1/14/18 Through 1/20/18

1/14/18 Through 1/20/18

Sunday

What are you looking for day after day? 

Come to me now, and I'll show you the way

Avoid immorality, cleanse from within

The Spirit dwells not in the presence of sin 

Come see where I live, and the path that I tread

No place for the Just One to lay down His head

But find in this way a great love never known

A savior who takes all your sin as His own

A Suffering Servant who answers the call

Who conquers our sin by giving His all

Every drop of His blood poured out on the ground

Forgiveness and mercy for sinners is found.

Monday

To carry out His word would mean

Annihilate the evil seen

Within your greedy eyes this day

Destroy what pulls your heart astray

Don't leave alive a single strand

Of evil that the Lord has banned

But turn to God in total trust

And turn away from every lust

Tuesday

God sees so differently than man

He sees the things no other can

What's in the heart, what makes us tick

How hard against the goad we kick

He judges what no other knows,

Far more than what the surface shows

Our courage and our trust in God

Regardless of the ways we're flawed.

Wednesday

The giant wins without a fight

When none will face him out of fright

It takes a ruddy trusting lad

Without the fear the others had

A lad whose trust was in the Lord

And not the armour or the sword

To face the beast in confidence

To pay no heed to insolence

His faith in God the lad would bring

Then armed with just the stone and sling

He hurled a stone into his head

The giant dropped at once lay dead

We too could slay the giant's might

If we but had the will to fight

Then lived our lives in holiness

And put our trust in righteousness

Thursday

In jealousy the demon speaks

With pride, his favorite techniques

To bring the foolish down to hell

Where they, with him will suffer well.

The antidote to selfish pride

Is place yourself along His side

Then learn to love in humble ways

And give to God His rightful praise

Friday

Anointing grants a dignity

That many now will fail to see

But in the oil we recognize

A grace not present otherwise.

Saturday

Why would those so close to Him

Be out to sieze the Lord?

What in His words could they find grim

Or not in Love's accord?

Were they in some way jealous now

Like pharisee and scribe?

That ways of love they'd not allow

This Jesus to describe?

Perhaps the crowds around they found

Disruptive to their norm

And they would have the Word be bound

Than possibly reform

Unknown to me their reasons why

They say He lost His mind

It's through His word we learn to die

And then true peace to find.

1/7/18 Through 1/13/18

1/7/18 Through 1/13/18

Sunday

The King has come, we must adore

For none like Him has gone before

He came in humble mean estate

The darkness, now to soon abate

The day is called Epiphany

When that great light was shown to three

Who brought their incense, myrrh, and gold

As gifts to infant King behold

To honor Him, this newborn King,

What gift is there that I should bring?

But contrite heart and ready hands

To act upon what Love commands.

Monday

What a dry and barren earth

Without the Word to bring to birth

The seed for sower and for bread

That hungry souls be richly fed

Your ways so high above my own

Your thoughts to me, remain unknown

But what I see You water well

And cause the fruitful vine to swell.

Tuesday

For him we asked the Lord above

To grant once more a child of love

And so, in trust, as we believed

Another child was then conceived

Wednesday

Long before dawn, in quiet repose

The soul of the just and seeking man knows

The Voice that he longs for as his trusted guide

Will never abandon, but be at his side

To show him the way at every new turn

And help him, the will, of the Lord to discern

But answer he must, by obeying the Word

By doing the thing, from the Lord, he has heard

Thursday   (1 Sam 4&5)

Crushed in battle troops depleted

Even with the Ark, defeated

How could it be, this chosen race,

Be found in such complete disgrace?

Among the dead the haughty ones

Poor Eli's disobedient sons

Each man, in terror, hunkered down

As Ark was sent from town to town

Both Israelites and Phillistines

Would come to see just what it means

To treat our God so carelessly

Refusing to His glory see

Obedience is what He asks

In plain and simple little tasks

But far too often we can't see

His Word is what will make us free.

Friday   (1 Sam 8)

Appoint for us a king to reign

Became their ignorant refrain

The peace they sought at freedom's cost

To tyrants now the fools have lost

An earthly king will but enslave

And confiscate what gifts He gave

The way to peace is turn around

And let true righteousness be found

If you would change, then others lead

For earthly king, you'd have no need

Just change the one that you control

Then watch it make the others whole

Saturday

The call to sinners, "Follow me"

Is still the call to set us free

The call to leave the world behind

And peace, as followers, to find

The ones He called in such a way

Have all encountered brighter day

More satisfied to walk with Thee

In docile, pure, humility

To leave the riches standing there

And follow where you don't know where

What some would call a foolish move

The wisest choice it will be proved.

12/31/17 Through 1/6/18

12/31/17 Through 1/6/18

Sunday

The family is the chosen place

Where every soul should clearly trace

The roots of love and school of grace

That help them, every trial to face

Yet how we've changed this holy plan

Set forth by God for every man

No more such love and unity

Which make a soul that's truly free

With roles of man and wife a blur

And values not, as once they were

How can, the young, we educate

To trod the narrow and the straight?

Each child deserves a mom and dad

To point the way to good from bad

To train the child as he should go

And teach him to, our Savior, know

Monday

May the Lord let His face shine upon you

His comforts to many, not few

Great mercy to bless you and keep you 

And guide you in all that you do

His name is a blessing forever

For all who have seen the great light

He guides them through every endeavor

As beacon and shield in the night

Tuesday

Let me have full confidence

Not turning then in shame

Away from Him whose love intense

Is like a cleansing flame

May fire of love be welcomed in

A heart already pure

Aglow with selfless love for Him

Whose word will long endure

Wednesday

Without a doubt, he pointed out

The Savior for us all

He came to shout and tell about

His answer to the call

Revealing One, the only Son

Existing long before

The vict'ry won is now begun

And spirits start to soar

But know they not, the elders plot

To kill this new-found king

And through their sin God ushers in

The lamb of whom we sing

Thursday

I'm a child of eternity

But one too blind to plainly see

Each snare that's set throughout the day

To draw me down the crooked way

So easy and so sweet they seem

But truly just an evil scheme

To bind me to a fleeting thrill

Surrendering my own free will

But look intently at the Lord

And see what pleasure can't afford

A love that answers every call,

For sinners, sacrifices all.

Friday

Our love must be an active thing

By which, to poor, relief we bring

Not words or talk, but something real

To save a life, or wound to heal

To lend a hand and warm a chill

Or just a hungry mouth to fill

To see in each, our Lord of light

And make this world a bit more bright

Saturday

Assurance of eternal life

Amidst the struggles and the strife

Is granted to the lowly one

With steadfast heart who loves the Son

For on the Son His favor rests

And every sin to Him confessed

Is washed in water and in blood

In Mercy's precious loving flood

12/24/17 Through 12/30/17

12/24/17 Through 12/30/17

Sunday

With power overshadow me

And deep within me plant Your seed

That love can grow within my soul

And by Your presence make me whole

Monday

Beneath a chilled and brilliant sky

The angels with their song draw nigh

These messengers from up above

Proclaim is born, the King of Love

In haste the shepherds make their way

To find the manger filled with hay

And swaddled there among the straw

Before the King, they kneel in awe

To all around their story told

How angels, as they watched in cold

Descended singing songs of praise

Declaring gone, the darkened days

This day is born in Bethlehem

Of Jesse's root and David's stem

The One to free us from all ill

This quiet night, so soft and still

Tuesday

Don't worry 'bout what you will say

If called to witness in the day

Be firm and know the Lord is near

He'll give the words they need to hear

St. Stephen saw the heavens wide

And glory of the other side

Forgiving those who threw the stones

That shed his blood and crushed his bones

You too are called to lay life down

And then obtain the holy crown

Your persecutors to forgive

That long in heaven you may live

Wednesday

Love divine, a love excelling

All the world of Jesus telling

Heart of pure unspoiled love

Thunders of the King above

Grant to all that heart of John

Be never from our presence gone

But let us see in darkest night

Your love provides eternal light

Thursday

The innocents proclaim with blood

That now to earth has come our God

Though wicked men seek to destroy

The Christ has come to bring us joy

No longer bound by chain of sin

A heart of love now grows within

A willingness to sacrifice

And follow Him who paid the price

Friday

Receive as one with waiting hands

His word and all of His commands

For there is found a babe who slept

The Son of God, a promise kept

As Simeon, let us receive

And in His promises believe

Then in our open arms be laid

Salvation, that for which we prayed.

Saturday

Anna came for many years

Yet still she had attentive ears

Not tempted by the daily grind

To miss the Lord and never find

Our Lord and savior when He came

To temple, to receive His name

But waited, watching through the night

With extra oil for her light

Our way, must too be like the one

Who watched and waited for the Son

A way of patience, trusting of

The One who saves, the God of love.

12/17/17 Through 12/23/17

12/17/17 Through 12/23/17

Sunday

Let our voices loudly ring

Prepare the way for such a king

Let us till the hardened ground

So when He comes love may be found

Let us witness faithful love

From in the throne room up above

That all would see in us the King

Whose tidings to the world we bring

Repent and quickly turn around

That sin, in you, no more be found

Prepare a fitful dwelling place

Without a spot or evil trace

Monday

The angel spoke his mighty word

In faith, the humble Joseph heard

His name shall be Emmanuel

The Lord has come with man to dwell

Grant all such humble faith this year

That when Your gentle voice we hear

We scarifice what we have planned

When even we don't understand

Tuesday

A barren tree no fruit to bear

A daily thought and constant care

A tree just here to live and die

A question and a wonder why?

As slow reality sets in

A grief and sorrow settles in

A resignation to the fact

How much our lives have truly lacked

But never must our hearts despair

For He can make us fruitful there

If we believe and trust the word

That from the voice of God is heard

Wednesday

Love defies the words of man

Who tries to say the best he can

How God has touched his inner soul

And made his heart so rich and full

The soul proclaims the greatness of

The One who fills the heart with love

When overshadowed by His grace

We too become His dwelling place

Thursday

In haste she went to greet the one

Whose shame now past, would bear a son

To pave the way for God on high

To lost and wand'ring souls draw nigh

The babe within her kicked and stirred

When that sweet gentle voice was heard

Of Mary virgin full of grace

Who entered in that humble place

The darkness gone, the winter past

Now Spring has come to earth at last

We hear the song of stream and dove

For unto earth has come true love

Friday

An offering of children is

A gift of all that's truly His

A trust that He will e'er supply

For what we need as time goes by

Saturday

His name is John without a doubt

The tongue now heard to praise and shout

The glories of the coming Lord

The grace of God to man outpoured

He comes to turn the hearts of men

Back to the Father once again

Refining fire to purify

As once man was in days gone by

Repentance now, the cry of he

Attend your ears and eyes to see

The glorious King is on the way

To bring about eternal day.