Saint John Bosco

Saint John Bosco---a Saint for the children










Today when
The sexual abuse of young children
Is so prevalent
It is heartening
To look at the past
To the lives
Of some of the Saints


John---actually called Don Bosco
Was born in 1815
His father died
When he was 2 years old


His mother brought him up
In extreme poverty
He was so poor
That when he entered the seminary
In 1831
His clothes and shoes
Had to be donated


He was ordained in1841
And soon thereafter
He began his life’s work
Which was the education
Of young apostolate boys---and young men
Particularly in working class families


He also worked in the slums---in prisons
And was appointed a chaplain
At a refuge for young girls


After leaving as chaplain for the girls
He lived in poverty with his mother
And 40 destitute young boys


Don Bosco had a charismatic personality
Had great oratory skills
Was an eloquent preacher
And popular writer


“Don” was also a visionary
A wonder worker
And had an extraordinary gift
For handling difficult children


Usually without punishing them
But with gentleness and a firm hand


A typical day for Don
Was to take the boys to Mass
Followed by a picnic in the country---games---
And a catechism class


Don Bosco
Founded the Salesian order
And also The Daughters of our Lady Help of Christians for girls


It is important to remember
That at a time
When the Catholic church is taking so much criticism
About the handling of the abuse scandal
And rightfully so


Important to remember
All the good the Catholic Church has done
In the building up of faith
For BOTH adults and children
Through men like Saint John Bosco
Down through the years


John “Don” Bosco
A Saint for us all
But particularly


A SAINT AND MAN FOR THE CHILDREN


Robert P. Wallman
2-5-12


Ps Don Bosco’s feast day is January 31^st




misc. WITNESS 1-31-14

THE FAITH OF A MUSTARD SEED

Just a touch of FAITH-the faith of a mustard seed and we can CHANGE the world






WITNESS




7-16-13




THE FAITH OF A MUSTARD SEED


A mustard seed
Is tiny tiny tiny tiny
But once planted
It can grow in to
A large plant
Large enough
To provide
Food and shelter for animals


In Matthew 17
The disciples
Fail in their attempt
To heal a young demon possessed boy
They want to know---WHY


Jesus tells them,
“Because you have so little faith
If you have faith
As small as a mustard seed
You can say to this mountain
Move from here to there
And it will move
Nothing will be impossible for you”


How much faith
Do you have
How much faith
Do I have
I hope enough


In Luke 17
The Apostles ask Jesus
To increase their faith


Jesus replies,
“If you have faith
As small as a mustard seed
You can say to the mulberry tree
Be uprooted
And planted in the sea
And it will obey”


I believe
That if we have enough faith
You and I together
ALL of us collectively
We can
Change this world


If we do---have that faith
All we have to do
Is let it grow
And then we will see
The benefits of having


THE FAITH OF A MUSTARD SEED


Robert P. Wallman
3-6-11




Ps “……..and if I have FAITH that can move mountains-BUT HAVE NOT LOVE
I am nothing”
1 Corinthians 13:2


WITNESS 7-16-13




misc. WITNESS 1-31-14

FISHERS OF MEN

APRIL 28^th, 2012












FISHERS OF MEN








Come one
Come all
Come all you fishermen
Come one
Come all
I will make you
Fishers of men


Come Simon and Andrew
Come John and James too
Come all you other Apostles
And I will make you
Fishers of men


153 kinds of fish
In this world
One for every man
One for every woman
One for every race, religion
And nationality in this world


Come one
Come all
I no longer
Call you fishermen
I call you fishers of men


You in the 21^st century
You devout men and women
Of this world
Your work is not over yet
I call on you too
And I will make you
Fishers of men


Spread the Word of God
In this world
Spread God’s love
To every man, woman, and child
Spread your love all around
God’s work is not done yet


Come one-come all
And I will make you
Fishers of men


In Jesus’ name-we pray


Robert P. Wallman
1-24-11


Ps “Come follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you
Fishers of men.”


At once they left their nets and followed him” Mark 1:17




Dear Lord, please help us spread your love, your forgiveness
And your kindness all over the world.



Misc. WITNESS 1-30-14

JOURNAL/APPRECIATION

I think ONE of the most important lessons that we need to LEARN is to APPRECIATE who and what we have-THE world tells us that we NEED more-more-more-and in Mark 4:25-Jesus says,  "To the one who has-MORE will be given"

BUT I think what Jesus is talking about is SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS and using what we have to give to those in NEED

APPRECIATE who and what you have-GIVE them and it to God-
AND GOD will increase your BLESSINGS

JOURNAL-HEARING THE WORD OF GOD

DON'T let the thorns of life-WORRY and ANXIETY-choke off the WORD OF GOD in you
PRODUCE GOOD FRUIT










WITNESS

9-25-13


“Hearing the Word of God”

In the 13th Chapter
Of Saint Matthew’s Gospel
Jesus tells the story
Of the parable of the sower

He tells the story
Of a farmer
Sowing his seed

He tells us about
How the birds
Eat up some of the seed

And he tells us
How some of the seed
Fall on rocky ground
And doesn’t grow
And some fall in the thorns
And don’t grow
But some of the seed falls on good soil
And produces a great harvest

What about us
In today’s world
Is God harvesting
A crop in us

I dear say
We live in a godless society
People want the word “God” off of money
People want no prayer in school
No ten commandments plaque on public property

Maybe
We can’t change the world
But we can
Have a soft heart
We can have
A listening ear
We can give someone
A hug or a handshake
WE can be there
For our family, our friends
Maybe even someone
We don’t like so much

How about you
Is God’s love and word
Alive in you

Maybe if
Enough of us
Decide to put God’s word first
Decide to love and be kind to one another
Maybe we really can
Begin to change the world

Robert P. Wallman
5/19/10


Ps        WITNESS        9-25-13
             misc.       WITNESS        1-29-14

Journal-MERCY NOT JUDGMENT

The name Daniel means "God IS my judge"-a REMINDER that we are to be KIND and MERCIFUL to other today














WITNESS




5-8-13




JULY 19^th, 2012




MERCY NOT JUDGMENT




Who
Who are you
Who am I
To be passing judgment on someone else
In today’s world


Give mercy
Give compassion
Give someone a free pass
Give someone love
God’s love


Look at the story of Daniel
Did you know
That the name Daniel means
“God is my judge”


Daniel goes public
He confesses his sin
And the sins of God’s people


How can Daniel
Be so sure
God will forgive him
Forgive them


Because Daniel knows
That he has the history of God
On his side


Daniel knows
That our God
Is a God of love and compassion
He has rescued his people
Over and over again


God saved
Daniel’s 3 friends
From the blazing furnace
God saved Daniel himself
From the lion’s den


And in Luke 7
We find Jesus saying,
“Do not judge
Or you too will be judged
For in the same way
That you judge others
You will be judged
And with the measure you use
It will
Be measured against you”


Take Daniel as your model
Give mercy---give love


Take Jesus
As your model
And as your God


Because giving someone else mercy
And not judgment
Is God’s way


Give someone love
Give someone a free pass
And do it TODAY


Robert P. Wallman
3-22-11




WITNESS 5-8-13


Ps “It does not therefore depend on man’s desire or effort
But on God’s MERCY” Romans 9:16


“Blessed are the merciful
For they will be shown MERCY” Matthew 5:7


“Because judgment without mercy
Will be shown to anyone who has NOT been merciful
MERCY triumphs over judgment!” James 2:13





misc. WITNESS 1-28-14

GOD'S GREATEST GIFT

JANUARY 20^th, 2012




GOD’S GREATEST GIFT




The greatest gift that I ever received was the gift of life. I don’t think that I began
To be conscious of that fact until I walked away from my first hospitalization, which
Began on my 22^nd birthday.


During the hospitalization, I was given 0 percent chance to survive. Additionally,
Three of the next five years, I was in the hospital, in critical shape, in hospitalizations
That overlapped my birthday. Add to that a lifetime of chronic illness and pain, and I
Began to see how precious that life was, and what a gift that it is. And that it is not to
Be taken for granted.


I began a search for God, a search for God’s love, and a search to find God’s love in
All others. Some of the things that I learned are; that the small things that happen in life
Are every bit as important as the big things.


The sending of a birthday card. The receiving of a birthday card. The phone call from
A friend to see how you are. The phone call to a friend to see if there is anything that
You can do when they are facing tough times. Holding a door for a stranger, giving up
your seat for someone on the bus. These little ordinary things are just as important as the
big things.


I learned that little acts of kindness in life, both given and received, are very important.
I learned to see God in them.


And most of all, I learned that life, in whatever form, is God’s greatest gift.


Robert P. Wallman
5-23-07

ps        misc.        WITNESS        1-27-14

CALLED TO SERVE

WITNESS




7-17-13




CALLED TO SERVE




Are you
Living a life of service


If you are
You are in good company
After all-that is what Jesus did


“No one has greater love than this
To lay down one’s life
For one’s friends” John 15:13


As Christians
We are to put our lives
On the line-every day


IN LOVE


For our family
For our friends
And anyone/everyone we can help
During the course of the day


IF we can


The Lord said,


“It is no small thing
For you to be my servant
To restore the tribes of Jacob
And to bring back those of Israel
I have kept


I will also
Make you a light
For the Gentiles
That you may bring my salvation
To the ends of the earth” Isaiah 49:6


And Jesus himself said,


“Not so with you
Instead-whoever wants to be great
Among you
Must be your servant


And whoever wants to be first
Must be slave to all


For even the Son of Man
Did not come to be served
But to serve
And to give his life
As a ransom for many” Mark 10:43-45


There it is
SUDDENLY—BEING GREAT
Doesn’t sound too appealing


At least to me
How about you


Being great involves choices
Choices that CHANGE our lives
And the lives of our family
Our friends, and even strangers


And sometimes these choices
In serving
Are uncomfortable-unpleasant-
And even inconvenient and annoying


Dear Lord-we pray
That we-as you did
Make choices that benefit others
Even if sometimes-it works against
Our OWN selfish interests


Dear Lord-HELP US-like you
To be willing to pay the price


Robert P. Wallman
5-16-12




Ps WITNESS 7-17-13


“You-my brothers-were called to be free
But do NOT use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature
Rather SERVE one another in LOVE


The ENTIRE law is summed up in a single command
LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF”


Galatians 5:13-14





misc. WITNESS 1-26-14

JOURNAL

TODAY we celebrate the CALLING of the FIRST DISCIPLES-yet we must REMEMBER
that we too are CALLED to help Jesus with HIS MISSION


“YOU AND I are the ONLY GOSPEL some people will ever read”


We are to be A LIGHT in the darkness


WHAT can we do to REVEAL the LOVE OF GOD and CHRIST today?



IT IS A GREAT DAY to be ALIVE! IN GOD'S LOVE

FOREVER TOGETHER-Stephen andPaul

WITNESS









4-29-13









FOREVER TOGETHER---STEPHEN AND PAUL









There are 2 men

In my mind from the Bible

That will be forever

Linked together





Stephen---the first Christian martyr

Who gave up his life for Christ

And Saul---later Paul

Who stood by and approved

Maybe, in fact, even ordered Stephen’s death





Forever together

You and me

Forever linked with God

Forever in God’s word

And in God’s heart

That’s the way it has to be





When they began stoning Stephen

As Saul stood by and watched

Stephen prayed,

“Lord Jesus receive my spirit

Lord do not hold this sin

Against them”





And, of course, God heard Stephen’s prayer

As he hears yours and mine





Out of death---grew life

The death of Stephen---turned in to

The life of Paul

And the beginnings of Christianity





Picture this

You are a great hater of God

And the new Christian movement





You have persecuted many Christians

And it is widely known





As you near


The end of your journey

A light flashes around you---a light from Heaven

You get knocked to the ground

And you hear a voice say,





“Saul Saul why do you persecute me

Go in to the city

And you will be told what to do”





You slowly get up off the ground

You cannot see a thing

Your traveling companions

Don’t know what has happened





The lord sends Ananias


To place hands on you





Scales from Saul’s eyes fall off

Saul can see again

See better than ever

Saul becomes baptized

Filled with the Holy Spirit

And has great vision for God’s new Kingdom





Forever together---Stephen and Paul

Out of death grows life

Life and the vision for a brand new world





How about you and me

Can our life be converted

Can our life be changed

To a life devoted to God

To a life of loving others





Forever together---Stephen and Paul

Forever together---you and me

Forever together---God and us

Tell me Lord---can it be





“For whoever wants to save his life

Will lose it

But whoever loses his life for me

Will find it”
Matthew 16:25





Forever together Lord

You---Stephen---and Paul

Forever together Lord

You and us





Forever together Lord

For out of death comes life





Forever together Lord

You and me





Robert P. Wallman

5-11-11





Ps WITNESS 4-29-13









“But the Lord said to Ananias-“GO! This man is my CHOSEN
instrument

To carry my name before the GENTILES and their kings-and before
the people of Israel-

I will show him how much he MUST SUFER for my name”

Acts 9:15-16



































































































































misc. WITNESS 1-25-14

PRESSURE

PRESSURE




PRESSURE is defined as the forcing of someone to a particular end;INFLUENCE
( it can be a verb or a noun)


At any rate-we all face PRESSURE
In life
Most of it undesirable
Most of it
We are trying to RELIEVE
In some way


WE FACE health pressures
We face financial pressures
And we face relationship pressures
ALL of it trying to PUSH us
In a way
We often do not want to go


And there are many ways
To try and relieve this pressure:


Doctors and medicine
Health-diet-and exercise
Seeing a psychologist/psychiatrist
Meditation and yoga
And so on and so on and so on


BUT for me
There has been
ONLY one way
To try and relieve this pressure
And that was
THAT IS
IN FINDING GOD-in finding LOVE in my heart


FOR ALL LIVING CREATURES


It may surprise you to know
That that
Was often the case
For the early Christians


“WE do not
Want you to be uninformed
-Brothers-about the hardships
We suffered-in the province of Asia


We were under GREAT PRESSURE
Far beyond
Our ability to endure
So that we despaired
Even of life


Indeed in OUR HEARTS
We felt
The sentence of death


But this happened
So that we might NOT RELY
On ourselves-BUT ON GOD
WHO RAISES THE DEAD” 2 Corinthians 1:8-9


MY FRIENDS
This is
What happened to me
I know that
Without my TOTAL RELIANCE on God
I would have died many years ago


I KNOW
That without my total reliance
On God and you
I would have sunk
Many years ago-financially


And I know
That without my reliance on God
MANY of the relationships/friendships
That I have had
Would not have happened


“HE has delivered us
From such a deadly peril
And he will
DELIVER US


ON HIM
We have set OUR HOPE
That he will continue
To deliver us
As you help us (help me)
By your prayers” 2 Corinthians 1:10


My friends
HOWEVER you relieve your daily pressure-
your daily stress
I urge you
TO MAKE GOD AND LOVE
A central part of that


IT WORKS FOR ME


Robert P. Wallman
10-25-13

A CASE OF MISTAKEN IDENTITY

“A Case of Mistaken Identity”

As children
We all liked fairy tales
Because they had
Happy endings

Did you ever
Hear the story
Of a woman
Who stopped at the scene of an accident
To help out
Only to find out
That the injured person was her daughter

Or the emergency surgeon
Who was dead tired
But forced himself to stay
To perform one last surgery
The patient
Turned out to be his son

Or the story of
The Greatest Story Ever Told

The story of
A baby born in a stable
The story of a man
Who for 30 years did nothing
Then surrounded himself
With a cast of misfits
To teach the word of God to
For 3 years

At the end
Of the story
We find out
This man
Was the Son of God

In the XXV chapter of Saint Matthew’s Gospel
The story is told
Of a King thanking the righteous
For clothing him
For giving him drink
And for giving him food

The righteous reply
Lord, when did we do this
And the King replied,
“I tell you the truth
Whatever you did for the least of my brothers
You did for me”

Dear Lord
We pray
For the grace
To see you in all others
And to respond with a kind heart
A loving smile
And a listening ear

And to
Look for no reward
Except
To continue to live in your love

Robert P. Wallman
8/7/10
        Inspired by the teaching of Father Leo Clifford

Ps        Today is the feast day of Saint Francis de Sales—the patron Saint of writers--
            I thank God and pay homage to Saint Francis for any knowledge and ability
            To put that knowledge in to words that I may have

misc.        WITNESS        1-22-14

SAINT AGNES

SAINT AGNES









Agnes was a girl

Of only about 13

She refused marriage

Because of her dedication

To Christ





She preferred death

Rather than any violation

To her consecrated virginity

And she did die

When her throat

Was pierced by a sword





There have been

Many sermons and hymns

Built around the story of Agnes





One legendary story

Is about a man

Who became blinded

When gazing at her nakedness

When Agnes

Was placed in a brothel





Her feast day is January 21^st

And two Roman churches-dedicated to her

Claim relics





Robert P. Wallman

1-24-13





Ps Agnes is a fourth century Saint-virgin and martyr

In the tradition of Saint Maria Goretti


















































misc. WITNESS 1-21-14

YOUR VALUE TO GOD

Your Value to God



Have you

Like me

Ever wondered

If your one little life

Is of value

Any real value

To God



Your value to God

Is infinite

Your value to God

Is forever



In Luke 15

Jesus tells us the story

About one lost sheep

And how the shepherd

Will leave the other 99

And come find him



Then he will tell

His friends and neighbors

“Rejoice with me;

I have found my lost sheep”



We may get lost

Along the way

On this road of life

But don’t worry

God will come find you



Then Jesus

Tells the story

Of a woman with ten coins

Who loses one



When she finds it

She will say

“Rejoice with me;

I have found my lost coin”



Your value to God

Is infinite

Your value to God

Is forever



Or the story

Of the lost son

And his loving Father

Who says,



“For this son of mine

Was dead

And is alive again;

He was lost

And now is found”



So if you are lost

On this road of life



Please be patient

Please persevere

God will come find you

And if he can’t



Please come home again

Of your own accord

God will be there



Your value to God

Is infinite

Your value to God

Is forever



God will come find you

And if he can’t

Please come home

On your own accord



GOD  WILL BE THERE



Robert P. Wallman

3-6-11



ps        misc.       WITNESS        1-21-14

YOU HAVE AN INHERITANCE COMING

WITNESS









6-14-13









YOU HAVE AN INHERITANCE COMING





During the last six month’s

Of my mom’s life

I was with her

ALMOST every minute





My sister Terri

Was there as often

As possible-when not working

And calling ALL the time





My sister Mary

Took time away from her own family

By taking two trips to south Florida

To help-and called daily





The hospice nurses

Would say to my mom,





“What did you do

That your kids love you so much





Many kids

ONLY want to know

How much money they are going to inherit”





There was no money

From my mom and dad to inherit

But they left us something much more important

LOVE





And as they loved us

We tried to love them back

And we try to carry forward

That LOVE EVEN TODAY





LOVE-THE ETERNAL INHERITANCE





And as we


Inherited that love

From our parents

We ALL have


That same eternal inheritance

From God and Christ





“But as for you

The Lord took you and brought you

Out of the iron-smelting furnace

Out of Egypt

To be the people

Of his INHERITANCE

As you are now”
Deuteronomy 4:20





“A good man

Leaves an inheritance

For his children’s children

But a sinner’s wealth

Is stored up

For the righteous”
Proverbs 13:22





OUR parents

Passed on their love to us

As I am sure

Your parents did also





And as Christ left this earth

To prepare an eternal place

In the kingdom of heaven

For us

He left us the spirit

And the fruits of the spirit





“BUT the fruit of the spirit

IS LOVE-joy-peace-patience-kindness-

Goodness-faithfulness-gentleness-and self-control

Against such things there is no law”
Galatians 5:22





And he left these behind


For us to use





To PROTECT ourselves

Until we pass on to the next world

To LIVE in him

WHERE there is ONLY LOVE





LOVE

OUR ETERNAL INHERITANCE

AN INHERITNCE KEPT IN HEAVEN





“Praised be to God

And FATHER of our Lord Jesus Christ





In his great mercy

He has given us new birth

Into a LIVING HOPE

Through the RESURRECTION

Of Jesus Christ from the dead





And into an INHERITANCE

That can never perish-spoil-or fade

KEPT in heaven for you……..”
1 Peter 1:4





REST ASSURED

You have an inheritance coming

And it is called---LOVE





ROBERT P. WALLMAN

5-29-13









Ps WITNESS 6-14-13





“For this reason-CHRIST is the mediator of a new covenant-

That those who are called-may receive the promised ETERNAL
INHERITANCE-

Now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins
committed


Under the first covenant”

Hebrews 9:15









misc. WITNESS 1-20-14

MISSING THE POINT

MISSING THE POINT ( of life )




Are you like me
Do you find
That many of us
Are missing the point
Of God’s central theme
Of who he is
And what he is
Trying to teach us


And what he is
Trying to teach us
Is that he loves us
With an ever-lasting---never-ending
Kind of love


And that
He has mercy and compassion for us
Even in our deepest---darkest moments


GOD LOVES YOU


Love is patient
Love is kind


God loves you


The Lord appeared in the past saying,
“I have loved you
With an everlasting love
I have drawn you
With loving kindness” Jeremiah 31:3


Love does not boast
Love is not proud
Love is not rude
Love is not self-seeking


If we are living out our lives
On these qualities
Putting ourselves first
We are MISSING THE POINT
Of life


“A new command I give you:
Love one another
As I have loved you
So you must love one another


By this all men will know
That you are my disciples
If you love one another” John 13:34 & 35


Love is not easily angered
It keeps no record of wrong


Love does not delight in evil
But rejoices in the truth


And the truth
Shall set you free
And the truth is that
GOD LOVES YOU


It always protects
Always trusts
Always hopes
Always perseveres


If we live out our life
By loving him
If we live out our life
By loving others


We know that we won’t be
MISSING THE POINT
Of life


Because as 1 Corinthians 13 tells us


LOVE NEVER FAILS


Robert P. Wallman
11-11-11



ps misc. WITNESS 1-16-14

WHO IS YOUR FAMILY

WHO IS YOUR FAMILY




In the XIIth chapter
Of Saint Matthew's Gospel
While Jesus
Is speaking to the crowd
His MOTHER and his brothers
Were outside
Wishing to speak to him


Someone said to Jesus,
“Your mother and brothers
Are standing outside
Wanting to speak to you” Matthew 12:47


Jesus responds
With a rather strange remark,


“WHO is
My mother and my brothers


For whoever
Does the will of my Father
In heaven
Is my
brother, and sister, and mother” Matthew 12:48-50
(as he pointed to his disciples)


What is Jesus trying to say
Is he trying
To denigrate or deny his own family


I DON'T BELIEVE SO


I believe
That Jesus is making the point
That-in addition
To his own family
WHOEVER does the will of God
IS HIS FAMILY too


Jesus is
NOT trying to restrict
The WORD of God
But is
Trying to EXPAND it


For you see
The family has been GOD'S INSTRUMENT
All along


God first began to establish
The word of God
In the garden of Eden


He built Adam a mate-Eve


The Lord God said,
“It is not good
For the man to be alone


I will make him
A SUITABLE HELPER” Genesis 2:18


And in Psalm 127
We find that
CHILDREN are a reward
From the Lord


“Sons are
A heritage
From the Lord
Children a reward
From him” Psalm 127:3


That is NOT to say
That if you do not have children
In today's world
That you are being punished by God


It is just to say
That if you have been BLESSED by God
With a mate and children
TO TREASURE them


Because-there are
Many of us-out here
Like me
That have
Not been as fortunate


“FOR the husband
Is the head of the wife
And CHRIST is the head of the church
HIS BODY
Of which he is the SAVIOR” Ephesians 5:23


As far as who is
The HEAD of the family
In today's times
It really is academic
FOR THERE are many types
Of families in today's world


But what really is important
Is that CHRIST is the HEAD
O f the church


The FAMILY
Is to be UNIFIED
As the
Church is to be unified


Sometimes I wonder
HOW we have become SO BROKEN today
BOTH in the church
And in so many families


NEVERTHELESS-I kind of
FEEL like Christ today
In that
When I think of
WHO MY FAMILY IS


I FEEL
That my family is
DEFINITELY
ALL of my blood relatives
It is
ALL of my friends
And I think it ALSO INCLUDES
“ANYONE who hears the word of GOD
And does it”


I LOVE YOU ALL
So very very much


Robert P. Wallman 11-15-13

THE TRUTH WILL SET YOU FREE

WITNESS




3-11-13




GOD’S TRUTH


It is said
The truth
Will set you free


But what truth
There are many truths


I suggest
That there is only one truth
That will set you free
And it is God’s truth


And God’s truth
Is the truth that says
You and I
Are children of God


It is the truth
That says
We are ALL
Children of God


It is the truth
That says we are
Only on this earth
But for a few fleeting years


It is
The truth that says
Earth is not our final destination
The truth that says
Heaven is our home
And our destiny
Is to spend eternity
With our God in Heaven--------
Where there is only LOVE


It is
The truth within us
The truth that lets
God’s word
LIVE in us


The truth that accepts
Love God with your whole heart,
Your whole soul, you whole mind,
And all your might


The truth that accepts
The commandment
Love one another
As I have loved you


These are GOD’S TRUTHS
And they are the truths
That can and will


SET US FREE


Robert P. Wallman
3-10-11




Ps WITNESS 3-11-13


misc. WITNESS 1-15-14


“He who speaks on his own does so to gain honor for himself-but he who works
For the HONOR of the one who sent him is a man of TRUTH-there is
Nothing false about him”
John 7:18


“I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are WALKING IN TRUTH”

3 John 4

I NEED A SIGN

WITNESSS




7-15-13




I NEED A SIGN


2000 years ago
Jesus was healing the sick
Making the crippled walk
Helping the blind see
Letting the deaf hear
Performing miracle after miracle


And yet
It wasn’t enough


The people of his day
Wanted a sign


Jesus’ response,
“A wicked and adulterous generation
Asks for a miraculous sign
But none will be given to you
Except the sign of Jonah”


Jonah was a prophet
And had to spend 3 days and 3 nights
In he belly of a fish
To rescue he Ninevite people


What about us today
We want a sign
That God exists
We want scientific proof/evidence


What about the sign
That Jesus
Was crucified, died, and was buried
What about the sign
That 3 days later
Jesus overcame death


What about
That sign


What about the sign
Of your very own life
How do you know
That if someone else
Was given a chance
That they might have worshipped God
A 1000 times better


God loves you
God loves me
With an infinite love


Every day
Is a gift from God
Every day
Is a day freshly minted
For you and me


A day with unlimited potential
A day with unlimited possibilities
A day with unlimited opportunity


What if today
Is the only day
That we are ever going to have
What are you
What am I
Going to do with it


You have life
You have GOD’S LOVE
We have eyewitness testimony
Of Christ’s victory
Over death


I CALL THAT 3 SIGNS


Robert P. Wallman
3-13-11




Ps WITNESS 7-15-13


misc. WITNESS 1-14-14


“Therefore-the Lord himself will give you a SIGN; the virgin will be with child
And will give birth to a son-and will call him Immanuel”

(Immanuel means God with us) Isaiah 7:14

WHERE DID OUR HOPE GO/OUR HOPE RESTS IN GOD

WITNESS




1-12-13




WHERE DID OUR HOPE GO








I road
The public bus today


Saw all the blank stares
Saw the long and desolate faces
Saw the look of hopelessness
In so so many of us


I ask myself
I ask you


WHERE DID OUR HOPE GO


Perhaps you are
Putting your hope
In all the wrong things


Hope is NOT visible
It is the looking
As to what is to come
It is KNOWING that
There is something better


“For in this hope we were saved
But hope that is seen
Is no hope at all
Who hopes for
What he already has
But if we hope
For what we do not yet have
We WAIT for it patiently” Romans 8:24


Perhaps you have a chronic illness
No known cause---no known cure
God forbid
Maybe even a terminal illness


Perhaps you are looking
For a scientific miracle
I wish for one for you too


Just remember
All miracles begin and end with
THE POWER of God


WHERE DID OUR HOPE GO


“Put your hope in God
For I will yet praise him
My Savior and my God” Psalm 42:5


Perhaps you have
Serious financial difficulties
Can’t feed your family
Or even yourself


PUT YOUR HOPE IN GOD


“Command those who are rich
In this present world
Not to be arrogant
Not to put their hope in wealth
Which is so uncertain
Bu to put their hope in God” 1 Timothy 6:17


Where did our hope go
Perhaps we are putting it in
All the wrong places


PUT YOUR HOPE IN GOD


People have failed you
Broken relationships abound
A broken family
An estranged parent or child


PUT YOUR HOPE IN GOD


“Not only so
But we also rejoice in our sufferings
Because we know that suffering produces perseverance
Perseverance---character
And character---hope


And hope DOES NOT DISAPPOINT US
Because God has pored out his love
Into our hearts
By the Holy Spirit
Whom he has given us” Romans 5:3-5


WHERE DID OR HOPE GO


Nowhere---maybe it has been
Just a little bit replaced


PUT YOUR HOPE IN GOD


Robert P. Wallman
8-22-11


Ps WITNESS 1-12-13





misc. WITNESS 1-13-14

NEVER ALONE

NEVER ALONE




We are NEVER alone
God is ALWAYS with us


He is never behind us
He may be beside us
HOLDIND US UP
But in most cases
He is walking ahead
And LEADING the way


“So the Lord alone did LEAD him
And there was NO strange god with him” Deuteronomy 32:12


WE ARE NEVER ALONE


We all face decisions
In life


Decisions of health
Decisions of finances
And MANY relationship issues


We have to accumulate
All the information
Then we have
To make a decision


For IF GOD is with us
What does it matter
Who is against us


For we are
NEVERALONE


LET GO-and let God


“Therefore
In the present case
I advise you
Leave these men alone


Let them go
For if their purpose
Or activity
Is of human origin
It will FAIL


But IF it is FROM GOD
You will not be able
To stop these men
You will only find yourselves
Fighting against God” Acts 5:38-39


TRUST in God
BELIEVE in God
Have FAITH in God


WE ARE NEVERALONE


But HOW do we know
IF our work
Is from God
Or of human origin


Have faith
IF it is supposed to be
IT WILL BE
If it is of God
If it is meant to be
It will be-IT WILL SURVIVE


WE ARE NEVER ALONE


And for a concrete example
ALL we have to do
Is look at JESUS’ own life


HIS WORK SURVIVED
HIS WORDS SURVIVED


“Caiaphas-who was the high priest
That year-spoke up


‘You know nothing at all
You do not realize
That it is better for you
That ONE MAN die for the people
Than that the whole nation perish” John 11:49-50


But Jesus did NOT die
HIS WORK survived
Because like us


WE ARE NEVER ALONE


Robert P. Wallman
4-22-13




ps misc. WITNESS 1-12-14

WHO IS MY NEIGHBOR

WITNESS




6-17-13




WHO IS MY NEIGHBOR




Neighbor for neighbor
Don’t just walk on by
Neighbor for neighbor
Let us all
Love one another
Come on
Let’s give it a try


Neighbor for neighbor
Don’t just walk on by


In the 10^th chapter
Of Saint Luke’s Gospel
A young man asks Jesus
Who is my neighbor


Jesus responds with a story
About a man
Who was robbed, stripped
And left lying
By the side of the road


Neighbor for neighbor
Don’t just walk on by
This is me loving you
Let us help one another
Let us
Give it a try


Jesus goes on to say
A priest comes by
And just keeps on going


Neighbor for neighbor
Give it a try


A Levite passes by
And just keeps on going


Neighbor for neighbor
Don’t just walk on by


But a Samaritan comes by
Stops, bandages his wounds
Takes the man to an inn
Pays for his room
And even stops
To check on him on his way home


Who is my neighbor


Neighbor for neighbor
Don’t just walk on by
Let us all
Be there for one another
Come on
Let’s give it a try


Neighbor for neighbor
I love you all
Neighbor for neighbor
Let us all give it a try


So
Who is my neighbor


My neighbor
Is anyone in need


So world
Let us all
Just try
To love one another


And
WE WILL GET BY


Robert P. Wallman
2-23-11




WITNESS 6-17-13


“Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people-
But LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF-I am the Lord”
Leviticus 19:18


“Honor your father and mother-and LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR
AS YOURSELF”
Matthew 19:19


misc. WITNESS 1-11-14

BEING BORN AGAIN

BEING BORN AGAIN




Being born again
Can mean many things
But FOR US
It means having a SPIRITUAL REBIRTH
Or conversion


It is
A recommitment to God
And it is a NECESSITY


In the third chapter
Of Saint John’s Gospel
Jesus tells Nicodemus
A member of the Jewish ruling council


“I tell you the truth
No one can see the kingdom
Of God
Unless he is born again” John 3:3


And I believe
Jesus himself was BORN AGAIN
Or at least
As a SYMBOL to us
He let John-his cousin
Baptize him again


“Jesus arrived from Galilee
And came to John
At the river of Jordan
To be baptized


As soon as
Jesus was baptized
He came up out of the water


Then heaven was opened to him
And he saw the SPIRIT OF GOD
Coming down
Like a dove
And lighting on him


Then a voice
From heaven said:


‘THIS is my own dear Son
With whom I am well pleased’” Matthew 3:13-17


Jesus-BORN of the SPIRIT
NOT the flesh
Our leader
Whom we try to follow


If Jesus can be BORN OF THE SPIRIT
Then that
Is to be our CALLING too


I was baptized
As an infant in the Catholic Church
And have recommitted to God
Over and over again


And I have committed myself
To God
In the Baptist, the Protestant, and the Willow Creek church
As well as repeating my vowels in the Catholic church


For we are to be ONE IN THE SPIRIT
NOT the flesh


The Holy Spirit
Is the third person of the TRINITY
And is KNOWN as the COUNSELOR
Who is ACTIVE
In the lives of BELIEVERS


The road to the SPIRIT
Is different for ALL OF US
But ONE thing remains the same
It is the RECOMMITTMENT
To living a life
Following God
Instead of following earthly things


“Commit your ways to the Lord
TRUST in him
And he will do this:


He will make your righteousness
SHINE like the dawn
The justice of your cause
LIKE the noonday sun” Psalm 37:5-6


My own recommitment to God
Began on my deathbed
When I was 22
And it has
Been never ending


NO DOUBT
Your path will be different


BUT LIKE CHRIST
And myself
May you be reborn
And CHASE after God will ALL your heart
ALL THE DAYS OF YOUR LIFE


Robert P. Wallman

6-26-13

ps        misc.        WITNESS        1-10-14

THE NEED FOR GOD

THE NEED FOR GOD




Contrary to the public opinion
In today’s world
There is a NEED FOR GOD
In our lives
In fact more today
Than ever before


More in our lives globally
More in our lives nationally
And more in our lives
Both in our families
And in our lives individually


Take a look around
Are you seeing
The same world that I am seeing


We have war in our streets
We have murder
We have rape
We have incest
And we have child abuse


Our families are NOT safe
Our children are NOT safe
And it is NOT safe to be on the streets
Of any major city in this country


And we have
MORE of a need for God
In our lives than ever before


“Do not be like them ( the pagans )
For your Father
Knows what you need
Before you ask him” Matthew 6:8


We have war among governments
We are having complete financial breakdowns
In many European countries
And yet the prevailing opinion is
For less God
In today’s world


The last time that I checked
It was not God
Who was responsible
For many of these things
It was us-but of course-WE KNOW BETTER


MORE GOD-not less


“Share with God’s people
Who are in need
Practice hospitality” Romans 12:13


MORE GOD-not less


Love God with your whole heart
Love your neighbor as yourself
Forgive 70x7


It doesn’t sound to me
Like God’s teachings
Lead to murder in the streets,
Rape, incest, or child abuse


It’s the me first-you last-or you never attitude
That exists in our world today
Selfishness
That is what gets us into trouble


Families breaking down-losing friendships
Over health, money, sex, and death


“He who despises his neighbor sins
But BLESSED is he
Who is kind to the needy” Proverbs 20:21


MORE GOD-not less


Leave the NAME OF GOD on money
Leave PUBLIC PRAYER in schools


Let us all
PRAY to the ONE true God
Whose name is LOVE


“So when you give to the needy
Do NOT announce it with trumpets
As the hypocrites do
In the synagogues
And on the streets
To be honored by man


I tell you the truth
They have received their reward in full” Matthew 6:2


More we-LESS I
MORE GOD-less me


We pray WITH GREAT NEED
To God
To my/our LORD and SAVIOR Jesus Christ
To help us
To HELP THIS WORLD
IN OUR TIME OF NEED


“The Lord
Will guide you always
He will satisfy your needs
In a sun-scorched land
And will strengthen your frame


You will be
Like a well-watered garden
Like a spring
Whose waters NEVER FAIL” Isaiah 58:11


We pray for help
To the one true God
WHOSE NAME IS LOVE


THE NEED FOR GOD
In our lives and in our world
Is greater than ever before


Robert P. Wallman
8-5-12


ps misc. WITNESS 1-9-14

WITNESS




5-29-13




CHOOSING THE BETTER PART












At the end
Of the Xth chapter
Of Saint Luke’s gospel
Jesus tells us the story
Of 2 sisters


The two sisters were Martha and Mary
And they often opened their home
To Jesus and the disciples


Martha was disturbed---preoccupied if you will
With all the preparations
That had to me made for the dinner


Mary sat quietly at Jesus’ feet
Hovering on every word
That came out of his mouth


Martha was upset
Because she was doing all the work
And said,


“Lord don’t you care
That my sister has left me
To do all the work by myself
Tell her to help me”


Jesus’ answer is astounding,


“Martha Martha
You are worried and upset
About many things
But only ONE THING is needed
Mary has chosen what is better
And it will NOT BE
Taken away from her”


Work needs to be done
In this world
There is no doubt about that


But what Jesus
Is trying to Teach Martha ( and us )
Is that
There is a time and a place
For everything


Work needs to be done
And will be done


But GOD, family, and people
Should always come first


CHOOSE THE BETTER PART


How true it was then
How true it is today


In this fast-paced---me-first world
That we live in
We think
Everything hinges on us


The truth is
EVERYTHING HINGES ON GOD


Work needs to be done
Work will get done
But everything in its proper time and place


Martha must have
Learned her lesson
Because after her brother, Lazarus, died,
And Jesus was three days late in arriving


Jesus said to Martha,
“I AM the Resurrection and the Life
He who believes in me will live
Even though he died
And whoever lives and believes in me
Will NEVER DIE
Do you believe this” ( Luke 11 )


Martha responded,


“Yes Lord
I believe that you are the Christ
The SON OF GOD
Who has come into this world”


Lazarus did RISE and live again
With his sisters Martha and Mary


And so Lord we do pray
That in this fast-paced---me-first world
That we live in


Help us to ALWAYS REMEMBER
That you have made us FOR YOURSELF---DEAR LORD
And that you love us
With a never-ending---ever-lasting love
And to


CHOOSE THE BETTER PART


Robert P. Wallman
10-14-11




Ps WITNESS 5-29-13


misc. WITNESS 1-8-14

THE GOD OF SURPRISES

THE GOD OF SURPRISES




Have you ever traced
Your family tree


Either by yourself
Or maybe through someone
LIKE Ancestry.com


You may have found
A tragic accidental death
You may have found Women or men
WITHIN your own family
WITH RELIGIOUS vocations


You may have found someone
Who was ADOPTED
Or someone
Who adopted someone


Whatever you found
I am sure
You found some SURPRISES


And SURPRISES
Or twists and turns
WERE part of Jesus' genealogy
As well
(You can read about the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew 1:1-17 and in Luke;
Jesus' FAMILY too contains many interesting characters).


There are MANY surprising people
With UNEXPECTED hardships, scandal
As well as great generosity
And FAITH
In ALL of our families


God's promises
As well
As the promises of our own life
ARE FULFILLED
In ways
That we never expected
Or through people
We never would have guessed


MAYBE
We married
The type of person
That we thought
We never
Would have expected to
In a million years


OUR GOD is full of surprises


WHO would have guessed
That a nomadic preacher
ROAMING through the wilderness
And from town to town
Would turn out to be


The Messiah
THE SON OF GOD


No one
OR he would not have wound up
ALL ALONE
Dying on a wooden cross
At the end of his life


And WHO would have guessed
That he would PROVE it


BY RISING from the dead
Three days later-certainly NOT his apostles


THE GOD OF SURPRISES


And who would
Have guessed
He (Jesus) would
First appear to a woman-Mary Magdalene


Certainly not her-certainly not us
THE GOD OF SURPRISES


Who would have guessed
Abraham would wind up
Being the FATHER of many nations
And the FOUNDER of the Jewish Nation


Certainly not Abraham
Certainly not Sarah-his wife
Who didn't give birth to Isaac
UNTIL she was in her 90's


The God Of Surprises
OUR GOD IS


And who would have guessed
Moses-a stutterer and a murderer
Would LEAD his people
Out of slavery
And out of Egypt
ALMOST to the PROMISED LAND


The BIBLE goes on and on
With surprises and examples
Of the people that God USED


Who is God
USING TODAY


Maybe you
Maybe me
Maybe
ALL of us


Well
Like the SURPRISES
Within our own life
And in our own family


WE WILL
Have to tune in today and tomorrow
To see who GOD is using


THE GOD OF SURPRISES


Robert P. Wallman
12-17-13

CAN WE BREAK GOD'S HEART

“Can We Break God’s Heart”

Can we
A mere mortal
Break God’s heart

I believe we can
And I believe it
Because of God’s unwavering love
For us

Only someone who you love
Can in fact
Break your heart
And we are all
Children of God
And God loves us
With an infinite love

The word of God
Is in fact spirit
And he wants us
To live
According to the fruits
Of that spirit
And these fruits
Are love, joy, peace, patience
Kindness, goodness, faithfulness
Gentleness and self-control

He wants us
To live these qualities
And not lives of
Coldness, indifference, ingratitude, and rejection
Of Him and those around us

But we are children of God
And like any loving parent
God forgives us
Over and over and over again

So what can we do
To earn God’s love and forgiveness
Nothing

All we can do
Is to strive to become better each and every day
And know God still loves us

WITH AN INFINITE LOVE
Robert P. Wallman
5/25/10

ps        misc. WTNESS        1-6-14

THE EPIPHANY

THE EPIPHANY










Do you know
What the word epiphany means
Maybe you have even said,
“I had an epiphany”


It means
A moment of revelation or insight
Usually through
Some simple or common occurrence---an experience


In Christianity---specifically
It is the manifestation of Christ
To the gentiles
In the persons of the magi---the 3 wise men


I wonder
If they knew---really knew
That they were looking at God himself
All those years ago


Did they really have an epiphany
At that very moment


I don’t know
But I do know this


In Matthew 2
Matthew tells us the story


“Magi from the East
Came to Jerusalem and asked,
“Where is the one
Who was born King of the Jews
We saw his star in the East
And have come to worship him”


Pretty smart---these 3 wise men


And they brought gifts
Gifts befitting of a King
Gold-incense-and myrrh


And I do know this
Herod was worried enough
About his kingship
To want to kill our newborn baby King


He met with the Magi
And asked them to report to him
Where our baby could be found


But they were warned in a dream


They did not go back to Herod
And returned home
By another route


Pretty smart---these 3 wise men
I guess they did
Have an epiphany after all


“But you Bethlehem
In the land of Judah
Are by no means
Least among the rulers of Judah;


For out of you
Will come a ruler
Who will be the Shepherd
Of my people Israel” Matthew 2:6


We could learn a lot
From these 3 wise men


I wonder---when or if
Our epiphany moment
Is going to come in today’s world


Robert P. Wallman
1-7-12






Ps today 1-6-13 is the feast of the Epiphany


WITNESS 1-7-13


misc. WITNESS 1-5-14

AMBASSADORS OF GOD'S LOVE

AMBASSADORS OF GOD'S LOVE


Do you know
What an ambassador is


An ambassador is a diplomatic official
Of the highest rank
Sent by ONE sovereign state
To another
As its resident representative


The United States has ambassadors
To Italy, Ireland, Japan
And ALMOST
Every country imaginable


In 2 Corinthians 5
Saint Paul calls us
“AMBASSADORS of GOD'S LOVE”


“WE are therefore
Christ's ambassadors
As though God
Were making his appeal through us” 2 Corinthians 5


That is
Exactly what we are to do
BECOME in this world
Ambassadors of God's LOVE


In other words
A representative of God's love
And to CARRY it
To everyone in this world


And we carry a rank too
The rank of apostle or disciple
Of God in today's world
The 21^st century


And we
Don't even have to say a thing
IF we are living right


FOR people will know
We belong to God
AND TO LOVE
Just by the very example
Of our life


DISCIPLESHIP
Refers to the act of following
And learning from a teacher
Especially God or Jesus


And ALL we have to do
To learn from God
Is to pick up the GOOD BOOK
and read about Jesus
And the Apostles


And we too
Will be apostles
By putting what we learn
Into action


This makes us
AMBASSADORS OF GOD'S LOVE


A representative of God and Christ
By carrying the message
To everyone that we meet


And we
Do NOT have to go
Anywhere special
Just take it with us
Wherever we go


You are
The resident representative
Of God's love
In the world today


You are
AN AMBASSADOR OF GOD'S LOVE


Robert P. wallman

12-17-13

TWO BY TWO

TWO BY TWO


Two by two
I am sending you out
Two by two
I am sending you to spread
The word of God


Go to every town
Go to every place
Go everywhere you can
To spread the word of God


The harvest is plentiful
But the workers are few
Dear Lord God above
God knows
We need you


I am
Sending you out
Like lambs among wolves
The harvest is plentiful
And the workers
Are few


Whoever welcomes you in peace
Enter the house
And welcome them in peace
Tell them
That the Kingdom of God
Is near
And that we need you


So the Lord
Appointed 72
Sent them out
To every town and home
And they spread the word
2 by 2


So what about today
What am I doing
What are you doing
To spread the word of God


Two by two
The Lord is sending us
Two by two
He is asking us
To spread the Word of God
In His Name


The harvest is plentiful
But the workers are few
Dear Lord God above
God knows we need you


The harvest is plentiful
But the workers are few
Dear Lord God above


God knows we need you


TWO BY TWO


Robert P. Wallman
3-12-11


Ps Based on Luke 10



misc. WITNESS 1-3-13

GUARDIAN ANGELS

WITNESS




10-2-13




GUARDIAN ANGELS




“Now I lay me
Down to sleep


I pray the Lord
My soul to keep……..”


Which of us
Hasn’t said that prayer
As children


Or even as adults
When times
Get extremely difficult


It may surprise you
To know
That the Bible
Speaks of angels
And even Jesus
Spoke of angels once,


“See that
You do not
Look down on one of these little ones
For I tell you
That their angels
In heaven
Always see the face of my Father in heaven” Matthew 18:10


MY SOUL TO KEEP
YOUR SOUL TO KEEP


Children have guardian angels
To be sure
For that is why
Jesus loves the children so much


“Let the children
Come to me
And do not hinder them
For the kingdom of God
Belongs to such as these” Mark 10:14


So children
Have guardian angels
But so do you and I


Angels
Are heavenly beings
Created by God
To assist people


And to guard-means to protect


How great is it that
To know that we have heavenly beings
To assist and guard us
In time of trouble


It comforts me
How about you


“And if I die
Before I awake
I pray the Lord
My soul to take”


George Bailey
In the movie,
“It’s A Wonderful Life,”
Wants to take his own life


And through
A series of flashbacks
Clarence-his guardian angel
Lets him see
HOW IMPORTANT his life was


And all the people
He had a positive effect on


YOUR LIFE too is also important
You too have a positive influence
On people


Your guardian angel-in your life
Is working in and for you
For we know


“Every time that a bell rings
AN ANGEL GETS HIS WINGS”


HERE IS TO
THE GUARDIAN ANGEL WALKING BESIDE YOU


Robert P. Wallman
10-4-12


Ps My mom called her brother-John-her Clarence


The feast day of the HOLY GUARDIAN ANGELS is October 2^nd this year




WITNESS 10-2-13

misc        1-2-14