Blind Spot

Temptation was lurking in my blind spot
Before I knew it, I was caught
I never saw it comin’, it was hiding in plain sight,
I was deceived, brought down without a fight.

So, I was caught
Caught in my blind spot
Not knowing it was there
Totally unaware

Of our blind spots we need to be aware
Because satan’s attacks happen there
We have blind spots when driving a car
But, we adjust our mirrors to see far

Don’t be caught
Caught in your blind spot
Not knowing it’s there
Totally unaware

These mirrors are God given tools
The use of them, has no rules
Use them as God leads
According to your needs

So you won’t be caught
Caught in your blind spot
Not knowing it was there
Totally unaware

Our relationship and in our time alone
With God, it will be shown
How to use and adjust
The mirrors He’s given us

So don’t be caught
Reveal that blind spot
Know it’s there
Be totally aware

God will show us what we can’t see
Follow His guidance to be free.
Widen your sight line, broaden your view
Hold tight to Jesus, He’s holdin’ tight to you.

Broken

You bind up broken hearts,
Well mine is broken apart
In my mind, I do believe,
Yet I can’t seem to receive.

Receive and walk next to You
Involve You in all I say and do,
I’m isolated and so alone,
My life is empty as is my home

Beauty for Ashes

God will give us beauty for ashes, joy for mourning and praise for
heaviness.

My job as a Housing Inspector II gives me many hours in my car. In
fact, most of my day is spent driving from inspection to inspection
in my district. This gives me lots of time for prayer, worship and
listening to teaching tapes, which I do over and over and over!

Today, I was out in my car driving around, listening to my favorite
Christian Contemporary radio station; K-LOVE and I heard a song that
I haven’t heard for a long time, “Beauty for Ashes” by Crystal
Lewis. I love this song, and I love the Bible verses that inspired
it.

The following is from Isaiah 61:
The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, because the Lord has anointed
Me to preach good tidings to the poor. He has sent Me to heal the
brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the openings
of the prison to those who are bound. To proclaim the acceptable
year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort
all who mourn, to console those who mourn in Zion, to give them
beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise
for the spirit of heaviness. That they may be called trees of
righteousness, the planting of the Lord that He may be glorified.
(Vs. 1-3)

And they shall rebuild the old ruins, they shall raise up the former
desolations, and they shall repair the ruined cities, the
desolations of many generations… (Vs. 4)

Instead of your shame you shall have double honor, and instead of
confusion they shall rejoice in their portion, therefore in their
land they shall possess double; everlasting joy shall be theirs.
(Vs. 7)

These promises are so rich to me. God WILL rebuild all of the ruins
in our lives, He WILL give us double honor instead of our former
shame, everlasting joy WILL be ours. He WILL give us beauty for
ashes, joy for mourning and praise instead of heaviness. We WILL be
solid righteous people that He may be glorified! This is so
inspiring to me!

I started thinking about these promises and realized that in order
for us to fully experience the joy, praise, honor, and beauty; we
need to give to the Lord our shame, ashes, mourning and heaviness.
We cannot experience all that the Lord has for us and still carry
around with us all of our junk! We need to give it up, make it
ashes, and die to it! We need to take it all and lay it down at the
foot of the cross, and LEAVE IT there. Give it to Jesus, that’s the
reason that He died–for all that stuff, for our shame, our
heaviness, our mourning, all of it!

Here is a poem that the Holy Spirit inspired in me to write. It
speaks of some things that I needed to make into ashes and give to
Jesus. I pray that you be blessed by it.

BEAUTY FOR ASHES

Have you ever felt you’re crossed off someone’s list?
Just tossed aside – never to be missed.
And you thought you were so close,
A relationship that was unlike most.

One day you see them at a restaurant,
With old friends and what you really want,
Is to be accepted by them again,
And return to being a close friend.

The cold reality of it all sets in,
You realize it’s just somewhere you’ve been.
They’re moving forward – not looking back,
You’re part of the past, that’s a fact.

You shared your life, you feel betrayed,
You pray that feeling will somehow fade.
You turn to God; you want to know,
How to forgive and let this go.

You fear having close friends again,
You don’t want to let new one’s in.
The friends you have are precious and few,
You know (pray–hope) that they are really true.

Giving God our ashes brings beauty in return,
It’s a Kingdom principle we must learn.
Only when we lay our ashes down,
Does God provide beauty all around.

12 Steps to Abundant Living

To “work the steps” the first time shows,
How far I have yet to go.
But, without the Lord walking me through
There isn’t much I can do.

With Him, is where I can be strong,
To really look at what is wrong.
And to realize how far I’ve come,
The “pit” He delivered me out from.

Step One, I realize the power I lack,
To get “the monkey” off my back.
It took the work on Step Two,
To know this is something I can’t do.

Step Three requires giving up control,
Turning over my life and soul
To my Lord who knows it all
With Him, I can tear down my wall.

Step Four is one that’s hard for me,
My character defects, I have to see,
My strengths I have to look at too,
With Jesus, this step, I’ll get through.

Step Five, I take my list from step four,
And reveal myself, down to the core.
To God, myself and someone I trust,
For healing this confession is a must.

Step Six to be willing from within
To let go of my defects and sin.
Step Seven; God, my mind renew,
Transform me to be like You.

Step Eight, I list those I’ve hurt,
And I pray not to feel like dirt.
Again, I need a willing heart,
To make amends and do my part.

I make direct amends to those people in Step Nine
After I do, I really feel Christ’s love shine.
Another personal inventory is Step Ten,
I feel like I’m doing step four again.

Step Eleven, I make Jesus my best friend
Pray for His will and strength to send
Step Twelve, I’m on fire to spread the news
So that others can experience Him too.