4/10/22 Through 4/16/22

 4/10/22 Through 4/16/22

Sunday

My God, my God, where have You gone?

In dark, I cry, "Reveal the dawn.

For sin has clouded what I see,

Oh God, be merciful to me."

If I but knew the cost of sin,

Repentance every time would win.

But blind I am when sin takes hold,

And all but self is dark and cold.

I see not whom I spit upon,

But only to the sin I'm drawn.

The lash and thorns mean naught to me,

My purpose only do I see.

Short-sighted, proud, and foolish me

Who fails to recognize it's Thee

Who suffers in humility,

Oh God, be merciful to me.

Monday

A broken jar cannot contain

And none that's given can remain.

For all is what He asks of you

And all is what the Master's due.

A life poured out with none reserved

The King of kings has well-deserved.

The poor are always there with you,

But here on earth His days are few.

So clothe the naked, feed the poor

And visit prison, then for sure

Fulfill His call to love the least

And join the Master's wedding feast.

Tuesday

Betrayal in the hearts of men

As seen that night and still again

When opposition comes our way

And out of fear, we flee the fray.

Let tears from such denial flow

His look of love then make us grow,

And when we see our risen Lord,

His grace abundant be out-poured.

Wednesday

Betrayal in so many ways

By closest friends in darkest days.

None willing to His burdens bear,

Or in His sufferings to share.

Like so many gone before me

Fail to see He suffers for me.

Bruised and beaten, mocked and scourged

Of every comfort stripped and purged.

But when I see what sin has done,

And yet how selfish I've become,

My eyes are filled with tears of shame

For I can see that I'm to blame.

The pain I cannot comprehend,

Nor love until the bitter end.

For far too often, self I choose

And likeness unto Him I lose.

Have mercy on my pitied state

For all have sinned and fouled the slate.

Receive what little I can give

And let this sorrowed sinner live.

Thursday

To serve is but the greatest gift

That mortal man receives.

By service will the Master sift

To find one who believes.

Humility will bring to bear

The one who loves the least,

And lead them both to greater fare

At their communion feast.

Good Friday

Feast of mercy, Man's salvation

Savior on that rugged tree.

Crucified for every nation.

Bound and beaten to set free.

Serpent bronze to be exalted

High above for all to see.

Man or woman none un-faulted

For the suffering of Thee.

Cleanse my soul and make me savor

every wound You bore for me.

Grant to me this only favor,

That Your glory I may see.

Holy Saturday

Sad and empty, spent with grief

Evil crime beyond belief.

Hope of glory gone today,

Love was buried yesterday.

Wakened from a horrid dream

Walking dead, to men I seem.

Shock and stupor, disbelief

Bitter anguish, no relief.

What on earth could I have done?

Now I wish I had not run.

Better now that I be dead.

Master gone, the world I dread.

Sleep escapes these weary eyes,

Self-regret and sorrowed sighs.

No one knows what lies ahead,

Faith, and Hope, and Love are dead!

4/3/22 Through 4/9/22

4/3/22 Through 4/9/22 

Sunday

Go and sin no more He said

Akin to rising from the dead

A second chance and many more

The Lord, He keeps an open door.

At least for when we walk the earth,

But when arrives that second birth

Our choices then immutable

And each reward is suitable.

So "Sin no more," the wise refrain

And deep within the word remain.

The Shepherd's voice to recognize

And thus become the humble wise.

Monday

The leaders were both cowardly,

But she, the way of right could see

And chose to give her life than be

A party to iniquity.

Relying only on the Lord

She prayed her life would be restored

That somehow here the truth would reign

With righteous saved and sinner slain.

Though dark and ominous the clouds

And quick to judgement waiting crowds,

One young but wise could see what's true

And called for further-in review.

By their own words the lie was known

And light of truth was clearly shown.

The innocent was thus restored 

And evil got its just reward.

Tuesday

Complaining does not courage build,

But boldly doing all He's willed.

In spite of hardships that we face

Inspired by His ready grace.

The little ways of self-denial

Strengthen for a greater trial

Courage builds with every win

To turn to grace and turn from sin.

Just look upon the One they raised

And let the Lord of all be praised.

He shows men how to humbly lead

With grace providing every need.

So, train the body to conform

Make sacrifice your daily norm

Through sacrifice we come to know

The courage that we long to grow.

Wednesday

Peace, but not at truth's expense.

The body bound but will is free.

Truth the humble one's defense,

No matter what the outcome be.

So will to suffer for the truth

The consequence what may.

But set yourself not one aloof,

Or pride will win the day.

Thursday

To know yourself, encounter Me

And in humility you'll see

The true and beautiful that speaks

Of all the longing servant seeks.

The greatest love that's known to man,

The Holy One, the Great I AM.

But trust you must and bow to see

The glory in the victory.

Friday

The battle now is here within

The tendency of flesh to sin.

I've seen and know His mighty works

Yet still within the flesh one lurks.

An evil one that tries to say,

"It's far too hard to live His way.

Enjoy the ready pleasures now

And all will be for good somehow."

Yet all these pleasures bring no joy

And only serve to me decoy

From love that's pure and undefiled,

God-centered too and other-styled.

Through sacrifice the heart grows pure

And giving self is love for sure.

Courageous men have come to know

In little ways will courage grow

So wager now for great reward.

The greatest gift is Christ the Lord.

And all you give shall be repaid

When earthly pleasure's all decayed.

Saturday

Though four days dead, He raised the man.

This sealed His fate for sure.

Officially the plot began,

And soon would be mature

The One must die that all may live,

They reasoned in the day,

But knew not He would freely give

That all could find the Way.

The plan of God is not as man's,

Ephemeral them all.

Eternity the Master's plans,

Obedience His call.

So, what say you this April day

Two eons far removed?

Is His the true and righteous way

That history has proved?

A little faith is all it takes,

A trust in Him, not you.

To see the difference it makes

When hope is found anew.

3/27/22 Through 4/2/22

 3/27/22 Through 4/2/22

Sunday

Not as God do mortals see,

How every soul has worth to Thee.

The one dismissed as trivial 

Is chosen to Your word fulfill.

The blind can see, the sighted blind

And those who listen well will find

The Lamb of God within our midst,

And willful blind will be dismissed.

Monday

Banish memories of old

When love and purity were sold

For paltry pleasure, fleeting thrill,

In lieu of joy within Your will.

It carries on until today

But in a slightly different way.

Each time I sin and listen still

To that which lures me from Your will.

Lord, is there hope for one like me

With open eyes that does not see,

A New Jerusalem awaits

If I can turn from evil baits.

But I am weak and Thou art strong,

I need Your help to get along.

This weak unworthy servant's plea

Is God, be merciful to me.

Ashamed of all the sin I've known

And all the fruitless blessings shown.

That day I stand in front of Thee,

Oh God be merciful to me.

I cannot change what I have done,

But beg to share what You have won.

A sinner, finally set free,

Oh God, be merciful to me.

Tuesday

A river from the Temple flows

And waters well where ere it goes.

The trees beside, much fruit will bear

And leaves for many sick will care.

But lying there for just a crumb

When greeted by the Holy One,

The source of that refreshing flow

Far more the paralyzed would know.

Unsuspecting until then

The man would beg and plead again,

Until the day when Love appeared,

And way to walk again was cleared.

The River's there for all to know

And find refreshment when they go

To feed upon abundant fruit,

And more to healing love recruit.

Wednesday

The Son reveals the Father's love.

No better fit, nor tighter glove.

The perfect form of Love Divine

That sacrificed His life for thine.

Though we forget His love for man,

The Father works His holy plan

To bring the stray back to the fold,

As mom, a babe in arms would hold.

Then feed with her abundant breast

To give her babe a peaceful rest

So babe would have the chance to grow,

And Father's love would come to know.

Thursday

To worship is a basic need

And yet His word we fail to heed.

Instead we make our gods to be

The worthless drivel that we see.

A house, a car, or favored food,

Such petty things to be so rude.

A sporting team for hands we raise

And there enthrone our highest praise.

We say we know the God above,

But fail to revel in His Love.

Our days are marked in many ways,

But not by signs of holy praise.

Forgive!  Forgive!  Oh Lord forgive!

That we, eternally may live

And come to know Your boundless love

Forever in Your land above.

Friday

Revilement and torture bring

The Holy One and Savior King

To ever brighter, clearer light

Amid the darkness of night.

He boasts a Father high above

In endless light and boundless love,

But will His Father come to save

And give Him vict'ry o'er the grave?

We must determine where the bound

Of His supposed love is found.

For only then will we believe

And in our hearts, such love conceive.

So blows and spittle sent His way,

The lash and thorns, His love repay.

His silent patience mocked and scorned,

Disfigurement, His face adorned.

The cross, His final last disgrace.

Him naked, hung, and nailed in place.

He pleads forgiveness for the sake

Of all who in His death partake.

But none expected, three days hence

The glory of His recompense,

And how His word was proven true

When evil's worst, He overthrew.

Now you can see in clearest light

How Truth and beauty conquered night.

So come all sinners, be set free

And let His mercy comfort thee.

Saturday

Are you as well from Galilee?

Have you been fooled by trickery?

The Christ will come from Bethlehem,

The scripture's clear, refer to them.

Their hasty judgement cast a haze

As they protected evil ways

Instead of listening to see

He spoke with such authority.

Protect me Lord from error well,

And let me of Your wonders tell.

Help me truth to plainly see,

And guard me from iniquity.

3/20/22 Through 3/26/22

 3/20/22 Through 3/26/22

Sunday

The message is but turn around

And face the other way.

In Christ there is redemption found

And blessed light of day.

Do not desire evil things,

But trust in God alone,

For evil just disaster brings,

But Christ will sin atone.

Don't grumble when the way is hard

Or time gets in the way.

In faithfulness, be on your guard,

In time, you'll see His way.

May I not be a barren fig

With nothing more than leaves

And never on my Lord renege,

But bring in many sheaves.

Monday

Though many widows in the day

To Zaraphath was sent to stay

The prophet who could hear the Lord,

And graces to the widow poured.

And many lepers in the day,

But only Naaman could say

In Israel, true God was found

By washing seven times around.

The humble ones that would obey

Received the blessings in their day.

While proud were left to languish there

Without the hope of fervent prayer.

We too, must always humble be

If we, His mercies, want to see.

For proud are blind, but humble see

Their only hope is trusting Thee.

Tuesday

Forgiving those who do us wrong

Includes myself and I.

For often I have gone along, 

And chosen not to die.

To self, I mean, in little ways

That humble and abase,

Enduring as to so abrase,

Accepting of His grace.

So, once again before me lies

A time to fast and pray.

I hope this time my hubris dies,

And I would but obey.

Wednesday

What nation here is truly wise,

What people have discerning eyes?

What god is like the Lord of Hosts,

Of which the wise, yet humble boasts?

Therefore, I caution you today,

Be sure to listen and obey.

Each word He gives and each command

To prosper well in Promised land.

Take care and always be on guard

Against the evil one's canard.

Forget not what the Lord has done,

But be a faithful, trusting son.

One handing down what you received

That younger ones be not deceived.

So generations down the line

Will hear and know this God of thine.

Thursday

The demons must be overcome

If free, we're ever to become.

We cannot leave them hang around

And not expect to be pulled down.

Offensive must our tactic be

To rend our hearts and clearly see

Disguised amid familiar ways,

A darkness, and an evil haze.

But prayer and fasting both combined

Will every shade of darkness find.

And if the two we'd both employ

Will clear the way for Easter joy.

Friday

A call to greatness comes to man,

A call to join within His plan.

Give no resistance to His will,

Give all you have to that fulfill.

For only then will deep desire

Be kindled to a steady fire

And offer warmth to those nearby 

Who struggle as to love they try.

Saturday

Mercy is what all men need

For perfect love they fail to heed.

If this we fail to recognize

We'll not be righteous in His eyes.