Clutching
Tomorrow’s peace
Kneeling at Calvary
Praying with renewed hope
Truth
Running
Toward Jesus
Accepting love’s grace
Paying His forgiveness forward
Unhindered
Praising
Father’s interactions
Turning volume up
Sharing His trusted voice
Discipleship
We are always looking for justice; the teaching of the Sermon on the Mount is–Never look for justice, but never cease to give it.
From Matthew 5:39-41: “But I say to you: Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also, and if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, give your coat as well, and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile.”
Oswald Chambers (1874-1917) was a Scottish evangelist and Christian teacher. Following his death from an illness while in Egypt during World War I, his wife took on the task of transcribing the detailed notes she had written from his lectures and sermons. Gertrude Hobbs Chambers’ efforts resulted in the publication in 1924 of MY UTMOST FOR HIS HIGHEST. I frequently read from this devotional, and it has greatly deepened my faith and understanding of God’s Word.
From Colossians 3:1-2: “So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on the things that are above, not on the things that are on earth.”
Sitting on sidelines of life
Shadows of darkness smother
Tempted by earthly idols
Searching for Christian brothers
Realizing character counts
Spirit leads man to Christ’s love
Raised up through heavenly grace
Setting mind on things above
Cleansing with fire, cache of sins
Obedience marks each day
Revealed through Christ’s forgiveness
Clothing self in righteous ways
Answering God’s blessed call
Heaven’s love binds without doubts
Perfected in harmony
Redeeming life’s turnabout
Dwelling in each heart, Christ’s peace
Gratitude writing hymn’s praise
Called to daily fellowship
Rising faith, always ablaze
From Colossians 3:17: “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”
From Ephesians 4:15-16: “But speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in every way into Him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every ligament with which it is equipped, as each part is working properly, promotes the body’s growth in building itself up in love.”
Falling into enemy’s net
Daily prisoner of sin
Redeemed by blessed Savior
Faith in His mercy’s check-in
Walking with other believers
Unity in Christ bears trust
Filled with patient gentleness
Forgiven of sinful lust
Setting faith upon single goal
Truthful light worth every breath
Kindled through deepened prayer
Risen Lord overcomes death
Realizing faith must be all in
Today, tomorrow . . . with Christ
Paid debts fully through love’s grace
His blood fully sacrificed
Clutching hope within every step
Christ’s grace raises faith’s story
Measured with moving forward
Salvation’s finished glory
Published in 1896, “My Goal is God Himself” was written by Frances Brook. She was the daughter of a pastor, but poor health prevented her from becoming a Christian missionary.
From 2 Peter 1:5-7: “For this very reason, you must make every effort to support your faith with goodness, and goodness with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with endurance, and endurance with godliness, and godliness with mutual affection, and mutual affection with love.”
Our Father’s goodness
Glory, God and King
Bless and praise His name
Mighty greatness sings
Through generations
Honor His great deeds
Infinite wisdom
God’s faithful Word leads
Glorious splendor
Kingdom never ends
Eternal, Holy
Wondrous works, God sends
From Psalm 145:8-9: The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. The Lord is good to all, and His compassion is over all that He has made.”
His greatness declares
Lord everlasting
Praising righteousness
Mercies broadcasting
Cries, our Father hears
From darkness, redeemed
He stands, always near
God’s goodness, esteemed
Truth, call upon God
Grace, freely given
Love, witness a Cross
Sins, now forgiven
From the words of American pastor and Christian author, Charles Swindoll: “There are four words I wish we would never forget, and they are ‘God keeps His word.'”
From Luke 17:5-6: “The apostles said to the Lord, ‘Increase our faith!’ The Lord replied, ‘If you had faith the size of a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.'”
Remaining at life’s station
Waiting, always watching
Living with righteousness
Faith’s vision of salvation
Trusting in hope’s fortitude
Adopting God’s patience
Committing to His ways
Faith in Him shall be renewed
Believing in Savior’s grace
Facing life’s rising tides
Revealing light to come
Faith rekindled to embrace
Repenting of sinful ways
Floundering no longer
Accepting forgiveness
Faith powering up each day
Pulsating heart filled with joy
Hearing God’s truthful voice
Witnessing through Christ’s love
Faith gathers peace to deploy
English hymnwriter and theologian, Frederick William Faber (1814-1863), wrote the hymn “Faith of Our Fathers” in 1847. The lyrics reflect upon an inspiring vision of faith at work.
From 2 Thessalonians 3:3-5: “But the Lord is faithful; He will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one. And we have confidence in the Lord concerning you, that you are doing and will go on doing the things that we command. May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.”
Embracing Gospel’s light
Strengthened through trust in our Lord
Faith’s destiny secure
Longing for Heaven’s reward
Proclaiming Scripture’s truth
Encouraged to follow Christ
Faith’s lasting breath fulfilled
Paying with blood sacrificed
Kneeling now in prayer
Dispirited no longer
Presence of light in Christ
Enduring faith grows stronger
Witnessing faithfulness
Redeemed through Good Shepherd’s love
Forgiveness rises up
Transforming saints from above
Setting sun blest with peace
Heartened faith savors Lord’s grace
Confidence fills with joy
Trusting hope’s redeeming place
From Romans 12:12: “Rejoice in hope; be patient in affliction; persevere in prayer.”
From Ephesians 4:31-32: “Put away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander, together with all malice, and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you.”
Life’s battered bucket sometimes overflows
Facing daily challenges, too immense
One challenge standing apart from the rest
Using forgiveness seems much too intense
Our righteous Father teaches forgiveness
Extending His mercy through earnest hearts
Breathe every truth in its entirety
Receiving His grace with humble hearts
Take in God’s Word, His Holy Commandments
Burying bitterness, it lifts the heart
Always best to forgive, forget, move on
Beating with freedom’s light, opens the heart
As humans, reacting much too quickly
Expressing heated anger, fixing blame
Slow to forgive, even more to forget
Stepping now with humbleness, drowns the flames
No longer in the enemy’s darkness
Praying the sun does not set on one’s rage
With our Lord’s truth, filling with righteousness
Following God’s way, life writes a new page
From the words of American pastor and Christian author, Jim Cymbala: “Looking back over my life, all I can see is mercy and grace written in large letters everywhere. May God help me have the same kind of heart toward those who wound or offend me.”
Originally published July, 2020.
Ask God. Trust God. We are completely dependent on Him for eternal life, for forgiveness, for character, for security.
From Hebrews 6:19-20: “We have this hope, a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters the inner shrine behind the curtain, where Jesus, a forerunner on our behalf, has entered, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.”
Charles Swindoll (born 1934) is an American pastor and Christian author.
From Psalm 5:11-12: “But let all who take refuge in You rejoice; let them ever sing for joy. Spread Your protection over them, so that those who love Your name may exult in You. For You bless the righteous, O Lord; You cover them with favor as with a shield.”
Spirit infuses Scripture with God’s joy
Rejoice in His masterpiece of each day
Nourished with grace, forwarded to enjoy
Always Holy, shall be His fruitful ways
From heart’s depths, God composes grace with joy
Righteousness forever breathes from above
Mercy descends in Savior He deploys
Forgiveness rebuilds empty faith through love
God’s blessings harvest His fullness of joy
Truth’s timely interactions, never gray
Promises of faithfulness He employs
Gateway of grace received, let all now pray
Salvation’s light transforms darkness of sin
Joy praises covenant of faith’s linchpin
From Psalm 16:11: “You show me the path of life. In Your presence there is fullness of joy; in Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”
Big Sky Buckeye 