God Most High

Our foundation we must guard,
As winds of change are blowing hard
To try to shift us from our base
And Christianity erase.

Foolish are the men who try
To trample on our God Most High.
The great I AM, Whose truth will stand,
Just will not bow to man's command.

But He is deeply moved by prayer
Of saints who intercede and care,
Who call upon His name to rule
And stand against all ridicule...

Worshipping in holiness
And bowing in all lowliness,
Standing guard for what is right,
Brightly shining through dark night.

"If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."
II Chronicles 7:14 KJV

© 2009 Arlene Schwartzkopf

One Step At A Time

God will never lead us to take steps when we're not ready.
Lovingly He oversees our "walk" to keep us steady.
In His perfect timing He prepares a goodly course,
One where we will prosper and will never have remorse.

As He leads and guides us we may sometimes have to wait,
But He will not forsake us nor will cause us to be "late".
He will add His wisdom till we're able to step higher
And reach the next objective to which we would aspire.

Skipping over certain steps could cause our plans to fail,
For if we're not prepared, this could make our footsteps "ail".
Always it is best to take just one step at a time,
Relying on God's leading for a sure and steady "climb".

"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths."
Proverbs 3:5-6 KJV

© 2010 Arlene Schwartzkopf

Using Time Wisely

The thing which most people don't like to give up
Is some of their time... with Jesus to sup.
They will give money or share their possessions
But will not give time to deep intercessions.

Folks who are busy with schedules too full
Sometimes will shun the Spirit's soft pull,
Knowing they need to make some adjustment,
Yet are unwilling to make an "entrustment".

Placing our time in the hands of the Lord
Will create new order and bring us reward.
He will facilitate all that we do,
Redeeming our time so it won't go askew.

Time is a gift we can use as we may,
But we cannot hoard it for it flees away.
If we commit it to use for the Lord
It will have substance and bring good reward.

"See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil."
Ephesians 5:15-16 KJV

© 2010 Arlene Schwartzkopf

Old-Fashioned Goodness

How I appreciate old-fashioned neighbors,
Who reach out in kindness without thoughts of labors
Of doing for others and spreading good will...
Who reach out in love to those who are ill,

Who speak a good word where'er there is need
And offer encouragement by a good deed.
These folks are rich in kind-hearted living
And spread love and peace by sharing and giving.

They are like sunshine and rainbows of hope
To those who are down and can't seem to cope.
Praise God for neighbors who offer some cheer.
These folks, in God's eyes, are special and dear.

© 2009 Arlene Schwartzkopf

The Heartbeat Of God

Deep in your soul is God's heartbeat heard?
By His great love have you e'er been stirred?
His love is deeper than ocean or sea,
Boundless in scope for you and for me.

If you will listen, the sound will be clear,
Changing your life and drawing you near.
Then when His heartbeat becomes as your own,
No other sound will match what you've known.

His heart is tender toward those who will hear...
To those who listen and give Him their ear.
His awesome love, poured out from His heart,
Will change your whole world and new life impart.

"Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God..."
I John 3:1 KJV

© 2010 Arlene Schwartzkopf

Live Without Regret

Do good to others. Owe no man a debt.
Life every day so you'll have no regret.
Do what you know is the right thing to do.
In every thing to your conscience be true.

All of your actions will speak over time
And carry a message of "service" sublime.
Let the sum total of all you have done
Speak of God's goodness and victories won.

"Whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men."
Colossians 3:23 KJV

"And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise."
Luke 6:31 KJV

© 2010 Arlene Schwartzkopf

Bright Light

Lord, make of me a vibrant light,
A lamp which goes not out by night,
Bringing hope for each new day
To those I meet along my way.

Fill me with Your richest oil
To share with those who faint from toil,
The weary and the burdened folk
Who tread with heaviness of yoke.

May light in me illumine paths,
Retrieving souls from hell's dark wraths,
Guiding souls toward Heaven's store
Of rest, salvation, peace and more.

"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."
Matthew 5:16 KJV

"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."
Matthew 11:28-30 KJV

© 2009 Arlene Schwartzkopf

Lift Up Your Eyes

Lift up your eyes to the heavens above.
Worship the God Who poured out His love
To save us and rescue us from sin's dark toll,
Who gave His own Son that we might be whole.

All of our joy and hope rests in Him.
When we look up, our cares will grow dim.
Deep in our hearts new life will have birth.
There in His presence we find our true worth.

Our God is able to meet all our needs.
His mighty hand our lack supercedes.
Our mighty God is worthy of praise.
Let us look up and much worship raise.

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
John 3:16 KJV

"I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth."
Psalm 34:1 KJV

© 2010 Arlene Schwartzkopf

Set Apart With Him

Sometimes when we feel "shut-in"
And circumstance seems not to change,
God is doing something good,
Our lives to build and re-arrange.

When we're "set apart" with Him
We should know He is at work.
Though we're anxious to "move on"
His timing we should never shirk.

As we fix our eyes on Him
Surely He will prosper us.
In His care we stretch and grow.
His timing always is a plus.

"The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord."
Lamentations 3:25-26 KJV

© 2010 Arlene Schwartzkopf

Anchored Faith

We won't have a worthy anchor
If for worldly things we hanker.
It's distraction is too much
Whene'er we get involved in such.

Having anchor in the Lord
And studying the two-edged sword
Will make us as a bulwark strong
Against the tide of evil's wrong.

Shakings, tremors, flood and wind
An anchored faith cannot rescind.
Those acquainted with God's power
Have safety in the darkest hour.

Should our days grow gray and dim
We will find true strength in Him.
He will answer when we call.
His strength is great when ours feels small.

"Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might."
Ephesians 6:10 KJV

© 2009 Arlene Schwartzkopf

Little Folks

A child can touch the heart of God
With just a tear, or smile or nod.
How God cares for tiny folks
And sees them as His mighty oaks!

He makes every child unique.
To each one His heart will speak.
They are precious in His sight.
He made each with great delight.

As they grow up and mature,
And their lives stay sweet and pure,
Surely they will be fine oaks...
These precious, gentle little folks.

"But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven."
Matthew 19:14 KJV

"Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it."
Proverbs 22:6 KJV

© 2010 Arlene Schwartzkopf

A Time To Be Alert

The "land of the free and the home of the brave"
Is under assault from those who would waive
The tenets and freedoms for which we have stood,
Men with agendas which simply aren't good.

We must respond to this threat with great fervor,
Not just "stand by" and be an observer.
We can be praying for God's hand to move,
Men's tactics and schemes to quickly disprove.

Issues are clear as elections draw near.
We cannot sleep... our freedoms are dear.
Set out with purpose... good values to save.
Vote for God's best... our future to pave.

"Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance."
Psalm 33:12 KJV

© 2010 Arlene Schwartzkopf

Morning Dew

God's blessings come down as dew in the morn,
Refreshing and goodness our lives to adorn.
Our God is great, and loving and kind,
And pours out His riches in gifts hand-designed.

Receive of His blessings... gather the "dew",
For each day has treasure designed just for you.
Taste of the freshness and savor it's "scent".
Breathe in it's fragrance... for you it is meant.

Don't waste the dew... each morning it's new
And holds special promise for you to pursue.
Gently it falls as we are at rest
And waits for our waking so we may be blessed.

"It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness."
Lamentations 3:22-23 KJV

© 2009 Arlene Schwartzkopf

Grace

When I'm "near-sighted" and coming up short,
Or through some failures Your purpose I thwart,
When I am weary and falling behind,
Your grace has waited, is patient and kind.

When I get busy and sometimes don't pray
And by my lethargy do not obey,
When I make error and simply am blind,
Your grace has waited, is patient and kind.

Grace is the bridge between us and our goals,
Helping us "reach" and fulfill all our roles.
Grace is our comfort... God's love well-defined.
His grace is waiting, is patient and kind.

"And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness."
II Corinthians 12:9 KJV

© 2010 Arlene Schwartzkopf

Wisdom And Prayer

If we haven't used good wisdom and prayed,
Most of our problems may be what we made.
Knowing God's plan will save us much time
And help us to reach those goals which are prime.

Wisdom wll guard us from tangles and snares
So we can avoid life's worries and cares.
Time spent in prayer will "order" our days
And lead us with insights which "lift" and amaze.

That which we seek may have gilt and gloss,
But errors in judgment can create much loss.
Our God is faithful to help us discern.
When we're in prayer, His wisdom we learn.

"Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."
Philippians 4:6-7 KJV

© 2010 Arlene Schwartzkopf

A Quick Response

When God has given us a call to do a task, the time is now.
He may ask a quick response, for sometimes time does not allow.
For us to pause or lag behind, moving in "our old sweet time."
We could miss an open door when opportunity is prime.

When God shows us what to do, we can't say "later", but say "yes".
Though we may not understand, it's never good to "second-guess".
When He interrupts our path, praise His name, but do not chafe.
The very words which He would speak might even be to keep us safe.

The more we tune in to His voice, the more we can be used of Him.
Without His constant leadership our lives and futures could be dim.
Obedience is that wondrous key which keeps us balanced and alert,
Which causes us to grow in Christ and useless actions to avert.

"To obey is better than sacrifice..."
I Samuel 15:22 KJV

© 2009 Arlene Schwartzkopf

Keeping Promises

Keeping our word is a high aspiration,
And for those who do, give standing ovation.
Taking this lightly is just not of God.
Our word must be good and with truth be shod.

Promises given and then not fulfilled
Are only as chaff when fine grain is milled...
Meaningless words without good intent
Carelessly uttered but not really meant.

Words which we speak should always be weighed...
With careful attention and love be conveyed.
Words which are meant will never be broken.
Honorable words are more than a "token".

"For there is not a word in my tongue, but lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether."
Psalm 139:4 KJV

© 2010 Arlene Schwartzkopf

Joy And Refreshing

Troubles cannot get me down,
Rob my joy or make me frown.
In the Lord I am revived.
He gives peace where I have "strived".

He brings chaos into order
And adds cheer within my border.
He is greater than my woes,
So I'll not worry over those.

He will bring to me delight
And make each moment to be bright.
When His tenets I employ
He brings me continual joy.

"Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me."
Psalm 138:7 KJV

"But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head."
Psalm 3:3 KJV

© 2010 Arlene Schwartzkopf

Autumn's Warmth

God has His paintbrush ready and His palette in His hand,
To brighten up the countryside and make it all look grand!
He'll splash His colors far and wide in autumn's bright display.
It seems He gives us extra "warmth"... enough for winter's "gray".

When cold sets in and earth will sleep, we'll have these memories
Of beauty from the Master's hand, our hearts and thoughts to please.
Drink in His great artistry to cheer and keep you warm.
Let it be a burning fire through wind and rain and storm.

Until He wakes the earth again with blades of green in spring,
Let harmonies of autumn's flair within your spirit ring.
Harvest beauty in thie time for store with your soul.
Forget not all God's benefits displayed in autumn's role.

"Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation."
Psalm 68:19 KJV

© 2009 Arlene Schwartzkopf

Our Best Tool

Our greatest tool of love and peace is simply called the tongue.
Words of kindness which we speak can heal what is unstrung.
Through wisdom does the tongue become an instrument of peace.
It issues forth sound words with calm and causes stress to cease.

Emotions cannot rule a tongue or it will surely fail
And cause a situation which is weak to further ail.
Wisdom "puts the brakes on" us and tempers what we say,
Guiding us to weigh our words and not cause further "fray".

Tongues of wisdom move in love and mediate with skill,
Overcoming hindrances and sponsoring good will.
By the Spirit of the Lord we learn to use this "tool".
As we practice kindness, cheer and love and peace will rule.

"The heart of the wise teacheth his mouth, and addeth learning to his lips."
Proverbs 16:24 KJV

"In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that restraineth his lips is wise."
Proverbs 10:19 KJV

"Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath."
James 1:19 KJV

© 2010 Arlene Schwartzkopf

Helping Each Other

Helping each other and working together
Will help to get through hard times or "bad weather".
Bonded in purpose and joined hand to hand
Makes us much stronger and able to stand.

Man cannot stand alone in a "storm".
And, should he try, how would he stay warm?
He will be strengthened by others who care
And come alongside to cheer and to share.

Back a few years our grandparents knew.
Helping each other is how they came through
Seasons of hardship, labors and toil.
Their reaching out became as sweet oil.

"Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others."
Philippians 2:4 KJV

© 2010 Arlene Schwartzkopf

God's Stitchery

I work on counted cross stitch painstakingly with care
To make sure every stitch I take will have a certain flair.
For each stitch is important and will add a certain hue,
Combining lovely shades of thread with colorful debut.

If I skip a stitch or two, or use wrong-colored thread,
My design will not be right but have some flaws instead.
I try to make my thread lie smooth, avoiding loops and tangles.
Then my work will have a special touch from different angles.

Oh, that I might serve the Lord with this same carefulness
And follow what He has for me with diligence and prayerfulness.
My life has "tiny stithches" which, combined, become His story.
Let me be a finished work which brings Him praise and glory.

© 2009 Arlene Schwartzkopf

Upward Bound

Lord, let my thinking e'er be upward bound.
There in the Spirit are treasures profound.
Let me rise higher until I am "caught"
Where heavenly riches will fill all my thought.

Let me partake of the Spirit's rich flow
And my understanding be opened to know
All of Your purpose and broader dimension.
Help me, O Lord, to have comprehension.

Lift me, O Lord, up to Heavenly places
Where I may taste of Your spiritual graces
Until that day when I finish life's story
And enter into eternity's glory.

© 2010 Arlene Schwartzkopf

Guarding Against Error

We may not be aware when an error has come in,
And as we go along, then some problems will begin.
At the time it happened it may not have been discerned,
But from that point of error a good lesson can be learned.

Quickly we should backtrack and ask God to make "repair".
He will give us aid as we seek His face in prayer,
Restoring us and guiding us, our errors to correct,
Redeeming time we may have lost, our pathways to perfect.

"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths."
Proverbs 3:5-6 KJV

© 2010 Arlene Schwartzkopf

The Love Of God

"Though our prayers be long and many and our prasies be on high,
Words will ne'er encompass God's great love... they just fall shy.
Man's perception of our God is miniscule at best.
We can't grasp or fathom all the ways in which we're blessed.

But when we practice His command to always love our "brother",
To reach out with a caring hand in helping one another,
We have touched His very heart... this God we so revere.
He takes notice of that love and hastens to draw near.

None will ever match His lovingkindness and His grace.
Nothing else we know in life His love can e'er replace.
God is o'er all heav'n and earth, and yet He is our friend.
All throughout eternity His love will never end.

"Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God..."
I John 3:1 KJV

"If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us ."
I John 4:12 KJV

© 2009 Arlene Schwartzkopf

A Fresh-Flowing Stream

The Word of the Lord is a fresh-flowing stream
From weariness, burn-out and "wear" to redeem.
Here is refreshing from which we may drink
To strengthen, encourage and keep us "in sync".

It's cooling waters relieve heat of battle
And quiet the sound of enemy "prattle".
We are renewed and regain our peace.
Here from anxiety we find release.

Reading and speaking and living the Word
Becomes living waters, our lives to engird.
Here we can find oasis and calm.
The Word is a river with sweet, healing balm.

"Quicken thou me according to thy word."
Psalm 119:25 KJV

"The entrance of thy words giveth light."
Psalm 119:130 KJV

"He leadeth me beside the still waters."
Psalm 23:2 KJV

© 2010 Arlene Schwartzkopf

Signs Of Autumn

Painted hills and brisk, fresh air
Are pleasant signs of autumn's flair.
She gives us her very best
To ready us for winter's rest.

Autumn brings us change of thought
From summer's end and harvests brought
To cozy evenings by the fire,
Books and good times which inspire.

Autumn has a special duty...
She reminds us of God's beauty!
When she shuts her door to rest,
By these memories we'll be blessed.

"The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord."
Psalm 33:5 KJV

© 2010 Arlene Schwartzkopf

Be Contagious

Have you ever noticed how, when another person is enthusiastic or excited about something, their joy rubs off on you and it is good to be around them?

I walked into church one morning and greeted a young man, asking him how he was. He answered me with, "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits" (Psalm 103:2); and, "Let everything that is within me bless His holy name!" (Psalm 103:1).

The Scripture was flowing out of Him as a river of living water, and it impacted me. He was greeting people with the Word! My spirit immediately came alive, and I began to rejoice. What a moment! He was on fire, and the Holy Spirit was fanning the flame.

Be contagious for Jesus! Spread His joy around. Let His joy spring up within you and splash out on others! Be as a spark which lights a fire and, as on a prairie, let your spark be fanned into a mighty sweeping fire for God.

Fan the flames of the Good News of Jesus!

© 2009 Arlene Schwartzkopf

Too Many Distractions

The enemy wiill use distractions
To detour our thoughts and actions.
He makes noise and gives us flack,
Our goals and focus to set back.

He will fill our time for us
If we listen to his "fuss".
If we try to do too much
Then we hurry and "lose touch".

God will give us certain goals
And define for us our roles.
When we focus just on Him
We'll avoid distraction's whim.

"The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy."
John 10:10 KJV

© 2010 Arlene Schwartzkopf

The Fruit Of The Spirit

Our bodies by God's loving hands were designed
And prosper in health when with Him we're aligned.
We are not built to house anger and rage,
Yet some folks in anger unwisely engage.

Because of this problem so many are ailing.
Even, in some cases, health may be failing.
Ire undermines our health and destroys,
Robbing us daily of God's wondrous joys.

If we are filled with the Spirit's good fruit,
Then love and forgiveness all rage will dilute.
Do not let anger take root in the heart.
Let love, joy and peace blot it out at the start.

"Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage."
Galatians 5:1 KJV

"But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law."
Galatians 5:22,23 KJV

© 2010 Arlene Schwartzkopf

Quiet Balance

We sometimes get so caught up in the schedules of the day
That we forget to celebrate God's goodness in our "way".
When we have too much to do and hurry to and fro
We lose quiet balance for a long day's ebb and flow.

Measuring how much our load and spacing out it's weight
Will help us to avoid having too much on our plate.
Making place throughout the day to "listen" and to pause
Allows us to have insight and to give our God applause.

We may labor very hard to get a day's work done,
But somewhere in that busy day should pray and not just "run".
Precious moments spent with Him refresh and keep us free.
Renewing quiet balance is the answer and the key.

"Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin."
Matthew 6:28 KJV

© 2009 Arlene Schwartzkopf