Break me of my false pretenses

Break me of my false pretenses

Burden me with thy boundless love

For brother and enemy

As thou above do so

Greatly love me

My heart is full of vanity

And thirst for a worldly humanity

That seeks a superficial grace

But tis a disgraceful profanity

So come humility 

Grant me the ability

With open eyes

And ears and heart

To serve thy kingdom come

And here thy will be done

Not for my sake or others praise

But that they be caught up

And amazed by thy wonderous

All encompassing steadfast love

May thy light so shine

And burn me to the core

Ruin the darkness 

That oft clouds my vision

Unglaze my eyes

And fill them with a hunger

And holy wonder

To seek thee and serve thee

Most diligently in word and deed 

Not out of obligation

But of pure intoxication

For thy unbridled love

So grant it me

For enemy and me

That my life would so be

A crude counterfeit of thee

And nothing more

So this day

May I begin

To live and be

Set free

Of fear

And live

By faith

In hope of that

Greater country

That lies beyond 

Where we shall be

Face to face and free 

-Joshua Lee Foist

I shall awhile with thee wander once more

I shall awhile with thee wander once more
In the air of that far off land
In the gaze of that garden of green
In the shadows of that greater land

Amidst the meadows of that better country
The air is rich and full sweet
Filled with the fragrance of thy unbridled creation
And though these are but passing portraits

They are a welcome respite of that
Which is yet to come
The sum of them
Is ne'er enough

Though of their eternal architect
The author of their existence
Is far beyond wreckening
And wild in His wonder

His glory beyond
All comprehension
Of all the greatest thunder
And tempests at sea

Are but a jest to His
Glorious majesty
His presence alone
Doth prick every hair

To stand on end
They all as one
With gladness
Bow in boundless

Exaltation before the Lord
Of all creation
King of that Greater Land
Who formed them not

By His hand
But the thought
The word
Became

Flesh that dwelt
And dwells
Amongst us
Divine

No one is greater
Yet to taste and see
And bask in His
Beauty

Wonder beyond all wonders
And though the memory
Of this passing shadow
But a moment lingers

The longing
That comes
Far greater
Anew

Doth surge
Within the vessel
Of every vein
For it longs

To be in that place again
Yet glory of all
These ancient wonders
The knowledge

And wisdom that come
From His Words
Doth fill the void
Of time and space

So sweet the substance
Of their choice taste
Doth tickle the tongue
When from the mouth
Is spronge

So release the joy
Of that exaltation
And may it ere to be
As one declaration

Though in this broken land
We may awhile remain
There is a hope that yet
Is found within the cracks
Of this dying wasteland

And it speaks of a life anew
It warms and glistens
With the goodness of that
Greater Kingdom

When all burdened breath
Shall no more be born
Then come the dawn
Of that new day

Where all shall be
Made new
And joy of joy
Shall we be home

-Joshua Lee Foist

Wherefore ere the sun shall rise

Wherefore ere the sun shall rise
Look on with expectant eyes
And hope in this passing breath
Release my worry and stress

For me not devise
A cruel disguise
Let truth surprise
And open eyes

To see thy very great and wise
Who alone can know and fill
Thou alone still and still
Wake my slumber

No more in shadows
Hide for in thee
Shall I always
Abide

My joy
My pride
In thee alone
Shall I confide

For thou art king
And I thy bride
Thy hope of one day
While here betrothed

This vow
May I by it
Always live
And to another

Ne'er to seek
For none in they
Shall wash away
Or know me

As thou
Dost know me
In the deep
And dark

Light
Bring to my
Lonesome heart
Depart oh fear

By faith
Be filled
Thy truth
Revealed

Enough
To this frail
Satisfaction
Canst ere

The dust
Of this broken land
Ere to meet
The grace

Of thy pierced hand
For love alone
Did form this place
And love alone

To carry discrace
To save that some
May return
And reconcile

To thee
Alone shall
Find and not
Another to bind

Of this grafted vine
Shall make me
Thine own
One

-Joshua Lee Foist

What ere a day may come

What ere a day may come

What ere the hour

And breadth 

Of its sum

Thy will alone be done

For fear too long hath

Fooled me

And debted me

Of dreams

For where desire 

Is delighted in you

And ere a heart may

Sing anew

Thy praise

Thy glory

Shall be

My story

For too long my path 

Hath plummeted in vain

And I had nothing in me

To gain

Till once again

Thy mercy awakened

My heart ne'er forsaken

My soul set free

Oh savior and king

May come this joy

If thy will it employ 

Save not my will

But thine be done

And so shall see

The night to fall

And the dawn

Turn spring

-Joshua Lee Foist

Tear down the walls of this counterfeit kingdom

Tear down the walls of this counterfeit kingdom

And build up in me thy temple of eternity

That thy kingdom might come in me

And all earthly desires dissolve in triviality

For all my vein expectations

Bind and break their false declarations

Indwell in me thy majesty

And move me to humility 

That all other things forsake

Save for thy love in me to take

To taste and see in full

That thou art all and all in me

None other will do

Nor can ere see me through

Grace beyond to guide

And give when fall I again

So carry me

In thy love

That I may learn

And long to discern

That which is good and best

That for all my trials

Shall face them one and all

For the sake of obeying thy call

And love beyond all love of my own

Peace to fill the fear and guard me

So guide oh precious lamb

Give ear to me

And open my eyes

To see thy face

Oh blessed sacrifice

Thou hath grafted me

One with thee 

And bound for all

Eternity thy one and only

Life of life and love of love

So grant me a spirit

And humble heart 

In part though imperfect still

To love others as thou will

Be thou my one and only 

Anxious enduring thought

Constant and consciously

Oh great savior and king 

Through all the days of life

And ere beyond

Till the oceans meet

The sand of that eternal kingdom land

Oh come the day

When wash away

All tears and earthly fears

And home

To thy one

And only love

Who knows me best

And ne'er forsake

For love 

Thy name and claim

Cannot defame

Thy promise true

Art thou

One and only

True and none other

Will do

-Joshua Lee Foist

From my weakness make me strong

From my weakness make me strong 

In my strength humble me

Break down my kingdom

And may yours come

In me

Still my tongue

Till it drips of kindness 

And tender be my ways

Soften my heart

Breath courage through

My gaping wounds

Wrap thy wisdom and grace 

Round my heart

So set my eyes

On thy sweet sacrifice 

Will my ways to

Sing thy praise 

Humble me

And fill me

With strength 

And love

To serve as thou

Hast from above

To set aside

My pride

And surrender

My spirit

Be filled

In thee

To deny all that

Which fleeting be

To taste that which

Satisfies

Open my heart

To a broken people

Love not of my own

Become me

My life no more

Save in thy keeping 

Be my one and only

Thought pursuing

Live I to die

That others might live

To taste and see

That thou art good

Oh source of life

Be always near me

Thy will be mine

A grafted vine

Bear thy fruit

Upon this resurrected 

Vine

The wine of thy

Eternal fount

Fill my veins

And nourish me

In the drought 

And dark

Thy spark

A flame

To fire me

Unquenched consume

And conquer me

That all remain

Thy one and only

Wherefore this life

I fleeting find

Be thou alone

My every ambition

And so desire

That dares to dream

Dream on the theme

Of thy kingdom come

-Joshua Lee Foist

Now no more for envy

Now no more for envy
And jealousy
Begone oh fear
Resentment

Thou art a cancer
And cruel thy ways
That seek thine own
Praise

But only to fear
Thou who knowest me
And formed me
And loves me still

Thou art enough
And as for worthless
Stuff that rages for my
Attention

May my one ambition
Be thus to praise
And find my joy
In you

No other beside
Whether earthly
Treasures find
They are but fleeting

Thou art ever
Increasing
As I my desires
Decreasing

May these fruits
Be found in me
Love, joy, and peace
Release from me

My worry
Of all that
I cannot
Control

Grant me service
And gentleness too
That what ere may come
Thy will in me be done

-Joshua Lee Foist