Ascension Day

Ascension Day 


The risen Lord Jesus Ascended

The clouds carried Him to the heavenly abode

The disciples hold onto the promises

The Holy Spirit to come

Jesus continually for us interceding

For us a place preparing

One day will return to take us home

What a great hope we have

Riana Odendaal

21 May 2020

Areopagus message to Athens, to all

Areopagus message to Athens, to all


Paul in Athens

His spirit provoked

at the idol-filled city

What does this babbler wish to say

the real babblers begged

To Areopagus he was dragged

From his heart the truth was spilled

the day to repent draweth near

God in heaven you must fear

God, the maker of heaven and earth

Not living in any man-made temple

Not served by human hands

not needing anything

But the giver to humankind

the breath in their lungs

The time and area to reside

and put in their hearts

the will to seek God

and be found by Him

that His praise they should sing

We are His offspring

But still human and not divine

Ignorant times were overlooked

But now the command is loud and clear

to all far and near

Repent

Judgement is coming by Messiah

Assurance of this we have

His Resurrection from the dead

Some listeners to his message believed

Do you? 

(Acts 17:16-34)

There is a God

There is a God

There is a God
Holy. Eternal. Perfect. Sinless.
No sinner can be in His presence.
He gave the solution
For these mere mortals
by sin polluted.

A sacrifice
A Lamb, Perfect and Unblemished
For forgiveness
Blood must be shed
No-one can ever pay this price

But God....

Had grace
He send his Lamb
to pay our price
only His Lamb could suffice
to pay the high price
He still gives grace
to prodigal sons and daughters today
Come to Him, I pray
All you do, is fall on your knee
and for His grace plea
and from your sins you will be free
but now from sin you must flee
and for this He gives the power and grace too.

Yom Hashoah (21 April 2020)

Yom Hashoah  (Holocaust Remembrance Day - 21 April 2020)

Approximately 75 years ago
a hell on earth ended
6 million Jews have died
and numerous others too
6 million people that could have made a difference
in the world today
Here and there we find a story
a diary, a poem, written by those
but what about the rest?
The Lord was gracious to spare a remnant
of these Jewish people
His chosen nation
3 years later they have their own country
They built it up
the build and invent things
- used the world over
The Lord truely has blessed these people
Despite hardships they have gone through

Sadly though, many of them don't believe
their Messiah has come
Some of them do, but most don't.
May we continue to pray for them
to believe that Messiah has come!

Peter

Peter

Luke 22: 31-32 "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers."


Peter - tonight, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me(Jesus) three times.
No, Lord, never!
Rooster crowed twice
Peter cries

God knew what would happen - and told Him. But most of all - already prayed for him.

Three days later, the angels announcing to the three women, that the Lord is risen! Go tell His disciples, - and to Peter.

John 21 - The Lord appearing to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias. Made them a breakfast of fish and bread, blessing them too with a great catch of fish.

J: "Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?" 
P: "Yes Lord you know I love you"
J" "Feed my lambs"

Nature isn't locked in

Nature isn't locked in


We get locked in
Outside the birds sing
Pretty butterflies galore
Dance through the skies all over
We sit inside,
and plan when to go to the store

Going online
Telling everybody : "I'm fine"
Watching (videos of) penguins strolling through Simonstown
while sipping tea in our night-gowns

Dreaming of being outside, in the bush
we watch the webcams
Go through our photos of days gone by
and on our social medias, these we post

In our gardens we sit
taking photos of bulbuls, sunbirds and barbets
a butterfly or two on a marigold
and the spiderweb full of dewdrops

We bake
bread, and yet another cake
and dream of going to a lake
for a picnic
But the news, and the roadblock down the road
Remind us to rather stay at home



#LockdownChronicles  #Lockdown2020

April 2020

John the Baptist

John
A prophet
Prophesied about by Isaiah
announcing the coming Messiah
Preaching: Prepare your hearts
Repent from sins
Baptizing those who sincerely
Repent and believe
Warning all: Bear fruit
The axe is already at the root
The son of a Priest
Pointing to the crowds
The Perfect Sacrifice
The Lamb of God that takes away
the sin of the world
Once for all
Believe in Messiah


****************

Riana Odendaal
April 2020

Nicodemus

Nicodemus


Teacher of Israel
Searching
for the Giver of Life Eternal
Waiting
for the Messiah
Seeing prophecies fulfilled
Seeing the Man of God
but taking longer to understand
this Man is God
This is the long-awaited Messiah

May the Holy Spirit blows into the hearts
and opens the eyes
of the Nicodemuses of this world
May they find the Messiah

I am Barabbas

I am Barabbas

I am Barabbas
I am guilty
a Prisoner
liar
Murderer
sinner
But set free
One Who is called Christ
took my place
took the punishment for my sin
and I am set free

But also I am not Barabbas
I received grace
I was adopted as son
By the One who took my place

I am set free and i am God's son
By grace



* Ephesians 2: 1-10
*Romans 8: 14-17
* Matthew 27:15-23

Rest from burdens

Jesus offers rest
No more burden
working trying to earn grace
Rest for your soul
Jesus and disciples walk through grainfields
on the Sabbath
At some to still their hunger
The Pharisees on the prowl
crying out foul foul
They break our laws
your law but our burdens added on
"I desire mercy and not sacrifice!"
What don't you understand?
On they go to the synagogue
There, a man with a withered hand
Pharisees again ready to accuse
Jesus ready to help and heal
The man's hand restored
the Pharisees refuse to believe
Evidence they received
but this Messiah doesn't fit in their puzzle

Matthew 11:25- 12: 14