UP AHEAD (poetry)
February 5, 2021
Wisdom of the Holy One Maker of heaven and earth His thoughts are high above our own And He can see our worth He made us in His image, yes To be His family To know Him in all spirit and truth To open our eyes to see The evil of the world came forth To steal what God had made He tricked us in the garden But God knew just how to save The end from the beginning Is how our God does see Even though He knows our faults He sees what we can be He sent His son to show His love To legally set us free His blood upon the alter seat Perfect sacrifice was He Such are the wondrous ways of God There’s so much more to know As we look into His Word And seek His truth to grow To be in Him and Him in us A temple for the Lord Can’t wrap our minds around it Just have to trust His word Once we come of age in life All of us have sinned It made inside our hearts go dark So we need to be born again When we accept what Jesus did He makes in us all things new Our heart it changes deep inside Then His Spirit can dwell in you Then oh the journey we can have As our Father grows us up He loves to reveal the secret things And to joyfully fill our cup He will also teach us to be A warrior in the earth Overcoming darkness That’s fought us from our birth Then one day we all will rest In heaven we will be Our Father is a Creator What beauty we will see We each have a destiny That in His heart conceived Nothing will make us happier Than to be what we were made to be So now we must anticipate Our eyes kept up ahead As this age comes to an end And Jesus will crush Satan’s head copyright 2021 Jean Chamblee Thomas
Deep Waters – Poetry and Thoughts
August 6, 2018
A THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Sometimes those who have suffered the most, have the most to give.
2 Corinthians 1:3-5 “ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ.
DEEP WATERS
Don’t be afraid of deep waters, my love
This journey’s been sent from heaven above
It is at Gethsemane you are purified
In ways you can’t see, so don’t try to hide
Lay it all bare, at the foot of the cross
Let His word cleanse you as you follow it’s path
Clinging to truth, let all else pass away
Let it burn up, it’s not meant to stay
Deep into the waters you go
Let Him enter in to the depths of your soul
Stirring up places where pain still remains
Let Him expose them and pour healing rain
copyright 2017 Jean Chamblee
OUR HELPER – Poetry
September 25, 2017
The anointing is an amazing thing
It can take a broken girl
And make her a queen
The Bride of Christ
The King of kings
He longs to lift her up and give to her His wings
Jump into the water
The streams of His love
He went back to heaven to send His Spirit dove
Dwelling inside us
Is where He longs to be
Comforting and guiding us to a place we can be free
copyright 2017 Jean Chamblee Thomas
SELAH – (To Pause and Calmly Think About That) – Poetry
June 13, 2017
Do we take the time to just “Selah”
To rest in the moment
To ponder the sky
To treasure the moment
The richness therein
We could just sit for hours
Much better than zen
To sit and to think
Meditate where we are
The blessings in life
What has brought us this far
Or do we allow
Our thoughts to be sold
Down the river of doubt
Where darkness takes hold
Do we surround ourselves
With radical noise
Music, T.V.
Or technologies toys
We are being so robbed
We do it ourselves
Let society dominate
It comes in so stealth
The heart of Creator
Cries out loud
All the beauty He’s made
Treasures to be found
Ignored and bypassed
For something much less
The splendor of creation
Under the rug it gets swept
Don’t let technology
Become your God
Forgetting who made you
Forgetting His love
Stop and “Selah”
You can choose to awake
Don’t be swept down the river
Of His Wonders partake
copyright Jean Chamblee 2010
Question: “What does selah mean in the Bible?”
Answer: The word selah is found in two books of the Bible, but is most prevalent in the Psalms, where it appears 71 times. It also appears three times in the third chapter of the minor prophet Habakkuk.
There is a great deal of uncertainty about the meaning of selah. Most versions of the Bible do not attempt to translate selah but simply transliterate the word straight from the Hebrew. The Septuagint translated the word as “daplasma” (“a division”). Well-meaning Bible scholars disagree on the definition of selah and on its root word, but since God has ordained that it be included in His Word, we should make an effort to find out, as best we can, the meaning.
One possible Hebrew word related to selah is calah, which means “to hang” or “to measure or weigh in the balances.” Referring to wisdom, Job says, “The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it, neither shall it be valued with pure gold” (Job 28:19). The word translated “valued” in this verse is the Hebrew calah. Here Job is saying that wisdom is beyond comparing against even jewels, and when weighed in the balance against wisdom, the finest jewels cannot equal its value.
Selah is also thought to be rendered from two Hebrew words: s_lah, “to praise”; and s_lal, “to lift up.” Another commentator believes it comes from salah, “to pause.” From salah comes the belief that selah is a musical notation signifying a rest to the singers and/or instrumentalists who performed the psalms. If this is true, then each time selah appears in a psalm, the musicians paused, perhaps to take a breath or to sing a cappella or let the instruments play alone. Perhaps they were pausing to praise the One about whom the song was speaking, perhaps even lifting their hands in worship. This theory would encompass all these meanings—“praise,” “lift up,” and “pause.” When we consider the three verses in Habakkuk, we also see how selah could mean “to pause and praise.” Habakkuk’s prayer in chapter 3 inspires the reader to pause and praise God for His mercy, power, sustaining grace, and sufficiency.
Perhaps the best way to think of selah is a combination of all these meanings. The Amplified Bible adds “pause and calmly think about that” to each verse where selah appears. When we see the word selah in a psalm or in Habakkuk 3, we should pause to carefully weigh the meaning of what we have just read or heard, lifting up our hearts in praise to God for His great truths. “All the earth bows down to you; they sing praise to you, they sing the praises of your name. Selah!” (Psalm 66:4).
What Is Missing When Vacation Brings No Rest?
June 6, 2017
It is not in me. (Job 28: 14)
I remember saying one summer, “What I really need is a trip to the ocean.” So I went to the beach, but the ocean seemed to say, “It is not in me!” The ocean did not do for me what I thought it would. Then I said, “Perhaps the mountains will provide the rest I need.” I went to the mountains, and when I awoke the first morning, I gazed at the magnificent mountain I had so longed to see. But the sight did not satisfy, and the mountain said, “It is not in me!”
What I really needed was the deep ocean of God’s love, and the high mountains of His truth within me. His wisdom had depths and heights that neither the ocean nor the mountains could contain and that could not be compared with jewels, gold, or precious stones. Christ is wisdom and He is our deepest need. Our inner restlessness can only be pacified by the revelation of His eternal friendship and love for us.
~ Margaret Bottome “Streams In The Desert” Aug. 26
Matthew 11:28
“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
REFRSHING RAIN
God, He loves you so very much
He wants you to come to Him
So He can fill your cup
The cup of your soul cannot be satisfied
Only in the spirit where His love for you abides
No longer chase the earthly things
For what cannot be attained
Only In our Father can come refreshing rain.
by Jean Chamblee 2017
Rare Recommendation
January 8, 2017
I rarely recommend books or teachers…..but in truth, next to the Bible….this is the most helpful and eye-opening book I’ve ever read. I was crushed when it went out of print a few decades ago and I had lent it out and never got it back. But recently it was picked up and re-published and it is just as helpful today as it was then. ‘God Meant It For Good” by R.T. Kendall It gave me a perspective and understanding of how God uses tragedies in our lives and it helped me to see His hand at work in a new way. Many things in my life made sense after I read this book. It was life changing to me and gave me peace, even about the bad things that I had gone through. Anyway…..I recommend it highly to all seekers of truth. It is Biblically based and indeed about the life of Joseph in the Bible …..but in such a way and depth I have never heard from another teacher. Hope you will go for it …..it can be found on Amazon.com “God Meant It For Good” R.T. Kendall (Best $10 you’ll ever spend)
Blessings
Link: http://a.co/gQIKy42
QUIET TIMES – Poetry
December 4, 2016
Calmly walking by the bay
The mist is rising up
It crests the rocks and scatters ‘round
And peace, it fills my cup
As I walk and seek You
Silent and alone
My soul it lifts to meet You
My heart lifts to Your throne
Standing in your presence
Your warmth shines on my face
Just as real as earth is
I’m home here in this place
These moments are so holy
Sweet and set apart
As I see reflections face
Your love it fills my heart
Solid our connection
Fruitful are Your words
As they speak into my soul
My place with You assured
Don’t let it break away now
As I enter back inside
A place in our society
It seems no place to hide
Yet it takes a moment
To close my eyes and see
Our beautiful collection
Of quiet times with Thee
copyright 2016 Jean Chamblee Thomas
The Busyness Beast – Poetry
December 2, 2016
I am so guilty of running ahead
And doing things
Before I know what You’ve said
I always seem to end in a mess
Why is it so hard
To slow down and rest
Exactly what am I trying to prove
You already love me
Nothing more I can do
To change who You are
Your favor towards me
Is always a constant
As I dwell with Thee
There’s a time for everything
Under the sun
There’s a time to slow down
And a time to run
A time to be busy
And a time to rest
A time to snuggle Lord
Close to your chest
I know your Word says
Be led forth in peace
Help me to calm
My “busy-ness” beast
copyright 2009 Jean Chamblee
Speak Softly To My Broken Soul – Poetry
December 2, 2016
Speak so softly to my broken soul
No one else can make me whole
Gently, gently Spirit speak
Hold me closely kind and meek
Pain so deep no words express
Just a tear falls on my breast
Dripping from my eyes of blue
No idea Lord what to do
Such a time I have not seen
Maybe so, life’s been quite mean
Icy cold most people are
Except the few sweet shining stars
On this I set my heart of hope
That somewhere there’s a lighter note
Can I sing again, oh my soul
Can I speak of being whole
In Your arms is where I lie
I know you keep the tears I cry
Feeling deeply loving long
I wish again to sing Your song
Trusting You, Who never fails
Waiting for Your Spirit’s sails
Into the sunset I will gaze
Lifting up a quiet praise
Heaven is my dream of dreams
No matter those my hope demean
I know You’re real with all my heart
Lift me up my soul impart
Give me joy and wholeness too
I know You will I trust in You
Heal me Lord so deep within
Remove from me all lingering sin
Set me on a path that’s right
Help me Lord escape the night
Of all around the daggers fly
Lift me to your Presence high
copyright 2016 Jean Chamblee Thomas
Eyes That See Things Differently – Poetry
December 2, 2016
The wonder of a sweet, sweet heart
Is there for God to see
You think you’ve got it all messed up
But I’ve got news for thee
All the little things you do
The ways that your heart cares
Does not go without a nod from God
Please know that He’s aware
We focus on the screw-ups
And think that’s all there is
God does not see us that way
Especially when we are His
He sees us as His children
His love will not depart
As long as we stay close to Him
He will reveal His heart
God sees things so differently
Than we see things ourselves
He looks with love upon us
We’re never on the shelf
He actively awaits us
To turn our thoughts to Him
To come into His presence
So He can help us win
He takes such joy in watching
Our journey on the earth
I guarantee that you are more
Than what you think you’re worth
It’s times we focus on Him
And try to do His will
That shines like light before Him
We can continue still
So if you’ve royally blown it
Like I’ve done time and again
Don’t let that keep you from Him
Just start your walk again
Come into His presence
As you lie upon your bed
Start the conversation
Read the words He’s said
Know that God, He loves you
Like you’ve never been loved before
Let your sins be washed away
He’s waiting at the door
How simple is “I’m sorry”
To come between your lips
Then you can start the dance again
Your past it will eclipse
You are loved more than I can say
Dare to make amends
Dare to believe what I have said
Come to Him again
copyright Jean Chamblee 2010