Some of you will remember this, others aren't familiar with it. I think it was the first of my writings I ever shared publicly & that was with the good people of Eastern Valley Baptist in Bessemer, AL. I wrote it around '95-'96 but it is still as true today as it was back then. GOD can take someone bound for hell, turn their lives around and use them for the furtherance of His Kingdom. I am still in awe of Him daily. I'd appreciate your prayers as I seek to serve Him...
“TESTIMONIAL”
By Tony Shoemaker
I walked this earth a lost, lonely soul---
Searching for something to make my life whole.
I looked and I looked, but nothing was there---
Everything I tried caused pain and despair.
GOD called my name, but I turned away---
Saying, “Not now, Lord, maybe someday.”
I kept on going through stubbornness and pride---
Determined to take life’s problems in stride.
Satan presented his temptations and I was weak---
Life held no value and the future seemed bleak.
Drugs, alcohol and sex brought emptiness and pain---
In them I found there was nothing to gain.
GOD kept speaking, day after day---
Saying, “Come Son, I’ll take your troubles away.”
He blessed me with a family, friends and a home---
Yet Satan persuaded me to continue and roam.
One day, I looked back at the suffering I’d bore---
I’d taken and taken, but could stand no more.
Broken and weeping, to GOD I did pray---
Confessing my sins on that glorious day.
With mighty power and grace, He reached out to me---
Saying, “Come Child, I’ve been awaiting thee.”
From that day forward, He’s guided my life---
And eased my burdens, my worries and strife.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Which Voice? a poem by yours truly...
I wrote this last summer, July I think. There was a time when poems flowed easily but in the past few years, I've only written a few. Anyway, I wanted to share this one called, "Which Voice?"
The voice of the world is calling out,
it starts as a whisper and becomes a shout.
It tells me I am an unworthy one,
unworthy to claim the Blood of GOD’s Son.
It constantly reminds me of where I’ve been,
of my old life--so riddled with sin.
It is the voice of Satan--filled with lies,
to listen to this voice is simply not wise.
The voice of GOD whispers with ease,
soft and gentle as a summer breeze.
It tells me of my worth, through His Son--
I need simply trust Him, the work is already done.
The Holy Spirit’s nudge is ever so mild,
all that is required is the faith of a child.
He doesn’t care what I’ve done or where I’ve been,
The Blood of Christ covers all of my sin.
Which voice will I listen to and heed--
My spirit, my humanity--which do I feed?
To follow the world grants earthly pleasure,
While following GOD promises heavenly treasure.
The final choice, the last vote--it is mine to make,
I and I alone, decide which path I’ll take.
With one, I win--with the other, I lose--
It’s up to me, which one will I choose?
Which voice?
The voice of the world is calling out,
it starts as a whisper and becomes a shout.
It tells me I am an unworthy one,
unworthy to claim the Blood of GOD’s Son.
It constantly reminds me of where I’ve been,
of my old life--so riddled with sin.
It is the voice of Satan--filled with lies,
to listen to this voice is simply not wise.
The voice of GOD whispers with ease,
soft and gentle as a summer breeze.
It tells me of my worth, through His Son--
I need simply trust Him, the work is already done.
The Holy Spirit’s nudge is ever so mild,
all that is required is the faith of a child.
He doesn’t care what I’ve done or where I’ve been,
The Blood of Christ covers all of my sin.
Which voice will I listen to and heed--
My spirit, my humanity--which do I feed?
To follow the world grants earthly pleasure,
While following GOD promises heavenly treasure.
The final choice, the last vote--it is mine to make,
I and I alone, decide which path I’ll take.
With one, I win--with the other, I lose--
It’s up to me, which one will I choose?
Which voice?
Struggles--Why do Christians Suffer?
Your righteousness reaches to the skies, O God, you who have done great things. Who, O God, is like you? Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter, you will restore my life again; from the depths of the earth you will again bring me up. You will increase my honor and comfort me once again. Psalms 71:19-21 NIV
Why do Christians suffer? Why does the world hate us? Why does Satan do everything he can to bring pain and misery into our lives? Why does GOD allow it? I'm certain GOD hears these and a multitude of similar questions in the prayers of His People on a daily basis. What reasons can He have for letting bad things happen to good people?
Fact is, we live in a fallen world. When Adam & Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, sin and death fell on the entire human race. Because we are in the bloodline of sinful man, we are exposed to sin & its effects. Although we have submitted our will and committed our lives to the Father, we are still part of this humanity. The cruel and unvarnished truth is that Christian people fall victim to finincial problems, family issues, job losses, divorce, etc., just like the unsaved of the world do. We are not immune from it, but we do have GOD to see us through it!
Remember the story of Job? It reads a little like a Shakespearean play. Job was described as a blameless and upright man who feared GOD and shunned evil. He also had great wealth. In his time, wealth was seen as being favored by GOD while any form of loss or shame was seen as GOD's Hand being removed because of sin in one's life. One day, Satan began to test this righteous man and GOD allowed it. Through the story, everything Job has is taken from him--his children, his wealth, his herds, absolutely every earthly possession he had was gone. Despite all of this, he never turned his back on GOD. His "friends" were certain there was hidden sin in his life. His wife advised him to curse GOD and die--lots of great support there huh? His response? "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised." (Job 1:21 NIV) As the story concludes, Job is restored and GOD blesses him with far more than he had to begin with because of his great faithfulness. Even when he had nothing, he still held to GOD and looked to Him for strength and direction.
When I am inclined to moan and groan about the troubling issues I encounter in life, I am reminded of Job. My reward is not here on this earth--it awaits me in Heaven where I will spend eternity. The trials of this life can in no way compare with what GOD has in store for us. 1 Corinthians 2:9 reminds us, "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him." Additionally, James 1:12 tells us, "Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him." GOD never promised us life would be easy, just that it would be worth it in the end.
Let us look to Him in all things and for all things. He knows what the future holds and is preparing us for something. We must trust Him to see us through whatever life sends our way, regardless as to how difficult or unfair it may seem, so we can be better prepared to do great things for the Kingdom. Let's be like Job!
Blessings!
Tony
Why do Christians suffer? Why does the world hate us? Why does Satan do everything he can to bring pain and misery into our lives? Why does GOD allow it? I'm certain GOD hears these and a multitude of similar questions in the prayers of His People on a daily basis. What reasons can He have for letting bad things happen to good people?
Fact is, we live in a fallen world. When Adam & Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, sin and death fell on the entire human race. Because we are in the bloodline of sinful man, we are exposed to sin & its effects. Although we have submitted our will and committed our lives to the Father, we are still part of this humanity. The cruel and unvarnished truth is that Christian people fall victim to finincial problems, family issues, job losses, divorce, etc., just like the unsaved of the world do. We are not immune from it, but we do have GOD to see us through it!
Remember the story of Job? It reads a little like a Shakespearean play. Job was described as a blameless and upright man who feared GOD and shunned evil. He also had great wealth. In his time, wealth was seen as being favored by GOD while any form of loss or shame was seen as GOD's Hand being removed because of sin in one's life. One day, Satan began to test this righteous man and GOD allowed it. Through the story, everything Job has is taken from him--his children, his wealth, his herds, absolutely every earthly possession he had was gone. Despite all of this, he never turned his back on GOD. His "friends" were certain there was hidden sin in his life. His wife advised him to curse GOD and die--lots of great support there huh? His response? "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised." (Job 1:21 NIV) As the story concludes, Job is restored and GOD blesses him with far more than he had to begin with because of his great faithfulness. Even when he had nothing, he still held to GOD and looked to Him for strength and direction.
When I am inclined to moan and groan about the troubling issues I encounter in life, I am reminded of Job. My reward is not here on this earth--it awaits me in Heaven where I will spend eternity. The trials of this life can in no way compare with what GOD has in store for us. 1 Corinthians 2:9 reminds us, "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him." Additionally, James 1:12 tells us, "Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him." GOD never promised us life would be easy, just that it would be worth it in the end.
Let us look to Him in all things and for all things. He knows what the future holds and is preparing us for something. We must trust Him to see us through whatever life sends our way, regardless as to how difficult or unfair it may seem, so we can be better prepared to do great things for the Kingdom. Let's be like Job!
Blessings!
Tony
Friday, February 11, 2011
Who loves ya, Baby?
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16 NKJV
Valentine's Day is fast approaching--matter of fact, it's only a few short days away. Most of us will give our Valentine a token of our love--such as a card, candy, flowers, etc. We want to shower those we care about with love and in today's world, love is generally shown with material items. It gives us great pleasure to see our sweetheart gush when they receive a gift from us.
2000 years ago, GOD proved His love for mankind by giving the best He had to give--His Son, Jesus. Jesus came into this world as a humble babe, lived a sinless life and willingly gave Himself in death to provide the atonement for our sins. His sacrifice gave us salvation. Now, that is love!
What does He ask of us in return? We are to love the Lord our GOD with all our heart, mind and soul and love our neighbor as ourself (Mark 12:30-31) and to obey His Commandments (John 14:15). We are also told to love, bless and pray for our enemies (Matthew 5:44). Those we come in contact with will notice there is something different about us--they will know we are Christians by our love.
Take a look at 1 Corinthians 13, aka "The Love Chapter." It goes into great detail about what love is and is not and how love endures. We often hear it recited at weddings but do we really grasp the meaning? After the ceremony, do couples take it to heart? I am reminded of a poem I once read entitled "Marriage Takes Three." It talks of our relationship with GOD & how it impacts our relationship with our mate. The same applies to how we relate to others in general. If we are walking in the love of GOD, peace and contentment will naturally follow.
That is not to say we won't encounter difficulties. I would be remiss if I did not mention that Satan delights in causing us grief and often uses those closest to us to accomplish his task. If he can disrupt a marriage, or a family, or a church body--it brings him great satisfaction. Let's do our best not to let him win any battles. We know we win the war in the end!
GOD gave us His very best because He loves us. Are we willing to give Him our all and our best in return? Dottie Rambo wrote a song entitled "If That Isn't Love" that goes like this...
He left the splendor of heaven,
Knowing His destiny
Was the lonely hill of Golgotha,
There to lay down His life for me.
If that isn't love
The ocean is dry,
There’re no stars in the sky,
And the sparrow can't fly;
If that isn't love
Then heaven's a myth,
There's no feeling like this
If that isn't love.
Even in death He remembered
The thief hanging by His side;
Then he spoke of love and compassion
Then He took him to paradise.
If that isn't love
The ocean is dry,
There’re no stars in the sky,
And the sparrow can't fly;
If that isn't love
Then heaven's a myth,
There's no feeling like this
If that isn't love.
GOD loves you! How much do you love Him? Happy Valentine's Day!
Blessings!
Tony
Valentine's Day is fast approaching--matter of fact, it's only a few short days away. Most of us will give our Valentine a token of our love--such as a card, candy, flowers, etc. We want to shower those we care about with love and in today's world, love is generally shown with material items. It gives us great pleasure to see our sweetheart gush when they receive a gift from us.
2000 years ago, GOD proved His love for mankind by giving the best He had to give--His Son, Jesus. Jesus came into this world as a humble babe, lived a sinless life and willingly gave Himself in death to provide the atonement for our sins. His sacrifice gave us salvation. Now, that is love!
What does He ask of us in return? We are to love the Lord our GOD with all our heart, mind and soul and love our neighbor as ourself (Mark 12:30-31) and to obey His Commandments (John 14:15). We are also told to love, bless and pray for our enemies (Matthew 5:44). Those we come in contact with will notice there is something different about us--they will know we are Christians by our love.
Take a look at 1 Corinthians 13, aka "The Love Chapter." It goes into great detail about what love is and is not and how love endures. We often hear it recited at weddings but do we really grasp the meaning? After the ceremony, do couples take it to heart? I am reminded of a poem I once read entitled "Marriage Takes Three." It talks of our relationship with GOD & how it impacts our relationship with our mate. The same applies to how we relate to others in general. If we are walking in the love of GOD, peace and contentment will naturally follow.
That is not to say we won't encounter difficulties. I would be remiss if I did not mention that Satan delights in causing us grief and often uses those closest to us to accomplish his task. If he can disrupt a marriage, or a family, or a church body--it brings him great satisfaction. Let's do our best not to let him win any battles. We know we win the war in the end!
GOD gave us His very best because He loves us. Are we willing to give Him our all and our best in return? Dottie Rambo wrote a song entitled "If That Isn't Love" that goes like this...
He left the splendor of heaven,
Knowing His destiny
Was the lonely hill of Golgotha,
There to lay down His life for me.
If that isn't love
The ocean is dry,
There’re no stars in the sky,
And the sparrow can't fly;
If that isn't love
Then heaven's a myth,
There's no feeling like this
If that isn't love.
Even in death He remembered
The thief hanging by His side;
Then he spoke of love and compassion
Then He took him to paradise.
If that isn't love
The ocean is dry,
There’re no stars in the sky,
And the sparrow can't fly;
If that isn't love
Then heaven's a myth,
There's no feeling like this
If that isn't love.
GOD loves you! How much do you love Him? Happy Valentine's Day!
Blessings!
Tony
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