Category Archives: poem

Faithful & Sudden

Posted in God's Faithfulness, poem, Praise, Praying, Uncategorized by

Heb 11-1

Prayers uttered in faith
Recalling God’s faithfulness in the past
Counting on His trustworthiness in the future
My God, He never changes

Days turn into weeks
Weeks into months
Yet, still there is no answer
My God, He is at work in ways we cannot see

One day, there will be a breakthrough
One day, His answer will come
Suddenly, swiftly
I must be prepared to move when He says go

Tonight, when there seems to be silence from heaven
When deliverance is far from my sight
I pray and I will praise my God
Confident, that one day soon, my deliverance will come

By Susan Wachtel
November 29, 2015

The Broad Road Church

Posted in Apostasy, False Teaching, God's Word, Heresy, poem, Truth by

1 John 2-19 B-W

My spirit is sobered
When I read Your Word
Only to find the prophesies
That some will abandon the faith

Even now I see signs of heresy
Apostasy
Blasphemy uttered from lips
Of those who call themselves Christian

It’s visible in the pulpit
Pastors and teachers
Even worship leaders are not immune
Leading astray the unwise sheep who sit in the pew

Seminaries once strong
No longer bastions of truth
Heretical teaching is commonplace
Unbelieving professors are wolves in sheep’s clothing

The full counsel of God’s Word is not taught
It’s been replaced with feel good “sermons”
God’s clear condemnation of sin is ignored
Immorality and unrepentant sinners embraced

Men are given the title of pastor
The truth be told
Some are nothing more than motivation speakers
Catering to the audience and tickling their ears

Pastors, there’s no need to study hard
Or accurately divide the Word of truth
Instead, find a readymade sermon online
Buy it today, preach it tomorrow

Even pastors who once seem solid
Elevate themselves; not God
Read their own books from the pulpit
Set aside the inerrant Word of God

There’s another book to hock
CD albums are ready to sell
Is the Word of God free and unfettered
No, but it’s available for a small fee

Preachers who should know better
Align themselves with false teachers
Come alongside those whose motivation is tainted
Fueled by pride, applause and the love of money

Sin is seldom mentioned
Truth, no longer spoken
For fear of causing offense
Or driving away those with deep pockets

Salvation found through Christ alone
Is so very narrow minded
The narrow road that leads to life is not mentioned
By those on the broad road leading to destruction

Father, You have forewarned us
Of the deception that will take place
The falling away of those who were with us, but not of us
Evidenced in fact that they did not remain

Father, may we abide and remain in Christ
Keep us in Your Word daily
Holy Spirit, give us wisdom and discernment
Raise up men who will unashamedly preach the Word

by Susan Wachtel
November 6, 2015

Departed

Posted in poem by

Mark 5-19-20

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jesus and His disciples
Departed for the other side
To the Gadarenes
For a divine appointment was in store

Two demon-possessed men
So wild and violent, no one dared to pass by
They lived among the tombs
The spiritually dead among the physically dead

When they saw Him
They knew, it was God incarnate
The Son of God stood before them
The One Whom they had rebelled against in eternity past

They knew their day was coming
For torment and eternal punishment
They cried, “What have we to do with You, Jesus”
They begged Him, “Cast us into the herd of swine”

He commanded, “Be gone!”
The demons obeyed, departed and entered the swine
At breakneck speed they hurled themselves
Over a cliff, headlong into the sea and drown

Quickly the herdsmen departed
Made their way into the city
They declared all that had happened
Including a tale about tormented men set free

The townsmen made their way to Jesus
They witnessed for themselves
Two formerly demon-possessed men
Now clothed and in their right minds

They were overcome
With great fear
Urgently pleaded with Jesus
Depart from here

Before Jesus departed
One man begged to come with Him
“No,” He responded, “Depart”
“Proclaim to all you encounter what God has done for you.”

By Susan Wachtel
November 3, 2015

Once Again Come Spring

Posted in Hummingbirds, poem, Uncategorized by

DSC_5786

My heart is a little bit sad
As I bid my hummers adieu
Yesterday, I had one last glance
But I didn’t know it was goodbye

One drank from the feeder
Another hovered above
As if to bid her to come
For the time has come to go

Take one last sip for the flight
Follow me little one, let’s go
Once again, make our long trek
Fly to our warm winter home

In spring I delighted
When I set out our feeder
Only to see it in use
Just a short while later

At first there were two
Then four, before long there were more
Of course we accommodated
Strategically placing more feeders

Each morning it was my delight
To sit on the patio so quiet
Soon the hummingbirds would appear
For their early morning feedings

So beautiful and delicate
A testimony to God’s marvelous creation
How can one so tiny
Be so feisty and fierce

As spring moved into summer
Our feeders went from nonstop busy
To frenetic feeding
And now there are none

I will fill the feeders
One last time
In case a tiny migrant flies by
In need of energy for his flight

Even now my heart looks forward
Once again come spring
When the little hummers will return
Come, drink and stay for a while

Until then, have a safe flight
My little feathered friends
Enjoy your stay
In a warm sunny place

By Susan Wachtel
September 21, 2015

Coming from southern California, I was used to having hummingbirds in our yard year round.  One of the attractions about north Texas is we have real seasons.  Along with those seasons some of the birds come and go.

One of my favorite spring and summer birds are the black-chinned hummingbirds we have in our area.  Even now I look forward to springtime when they will return.

Prayer at Gethsemane

Posted in Gethsemane, God's Will, poem, Prayer by

Mark 14-36

Christ’s final hours were upon Him
The disciples waited nearby
His closest, Peter James and John
Were invited to watch and pray
Jesus shared His overwhelming grief
And went off alone to pray

He called out to the Father
If possible, let this cup pass from Me
Yet He submitted Himself
To His Father’s will and plan

When He returned
He found fast asleep those He asked to pray
Couldn’t you keep watch for one hour
For temptation is coming your way
To resist your spirit needs to be strengthened

Jesus went again to beseech the Father
He returned only to find
His three closest friends asleep on their watch
They had no idea what to say
No excuse is given, they remain silent

A third time
Jesus goes alone to Father and prays
When He returns it’s no surprise
He finds His disciples asleep on their watch
His time with them has come to an end

For His hour is at hand
His betrayer will come with throngs
And greet Him with a kiss

Jesus arises
He knows what’s to come
And the great suffering He will endure

Instead of fleeing
Jesus Christ rises
To meet those who seek to kill Him
He stands ready to accomplish the Father’s will

He is alone
Soon His prayerless disciples will flee
The angles are restrained
As the Son of God is betrayed
Given over into the hands of evil men
The Father is silent in His resolve
His plan will be accomplished

Sin will be punished
Those bound by sin and death will be set free
Grace and mercy will be offered
Not to those who deserve it
For there are none

But salvation will be given
To those hell-bound sinners who repent
To those who confess Christ Jesus as Lord
They will be saved

by Susan Wachtel
September 16, 2015

A Year with the LORD

Posted in God's Faithfulness, poem by

PS 92-1-2

A year has passed
Which held changes
We never could have imagined

Nor could we have
Gotten through the challenges
On our own wisdom and strength

At every turn
God met us
With just what was needed

Before we could even ask
Or know what to pray
God directed our steps and met our needs

At times it seems surreal
I’m sure I’ll wake up
From this dream

But another day dawns
Here I am
In a new place we call home

By Susan Bunts Wachtel
September 7, 2015

September 6th, marked our one year anniversary when we left our family, friends, church and home in southern California and moved 1,500 miles to Texas.

In so many respects it’s been an amazing year.  Especially when we look back and see God’s faithfulness and help at every turn.

We are most grateful to God and for our family and friends who supported and prayed for us as the Lord moved us from the place we called home for many years.

Operation Condemnation

Posted in Condemnation, poem, Spiritual Warfare, Uncategorized by

Rom 8-1

Captain Deceit, I’m reporting for duty
Do come in lieutenant, I have your next assignment

Your next target is a woman
She is a believer in our Enemy

Years ago she recognized her sin and repented
Then the Adversary snatched her from Satan’s clutches

The so called Holy One forgave all her sins
He even credited Christ’s righteousness to her account

While we are powerless to change her eternal destiny
We can assault her here on earth

I want you to rack her with guilt and condemnation
Daily, focus her mind on her many sins, past and present

Help her to see her willful sin
And the utter depravity of her heart

The pièce de résistance
Will be sins committed after she came to Christ

May she focus on her own wretchedness and unworthiness
Even question if she is really saved

Instead of being filled with joy and peace
Because Christ paid her sin debt

She will be burdened with guilt and brought low
And never desire to share the Gospel

May she be bound with chains
Link after link, memories of her sin

Distract her
So she can’t focus her mind

Do not let her open God’s perfect and inerrant Word
Or let her hide the Enemy’s truth and promises in her heart

Do not let her read or remember
There is no condemnation to those in Christ

Nor walk in freedom
For whom the Son sets free is free indeed

May those hell-bound unbelievers around her
See a fool burdened under the weight of her sin

May she not harken the door of a church
Where the Word of God is taught without compromise

Instead direct her to man’s wisdom
A life of self-effort and temporary rewards

May she not be encouraged and strengthen
By the body of Christ

Whatever you do, don’t let her pray
For her God will hear her prayers and answer

Like the vulnerable lamb who wanders from the flock
Attack and devour when she is alone

Do not let her put her hope in God
Instead cloud her mind with condemnation and defeat

Whatever you do, do not let her be filled with joy and peace
Or give praise, honor and glory to God

Remember, He is our ultimate Enemy
Who desires to save all those who are perishing

Good luck on your assignment lieutenant
Once you succeed, there are many more we need to defeat

by Susan Wachtel
May 14, 2015

Looking Back

Posted in Good Friday, Jesus Christ, poem by

Good Friday Cross

How could that dark day be called good
Except by God Who knew what would be accomplished

A divine appointment
Set from before the foundations of the world

The sinless, spotless Lamb of God
On the cross He bore the sin of man

He was nailed to the cross by sinful man
The ones He came to save

His punishment and death
Paid our sin debt in full

With His last breath He proclaimed “It is finished”
The veil was torn in two from top to bottom

Through His death
He made a way to the Father for those who believe

The Father’s great desire
For all to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth

Christ Jesus alone provided the way
To be forgiven
To be cleansed from sin and made white as snow
To have His righteousness credit to our account
To come boldly before the throne of grace
To call God our Father Abba

Won’t you believe and be set free
From the crushing weight of sin
From the penalty that await those who refuse to believe

By Susan Wachtel
April 3, 2015

The Destruction of a Gossiping Tongue

Posted in Devestation, Gossip, poem, Sin, Tongue by

Woe is the destruction that comes
From a gossiping tongue

Like the devastation wrought
By an out of control wildfire

So too when the gossip’s tongue speaks
A match is lit and many will be burned

Like the person who rolls down the window
Carelessly tosses out a lit cigarette

It will ignite flames of fire
And quickly be driven by the wind

Nary is a thought given
To the damage that will ensue

Wounds inflicted
Burns and scars that may take a lifetime to heal

What pride and arrogance
When words of judgment and condemnation are spoken

The unbeliever hears and declares “hypocrite”
I don’t want to be like that Christian

It breeds mistrust, anger and bitterness
The wounded soul struggles to forgive

Souls for whom Christ died are hurt
The body is divided

God dishonored
Reproach brought upon the body of Christ

Remove the log from your own eye
Be broken over sin and seek forgiveness

Instead may you use your tongue
To praise and worship God, bring Him honor and glory

Now may you pray for the brethren
Speak words of encouragement, life and truth

Susan Wachtel
February 5, 2015

I AM With You

Posted in God's Presence, poem by

ps 56-8

My precious daughter
I want to assure you
I AM right there with you
In your grief

As you weep
I weep with you
I desire to wipe your tears
With My nail pierced hands

Your tears are most precious to Me
I hold each tear that falls in a bottle
I understand your heart which is exceedingly sorrowful
Over the brokenness in this world

At times you may feel all alone
When you are crushed by the heaviness of sorrow and pain
Trust the promises in My Word
I AM with you and I will never leave nor forsake you

There is a day coming
In which there will be no more sorrow, death or pain
Until that day, My precious daughter
Rest assured, for I AM with you

Susan Wachtel
August 8, 2014

Battle Lines

Posted in poem, Spiritual Battle, Uncategorized, Victory in Christ by

Today the battle is on
The fighting is fierce
My enemy is cunning and strategic

Help me to not fight alone
Or rely on my own strength, wisdom, power and might
May I have the victory in Christ alone

Before the battle begins let me prepare my mind
Thoughts taken captive in obedience to Christ
The victory will begin with praise and thanksgiving

Through this battle
May You be glorified, honored and praised
When the evening falls may I stand victorious in Christ

by Susan Wachtel
July 25, 2014

Hide & Seek

Posted in God's Presence, poem by

There are days when the Lord seems
Distant and far away
Silent
His presence veiled

When I recognize that feeling, it causes me to
Examine myself
See if there is unconfessed sin
Hindering, impacting my relationship

Have I let the noise of this present world
Drown out God’s still small voice

Am I distracted by
What I can see and hear
Ignoring that which is apprehended by faith

Have I put other things
Ahead of God and His Word
Set aside the eternal
For that which is passing away

Lord, Your Word assures me
You will never leave nor forsake me
Never abandon me
You are ever present

When I feel You are not near
May I pursue You diligently
Seek You while You may be found

By Susan Wachtel
November 30, 2013

Five Minute Friday – Truth Be Told

Posted in Jesus Christ, poem, Trusting God by

Ephesians 3:20

LORD, the truth be told,
I’ve been struggling
with fear and doubt

Try as I might
I can’t control the future
or guess what will happen tomorrow

In my fear
I’ve gotten my eyes off of You LORD
Forgotten
that You are able
that You have a good and perfect plan
which You are working out in my life

I’ve lost sight of the fact
that You walk with me always
both in the peaks and valleys of my life
You use all circumstances
To help me grow and change
You expose my sin
So that I will confess and repent
You buff out that which is displeasing to You
and reveal conduct unbecoming a Christian

Help me walk by faith
May I not doubt Your goodness
or Your ability to accomplish what concerns me today

May I remember that with each step I take
You are with me
You alone know what my future holds
You are perfectly able to direct my path

Help me to keep my eyes on You Lord
Not my circumstances
Not the people that surround me

Help me to trust You
Tenaciously
Unswervingly
to the end

Five Minute Friday
It’s another Saturday morn and I wanted to participate in Lisa-Jo Baker’s Five Minute Friday writing challenge.  Head over to her website “Lisa Jo Baker Tales from a Gypsy Mama”.  Be sure to read some of the entries from other writers.  I can promise you that you will be blessed.

Five Minute Friday – The Beautiful Cross

Posted in Cross, Five Minute Friday, poem by

cross collage

Whenever I see a cross
I found myself drawn to it

An instrument of cruel torture, punishment and death
Has become something quite beautiful to me

For it is on the cross my Savior died
The sinless Son of God

He bore my sin debt
Paid the price I could never pay

His precious blood was shed
So that I could be free

When I confessed with my mouth
Believed with my heart that Jesus Christ is Lord

I was forgiven and set free from the penalty of sin
Freed from the power of sin and one day the presence of sin

In Christ, the chains of sin that once bound me
Have been broken

I have been sealed
With the Holy Spirit of promise

Assured that one day
I will be with my Lord Jesus Christ in glory

by Susan Wachtel
July 6, 2013

It’s another Saturday morn and I wanted to participate in Lisa-Jo Baker’s Five Minute Friday writing challenge.  Head over to her website “Lisa Jo Baker Tales from a Gypsy Mama”.  Be sure to read some of the entries from other writers.  I can promise you that you will be blessed.

Cry Out to God

Posted in God, poem, Prayer by

In your deepest valley
During your darkest night
When facing the fiercest storm
Cry out to God
 
During your busy day
In the midst trying circumstances
When faced with overwhelming demands
Cry out to God
 
While standing on the mountaintop
When all seems right with the world
When your heart overflows with joy
Cry out to God
 
He comforts us in our deepest sorrow
He meets us in our pressing need
Shares in our heartfelt joy
Cry out to God and let Him meet you there
 

Susan Bunts Wachtel
April 27, 2010

The Gift of Discouragement

Posted in Discouragement, poem, Pride, Self Righteousness by

Oh lowest and most evil one
I have a delicious, delectable bad report
Of inroads made into the hearts and minds the enemy’s saints
 
God gives the gift of, dare I say, encouragement
But I’ve been able to successfully supplant it
With the gift of discouragement
 
Aided by pride and feelings of self righteousness
The unsuspecting saint didn’t have a clue
Of the exchange made while sitting in the church pew
 
The overflow of their heart
Spewed forth criticism and condemnation
Aimed squarely at a fellow believer
 
Unaware of the opportunity God presented
To pray for, encourage, and build up one another
I was able to come alongside and whisper in their ear
 
Out of their mouth came words I effectively used
To tear down, discourage and cause division
With one they call brother in Christ
 
As they sat in church
Feelings of superiority took hold
While they focused on the faults and failures of another
 
All the while
I was able to distract the one who was hurt
With hurt feelings, anger and un-forgiveness
 
The real victory was won
When I distracted both from hearing the pastor’s message
The Word of God was falling on deaf ears and distracted minds
 
I predict continued success
So long as they fail to take every thought captive
Or resist offering forgiveness for an offense
 
I dare say we may take even more of the enemy’s ground
If we can light a fire and watch it spread throughout the congregation
Fueled by pride and self-righteousness
 

Susan Bunts Wachtel
January 18, 2010
 

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Thanksgiving….Much Better Than I Deserve

Posted in poem, Prayer, Thanksgiving by

I would be remiss
If I failed to bow my head and give thanks
For the many blessing
From my heavenly Father above

First and foremost
Salvation found in Christ Jesus alone
For His sacrificial atoning death on the cross
So that my sins, which are many, are forgiven in full

For the Holy Spirit
Who dwells within me
For His comfort and conviction
Daily sanctifying and cleansing me

The Bible
The very Word of God
Solid truth in a world filled with lies and deception
A light unto my path in a very dark world

The Father’s plan of redemption
Put in place before the foundations of the earth were laid
My loving Father is looking and waiting, arms open wide
For this prodigal to come to her senses and return home

I am included in the body of Christ
Called to a church named Kindred
Surrounded by those who faithfully serve
Motivated out of love and obedience to Christ the Risen Lord

For a country founded with a purpose
A place where we might be free
A foundation built on principals
Inalienable rights granted by our Creator

Abundant blessings flow
From the Father’s hand
I can truly say
I’m doing much better than I deserve

My husband Chris
The one for whom I prayed many years
He loves the Lord with all his heart
By God’s grace he just happens to love me too

A home we call our own
With much more than I can ask or imagine
A fireplace to sit by on a cool autumn evening
A backyard, my retreat to enjoy God’s creation

Family and friends make each day richer
Filled with grace, mercy and love
They share in the laughter and joy of the moment
Then come alongside to help lift the burden of a heavy load

Work…a means by which God provides
A place to use the skills, talents and abilities
Gainful employment means much more these days
When so many are still seeking a job

This is just a start
Of the many things for which I give thanks
You can truly see
I am blessed far beyond that which I deserve


Susan Bunts Wachtel
November 25, 2009

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Burdened

Posted in Grief, poem, Prayer by
Today I awoke downcast
As though I was grieving
Profoundly sad
For no explainable reason

Then my path crossed
With those who bear a heavy burden
Whose tear stained face
Bears the marks of grief, pain and fear

Those who lost a loved one
A life cut down at such a young age
Family and friends who had no time to grasp the enormity
Before they stood at their loved one’s grave

Or the one who received a bad report
Without warning, in an instant
Life had changed
Each day recognized as a gift, not a guarantee

Then there is the one who suddenly
Finds themselves unemployed
In stiff competition with untold others
Praying that someone will just give them a chance

God did you burden my soul
Give me a small picture of their pain
That I might be compelled
To plead for them before Your throne


Susan Bunts Wachtel
November 16, 2009


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Humbled

Posted in poem by
  

He humbles me in every direction I turn
As I behold
The marvels of His creation anew

A sunset so brilliant and bold
No painter could begin to imagine
The colors, intensity and hues

Our Creator paints
A breathtaking evening sky
So that we might enjoy and proclaim His Excellencies

He creates with perfection
The humming bird that hovers above
A vision of beauty and delicate precision

Creation bears the mark of His perfect hand
But nothing in creation can compare
To humans created in God’s own image

Susan Bunts Wachtel
November 9, 2009

This poem is dedicated to Jun who inspired it by his reaction to an amazing sunset that captured our Creators marvelous work.  Indeed Jun…God does humble me in every direction I turn.  May you reflect on Him as you travel on the difficult road ahead…mindful that He is always with you. 

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No Good Thing

Posted in God's Goodness, God's Sovereignty, poem by


Abba Father
In Your Word You proclaim
No good thing will You withhold
From those who walk uprightly

But God
In my humanity
That’s so hard to understand
When what I see contradicts what I believe

What about the husband and wife who month after month
Year after year
Yearn for and desire to have a child
Only to continually be met with disappointment

Or what about the maiden
Once young
She is now considered an old maid
Her heart’s desire for a husband is never fulfilled

What about the parents
Who from before the birth of their little one
Prayed for their child’s salvation
Only to have them reject Jesus Christ all their days

God in Your Word You tell us
Blessed is the man who household is full of children
He who finds a wife has found a good thing
You desire that all would come to repentance

Yet in Your sovereignty
In Your perfect plan
You may choose to withhold
That which is good

How can I understand it God?
It is too far beyond me
So I must walk by faith
Not by sight

Trust that You are good
Know that You are weaving together a tapestry seen from the backside
Yet in eternity when I see it in from the right side, I will know
You worked all things together for good for those who love the Lord

Susan Bunts Wachtel
September 11, 2009

Have you every prayed about something only to have God delay or ultimately say no? Have you ever struggled and wondered why God allows something that He’s proclaimed good to be withheld?

Right now I don’t always understand what God is doing. My God is incomprehensible. I dare not judge God by appearances and before His work is complete.

Even in my ignorance….when I don’t understand why God chooses to say no, or chooses to withhold the good thing the we’ve diligently and persistently prayed for…yet I will raise my hands to heaven and say, “Blessed be the Name of the Lord, my God and my Savior Jesus Christ.” Amen and amen!

The above photo was from our wedding by our photographer Sherry Hebestreit. I took the liberty of playing with a photo editing program and applying a filter. One of these days…I’m going to post a video from our wedding. Perhaps on our first anniversary? Or maybe by the tenth if the Lord tarries.