2/11/24 Through 2/17/24

 2/11/24 Through 2/17/24

Sunday

Lord, if You will it, make me clean

My leperous soul, no longer seen

I want my body undefiled

So, make me as a little child.

I place myself within Your hands

And vow to follow Your commands

If only I would be like You

One holy, spotless, wise, and true.

My sin has made the soul unclean

These festered sores are all that's seen

But underneath my soul awaits

Your gentle touch and healing grace.

Monday

Wisdom, wisdom, the all that I need

The voice of God to ready heed

To listen carefully and act

And let Him fill what ere I lacked.

To leave behind the temporal things

And turn to what the Spirit brings

To empty self and fill with grace

One resolute to reach His place.

A place within the Master's house

Prepared for just the loving spouse

As one within the Church to sing

The everlasting praise we sing.

The eons formed the mountains high

And untold millions, so the sky.

The wonders in the depths below

And all the things man seeks to know

But wisdom knows that God is God

His love upon the Cross, no fraud

One thing I seek and this alone

To one day be a Christian known.

Tuesday

Good yeast is what I wish to be

That spreads His love for all to see

That permeates the precious dough

And leads the many, Christ to know

My feet may not be planted high

But many seen just passing by

Could leavened be by what I say

And skies be brightened on their way.

Wednesday

May I Lord, in weakness find

The way that love and truth are mined

The way to form my life to You

And all You ask of me to do.

My flesh holds fast to paltry things

And so, I lose what freedom brings

My pride reveres what I should flee

To make myself like unto Thee.

No sin can bear Your presence Lord

The price of pride I can't afford

So, grant repentance, tears, and more

For all my prideful earthly store.

Thursday

What profit in this world's treasure,

Limited and finite measure?

Here no source of lasting joy,

But just another evil ploy.

Death to self, the way to Zion

God alone we must rely on

Shouldering the crosses given

Onward by His love now driven.

Here before us, life and death

Good or evil in each breath

That to which we stretch our hand

Must be the good our Father planned.

True freedom comes from self-control

Those generous, enrich the soul

And find the paradox is true

In giving we become like You.

Friday

Lord, once again I've strayed away

I pray my fast will please today

Somehow I wish to make things right

Returning once again to fight,

I know Your arms are open wide

But still, I feel a shame inside

True Love, I've put in second place

And turned from Your most blessed face.

How can I right the wrongs I've done,

The stripes I've placed upon Your Son,

The thorns of mine that pierce the brow,

Or all my many sins somehow?

Your love I pray to never lose

Your way of righteousness to choose

One humble and contrite for Thee

Obedient in love to be.

Saturday

The gloom becomes as noon of day

When men, at last, have found the Way

When eyes are opened, clear they see

How much their sin offended Thee.

Once they have seen, You love them still

They seek to follow then Your will

To put aside the ways of flesh

To better with the Master mesh

2/4/24 through 2/10/24

 2/4/24 through 2/10/24

Sunday

With drudgery and pain endured

What hope for better time secured?

The lot of man that's here below

Is but the Cross of Christ to know.

To learn to love when ere it hurts

For love, all suffering converts

To joy when resurrection comes

In palaces instead of slums.

The pleasures sought on Earth below

Are smoke and mirrors, we should know.

For none have ever satisfied

Our cravings found so deep inside.

But love enduring deep within

Will turn our hearts away from sin

With grace provided on the way

To see beyond the present day.

Then suffering is well-embraced

Every trial, with courage faced.

For all has purpose here below,

The Cross of Christ for all to know.

Monday

In dedication of the Temple

Many sacrifices made.

Sacrifices monumental

Great the tribute that was paid.

Tribute for the Holy Presence

Just to be one near the throne

Ark the symbol of His essence

Lord of all and God alone.

Now, far greater gift we're given

From the altar, mystery

Bonds of sin and death are riven

By the Lord of history.

Have you offered just thanksgiving

For the way that you've been fed?

Present here for all the living

As a humble piece of bread.

Tuesday

No earthly house can hold His glories

Learn from all the ancient stories

He whom the heavens can't contain

Shall only with the true remain.

When ritual becomes the rote

His love becomes a thing remote.

He can't be made to image man.

The Father's is the only plan.

Wednesday

Wisdom is a gracious gift

But not by wisdom does He sift

For wisdom is no use at all 

If we ignore His sacred call.

Obedience is that which saves

For wise can also be as slaves

If they ignore enduring good

And fail to act the way they should.

The wisest man became a slave

Who unto carnal power gave

His will, and turned his back on Love

For flesh instead of that above.

I beg for wisdom every day

But more than that, I humbly pray

That God would shape my carnal will

To every word of His fulfill.

For that alone will lead to joy

Obedience I must employ

Or else, become the foolish wise

Who follow Satan's evil lies.

Thursday

"Since this is what you want..."

Six dreaded words to hear

The riches here you flaunt

But fail to Me draw near.

I grant your heart's desire

Though foolish you will find

To seek the Spirit's fire

Is where true wealth is mined.

Temporal is fleeting.

The lasting from on high.

Carnal greed defeating

The one with jealous eye.

Submit and just obey

As simple as it sounds

The surest humble way

To get to Heaven's bounds.

Friday

Hear the voice of God is calling

Day by day in many ways

Turn around no longer falling

For the games the devil plays.

Hear the "Ephatha", be open.

Let the voice of God come in

Bring the full impressive scope in

Turn your back unto the sin.

In obedience, we prosper

In rebellion, suffer long

Be a one to goodness foster,

Follow right and shun the wrong.

Saturday

What golden calf was made by you,

Are you a one to seek the true?

And does the lie ere satisfy

Because it's placed on mountain high?

So many things we make a god

But what we make is shown a fraud.

The One who fills our every need

Is God alone, and God indeed.

So, leave the way of foolish men

And find the joy of Christ again.

Return to Him alone that feeds

Supplying all our spirit needs.

1/28/24 Through 2/03/24

 1/28/24 Through 2/03/24

Sunday

Let not restrictions hold you back

Restrictions plan for full attack

They steady knees that rock the boat

And work to keep our faith afloat.

In training for most any good

To strengthen what we know we should

We sacrifice the good for more

Of what we're truly looking for.

Monday

What curses come from those so bold!

What demons need to be controlled!

When curses are so well-deserved

Perhaps our good may then be served.

Our sin is often turned away

As unimportant on our way.

We overlook the many times

We minimize our many crimes.

The curses uttered open eyes

And tear away our vain disguise

They show what truly we have earned

And how our souls be justly burned.

But Christ can free us from these chains

And salvage what of life remains

If we but seek His will today

And have the courage to obey.

Tuesday

"Persevere in faith." He said

Don't let the devil win.

Let your trust in Him be fed

And turn away from sin.

For faith, it is that heals the soul

And joy, the gift we bring.

If we but seek and fill our role

Content, our song to sing

No soul escapes these earthly bonds

Without the call of death

Let faithful words and joyful sounds

Be on our final breath.

Wednesday

So many suffer for my wrongs

But put the blame where blame belongs

My sin has made a mess of things

But healing and accord He brings.

There's none refused who seek His face,

He blesses all with healing grace.

Repentant sinners all agree

There's none with greater love than He.

So, why delay?  Now turn around

Let peace and healing love be found.

He knows far best your every need

And how to make His plans succeed.

Thursday

Passing down the kingdom's crown

A task for every man

Be he one of great renown,

Or just a simple man.

What really matters we must know

And learn before we die,

We have a choice of ways to go, 

So many ways to try.

But one alone will lead to where

The value truly lies

A narrow way of humble prayer

Where selfish interest dies.

A way that seeks the Father's will

Intending to obey

One drawing always up the hill

Enduring, come what may.

Friday

My eyes have seen the saving light

The burning flame forever bright

One raised upon the cross of man

To execute the Father's plan.

By touching Him the fire spreads

A cleansing that the carnal dreads.

But freed of dross, makes purified

Resembling The Crucified.

So, each a candle may become

One touched by God's eternal Son

To light for others well the way

In all we do and all we say.

Saturday

Come away to peace and quiet

Find a way for love to reign

Feed upon a steady diet

Of His word, there's much to gain.

Love bespeaks the Lover's beauty

Words, the conversation starts

Silence brings the Lover's booty

Music in two beating hearts.

Full communion, overflowing

Bonds beyond what words can say

Wisdom, understanding growing

Far above the Earthly fray.

Few have found this hidden treasure

Offered to each one so fond

Lost amid the things you measure,

Never finding that beyond.

1/21/24 Through 1/27/24

 1/21/24 Through 1/27/24

Sunday

Each called to change our ways yet more

More now than in the days before.

To ever seek to love like He

Who spread His arms upon the Tree.

To give completely all we own

To make the love of Jesus known.

We ne'er can think that we've arrived

If some we know are yet deprived.

Monday 

So what amid the words You say

Is meant for me this special day?

What morsel should I ponder well

And then in rhyming words retell?

That evil falls when truth arrives

Transforming docile, faithful lives,

And truth exposes evil men

Who plot their gain with lies again.

All lies perpetuate more lies

But truth will be the guide for wise.

For truth alone, the demons fear

And demons flee when Truth is near.

The babe within the womb, it's true

Has personhood like me and you

And life so precious when destroyed

Creates a haunting empty void.

What demons call a "right to choose"

The truth reveals a life we lose.

Denying truth can't make it so,

But only serves for future woe.

Tuesday

Mother and sister and brother to Me

Are they that obey in attempt to be free.

The word I have spoken, the voice that you hear

Will draw you in love and cast out all fear.

Don't listen with interest and then fail to act,

Obedience measures the love you exact.

My family is made of the ones who obey,

Who listen quite well when they kneel down to pray.

Wednesday

I too, a house would like to build

If that be what the Father willed.

I'd like to have an honored name,

To be of everlasting fame.

But that's not how the Author works,

He deals in mystery and quirks.

He grants what ere the heart desires

But not the way the heart aspires.

Far greater ways He has in mind

But ways that only humble find.

So, help me leave my thoughts behind

At last, the Father's will to find.

Thursday

Chosen as one to hear His voice

To know His will and make your choice

To spread His word both far and wide

To love the One you 'fore denied.

The task belongs to all who see

Whose scales have fallen off of thee

Whom light has shone around to see

The truth of One who died for thee.

All share the body's heavy load

To water well the seed we sowed,

To teach in ways that draw the mind

Magnetically, the truth to find.

As salt and light, to lead the way

Creating thirst with all we say.

Enlightening the lost we found

And spreading Truth to all around.

Friday

To each a duty every day

To listen well and then obey

To share the word received in love

And point the way to God above.

We know not how the seed will grow

For that is God's, not ours to know.

Our task is spread it far and wide

With all our deeds, on God relied.

Some grand and some more beautiful,

But each a way quite suitable

To where we are along the way

And what He asks of you today.

Saturday

So quick to see another's sin

But blinded to our own

We fail to stop and look within

To have our sin be known.

Oh, Holy Spirit set a fire

Illumining inside

Expose the dark and murky mire

That often I've denied.

Create a heart that's clean and pure

Replace my heart of stone.

Give me love to long endure

And make Your ways my own.