Sin Slayer
The allurement of sin, comes in to deceive
And leaves the offender torn and bereaved.
The seduction: to give the desires it tempts.
But it takes and distorts and it never relents!
Never shall sin ever grant what you need!
It steals and destroys, it infects while you bleed.
The lives wrecked by sin we can count by the score.
The deceiver devours, and is hungry for more.
The eyes and the heart are the critical places
Where temptation attempts to usher disgraces.
We want and have not, so envy arrives.
Contentment is lost when complacency thrives.
Our weapon: God’s word! It’s the sword of the Lord!
To live unprotected, we cannot afford!
Our defense is the armor so we can stand strong.
Our offense: God’s word to conquer by throngs!
In every temptation, Christ quoted the word.
He took up the sword when scripture was heard.
We eventually fall when our sword lays concealed,
But we slay every sin when the scriptures we wield.
Ephesians 6:17 “And take the helmet of salvation, and the
sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” (NASB)
Days of Praise
May the first thoughts of the morning be of Jesus,
And the second, like the first, praise God above.
Thirdly, let it be the Holy Spirit given me
Oh Trinity, I give you all my love!
May the first words of the morning be: “I love You”
And the second words be songs with hands upraised.
Thirdly may I kneel, to express just how I feel
That I’ve had another day to give you praise.
May the last thoughts of the evening be of Jesus,
Who faithfully and lovingly sustains.
My heart is ever His, how His tender mercies live
And the night my voice shall fill with sweet refrains:
May the last words of the evening be: “I love you”
Spoken after songs with hands upraised.
Thirdly may I kneel, to express just how I feel
That I’ve had another day to give you praise.
May the highest praise each day be raised to Jesus.
May others, Lord, be moved to do the same.
May the fruit you long to give, be apparent as we live
to bring you Lord, the glory due your name.
May our first and last words be to Christ: “I love You”
Spoken after songs with hands upraised.
Thirdly may we kneel, to express just how we feel
That we’ve had another day to give you praise.
Psalm 90:14 “Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love,
that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days. (NIV)
Jesus
He came to live the Father’s will,
To show us all “The Way.”
He came to give great promises
If only we obey.
So live for Him and grow in Him,
Know His word: “The Truth.”
Now dwell with Him, abide in Him
And let Him reign in you.
The utmost love: to bear our Sin,
That we might have “The Life.”
He took our yoke upon Himself
And made our burdens light.
John 14:6
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life;
no one comes to the Father but through Me.
The Greater Joy
Oh the joy, unspeakable joy the perseverant ones will seize!
When you hear the words: “well done!” and His smile you finally see.
When the Father stands to meet you, and all your suffering ends,
Every pain and sorrow lifted, and eternal rest descends.
God, in spectacular, glorious views shall bid you, “enter in!”
to all of heaven, all of his Kingdom and finally…all of Him.
Your prayers will be answered, every tear in bottles stored.
Rejoice you Bride of Christ, to reign with Christ the Lord.
Complete. Perfected. Holy, and honored with your crowns.
Every one, both young and old will glow in royal gowns.
No eye hath seen, nor ear hath heard the glory of His Throne!
And none know greater joy, then when sufferers come home.
Galatians 6:9,10 “ Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time
we will reap if we do not grow weary. So then, while we have
opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who
are of the household of the faith.
The Potter and the Clay
What delicate, fresh, wonderful clay the Master Potter drew!
Moist and ready for His will, created with a plan in view.
Yet early on, preserved in wrap the block of clay was still.
Throughout the first few years, the clay knew not His will.
To all except the Master, the clay knew not a flaw.
Content to be protected, new, with checks nobody saw.
Until one day the Master came and there began to wrestle.
He took the block of clay and began to form a vessel.�
He noticed from the many years the clay remained untouched,
That hardness starting setting in and corners became rough.
At times he had to break the clay and other times he watered.
Shaken by the Master�s work, the clay began to totter.
Mercifully, the Master paused and set aside the clay.
And for a moments rest, it knew some quiet days.
But soon again the Master came to give it all He had.
Pushing, pulling at the clay revealing good and bad.
The Master was persistent as the clay was pressed and spinning
He worked with utter patience, for this piece was just beginning.
Every flaw must be removed through testing and inspection,
Until the Master finally knew, his clay was near perfection.
At last the form was set, yet before it was complete
The Potter brought the fire where raging flames would leap.
At the final test of fire, every doubt would be released
As coming out all heaven smiled, at the Potter�s perfect piece.
Isaiah 64: 8 “Yet, O LORD, you are our Father.
We are the clay, you are the potter;
we are all the work of your hand.” NIV
In His Presence
Though poor in spirit, broken and contrite,
I sense His presence drawing me tonight.
I�m like a child, crawling to His knees
And like a king, to know He hears my pleas.
Once overwhelmed, now calmed within His essence.
My burdens dwarfed beside His awesome presence.
My mountains turned to grains of simple sand
And my heaviness as light as silken strands.
Jesus is my �all� from birth to death,
The Comforter who fills my every breath.
A shield and sure foundation for my soul.
Sealed, secure and promised this I know.
With every trial, I have a sure defender,
An advocate who to my foes shall render
Perfect intervention and for me: reprieve
As every care and sorrow He relieves.
Ever near, ever loving and sufficient
Is the Lord your God, tender and omniscient.
He is with you even now, I�ll show you how:
Find a quiet, secret place and simply bow.
Psalm 3:3� �But Thou, Oh LORD, art a shield for me;
my glory, and the lifter of mine head. KJV >
Wait
Those who love the Lord, be slow to judge as good or bad.
God in loving sovereignty, knows all that�s to be had.
When first you may encounter, a circumstance of cost:
Be slow to judge if whether, there be gain or loss.
God in all His wisdom, may have in mind a plan
That often does not coincide with the mind of man.
Pray through every circumstance and wait before you speak.
God is up to good, though open evidence is weak.
He yearns for us to trust Him, to acknowledge He is Lord.
Lean not on your senses, but trust Him to the core.
And if the questions linger, and loss seems to be sure
Remember He is God, and His purposes are pure.
He understands our limits, and knows of what we�re made
Yet we too often judge a thing, and doubt His higher ways.
Wait, I tell you wait. His ways are deeper and profound.
He allowed your circumstance, and He can surely turn it ’round.
Enigmatically He works, but trust Him as you should:
He worketh all things out, taste and see that God is good. Bassinets and Caskets
We’re joyful of the bassinet,
And fearful of the casket.
One, a place where life is new,
The other where the body’s through.
Bassinets, though temporary
Start a life’s eternal tarry.
Bassinets reveal new birth,
And caskets case a family’s mirth.
In bassinets, lie new creations,
While caskets are a demarcation:
A point in time when death imparts
Eternity as flesh departs.
In silence, contemplate the casket
Then voice the question if you’ll ask it:
We all have had our bassinets,
But who is ready for the casket?
Our time on earth is fleeting, feign;
For after death, forever reigns.
Bassinets begin life’s option:
To choose the Lord and His adoption.
Set not your heart on passing pleasures,
But seek the Lord’s eternal treasures.
So when a casket lays you down,
You�ll rise again, forever crowned.
Psalm 49:15 “But God will redeem my life from the grave;
he will surely take me to himself.” Selah NIV
Heaven and Prayer
In heaven, whispered prayers ring,
And children’s pleas are angels� call.
While voices raised in anger,
Are not heard at all.
Prayers rise so quickly there
When sent from bended knees,
While prayers borne of pride,
Are soon forgotten pleas.
Prayers that bid: �Thy will be done�
Draw the Father’s ear.
While prayers of complacency,
None in heaven hear.
Prayers that bid His leading,
And words full of forgiveness,
Are prayers that please the Son
Are the ones He makes His business.
Prayers that seek His glory,
And prayers that prevail
Are prayers true and earnest:
Prayers that never fail.
Prayers are investments,
That fill up heaven�s trust.
Till the day it overflows,
And is richly poured on us.
I John 5:13-15 “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us–whatever we ask–we know that we have what we asked of him.” NIV
Always Faithful
Always faithful, always true,
I know my Lord shall see me through!
No trial too great nor hill too steep,
He cannot make for me hinds� feet.
In Christ, my hope and future rest
Knowing He shall ever bless�
The consecrated life for Him,
Lives to conquer every sin.
You light the path that you�ve ordained
And give a way to walk unstained.
Your word I hide within my heart
Lord, from it may I never part.
Though I will slip and I may fall,
Lord you are with me through it all.
And when I feel I cannot stand,
Remind me Lord, who holds my hand.
Forever faithful, loving Lord,
With deepest thanks I now implore:
“May I be faithful unto Thee,
for Thou art faithful unto me.”
Habakkuk 3: 18-19
“Yet I will exult in the LORD, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation.
The Lord GOD is my strength, and He has made my feet like hinds’ feet,
And makes me walk on my high places.” NASB
Forever More
I love you fully, as my heart so often testifies.
I love you wholly, as my soul so often verifies.
I love you deeply, as my mind so often ratifies.
I love you more, when I gaze into your eyes.
I need you fully, as my heart so often swells.
I need you wholly, as my soul so often tells.
I need you deeply, as my mind so often delves.
I need you more, every time with you I dwell.
I want you fully, as my heart so often burns.
I want you wholly, as my soul so often yearns
I want you deeply, as my mind so often learns.
I want you more, every year the seasons turn.
I thank God fully, as my heart so often rings.
I thank God wholly, as my soul so often sings.
I thank God deeply, as my mind so often clings.
I thank God more, for every day He brings.
Ephesians 5:25 “Husbands, love your wives,
just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her,” NASB
Life, Home and Salvation
Like sunshine after clouds and rain
Is a loving note, though briefly jot,
And companionship amid one’s pain
As bedrock holding house and lot.
Like water poured on open fire
Is a soft reply to an angry voice,
And composure in the face of ire
As concrete set beneath the joist.
Like tulips after winter’s plight
Is a newborn close to mother’s blouse,
And comfort after labor’s fight
As heated hearth in winter’s house.
Like rain on dry and barren soil
Is a tender kiss from one of yours,
And compassion for a hurting world
As brilliant light and open doors.
Like air to every life that breathes
Is a Savior to the sinner�s plight,
And comprehending love that bleeds
As a beggar with the Bread of Life.
Proverbs 3:33- “The LORD’s curse is on the house of the wicked,
but he blesses the home of the righteous.” NIV
Interceding Still
Intervening, interceding unto death,
Living still beyond His final breath;
I’m overwhelmed that Jesus still insists
to intercede where others oft resist.
Through suffering, I’ve come to know His heart.
He lives to intercede and never parts.
The Lamb of God pursues and never rests,
Giving of Himself, and loving best.
What sacrifice and love our God displays
as constantly He works in different ways.
Withholding not His Best, but laid Him down
that all who come to Christ should gain a crown.
So many precious souls He intercepts,
Acting out of love without regrets.
There is no other Savior such as Thee,
Who offered up Himself, instead of me.
Hebrews 7:25 “Therefore he is able to save completely those
who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.” (NIV)
First Confidence
There is purpose poised at life’s ordeals.
For in our trials is revealed:
the substance, core and evidence
of what you’ve made your confidence.
Family has its benefits,
and if perfected can resist
a host of troubles that can ‘try’
but none like God can draw you nigh.
Friends are fine, but then again
when trials come, can you depend
on people more than God’s provision,
that comes with every faith decision?
Self so often works the reins
and through our failures it is plain
that some ordeals exceed our realm.
We need our Savior at the helm.
Wealth, a common refuge where
the ones who love it find despair.
What empty words when money talks
and death won’t answer who it stalks.
Ordeals are sent to strengthen faith,
to check our path and keep it straight.
Ordeals refine when saints repent
and Christ becomes first confidence.
Jeremiah 17:7
