Borne

 The fruit is born on the branch

Not bloodied, nor blighted beware

But the fruit belongs to the tree

Budded, bloomed, becoming there

Born early on a late summers morning

Born glistening and shimmering in shivering air

As the sun rose over the orchard

Warming what e're it found there

Born at the sap of the saviour

Filling the branch with it's life

Born beautiful and pregnant with flavour

The light lilting the only mid-wife

Oh Branch what did you do to deserve this

From dead bark produce such succulent fruit

When your every downward intention

Saw pleasure as your own pursuit

But somehow you stayed connected

Through winter and storms and the rain

And processed the light and the water

And grew through the pain and the shame

And now borne on your branch is the nectar 

Of the love that heals the world

And the tree has produced through you

And his fruit is finally unfurled

Love, joy and peace and your patience

Kindness and goodness and faith

Full of gentleness and self control

Once you peel the pith of his grace

Glory to Glory

 This life beyond the cross

It is not strength to strength

Rather,

By the Power of the resurrection

We die.

As he becomes more

We become less

It is weakness to weakness,

The closer we get

The more glorious he is known

The more exposed is our shame

And in our disgrace

In Our humility

In the face of unveiled face to face

We reflect

The Glory that is his

And the glory is not ours

But his and his alone.

And we have found our home.

Yes You,

Who have set your hearts on pilgrimage

Who go from strength to strength,

Your journey is to become a door keeper

A servant to his glory

Now let all who stand before me

Give him praise.

Be Made New

Corruption or Creation

A simple choice between the two

Having put off your old self

Now,

Be made new.

In the attitude of your mind

In a spirit that is true

Abandon former ways

And,

Be made new.

Be aligned with God

His truth in all you do,

If not, then change your mind,

Child,

Be made new.

The former way of Life

Corrupted by deceitful old you,

Kick him to the curb,

Stand.

Be made new.

Corruption or Creation,

A Simple choice between the two

Now put on your new self,

Get dressed,

And,

Be made new.

The new self that is created

To be like God in True

Righteousness and holiness

So,

Be Made New

Yes, put on Christ

Your pattern for life

(Dress head to foot in light)

And,

Be made new.

 That, however, is not the way of life you learned when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.~ Ephesians 4:20-24

Put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.~ Colossians 3:10

 Clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.~ Romans 13:14

 

Don't Give The Devil a Foothold

Don’t give the devil a foothold,

Don’t let him get a foot on the first rung,

Don’t leave open a window

Don’t give him the breath from your lungs

 

Don’t give him the time of day,

Don’t be drawn into talking a while,

Don’t be enticed by his flash smile,

Don’t be taken in by his style

 

 

Don’t give that politician a sound-bite,

Don’t take that pushers first free hit,

Don’t give that lawyer your number,

Don’t fall for any of it.

 

 

Don’t let him find you a loophole,

Don’t let him make you pay for it,

Don’t let him persuade you to shoulder your burden,

There are no martyrs in this outfit.

 

 

I gave the devil a foothold,

I opened a window for him,

I engaged with his pretty words

Now I am collecting the wages of sin,

 

 

I entertained the devil,

I had him right here on my couch,

It’s a conversation I can never end,

In pain, but can never say “ouch”

 

 

So don’t give the devil a foothold,

‘Cos it’ll be a ladder too soon,

He’ll be into your room,

And spinning his doom,

And you’ll be a prisoner of gloom.

Lopsided

There is something wrong with Matthew

There's a faulty setting in my genes

my spine is out of line

Physically and morally, It seems,

The good I want to do,

Well this I do not do

And the bad course I would avoid,

I'm held captive to.

I'm Lop-sided when I sit

I'm lopsided when I walk

Cack-handed when I clutch

Tongue-tied when I talk,

I'm lopsided, I've decided, 

Like you've never seen

Yes I am lop-sided

But I know which way to lean

I'm leaning on the everlasting arms

Or falling down the gap between

I cannot stand or sit-up straight

So Instead I lean

I cannot stand or sit-up straight

So, on Love, I lean.

Rotten Blossom

The blossom is rotten 

but the scent 

remains something sweet,

more potent now

it's flush's forgotten

Still crying beauty

From beneath my feet

And memories of you

May have lost their colour

But petals they shed

perfume the air

And vibrant longing

is awoken

fine fingers through your phantom hair

You are not there

But your aroma follows me everywhere.

The blossom is rotten

The colour gone

I've not forgotten

The sweet scent of your memory

lingers on

23

Gurgling, lapping, lolling noises, 

The peaceful stream is loud and loquacious,

And lying on my back, face up, 

The sun sits still and sovereign, surrounded by an audience of green

As from deep within the meadow's tendrils it forms, extending from the peripheral, 

A narrow river of sky,

The banks edges blur and shift in the playful gentle breeze,

The warmth which is radiating, 

Infuses the skin on my nose and the earth at my back 

And the cool stream, from which I have drunk

Is calling me lazily, happily back,

And my once hapless heart is full

You did this.

You lead me here

You know all the good paths

And we take them,

To your credit.

Though, somehow, shadow on the lung looms high

Deep in this canyon, carved from stubborn rock

The walls tower by: scrape sky, 

The sliver of sun, has barely begun, to warm the skin as it passes

It can't last.

It cast's now it's shivering shadow.

A sun we once knew, is now taunting you from beyond sight,

The warm memories might kill you, If the fear doesn't fright

Lead me, by hook or by crook, to turn left or right

And I'll fear the less in your love, with you and your might

3 The overflow

And come at last to the feast you have laid out for me,

Before the eyes of all,

Friends and enemies,

The food is flowing fast and free

And there is a place set for me

Eternally,

Your fragrant favour falls 

Glistening golden oil,

You have chosen me

And my cup runneth over.

Your goodness and mercy are relentless in their pursuit of me

I don't believe they will ever give up,

They'll chase me down, 

Those twin hounds

To the wide open gates

Of your mansion.

I flee inside. 

They will never let me leave.

I live here now,

With you,

Forever.