Thursday, February 28, 2019
SHARED HOPE!
SHARED HOPE!
I have had many FRIENDS
Throughout my life=Catholic friends=
Christian friends=and friends
From all WALKS of life
With that=with MOST of them
We have had a SHARED HOPE in God=
A shared hope=IN EACH OTHER
WE supported each other=we encouraged
Each other=we were there
For each other
“Another is a FRIEND-
A boon companion-
Who will not be with you
When sorrow comes” Sirach 6:10
SORROW is a funny thing=
No matter how much
We are there
For one ANOTHER
We still have to FACE=
When it gets right
Down to it=OUR SORROW ALONE
But my family and friends-
Still PROVIDE something VALUABLE
In times of struggle
EVEN if we cannot always
Have their physical presence=
We feel their LOVE
We feel their encouragement
We will FEEL their
GOOD WISHES for us
We feel SHARED HOPE TOGETHER!
“His master replied=
'Well done
Good and faithful SERVANT!
You have been faithful
With a few things-
I will put you
In charge
Of many things
Come and SHARE
Your master's happiness'” Matthew 25:21
And I think
That is what is SO GREAT
About TRUE family
And friends
When we have GOOD FORTUNE
They are TRULY HAPPY
For us=
And they truly
SHARE their happiness=their warmth
Their LOVE with us
“The hardworking farmer
Should be the first
To receive=a SHARE
Of the crops” 2 Timothy 2:6
HOPE is a funny thing-
Even when we experience sorrow=
WE all SHARE in each others'
HOPE FOR TOMORROW
We all share
In each others'
ENCOURAGEMENT=for good things
To come to us
“Blessed are those
Whose help
Is IN the GOD of Jacob
Whose HOPE
Is in
The Lord their God” Psalm 146:5
“But those
Who HOPE in the Lord
Will RENEW their strength
They will soar
On wings like eagles
They will run
And NOT grow weary
They will walk
And NOT be faint” Isaiah 40:31
Our family and our DEAR
FRIENDS are always there
For us=we SHARE our love
With each other=and there is
Nothing better than OUR SHARED HOPE
And there is nothing better
Than hearing family and friends say=
“I am with you in the STRUGGLE
And I love you”
NOTHING BETTER than having
The PRESENCE of God and the
Presence of OTHERS
In our sorrow
SHARED HOPE=what life
Is all about
In Jesus' name and in the name of our ALL LOVING FATHER
Robert P. Wallman
2-28-19
Ps INSPIRED by an article in LIVING FAITH MAGAZINE by Elizabeth Duffy
SHARED HOPE!
I have had many FRIENDS
Throughout my life=Catholic friends=
Christian friends=and friends
From all WALKS of life
With that=with MOST of them
We have had a SHARED HOPE in God=
A shared hope=IN EACH OTHER
WE supported each other=we encouraged
Each other=we were there
For each other
“Another is a FRIEND-
A boon companion-
Who will not be with you
When sorrow comes” Sirach 6:10
SORROW is a funny thing=
No matter how much
We are there
For one ANOTHER
We still have to FACE=
When it gets right
Down to it=OUR SORROW ALONE
But my family and friends-
Still PROVIDE something VALUABLE
In times of struggle
EVEN if we cannot always
Have their physical presence=
We feel their LOVE
We feel their encouragement
We will FEEL their
GOOD WISHES for us
We feel SHARED HOPE TOGETHER!
“His master replied=
'Well done
Good and faithful SERVANT!
You have been faithful
With a few things-
I will put you
In charge
Of many things
Come and SHARE
Your master's happiness'” Matthew 25:21
And I think
That is what is SO GREAT
About TRUE family
And friends
When we have GOOD FORTUNE
They are TRULY HAPPY
For us=
And they truly
SHARE their happiness=their warmth
Their LOVE with us
“The hardworking farmer
Should be the first
To receive=a SHARE
Of the crops” 2 Timothy 2:6
HOPE is a funny thing-
Even when we experience sorrow=
WE all SHARE in each others'
HOPE FOR TOMORROW
We all share
In each others'
ENCOURAGEMENT=for good things
To come to us
“Blessed are those
Whose help
Is IN the GOD of Jacob
Whose HOPE
Is in
The Lord their God” Psalm 146:5
“But those
Who HOPE in the Lord
Will RENEW their strength
They will soar
On wings like eagles
They will run
And NOT grow weary
They will walk
And NOT be faint” Isaiah 40:31
Our family and our DEAR
FRIENDS are always there
For us=we SHARE our love
With each other=and there is
Nothing better than OUR SHARED HOPE
And there is nothing better
Than hearing family and friends say=
“I am with you in the STRUGGLE
And I love you”
NOTHING BETTER than having
The PRESENCE of God and the
Presence of OTHERS
In our sorrow
SHARED HOPE=what life
Is all about
In Jesus' name and in the name of our ALL LOVING FATHER
Robert P. Wallman
2-28-19
Ps INSPIRED by an article in LIVING FAITH MAGAZINE by Elizabeth Duffy
THE GOD WHO BELIEVES IN US
THE GOD WHO BELIEVES IN US
OUR GOD is a God
Who BELIEVES in us
He is a God-who
GIVES US everything we need-if-
It is in our BEST interests
“........To you have been
Sanctified in Christ Jesus-
CALLED to be holy........” 1 Corinthians 1:2
God calls us to be holy-
To LIVE holy lives-
And he gives us the EXAMPLE-
That we FIND in the life of Jesus-
HIS SON
He IS the God who
BELIEVES in us
The God who gives us everything
We need-including the example of Jesus
To live HOLY LIVES
“Your ways-God-are holy-
What god is as great
As our God?” Psalm 77:13
NONE whatsoever-NOT money-
Not sex-not any addiction-
Not even science
HE IS the God who
BELIEVES IN US
The one who ENCOURAGES US
In order for people to GROW
Strong in their faith
They need encouragement
I do-you do-WE all do
Paul knew this 2,000 years ago-
That is WHY he began
His letter to the Corinthians
With encouragement and supporting words
He REMINDS THEM of who they are-
As I remind you-
Who we are-STILL TODAY-
CHOSEN by God-people of HOPE--
Children of God-
Chosen to live holy lives
And he reminds them
That they lack nothing
And I remind you that
WE lack nothing=today=to live
Holy lives
But life can be grueling
And the temptations are out there
That IS WHY we need to
ENCOURAGE one another
To live Christian and holy lives
“You Lord-hear the desire
Of the afflicted
You encourage them-and you listen
To their cry” Psalm 10:17
“Finally-brothers and sisters-REJOICE!-
Strive for full restoration
ENCOURAGE one another
Be of one mind
Live in peace
And the God of LOVE and peace
Will be with you” 2 Corinthians 13:11
Yes-Paul's words ring true
For each one of us too
We all need FULL RESTORATION
In God and Christ
And the only way
To FIND that full restoration
Is by living with
The fruits of the SPIRIT
CHRIST'S own Spirit
That he left behind
For us to find-and live by
“BUT the fruit of the SPIRIT
Is love-joy-peace-forbearance-
Kindness-goodness-faithfulness-
Gentleness-and self-control
Against such things-
There is NO LAW” Galatians 5:22-23
Dear Lord-you are the God
Who BELIEVES in us
The God who
Gives us EVERYTHING
That we need
HELP US to live holy lives
BY LIVING in your SPIRIT
And by encouraging one another
In Jesus' name-we pray
Robert P. Wallman
8-25-16
Ps INSPIRED by an article in LIVING FAITH MAGAZINE by Sr. Macrina Wiederkehr, O.S.B.
2-28-2019
Wednesday, February 27, 2019
LIVING IN ALIGNMENT WITH GOD
LIVING IN ALIGNMENT WITH GOD
Do you want
To live
In ALIGNMENT WITH GOD?
Do you want
To be A part of
GOD'S LIFE GIVING WATER?
“He is like a tree
Planted near RUNNING WATER
…....” Psalm 1:3
God's water is deep
God's water is ETERNAL
The PSALMIST writing begins
Describing the person
Who lives
In ALIGNMENT with God
He is like a tree planted
NEAR running water
Deep=life-giving and
Eternal water-
That is always FRESH
And never runs out
“I am
Poured out like WATER
And all my bones
Are out of joint
My heart
Has turned to wax
It has melted
Within me” Psalm 22:14
“With joy
You will draw WATER
From the well
Of salvation” Isaiah 12:3
“Truly I tell you
Anyone who gives you
A cup of WATER
In my name
Because you
Belong to the MESSIAH
Will certainly NOT
Lose their reward” Mark 9:41
Of course
God's water is fresh
And NEVER runs out=
Like Jesus
Tells the SAMARITAN WOMAN
“EVERYONE who drinks this water
Will be thirsty again
But whoever
Drinks the WATER-
I shall give
Will never thirst” John 4:13-14
Tapping God's water-
Being ROOTED in Jesus' water
Is far different
Than satisfying thirst
It is tapping
The ETERNAL WATER OF GOD
“A shoot
Will come
From the stump of Jesse
From his ROOTS
A branch will bear fruit” Isaiah 11:1
“.......
So that Christ
May dwell in your hearts
Through FAITH
And I pray that you
Being ROOTED
And established in love
….....” Ephesians 3:17
God's WATER is a deep water
And when we are
TAPPED into it
We are living
IN ALIGNMENT with GOD
Yes=this deep=ABUNDANT-
Eternal=life-giving water
Is in us
WHEN we are living
In ALIGNMENT WITH GOD
In Jesus name=and in the name=of our LIFE GIVING FATHER
Robert P. Wallman
2-27-19
Ps INSPIRED by an article in LIVING FAITH MAGAZINE by Phil Fox Rose
GOD IS STILL WITH YOU
GOD IS STILL WITH YOU
Have you ever
Faced a period in your life
WHERE you felt
You could no longer
Go on
Perhaps because of health problems
Or financial problems
Or even relationship problems
MAYBE all three
At the same time
You can STILL make it
Our Lord is with you
God is still with you
Cod will carry you onward
“Master-it is good that we are here” Luke 9:33
God will
Carry us forward
“He tends his flock
Like a shepherd
He gathers the lambs
In his arms
And CARRIES them
CLOSE to his heart” Isaiah 40:11
“Even to your old age
And gray hairs
I am He
I am he
Who will sustain you
I have made you
And I will CARRY YOU
I will sustain you
And I will RESCUE you” Isaiah 46:4
GOD IS STILL WITH YOU
He will carry you
He will carry me-HOME
He will sustain us
Through every suffering
He will sustain us
Through every anxiety
Through every storm
Jesus was about to enter Jerusalem
To suffer-to die
Almost too much to bear
For the apostles
But Jesus was PREPARING them
And SHARED his transfiguration
With Peter-James-and John
They were ecstatic
They saw the “glory”
That was to come
Through Jesus Christ
They would NEED this GRACE
To bolster them
In the days ahead
The same way
We need the LORD'S GRACE
In our times of suffering
“For the law
Was given through Moses
GRACE and truth
CAME through Jesus Christ” John 1:17
“With GREAT POWER
The apostles
Continued to testify
To the RESURRECTION
Of the Lord Jesus
And GOD'S GRACE
Was so powerfully in work in them all
That there was NO needy persons
Among them” Acts 4:33
And God's grace
Is in us
To BOLSTER US
In times of need
GRACE-little rays of GOD'S LIGHT
Is there
In even our darkest moments
God has NOT abandoned us
He is still with you
He is still with me
And that is forever-
For ALL of eternity-
GOD IS STILL WITH US
Robert P. Wallman
2-20-16
Ps INSPIRED by an article in LIVING FAITH MAGAZINE by Msgr. Stephen J. Rossetti
2-27-2019
Tuesday, February 26, 2019
IT TAKES TIME=WISDOM DOES!
IT TAKES TIME=WISDOM DOES!
It takes TIME in life=
To learn how to
ACCUMULATE WISDOM
And it rakes time
To LEARN how
To USE wisdom appropriately
In LIFE
“She walks with him
As a stranger
And at first=
She puts him to the TEST” Sirach 4:17
The book of Sirach
Casts WISDOM as a
Female presence
It casts wisdom
As accompanying=as teaching=
And as testing
It takes TIME and MATURITY
To accumulate wisdom
In life
It takes time=WISDOM DOES
It takes patience
“A person's WISDOM
Yields PATIENCE
It is to
One's glory
To overlook an offense” Proverbs 19:11
“.........Being strengthened
With all power
According to his glorious might
So that you
May have
Great endurance and PATIENCE” Colossians 1:11
“We do not want
You to become lazy
But to imitate
Those who through faith
And PATIENCE
Inherit what has been promised” Hebrews 6:12
Wisdom does approach=
Wisdom does TEST US
Will we acquire wisdom?
HOW will we use our
Wisdom in the EXPERIENCES
Of our life?
It takes time
For us to UNDERSTAND
What God wants us to see
Through the experiences
Of our life
It takes patience
To acquire wisdom
IT TAKES TIME
“The fear of the Lord
Is the beginning
Of WISDOM
All who follow
His precepts
Have good understanding
To him belongs
Eternal praise” Psalm 111:10
“Where there is strife
There is pride
But WISDOM is found
In those
Who take advice” Proverbs 13:10
“If any of you
Lacks WISDOM
You should ask God
Who gives generously
To all
Without finding fault
And it will
Be given to you” James 1:5
YES-it takes TIME=
It takes patience
To acquire WISDOM
Through life's maturing
But MOST of all
It takes
The TEACHING OF GOD
In Jesus' name and in the name of the LORD=THE FATHER OF WISDOM
Robert P. Wallman
2-26-19
Ps INSPIRED by an article in LIVING FAITH MAGAZINE by Amy Welborn
THE REALITY of God and LIFE
THE REALITY OF GOD
AND LIFE
Dealing with reality
Can be harsh
It can include
DEALING with illness-death-
Bankruptcy-and failed relationship
After failed relationship
But life can be HAPPY too
For life brings us God-life
FAMILIES-friends-and relationship
After relationship
FRIENDSHIP after friendship
NEVER GIVE UP on life
For you NEVER KNOW what life
Will bring
And it can ALWAYS
Bring us NEW HOPE
I wonder
IF the disciples heard Jesus
When he said:
“PAY attention to what
I am telling you
The SON OF MAN
Is to be handed
Over to men” Luke 9:44
Many of us
Dislike hearing messages
That CONFLICT
With how we think things should be
They(the disciples) ignored him
WHEN he tried
To tell them
The bad things
That were going to happen to him
They couldn't even believe it
When it happened-
But they FOUND HOPE-
In the REMAINDER of Jesus' story
The RESURRECTION OF HIS LIFE
And HOPE for the world
“Put your HOPE
In God
For I will yet PRAISE HIM
My Savior and my God” Psalm 42:5
“Be JOYFUL in HOPE-
Patient in affliction-
FAITHFUL in prayer” Romans 12:12
LIKE US-the disciples
Didn't want to hear
The message
That suffering is
PART of the journey
But like us-
I don't know if they could see
That their lives would
CHANGE THE WORLD
THE REALITY OF GOD
AND LIFE
Changed the world
I firmly believe
That for whatever REASONS
We may be suffering
If we LIVE with HOPE
And UNITE our lives with God and Jesus
WE can and WILL change the world too
The reality of GOD & LIFE
Is also living with love-kindness-
And forgiveness
That is what CHANGES the world
GOD'S LOVE
“My heart is CHANGED
Within me
All my compassion
Is aroused” Hosea 11:5
We may NOT be able
To change our suffering
In this world
But we can CHANGE our hearts
Toward God
TOWARDS love-life-kindness-
And forgiveness
And if enough of us
Do that
We really can
CHANGE THIS WORLD
For that is THE REALITY
OF GOD AND LIFE
Robert P. Wallman
9-25-15
Ps INSPIRED by an article in LIVING FAITH MAGAZINE by Teri Mifek
2-26-2019
Monday, February 25, 2019
HOLDING NOTHING BACK!
HOLDING NOTHING BACK!
Are you a WHOLEHEARTED
LOVER of God?
Are you a wholehearted
Lover of OTHERS?
IF you are=you are
FOLLOWING the first two
Commandments of God and
Of JESUS
“The Lord watches
Over the lives
Of the WHOLEHEARTED
Their inheritance lasts forever” Psalm 37:18
To be WHOLEHEARTED=means
To EMBRACE those
First two commandments
It means to HOLD
NOTHING BACK=it means
To give our lives OVER
To the HOLY SPIRIT
“'The most important one'
Answered Jesus-
Is this=
'Hear-O Israel=the Lord is our God
The Lord is ONE
LOVE the Lord
Your God
With ALL your heart
And with
All your soul
And with all your mind
And with all YOUR STRENGTH'
The second is this=
'Love your NEIGHBOR
As yourself=
There is NO COMMANDMENT
Greater than these'” Mark 12:29-31
HOLD NOTHING BACK!
Yes loving our neighbor=
That VISIBLE man and woman
Beside us=in our lives
EVERY STEP of the way
Yes the one
Right here=that flesh-and-blood PERSON
We actually see and hear
We are to LOVE
That person=
The EXACT same way
That we hope to be
Treated and CHERISHED
Of course=we know-
Jesus GAVE every ounce
Of himself for his Father
And for others
We have to FOLLOW HIM
And live in
The exact same way
HOLD NOTHING BACK!
“Yet I am
Always with you
You HOLD me
By my right hand” Psalm 73:23
“Then he taught me
And he said to me
'Take HOLD
Of my words
With all your heart
Keep my commands
And you will LIVE'” Proverbs 4:4
With GOD'S GRACE-
We can live like Christ=
Loving God=LOVING ALL OTHERS
With God's GRACE we can
Live a life
Giving our WHOLE HEARTS
And leave a legacy
Of love and compassion
That ENDURES
“But the word
Of the Lord ENDURES FOREVER
And this is the word
That was PREACHED to you” 1 Peter 1:25
And IF we live our lives
Giving total love and our total SELVES
Like Christ=
HOLDING NOTHING BACK!=
Our lives will ENDURE forever
In Jesus' name and in the name=of our EVER ENDURING FATHER
Robert P. Wallman
2-25-19
Ps INSPIRED by an article in LIVING FAITH MAGAZINE by Sr. Chris Koellhoffer, I.H.M.
IN THE SMALL AND IN THE ORDINARY MOMENTS TOO
IN THE SMALL AND IN
THE ORDINARY MOMENTS TOO
We have THANKSGIVING
In the rear view mirror
Christmas and New YEARS too
While these are great holidays
And MIRACULOUS religious holidays too
We must REMEMBER
That OUR GOD is in the routine
The ORDINARY DAYS of our life
And in
The SMALL things too
“WE receive from him
Whatever we ask
Because we keep his commandments
And do whatever pleases him” 1 John 3:22
Are you ready
To go back to school?
To go back to work?
Are you ready to get back
To the routine and to the ordinary?
It's easy to lose sight
That that is really and truly
WHERE GOD IS
But we must REMEMBER
THAT=if
We remember anything at all
After all-90-95% of us
Are ORDINARY
By the standards
Of this world
Yet we are ALL
EXTRAORDINARY creatures
In the eyes of God-
To be valued and LOVED
For who we truly are
“WHEN they saw
The COURAGE of Peter and John
And realized
That they were unschooled
ORDINARY men
They were astonished
And they took note
That these men
Had been with Jesus” Acts 4:13
What made the apostles
Extraordinary=SPECIAL
Was their relationship with God
Their relationship with Jesus
We too
Are ordinary men and women
But what makes us SPECIAL-
HIS BELIEVERS of today-
Are our relationships
With God and Jesus
“God did EXTRAORDINARY miracles
Through Paul........” Acts 19:11
Why Paul?
Because he had great faith
And God will use us
To perform great miracles
THROUGH our routine-ordinary lives
Why-because we have GREAT FAITH too
You can ONLY change
The large picture in the world
After day-by-day efforts
Of trying and changing the SMALL picture
GIVING OTHERS the courage
And the faith
That they can
Make a difference
In their own
Small corner of the world
You have to PROVE yourself
To God
In the small things
BEFORE you will be
Entrusted with the large
“When he comes
He will PROVE the world
To be in the wrong
About sin-and righteousness-
And judgment........” John 16:8
“But wisdom
Is proven RIGHT by her deeds” Matthew 19:11
And so
As we go back
To our routines-to the ordinary
Let us grow CLOSER
To God and Jesus
In our own small corner
Of the world
And remember
That change has no season-
No calendar
Let us all go gently
Into reality in 2016
And CHANGE THE WORLD
Through the ORDINARY-
AND THE SMALL TOO
Robert P. Wallman
1-4-16
INSPIRED by an article in LIVING FAITH MAGAZINE by Melanie Rigney
SAINT THERESA-THE LITTLE FLOWER-is the Saint of the ordinary and the small in today's world
as the co-saint of the missions-along with SAINT FRANCIS XAVIER
1-5-17 and 2-25-19
Sunday, February 24, 2019
DESPERATE WITH FAITH!
DESPERATE WITH FAITH!
Are you or have you
Ever been=DESPERATE in your FAITH
To find God=to find Jesus
In your life?
I am=I have been=ever
SINCE I got up off of
My deathbed when I was
22-years-old
“I do BELIEVE=help my unbelief!” Mark 9:24
This is one of the
MOST RECOGNIZED lines
In all of Scripture
It is about a FATHER
Who has-
Brought his possessed son=
FIRST to the disciples
And then=ULTIMATELY to Jesus=
And Jesus BRINGS out the devil
From the demon possessed boy
DESPERATE WITH FAITH=
We are dear Lord=
Help us to BELIEVE in you
When our faith is lacking
We can SURELY relate
To this man's desperation-
And at first=his
WEAK FAITH
“You have shown
Your people=DESPERATE times
You have
Given us wine
That makes us stagger” Psalm 60:3
“Do not hold
Against us=the sins
Of past generations
May your mercy
Come quickly
To meet us
For we are in
DESPERATE NEED” Psalm 79:8
DESPERATE WITH FAITH!
Dear Lord=in life=there are
FREQUENT reminders
Of our LACK of faith
We KNOW
Our faith should be stronger=
If only we had the
FAITH of
The mustard seed
We could indeed move MOUNTAINS
But indeed we shouldn't
FEEL so bad=for the
Apostles themselves=
Lacked faith at times”
“He replied
'Because you have so
LITTLE faith-
Truly I tell you
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'” Matthew 17:20-21
We need NEVER to
Give up HOPE
We need to find
The FAITH
That this Father had
Who when he was DESPERATE-
Cried out-
To the LORD for help
And this Father
Was heard
“Consequently-
FAITH comes from hearing
The message
And the message is heard
Through the WORD about CHRIST” Romans 10:17
Dear Lord=we are sometimes
Lacking and sometimes DESPERATE
To FIND the word of God
And HEALING
When we CRY OUT
DESPERATELY=with faith
Please hear us=and answer us
In Jesus' name=and in the name of our ALL LOVING FATHER
Robert P. Wallman
2-24-19
Ps INSPIRED by an article in LIVING FAITH MAGAZINE by Msgr. Stephen J. Rossetti
LOVING AND SHARING=REAPING THE HARVEST
LOVING AND SHARING-
REAPING THE HARVEST
The ONE thing
That I KNOW about love
Is that the more we give
THE more we HAVE
To give
At least
That is the way
It has worked for me
In this world
And SHARING
Is one of the first things
That we are taught
In this world
As children
I just wonder
If the ONES
Who don't learn to love
And share
Are the one
Who grow up
To be the psychopaths
And sociopaths
Of this world
“WHOEVER sows sparingly
Will also reap sparingly
And whoever sows bountifully
Will also reap bountifully” 2 Corinthians 9:6
This verse is true
In EVERY area of our lives
It speaks to us
To our GENEROSITY
Of time-money-and prayer
To-and for others
“In the midst
Of a very severe trial
Their overflowing JOY
And their extreme poverty
Welled up in rich GENEROSITY” 2 Corinthians 8:2
We can ALWAYS
Be GENEROUS
In some area
Of our life
If we
Have no money
We can be generous
In other areas
And always at least
In SHARING our love
And PRAYING for others
“You will be enriched
In every way
So that you
Can be GENEROUS
And through us
Your generosity will result
In thanksgiving to GOD” 2 Corinthians 9:11
God will PROVIDE for you
So that you can SHARE
Your LOVE with others
In time
In money
And in PRAYER
At least he has
DONE so for me
But we NEED
To trust God
LOVE AND SHARE
Reap the harvest of love
In a way
The above verse
(“SOWING sparingly-or
sowing bountifully”)
Speaks to us about FORGIVENESS
We NEED to forgive
EASILY AND OFTEN
(70 x 7)
NOT always so easy to do
At least for me
God is MERCIFUL and KIND
To us
So he CALLS us to be
MERCIFUL AND KIND to others
But MOST of all
THIS verse speaks to us
ABOUT LOVE
The well of our love
NEVER runs dry
GIVING ourselves away
IN LOVE
ALLOWS us
To live authentically and joyfully
For if we
Are truly living by
LOVING AND SHARING
It allows us to
REAP IN THE HARVEST
Robert P. Wallman
8-9-15
Ps INSPIRED by an article in LIVING FAITH MAGAZINE by Kristin Armstrong
2-24-2019
Saturday, February 23, 2019
MERCY BEYOND MEASURE!
MERCY BEYOND MEASURE!
We love a MERCIFUL GOD!=
A God whose mercy is
BEYOND MEASURE
And our Psalmist today
Tells us just that
“NOT according to our sins-
Does he=deal with us
Nor does he requite us
ACCORDING to our crimes” Psalm 103:10
We were CREATED
In GOD'S image and likeness-
So we all have
The CAPACITY
To LIVE with GOD'S MERCY
It is a SHAME
More of us
Don't live that way-
DEALING with others
With the MERCY OF GOD
“Remember Lord
YOUR great mercy and love
For they are
From of old” Psalm 25:6
“This is what
The Lord Almighty said=
'Administer true justice
Show MERCY and compassion
To one another'” Zechariah 7:9
“........If it is to encourage
Then give encouragement
If it is to lead
Do it diligently
If it is
To show MERCY
Do it CHEERFULLY” Romans 12:8
Our God from HEAVEN= our Jesus
PARDONS all our sins
He does not show anger-
And forgives our nasty and
Mean transgressions
And WITHIN
Each one of us=
LIVES the mercy of
Our creator-
Lives the MERCY of Jesus
Jesus' life was a
LIVING EXAMPLE
Of showing MERCY
BEYOND MEASURE
And within each
ONE of us lives
The CAPACITY to show mercy
JUST LIKE JESUS
“Even though
I was once
A blasphemer
And a persecutor and
A violent man
I was shown MERCY
Because I acted
In ignorance and unbelief” 1 Timothy 1:13
“He saved us
NOT because
Of righteous things
We had done
But because of his MERCY
He saved us through
The washing
Of rebirth and renewal
By the HOLY SPIRIT” Titus 3:5
It is
NOT NORMAL to show
The MERCY that God
Shows us
It is not normal
To give up your WHOLE LIFE
In MERCY=for others
The way that Jesus did
MERCY BEYOND MEASURE!
And it is up to us
To LIVE WITH MERCY
BEYOND MEASURE too
If we expect to BUILD
The kingdom of God
In this world
Let us all live
With MERCY BEYOND MEASURE!
In Jesus' name and in the name of our all LOVING=ALL MERCIFUL GOD
Robert P. Wallman
2-23-19
Ps INSPIRED by an article in LIVING FAITH MAGAZINE by Deborah Meister
WHO IS THIS MAN TO YOU?
WHO IS THIS MAN TO YOU?
WHO is Jesus to you?
HE is our Lord-he is
Our friend-he was FULL of power-
And PERFORMED miracle after miracle
He even conquered death
Yet he CAME as a poor man
To a NORMAL family of his time---
And he died a criminal's death
Hanging on a CROSS
Who is this MAN of power?
This man of might? This HUMBLE-
Kind-loving man?
This man of mystery
“They were FILLED
With great awe-
And said to one another
'Who then is this-
Whom even wind and sea obey?'” Mark 4:41
He is no man-he is EVERY man-
He is a God-and a man of mystery
Who not even the smartest-
Of ALL of us-can understand
“No-we DECLARE God's wisdom
A MYSTERY-that has been hidden
And that God DESTINED
For our glory
Before time began
NONE of the rulers of the age
Understood it
For IF they had
They would NOT have crucified
The Lord of glory” 1 Corinthians 2:7-8
I think this is an
Individual question
I think it is SOMETHING
We have to ANSWER
For ourselves
For me-he is NOT
Just a man-he is a GOD
He is the SON OF GOD
He has ALL POWER and does CONTROL
The winds and the seas
But he is a man too
He UNDERSTANDS us all too well
He WALKED the walk
That we all walk
He is a human
And OUR FRIEND too
“I no longer
Call you servants
Because a servant
Does not know
His master's business
Instead-I have
Called you FRIENDS
For everything
That I have learned
From my Father
I have made KNOWN to you” John 15:15
And this God of POWER
The MASTER of all
Does treat us like a friend
He walked our same walk
He TALKED our same talk
And he was rejected
By mankind-a REJECTION-
That we ALL go through in life
At one time or another
WHO is this friend-
This MAN OF LOVE-compassion-
MERCY-power-and kindness to you?
For me-HE IS the alpha-the omega-
The BEGINNING and the end-
The man who HAS IT ALL
Yet he IS MY FRIEND=of whom=
I SHARE everything in my life with
WHO IS
THIS MAN TO YOU?
Robert P. Wallman
1-27-17
Ps 2-23-2019
Friday, February 22, 2019
NOT REACHING PERFECTION
NOT REACHING PERFECTION
NONE of us are
Ever going to reach PERFECTION
None of us=
EXCEPT for Jesus
Who was PERFECT in his
Love for his FATHER=and
Perfect in his love
For ALL OTHERS
“........His clothes became a
Dazzling WHITE=such as
No fuller on earth
Could bleach them” Mark 9:3
Today we read
About the TRANSFIGURATION
Of Jesus=who APPEARS
With Moses and Elijah
To Peter-James-and John
And we have the
Perfect color for him=WHITE
For cleanliness and perfection
The Lord BECOMES
“DAZZLING WHITE”=or a
BRILLIANCE=not made by man
We will NEVER REACH
Perfection=but it is NOT like
We were-
Ever meant to do so
“As for God
His way is PERFECT
The Lord's word
Is flawless
He shields all
Who take refuge in him” Psalm 18:30
“Lord=you are MY GOD
I will exalt you
And praise your name
For in PERFECT faithfulness
You have done
Wonderful things
Things planned long ago” Isaiah 25:1
“But he said to me
'My grace
Is sufficient for you
For my power
Is made PERFECT in weakness'
Therefore-I will boast
All the more gladly
About my weaknesses
So that Christ's power
May rest on me” 2 Corinthians 12:9
I am NOT ashamed
Of having some weaknesses
I am not ashamed
Of being
DEPENDENT on the Lord
The Lord's perfect color is WHITE
For his cleanliness and PERFECT LOVE=
But my color is green-
Known for HOPE=and the
HOPE I find
IN THE LORD
“Come now
Let us=settle the matter
Says the Lord
'though your sins
Are like scarlet
They shall be
As WHITE as snow
Though they are
Red as crimson
They shall be
Like wool'” Isaiah 1:18
“Then I saw
A great WHITE throne
And him
Who was seated on it
The earth and the heavens
Fled from his presence
And there was
No place for them” Revelation 2:11
God=JESUS=is MORE than
Our eyes can see
And more than our hands
Can fashion
We may NOT REACH PERFECTION-
But it was never ours
In the FIRST PLACE
It is GOD'S ALONE
In Jesus' name=and in the name=of our PERFECT FATHER
Robert P. Wallman
2-22-19
Ps INSPIRED by an article in LIVING FAITH MAGAZINE by Gail Goleas
PATIENCE=WAITING ON THE LORD=WAITING ON YOU
WITNESS
8-6-13
PATIENCE---WAITING ON THE LORD
---WAITING ON YOU
You say
You are waiting on the Lord
To change your life
I have some news for you
He is
Waiting on you
Our Lord---Our God
Is there---always has been---always will be
His nature is UNCHANGING
His nature is LOVE
And he is
MADLY in love with you
My mother
Always taught me
That our help
Is at the end of our right arm/hand
I think
The same is true spiritually
Our God is there
We just have to make
The decision
To accept him in our hearts
And our God is a patient God
He will wait
A lifetime for you
“The Lord, the Lord
The compassionate and gracious God
Slow to anger
Abounding in love and faithfulness
Maintaining love to thousands
And forgiveness wickedness, rebelliousness, sin” Exodus 34:6
You say
You are waiting on the Lord
To change your life
I tell you
He is waiting on you
The good news is
If we are honestly trying
To get it right
If we are really really trying
Our God is a patient God
He will wait
A lifetime for you ( and me )
Patience is one of God’s gifts
A gift of the Holy Spirit
“But the fruit of the Spirit
Is love, joy, peace, PATIENCE,
Kindness, goodness, faithfulness.
Gentleness, and self-control
Against these things
There is no law” Galatians 5:22& 23
The Lord our God
Is a patient God
He will wait a lifetime
For you---for me
You say
You are waiting on the Lord
I tell you
He is waiting on you
Waiting on me
To get it right
But the GOOD NEWS
Is our God
Is a PATIENT God
A God
MADLY in love with you
And with me
And he will
Help us along our life’s journey
To eventually get it right
To COMPLETE us in God
And our Lord
“I thank my God---every time I remember you
In all my prayers for all of you,
I always with joy
Because of our partnership
In the Gospel from the first day
Until now
Being confident of this
That he who began
A good work in you
Will carry it on to completion
Until the day of Christ Jesus” Philippians 1:3-6
The Lord our God
Is a Patient God
Slow to anger
Quick to forgive
Our God
IS JUST WAITING ON YOU
---AND ON ME
Robert P. Wallman
8-22-11
Ps WITNESS 8-6-13
8-11-14
12-4-14 and 2-22-19
Thursday, February 21, 2019
STEADY=BUT CHANGING WITH THE TIMES
STEADY=BUT CHANGING WITH THE TIMES
I don't really like
CHANGE=Do you?
I am more COMFORTABLE
With my routine=with a
Minimum of surprise and CHANGE
Routine is NECESSARY for
A SMOOTH and orderly life
The CHURCH is mostly rock
STEADY=that is WHY it
Stands out when we go
Through the TROUBLED TIMES
“And I say to you-
You are PETER-
And upon this ROCK
I will BUILD my CHURCH
And the gates
Of the netherworld
Shall NOT prevail against it” Matthew 16:18
I look to the Church
For guidance=
I look to the SCRIPTURE
Readings=for every day consistency
Church=Scriptural readings=and
Jesus' two commandments
Are the MAINSTAYS
Of my life=
BE STEADFAST in the Lord
“My heart=O God=is STEADFAST-
My heart is STEADFAST
I will sing
And make music” Psalm 57:7
“Give careful thought
To the paths
For your feet
And be STEADFAST
In all your ways” Proverbs 4:26
“And the God
Of all grace
Who called you
To his eternal glory
In CHRIST=
After you
Have suffered a little while
Will himself restore you
And make you strong-
Firm and STEADFAST” 1 Peter 5:10
The Church is
Constantly steady=
And contrary to PUBLIC OPINION=
Does change
The Church=Catholicism=and other denominations
Has CHANGED so much
Since I was a little BOY
With WOMEN
Definitely playing a
MORE prominent ROLE
And the REASON
The CHURCH does change-
IS because it is made up
Of people=People like YOU
And me
Who try to FOLLOW
The SPIRIT=and where
God LEADS them
The SHIFTING of time-
History-and CULTURE=
Demands that we must CHANGE
And I am SURE
The CHURCH will CONTINUE
To change=as time unfolds
“How can I give
You up=Ephraim?
How can I
Hand you over=Israel?
How can I treat you
Like Admah?
How can I make you
Like Zeboyim?
My heart is CHANGED
Within me=
All my compassion
Is AROUSED” Hosea 11:8
Change comes as TIME=
Moves on=Because of we the people=
BEING the men and women
Of the 21st century
It is GOD'S WAY OF GROWTH-
And it is ours
I look FORWARD to the
NEW CHANGES=that will come
While we REMAIN ROCK SOLID
In the ways of GOD AND LOVE=
Who is ALWAYS constant and steady
In Jesus name=and in the name=of our STEADY GOD=whose name is LOVE
Robert P. Wallman
2-21-2019
Ps INSPIRED by an article in LIVING FAITH MAGAZINE by Fr. James Stephen Behrens, O.S.C.O.
HE KNOWS WHAT IT IS TO BE HUMAN
HE KNOWS WHAT IT IS
TO BE HUMAN
OUR God is a God
Who FULLY knows
What it means to be HUMAN
He came to earth
In the form of
A human being
And EXPERIENCED every human emotion
That we do-including-
Pain and suffering
He even had a mother-a
Step-father-and brothers and sisters
He was part of a HUMAN FAMILY
A family that KNEW
What it means to EXPERIENCE LOVE
“For we do NOT
Have a high priest
Who is unable
To sympathize with
Our weaknesses........” Hebrews 4:15
YES-weaknesses-we have
Plenty of those-at least-
I do
And Jesus did too
He was FULLY HUMAN
He lived-died-and RESURRECTED
Because he was PERFECT
In love-HIS LOVE
Knew no limits
So he knows
What it means to be weak
To be PUSHED
To the limits of a being human
“What is mankind
That you are mindful
Of them?
Human beings
That you CARE for them?” Psalm 8:4
Of course-
What higher HONOR
Could we have than
You ( Jesus)-being ONE of us
You UNDERSTAND us
Oh so well-yet you-
LOVE US oh so much
“For the foolishness of God
Is wiser than human wisdom
And the weakness of God
Is STRONGER
Than human strength” 1 Corinthians 1:25
Our God-our Jesus-not contained
Even by death
LOVE IS STRONGER!-than human weaknesses
Yet he KNOWS-what it is
To have a human body
Have limitations-even though-
He could PERFORM miracles-
And overcome all
Our Lord God-Our LORD Jesus
Understands-UNDERSTANDS our hurt-
Our doubts-
Our fear of failing
He understands us too-he does NOT
Condemn us
“........For the Lord
SEARCHES every heart
And understands every desire
And every thought” 1 Chronicles 28:9
“But the seed falling
On good soil
REFERS to someone
Who hears the word
And UNDERSTANDS it
This is the ONE
Who produces a crop
Yielding a hundred-sixty-
Or 30 times what was sown” Matthew 13:23
That IS the GOOD NEWS-
We have a GOD who UNDERSTANDS
What it is to be fully HUMAN
Just IMAGINE how proud he is of us
IF we understand him-just
A little-and we BECOME
A little bit MORE like him
Yet he FORGIVES our flaws
And imperfections-for HE KNOWS
WHAT it is to BE HUMAN
HE KNOWS-ALL TOO WELL
In Jesus' name,
Robert P. Wallman
1-13-19
Ps INSPIRED by an article in LIVING FAITH MAGAZINE by Terri Mifek
2-21-2019
Wednesday, February 20, 2019
CONFIDENT IN THE PROMISES OF GOD
CONFIDENT IN THE PROMISES OF GOD
Do you believe in
The TRUTH?
Jesus did=in fact he
BELIEVED so strongly
In the PROMISES OF GOD
That he foretold of
His own rejection=his
Own suffering
And his own DEATH
DIVINE truth versus
Human truth
Peter did not want to
Hear of it=and he
CRITICIZED Jesus for
SHARING it all
Who wants to hear
NEGATIVITY=even when it is
DIVINE TRUTH?
But Jesus puts Peter
IN HIS PLACE
“Get behind me=Satan
You are thinking
NOT as God does-
But as human beings do” Mark 8:33
Jesus was SO CONFIDENT
In the PROMISES of God
That he publicly PROCLAIMED
That he would resurrect-
THREE days after his death
SHARING THE TRUTH!
“Nevertheless
The one who receives INSTRUCTION
In the word
Should SHARE
All good things
With their instructor” Galatians 6:6
“Anyone-
Who has been stealing
Must steal no longer
But must work
Doing something useful
With their own hands
That they
May have something
To SHARE
With those in need” Ephesians 4:28
“And do not forget
To do good
And to SHARE with others
For with sacrifices
God is PLEASED” Hebrews 13:16
And God the FATHER
Was so PLEASED with Jesus
That he SHARED
The DIVINE TRUTH with all
Even when others were
QUESTIONING his sanity=
Jesus proclaimed the TRUTH
Loudly and publicly
We PRAY to you
Dear Lord
That you help us
SPEAK the truth too
That we let the Lord
Speak and act THROUGH US
As he will=
PUBLICLY speaking the truth
And CONFIDENT
IN THE PROMISES OF GOD
“To the JEWS
Who had believed him
Jesus said=
'If you hold
To my teaching-
You are
REALLY my disciples
Then you will KNOW
The truth
And the TRUTH
Will set you FREE” John 8:31-32
Dear Lord=help us
To ALWAYS PROCLAIMED
The truth=just as
Your SON-Jesus did=and
BE CONFIDENT in the
ETERNAL PROMISES OF GOD
In Jesus' name=and in the name of our DIVINE-HOLY FATHER
Robert P. Wallman
2-20-19
Ps INSPIRED by an article in LIVING FAITH MAGAZINE by Melanie Rigney
COME AWAY WITH ME
COME AWAY WITH ME
Many years ago
Jesus INVITED his apostles
To come away with him
To spend SOME TIME
With him alone
“He said to them:
'COME AWAY by yourselves
To a deserted place
And rest awhile'” Mark 6:31
Through churches-RETREAT HOUSES-
And many other venues
Jesus makes that SAME INVITATION
Today
And we SHOULD SAY YES
To the invitation
One way-or another
WE NEED to spend time
With God and Jesus
Or we will
Get caught get up in
The hurry-scurry life style
And we will LOSE our direction
In life
Jesus says to us
-ALL of us:
“COME AWAY with me
SPEND some time alone with me
And you will
FIND YOURSELF AGAIN”
I AM going away
Next weekend
To spend some time
With a CLOSE SPIRITUAL FRIEND
And also with God and Jesus
And I am really
LOOKING FORWARD to spend some time with her
AND THEM
IT is NOT IMPORTANT
What we do
As long as
We do it together
And as long as God is at the CENTER
“COME AWAY with me
To a deserted place,”
And I have had religious EXPERIENCES
And have written some of my poetry
At my sister-Mary's-my Aunt Karen's
And my friend Diane's
“EACH ONE
Will be like a shelter
From the wind
And a refuge
From the storm
Like streams of water
In the desert
And the shadow
Of a great rock
In a thirsty land” Isaiah 32:2
In this deserted place
OR RETREAT HOUSE
If you will
One can ponder
Some basic BLESSINGS
Of nature and life
And SOME teachings of God
And Jesus
“IF you hold
To my teaching
You really are my DISCIPLES
Then you will KNOW
the truth
and the truth
WILL SET YOU FREE” John 8:31
In this noisy-fast-paced world
That we live in
A deserted place
For PRAYER and meditation
Can be a TRUE BLESSING
And it need NOT
Even be totally deserted
Just SURROUND YOURSELF
With peaceful living people
With peaceful loving people
WHO LOVE both God and others
As much as you do
WE can find quietness
In a church
At a shrine
Or in a park
In a friend or relative's house
OR even in a secluded room
Within our own home
Just listen to Jesus
WHEN he says-
“COME AWAY WITH ME”
and you can FIND PEACE
Once again
For your mind-body-and soul
And REST AND REJUVENATION
Robert P. Wallman
July 18th, 2015
Ps ONE THING that I have learned in life-is that-people who PRAY TOGETHER-STAY TOGETHER
Inspired by an article in LIVING FAITH MAGAZINE by Father James McKarns
2-20-2019
Tuesday, February 19, 2019
GOD'S LOVE TOUCHES US
GOD'S LOVE TOUCHES US
Today we read about-
Jesus HEALING a blind man
In STAGES
“He took the blind man
By the hand
….....Putting spittle
On his eyes
He laid his hands on him
And asked=
'Do yous see anything?'
Looking up he replied
'I see people looking
Like trees and walking'
Then he laid his hands
On his eyes=a second time
And he saw clearly=
His sight was RESTORED
And he could see
Everything distinctly” Mark 8:23-25
In this case
Jesus PHYSICALLY TOUCHED
The blind man and heals him
In stages
But with us-
We mostly HEAR of
God's love=bu don't
Really see it
But he TOUCHES US
Just the same=he really
MOVES our lives
In the right direction
He TOUCHES us=God's love-
Jesus' love does touches us-
Even though we don't
LITERALLY see it
“Saul also
Went to his home
In Gibeah
Accompanied by valiant men
Whose hearts
God had TOUCHED” 1 Samuel 10:26
“People brought
All their sick to him
And begged him
To let the sick
Just TOUCH
The edge of his cloak
And all who TOUCHED it
Were healed” Matthew 14:36
I have been
Touched by God
I have been TOUCHED
BY JESUS
I feel it in my heart
I hope
You CAN feel it too
When Jesus' love touches us
We feel an
UNEXPECTED GOODNESS
That touches our hearts
And we BEGIN to feel=
To even see=a TOUCH
Of the DIVINE LOVE
And God=and Jesus
Touches us again and AGAIN
And we begin to feel
If not actually see
GOD'S LOVE in our lives
We are loved by God
We are BELIEVERS=we are
God's people
And when we REGAIN
Our VISION=we actually
SEE the Lord
“LOOK to the Lord
And his strength
Seek his face always” Psalm 105:4
“Then you will LOOK
And be radiant
Your heart will throb
And swell with joy
The wealth on the seas
Will be brought to you
To you
The riches of nations
Will come” Isaiah 60:5
Whether we see it=or not
When we look
We FEEL that the
LOVE of God=the love of Jesus
That ALWAYS TOUCHES US
In Jesus' name and in the name=of our ALL TOUCHING=loving GOD
Robert P. Wallman
2-19-19
Ps INSPIRED by an article in LIVING FAITH MAGAZINE by Patricia Livingston
JOURNAL=GIVE MERCY
JOURNAL 3-2-15=GIVE MERCY
“BE MERCIFUL-just as also your FATHER is MERCIFUL” Luke 6:36
DO you ever get annoyed by people? DO YOU ever run into annoying people during the course of your day? MY ANSWER is yes and yes-I have come to REALIZE that sometimes being annoyed is a good thing-ACTUALLY A BLESSING
For in Luke 6:37-it says-
“STOP JUDGING and you will not be judged-STOP CONDEMNING and you will not be condemned-FORGIVE and you will be forgiven”
FOR the TRUTH is-as often as we are annoyed by others-WE ANNOY others just the same-AS I have said before-FORGIVENESS-is a most difficult task-especially WHEN we are the ones who are perfect
-lol-SERIOUSLY-the thing GOD calls us most to do is LOVE-and to LOVE difficult people-we can't do it on our own-we have to OPEN ourselves up to GOD'S LOVE-and here is WHERE the BLESSING part comes in-when we are MERCIFUL with and love others-GOD IS more merciful with us-OF COURSE-he ALWAYS LOVES us -all of us-and as his disciples-that is what we are CALLED UPON to do-LOVE AND FORGIVE ALL PEOPLE
Dear GOD-we THANK YOU for the annoying people in this world-FOR THEY OPEN US up WIDER to your LOVE
it is a GREAT DAY to be ALIVE in GOD'S LOVE for us and a great day to LOVE AND FORGIVE the difficult people in this world-HELP US ALWAYS to GIVE MERCY
GIVE MERCY
It is EASY
To sit in judgment
Of another
To CRITICIZE them
For this
Or for that
What is NOT
So easy
Is to GO the extra mile
And to GIVE someone mercy
What exactly is mercy
MERCY is compassion
Shown to an offender
It is forgiveness
EXTENDED to someone
Who doesn't deserve it
That is what
Jesus did for us
He lived and died
And RESURRECTED
For our sins
For us
Who didn't deserve it
HE TOOK OUR PLACE
In his first encounter
With his apostles
AFTER the resurrection
After they all
Deserted them
He says to them
“PEACE be with you
As the Father
Has sent me
So I send you” John 20:21
The human reaction
Would be
To be angry
At the apostles
But the GODLY reaction
Is to BLESS them
And MORE than that
He challenges us
To extend that SAME MERCY
To one another
“Be merciful
Just as your Father
Is merciful”
How can we be merciful
Towards others
Basically
By FOLLOWING CHRIST'S EXAMPLES
And living with
Corporal and spiritual acts
Of mercy
FEEDING the hungry
Clothing the naked
Visiting the sick and imprisoned
Sheltering the homeless
COMFORTING the sorrowful
And MOST of all
PRAY-PRAY-PRAY for others
And encourage them
And build them up
REFRAIN form gossiping
About them
And ALWAYS
Give someone another chance
After all
God has given us
Chance after chance
Give someone MERCY
Give them another chance
DON'T PASS JUDGMENT
“For I desire mercy
NOT sacrifice
And ACKNOWLEDGEMENT of God
Rather than burnt offerings” Hosea 6:6
“HE has showed you
Oh man-what is good
And what does the Lord
Require of you
To act justly and LOVE MERCY
And to walk HUMBLY
With your God” Micah 6:8
Give someone another chance
Give mercy
GIVE MERCY TODAY
Robert P. wallman
June 3rd, 2014
INSPIRED by an article in LIVING FAITH magazine by Sister Melanie Svoboda, S.N.D.
3-2-15 and 2-19-19
Monday, February 18, 2019
REMAINING FAITHFUL!
REMAINING FAITHFUL!
Today in Genesis=we
Read about how God
Regretted that he had
MADE human beings=and that
Human beings were evil
“The Lord REGRETTED
That he had made
Human beings
On the earth
And his heart
Was deeply troubled” Genesis 6:6
But then the Lord
Recalled NOAH
And his FAMILY
Had REMAINED FAITHFUL
And he decided
To SPARE them
From the flood
That was coming
The world is a
WILD and crazy world=
WHERE do you stand
In it?
Are you REMAINING
FAITHFUL to the Lord?
“Love the Lord
All his FAITHFUL people!
The Lord preserves
Those who are true
To him
But the proud
He pays back in full” Psalm 3:23
“Many claim
To have unfailing love
But a FAITHFUL person
WHO can find?” Proverbs 20:6
“The one who calls
You is FAITHFUL=
And he will do it” 1 Thessalonians 5:24
Our God=OUR FATHER=
Is a FAITHFUL LORD=and he doesn't
Want to give up on us
REMAIN FAITHFUL
To the Lord
Thank God for Noah=
Thank God for you and me
And in today's gospel=
Jesus has LOST PATIENCE
With his disciples
He warns them against
BEING self-righteous
Jesus PROVIDES a roof=and
Food for us=but he is
CONCERNED about the SPIRITUAL
HUNGER of his disciples
About the spiritual hunger
OF US
This is WHY we must
Pray today=this is
Why we need to
READ the SCRIPTURES daily
To stay SPIRITUALLY
In touch with the Lord
And CONTINUE
To remain faithful
To the Lord
“Never be lacking
In zeal
And keep your SPIRITUAL fervor
Serving the Lord” Romans 12:11
“Praise be to God
And Father
Of our Lord Jesus Christ
Who has blessed us
In the heavenly realms
With every SPIRITUAL BLESSING
In Christ” Ephesians 1:3
Dear Lord=we PRAY that
We NEVER become too comfortable
In this world
And cease to REMAIN FAITHFUL=
Help us to be like Noah=
To be like JESUS
And that you always find us
As YOUR FAITHFUL SERVANTS
In this world
In Jesus' name and in the name of our DIVINE-LOVING FATHER
Robert P. Wallman
2-18-2019
Ps INSPIRED by an article in LIVING FAITH MAGAZINE by Fr. Martin Pable, O.F.M. Cap.
JOURNAL/REMEMBER WHO YOU ARE
JOURNAL/REMEMBER WHO YOU ARE
“LET IT BE DONE according to your WISH” Matthew 15:28
A dying man once asked: “I don't know IF the Lord will take me in”
HOW would you RESPOND to this man---maybe the PROPER RESPONSE is
“JUST ASK HIM”
In today's GOSPEL-the daughter of a Canaanite woman was HEALED because she was PERSISTENT
in her FAITH
JESUS' RESPONSE: “BE IT DONE according to THY WORD”
REMEMBER who you are---YOU ARE A CHILD OF GOD-and it is A GREAT DAY to be ALIVE in his constant LOVE for us
REMEMBER WHO YOU ARE
We live
In a cold cruel world
A world that often
Does not notice us
A world
That treats us with indifference
And when this world
Does notice us
Often
It is only to criticize us
Or reject us
Take heart
You are a Child of God
And so as a father or mother
Loves their own child
Our God, and our Father
Loves you the same way
“How great is the love
The Father has lavished on us
That we should be called
Children of God
And that is what we are” 1 John 3:1
Take heart---and always remember
Who you are
You are a Child of God
“The reason the world
Does not know us
Is that it did not know him” 1 John 3:1
The world teaches us
To build our lives on money and material things
This world teaches us
To build our lives on our lust and sexuality
This world teaches us
To build our lives
On the promises of science
If we do these things
We don’t have to worry
About the devil
We don’t have to worry
About the antichrist
Because if we do these things
He is already here
Our Lord knows that we are sinners
But he taught us
That we have the potential for greatness
He taught us
To believe in God
And to believe in him
Because he knew
That earth is not our final destination
That we are destined
To spend eternity with him
Remember who you are
You are/we are
Children of God
Just look at who he befriended
An adulterous woman
Who was about to be stoned
The prodigal son
Who turned his back on his father
Peter---who denied him 3 times
Remember who you are
You are a Child of God
We assume
The adulterous woman quit sinning
We know
The prodigal son
Returned home to his father
And we KNOW---Peter turned out to be the ROCK
“Upon you
I will build my church”
So if there was hope for them
There is HOPE for us
“We know that anyone
Born of God
Does not continue to sin
The one who was born of God
Keeps him safe
And the evil one cannot harm him
We know that we are children of God” 1 John 5:18
REMEMBER WHO YOU ARE
Robert P. Wallman
5-5-11
2-18-2019
Sunday, February 17, 2019
A GOD-GIVEN RESPONSIBILITY
A GOD-GIVEN RESPONSIBILITY
Today we read about
The famous brothers=the
Famous murder=of Cain
KILLING his brother-Abel
AFTER Cain takes his brother
Out into the field=
And kills him
God asks Cain about Abel=
“Then the Lord asked Cain=
'WHERE is your BROTHER-Abel?'” Genesis 4:9
And we have Cain's
FAMOUS RESPONSE
“'I don't know,' he said-
'Am I my BROTHER'S KEEPER?'” Genesis 4:9
As CHRISTIANS-we know
That the ANSWER to this question
Is an UNQUALIFIED YES
As Christians-we KNOW-
We have=A GOD-GIVEN RESPONSIBILITY
To take care of our family-
To take care of our FRIENDS-
And to take CARE
Of anyone in need=
IF we can
We have a God-given
RESPONSIBILITY to care for
The WELFARE of others
This goes BEYOND family and friends=
To take care of
ANYONE in need
It is a God-given
Responsibility to take care of
The WELFARE OF OTHERS
It is part of our
God-given DUTY=and part
Of the second commandment=
“LOVE your neighbor
As ourselves”
“Now all has been heard
Here is the conclusion
Of the matter
Fear God
And keep his commandments
For this is the DUTY
Of all mankind” Ecclesiastes 12:13
“Paul looked straight at the Sanhedrin
And said=
'My brothers=I have fulfilled
My DUTY to God
In all good conscience
To this day'” Acts 23:1
“Brothers and sisters=
Each person-
As RESPONSIBLE to God
Should remain
In the situation
They were in
WHEN God called them” 1 Corinthians 7:24
IF we run away
From our responsibility
We may END UP
Selfish or self-centered
But when we EMBRACE
Our Christian responsibility=
Our GOD-GIVEN RESPONSIBILITY
We end up with LOVING FAMILIES-
With safe neighborhoods=
Life-sustaining government agencies
And a great COMMUNITY
With good schools-CHURCHES-hospitals
And CARING CENTERS
God's love=CHRISTIAN LOVE
Should be ALL-INCLUSIVE=
Who can we HELP TODAY?
“A new command-
I give you
LOVE ONE ANOTHER
As I have loved you
So you
MUST love one another
By this EVERYONE
Will know
That you are my disciples=
If you=LOVE ONE ANOTHER” John 13:34-35
Love one another
TAKE CARE of
One another
HELP one another
It is A
GOD-GIVEN RESPONSIBILITY
In Jesus' name and in the name of our ALL LOVING-ALL GIVING FATHER
Robert P. Wallman
2-17-19
Ps INSPIRED by an article in LIVING FAITH MAGAZINE by Sr. Melannie Svoboda, S.N.D.
GRACE IS WHAT SETS US APART
GRACE IS WHAT SETS US APART
For us BELIEVERS
What sets us apart
Is the GRACE OF GOD
For if God's grace
Is LIVING in our heart
GOD'S LOVE
In the person of Jesus Christ
Is living in us
Do you know how
To define grace
MOSTLY-as almost all things from God-
Are indefinable-
But the best definition
I have seen is:
“The UNDESERVED LOVE AND SALVATION
GOD gives us”
The key word here is: “UNDESERVED”-
and the reason
it is undeserved is:
Is that we are UNDESERVING
Yet God simply chooses
TO LOVE US
Because God is love
And love is HIS WAY
And God will ALWAYS
Choose to love us
And nothing we can do
Can change that
“FOR I am convinced
That neither death nor life
Neither angels nor demons
Neither the present
Nor the past
Nor any powers
Neither height nor depth
Nor anything else in all creation
Will be able to separate us
From the love of God
That is
In Christ Jesus our Lord” Romans 8:38
There you have it
GOD LOVES YOU
Nothing can change it
Because of God's GRACE in you
GOD'S GRACE in you
IS what sets us apart
We are barely
A month into 2015
And I hope that you-
As I have
Let the painful and ambiguous moments
Of 2014 behind
For God's love-grace-and mercy
ENCOMPASSES it
We may
NOT be able to forget
Some of the moments
But because of the fact
That GOD'S GRACE lives in us
We can LEAVE them behind
GRACE SETS US APART
“And of his fullness
We have all received
For the law
Was given by Moses
But GRACE AND TRUTH
Came by Jesus Christ” John 1;16-17
The greatest parable
Of GOD'S UNDESERVING GRACE
Is seen in Luke 15
About ONE lost sheep
One lost coin
And one LOST SON
Whom his father
CONTINUES TO LOVE-
Even after the son
TURNS his back on his father
And BLOWS everything
On wine-and women-and song
Yet his father
Continues to love him
As our LOVING FATHER
Continues to love us
Despite our best efforts
To sabotage our own lives
GOD'S GRACE is what
Sets us apart
And so as we continue
To move forward into 2015
Dear Lord
We ask you
For your CONTINUED GRACE
As we are eager
To receive GRACE UPON GRACE
From our good good God
Dear Lord-we thank you
For the graces
Of this past year
And your graces
Still to come
For we KNOW
That it is YOUR GRACE
THAT SETS US APART
Robert P. Wallman
1-26-15
Ps INSPIRED by an article in LIVING FAITH MAGAZINE by Sister Melanie Svoboda, S.N.D.
2-17-2019
Saturday, February 16, 2019
ONLY THE PRESENCE OF GOD
ONLY THE PRESENCE OF GOD
I really don't think
We can SEPARATE ourselves
From God=no matter
How hard that we TRY
God is CONNECTED to us=
He MADE us in
His IMAGE
But some of us-INTENTIONALLY-
Or by inattention=
Try to separate ourselves
From God
When we do that
We place ourselves-
In a PRECARIOUS situation
For only the LOVE OF GOD=
Only the PRESENCE of God
Makes the DIFFERENCE
In our lives
“He is like
A barren bush
In the desert
That enjoys
NO CHANGE of season
But stands in a
Lava waste=
A salt and empty earth” Jeremiah 17:6
I don't know
About you
But I LOVE
The CHANGE OF SEAON
I love the PRESENCE
Of God
In SPRING=in winter=
In FALL= and in SUMMER
But it is the
PRESENCE OF GOD-
The constant presence
Of God
That makes
All the difference
In our lives
“BLESSED are those
Who have learned
To acclaim you
Who walk
In the light
Of your PRESENCE=Lord” Psalm 89:11
“You have
Made known to me
The PATHS of life
You will fill me
With joy
IN YOUR PRESENCE” Acts 2:28
“To him
Who is able
To keep you
From stumbling
And to present you-
Before his glorious PRESENCE-
Without fault
And with great JOY--------” Jude:24
The CHANGE of seasons
Can make us feel better
For a SHORT while
But ONLY
THE PRESENCE OF GOD
Can ever REFRESH
And renew us
We MUST be aware
Of this
And live lives
HONORING the constant PRESENCE
Of God=REFRESHED and RENEWED
“The law of the Lord
Is perfect
REFRESHING the soul
The statutes of the Lord
Are trustworthy
Making WISE the simple” Psalm 19:7
“A generous person
Will prosper
Whoever REFRESHES others
Will be REFRESHED” Proverbs 11:25
Dear Lord=
Our EVER sustaining God
Enlighten us
With your PRSENCE TODAY
For it is ONLY
YOUR PRESENCE LORD=that
SUSTAINS us in our lives
In Jesus' name and in the NAME=of our all LOVING=EVERLASTING FATHER
Robert P. Wallman
2-16-19
Ps INSPIRED by an article in LIVING FAITH MAGAZINE by Steve Givens
THAT DEEP CONNECTION TO GOD
THAT DEEP CONNECTION TO GOD
I don't know
About you
But I FEEL a DEEP connection
To God
Like Jesus is ALIVE
And right in the ROOM with me
Besides that-I know-
He is alive in each
And EVERY ONE of our hearts
“I saw the SPIRIT come down
Like a dove form heaven
And REMAIN upon him” John 1 :32
CAN you IMAGINE
If you were alive
At this particular time
In history?
SEEING the actual dove
Come down on Jesus
Or John or Jesus-himself-
BAPTIZING you/me
In the Atlantic ocean
Sometimes I can see it
So vividly
I actually BELIEVE
It happened
That IS the way it is
WHEN you have a deep CONNECTION
To God
NOTHING can separate you
From God or Jesus Christ
“For I am CONVINCED
That NEITHER death nor life
Neither angels nor demons
Neither the present
Nor the future
Nor any powers
Neither height nor depth
Nor anything else
In all creation
Will be able to separate us
FROM THE LOVE of God
That is in-Christ Jesus
OUR LORD” Romans 8:38-39
Just imagine YOURSELF
WALKING through the hills-
The mountain sides-and the dusty
Trails and roads with Jesus
WATCHING HIM heal the sick
Heal the blind and the deaf
And even RAISE Lazarus
From the dead
It is NOT that hard to imagine
RIGHT THERE-being ONE of his disciples
When you have
That DEEP connection to God
And Jesus
WE are PART of him
We BELONG to him
He belongs IN US-
LIVING in our hearts
As we WALK-talk-and LIVE
This JOURNEY called life
“For DOMINION
Belongs to the Lord
And he rules
Over the nations” Psalm 22:28
“Whoever BELONGS to God
HEARS what God says
The reason you do not hear
Is that you do not
Belong to God” John 8:47
But I am SURE you hear him
I am sure you FEEL
THAT DEEP CONNECTION
Just as I DO-just as-
Peter & Andrew did-John & James-
And ALL the other apostles
I WALKED the trails
I SAW the cruel death
I feel and SEE Jesus
AFTER THE RESURRECTION
I sink into PRAYER
And I rest in his PRESENCE
I feel that DEEP CONNECTION
To God and Jesus
I BELONG to him
SO DO WE ALL
Robert P. Wallman
1-15-17
Ps INSPIRED by an article in LIVING FAITH MAGAZINE by Aileen O'Donoghue
2-16-2019
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