SOWING THE GOSPEL SEED: HARVEST TIME

(Based on Matt. 13:3-7, 18-29)

A sower planted the gospel seed,

In the minds of several men.

When his work was done, he waited,

To see what would happen then.

The seed in the mind of the first man,

Was eaten by a bird.

The buzzard’s name was Satan,

And the seed he ate was God’s Word.

The seed in the mind of the second man,

Sprouted, but soon was dead.

No wonder the gospel seed withered;

For the man had rocks in his head.

The seed in the mind of the third man,

Also began to sprout,

But troubles and trials came on him,

And the seed was choked by doubt.

On that day when the reaper comes,

Will fruit be on my vine?

Or will I be treated like chaff?

Which harvest will be mine?

Becky Overturf Wall

MY DIVORCE: D-DAY

Today is my divorce;

The judge will hear my decree.

The stroke of his pen will amputate,

A long-time part of me.

Divorce became my last resort,

Broken covenants I must bear.

My heart and dreams are shattered, too;

I’ve awakened to a nightmare.

A wall had formed between us,

I can’t remember when.

I feel like Humpty Dumpty;

Who will put me together again?

I’ll meet with my attorney;

He’ll tell me what to say.

Our divorce is on the docket;

It is now D-Day.

Before we start, I’ll be sworn in;

The words I’ll say are few.

The marriage will end just as it started,

With the same two words, “I do.”

I think that I’ll wear black today,

A symbol of the grief in my heart.

I mourn the death of our marriage;

For this death will do us part.

Becky Wall

Note: In answer to my question "Who will put me together again?," I found the answer in Christ.

BALAAM AND THE TALKING DONKEY

(Based on Num 22-24, Deut 23:5-6, Josh 24:9-10,

Neh 13:1-2, 2 Pet 2:15, Jude 11)

BALAAM AND THE TALKING DONKEY

Balak, the son of a king,

Summoned Balaam, a pagan priest,

To put a curse on the Israelites,

Who had settled near him to the east.

The Israelites were conquerors,

So the prince was afraid of their horde.

He wanted a hex put on them,

Balaam would call on the Lord.

Balaam supposedly met with success,

When upon gods he would call,

He was paid to bring curses or blessings,

And he called upon them all.

But now he had met the one true God,

Whom he called to by divination.

He boldly asked God to send a curse,

On the whole Israelite nation.

God told Balaam to refuse,

The prince's ridiculous request,

So Balaam sent the officials back,

Which made the prince greatly distressed.

But the prince was more determined--

He wanted those Israelites cursed.

He sent a greater reward,

And officials more distinguished than the first.

Balaam opened his mouth to accept,

But here’s what the people heard:

“Offer a palace with silver and gold,

But I must obey God’s word.”

God then commanded Balaam,

"Go on, since they summoned you.

But I instruct you to do,

Only what I tell you to do."

God sent an angel to block the way,

So Balaam would learn his lesson.

For he had lived a reckless life;

With the true God he was now messin’.

His donkey’s way was blocked,

By an angel sent by the Lord.

The donkey turned into a field,

For the angel carried a sword.

Balaam beat his donkey and then,

Started down a narrow, walled path.

Balaam’s foot was crushed on the wall;

He again showed the donkey his wrath.

Then the angel moved on ahead,

And completely blocked their way.

The donkey laid down with Balaam on top.

For that, he was made to pay.

The Lord then opened the donkey’s mouth,

To Balaam he began talking.

He asked his master why the beatings,

For he had good reason for balking.

Balaam now saw the angel,

Who was ready to settle the score.

If it hadn’t been for his donkey,

He would be living no more.

Balaam still desired to please Balak,

So he kept on pursuing his quest.

But every time he opened his mouth,

The Israelites were blessed.

Becky Wall

ELIJAH: 450 VS. 1

ELIJAH: 450 VS. 1

(Based on I Kings 18:16-40)

The Israelites turned away from God,

In the days of Jezebel.

So Elijah, the prophet, said to them,

“Follow God, or follow Baal.”

But his words were met with silence,

For the people couldn’t decide.

God sent Elijah to prove to them,

That in God they should abide.

Elijah challenged Baal’s prophets,

To see whose god was a liar.

Each god would be offered a sacrifice;

The real one would answer by fire.

Four hundred fifty prophets of Baal,

Were pitted against only one.

But when that one was sent from God,

The contest was already won.

The idol’s prophets went first;

Their god they began to hound.

They begged from morning ‘til noon,

But they never heard a sound.

Thinking it would help to dance,

They danced themselves into a tizzy.

But still they got no answer;

All they got was dizzy.

Elijah began to heckle them,

“Shout louder,” he repeatedly said.

“Baal may be busy or deep in thought,

On a trip, or even in bed.”

Baal’s prophets shouted louder;

They slashed themselves with swords.

Midday passed and they prophesied on,

Just waiting for Baal’s rewards.

Then Elijah called to God's people,

Once the altar had been repaired.

He may have preached a sermon, too,

While the sacrifice was prepared.

One stone was placed for each tribe,

On the spot where the old altar stood.

A trench was dug, the bull cut up,

Then the pieces were laid on the wood.

Four large jars of water,

Were poured on the wood and bull.

They did this three times over;

Even the trench was full.

Then came the time of sacrifice,

So, Elijah stepped forward to pray.

“God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel,

Make yourself known today!!”

When fire came down from heaven,

The wood, bull, and stones all burned.

It licked up the water in the trench,

And the hearts of the people turned.

The false prophets lost their lives;

They had listened to Baal’s silent voice.

Since Baal couldn’t make a puff of smoke,

God became the people’s choice.

Becky Overturf Wall

JOSHUA AND RAHAB: TWO SPIES AND A HARLOT

(Joshua 2-6)

Jacob is also called Israel.

Twelve tribes made up his nation.

Ten were tribes of Jacob’s sons,

And two were sons by adoption.

After the death of Moses,

They camped on the river sand.

On the far side of the Jordan lay Canaan,

The long-awaited Promised Land.

Joshua was the son of Nun,

And also Moses’ aide.

Through him God kept a promise,

That had long ago been made.

God told Joshua to cross the Jordan,

Into the Promised Land.

And if anyone tried to harm him,

He would lend a hand.

God first encouraged Joshua,

To be courageous and strong,

To study the law day and night,

And be careful to do no wrong.

Joshua ordered his officers,

To go through the camp far and near,

And tell the people to gather their needs;

Their day would soon be here.

In three days they would cross the river,

Which all of the men would be fordin’

The women and children of 2 1/2 tribes,

Would stay east of the river Jordan.

The people pledged allegiance to Joshua,

To obey him until their last breath.

Because anyone who did not,

God would put to death.

Joshua sent two spies to the land,

Where he’d spied 40 years before.

Back then the people were short of faith;

This time they were ready for war.

The spies were to scout out Jericho.

They would stay at the house of a dame.

She had a poor reputation;

Rahab was her name.

Someone snitched to the king,

That the spies were there that night.

The king sent a message to Rahab,

To bring the men into sight.

She told the pursuers the men left at dusk.

Who they were, she did not know.

But if they wanted to catch the spies,

They should hurriedly go.

Meanwhile the spies were on the roof,

Under plants spread out to dry.

Their foes were on a wild goose chase,

So the spies had no fear they would die.

Rahab told of her people’s great fear;

When they heard God dried the Red Sea,

And that nations had been destroyed;

They hoped He would leave them be.

Rahab expressed her faith and belief,

In the one true God they served.

She asked for kindness to her family,

Since she helped their lives be preserved.

“Our lives for your lives,” the spies’ replied.

”Though not one in your nation survives,

As long as you don’t tell on us,

We’ll spare your family’s lives.”

Becky Wall

TRAVELING IN THE LIGHT

Every year I have to fight off seasonal depression. Oftentimes it goes along with situational depression. And I am not the only one. Before we can fight off depression, we first have to recognize it for what it is. Thoughts are mostly negative. It feels like a darkness has enveloped you. You lose much of your drive. You have trouble facing each day. You withdraw from others or you seek out those who might make you feel better, either through their fun-loving spirit or through their words of true wisdom and caring. You feel unloved and tell yourself you are a loser. You lose hope that any good thing will come your way. Some turn to alcohol, drugs, gambling, sex, food or anything else that might give their attitude a lift. That oftentimes leads to more problems and makes life worse than before. And if there are young ones in the house, they are learning from your behavior in how you face life's battles.

I wrote this poem twenty-something years ago while going through one of my bouts of depression. I added one of the verses today (today now being years ago).

TRAVELING IN THE LIGHT

There was no place in my mind to find peace,

No place in my heart to find rest.

So many things in my life had gone wrong,

My sanity seemed put to the test.

I traveled the labyrinth of my mind,

I searched every cranny and nook;

Yet I found only sadness or trouble,

No matter where in it I looked.

As among the dark tunnels I traveled,

I was always looking down.

It wasn’t until I looked up,

That I began to lose my frown.

I basked my mind in the light of the Son,

And felt a healing like no other kind.

A peace that passes understanding,

Flooded the corridors of my mind.

I found comfort in reading God’s Word,

Where He invites those who need rest,

Who are weary and heavy laden,

To put His love to the test.

Now I welcome my family and friends,
Whom I've avoided way too long.
I look for ways to help others,
And praise Jesus Christ through song.

Though the road of life for me is still rough,

Christ lights my path as I roam.

He will give my mind direction,
'Til He escorts me safely home.

Becky Wall

ELIJAH FIGHTS HIS TOUGHEST BATTLE: DEPRESSION

NOTE: Look for all the signs of depression in this story: withdrawal from friends and family, sleeping too much, loss of appetite, hopelessness, a death wish, preoccupation with the same negative thoughts, loss of enthusiasm, self-pity and despair. But also note that the end of Elijah’s depression came when God, the greatest psychologist, gave him hope and a mission. Everyone needs hope and to feel productive and we all need to be needed.

ELIJAH FIGHTS HIS TOUGHEST BATTLE: DEPRESSION

(I Kings 19:1-18)

Jezebel threatened to kill Elijah--

'fore tomorrow’s end drew nigh!

Elijah was so afraid of death,

That he just wanted to die.

He had endured many trials,

With courage, strength and honor,

But now that he faced Jezebel,

He thought he was a goner.

He ran for his life to Beersheba,

And left his servant there.

In the desert he prayed for death;

His problems were too much to bear.

He told God frankly he’d had enough,

And begged Him to take his life.

Weary from worry, he fell asleep;

He was physically spent by his strife.

All at once, he was touched by an angel,

Which, of course, made him awake.

The angel asked him to get up and eat;

By his head was water and cake.

He ate the simple meal,

Then lay down again to rest.

He was still consumed by grief;

In other words, he was depressed.

Again he was touched by the angel,

With a cake, and water to sip.

“Arise and eat," the angel said;

"You need strength for a very long trip.”

For forty days and nights he traveled,

Still preoccupied by his plight.

He reached Horeb, the mountain of God;

In a cave he spent the night.

The word of the Lord came to him,

“What are you doing here?”

Elijah told God the predicament,

That was causing him so much fear.

“Go stand on the mountain,” God said,

“For the Lord will soon pass by.”

Elijah now had a mountain to climb;

He must have wanted to cry.

A wind tore apart the mountain,

Yet God was not in the wind.

Elijah most surely wondered,

When would his nightmare end.

When the earth began to quake,

He expected God to be there,

But God was not in the rumble,

So Elijah was still in despair.

Elijah pursued God’s help,

So he looked for Him in a fire.

When God was not in the flames,

Elijah wallowed in his mire.

Then he heard a still, small voice--

He was scared; he could hardly cope.

He pulled his cloak across his face,

But the words brought whispering hope.

God gave Elijah a mission,

For the seven thousand still true.

He wasn’t the only believer,

And he was no longer blue.

Becky Wall

MOSES: BETWEEN THE DEVIL AND THE DEEP RED SEA

(Exodus 14)

Moses had gone to Pharoah,

To say, “Let my people go.”

But it took 10 plagues, the last being death,

Before Pharoah would stop saying “No!”

So the Israelites left Egypt;

And they did so in a hurry.

They feared that Pharoah would change his mind;

That’s why they had to scurry.

Sure enough, they hadn’t gone far,

When Pharoah chased after them.

The Israelites were many,

So he brought an army with him.

When the sea faced the Israelites;

Again they were no longer free,

For the people found themselves trapped,

B’tween the devil and the deep Red Sea.

The people were ready to quit,

Though they had barely started.

But when Moses held out his rod,

The waters suddenly parted.

The Hebrews crossed the great divide,

On a path that was fairly wide.

And though the ground was dry,

A wall of water was on either side.

Once the last Hebrew crossed,

Pharoah’s army filled the path.

The water came crashing down,

And the Egyptians drowned in God’s wrath.

So when you face the impossible,

As long as you trust and obey,

God will bless and keep you;

He will make a way.

Becky Wall