2/14/21 Through 2/20/21

 2/14/21 Through 2/20/21

Sunday

The leper touched by Christ our Lord

Was cleansed, renewed, and so restored.

No more cast out, a thing of shame,

But one restored, who spread His fame.

Lord, touch me too, make clean my soul.

Restore the peace that sin has stole.

Unite me with Your flock once more,

From leprosy of sin restore.

Monday

Those always seeking for a sign

Refuse to see His grand design.

They close their eyes to thousands fed,

And fail to see His flesh as bread.

We too are blind so many times

And fail to see our many crimes,

Yet point the finger to and fro,

And never come our sins to know.

Examine well the things you do,

And know what motivates you too.

Is pride and greed the driving force,

Or love of God and man the source?

Tuesday

Lord, still I fail to understand.

My heart and mind You must expand,

That gifts of Spirit come my way

Enlightening my mind today.

Understanding clear and true

Of who I am, and who are You.

Knowledge of Your mighty power,

Strength to trust in darkest hour.

Counsel when I am confused

Courage when I am accused.

Wisdom to be still and pray,

Make fear of Thee my rule today.

Wednesday

Now is an acceptable time

The guilty, those steeped in their crime

Should repent and be saved, be they priest or depraved

As the summit of meekness they climb.

In His mercy to sinners, we see

Great compassion will fall upon thee

While He washes from sin, that the Spirit come in

And make of the slave, to be free.

Be slothful and tarry no more.

For He knocks and awaits at the door.

Turn your back on the sin, and welcome Him in

Learn to praise, and to love, and adore.

Thursday

The Promised Land before us lies

Our crossing Jordan there implies

A boundary where freedom reigns

If truth and righteousness remains.

If daily we would lift the cross

And look upon our sins as loss.

Then like unto His love we'd be

And see that's where we're truly free.

For He that suffered much did rise,

And showed Himself to faithful eyes,

That man would know, love reigns supreme, 

And Promised Land is not a dream.

How much I long to see that land,

But only glimpses have I scanned.

The cross, too often have I shed,

And chosen desert land instead.

Oh, touch my heart and make me strong,

Grant courage when the night is long.

Let me endure what ere may come,

And learn the depths of love to plumb.

Friday

How can my fasting be improved,

All selfishness and guile removed?

By loving those with whom I live,

And learning well to freely give.

Not with selfish ends to gain,

But patiently enduring pain.

Forgetful of myself to find

This fasting of a different kind.

It sounds so easy, but it's not

For rarely is myself forgot.

Especially when pain is near,

To give much more, invokes a fear.

Yet when we face that dreaded foe,

Our God of love we come to know.

And see how true in every time

Is everlasting love sublime.

Saturday

Your call has come to sinful man,

"Come follow Me today."

Leave behind your earthly plan

And find a better way.

The things we give such honor to,

Our wealth, or pride and fame,

Cannot bring peace and love to you,

Or call you by your name.

One only here that offers peace,

Contentment, love, and joy.

A happiness to never cease

That nothing can destroy.

So come repent, and turn around,

Be born anew today.

In Christ alone, true wisdom found,

In Him alone The Way.

Reserve not anything below

Where nothing satisfies

Our only goal is Him to know

Whose light has filled the skies.

2/7/21 Through 2/13/21

 2/7/21 Through 2/13/21

Sunday

Very early in morning, long before dawn,

In silence, the word of the Father will spawn.

Directing the actions we have for the day,

Speaking quite clearly if only we pray.

The woman in bed had to rise to be cured.

Every trial we face be embraced and endured.

For hope is the anchor that strengthens the soul,

Perseverance through trial our duty and goal.

Monday

The heavens and the earth were made

By love so far and wide.

The sun and moon and stars arrayed,

His glory to provide.

So vast the mind can't comprehend

The wonders He has wrought.

Our God without begin or end

The love of man has sought.

For sin has sickened purest love,

And dimmed the eyes of man,

That man is blind to marvels of

His grand, amazing plan.

So scurry to and fro to find

The One who heals the soul.

Forgiving all our sins that bind,

To heal and make us whole.

Tuesday

God's word is nullified by men

When following their rules again

Instead of what the Word has said

Or where the Spirit's will has led.

Wednesday

Defiled by the things within

A lack of love, the source of sin.

Licentiousness and greed have shown

The fruits that all our sins have sown.

Creation's good, all foods are clean.

See here the crux of what I mean.

The ones that choose the way of sin

Have love cast out and evil in.

Thursday

Naked without shame they walked

Amid the Garden as they talked.

The peaceful complementary pair

That God had placed together there.

Yet evil lurked within with lies,

And stole the innocence of eyes.

Then lost, the Garden's peace and rest,

No more this place of calm possessed.

Yet God forgave the sin of man,

And worked for all a greater plan.

That through a virgin pure and rare

He'd demonstrate His loving care.

Her yes, at every single turn,

For man, a saving love would earn.

Redemption through this humble bride,

No favor asked by her denied.

Oh make my heart with yours accord

That God be evermore adored,

And in your garden find my rest

In peace at your abundant breast.

Friday

Ephphatha, be opened wide,

Receive the word of God inside.

Be loosed the tongue made stiff by sin,

Welcome now God's Spirit in.

The Garden gates once sealed by sin

Again will welcome mankind in,

When on the cross the Perfect Lamb

Is offered to the Great I AM.

So open wide the door to Christ

Immortal soul, quite highly-priced.

Your vindication here below,

Is to His holy scriptures know.

Be opened to be filled by One

Who freely gave His only Son,

That once again the Garden be

A place for sinners saved like me.

Saturday

The story of the fall from grace,

Our exile from that perfect place,

Plays out in every single soul

That turns from He that makes us whole.

Remember well when first you turned

How good it looked, but then you learned,

The promised joy was empty then,

But still, you tried that sin again.

So foolish and naive is man

To work against the Father's plan.

For on the Cross is purest love

The greatest proof and signing of

The love of God for man below,

The gift of self, so all would know.

Yet somehow still we fail to see

In giving, man is truly free.

Lord, change my heart, remove the guile.

Teach me to sit with You awhile,

And listen to Your loving word

That heretofore, I haven't heard.

The truth within, before awaits,

But with his lies, the Devil baits,

And mocks me every time I fall

By turning from Your loving call.

No more, I pray, would folly win,

But rather, love would conquer sin,

And eyes be opened well to see

How great the Father's love for me.

2/1/21 Through 2/6/21

 2/1/21 Through 2/6/21

Sunday

Authority before unknown

By this new prophet here was shown.

The evil spirits mark His word,

And leave when ere His voice is heard.

A One like Moses comes to free

Those bound in sin and slavery.

By fire and cloud, those scared before,

Now seeing Jesus, see much more.

The Son of God, the precious Lamb,

A Savior, and the Great I AM.

A One to conquer evil now,

And reconcile man somehow.

Monday

Free me, Lord, from all that binds,

My slavery of many kinds.

Let not me look at former days

Of sin, with eyes of longing gaze.

Take all I have, the useless swill,

And turn it to Thy heart and will.

Draw me toward Your cleansing fire.

Change my every base desire.

Tuesday

Now let Your servant go in peace

Your word has been fulfilled

I've seen the One who must increase,

The One the Father willed.

To expiate the sins of man,

To open Heaven's door.

To execute the Father's plan,

That man should have much more.

Messiah's come as tiny Babe

To turn the world around.

To find the lost, and sinner save,

And loose the one who's bound.

Wednesday

Resisting to the point of blood

With gifts and fruit, my spirit flood

May discipline be practiced well,

That of His likeness all could tell.

May scourges be not spurned for pain,

They lead to everlasting gain.

The peaceful fruit of righteousness

That in the dark enlightens us.

So drooping hands and weakened knees

Be strengthened by such gifts as these.

The Father wants you as His Son,

A meek and humble, chosen one.

Thursday

Saints be praised in heaven above,

They learned the way of truth and love.

And turning from the ways of sin

They found the narrow pathway in.

They look to Him for all their needs,

For it is He that clothes and feeds.

They cure the sick and raise the dead, 

Just as their faithful Master said.

Friday

I knew it wasn't right you see,

To take a life so easily.

To any man, just look upon

As if he's just some useless pawn.

But that's the job I have to do,

Somehow we all must eat, it's true.

Though long without much food I went

Beyond that bloody mission sent.

The little girl and mother who

Conspired in this bloody coup,

Found satisfaction in this deed

That fed their wickedness and greed.

Yet I who cut the prophet's head

At times have wished that I were dead.

I saw that night the gates of Hell,

And sights of which I cannot tell.

That terror every night I see

As if to know, the next is me.

Could it be, his word, "Repent",

For people such as me was meant?

Saturday

No shepherd for the sheep that scatter

Brings to bear the things that matter.

Shepherds must protect their flock,

Teach and train their wand'ring stock.

So many things the sheep must learn,

To humble be, from evil turn.

The Cross is where we all should go

The Shepherd's voice, and call to know.

1/24/21 Through 1/30/21

 1/24/21 Through 1/30/21

Sunday

Leave behind the sordid sin

Let Former ways be gone.

No longer let the vices in,

Or to the base be drawn.

Like Ninevites, repent and turn

Your back on former ways.

Then with obedience, you'll learn

True freedom really pays.

Detached from all the world gives,

In freedom, living now.

Unbound except by love of His

That frees the soul somehow.

Monday

Each one, a story has to tell

Of being rescued back from hell.

Of loosing that which Satan held,

Becoming one by God compelled.

His voice somehow we first must hear,

And have the courage to draw near.

To see that what He says is true,

And how He suffered much for you.

It takes but just a small assesnt

To see that you've been called and sent

To spread the word to those yet blind

And change the course of all mankind.

He speaks in many varied ways

Throughout the course of normal days

And those that know His voice reply,

And then to others testify.

Perhaps today should be the day

The light would shine upon your way,

And bid you, "Come and follow me."

As blind no more, but ones that see.

Tuesday

Don't let the fire fade away,

But feed and fan the flame.

Be one to listen and obey,

And well the word proclaim.

Your gifts received are not just there

To sit upon the shelf,

But used to make the world aware

Of Christ as God Himself.

This family now that you have joined

Will form a tighter bond.

New relatives that you have coined

Will take you far beyond.

Relationships in surface ways

That root not deep within,

To brotherhood that daily prays

To save those lost in sin.

The power, love, and self-control

The Spirit grants to you

Are gifts to help you to enroll

New presbyters, like you.

Wednesday

Both listening and acting

Is what we're called to do.

The seed is sown through hearing,

But often as is true,

The birds will come and pluck away

The word not well received.

Or thorns will choke what's on its way

That newly was conceived.

Our soil must be rich and deep,

And be a place to thrive

If we expect His word to keep,

And through this life survive.

Thursday

In the sanctuary there

The veil was torn in two.

As on the Cross of Calv'ry where

His flesh was torn for you.

Our Great High Priest who entered in

Brought not the blood of beasts,

But precious blood, untouched by sin,

Not like the other priests.

His word be light upon my path,

A lamp unto my feet.

His blood a precious, cleansing bath,

His flesh my food so sweet.

No lamp is made to be obscured,

But shine to light the way.

Let every trial be endured, 

And every word obey.

The measure which you measure out

Will measure back to you.

So give, and see the goodness sprout,

As wise and humble do.

Friday

My goal to be as one of those

Who lasted to the end.

Not seeking just a life of ease,

But to this life transcend.

To look beyond the mustard seed

And see the branches spread

To trust that every single deed

Is how the seed is fed.

May time I spend with You each day

Bear fruit a hundredfold,

And clearly show the narrow way

To people young and old.

Saturday

Faith is trust when seas are high,

When all we see is darkened sky,

To trust our Lord is near and dear

Despite how storms have roused our fear.

This faith I cannot well explain.

To me, that word somewhat arcane.

It seems a knowledge deep within

Where One immense with love has been.

It calls for trust, surrender too,

To Him whose word has fashioned you.

For who knows better what we need

Than Him upon whose flesh we feed.

1/17/21 Through 1/23/21

 1/17/21 Through 1/23/21

Sunday

No word He spoke without effect

For through His soul the Spirit swept.

The voice of God he clearly heard,

And passed along His every word.

The Baptist too would listen well,

And of the true Messiah tell.

Revealed to him from in the womb,

But now attaining fuller bloom.

Our task the same as Sam or John.

To pass His sacred word along.

To wait, and at the ready be,

When Christ Himself would call on me.

Monday

The fasting shows our longing to

Be clean and fit for You

Through discipline we men pursue

A dwelling fit for You.

But flesh is that which knows decay

And constant is the bout

To train it in the proper way,

And weed the rotten out.

Our great High Priest has entered in,

And torn the veil away.

So now, to Him, could man begin

Directly now to pray.

Tuesday

This hope which I possess,

This anchor for my soul,

The name which I confess,

My one and final goal.

No emptiness His promise,

This hope of life anew.

Relying only on this,

No word of His untrue.

So stand your ground, be resolute,

Let nothing change your mind.

Turn not away from this pursuit,

Or peace you will not find.

Wednesday

So many withered hands these days

Cannot be raised in joyful praise.

For jealousy and hatred rules

Those thought so wise, but really fools.

Why look and call the Truth a lie?

Why claim that Love itself must die?

What gain is had when Good is gone,

When all is dark and never dawn?

The withered heart and soul renew

With every joint and muscle too.

Let all I have be joyful praise

As on the Cross of Love, I gaze.

No other ere so kind and true,

No other with such love for you.

Though wicked men may rule the days,

Their dreaded Cross, True Love displays.

Thursday

His perfect holy sacrifice

Before, by man unknown,

Is that which truly paid the price

To bring the wayward home.

No other priestly offering

Could mend the great divide,

And so they kept recurring, 

Until the Sinless died.

And now He intercedes for us

Before the Father's throne.

The Great High Priest that died for us

To bring the wayward home.

So now I say repenting of

My many dreadful sins.

I come to do the will of Love,

Who my salvation wins.

Friday

He summoned twelve to do the job

Of spreading His Good News.

No man of fame, or wealthy snob,

But folk like me and you.

His law be written in the mind,

Engraved upon the heart.

The ones obedient will find

That God will not depart.

Forgiving of our evil ways

This covenant anew,

Will lead us to the latter days

When all we seek is You.

We too are called to spread the word,

Disciples, all to make.

Till every man on earth has heard,

And in new life partake.

Saturday

The ones, you'd think, that knew Him well

Would not attempt, His word to quell.

But much resistance comes from those

Like family, so well, He knows.

You too may find beloved ones,

A place where rank and envy runs.

For those familiar lose respect,

And often will, the word reject.