 Being called "lukewarm" by God is not a compliment, but that is the word that He used to describe the church at Laodicea in the book of Revelation. Read the post for the Letter L in the April #AtoZChallenge for bloggers.
Laodicea Revelation 3:14-19 I'm often Laodicea -- Never take a stand, Strong beliefs for sure, But no dirt upon these hands! Why stir up any trouble? Why make matters worse? I'll sit here with my mouth shut And watch you rant and curse. God will be so proud of me-- I didn't make folks mad! Or will He simply spit me out Since lukewarm tastes so bad?
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 The Letter K in the #AtoZChallenge brings us to the story of one of the Old Testament's most memorable kings: King Solomon. Read about his life in the poem below.
Solomon Solomon had wisdom – T’is a well-known fact, But using wisdom wisely Was a skill that he did lack. It started back when he was young, Just starting out as king, He asked the Lord to give to him Just one specific thing. “Give me wisdom!” was his plea. “I’ll keep away all strife!” But God gave even more to him: Riches, fame, long life. At first the wisdom did him well, He prospered in his reign, But then a wandering eye Gave his legacy a stain. Not just one more wife – Hundreds made a vow, Then a bunch of concubines Showed up to take a bow. Solomon made alliances With each and every one, And worshiping all their idols Made his kingdom come undone. Although he reigned for 40 years, No such luck with his descendants, Until the Son of David came Accepting man’s repentance. So, Solomon wasted gifts from God And squandered what he had, But God used him anyway To bring lots of good from bad. From . . . And a Poem by Kathy Mansfield  Today's focus in the #AtoZChallenge is the letter J, and I've chosen a topic that might seem rather gruesome: the story of Jael in the book of Judges. Judges 4 gives the gory details of the end of Jael's life. Read Judges 4, as well as the poem below, to discover what happened!
Jael’s Peg Judges 4 Sisera was an enemy In a Hebrew nation war A fact he would have changed Had he known what lay in store. The battles he had won Made him proud and prone to boast He thought Israel would fall Just as easily as most. But God had other plans And used a woman in a tent To bring a warlord down And cause a nation to repent. As Deborah had predicted, A victory would be won But not by any man -- By a woman it was done. Jael called to Sisera: “Come hide inside my tent. I’ll give you milk to drink, And they won’t know where you went.” Jael grabbed a peg While Sisera took a nap; She nailed it through his head As he lay upon her lap. As Deborah had predicted Victory was at hand, With credit to a woman, Just as God had planned. From . . . And a Poem, Too by Kathy Mansfield  For Day 9 of the #AtoZChallenge, enjoy a poem based on the story of a blind man in the book of John whose life is changed forever after an encounter with Jesus.
I Was Blind John 9:1-41 “Why was he born blind?” The disciples asked of Christ. “The sins of his parents Or his own preventing sight?” “Not because of sin – His own or his parents – But so that man would see God’s power is apparent.” Then Jesus made a paste From saliva and from dirt. He placed it on the eyes So the blindness would revert. Jesus sent him to Siloam To wash in waters there. The beggar’s eyes were healed Which brought amazement everywhere. “Who healed you? What has happened? Where’s this man? Who is he?” The beggar said, “He’s Jesus. I was blind, but now I see!”  The heroes listed in Hebrews 11 give us a glimpse into a kind of faith few of us have known and a reminder that our hope in God is well-founded and honored.
Hebrews 11 Faith is the confidence That what we hope for will come true Giving us assurances Of things we cannot view. Because of their faith The people in days of old Earned a reputation For trusting what’s foretold. By faith we understand That by a word from God alone The universe was formed Out of things that were unknown. Abel had that faith, And his offering pleased the Lord, And his example is just one Showing faith’s reward. Enoch had that faith; As a result he didn’t die; Because he pleased the Lord, He was taken up on high. Noah had that faith And chose to build an ark; He believed what God had warned And told his family to embark. Abraham had faith When God called him from his home. He obeyed and went at once; For God he chose to roam. Both Isaac and then Jacob Had faith like Abraham, Looking forward to a city Ruled by God’s only Lamb. Sarah had that faith And conceived a little boy, And from his very seed, The world encountered joy. All these people died Believing in God’s word; They didn’t see the end, But had faith in what they heard. By faith an only son Was brought for sacrifice; Abraham believed God could bring him back to life. By faith that son named Isaac Gave blessings for his sons, And Jacob passed that on To Joseph’s little ones. By faith God’s servant Joseph Believed the Israelites Would leave the land of Egypt, And indeed they all took flight. By faith the baby Moses Was hidden for three months And grew to be a prince Who saved his people more than once. By faith the Red Sea parted And God’s people saw dry ground; When Egyptians tried to follow, Every one of them was drowned. By faith the Israel nation Marched for seven days, And the walls of Jericho Fell beneath their praise. By faith the harlot, Rahab, Gave shelter to God’s spies, And she alone was saved When her city heard Death’s cries. By faith so many others Whose stories could be told Earned a reputation For being brave and bold. Yet none of them received The promise that they knew-- A promise we embrace Thanks to a faithful few. from . . . And a Poem, Too by Kathy Mansfield  Jesus' response to a Pharisee question lets us know how to live our daily lives. The Greatest Commandment is the focus of Day 7 of the #AtoZChallenge.
The Greatest Commandment Matthew 22:36-40 The Pharisees asked Jesus, “Which commandment in the Law Is the one that should be kept As the one above them all?” Jesus replied with this: “Love the Lord with all your heart. This is first and greatest And is the way you each must start.” “A second law that equals this Is love your neighbors, too. The entire Law encompassed In these commands I give to you.”  Day 6 of the #AtoZChallenge is about foolishness, specifically the foolishness of God. What? God foolish? Read on, dear friend, and discover for yourself!
The Foolishness of God 1 Corinthians 1:18-25 The message of the cross Seems foolish to some men, But for those who know the Lord, It’s power over sin. It is foolish to the Jews Who ask for Holy signs, It is foolish to the Greeks Who seek answers from the “wise.” But to all those called by God, Both Gentiles and the Jews, This “foolish” plan of God Is what we call “Good News.”  Day 5 of the #AtoZChallenge brings us to the unusual story of Eutychus in the book of Acts. If you've ever felt like nodding off at church, then you can relate to this New Testament Bible character who must have been grateful to have Paul for a preacher!
Eutychus Acts 20:7-12 The Apostle Paul often spoke For hours upon end And sometimes went past midnight When he caught a second wind. One such night this happened While Eutychus sat perched High upon a windowsill When meeting with the church. A yawn, a crash, and chaos! Eutychus fell fast, The fall was down three stories And he knew it was his last! The people crowded round While Paul ran to his side. He wrapped his arms around him, Poor Eutychus had died. "Alas! He isn't hurt!" Was Paul's excited shout. He had raised him from the dead-- There wasn't any doubt! Paul preached on 'til dawn While the people sat in awe After seeing this great miracle Of Eutychus and his fall. From . . . And a Poem by Kathy Mansfield  Day 4 of the #AtoZChallenge is the Letter D. What role does the Devil play in our daily lives? Read below, and remember the words of the last stanza!
Devil’s Door The devil’s door is wide And it’s open all the time He beckons all to come No matter what the crime. Did I hear some gossip? Or some lies upon your lips? One stumble can become The first of many slips. Once that door is open The devil holds it fast, He wants that open door To be your very last. But God controls the wind -- Shuts the door in Satan’s face, And wraps us in His arms So we can feel His grace. From . . . And a Poem, Too by Kathy Mansfield  Day 3 of the #AtoZChallenge is the Letter C and a spotlight on God's creation. Below is an original poem about the 7 days of creation. You can see the illustrated children's book version as a paperback or e-book by clicking on the book cover below the poem or on the highlighted words in this sentence. Creation Genesis 1 “Let there be light,” the Lord God said, And He called them “night” and “day.” That was the beginning of the earth: God’s majesty displayed. Next God made the big vast sky (That was day number two), Then He created land and seas And plants that give us food. Day number four brought lights above To guide both day and night. Fish appeared in every sea, All kinds of birds took flight. On the sixth day God created Animals of every rendition To roam the earth and multiply (That was God’s commission). Then God made humankind, And told them, “Multiply!” He provided all they’d need So they could live and thrive. After all was said and done, God rested on day seven. He had made the world, And he smiled on it from heaven. From . . . And a Poem by Kathy Mansfield  |
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