November 21, 2010

• my soapbox

  my passion for You begins to die
  my zeal and heart become misguided
  a fire burns within me but it's nothing holy
  seeking to build but in a manner not worthy of Your calling

  I forget the crown of thorns, Your nail-pierced feet and hands
  I seek to rule, I grasp the hammer and nails in my hands
  I labor, walk, I run, I speak, but not with beautiful words or feet
  the words come from my flesh, not from Your Holy Spirit

  caught up and puffed up in my own way, proud in my own eyes, thinking myself to be wise
  constrained by self, I take up the wood, I lust and fight
  a proud, loveless, restless, foolish, vain attempt to build up
  Your Church in my own mortal power

  Your Shepherd's eye watches the devil's sifting
  You let this wayward lamb build and labor, then finally it is finished
  so there I ascend and take my stand, my ugly feet upon my soapbox
  a sham, a cheap counterfeit, a wooden box, for Your wonderful cross

  self-seeking, speaking truth but not in love
  zealous for my name but not for Your house
  motives awry, heart unsanctified, ill-tempered lips tempted to explode
  Hosanna! May all my plans and all of me implode

  hedge up my way to seek Your way, humble me in Your eyes, this flesh I despise
  constrain me by Your love, so I might step down from my soapbox and take up Your cross with delight
  learn meekness and humility in Your restful yoke, so I might be built up and build up
  Your Church in Your divine power

  Genesis 49:21 (NKJV) Naphtali is a deer let loose; he uses beautiful words.

  Psalms 127:1: Unless the LORD builds the house,
  those who build it labor in vain.
  Unless the LORD watches over the city,
  the watchman stays awake in vain.

  Psalm 19
  13  Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins;
  let them not have dominion over me!
  Then I shall be blameless,
  and innocent of great transgression.
  14  Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
  be acceptable in your sight,
  O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.

  I Corinthians 16:13  Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. 14  Let all that you do be done in love.

  I Corinthians 8:1b This “knowledge” puffs up, but love builds up.

  ---

  Related:

  Why Naphtali?
  while I was marching around the walls
  my deep concern for the churches
  Postcards from God in England: the frisking at Heathrow
  the two yokes
  one way or the other God will be glorified (Bible Reading - Numbers 20)
  true repentance leads to joy (Letter 37 on assurance & fighting for joy)
  hanging, crucified ... I'm dying here
  "Enslaved to Sense, to Pleasure Prone" (Charles Wesley)
  dedication 2010 (reflections on God's Word & God's grace)
  dedication 2010 (addendum): may He temper my tongue with love
  Father, forgive me for joking
  "Satan tempted me to hold my tongue..." (Whitefield)
  William Perkins on Isaiah 6 and the tongue
  my words were for your joy (letter 44 on assurance & fighting for joy)
  "As soon as the ball left my hand"....The Power of the Tongue
  THE SIFTING OF PETER (Longfellow)
  from the archives: "How do we know if we're speaking the truth in love?"

  Scripture quotations marked "NKJV" taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

  Scripture quotations unless otherwise indicated are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Copyright ©2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
  

  • 8:03 PM
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