through and through and through

ascertain
©9-24-14 hannah mclean

You have kept me
You have carried me
You have stayed with me
through 
and through
and through

You did not bend
You did not break
You did not waiver
though I wondered
and wondered 
and wondered

You were always faithful
You were always patient
You were always enough
no matter
no matter 
no matter

and the voice with which
my soul now praises
offers depth anew
and the arms with which
my spirit raises
lift with strength in You
and the knees with which 
my body bends 
have known Your presence true

but had i not laid
in the rubble of life’s devastations
and looked upon the barrenness
of time flown by
i would not now know You
as I now contend You can be known
i would not now praise You
as I now ascertain You should be praised

for from the ashes
of life’s fires
i rise redeemed
untouched by flames
untarnished by smoke
but changed forever
by the One who walked the fiery coals 

with me

discarded discernment

by hannah mclean 9-3-14

my ears listen to
the words that flow
from those who claim
the name of Jesus
the Spirit grits His teeth
within me
fists clenched
as abomination after
abomination fall from lips
profaning Jesus’ name
and the Truth
for which He died

how long
will you lie
amid your opinions and twisted words
Holy Truths halved
and mixed with the man-made

mercenaries under the banner of Christ
fighting His ways
producing mud holes
miles deep and wide
ensnaring those who
fail to seek the Lord Himself
and entrapping them in
what is NOT
lest they venture further into
the realities and beauty of
what IS

do you not see
how quickly all is stolen from you
when you fail to set your eyes
upon the Holy God
and let them rest elsewhere

you do not discern
what others speak to you:
do not blindly trust
the educated theologian
who claims to know the Word
for you
do not blindly walk
in paths others have forged
who claim to follow the Lord
for you
do not blindly speak
the quips and blurbs that fall from
mouths of those
who claim to hear the Lord
for you

God has not left you to be
blind
He has not left you to be
deaf
He has not left you to be
uninformed
it is you that have chosen
to remain there

pick up the Word
open up the Bible
and fill yourself with the Truth
read and study and search
until the living Word
penetrates your soul
and the Spirit within you
springs to life
and nudges your heart
and stirs your mind
creating conviction
and understanding
and belief
so that when lies rage
you are not swayed
that when the rock of Truth is cemented
into the sands of man
you are not quick to
build your house on
what will fail

discern!
discern!
i beg of you
discern!

what good is it for a man
to gain the whole world
but lose his soul?
what good are the palaces of earth
when they forfeit your place
in the kingdom of heaven?
what good is
a gospel without a Savior?
what good is
worship brought by a worshipper who exalts themself?

for in the end
there will be those who say,
“Lord, Lord”
and to whom He will respond,
“I never knew you.”

it is the one
who walks in the will
of the Father
who values the glory of God
over the glory of man
who honors the Lord
who does not deny
the One whom their soul loves

Jesus died
that the scales you choose to
leave upon your eyes
would fall
Jesus died
that the heart of stone you choose to
keep within your chest
would change to flesh
Jesus died
that the sin you choose to
cling to for comfort
would lose its grip on you
if only you would come
if only you would listen
if only you would turn

there is ONE way
ONE Truth
ONE Life
and you do not get to choose
who God is
you only get to choose
whether or not you will bow
to Him
or to man

discern!
i beg you
discern!
for Jesus weeps
at your endless
swaying

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Oh saints in Jesus, I exhort you with Revelations 3:11:
"I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown."