11/19/23 Through 11/25/23

 11/19/23 Through 11/25/23

Sunday

Now use each gift He's given you

To help another and renew

Your trust that He will multiply

As needed in your low supply.

He's made you not to keep and store

But made each one to offer more

To be a channel of His grace

And help the lost to find their place.

So, bury not your talent now

But learn to multiply somehow

By using what you have for good

To show His message, understood.

Monday

Have pity Lord, I want to see.

Quite well just what you ask of me

I want to follow in Your way

And learn to love You more each day.

No bland complacency for me

But ever deeper let me see.

Into Your Love without an end

And so this temporal world transcend.

What earthly eyes can see is base

The fleeting things of life they chase

But grasp at none but puffs of smoke

And find themselves just flatly broke.

But what You garner offers more

Than all ephemeral earthly store

And such is what I want to see

By drawing closer yet to Thee.

So, take this blindness far from me

And give my eyes such clarity

To turn from pleasure, wealth, and fame

And so, to peace and joy obtain.

Tuesday

Noble death and crown of glory

Culminate the ancient story

Faith unwilling to betray Thee

Then becomes the faith to save thee.

Eleazar, man of valor

Facing well the deathly pallor

shows what's lasting in our choices

Well-defying Godless voices.

Give me grace Lord, so to follow

Let me not the unclean swallow

Make me pure and undefiled

Let me be Your docile child.

Let the young be bolstered by me

In the trials that belie me

Faithful to the bitter end

Let me truth and love defend,

Wednesday

Lord, I pray I'll never know

If I would stay or I would go

If I would turn from You to live

Or freely all I have then give.

I like to think my courage strong

But know I often last not long

When trial comes, I look for ease

And not how suffering might please.

I shun what makes me more like You

And choose what puts myself in view

I like to build my self-esteem

While posing on the Victor's team.

In honesty, I see I'm weak

A common sinner, not unique.

With grace alone can I survive

And then at last with You arrive.

It's only when Your graces flow

And courage on the weak bestow

That one like me could long endure

Remaining holy, good, and pure.

Thursday

So much for which to thank our God

His love for sinners sick and flawed

The beauty that surrounds our lives,

The love of husbands and of wives.

The gift of life in little ones

The joy of daughters and of sons

The gift of faith to bolster hope

The love to with our trials cope.

Our every breath of life we breathe

Our every thought our minds conceive

His way that's always good and right

His light that guides us through the night.

For oceans, mountains, rivers, plains

For all our temporal earthly gains

For gifts all manifest and good

For peace within our neighborhood.

For love within the family

For faith along the family tree

But most of all for You my God

The lover of us sick and flawed.

Friday

Lord, make this temple clean and pure

Give grace to every trial endure

Upset the tables of decay

And drive the evil far away.

Inside is where the evil lies

That You alone, to see have eyes

Let not this temple be profaned

But purity of soul be gained.

Baptismal waters cleanse and bless

Let all my sin, my mouth confess

And thus renew what You have made

From all that selfish sin decayed

Once clean and pure I shall rejoice

And praise with cymbal, string, and voice

For then in song and varied ways

Acceptable, you find my praise.

Saturday

When all is for naught at the end of our days

And vanishing clarity turns into haze

The proud of this world will see in a flash

That all they have worked for is nothing but trash

What lies up ahead through the trial and pain

The servants of God in their hope will attain

But those at the end of their pride and their ease

Wish now they had spent much more time on their knees

As long as there's breath there is time to repent

and change the direction our souls will be sent

Admit all your wrong and have sorrow for sin

And trust that His mercy, at last lets you in.

For proud it may be far too great of a task.

How could I admit such a falsehood, they ask?

Assured of "their truth" they have deigned to obey

They walk into Hell, and from Heaven away.

11/12/23 Through 11/18/23

 11/12/23 Through 11/18/23

Sunday

A fool it is that wisdom spurns,

Who sees her well, but never learns.

She comes at once to those who seek,

Be they strong or be they weak.

In discipline, she makes her home

And not where the unruly roam.

For those who seek her every morn

She'll daily with a crown adorn.

But such a crown cannot be shared

With those who come as unprepared.

So, waste not all the time you own,

But work to wisdom make your own.

She comes at once to those who call,

Even when, from grace, we fall.

For all, to grace, can be restored

Except when final grace ignored.

Monday

Scandal and shame will undoubtedly come,

And into the depths of depravity plumb.

But woe to the ones who lead others astray,

Rather stone round their neck, in the sea be their way.

Tuesday

Doing as creation ordered 

Well within the lands He bordered

Is no more than our daily due

To He who made both me and you.

All that is by love created

Daily is by evil, baited

To believe His love is greedy

When in truth, He cares for needy.

All is gift of self-effacing

All for creature, Love's embracing

Service in His great designing

To His holy will aligning.

Service brings the life's fulfillment

Gift of self, the life's instillment

Making slave akin to Master

Bringing happiness much faster.

Oh, what happy slav'ry offers

From the Master's endless coffers

Here the lowly one's oblation

Blesses him and so the nation

Nothing more than what's our duty

Brings the lowly peace and beauty

So, embrace your lowly calling

Down before your Master falling.

Wednesday

Desire Wisdom's sound instruction

Make with it a sound deduction

Every turn, in prudence, guide thee

Never in the darkness hide thee.

But you who let the greed take hold

And plunder poor for wealth of gold

How swift and terrible that day

When you are called to all repay.

The poor in mercy, find reprieve

But punishment the rich receive

If they refuse to follow still

The wisdom of His holy will.

Thursday

All wisdom is the mind of God

Although, to man, at times, seems odd

In every way it proves the best

Preparing man to pass his test.

If man would seek her every day

What light would shine along his way!

What peace attend his troubled times,

And height to which the wise one climbs.

No barrier she cannot break

No stronghold, not she overtake

Unhampered by all evil claims,

Her light exposes Satan's games.

She dwells beyond the stars of night

Within the unsurpassing light,

But comes at once to those who plea,

The humble ones who wish to see.

Believe this gift was meant for you

Twas meant for every man, it's true.

But where man's pride is ready seen,

But foolishness is all they glean.

Friday

By nature foolish, ignorant

Not recognizing heaven-sent.

The wise are fools who cannot see

His Majesty in front of me.

Created things cannot supply

What's needed, man to edify

The heart's content, lies far beyond

The earthly things of which we're fond.

But fools continue on their way

Of gathering what's here today

And gone as swift as it arrived

So never found are satisfied.

Who dwells beyond is He who slakes

And in the heart, true love awakes.

The Maker, Giver, Lord of all

Has placed on each a special call.

And those who hear and answer well

Of peace and joy and wonders tell

For when we see beyond the veil

All else we see is oh, so pale.

Saturday

In darkest times you've always come

To those who pray persistently

Not just to give a meager crumb

But helping them consistently.

The sea You part for captives freed

The mind enlightened on the road

You germinate the ancient seed

And shoulder burden's heavy load

Your wisdom guides the simple one

Let not be said, a prayer not heard

In subtle ways is change begun

By daily keeping in your word.

11/5/23 Through 11/11/23

 11/5/23 Through 11/11/23

Sunday

Far easier to criticize

Than offer help without the whys.

Don't be like Pharisees in pride

Who never lift, but always chide.

True, man is none but simple dust,

But simple dust that's called to trust

In all the goodness of our king

And others to this Goodness bring.

It's love that touches deep within

And helps us recognize our sin,

That changes hearts and prods the will

To always more the soil till.

We need a soft and supple earth

So seed can have a second birth

To bear a harvest many-fold

And then, at last, true love behold.

Monday

Oh Lord, unsearchable Your ways

Throughout all time, and in our days

Allowing man to be depraved

That in the process some be saved.

Give eyes to see what fools are men

Who turn to war for vict'ry when

In truth, the battle lies within

As each man struggles hard with sin.

In You alone is vict'ry won

The vict'ry of Your Precious Son

Who chose to be with poor and lame

To win the vict'ry for Your name.

So too, should each be found like them

A humble, docile, shining, gem

Who puts away the base desire

To find Your Holy Spirit's fire.

Tuesday

( Can be sung to the tune of "Love Divine All Loves Excelling)

Why would one refuse the banquet?

Why ignore the Master's call?

Here the ones with hunger pangs get

Far more than they can recall.

Food for life and for the journey

Daily there our share of Bread

Nothing meager offered sternly,

Rich abundance we are fed.

Come receive this daily blessing

Come partake of Love Divine.

Here the Healer all addressing

In the sacred Bread and Wine

Nevermore let fear assail thee

Courage be your daily guide

Evermore may peace avail thee

Evermore may love abide.

Wednesday

Our all is all we have to give

Our all we give that all might live.

By giving all we look the same

As One who from the Father came.

As One in humble stable born

As One to on the Cross adorn

Our earth with Precious Blood outpoured

As one forevermore adored.

This all is daunting here below

But if we want true peace to know

We place our trust in God alone

And follow well the path He's shown.

Thursday

From the Temple flows the water

Jesus Christ, the Church has bought her

Now His spirit dwells within

To free the man from death and sin

Keep the temple clean and holy

Make a place for all the lowly

Drive the greedy liars away

Then worship God the proper way.

Friday

A strong initiative we need,

But not a one that's based on greed.

Initiative is needed where,

Of Christ, the mass is unaware.

The world is full of clever ways

To cheat another, and betrays

The confidence of fellow man

Enriching those who scheme and plan.

Such spunk the good must also show

To let the pagan people know

How fleeting earthly wealth shall be

And how to find true Heaven's key.

All received the Great Commission.

All in some way share the mission.

Make disciples of all men

Repeat the story o'er again.

The Gospel never stale will grow,

And more that people come to know,

So more shall people clearly see

How worthless earthly wealth shall be.

Saturday

One faithful in the little ways

Is faithful then throughout their days.

The little things prepare the soul

For greater things that bless the whole.

The little crosses that we bear,

To that of Christ, cannot compare.

But those who love in smaller ways,

The Lord prepares for greater days.

10/29/23 Through 11/4/23

 10/29/23 Through 11/4/23

Sunday

Two simple laws that say it all 

They work for great and work for small

They work at night and work in day

In what you do and what you say.

Because God loves, we must love too

We must reflect what He would do

For Heaven holds no base desire

The place for that's eternal fire.

Monday

Unable to erectly stand

We need His strong and healing hand

To touch our bent and weary frame

To heal the sick, the blind, and lame.

Tuesday

Hope is why we plant the seed

The hope to grow and spread and feed

Though not in hand we still press on

For hope is what we're counting on.

The hope that one day all might see

The banquet there prepared by Thee

The hope repentance rules the day

And not continued sin's decay.

A hope for better times ahead

A hope for time beyond the dead

Where truth and peace and joy shall reign

And man, his former splendor gain.

Wednesday

Somewhere far beyond the mind

The saints in all their glory find

The land where milk and honey flows

Whereto the poor in spirit goes

Where those who mourn shall be consoled

And saints receive far more than gold.

For great the love on man bestowed

To see the land where glory glowed

From all eternity before

And on into forevermore.

Glory, wisdom, thanks, and blessing

Loving God, each soul caressing.

Thursday

I wish I had such love to give

As Jesus did for man to live

A care for others more than me

To far beyond the temporal see.

Paul understood and recognized

The greatest gift most highly prized

Is when we give the self away

To rescue lost and save the stray.

Today we've turned it upside down

The self-indulgent life we crown

As that to model and obey

But where it leads, I dare not say.

Friday

Oh, when they see, I pray they turn

For every man will one day learn

That God is God and they are not

And God is ALL, not what they've got.

Saturday

Far easier to criticize

Than offer help without the whys.

Don't be like Pharisees in pride

Who never help, but always chide.

True, man is none but simple dust.

But simple dust that's called to trust

In all the goodness of our King

And others to this goodness bring.

It's love that touches deep within

And helps us recognize our sin

That changes hearts and prods the will

To always more the soil till.

We need a soft and supple earth

So seed can have a second birth

To bear a harvest many-fold

And then at last, True Love behold.

10/22/23 Through 10/28/23

 10/22/23 Through 10/28/23

Sunday

First, we must see just how wretched we are

Whether lowliest servant or powerful czar.

Every talent was given by One who made all

So now the receivers must answer the call.

There is nothing of ours we could boast or acclaim

None worthy of boasting but His Holy Name.

So blest by our talents, the gifts we must share

And show to the masses there's none who compare.

Return what is due for all you've received

And share with the ones who have not yet believed.

He tasks us to be as His hands and His feet

Bringing lost to the Lord till our job is complete.

Monday

Now trust in God and not in things

For faith is what salvation brings.

What's cherished here on earth will fade

Where God is One in light arrayed.

No use those riches here below

For there above they bring us woe. 

The currency in land above

Is that of faith and hope and love.

And even here below we find

Great riches bring no peace of mind

There's always more we must obtain

Or greater store we wish to gain.

But faith in One who made it all

Will gratitude in man recall.

And trust in Providence will gain

A place where God alone shall reign.

Tuesday

Grace overflows where sin abounds

Among the faithful, trumpet sounds

A call to listen and obey,

To follow well the Master's way.

To be prepared what ere the time

To fight the foe, or mountain climb.

In steadfast love to ready be

what ere the time He comes for thee.

Blest are those who well-prepare

And grow not weary in despair

For if He tarries, know that He

Prepares a waiting feast for thee.

Wednesday

I want to be a slave that's true

A slave devoted unto You

A slave that works while You're away

A slave to listen and obey.

So strong the voice of self within

That draws me to the path of sin, 

But slow me down to hear and pray,

Give grace to act on what You say.

Make sacrifice my daily bread

That so my soul be richly fed,

And make me listen unto You

In all I say and all I do.

Thursday

A great divide is what I need

To fan the flame and blaze to feed

To reach a level closer still

Wherein His way becomes my will.

A slave to sin I still remain

And cause myself unneeded pain

When if my will, to His would bend

Then all my brokenness would mend.

So simple as is stated here.

Just act upon the word you hear

So build your house on rock to stand,

Or else you'll be on sinking sand.

But courage you must learn to know

Or else the sin will stronger grow.

Let love be that which drives the will

Then sacrifice, to have your fill.

What joy will then be yours to know

If where He leads you always go!

Then turn your back on selfish sin

To on the path of love begin.

Friday

A prison found within the soul

A self that blocks from being whole

Our tendency to do the sin

Than rather let His graces in.

A wretched sinner, every man

But still our God provides a plan

For man to live in endless day

If he repent, and then obey.

His grace is there, but needs you too.

A will to change the things you do.

Your every need He will supply

If you but to the self would die.

Saturday

Apostles all except for one

Were crucial to what had begun.

They preached the Word in fair or foul

Where faith was strong, or evil prowl.

Foundation stones securely laid

With blood, the blest apostles paid.

No threat could shake the love they knew

They suffered much for me and you.

To spread the word both far and wide

And one day stand with Him beside.

The task for you and me the same

If we desire the saintly fame.

10/15/23 Through 10/21/23

 10/15/23 Through 10/21/23

Sunday

Why refuse the banquet table

Well prepared with all delights

More than just a storied fable

Here are slaked all appetites.

Yet invited guests refuse Him

Each with duties pressing more

Thinking trifles well excuse him,

But condemn him evermore.

Come and don the wedding raiment

Leave what's plain and base behind.

Lo, the Groom has made the payment

For His bride to be refined.

Monday

There's something far greater than Solomon here.

So, why do you not carry out what you hear?

Why do you listen and fail to obey?

Why must you always be going astray?

Your chances are many, but not without end.

Don't think there will always be time to amend.

At a time unexpected, Judgment will come.

All our deeds then displayed in the light of the Son.

Repent as in Ninevah ages ago

When all through the city the prophet would go

Giving light in the dark and calling for change

Our ways of the world we must all rearrange.

It's simple enough just to hear and obey

By giving Him time in the morn of the day.

By training to act at the sound of His voice,

Making always His will, the will of our choice.

Tuesday

Philosophers who cannot see,

So stupid they refuse to see

What's plain and simple, clearly seen

That Christ, our saving Love has been.

He shows us all what must be clean

The heart within is what I mean.

Far more than ritual can do

To make a worthy gift of you.

If you persist He'll grant your way

And let you sink in deep decay

Until at last all glory's gone

And all is darkness, never dawn.

Wake up and cleanse what's deep within.

Remove the stain of graft and sin

Repent and find His healing rays

Which light our everlasting days.

Wednesday (Feast of St. Luke)

Luke's Gospel of love and mercy so kind

The place where a Prodigal Son we can find.

Zacchaeus the traitor was taxing the Jew

But Jesus took time to create him anew.

A Samaritan neighbor with generous heart

Exalted as one who was doing his part.

A thief on a cross who surrenders his soul

Becoming the first to in Heaven enroll.

A Gospel for sinners, for lost and astray

A Gospel that all can use on their way.

For mercy he shows as our Lord's greatest gift

To rescue the sinner and downtrodden lift.

Thursday

The saints we honor here today

Gave witness to God's love each day

Their testimony rang so true

That many towards the Father drew.

Within their lives, they did not see

Much fruit upon their planted tree

But as they watered it with blood

The barren tree began to bud.

For faithful to the call were they

We honor on this special day.

In time, their perseverance showed

The many graces God bestowed.

And still we honor them today

For how they'd listen and obey.

The total gift of self they made,

A bounty for the Church has paid.

Friday

No more secrets, all be known

Let the truth for all be shown

None are righteous, all have sinned

Priest and penitent chagrined.

From the housetops there proclaimed

Every mortal now ashamed

Deepest secrets known to all

Evidence that all men fall.

Those the body only kill 

Let no doubt or fear instill

Fear a just and Holy One

Fear the Father's only Son.

Saturday

A loving father try to be

Who always seeks what's good for thee

Who always shows the righteous way

And teaches others how to pray.

Lead not by force or way of whim

But draw the others close to Him

Then honor God in every case

And every cross from Him embrace.

Turn not away when challenged here

And face accusers without fear

For you that honor Him on earth

Will find in Heaven joy and mirth.

Remembered will each witness be

Who on the Earth spoke well of He

For there in Heaven on that day

Will hear our Jesus proudly say,

This one bore witness down below

So here in Heaven I would know

So welcome him with open arms

Where nevermore the evil harms.

10/8/23 Through 10/14/23

 10/8/23 Through 10/14/23

Sunday

The vine is trained within a frame

To maximize its fruit

For like a child, if left run wild

In vain is the pursuit

With careful pruning, watered well

A harvest comes our way.

Untended though, but leaves will grow

And sour fruit our pay.

The Master gives the all we need

To fruitful branches grow.

It's up to us to then succeed

Or to the sluggard, woe.

Monday

Mother Mary, lead and guide me

Christ my Savior, feed and chide me

All my ways so crooked, bent

Lead far away from where I'm sent.

I rather seek for calm and still,

For comfort and my pleasure fill,

But just like Jonah find instead

That to the monster I am fed.

Tuesday

Come and spend some time with Me

All your daily cares let be

Just sit and listen, let Me speak,

There you'll find the peace you seek.

Worries all will melt away

If you listen and obey

My word will calm your greatest fear

If you'd be quieted to hear.

Wednesday

A merciful and gracious Lord

His depth of love quite unexplored.

We rarely understand His ways

For retribution fills our days.

He calls for man to be like Him

Not be the one so sad and grim.

Rejoice when blinded see the light

Give welcome then instead of spite.

For each of us has fallen too

And walked on Evil's Avenue.

Our debt could never be repaid

But Mercy has our debt allayed

Thursday

Lord, give me eyes to see beyond

The boundaries of time.

For deep within the heart has spawned

A mountain there to climb.

To see You answer every prayer

In ways beyond us known.

That show how much for each You care,

And none are left alone.

The thorns I pray to be removed

You say are thorns of love.

And many times before you've proved

Your ways so high above.

But still I beg for strength to bear

My little crosses well

To always make me well aware,

In weakness, You excel.

Friday

Lord, drive the demons far away

Then teach my soul to weep and pray

Repentance be my soul's desire

Then fill my soul with holy fire.

Swept clean of evil, filled with love

And modeling the best thereof

Oh, keep me safe forevermore

That evil be my path no more.

Your finger on me ever be

That evil, far away would flee

And place your Spirit deep within

To keep me ever far from sin.

Saturday

How blest are those who just obey

The ones whom Love has shown the Way

How pure and simple life becomes

When to His will, our will succumbs.

Love, who made our very being

One all-knowing, One all-seeing

 Knows quite well just how to fill us

What will bless, and what will kill us.

All He seeks for man is good

So, obey Him each man should

There all blessings shall be shown

There true purpose shall be known.

Sinful seek for only one

But the Father's only Son

Showed how love will conquer all 

If we but heed His daily call.

10/1/23 Through 10/7/23

 10/1/23 Through 10/7/23

Sunday

The irony, not lost on me

That learned are such fools.

For pride is blinding what they see

And what they learned in schools.

The Lord of all we see and know

Has clearly shown the way

To where on earth that we should go

To never go astray

The Church He gave to be our guide

And with us on our way

Forgiving when we fall to pride

And teaching us to pray.

Her Sacrament, a refuge for

A sinner such as me

Who wants to love and wants to soar

Yet turns from being free.

Monday

Oh, angel present all my days

Give light in darkness, lift the haze.

Protect and guard each step I take

Receptive to His will, mine make.

In ways I should have recognized

You prompted soul, and will advised

From many snares, you saved my soul

Fulfilling well your given role.

But often too, I've turned away

When all too hard I found the way.

Then you would lead me to return

And always something more I'd learn.

So good He is who made us all

His "Come to Me." that blessed call.

And you my precious holy guide

He charges, "Bring him to My side."

I pray to follow well your lead

And all your subtle promptings heed.

That nevermore, astray I'd go

And only truth and goodness know.

Tuesday

In resolute determination

Jesus works to save each nation

All are precious in His seeing

Every single human being.

If we too, adopt His thinking

Not from pain or trial shrinking

Men will recognize the sweetness

And in Him find their completeness.

Lost will beg, "Let me come with you."

Foreigners as well will wish to

When they see that God is guiding

And your every need providing.

Even when in desolation

Steadfast for the whole duration

Love's incredible assurance

Always there to grant endurance.

Wednesday

The charge, "Rebuild." is made to man

To what was there when time began

A unity profound and deep

Between the Shepherd and His sheep.

But sin destroyed the temple there

For men were walking unaware

That every little turn from Him

Made prospects ever grow more dim.

Until they looked around to see

Such ruin for their destiny

And try to turn before too late

To change their dark and awful fate.

Thursday

To reach the soul that's sick with sin

And bring a healing deep within

Among the wolves, you send the sheep

And many with afflictions steep.

Then somehow weak are made the strong

And winners, those who suffer long

For when we trust in You alone

Our finest seeds of love are sown.

The fruit may not be ready seen

But in their minds the many glean

A morsel there to ponder well,

An maybe later, one to tell.

Friday

So many times we've turned away

So many times we've gone astray

So much You've given all mankind

And yet so little love can find.

Released from Egypt's fetters bound

Unfaithful in the desert found

With plenty blessed in Promised Land

But disobeying Your command.

Your Son not spared to save our race

Yet still our sin brings great disgrace

Your patience far beyond our own

A love like Yours was never known.

So once again Lord, please forgive 

With You, your servant wants to live

I wish to leave my sin behind

And so, Your peace and wisdom find.

Purgation may I undergo

Then only pure and holy know

With spot and wrinkle gone from me

To spend with You, eternity.

Saturday

Turn ten times more to seek Him

Let every heart remain

No need to sing a bleak hymn

Arisen, Lamb once slain.

As captives gone, in joy returned

Remembered by our God

Those smitten so, but never spurned

The cold, by love are thawed.

9/24/23 Through 9/30/23

 9/24/23 Through 9/30/23

Sunday

So high above the ways of man

Who knows not how his life began

Who sees not as His Maker sees

And knows not how himself to please.

To know the Master and His love

A greater gift than all above

A wage no laborer deserves

Regardless of how long he serves

So whether working long or short

I know the wage, and now report

It far exceeds what man deserves

No matter of how long he serves

The privileged are the ones who see

That serving is a gift from Thee.

The truly blest, the ones are those

Who early on, to serve Him chose.

Monday

Yes, all that's hidden shall be known

The light of truth is clearly shown

That day will come when all our sin

No longer shelters deep within

For truth illumines all that lies.

Excuses gone with alibis

That day of fear approaches nigh

No longer can we sin deny

Defenseless, naked, all exposed

To Perfect Truth now juxtaposed

But washed away are sins confessed

With robes of white, the humble blessed.

Not so for prideful locked in sin

The terrors now will just begin

Eternity with lust and greed

No way to truly hunger feed.

Tuesday

To join the family of our Lord

We act upon His holy word

Attentive to the words of He

Who gave His life and died for me

The offerings of bull and sheep

Which priest and people then would keep

Were just foreshadowing the Lamb

Our King of kings, the Great I AM

No greater gift of love to find

Nor greater way with man to bind

Than offering unblemished Lamb

Our King of kings, the Great I AM

Wednesday

In spite of wickedness and shame

The Lord protects His sacred name

Commanding that His house be raised

And then His Holy Name be praised

Enslaved, He brings a little joy

To turn the hearts, and then employ

The enemy to help restore

The Temple lost by sins before.

By placing all our trust in Him

We see things turn to light from dim

He wants the all we have to give

So we might then, in freedom live.

Thursday

A drink that never quenches thirst,

A food that never satisfies,

A life within the self immersed,

Shall never find the wanted prize.

In ruin lies the Lord's abode

In comfort there, His people dwell

Not thinking of the debt that's owed

Or how they pave a path to hell.

A place for God must be restored

The purse with holes be mended well

No longer here the Lord ignored

But let His praise from mortals swell

For there alone, true food is found,

The drink to never thirst again.

Through sacrifice, our King was crowned

The First, The Last, The Great Amen.

Friday

Graces and mercy, compassion and love

All shine through the angels stationed above

Reflections each one of the glory of God

A small little facet, by which we are awed.

A message, or healing, or guidance they give

To show men on earth just how they should live.

One placed over each as a guardian guide

To shield and defend, and help us decide

To serve the Creator, our Master, and Lord

His love without end, ever deeper explored.

Such honor in service, the goal of each man

Fulfilling in detail the work of His plan.

The ones that have chosen the easier way

Have traded their gold for a bundle of hay.

But fire is coming and woe to the dry

The gold in the fire, will just purify.

Saturday

Afraid to question Him again

Were all the good, but coward men.

His words betrayed a bitter end

To far beyond their thought transcend.

So high above our ways, the King

Who came, to man, salvation bring.

So lost in sin, we fail to see

The cost of our eternity.

But circled round within a blaze

His sacrifice will lift the haze

So, clear at last will love be seen

And wide the gap to sin between.

The path to where Messiah leads

Is narrow yes, but free of weeds

His sacrifice has made it clear,

In Him we have no need of fear.

9/17/23 Through 9/23/23

 9/17/23 Through 9/23/23

Sunday

Holding tight to wrath and fury

Hugging that which brings us pain

They become the judge and jury

Of the fact your sins remain

If you harbor deep resentment

Peace and joy cannot survive

Never shall you find contentment

Nor a sense of peace derive

Mercy and forgiveness only

Can a peaceful heart provide

Otherwise, be sad and lonely

Firmly to your anger tied

See the Cross and know forgiveness

Sinless who became our sin.

Making love the only business

That by which the sinners win.

Monday

Authority we all must know

for in authority, we grow

And One who far exceeds His slave

Is One our every gift that gave.

There's nothing of our own to claim

Not even body, mind, or name

For all has come from God above

And all is given by His love.

The gift of will, His precious grant

To in the souls of mortals plant

The image that was meant to grow

In likeness to the King we know.

Humility comes first of all 

For those who choose to hear His call

They recognize the truth and light

And humbly come to join the fight.

Subjecting all to God above

Whose motive is but purest love

Then healing comes if we but ask

His will in every daily task.

Tuesday

The mouths of wild beasts were closed

When death by mauling was proposed

The sword must sever frame from head

To thus insure this saint was dead.

But those who ordered such are gone

And centuries have rolled along

Still praised is one with severed head

While long ago the others dead.

The faithful are rewarded so

For they, to heaven's glory go

But wicked fade in milky haze

As they descend to Satan's blaze

Wednesday

Within our fickle world today

Some think the truth is what they say.

They think repeating makes it so

But prove how little Truth they know.

The Truth is in His holy word

But far too few on earth have heard.

They stop their ears, should truth assault,

And back to chanting lies default.

Thursday

Thank God He came for sinners' sake

And not the righteous horde.

The trouble is, we must awake

To sin to find reward.

Sobriety in all we do

Must be the path we choose.

For that is what is best for you

For not your soul to lose.

So, thank you Lord, for seeking me

Until it's You I found.

I pray to always seeking see

Your love which has no bound.

Friday

The crown should be the ornament

A delicate apportionment

To add the beauty, form, and grace

To give the piece a higher place.

But how confusing it can be

For simpletons akin to me.

We cut it once, and then again,

Or five or six, or nine or ten.

But revelation comes at last

To put confusion in the past

It's like the ways of worldly fame,

Turn upside down to win the game.

You have to cut it upside down

For in the worldly ways are found

Confusion and befuddlement,

Bewilderment and puzzlement.

But if you turn them upside down,

Some clarity will then be found

For there your measure's firm and true,

And now mistakes are far and few.

Saturday

The brier too, finds fertile ground

But fruit in there is rarely found

For cares and worries of the day

Have choked the chance of fruit away.

So, trim the brier's wild frond

To find the open earth beyond

There's always more to cut away

To keep us moving on our way.

Keep trimming in your life's pursuit

Until at last, you reach the root.

With branches burned and root removed,

Your harvest shall be much improved.