Spiritual dope

He can barely walk and he can hardly talk
and I always see this guy up and down my block
Dazed and confused, in his own little zone
Stumbling, bumbling, lost...and all alone
All the kids make fun of him and give him the bird
and he just tells them that he loves them and tries to give them the word
but nobody understands him, or they just don't want to hear it
Everybody thinks he's touched, but he's just touched by the spirit

He's got an eighth of faith
and an ounce of hope
and a kilo of love
He's on spiritual dope

Awww man, here she comes again
ending every sentence with a little "Amen"
Hitting every street, always going door to door
If you take a little taste then she'll try to give you more
She wants to get you hooked so you will never get away
She promises tomorrow and says forget yesterday
A one-hitter quitter, dope that'll truly make you feel
She says it's pure and uncut, and what she pushes is real

She's got an eighth of faith
and an ounce of hope
and a kilo of love
She's on spiritual dope

One day I took a chance and danced with these two dope-heads
and I asked them if they cared about what their drug spreads
The guy looked at the lady and she looked back at the guy
and they both looked me in the eye and asked "You wanna get high?"
He said "C'mon, just a little, I promise it won't hurt you."
"You'll never be alone," she said, "this will never desert you."
So I opened it up; 1 Corinthians 13
and now I'm the new pusher in the spiritual dope scene

I've got an eighth of faith
and an ounce of hope
and a kilo of love
I'm on spiritual dope

Jan Bagwell

God Bless !

What I Believe

WHAT I BELIEVE

I BELIEVE  in the HOLY SPIRIT, who came forth from the Father and Son to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment, and to regenerate, sanctify and empower for ministry all who believe in Christ.  We believe the Holy Spirit indwells every believer in Jesus Christ and that He is an abiding Helper, Teacher, and Guide.  We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit and in the exercise of all the Biblical gifts of the Spirit.

I BELIEVE  that all PEOPLE are sinners by nature and choice and, therefore, are under condemnation; that God regenerates by the Holy Spirit, those who repent of their sins and confess Jesus Christ as Lord; that Jesus Christ baptizes the seeking believer with the Holy Spirit and power for service, often subsequent to regeneration.
  
I BELIEVE  in the universal CHURCH, the living spiritual body, of which Christ is the Head. All regenerated persons are members of His CHURCH.

I BELIEVE  the Lord Jesus Christ committed two ORDINANCES
to the Church: 1) baptism, and 2) the Lord's Supper.  We believe
in baptism by immersion.  We believe in communion open to all believers who have prayerfully considered and applied
1 Corinthians 11:26-30.
WE BELIEVE  there is one living and true God, eternally existing in three persons: The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, equal in power and glory; that this triune God created all, upholds all, and governs all.

I BELIEVE  the SCRIPTURES of the Old and New Testaments
are the Word of God, Fully inspired without error in the original manuscripts, and the infallible rule of faith and practice.

I BELIEVE  in GOD, THE FATHER, an infinite, personal Spirit, perfect in holiness, wisdom, power and love; that He concerns Himself mercifully in affairs of men; that He hears and answers prayers; and that He saves from sin and death all who repent
and come to Him through Jesus Christ.

I BELIEVE  in JESUS CHRIST, God's only begotten Son, conceived by the Holy Spirit.  We believe in His virgin birth, sinless life, miracles and teachings, His substitutionary atoning death, bodily resurrection, ascension into heaven, perpetual intercession for His people, and personal, visible return to earth.
Jan Bagwell
God Bless !
If you agree send me a email  and say Amen

Love turns water into wine

Love turns mere water into wine
and earthly things become divine.
It swallows hurt and hatred up
and sweetens every bitter cup.

Love satisfies the deepest thirst
and always puts its' loved one first.
It does not hurt, but seeks to please
and even loves its enemies.

Love ascends the steepest hill
determined God’s will to fulfil.
Love willingly lays down its’ life
and gives up all in sacrifice.

Love hangs upon Golgotha’s tree
with arms outstretched so wide for me.
Then Love cries out, “Father, forgive”
lays down His life that I might live.

Jan Bagwell

God Bless !

HOME AT LAST

I never imagined what a joy it would be,
To see friends and loved ones waiting for me.
To be welcomed home with such celebration,
Escorted in by such a heavenly delegation.

As we walked together down golden streets,
On the splendours of heaven my new eyes did feast.
Oh! The sights and sounds of this beautiful place,
And majestic beings with such beauty and grace.
Every where I looked were wonders to behold,
It is true, the half has never been told.

Then angel voices mingled with mine,
Increased in crescendo as upward they climbed.
The air was charged as the praises ascended,
And I marvelled how all the voices blended;
Each one becoming a part of the other,
Unbroken in harmony, beauty and splendour.

After a while the voices died down
And I took this opportunity to look around.
I had one desire, and it was to see
The One who made all this possible for me.
Then I heard a voice, like a soft gentle rain,
Saying, 'welcome home, I'm so glad you came.'

As He gathered me close in a loving embrace,
I saw joy and happiness shining on His face.
"We've so much to talk about, you and I,
About the many times you wondered 'why?'
But for now I just want you to cuddle with me,
We'll talk more later. We have eternity.

I was so happy to be there with my risen Lord,
I was so glad that I held fast to His precious Word.
Nevermore will I have to fear sickness or pain,
It can never ever touch me again.

No earthly reunion could ever compare
With the regal reception that I've received here.
Rejoicing and praising such as I've never known
What a wonderful introduction to my beautiful new home.

Jan Bagwell

God  Bless !

A Perfect Masterpiece

Peered I, up to the heavens. So stunned, I stood in awe.
His hand swept over East to West and this is what I saw...
A sight exposing every truth, that made me nearly faint.
A sight, that in a million years, no man could ever paint.
A special, brand new masterpiece that God creates each day.
A special, brand new vision that He gives along my way.

I see a vast creation that is pure outside and in
before His work is tarnished by horrendous, evil sin.
He paints His skies so differently. No two are just the same.
He paints the creatures on the earth - the wild and the tame.
The sunsets over mountain peaks are not identical -
and snowflakes falling from the sky - not precisely equal.

The clouds float freely with the breeze while rolling on thin air.
Though no two skies are just alike, they share the canvas there.
And no two meadows look the same as I walk down His path.
I see no trees identical when grown through nature's wrath.
Not equal are the mountain streams or creatures of the wild.
And so unique the sunsets are - as faces of a child.

So patiently, a flower bud waits ready to unfurl.
A swirl of brilliant petals bloom. I see a little girl.
Her whole life laid in front of her that she became forthwith -
another link within the chain this world had yanked her with.
Priorities had dragged her from her work to shopping mall.
And every day, a masterpiece - yet she had missed them all.

Now richly dressed as all the rest who never seemed to care,
she peered inside a cancer ward and saw young children there.
She saw the face of one small boy with cute and chubby cheeks -
and though the tears had dried away she saw the many streaks.
They washed away the happiness in life so short, but giving -
as sin has made the sky to fall on innocent still living.

God waves His hand across the sky, but have I failed to see -
out way beyond my own routine, beyond my vanity?
God paints a perfect masterpiece on each and every child.
I finally saw His masterpiece when that young child smiled.
Peered I, up to the heavens. Through tears, I prayed in awe.
His hand swept over East to West and that is what I saw...

Jan Bagwell
God Bless !