8/9/20 Through 8/15/20

8/9/20 Through 8/15/20

Sunday

Oh Lord for me, where is Your call,

In tiny breeze or crashing squall?

The task for me, to recognize

And follow well as You advise.

To walk the waters of the sea

And trust Your hand will rescue me,

Or face the challenge of the day

With confidence in what You say.

Your call is clear, a voice we know

That guides us on the way we go.

Obedience the road to find

Good health for sick and sight for blind.

Monday

A cheerful giver let me be,

A man to hear, and also see.

To well attend His will for me,

And always, faithful servant be.

A man to stand and face the fire,

A man with love, his great desire.

A man of generosity

That always faithful he would be.

A grain that willingly would fall 

To earth and die to rescue all.

A grain to yield abundantly

So those held captive, would be free.

To see the world with loving eyes

And lift the veil of poor's disguise.

To see our Lord in lowly men

And bring to life His love again.

Tuesday

The greatest is the lowly one

The docile, trusting, favored son.

The proud of heart, and boastful man

Is not the One who lives His plan.

For time and time again He shows

How greed and avarice that grows

Within the man will draw away,

And lead to darkness and decay.

So raise your head and then become

That docile, trusting, lowly one

Give up the quest for glory here

And find true peace and glory near.

Wednesday

Oh mark me with that blessed sign

Of saving grace and love Divine

Count me not among the rest,

But make my place among the blest.

Forgiveness grant this sinner Lord,

A pauper yet, great wealth implored.

For you can use my faults for good,

The way You used, that sacred wood.

So bold I be, yet humble Lord,

Have mercy then, be grace restored.

A sinner saved is what I'll be

One rescued for eternity.

Thursday

In debt beyond measure, this gift that we treasure

Could never be bought with a price.

But in giving away our excess of the day,

We follow the Master's advice.

Be a sign for them all as you answer the call,

Be loving to all whom you see.

For when such is made known, all the gifts that you own,

Will none but a trifle then be.

Look beyond here and now, wipe the sweat from your brow.

The morrow will bring a new morn.

Sharing gifts you receive, demonstrates you perceive,

But a pauper in debt were you born.

Friday

The glory all belongs to Thee,

Though some may look and think it's me.

The harlot played in search of love,

My eyes to earth and not above.

Unworthy servant though I be,

Your hand reached out to rescue me,

That all who read these words would know,

From You, the font of grace, they flow.

A talking parrot and no more

Who turned away and played the whore.

Yet still, You love and comfort me

When so unworthy may I be.

Forgive and cleanse this heart of mine,

Conform it to Your heart Divine.

No longer may I play the whore,

But all be Yours forevermore.

Saturday

A greater destiny is planned

Than what the mind can understand.

The simple and the gifted share,

A life Divine, when with Him there.

That life so high above our own

If genius now, or Downs Syndrome,

Are but the same when we compare 

To life Divine, in heaven there.

But we can start that life today

If we would listen and obey,

Then use the grace that's offered here,

To closer to the Lord draw near.

The grace unused, our sinful shame.

Each one a gem we fail to claim.

Allowing pride to have its way,

We grant the Evil One his say.

No more be lost, I pray on me,

I beg You Lord to set me free.

Destroy the pride so often known

And let Your light, through me, be shown.

8/2/20 Through 8/8/20

8/2/20 Through 8/8/20

Sunday

Lord, I believe You have in store

A love amazing, and much more.

The beauty here below we see

A rumination dim of Thee.

The man and wife united so,

In ecstasy, to new life grow.

A cloudy haze through which we taste

The love of God, by spouse embraced.

The mountain range or depths below

Is but a glimpse of who we know.

No mortal mind could ere traverse

The wonders of this universe.

But You, the King of all that's known,

Invite us, come, approach the throne.

Explore the myriad of ways 

My love is shown through endless days.

Reject the ways of flesh to see 

That living in reality

Means knowing Christ who loved us so,

To Calvary, with cross, would go.

Monday

With wickedness abounding here 

The wrath of God draws ever near.

The land of free and home of brave,

Repentance now alone will save.

Whims of flesh enslave the land,

Men do not as God had planned.

But recklessly abandon good

And choose the ways that Satan would.

What hope have we to stem this tide,

But reach for Him and there abide?

For He who walks upon the sea,

The only hope to rescue thee.

Tuesday

Write it down within a book,

Allow the interested to look.

Hear the call I make to men,

And turn away from sin again.

Bid us now, approach the throne

To find our God and God alone.

Let nations all revere You then,

And Zion be made whole again.

Wednesday

Great faith a trait not often seen,

But one I wish was my routine.

Too often bound by earthly ways

To see the Lord amid the haze.

So many times I've seen His hand

Do so much more than I had planned.

The Master's touch will magnify

And all my efforts amplify.

Why put such limits on the Lord, 

While all His wonders are ignored?

His love exceeds man's simple mind,

And by our ways, is not confined.

So trust in One who formed the clay

To offer help throughout the day.

No care or need is left unheard,

No task beyond His simple word.

So cast aside the fear today.

Make faith your motto for the day.

Trust in One who loves you so,

Grab onto Him and don't let go.

Thursday

Convinced of glory far beyond,

In dark, before the morn had dawned,

Prophets spoke the word He said,

And spoke of rising from the dead.

A word beyond the mind to see

A grace to truly be set free

From all that clouds our vision here,

And to His Majesty, draw near.

Only glory knows the way

To everlasting light of day, 

Where light surpassing sun will shine

From Thy abiding Love Divine.

Friday

Deny yourself, take up your cross,

Count earthly gain as none but loss.

Then follow Him they crucified,

Until the sinful flesh has died.

And once the sinful flesh is gone,

The light of Christ, will then you don.

With glory as your final lot,

And love, the greatest virtue sought.

Saturday

A witness credible and clear

With ears that listen well, and hear,

The word expounded there for me,

And also there for those that see.

A tiny seed, the mountain moves.

With little faith, no man improves.

Be not afraid I'll let you down,

Your faith will be your great renown.

But trust and see the wonders there,

The works of love beyond compare.

He answers well the ones who call

No need too great or need too small.

7/26/20 Through 8/1/20

7/26/20 Through 8/1/20

Sunday

According to His purpose called,

In high or lowly place installed,

Each man a purpose to fulfill

According to the Master's will.

So help each one respond to grace

And find, in You, their rightful place.

Grant them the wisdom needed most

To daily, with Your Word, be dosed.

Each day a vista opens wide

And grace pours forth from opened side,

To light the way for one day more,

And greater depths of love explore.

Monday

You made this nation close to Thee,

This land of brave, and home of free.

In wisdom, founded on the Rock,

To glory see, and grace unlock.

But freedom misconstrued in time

With slowly shifting paradigm,

Freedom now enslaves the masses.

Lawlessness, for freedom, passes.

Those truly free, though still can see

What freedom's lot was meant to be;

The right to do what's right for all,

Is freedom's true, unselfish call.

A good for nothing land we'll be

If freedom's judged for only me.

A land where chaos reigns as king;

A land enslaved by useless bling.

Tuesday

For lack of love, the tears will flow.

The dead abound where ere we go.

Have all the chosen turned away,

To other gods along the way?

Even now, the chosen few

Are lax in how they worship You.

We give what's left, to please the King,

Instead of giving everything.

It's only with great trust in You,

And grace accepted that we do

A single thing to bear some seeds

When growing here among the weeds.

But harvest time will come someday

And until then, our lot's to pray

That tears may turn the weeds to wheat

Before they face the judgment seat.

Wednesday

Called to serve in varied ways

One who works, and one who prays.

By love, if each is sanctified

Then love has each just satisfied.

The goal: with Him, to thus abide

And put all lesser goals aside

For union with our God and King

Is what we seek in everything.

At times to listen quietly,

At times to quickly run and see.

The key is but to seek His voice

And make His will your every choice.

Thursday

Some things I think I understand

Yet verses some, no more than scanned.

Obscure to me, the meaning there 

No matter how I sit and stare.

Lord, open wide my eyes to see,

My ears to listen well to Thee.

And help my simple mind to share,

The meaning of what's written there.

Then let me draw on all I know

To somehow well Your meaning show.

That I may share my little light,

And chase the darkness of the night.

Friday

In Your great love, Lord answer me

Let all I ask, be none but Thee.

Have mercy on my lack of trust,

Turn not away in Your disgust.

Your servant's weak and feeble, Lord.

A voice that's loud, by most ignored.

A hypocrite in many ways,

Yet begging mercy, when he prays.

Holy Spirit, rescue me

Make me the man I ought to be.

Help me use the grace You give,

That in Your presence, I may live.

Let me deny this body now

With discipline and strength somehow.

For I am weak, but Thou art strong.

Have mercy Lord!  My constant song.

Saturday

For speaking truth, he lost his head

The prophet now, at last, was dead.

Their wickedness went unrestrained

But what, at last, have now they gained?

Just take some time to meditate

On every act of greed and hate... 

No winners but the martyrs who

Were faithful, righteous, good, and true.

As evil is, it breeds the more,

With lust and murder, rape and war,

But love survives in spite of these,

And even chained, the heart it frees.

7/19/20 Through 7/25/20

7/19/20 Through 7/25/20

Sunday

How can this seed, so fragile and small

Grow to a bush, so broad and so tall?

How can the leaven, when mixed in the dough

Give rise to it all, and soften it so?

Expressed but in groanings unknowing to man,

The Spirit who loves all creation now can,

Search through the heart of each zealous man

To ask of the Father, according to plan.

And when in accord with the Holy One's will,

Every small act of kindness or cordial goodwill,

Will flower and branch as the tiny seeds grow,

And spread like the leaven that's mixed in the dough.

Monday

What Sheba's Queen discovered there 

Was wisdom far beyond compare,

And Ninevites repented when

Dear Jonah came, and preached to them.

Far greater now before your eyes

The Son of God, in flesh, disguised.

Yet still persist, your evil ways,

To be condemned, in final days.

Repent and see what's plain to all,

Upon each life, He makes a call,

But only humble hear Him say, 

Come follow me, and walk this way.

Do good and love the things of God.

His boundless love, let men applaud.

Walk humbly there with Him beside,

In all your days, with Him abide.

Tuesday

Brother and sister and mother to me,

Are those of the land that long to be free.

That search for the will of My Father above,

And answer His call in compassion and love.

Who make of His will their priority One,

And listen intently to words of His Son.

Who learn from the Teacher, and follow, His way

And hold, with conviction,  all evil at bay.

Wednesday

I tell you, do not cling to me,

But go and spread the news.

A risen Savior now I be,

For those, to love, that choose.

Search in the streets of night no more,

The gloom and dark be gone.

Such love, you've never known before

Is risen, at the dawn.

My heart is sick for love as this,

No word could ere detail.

A tender touch, the sweetest kiss,

The gift beneath the veil.

A total gift of self to Thee

My only way to know.

To you, I give my treasured key,

And beg, Your seed to sow.

Thursday

So many look, but do not see,

The Living Bread, Your gift to me.

The source of life to those who see,

Oh Jesus, how I trust in Thee!

The rock You split, and water flowed,

The light You brought to darkness showed

Your love and mercy far exceed

The mind of mortal man indeed.

Repair the cisterns we have made,

The walls that crumbled, and decayed.

Fill us with living water new,

And let us quench our thirst in You.

Friday

In wickedness, no longer walk.

Give up for good, hard-hearted talk.

Repent, rebellious one and find,

A  Shepherd wise, astute, and kind.

A One to lead you prudently

To multiply, and fruitful be.

To say no longer, "Where is He?"

But always in His presence be.

Saturday

A martyr's lot, I wish I knew,

With zealous love, and trust in You.

A willingness to suffer long

To bring a sinner safe along.

My will so weak, alone I find.

My perseverance, but in mind.

Yet grace can give me courage when

I face the likes of evil men.

My only hope is trust in You.

My weakness shows in all I do.

So poor, I come to find the Light

To guide me through the dark of night.

If I but had a greater love,

With sights, more firmly, set above,

I'd crucify my flesh in shame, 

And glorify Your Sacred Name.

I beg You, make me pure and clear,

That by Your cross, I'd hover near,

And share with You that awful pain,

In hopes of many souls to gain.

Oh, font of Mercy, Font of grace,

My heart become Your dwelling place.

Your blazing love, and heart afire,

My only wish, and my desire.