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 May 2014
AD Sifford
Thank you God
For the flame You've sparked in me

Lord, burn my heart
With the light of your Spirit
Set Fire to my soul

I want to live for You forever
God consume me in the flames
Of your blazing love
May my life be a burnt offering to You

Use me, O Lord
As a match
To light the world

Ignite me, God
Then let loose my soul
As a leaf set afire
Fluttering in your mighty wind
Spinning across the fields of this world,
Heating everything I touch

May the fire spread to all who will hear
So that they too may burn with passion
For the One and only God

God use me
My life
My testimony

Make my mouth a furnace
May my words consume the world
May my tongue burn for You
May those who hear me burn like the Sun
May I be as the brightest star in heaven

God, let your fire spread
It cannot be contained in me
I'm but a single blade of grass
The flames reach out from me
Longing for more to burn

Spread my flame
May it become a blaze

Reach across the fields
And through the woods
And up the mountains

Lord, may I burn across the sea
To reach the ends of the earth
With the fire of your Spirit

May You kindle this flame within me
Never let it flicker
Never let it wink
But let it burn brightly in my eyes
And pour out from my lungs

You have set a fire within me
Your Spirit burns in me
A flame that cannot be quenched

I am melted by your love

But the world is cold
It lives without warmth
And it finds no light of fire
It knows not of the flame
It seeks warmth but has no match
No flint that will ignite it

In your hands You hold many torches
Lord I am but one
Throw your torches down on the world
So that it too may burn
Warm with your love
Glowing with your hope and peace
Throw your fire on them
So that they may know
The comfort of your flame
So they too can light their paths
And see in dark places

Oh, dear God
You have ignited a flame within me
A flame that cannot be quenched
Now let your light shine
And let your heat rise
Let my faith burn
Until the world is all ablaze

God set this world on fire
As You have done for me
Lord set your world on fire
Let your children burn
So by your light the world may see
|Written 2011|
*from my Ignite collection, being poem #5. Please see the collection page itself.

© 2017 A.D. Sifford.
I'm okay with you sharing my poems, but I ask that you show courtesy. Please be honest about the authorship by attributing it to my name. Thank you,
- Sifford
 Apr 2014
AD Sifford
Why
Why
Why
Why

Why did I follow you?
And why did I listen to you?

(
Why, O Why
O why, O Why)

Why did I trust in you?
(In my pain)
Why did I go to you?
(Well I've been changed)

You can, you can,
You can try

But I've got some news for you
(I've got news;
I'm through with you)
Listen, now I'm done with you

I'm sick of your game
I don't want to play
My time with you is done
So just go away

I've got news for you
(This is long past due)
And punk, I'm done with you
(Devil, I am through)

I am sick of your game
I don't wanna play
My time with you is done
So just go away

I am not your slave
I've got the key to your chains
By the *Blood
I was saved
So, devil, no more games

That's right, I'm done with your game
I'm not going to play
I have felt your pain
And Jesus is the way

Sin, you've had your fun
But now I'm free
And this is done
(If you were smart
Then you would run)
I've got the key
God sent his Son

You came after me
Now I'm coming after you
You took over like a ****
But, see, now my heart is new

You're still chasing after me
I do not belong to you
I am done with your games
I'm not going to play
I'm not following you
I know Jesus is the way

You came after me
Now I'm coming after you
And today now you will see
What I'm gonna do to you

I'll expose your lies
And I'll cut your ties
I will spread the Truth
And you will be despised

Light will burn your ships
And it will melt your chains
Oh, you made me sick
But I am not the same

I am done with your game
I have found the way
(Now whatch'you gotta say,
devil, whatch'you gotta say?)

You came after me
Now I'm coming after you
You should run, now, when you see
What I'm gonna do to you

I'll expose your lies
(Yeah, I'm coming back at you)
I will cut your ties
(I am gonna scream the truth)
I have played your game
And you had me asking why
But I am free of your chains
And your turn has come to cry

You came after me
(Now I've been set free)
Now I finally see
(Soon the world will see)
It's time for you to flee
(You've no power over me)

'Cause only God has victory
I said only God has victory
(and soon the world will see)
That only He has victory

Every tongue and every knee
One day all the world will see
That only *God
has victory
You've no power over me

Only God has victory
So, devil, listen to me
I've been freed from your chains
See, only God has victory
So, devil,
       *No. More. Games.
|Written April 8th, 2011|
*from my Ignite collection, being poem #3. Please see the collection page itself. P.S. I made a mistake in the order when I originally posted this. This was written the day before "Alive", and so should come first.

I wrote this one with some musical intention, but finished it in a form that didn't fully work for a song. I tried later refining it more into a working song form, i.e. with a fluid, consistent verse/chorus format, and while there are some ideas I like, I haven't got far in making progress on the true song version of this one, and have had trouble sorting it all out in a way that I like that feels natural and works.

The imagery of an army's ships being burned while docked on enemy shores was still fresh in my mind from reading Homer's The Illiad the previous year in Language Arts.

© 2017 A.D. Sifford.
I'm okay with you sharing my poems, but I ask that you show courtesy. Please be honest about the authorship by attributing it to my name. Thank you,
- Sifford
 Apr 2014
AD Sifford
You took me by the neck
And slit it with a knife
You told me I was dead
But I am alive

You lied to me
You buried me


But now I've changed
No longer in your chains
I am free to fly
And I am alive

He carried me
He set me free


Now I see
I've opened up my eyes
To eternity
I am alive

You lied to me
You buried me
He carried me
He set me free


My Savior's words of truth
Are stronger than your lies
So just know I am done with you
Because now I am alive

All I got was pain from you
Shame that cut me like a knife
But I'm no longer chained to you
No, I am free to fly

Through God I have escaped from you
And now I am alive
I never will return to you
I know that I'm alive
By the blood of Jesus Christ
In He I am alive

You lied to me
And buried me

But I am alive

He carried me
He set me free

And I am alive

By the blood of Jesus Christ,

**I am alive
|Written April 9, 2011|
*from my Ignite collection, being poem #4. Please see the collection page itself. P.S. I made a mistake in the order when I originally posted this. "No More Games" was written the day before this one, so this should come after.

A statement of freedom against the enemy. God was teaching me at this time, largely through a series of devotional books called Tribe by Michael Ross, and mainly the third and final book I read, "A Warrior's Battles", that Christ HAS WON the victory over any and all sin and addiction and weakness and shame for every believer and you DON'T NEED to struggle anymore. Freedom comes through RESTing and BELIEVing that  HE HAS WON and that YOU HAVE VICTORY in Him.

I later expanded/added to Alive when making a song out of it. That form of it is incomplete.

© 2017 A.D. Sifford.
I'm okay with you sharing my poems, but I ask that you show courtesy. Please be honest about the authorship by attributing it to my name. Thank you,
- Sifford
 Apr 2014
AD Sifford
I am without hope
Until I look upon the One
The holy One, my God
Who sent His only Son

I've been here before
Time and time again
Same old story
Same familiar place
I'm so frighteningly far from perfect
I want to hide my face

But through the open door
Blinding me again
Light so holy
Promises your grace
When I feel like I'm helplessly shipwrecked
I long to see your face

I am without hope
But then I look upon the One
The loving One, my God
Through whom all can be undone

I feel so weak now
I feel controlled by sin
I can't do this
I am my own slave
My dark desires keep me where I am
My heart's a dark, black cave

So I give up now
I know I will give in
I aim, I miss
Only You can save
So I give control to the great I Am
God, make it You I crave

I am filled with hope
For when I look upon the One
I know that in His hands
My battles will be won

I am filled with hope
Now as I look upon the One
Thank You, O my God
For giving me your Son

I am filled with hope
For I know the battle's won

I am filled with hope
For my Lord said, “It is done.”
|Written June 10, 2011|
* from my Ignite collection, being poem #2. Please see the collection page itself.

For the context of when and why this poem was written, see the Ignite page.

After writing it, my grandma read through it and I told her I was still having trouble coming up with a name. She said, "Hope!" I read through it again, and it hit me as obvious when I came across stanza 3. line 1. I named it Through the Open Door, and she said something like, "I'll leave it to you." haha :)

Being one of my favorite poems, especially at the time of its conception, I eventually converted it into song form, like many of my poems, and added some small parts.

This one's dear to me. Please let me know what you think.
God bless.

© 2017 A.D. Sifford.
I'm okay with you sharing my poems, but I ask that you show courtesy. Please be honest about the authorship by attributing it to my name. Thank you,
- Sifford
 Apr 2014
AD Sifford
You see me now
You know I've sinned
I've blown it all, Lord
Yet again

I've broken them,
My promises
A fault's been made
And mine it is

I know it brings you pain inside
To turn from you
And feed my pride
So Lord I lift my hands to Thee
God, take this pride away from me
Lord, see my heart from on Your throne
I offer it to You alone

For without You,
Who would I be?
In you alone is my soul free
O, without You,
What could I do?
It's by Your grace I've been renewed

And Father God, please hear my prayer,
Imperfect as I am,
My slate is clean
Because You care
So thank you for your Lamb
|Written May 12, 2011|
* from my first, brief, wholly personal collection, Ignite, being poem #1. Please see the collection page itself.

"A Prodigal's Prayer" was the first of my poems written purely of my own free will (rather than as a school assignment).

A legitimate prayer, APP was written during the time when I was learning about true Grace, the power Christ's sacrifice HAS ALREADY given me (and all believers) over sin, and how to overcome shame, throughout a process by which God slowly broke my then perpetual addiction to *******.

© 2017 A.D. Sifford.
I'm okay with you sharing my poems, but I ask that you show courtesy. Please be honest about the authorship by attributing it to my name. Thank you,
- Sifford

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