8/21/16 Through 8/27/16

8/21/16 Through 8/27/16

Sunday

The narrow path is hard to find

The broad way is quite clear

The pleasure way may twist and wind

But nothing there to fear

I know the Lord, I'm good to go

He loves me all the time

No doubt the Lord will surely know

I wrote some holy rhyme

If doors are closed, to my surprise

He'll surely let me in

But when I finally meet His eyes, 

I recognize my sin

Repent, I must while still a chance

To change my way on earth

In humble stance receive His glance

And find in Him new birth.

Monday

Queen of Angels, Queen of Saints

Queen no hint of evil taints

Queen of all that is above

Pure reflection of His love.

Come to me and guide my way

Be my help throughout the day

Make my heart as pure as you

Grant His grace in all I do.

Tuesday

A blinded guide is of no use

A guide that binds and won't set loose

Straining gnats, they swallow still

A camel in their evil swill.

Neglecting that which lies within

They polish up their evil skin

Inside that artificial shine

There dwells an evil vicious swine

Wednesday

The truest child of Israel

Was flayed for Christ, the stories tell

Grant me a faith to his akin

That I would gladly lose my skin

Thursday

Make ready for the Lord's return

On any given day

In faithfulness and trust we learn

To prosper on the way

And prosper not in terms of gold

But in this simple way

To recognize the hands that hold

Our key to every day

Friday

Know we not the day or hour

But we know the strong will cower

Shame will fill the hearts of those
Who willful un-repentance chose.

Hold not against me all my sin

For my remorse cannot begin

To save the beauty that I lost

Except that You have paid the cost.

Restore in me a sinless heart

And once again to me impart

A beauty that is pure and kind

Warm-heartedness, that others find.

Saturday

A given gift that's never found

A talent buried in the ground

Useless and alike are these

For no one will they ever please

8/14/16 through 8/20/16

8/14/16 through 8/20/16

Sunday

Don't stir the pot, but wait on Me

The plan I have is best, you'll see

The Lord knows well what's best for you

For He's the Master of the stew

Now fix your eyes upon the cross

And all the rest just count as loss

For Christ endured the cross and shame

To win for us eternal gain

Monday

Arrayed in gold, at Your right hand

The queen in glorious splendor stands

Our model of obedient love

In glory with our God above

Tuesday

A boastful heart so easy found

yet humble ones are true and sound

For all we have is purely gift

In thankfulness our praises lift.

Wednesday

Should envy rule within the heart

Of those who worked all day,

Or joy, that Master does impart

To others equal pay?

Thursday

Our stony hearts must be removed

For that's the way His love is proved

When idols and all filth are spurned

A heart of flesh is then returned.

Friday

When bones are dry and in the grave

They seem impossible to save

But You can give them flesh and skin

And cause a changing from within

But flesh and bone alone are weak

And far yet more is what we seek

We need the breath of life to rise

And meet our maker in the skies

Friday PM

The faith of all the saints in glory

Tells a resurrection story

For with the blood of martyrs spent

He calls the masses to repent.

Saturday

May we turn from wicked ways

That we may find much brighter days

Then make our land of fruited plains

A land that's free of sinful chains

With humble and repentant hearts

A true prosperity then starts

Raise up an apostolic band

Then bring Your glory to this land.

8/7/16 Through 8/13/16

8/7/16 Through 8/13/16

Sunday

Hard at work for what can't last

The same old story as the past

Hanging on to that which flees

Will never be the way to please.

Monday

Does not the Teacher pay the tax?

If you, but only, knew the facts.

The subjects are exempt, you see

The foreigners, must pay the fee.

But it will be just as you wish

We'll get the coin from in the fish.

Tuesday

The Word can sweet as honey be

The nourishment of those who see

But most will never read the book,

And judge the Word by how we look.

The greatest pages that they see

Will be the children close to Thee

For know the Kingdom that they seek

Is filled with humble and with meek

Wednesday

A given life, the seed that's sown

The surest way of love that's known

To sway a heart, and change a mind

In hopes that faith, they also find.

When scarcely sown we scarcely reap

To others then the faith looks cheap

But when we pay the greatest price

The faith is found much more than nice.

Thursday

Forgiving calls us to repent

And with this call, we all are sent

To let the world know how to live

To turn from sin, and sin forgive.

Friday

Found naked and without a home

Left on the streets and all alone

I bathed and dressed you, called you Mine

Prepared you for a love divine

Your hair I set with braids and curls

Your neck I draped in finest pearls

In robes of silk embroidery

I made you more than royalty

A beauty pure, but not complete

Your beauty squandered on the street

A beauty made for love divine

Your beauty cast among the swine

One made for love, but lost in lust

Finds no one on this earth to trust

But shame and silence enter in

When out of love, I pardon sin.

Friday PM

Here I come not just to pray

But here to listen and obey.

A quiet place to hear Your voice

And ponder how to make a choice

Lord strip away the greed and pride

And all that clings to me inside

Let me detach from all these things

And see what pure devotion brings.

Saturday

The childlike You call Your own

In them we find Your joy made known

No care on earth disturbs them when

They find Your favor once again

7/31/16 Through 8/6/16

7/31/16 Through 8/6/16

Sunday

Oh vanity of vanities

No creature here on earth can please

No wealth or riches, fortune, fame

To rival what the poor can claim

Though seeming here so destitute
Possessing joy one can't refute

For when love permeates the soul

We are complete, we are made whole.

Monday

With bread of life may I be fed

Attachment to the world be shed

And then within Your presence find

The treasure of my heart refined.

Tuesday

What little faith I have in Him 

Who walked across the sea

When stepping out to sink or swim

He reaches out to me.

I want to find that solid rock

But waves beneath my feet

Create in me a mental block

That leads me to defeat

Someday I may be strong enough

To do it on my own

But that's the day when sure enough

I find myself alone

My gaze must fix upon His eyes

That beckon, "Come to Me."

For what will steady one who tries

Is grace that comes from Thee.

Wednesday

The greatest strength in every man

Is weakness to the king,

But lean on Him, the faithful can

And He refreshment brings.

Our every care is His concern

There's none too large or small

By trusting Him the faithful learn

He cares for one and all.

Thursday

Jesus help my will conform

According to your way

From sinfulness my life reform

To follow and obey

For now I think as mortal man

Not in Your loving way

Help me to work within Your plan

And guide the things I say.

Friday

Oh mother spark within your child

The grace to never be defiled

The grace to love my daily cross

The grace to count the world as loss.

Saturday

Transfigured right before their eyes

On mountaintop, removed disguise

The Father's voice from in the cloud

This is my Son of whom I'm proud

Yet on the plain, down here below

The plot took shape we've come to know

A shameful death the elders say

Will rid our nation of this Way.

So marred beyond the face of man,

How could this be within the plan?

Yet what the elders saw as loss,

Became the Triumph of the Cross.

And now in glory shining bright

He reigns in victory o're the night

No longer must we walk in fright,

But be transfigured by His light.