Saturday, March 16, 2024

3/31/24 Through 4/6/24

 3/31/24 Through 4/6/24

Sunday
He is not here, He has been raised
Forever now His name be praised
He conquered death and rose to life
Forever gone, the sin and strife

Now evil's shown for what it is,
The opposite of all that's His.
The lack of goodness, peace, and love.
No place for such in land above.

But first, before we see that day
We must teach others well the Way
To let His Gospel grow and swell
'Till all the earthly bound we tell.

Monday
Just fifty days before, they fled,
Denied Him as the Teacher said
They lost their nerve and ran away
What change occurred upon this day?

The Spirit came in tongues of fire
Calling them to places higher
Spurring them to bear much fruit
And make His Way their life's pursuit.

Alive He is, and well they knew
The pow'r of hell He overthrew
The fear of death no longer swayed
His call to preach, they all obeyed.

So too, He calls believers now
To spread the Gospel word somehow
And not be cowed by fear or shame
But boldly speak of Jesus' name

His Spirit, filling jars of clay
Can move a mountain in the way
And lead the sinner to repent
That he as well, be also sent.

Receive the fire and find anew
The special gifts He has for you
Then use them to proclaim the word
Until all men on earth have heard.

Tuesday
Go announce the morning news
Apostles first, and then to Jews
And then to every nation round
That life beyond the grave is found.

Forgiveness of our every sin
For those repentant deep within
The chains of sin can fall away
For love is shown to rule the day.

Wednesday
Be known to me in broken bread
By such as this my spirit fed
This gift so fine received today
To lead me on in Heaven's way

Alive You are at every turn
Oh, let the heart within me burn
And recognize that You are real
At every daily sacred meal.

No more unworthily received
But every word of yours believed
A humble servant list'ning well
To every precious word You tell

Obedient at Your command
To every hardship well withstand
With love the motivation used
And never what You ask refused.

Thursday
All that's needed you well know
To in My love and graces grow
The history is there to see
I came, true love, to show to thee

I know your weakness, every one
But through My passiontide, I won
The vict'ry over death and sin
That man could now, new life begin.

My mercy covers every sin
Find peace and joy again within
Get up each time you fall and see
With mercy I will greeteth thee

Your every weakness I have known
But grace is stronger, this I've shown
United with My Father, grow
And grace abundant you will know.

Friday
Returning to their former ways
They hoped to clear the milky haze
But after long and empty hours
They see again the Savior's powers

He meets them on the shore with food
And there another meal ensued
With broken bread to clear the eyes
And prove that after death we rise.

Not once or twice, or even three
He shows Himself alive to be
Alive, and with a task for them
A task to spread the Word to men

Abandon self and spread the Word
'Till everyone on Earth has heard
One name alone by which we're saved
Is Jesus Christ, the Way who paved.

Don't cower to the evil men
But let them see His pow'r again
And boldly speak of what you know
That little ones, in faith, can grow.

Saturday
Each must judge what's right each day
And what or whom we should obey
We can't deny what God has done
Nor that we killed His only Son.

We could repent and find a crown
Or turn away and double down
The choice remains for every day
To turn to God or turn away.

There's fullness in the Son of Man
And living out the Father's plan,
But emptiness and guile await
The fool that wants to turn too late

The time is now, so don't delay
Repent and wash the sins away
Then spread the news both far and wide,
Humility has conquered pride.








































Sunday, March 10, 2024

3/24/24 Through 3/30/24

 3/24/24 Through 3/30/24

Sunday
From there within the upper room
To on the deadly Cross of gloom
He made no effort to escape,
But set about to minds reshape.

To show no terror changes truth
For aged man, or tender youth
Each suffering in love endured
Unitl, at last, our debt secured.

Monday
With the costly oil anointed
Now for death the Lord appointed
Sweet pefume now fills the air
A traitor though is lurking there.

Tuesday
Betrayed in oh, so many ways
As fast approach the final days
Most unaware of how they sin
Until His eyes will gaze within.

And when His gaze shall meet our eyes
We either love or then despise.
Repent and let His mercy flow,
Or turn and only judgment know.

My Lord, for mercy here I plead
Forgiveness of my sin I need
Though scarlet, You can make as snow
That everlasting life I know.

Wednesday
Surely not I, surely not I
His closest of friends that evening would cry
Twas the end drawing near, and Apostles in fear
Couldn't dream that the Savior would die.

Two eons now past, and the Cross fully cast
A sign of great love unsurpassed
Yet still we betray the great love shown that day
And plead mercy for sins we've amassed.

May never we fear to return and to clear
The slate which we splatter and smear.
By sin we are signed with the fall of mankind
But Jesus still holds us as dear.

Thursday
On the night of that Last Supper
Here no lamb of cloven hooves,
But a man alike no other
Boundless love the Lover proves.
Bending low in humble service
So, foreboding mountain moves.

Now the humble Lamb is offered
Spotless One for sinful man
By His blood the garden watered
Bowing to the Father's plan.
Flesh and blood for daily living
Nourish like no other can.

Friday
Oh, the wickedness we muster
When our pride is undermined
As a band of thieves we cluster
With ungodly wills aligned.

Death to Him exposing evil!
We shall make the rules our way.
As the man and wife primeval
Chose back then, we choose today.

How the fallen need a Savior!
Mercy and forgiveness too.
Turn our vile, corrupt behavior
Into loving only You.

Lamb of God and Perfect Victim
Make my soul your dwelling place
On the Cross You gave the dictum,
Shower mercy, Shower grace.

Lord, change my heart to listen well
Change my will to then obey
Lord, save me from the flames of Hell
Let me follow well Your way.

Saturday
What emptiness, what time surreal!
In truth, He died and here I kneel.
None ere like He had come before
And now there's emptiness once more.

Our dreams of love and hope have died
For Him they scourged and crucified.
A shameful death for One so good,
By men, cannot be understood.

What now? Does evil reign supreme?
Such love that man has never seen
Was given death by sinful men.
What fool would ever love again?

Our every hope, in horror, gone.
To gloom, despair, and sorrow drawn.
If evil truly conquers good,
His life will ne'er be understood.








































Sunday, March 3, 2024

3/17/24 Through 3/23/24

 3/17/24 Through 3/23/24

Sunday
For this is why the Savior came
To set the hearts of men aflame
To show them one that freely dies
Is one, the faith, that multiplies.

For when we give without reserve
And those less fortunate we serve
We die to self and life obtain
For loss of self is always gain.

Why shy away from trouble now
For every trial builds somehow
Our bridge to life eternal there
In happiness beyond compare.

Monday
One guilty and one innocent
Both saved by grace alone.
A Savior, by the Father sent
Revealing that unknown.

The veil of secrecy that shrouds 
The evil that's within
May make for man, concealing clouds,
Of all their sordid sin.

But when, by grace, the truth is known
The evil slips away
For when their wickedness is known
They'll be the ones to pay.

But if one turns from wicked ways
Repentant and contrite,
The Son whose love and mercy saves
Will lead them to the Light.

Tuesday
Joseph, man of humble service
Be my guide and confidant
Trial may not make me nervous
Be there pain, or be there want.

You endured the trials many
Quiet, calm, and trusting God
As more loving man than any,
Man all men should praise and laud.

Help me imitate Your bearing
List'ning well as You have done
Always patient, always sharing
Father of His precious Son.

Wednesday
To choose the furnace over life
Preferring so the earthly strife
To life eternal without God
They showed the earthly god a fraud.

Their God of truth and honored glory
Writes a new and different story
Cooling there within the flames
Those three steadfast and holy names.

And today we face a culture
Cancelling those whom they oppose
Like the hungry circling vulture
Only death what they expose.

Faithful witnesses are needed
Showing God, the One they heeded
Choosing now the earthly flame
To win an everlasting name.

Thursday
A covenant with Abraham
From many years ago
At last, A Sacrificial Lamb
Whose soul was white as snow.

If Abraham our father be
Then we would too rejoice
For now fulfilled, what promised He
Once by the Father's voice.

A land where milk and honey flow
Was promised for the few
A place where faithful people go
Is opened now for you.

Don't pass it by and lose this chance
To reconcile your soul
The blood and water from the lance
Will heal and make you whole.

Friday
So many blind to how we share
In wickedness and sin
How sins of which we're not aware
Contribute to the din

Refusal to repent shall be
The greatest sin of all
Our willful blindness we shall see
Is that which makes us fall.

Lord, clear our eyes and help us find
Repentance for our sin.
Give us then Your peace of mind
And welcome us within.

Saturday
The Kingdom's here, but not yet there
For fallen man sins everywhere
But Christ has come to sanctify,
To show men how to live and die.

A father teaches young in love
About the wonders up above
Where wills once molded straight and true
Fulfill the promise made to you.

So too, this Kingdom reigns below
To that extent which men will grow
Beyond their selfish will to see
With eyes affixed eternally.

Our job is to a witness be
That those in sin might also see
That Christ has died to sinners show
His Kingdom's also here below.

If we but trust, we too will find
The gift of self brings peace of mind
And when we seek another's good
We act the way that Jesus would.
















































































Saturday, February 24, 2024

3/10/24 Through 03/16/24

 3/10/24 Through 03/16/24

Sunday
Call upon call that never we heard
Our sight was so dim, our vision so blurred
We scoffed at the warnings, ignoring the signs
Our action, but foolishness, only defines.

'Till one day it came like a thief in the night
The wrong we had done would at last be set right.
The pain and the anguish for seventy years
Would serve to improve the laziest ears.

I pray we don't need such a radical change,
But just to obey, and our thoughts rearrange.
To see in the light what He offers in love
And turn from our slavery to freedom above. 

Monday
With desperation in his eyes
"Lord, come before my child dies."
No games of non-believing Jews
But simply life or death to choose.

He chose in faith to so return
And on his way in joy would learn
His son was healed by just the word
For well, the God of love had heard.

Tuesday
Fruit for food and leaves for healing
In this vision God revealing
That the water from His side
Would be for man a precious tide.

Ever deeper, wider flowing
In the hearts of faithful growing
Spreading life and healing waters
To the faithful sons and daughters.

Come and sample of the river
Let the King of kings deliver
Grace abundant, overflowing
Peace and joy and love all knowing.

Wednesday
A way through the mountains He makes for the flocks
The door to salvation the Savior unlocks
The people from near, and the people from far
Rejoice in salvation, for grateful they are.

Death has no sway, it's impotent you see
When the Son calls to life, to life it shall be.
Forgotten remembered when times are distressed,
Distresses forgotten when finally blest.

He does only that which the Father has willed
He judges by what with our lives we have filled.
Great mercy He offers to those who repent,
But obstinate souls to the Devil are sent.

Thursday
Who will stand and plead for mercy,
Seek to end the controversy?
Justice calls for condemnation
Of this wayward, sinful nation.

Who will plead the Blood of Jesus,
Free, unbounded love that frees us?
None deserving of salvation
None with adequate oblation.

Yet His mercy stands at ready
Always loving, always steady.
Here to hold the hand of justice
To forgive and so adjust us.

Lord, help us turn and honor You
Make our nation strong and true
Bring all sinners to repentance
Pardon those You justly sentence

For Mercy is Your true delight
Not sentencing to darkest night
Help us abandon folly's ways
And live eternally to praise.

Friday
Obnoxious to  the wicked ones
Are found our God's adopted sons
They set themselves against our ways
And seek our lofty heights to raze.

Enduring them we cannot take
For rules of right and wrong, they make
Condemning things we wish to do
And claiming what they say is true.

Let's see if God will so defend
And keep them from a shameful end
With spit and blows, and thorny crown
We'll see who from the cross comes down.

If He be true, then God will save
If not, He'll rot in borrowed grave.
We'll teach His followers to fear
Then their reproach will never hear.

But oh, what fools they're shown to be
When from the grave He rises free
And followers are Spirit-filled
Each doing as the Father willed.

We're called another Christ to be
That all on Earth would come to see
That humble service wins the day
And Jesus Christ has shown the way.

Saturday
None has ever spoken as He
His words with such authority
That penetrate the beating heart
And there unbounded love impart.

His eyes meet every empty gaze
And clear away the cloudy haze
When ere He speaks, my spirit quakes
My soul, to all my sin, awakes.

Yet somehow, there in eyes so kind
I fix on them and mercy find
He knows what no one else has known,
But mercy still His eyes have shown.



































































Saturday, February 17, 2024

3/3/24 Through 3/9/24

 3/3/24 Through 3/9/24

Sunday
A cleansing of the Temple space
Can come from none but holy grace.
Upsetting of the tables there, 
The greed and lust for wealth to pare.

The whip to drive deceit away 
That one might truly learn to pray
He knows quite well the heart of man
Twas He who made it in His plan.

His plan for freedom, peace, and joy
That wickedness and sin destroy
But one repentant there may find
The will of God and man aligned.

Rebuild this temple clean and new
And make my will align with You
Forever humble, tried, and true
A change that's long been overdue.

Monday
Naaman, a pagan sign
Encountering God's love Divine.
One humbled so to do His will
Received his healing and his fill.

Obeying but a little girl
He finds the precious loving pearl
Of knowing that God cares for all
Who answer to His humbling call.

The self-sufficient nay will find
The healing comfort God designed
For lacking what the humble see
They fail to ever bend their knee.

Tuesday
Forgiveness far beyond all knowing
Jesus, every sinner showing
Debtors freed of all they owe
Mercy they must also show.

When I think of all I've done,
The debt amassed by only one,
I'm humbled He should ever care
And so, the Cross for such to bear.

Even now when Love is known
Indifference to the poor is shown
And though I well deserve His wrath
He shows me yet the narrow path.

Wednesday
Let me never forget You, Lord
And all the grace that You afford
For all that I have seen and heard
The gift of faith within me stirred.

So many unexpected ways
You spoke to me in darkest days
Or saved me from the snare of sin
When rash or foolish I had been.

I'm slow to see Your hand at work
Or where the traps of evil lurk
But then You speak or act in ways
Remembered well throughout my days

Yet still, oh Lord, I tend to sin
Forgetful of Your life within
Let not Your mercy cease to flow
But evermore Your love to know

Someday I pray, You'll cleanse within
My every stain or trace of sin,
And make of me a one like You
With love the key to all I do.

Thursday
A sign they want when plain as day
They see the Life, the Truth, the Way.
No sign will ever change the mind
Of those who are the willful blind.

Gone from their vocabulary,
Faithfulness and truth they bury.
Men fabricating lies to be
A "truth" for them, but not for me.

When faithfulness and truth are banished
All that's good and pure has vanished
No sign for such a present age
When war on all that's good they wage.

But those with open, watchful eyes
Can see beyond the wilful lies
To see the truth in glory crowned
Where faithful followers are found.

Friday
How long until you act upon
The word you know is true
Expecting not the morning dawn,
Or what shall come to you.

The word is true, we must obey
For happiness to know
But still from true, we turn away
And to destruction go.

For love is total gift of self,
Not turning one away,
But leaving nothing on the shelf,
Or saved for rainy day

Our God provides the all we need
For those who listen well
And to His every word take heed
To so, the Gospel tell.

Convicting here with my own pen
The writer of the verse
A hypocrite among the men
Or something maybe worse.

Saturday
A Pharisee, or tax collector,
Which am I today?
The Lord the only truth detector
Sees the clearest way.

If true repentance were at hand
I'd act on every word
Obeying quickly each command
Not shunning what is heard.

I wish to leave here justified
Not simply self-assured
For one could lead to suicide
And one to life procured.

In quandary so, I find myself
As both I see in me
Is that perhaps the truth itself,
That both are truly me?

What I hold back, Lord help me give
And turn away from sin
For giving all is how to live
And life with You begin.



























































Saturday, February 10, 2024

2/25/24 Through 3/2/24

 2/25/24 Through 3/2/24

Sunday
The call of Abraham has come
The call to sacrifice his son
In faith he trusts what God has said
Believing He could raise the dead.

His son he burdened with the wood
Though urged to falter, he withstood
And placed him on the altar there.
His only son He did not spare.

On Tabor's height Apostles saw
What lies beyond the deathly pall,
The glory that awaits the just
Who give to God their total trust.

We see His glory every day
If we just look beyond the fray
And see the brightness of the cloud
Within the remnants of the shroud.

We too must shoulder well the wood
Denying self as Jesus would
And so to glory thus obtain
Without a wrinkle, spot, or stain.

Monday
What matters most is how it ends
On this the fate of all depends
The good or bad be washed away
By how we end that final day

The preparation matters too
For this is what will strengthen you
That final hour this life is done
And when eternity's begun

The measure we have measured out
He'll use to bring reward about
How well we listen and obey
Determines what's our final pay

Tuesday
How easy subtle pride takes hold!
That serpent from the Garden old.
His quiet, stealthy, winding way
Entangles those who go astray

How easy tempting pride can be
The most attractive thing for me.
So, like the Pharisee, I fall
And miss the Lord's repentance call.

We criticize with ease today
Their vast and formulaic way
Of laws to make them pure and clean
And so, the humble one demean.

But still this day we do the same
We look for honor, wealth, and fame
And fail to see the filth inside
Created by our evil pride.

Lord, purify and cleanse my heart
Remove the rotten, prideful part
And humble me that I might be
An offering of love to Thee.

Wednesday
My Lord, I fail to get it still. 
I read quite plain Your holy will,
But listen not to what You say
And go about my merry way.

Your prophecies of passiontide
I hear but gently push aside
To seek a pleasure here and now
And raise my status here somehow.

Thought of suffering bereaved me
And my ignorance aggrieved Thee
Hearing that You came for service
Makes a selfish one quite nervous.

When at last I understand Thee
Please don't harshly reprimand me,
Grace me with the will to love Thee
Putting nothing else above Thee.

Thursday
Acursed be the man that strays from the Lord
Whose strength is in flesh, or the pow'r of the sword
A barren bush in a lava waste
A haughty one that's now disgraced.

True wealth is in humility
But often men will fail to see
They grasp for that which fades away
To find, in time, their wealth decay.

They turn away their greedy eyes
From all the poor and wretched cries
To dine in luxury and waste
And never give the poor a taste.

The day of reckoning will come
A day for all, not just for some
A day when wrong shall be set right
And all our deeds are seen in light.

Friday
In ways mysterious and deep
The will of God will always keep
The chosen ones alive and well
And plans of wicked men repel.

But often we don't see the plan
When looking with the eyes of man.
It's only when we turn around
In retrospect, the plan is found.

Our God is faithful, true, and good.
Obey Him always as we should
And then we'll see with clearer eyes
How safe He leads us to the prize.

Saturday
Lord, mercy is Your greatest gift
One offered often, offered swift.
You let us languish, not for long,
But swiftly wash away our wrong.

Though consequences of our sin
Remain a scar that's deep within,
They also serve to help us see
How great Your love for man can be.

From depths of all perversion led
To pasture green, and fully fed.
From slave of swine and one ignored,
To precious son and one restored.