Friday, April 7, 2023

"Take My Hand"

“Take My Hand”
 

Do not live in regret.
I am here.
I am now.
I am.
To live in regret is to doubt My plan and My ability to bring it to pass even after I have forgiven you.
Take my hand and walk with Me in the garden of the glorious life that I have planned for you.
 
Listen not to the counsel of the prince of this world,
Who sows seeds of envy, doubt, and discord,
with his whispering tongue from a mind poisoned by hate.
He knows the Truth but hates it, for his envy of it drove him mad.
The first he deceived was himself in his mind,
When he believed his own lies that he deserved to be God.
 
Whom I love he now hates with a passion unbridled
by loving concern for the good of all others.
In his hate he brought war
against My eternal throne.
Clash of titans rang out as my angels fought his,
In a battle that could only
end in his defeat.
 
Cast out from My fellowship he roams to and fro,
His silver tipped tongue seeking those to deceive.
Believe not his lies that your sin is greater
than My ability to forgive.
The blood I shed to set you free
paid all your debts when you turned to Me
as your Savior who loves you. Now walk with Me
hand in hand through the highs and the lows of this life,
Trusting that the good plan I started in you, I will see to completion.
When you're weary, climb up in My lap, lay your head on my chest and just rest in My presence.
 
I delight in you as the crowning jewel of My creation.
For in the creation narrative, I saved the best for last.
Neither stars nor planets, peaks nor valleys, oceans deep nor rivers raging,
lions roaring nor whales breaching have My Spirit I breathed into you.
So rest in this Truth and trust in My love for you.
Just for being you.
 
© ® Kevin E. Ness
3/21/23

 

Saturday, January 16, 2021

The Truth just is, and it will not be silenced

 Despite what is being foisted upon this generation by revisionist historians these days, America was founded on Judeo-Christian principles.  That is an absolute, historical fact.  Among these principles is the absolute Truth that our rights do not come from government.  Our rights come from Almighty God, who has endowed us with certain inalienable rights, as stated so eloquently in our Declaration of Independence:

 

"The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America, When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

 

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.--Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world…"

From <https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/declaration-transcript>

Now, simply substitute "Big Techopoly" (including Google, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, and Amazon), along with much of mainstream media news outlets (NY Times, CNN, MSNBC, Washington Post, etc.) for "King of Great Britain" and we are spot on for what is happening today.  These Techopolists have conspired together to censor and utterly squash any attempts at free speech that disagrees with their political position. 

 

We have the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.  We do NOT have the right to never be offended by the speech or behavior of another.  We do NOT have the right to silence the speech of those who offend us.  I may disagree passionately with what someone else says, but I will be respectful in my disagreement.  I will also absolutely defend their right to say it.  Why?

 

Because it is only in the marketplace of free speech and the open exchange of ideas, that we can begin to understand one other, and practice tolerance of one another's differences.  Because the very concept of tolerance demands differences.  If someone agrees with me on every single issue right down the line, there is nothing for me to tolerate.  It is only in the presence of those with whom we disagree that we can practice tolerance.

 

Is America perfect?  Of course not.  But it has provided more opportunities for people of all nations, races and creeds to speak freely, and build a better future for themselves, and all of us.

 

If those involved in the Big Techopoly are convinced that their socialist political agenda is correct, and that it will benefit more people, then they have nothing to fear from free speech.  But that is not what they care most about.  They care more about maintaining their power over others, and they cannot risk allowing those who would expose this truth to be heard.

 

But whether or not the Big Techopolists and mainstream media like it, the Truth just is.  Truth is a living force, and it cannot be kept down forever.  Sometimes it is kept down longer than I might like; but it will ALWAYS come out.  The only choice in how Truth comes out is this --WITH our cooperation, or WITHOUT our cooperation.

 

So I will pray for these Big Techopolists and their cohorts who have worked so hard to divide, censor, silence and squash us.  I will pray that they will come to know, understand, and embrace the Truth, and that the Truth will set them free to acknowledge their efforts to keep the Truth hidden.

 

I am reminded of an elderly Christian woman I heard about decades ago who had been arrested multiple times for sharing her faith, in a country where this was illegal.  She was asked by one of the secret police who had personally rounded her up numerous time why she persisted.  She replied, "We Christians are like nails.  The harder you hit us, the deeper you drive us."  We will not be silent, nor will we be silenced.  Respectful, yes; silenced, no.

Friday, October 23, 2015

For Bryan



"For Bryan"

Quick to laugh,
Or to share a kind word,
With hands always helpful,
And ears never rushed.

A wit that was quick,
And a heart that was large;
You gave of yourself,
Without thought of the cost.

You loved your Lord Jesus,
And sought to obey,
His will for your life,
With some bumps on the way.

Your faith never faltered,
Though tested and tried.
You pushed past doubt and fear,
Inspiring all with your life.

You are gone now, my brother,
But we will meet again.
Run free and breathe easy,
With our Savior and Lord.

©®2015  Kevin E. Ness

Wednesday, June 17, 2015

My Beloved Son



My dear Elijah,

Today you pass through a significant doorway on your journey to becoming a True Man, who loves Jesus with all of his heart, and soul, and strength.  Today is your 13th Birthday.  It has been, and always will be, a privilege to love, raise, watch over, teach, correct, nurture and provide for you, first as your Daddy, and now as your Dad. 

Your Mom and I have been richly blessed to watch you grow up and mature from a little child, to child, to big boy.  And now today, June 17, 2015, you officially enter the stage of being a young man.  I am pleased with the man you are becoming, and I look forward to continuing to guide you on this journey. 

Elijah, my son, it is a perilous journey at times, fraught with many obstacles, temptations, dangers, traps and snares.  Satan, who has been given temporary power as ruler of this world, and those who listen to his lies, will do everything they can to discourage, distract, tempt, shame and threaten you into thinking that it isn’t worth all the hassle to read and meditate on His Word, or spend time in prayer, or follow God’s will, plan and direction for your life.  But my son, the rewards for staying on the straight and narrow path that the Lord has laid out for your life are so far beyond anything that this world could ever offer, that it is impossible to measure the difference.

My beloved son, know that you do not walk this path alone.  The Lord will always be your shield and hedge, and I will always have your back, through prayer and my presence.  Your Mom and many other brothers and sisters in Christ are in this battle with us.  We will walk shoulder to shoulder as we enter into this battle to live our lives for the glory of God, and to wage war against the enemy of the souls of all mankind, by boldly proclaiming that every captive can be set free through the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and His death, burial and resurrection.

I don’t know exactly how this will all play out, as far as choices along the way.  But I know that the Lord does, and as you earnestly seek His face, and His will, and counsel from godly men and women, He will guide you.  And when we make mistakes, as we will, know that Jesus always stands ready to forgive when we ask, because He already paid for it on the cross.

I love you, Elijah, and I like you, and I am blessed beyond measure to call you my son.

Love,
Dad

Friday, December 19, 2014

"My Brother, My Friend"



"My Brother, My Friend"

Brothers by half,
In the eyes of the law,
Yet brothers times two,
In the eyes of our God.

Though as children we lived
in separate homes,
Our soul tie as brothers,
transcended those walls.

You were larger than life,
To your grade-school aged bro--
When peers compared brothers,
You reigned as the king.

As men, bond grew stronger,
Though miles did increase,
As we shared jewels of wisdom,
Forged in trials of fire.

We battled our demons
Of genetics and choice,
As we walked through the valley,
Of the shadow of death.

All the while, Jesus held us
In strong, loving arms,
And hands scarred by nails,
That purchased our peace.

As we called on His Name,
And accepted His gift,
New life did He give us,
And peace, without end.

So rest now, my brother,
In the presence of Christ.
At the end of my journey,
You'll welcome me home.

©2014 Kevin E Ness

Sunday, August 31, 2014

Hellmare's End

August 31, 2014

Out of the depths of his nightmare,
he wakens,
Only to find,
He was never asleep.

The lies from his childhood,
Passed down by his fathers,
Had ever so carefully,
Deadened his heart.

In its place, a pacemaker,
Of hell’s own design,
Kept up the appearance,
of being alive.

But God, in His mercy,
and grace beyond measure,
Saw fit to redeem him,
By sending His Son.

By the wounds of this Jesus,
Who bled unto death,
Does this dead man now waken,
To newness of life.

For death could not hold Him,
God’s only Begotten--
the Alpha, Omega,
Beginning and End.

Through Christ this man’s sins
have been cleansed by His blood,
And a heart made by God,
Strongly beats in his chest.

But on this side of glory,
There will ever be thorns,
To help him remember,
The crown that He bore.

Oh Lord, this man humbly
Relies on Your strength,
Rooting out every thought,
With the stench of hell’s breath.

Through Christ this man knows,
He can now do all things,
shining Life in the darkness,
for the unknowing dead.

©®Kevin E. Ness

#TheTruthJustIs

Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Innocence Lost


Eyes of innocence, so young and pure,
Blinded by hands that were meant to protect.
Innocence Lost, in blindness now groping;
Rage at injustice demands its release.

Blindly it lashes, felling its victim;
Pain born of pleasure begins to devour.
Innocence Lost, has now innocence taken;
Cycle of sorrow begins yet again.

We who would help them must give them new eyes,
To regain their focus on that which is True.
Deception is bondage that clings to the soul;
But He who is Truth has the power to free.


8Kevin E. Ness

#TheTruthJustIs

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

We Will Never Forget…To Learn



Where were you
When the Towers
Came
          violently
                        down?

When the eyes of a nation,
In shocked disbelief,
Watched as thousands of lives,
In a moment, lay dead?

When sin, thought dismissed,
Raised its dark, ugly head,
And snuffed out these lives,
And laughed at their deaths?

We vowed to remember,
To never forget,
But the voice of those lost, urges
"Learn from our deaths."

Learn that the Curse,
Born in Eden's own soil,
Is still sowing Death,
And reaping lost souls.

So turn now to Jesus,
Redeemer to all
Who accept Him as Savior,
And trust Him as Lord.

©®2012 Kevin E. Ness

Sunday, July 8, 2012

Where do you find your worth?

If you are seeking your worth, value and purpose in your own "good works" and accomplishments, rather than in the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross to forgive and redeem you, you are chasing shadows, grasping at mist, resting on an illusion.  If you doubt what I say, take this simple quiz:

1. Name every CEO of ALL of the Fortune 500 companies.
2. Name ALL of the leaders of every nation on Earth.
3. Name the last 40 Nobel Prize winners.
4. Name the last 30 US Presidents.
5. Name the winners of the last 30 Superbowls
6. Name the winners of the last 30 World Series.
7. Name the 100 richest people in the world.

How did you do?  You see, what the world touts as so important today, quickly fades into insignificance and obscurity with the passage of time.

But the things of God have permanent value, because they are eternal, outside of the bounds of time.

Matthew 6:19-21 "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  [20]  "But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal;  [21]  for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

#TheTruthJustIs

Monday, June 18, 2012

Warrior Son



Noble warrior,
Kneels now to pray;
Knowing the Source
Of the strength he now wields.

Battle is raging,
Fierce and unceasing,
Enemy prowls,
Like a lion at hunt.

Warrior stiffens,
Sensing his target.
Power, it flows
Through the sword in his hands.

Enemy cowers,
Demons they flee,
At the sight of this warrior,
This Child of the King.

For, he wrestles not,
In flesh or by steel,
But in power of the Name,
Of his Lord, Jesus Christ.

At whose very Name,
Every knee shall bow down--
In joyful thanksgiving,
Or in wretched regret.

©®2012

Happy 10th Birthday to my wonderful Son, from a very proud Daddy.

Friday, May 25, 2012

Communion


Here am I now, at Your table, dear Lord,
Unworthy wretch saved by Jesus' blood.
As I watch my own son take the bread and the cup,
My heart's pierced afresh at the depth of Your love.

I'm an imperfect father of clay, yet my love
for this son of mine here, is as deep as the sea.
Yet before the seas formed, or the stars gave off light,
You have loved Your Son Jesus, with eternal, pure love.

Could I give my own son, to suffer and die,
For the sins of a people, who spit in my face?
Who taunt me, and mock me, deny I exist,
While using the breath that I formed for their lungs?

I praise You, dear Father, for loving me so,
For loving me more than I'll ever deserve.
Help me hallow Your name, as I cling to Your grace;
Help me share with the world, this gift of Your peace.
 
©® Kevin Ness

Sunday, March 11, 2012

Mother and child


Inside her I grow;
Mother and child
       inseparably linked,
Yet separate souls.

In the shelter
   of this sanctuary,
I am at peace;
I need not fear attack,
for instinctively I know
that a mother
       protects her child.

But now,
        what's this?!
It cannot be!
An enemy
        has broken in,
And hunts me
in the shelter of
              this womb.

Defenseless, I run,
but cannot escape.
In pain I scream,
without a sound,
As the sterile tools
   begin their gruesome task.

Oh Mother, please!
They're killing me!
Protect your child,
I cry.

I don't understand!
Oh, please explain!
What did I do
To earn this death?
 
©®Kevin Ness

Friday, March 9, 2012

Order In Chaos


In a world filled with chaos,
mayhem and strife,
Was I born to reap whirlwinds,
That others have sown.

I was weaned on the milk
Of anger and hatred;
In the void of my soul,
I learned how to survive.

I call it not life,
For it isn’t worth living.
Yet somehow I cling
To the will to survive.

Here I find myself now
In a place not my home,
Surrounded by people
Who tell of God’s love.

I spit back the words
With such anger, I shudder.
Where was this God
In the midst of my hell?

How could He watch
With such silent indifference,
As the hands of my kin,
Beat my flesh black and blue?

In the midst of my ranting
and raving, God answers.
In love does He show me,
The bruised flesh
Of His Son.

“My child,” Jesus says,
“In my flesh have I felt,
Every wound, every blow,
Dealt by mankind’s own hand.”

“Through all of your trials,
I’ve been right beside you,
Lovingly waiting,
‘Til you call on My name.”

“So call on me now
For my gift of salvation,
That your life may have purpose,
And your soul may have peace.”

© Kevin Ness

Thursday, December 29, 2011

Struggles and Diamonds


            As long as I am in this body, I think I am destined to struggle.  It occurs to me that the measure of a true saint is not that he has no struggles, but that he continues to honor God in the midst of them.  I mean, look at the heroes of the faith:  David, Abraham, Jeremiah, Paul, Peter, and the list in Hebrews.  Certainly they suffered and struggled against the flesh.  Certainly they had their moments of weakness and failure.  Yet still they serve to inspire us.
            But would they be so inspirational if they hadn't struggled?  I think what draws us to them is that they were so human.  They weren't some transcended spiritual beings who deigned to grace the earth with their presence.  They were flesh and blood men and women with real hopes, real fears, real weaknesses, real failures, and real triumphs.
            In our unwillingness to expose our faults and weaknesses to others, in our attempts to appear as though we have it all together, how much of the power of our testimony do we forfeit?  How many are there who may have been inspired by the way God has worked in our lives through our failures, who turn from the faith discouraged because they think there is nobody else who would understand, nobody else who has the same struggle?
            This is Satan's strategy.  Divide and conquer.  He whispers to our pride and convinces us that we dare not appear weak.  Doubt, struggles and failure are all signs of a weak faith, perhaps even pointing to an absence of real faith in the first place.  Are you sure you're saved?  Even the prophet Nathan failed.  He advised David to build the Temple without first consulting God.
            When a jeweler begins cutting a diamond, he starts with a lump of rock that is not very impressive to behold.  But gradually, through his skill with the hammer, facets begin to appear that capture the light and display its brilliance.
            In this life, we are lumps of rock that God is working on with the hammer of His will.  As we submit to the blows of this hammer, our pride and disobedience are chipped away, and facets begin to appear in us that display our radiance.  But this side of glory, the transformation will never be complete.  There will always be parts of us that are still just lumps of rock.
            But we try to hide this aspect of ourselves, and only show off the finished facets.  We carefully align ourselves so that our facets reflect the light in such a way as to blind those looking at us, so that they will be unable to see that part of us that has yet to submit to God's will.
            To do this is to deny God His greatest glory:  the fact that He can take a lump like us and turn it into something beautiful and wonderful.  It also gives others around us who may desperately need encouragement in the midst of their struggles the false impression that God can only use people who have it all together.  For because of our pride, they will be unaware of our trials and failures.

Kevin Ness


The gem cannot be polished without friction, nor man perfected without trials.
- -- Chinese proverb

Saturday, December 24, 2011

"The Light of Christmas"



Cultivate complacency
But isolate integrity;
Trample down what little
Hope of righteousness remains, until

In bleakened, strangled, starving moans,
it passes from this life,
unmourned.

Left alone now,
idle thoughts grow;
weeds in virgin soil
unchecked.

Hope is such a painful word --
Too much effort,
    too much toil.

So like the toy in young man's closet,
Left to gather cloak of dust,
Leave it now,
Forsake it
to the junkyard
of my cluttered mind.

All that is, or was, or will be,
Hopelessness cares not for this.
Journey now in desolation;
Wander in the darkest pit

of Hell

until, in blinding flashes,
Light surrounds me,
Searching, probing,

finding now a weakness
in the hardness of
my heart's defenses;
gently shining light
into the darkest corners of
My soul.

Now in sudden self-awareness,
Sin I see as ne'er before,
Touching every fiber
of my prideful, unrepentant soul.

Now upon my knees I fall;
In sorrow deep I lift my voice.
I cry out to the One whose birth
made possible this
Blessed Light.

I cry to Jesus,
Son of Mary,
Born in lowly
manger stall.

I cry to Jesus,
Son of David,
Son of God,
Immanuel.

8 Kevin Ness