Tag Archives: Poetry

I Believe in Miracles

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I believe in miracles, is a good thing to frequently say,
especially when we know the Lord wants us to have confidence after we pray.

I believe in miracles, though things can seem contrary or dark.
I believe in miracles, even when the “kindling” isn’t showing a spark.

I believe in miracles…of provision, protection, and to see healings.
I believe in miracles, shows we’re not giving in simply to feelings.

I believe in miracles, as shown in the Bible through and through.
I believe in miracles, knowing they’re meant for believers today, too.

I believe in miracles, though afflictions can be harsh and persistent.
I believe in miracles; therefore, my faith can be equally insistent.

I believe in miracles, even when patience is sometimes needed.
I believe in miracles, can keep us strong until adversity’s receded.

I believe in miracles, because I’ve had some God-given ones prior.
I believe in miracles, are words that encourage and lift us higher.

And I believe in Jesus, the miracle worker, who was called a Nazarene.
With our expectation in Him, miracles are sure to come on the scene.

P. A. Oltrogge

“Now thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.” 2 Corinthians 2:14

“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.” …words of Jesus in John 14:1

“For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe.” 1 Thessalonians 2:13

“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen Ephesians 3:20-21

“Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him….” from Mark 11:23-26

“If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.” John 15:7-8

(Scriptures NKJV)

Hard to believe?

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Some view the Bible as just literature, or stories hard to believe,
the writers having used allegory or metaphor within its spiritual weave.

Noah, the predicted flood, and the building of the ark—
to proclaim that really happened, they say, clearly misses the mark.

For Jonah to be swallowed by a great fish seems a fairy tale—
to say that actually occurred is simply beyond the pale.

Daniel was unharmed, though locked up with hungry lions overnight?
To not doubt such a story, one couldn’t be too bright.

Three men walked out of a fiery furnace, but they weren’t even singed—
to believe that event, your mind must have become unhinged.

Jesus is pictured using parables or allegories in order to convey
Kingdom truths made simpler, such as the prodigal who’d gone astray.

Referring to Himself, Jesus uses metaphors, like, “I am the door.”
“I am the true vine” or “I am the bread of life” are a couple more.

To those seeing only literary styles, believers have this to say—
Faith is a force, and it and the Holy Spirit must come into play.

Realize…there’s a real deceiver at work upon this earth,
who seeks to destroy the Bible’s incorruptibility and worth.

That’s why we find scriptures warning, “Don’t be deceived!”
Satan has webs of deception that he’s regularly weaved.

He’d rather the Bible be read just as a literary work to explore,
but not too deeply, though, in hopes that you’ll ignore…

Jesus, your personal Savior and the Savior of all mankind—
Jesus Christ is “the door” Satan doesn’t want you to find.

P. A. Oltrogge

“(Jesus the Good Shepherd) Then Jesus said to them again, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.’”
John 10:7-10 NKJV

“…let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by this name this man stands before you in good health. He (Jesus) is the stone which was rejected by you, the builders, but which became the chief cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.” …from Acts 4:1-12 NASB

“For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9 NASB

“Let no one in any way deceive you….Then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming; that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved.” …from 2 Thessalonians 2 NASB

“Do not be deceived, evil company corrupts good morals.” 1 Corinthians 15:33 NASB

“Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.” James 1:16 NKJV

There is much evidence available in today’s world on the truth of the Bible and Jesus as Lord through research, books, internet testimonies, and Biblical messages. Avail yourself of those and, most of all, read the Bible and ask Jesus to reveal Himself to you personally by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Blessed in the U.S.A.

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Raised on a farm in the beautiful U.S.A.,
we depended on God and learned how to pray.

Farm animals and crops, like soybeans or corn,
were tended to daily from the early morn.

The crops were abundant in the fertile soil,
and the joy of the Lord gave ease to any toil.

Fresh fruits and vegetables were always canned
from the family garden that was yearly planned.

Still, there was time in summer to swim at a pool—
a sharing neighbor kept our whole family cool.

A trip uptown for the Fourth of July parade
was patriotic fun, with fireworks later displayed.

And competing in family softball, out on the lawn,
was enjoyed by all before summer would be gone.

Sundays were blessed, praising Jesus, our King;
and during the week, of Him, we still would sing.

Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.
The more that people come to know Him…
the more we’ll be in one accord,
with brotherly love being outpoured!

P. A. Oltrogge

“Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people whom He has chosen for His own inheritance.” Psalm 33:12

“…for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:10

“This is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us.” 1 John 3:23

“Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity!” Psalm 133:1
(Scriptures NASB)

“Blessed be the Lord, who daily loads us with benefits, the God of our salvation! Selah”. Psalm 68:19 NKJV

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His Eye is on the Sparrow

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Why should I feel discouraged, why should the shadows come,
Why should my heart be lonely, and long for heaven and home,
when Jesus is my portion? My closest Friend is He:
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

I sing because I’m happy, I sing because I’m free,
for His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

“Let not your heart be troubled,” His tender words I hear,
and resting in His goodness, I lose my doubts and fears.
Though by the path He leadeth, but one step I may see;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

I sing because I’m happy, I sing because I’m free,
for His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

Whenever I am tempted, whenever clouds arise,
When songs give place to sighing, when hope within me dies,
I draw the closer to Him, from care He sets me free;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

I sing because I’m happy, I sing because I’m free,
for His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

Charles H. Gabriel, 1905

…the following spoken by the Lord Jesus:

“Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your Heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?
(Matthew 8:26 NKJV)

(The Way, the Truth, and the Life) “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.” (John 14:1 NKJV)

“Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled; neither let it be afraid.”
(John 14:27 NKJV)

His Presence

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To Our Great God…

At Pentecost, your Spirit came, with the sound of a rushing mighty wind.
The Comforter comes to us yet today, a promise you’ll never rescind.

Often, your presence is apparent through a reassuring, inner voice.
When problems threaten to overwhelm, you encourage us still to rejoice.

You’re blessed by the praises of your people…bless the Lord, oh my soul.
I’m thankful you’ve said that all of my cares—on you, dear Lord, I can roll.

It’s good to abide in your presence, for there’s fullness of joy therein.
Thank you for provision and healing, as well as for forgiving my sin.

We praise you for your creative ability, for the beauty of bird and flower,
the mountains and other majestic things that speak to us of your power.

We’re so blessed you desire to visit with us, as you did first with Adam and Eve. All that you require of us to meet with you, Lord, is to believe in the Son and receive.

P. A. Oltrogge

“‘Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you, for on Him, the Father, God, has set His seal.’ Therefore they said to Him, ‘What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?’ Jesus answered and said to them, ‘This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.’” John 6:27-29 NASB

“And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” Acts 2:2-4 NKJV

“And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him; but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.” Words of Jesus in John 14:16-17 KJV

The Greatest of These…

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Something to remember about the story of Joseph, whose brothers had him sold,
is that bitterness towards them isn’t recorded in the story as told.

It relates the various trials of Joseph, being imprisoned unjustly was among the worst. Perhaps a bit of revenge was enacted when, as Egyptian ruler, he treated them harshly at first.

But when Joseph observed their attitude towards Benjamin and now how much they cared, he could no longer keep from revealing himself to them, but wanted brotherly love to be shared.

He completely forgave his brothers for the evil to him that they’d done;
and they, in turn, loved Joseph, who’d been their father’s favorite son.

Most often noted is Joseph’s great faith in God, from which he never departed;
but he was also a very gracious man, loving, and tenderhearted.

P. A. Oltrogge

“And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthians 13:13 NKJV

“And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.” Ephesians 4:32 NKJV

“But concerning brotherly love you have no need that I should write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another.” 1Thessalonians 4:9 NKJV

“Let brotherly love continue.” Hebrews 13:1 NKJV

“Weeping with joy, he embraced Benjamin, and Benjamin did the same. Then Joseph kissed each of his brothers and wept over them, and after that they began talking freely with him.”
(from the story of Joseph in Genesis 45:14-15 NLT)

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Jesus, Closer than a Brother

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Dear Lord Jesus,

You thought of the lowly, the forgotten, the oppressed…
You thought of us all; and, through You, we are blessed.

You’re always the Good Shepherd, our Savior and friend.
If any setbacks befall us, you help things to mend.

You’re closer than a brother; and we can draw near
to You for Your assurance that there’s nothing to fear.

You loved the little children and do to this day.
For the unborn, young, or old, You’ve taught us to pray.

And also our enemies, You’ve said, are in great need
of prayers to be enlightened, that Your Word they might heed.

Obedient to Your Father, You went to Calvary’s hill.
You prayed that cup might pass, but accepted Your Father’s will.

Yes, what a friend we have in Jesus, as the hymn goes…
You died for all of mankind, and, praise God, You then arose.

P. A. Oltrogge

“Him God raised up on the third day, and showed Him openly, not to all the people, but to witnesses chosen before by God, even to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead.” Acts 10:40-41 NKJV

If you have a half hour, the following regards the unborn:
http://www.ilivedonparkerave.com

Blindness “Wall” Falls at Jericho

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While Jesus, His disciples, and a great multitude were going out of Jericho, a beggar was there sitting by the side of the road.

He was Bartimaeus; and though blind, his hearing was fine to have heard of how Jesus’ healing ministry had flowed.

So, when, that day, Bartimaeus heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, Himself, who was passing by…

“Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me!” became his earnest and heartfelt cry.

Many, among the crowd, told him to be quiet, as if, for him, there could be nothing in store.

But his plea of “Son of David, have mercy on me!” he kept shouting out all the more.

So Jesus heard Bartimaeus, then stood still, and commanded that he be called.

The persistence and “prayer” of Bartimaeus had caused the pace of Jesus’ journey temporarily to be stalled.

Bartimaeus was now beckoned, instead, with words of encouragement, “Rise, be of good cheer; He is calling you.”

Throwing aside his garment, he got up and came to Jesus, who asked, “What do you want me to do for you?” Victory was breaking through…

At that point, Bartimaeus said, “Rabboni, that I may receive my sight!”

“Go your way, your faith has made you well,” Jesus said; and immediately his world turned from darkness to light.

Walls had fallen down at Jericho through faith in God in an earlier, historical Biblical story.

And a “wall” of blindness fell at Jericho for Bartimaeus, when by faith in God’s mercy, he saw the Lord’s glory.

The account closes with Bartimaeus following Jesus down that outer Jericho road…

He had been confident of mercy and grace through Jesus Christ—from whom God’s marvelous light had flowed….

and still does today!

P. A. Oltrogge

(Based on the account from Mark 10; Referenced is the story of Joshua and the walls of Jericho at Joshua 6)

“By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were encircled for seven days.” Hebrews 11:30 NKJV

“But you are a chosen generation, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” 1 Peter 2:9 NKJV

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Further encouragement:
http://www.josephprince.org
http://www.billyburke.org

Remembering Billy Graham

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I remember attending Billy Graham crusades when I was very young
and anticipating hearing Billy after George Beverly Shea had sung.

Cliff Barrows led the assembled choir in an always joyful way,
giving mighty praise to God before someone on stage would pray.

Then Billy Graham would come forward; and with his powerful voice,
he’d say we needed to make a decision—God was giving us a choice.

He always pointed to the cross and what Jesus had achieved—
redemption through His shed blood on Calvary for anyone who believed.

He said we should repent of our sins and give our hearts to Christ—
that His was the only sacrifice which God says has sufficed.

He emphasized that “God loves you” and wants to be your friend,
counselor, and advocate—from beginning of life to its end.

He said this earth was not his home—that he was just passing through—
and that a home in heaven awaits every believer in Jesus Christ, too.

After many Biblical references, Billy would give an invitation.
Then, an amazing number in the place would come forward to his station.

As they came forward, a familiar song helped set so many hearts free—
“Just as I am, without one plea, but that Thy blood was shed for me.”

Today, Billy Graham is honored for faithful service to God during his life span.
May we continue to share the Gospel of Christ—God’s gracious redemptive plan.

P. A. Oltrogge

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16 NKJV

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Passing through…

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God had parted the night clouds and, there, ever so bright,
was a beautiful, full moon seen through my bedroom window one night.

It was actually almost morning when it came into view.
It made me think of how God’s power and love also break through.

There are “clouds” or “deep waters” in life that can often overwhelm,
unless we look to Jesus Christ as being at our life’s “helm.”

So think of your life’s “sailship” as strong through any “night,”
for He’s on board to part deep waters and is your ever-guiding Light.

P. A. Oltrogge

“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you…
For I am the !ord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior….”
Isaiah 43:2, 3 NKJV

“Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.’” John 8:12 NKJV

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