Romans 1

God's
people never need wring
their hands
or pace.


for Prayer
is action, day
and night bringing
hurts

to the hand
of God.
who holds healing

and salvation

in His pocket,
the handkerchief
of a Father

who wipes mud,
snot,
and tears

from the faces
of those He loves.

Acts 28

Don't feel sorry for you!


There isn't time
(isn't time! hurry!)
to sulk about your plans
your future
your hardship


because God has things
(plans before the sun's creation!)
for you to do-


in shipwreck
in prison

in life 

acts 27

Shipwreck can't be skirted;

lurking failure turns to
impending disaster
faster than you can say


"Hoist anchor!"


Paul saw the future
as a vision,
yet was powerless
to hold himself safe.


"Eat bread with me
and throw the grain overboard."


Prisoner and yet leader,
Paul's words buoy
the commander,
who begins to trust him
when he speaks
truth.

Acts 25 and 26

I say exactly
precisely
what I saw

what He did

whether I speak
before children
or kings

because the same God
has touched me

wishes to touch them!

and He knows
my path.

Acts 24

Paul had no fear;

his defense
was not a shield,
but bread --

not an army,
but a Person.

Paul shared
because his heart
overflowed,
not because he was on guard.

God's will
was Paul's home.

Acts 23

That night,
the Lord
appeared to Paul.

"Be encouraged,"
the Lord
spoke to him.

"All this turmoil
doesn't touch
where you rest
with me,

because you are anchored
in My control,
and I know
exactly
what happens next.

"I love you.

"My plan
extends beyond
your chaos."

Acts 21

sometimes
you can't go,

but you dare not stay.

sometimes
you can't win,

but Jesus has conquered
for you.

Acts 22

Retelling
your story of rescue
will make friends
will make enemies
will make others fear

will make a fuss

what are you willing
to make a fuss
for?

Acts 20

May I be the leader
who builds retaining walls,
who girdles Jesus' people
when their strength is flagging,
even while I travel.

May I be the leader
who loves so deeply
that midnight is too early
for friends to leave the words
that bring peace.

May I be the leader
who recounts a God
so strong,
so infatuated with us,
that suffering shrinks in comparison.

Acts 19

Not all catastrophes
end in tragedy.

God does shape
control
love
us.

Acts 18

When he arrived there,
he proved
to be of great benefit

to those who, by God’s grace,
had believed.

Acts 17

Slogging isn't sin--
resistance shows
neither God's approval
nor                 disapproval

is neither silence
nor           praise

but theological growth
is sometimes    conceived
through             labor.

The fruit is love,
                   compassion
in place of  condemnation,

a heart for people

 who need Hope

which is    not far
         from any one of us

Acts 16

Here is the way--
walk ye in it.
Hold not back from
impossible things.

God is extreme:
roadblocks, demons,
visions, prison,
travel toward grace

is not for the weak,
but He strengthens.

Acts 15

Who provides God’s favor?

Is it Abraham,

wandering in tents,

sacrificing Isaac on a mountain?

Is it Moses,

leading Israel,

living in the law that God has written?

Or is it God Himself

who calls all men together,

loves them as one body,

covers them with Jesus,

and sees them as His children?

God's favor rests in Jesus,

not rules and stipulations;

approval is His gift,

not dividend He owes us.

We live in warm acceptance

when Christ is our identity

and Moses is our background.

Acts 14

The story is spreading,

though peril and hatred

remind us that Jesus

is met with compunction.

We shall not grab glory,

nor shirk our commitment—

but walking toward heaven,

we share God’s salvation.

Acts 13

If you woke up this morning

immortal,

unrottable,

what fear would you shake?

What quest waits?

Does it drown you--

to know that God made

a street for you to hike

before He made time?

Some hate,

some are blind,

but since you woke up this morning

forgiven,

your journey is rising.

Acts 12

The chill of execution
falls over the morning

(my close friend
James was killed
already,
so the threat
is true)

but I sleep
soundly between
the guards.

I am chained
to the promise
that the God I serve
encompasses despots
who see themselves

as his equal.

Though others are shocked
by my rescue,
I witnessed
healings
gifts
miracles
overwhelming love
JESUS

remind those who follow
that prison can’t contain the good news

Acts 11

Who am I, that I should stand in God’s way?

God grows His church—

sharing His crazy, undying passion

with the undeserving,

the bigoted, the proud,

using the voices of undeserving, prejudiced,

arrogant believers

to feed those He loves.

The world will call them by a Name

that is gentle,

patient,

meek and humble in heart—

which in God’s eyes,

is their whole

identity.

Acts 10

Cornelius

was first outside

the Family

to be courted by the Maker.

Devout and faithful,

he always tasted emptiness

when he donated

coin and when he prayed,

because God lavished His passion

on the Jews.

Cornelius loved and obeyed,

sensing shunning

and cold silence.

The angel’s announcement gave

light and hope

to Gentiles who yearned for God’s

blessing...

Peter’s story was followed

by a miracle—

a language Cornelius didn’t know

that showed God’s gift

can be found

by all

those God loves!—

since God’s silence

was not disapproval.