Poetry by Miss DeRoos

Footprints

Last night I had a dream so real;

The facts of which I’ll now reveal.

Upon the sands of time I stood;

The sand was soft; the breeze felt good.

Then Jesus came to my delight;

His clothes were of the purest white.

He took my hand into His own,

As on the shore we stood alone.

Into His eyes of love I gazed,

My beating heart transfixed, amazed.

His face gleamed with grace so tender;

Flawless beauty; perfect splendor.

On the shore of life we walked,

And laughed together as we talked.

I saw His footprints next to mine;

With two sets present all was fine.

But then there flashed before my eyes,

Scenes that caught me by surprise;

Scenes of life with hurt and pain,

With others yet of cruel disdain.

As I observed each scene that passed,

One detail I discovered fast.

I held my breath, began to shake,

And felt as if my heart would break.

One set of footprints did I see.

It seems like you’ve abandoned me.

Lord, help me please to understand,

This set of footprints in the sand.

Why when troubles take their lead,

Would you ignore me as I plead?

When you were with me, I was strong.

Reveal to me what I’ve done wrong!

At times, this battle seems but lost;

I faint beneath extreme exhaust.

My body’s weak; my mind’s off you;

And sinful flesh obstructs my view.

This heavy yoke I cannot bear.

I sink and wallow in despair.

In pain so great, I start to cry.

I feel as if I’m going to die……

…..Then I heard a voice of love,

Calling gently from above.

Its power none can comprehend;

Its greatness rules without an end.

As I heard the voice, I knelt.

I can’t describe the peace I felt!

A thousand tears I must have shed,

As this voice above me, said,

“My precious child, my love runs deep!

It hurts my heart to see you weep!

I would not leave, I’m always near

To hold you close and wipe each tear!

My love for you is like a fire;

Burning bright with great desire;

Flames that rise with zealous heat;

A love unquenched; a love complete.

So, when you feel all hope is gone,

And that my grace has been withdrawn,

Remember, through all raging wars,

This battle, child, is mine not yours.

Forsaken footprints, near the shore?

These are mine, your grief I bore!

I carried you when you were weak;

Your heart so full you couldn’t speak.

I saw the many tears you cried;

I felt your longing deep inside;

I heard the silent prayer you prayed,

And hastened quickly to your aid!

I picked you up and walked for miles,

Gladly bearing all your trials;

Pushing all your past behind;

Loosing chains that firmly bind.

Now, my child, you’re free and whole,

From every sin that’s plagued your soul!

Walk onward in my love and grace,

At all times looking on my face.

For in this world of lust and hate,

Your testing’s will indeed be great,

But follow me; I’ll lead the way;

My footprints guiding day by day.”

Date: Wednesday, December 23, 2009

_______________________________________________________________

"The Beauty of a Vessel"

Scriptures to be applied from this poem:

Psalms 31:12

“I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind: I am like a broken vessel.”

Proverbs 25:4

“Take away the dross from the silver, and there shall come forth a vessel for the finer.”

Romans 9:21

“Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonor?”

2 Timothy 2:21

“But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour.

If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work.”

Isaiah 64:8

“But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.”

The story behind this poem:

Have you ever read stories or poems of a vessel that no one seems to want? This vessel is constantly passed by and left to collect dust. It sits there ashamed of its poor appearance and loses all hope in life…the hope of one day being purchased. Then Jesus comes by, sees the value, and purchases it for His very own.

I have read several such poems and I always thought that they were so neat and so touching! I always had the desire to write a poem about a vessel. I desired the Lord to give me a poem with a unique message, and that is when He stepped in to take matters into His own hands. He saw my heart’s desire and not only gave me a poem about a vessel, but also gave me a melody to go along with it. It had been a long time since a certain melody had been laid on my heart. I finally came to the realization that the Lord wanted to give me words to this melody. I liked the fact of having a melody because it would add so much to the words and in many ways bring the words to life. During the time that the Lord was giving me the words to write this song, it touched my heart and brought tears into my eyes at the realization of His great love for me.

It still touches my heart each time I sing it to myself. It brings peace to my heart to know that even though my life is nothing but filthy rags, the Lord can take my life and make something beautiful out of it. He can make something beautiful out of anyone’s life!

We are all sitting on life’s shelf. Our sins have made us unsightly, and yet Jesus still came and gave His life for us so that we could be made pure like a brand new vessel.

This song/poem is to encourage anyone who thinks that they have gone to the point of no return and that Jesus no longer wants them. Or, maybe you feel lonesome and can’t see why anyone would want to befriend you. The truth is that someone DOES want you. He wants you so much…He LONGS for you, because He knows that He can change your life and make your life something that you never thought or dreamed possible.

We will all be in His presence one day. The question is how will we appear before Him? A vessel that is pure and holy because of accepting His touch of mercy and forgiveness? Or…A vessel whose polish has faded and whose colors have grown dim due to accepting the evils that this world has to offer? I pray that as you read these words, that you will make that important decision. Your eternity depends on it!

The Beauty of a Vessel

I’m standing; oh I’m standing at Heaven’s golden gate,

And for my precious Savior I’ll patiently wait.

Come quickly; oh come quickly my Savior, come and see,

And remove all my impurities out of me.

My life was once a vessel that stood all by itself

Upon an old rugged and dusty wooden shelf.

I prayed and I cried for a friend to come my way,

But no one ever wanted a vessel of clay.

I looked across the room at a vessel painted gold.

It had a crowd of viewers and finally was sold.

Such shame and such sadness did fill my every thought

As I faced the fact that I’d never be bought.

I stood there with such grief as a vessel of no worth.

Losing all hope for a friend upon this earth.

My polish was faded; my colors were dim;

So my chance to have a master was now very slim.

One day I saw a man as he walked into the shop.

Every other vessel did call on him to stop.

He smiled but kept on walking till at last by me he stood.

His eyes gazed on my heart where no other man would.

He gently picked me up with his hands of tend‘rest care.

I felt his soothing touch take each burden I did bear.

I looked into his eyes which were full of glistening tears.

He then spoke words of love that removed all my fears.

He said “my precious child I have known you very well.

I knew your thoughts of shame when you thought you’d never sell.

I knew your desperation; I heard you when you cried;

I felt the bitter mourning you heart held inside.

With patience you have waited even when no person came.

That is why I’m here my child, Jesus is my name.

I’ve come to redeem you and make you my own.

You’ll never again feel like you’re all alone.”

His words healed my heart when I thought all hope was lost,

But His precious life, yes His blood it had cost.

For me He was beaten; my cross He hung upon;

His blood made me whole all my sins are now gone.

My life is now a vessel to be used forevermore.

I sit upon His table as from me His blessings pour.

No other man could heal me or fix my brokenness,

But Jesus came and blessed me with pure happiness.

The beauty of a vessel does not come from its art.

The beauty comes from love that is found within the heart.

Although our lives are fragile, they can be very blessed.

Just give you life to Jesus, and He will give you rest!

Please open up your heart and Christ will do the rest!

________________________________________________________________

"Awake, My Bride! Awake!"

by Rachelle L. DeRoos

My precious bride, beloved, my return is at the door.
I’m sending you a warning that I hope you won’t ignore.
The whisper of my gentle voice has beckoned you draw near,
But the noise of sin has deafened you; my voice you cannot hear.

Long ago I came to earth to do my Father’s will.
Redemption was the master plan He sent me to fulfill.
A mission full of righteousness to seek and save the lost,
To betroth you to myself for which my life would be the cost.

On the cross my blood was shed to give eternal life.
I took you to myself as a husband would his wife.
My love for you so great that I bore your sin and shame;
Once received, this gift ensures your life won’t be the same.

A gift so high in grace, yes a gift so full and free!
It offers true forgiveness once your heart is turned to me.
A peace that overflows your being; joy that is complete;
A confidence in me alone that never knows defeat!

All of this, my love, my bride, I want you to possess,
That you may go about in faith rewarded with success!
But you’ve allowed this evil world to turn your heart away.
You’ve rebelled from what I’ve taught you and persist to disobey.

Presently the life you’re living echoes not my own.
So falsehoods and confusion are the seeds that you have sown.
The fruit produced from all this seed is bitter to the taste.
I’m warning you this bitter fruit shall surely go to waste.

For, those that do not know me, in despair have come to you.
Their empty lives search desperately to find the tried and true.
Because you have forsaken me, believing Satan’s lies,
None of these can see me when they look into your eyes.

Yet you press on blindly, seeking not the things above.
I’m grieved that you have left me; I’m no longer your first love.
But idols have replaced me; yes, your heart is hard as stone.
Where once bloomed fragrant flowers; thorns have overgrown.

Your iniquities are many, your abominations great!
The haughtiness that lives within you, all of these I hate!
But return to me with all your heart, a holy life to live.
My arms are always open wide to mercifully forgive.

But if you give no heed to this warning I have sent;
To die to all unrighteousness and humbly to repent;
I’ll spew you from my mouth with your wickedness and pride.
I cannot dwell within a life where all these sins abide.

I’m imploring you, beloved; you must listen to my voice!
You can’t serve both the world and me; you’ve got to make a choice!
Awake, my bride! Awake! My commands and laws to keep!
But, beware lest when I come I should find that you’re asleep!

Copyright © 2009 by Rachelle L. DeRoos
Date: Saturday, July 11, 2009
All rights reserved

The story behind the poem:

"Lord, I don’t feel worthy to write such a poem, but if you give me the words, I will happily do it.”
This was the prayer that I prayed as I walked slowly to my room to begin writing out a warning from the Lord to the church, His bride. It had all begun as I was beginning to cook supper for my family one evening. With joy in my heart, I began to sing out miscellaneous praises. Out of nowhere I heard myself sing these words…“Beware lest I find you asleep!”
What?! I felt in my heart that the Lord was trying to speak to me. So I stopped singing, and just pondered those words of warning. Within, I knew that He was asking me to write a poem that was to warn Christians all around the world to WAKE UP from their sleep of sin and return to Him with all their hearts and to live a life of holiness.
There are simply no words to express what I was feeling! Where would I even begin?? Well, the answer to that question should be obvious to any Christian…I went to my room, got down on my knees, and began to pray. “Lord, you have asked me to write a poem, but I don’t know what to write. Please give me YOUR words, because they must reflect your heart. This is a warning from you! I’m your vessel, so use me as you wish, and may you receive all the glory and honor!”
With this simple prayer complete, I began to write the words that the Lord would give me over the next week. I spent many hours in my room praying and reading the Bible…sometimes staying up until midnight, because I just couldn’t sleep. The urgency of this warning to the body of Christ would not allow me to retire early to bed until I felt peace about what had been accomplished that night. There were even times when nothing seemed to come at the moment, and so I would get in bed to rest my weary thoughts. Once my head hit the pillow, words began to come again…SO I’d get out of bed once more, turn on my lantern, and swiftly write down the words that had been laid on my heart.
Tears would come to my eyes during these long nights as I realized that we as Christians had lost our first love in Jesus. Beloved of God…make yourselves ready for the time is short!"

If you would like to add the story behind it to your websites, or even write a comment about it yourself...please let me know. I'm open to whatever ideas you may have, and I will do all that I possibly can.

I am in complete agreement with everything you said about "prophetic words". I have felt the same way for years. That is why so many people can't see Jesus in "Christians"...they have fallen so short and are doing things their own way. Every day, I pray and ask the Lord to make me even more different from the world than what I am now! If you have read the "about me" section of my Facebook profile, that is truly what I desire...to be so completely full of Christ and so completely empty of myself that any person can feel the presence and the anointing of the Lord Jesus radiating from me as I walk. Oh what joy there is in knowing Him and being like Him!!

Our family would LOVE to call in your radio show again! We were all blessed last time and had a blast...my brothers and I listened from the laptop in another room so that we could hear the two way conversation. We were all smiles! Thank you for giving us that opportunity! If there is ever a time that you would like to have us call in again, please email my father and let him know. I believe he gave it to you over the phone when he called in last time. If you don't have it, I will be more than happy to give it to you again.

Yes, I do know that Timothy has gone through so much. May the Lord bless him for being bold in Christ, and may He give him strength and endurance as follows in the footsteps of Jesus each day! I have kept him in my prayers daily!

God bless you and your family as well! We love you all very much too!
Rachelle