Down in the Hill Country of Texas resides one of the most remarkable young
women we have ever met. When I was still at CMN, Chantre Rodriquez would call
in on my show and we would have some very spiritual discussions. Even though she
is very young in age, her wisdom is multiplied beyond those who would only count
physical years. Over the years, she has sent me hundreds of psalms and other
spiritual writings that have ministered to me and enhanced the work of Perfect
Gift Ministries. In many ways, Chantre is almost like the daughter we never had.
Chris and Sharon Blodgett
"Abide in Him."
By C. E. Rodriguez
"I will abide in thy tabernacle for ever: I will trust in the covert of thy
wings." Psalm 61:4
I will remain, I will stay in the green pastures
of the Lord, listen to His voice, follow His
leading for He is my Good Shepherd to always be my
True Vine and my guide, and in Him I abide.
In Him is life, His word will never die but it
will enlighten the path in which I go, through the
valley unto the green pastures of His goodness and
mercy.
Abide in Him to live and grow, flourish as the
trees and sing like the streams, flowing and going
unto the Home of the Most High.
I hear His call, and so I will rise up and
kneel down, waiting on His leading, abiding in Him
for life. He is to me a house of safety, my refuge
from the storm, a shelter that cannot fall, and my
resting place to stay and be at ease.
It is well with my soul to abide in Him
forever, to remain, to stay in the green pastures
of the Lord.
He is my Keeper, my glory and shield, my God in
whom I trust. Abide in Him for life, stay for
light, here I will remain for my safety and peace
in the Lord God of my mercy.
I enter into the secret place of the Most High,
come before His presence with singing, knowing
that He is God and therefore, His hands hold me
still, where I abide in Him.
He is God Almighty, tender mercy is with Him,
loving kindness and sweet salvation, and under His
wings I have come to trust, abiding under them for
my protection.
I shall abide before God forever, O prepare
mercy and truth, which may preserve me in the way
of righteousness, from hill to mountain.
Little faith, bloom and grow forever, for the
Lord your God is everlasting strength, and O Lord,
if I may, let me, I pray, let me dwell in Your
house forevermore, praising with uplifting unto
God eternally with harp and psalms of exalting.
Your truth is my salvation song.
An Abiding Psalm
June 9, 2002
"Singer in the night."
By: C. E. Rodriguez
"Ye shall have a song, as in the night when a holy
solemnity is kept; and gladness of heart, as when one
goeth with a pipe to come into the mountain of the
Lord, to the mighty One of Israel." Isaiah 30:29
Again the night has come, the darkness is so strong; I
feel overcome and fear that I shall fall away to
perish as the dust of vanity.
Sound the bugle now,
play it just for me, holy angels of the Lord God
Almighty who was and is and is to come. As the seasons
change, remember how I used to be, my God, my Lord and
my King of glory who lives in holiness and
righteousness on high in the heavens. Now I can hardly
go on, I cannot even start, I have nothing but an
empty heart, torn and broken like a shattered vessel.
I'm a soldier, wounded so must I give up the fight?
There's no more, no light for me but if I would only
look up, will my help come from the Lord of heaven and
earth? Lord Most High, lead me away to safety.
The
enemy has left me to perish here, but I pray for Your
healing hand, which only You can send and my broken
heart, only You can mend.
Why must I strive as a rose
strives to bloom in the storm? I strove until I lost
my hope; I lost everything inside, so now I am brought
down very low that I may look up on high where my Lord
awaits for me to trust His name.
My tears water my
prayer garden, but when is harvest time? Will joy come
from the night watches I stand in? I stumble and fall
in the dark as the enemy attacks, striking me down
with hopelessness and I feel so helpless because I am
when alone, so I must open my eyes to behold, stop
doubting and come to be His Singer in the night.
I was
cast down without a lamp and then from on high,
somewhere in the distance, there was a voice that
called:
"Remember who you are. Arise, Nightingale, My
Singer in the night. If you lose your faith, your
courage soon will follow, so be strong tonight and
sing a psalm of praise."
Yea, I will praise the Lord in the night for I am a
soldier, fighting in a battle to be won, to be as a
precious jewel in His righteous hand and be in His
holy sight a Daughter of Zion. My heart is broken that
I may give fragrance of purity, my tears are shed to
be spices of sweetness and now I will praise Him yet
the more, and I will praise Him forevermore to always
be His Singer in the night.
He calls me and I answer,
arising and bowing down with a humble spirit, one that
He had formed and fashioned with His working hands. He
is truly with me in trouble, He is for me when I am
weak, and so He trains me in the stormy rain, leading
me from valley to pasture.
He is my Good Shepherd and
I am His sheep to follow with faith in heart and
courage to see that I shall never fall with Him beside
me.
Singers in the night are few, they are called and
also chosen to be what the Lord commands, and so I
must stand with armor and sword in hand until He
returns and says, "Well done."
From the morning to the
going down of the sun, the Lord's name is to be
praised, eternally in His kingdom and forevermore in
His courts with thanksgiving.
I bless His name, I
bless His name again and I, as His Singer in the night
wait for my Beloved to arrive. He is faithful, His
mercy and righteousness endures forever and so shall I
be saved from my despair.
I sing the storms away,
waiting for them to pass away and the Son of
righteousness shall arise.
A song of night singers
August 16, 2002
"Someone to lead them."
By: C. E. Rodriguez
"O send out thy light and thy truth: let them lead me; let them bring
me unto thy holy hill, and to thy tabernacles." Psalm 43:3
There's a world out there that's dying, looking for a friend they can
rely on.
They're searching through worldly desires with the lust of
eyes and pride of life, whatever the sin, if they only knew they find
it all in Him, if they only knew their life's fulfillment would begin
in Him. He is the way, the truth and the life and His name is Jesus
Christ the Lord of glory.
All they need is someone to love them, someone to lead them, someone
to teach them and to show them the path of life, in the way of Christ.
Someone to hug them, someone to hold them, to cry with them and show
them the compassion of Christ. Someone to help them grow strong,
guiding them along, someone to bring them home to rest in our Father's
arm's. All they need is someone to lead them.
For there's a world out there that needs a friend, people looking for
comfort and all they need is a helping hand. Sickness, disease,
heartache, pain and suffering, all accurse of sin, but an open door
which will allow His love to enter in, all it takes is a prayer of
faith and by that faith, walk in and through His way of truth, seeking
His wisdom, understanding and righteousness, and life will begin for
them. Blessed are they who trust in Him and seek Him with their whole
heart, in the day and even in the night.
All they need is someone to love them, someone to lead them, someone
to teach them and to show them the path of life, in the way of Christ.
Someone to hug them, someone to hold them, to cry with them and show
them the compassion of Christ. Someone to help them grow strong,
guiding them along, someone to bring them home to rest in our Father's
arm's. All they need is someone to lead them.
Like little lambs to the slaughter, we must save them from disaster.
Lord God, fill us with Your love and compassion as we pray for them,
my Lord and King, praying for Your people in this dreadfully lost
nation which has gone far away, gone astray to be Babylon the great,
America the lost.
All they need is someone to love them, someone to lead them, someone
to teach them and to show them the path of life, in the way of Christ.
Someone to hug them, someone to hold them, to cry with them and show
them the compassion of Christ. Someone to help them grow strong,
guiding them along, someone to bring them home to rest in our Father's
arm's. All they need is someone to lead them.
Help us to be someone who will lead them. Lord Jesus, I want to be
someone to help them into Your way of righteousness and truth, to be
strong. In the name of Jesus, I pray, amen. Shalom.
- A psalm prayer for the few,
- the true Christian
July 26, 2002
"In Thy journey."
By: C. E. Rodriguez
"By faith he sojourned in the land of promise..." Hebrews 11:9
Glorious Lord with unfailing faith in heart, lead me on Thy road,
through seas of tribulations, valleys of death and hills of despair
that I may become a good soldier for Thee.
Faith to move mountains and hills is what You restore with Thy hand of
grace as I run this race, seeking to find wisdom as a pearl of great
price because You called me in Thy journey.
Sweet salvation I shall taste, sweeter than honey to the mouth and as
I travel on in Thy journey, I will discover Thy goodness and mercy
follows me each and everyday.
I pray for You to accompany me as I go through tempest raging winds
for it seeks to destroy my belief, but in the midst of darkness I see
Thy loving hand by me.
Give me the strength to stand on the Rock that is higher than I, to
live by faith and never draw back for Thy holy soul shall have no
pleasure in them who disobey.
If I should fall on the gravel of the road, clean my wounds and help
me go on in Thy journey, continuing in the faith of Christ and in the
grace of God Most High who is Almighty.
Like a potter moves his clay, he makes a vessel proud to display, so
shall my Lord try me in this way of narrow and low to make me into the
image of Jesus, a pure vessel to honor God.
In Thy journey I shall be led to the land of promise, seated in
heavenly places in Christ Jesus my Lord and gracious King in whose
throne is holiness and purity, finer than pure gold.
My goal is at the end of Thy journey where there is life, fresh as
morning dew and bestowed on all those who overcome and were found
standing with a willing heart to pray.
My soul shall praise Thee in Thy journey all my days, and when the
winds are most terrible that is when my psalms of victory shout aloud
of Thy Kingdom and righteousness forevermore.
A poem of His journey
July 19, 2002
"Broken faith."
By: C. E. Rodriguez
"I am like a broken vessel." Psalm 31:12
Shattered and cut asunder as a broken branch, torn from the vine,
faith can be brought down as a wall, becoming as the dust of vanity.
But the Lord can heal a broken heart, one that's broken and so bound,
and He can rebuild the walls the devil has torn down.
Take my eyes, O
righteous God; let them not be as heathen's darkness but blessed with
the brightness of Christ Jesus, my Lord who is above all nations and
kingdoms, higher than the highest.
Restore my psalmist soul, return my
prayerful heart and heal my broken faith, mending it piece by piece,
shaping my life anew that I may offer my praise to You, the Lord who
recoveries me, always caring as a good shepherd for me.
Let not my
soul be forgotten as a dead man out of mind but be nigh unto me,
always near me to heal and restore my broken faith, shattered as an
earthen vessel. Give me the strength to stand by faith and to fear the
God of gods who is worthy to be praised, forever exalted and magnified
on high eternally.
My soul has become a living sacrifice, a broken
heart that You will not despise neither cast away, but my God shall
break the snare of the fowler and my soul shall escape, returning to
my rightful place, on His way to life. Let my broken faith become a
keeper of prayers, a singer in the night, never fearing the devil and
his fright, for I know that the Lord is righteous and He will surely
heal this broken vessel.
I will never run dry on Your grace, for the
God of my mercy shall deliver me and bestow His love that I may be
called of God. He is my Restorer, my Deliverer and my peace, and now
my soul shall rest in He who sets captives free.
"Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by
faith. Be not highminded, but fear:" Romans 11:20
A psalm-like prayer to rebuild
July 17, 2002
"Beautiful and broken."
By: C. E. Rodriguez
"The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed
me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up
the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the
opening of the prison to them that are bound..." Isaiah 61:1
Helping an injured bird can be a rewarding thing to see when you watch
its beautiful wings flying once again, reaching all the way to the
sky, which before was unreachable.
We as wounded and hurting
Christians often behave as an injured bird, one with a broken wing.
We
lose our ability and soon even our will and courage to ever fly again,
and flight is our faith.
We have been attacked by a predator [Satan]
and now we are cast down to the ground of hopelessness.
We drag on our
broken wing perhaps thinking there is no need to fly. But that burden
becomes heavy and we miss the open sky.
After a season of silence, the
Lord our Good Shepherd gathers us in His arms, but then we fear more
abuse, never noticing His helping hands because we are too busy
thinking about the past.
We have already endured heartache, pain and
suffering and now this. We may fight furiously to avoid more of that
feeling but the Lord still holds us as a man rescuing an injured bird,
which could peck the hands until it draws blood.
The Lord sees beyond
our fury to our fear, He feels our heart racing under His fingers, so
He holds us like a wounded lamb, telling us softly that there is no
need to worry, He will restore our soul and heal our broken heart.
Some people are like injured birds, they lash out in fury against
those who try to help them, but God knows the sorrow that hides
underneath. We can all say with David: "O Lord, You have searched me
and known me. You are acquainted with all my ways." [Psalm 139]
Let's pray and ask the Lord to help us see beyond others' behavior and
be sensitive to their hurt. Let's respond with a caring heart; draw
them close to the God who can heal broken hearts.
God wants to bind
the broken heart and wipe each teardrop dry; He'll calm and soothe the
troubled soul who looks to God on high.
Understand this; God can mend
your broken heart, but you must give Him all the pieces.
The Lord
treasures the vessel that was broken and then restored to stand again.
It is a miracle in our eyes but to God, it's just releasing another
bird to fly, beautiful and broken in His sight.
His hands can mend any
broken heart and make it beautiful.
"The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth
such as be of a contrite spirit." Psalm 34:18
A devotion to the broken
August 9, 2002
"Hidden treasures."
By: C. E. Rodriguez.
(Proverbs 2:1-7)
Blessed are those who walk in the way of the Lord, who keep His commandments of righteousness and truth, and blessed are they who understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God, which is as hidden treasures.
O Lord, that my way was directed, that I might see every step in this dark time and walk uprightly in Your sight.
Your wisdom is as pure gold with the purest of purity, and Your knowledge is higher than man. More precious than silver, more beautiful than diamonds and most costly than gold, so is my Lord Jesus, the Lamb of God. Lord, Your wisdom and truth are as hidden treasures, and Your words are as a pearl of great price that is unworthy to be cast before swine.
Let me hear and hearken with care to Your words, and with understanding let me understand the things which are hidden from the world and man's sight.
Let the mysterious come into light, as You will, and let the unknown come to be known, and let me consider what is good in Your sight.
Searching, seeking and looking, diligently to know of Your righteousness and to understand Your truth, seeing that it is good and pure, help me to endure in the way everlasting.
Hidden are His treasures and marvelous when it is found. I am bound, but the Lord sets the captives free, that they may be His sheep.
O Lord, forever blessed and praised is Your name, and leave my soul not in shame, but deliver me speedily that I may behold Your glory.
How can I know the way? Where is the gate? The Lord, He is the way.
"My God is my help."
By: C. E. Rodriguez
"Hide not thy face far from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation." Psalm 27:9
So many burdens; too heavy for me, so many worries and concerns; it is too much for me to hold. The things of this world tie me down, and I am all undone, unable to stand on my own. Make haste to help me, O Lord my salvation. Help me, O Lord my God: O save me according to thy mercy. I need a way to travel, I need a truth to know, and I need a life to live with hope. In this world, I need help, help from heaven above, help from the Lord of host. My God is my help, my strong Rock and fortress, a house of defense for my safety. The Lord is my strength and my song, even my salvation and high tower. If I call upon Him in truth, with faith that He hears, my God shall do wonders above.
He is always there, always near to help His people, and He is unto them, the good Shepherd who cares. My God is my help, for He lifts me up when I trip and fall, He gives me faith when I doubt, reassures me when I am afraid, and He comforts me when I am grieved. My Lord, please give me the faith to believe even though I cannot see, and as a child, lead me by the hand through the way. My God is my help, leading and guiding with His word of life, and Thy word is very pure, therefore lead me according to Thy word in the way of righteousness.
Everlasting grace and enduring mercy is precious to me, and the Blood of the Lamb is the dearest of all. He forgives us for the sin within us, and by His mercy the lost sinner has a chance to be found. I give Him all glory, great honor and high praise, for God is my help, in Him is my hope and with Him as my light, I shall pass from the valley of death to His mountain. My God, my help, forevermore be exalted, lifted and praised above all of the earth. Holy is Thy name.
A song of my Helper.
February 6, 2002
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