Awake My Soul To Praise

Awake my soul, a new day dawns,

The breeze is singing in the trees,

The stars have ceased their nightly song

And sunrise calls the tune.

Come, join with nature in her praise,

As raindrops tinkle merrily

Upon the swiftly racing stream,

Awake my soul, come live the dream,

Imbue with joy these blessed days.

The blackbird's song, the skylark's call,

The nightingale gives hearty voice,

The gentle breeze, the sunlight's gleam,

Harmonize in silent song.

The mountains shout their jubilation,

Enthused with constant expectation,

The galaxies hum a distant chord,

And planets silently applaud,

Come, join this joyful throng.

Why stay silent, God is here,

Emmanuel is in our midst,

Bringing love and joy and peace,

Know the wonders He can bring.

Awake my soul, and celebrate

The beauty of salvation,

Join with all of God's creation,

Nature's rampant exaltation,

Come, lift your voice and sing.

Bill Thomas

June 2013

You Are There

You are there

I know you are

In the quietness

Stillness

Silence

You are with me

Forever present

In my heart

Spirit

Soul

You are everything

Now to me

In my life

Wealth

Health

You are in me

Filling me

One with me

United

Entwined

By Alan Stevens

In Your Hand

Such sweet security,

Blessings beyond number,

Promise of Eternity,

Promoting peaceful slumber;

Worries far removed,

Troubles put in place,

Trusting in the Father

To help complete the race.

Securing your protection,

Resting in your peace,

No fear of rejection,

Knowing faith’s release,

In the palm of your hand

I stand.

By Bill Thomas

Crucified with Christ

I’ve been crucified with Christ, so it’s no longer I who live,

For on the cross with Christ I died, when He His life did give.

Christ and I have been made one, for I’m hidden deep in Him,

He has fulfilled the law for me, so now I’m freed from sin.

Both sin and death have lost their power, I’m now at peace with God,

And I’m walking on a pathway, that Jesus Christ has trod.

For I’m a new creation, made in the image of Gods Son,

And on the holy highway, I will my journey run.

No sin is counted to my charge, no evil me befall,

For I am clothed with Jesus Christ, and He’s my all in all.

The gospel is good news for me, for it tells me who I am,

That all my dreadful failures, have been dealt with by the Sacrificial Lamb.

So sin is not an issue, and death has lost its power,

So Christ and I do walk as one, each day and every hour.

For I’m hidden in His holiness, and I’m covered by His love,

And in this awesome truth I’m sealed, until I reach my home above.

By Dave Thorpe 

Eternal Bliss

How can I think of the world to come

When I know so little of this?

What have I achieved, what have I done

To deserve eternal bliss?

Why should I gain from another man’s pain?

Why should my sin be placed upon Him?

I’ve been set free, but how can it be

When I know I deserve much less.

Why does His mercy outweigh my guilt?

I doubt if I’ll ever know.

Why did the scales in my favour tilt?

Why do His clemencies flow?

Why does His grace afford me a place

In the realm of His Son, after all that I’ve done;

His blessings are for me, why does He adore me,

And where did my transgressions go?

What can I do, but give Him all praise

For the things He has done for me?

How will I spend the rest of my days?

What will my future be?

If I can just serve Him, though I don’t deserve Him,

And give Him the glory, and tell out His story,

For I certainly know when I finally go,

His face I will surely see.

By Bill Thomas

River

River

Cascading down

Immersed in the torrent

Overwhelmed

Sinking slowly into Christ's love

Reaching out to be touched.

Flooded

Completely baptized

Engulfed in the deluge

Satisfied

Drowning in all Christ has done

Gripped in the grasp of the son.

Rooted

Receiving life

Grafted in the father

Purified

Devoting to Christ’s perfect care

unmerited grace freely shared.

Awaken

Spirit alive

Streaming with the divine

Sanctified

Infused with heavens odor

Soaked into the spirits power.

Overflowing

Encasing me

The essence of life

Restoring me

Emanating from deep inside

Empowered to fullness of life.

By Alan Stevens

Clothed with Jesus

Clothed with Jesus, to be like Him,

Having been forgiven all our darkest sin.

Now a child of God most High,

To us no blessing He’ll deny.

Wrapped in a cloak of holiness,

As His heirs, for Him to bless.

Touched by His grace and love,

Clothed with the Christ of God above.

No weapon formed against us will succeed.

From powers of darkness we are freed.

Hidden in Christ’s holiness, we rest,

With kind affection we are truly blessed.

We do not walk the worldly way,

But follow in His footsteps day by day.

Baptised into His holiness divine,

His radiant glory through us to shine.

This not by human merit, but by grace,

And by His love and mercy, we will see His face,

From before all ages, He did call our name,

Forgiving all our failings, taking all our shame.

Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord above,

By His grace and mercy, we are covered with His love.

By Dave Thorpe

Caught in Adultery

But what did you write upon the ground?

And what did you think, as they stood around

Demanding her blood upon her hands;

She with the stigma, the prostitute brand.

Did you think of her frailty, of how she did wrong,

Of the unrighteous anger of the gathering throng;

And as you noticed the cant and hypocrisy there.

Did you weep at the lack of compassion and care?

Did you stoop down in anger or to cover your pain

For this world you’de created, now shrouded in shame?

Did you write words of wisdom, or just plain ‘forgive’,

As you forced them to leave and allow her to live.

And, did you realise, My lord, as she stood there alone,

That you, only you could have cast that first stone?

By Bill Thomas

Unfathomable

Unfathomable

The free gift of his righteousness

Unplumbed

The deep ocean of his loving goodness

Unsearchable

The riches of his gracious hand

Unchangeable

The enjoyment of the Promised Land

Unassailable

The stronghold of my father’s embrace

Unspeakable

The satisfaction as we behold his face

Innumerable

The blessings on me that are showered

Incessant

The torrent of the spirit towards me powered

Inconceivable

The thought that God should love me

Incorruptible

The spirit living and making me free

Incurable

The passion raging inside my heart

Infinite

The fullness of Christ in my every part.

Fortified

As I put on the belt of truth

Forsaken

As I cast off the lies of my youth

Forgotten

As I lose the desires of the past

Forgiven

As I revel in your sacrifice at last

Forward

As I leave my sin buried without a trace

Forever

As I live in the waterfall of your grace

By Alan Stevens

Clearing Out

A roll of black bin liners to my office I have brought,

And into them go papers, after giving it much thought.

Notes from the past, and books from which I have studied,

Some have been most helpful, from which revelation budded.

But everything must go, a new chapter now I’m starting,

New things will have to come, as from the old I am parting.

It is indeed a sad day, as some things I hold quite dear,

But I know it must be done, as the office I must clear.

Sometimes I like holding, to the things of the past,

But they are merely earthly things, which are not meant to last.

For I was born eternal, and my life it is forever,

So from these earthly things, I must truly sever.

For I’m a heavenly being, and my home is up above,

A place prepared for me, by my Father of great love.

So these things in my office, they just have to go,

Don’t ask me why, because I really do not know.

So I just keep pressing on, until the jobs complete,

And until it is accomplished, I will not retreat.

Upwards and onwards, with ruthless resolve,

Until the works completed, my mission I must solve.

I do not know what lies ahead, what further steps to take,

But the task of clearing out, I will not forsake.

By Dave Thorpe

Body Exchange

I refuse to give in to my  bodily woes,

I simply can’t humour the thought

That, as I get older,

My medical folder

Is full of the problems I’ve caught.

I must be a prize for the medics,

For I’ve got about everything now,

A blood pressure gauge that zooms to the sky,

Cholesterol levels that just want to fly,

And I just can’t lose weight, however I try,

Everything’s getting quite fraught.

I awake every morning with a throat like a rasp,

Put my weight on my legs and utter a gasp,

My nose keeps on running, my ears start to pop,

When I go for a pee, I simply can’t stop,

I get dizzy spells whenever I sneeze,

And daren’t go outdoors if there’s a light breeze,

Yes, my poor old body is getting worn out,

If they offered a prize, I’d be in with a shout.

But you see, my friend, and it may seem strange;

There’s this thing in Heaven called a body exchange,

And when I get up there, I want the full works,

A new fully functional body, with perks.

Not that I’ve earned it, but the Lord’s full of grace,

I can’t wait to see the smile on His face,

As He offers to me the best that’s in store,

And these aches and pains will be with me no more.

By Bill Thomas

Unmerited Favor

Unmerited favor

Freely given

More than I can contain

Overwhelming treasure

Poured into me.

Igniting a fire

An eternal flame

Consuming all my doubt

Living by His spirit

United with me

Rivers of grace

Overflowing inside

All I have freely received

Resting in the fullness

Placed in me.

by Alan Stevens

Cease Striving

The load I give you, is really very light,

Just lean on Me, and walk by faith and not by sight.

Come and delight yourself in Me,

Your bonds are broken, I have set you free.

The price I’ve paid for your release,

All your inner strivings now must cease.

Learn to rest in who I am, and what I’ve done,

For you’re My child, My precious one.

There’s nothing now you have to prove,

No feat of war, or mountain high to move.

Take My yoke upon you, and rest in My great power,

Then you’ll find yourself in Me in your darkest hour.

No weapon formed against you, will do you any harm,

So rest within My presence and do not show alarm.

Take My yoke upon you and I will give you rest,

Cause you to stand in triumph, over every test.

The battle I have fought for you, the victory I’ve won,

Now you are joint heirs with Me, Gods anointed one.

Rest in Me My dearest child, rest in Me alone,

For with My blood I bought you, for you I did atone.

You do not have to strive, to reach your heavenly goal,

For by My awesome act of grace, I have saved your soul.

By Dave Thorpe

Awestruck Wonder

I love to stand and watch the churning sea,

Gigantic waves that dwarf my mortal frame;

And study mountain peaks too high for man to reach,

And as I gaze my lips must frame that name;

In awestruck wonder, I gaze upon His works,

Burbling streams, glinting in the morning sun,

Mountain ranges, vast forests, leafy vales,

And then, the thought, He’s only just begun.

The universe, too vast for comprehension,

Planets, suns, that dwarf our tiny earth,

What wonders that lie beyond our reach?

What knowledge that signifies His worth?

Such greatness, beyond imagination,

Such beauty beyond anything we see;

Awesome sights, creations wonder,

But more glorious by far is He.

by Bill Thomas

The Oil of Your Word

The oil of your word

Drips through my hands, anointing me

Your sweet aroma

Floods through my senses, filling me

Embraced with you love, releasing me.

The wave of your spirit

Pours through my life, changing me

Your divine power

Pierces through my soul, healing me

Filled with your fullness, transforming me.

The realm of your glory

Breaks through my being, connecting me

A river of blessing

Flows through my all, enabling me

Released with your grace, embracing me.

By Alan Stevens

Atonement

His life He gave, the price He paid,

At His feet our sins were laid.

Made to be at one with God,

For us, the path of pain, He trod.

Now in union, enthroned with Him,

Having born the darkness of our sin.

At one with God, communion sweet,

We worship at our Saviours feet.

In harmony with God, as sons and heirs,

His glory now with us He shares.

Hidden in the depths of Deity, we are as one,

Showering love upon us, like brilliant rays of sun.

Encapsulated in His awesome light,

We find such pleasure and delight.

At one with God, delighting Fathers heart,

United in His holiness, never far apart.

Born to be joint heirs, with Gods own Son,

United with the triune Godhead, three in one.

For He the price has paid, to bring us to this place,

That we might share His glory, look upon His face.

Atonement, at one with God, hidden in His love,

This is God great gift to man, sent from heaven above.

by Dave Thorpe 

August 2011

Ambiance

The comfort of a fireside,

A gently flowing stream,

The warmth of good companionship,

The essence of a dream;

Good friends, good food, good humour

Are all that I require;

This is that sweet ambiance,

My very soul’s desire.

The music of the ocean,

The whisper of the breeze,

The joyful song of blackbirds

As they flutter through the trees;

A harmony of sentiments,

Hearts in one accord,

Can foster that true ambiance,

Friendship’s just reward.

A single harsh pronouncement,

Just one caustic word,

Can shatter this illusion,

Can break this fragile cord;

It can be broken in a moment,

Shattered in a trice,

This gossamer thing called ambiance,

There’s nothing quite as nice.

So let the ocean rhapsodise

And let the blackbirds trill,

Dwell softly by the fireside

And gently drink your fill;

Foster good companionship,

Let nothing fall to strife,

And you will find that ambiance

That will enhance your life.

By Bill Thomas