Saturday Poetry Corner: The Bluebell

 

 

 

A fine and subtle spirit dwells

In every little flower,

Each one its own sweet feeling breathes

With more or less of power.

 

English Bluebell
Image courtesy/Wikipedia

 

There is a silent eloquence

In every wild bluebell

That fills my softened heart with bliss

That words could never tell. 

 

Yet I recall not long ago

A bright and sunny day,

'Twas when I led a toilsome life

So many leagues away;

 

That day along a sunny road

All carelessly I strayed,

Between two banks where smiling flowers

Their varied hues displayed. 

 

Before me rose a lofty hill,

Behind me lay the sea,

My heart was not so heavy then

As it was wont to be. 

 

Less harassed than at other times

I saw the scene was fair,

And spoke and laughed to those around,

As if I knew no care. 

 

But when I looked upon the bank

My wandering glances fell

Upon a little trembling flower,

A single sweet bluebell. 

 

Whence came that rising in my throat

That dimness in my eye?

Why did those burning drops distil-

Those bitter feelings arise? 

 

O, that lone flower recalled to me

My happy childhood's hours

When bluebells seemed like fairy gifts

A prize among the flowers,

 

Those sunny days of merriment

When heart and soul were free, 

And when I dwelt with kindred hearts

That loved and cared for me.

 

I had not then mid heartless crowds

To spend a thankless life

In seeking after others' weal

With anxious toil and strife. 

 

'Sad wanderer, weep, those blissful times

That never may return!

The lovely floweret seemed to say

And thus it made me mourn. 

 

"The Bluebell" 
(1840)
Anne Bronte
(1820-1849)
English novelist and poetess

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Flashback Friday: Through The Eyes Of Love

 

 

 

Image courtesy/IMDb

 The beautiful ballad, "Through The Eyes Of Love" made even more so 
by the powerful vocals of American songstress Melissa Manchester,
was the theme song from the 1978 romantic drama, "Ice Castles".  

While critic Roger Ebert disliked the film for it's sentimentality, it proved
 to be a surprising success, earning $18 million at the box office worldwide.

Like another movie, 1980's "Somewhere In Time" which was also panned
by the critics upon its release, the original "Ice Castles" has since become a
  much loved cult classic, especially with the generation that grew up watching 
 the film when it first premiered on cable television in the late 1970's-early 1980's.

Released as a single in April, 1979 "Through The Eyes Of Love" was nominated for
  Best Original Song at the 52nd Academy Awards and for a Golden Globe for
  Best Original Song at the 37th Golden Globe Awards in 1980.

 

Through The Eyes Of Love
 Theme from the Motion Picture "Ice Castles"
(1979)
Melissa Manchester
(Uploaded August 27, 2018)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gil Amelio: The Face Of Christ

 

 

 

 In this classic presentation, which first aired on The 700 Club,
sculptor and storyteller Gil Amelio tells the final moments 
in the earthly life of Jesus Christ... and of the sacrifice that 
would change the course of humanity forever.

 

Gil Amelio: The Face Of Christ
The 700 Club/CBN
(Uploaded March 28, 2013)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nailed To The Cross

 

 

 

 "And I will turn My hand upon thee and thoroughly purge away thy dross..."
(Isaiah 1:25)

 

 

Christ On The Cross
(19th Century)
Gustave Dore
(1832-1883)
French Illustrator & Painter
Image courtesy/Wikimedia Commons

 

There was One who was willing to die in my stead,

That a soul so unworthy might live;

And the path to the cross He was willing to tread,

All the sins of my life to forgive.

They are nailed to the cross,

They are nailed to the cross,

O how much He was willing to bear!

With what anguish and loss Jesus went to the cross!

But He carried my sins with Him there. 

He is tender and loving and patient with me,

While He cleanses my heart of the dross;

But "there's no condemnation"-I know I am free,

For my sins are all nailed to the cross. 

I will cling to my Savior and never depart-

I will joyfully journey each day,

With a song on my lips and a song in my heart,

That my sins have been taken away. 

They are nailed to the cross,

They are nailed to the cross,

O how much He was willing to bear!

With what anguish and loss Jesus went to the cross!

But He carried my sins with Him there. 

 

"Nailed To The Cross"
(1899)
Carrie Elizabeth Ellis Beck
(1855-1934)
American hymn writer who lived for
  many years in Vineland, New Jersey.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thursday's Thoughts: A Lesson In Humility

 

  

"What I do thou knowest not now; but shalt know hereafter."
(John 13:7)

 

Jesus Washing The Disciples Feet
(1898)
Albert Edelfelt
(1854-1905
Finnish artist

 

"The washing of the disciples' feet was a great symbolical action to teach His own the
gracious provision made for them during His absence. Some well meaning Christians have
applied the words of our Lord, "Ye also ought to wash one another's feet" in a literal way,
and teach that the Lord meant this to be done literally. 

The words of our Lord to Peter show that underneath the outward action of the Lord
in washing the disciples' feet there is a deeper spiritual meaning. We see Him girded,
with a basin of water in His blessed hands, to wash the disciples' feet. 
The water explains the spiritual meaning.

 

We have seen that the water in the third chapter is a type of the Word of God.

 

"Jesus answered (Nicodemus), "I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, unless
a man is born of water and even the Spirit, he cannot ever enter the kingdom of God."
(John 3:5)

 

 It has the same meaning in this chapter.  Peter first refused to have his feet washed;
then when the Lord had said unto him, "If I wash thee not thou has no part with Me"
he asked Him to wash his hands and his feet as well.

 

Jesus saith unto him, "Anyone who has bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is 
clean all over. And you, My disciples are clean, but not all of you." 
(John 13:10)

 

When the Lord spoke of His disciples being bathed and clean every whit, He made
reference to the new birth by the water and the Spirit.  They were all bathed, born again,
except Judas, whom the Lord meant when He said, "but not all of you." 

 

 

Titus 3:5 reads, "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to
His mercy He saved us by the bath of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Spirit."
 

This great work is done once for all and cannot be repeated, just as the natural birth
cannot be repeated with the same individual.

 

The Lord washed the disciples' feet, not their hands.  Hands are for work and the
feet for walking.  His action has a meaning in connection with our walk in the world. 
We contract defilement as we pass on through this world.  And defilement severs
communion with the Lord.  We need therefore cleansing. All disciples need it.

 

This He has graciously provided, and the washing of the disciples' feet typifies
that needed cleansing.  He uses His Word to bring this about.

 This is "the washing of the water by the Word".

 

He is the Advocate with the Father to restore us to fellowship.  We must come to Him
with our failures, our stumbling, imperfect walk, our defilement, and place ourselves
into His hands as the disciples placed their soiled feet in His loving hands. His own
perfect light will then search our innermost beings and bring to light what has defiled
 us, so that, after cleansing, we can enjoy fellowship and have part with Him.

This necessitates confession and self-judgment from our side. If this blessed truth
is not realized and enjoyed in faith, if we do not come to Him for this service of love,
we are at a distance from Him. 

 

And we are also to walk in the same spirit of serving and wash one another's feet.
As He lovingly deals with us, so we are to deal with one another. The one that is
overtaken in a fault is to be restored by him that is spiritual in the spirit of meekness.

 

"He that would cleanse another's feet must be at his feet to cleanse them."

How little of all this in a practical way is known among God's people."

-Gabelein's Annotated Bible

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Full Pink Paschal Moon Tonight

 

 "Praise Him, O sun and moon; praise Him, all you shining stars."
(Psalm 148:3)

 

 

Full Pink Moon
Image courtesy/iStock

 

 This month's Full Pink Moon will rise in the sky tonight at 10:12 pm EST.
 Lovely Luna's appearance will mark the first Full Moon of springtime and 
as the Paschal, or Easter Moon, she will determine the date of the holiday
 which this year will be on April 5th.

By the way, as she sails up into the sky tonight, the moon's color 
will be a lovely golden hue, not pink!  And that's no April foolin'!

Why is April's Moon called "The Pink Moon"?

According to the folks at The Old Farmer's Almanac, the name comes from
an early wildflower native to North America called Phlox, or, "Moss Pink"
which is in full bloom around the time of the full moon in April. 

 🌕I hope the skies are clear where you're at tonight!🌕

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wednesday's Word: Kaddesh/Sanctification

 

 

"You brought your people Israel out of the land of Egypt with 
signs and wonders, with a strong hand and an outstretched
arm, and with great terror. You gave them this land that
You had sworn to give to their fathers, a land flowing
with milk and honey."
(Jeremiah 32:21-22)

Image courtesy/Messiah In The Passover

 

The Hebrew word, Kaddesh means, "sanctification" to be "set apart" or
 "to make holy".  During the Passover Seder, the meal begins with saying
the Kaddesh, a blessing over the first cup of wine (kos rishon) known as
 "The Cup of Sanctification". 

As the Lord entered the land of Egypt, the Hebrew slaves were protected
  by the blood of an unblemished lamb smeared on the two side posts and
 lintel (the top) of the door of their homes. Death "passed over" them.

"The blood shall be for a token or sign to you that when I see the blood I will
 pass over you, and no plague shall be upon you when I smite the land of Egypt."
(Exodus 12:13)

 After this, when God brought them out of slavery in Egypt,  He set
Israel apart, thus sanctifying them as His chosen people and nation.

 For Christians, Passover is a foreshadow of the forthcoming Messiah,
 whose precious shed blood, applied to the door of every believer's heart,
 saves them from bondage to sin and the sting of death. We are sanctified,
 set apart and made holy, in and through our Lord Jesus Christ.

"Sanctification begins in regeneration.  The Spirit of God implants in man that new
living principle by which he becomes a "new creation" in Christ Jesus. This work,
which begins with new birth, is carried on in two ways-mortification, whereby the
lusts of the flesh are subdued and kept under, and vivication, by which the life that
God has put within us is made to be a well of water springing up into everlasting life. 

This is carried on every day in what is called perseverance, by which the Christian is
preserved and continued in a gracious state and is made to abound in good works unto
the praise and glory of God; and it culminates or comes to perfection in glory, when
  the soul, being thoroughly purged, is caught up to dwell with holy beings
at the right hand of the Majesty on high. 

But while the Spirit of God is thus the author of sanctification, yet there
 is a visible agency employed that must not be forgotten.

  "Sanctify them," said Jesus, "in the truth; Your Word is truth."
(John 17:17)

 

Sanctify Them
Chris Brazelton
Image courtesy/Pixels

 

The passages of Scripture that prove that the instrument of our sanctification is
the Word of God are numerous.  The Spirit of God brings to our minds the precepts
and doctrines of truth and applies them with power. These are heard in the ear, and
being received in the heart, they work in us to will and to do God's good pleasure.

The truth is the sanctifier, and if we do not hear or read the truth, we shall
 not grow in sanctification.  We only progress in sound living as we 
progress in sound understanding.

"Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path."
(Psalm 119:105)

Do not say of any error, "It is a mere matter of opinion."

No man indulges an error of judgment without sooner or later tolerating
an error in practice. Hold fast the truth, for by doing so you shall
be sanctified by the Spirit of God."
-Charles Haddon Spurgeon

"For the Word that God speaks is alive and full of power, making it active, operative,
energizing, and effective; it is sharper than any two-edged sword; penetrating to the
dividing line of the breath of life, (soul) and (the immortal) spirit, and of joints and
marrow (of the deepest part of our nature), exposing and shifting and analyzing
and judging the very thoughts and purposes of the heart."
(Hebrews 4:12)