11/10/19 Through 11/16/19

11/10/19 Through 11/16/19

Sunday

Encouragement from daily prayer

Will come to those in trial where

The wicked reign, with wrong as right,

And think, by force, they win the fight.

How short the sight of evil men,

Who cannot see around the bend.

They see no more than that in hand,

And miss the glory God has planned.

Monday

But seven times forgiving Lord

Seems more than I can well afford.

Until I see the myriad

Of sins forgiven, that I've had.

Tuesday

Chastised a little, greatly blessed

Though many sins have been confessed

As gold is proven in the fire,

So humble find their true desire.

To know the Master, Judge, and King,

And make to Him, an offering

Of all we have is only just,

What's rightly due to One we trust.

No more than what the servant owes

To One who loves, and freely chose

To come as God, with man to dwell,

And of our loving Father tell.

Wednesday

Your words, oh Lord, I long to hear.

To know that peace and love is near.

To gain the wisdom that I need

to naked clothe, and hungry feed.

My thanks I offer You this day

For every gift that comes my way.

For all that ails and humbles me

Is that which opens eyes to see.

Your gifts will come in varied ways

That startle, and in grace, amaze.

But each will call us closer to

A sharing in the cross with You.

A gift beyond the mortal mind

To join in suffering and find

A joy that we would never know

Without the pain to stretch and grow.

Thursday

Refulgence of eternal light

Dispelling darkness of the night

Grace on grace to man out poured

Spotless mirror of the Lord.

Wisdom gentle, and unique

Subtle, pure, and strength of meek.

Firm, secure, and tranquil she,

Who reaches all things mightily.

From end to end she governs well,

To restlessness, and ferment quell.

For none God loves apart from she

The brightest star of purity.

Friday

How is it learned cannot see,

Or in their study find the key?

They peer in wonder at the world

Yet never call its Maker Lord.

They never look beyond the thing,

To see its Maker as the King.

Inflated by a haughty mind,

The Maker they can never find.

That day will be a great surprise

When finally opened, be their eyes.

But when the angels, sickles wield,

The wicked's fate will then be sealed.

Saturday

Praying always clears the mind

To help the wayward sinner find

The peace they've sought so many ways

But has eluded all their days.

Somehow, in prayer, they find a way

To make it through each trying day

To gather strength, and pain endure,

In hope and love, to thus mature.

11/3/19 Through 11/9/19

11/3/19 Through 11/9/19

Sunday

Your mercy, Lord, my great desire

To walk amid Your cleansing fire

To be a soul as white as snow

And joy of righteous ones to know.

You call me closer every day

To turn from sin and learn to pray

To be the man I'm meant to be,

To climb the tree and clearly see.

Monday

No expectation of return

But only true and just concern

For fellow man in need of care

That you can find most anywhere.

Those inconvenient, nagging few

Who on the corners look at you

And hold their signs expressing need

Whom you pass by increasing speed.

Those of whom the Gospel speaks

Are those for whom the Shepherd seeks

And those for whom He bids us love

To find reward in heav'n above.

Tuesday

Lord, clear my mind and let me see

You call for me to dine with Thee

To share this food of angel's bread

To come to Thee and well be fed.

Excuses come in many forms,

But none that calm the wind and storms.

The only way to truly see

Is if we come and sup with Thee.

Wednesday

The answer to Your every word,

The act within that's ever stirred,

Is learn to love and give away

The many things that cause to stray.

Be not attached to creatures here,

But love and trust and never fear.

For He who made your very soul

Knows how to heal and make you whole.

Thursday

His mercy without ever end

To saint or sinner He will send.

If we but ask we will receive

And in the heart, new life conceive.

The Shepherd cares for every sheep

And wants to all, in safety keep.

But in our foolishness we'll stray,

And beg for mercy on that day.

That day when every knee must bow

And every single voice avow,

That Christ has won the victory,

And truth has set the captive free.

Friday

To me the unbeliever bring

And let me of my Savior sing

That deep within the soul would spark

The light of faith to chase the dark.

So when I'm called to give accounts

Of what I've had in great amounts

I'd show a profit for the King

And not the shame of idling.

Saturday

With whip of cords He drove them out

Amid the crowd and protest shout.

Don't make this house a den of thieves,

But one of faith where man believes.

And let the waters flow from here

Refreshing trees throughout the year

The fruit of which will feed the poor,

And leaves, the sickly one will cure

10/27/19 Through 11/2/19

10/27/19 Through 11/2/19

Sunday

The lowly cry will pierce the clouds

But not the shout of boastful crowds

For well He hears the humble say

Have mercy, Lord, on me this day.

Monday

A place within the structure there

This stone of mine was made to bear.

Supported well  on every side

Supporting those on either side.

If I'm to take my proper place,

I must respond well to His grace.

Listening at every turn,

Obeying well to grow and learn.

Mine may not be ever known,

But in the end we'll all be shown

How crucial every living stone

To make the word of God well known.

Tuesday

The hope I have is not in vain

For just beyond this earthly pain

Awaits what mind has not conceived

Nor wealthy mortal yet received.

The mustard seed that here we know

If nurtured well, in faith will grow.

And when the eye does finally see

Becomes a large and spreading tree.

Wednesday

Accept His will in every way,

Be it your guide throughout the day.

When turning left or turning right

Through brightest day or darkest night.

Attempt to find the narrow gate

Be not left standing in debate

Of how you earned a rightful place,

Instead of one who trusted grace.

The frightful words, "I know you not!"

Most scary in this Book, I've thought.

Lord let me not be one of those.

Instead, be one in grace You chose.

Thursday

A love with such intensity

So plain if we just choose to see.

But self-absorbed and steeped in sin

No room for love of Christ within.

He thirsts for every living soul

That they be listed on the scroll.

And longs to gather all within

To safety as His blessed kin.

Friday

To be like Him, what does it mean,

Except to live as rarely seen,

To face each day with end in mind,

In hope that peace and joy we find?

Not seeking money, pow'r or fame,

Not recognition, or acclaim,

But humble servanthood of He

Who on the cross once died for me.

This day we honor those who stayed

Close by the cross and often prayed.

Who made their lives a sacrifice,

And always offered good advice.

They made the way for others plain

And rarely ever would complain

But shouldered every burden well

And thus of joy and peace would tell.

Saturday

Oh holy fire that purifies

The man of faith, in love, who dies.

How great this gift the Father gives

To cleanse the soul that dies, yet lives.

This place where fire releases sin

Refining those who enter in

What joy we'll know amidst the pain

When in our sight is heaven's gain.

I long to shed what sin has grown

And all the selfishness I've known

To see with stunning clarity

The face of God, my Deity!

10/20/19 Through 10/26/19

10/20/19 Through 10/26/19

Sunday

Last night I failed a test you see

Not ready for, a saint, to be.

I stood embarrassed, shocked, and shamed.

The truth of love, left unexplained.

A precious soul in front of me

Was purchasing the dread"Plan B".

I froze while searching what to say,

And let her go along her way.

My chance to save a life was gone

My silence haunting ever on.

If I had just begun to speak

Would not the Spirit strengthen weak?

Again I know not what to say

But ask forgiveness, Lord I pray,

And beg another chance to show

The love of God I've come to know.

Monday

The more it takes to comfort me,

The less I know what comfort be.

The more I fill my life with things,

The less I see what trusting brings.

A peace beyond the worldly realm,

A love to touch and overwhelm.

A patience in each trial faced,

A needy little child embraced.

Tuesday

How blest those ready on return,

Obedience and trust they learn.

Their every act conforming still 

Unto the Master's holy will.

They trust the grace that He provides

Their every act, in Him abides.

They patiently await the dawn,

And closer yet, each day, are drawn.

Each simple act throughout the day

Will shed a brightness on the way,

Or let the dark grow deeper still,

By turning from His perfect will.

Through one act the darkness came,

But through one act He took our shame.

For grace in greater measure's found

Where sin and selfishness abound.

Wednesday

A slave of righteousness I'll be

If you, oh Lord, will set me free,

From all the trappings here below

Of selfishness I've come to know.

Thursday

The body that expresses love

Is one that's born from light above.

A slave to all that's good and pure,

Who walks the path that's straight and sure.

Destruction comes the other way

To those who wander, turn, or stray.

The Lord has come dividing those

From ones who freely, love, have chose.

Friday

The wretchedness within I know,

If left unchallenged there will grow.

Then flesh will dominate the will

And grow more wretched ever still.

The walls of Wisdom calm the mind

Within, true peace, and love we find.

But we must ever choose the good,

If we're to have the peace we should.

Thanks be to God, for Jesus Christ.

The Lamb of God who sacrificed

His precious blood to sinners mend

And from our evil ways defend.

Saturday

How sad the tree that bears no fruit

Absorbed in only self-pursuit.

So beautiful, but leaves don't feed

The ever-present human need.

For only fruit can satisfy,

And with the Master's will comply.

So if we really hope to live,

We must be trees that learn to give.