Grafted in and Grateful

Today’s post was inspired by a recent sermon entitled, “Live in God’s Favor” by Joel Osteen/Pastor Lakewood Church, Houston, TX

Uncommon
– Marie H. Fitts

Be uncommon a cut above
For you are set apart
Refuse to give up on your dreams
That’s why they still live within your heart

Be a person of excellence
Don’t be squeezed into Satan’s mold
It takes courage to be uncommon
Break away from the deceiver’s hold

Uncommon commitment, brings uncommon favor
Be willing to do what other’s won’t do
Don’t shrink back in fear, move forward in faith
The Lord’s anointing is alive in you

A dead fish can float along with the current
It takes a live one to swim upstream
When you don’t take the easy way out
You’ll be rewarded by the fruition of your dreams

Standing at a crossroads
Wondering which way to turn
Trying to make something happen
Just STOP! Listen and learn

The journey is yours to travel
But you are NOT the guide
Follow the voice of rushing waters
Take the old path, on the right side

Walk barefoot along the rocky edge
Feel the soft grass, cool against your toes
Lift your head weary sinner
For what lies ahead, your Father knows

He has promised a glorious unfolding
Lay your worries down – pick up your mat and walk
For you have only just begun
To walk the walk, and talk the talk

Listen intently to your guide
Cherish the majestic, sensory view
Follow the old path, the voice of rushing waters
Relax in His grace, let His love restore you

You are being prepared for the final journey
Be attentive to the smallest details
Paint the images on your heart
His glorious unfolding is soon to be unveiled

Yet, the journey will continually bring crossroads
Stand firm in the direction you take
Keep to the right, along the old path
Restoration awaits!

Power Verse:
Jeremiah 6:16 (NIV)
” This is what The Lord says; “Stand at the crossroads,
and look; ask for the ancient paths; ask where the good
way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your
souls. But you said, ‘We will not walk in it.'”

If God answered your prayers
Would anyone benefit… other than you?
If your heart’s desire was granted
Would it bless just one…or more than two?

If your deepest concerns today
Were addressed by The King of Kings
And if you wished upon a star in the midnight sky
Would it offer anything…to anyone but you?

If you prayed a prayer to heaven
Would the saints and angels sing
Your requests to the Father,
The giver of everything?

To Bless you with your one request
Raining down His Grace from up above
Would the blessing touch more than your life
With The Father’s Love?

Yes The Father wants you to pray for yourself
It’s Not something you shouldn’t do
But including other’s in your prayers
Keeps your focus off of you

And as you lift the burden of a Brother
Father, Sister, Friend of another
To the Heavens you will find
Your burden pales within your mind

The comparison of burdens one to another
The juxtaposition you will discover
Reduces your pain when compared
To your brother’s

So tonight before you fall asleep
As you pray for relief of what causes you to weep
Remember your neighbor across the street
Then sleep will come…so sweet, so sweet

have we forgotten how to greet the day
this sacred, precious gift from God
have we forgotten to give Him praise
for one more priceless day to trod
with steps of joyful thanksgiving
arms raised in praise to The One
who gives life and breath to all living things
have we forgotten the words of the songs we’re to sing
in praise to You, Holy Father, Spirit, Son
for every breath we breathe
breath you fought for and won
triumphing over death and the grave
have we forgotten the cost…the price that You paid
to ransom Your people, while we mocked and betrayed
the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords,
took our beating, shielding us from the sword
have we forgotten the blood, You spilled to atone
for the sin of the world
so not one is left alone
in the darkness of evil
in the void, in the black
in the gapping whole of the abyss
where those who enter
can not come back
have we forgotten that You, Lord
are still on the throne
and with one sweep of your hand
we lay bare and prone
to the judgement we deserve
the real punishment for our sins
have we forgotten how you have turned your cheek
time and time again
to the words of our mouths, proud, disgusting and vile
to the venom in our hearts, spewing like a reptile
to the look in our eyes
to the dirty deeds we commit
have we forgotten that without You, Lord
we fall prey to the pit
of sin and darkness
the allure of the world
have we forgotten that You, Lord
are the one who hurled the stars into space
that You created every grain of sand
have we forgotten the promise
of The Promised Land
though you may not speak to us
through a burning bush
teach us Lord, not to resist
not to ever push
away the opportunities
given us each day
to be thankful and grateful
have we forgotten to pray?
what a rebellious people
we continue to be
ungrateful, unthankful
but Dear God, allow our eyes to finally see
that in remembrance of You, Father
and all that you’ve done
only repentance brings forgiveness
from Your Holy Son
for every time we’ve forgotten to give You praise
for every breath we breathe and for all of our days
that you’ve numbered
given freely
along with free will
You welcome us home
forever still
You are the same yesterday,
today, forever and again
please remind us Lord
not to give in to sin
remind us too, Lord
when our hearts begin to stray
that You never created us
to be this way
so please forgive us Lord
when we lose sight
and choose
to forget all of Your promises
and that we belong to You

Surrender your blunders to The Lord
Your mistakes to His potter’s wheel
He will use them to create a more perfect soul
One that is authentic and real
Surrender you heart to the touch of His hands
He will mold it and make it like new
Regardless of how your past days were spent
What you did…or didn’t do
Surrender your will
Though it was given to you for free
Surrender your first love to The God of earth and sea
Surrender your mind, let Him remake your thoughts…renew
The negative chatter, the unworthy junk will give way to new attitudes
Where His grace, His peace, His hope, His love
Abound through the darkest night
Surrender your all to The God of Israel
The One True God of Peace and Life

Lift me up above my thoughts
High above where the Eagle flies
Let me see from Your point of view
My future through your eyes
Keep my focus stayed on You
Don’t let the deceiver invade
Stealing the treasures of Your promises
Bejeweled lives
Can fall in disarray
For I know the plans you have for me
Plans to prosper and not to harm
Plans for hope and a future
There is no need to be alarmed
I will accept each day
As the beautiful gift of life
The Father has given
Knowing He is covering me
Under His wing
I find His provision
And it sustains me
Once again I am filled
Without a need or want
All because of
What Jesus did
To save me
From the Cross

The Peace
that passes all understanding
some claim
to have known your fame
I know I’ve met you
at least a thousand times
yet I never seem
to remember your name
when my ship is at sea
when the storm winds blow
tossing me forward
slamming me aft
when the waves crash down
pummeling me starboard
dousing me port
what a sorry excuse
for a mortal craft
this vessel
I harbor
where peace should reside
ringing boldly
from the upper deck
yet you hide below
creeping alongside
amidst the tumultuous waves
reveling in the torrent of the sea
tell me why, for God’s sake
peace, have you forsaken me?
and then as God would have it
ten foot swells
die down to four
and the peace that passes understanding
floats me along to a distant shore
where love and grace
and hope and faith
sit near the waters edge
vowing never to forsake me
they sing aloud their sacred pledge
to always rescue me
in times of trouble
as long as I lift my head
to God, The Father up above
clinging to Him
I have nothing to dread
for His peace will live inside of me
He goes before me and behind
guarding the chambers of my heart
He is there to quiet my mind
from restless thoughts
that would keep me bound
to chains that shackle and bind
Ah yes,
I could never forget your name
you are the one Jesus left behind
to be our friend and counselor
The Holy Spirit…the advocate for all mankind

Get me out of my own way, Lord
Help this servant leader to see
That to enjoy Your presence more fully
My thought-life should not be focused on me

Help me reign in self-centered thoughts, Lord
Hold my gaze, keep only in my view
The multitude of opportunities, You give Lord,
To shift negative thoughts to positive ones of You

Like how You’ve molded me into a beautiful vase
From a lump of clay at Your potter’s wheel
Giving me a taste of success in this life
While understanding…that only “significance” is real

You are bringing to life, my authentic self
You give me glimpses of what the future can be
So I praise You and Thank You for all You have done
Focusing my thoughts on You and not me

Allow my mind to be free of the negative junk
Give me peace and understanding, I plead
To become aware of the strengths You’ve gifted
And how You are preparing this servant to lead

So, I will lead with “others” on my heart and mind
Taking the focus off of me
Turning the lens toward those I can help
Using innate talents You’ve given to me

I am a LEARNER, a problem solver
RESTORATIVE as I can be
I crave CONNECTIVITY with like-minded people
Similar…yet different from me

And my EMPATHY will transport me
I won’t even have to choose
I’ll be a mile down the road
Walking imprints of another’s shoes

I thirst for COMMUNICATION
Though I connect best with words
I prefer to write them down on paper
Before they are ever heard

Yes, this is the servant leader
God intended for me to be
Using my natural strengths
Living life authentically

And You my friend, are welcome to join me
As I trust that you will find
Your own unique genius, when with your strengths
You too align

Thank you Lord Jesus for choosing me before the beginning of time
To herald Your teachings, The Gospel Truth
To souls encountering these verses in rhyme

Thank you for the gift of Your Holy Spirit
I declare Your Sovereignty over my life
Working to reveal Your Truth in me… I will consciously fight the good fight

Keep my feet from stumbling
Don’t let my zeal for You rundown
Lift the head of this weary sinner on the frontlines of Your battleground

Help me to wrap my mind around
How these days were ordained by You
There is nothing I will ever come across that You didn’t know I would walk through

Yes, You gave me free will
You let me choose each stage of life…the role I would perform
Yet You were there to lift me up every time I encountered a storm

For every road that I traveled
Even the wrong paths that I took
Yes You let me choose the word’s written in Your Lamb’s Book

Because the story of my life
You and I both planned for me, the troubles I choose along the way, are there to set me free

For all the troubles and heartache I have caused or lived through
Are the very things that always
Bring me closer to You

Where there is joy and contentment
I will always find…it is You, Lord
Bestowing Your Grace, to all of mankind

No, I’m not asking for troubles, Lord
But if what lies ahead
Is only fearful anticipation of something to dread

Then I count myself blessed to have been chosen by You
To live out the adversities we chose
That bring me closer to you

I’ve been called to help you discover the glorious good news
The free gift of eternal life is yours
As long as
You rightly choose

Belief in the Father
Who sent His Son
To die on a cross
For everyone

Covering our sin debt
With His righteous blood
We are all His treasure
Called to do good

To do the good work of our Lord Jesus
By the example He set
If we follow The Father’s commands
All of our needs will be met

Yet we are tempted by the spirit of darkness
All the day long
To turn our backs against King Jesus
Withholding praise, never lifting our voice in song

But praising God, The Father
Thanking Him for all He’s done
Aligns our hearts and minds
Bringing us closer to The Holy One

We must…

“Wake up, O Sleeper,
rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on You.”
– Ephesians 5:14 (NIV)

For every deed exposed by the light becomes visible
And the light of Christ allows us to see
The colossal price paid for us
Confirming how precious we are to Thee

So, when you doubt your worth
Ponder these truths
Praise and thanksgiving will see you through
For you are saved by grace through faith, cherished one!

Just Believe…that’s all He asks us to do.