Blessings from Bonhoeffer

 

Believe him to be the Son of God,

and you will find him wonder upon

wonder, counsel upon counsel.

-Dietrich Bonhoeffer

A few years ago, I was introduced to Dietrich Bonhoeffer through a play that depicted an interaction between Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Dietrich Bonhoeffer.  Ever since that introduction, I have read something by Bonhoeffer at least once a year.

Recently, I continued reading Life Together by Bonhoeffer.  Undoubtedly, it reminds me of the kindred spirit that Bonhoeffer offers me through his discourse on the concept of community to people of faith.  In all fairness, Bonhoeffer shares some inspirational words that should cause us all to pause for a moment and realize the true value of our Christian community despite the shortcomings and mistakes of our humanity.

I also started reading I Want to Live These Days with You, a daily devotional by Bonhoeffer.  I had read through it previously back in 2006 and 2009.  As I prepared for 2013, I decided to return to the devotional once again.  I had done the same with My Utmost for His Highest by Chambers and Morning and Evening by Spurgeon.

I suggest that most believers could glean something from Bonhoeffer's writings.  He provides the reader with both inspiration and insight.

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For Any Who Have Felt Broken into Pieces

Have mercy upon me, O LORD, for I am in trouble: mine eye is consumed with grief, yea, my soul and my belly. - Psalm 31:9 (KJV)

My eyes grow weak with sorrow; they fail because of all my foes. - Psalm 6:7 (NIV)

 
Many people have asked me why I wrote my inspirational book of poetry Broken Pieces.  I can't help but smile because it is dear to my heart.  I was down.  I was down and reading both Jeremiah and Psalms intensely as my daily devotion.  I was starting to think that the Word was even getting me down as I read the weeping prophet and David's pleas for God to not turn His face from him and to incline His ear to him.  That's when it hit me.
 


God does not leave us helpless.  That is especially comforting for those of us who reside on this side of the cross.  He offers us the Comforter, His Holy Spirit.  We have God dwelling within us.  He knows our moans and groans as well as what they truly mean to us.  He is with us.  We are not without comfort when we have the Helper.
 
I had to share it.  I could not keep such a blessing to myself.  I found poetic inspiration and let it spill onto the page.  I felt the Spirit driving me to write and complete Broken Pieces as a testimony of all that God can do with our broken pieces.  We are all right as long as we stay in the clutches of the Potter's hands.
 
In His Hands
A poem from Broken Pieces by Bruce Jackson

In His hands,

I am but clay

At the mercy of the Master’s touch.

As He crafts me into His desire,

He shapes and molds me to His liking.

He forms me with His hands

And designs me as His workmanship.

He knows the flaws of my very existence.

He cuts away that which is useless.

He creates in me a clean heart

And purifies me through the fire,

Testing how well I will hold together.

He names me and makes me a new creation.

He touches me with His breath

And I live.

I am His masterpiece in the making.

I am but clay in His hands.

Poetic Postings from Pain

My painfulness often inspires my poetry.  Sadly, if I experience something that bothers me or gets me down, I find more inspiration to write.  It is my hope that I am able to shed some light on such circumstances for some aspiring poet who wonders why he or she may not feel so inclined to embrace the valleys and low points as much as the peaks and the mountaintops.

I believe that other poets and authors have inspired my writing and poetry.  Among them, I would have to say that Maya Angelou, Langston Hughes, Dorothy West, Henry David Thoreau, William Shakespeare and Claude McKay are some of my favorites.  I have enjoyed reading them and their various styles of literature.





My poetry is posted on various sites on the web, including but not limited to:

• Associated Content
• HubPages
• WordPress

Here is a poem that has been published in my book Words from the Underground:
Smoke Screens
They appear to be little more than detrimental detours.


Yet, they are detrimental nonetheless.

Our expectations exclude them,

While our conclusions include them.

We do not see them but after the fact.

They disappear as swiftly as they appear.

Some attribute their ways to magic.

Others say they are derived from madness and mayhem.

They are smoke screens.

They exist to serve only as illusions.

They are smoke screens

And they leave us spellbound.

When you least expect them,

You find yourself in their midst.

Your best option is to pay them no mind.

They will choke you with their smoke.

They will engulf you from head to toe.

They will keep your head spinning.

Don't pay them any mind.

You may not expect them.

You may not avoid them.

Pay them no mind,

For they truly do exist.

An Open Appeal to Writers and Poets

To my fellow writers and poets,

I humbly submit this as an appeal to you to do more.  Do more with what you have been endowed with as natural gifts and abilities as well as the developed and enriched skills that you have worked on for years. 

Do good with what you do, offering creative writing classes and assistance to at-risk youth and juvenile offenders, court schools and alternative schools, even group homes.  Donate copies of your books and publications to be placed in site libraries at senior centers, charter schools and community libraries.  Partner with local youth-serving nonprofits to raise money through poetry slams, spoken word events, open mic shows and similar ventures.
Let us still be creative artists, but let us work towards becoming difference-makers.  Let us become activists as well as artists.

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One Question

"Freedom is a hard-bought thing and millions are in chains, but they strain toward the new day drawing near.”- Paul Robeson (singer, actor & activist)

Artists must learn to become activists.  Artists must somehow yearn to become activists who speak up and speak out, giving an artistic voice to the voiceless and raising some sense of cultural and social consciousness in the society that surrounds them.  Without doing so, the artist leaves a void instead of a legacy along with a mere dent rather than an impression on life in his or her times.

One Question (originally, published in Words from the Underground by Bruce Jackson)

There is an alert.

Someone sounded the alarm.

They sang out like a herald,

Crying out for change.

Someone said something must be done.

Yet, I raise a question:

Who will do it?

Who will lead the change?

The ones who ask for it merely scatter.

The ones who said it was necessary cringed.

No one stepped up.

No one stepped out.

Who will lead the change?

Who will it be?

 
The question lingers on.  Will you lead the change?  Answer for yourself.

Eyes Have Not Seen

That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him."- 1 Corinthians 2:9 (NLT)

I found inspiration for a short piece of poetry when I spent some personal reflection time in the Pauline epistles, especially 1 and 2 Corinthians.  The words of Paul are directly quoting the Scriptures, specifically Isaiah's prophecy.  I was inspired, so I wrote freely and I share it here now with all others.

Eyes Have Not Seen


There is something that eyes have not seen.

The truth is that many don't have eyes to see my change.

They do not recognize it.

They do not realize it.

Their eyes are not open to seeing my change.

I'm still who I used to be to them.

I can only be who I used to be in their eyes.

Even though their eyes have not seen,

I know what they see.

I just don't know why.

I feel that God wants more out of me.

I believe He just doesn't want me saved.

He wants me to say it and show it.

He wants me to say that I've changed

And He wants me to show that I have changed.

If they can't see it, at least some will hear it.

Some may not see it, but God will work on them.

Their eyes just have not seen yet.

Ecclesisia

Words of praise escape from the lips of believers


In a chorus of joyful praise!

Called out in His name,

We call out to Him in His name.

Prayers, supplication and praise

Come together as we come together as one.

We are many who have become one.

We were lost who have become found.

We were dead but through Him

We have come to life.

The faith is our foundation.

The altar is our refuge.

This is a body but it is His body.

This is His body,

A body of believers.

We march to the beat of a different drummer

Yet we march as one.

We are many,

But we live as one.

We are the body of Christ.

We are the Ecclesisia.

We are His body.

We Live

I basically wrote this piece from the heart, not the head.  Simply, it is entitled: "We Live." Let the words speak to you and see if you can identify with any of its haunting truth.  Also, "Ghetto Survival Kit" is a more politicized piece below.

We Live

Somehow,
Whether we discuss it or not,
Whether we get into it or not,
Even if we can't stand to talk about it too long,
We struggle here and there.
We lose some and win some.
We bleed.
We cry.
Yet, we live.

Somehow,
Whether we discuss it or not,
Whether we get into it or not,
Even if we can't stand to talk about it too long,
We survived the slave ship.
We endured the lash of the whip.
We saw Mama sold down the River.
We survived the plantation.
We fought that other man's war.
Through it all,
We still live.

Somehow,
Whether we discuss it or not,
Whether we get into it or not,
Even if we can't stand to talk about it too long,
We were up during the Reconstruction.
We had little during Jim Crow.
WE had even less during the Depression.
We had all to gain during the Civil Rights Movement.
We shared a dream with Martin.
We felt the anger and agony of Malcolm.
We cried for JFK and Brother Bobby.
We were given hope with Obama.
We live.

We live on.
Through the years and ages,
We have lived strong.
Despite the trials and tribulations,
We have lived well.
With God by our side,
We have come thus far.
So,
As we look towards tomorrow
And recall the days of the past,
We live on.
We live.
We live.



Ghetto Survival Kit (A Community Briefing)
 
This is an A.P.B., Community!
This is an A.P.B., Family!
All People Beware!
All People Beware!
A-L-L PEOPLE BEWARE.
 
Taxes are going up.
The stuff is going down.
The jig is up.
The people are powerless.
That means that they have less power than the rest.
The Rest?
Who would be the Rest?
The Rest are the politicians with pockets full of blood money.
They get it from the dope crossing borders and entering city streets.
They get it from filling ghetto street corners with houses of grease.
They want it.
They get it.
They want it at all costs.
They get it all costs.
How much will it cost you?
No, not them.
You!
How much will it cost you to fill a mayor's belly?
How much will it cost you to line a councilman's pocket?
How much will it cost you to keep them full?
With prices and rates like these,
Hesaven should be taking online orders and charging admission at the gates
Because they surely overcharge you down here in this hellhole.
Is there a rage in Harlem?
Is something afoul in Denmark?
Is there no balm in Gilead?
Don't trust their lying and flattering lips.
Don't let them near the children.
They want to destroy us all for their own gain.
They want it all for their own gain.
Let God judge them.
You just keep away from them.
You just be sure to keep an eye on them.
You just make sure to stay guarded from them and their speeches and pitches.
Keep them at a distance as you escape from their clutches.
Stand afar off and see them for who they are.
In times like themes,
You need every bit that you got to keep from losing all that you got.
In a place like this,
You have to strive to survive.
In a place like this,
You lose when you start listening to their words.
You win when you stay clear of their wicked ways and wearisome words.
Survive if you can.
Survive how you can.
Survive.
Survive.
Do all that you can to stay alive.
Just survive through it all.
Just survive.
Survive.

Poetic Politics of Profit

What poet can be “politically correct”
Without speaking out
Against tyranny, hypocrisy
Or even the failures of democracy?
It would seem criminal to not share a common voice
With the countless whose urban plight
It seems to have sparked suburban flight,
Flight from ghetto sanctuaries to metro mini malls.
What sort of poet pens poetic verse
That does not curse and condemn
The very system that presses down
On many with no relief
And offers little or no hope?
I would say such a poet
Would be a bond-servant of the tyrants
And tycoons who make
Their greenbacks
From those they call wetbacks
And so-called Blacks
Seeking every break from every tax.

-Bruce Jackson (2009)

Make Moves, Make Money

Are you in business for yourself? Do you find yourself contemplating whether you need to open a for-profit or nonprofit? Are you preparing to turn a hobby into a part-time small business? I think you need to www.score.org or www.sba.gov, even www.irs.gov for information on setting up a start-up business.

Entrepreneurs should check out www.linkedin.com and www.ryze.com as another social media network option. Currently,my page is http://www.ryze.com/go/RevBruce. Get a glimpse of it from time to time.

Business tip for Christians: Set a percentage amount that you want to dedicate to giving to the local church as a "business tithe" or "business offering."

I got something to say. Yep! I've got something to say about Christian ministry, theology, church, spreading the gospel, and reading the Bible, even living out the truth. I've got something to say at http://revbruce.wordpress.com where i let it all out.

Be sure to visit: http://revbruce.wordpress.com/2010/01/08/truth/
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Consider creating a partnership for volunteer development with a complimentary agency or entity. Many nonprofits, LEAs, charter and private schools should consider "partnering" with other agencies and entities that support education, community service, and making a contribution. Be sure that you have alignment between your mission and the other agency or you at least share beliefs and not just service populations.
Get more ideas on biz tactics & strategies for marketing and ministry @: http://www.twitter.com/lifepath01/
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Check me out on RYZE: http://www.ryze.com/go/RevBruce

What I Really Do... Day by Day

Daily, I get up and get connected with God through all sorts of ways; prayer, journal, Bible study, reflection, devotional reading, etc.. I keep my ears open to what God has to say through His Word and my eyes open to what He shows me along my way. I love reading DC Talk's Jesus Freaks and Crazy Love by Francis Chan. I write at least two blogs daily on Wordpress and Blogger as well as status updates via Facebook, MySpace and Faith Freaks. I even tweet on Twitter throughout the day. I love to check on the latest information for business and ministry via the internet on my Treo Pro (no, not the PRE...P-r-o) an via my laptop. I add to my list of public articles, poems and other resources via Christian Archives and other sites.

Today is a New Day

Today is a new day.

Today is yesterday's tomorrow,

Tomorrow's yesterday.

Tomorrow is not promised.

Yesterday is gone.

Today is a new day

So let me work

While I still have today.

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Jesus spoke about the timeliness of working through the day and not the night in John 9:4. He said that He was to do the works of Him who sent Him. As Christians, we are followers of Christ. We follow His example, so we have similar works as He did.

Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.-1 Corinthians11:1 (NIV)

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I've been saying a lot. Well, I've at least been tweeting a lot. Follow the mobilized movement at Twitter. I post Scripture,quotes, ideas, insights, and other special messages. Sign up today!

A Call to Dedicated Discipleship

23 And He said to all, If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me. 24 For whoever will save his life shall lose it, but whoever will lose his life for My sake, he shall save it. 25 For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world and loses himself, or is cast away?

Luke 9:23-25 (MKJV)

The major issue of complexity when it comes to Christianity has more to do with whether we will embrace the challenge to be like Christ or not. To be called Christian, a person has professed to be a follower of Christ and His teachings. As Christians, we are to spend more time being like Christ and less time being like our old personas.

Being a Christian is more than looking at the example Christ set for us as believers. Being a Christian is more about following the example set by Christ. We become His followers, His disciples. As His disciples, we become disciplined in the matters of life in accordance with His doctrine, His teachings.

Jesus Himself exposed a critical element of what it takes to truly be Christian. In the above passage, we hear the Lord and Master sharing a truly insightful formula for being called His disciple. Be careful to catch what He wants us to do with our current lives and how He wants us to embrace our new lives with Him.
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Open my eyes so that I can see the wonderful truths in your law.-Psalm 119:18 (NIV)

The Spiritual Stamina System

This is a test

Of your spiritual stamina system.

If it were not a test,

You would have been notified

By the Holy Spirit

Which indwells every believer

To make preparations

For a spiritual disaster.

In the event

That there is such a spiritual disaster,

Watch, fight and pray,

While staying in tune

With your source of power.

Such activities will not guarantee

That hell will not come your way

Or Satan will not be busy in your life,

But keep in mind.

It is only a test.

You may now resume

Living with your spiritual stamina

Tested, tried and true.

Reflections of a Believer: Inspirational Poetry & Prayers (2nd Edition) (ID #2724220): http://www.lulu.com/content/2724220

The Wait is Over

"...behold, all things have become new." 2 Corinthians 5:17

I had taken some time off from contributing to my blog due to final preparations for my latest book of inspirational poetry Broken Pieces. It actually gave me about two and half months to get centered on a few things and get geared up for where I am headed this next year in life and ministry.

2008 set me up for major adjustments in both life and ministry, but 2009 will see me soaring amongst the eagles in the upper atmosphere and above the clouds. Both my work and ministry will be impacted by what I experienced in 2008 and what the Lord has set upon me to accomplish in 2009. I move forward as a "new creation" in Christ Jesus, understanding that as such:

• Old things have passed away
• All things have become new

For a download or online purchase of Broken Pieces visit www.lulu.com/lifepath/