 Zacchaeus was known for his short stature, but he had a big story to tell about his encounter with Jesus. Read about it below in the last post for the #AtoZChallenge.
Zacchaeus Luke 19:1-9 Zacchaeus was a short man. He taxed the people high. He left them poor and wanting While he gorged on figs and pie. One day the Lord came walking Down the streets of Jericho. Zacchaeus climbed a tree to see, Since he was built so low. "Come down quick!" Jesus said, "I'd like to come and dine." So off they went (while people stared) To have some bread and wine. "He is just not worthy," Cried the people in the town. "He has been made wealthy While our money dwindles down." Zacchaeus felt so humbled That the Lord would show him favor That he vowed to pay the people back, And now he's loyal to the Savior. From . . . And a Poem by Kathy Mansfield
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 For the Letter Y in the #AtoZChallenge, I've taken the liberty of using the word "why" instead of the 25th letter of the alphabet.
Life’s Scars If ever someone has been broken and fixed I think it would be I. And lo, and behold, I figured out The answer to my “Why?” Sometimes God must let us fall And feel Life’s harshest wrath, Only then can we arise To walk straighter on His path. To others I might seem to be Someone whose life is marred, But God sees me as clean and new, Not as someone scarred. From . . . And a Poem, Too by Kathy Mansfield  I posted the poem below for the Letter Q (Queen Esther), but re-posting for the Letter X (King Xerxes)! So, if you missed the previous post a couple of weeks ago, now's your chance to catch it again. Isn't repurposing a trend? #AtoZChallenge
Esther King Xerxes loved Queen Vashti, But she defied the King’s command; Her banishment made the way For saving Jews across the land. King Xerxes sought another To wear the Persian crown, Throughout the land were chosen Young girls of all renown. Esther was a Hebrew Who lived with Mordecai, Chosen by the royal court, She caught King Xerxes’ eye. But Haman was an Agagite And had a grudge with all the Jews, He made a plan for Xerxes That would cause the Jews to lose. Though Esther was the Persian Queen, Her lineage wasn’t known, Even Xerxes who so loved his queen Was oblivious on his throne. When Mordecai refused to bow, Haman set his plan in place. Xerxes signed the order To end the Jewish race. Mordecai warned Esther Of the plan that would unfold, Through Hathach he told Esther, “You must be brave; you must be bold.” “Perhaps you were made queen For such a time as this. If you ignore the role you play, You’ll surely be remiss.” So Esther turned to God In fasting and in prayer And asked of Mordecai That the Jews, as well, prepare. Then Esther went to Xerxes, And through clever words and deeds, She turned the course in play To preserve the Chosen’s seed. Now Haman is no more, But God’s people grow in love, Thanks to Mordecai and Esther And providence from above. From . . . And a Poem, Too by Kathy Mansfield  Sometimes we have trouble seeing the "writing on the wall," don't we? King Belshazzar certainly saw it, but he definitely didn't understand it. That's where Daniel came in. Daniel was gifted by God to interpret such things. We're gifted, too. We're gifted with God's word (the Bible) and with the Holy Spirit. By listening to the Holy Spirit and reading God's word, we can figure out the writing on the wall that others might miss. Use your gifts from God to interpret the world around you.
The Writing on the Wall Daniel 5 King Belshazzar loved feasts And drinking wine from golden cups, He took the temple vessels For each noble as he sups. As the king and all his nobles (And their concubines and wives) Drank from holy goblets They praised their gods of lies. Suddenly a hand appeared And wrote words upon the wall; King Belshazzar fell to his knees And to his wise men made a call: “Who can read this writing And tell me what it means? To him I’ll give high honor -- He’ll be third to me, the king!” When none of them could read it, The Queen approached the king, “There is a man named Daniel Who’s been known to do such things.” So, Daniel (Judah’s exile) Spoke to the king and said, “Keep your gifts. I’ll tell you What others haven’t read.” “Since you’ve defied the Lord And praised idols in His stead, Yahweh’s sent a message, And this is what it said: “Your days are numbered here, You’ve been weighed and found unfit. Your kingdom’s been divided -- Medes and Persians conquer it.” Daniel knew the meaning And was made a ruler, too. That night the king was killed And a new one rose to rule. From . . . And a Poem, Too by Kathy Mansfield  How do I know God is real? I've seen miracles that can only be attributed to Him. Nothing like what Ezekiel experienced when dry human bones in a valley were brought to life, but close!
Valley of Dry Bones Ezekiel 37:1-14 Ezekiel was transported By the Spirit of the Lord To a valley filled with bones That he and God explored. The bones were dry and scattered With no life that could be found. God asked his priest-turned-prophet, “Can these bones rise from the ground?” “You alone can answer, Lord,” Was Ezekiel’s quick reply. Then God said, “Speak this message, “Dry Bones, get up and rise!’” And then a noisy rattle Echoed up from valley depths As bone attached to bone, And muscles formed with flesh. Then God asked of his prophet, “Speak out to Earth’s four winds: Breathe life into these bones So they may live again.” So Ezekiel spoke the message, And breath filled up those bones, And an army of new men Arose like Israel’s clones. They said to one another, “We’ve become so dry and old. All hope is gone; our nation’s dead, Our very life’s grown cold.” Then God told his great prophet, “Tell the people what I’ll do. I’ll open graves of exile And make everything brand new.” “And when Israel is restored, My people will proclaim: ‘This was from the Lord! Our nation’s been reclaimed!’” From . . . And a Poem, Too by Kathy Mansfield  The Letter U for the #AtoZChallenge is Unity, specifically unity in the Universal Church. With so many denominations, the church can seem at odds with itself, particularly to non-believers. As Christians, we must work to display the unity that binds us together: belief in salvation through Jesus Christ and obedience to his Word.
Courage of the Church The courage of the Church Is conviction steeped in truth, Shared with love to others And developed from our youth. That courage is developed By meeting Jesus every day And seeking out our brothers Who will lift us up and pray. Like Peter, Paul, and John, Our witness should be brave In obedience and in unity To the One by Whom we’re saved.  The "lingo" of Christianity can be difficult for non-Christians to understand, but some of the big words and terms can even be hard for Christians to fully grasp. I like to call them Ten-Dollar Words, and I hope my poem helps you to understand a couple of those very important, but difficult to understand, words that pastors and teachers toss about.
Ten-Dollar Words Sanctification, propitiation-- Big ten-dollar words-- If you grew up in a Bible church, They’re words you must have heard. Sanctification simply means Living out your faith, Growing more like Christ As you journey through your days. Propitiation simply means Atonement for our sins Resulting from the sacrifice Of Jesus for all men. Knowing those big words Won’t change how we should live, But knowing what they mean Reminds us why we live. From . . . And a Poem, Too by Kathy Mansfield  "Second Fruits" is one of my favorite poems. You don't know what Life will throw you and how you will respond, but I'm a firm believer in second chances after a less than stellar response to things we encounter. I also believe that if we have a strong foundation early in life, we will return to those roots that can help us to flourish once more.
Second Fruits Matthew 7:17-20 The tree was watered, It felt the sun, Its roots grew strong-- A life begun. When fruit appeared, The tree stood tall, A sign of health To one and all. But then the storms Of life unfurled-- First drought, then rain, Then winds that swirled. For a season No fruit was seen, Withered and brown, Not healthy green. But underground Were roots held fast By care and love From seasons past. And once again The sun came down To shine upon The fertile ground. New fruit was seen, Brighter and sweet, Having survived Seeming defeat.  Rahab, a prostitute, is an unlikely ancestor to Jesus Christ, but her story gives hope to all who have chosen a fallen path. No one's past prevents him or her from a future of hope in Christ. Read Rahab's story in today's #AtoZChallenge post.
Rahab Joshua 2:1-24 Matthew 1:5 Joshua sent two spies To the city of Jericho To find out more about A potential battle foe. But someone told the King, “There are spies here in the land; They’re in the house of Rahab, We need to know their plan.” The King sent word to Rahab, “Bring out the Israelites!” She responded, “They aren’t here-- Perhaps they’ve taken flight.” In truth, the men were hidden Under flax on Rahab’s roof. She knew the God they worshipped Was the One who spoke the Truth. “I know your God is mighty, I’ve heard all the things he does. I’ve given you protection, Now give the same to us.” The Israelites agreed When they returned to Jericho They’d look for Rahab’s window-- A scarlet rope hung below. Due to Rahab’s faithfulness Two spies were saved that day, And through the line of Rahab Came the One who is the Way. From . . . And a Poem, Too by Kathy Mansfield  Queen Esther is the subject for the Letter Q in the #AtoZChallenge. Read about the Godly choice she made that saved her people.
Esther King Xerxes loved Queen Vashti, But she defied the King’s command; Her banishment made the way For saving Jews across the land. King Xerxes sought another To wear the Persian crown, Throughout the land were chosen Young girls of all renown. Esther was a Hebrew Who lived with Mordecai, Chosen by the royal court, She caught King Xerxes’ eye. But Haman was an Agagite And had a grudge with all the Jews, He made a plan for Xerxes That would cause the Jews to lose. Though Esther was the Persian Queen, Her lineage wasn’t known, Even Xerxes who so loved his queen Was oblivious on his throne. When Mordecai refused to bow, Haman set his plan in place. Xerxes signed the order To end the Jewish race. Mordecai warned Esther Of the plan that would unfold, Through Hathach he told Esther, “You must be brave; you must be bold.” “Perhaps you were made queen For such a time as this. If you ignore the role you play, You’ll surely be remiss.” So Esther turned to God In fasting and in prayer And asked of Mordecai That the Jews, as well, prepare. Then Esther went to Xerxes, And through clever words and deeds, She turned the course in play To preserve the Chosen’s seed. Now Haman is no more, But God’s people grow in love, Thanks to Mordecai and Esther And providence from above. From . . . And a Poem, Too by Kathy Mansfield |
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