Poetry of Gary Bertnick - Page Three
WISE IN AMERICA
The divider ruins a nation
Clever man with clever friends
Plans made long ago
Now with forceful cunning,
Invisible powers at the side
Mind energized, mind transformed
Evil seductive control
"Prince of Darkness" so cunning, so clever.
One humble man walks in the light
True wisdom rains down from heaven
The good planted seed grows
Equipped fully for the time, for this very season
Clothed with Spirit armor as written
Truth of Messiah's Spirit a sharp sword that cuts finely,
Precisely moves and removes, divinely penetrates
Power to separate a child from the world,
To lead many others the same
Eternal revelation of life, its very essence;
Way of freedom from the pretenders,
Liberation from clumsy merchants of death
Who peddle fear and lust as commodities
Earthly riches to be desired, possessed,
Temporal treasures to always hunger for.
Even as the enemy devours
The one who hates destroys them
Treated as mere flies
Seen as animals led to the slaughter,
Mocking and scoffing at the Creator;
The Holy One who sits as Judge
Threw out the "dark lord" as trash
As refuse to the earth,
Vast garbage heap growing daily.
He or she who is wise in America
Has escaped "as a bird from a snare",
Now stands free in salvation
Pulls many others from the muck
Clutch of the enemy
From the mire, the deadly snare of SELF;
A hand of compassion reaches out
A hand of peace holds tightly
Humble and gentle hand
Spread out across the Universe.
http://heavensees.wordpress.com
Love's gentle call as the coo of a dove carried on the winds
Tender nudge of the human heart
Stroke of kindness and comfort on the mind
Merciful touch to wipe away any tears,
To melt the stress and anxiety of the world
Soothing voice, powerful voice thrilling, penetrating, most wonderful,
Overcomes the flesh now prostrate before Him,
Lifts up the spirit in strength to stand true.
Honesty looks openly within at unworthiness
But, our God makes possible the impossible;
To soar boldly above this place
Free of its fear and greed and hatred,
To glide with silver wings of peace
Eyes that see very far, very clear
Ears that hear the Voice of Mystery speak
A mouth that tastes Bread from Heaven
Eternal Manna that never spoils or fades
An abundance always offered
Freely given, matching every great flow of love,
Gushes over every offering in prayer
Flowing as a ruby red river of fire upon each sacrifice of the soul and spirit;
Incense rises before the marvelous Throne
Mixed in the smoke of thanksgiving,
Purest, jealous love covers these who are forever His own.
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Found in His mercy,
His kindness and gentleness,
The greatness of our God.
Tender forgiveness beyond smallest details-
Care for a lost child
Care for a forgotten elder, both treated the same,
Both cast off by harsh humanity,
Embraced in the end by His love
Arms that can love when none else can;
At the end of human effort, human emotions spent,
More than a father, a mother
More than a relative, a close neighbor
Or the most compassionate grandfather.
Greatness displayed in the many little things all about us
Things even too small to see,
Beyond human understanding.
The One who rules God's creation is able
Lord of all comfort
God of all compassion,
Each leap of mankind's knowledge in self discovery
Melts in the face of divine holiness.
Ruler who looks upon all human weakness and foolishness
And still loves, still cares
Even as the world's hatred rises up as acrid vapor
Or a choking dust cloud above the Sahara;
Still cares, and creatively works out His mercy,
That as many as possible, everywhere
Can discover their Creator
Who strides across the heavens,
Upon the seas in turmoil on earth,
And speaks a living word
That calms a soul and finally brings lasting peace.
http://heavensees.wordpress.com
Destined before time
In the perfect plan of our perfect God
A new creation in Him,
A new creation joined as one.
Two drawn together even from the ends of the earth
Divine knowledge held out
Gift of love to share
One heart open to another
Mysterious ways of love
Intimate knowledge poured into one another
As seeds, as pearls sown within.
Lives joined together, strengthened to walk this troubled earth
To taste and hear the only victory in perseverance
The only path to personal triumph in endurance
Discovery of the secret walk
Hidden treasure found within another,
Invisible hands teach human hands how to love
How to caress and comfort, to encourage and touch the heart,
To celebrate within human bodies
Expressions of lasting truth,
Hearts and minds that have learned to care
From that very first kiss of truth
The secret of love in loving the other first
In loving the Creator first
The One who formed desire within
Poured out the blessing of righteous longing
Then brought two together to live out the beauty;w
The mystery of Heaven's way,
Of a man joined with a woman
A woman joined with a man,
Who stand together before their God.
http://heavensees.wordpress.com
A new place to run to
A secret map to follow
Hidden treasures to find;
Along an exciting flowing stream
Large branches of trees hang low
Big rocks and things to climb.
Have to walk carefully
Cannot just run,
Something out there
Something hidden from me and you
A new place to find
A special hole to dig
A special search to do.
So, we dig and chop and search, and dig some more
Deeper into the ground we go
No turning back
More and more always to be found we know
And we did and dig again.
Hands all dirty, maybe a scratch or a cut or two,
Clothes the same;
That map with a plan,
Everything we read says so
We know it; yes, we know it
Our shovels will soon show it
Our minds will grow it
Our hands will soon hold it.
What our ears have heard
Our eyes will see
Yes, our hands will hold it!
In the land of true living,
In the land of real adventure.
http://heavensees.wordpress.com
He sits with quiet, a noble calm
As power radiates throughout the Universe
Eternal life pulses as worship all about
Love for His own, even remnant Jacob,
Countless angels in purest devotion
Remnant of mankind from the small earth wear crowns of humility.
As the donkey carried Him faithfully
The gentle King received their praise
And wept over His Jerusalem
City of the Great King, city without understanding
In tragic rebellion
Stubborn defiance by foolish leaders
Greed out of control in merchants;
But some in the crowds could see
Some in the cheering numbers could hear and begin to grasp,
The jubilant in celebration,
The relative few who understood dropped to their knees,
Bowed in honor as He passed by.
The Great King misunderstood by a generation
Betrayed by the realms of power
The same treachery that lives in America now.
Yet, in the wisdom of God
Seeds of knowledge to be carried by a few here and there
Would germinate in hearts and spirits
Would sprout and grow
A tree much greater than seen by Daniel in Babylon
All the birds of the nations in its branches
All the creatures of the world protected beneath its branches
As gathered beneath wings from Heaven;
A rock becomes a great mountain
Fills the entire earth for a thousand generations,
Even Mount Zion, throne of the Holy King.
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He stands firm till the end,
Very strong, but not his strength, his Lord's,
When victory is seated on the throne
Triumph strides through the streets of Jerusalem,
He stands and waits with all the others, as a true disciple
Bows low to the ground as the Holy One passes,
Eyes not worthy to behold the Majesty;
Lord of his mercy
Healer of all lepers
Lord of his life.
The battles fought were difficult
The dark lord more crafty, more vicious
His ruthless, fierce army more tenacious
Relentless treachery until the final crushing beneath the heel,
Foot of the Sovereign One upon the head and neck.
Battle weary as a worn out rag,
Then, a hand places a cup of water to the lips
A few drops that revive
A few sips that strengthen
A final drink that enflames eternal zeal and righteous passion
As he stands once again and charges out one last time
To finish his part of the kingdom work
The King always in sight,
The Lord always at hand.
http://heavensees.wordpress.com
A solitary walk in the dim moonlight
Heart looks to the heavens
Suddenly lost in a beautiful night sky,
And, I thought I saw an angel
Moving across this Western Sky
Beautiful singing and I wondered why?
Was it a vision
Or like a dream, I'm not certain at all,
But I heard singing
And I heard my name called-
"Clear eyes, clean hands and a pure heart",
"Clear eyes, clean hands and a pure heart".
Then a trumpet call pierced the air
A sound much like my name followed
I don't know why?
With such beautiful voices
A chorus, I wonder why?
"Gary- "Clear eyes, clean hands and a pure heart"',
"Clear eyes, clean hands and a pure heart".
And the trumpet sounds grew louder and then even louder
A strong voice joined in- "Warrior, warrior of the Lord"
"Warrior, warrior of the Lord with-
Clear eyes, clean hands and a pure heart",
"He walks with Yeshua, he walks in His love
He talks with Yeshua, he talks in His love with
Clear eyes, clean hands and a pure heart
Clear eyes, clean hands and a pure heart".
Then, it all quickly faded,
Melted into the star struck night sky.
http://heavensees.wordpress.com
Compassion of the Spirit of the Lord
Love compels in heaven's mercy
Love compels the tender reach of truth,
Gentle understanding of rich individual worth, wealth in each one
As another woman crosses his path
At work, on the beach, at a park, marketplace, internet,
Beautiful as a jewel, work of the Artist.
With quiet prayers, gentle words with a caring touch to the soul,
Kind pull on the mind,
Eyes look sincerely into eyes
Bright windows that tug
The sweetness of the light of heaven's truth offered,
Penetrates to the soul, even the spirit
Honest hands seek to lift up
To pour out some oil of comfort
A sharp sword to challenge with precision
Goodness freely held out;
A righteous caress
And a kiss of truth on the heart,
Words spoken clearly, graciously
A drink of living water held out
In this careful embrace of a stranger
Who no longer is one.
Eyes can see a little more of the end from the beginning.
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High in the sky
As the clouds blow on by
Higher and higher
Up into the sky
My hand reaches out
I can touch the blue
Like my finger-paints
I can really touch the blue.
Air rushes past my face
Like water on my face
Like tickles from angels,
Quick touches ruffle my hair,
Move along my face.
I close my eyes to see differently,
Am I a bird?
Or another white cloud floating along above Texas?
My stomach goes up
My stomach sinks down,
Maybe an astronaut landing on the moon!
Or a dolphin skipping on ocean waves,
Like running through a park
My strong tail splashing.
Then with my eyes wide open
I jump from the swing
To see how far I can glide.
http://heavensees.wordpress.com
As the purest stream, peace flows
Kindness from a heart of love
Gentleness from the only Source
Father of compassion in goodness
God of all comfort in caring
Son of the Father in tenderness and faithfulness
Who moves heaven and earth literally,
Nations and kingdoms,
People, tribes, languages,
To establish clear order for even one.
Impartial, to straighten the crooked
Indiscriminate, to bring low the mountains,
Who only looks upon the heart as He raises up the valleys;
Drowns the islands of pride
Heavy chain for those who gather in arrogance,
Laughs at the rebels, the stubborn
The dividers, who lust for darkness through lies.
Higher than any mountain, the small gate of the Cross
Looms powerfully over all the earth,
Trumpet call of the peaceful Spirit draws many to enter,
These chosen, willing to hear, are robed as lambs with His peace
They carry Messiah's peace as proof
Mercy boldly held out as a kind hand,
Any who take it
Are joined as one;
Those who scoff,
The cunning who put one against another,
The clever who turn brother against brother,
Demonic spirits who agitate, inspire and control,
Who mock and jeer as those who embraced the ruthless Roman military,
Cursed and spit at the only true peace on earth,
That day,
That hour when darkness reigned,
Sealed their doom
Embraced their eternity
Future place of unspeakable torment,
Spoken by the true prophets,
Spoken by Yeshua, the Son.
http://heavensees.wordpress.com
Each soul runs a race
Whether fast or slow or in between
Each simply must run to win;
Yet, no competition rises up,
No threat of losing, coming to a dead end
And seeing only loss after sincere, honest efforts.
A strong arm stretches about the shoulders
Ready help and comfort at the side,
Constant warmth of steady encouragement.
In the atmosphere of God's love
Each breath of peace drawn
Becomes a breath of faith experienced,
A narrow road leads from the small gate entered freely by each one.
Many footsteps of individuality to follow, all uniquely set
Hills and mountains to climb
Valleys and fields to cover
Rivers to cross, seas to travel
And always wilderness deserts to seemingly wander.
In this race of true peace
Many small victories, more forgotten earthly defeats;
People loved, people forgiven, including your self
As the power of faith endures
Supernatural strength always wins the new day.
The Kingdom crowds all wait to cheer at the finish
Joyful embraces, brightest victory banners
Heartfelt celebration of your finest victory
As each one is highly honored.
True joy has only grown in completion with each step closer,
Each leap of gladness into the waiting arms
The radiant King of Heaven and Earth who greets each soul,
The fire and zeal of your victory seen from the very beginning,
Already completely settled within His eyes.
http://heavensees.wordpress.com
Peace flows
Peace flows from the heart of God
From the hand of Messiah
From the words of Yeshua
From beneath the Eternal Throne
The crystal river streaming down the street of New Jerusalem.
A pure stream from a heart of love
Kindness and gentleness from the only Mountain Source
Father of compassion in goodness
God of all comfort in tenderness
Son of the Father in complete faithfulness,
Who literally moves Heaven and Earth,
Nations and Kingdoms,
Peoples, tribes, languages
To establish clear order for one,
Impartial to straighten the crooked
Indiscriminate to bring low the proud mountains
Who only looks upon the heart as He raises up the valleys;
Drowns the islands of pride
Heavy chains for those who gather in arrogance
Laughs at the haughty rebels, the stubborn,
The dividers who ruin nations, leaders who lust through lies.
Higher than any earthly mountain, the small gate of the Cross
Looms over all the earth.
A simple call of the peaceful Spirit draws many to enter,
All newly chosen are robed as lambs with His peace
Even Egypt, ancient Assyria and Israel in fellowship as prophesied;
Each person carries Messiah's own peace as clear proof to all
Mercy boldly held out as a kind hand,
Those who take it
Join as one.
But those who scoff
The cunning who put one against another
The clever who turn brother against brother
Demonic spirits who agitate, inspire and control,
Mock and jeer as the many who embraced the Roman military rule,
Cursed and spit at the only true peace on earth,
That ancient day,
That hour when darkness reigned,
They sealed their doom
Embraced their eternity
Place of unspeakable torment
Spoken of by the prophets
Spoken of by the Holy Son
Who sits as the final Judge.
http://heavensees.wordpress.com
Gary Bertnick
A walk through the many fields of this life
Beauty easily seen, woven into such mystery
Flowers and butterflies
Men and women and children, ourselves,
A hummingbird sips from a backyard feeder on a cold, frosty morning.
The heart tugs at purpose and deepest meaning
Yet, the body, the mind of the world pulls away
Letting go of these precious moments when we marvel
Stand in awe as children, child-like once more
Hands of trust take hold of what draws us near,
Riches this world cannot offer
True wealth hidden in plain view,
Gift that patiently waits
Quietly as early morning dew
Jewels and silver and gold upon the common earthly grasses,
Even time stands still
Then steps aside for a greater reality
A kiss of Heaven's truth sweet upon the lips
Beauty that lasts, drapes as robes about the shoulders
Heavenly clothing simply unmatched.
But those voices call out
To envy the stars, the rich of the world
Desire the fame and wealth of the few
Who stand alone in pride
Parade of appetites that only widen and lengthen
Until the earth itself is drowned
And all spirit sensitivity is forever lost!
But many have chosen the humble path
Who drink from a most beautiful cup
Wisdom the sharpest sword flashes from above,
Those who truly seek, who search for more than just gold
Righteous embrace of the greatest gift
Revelation peacefully settled within,
God's pure gift of love, of life for us all,
For those willing to unwrap His timeless present.
http://garybertnick.wordpress.com
The warmest, the strongest embrace
Most soothing, gentle caresses
Satisfaction complete in absolute tenderness
Fulfillment in lasting strength of comfort,
In the very moment when the heart and mind realize,
When the soul is purely covered with the most beautiful blanket
When eternal Sabbath rest settles in revelation within the spirit
True freedom is born once more;
The revelation of Divine love has just begun,
A relationship of righteous love dances about
In displays of purest worship
In delightful expressions of joy,
Praise songs, as a fountain of youthful movements
Honor wonderfully birthed within.
Even as Mary at her Lord's feet that day
Looking and listening
Love's intensity reflected in her eyes
Drinking in experiences without words to quicken understanding
Adoring and so quiet before the Holy One,
Mysterious Lover of her soul.
All she ever longed for
Everything she ever yearned for,
Peace and fullness and true shalom;
Every possible provision
Every true need simply unfolded in a living, precise moment of eternity
Source of creation always before eyes that can see
Ears fully opened to hear, heart to understand
All soon to be revealed
All soon to be made known, as she was known
Rest and peace in glorious vision
Israel's King of destiny and High Priest of foreknowledge
Clearly before them all,
Seated in splendor on His majestic Jerusalem throne.
The temple of His presence
Temple of our bodies;
The Temple in ruins
Not one stone left on another as spoken
Tears run down the faces of old men
They weep as little children at the sight,
Hearts broken
Spirits crushed
No hope can be sensed, imagined.
Cries and deep moans rise for a nation
A people, tribes once favored, a family now cast aside,
Left in the ditches of an abandoned dirt road
It trails off into the desert sunset,
Into the middle of nowhere.
But, the God of Justice looks back once more
His righteous passions kindled
Humbles Himself to look upon the Earth
Certainly fruit will be harvested
Once more men and women will lift holy hands
Mouths will sing praises, with skills of musicians,
All creation raised up
As if from the dead.
Eyes given to see, ears given to hear
A Spirit to know
They will call upon the Name
They will call upon the Name of the Lord
More than a song by Solomon.
Love builds up
The God who is love builds us up ever more
A life on knees in repentance soars as a prayerful aroma
Broken and humble hearts beneath Heaven with wings as a spring fragrance
Will be lifted up very high
Into the Heavens seated near the Holy Throne,
Splendor and Majesty beyond mere words,
To look into the Face of Pure Light
The Holy Face of Glory
The God of Love, our Creator,
The Face of our God, our Lord of Love!
http://garybertnick.wordpress.com
From morning to evening
Night to day the same
Sunrise to sunset and back again
The body needs to breathe clean air,
Fresh, cool and beautiful air
A pure expression into the lungs and blood flow,
Rushes throughout the waiting body
Satisfied until the very next breath taken;
Thirst needs a ready drink
Clean spring water or deep well water
Runs smoothly into the mouth
As rivers flow into the seas,
Currents move throughout the oceans,
Underground rivers, aquifers, underground lakes
Water always on the move
Quenches each and every thirst as basic need reaches out.
A lover passionately needs to love a lover,
Birds need to fly
Fish need to swim
Hunger drives the need to aggressively hunt,
And a restless man and a restless woman search
Long for another soul, seek the other one
Intimate treasures of the heart completely to be revealed,
One soul fully spent to embrace that unique other.
God, our Creator, watches from above
And desires to fully reveal His love in His Son
But, who will seek it
Who will bow and reach past stars for it?
To look beyond themselves to see and taste a simple, yet consuming need!
To know Him is to love Him
To love Him is to know Him even more,
Knowledge grows from a precious seed of human need
Planted in a man, in a woman, in every child
Righteous need truly a gift created within a life
Within a heart, a spirit
Within a soul, a mind.
Yet, for now, a mysterious inner lack, barely sensed
Rarely understood,
Until this jeweled need overwhelms,
Gives birth to sovereign destined circumstances
A new hunger
A new thirst of the deepest kind rises from the spirit,
A voice finally cries- "Where is my God? The Living God?".
Then, revelation from above settles like diamond drops of dew
Newly on the riches green, morning grass,
And suddenly belief is enabled
And I have faith in Messiah!
An anointing for me and for you from Yeshuah
The Anointed One.
http://garybertnick.wordpress.com
Pure and sweet love
Disciplined, self-controlled desire and passion
A mind clear, a will vibrantly alive
Joy in the righteous pleasures
Gift of union given
Body honoring a body above self
Souls delight in what is good,
The other responds in like,
Oneness as a celebration
Beauty of covenant commitment
Breath of fragrant love entering another
Apple blossoms above
Fragrance of Jasmine in the air
Fine grass as a majestic bed
Blue sky, warm breeze, eyes see far
Gladness at being alive, a soothing blanket covers
Hand woven carpet of multiple satisfactions beneath
A shared matured red wine for thirst
Passion fruit to excite the moment
Citrus aroma to refresh and revive the moment
Ready the moment for the next steps
Hands held tightly as feet skip along above the flowers,
Kisses are soft and gentle, kisses are hard and strong
The hearts race along once more together
In a truly great adventure
Such wonders of fully open expressions
Where wonders of intimate honest love listen and hear
As true love looks and sees within
Learns from the Father, listens to the Shepherd Son,
Creator of all;
Our hearts understand and draw even closer in peace and rest.
http://garybertnick.wordpress.com
Hope nearly drawn out
Many stumble on vain and selfish worldly imaginations
Trip on longings grasped for
While the world simply goes on and on
And darkness continues its boisterous parade
Arrogance and deception loudly celebrated by most,
Sensuous pleasures to pacify.
The silver cord is drawn very thin indeed
Even as the patience of our God!
His plan of eternal perfection
Before Adam and Eve in wisdom
Infinite tender grasp of each human being
Each step, each breath
Each word, every thought,
Sovereign rule over even the darkest "fallen ones";
Hell stands watching, waiting
As Hades greedily enlarges its throat,
The Lake of Fire beyond description!
Our Savior has spoken
All Godly work made completely known
Transparent secrets of the Cross
Crystal clear secrets of the Kingdom of Light
Laid bare before all nations
All humanity from all times now without any excuse.
The righteous cloud will rise beautifully from the Earth
Join the cloud of purest Light from Heaven,
Our Redeemer stands clear and transparently radiant
Arms joyfully outstretched for His flock of love
His own purchased at the greatest possible price
In the blood of life for life,
The God who is love fully revealed;
At the seventh mighty trumpet sound, the washed ones all spring to life
Bodies formed and transformed, with those still in flesh, the chosen fly far above
Time or timing never the controlling factor, or consuming purpose.
My daughter of Eve, daughter of Jerusalem
The woman I sleep with
Kisses of righteous passion
Rest upon our hearts and souls,
Though the bodies grow older
The spirits soar together in youthfulness,
The Lord who is Eternity
Watches in pleasure
Truly what His hands have made;
Peace flows through hearts
Bathed in prayers and kisses.
Like the crystal river from the Throne
Flows down the great street of the City, New Jerusalem in union joined
The Bride in marriage beautifully clothed
Adorned with every jeweled facet of love,
Mind of Messiah towers above
Wings of His strength cover the children, and the grandchildren
Enclose the most beautiful ones in purest, righteous jealousy.
Name above every name
Streams rush from the ends of the earth
Come to Him from every nation, every island of the seas
Pour forth together into foreknowledge lived out
Shalom in oneness birthed once more
Revelation in lives ordered, structured and overflowing with good purposes
Gracious abundance the crown upon their heads
The ripe fruit of a most intimate covenant
Commitment in faithful endurance
Assurance in constant delight
Amazing depth of love for one another
Honor the perseverance that carries
Sacrifice of thanksgiving celebrated
Joyful crowns set before the King.
One evening years ago
In a lasting vivid, radiant Heavenly vision seen
Alone, in a moment of her worship she bows in delight
To pick another bouquet of rarest flowers
Literally in her Lord's garden!
http://garybertnick.wordpress.com
The enemy lies at our feet
Crushed by a heel,
Eyes are lifted up
They see very far
They see clearly at last.
A battlefield strewn before us
A battlefield stretches behind
Time itself scattered about on the ground;
Sword of truth in hand very sharp
A pure and sweet instrument
A lovely and most powerful weapon
In the absolute truth of life and death,
Lived by a man
Walked out by a woman;
Every thrust, every movement precise
Nothing wasted in each step, each piece of bread, each fierce encounter
Selflessly following in His footsteps,
As a zealous dance of divine confidence
Light in a glow about moves the same
Knowledge revealed in communion from above
Brighter than any star
Brighter than the sun.
Gentle hand held so tightly,
The One who guides as a most fierce Shepherd
Ancient Warrior,
Ancient of Days
Who conquered death for all
Fearless Warrior, Ancient Sovereign Lord,
Mighty King of Love.
A river of blood will flow deeply outside Jerusalem
Wine press of justice to come
All the enemies of truth, who belong only to this world
Enemies of everything good, those only of the present world
To be dealt a final blow of cleansing judgment.
But, we walk joyfully through the gate of life
The gate of love and peace always before us
Victory sword held high in honor
This sword flashes with the brilliance of divine revelation
Spirit and truth
Eternal life made known in our Messiah
All fear driven out
Death forever conquered,
Our victory in celebration made known
In His victory from before the beginning;
Freedom from slavery to sin and our common fallen nature
And the lying "prince of darkness",
Predator, thief of anything good
Driven to the ground of the earth,
Soon tossed into the "lake of fire".
http://garybertnick.wordpress.com
Death is the absence of the revelation of the knowledge of God in the face of Yeshua Messiah. To know Him is to know and have life. To know the Sword of His eternal Word. To not know Him is to remain in death subject to darkness and the worst deceit. In a sense the Earth is a major battlefield for souls born into it. Though the end is foreknown, lives must be freely lived out in Sovereign predestination wrapped about by the secret understanding of our God. Those who follow Him are compelled by Messiah's love indwelling us by His Spirit. He prayed to our Father- "Your will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven". And we who belong to His kingdom shout- "Amen"!
All fears melt away,
The fear and anxiety of life
The fear of death,
That we might truly live out each day
At rest, at peace in this place, at this time.
As the morning sun lifts the dew.
A cloud of invisible vapor ascends,
So the truth of life rises within the spirit
Confidence soars far above
A calm rest settles as peace rules
The dust of the earth merely brushed off.
Light feet skip along each chosen path
Happy feet, dancing feet,
Whitest clouds in the sky above
Striking, multi-colored flowers on the ground below
Gold and silver embroidery on the robes of our delight
Flowing lines of grace displayed
Lovely footsteps always lovely.
Beauty drips from the hills about
Healing at the very fingertips,
The world is seen through the eyes of heavenly light
Endless distractions filtered out
Noise in the background left in the background.
A focus on personal meaning and purpose establishes the way
They taste and see,
One greater holds the right hand
One most powerful shepherds behind and in front
Doors to hearts and lives fly open at a touch
Good purposes rule the day;
Laughter crowns the new hearts
Such gladness at being alive,
A small child's eagerness bubbles over to parents,
Patience wraps about love
Understanding minds embrace one another,
A small gathering of like souls moves forward up a mountain
Strong confidence in this new day,
A way made clearly known.
http://garybertnick.wordpress.com
Children of Israel, natural or "grafted in"
Descendants of faith given as a true life force,
Spirit power greater than gravity
Power greater than heat or cold
Greater than any chemistry or biochemistry
Greater than any emotion or inspired will, any intuition,
Beyond human imagination.
Such treasures we have discovered in words written long ago
Spoken into eternity;
Hearts are torn as tears of repentance flow
And a veil is lifted, things hidden for so long
Now seen in the brilliance of the face of our Messiah.
The suffering of generations
Pains of childbirth have gone on far too long
Holy Spirit revelation comes from above
Things written on the mind , with clear understanding
Now made known to all willing hearts.
Demands of survival in this world overwhelming
Fleeting and foolish, false money security
Seeds sown methodically with discipline long ago
Yet, fruit withers on trees,
Vines dried up as so many wandered alone
As castoffs scattered
Separated from destined reality usurped,
Oh, the weight of generations
The crushing heartache!
Suddenly ancient words have come alive
Prophets of old become new-
Zechariah and Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel
All the others faithful, obedient as Moses,
The weight of love driven responsibility
Burden of Godly care shouldered,
Plan of the Divine One
At last in meticulous precision made clear;
Finally the children of Israel have turned
Broken hearts, a nation of tribes, joined to their Eternal Lord
The refuge often spoken of by King David.
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The heart longs
A soul yearns
Mind so strained and pulled
Tears well up from within;
Oh, for a true place of safety during the storm
Guidance in a journey across this desert land
To be wrapped about with arms of love and comfort
To see the Temple of our God's heart
Revealed in the New Jerusalem descending
Settling down smoothly, delightfully from Heaven
A gentle autumn leaf,
Much as a steady rain soothes and comforts the summer growth
Fields of wheat, corn and other grains
Drinking in the wealth from above,
The farmers nearby who worked the soil
Scattered the good seed
Take refreshing, relaxed breaths of cleanest air,
Encouragement in confirmation so needed!
The children of Heaven from all nations rejoice as well,
The latter rains beyond every expectation
More than anything imagined or hoped for
To rest in such abundance
Joy in truest riches,
Wonderful things, glimpses of Light now seen
What ears had heard
Voices from ancient Holy books come alive,
Things now more splendid
Majesty more beautiful
Freedom itself stands in awe
Arms lifted at the presence of Glory,
Temple shelter from any possible storm
Any scorching heat or freezing cold,
Any possible threat, any dark cloud, any savage hand;
Caught up in the vision of a martyr who sees clearly through the present day
And into eternity already brightly revealed-
The Lord of the Universe stands to greet another
A welcome smile and shared laughter of the Shepherd
The One who created the small gate
The narrow road, enlightened path
Already deeply experienced, keenly known.
Finally,
Enough of the noise
The foolish, wasteful noise of the world;
The spirit cries out
The soul groans deeply
Mind strains for true quiet!
Knees touch the rug, cat sleeping on a nearby chair,
In silence prayers can be heard within
Incense can be seen rising above
Moving toward the Throne of Heaven
Place of eternal rest
Source of all that is good
Where arms of love wait
Wrap about every human need,
And peace is birthed once more
A light garment is wrapped about weary shoulders
A fine covering to protect from the abuses of the world
And the abusive people who walk in it.
Mercy crowns the renewed mind
Strength to forgive flows out
Footsteps of wisdom and love are enlarged
And true knowledge is refreshed
Grows in the heart longer, wider, thicker.
Another step can be taken
To walk as He walked
To walk as the "Firstborn From the Dead" walked on earth
In the middle of every storm and trial
To walk as the "Faithful Witness",
In the face of all deceit and hatred
To walk in our body as the "Ruler of God's Creation" did,
Even as He walked the streets of Jerusalem.
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Tried, tested and proven true
Beyond any doubt in a human mind renewed
Rests above any fear of the heart
Peace through every circumstance of life;
Each new day unfolds revelation truth
As a man stands in the blazing beauty of sunrise, and is blessed,
As a woman stands in marvel of the dramatic sunset, and is blessed.
Real trust, only a divine gift
An inner knowledge of Sovereign control,
Spirit wisdom in each droplet of rain that falls,
Every tear that runs down a cheek in sorrow or sadness
Or tears of joy, tears of laughter,
Every human passion experienced
Crowned with a taste of true Spirit character,
Even the character of Yeshua!
A child taught in the beginning to trust while against his mother's breasts
Always secure in Heavenly arms of trust
Once lost, now as a baby cradled within a womb of safety.
A child of God who drinks daily the milk of God's written Word
Who matures as a son or daughter,
Always stands prayerfully in the strength of their Lord;
Trust swims confidently in a sea of troubles
Currents of encouragement follow and carry
As winds of comfort blow softly about
Gentle blue sky of compassion above,
Smiles at the future, at peace with the past
Sunrays of the present assurance soothe with tender warmth.
Many victories joyfully knitted together
An exquisite tapestry in linen, silk and dyed wools,
The greatest prize a finished work
Most absolute victory, complete gift in life
To see and trust in our God, the Bread of Life
To hear and trust in our Messiah, Living Water within and without.
The Lord our Trust
You opened the door of Heaven that no one can shut
You closed the door to a world of our consuming sin no one can open,
Indeed, the Lord our Trust.
A lost soul seen walking along a lonely road,
Dressed poorly
Heavy steps taken
Back hunched slightly,
Just one of many noticed lately
Trudging along a nearby highway
Some miles from a small town
Dry summer fields in all directions,
The sun baking from above
As one of the few predictable things in his life lived out,
Struggles, disappointments
Failures and heartache
Thickened skin of a soul, rough and toughened;
Cars pass by at speed limits
Few drivers notice, fewer even take a look.
Oh, the value of a soul, the price, the cost poured out,
And the path of human choices somehow taken,
A walk of circumstances more than luck or chance;
Messiah's Cross alone, Heaven's sovereignty draws us all together
Rich and poor, weak and strong
Young and old, male and female.
More than the sun and moon above
Divine compassion looks intensely below
Watches each footstep taken, nothing missed,
The Lord waits patiently for the designed opportunity
The times set for them
Exact places to live, to be
Optimal moments, optimal circumstances;
People and places brought together in time
That they might hunger and thirst
That they might search and seek
That they might finally reach out
Grasp for reality
And touch the kind hand of Peace, and soon see the face
Of the Living God!
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Waves of goodness
From the hand of the Lord
Wash over my life
Over the lives of all His children
Ones at play on the shoreline of time
Eternity more than the work of sand castles;
Life long ago redeemed,
Our paths uniquely designed to walk this earth
To move through this world
Footsteps powerfully established, ordered divinely!
Peace rules the hearts and lives of the children of Heaven
The very peace of Messiah, the Prince of Peace
Spirit peace leaves no room for fear in His kingdom;
All who have tasted the despair of this world
Honestly lost without hope for our souls
Have now seen the goodness of our Lord
"In the land of the living" as written so long ago.
Eternal truth embraces each moment
Tasted through experience as time on earth unwinds,
The glowing value of the sense of "now"
Seen when our eyes of love are drawn
Purely into the eyes of another who loves the same,
Those blazing eyes of heavenly fire that see within our hearts.
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***Read again Psalm 91.......
A turtle dove at rest on a high branch
Suddenly startled, flies off
It sprints away on a good wind
A pleasant gust, a quickened breeze
And it soars peacefully away.
A moment in Earth time
The blink of an eye
And the spirit soars away from the body
Hand in hand with the soul
As freedom celebrates freedom;
Angels gather these chosen ones
A most beautiful bouquet set before the King
Victory of Heaven's joy
Triumph of Heaven's love.
Spirit knowledge as a seed given
Planted in a heart, a human life
Now greatly multiplied in perfect fruit
Sacrificial offering of faithfulness before the Faithful One
Set before the only true God
Maker of Heaven and Earth
Everything in the palm of His hand
Before, now and ever after.
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REFRESH
To refresh the aroma of our love
A fragrant scent of a blend of mint and jasmine,
Even one for another as the perfume of nard fills the house,
A selfless heart given for my wife, hers for me
Our hearts for our God;
Refreshing love expressed
In a life on earth lived out
Each day beautifully renewed
One hand tightly holds another
Confident smiles mirror with eyes,
The look of trust at rest within,
And see peace fully returned
Honest hearts completely open
And free,
Marriage bed of transparency
Healthy delight of passions
At lavender rest in complete satisfaction.
Life given as living water upon a desert shrub
A seed in the ground once dead
Now shoots up towards the sun
Most vibrant dance in the sunlight beneath the bluest sky
Celebration of a rich life as blossoms form
And good fruit rushes forth,
Such a divine gift
As a bride before her groom
The Bride of Messiah before His Throne
Joy of salvation bursts out as angelic trumpets,
Good work finished in hearts so long ago.
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The greatest spiritual revelation
Mystery of true love made known to a man,
The love of the Holy God to a woman,
For us, for me, for you
Shown clearly in the Jewish Messiah
The Anointed Son of God
Eternal King of Israel,
Truth as love incarnate walked in human flesh
The Way of life shown to all eyes
Holy Words heard by all ears;
Some hearts awakened
Many minds enlightened
Spirits of men and women eventually reborn
More than from a mother's womb
Rebirth into Heaven's Eternal Life!
As divine love washes over a soul
Floods within a spirit
Expressed through a body,
Joy wells up, Living Water from the new born spirit.
God, who is Love, is now made known,
Greatness beyond mere human understanding
Shown, made known, revealed in the only Son
By the Holy Spirit,
Our God who is Love!
Reflections in what has been made
Sky above during day or night,
Earth below from horizon to horizon,
Highest mountains
Lowest valleys
Rivers that flow
Oceans that wash the endless shorelines,
Greatness of this love experienced in what has been given to us all;
But a few early nibbles, tastes of the "Banquet Table" to come,
Fully set and ready for seating
For the eternal victory of His children
A celebration in worship that will never end.
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We stand together and search
Look high up into the sky seeking,
On Christmas night
Stars always shine more brightly above
As small bursts of joy from Heaven
The Light of Love pierces through the darkness.
Beauty the eyes behold
Even as the essence of life suddenly discovered
Found in a newborn baby
A smile forms on tiny sleeping lips, even bits of mysterious laughter,
Truly a gladness our souls embrace;
The countless stars above portrayed
As a work of divine art for all eyes to see,
In simple pictures of wisdom painted across our minds with delight
Signs of Sovereign control in Sovereign love
Power even greater than what can be seen
Authority to create such overwhelming personal goodness in a child,
Far beyond what any human can fully know
Mysteries of Majesty displayed,
Splendor in a radiant smile from very far away.
Speckles of light drape to the horizons
Sparkles dance throughout the fragile darkness,
In transparent open joy mouths begin to sing of that Holy Night
When angels gathered long ago
And our Lord was first revealed,
Such fragrant days of wonder
Such times of the aroma of awe celebrated
When whitest robes of spiritual freedom were draped about shoulders
Mankind set free from the impossible snare of self
Chains about the heart and soul of human nature broken;
A Savior came to us bearing the greatest gift of His life,
A golden seed of lasting joy planted deeply within
Redemption where there was none
New life where only death in fear reigned,
A spirit Shepherd for wandering sheep
A clean path of truth made known where there was none.
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The Cross of Israel's Messiah before us
Our chosen destiny
Our earthly mystical experience,
The secret to eternal heavenly wealth
And "living wisdom" beyond the stars,
Wisdom that works daily in any human life
That walks the practical streets
Works in any job setting
Fills a house
Fills a soul at constant rest;
Divine wisdom fulfills human purpose and gives true meaning
Establishes supernatural peace both within and without.
To drink living water, truth of His most noble act
The greatest delight
With each sip taken, honor given
With each drop received, fellowship embraced,
Most intimate friendship enjoyed
Every quality of true life in abundance,
All love, joy and peace
Every good thing revealed to us
The power of faithfulness
Such songs of wonder experienced in the morning
Prayers of gladness at night
Wealth of a new birth gathered in the heart
And throughout each day a divine shalom that lifts the being
And settles upon Mount Zion
City of God, "garden Kingdom of love"
City of the Great King of the Jews!
Oh, God's secret wisdom of redemption
Final and absolute defeat of the enemy of life
Enemy of all that is good,
One foot now in the Lake of Fire,
Enemy of all that is true and pure, soon to be destroyed.
The fully open display of love shown on the Cross,
Show of absolute sovereign power and authority as well
Narrow Gate for all the sheep who will follow Him,
Free from any hatred and false religion
Corrupt politics, economics and the many snares of mankind,
Fear of death driven off into the barren desert,
Freedom to be alive, the victory in Him now in eternal celebration!
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Wonder and amazement
Powerful love displayed in a world full of hatred
Sincere kindness shown in an unkind world
A gentle touch when personal needs overwhelm,
Feet pulled from all the filth and muck.
An isolated castoff finds a friendly embrace,
An unloved woman finds true love at last
And the earth trembles beneath her feet as seen by Solomon,
Joy beams as a new day's sunlight
The beauty of being alive refreshed
As the scent of flowers wafts about
Perfumed oil on the skin heightens attraction
Incense makes the mind and senses dance freely on a gentle breeze,
Once more seeds of gladness sown
A harvest of gratefulness follows,
Of thanksgiving in worship of our gracious God exulted.
Honest souls, completely transparent within themselves
Know the emptiness
The mystery that plagues each person
Lack of hope that carries internal harmony in spirit and truth,
Without peace and love that binds together securely
And leads through the valleys and shadows of our life;
The soul always under attack, constant spiritual warfare against the mind
Thoughts and "voices" to discern,
But new peace from Heaven sees through it all,
His peace and our peace.
To look with amazing faith upon the resurrected form of Majesty
Onto the glowing face set off by radiant long white hair
Into the blazing eyes of fire,
To fall before the shining feet
And grasp with tears as Mary so long ago,
The only reality
The "sum of all truth"
The Holy One who loves us completely
When no other can or will.
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The true path of Kingdom peace we now walk
Kingdom of mercy as a living revelation traveling through time,
Gone only once before with strides of power and authority
The Ancient One, mighty Anointed One, King Eternal
Absolute, triumphant in obedience,
Faithful love, eternal conqueror of death.
Honesty looks completely into our eyes
Pierces the soul
Floods the spirit, nothing left hidden,
Everything put on open display in every realm;
Truth exulted in such a humble way
Meant for little children to grasp in their innocence
To hold tightly with tiny hands
Ones that eagerly clutch onto toys
And small blankets at night,
Who hold cookies and treats with flashes of pure joy,
Who hold on tightly with a trust lost by nearly every adult,
Discovered once again by only a few.
A woman, a mother walks in quiet confidence
Lasting beauty at rest within
Tried and tested, a proven disciple of the only worthy Teacher,
Spirit of Messiah most intimate
Precise and delicate and timely,
Living words lived out in another so precious
Treasure discovered in her field,
Tender pruning of her life
Kind touches of guidance, forgiveness sown and reaped,
Heavenly wisdom pours, flows from these lips freely as healing balm
As ancient written words come forcefully alive in one more.
**********
She walks in confident peace
Every need met
Trust settled into final assurance of Sabbath rest,
Body and soul bathed often in aromatic oils and fragrant perfumes
Clothed in glowing beauty more than Esther
Whitest robe embroidered with silver and gold
Radiant flowers as a colorful crown on her head
True beauty beyond earthly breath
Aroma of Christ all about
Fragrance of life a far reaching scented cloud before and trailing after,
Atmosphere of divine revelation, of divine knowledge
Light gives birth to even more light
In Heaven's righteous law of abundance,
Draws near a child so chosen
One who believed and received
Mysterious Tree of Life a longing come true
A banner of honor stretched above from horizon to horizon
Continual feast at the richly scented table of delight
Bowed as Mary and others at the Master's feet those early days
Greatest pleasure of inner being
Its essence revealed, carried along in gentle Spirit winds.
Once the Glory Light on the face of most humble Moses
Divine Words carried, written on stone,
Now eternal glory of the Holy Spirit
Written on youthful hearts of flesh;
They move in triumphal procession in Yeshua
Small Gate of His cross, our cross
Narrow road of perseverance and endurance walked
Heaven's joy a gift fully received,
Fragrance of life carried on wings of destiny to distant shores
Things too wonderful, too beautiful
Described without limited human words
Greatness made known in the greatness of our God;
A royal train follows royalty into the golden temple of His love
Jewels sparkle all about, jewels sing as angels, exquisite melodies,
Thundering songs of worship, rumbling voices of praise.
Hushed reverence as she enters
Another daughter of Eve
Faithful daughter of Jerusalem
In holiness offers the pure sacrifice of thanksgiving for life
Honor before the Majestic Throne of the One who dwells in unapproachable Light.
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Things of beauty
At every hand
If you look you will find some
Past the pain and past the sorrow,
Past the cold hearts that would deaden,
Past the foolish and all the deception.
Open to awesome wonder
Take a deeper breath of life
Bow on the earth
Bow at the King's footstool,
Look to the heavens
And then back again.
If you look for true beauty
You will find some.
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Pure and holy like Him
Our calling carried on the creative winds of Heaven's peace
A song that settles deep within
Daily a prayer to the God of our life,
Words from holy lips
Keep our paths clean and peaceful
Free from the ways of earthly violence
The ways of the wicked and easily deceived.
Our war in a different realm
Our weapons only in the Spirit
We do not wage war as if of this world
Our prize- freedom from this place
Joined to Heaven in Kingdom joy,
Unlike any whose portion is in the world!
He walked as Peace in the flesh
Love and peace trumpeted loudly
He endured the violence of man
Calmed the young disciples
While walking on the water,
Later while facing the military, police mob of the day;
The power of peacemakers flows in and through us
We walk as He walked
In obedient love to the Father
In fearless self- control
In eternal truth
In Spirit power
In a way hidden from the world
In a life mysterious to the fallen ones
In a life seen as a threat to the controllers,
In and through a door of triumph
In a path of complete victory
With no room for earthly weapons or worldly violence!
-Gary Bertnick www.silvercordspirit.com http://garybertnick.wordpress.com
Words from the heart spoken
Love pours from the inner being
And only the spirit can hear the reply,
Alone, but not alone!
Knowledge of the Holy One carries
"The streams of the Lord always full",
Wings of grace soar into the heavens
The very place of angels
Home of everything good and lasting
Place of "forever"
Where the foretaste of eternity
Stands fulfilled apart from time.
The ones loved for so many years
Taken away by invisible wings
Lifted suddenly from the Earth
Brought into the Majestic Presence,
Faith gave birth to reality predestined
Fulfilled, now at last.
As the sun lowers in the western sky
Robins hop about in the back yard
Hummingbirds dart to and from the feeder
The cat curls up on the rocking chair,
And I already know He "makes the dawn and sunset shout for joy";
As I rest in the Spirit
Trust a soothing warmth about
The Shepherd's path constantly before me,
Body death seen is but a blink
A quick shadow passing with the New Day dawning.
Any fear just a charade
Any hint of doubt but the icy breath of darkness,
Death swallowed up by life
Death destroyed in complete victory
Life in Israel's Messiah alone triumphant
Our King, the King of all spiritual Jews,
Jan. 7th 2019
True Love remains the same
"Yesterday, today and forever"
The rich drippings of mint scented oils
Exotic star anise and jasmine mingle as one delight
On the gentle evening breeze,
Then the lush and lovely fragrance of deep red roses...
The pleasures of God's Love for us remains pure and true!
Daily the Spirit of Messiah draws us closer into His Kingdom
As we enter more fully the sacred Covenant honor
Experience more deeply the sacred trust
Of the sacred Temple within us
The Holy Majestic Presence as lasting beauty of flowers
His Spirit Splendor within and all about us,
In His Glory Light we can now see.
SHE
Jan. 27th 2019
In the Spirit seen-
A consuming brilliance of Light that covers all
The eyes are overwhelmed
They bow washed in humility
And then slowly draw closer to the Source
The New Kingdom of Zion the place of purity on Earth
Most powerful Mountain of the Lord
In the Light of His Majesty;
As the eyes draw closer a human form is noticed
Then nearer, a woman aglow in beauty
Full length robe of whitest white with gold and silver etchings
The skin of her form with a platinum-like metallic radiance
A crown of exquisite flowers on her head,
She kneels down reaching into a field of other unique blossoms
Soft and elegant fragrance of plants before unseen;
She adds even more to an armful
A bouquet of love to set in honor before her King
And His Throne of Delight in her
And in all of His children
The many chosen to take lasting pleasure in hand
As she does in her new body,
And in her Lord in His Beauty!
ADRIFT
Jan. 27th 2019
Adrift in a sea of sad and sorry frustrations
A ship full of desires and expectations dreamed of
Seeking to fulfill the many inner needs
What the soul strives for
Perfection that must be at hand,
But is not there or here, or anywhere
No peace to be found;
Hands and heart reach out
Legs and feet run as fast as possible
But always fall short,
Longing to be better and better, the best
Even severe competition with others, and within your "self",
The burning need to take hold of a finish line
That always moves away instead!
Nerves are strained in a turbulent sea
The mind with thoughts as stormy winds
Our brain throbs, aches with stress after stress
The impossible perfection the only reality sought
Yet plagues as a river roar through.
Human nature seeks perfection as a hunger and thirst
What should be experienced, but is not
Human efforts alone always fail
Leaving desperation and depression behind!
Then, a gentle Word is heard at last, kind Words of care
A surprise Name is spoken in a "still small voice"
Calming touches from another place brings sudden comfort;
A refuge and rest from "self" and this world
This deep ocean that swallows whole, and drowns.
Holy Spirit revelation of a new Life given in Messiah
Yeshua's reality becomes Light seen in my belief
The only PERFECT ONE to walk the Earth
Who draws us to his side by this Grace in Truth
Then to find our life's treasure in His Living Words
Our needed perfection shown and freely given
Made known and anchored in Him alone!
Inner Peace, rest and trust live in our heart and soul
Eternal perfection in life through His heavenly Love
As we now walk hand in hand in child-like innocence
Spirit power to fully live in abundance,
We "aim for His perfection" through supernatural faith!
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The Messianic Literary Corner is anindependent Messianic Jewish (Hebrew Christian) ministry offering grace oriented teaching, prophecy studies, biblically related science & archaeology topics, poetry and more!!
