Tag Archives: Christianity

A Painter, and the Light of the World

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(Likely, you’ll recognize the identity of this person of whom I’m writing.
If not, then I hope you’ll enjoy this brief “story” of an artist’s life.)

From a majestic mountain to a quiet glade,
paintings that featured light were this artist’s trade.
Inviting, lighted cottages by peaceful lakes or streams,
became sweet reflections of all of our dreams.

Churches, gardens, or a bridge that was quaint,
came into being through his brushes and paint.
A cabin in the woods; a lighthouse by the sea;
an American flag waving in the land of the free…

And famous landmarks or an old-fashioned street
were the many scenes that made his gallery complete.
Hidden in his paintings were initials he would write,
revealing the heart of this painter of light.

A tour filmed in Israel, where Jesus had walked,
came alive to the viewers as he painted and talked–
of Gethsemane’s Garden, where Jesus had prayed
that the way of the cross might not have to be paid.

His artistry placed the cross of Jesus Christ high,
which spoke of God’s love against a splendorous sky.
He spread the Lord’s peace, through scriptures quoted
by his kind voice; and, in books, they were noted.

An impact for good was made by this man–
a big splash on this world was his part in God’s plan.
But don’t look to the imperfect artist, he had said,
just look to the cross of Christ instead.

P. A. Oltrogge

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Pexels

“The Lord is my light and my salvation….” Psalm 27:1

“Again therefore Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the light of the world; he who follows Me shall not walk in the darkness, but shall have the light of life.'” John 8:12

“But may it never be that I should boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.” Galatians 6:14

Pathways Walked With Mom

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Pathways of love,
pathways where you guided–
sweet memories of those pathways,
dear Mother, you’ve provided.

Much like a gardener,
you tended to my care–
weeding out some tendencies,
while cultivating those that were fair.

And if there were problems
at school or at play,
the pathway to Mom’s door
would help them go away.

Best of all, we walked pathways
which caused my spirit to be fed
with the truths in God’s Word,
so that by His Spirit I’d be led.

Now as I go about, on my own pathways since I’ve grown,
I’m grateful for the pathways that together we’d known.

P. A. Oltrogge

(The white stone borders along the flowers in this photo brought to mind the concept of the pathways in the poem. Hope you enjoy the blooms in the photo, which was taken by my daughter!)

Photo by B. Oltrogge

Photo by B. Oltrogge

Planting the Seed of God’s Word

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Expect a reversal as you speak My Word;
You’re taking dominion, and “things” will have heard.
Say unto this “mountain,” and it shall be removed–
I’ve given mankind dominion and, by you, that can be proved.
Be it health or finances or a personal concern,
It’s saying what I’ve said that will cause things to turn.
My Word bears repeating, and the angels take heed–
And they assist, because of it, in working upon your need.
But allow time to develop–and for change to work in your heart,
Through My incorruptible seed alone–let stones and thorns depart.
Yes, tend to that seed in your heart as required
To cause mature growth and the harvest desired.
“Talk is cheap,” is sometimes said,
But talking My Word is rich instead.
You will meet with resistance–but you must “hold fast.”
With My Word in your heart, the trouble can’t last.
Call the things that are not as though they were so–
Say it how I see it, and your faith will grow.
Gradual signs of reversal, or in a more rapid way–
Sowing My Word bountifully will bring your harvest day!

P. A. Oltrogge

“And God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the foul of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.’ So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, ‘Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.'” Genesis 1:26-28 (KJV)

“And He was saying, ‘The kingdom of God is like a man who casts seed upon the soil; and goes to bed at night and gets up by day, and the seed sprouts up and grows–how, he himself does not know. The soil produces crops by itself; first the blade, then the head, then the mature grain in the head. But when the crop permits, he immediately puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.'” Mark 4:26-29

“Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever.” 1 Peter 1:23 (KJV)

“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.” Hebrews 10:23

“(As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.” Romans 4:17 (KJV)

“And Jesus answered saying to them, ‘Have faith in God. Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it shall be granted him. Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they shall be granted you. And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone; so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your transgressions.'” Mark 11:22-25

“So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.” Romans 10:17

“Are they (angels) not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?” Hebrews 1:14 (New King James)

Joshua 1:8
Psalm 103:19-20
Psalm 107:20
Mark 4:14-20
Luke 10:19
Luke 17:5-6
Luke 17:21
John 10:10
2 Corinthians 1:20
Hebrews 4:2

(reference “About the Porch”)

It Was For Me

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Jesus,

In Gethsemane’s garden, You prayed to be strong
In what would overtake You in not very long.
It was for me that You were then betrayed.
It was on You that the task was laid.
As filthy rags, God saw my righteousness claimed–
Which is why You stepped in to be defamed.
It was for my sins that You went on trial.
You made the payment for everything vile.
It was for me–this undeserved attack.
It was for me You bore stripes on Your back.
It was for me that You wore the thorns,
And it was for me You bore merciless scorns.
It was for me You walked Calvary’s trail.
It was for me that You endured each nail.
It was for me that You hung in shame.
It was for me–You were taking my blame.
It was for me You painfully died.
It was for me that they pierced Your side.
You did it for me, but in three days You rose.
You did it for me that my case would be closed.

P. A. Oltrogge

“But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.”
Isaiah 64:6 (King James Version)

“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”
Romans 8:1 (New American Standard)

“Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.” Romans 5:1 (New Living Translation)

Palms of Praise

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“And you shall take for yourselves on the first day the fruit of beautiful trees, branches of palm trees, the boughs of leafy trees, and willows of the brook; and you shall rejoice before the Lord your God for seven days.” Leviticus 23:40 NKJV

“Thus I will bless you while I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name.” Psalm 63:4 NKJV

“Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, and bless the Lord.” Psalm 134:2 NKJV

from John, chapter 12:

…six days before Passover:

Jesus came to Bethany, where He’d recently raised Lazarus from the dead;
so Martha prepared Him a supper where He, Lazarus, and others were fed.
Lovingly, Mary took costly perfume of pure nard and anointed Jesus’ feet.
She then wiped them with her hair, a gesture Jesus lauded as sweet.

Judas rebuked it as being wasteful; but Jesus knew that which was lying ahead–
it was an anointing upon His body before His crucifixion and resurrection from the dead.
A large crowd of the Jewish people came out, to the town of Bethany that day,
to see Jesus, and Lazarus, too–as news of his resurrection had traveled a long way.

The chief priests didn’t like this at all, and putting Lazarus to death was their thought.
They were losing many because of this miracle, which Jesus’ power had wrought.
The next day, those who had come for the feast learned Jerusalem was then on Jesus’ route. They took branches from the palm trees to wave–“Hosanna!” was the chorus they began to shout.

Further, they firmly cried out, “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord;
even the King of Israel!” They thought an earthly King was what history would record.
Humble and riding on a requested donkey that had never been ridden before,
Jesus entered Jerusalem, amidst their praise, knowing what was really in store.

For just outside of Jerusalem, on a hill called Golgatha, a cross would hold
the precious body of our Lord Jesus Christ, and another Kingdom’s story would unfold.
There He would sacrificially die for all mankind, bearing all of their disgrace.
But in three days, He would rise and return to His Father in Heaven, in order to prepare us a place.

You see, Jesus Christ IS the King of Kings, as sung in the glorifying Hallelujah Chorus.
Those who are His, praise Him still with joy–both now and in the Eternal Kingdom yet before us.

P. A. Oltrogge


“In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.” John 14:2 NKJV

Excerpt from Handel’s “Messiah,” “The Hallelujah Chorus”
“For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
The kingdom of this world
Is become the Kingdom of our Lord,
And of His Christ, and of His Christ;
And He shall reign forever and ever,
Forever and ever, forever and ever;
King of kings, and Lord of lords!”

“After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, saying, ‘Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.'” Revelation 7:9-10 NKJV

Love’s Daily Occurrence

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Precious memories are truly a beautiful thing,
But it’s the presence of a loved one that makes us sing.
I keep that in mind when I think of the Lord–
In seeking His presence, I’ll be renewed and restored.

It’s time spent with Him, sharing my love with Jesus,
That touches His heart, too, and greatly pleases.
He surely loves those who think upon His name,
And of the things He has done in Bible-event fame–

But personal time with Him daily and meditating on His Word
Are the things that will make me live fully assured.
Then it becomes easy to follow where He leads,
With that overflow of mutual love to meet God-seen needs.

P. A. Oltrogge

“You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Psalm 16:11 (NKJV)

“The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple.” Psalm 19:7 (NIV)

“Because he has loved Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him securely on high, because he has known My name. He will call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him, and honor him. With a long life I will satisfy him, and let him behold My salvation.” Psalm 91:14-16 (NASV)

“He said to him, the third time, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love Me?’ (with a deep, instinctive, personal affection for Me, as for a close friend.) Peter was grieved (was saddened and hurt) that he should ask him the third time, Do you love Me? And he said to Him, ‘Lord, You know everything; You know that I love you’ (that I have a deep, instinctive, personal affection for You, as for a close friend.) Jesus said to him, ‘Feed My sheep.” John 21:17 AMP

He, a Rose

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Photo by Audrey J.M.

Photo by Audrey J.M.

“I am the rose of Sharon, the lily of the valleys.” Song of Solomon 2:1

“Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; but I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these.” Luke 12:27

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The variety of flowers God created are such a feast for our eyes–
And, besides their beauty, most have a pleasing fragrance that will arise.

No wonder Jesus said that we should consider the lilies of the field–
Their essence is a tribute to His Father’s care to which they yield.

Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross arose, as a pleasing fragrance, to the Father’s throne–
An aroma so pleasing that Christ now, as the rose of Sharon, is known.

Yes, like a rose, that was crushed and associated with thorns upon His head,
Jesus paid for our redemption through scourges and His sacred veins that bled.

All who are in Christ give sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him as well,
To remind those who are saved of heaven, and to warn those unaware of hell.

So consider how the lilies are clothed, and therefore put on the Lord Jesus Christ,
For His sacrifice on your behalf is the one that the Bible says sufficed.

P. A. Oltrogge

“But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.” Romans 13:14

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17 KJV

“Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.” Ephesians 5:1-2

“But thanks be to God, Who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place. For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing; to the one an aroma from death to death, to the other an aroma from life to life. And who is adequate for these things?” 2 Corinthians 2:14-16

“You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good, and healing all who were oppressed by the devil; for God was with Him. And we are witnesses of all the things He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem. And they also put Him to death by hanging Him on a cross. God raised Him up on the third day, and granted that He should become visible, not to all the people, but to witnesses who were chosen beforehand by God, that is, to us, who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead. And He ordered us to preach to the people, and solemnly to testify that this is the One who has been appointed by God as Judge of the living and the dead. Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins.” Acts 10:38-43

Praise God, it was for you that He arose!

Shalom, Always

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Completeness, or Shalom, means nothing missing–nothing broken;
And Shalom will always prevail where the Word of God is spoken.
As the Word dwells richly within us, and we trust the God who’s good,
Any strife will be extinguished as we love as He says we should.

By the Holy Spirit’s direction, we go beyond our homes to share
Christ’s love with many others, since we have love to spare.
We’re confident in living life as we trust the Lord to guide–
Blessed going out and coming in from any place where we reside.

Our homes will be an oasis of contentment all our days,
For we know that the Father is faithful to keep us in all of our ways.
And, surrounded by His Love, we’re “at home” when we’re away;
We’re sheltered under His wings, with His protection every day.

Even if circumstances would cause some outward things to shatter,
With Jesus reigning in our hearts, those things won’t really matter.
For He, truly, is our life; and He’s our guaranteed peace–
With our eyes kept fixed upon Him, our Shalom will never cease.

P. A. Oltrogge

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” Colossians 3:16 KJV

“And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.” Romans 5:5 KJV

“The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in from this time forth, and even forevermore.” Psalm 121:8 NKJV

“But godliness with contentment is great gain.” 1 Timothy 6:6 KJV

“Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:2 New American Standard

“He will cover you with His pinions, and under His wings you may seek refuge: His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark.” Psalm 91:4 NASV

“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee, because he trusteth in thee.” Isaiah 26:3 KJV

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, and though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains quake at its swelling pride.” Psalm 46:1-3 NASV

“For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee.” Isaiah 54:10 KJV

Sermons

The Perfect Gift

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Photo by Jim Sorbie

Photo by Jim Sorbie

…A seasonal poem telling a story of a Christmastime visit–northern relatives visiting family in the southern U.S…. They appreciate some brisk weather for a southern state as it reminds them of home.  They shop for gifts and then take in an outdoor Christmas lighting display at a local church, where their attention turns to the most perfect gift of all.

A special time, pure white snowflakes,
Drifting down upon the roofs–
Moonlight reflecting on glistening snow blankets,
Years ago sleighs and horses hoofs…

Yet further south where palm trees stand,
It’s not so cold this time of year.
But some nights can get brisk and that’s all the better
To spread the feeling of Christmas cheer…

We’ve shopped for gifts
For this time of giving and receiving,
And have wrapped them quickly before they were seen.
Each one will be perfect, we’re hoping, believing…

The bustle of shops seems far away,
And evening is calling us now to reflect
On a Gift long ago that was given to us
And was perfect in every respect…

It’s time to take in a lighting display
On a pleasant walk in a peaceful church yard,
With cups of hot chocolate, wassail or cider
On a clear night that’s moonlit and starred…

The tour begins with miniature train sets,
Captivating the children with their tiny village sites.
But all are in awe of the amazing task done
By those who had strung high the Christmas tree lights…

Tones and bells, soft, then louder
Carolers round the bend–they’re rightly bringing
The message of what it is all about–
The birth of our Savior is why they’re singing…

Bethlehem, the manger, shepherds and wise men–
The Nativity glows, reminding us of these;
But mostly the Lord, Jesus Christ, we think on–
So grateful He came, we’re down on our knees….

Oh hear the angel voices! Oh night divine! Oh night when Christ was born!

P. A. Oltrogge

Photo by Jeff Weese

Photo by Jeff Weese

We Have a God in Heaven

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We have a God in heaven who loves us so much;
We have a God in heaven, with a gentle touch.
You can know Him as Father; He’s calling today.
He speaks through the Bible, and He hears when we pray.
We have a God in heaven, who wants to abide;
Through the power of His Spirit, He’ll live right inside.
He’ll remove all your sins–just open your heart.
Then the dear God of heaven will never depart.
We have a God in heaven, He’s Jesus by name.
He cares just for you, though He has worldwide fame.
Yes, Jesus is Lord, the Savior of all–
Oh, come to Him now. Resist not His call.

P. A. Oltrogge

“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you shall find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

“For this reason, I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man; so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.” Ephesians 3:14-19

“Do you not know that you are a temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” 1 Corinthians 3:16

“As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. Just as a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him.” Psalm 103:12, 13

“…For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.'” Hebrews 13:5 (New King James)