"Altar Coals"
For Our God is a Consuming Fire...Hebrews 12:29
by
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Challenges of Life
Many are the times…of the wait, and hope deferred -
But yet, we have a Friend who understands -
All day long, the measure that's on life's plate provokes,
And screams the solemn charge of it's demands;
Longing for a shelter, to harbor from the winds -
and the breaking waves, the gale…has lifted up -
A challenge just to get through the anguish of each day…
Fills to the brim, the contents of life's cup;
To pass this drink beyond the pursing of our lip,
And to pass this plate…filled through gain or loss,
We are reprimanded by our instrument of death…
For in Christ, there is no padded cross.
Opposing Forces
We wrestle with the obstacles,
We face every day –
And long for peace, and solitude,
To hold the wolves at bay;
We never think, or contemplate -
How fear, and doubts arise,
But these negate our faith, and hope,
With tiny ‘ifs’ and ‘whys’;
For they’re in opposition,
And cannot co-exist….
For if we live in doubt, and fear…
Faith, and hope…are missed.
Many are the times…of the wait, and hope deferred -
But yet, we have a Friend who understands -
All day long, the measure that's on life's plate provokes,
And screams the solemn charge of it's demands;
Longing for a shelter, to harbor from the winds -
and the breaking waves, the gale…has lifted up -
A challenge just to get through the anguish of each day…
Fills to the brim, the contents of life's cup;
To pass this drink beyond the pursing of our lip,
And to pass this plate…filled through gain or loss,
We are reprimanded by our instrument of death…
For in Christ, there is no padded cross.
Opposing Forces
We wrestle with the obstacles,
We face every day –
And long for peace, and solitude,
To hold the wolves at bay;
We never think, or contemplate -
How fear, and doubts arise,
But these negate our faith, and hope,
With tiny ‘ifs’ and ‘whys’;
For they’re in opposition,
And cannot co-exist….
For if we live in doubt, and fear…
Faith, and hope…are missed.
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About the Book
Altar Coals, in the Bible were used for one of two purposes…either to render judgment, or for purging. For me, these poems have served as the altar coals toward these same purposes. My intention is to share them, and maybe they too will serve the reader in that capacity as well.
We are living in a time where it is fashionable to be openly sinful, even among the churched. It is all too common in today’s modern lifestyle. This practice is oftentimes accepted in the guise of love, and is nearly always void of admonition or rebuke. We are in desperate need of a wake-up call to bring us into reality of how the night is far spent, and the day is dawning.
The Lord is due to return soon, and His people are distracted in their quest for pleasure or greed, bound by sinful habits, insensitive, irresponsive, and feigning obedience to God. Remember, that even the ‘lukewarm’ are rejected along with those who are found to be cold, (Revelation 3). We need to be shaken from our fence-sitting attitudes (which is lukewarm) unto all the truth of God that we can absorb. It is now that we need to have our hearts set ablaze by the Holy Spirit to manifest the will of God, first in our own lives, and then outwardly reaching toward others. When we ‘get right’ with God, He changes our hearts…and there is an undeniable testimony that exudes from a life changed by the power of God. It is His holiness, and righteousness then revealed through us. The days are growing darker, and the latter rain will bring the Earth’s harvest to a full ripening, whether of that to righteousness and holiness, or to unrighteousness, and evil heartedness. It is deception to think that there is a ‘middle ground’, for in this war there are no neutrals.
This is the spirit of those who will overcome the wickedness prevalent in this last day,
“They overcame him (the dragon, Satan) by the blood of the Lamb, and the word of their testimony, and they loved not their lives unto the death.” (Revelation 12:11)
About the Author
Z.D. Dennis, aka Zettalee D. Dennis, aka “Zeden”, lived for many years in the West Texas area, and currently resides in
She is the mother of two daughters, a son, and a step mother of three step-daughters, and two step sons: Tamyra, Jannah, Jesse, Kristin, Karri, Amy, Scott, and Daniel. She is a grandmother of three grand-daughters: Caitlyn, Samantha, and Myndi; and a grandson:
Zettalee says, “Life has never been ‘easy’ for me, in fact, sometimes it has been downright hard. Through all of the things I have experienced, I have learned the process of reaping and sowing experientially. I also have a deeper, more real understanding of the meaning of ‘grace’ and ‘mercy’. When a person experiences the wilderness due to disobedience, something deeper takes place to cause them to see the value in obedience.
When I am not writing poetry, I am thinking about writing poetry. I work as a Cosmetologist, and that is a ministry in itself. I thank God for His loving kindness, and longsuffering.