Wednesday night in Ashburton (P.Ragan)

Wednesday night in Ashburton,
there's something in the air
I'm listening to Rachmaninoff,
problems seem elsewhere

The telephone is ringing
A number I don't know
But I look at the stars above
and watch them softly glow

The summer breeze is gentle
the swimming pool it gleams
the moon it is so distant
like all those former dreams.

For there is something comforting
that you can't legislate
and that is salvation
for patiently God waits

To see if you will exercise
your free-will and decide
to call upon His perfect Son
and join the winning side

For there is nothing more
exhilarating than
the friendship of The Holy Ghost
thanks be to The Son of Man

And I shall never be complacent
never underestimate
the price that Christ paid for my soul
How can I articulate?

The gratitude I feel;
Joy without compare
Wednesday night in Ashburton
and there's something in the air!


Put on the new man (P.Ragan)

Put on the new man
The Apostle Paul did say
For to truly walk with God
we must die every day.

The old man is still lurking
present in the flesh
We must live a Christian life
to start each day afresh

Radiate the love of Christ
with a sincere heart
Walk away from former things
and be set apart

My friend, the spirit is willing
but the flesh is weak
So then be a shining light
strive to reach your peak

​
Godless woman (P.Ragan)

Godless woman
Don’t you just get tired?
Of conforming to this world
It’s like you've been rewired

But if you'd turn to God
With a repentant heart
You’d find through Jesus Christ
You’d gain a brand-new start

For His yoke is easy
And His burden light
Put your faith upon the Son
And you will be made right

Godless woman
I wish that you could see
The emptiness and tortured days
That last eternally

For nobody can make it through
off of their own backs
You’re trying very hard
But I can see the cracks

You think that you can see
But really you are blind
Spiritually discerned
With a darkened mind
​
But the good news is
The demons will be slewed
If you come to Jesus Christ
For you shall be renewed.


The Hill Country (P. Ragan)

I went into the Hill Country to see my baby's farm
I parked under a shady tree and read myself a Psalm
And as I read The Proverbs, beneath the warming sun
I realised God has blessed me with a wife straight out of Proverbs 31

I've always loved the countryside, just as I love the sea
The mountains and the valleys, they seem to comfort me
And though my baby wasn't there that windy, summers day
I felt a sense of gratitude as I began to pray

Thank you Lord for bringing this young woman into my life.
Thank you Lord that if it be your will, She will become my wife.
Please Lord bless our union, allow our love to bloom
Please grant us healthy children Lord, make fertile her womb!

And I promise to look after Her and play my special part
To protect her and to cherish her and guard her precious heart.
I sat there in The Hill Country, the water flowing swift
And thanked The Lord up high above for granting me this gift.


Christ paid it all (P.Ragan)

Christ paid it all
Only God could come down and make up for the fall
In the time of Genesis 6 God had to send the flood
Like Noah we've found grace, purchased by the Blood
Of Jesus Christ our Lord who came from high above
In an act of mercy. The greatest act of love.
Only His redemptive work offers us Salvation
Available to all, regardless of nation
You don't have to work at all, but through faith you'll see
That Jesus paid it all in full back then at Calvary.


Christ paid it all
The offering is free, but will you take the call?
He came down to earth and was both God and man
He lived the perfect life, yet knew His Father's plan
He walked upon this land and showed us how to live
He showed us how to share, He showed us how to give
He did not commit a single sin, yet did not think twice
To carry out His task, to be our sacrifice
He suffered on The Cross, He paid for every sin.
Eternal life to everyone who shall turn to Him!

Christ paid it all
There's just too much temptation for us to overhaul
The spirit may be willing, but the flesh is weak
Like a sinking boat at sea with an irreparable leak
You can't work your way to heaven, you will fall short friend
Only Faith in Jesus Christ can save you in the end
So listen to The Gospel, the victory is won
The answer that you need is in Acts 16:31
And once you come to Him the way it has been paved
You have eternal life, once saved always saved.


Master of the sea (P.Ragan)

Jesus Christ is the master of the sea
He calmed the storms by the shores of Galilee
He eased the wind and the waves so all could see
Further proof of his divinity

When stormy waters come He can make your troubles flee
Just put your trust in Him, Faith alone's the key
Just turn to Him and ask, believe and you will see
Let Him come and change your life's trajectory

If you're lost and deep in sin there's still hope that you can be
Saved by His blood, His grace, His victory
For Jesus paid it all in full on the Cross at Calvary
Only through His love can you be truly free

Jesus Christ is the master of the sea
He gave himself for us, He changed our destiny
He died for you and He died for me
All that come to Him, shall live eternally


Lonely poet (P.Ragan)

If you want me to be a lonely poet Dear Lord
Then of course I will be that for you
If you need me to be a lonely poet Dear Lord
then it's a small price to pay to serve you

But there will always be an emptiness inside me
in this physical life
Until I find a good woman and make her my wife
Until that woman and I have our own Family
and I beg of you Lord would you grant this to me?

Though compared to an eternity of being with you
it really is nothing at all
And I feel so humbled that you would choose me Dear Lord
and I promise I'll answer the call
An eternity with you up in Paradise
With those heavenly skies why would I think twice!

There are not too many earthly pleasures that I do seek
But I come to you humble, I come to you meek
And I pray for a wife and my own Family
But if that's not your will then it's all right with me.


Poets of the Vine (P.Ragan)

We gathered around like missionaries
somewhere along the line
I was asked if I could demonstrate
these simple songs of mine

And why I was invited there
I had no idea why
But I saw something beautiful
illuminate the sky

And some of them spoke Hebrew
I didn't understand
Until an older wiser man
climbed upon the stand

All here work for Jesus
who died upon the cross
who in doing so removed our sins
so light could come across

He spoke about forgiveness
and with great clarity
About the works of Jesus
who came to set us free

He spoke of when an unsaved man
yields towards temptation
His hand it is then weakened
He creates distance from salvation

But let's not talk of distances
and the things we like the least
for when we come to Jesus Christ
we can kill the beast

Oh the blood of Jesus 
has set so many free
Who's work upon the Cross 
brought us victory

And if we would only let him in
the kingdom is in our hands
For there is somewhere truly pure
beyond this fallen land

Yes all here work for Jesus! 
who comes from the most high
And once again I saw something
that seemed to flash across the sky

And I was asked to contribute
a line and then a verse
So I began to write about this world
under a curse

This broken and this fallen world
where darkness wants to play
and the hidden love that must emerge
and that it will some day

For through our repentance
and reconciliation
we can all begin to heal
as both people and as nations

And then some soothing music 
echoed from nearby
I heard a gentle female voice
sing the sweetest lullaby

So I began to play my songs 
and sing through every chord
These very simple songs they said
had somehow pleased the Lord

Then this girl she came to me
and said to me my friend...
Because of the Lord Jesus
we'll win out in the end

For through faith in Jesus
Who died for our transgressions
We can have forgiveness
from all of our indiscretions

And we can share the victory
over the enemy
Because of Christ's work on the Cross
back then at Calvary

And her voice it was so calming
I hung on every word
And she began to play her songs
And as she sang I heard

This earthly life it seems
is in every way
some kind of dress rehearsal,
some kind of training day

For there is a much better place
where evil can not be
This better place up high above
where God's people go free

But let there be no confusion
no misapprehension
Only through the Lord Jesus Christ
comes the offer of redemption

And all we have to do
is let him in our heart
And there shall be deliverance,
God's grace, a brand new start

And so the night rolled on
we sipped some special wine
This group of Christian writers
Poets of the Vine

​
8 55 the Angels are near (P.Ragan)

8 55 the Angels are near
Go ahead now, relinquish your fear
You were vulnerable friend, but you have been nursed
by the angels and so all the demons dispersed
For there is something you must understand
The devil will always try hijack your plans.

8 55 the angels are near
watching and guiding to make your path clear
For darkness was lurking around your front door
Trying to divert you from what you're here for...
But because you have faith and because you show love
You're being protected from high above

8 55 the angels are near
Here to protect you whenever you veer
astray on your journey, for there's always enough rope
Always temptation but don't take the slope.
And extract what you can on this journey called life
But don't lose your faith for the danger is rife

8 55 the angels are near
Helping you grow for they love you dear
The hopelessness that only blocked up the flow
Has been removed and so onwards you go
Continue on friend wherever you roam
There will always be something guiding you home



Tomorrow you shall fly (P.Ragan)

Close your tired eyes 
there's not a thing left to say 
Hold your head up high 
for you did everything your way 

Now the time has come 
as the hummingbird she sings 
Gaze into the sun 
for now a new journey begins 

For in the morning 
you shall fly 
Above the melancholy skies 
don't be afraid 
For you did everything true 

High above the sea 
where the angels they play 
Set your spirit free 
and I say thank you for the days 

For in the morning you shall fly 
above the melancholy skies 
Don't be afraid 
for you did everything true


Rural Simplicity (P.Ragan)

Oh how I long for that rural simplicity
Away from the lies and the endless duplicity
away from the shadows that lurk in the city
To that place by the sea, where the meadows grow pretty

Where in summer you walk, the wind warm and sweet
Fresh air in your lungs and sand on you're feet
Views of the valleys, as fields they roll
In winter a wood fire that warms up the soul

I'm moving to the country some time in this life
Going to find a good woman and make her my wife
I've spent too long in the city, looking outside of myself
For some kind of fulfilment, it's not good for the health 

I'm tired of the city, can't say I didn't try
Living in a dog box 30 feet in the sky!
But it's obvious now, the countryside calls
So farewell to the traffic and the big shopping malls

In the heart of the country that's where I'll be
Happily contributing to the community.
On a farm, in a field I really don't mind
As long as there's nature then life seems so kind

For I don't want much money or fortune or fame
Just freedom, a family and to work in God's name
I'll strum my guitar, try and find the right mood
To somehow express my sweet gratitude

Oh how I long for that rural simplicity
Away from the lies and the endless duplicity
I've just got a little bit further to roam
Before that place in the country becomes my new home


False Prophet (P.Ragan)

False Prophet what do you see?
A fistful of cash and a place on T.V?
False Prophet you don't fool me
You don't act with much integrity

False Prophet it's like a disease
But I can see through your false prophecies
Where is your conscience? Where is your soul?
I look in your eyes there's just two empty holes

False Prophet where does it end?
The system you cling to, your criminal friends
You say that you're holy, you say you're devout
But you took the money then you sold out

False Prophet don't mean to alert you
But your friends in high places will only desert you
False prophet though you mesmerise
My faith is too strong to buy your blatant lies


Dance with me in dreams (P.Ragan)

All alone at sea tonight
distant your heart seems
I could write a thousand words
or paint a thousand themes

Nothing though could compensate
Nothing quite redeem
the emptiness that still remains
a game of two extremes

Days we spent in paradise
how the ocean gleamed
For until we meet again
dance with me in dreams



This corner of my life (P.Ragan)

This corner of my life so sweet
From balcony I gaze the streets
my paintbrush runs
I illustrate the sun
This corner of my life

This corner of my life so fine
In rustic fields, I sip red wine
my paintbrush runs
I illustrate the sun
This corner of my life
 

Goodnight Lausanne (P.Ragan)

Now the time has come
the train it pulls away
Goodnight, farewell Lausanne
for time just slipped away

The mountains and the lake
The journey up the hill
The opulence and beauty
The gentle autumn chill

But most of all my love
you resonate my way
I wanted time to pause
For I knew I could not stay

And so goodnight Lausanne
the time has come to say
Goodnight, farewell Lausanne
though I'll return some day