God is preparing His heroes; and when the opportunity comes, He can fit them into their places in a moment, and the world will wonder where they come from.
From James 1:17: “Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.”
A. B. (Albert Benjamin) Simpson (1843-1919) was a Canadian-born pastor, theologian, and Christian author. He founded the Christian and Missionary Alliance.
From 1 Peter 1:6-7: “In this you rejoice, even if now for a little while you have had to suffer various trials, so that the genuineness of your faith—being more precious than gold that, though perishable, is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.”
Blessed Jesus Christ
His mercy shares love
Brings forth faith’s new birth
Hope stirs from above
Resurrected Christ
His unfading light
He walks among us
Hope ready for flight
Revealed through Jesus
Grace walks within Him
Freed from sin’s darkness
Hope breathes with each hymn
Spirit filled by Christ
More precious than gold
Molds faith’s salvation
Hope rebuilds foothold
Trust in Jesus Christ
Father’s righteous Son
Called to embrace Him
Hope’s faith in the One
From 1 Peter 1:13: “Therefore prepare your minds for action; discipline yourselves; set all your hope on the grace that Jesus Christ will bring you when He is revealed.”
If we are to discover the Lord’s best for our life, we must trust His way is better than our plans and desires.
From Jeremiah 29:11-12: “For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope. Then when you call upon Me and come and pray to Me, I will hear you.”
Singing
Worship hymns
Praising Father above
In His Holy name
Gathering
Gathering
Congregation’s joy
Honoring Father’s Word
Faith nourished with grace
Blessing
Blessing
One Body
Father’s welcoming place
Uniting voices with hope
Togetherness
From Philippians 2:3-4: “Do nothing from selfish ambition or empty conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests but to the interests of others.”
Encouragement in Christ
Sharing love-filled grace
Witnessing humility
Heart’s very special place
Of one mind with Jesus
Sharing selfless love
Caring first, for others’ needs
Led by Spirit above
Every breath mirrors Christ
Sharing mercy’s joy
Walking with unselfish thoughts
Honest actions deploy
Each step follows Jesus
Sharing Spirit’s light
Taking obedient path
Humbleness guides faith’s sight
Always focused on Christ
Sharing fresh outlook
Living within dignity
Tomorrow’s quiet brook
From Philippians 2:14-15: “Do all things without murmuring and arguing, so that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, in which you shine like stars in the world.”
There is nothing small in the service of God.
From Proverbs 11:25: “A generous person will be enriched, and one who gives water will get water.”
From Psalm 107:1-2: “O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His steadfast love endures forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, those He redeemed from trouble.”
Facing journey’s many troubles
Wilderness darkness creeping in
Praying to heavens high above
God’s unshaken love, faith’s linchpin
Praising God for enduring grace
Thirsty hunger, now quenched and fed
Sharing thanks for every sunrise
Faith nourished with His daily bread
Witnessing God’s benevolence
His wondrous works shall never end
Turning deserts into rivers
Faithful courage shall now defend
Breaking free from sin’s chains of gloom
Salvation descends from heavens
Shattering enemy’s falsehoods
Taste of freedom, blessed with leaven
Redeeming from journey’s troubles
God’s mercy delivers His light
Covering landscape with His peace
Darkness gives up her final fight
From Psalm 107:8-9: “Let them thank the Lord for His steadfast love, for His wonderful works to humankind. For He satisfies the thirsty, and the hungry He fills with good things.”
Though we don’t always know what God is doing, we can always rely on who He is.
From Lamentations 3:22-23: “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.”
When a man carries a gun all the time, the respect he thinks he’s getting might really be fear. So I don’t carry a gun because I don’t want the people of Mayberry to fear a gun. I’d rather they respect me. (Thoughts of Sheriff Andy Taylor from “The Andy Griffith Show.”)
I was baptized alongside my mother when I was 8 years old. Since then, I have tried to walk a Christian life. And now that I’m getting older, I realized that I’m walking even closer with my God.
Andy Griffith (1926-2012) was an American actor, television producer, and singer. As an actor, he will be remembered for his television roles as beloved Sheriff Andy Taylor (1960-1968) and folksy lawyer Ben Matlock (1986-1995). He was born in Mount Airy, North Carolina.
Christ’s
Defining mercy
Encourages faithful steps
Sharing grace with others
Discipleship
Savior’s
Righteous journey
Conquering fallen world
Taking Father’s high road
Redemption
Messiah’s
Resurrected body
Sets us free
Fulfilling faith’s blessed tomorrow
Hope
This series of poems (written in the German-inspired style of Elfchen or Elevenie) shares a total of eleven words in each poem, with a sequence by line of one, two, three, four, and one words.
Big Sky Buckeye 