2015

Father thank you for all you've walked me through this year.
You have guided and helped me in years past.
Your faithfulness has never failed me.
If there was ever any lack
it was for my turning,
never yours.

But thank you for this year.

This year, I've learned from my friends
(and from your Spirit), that it's safe to be real.
To be humble, vulnerable and loving.

All those things may seem at first glance easy,
but they get at the heart of faith,
and they can be so hard.

To be humble can be seen as weak,
I don't fear being weak anymore.
In truth I've always been weak,
and when I am most honest about that,
your power is seen.
I've learned it's safe to be weak,
I can find rest, at your side
and your power helps me.
I rest in your strength and I'm safe.

I've learned it's OK to be vulnerable.
What a strange thing to be thankful for,
but as I've opened up deep things
to those close to me,
I've been set free and healed,
both from those things and from the fear of man.

Love and trust grow in the soil of transparency.

Dear friends have invited me to pray for their freedom as well.
It's been a year filled with many victories.

It turns out, you really did want us to grow in unity
and I've enjoyed seeing this happen.
Guided by your Spirit as we study your Word and wrap up in it's truth,
we have read about the principles of fellowship,
now we have grown in our experiential knowledge of it.
Thank you, Lord.

We are learning to cherish each other.
It turns out, as we study your Word,
your Spirit helps us.
Wisdom and peace,
grace and compassion,
kindness and gentleness

are growing in our midst.

Thank you, Lord.

The humble cannot be humiliated

I have thought about what to write
and how to put letters and syllables together
to make a coherent view of our humility.
Sometimes my nemesis (pride)
clouds my mind with self consoling rationalization
and self-pitying affirmation
all of which,
stand in the way of my clearly assessing my worth.

I should say, my worth apart from the merits of Christ.
Because I can't take any stock
or proud assurance of anything good
apart from His enablement,
and therefore deserve no credit,
for any good thing, I've done,
and therefore no pride
in any good attribute I may display.

Therefore, if any human
(or the Holy Spirit for that matter)
would point out any sin in me
(which stands contrary to the holy standard of God)
I should in no way be offended,
but rather thank them,
as this evil thing,
seeks to cause my ruin
and drives others away from a clear view of God
as well as discredits any witness I would hope to have.

I had said:
"the humble cannot be humiliated"
because if we are humble,
we hate our sin as much as the devil of hell.
Sin is the stench of hell,
it is the nails that held my Saviors body to the cross
and pierced his side.

I hate my sin.
Call it out!
Gouge it out!
Cast it from me,
cut it off,
and cast it in the fires of hell!
God take the coal
and cleans my lips,
here I am.

I want no part of hell
to take up camp in my life
in my heart
in my mind.
I want no melody of hell to come from my mouth
or no rhythm of hell to corrupt my movements.

God I want to be holy.
If anyone (in anger or with ill intent)
would call to my sight some sin of mine,
they are my dearest friend,
that I would repent and be forgiven
for entertaining this cancer (that is eating away at me),
that I would be healed and set free of this thing
(that seeks my ruin,
while cloaking it's self as my friend and confidant).

God help me,
and use all means under heaven
and in heaven
and all Your power and authority
to accomplish Your will of holiness
in my heart, mind, soul, and life!

Amen
And praise be to God
for loving my frail and rebellious self
and for being patient with my folly
and rescuing me from the retch that I am
and making me his child
through Christ our Lord.
Amen

Advent

As we stand in the midst of

the advent season,
perhaps it's best to ask
what this season is all about,
and how we (as believers) might
grow more holy,
reflect Christ's love more purely,
and preach the message
(Christ would have us preach)
more faithfully.
Preach (that is)
with our lives
words
and gifts.
So what is advent all about?
I'm not asking what Christmas is about.
Everyone knows
it's about Christ's birth,
or
about pretending a large man
in a red velvet suite
gives gifts
to obedient children.
A time to spend too much money
on gifts for people
we hope will love us
and give gifts to us in return.
A time to correct people when they wish us
a “Happy Holiday”
instead of a “Merry Christmas”.
A time to be lonely and depressed
if any of the hopes and dreams
that danced in your childhood mind
have no chance in sight
of coming true.
I'm not asking what Christmas is all about.
I'm asking what Advent is all about.
The candles,
the wreath,
the scriptures
the prayers
what do they all try
(so consistently)
year after year
to teach us?
Advent is the celebration of an event.
The event is God coming,
to walk the earth again.
Coming to walk in our shoes,
coming to feel our pain,
coming to be tempted,
tried,
tested,
convicted,
and killed,
coming to culminate
the purchase
of mankind
by the laying down
of His perfectly lived life
and then rising to conquer the grave.
We celebrate
that He came,
and
that He will come again.
This time,
coming to claim His bride
and take her home.
Coming to gather those
who have kept watch for Him,
coming to welcome the chosen
into His kingdom,
and banish the powers of darkness
to hell.
So Advent Candles
(lit one per week)
remind us of the gift of Christ's birth
at just the right time,
and they point to His return.
The prophets foretold
of His coming.
Anna, Simon and 3 wise men watched.
Christ will come again,
And He asks us to watch
and be ready and waiting.
Christ is the light of the world
coming (like the candle)
to dispel the darkness,
to give us sight,
and just as the star
lead the wise men to Christ,
so the candles
bid us,
to seek after Christ our Savior.
Just as the shepherds
on the hillside were invited by angels
to come and worship,
so we,
are invited to seek Him out
and worship
and follow
and rejoice.
So let us
celebrate the event of Christ birth,
and anticipate with excitement
His return
Let us live as Christ lived.
Testify to the Fathers love
and faithfulness
as we serve
others
for the love of
our King.
Let us be more holy
that is
more set aside for God.
Not whisked through the season
with credit cards,
tinsel, and packaging
but focused
on the gift of God.
Telling (like angels)
how He brings peace
to all men
on whom His favor rests.
Let us worship Him
in Spirit and truth
and be set aside
for His use.
Let us reflect Christ,
love more purely
and
not be diluted,
(rendered ineffective)
by materialism
or love of money,
not seeking the gift,
but rather the Giver.
And let us preach
with words,
life,
and
gifts
the message
of our passionately loving,
tenaciously pursuing,
all powerful,
incredibly merciful,
adoring Father,
and tell how
He showed us his great love,
by sending His son
to save our souls,
and show us
His love
and instruct by example
how to lay our lives down
for each other.

c Kim Damon 2013