A prayer to the Father of heaven
O radiant luminary of light interminable,
Celestial Father, potential God of might,
Of heaven and earth O Lord incomparable,
Of all perfections the essential most perfite !
O maker of mankind, that formëd day and night,
Whose power imperial comprehendeth every place :
Mine heart, my mind, my thought, my whole delight
Is after this life to see thy glorious face.
Whose magnificense is incomprehensible,
All arguments of reason which far doth exceed,
Whose deity doubtless is indivisible,
From whom all goodness and virtue doth proceed ;
Of thy support all creätures have need :
Assist me, good Lord, and grant my of thy grace
To live to thy pleasure in word, thought, and deed,
And after this life to see thy glorious face.
poem by John Skelton
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Related quotes
Lord! When Those Glorious Lights I See
Lord! when those glorious lights I see
With which thou hast adorned the skies,
Observing how they moved be,
And how their splendor fills mine eyes,
Methinks it is too large a grace,
But that thy love ordained it so,--
That creatures in so high a place
Should servants be to man below.
The meanest lamp now shining there
In size and lustre doth exceed
The noblest of thy creatures here,
And of our friendship hath no need.
Yet these upon mankind attend
For secret aid or public light;
And from the world's extremest end
Repair unto us every night.
O, had that stamp been undefaced
Which first on us thy hand had set,
How highly should we have been graced,
Since we are so much honored yet!
Good God, for what but for the sake
Of thy beloved and only Son,
Who did on him our nature take,
Were these exceeding favors done?
As we by him have honored been,
Let us to him due honors give;
Let us uprightness hide our sin,
And let us worth from him receive.
Yea, so let us by grace improve
What thou by nature doth bestow,
That to thy dwelling-place above
We may be raised from below.
poem by George Wither
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
A Praise of his Lady
GIVE place, you ladies, and begone!
Boast not yourselves at all!
For here at hand approacheth one
Whose face will stain you all.
The virtue of her lively looks
Excels the precious stone;
I wish to have none other books
To read or look upon.
In each of her two crystal eyes
Smileth a naked boy;
It would you all in heart suffice
To see that lamp of joy.
I think Nature hath lost the mould
Where she her shape did take;
Or else I doubt if Nature could
So fair a creature make.
She may be well compared
Unto the Phoenix kind,
Whose like was never seen or heard,
That any man can find.
In life she is Diana chaste,
In troth Penelopey;
In word and eke in deed steadfast.
--What will you more we say?
If all the world were sought so far,
Who could find such a wight?
Her beauty twinkleth like a star
Within the frosty night.
Her rosial colour comes and goes
With such a comely grace,
More ruddier, too, than doth the rose,
Within her lively face.
At Bacchus' feast none shall her meet,
Ne at no wanton play,
Nor gazing in an open street,
Nor gadding as a stray.
The modest mirth that she doth use
Is mix'd with shamefastness;
All vice she doth wholly refuse,
And hateth idleness.
O Lord! it is a world to see
How virtue can repair,
And deck in her such honesty,
Whom Nature made so fair.
Truly she doth so far exceed
Our women nowadays,
As doth the jeliflower a weed;
And more a thousand ways.
How might I do to get a graff
Of this unspotted tree?
--For all the rest are plain but chaff,
Which seem good corn to be.
This gift alone I shall her give;
When death doth what he can,
Her honest fame shall ever live
Within the mouth of man.
poem by Anonymous Olde English
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Love that Doth Reign and Live
Love that doth reign and live within my thought
And built his seat within my captive breast,
Clad in the arms wherein with me he fought,
Oft in my face he doth his banner rest.
But she that taught me love and suffer pain,
My doubtful hope and eke my hot desire
With shamefast look to shadow and refrain,
Her smiling grace converteth straight to ire.
And coward Love then to the heart apace
Taketh his flight, where he doth lurk and plain
His purpose lost, and dare not show his face.
For my lord's guilt thus faultless bide I pain;
Yet from my lord shall not my foot remove:
Sweet is the death that taketh end by love.
poem by Henry Howard
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
The Windows
Lord, how can man preach thy eternall word?
He is a brittle crazie glasse:
Yet in thy temple thou dost him afford
This glorious and transcendent place,
To be a window, through thy grace.
But when thou dost anneal in glasse thy storie,
Making thy life to shine within
The holy Preachers ; then the light and glorie
More rev'rend grows, & more doth win:
Which else shows watrish, bleak, & thin.
Doctrine and life, colours and light, in one
When they combine and mingle, bring
A strong regard and aw : but speech alone
Doth vanish like a flaring thing,
And in the eare, not conscience ring.
poem by George Herbert
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Upon The Skilfull Player Of An Instrument
He that can play well on an instrument,
Will take the ear, and captivate the mind
With mirth or sadness; for that it is bent
Thereto, as music in it place doth find.
But if one hears that hath therein no skill,
(As often music lights of such a chance)
Of its brave notes they soon be weary will:
And there are some can neither sing nor dance.
Comparison.
Unto him that thus skilfully doth play,
God doth compare a gospel-minister,
That rightly preacheth, and doth godly pray,
Applying truly what doth thence infer.
This man, whether of wrath or grace he preach,
So skilfully doth handle every word;
And by his saying doth the heart so reach,
That it doth joy or sigh before the Lord.
But some there be, which, as the brute, doth lie
Under the Word, without the least advance
Godward; such do despise the ministry;
They weep not at it, neither to it dance.
poem by John Bunyan
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
A Tangible Proof
Tangible proof of The Living God, came to walk on this earthly sod,
In Jesus Christ, God’s Own Son, The Lord and Savior of everyone.
Christ came to minister for all to see, The Living God of all Eternity,
He appeared in The Father’s Place, beginning God’s Age of Grace.
All the men who saw Christ that day, saw the Father in a living way,
Being sent by The Father above, to show all men His Father’s love.
God, who spoke thru prophets of old, sent His Son for all to behold.
No one ever looked on God’s face, apart from His awesome Grace.
Jesus was not just a man by birth; He was the very God of the earth,
The God-Man and Son Jesus Christ, sent to be The Lord’s sacrifice,
Paying sin’s price so we could be, the children of God for all Eternity.
God chose to send His Only Son, to die for the sin that we had done.
It’s only thru the Son Jesus Christ, can we know the Father in this life,
The Way God had revealed himself to, fallen sinners like me and you.
Jesus said The Father lived in Him, the Lamb of God who had no sin,
While Christ our Savior also knew, He himself lived in The Father too.
On returning to His Throne on high, Christ sent His Spirit to you and I,
So that He’d never have to depart, Christ came to live inside our heart.
Christ also has a place for you and me, to live with God for all Eternity,
Where after this present Age of Grace, we’ll see The Lord face to face.
Experience God's Loving Grace
I grew up believing I was a Christian, but I did not know The Lord,
For the first thirty years of my life, His Word was totally ignored.
Attending church I was led to believe I lived in a Christian nation,
But personally I never heard of Grace or even understood Salvation.
Living in such spiritual ignorance, my life at times was a disgrace.
However, The Lord used my lovely wife to help me seek His face.
Through her gentle witness The Lord brought me to a time and place,
Where The Spirit opened my heart to experience God's loving Grace.
It wasn't enough to know about God believing that He was always near,
For even the demons believe in God and they shudder with holy fear.
Things became clear when God gave me eyes to see and ears to hear,
That He's not only my God who's near but a friend who's so very dear.
Now I no longer ignore His Word, and He's with me throughout my day,
Christ leads me with The Spirit of God down His Glorious Narrow Way.
And anytime day or night should my heart become filled with dismay,
The Spirit leads me to God's Throne of Grace and even helps me pray.
My friend, my life is so much richer now that I truly know the Lord,
And as I grow in The Lord, my love for God's Word grows even more.
Friend if you read His Word and you'll understand why it has endured,
It's not simply a book by men but God's Word that's certain and sure.
(Copyright © 05/2003)
Only From Him
He is very good indeed to me, as only Jesus Christ can be,
He is Creator and Sustainer of, everything, and from above,
From His everlasting Throne, where He cares for all His own,
Seated at The Father’s side, with Authority not to be denied.
All praise is due to Him, who saved me from a world of sin,
Granting a mortal sinner like me, new life above for eternity,
While giving me a spiritual birth, to live anew upon the earth,
Giving me all reason to praise, The Lord above all my days.
Leading me out of the night, into my Savior’s Blessed Light,
Leaving me The Word of Life, to start living for Jesus Christ,
Which is what I need to begin, life down here apart from sin,
All this received by His Grace, that I discover in every place.
And His Grace is just a start, as Christ now lives in my heart.
Christ gives to me true joy within, as my Lord and my friend,
So as other friends may leave, to my Lord I’ll always cleave,
For from this joy in my heart, is His peace that won’t depart.
And this joy within will extend, into a time which has no end,
With an eternity ahead for us, who in Christ, place their trust.
Only from The Lord God above, can we receive such a love,
From His One and Only Son, with enough love for everyone.
(Copyright ©03/2008)
Right Christian Belief
The Christian Body, that's you and me, live in light of orthodoxy,
The right belief of Revelation, which creates a strong foundation,
Unchanging Truths in Scripture, give to us a foundational picture,
Of God's Truth that we live by, unchanging Truths, we can't deny.
The first is The Lord God's Unity; He is The Only God of Eternity,
Then there's The Holy Trinity; Father, Son and The Spirit are three;
In the virgin birth we do believe, as our Savior Mary did conceive,
The Spirit conceived The Sinless Christ, sinless all His earthly life.
In light of man's total depravity, The Lord came to save humanity,
While The Lord retained His deity, as The Lord God of all Eternity;
And Christ was fully human too, walking on earth like me and you,
For Christ came to this sinful place, to grant sinners Saving Grace.
Saved by faith in Jesus Christ, Who came to give men eternal life,
For we trust in God's sacrifice, The Atoning Death of Jesus Christ,
But God had resurrected His Son; Christ, giving hope to everyone,
And Christ is coming back again, as Judge and Savior, of all men.
These beliefs are our foundation, Essential pillars of our Salvation,
Essential beliefs revealed to us, through the life of our Lord Jesus,
Unalterable beliefs for everyone, who comes to God's Eternal Son,
For His Salvation and Eternal Life, through the Savior Jesus Christ.
(Copyright ©07/2012)
Hymn VII: Let the Beasts Their Breath Resign
Let the beasts their breath resign,
Strangers to the life divine;
Who their God can never know,
Let their spirit downward go.
You for higher ends were born,
You may all to God return,
Dwell with him above the sky;
Why will you for ever die?
You, on whom he favours showers,
You, possest of nobler powers,
You, of reason's powers possest,
You, with will and memory blest,
You, with finer sense endued,
Creatures capable of God;
Noblest of his creatures, why,
Why will you for ever die?
You, whom he ordained to be
Transcripts of the Deity;
You, whom he in life doth hold;
You, for whom himself was sold;
You, on whom he still doth wait,
Whom he would again create;
Made by him, and purchased, why,
Why will you for ever die?
You, who own his record true,
You, his chosen people, you,
You, who call the Saviour Lord,
You, who read his written word,
You, who see the gospel-light,
Claim a crown in Jesu's right;
Why will you, ye Christians, why
Will the house of Israel die?
poem by John Wesley
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Let the Beasts Their Breath Resign
Let the beasts their breath resign,
Strangers to the life divine;
Who their God can never know,
Let their spirit downward go.
You for higher ends were born,
You may all to God return,
Dwell with him above the sky;
Why will you for ever die?
You, on whom he favours showers,
You, possest of nobler powers,
You, of reason's powers possest,
You, with will and memory blest,
You, with finer sense endued,
Creatures capable of God;
Noblest of his creatures, why,
Why will you for ever die?
You, whom he ordained to be
Transcripts of the Deity;
You, whom he in life doth hold;
You, for whom himself was sold;
You, on whom he still doth wait,
Whom he would again create;
Made by him, and purchased, why,
Why will you for ever die?
You, who own his record true,
You, his chosen people, you,
You, who call the Saviour Lord,
You, who read his written word,
You, who see the gospel-light,
Claim a crown in Jesu's right;
Why will you, ye Christians, why
Will the house of Israel die?
poem by Charles Wesley
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Glorious Grace
Words & music: deborah d. smith and michael w. smith
Let us praise the one who chose us
Let us thank the one who knows us
Set apart, blameless in his sight
Through the son, we have faith, we have life
To the praise of his glorious grace
Chorus:
May the god of our lord the almighty father
Give you wisdom and peace, his comforting spirit
That you may know his hope
You may know his riches
And you may know his mighty strength
To the praise of his glorious grace
To the praise of his glorious grace
Grace and peace to you through jesus
Our deliverer receives us
Our hearts created for his word
Our salvation was spoken and we heard
To the praise of his glorious grace
Chorus
song performed by by Michael W. Smith
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Content In The Lord
I want to be content down here, while we live upon this earth,
Living each day in Godly fear, with a focus on eternal worth,
A sojourner on a temporal sphere, in the power of New Birth,
Making it to others very clear; Heaven’s home, not this earth.
Within my heart I take a stance, as God’s Truth I do embrace,
Since He knows all in advance, content I can be in any place,
Content through any circumstance, whatever it is I must face,
For in God, there is no chance, as He supplies all with Grace.
Life on this present terrestrial ball, isn’t the final place for me,
Nor will it be for every other soul, as all shall move to eternity,
And I’m content through it all, having my faith through Calvary,
As God saved me from the fall, and gave me new eyes to see.
I can be content now every day, while I live out this earthly life,
Walking down life’s narrow way, lead by my Lord Jesus Christ,
Hindered not by what men say, as they fill the world with strife,
I will listen to The Lord and obey, while living a life of sacrifice.
I can live my life assured, that I am always in my Savior’s sight,
As all the rivers of life I can ford, guided by The Savior’s Light,
Contented to live for my Lord, even when it gets dark as night,
As His Peace on me is poured, with my future Eternally Bright.
(Copyright ©08/2008)
Today... 'The Glory of the Lord
A Saviour has been born to us; He is Christ the Lord.
A babe wrapped in rags by heaven and earth adored.
Angels brought to the world news of great blessing and joy.
God had come to earth and was born as a baby boy.
Your face shone like the sun so radiant and bright
as You were transfigured before their sight.
The Glory of the Lord came shining through
upon the mountain top as they gazed at You.
For they were standing upon the most holy ground
bathed in light as the Shekinah glory shone around.
This world has been illuminated by the Glory of God
shining in the face of Jesus as earths paths He trod.
For the Eternal Light and Uncreated Beam
in the life of Jesus Christ has by mankind been seen.
The image of the Godhead we see mirrored there.
You are the lord our God heaven and earth declare.
The image of the God in You Jesus we see.
the indwelling fullness of the Godhead bodily.
Peter said 'Lord it is good for us to be here'
As he watched Moses and Elijah disappear.
This sight had only been seen by a favoured few
and the Glory of God had come shining right through.
Then, 'This is my beloved son' God said to them
on the top of this mountain near Capernaum.
Later on the Isle of Patmos John saw God's Son
with His countenance shining brighter than the sun.
His eyes were like flashing fire and hair white as snow
and His feet like highly burnished bronze seemed to glow.
Then as one who was dead John fell down to the ground
for so awesome was that scene on that Island found.
Before him the glory of the Lord was too bright
far to wonderful for him to withstand the sight.
One day all will before the throne of Glory stand
and look upon a sight so glorious and grand.
For the Glory of the Lord Jesus will seen by all
and all mankind will confess You as Lord of all.
(see also the additional information in the Poet's notes box below)
Genesis BK II
ll. 82-91) The citizens of heaven, the home of glory, dwelt
again in concord. Strife was at an end among the angels, discord
and dissension, when those warring spirits, shorn of light, were
hurled from heaven. Behind them stretching wide their mansions
lay, crowned with glory, prospering in grace in God's dominion, a
sunny, fruitful land, empty of dwellers, when the accursed
spirits reached their place of exile within Hell's prison-walls.
(ll. 92-102) Then our Lord took counsel in the thoughts of His
heart how He might people, with a better host, the great
creation, the native seats and gleaming mansions, high in heaven,
wherefrom these boastful foes had got them forth. Therefore with
mighty power Holy God ordained, beneath the arching heavens, that
earth and sky and the far-bounded sea should be established,
earth-creatures in the stead of those rebellious foes whom He had
cast from heaven.
(ll. 103-119) As yet was nought save shadows of darkness; the
spacious earth lay hidden, deep and dim, alien to God, unpeopled
and unused. Thereon the Steadfast King looked down and beheld
it, a place empty of joy. He saw dim chaos hanging in eternal
night, obscure beneath the heavens, desolate and dark, until this
world was fashioned by the word of the King of glory. Here first
with mighty power the Everlasting Lord, the Helm of all created
things, Almighty King, made earth and heaven, raised up the sky
and founded the spacious land. The earth was not yet green with
grass; the dark waves of the sea flowed over it, and midnight
darkness was upon it, far and wide.
(ll. 119-134) Then in radiant glory God's holy spirit moved upon
the waters with wondrous might. The Lord of angels, Giver of
life, bade light shine forth upon the spacious earth. Swiftly
was God's word fulfilled; holy light gleamed forth across the
waste at the Creator's bidding. Over the seas the Lord of
victory divided light from darkness, shadow from radiant light.
The Lord of life gave both a name. By the word of God the
gleaming light was first called day. And in the beginning of
creation was God well pleased. The first day saw the dark and
brooding shadows vanish throughout the spacious earth.
Today... 'The Word
Word of love and the Word made flesh
Word incarnate forever blessed
Word of life and the Word of light
Word of power and Word of might.
Word that was spoken, Word of the Lord
Word of the Law and the Word of God
Word of peace and Word eternal
Word of truth and last Word of all.
Word of wisdom and the Word of healing
Word from heaven, a Word so appealing
Word fulfilling the Word of prophecy
Word of the Spirit and Word of destiny.
Word of exhortation and Word of grace
Word of encouragement and Word of faith
Word of promise and a Word of insight
Word from the beginning and Word of delight.
Word of knowledge and a Word of boldness
Word of peace and the Word of righteousness
Word of the covenant and Word of love
Word of the Father from heaven above.
(see also the additional information in the Poet's notes box)
The First Canzone Of The Convito
From The Italian Of Dante
I.
Ye who intelligent the Third Heaven move,
Hear the discourse which is within my heart,
Which cannot be declared, it seems so new.
The Heaven whose course follows your power and art,
Oh, gentle creatures that ye are! me drew,
And therefore may I dare to speak to you,
Even of the life which now I live--and yet
I pray that ye will hear me when I cry,
And tell of mine own heart this novelty;
How the lamenting Spirit moans in it, 10
And how a voice there murmurs against her
Who came on the refulgence of your sphere.
II.
A sweet Thought, which was once the life within
This heavy heart, man a time and oft
Went up before our Father’s feet, and there
It saw a glorious Lady throned aloft;
And its sweet talk of her my soul did win,
So that I said, ‘Thither I too will fare.’
That Thought is fled, and one doth now appear
Which tyrannizes me with such fierce stress,
That my heart trembles--ye may see it leap--
And on another Lady bids me keep
Mine eyes, and says--Who would have blessedness
Let him but look upon that Lady’s eyes,
Let him not fear the agony of sighs.
III.
This lowly Thought, which once would talk with me
Of a bright seraph sitting crowned on high,
Found such a cruel foe it died, and so
My Spirit wept, the grief is hot even now--
And said, Alas for me! how swift could flee
That piteous Thought which did my life console!
And the afflicted one ... questioning
Mine eyes, if such a Lady saw they never,
And why they would...
I said: ‘Beneath those eyes might stand for ever
He whom ... regards must kill with...
To have known their power stood me in little stead,
Those eyes have looked on me, and I am dead.’
IV.
‘Thou art not dead, but thou hast wandered,
Thou Soul of ours, who thyself dost fret,’
A Spirit of gentle Love beside me said;
For that fair Lady, whom thou dost regret,
Hath so transformed the life which thou hast led,
Thou scornest it, so worthless art thou made.
And see how meek, how pitiful, how staid,
Yet courteous, in her majesty she is.
And still call thou her Woman in thy thought;
Her whom, if thou thyself deceivest not,
Thou wilt behold decked with such loveliness,
That thou wilt cry [Love] only Lord, lo! here
Thy handmaiden, do what thou wilt with her.
V.
My song, I fear that thou wilt find but few
Who fitly shall conceive thy reasoning
Of such hard matter dost thou entertain.
Whence, if by misadventure chance should bring
Thee to base company, as chance may do,
Quite unaware of what thou dost contain,
I prithee comfort thy sweet self again,
My last delight; tell them that they are dull,
And bid them own that thou art beautiful.
poem by Percy Bysshe Shelley
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
All Knowing
He is so big, we are so small, we are but men, He’s Lord of all,
Lord over the earth and skies, only by Him are men made wise.
We may live life as we please, but all that we do the Lord sees,
He’s omnipresent, everywhere, knowing all friendship we share.
The Lord is omniscient too, knowing the minds of me and you,
Every thought the Lord knows; each idea that comes and goes.
And God, knowing everything, knows what thoughts may bring,
Even man’s deepest hidden sin, can never be hidden from Him.
But, the comfort of all this is, God knows all those who are His,
All His children and their needs, and here, His children He leads,
With Truth that doesn’t change, for our Lord is always the same,
Always abiding within our life, through the Spirit of Jesus Christ.
The Lord God’s all powerful too, in all ways, to help us through,
And being creatures of but dust, in His power we place all trust.
Omniscient, He knows what’s best, and in His Grace we do rest,
And rely totally on His power, to meet our needs, day and hour.
Knowing all God can fulfill, we simply need to submit to His will,
And then our hearts shall sing, as Christ guides us in everything,
Holding fast to His will and plan, for He is God, we are but man,
To live for God our temporal lives, for the Glory of Jesus Christ.
(Copyright ©03/2008)
Be Thou My Vision
Be thou my vision, oh lord of my heart
Nought be all else to me, save that thy art
Thou my best thought in the day and the night
Waking or sleeping, thou presence my light
Be thou my wisdom, be thou my true word
I ever with thee and thou with me lord
Thou my great father and I thy true son
Thou in me dwelling and I with thee one
Be thou my breastplate, my sword for the fight
Be thou my armour and be thou my might
Thou my soul shelter, and thy my high tower
Raise thou me heavenwards, oh power of my power
Riches I need not, nor mans empty praise
Thou mine inheritance through all of my days
Thou and thou only though first in my heart
High king of heaven my treasure thou art
Oh high king of heaven, when battle is done
Grant heavens joy to me, bright heaven sun
Christ of my own heart, whatever befall
Still be my vision, though ruler of all
Da, da, da, da, da, etc.
song performed by by Van Morrison
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Today... 'Almighty God'.
Jehovah is the Almighty God in heaven
is worthy to be worshipped and feared by all men.
Creator of the great heavens and earth is He
and Author of our Salvation and destiny.
From everlasting to everlasting reigning from high
All Knowing He watches with His all seeing eye.
For there is no place that His presence is not known
this all powerful God sat upon heavens throne.
Seated in the heavens and surrounded in light
unapproachable by sons of ignorance and night.
Majestic in holiness, glorious in grace
no man can stand before Him or look on His face.
Mighty angels surround Him and sing out His praise
with their songs of worship His Omnipotence raise.
Great God of Love and Longsuffering towards men
His Goodness and Mercy descending from heaven.
He is Faithful and Just and also Impartial
and to the human mind Incomprehensible.
This Jealous and Wise God His Truth displays.
Immutable and unchanging in all His ways.
His pure Righteousness and Infinite nature
is worshipped by every heavenly creature.
Transcendent from creation and Self existent
Is the Sovereign Lord God the Omnipotent.
(see also the additional information in the Poet's notes box)