Sonnet XIII

On The American Election 2008 - A Sonnet To My King
By Jonathan D. Eller

My God, Your wisdom far exceeds my own,
And I draw comfort from this very thing.
For by Your great omnipotence You've shown
That You determine president and king.
Yes, You know all men's hearts - this fact is true -
And render unto them a payment just,
Rewarding men and nations what is due.
Lord, in Your goodness I have learned to trust.
Your discipline is sorrowful for sure -
Your wrath and blows seem ever so severe -
But chastisement is sent to make us pure,
And by its cleansing helps us to draw near.
My God, this nation's nothing without Thee.
Please cleanse our hearts and truly make us free.

November 5, 2008

Sonnet XII

My God – A Sonnet To My King
By Jonathan D. Eller

My God, My God, who loves as well as You?
Your patience is more broad than all You’ve made,
And though all men are false your word proves true.
Your promises, vast as the stars arrayed,
Speak goodness, love, and mercy without end.
Your power stuns my intellect and yet,
The helpless and downtrodden You defend.
Your heart’s inclined to forgive and forget
The sins confessed by children penitent.
But anger flares towards those who mock Your path
And scorn Your truth with actions insolent.
They, sowing foolish seed, invite Your wrath.
Lord, let Your kindness cause them to repent.
Please draw them to the Holy Lamb You sent.

October 27, 2008

Undone

I was utterly undone by this song this morning.

To Vote Or Not To Vote... It Really Isn't The Question

I found this at the Pray The Vote website:

Has this year’s presidential campaign left you so uncertain...so discouraged...that you’re actually considering not voting in November?

If you can honesty answer “yes” to that question, know that you’re not alone. Other fellow intercessors for Pray the Vote 2008 have expressed to us they feel the same way. Despite their prayers, they’ve wondered if they should even participate in the election process.

But God is moving in their hearts. Here is the story of one such person. Read More...

As citizens of heaven it is our responsibility to do all that we can to impact our society for the Kingdom of God. As American citizens that means voting (among other things). God has decided who He wants to be America's next President. We must seek His face until we are in line with His choice. Don't shirk this divine and valuable trust.

A Quote For You

I am being pressed forward in the Spirit to assume my position. How about you? Each one of us in Christ has a position that we MUST assume. His Bride must be ready for her Groom! We can't fulfill our life's mission if we don't boldly step into that rightful place He has for us.
- Deborah @ Thoughts Along The Way

Wonderful News!

OK, this is a little late, but I figure better late than never. I got some great news from Luke D a former member at StillWaters about the medical condition of his son, Josh. Some of you may remember that Josh nearly died several times as a result of complications from a surgery that he had. It was really touch and go there for quite a while. I'll let Luke give you the details:

Just so you know the context...
Many doctors said Josh might not eat by mouth again.
Josh ate solid food at Thanksgiving.
Some doctors said Josh would not get off the vent.
Josh hasn't used the vent since December 21st.
One PICU doctor raised questions about Josh's future "quality of life" and suggested that we just take Josh home and "let nature take its course".
We know that God determines what Josh's life will be, and because He loves Josh, we can rest in that hope.
Virtually all the doctors (except pulmonology) said he'd never get rid of the trach.
(You know where this is headed...)
TODAY DR. SIMPSER REMOVED JOSH'S TRACH!

Out it came, and Josh continued breathing normally! In fact, he has not had to be suctioned once since the trach's removal at 2:15 pm EDT! He is on his bipap now sleeping comfortably and enjoying this new turn of events. We will change the gauze over the small hole in his neck tomorrow, and the hole should be half the size then. It should close off completely in a bit and all that will be left is a slight scar.

There is still more to be done in terms of Josh's strength and speech, but therapy is dealing with that. This trach issue has long been viewed by Josh as the summit of the mountain he needed to climb. For some time, he has expressed that he will be "normal" when he gets the trach out. No matter how much encouragement and prayer we have given him, he still has struggled with his image. Since mid-afternoon today, Josh has been positively glowing.

Josh's life and successful independence from the trach is testimony to God's faithfulness and the efficacy of prayer. Perhaps you are facing a huge challenge that is causing you to doubt God's goodness and His care for you, but let this story encourage you that God loves YOU and is working for YOUR good. Don't give up - even when the "experts" (like the "doctor" that thought they should just stop wasting resources on Josh and let him die) tell you there is no hope. With God there is always hope. NOTHING is too hard for our God.

That certainly doesn't mean that the road won't be difficult. If you knew the whole story behind this wonderful report, you would know that there were some very dark days and some heart-wrenching cries to God, questioning how He could allow this to happen. You would realize that there were excruciating weeks spent in hospitals where there was little hope offered and exhausting hours spent caring for this brave little soldier.

But God has come through! Take Him at His word when He says, "For I know the plans that I have for you," says the Lord. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope."

Are You On Double Secret Probation?

I got this devotional thought from our brother, Rick, and thought it should be shared here. Please don't see it as an endorsement of the movie, Animal House. Neither Conspiracy of Kindness nor our brother would recommend that you watch it. It simply isn't edifying.
- Cephas

"We must constantly remind ourselves that Satan's thumb isn't bigger than God's. Try as he might to put it on us, our comfort is that God's is on him." - Rick

1PE 5:8-9
"8 Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings."

Lessons from Animal House:

"Sometimes life can feel like its lived under a double secret probation... like a big thumb hovering over our every move waiting to squash us at every little mistake. It seemingly follows us all our days making us wonder if there is any real hope of freedom, eternity, an assured relationship with God. We think it causes our stumbling, suffering and pains, and that it be the thumb of God. But when we receive Christ we find that the thumb is Satan seeking to destroy what life Christ has given us.

When we feel this stalker, our skin crawls, our heart quickens, our breathing becomes more shallow. Aha! Because of Christ we are now aware of what we could not know before. We keep ourself under control by letting God be in control. Satan says "you're not going to get away with it this time, smart guy" but God replies to him that his accusations are groundless because Jesus Christ went to that eternal detention on our behalf. This sets us free from the fear of Satan's looming thumb because it looms no more.

We must constantly remind ourselves that Satan's thumb isn't bigger than God's. Try as he might to put it on us, our comfort is that God's is on him." Rick

Devote The Coming Year To Prayer For Our Nation's Leadership

Election Day has just passed. I hope that you remembered to vote and that you were pleased with the results. As American Christians one of the great ways that we can be "salt and light" is to participate in the political process by voting.

The campaign for our next president began in earnest early this year (although it was begun the moment the last election was settled). Perhaps you are perplexed about the choices that are being presented before us. I know that I am. One of the greatest things that we can do over the coming year is to diligently pray that God will cause our nation to choose His choice for president and His choices for the other offices that will be up for election.

The folks at the Presidential Prayer Team have developed a website to help us as we are praying for our country. It is called Pray the Vote 2008. You can check it out HERE. There are large parts of the site under construction, but it looks like it will be a valuable resource.


"When you become entitled to exercise the right of voting for public officers, let it be impressed on your mind that God commands you to choose for rulers, "just men who will rule in the fear of God." The preservation of [our] government depends on the faithful discharge of this Duty; if the citizens neglect their Duty and place unprincipled men in office, the government will soon be corrupted; laws will be made, not for the public good so much as for selfish or local purposes; corrupt or incompetent men will be appointed to execute the Laws; the public revenues will be squandered on unworthy men; and the rights of the citizen will be violated or disregarded. If [our] government fails to secure public prosperity and happiness, it must be because the citizens neglect the Divine Commands, and elect bad men to make and administer the Laws." - Noah Webster

How true.

The Same Yesterday, Today, and Forever!

Here is a great link to a video about a Muslim Imam who had a "road to Damascus" experience and gave his life to the Lord!

Muhammed's Story

How exciting to know that God didn't and doesn't limit His exploits to the ones we have read about in the Bible! He truly is the same yesterday today and forever! We don't follow a dead religion or a guidebook of dos and don'ts. We serve the Living God who created all things! Can we believe Him to do exploits through US?

Quote Of The Day

If we believe the Lord is sovereign, as I firmly do, then perhaps hardships are meant to expose His acceptance. If we never face rejection, then we never truly know what we have in His acceptance. I know of His love and acceptance and it is sweet. Once you let Him in those areas of hurt and rejection, man's approval is dull and not worth the pursuit.

- Deborah @ Thoughts Along The Way

Quote Of The Day

In order to prepare Israel for the gospel that Jesus would preach, John (the baptist) was chosen to break up their hardened spiritual soil through both his austere lifestyle and his cutting message. John experienced amazing results, but this is not always the case.

Some of you are not only in a hard place, you are having a hard time too. No matter how much you pray or how hard you preach, no one responds. You invite people to your Bible study or to church, and they don’t show up. Everything in you wants to quit. Let me tell you right now that this is no time to give up....

No matter how hard your task may seem, God is at work to change the very place you are laboring. It may take five months or five years, but that is not the issue.

If you are faithful to fulfill the task God has given you, sooner or later, your harvest will come.

- Jim Laffoon @ Our Daily Blog

Quote Of The Day

"When the gift of God in us is manifesting, we profit in new ways (1 Cor. 12). Many people are clueless to the Gift of God within them. The Lord has given each of us a destiny. He has also given us a unique mix of gifts to fulfill that destiny. I believe that you will experience life at its fullest and display His glory at its richest when you passionately walk in the callings and gifting that the Lord has imparted to you."
- Chuck Pierce

Reminds me of something John Piper said:

"One of the saddest feelings in the world is the feeling that your life is going nowhere. You're alive, but you feel like there is no point in being alive. You get a little daydream - a little flicker - of what it might be like to be a part of something really great and really valuable, and what it might be like to have a significant part in it. But then you wake up and everything looks so small and insignificant and pitiful and out of the way and unknown and pointless.

We were not made to live without a destiny. We were made to be sustained by a meaningful, purposeful future. We were made to be strengthened each day by this assurance, this confidence: that what is happening in our lives today, no matter how mundane and ordinary, is a really significant step toward something great and good and beautiful tomorrow."

and

"God is most glorified in you when you are most satisfied in Him."