Previously Published Poems Vol. II
KEEP THE RECORD CLEAN
We have regrets when we live in sin,
Even though they may be unseen.
The only way to have perfect peace
Is to "keep the record clean".We may have things we need to confess,
We may have thoughts that are mean.
But the only way we'll find happiness
Is to "keep the record clean".On the outside we may feel safe
And to others appear serene,
But we know down deep in our heart
We haven't "kept the record clean".We may believe that if we confess
And follow a pious routine
That all is well with our world.
But we must "keep the record clean".We will meet with our Lord some day
And we will want nothing between.
We will get the rewards we deserve,
If we've "kept the record clean".~ Fern Hanlin Coberly ~
GOD IS OUR REFUGE AND STRENGTH
Oh, how very thankful I am
To have a God Who cares.
One Who is with me at all times,
One Who answers my prayers.When I don't know which way to turn,
He is waiting there for me.
He listens to my fervent cry
And answers my plaintive plea.He is my Refuge in the storm,
My Help when troubles come.
When they prove to be disastrous
Or merely meddlesome.He can heal my aching pain,
He can quiet my pounding heart.
He can take away my distress.
Loving solace He does impart.~ Fern Hanlin Coberly ~
DON'T BREAK
The fragile limb on the barren tree
In winter is burdened with ice.
It seems as if it will have to break
And pay the ultimate price.But God sends the sun with warming rays,
The ice melts - it takes on new life.
It has borne the brunt of winter's blast,
It has survived through the stress and strife.Though troubles and trials may have you
Close to the breaking point,
God will send His love and care
And with His soothing balm anoint.Don't give up in your despair,
Know that help is on its way.
God will hear and send relief
When you fervently pray.~ Fern Hanlin Coberly ~
HE WAS GONE
They came very early - at the rising of the sun
To see where they had lain Him,
Their Savior, God's only Son.
But He was gone - an angel spoke to them.They had followed Jesus faithfully.
They witnessed His death on the cross.
Their hearts were broken and bleeding,
As they each faced their personal loss.He had told them that He would rise again,
That the grim grave could not hold Him,
But their faith was weak, they were filled with doubt,
Until the angel spoke to them.Then they knew that their loved One was alive.
That they would see and hear Him again.
They left the empty grave rejoicing.
Their faith had not been in vain!
~ Fern Hanlin Coberly ~"And very early in the morning the first day of
the week, they came unto the sepulcher at the
rising of the sun." Mark:16:12SPRING HAS A SPECIAL BEAUTY
Spring with its special beauty
Brings joy to the soul.
New life springs from the old.
Each plant plays its chosen role.The brilliant yellow daffodils
And the tulips with colors bright
Nod their multicolored heads
To the singing birds in flight.The grass, so green forms a carpet
For Nature's illustrious display.
The sun shines brightly from above
As baby animals play.God, You have been so good
To give us such beauty to admire.
May we appreciate it fully,
As all mankind you inspire.
~ Fern Hanlin Coberly ~"There is no day in all the year so full of
meaning to the soul as Easter Day with
its beautiful flowers and fervent songs to
give it honor." (Selected)JOINT HEIRS
If we are joint-heirs in all of His riches,
He will provide our every lack.
He provides for all of our material needs
And protects us from Satan's vicious attack.Oh, How wonderful to have Him for a partner,
Who stands faithfully by our side,
Who guards us from harm and danger
And leads us when we need a guide.When we surrender all worldly treasures
To follow Him wherever He may lead,
He will not abandon us when we suffer,
But stand with us in our need.Why should we limit ourselves
To live in spiritual poverty,
When He awaits to give us power
To work with Him and to live for eternity?
~ Fern Hanlin Coberly ~"For Me and thee.." Matthew 17:27
"No servant of Christ will ever be the loser."
WILL NOT THE END EXPLAIN?
Will not the end explain
God's purpose for our life?
It is just for us to remain
Faithful to Him through stress and strife.We do not understand today
But in the future it will be made clear
Why each circumstance came to us
And why we had such dread and fear.The tragedies which darkened our door
Will soon disappear from our mind.
When we go to a better land,
We'll leave them all behind.
~ Fern Hanlin Coberly ~"And apart to His disciples He explained it all."
Mark 4:34 (Englishman's Greek N. T.)
WHAT WILL I LEAVE BEHIND?
What will I leave behind
When I leave this world below?
What will others remember of me
When its time for me to go?Have I left any good to help
Others find a better life?
Has any deed I've done - any word I've said,
Helped someone through stress and strife?Have I encouraged anyone
Along this pilgrim way,
Causing them to come to Jesus?
For this I daily pray.Have I been brave as I looked ahead
To the mountains I had to climb?
How have I faced my trials here?
Have I had a profitable lifetime?Have I left any words of wisdom
To guide some brave, exploring mind?
Lord, use me this day to make a mark
Of significance to leave behind.
~ Fern Hanlin Coberly ~
DON'T WORRY
Oh, how we as mortals,
Are prone to worry and fret.
How unthankful and ungrateful we are
For the blessings that we get.
God instructs us not to worry
But to trust in His loving care.
He is always looking out for us.
He's just as close as our smallest prayer.
Do you cross rivers before you come to them,
Dread trouble that may never come?
Is your soul full of unnecessary care
Do you often to worry succumb?
God tells us in His Word not to worry.
In fact, it is a divine command.
He promises to meet our every need,
If we leave our life in His capable hand.
When we as Christians do not trust our Father
In every circumstance in life,
Our witness for Him is tarnished.
Others wonder at our worry and strife.
He promises peace past understanding,
If we turn our troubles over to Him.
He will give us sufficient grace to cope
As we win victory over all of them.
~ Fern Hanlin Coberly ~
"Be careful for nothingand the peace of God which passeth all understanding will keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6,7
HE CARES FOR HIS CHILD
If our Heavenly Father cares
For each tiny sparrow that falls,
How much more He cares for His child,
When in desperation he calls.
He is aware of every tiny incident
In the life of each one who loves Him.
He is there to lift us up when we fall,
To cheer us when all of life seems grim.
His loving eye never misses
Any occurrence in our mundane life.
He is ever ready to sustain us
And to steer us through the strife.
He asks only that we trust Him
In everything we plan to do,
To let Him lead and guide us
Our whole lifetime through.
~ Fern Hanlin Coberly ~
"Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows." Matthew 10:31
YOUR LITTLE LIGHT
The light you bear may be small,
Just a feeble spark.
It may not show in the light
But it shines brightly in the dark.
Your little light may dispel the gloom
That surrounds many today.
Where want and sickness prevail,
You little light may chase them away.
It may be a little thing you can do
To help another through the dark.
Your light may not shine all around,
But - thank God for that little spark.
~ Fern Hanlin Coberly ~
WHEN I TAKE THE TIME TO PRAY
Prayer is the secret yearnings
Of our heart reaching out to God above,
Beseeching Him to grant our needs
And to shower us with His love.
Prayer is bowing our hearts before Him
Seeking His awesome power.
Of all the time in our hurried day,
This is our sweetest hour.
Oh, I wish that I could be
A mighty warrior of prayer,
That each time I sought Him,
I'd find my Father waiting there.
I know that He is willing
To hear and answer me.
To get myself into position to be heard
Is my responsibility.
I must keep the prayer line open,
Not corroded with selfish pride.
I must seek Him in honesty
And let His Spirit guide.
God loves me and is interested
In what I have to say.
My heart is touched and I am blessed,
When I take the time to pray.
~ Fern Hanlin Coberly ~
"The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." James 5:16
THE LORD IS OUR HOME
God is always waiting to give comfort,
To ease the loneliness we feel.
When others fail to fill our expectations,
We can know that His love is real.
When our soul is ever searching
For solace and consolation,
We look to Him and know that
We are free from all condemnation.
For all the years that we've known Him,
He has been our dwelling place.
When we need Him to soothe our heartache,
He showers us with His love and grace.
We are often prone to wander,
To drift away from His loving care.
But when we turn to Him in desperation,
We always find Him waiting there.
When we tire of all our wandering
As o'er this earth we sadly roam,
We know we have a restful ending.
The Lord is our HOME!
~ Fern Hanlin Coberly ~
"Lord, thou hast been our dwelling
place in all generations."
Psalm 90:1
GOD WORKS IN YOU
Often we miss the best God has to offer
Because in the Spirit we fail to walk.
He's constantly with us if we allow Him to reign.
He will show us how to act and to talk.
If we allow the Spirit to fill us,
To direct all that we do and say,
Everything we do will please the Father,
He gives direction when we pray.
We must not "quench the Spirit",
But allow Him to have full control.
When He prompts us to an action,
We must be ready to fill our role.
We must not limit the Holy Spirit
By insisting on our own way.
It will be amazing what we can accomplish,
If we surrender and give Him full sway.
He desires to have complete possession
Over our body, spirit and soul.
He will guide us day by day, if we let Him,
And He'll help us reach that Eternal goal.
"For it is God which worketh in you
both to will and
to do of his good pleasure." Philippians 2:13
WHY WORRY?
As humans we are prone to worry
Over insignificant things in life.
We cannot change them by being fretful,
This only adds to the strife.
God has made each of us in a special way.
We cannot alter His design.
It does no good to question His wisdom
Or to gripe, complain or whine.
We must accept what He has given us
And be content with what we are.
Every defect in our make-up,
Every blemish, wound and scar.
When God looks down upon us
He sees through the blood of His Son.
We are spotless as He sees us.
Christ's redemptive work is done.
So, there is no need to worry.
We can take our problems to Him.
He loves us so completely,
He already has a solution for them.
~ Fern Hanlin Coberly ~
"Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?" Matthew 6:27
WE MAY NOT UNDERSTAND
We may not always understand
How God leads us each day.
Why and when He sends a message
In His quiet, mysterious way.
But we can wholly trust His wisdom
And know that His way is best.
His heart is full of love and kindness
And on His promises we can rest.
His work is done behind the scenes
Where mankind cannot see.
But by our spirit's prompting,
We know He's guiding, lovingly.
He works through each of His children
To accomplish His sovereign will.
If we agree to fulfill His purpose
With love and grace our lives He'll fill.
We must daily live by faith,
Trusting Him to know what's best.
If on Him we are utterly dependent,
Continually, we will be blest.
~ Fern Hanlin Coberly ~
"Not by my might, nor by my power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord." Luke 4:6
DOES GOD ANSWER PRAYER?
Does God answer every uttered prayer?
Is He listening when we call?
Does He hear each heartfelt plea?
Will He send an answer to them all?
If we pray as He instructed,
If we ask only in His Name,
If we are sincere in our asking,
His promises we can claim.
He expects us to ask in faith believing,
Knowing He will His promises keep.
Rich rewards will come to us
As His blessings we gratefully reap.
~ Fern Hanlin Coberly ~
"Ye ought to say, if the Lord will…" James 4:15
"Thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek." Psalm 9:10
"There never was, and never will be a believing prayer unanswered." ~ McCheyne ~
"To pray is to desire; but to desire what God would have us desire. He who desires not from the bottom of his heart, offers a deceitful prayer." ~ Fenelon ~
IN THE LORD'S WILL
We have been instructed when we pray
To ask in the Lord's will.
When all else in life has failed us,
We know He is with us still.
We are not only to tack His Name
Onto the end of our prayers.
We are to pray 'in the mind and spirit of Jesus'.
In our heart we know He cares.
While we believe His promises
And rely upon His grace,
We are to work the works He sent us to do
And to daily seek His face.
It takes the precious Name of Jesus
To open Heaven's bank.
If we seek to get answers in our name,
We will draw a complete blank.
It is not what we have done in life,
It is not what we have been
That gets answers when we pray.
It's only what we have within.
~ Fern Hanlin Coberly ~
"Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the
Father may be glorified in the Son." John 14:13
GOD'S GRACE IS SUFFICIENT
How do you cope with disaster?
How do you accept trouble and trial?
Do you face them with confidence and hope,
Or are you prone to denial?
Do you rebel at God's testing?
Do you murmur and complain?
How do you manage misfortune?
Can you face suffering and pain?
God's wonderful grace is sufficient
To cope with grief and disaster.
When affliction and sorrow overwhelm you,
Just surrender it all to the Master.
He'll be there to strengthen and comfort,
To supply you with abundant grace
To withstand whatever comes your way.
His child He will lovingly embrace.
~ Fern Hanlin Coberly ~
"The whole creation groaneth and
travaileth in pain together until now.
And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the
Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves waiting for the adoption,
to wit, the redemption of our body." Romans 8:22-23
SAFE IN CHRIST
Christ's presence will not keep the storms
away,
But He is with us through the storms.
Our hopes are not placed in sinking sands,
But His Holy presence a safe haven forms.
We are much safer with Him in danger
Than in quietness without Him there.
We do not place our hope in human strength,
But our confidence is in Him, His Word and prayer.
Amid the wildest tumult, the closer He
becomes.
He is never too weary to hear our cry.
Then, why should we fear the tempest,
When on His strength we can rely?
When our strength has been exhausted
With the trials and troubles we face,
He is there - close by to refresh us
And to endow us with His saving grace.
~ Fern Hanlin Coberly ~
"My presence shall go with you." Exodus 33:14
TO BE USED
Lord, let me be used day by day.
Let me not get "bogged down" along the way.
Help me to keep close to You,
Doing what You ask me to do.
I need to come to You in prayer
And to know that You're waiting there.
I need Your strength to see me through.
I need perseverance to stay close to You.
Thank You for setting me free
And making me clearly see.
Show me what Your love is about.
Let me believe and never doubt.
May I be ready and eager to go
When You call me to leave this earth below
To live with You for eternity.
To be used of You until then is my plea.
~ Fern Hanlin Coberly ~
"Order my step in thy Word." Psalm 119:133
FALL
Look at the maple trees!
The beautiful leaves swinging in the breeze.
Oranges, yellows, browns and gold,
God's glory to behold!
Fall's first frigid breath sweeps
Swiftly in as the warm sun creeps
Away as if not wanted any more.
Bright leaves swirl around the door.
Blooming flowers die on the stem.
Oh, how we'll miss the fragrance of them.
The air has a familiar 'nip'
Adding ambiance to God's workmanship.
God knows exactly what He's doing
As He goes about His subtle wooing
Us to enjoy the glory He's strewn about.
This is a beautiful time - there's no doubt!
~ Fern Hanlin Coberly ~
I WANT TO GO - BUT I WANT TO STAY
Christ is the motivation
For the life I live here below,
But personally, it would be my gain
If I were to go.
I want to stay - but I want to go.
I'm pulled between the two.
I'm bound by earth
But Heaven is in view.
I want to stay to continue His work,
To witness to those I love,
To fellowship with the saints
I'll meet in Heaven above.
I want to go to be with Jesus,
To see my loved ones there,
To worship with the angels
In that land beyond compare.
Although I'm in a quandary,
Not knowing which is best.
My life is in His hands.
Either way - I am blest!
~ Fern Hanlin Coberly ~
"For me to live is Christ, but to die is gain." Philippians 1:21
MERRY CHRISTMAS
This time of the year we
like to send
Greetings to those we love,
And wish them many blessings
Sent from our Father above.
Christmas time brings
memories,
Of joyful times in the past.
And of the love of family,
Which will remain steadfast.
In spite of all the
trials
Or woes that life may bring,
We have the assurance
That Christ is Savior and King.
He came to earth on
Christmas Day,
And died one day in shame.
This day is set aside for us
To praise His glorious Name!
~ Fern Hanlin Coberly ~
CHRISTMAS IS FOR FAMILIES
They say that Christmas
is for families,
The time to gather your loved ones about.
But those who do not have families
Are too often left out.
This blessed Christmas
season
Think of those who are alone,
Go to them and show them love,
The love that God has for His own
Take a little time from
your celebration
To share your love with them.
Let them know that God is love
And that they are welcome to come to Him.
After all, this is the
day we commemorate
The day that Christ was born.
His life was lived for others
And He loves those who are forlorn.
The only way His love is
shown
Is through His followers here.
So, take the time to visit someone
And make His LOVE message clear.
~ Fern Hanlin Coberly ~
" STAND IN THE OLD PATH " ~
Oh, how fortunate we are
To have a rich heritage to recall.
The laws and love of our fathers
Give us courage to stand tall.
Their love for God their Maker
Shaped the life they were to live.
Their trials and tribulations taught them
Compassion for others to give.
Tender memories sweep o'er us
As we meditate on their way of life.
How they found joy in Christian living,
And how they faced stress and strife.
Oh, if only we could go backward
To our faithful fathers' days
And read God's Holy Bible
And give Him our heartfelt praise.
Our life would be so much better,
If we shared our fathers' love.
Life on earth would be more pleasant
And we could meet them in Heaven above.
"Remove not the ancient landmark, which
thy fathers have set." Proverbs 22:28
"Stand ye in the …old paths, where
is the good way." Jeremiah 6:16
~ "SET A WATCH BEFORE MY MOUTH" ~
Lord, help me to say only words
That are thoughtful and kind.
Never let hurtful words
Ever cross my mind.
May the love in my heart
Be expressed with my speech,
Let me be tolerant of others
And speak kind words to each.
Let me learn to keep still when
A word is better left unsaid.
Let me ask for Your guidance
And say a kind word instead.
Lord, let me not complain
When things fail to go my way.
"Set a watch before my mouth",
Teach me what I should say.
Let me have a joyful nature
And be content to spread cheer.
Give me a love for others
And say the words they need to hear.
~ Fern Hanlin Coberly ~
"Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth;
keep the door of my lips." Psalm 141:3
LEAVE IT ALL IN HIS HANDS
Leave it all in His hands.
Do not worry and fret.
He is in control of all things.
You'll not have cause for regret.
Let His mind rule your mind,
Every thought, every plan.
He knows what's best for you.
He has known since time began.
"Why take thought for tomorrow?"
He already knows your way.
Why worry about which step to take?
He'll instruct you as you pray.
~ Fern Hanlin Coberly ~
THE WORD OF GOD
The Word of the Lord is wonderful.
Through eternity it shall last.
It holds the hope of the future
And has proven true in the past.
It is forever unchanging,
Its truths shall ever endure.
When the world, as we know it, is passed away,
Its teaching will remain steadfast and sure.
In spite of how often its been used,
Or how many ways its been told,
Its testimony remains new and fresh,
Its message never grows old.
It contains LIGHT to guide you in the darkness,
FOOD to nourish the soul,
PROMISES to lift a weary load
And COMFORT to cheer and console.
It is a MAP to show the pathway
We must travel through this life.
It is a STAFF to protect and support.
It gives strength to face the strife.
It gives the plan of salvation
And shows us God's sacrificial love.
It gives us a glimpse of paradise,
The home that awaits us above.
~ Fern Hanlin Coberly ~
GOD'S PATHWAY
God has a particular pathway
For each of His children to seek.
His Word is filled with instructions.
If we listen, we can hear Him speak.
If we read and follow the general rules
He has given for each who love Him,
Perhaps we will find the specific plan
He has for us among them.
He speaks through His Word, if we listen
And surrender to Him our will.
He will lead on the path He wants us to go.
He'll help us His way to fulfill.
He leads each day - we must follow
Closely each step of the way.
We will discover the road He has for us
When we search His Word and pray.
~ Fern Hanlin Coberly ~
WEAVERS WE
Our life is like a woven tapestry
With colors both dark and bright.
The pattern is known only by the Master.
He sends sorrow as well as delight.
Each moment we add another line
To the design which is our life.
We never know whether it will be
One of happiness and joy or of strife.
God in His love and great wisdom
Knows exactly what the canvas will show.
He knows the end from the beginning.
He will unveil what He wants us to know.
There will be areas of darkness
When our life was a disappointment to Him.
Bright colors will mark the times of service.
Our selfishness will cause colors to dim.
When we come to the end of our journey,
He will disclose the image we've made.
We can see just how it was woven.
Will we be happy with what we displayed?
~ Fern Hanlin Coberly ~
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