There’s just something about That Name!
Category: poetry
My Forever Valentine and my Best Friend
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Zephaniah 3:17 GWT
The LORD your God is with you. He is a Hero who saves you. Happily rejoices over you, renews you with his love, and celebrates over you with shouts of joy.
My Forever Valentine and my Best Friend
He’s my forever Valentine
And my very best Friend
I have a forever Valentine
He’s with me daily all of the time
He is perfect loving and full of zeal
Oh yes this One for sure He’s the Real Deal
When I was single and felt alone
He came and made me an offer
From out of His special love
I accepted of course, I’m not a scoffer
So kind and humble
And gentle in heart
This doesn’t even begin
To tell the greatest part
Things hadn’t worked out
As planned or thought
No time to despair
I was being sought
The enemy thought
He had won
But he didn’t have a clue
Of what was to come
My Valentine ask me to learn of Him
To seek out His true nature
I simply couldn’t resist
He wasn’t a distant stranger
So I began to study
Seeking only His Face
And through the line of time
I began to trace
I found where He is my Salvation
And my Solid Rock
Perfect Lamb of God
From the Tower of The Flock
He’s my Forever Valentine
And my Very Best Friend
So since Two Thousand
Plus years of five
My Forever Valentine
Touched my heart and made it come alive
Something changed
Early that Valentine morn
When my heart was awakened
With a deeper love adorned
Perfect love
And joy unspeakable
Cannot be explained with words
Pleasures forevermore inconceivable
So it you think you need
A forever Valentine
“I AM” most happy to share with you
The One I call mine
For His heart is amazing
Gigantically enormous
He has room enough for all
Yes for everyone one of us
Guy or gal young and old
No matter the age
May I introduce to you my Forever Valentine
King Jesus center stage
A complete and perfect Love
The River of Life that never runs dry
He is more than enough
Reach out give Him a try
He conquered the grave
Lives forever to make intercession
How about that
For a Valentine True Love confession
© January 2018
1 Corinthians 2:9-10 GNT
But as scriptures says: ” No eye has seen, not ear has heard, and no mind has imagined the things that God has prepared for those who love Him.
God has revealed those things to us by His Spirit. The Spirit searches everything, especially the deep things of God.
His love is never changing, cannot questioned or understood with our carnal minds. Our love is the fallible, weak and questionable love mentioned in the passage above. Jesus said if you love Me you will keep my commands, so the love He is looking for is love in action. A verb, and a transitive verb at that. You, me, us, His people, we are the direct object Jesus is speaking to for us to do what He is saying. If we keep His commandments, He and The Father will come and make their abode with us.
John 14:23 various translations – anyone who loves Me will obey my teaching, do what I say, keep My words, obey My teachings, will do what I say. And My Father will love them, and We will come and make Our home with them. Whoever does not love Me does not keep my word or teachings.
Even Jesus and The Father, cannot live or make their abode with selfish, self seeking people. No wonder we struggle also. Love is the answer. Love is the key to His Heart.
A couple of years ago while reading something caught my attention. I learned that a clef, the musical clef is also called a key. I had know for years music had keys but had never made the connection. I understood immediately, praise and worship are the keys to our Lord’s heart. We know this but I saw it in action. We are commanded to praise ‘in’ all things not ‘for’ all things. Worship begins with adoration of Him. When we see Him, we see or should see ourselves. The real us, as we really are, the real us. Breaking through the barrier of outward things we see our heart, lay bare and open before Him. Seeing His pure and perfect love, we repent, fall prostrate and say Oh my God and my King.
When Isaiah saw The Lord, he wasn’t like, yo God, hey Lord, glad you could drop by, whas up. I’m concerned that with our cultural Christianity we attempt to make The Lord common, comfortable with sin. Our Lord is not common. He is Holy! He died that we can come away from and be delivered from sinful lifestyles, warning others. Jesus did not hang out with sinners, He changed sinners at their very core. We do not find where Jesus was ever okay or comfortable with sin. Read Luke 4:18-19.
Isaiah said, “Woe is me, for I am undone! I am a man with unclean lips and I dwell among an unclean people.” The seraphim took a live coal from the altar of The Lord and touched his lips.
When I saw and experienced His pure love, I too was undone. If you haven’t had an encounter that has left you undone, go back there is so much more waiting for you. Go back for a life changing encounter with the Lover of your soul.
Good morning and God bless you and keep you and make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord cause His countenance to rise upon you and give you Shalom.
Until next time, thank you for listening with me. Laurette
I Have Been
For the Lord is always good and ready to receive you, He’s so loving that it will amaze you– so kind that it will astound you. Psalm 100:5 TPT
I Have Been
I have been abandoned
Lost and alone
But I have been found
Heaven is my home
I have been shattered
broken and bruised
I have been made new
and totally rescued
I have been afraid
Trembling to my soul
But I have been set free
Perfect peace now in control
I have been shaken
Felt it would never get better
But I have been steadied
I’m no longer a debtor
I have been a beggar
With no money which to buy
But I’ve become rich
Because Jesus does supply
I have been a sinner
With no reason left to think
That He would want to help me
Or be the ship that couldn’t sink
He is so much more
Than I could’ve ever guessed
He’s my rescuer and redeemer
Designer of righteousness
He is my peace and security
From all of earths snares and alarms
He is my King and Savior
Underneath The Everlasting Arms
Poem written by laurette laster © 2018 Feb
Deuteronomy 33:27 GWT
The eternal God is your shelter, and his everlasting arms support you. He will force your enemies out of your way and tell you to destroy them.
Have you ever felt unlovable? Feeling nothing is, or will ever be right. I’ve felt so lonely in huge crowds of people, I remember the feeling of agonizing loneliness in the wrong relationship. I’ve felt isolated in the largest groups of people. But since making Jesus my hiding place and best friend I no longer have that cold, lonely and empty feeling. I am satisfied with much or with little, but I am no longer satisfied with counterfeit or fake relationships.
No matter where you are today I pray you will reach out and call out to your redeemer, His name is Jesus. There is not a human love or a human relationship that is capable of filling this God centered place in your soul. It is a place reserved for Him alone. Once it is occupied by Jesus all other relationships come into alignment or they go.
Today if you’re are struggling, feeling lonely, while it seems the rest of the world is in love; don’t worry. Jesus wants more than your today, He desires your forever. He is a consuming fire and a jealous God. He wants your whole heart. Once you give Him your whole heart you won’t only ‘need’ human love, you will desire healthy love, wanting to be loved and give love. Need says I must, desire says I can choose and agree with the Lord. Don’t settle for a counterfeit, or second best when heaven is calling your name.
Once we have tasted the love of Jesus we are changed down in our core. In this week of Valentine’s Day, the love celebration, just remember the greatest love celebration made all the angels in heaven burst out in song, worthy is The Lamb who was slain but now lives. Love died and rose again that we can live and have life abundant.
I pray you make Jesus your forever Valentine. It is the sweetest love ever tasted.
With my whole heart, with my whole life, and with my innermost being, I bow in wonder and love before You, The Holy God! Yahweh, You are my soul’s celebration. How could I ever forget the miracles of kindness You’ve done for me? You kissed my heart with forgiveness , in spite of all I’ve done. You’ve healed me inside and out.
Lord You are so kind and tenderhearted to those who don’t deserve it and so patient with people who fail You. Psalm 103:1-3,8 TPT
God bless you and keep you and make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord cause His countenance to rise upon you and give you Shalom.
Until next time, thanks for listening with me. Laurette
Hand Over The Key to Love
Depths of purpose and layers of meaning saturate everything You do
(From the grace series)
It is so enjoyable to come before You with uncontainable praises spilling from our hearts! How we love to sing our praises over and over to You, to the matchless God, high and exalted over all! Psalm 92:1 TPT
Hand Over The Key to Love
Have you ever longed to hold
The key to another’s heart
To see them light up and glow within
Like light overtakes the dark
Have you longed to love
Be loved back with a vengeance
To know this kind of love
Oh feelings available and endless
What if you never had to fear
Afraid that love would leave
But you could fully trust
At last you had received
Oh to think of a love so pure
To imagine a love so strong
To truly know and understand
It is yours and to you belonged
That you were more than enough
To be loved through and through
Well I have come to share
That is exactly how God loves you
He sent His only Son
To come deliver the news
That God had made a way
For you beaten scourged and bruised
Why would He do this what was He thinking
He longs for you to understand
That you’ve held the key to His Heart
On your love He makes a demand
For God so loved the world
He gave His only begotten Son
That whosoever would not perish
Believe then rest secure in His eternal Love
A Father who comes to fight like this
Wow can you even imagine
Why would He do it what was His plan
You hold the key to His heart,
Can you just fathom
A love so strong that won’t let go
A love that will search you out
I know you’ve been feeling His draw
Reach in your pocket and pull it out
That key you’ve been holding
Fits the lock to open your heart
You closed it off long ago
And now is the time to start
Open and unclench your fist
You’re safe, hand that key to Jesus
That anger you held against God
It belongs to satan the lying deceiver
Jesus came to make a way
You’re safe in His love and Care
Jesus has come to rescue you
Follow Him! Unending love waits there
© laurette laster 2018
Melodies of praise fill the air as every musical instrument, joined with every heart, overflows with worship. No wonder I’m so glad; I can’t keep it in! Lord I’m shouting with glee over all You have done, for all You’ve done for me! What mighty miracles and Your power at work, just to name a few. Depths of purpose and layers of meaning saturate everything You do. Psalm 92:3-5 TPT
As God’s chosen instrument, He created as His masterpiece, a people to make sounds with our larynx and mouth, He created us to speak. So we are vocalist. We therefore have instruments of percussion. We are His sumphoneo (pronounced soom-fo-neh-o) His symphony. Our whole bodies are a praise. We bow our heads, we bend our knees, prostrate with faces to the ground, we fold or lift holy hands, we set our feet to dancing, we sing, we cry out, and when we do this in unity or harmoniously we become his sumpheneo, His symphony. May we not only lift our praises but become His praise. In the scriptures above we see what love really is. It comes from an internal deposit by Holy Spirit on the inside. This love is from the inside out. Love is much more than an emotion, it is an explosion of His goodness poured into us, then we in turn pour into others.
In this the week of love, I encourage you to learn of Jesus and grow in love with Him. He is our pure Love and Valentine. His heart poured out His never ending love proving this.
God bless you and keep you and make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord cause His countenance to rise upon you and give you Shalom.
Until next time, thanks for listening with me. Laurette
I Have the Key
God our hearts spill over with praise to You! We overflow with thanks for Your name is the “Near One.” Psalm 75:1 TPT
I Have the Key
I have the key
To Jesus heart
It’s at the beginning
A Precious part
The start of my day
Continues until noon
Then onward I go
By evening swoon
A one of a kind
Integral part
It is a precious key
This key to His heart
It Cannot be purchased
Not available for franchise
It is poured and molded
Not for the ignorant only the wise
It is a special key
That you must embrace
Cannot be copied or ignored
Each one kept on display
What is this key
And where do I apply
It is fashioned from purity
Pours out of your eyes
It is tears and sobs
When you see His face
When you come to realize
He took your place
When out of pure desire
You behold Your King
It’s golden and glorious
Awe invoking inspiring
When praises like rivers
Out of your belly flow
Bowing before Him
This is how to grow
Willing to be molded
Into a work of art
That is the key
The key to His heart
For we each are a masterpiece
From The Potters design
Created in Christ Jesus
No counterfeit but a one of a kind
It is a praise in the morning
With prayers and rejoicing
Giving Him entrance
Agree while endorsing
The key is our praise
Acknowledging all He has done
So don’t wait any longer
To His Throne we must run
You’re His own workmanship
Created to show His glory
You’re are a special key
to unlock His story
That others may share
In His kingdom inheritance
Don’t wait another day
Use your key open the entrance.
It is a song and a prayer
Given new wings
Rising from the ashes
Until my soul does sing
Praise Him in the morning
And when it seems dark
Because praise is the key
To our Masters heart!
Poem written by laurette laster © 2018 September
To all music lovers and readers of musical notes, you know that a clef is a key. A clef is a musical key, we don’t need to play an instrument to understand this concept.
Key signatures, scales, notes, symbols, flats, sharps, minors, majors; all sound like prayers to me. Prayers as praise going up to the throne of our God. So indeed we have and hold the key to our Masters heart.
In marriage vows we say to have and to hold from this day forward.
In this week of love called Valentine’s Day week in the United States, I encourage to make Jesus your forever Valentine. The things of earth pale in comparison to tHis true love. Love originated from God, He is love. When our love flows out of praise to Him, we can be trusted to love others.
……and what is this I hear you saying king David, in the throes of agony while in anguish? Who are you pointing us to? What is it you have come to tell us?
Psalm 22:3 TPT
Yet I know that You are most holy; it’s indisputable. You are God enthroned, surrounded with songs, living among the shouts of praises of your princely people.
God bless you and keep you and make His face shine upon you and be gracious. The Lord cause His countenance to rise upon you and give you Shalom.
Until next time, thank you for listening with me. Laurette
A beautiful prize
A beautiful prize
For God so loved He gave…..true love gives.
Love gives, lust takes.
In a world of takers, dare to be different.
No chocolate confection
Will replenish the desire for pure affection
There is not a bouquet
To appease the pure way
No card can say
What a heart desires in one day
But coupled with love and purity
These each enhance love’s security
So look for the real, lasting and kind
Because love is beautiful, on purpose, and never unkind!
© laurette laster feb 2020
“Until then, there are three things that remain: faith, hope, and love—yet love surpasses them all. So above all else, let love be the beautiful prize for which you run.”
1 Corinthians 13:13 TPT
God bless you and keep you and make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you Shalom.
Until next time, thanks for listening with me.
The Snow Moon
In the middle photo I see a wide eyed child, in a hooded coat lined in fur, looking up with eyes of wonder. Can you see it? It is very cloudy tonight so I snapped these photos between the parting of the clouds.
The Crisis is Meant to Break Us
The Crisis is Meant to Break Us
When you really know Him
Then you will understand why
When you really meet Him
You understand do or die
Others aloof and unaware
Angry and walled off
Senses dulled of hearing
Mere thought of Him they scoff
If they really knew Him
How real relevant and right on
Just one touch from Jesus
Shattering hardest heart of stone
It isn’t some wishful thinking
If You’re out there somewhere please
No it is oh my God and my King
In desperation falling on my knees
The crisis is meant to break us
In many different ways
But the breaking He requires
Is when He hears us say
Oh my God I cry out to You
Alone broken and shattered
I need Your help to go on
I feel beaten weathered and battered
This cry out of a contrite heart
Reaches heaven’s throne
Summons help from The Father
Hearing the cries of one of His own
When your heart completely shatters
All doubt comes gushing out
He will come and take it
Mend and seal apply two spouts
With reservoirs of living water
Rivers flowing from His throne
Healing health and wholeness
Evidence of becoming His own
When the valves are attached
True communion can begin
You will know and believe
Become honest and dependent on Him
As He fills our hearts
Living water irrigates
Creates the overflowing
When we bow down to propagate
Freely He has supplied
Freely we must give
The crisis meant to break us
So that we can truly live
© laurette laster 2019
Jesus speaking to the Samaritan woman said, “if you knew the gift of God and who is speaking to you, you would ask of Me and I would give you living water.”
Was it the isolation and rejection from the others that set her up for a life changing encounter? This encounter didn’t change her life only; this encounter changed an entire town.
The rejection we suffer is what God is allowing to toughen us up, making us thick skinned, tough enough to withstand public opinion or perhaps jealousy, envy and strife. After all the blessing is harder to manage than the opposition along the way. Scripture tell us Jesus was mocked, ridiculed, hated, ostracized and rejected, and we know He was dearly loved by God. But we know He was hated by ungodly men, those who didn’t understand the ways of God or what God was bringing to light. Jesus talking to His disciples tells them, “if the world hates you, just remember that it hated me first.” John 15:18
Before His crucifixion, Jesus is speaking to His followers, He explains that He is making these things clear to them so that they will not fall away. When we consider that God loved Jesus, we must also consider He fulfilled and honored what He was born to do. His disciples returning with lunch were shocked to find Jesus speaking to the Samaritan woman, Jesus responded with, ” I have food to eat that you know not of. My (food) meat is to do the will of Him who sent me.”
We cannot say to those unwilling to follow God’s will, grace is all over you, grace, grace to you, you got this, go you, Jesus is for you………………. Mercy? perhaps, but grace is poured out for us to fulfill the will of God in our life.
We also have His spoken promise of, be of good cheer I have overcome the world. John 16.
We see above that the Samaritan woman hadn’t fallen away but she was pushed away from the crowd. She discussed with Jesus what had been spoken and prophesied. She may not have been accepted by others, but do you think that mattered after this encounter? She was changed completely. She is our picture of rebirth or the new birth. When meeting Jesus, in Spirit and Truth while going about her daily chores. She is the first person to be told He is the Messiah. She came for natural water and left with springs of eternal living water flowing through her, to others.
No matter what we are going through, if we don’t faint we will reap. What God is allowing has eternal value, we will see and understand further down the road.
I was thinking the other day about God having to shake the world out of my grasp. I wasn’t evil, I was frightened. How could I let go of the counterfeit? It was all I had.
When I had an encounter with Jesus, I no longer had an appetite for watered down, weak, counterfeit, worldly things. I needed truth, and today my soul continues to long for more of Him.
I’m grateful He gives me a good shake now and then, He continues to shake things up, now I know and understand: it is because He is taking me to all that He has destined for me to walk in.
The crisis will cause us to let go, shaking loose the things of the world from our hands. Those things we are holding tightly, are robbing Him of His rightful place. A good shaking allows room for more of Him.
Shake it up Lord.
PS now we can understand why the apostle Paul said, No dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it. I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it, gut I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead.
Whew – some needed room for grace.
God bless you and keep you and make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord cause His countenance to rise upon you and give you Shalom.
Until next time, thank you for listening with me. Laurette
Saying Yes to God
It is just as the Holy Spirit says, “If you hear God’s voice today, Hebrews 3:7
Once I
Once I said yes
When I should have said no
Once I said stop
When the answer was go
Once I was sure
That was the way
Disastrous disappointment
For many a day
Once I was hurried
And frazzled with care
I cried out help
Is anyone there
Is there someone to help me
Someone who knows what I need
I haven’t got a clue
I can’t continue at this speed
I received a message
Just in the nick of time
I had been waiting
Didn’t realize why
Is anyone out there
A voice called back
Who are you like looking for
I was taken aback
When out of nowhere
This Voice called to me
I have been here all this time
But you couldn’t see
I called to you and summoned
You were busy with friends
I’ve waited patiently
To speak again
Once I said yes
When I should have said no
Times past I said stop
Now I say go
© laurette laster October 2019
For years I didn’t know our Lord as our ever present help in time of need. I knew sometimes things just seemed to work out, but I didn’t know He was summoning me to walk with Him.
I had the idea that you did the best you could and hopefully the good would outweigh the bad, and if the cards fell just right well maybe you would make it into heaven. Isn’t that a crazy idea or way to think? It is sad. I wonder how many others think this way?
Being busy and doing good can be good, but it can choke the will and desire of The Lord out. Always running to help someone, always dropping what you’re doing, putting others first, may not be God’s work. Yes I know that we are to do good works. But good works the bible talks about are in addition to other daily activities and works. I let others use me or take advantage of me so they would like me or at least tolerate me.
I’m so glad I was delivered from believing others wants and needs were what God wanted, and that I was somehow appeasing His anger by doing good works.
I pray we set aside quiet time to hear from The Lord and then proceed from Him, not proceed on ignoring Him. The other day I glanced this red bird sitting in my peach tree, alone. I thought maybe he needs some quiet time alone from the crowd.
Then I thought about how I require that too.
He is speaking. Today if you hear His voice do not harden your heart………..
God bless you and keep you and make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord lift up His countenance on you and give you Shalom.
Until next time, thanks for listening with me. Laurette
Forever Is Not Very Long
Forever Is Not Very Long
From My Forever Valentine Series
What can I have that I can also be
What I can I give that comes back to me
Said to make life much sweeter-how can I know
That If I give it away it always grows
What can I find that can also be shared
What about all this makes me even care
What am I lacking that if I become
I am guaranteed it will add much more fun
I’ve heard it said but I cannot remember
I know it is strong yet delicate and tender
I’m thinking, I’m thinking, it’s on the tip of my tongue
It can be old and aged or newly found or young
It grows and strengthens over time
Anyone can be this or they can find
How can I remember all of the specifics
But not remember and name something so terrific
Then I’m reminded by watching Pooh and Piglet
It is friendship and love given without limit
I’m grateful to know that if I give it away
It is given back and it comes to stay
So if you’re an old friend or one newly come along,
In the words of Pooh and Piglet; we can be friends forever, forever is not so long.
Copyright © 2019 laurette laster all rights reserved
National Winnie the Pooh Day was the eighteenth and I missed it. I still want to watch Christopher Robin, am I the only one who hasn’t seen this movie? I’m adding it to my to do list for 2020.
During a leadership meeting yesterday, one of the leaders shared the importance of support groups for people in recovery. She shared that she read in order for people to heal they need a support group, and they may require additional group therapy.
What makes support groups and therapy work? How do these two help individuals? Is there a specific dynamic that can be isolated, then given that eureka moment, or woo hoo, here it is, award? I believe there is. It is called having a bond of friendship.
Being around other caring individuals who are striving to do better, get better, be whole, be forgiven, be enough, be loved, be accepted, and then give it away…we look around and say, “ah my people.”
Group settings include bible studies, life groups, ministry, or any various helps missions. What is the requirement to be in one of the groups? The only requirement is to have the desire to have clear vision of who God designed us to be, become a better us and help other’s be better. Becoming all God desires us to be requires mentors, godly leaders and friends. The Lord Jesus looks on us with compassion and instructs us to love God with all our heart, all our soul, all our mind and all our strength, and to love our brother as ourselves.
In group settings we find real and intimate friendships being developed and formed. Realizing we all are on the journey together and that we are not alone; isn’t that what friendship is all about?
Isolation, where lies and deception grow and fester. Solitary confinement is used as punishment to create a willingness to submit. Isolation is used to break the human will. Withholding food and fellowship are two of the oldest tactics used in brainwashing. Don’t buy the lies of the devil, reach out and show yourself friendly. Get involved, you may find some great friendships along the way.
“There is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” (Proverbs 18:24)
To all my friends thank you for making my life more complete.
God bless you and keep you and make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord cause His countenance to rise upon you and give you Shalom.
Until next time, thank you for listening with me. Laurette
Through All Seasons 