I’ve just completed a video slideshow of chapter number 15 of TFALG - entitled “Armor of Light.”

Take a look:

Also, as a supplement, you can find the text version, along with some Bible verses to read, here. If you want to download the video file directly, click here.

 Here’s a poem I wrote a couple years back. I originally was going to write it for Christmas, but I didn’t finish it in time, and the subject matter actually fit in more with Easter than Christmas anyway, so it seemed more appropriate to call it an “Easter poem” than anything else.

So, here it is:

SonShine

I. Creation

Man in God’s image, the Serpent made haste,
Newly-formed glory, the darkness - it raced.
A blackness that binds, twisting hay of rope,
Yet God’s light unwinds, sunshine ray of hope.

In coldness and sin, glazed over and iced,
We troubled had been, by dragonous geist.
Of stings none compare, no adder nor asp,
His venoms ensnare, and desperately rasp.

Yet God soon then spake,
While devils did quake,
Of Whom He would make,
To come for our sake.

II. Incarnation

Hope of all nations, in manger did lie,
God’s Sunrise made flesh: the Dayspring from High.
Soon all men would see, this bright heav’nly flare,
Illumined to be, God’s gift made aware.

‘Twas God in man’s flesh, the Serpent made haste,
Newly-formed glory, the darkness - it raced.
A blackness that binds, twisting hay of rope,
Yet God’s love unwinds, sunshine ray of hope.

So love became flesh, the world’s shining star,
More royal and blessed, than prince, king, or czar.
Yet He was the Lamb, His visage soon marred,
Spotless sheep’s figure, soon mangled and scarred.

III. Crucifixion

To Calv’ry He tread,
To die in our stead.
He dripped and He bled,
That tree now stained red.
From Love’s eyes ‘twas said,
“My flesh are you fed…”
Then gave up the ghost,
Fell lifeless and dead.

A crime of all crimes, though none comprehend,
Christ sealed down below, soon upward ascend.
The Dayspring in flesh, God made His Sunrise,
Triumphant o’er death, God made His Son rise.

IV. Glory

Man in Christ’s image, the Serpent laid waste,
Newly-formed glory, the darkness - outpaced.
A blackness that binds, twisting hay of rope,
Yet God’s Son unwinds, sunshine ray of hope.

Unlocking sin’s toll,
A crimson keyhole,
The blood of our King,
To Jesus we cling.

Once again, I’ve been sick for the past week, this time with a bad cough. But at the very least, it has forced me to sit still, and in my downtime I was able to work on another TFALG video.

The chapter that I made into a video this time was the 7th chapter - “Wings of My Grace.” For those interested, the text version can be found here, or you can also download a .wmv file too. Otherwise, here’s the streaming version:

You may have noticed that I am in the process of adding a new feature to the text chapters in TFALG. In the future, you’ll see this picture towards the bottom of every chapter:

Beneath this picture will be Bible verses listed that go along with what was said in the chapter. (Little superscript numbers: 1, 2, 3, and so forth will be added in with the text to help reference which verses go with which words.)

When I was writing TFALG, many times I had a specific Bible verse in mind, (sometimes I even wrote things word-for-word!) but up until now, it had never occurred to me to include this as an additional supplement to the book. And while some of the given verses may be saying almost exactly what I have written, others may simply be a good Scriptural example relating to what I was trying to say.

“Well, of course they’ll know what verse I am trying to reference….” I once reasoned.

But I’m finding that’s not always the case, especially with new Christians. So, from now on, as I get the time, I will be adding a “Delve Deeper” section to the bottom of all of my book chapters to help reinforce things with God’s Word.

For now, I’m choosing to add this section at the same time as I make a video slideshow for a chapter. So, chances are, if any given chapter has a video available to view, then the text version should also include a “Delve Deeper” section.

Here’s another video I’ve finished: the 25th chapter from TFALG, entitled: “Sands of the Soul.” You may have noticed that I have chosen to slow things down for the video, as only a few pages of text is now displayed as over 15 minutes of video. I’ve also gone back and slowed down the other video too - “Seek My Face” - to make it easier to read. If you are a speed reader and can’t stand the pace, you can read the text at your own pace in html format here. (But I think it helps things sink in and lets you ponder things.)

One interesting thing about this video is that when I was initially gathering all the pictures to be used in the videos, (I’m limited to using royalty-free images), I stumbled across a somewhat unusual picture of a shoreline of sand with some deep channels and grooves in it - just the thing that would fit perfectly with what I was describing in this chapter. (You can see the picture in the second scene in the video.)

This past week I have been sick with the flu. I haven’t been able to do much physical work, but I believe that the Lord has used my weakness as a blessing. Let me explain:

I’ve had an idea to take the words of “Tears from a Lonely God” and combine them with music and photos to make a slideshow. I’d been putting it off for some time, but this past week, when I was sick, it really was an opportunity to give this idea a try.

And, to make a long story short, I was amazed at how (relatively) easy this was, and how much more dramatic the words became. Here’s a look at the first chapter: (Music is by Kevin MacLeod)

Also, I’ve added a new section to the main TFALG site, entitled Video Slideshows.

People often ask me how they can have a closer walk with the Lord. It’s really very simple: a little less I, and a little more HIM.

But I wrote something tonight to help express this more fully, which I call: “Count the Cost.” I hope this gives you a little closer walk with Jesus.

Count the Cost

“For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?” -Luke 14:28

Beloved, you seek Me, but you do not always find Me.

You are My child, and yet you do not always know Me as a father.

You are of the household of God, and yet you are sometimes as a foreigner.

Oh! why is it that you seek Me, but that you cannot find Me?

Have I said that I would hide myself from those that I love? No, but rather the contrary: I will reveal Myself to those that I love, and to those that love Me.

And yet, why can you still not find Me? Why do you still fall away? Why do you still wander? What is the meaning of this?

It is because you seek Me casually. You seek me part-time. You seek Me half-heartedly. You seek Me not truly believing that I will be found, nor that I am worthy to be found.

Have you not read: “No man can serve two masters” (Matthew 6:24)? And yet you still cling to your old life. Let there be no confusion: I desire your whole heart. I desire every part of your life.

“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” -Galatians 2:20

Beloved, I have so much to give to you. I have so many things to share with you in divine fellowship. It is not out of reach. It is not unobtainable for you.

Have you not counted the cost of this new life? You can believe in Me onto salvation, or you can believe in Me onto salvation and also complete victory and spiritual companionship. It is all a matter of how much you give: your all, or less than your all.

You can believe on Me to avoid hellfire only, but the trying fire will one day burn up everything else beside. Friend, why not believe on Me not only for deliverance from hellfire, but also for an everlasting friend?

You say that you want this new life, but have you truly counted the cost? Do not let Satan sideline your thoughts: My life is full-time. It costs everything. I was serious when I said: “thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might” (Deuteronomy 6:5).

Beloved, this was not meant to be a love of spoken words and prayers! It is a love of actions and of doings.

“If ye love me, keep my commandments.” -John 14:15

“My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.” -1 John 3:18

Do not let the comfort and familiarity of this world fool or deceive you: I desire your full devotion. The world is set at complete and polar opposite to My kingdom. The world is satisfied with half-heartedness, I am not. The devil is happy with your neutrality and indecision, yet it grieves Me. Love the good, and hate the bad. Cling to Me, and forsake the way of wickedness.

Beloved, you cannot find Me simply by desiring Me. You must count the cost, and be prepared to pay it. You desire Me, and you do well, but how shall I then bless you when your hands are full of garbage? How shall I give you a glass of water when the cup is filled with your own vomit?

Will you be quenched and satisfied simply by holding out your glass for Me to fill? Beloved, count the cost, and empty from your life the things which offend. Take from your heart the things which defile. Make clean the cup, and count the cost, and then you shall truly receive the blessing that I long to pour out to you.

“Hell is everlasting hunger. It is an everlasting thirst. It is a forever-longing and a never-getting.”

A fear of hell was one of the primary reasons for me to become a Christian. (You can read about it here.) If you take a look at what it actually says in the Bible, (versus what is just the popular notion of hell), the afterlife can either be a very good place, or a very bad place.

Just as the burning bush that Moses came across in the desert, which burned continually but was not consumed, so too I believe that it will be similar in hell. And just as the those that are saved will come forth with a new body, eternally fit for heaven, so too I believe that those that are lost shall come forward with bodies eternally fit for hell. It’s what the Bible calls the “resurrection of damnation.” (See John 5:29). A body that can be burnt with fire, with smoke continually arising, and eaten alive of worms, and somehow, never be consumed.

“And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.” -Mark:9:43-44

But remember, you don’t have to go to hell! Its not that Jesus Christ is seeking to send you to hell, but rather, He is only seeking to deliver you from hell. Just as it is written in the gospel of John:

“For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” -John 3:17

Your Salvation: Look Up

I thought I would include this writing for any of those visitors on my website that may be soul-searching. I hope it will help illustrate the need for salvation in someone’s heart.

And if you are searching, searching, searching for answers, they may be closer than you think, if you can bear it. It’s just that Satan, the temporary lord of this world, (and of this world only, and not the world to come, nor of heaven), would have you believe the ordinary. He would have to you believe the natural, and the sensual - only those things that you can see, hear, smell, taste, and touch. But for those of you who may be searching for something deeper underneath this seemingly primordial existence, this is for you:

Look Up 

I can feel the heartbeat of this planet, and know that it grows faint. I can see the breathing of this planet, and know that it is labored. I can see the heart of this planet, that it is lonely. I can see the hunger of this world, that it is desperate.

Oh you people of the earth! You citizens of this fleeting world! Look up! Look to heaven above! Is not the heavens higher than the earth? All of creation looks upward to the One who has made both heaven and earth. The grasses of the field do mourn and long for the Savior. The birds fly nearer, but reach still higher heaven-ward for the Messiah. The trees stretch forth their arms for the Alpha and Omega.

You who are heavy; you who are burdened; you who are weary and lonesome; you who are dumbfounded and confused: Look upward.

There is one, whose name is Jesus Christ. There is one. He alone can revive your broken heart. He alone can repair a shattered world. He alone can redeem a hopelessly lost lamb. He alone can pick up the pieces and bring light to the darkness.

Look up, turn your heart heaven-ward, and call upon this name: Jesus Christ.

For those interested in reading my own testimony, you can find it here.

“The clearest window is never seen.”

As a Christian, I believe that the central focus of this earthly life should be on Jesus Christ. And yet, in all practicality, nearly every heavenly connection is founded and centered around the Holy Ghost. So, are these two things in conflict with one another?

There is no conflict because Jesus is always the center and object of desire, and yet the Holy Spirit is the means to this communion. I think of the Holy Spirit as a window, and Jesus Christ as the object being viewed through this window.

Truly, I seek as much as I possibly can to be near this window, to keep its view unobstructed, and to always rely on this window. And yet at the same time, within this dependence, it is not really the window that I seek, but the things which the window lets me see.

I think Jesus said something akin to this in John 16:

“Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.” -John 16:13-14