8/13/17 Through 8/19/17

8/13/17 Through 8/19/17

Sunday

Tired of rowing on the sea

He calls and says: "Now walk to me."

"Get out and leave that boat behind?!"

The rest will think I've lost my mind!

I walk along a little way

But then the wind and waves dismay

I briefly take my sight from Him

and to the waves I sink within

In desperation I cry out

His hand comes down to pull me out

And says my faith must stronger be

In One who calms the wind and sea.

Monday

Circumcise your hearts today

And see what love your heart displays

Be no longer stubborn men

But see His bounty once again

Tuesday

In glory now she reigns on high

Above the earth which passes by

The mother of All Sin Atoned

The queen of all is now enthroned

The purest of the pure by far

Much brighter than the brightest star

The heavens hail resplendent one

God chose to bear His only Son

Wednesday

His eyes could see the Promised Land

Across the hot and dusty sand

For forty years he saw no green

But now was milk and honey seen

His work complete, the torch was passed

Now Moses laid to rest at last

Oppression gone and freedom found

Upon the holy promised ground.

Thursday

The Ark before the people goes

And then no more the water flows

Dry shod they cross into the land

To make it theirs as God had planned

Remember now these days of old

And all the stories men have told

See how His love comes shining through

For all who seek, like me and you.

Friday

By God, once joined, the man and wife

Are bound together in this life

No man must break this sacred bond

But always, to the call, respond

With greater love each passing day

That we might follow in His way

And learn to sacrifice for love

And lead our spouse to heav'n above.

Saturday

My household Lord, shall follow You

The Master of the things we do

your slaves and servants may we be

Conformed in every way to Thee

To serve as slaves to King of Kings

The greatest joy and favor brings

For we but breathe at Your behest

And in Your presence all are blessed.

8/6/17 Through 8/12/17

8/6/17 Through 8/12/17

Sunday

Son of justice light our way

Shine Your brightness on this day

Show our path in clearest light

In Your presence banish night

Let us be transformed today

Bathed in light along the way

Changed forever by the Son

Brought to life as holy ones

Monday

How generous and loving Lord

For You to feed this hungry hoard

You give far more than bread and meat

You give Your flesh and blood to eat

May not this precious gift elude

The ones who share this sacred food

But may we see in bread and wine

That what You give is love divine

Tuesday

Don't speak against the holy one

Whose life is given for the Son

For leprosy, or something worse

Could then result from such a curse

His faithful ones must always be

Respected in community

For they have given all they own

To seek their God and God alone

Wednesday

The woman of great faith received

What she had asked, for she believed

If we but ask for daily bread

With food of angels we'll be fed

Ignore the giants all around

And in your trust let strength be found

The One we call upon to fight

For us is maker of the might

Thursday

Oh Lord, of sowing sparing seed

May I repent, and change indeed

With cheerful heart may I supply

My best and let You multiply

Let me lose my life for You

And do as faithful servants do

That with the other faithful kind

We may, the Father's honor find

Friday

What God has loved His people so

And given signs that they should know

The path of life to conquer sin

The path to our salvation win?

He bade us now to bear our cross

To count all earthly gain as loss

And in our poverty begin

To shine His light from deep within

Saturday

The tiny little mustard seed

Is more by far than most believe

If we would only trust that much

We too, would share the Savior's touch

I saw that tiny seed one day

The slightest breeze would whisk away

A hundred on my fingernail

And yet no hill was growing pale

I beg You Lord that by Your grace

I still may stand and see Your face

So small, my faith and trust may be

But still I long to live with Thee

7/30/17 Through 8/5/17

7/30/17 Through 8/5/17

Sunday

Your wisdom greater gift by far

Than sprawling house or fancy car

Your word more precious every day

Than high position or great pay

But daily in our lives must choose

To sell it all, or treasure lose

To let the fleeting pleasure past

And buy the precious pearl at last

Monday

Take root in me that I may grow

Just like the mustard seed

And all my progeny would know

The place to come and feed

Tuesday

The people in their tents were awed

For face to face he spoke with God

The cloud descended on that place

And Moses left with glowing face

Each day He calls to all, Repent!

And find, each one, a prayerful tent

Where we can sit with Him and find

Refreshment and some peace of mind

But only for a precious few

Will heart and soul each day renew

For most will find no time for Him

And settle for the cold and dim

Wednesday

Prepare to sell all that you own

When treasure you have found alone

And buy the field where it resides

To know the joy that it provides

One treasure only worth that much

The treasure of the Savior's touch

Now gold and silver look so dim

All treasure pales compared to Him

Thursday

His net is cast into the sea

To catch the many fish like me

The good they save for food today

The bad they simply throw away

The judgment like that fishing day

When for our actions, all will pay

And those still clinging to their sin

To endless fire will be cast in

Friday

No honor for the common one

They know too well to hear

They turned away from God's own son

Because He was so near

His wisdom and His learning made

Them wonder who He was

No carpenter would be obeyed

No matter what He does

Few miracles among that crowd

Without the will to see

No honor for this man they vowed.

For they refused to see

Saturday

Great love the Virgin Mary showed

She bore the seed the Spirit sowed

Her love surpassing himan mind

Her love a true, and different kind

United in such harmony

With three in one, the Trinity

The Father's will her great desire

Her purest heart a blazing fire

Within her womb the sacred guest

The Son she nursed at virgin breast

At calvary they crucified

And she stood by until He died

7/23/17 Through 7/29/17

7/23/17 Through 7/29/17

Sunday

Among the wheat the weeds are sown

Together both through time have grown

But at the harvest ends will be

Much different as they both will see

We choose to be a weed or wheat

A fuel for fire or food to eat

So when the harvest day is near

We bask in love or crouch in fear

Monday

The evil one demands a sign

When all His works around us shine

No proof could ever be enough

To quell the wicked one's rebuff

A heart like Pharoah's, cold and hard

That gives the righteous no regard

Will turn his ear the other way

No matter what we do or say

Please soften Lord, these stony hearts

And let them see what love imparts

Or lest they make iniquity 

Their lot for all eternity

Tuesday

A simple jar that's made of clay

Contains the treasure of the Way

the Way that satisfies the soul

The Way that heals and makes us whole

The love of Christ, surpassing power

Filling us at every hour

Afflicted much, but not constrained

Perplexed, but not our spirit drained

A daily death we can't avoid

We're often struck, but not destroyed

Because it's Jesus Christ we knew

We freely die for life in you

If we believe, then we must speak

To strengthen and make firm the weak

That more and more His grace bestow

And glad thanksgiving overflow

Wednesday

The beauty of your providence

Defies my small intelligence

When raining down from heaven bread

Your grumpy people all are fed

Thursday

More and more I wish to see

And closer bring myself to Thee

I wish to honor you each day

And spread Your love in some small way

Let me never close my eyes

Or then, in fear, my faith disguise

But let me be a shining lamp

That leads the souls to find Your camp

Let me not a hinderance be

But like a fountain flowing free

Then watering a thirsty land

To bring forth fruit the way You planned

Friday

A fortune stolen blind from me

Throughout the years that I don't see

The Word around me everyday

But has it made me change my way?

The seed upon a hardened walk

The devil steals with idle talk

No chance to have it root in me

For if the robber I don't see

So recognize this awful threat

And then, more diligent you'll get

And give the seed a fertile ground

So far more fruit can then be found

Saturday

Martha dear, you spoke so clear

The day that Jesus came

Your brother died and so you cried

Your heart, with love, aflame

Your faith affirmed, and He confirmed

He was God's only Son

He gazed at skies, then called to rise

The dead and rotting one.

Holy Land Pilgrimage

Holy Land Pilgrimage

Random Thought #1

I come to hear the gentle breeze

I come to find some faithful keys

On Carmel where Elijah stood

And where our Lord was fixed to wood

Random Thought #2

Yes, my Jesus.  Yes, my lord

Not giving what I can afford

But giving all I have to You

That You might all my life renew

Random Thought #3

In the synagogue He taught

But pharisees and elders thought

His words quite blasphemous they seemed

And so, to thwart His plan they schemed

His signs and wonders held no sway

They would not change their rigid way

In blindness now they failed to see

Far more than carpenter was He

7/16/17 Through 7/21/17

7/16/17 Through 7/21/17

Sunday

I wish that I could always be

A fertile groung for seed in me

A ground that welcomes all You give

And bears great fruit by how I live

So often hard and not received

I let it go for birds to feed

Or once received in joy I find

It hard to keep, then nevermind

Most often I receive it well

But fail to much upon it dwell

And on my daily cares I wait

Then slowly, Your seed suffocate

But on occassion I have found

My heart to be a fertile ground

And as the story You once told

The fruit is borne a hundredfold

Monday

The way of evil kills the young

Persuades its prey with lying tongue

Enslaves the ones who think they're free

To care for no one else but me

The evil one he stands amused

When foolish men get so confused

And blinded by their selfish ways

Our Lord and God they fail to praise

Tuesday

Woe to you Americans

Who count your wealth and fix your plans

Your land I blessed as none before

And yet My laws you still ignore

Where comes the blessing on your land

But from the palm of My right hand?

This generation's selfishness

Quite surely, soon, we must address

Am I to look the other way

When you don't keep My Sabbath day

Or when you worship foolish things

Like fancy cars or diamond rings?

You think it doesn't matter much

That many women man should touch

And then discard a life anew

To quell a hinderance for you

The aged too you throw away

When they have passed their better day

No time to waste and sit around

When other pleasures must be found

No one can trust your evil tongue

Your lies corrupt My precious young

No one this mighty hand to stay

If you continue on your way

Repent before you pass the brink

Or then your nation surely sink

And what a fall the mighty find

When wickedness like this is mined

Wednesday

The childlike have come to know

The ways of God that wise forego

He comes to greet the innocent

And they obey where they are sent

The wise know better, so they say

And walk their own invented way

But on that path they seldom find

Their will, and that of God, aligned.

Thursday

Forever He remembers us

His mercy kind and generous

He leads His people through the sea

So they might worship strong and free

His yoke of freedom from all sin

Since time began the way has been

To peace and joy for every man

According to His holy plan

Reject it not, and you will find

The place where purest gold is mined

His slave I always wish to be

A slave that's joyful, glad, and free.

Friday

The sabbath made for mortal man

According to His holy plan

Not as a chain to anchor down

But as a day, the week to crown

A day for man to honor God

And all His wonderous works applaud

Not here for following some rules

Becoming just religious fools

A day to rest, and re-create

A day for things to celebrate

A day for man to ponder things

And see the good the Savior brings.

Saturday

How blest was Mary Magdalene

To see the place where Christ had been

To tell Apostles, "He's alive!"

And down-trod spirits then revive

The joy I cannot comprehend

Of seeing death was not the end

But crowning gift of love to man

According to the Father's plan