The Law of Liberty

Come down from the blazing heights
And walk with Jesus in the dust,
You're not going to be raptured tonight,
You must live in the flesh and be just.

Come, cease from your endless beggings,
Your longing to be sanctified,
Come, claim your holy position,
With Him you are crucified.

There are only two choices that are given,
You can want to be what you are not,
Or accept the eternal provision
And live in the grace that He brought.

There is either a truth or a lie,
There is either a fact or a dream,
You're either in Adam or Christ,
There's no such thing as in between.

So now you can walk in the Spirit,
In the new law you are set free
From the sins that so easily beset you
You are NOW what you wanted to be!

Dec. 8, 1988

Occupied Territory

We pass another crisis,
We draw a sigh of relief;
The shout of the triumph
Is amazing beyond belief!

We pass from crisis to crisis
In this land we occupy,
The lurking enemy is waiting
To make another try.

Cheer up, weary soldier,
The worst is yet to come--
He know his time is short
In this kingdom of the Son!

So keep your armor on,
Your sword kept clean and sharp,
The shield and helmet steady--
No time to play the harp!

We go from glory to glory
In a land already won,
From faith to faith we are waiting
When He will say, "Well done!"

Jan. 5, 1989

Morning Prayer

Remember me, Lord, remember me!
Here I am waiting, Lord, waiting for thee!
Come to my succor, Lord, come to my side,
Tell me again that for me you  have died.

Here I am, Lord, just as I am,
Weary and helpless, sifted as sand--
The hours are dreary, the way seems long;
I'm waiting for you, Lord, to give me a song.

I need you today, Lord, need you right now,
I know you will hear me. I don't know how
These clouds will lift and soon pass away;
I'm waiting for your voice to begin my day!

Jan. 5, 1989
 

Jundiaí Jarbborwocky
        for Harold

When the saints come straggling in
Their voices mingle in happy din,
Arise Francisco, we must begin!

It's time to sing, it's time to shout!
It isn't time to look about
To see who's here or who is out!

The music stops, no sound is heard,
So help us, Lord, who has the Word?
A mystic silence seems preferred.

Eleazer starts, but stops amazed,
A bit dumfounded, but nothing phased,
Another voice will soon be raised.

Hear. oh hear a prophet's voice,
Oh, people dear, you have no choice!
Come faith! Come hope! Come rejoice!

And ending thus, disperse the throng--
I'm incline to think there's something wrong,
This Word must last the whole week long!

Jan. 7, 1989

Confession

Today I need to confess
Yes, Lord, I need to say yes-
Christ is in me and I am in him.
This is the hour when the light is dim.
Is my heart right,
I'm asking tonight?
In the battle of doubts and Adam wins,
Then I have to shout, I've been freed from sins!"

Confess the truth
Oh miserable Ruth!
You know that you died with Christ on the cross;
Confession’s gain is flesh’s loss.
Say it loud and clear
For the enemy to hear—
Just lift your hands and head up high
And shout the victory to the sky!

Remember you’re dead
No more needs to be said.
Moaning and groaning never relieves.
The one who gives is the one who receives.
When faith is spoken
The doubts are broken.
In the congregation I need to confess.
Are you living in Christ? The answer is Yes!

Feb. 12, 1989

Conversation

What are you going to say to Jesus
When you see him face to face,
Will you begin to tell him temptations
Of things he came to erase?

Will you speak of your own salvation
When the world was left outside—
Will you talk of self-fullfilment,
And that was why he died?

And what about the talents
He gave to you, you know;
When you stuck them in the ground
Did you think that they would grow?

How will you see the glory
The Father gave the Son,
And share in sweet communion
That comes of being one?

Feb. 18, 1989

Holiness

Holy, Holy, Holy-
Wholly, wholly, wholly--
I am wholly thine.
Holy is the Lord.
He alone divine.

He abides within me,
In him there is no sin-
From death he came and bought me,
Now I belong to him.

Holy, holy, holy-
Wholly, wholly, wholly-

When we say God is in us
We don't mean from within-
The life that he has given
Is the life that cannot sin,
For he alone is holy,
The God who made the earth-
And we became his children
By death and rebirth.
And now as he is holy,
And I am wholly his,
He has made me holy-
(So that's the way it is!)

Nov. 9, 1992

Principles, People, and the Prophet

The prophet had some principles,
    Solid, basic, wise.
He made his proclamations
    To open peoples' eyes.

But in the congregation
    The prophet was alone,
He sought for confirmation--
    The hearers' hearts were stone.

Yet some by revelation,
    The very few who heard,
Received the inspiration,
    Believing in this word.

By seeking God together-
    Suffering more and more
Were looking for the answer
    Found in Ephesians four.

A prophet to the people
    Must find a gospel team
Related to the ministries,
    Complete the Bible's scheme.

For principles and people
    Need Holy Spirit oil-
Revival, reformation
    Provide the proper soil.

Until by intercession
    Our Father from above
Will grant us desperation
    And knit us by his love.

We wait in expectation
    The promise of his word
And then this proclamation
    Surely shall be heard.

March 25, 1993

The Epic – 1993

Amazing grace in Ezekiel’s siege,
God called his servant to be his liege,
He carries on as the Master leads-
No mighty signs, no mighty deeds,
Yet one by one old structures fall
As prophets’ prayers assail the wall
Of Jerusalem, this city below,
This careless city that doesn’t know
That signs and wonders sometimes deceive
The very elect of those that believe.

And the living word as a burning fire
Is adding fuel to intense desire
To see this Word at last released.
The Word is the Lord’s. The time seems long.
Remember, Lord, we are not strong.
As prophets of old we feel alone,
And here we wait and sigh and groan.
The church is reduced to the twos and threes
Who seek the Lord down on their knees;
And still we wait for the leaders of men
To be broken and humbled and risen again
Forgiving and loving and knowing each other
And accepting the gift that was given their brother;
The apostolic company with apostolic word
To raise the church to bring back our Lord.

June 26, 1993

Longing

Walking in the waste lands,
Weary, weak and faint,
Waiting for a break-through,
Watching for the dawn,
Wanting something different,
Needing something strong.

Father, we are waiting
Here at your command-
Won't you break the silence-
Won't you lift the gloom-
Won't you shatter silence-
Won't you do it soon?

Aug. 30, 1993

The Graveyard

Here lies another phantom-
Here lies another dream,
Here lies another image,
Here lies another scheme.

Man proposes, God disposes.
Man erects. God rejects.
Thank God, for these bones
There is no resurrection.

March 28, 1993

Spiritual Warfare

A Soldier doesn't need to be happy
When he's called to go to the front.
He doesn't have to have a good feeling
Or even think he is brave-
No sense of a "jolly good fellow"-
Or one of the special one called-
He goes because that is his calling
He's been trained to handle the gun.

But the one that goes into battle
Has his mind set hard on his goal,
He knows the reason he is fighting;
He's loyal to the purpose of God;
He's been saved from the depths of perdition,
And knows that he isn't alone-
It's the spirit that made him surrender,
And it's the Spirit that makes him strong.

We are the army of God;
We are the soldiers chosen-
Yes- we are the chosen one;
We didn't ask for this mission,
We're here because he told us to go,
And we know that the One who is sending
Is also our armor and sword,
Our banner and ammunition-
He gave us the orders and strength,
The vision, the hope and the position--
So this, my comrades is IT!

Dec. 10, 1993

In the Melting Pot

We’re in God’s melting pot,
The fires of God are burning hot;
Are we gold or are we not?
Or are we wood – or who knows what?

The fires of God in Spirit we know
Refines the dross – it has to go,
It hurts a lot, but oh-oh-oh!
It burns and burns, and burns us so!

We’ve got to melt until He’s through
Whatever it is that He has to do,
To suffer in Christ in nothing new,
By grace we’ll prove His word is true!

To do His will is our desire,
The only way to go up higher.
We submit ourselves to His holy fire,
And He gives the grace that we require.

Sept. 24, 1990

The Demons’ Song of Triumph

Ho! Ho! For the modern humbug--
The present day image of man,
This living and breathing robot
Who carries his brain in a can.

We’ve made him the slave of the system,
A slave of push-button ease,
Entangled by cords of his ego
Reacting just as we please.

Of course we know from the Bible
The end of all is at hand,
We are frantically bringing confusion
To destroy the most that we can.

So Ho! For the television,
And Ho! For the drugs and the gun,
And Ho! For the New Age vision
In man is the Kingdom to come!

Oct. 17, 1991

Just between me and the Lord

Oh, Holy One
Don't look at me
Until you give
Me grace to see
Your Holiness
And Sanctity.

Repentance, come
And let me see
How much there's yet
Some strength in me
To think my "good"
Could honor thee.

Oh, Holy One,
Please hear my plea,
Let dust and ashes
Cover me
Until I know
That I'm in thee
And then by grace
I really see.

Mar. 15, 1992

Time to Cry

Jesus cried
Before the tomb of Lazarus.
He loved Lazarus—
And Mary and Martha.
He KNEW he was going to raise him from the dead,
But he cried.

He knew he was going to take Lazarus’ place in the tomb.
He knew he was the resurrection and the life.
He knew that the love of the Father constrained him.
He knew – but he cried.
It was time to cry.

Jesus wept over Jerusalem.
He knew what waited for him in Jerusalem,
And he knew that that Jerusalem
Would be destroyed –
But he knew there would be a new Jerusalem.
He knew he would have a bride--
He knew--
But he cried--
It was time to cry.

Jesus wept in the garden
As it were drops of blood--
Angels ministered
As he made that final
Terrible decision.
He knew he would rise again--
He knew, but he cried--
It was time to cry.

And now-- oh church
It’s time to cry.
We KNOW we are the victorious bride.
We KNOW he paid it all.
We KNOW that we are in him
To go through the throes
Of this death.
We shall not die,
But we have the birthpains
Upon us to bring forth
By His Spirit
A glorious bride without spot or wrinkle.
We know--
But it’s time to cry.

Oct. 7, 1990

Ramdom Thoughts

Twenty thousand converts,
Revival in a day
Responding to the trumpet
Because disciples pray.

We’re working for “that” kingdom
That on the cross was won;
This world is ruled by Satan,
But shall be by the Son.

Weary and decrepit,
But with a soldier’s heart,
We’re not about to finish,
We’re just about to start.

Living for the vision,
Imprisoned every day,
Beclowded by depression
We hardly know the way.

Somehow pressing onward,
It isn’t time to die,
But Jesus keeps us going
Although we question why?

We’re fainting in the battle,
Our strength is nearly gone,
Lord, please come to the rescue,
We cannot carry on.

Yes, twenty thousand converts,
But Lord, where are they?
Too weak to sound the trumpet,
Too weak to even pray.

Feb. 4,5,6, 1991

To Joseph – Blessed Among Men

God gave the baby to Mary,
To Joseph the faith to obey.

The angel visited Mary,
And Joseph had dreams in the night.

God gave the baby to Mary,
But Joseph was gifted to lead.

And Mary gave such to the baby,
While Joseph worked with his hands.

And then, when his work was over
Joseph left his family to God,
While Mary beheld her Son’s passion
And was there in the Upper Room.

While the world gives honor to Mary,
Yet Joseph was blessed among men.

June 29, 1991
by John and Ruth Walker

When Love Says “No”

My child, you don’t understand
When love says “No”, to your demand.
Our Father’s love is deep, you know
He knows the reason you want to go,
He knows your struggle to do his will,
It’s oh so hard to just sit still.

My child, you say this isn’t right,
It can’t be love that holds me tight,
It’s Satan’s work to stop me cold,
I’ve got to work before I’m old.

So here you sit and pout
Expecting God to pull you out,
And doubt that love has put you here
That you may learn to give him ear.

Out of the depths he answers you
And whispers softly what you should do--
“Not by power, not by might--”
By the Spirit you see the light.

How very great the love of God
Who gives the good, and gives the rod,
Eternal wisdom from above
For he gives grace to feel his love.

Jan. 16, 1992

When is a Church not a Church?

Sing a song of heaven
When music strong and loud,
The Word is preached with fervor
Unto the gathered crowd.

Smile greetings to your neighbors,
Or give a pleasant hug--
Another Sunday over,
And leave there feeling smug.

So sing a song of worship
To God who no one knows,
It’s such a pleasant feeling
To think we’re one of “those”.

The church seeks its own blessings
And glory for its name,
They’re looking for a harvest
To give their church the fame.

A church is where the saints are gathered
With the Word, and love and prayer,
Where the witness of the Spirit
Brings the living Jesus there.

Nov. 15, 1991

Church in the Wilderness

We are a church in the wilderness,
A woman travailing in birth,
And the life is that word within us
That is struggling to come forth on the earth.

A woman when she is in labor
Has no thought of seeking some fun
For all of her strength must be given
For the life of the promised one.

The dragon is waiting to devour
And he comes with the sounds of a flood,
And the woman cries loud with travail
For the birth with water and blood.

And the angel goes forth from heaven
To mark the foreheads of men
Those who are groaning and sighing
Because of the darkness of sin.

Awake, oh “church of the rapture”!
Awake, oh “Bride of the Lamb”
How can you fly off to heaven
By singing, “Just as I am?”

Don’t you know you are slaves of the “system”
Devised by the powers that be,
Who arranged this whole deception
To keep you from being free?

The redeemed are called into battle,
Yes, “the battle belongs to the Lord”
But we live in this present darkness
And the Word is the power of the sword.

So the Word, at present is in prison
Awaiting the woman’s travail
And we who are called by his Spirit
Are believing for him to prevail.

April and March 1992

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