail
His nail-pierced hands reach from above
And those who seek His healing touch
Will find through you His grace and love.
--B. Pent

The Developing Stage Towards Armageddon

ONE LAST FAREWELL

THE TIME HAS COME TO BID FAREWELL
TO SAY ONCE MORE, "I MISS YOU SO!"
IT IS NOT EASY THROUGH THESE TEARS
TO SHAKE THE THOUGHTS OF BYGONE YEARS.

IT SEEMS LIKE ONLY YESTERDAY
WE WALKED AND TALKED ALONG LIFE'S PATH
BUT LIKE A CLOUDY MIST THAT FORMS
SOON SPIRITS FLY BEYOND EARTH STORMS.

WHY DOES THIS STING OF DEATH CAUSE PAIN
WHILE BROKEN HEARTS SEEK JOY IN VAIN?
IT IS THE CURSE WHERE SIN TOOK PLACE
WHICH CALVARY'S BLOOD CAN NOW ERASE.

WHEN TIME SO QUICKLY PASSED AWAY
I FAILED TO NOTE THE YEARS GO BY
SO WHEN I HEARD YOUR FLIGHT TOOK PLACE
I LONGED TO SHARE ONE LAST EMBRACE.

NOW MEMRY'S ALL I HAVE TO HOLD
IT IS THE LIGHT THAT MARKS MY PATH
SO WHEN WE MEET ON HEAVEN'S SHORE
TOGETHER WE WILL PART NO MORE.

I WEEP ONCE MORE ABOVE YOUR GRAVE
THE TENT IS ALL YOU'VE LEFT BEHIND
THE GROOM SENT DOWN HIS CHARIOT FLEET
TO JOIN THE BRIDE AT JESUS' FEET.

THE MANSION CHOSEN FOR OUR HOME
CANNOT DESCRIBE THIS AWESOME GIFT
THAT HE'S PREPARED IN GLORY THERE
FOR HIS VICTORIOUS CHURCH TO SHARE.
--B. Pent

PAST DREAMS OF A GIRL

SHE CAME TONIGHT AS I SAT ALONE...
THE GIRL I USED TO BE.
AND SHE GAZED AT ME WITH HER EARNEST EYE
AND QUESTIONED REPROACHFULLY:

HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN THE MANY PLANS
AND HOPES I HAD FOR YOU?
THE GREAT CAREER, THE SPLENDID FAME,
ALL THE WONDERFUL THINGS TO DO?

WHERE IS THE MANSION OF STATELY HEIGHT
WITH ALL ITS GARDENS RARE?
THE SILKEN ROBES THAT I DREAMED FOR YOU
AND THE JEWELS IN YOUR HAIR?

AND AS SHE SPOKE, I WAS VERY SAD
FOR I WANTED HER PLEASED WITH ME...
THIS SLENDER GIRL FROM THE SHADOWY PAST
THE GIRL THAT I USED TO BE.

SO GENTLY RISING, I TOOK HER HAND
AND GUIDED HER UP THE STAIRS
WHERE PEACEFULLY SLEEPING, MY BABIES LAY
INNOCENT, SWEET, AND FAIR.

AND I TOLD HER THAT THESE ARE MY ONLY GEMS,
AND PRECIOUS THEY ARE TO ME;
THAT SILKEN ROBES IN MY MOTHERHOOD
OF COASTLY SIMPLICITY.

AND MY MANSIONS OF STATELY HEIGHT IS LOVE,
AND THE ONLY CAREER I KNOW
IS SERVING EACH DAY IN THESE SHELTERED WALLS
FOR THE DEAR ONES WHO COME AND GO.

AND AS I SPOKE TO MY SHADOWY GUEST,
SHE SMILED THROUGH HER TEARS AT ME.
AND I SAW THE WOMAN THAT I AM NOW
PLEASED THE GIRL I USED TO BE.
--Author unknown

The Warrior's Prayer

Heavenly Father,
Your warrior prepares for battle.
Today I claim victory over Satan by putting on the whole armor of God!

I put on the Girdle of Truth!
May I stand firm in the truth of your Word
so I will not be a victim of Satan
and his demons' lies.

I put on the Breastplate of Righteousness!
May it guard my heart from evil
so I will remain pure and holy,
protected under the blood of Jesus Christ.

I put on the Shoes of Peace!
May I stand firm in the Good News of the Gospel
so Your peace will shine through me
and be a light to all I encounter.

I take the Shield of Faith!
May I be ready for Satan's fiery darts of
doubt, denial and deceit
so I will not be vulnerable to spiritual defeat.

I put on the Helmet of Salvation!
May I keep my mind focused on You
so Satan will not have a stronghold on my
thoughts.

I take the Sword of the Spirit!
May the two edged sword of Your Word
be ready in my hands
so I can expose the tempting words of Satan.

By faith your warrior has put on
the whole armor of God!

I am prepared to live this day, in spiritual victory!
In His most Holy Name!

Amen
(copied)