Tag Archives: Listening

a new worship

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Loriann Signori

Loriann Signori

storms ebb in pale gray dawn
as first light stirs and
eyes are rubbed in confusion –
for a bit – as thoughts catch up
to this moment.
what we believe we cannot endure,
soon is another victory
claimed with the confidence bred
in the aftermath.
however, listen now and hear:
true victory is realized
in the battle
in a tender cry of joy.
All things are made new
and there is a new worship.
A time when we sacrifice wholly
and give out of pure selflessness
even in biting pain.
There is a glint of light
out of the corner of my eye
and though merely a glint,
truly a beacon of victory
as I am reminded that as we
seek more understanding,
our worship is more than new
as in a fresh day, but new, as if
never been previously seen.
this is my word from God:
That we must cast off trite
daily ritual and seek
perspective through His eyes.
He makes all thing new
and the sweetest moment
happens in a dim morning
awakening – realizing we did not
just endure, but we flourished
and a new heaven and
a new earth beckon with
crystal water of Life flowing
from the throne of the Lord
and He sees it is good.

(c) 2015 rick stassi

tranquil

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renoir

Can you hear a blade of grass
Reach up in sleight of moment’s pass?
Or the whisper of a single star
Cold alone and so, so far?

Leaves so fast and quietly unfold,
Just as quickly wither and get old.
And light-years traveled celestial bright,
This star is only a memory in a twinkling light.

Things that happen with us unaware
Good things created renounce despair.
Growing goodness all around
God’s omniscience offer little sound.

Peaceful, flowing the windy breeze
Oft disrupted by the trees
Catching, reflecting, fearless gales,
Stands of filters, antonymic sails.

But does ever the wind needs a place
To break tranquility and show her face?
It is God who exhales this gentleness –
And to the wind’s ear to which grass shall confess.
(c) 2014 Rick Stassi

Listening, waiting…

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Artist: Rick Stassi

Artist: Rick Stassi

Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the Lord’s people.
Philemon 1:7

What do I hear, O Lord?
The voices of many and the ways they afford.
But it brings me strength and movement toward
Growing in Your family in one accord

What do others do, O God?
With a staff and a rod
Within Your kingdom
To those I laud.

What do others see, Father of all?
Obediently forward in their call.
With their eyes ever seeking truth and love.
Joining together, the enemy’s appall

What do others say, Father of Life?
Promoting joy amongst your children rife.
With their hearts in deepening love,
This their weapon – double-edged knife

So, I beg, give me Your word, Father of mine
That direction is heard toward the will of Thine!
That I would be blessed to share your work
As with my loving brethren, You give me that sign.

rick

O Dark Clouds of Nurturing Water…

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He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap.
 Ecclesiastes 11:4 (KJV)

I am born of God as He formed me in my mother’s womb. I am sanctified in Jesus Christ and nurtured each moment by the Holy Spirit. I spend days in the warmth of the light He provides and my nights in rest He gives. I am truly blessed by the Lord. To Him be all glory.

I sing songs of worship to honor the Lord. It is His delight that my heart leaps toward Him as He beckons. These are great times of spiritual prosperity. I see my Lord and hear His voice. I gather with His other children and praise Him as one Body. We are the Bride who greatly anticipates but is patient for the return of the Bridegroom. I know with all of my heart His return is imminent.

I am patient and I am loving. I seek out the poor and the hopeless and offer bread and life for I know I can lead the lost to Jesus. The Spirit abides. Father open doors.

O, how I dream of a walk as stated. Lord, I confess I am not perfect and fall short in many ways and at many times. But, I know You love me.

Many times I watch the wind rush through an open door and continue watching as it slams shut. A missed opportunity. But, I know You are patient with me.

I seek the strength and wisdom to walk the straight path. A place where I can have focus on the Lord and still run to a crying heart, a hungry soul. “I can do these things”, I ponder watching the drifting clouds. Time passes and soon opportunities will pass too. Conversations about how I will change and how I will act soon will fade without the following response to God’s beckon. For He gives me ample opportunity to be a great husband, a steady and nurturing father, a lover of many souls.  I should not tarry much longer or I will be a tree that falls north, and stays. (Ecc 11:3)

The day of judgment will come and I will wonder why I didn’t respond always. God speaks and I hear and I watch the rain fall and the wind blow and Spring comes, there is not a harvest. Well, maybe a small one.  My desire to do more is great but my feet are sometimes in a boggy mire. Free my feet, O Lord. I hear Your voice. I am tired of just desire and wish to sow for a fruitful harvest. I am a man of many words and want to compliment these words with action.

Action is my response to God’s speaking. Response is being in God’s will and walking the straight path He has laid out before me.  My one goal is to respond. If I do, my heart is set in its proper place. Intention to respond is not of God’s will. It is hearing and not acting. Good intention is watching the clouds float by without sowing. “Where is the fruit?” the ones of good intention cry at the time of harvest. There is none. But, God loves me and He is patient. He continues to try.

I have received many gifts from the Lord. I pray I will respond now to His voice. I must sow seed into my marriage, into my children, my faith…. I must offer an olive branch to my enemies a loaf of bread to the hungry. A kind word to the hopeless. Yes God asks me to do this. Will I respond? Or will I continue to watch clouds pass, darkened, as they are filled with an abundance of rain. They are ready to nurture with water the seeds I plant. I plant because my good intentions have turned to action therefore there will be a harvest.

I have hope because I listen to God and this is the best first step. I will respond or I will realize the consequence of a sterile harvest. I will try to be a man of godly integrity. I hear You Lord. Let the harvest come and the seed planted bear fruit. Let me rest assured that I need not see the harvest always, but have a smiling heart of joy that You will. Fortify my family. Be our center, God. Our core is the Spirit that emanates to others but especially to each other. Husband and wife, Father and son and daughter.

For good intention is listening, acting on that intention is response. O dark clouds of nurturing water. Let me watch you rain. Spirit nurture the seeds of a responsive intention. I hear You Lord. Amen

Rick Stassi

July 8, 2012

Re-blogged 2013

We are the Listeners

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Photographer: Matt Bernstein

15Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints,
16Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;
17That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:
18The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
Ephesians 1:15-18

Faith. Prayer. Wisdom.

God uses us who seek Him. Our faith is loud and our words are the fruit of our faith ever from God and will never go unnoticed. Speak a soft, gentle word for our Lord. Speak His name. Walk in His way. Walk with godly integrity. He sees us and others will too. We will inspire, but not for a flash of self-edification, but a sincere word of praise to God. We will be heard by all. In actions and word.

…and the saints shall pray. Keeping the praying encouraged,  thanking God for them for they speak out and are heard. They will pray in intercession to the Father that wisdom will rain down the spirit of God and fortify each vowel and consonant with punctuation that shouts Jesus. It is a perfect circuitous path of listening, praise and prayer, then listening, always.

God speaks to us all. Some listen and say much, some little. But for both we pray for God’s wisdom. He speaks and we receive. Edification to our Lord comes in our choice to speak His word.

But His word was in my heart like a burning fire Shut up in my bones; I was weary of holding it back, And I could not. Jeremiah 20:9

How, Lord? You say that we will become weary holding back Your word. For Your word is a fire that burns in us. We therefore find the circuitous path is followed by we who listen, praise, and pray, and listen again. We are set apart in You Lord. All saints are on this path of hearing Your voice. If our heart is not on fire with Your word, then it must not be discerned as Your word. I ask. For certainly if we are followers of Jesus, co-heirs to eternity, You speak to us. Maybe those who do  not hear want Jesus but do not wish for the consequence of a walk in His footsteps. Then the deaf ear is a shield and Your word is blocked. But O my Lord, I know You will find a way into my aching heart: The aching hearts of the saints. Know that there are we who speak loud and we who pray loud and we who do both. It is hearing and really listening to God that matters. For as we listen, His word will not be contained. Bless the quiet and the unwilling followers with boldness for boldness will help them along our Savior’s footsteps and bring Your light.

Let us see Father. Let us listen to the wisdom of Your apostle. For we are enlightened and find hope and a calling in Your word because we have chosen to accept the consequence of a walk in Jesus’ footsteps. Help us Lord. To seek a higher calling, we listen with acute ears, craning to the heavens to meet Your incline to us. We are thus preparing for a higher calling.  Be mindful, our consequence is the result of our action  to follow Christ and it is good. We hear you in this walk and we are known. We see others, and they are known. All pray. All praise.

…and You hear those You set apart Father. You are pleased that we walk on a path that is not just on a circuit but ever moving toward you as one body on a straight line. We listen and act and all the while we become closer to You. So help us.  Raise us up Father. Anoint us with the oil of the Levites. Let us be the sweet incense that is fragrant to the saints and to the world. The fire burns hot. I can bear it no longer. It flows to a lost, but not forgotten world and they see. They are confounded. We saints edify You and pray fortification for the body. For it is not one,  it is many who hear. Are we enough? Give us the eyes of understanding and we follow Jesus. Serve the ones who listen. We serve You Lord. It is our beautiful consequence to a choice we made, forever changing our lives and joining us together-knit at the heart as one body.

We are the listeners.

Rick Stassi

February 26, 2012