Category: Faith

A prayer at Easter for the healing of sectarianism.

Is that a shadow on your brow of tears and deep regret?

Does the thought of Unity bring harm and disrespect?

And oh the games we Children played

just wasting precious hours

when we were close with high ideals

of hunting games and prowess

How can a Faith so clean and pure

divide us into camps?

the Love for you, my brother still,

burns deeply in my heart.

With every wound and bound you gave

My body battered sore

For they taught me God’s great Love

and how to love Him more.

Now we as men in later years look back and question why..we put before us men’s ideals while looking to the sky

A lifetime fuelled with bitterness,of labels, names and fights,

Of all the tears with passing years, please let us find the Light.

Surrendering to His great plan

In every waiting hour

Oh the Joy, the Peace and Love

Oh gentle present Power.

With our different words and creeds there lies a sense of Love. Let us catch those Higher thoughts descending from above.

Joseph McTaggart.

The River Clyde

Once a hub of Irish People

Bustling, working on the Clyde

Building ships in ageing dockyards

Lost within long ravished times

And came the gentle touch of Father

With His voice so calm and still

“Trust always the Love of My Son”

“Look always to do his will”.

To feed displaced families

Faithful tribes of Irish workers

He called to trust with dignity

Deep within the calming waters

Comes new light which shines on man

Of a deeper profound calling

To keep the Faith and take a stand

Now with waters largely silent

Contemplation draws us near

entreating all the generations

To keep our Faith and hold it dear

Blessed Father ever hear us

Protect us just like those gone by

And like our fathers with their calling

Let us ne’er our faith deny.

Joseph McTaggart

Wings of an Angel

The Saviour’s Love is all embracing,

Give our thoughts to Him above,

His Angels come to lift us higher,

To the Throne of Grace and Love

Gently resting on those feathers,

In the warmth of their embrace,

Rising up our minds from shadows,

To a place of ever Faith.

Like a swan who treads the river,

With her babes not far behind,

A group of Angels soaring upwards,

To raise the thoughts of all mankind.

Yet still within the bliss we protest,

Mistaking pain for downward flight,

Still each thorn it sends us soaring,

Like a child with upward kite

O blessed Angels pointing skyward

Are Life’s tests which come from thee,

Taking us forever higher,

Rising upward by decree.

Without the pain we cannot reach him,

However long? We cannot say,

Long slender fingers promise heaven,

But first our sins must die away.

White robed figures swirl around us,

E’er mistaken for a curse

Rising upward nearing Heaven,

Always better never worse.

When you feel that Life is scourging

Rejoice an Angel does draw near,

Surrender to the journey upwards,

Old beliefs will die with tears.

James McTaggert

Perfection’s Liberty

A poem on Galatians 2:16-21

Perfection’s Liberty

No law by which to measure sin,

In Christ it was dissolved!

His righteousness now mine within,

The laws demands, resolved!

For better than my death by law:

With Jesus Christ, I die;

There in the grave, no more to war,

For Christ now lives my life!

My life by faith, eyes on the Son,

He loved me, gave His all.

The Law that kills, has been undone!

And justified, I’m called!

My daily life, no longer mine,

But Christ now lives in me.

For at the cross, you’ll daily find

My life laid at His feet.

Not I who strives, not I alive,

But God alive in me!

The Law aside, for Christ provides

Perfection’s liberty!

Upon your heart, streams Holy Light

In heaven’s Holy ray

Dissolving all your heavy night

To turn your gloom to day

No matter now the load you bear

Your Father sees and knows

He holds you in His highest care

When heavy burdens grow

Each step of faith on weary road

In journey long and hard

He’s with you shouldering the load

When heaven seems so far

The glory brightly shines on you

Although you cannot see

When plain and common is your view

High heaven you receive

So bow the knee onto the dust

In lowly, quiet form

For Jesus holds you when you trust

And quietens still your storm.

Yes, enter in that Holy place

Leave cares outside the door

And He will give you Holy grace

Your prayers He does adore

Quieten down the hassled soul

The devil’s chide must cease

For you are in your Saviour’s hold

He gives you perfect peace.

Amen

By Lisa Lawlor

Why Worry

Matthew 6 New International Version

Do Not Worry

²⁵“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? ²⁶Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? ²⁷Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life^[e]?

²⁸“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. ²⁹Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. ³⁰If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? ³¹So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³²For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. ³³But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. ³⁴Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Redemption

(Redemption isn’t always easy when God is working on you to Conform you into his Son’s image , I’ve personally went through the wilderness with unseen things that were hindering my spiritual growth)

1 Samuel 16:7-But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.

2Corinthians13:5
Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? —unless indeed you fail to meet the test!

John Christian

A Lesson in Worship

1 Timothy 2 New International Version

Instructions on worship

2 I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people – ²for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. ³This is good, and pleases God our Saviour, ⁴who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. ⁵For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, ⁶who gave himself as a ransom for all people. This has now been witnessed to at the proper time. ⁷And for this purpose I was appointed a herald and an apostle – I am telling the truth, I am not lying – and a true and faithful teacher of the Gentiles.

⁸Therefore I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or disputing. ⁹I also want the women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, adorning themselves, not with elaborate hairstyles or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, ¹⁰but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God.

¹¹A woman^[a] should learn in quietness and full submission. ¹²I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man;^[b] she must be quiet. ¹³For Adam was formed first, then Eve. ¹⁴And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner. ¹⁵But women^[c] will be saved through childbearing – if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety.

Marching On

2 Chronicles 20:14-22

New International Version

¹⁴Then the Spirit of the Lord came on Jahaziel son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite and descendant of Asaph, as he stood in the assembly.

¹⁵He said: “Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the Lord says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s. ¹⁶Tomorrow march down against them. They will be climbing up by the Pass of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the gorge in the Desert of Jeruel. ¹⁷You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.’”

¹⁸Jehoshaphat bowed down with his face to the ground, and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell down in worship before the Lord.¹⁹Then some Levites from the Kohathites and Korahites stood up and praised the Lord, the God of Israel, with a very loud voice. See the source image

²⁰Early in the morning they left for the Desert of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Listen to me, Judah and people of Jerusalem! Have faith in the Lord your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful.” ²¹After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the Lord and to praise him for the splendour of his^[a] holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying:

“Give thanks to the Lord,
for his love endures forever.”

²²As they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated.

I’ll go in the strength of the Lord
In paths He has marked for my feet;
I’ll follow the light of His word,
Nor shrink from the dangers I meet.
His presence my steps shall attend,
His fullness my wants shall supply;
On Him, till my journey shall end,
My unwavering faith shall rely.

Chorus
I’ll go (I’ll go,) I’ll go in the strength,
I’ll go in the strength of the Lord,
I’ll go, (I’ll go,) I’ll go in the strength,
I’ll go in the strength of the Lord.

I’ll go in the strength of the Lord
To work He appoints me to do;
In joy which his smile doth afford
My soul shall her vigour renew.
His wisdom shall guard me from harm,
His power my sufficiency prove;
I’ll trust His omnipotent arm,
And prove His unchangeable love.

I’ll go in the strength of the Lord
To conflicts which faith will require,
His grace as my shield and reward,
My courage and zeal shall inspire.
Since he gives the word of command,
To meet and encounter the foe,
With his sword of truth in my hand,
To suffer and triumph I’ll go.

False Teachers

2 Timothy 2 New International Version

Dealing With False Teachers

¹⁴Keep reminding God’s people of these things. Warn them before God against quarrelling about words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen. ¹⁵Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. ¹⁶Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly. ¹⁷Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, ¹⁸who have departed from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken place, and they destroy the faith of some. ¹⁹Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness.”

²⁰In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for special purposes and some for common use. ²¹Those who cleanse themselves from the latter will be instruments for special purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.

²²Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. ²³Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. ²⁴And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. ²⁵Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, ²⁶and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.