===================================================================== Vol. 2 Issue #6 The Edifier Online Text Version April, 1998 ===================================================================== Contents: Sometimes When We Struggle - by Kevin Worrall A THOUGHT IN YOUR DAY: November 23, 1993 - by CHERYL A. LAVENDER Your Ways - by Janae L Ivie A Joyous Accomplisher - by Janae L Ivie Something But Never Nothing - by Janae L Ivie The Game - by anonymous Within me - by David Staley Words for Beth - by David Staley Come Soft, the Light of This, a Noonday Sun - by Joshua D. Smith Cool Sites to Check Out! MARRIED - by eljay KNOTS - by eljay ORDER - by eljay Final Words ===================================================================== Sometimes When We Struggle Written by: Kevin Worrall KMWorrall@compuserve.com Sometimes when we struggle as Christians, we dwell on our attitude and behaviour discovering that the way we have acted wasn't much better than someone who doesn't know Jesus. But on further thought there is a world of difference between me and the Godless. I am a living part of Gods kingdom, I know God's law and want to live it out, I appreciate the value and purpose, to give me guidelines, to show me where I am wrong. Nevertheless, sin is a bias on my character, the hereditary corruption of sin lies within the members of my body and causes me, (as Paul says) to do what I don't want to do, to disobey God. God has reminded me that I am not bound up to the law down to the last letter. If he thought we could live up to it He wouldn't have sent Jesus to justify us. Now God doesn't sit up in heaven with a heavenly microscope pre-occupied with my every iniquity, because He has declared me righteous and that is how he sees me in Christ. So I need not drive myself into despondence expecting God to love me less or not to accept me when I slip up. Why? because since I accepted Jesus, in God's sight I have been blameless and above reproach. And when I look at things this way, to sin almost becomes hard work! So the difference between me and someone who doesn't know Jesus is that I know my purpose for living. I don't need to search to find something to fill the gap in my heart. As I grow in Christ, the gap is filled and I know my destiny. Where am I going when my life is done? To live in a perfect paradise, where I will know no weaknesses, limitations or inadequacy. It seems foolish to the world but sense and truth to us, we have the answers to this world and its being (thank God for His grace). We know that God created this world, just look around and see the immense complexities of the creation around us. Observe the consistency of the creation and the beauty. Take a step back from what has always been taken for granted and give some thought to it's meaning. Did it all arrive so beautifully from a vast chemical explosion? You mean we all came about with two eyes, A nose and a mouth, all in the same place out of an explosion? Something was there in the beginning and that doesn't explain it for me! We are not animals but people, that God loves. That's why I do not need to live like an animal but like a person who is valued. There is a God beyond all this and he is sustaining you and me every day. Without Him the invisible breath of life in us would not be. ==================================================================== A THOUGHT IN YOUR DAY: November 23, 1993 BY CHERYL A. LAVENDER cheryl43@mindspring.com ROMANS 9:16 -- SO THEN IT DOES NOT DEPEND ON THE MAN WHO WILLS OR THE MAN WHO RUNS, BUT ON GOD WHO HAS MERCY. Dear Father in heaven, what caused me to be a thought in Your day? Why in all Your Creation did You consider me? Was it for things that I had done? Was it for what I would bring to You? No! May it never be! It could not have been anything in me. Sin reigns undivided, O wretched soul that I am! Still the question rings over in my ears. Why did You think on me? Would I love to overflowing? Would I give without complaining? No! It would never be! It could not have been anything in me. Sin reigns undivided, O wretched soul that I am! My love is fully tainted. I give no more than I can. So, Lord, as I humbly bow face down, I ask again, "What did You imagine in me?" Looking to Jesus I am able to see. The blood flowing down from eternity has covered my inability. What good is done is not by me,but by the only One who can free the soul bound by his iniquity. ===================================================================== Your Ways BY Janae L Ivie janaeivie@juno.com http://members.tripod.com/~Christianpoetry/index.html Show me Your ways O Lord In every part of my life may I glorify you A life that is full of service unto You will never cease in me I long for Your coming each and everyday I worship You in everything no matter where I am Your ways will be my ways when they are shown to me! =================================================================== A Joyous Accomplisher BY Janae L Ivie janaeivie@juno.com http://members.tripod.com/~Christianpoetry/index.html How joyous it is when someone accomplishes a difficult task The feeling of happiness is about the heart of the accomplisher Everybody faces challenging circumstances on a daily basis But if we trust God in everything He will help us overcome our daily challenges It is then when we are finished facing the difficult challenge that we are the joyous accomplisher! =================================================================== Something But Never Nothing BY Janae L Ivie janaeivie@juno.com http://members.tripod.com/~Christianpoetry/index.html When I feel as though I am nothing in this world, I think of Your greatness I remember how You created everything including myself I feel a sense of security and reassurance knowing that I am a something Everybody is a something, but never a nothing Although it may seem strange, just remember that Jesus is the one who makes us feel like a something all the time! ================================================================== The Game by anonymous *Editor's note* This was a post that was made to the Christian Unity email discussion list on 3/16/98. The author gave permission for me to include it in this issue of The Edifier Online. I think that it will hit home for those of us who have ever been on an email discussion list. Enjoy! Hello all, I've been on this list for a while - seen some cool stuff, seen some stupid stuff. Right now, it seems that there's a game being played. It goes something like this: Contestant #1 shoots an arrow into a group of people and waits to hear the now-familiar (he's done this many times before) "ouch!", signalling that he has hit someone (Contestant #2). Contestant #2, with arrow sticking out his backside, runs over to Contestant #1 and decides to fire an arrow of his own. Contestant #2 didn't ask to play the game, but nevertheless couldn't resist jumping in anyway. Contestant #2's arrow flies over to Contestant #1 and hits him, but doesn't seem to do much damage, because Contestant #1 has been hit many times before (that's where he got the arrows to fire at people in the first place). Contestant #1 smiles and fires back, not at Contestant #2, but at Contestants #3, #4, #5, etc. Because, Contestant #1 knows from experience that this game is much more fun when ALOT of people are playing. Of course, other players are hit and begin to fire back. And amidst all this commotion, the thought never occurs to anyone to drop their arrows and shout out "I DON'T WANT TO PLAY ANYMORE." To do so would surely end the game, but of course it would also end the "pleasure" of knowing that you just got in a good shot..... Anyone want to quit and go fishin' instead? -- To subscribe send message to christianunity-subscribe@associate.com ================================================================== Within me by David Staley dragonraid@hotmail.com http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/5268/dr.html Within me a smoldering ember of life a pocket of darkness in the heat of the night a hope unreconciled with a dream a fish in a puddle cut off from the stream Without a word to convey a memory not born a life not concieved aged without death in my mind not my soul that my hand will not touch that my eyes will never see The end of the line lies with me by my side is the shadow of a child that won't be consumed in the darkness cast by my presence on the ground no foot will walk where no voice will sing A bird in flight with no place to land a sun in the horizon that never sinks to the sand No son will be born to me No daughter will I ever see that has come from my soul that I'll hold in my arms that I'll sing to sleep with a story of old. ================================================================== Words for Beth by David Staley saviour_machine@hotmail.com http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Palladium/4404 Upon my soul my words come crashing Dashing, as against the shore But the sound's too distant So I search for meaning Till search I can no more The deepest well, the ocean rather As deep it is can not be drowned The words for feelings to grasp Eludes me like dark As it turns to dawn But seek it still Shall I not find it What lies within my soul To say the words One sentence...can it Tell all that within me holds My lips do part My mind it races My heart it beats My temples pound From heart, to mind, to mouth... Then silence No words are to be found But could I write Could my tears express Could my laughter, my embrace Would it be the same It seems as though they all would falter Like words My heart they could not contain So through the day That turns to weeks That slowly fades to countless years In this I see my words expressed More clearly than an ear could hear ================================================================== Come Soft, the Light of This, a Noonday Sun By Joshua D. Smith jdsmith@georgefox.edu http://www.geocities.com/Athens/4529 - A Petrarchan Sonnet written on 19 March, 1997 Come soft, the light of this, a nonday sun Bewitches light, and casts it upon my face, Bringing warmth that love cannot replace -- But never bringing love like that of one Who loved the helpless soldier -- who's not won The battles for the one who gave him lace. She breaths words that cannot ever replace The pain of wounds that ne'er shall be undone. She feels not pain -- but rather feels delight To see this ragged soldier in his doom Come to her arms, the bliss of Ignorance Blinds my eyes, to never see my plight -- Neglecting sun and warmth, I seek the tomb And hope within her arms for one last chance. =================================================================== ^\^/^/^/^ / _ _ \ ( @) (@ ) (======================oOOO=====(_)=====OOOo===============) ( ) ( Cool Sites to Check Out! ) ( <>< ) ( Visions of Glory Online Magazine - http://www.vog.org ) ) ( <>< ) ( The Lamb's Bride Project - http://www.groups.org ) ( <>< ) ( Christian Toys & Games ) ( http://www.freelinks.com/christiantoysandgames/ ) ( <>< ) ) ( Mitch Buckner's Redemption CCG Page ) ( http://www.angelfire.com/tn/Redemptioncards ) ( ) (===============================Oooo.======================) .oooO (@ ) ( @) ) / \ ( (_/ \_) ASCII art from Joshua Smith's signature file ================================================================ MARRIED BY eljay eljay@mcn.org Marry me, I said to thee, and you did not deny me. Be my husband, the protector of my life. God's promise to me, comes true in you. Half of the puzzle. A challenge. When you say those words I thought I'd never hear. When you hold me and I feel the greatest, gentlest love, simmering beside me: peaceful, warm, patient, gentle, very strong. When you forgive me again and again, even if you can't forget. When you let me know there is something MORE than me. When you teach me. When we are apart, and then come together again. When we check again and again to see if it's still there: and it is. When we are sure. When we doubt. When we laugh. When we cry. When we make plans. When we open doors in each others hearts that we didn't know were closed. =================================================================== KNOTS BY eljay eljay@mcn.org This is the hard part: where we don't get along. This is where I push and you pull, to see who is the most strong. This is where we say some things maybe we shouldn't have. This is where we must be careful, because it's hard to take back. We are untying our knots together. Niether of us is sure how. It is a painstaking process and we both find this hard to accept. We wonder if it is worth it, at these times. We pray for the peace between us to return. We pray for our eyes to meet again not in anger. I pray for your arms around me soft again. I pray for you to understand what I meant when I said what I said. I pray that I will understand too. I pray for the strength to help you understand, to find the words, to put them the right way. I pray that God is with us, and showing us how to untie the knots. ================================================================== ORDERS BY eljay eljay@mcn.org The orders are sent, down the chimney with care. In hopes that my life, would soon be made fair. In hopes that my dreams, would come true sometime soon. And the marriage to end marriages, would take place in June. Perhaps it was October, perhaps I wasn't wearing a dress. An elopement of sorts. Will I ever know for sure? Is it desperately wrong to grow to love someone? If this is love, what was it before? My life should be in order soon, or so they say. They say I am doing quite well. It seems I am out of harms way, which is not so much what the fairy tale promised. I don't mean to complain but torment did not vanish with my vows. I cannot say I was mad for him. It was all so much different than that. It had to do with ideas. It had to do with theories. But did it have to do with love? And if not, or if so, what is this elusive feeling which I do profess to feel at times for my husband, but which is at times cold and frightening, not warm and inviting as I had imagined? What kind of person am I to feel this way? I pray that God will lead me and guide me, and His will be done. ==================================================================== Final Words I can't say enough how truly honored I am to be able to read all of the submissions that are sent to me for The Edifier Online! If you don't see your submission in this issue, it *will* appear in a future one! Thank you very much for your participation! As I always say, if you haven't submitted anything to The Edifier Online, but would like to, please do so. Just send your submission to me at: the_edifier@hotmail.com or if you have any questions please email me and ask. Please update your bookmarks and links to reflect the NEW site for THE EDIFIER ONLINE: http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Oracle/6749 Until next issue, may God bless you and keep you! In Christ, David Staley The Edifier Online: http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Oracle/6749 Email: the_edifier@hotmail.com ====================================================================