Monday Memories: Our Father’s Goodness

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.”

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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 145:8-9The 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

 

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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.'”

Oswald Chambers Quote

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The one thing that keeps us from the possibility of worrying is bringing God in as the greatest factor in our calculations.

From Psalm 37:5:  “Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act.”

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.

James H. Aughey Quote

Courtesy of Pinterest.

Holiness consists of three things:  separation from sin, dedication to God, transformation into Christ’s image.

From 1 Peter 1:15-16:  “Like obedient children, do not be conformed to the desires that you formerly had in ignorance.  Instead, as He who called you is holy, be holy yourselves in all your conduct, for it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy.'”

James H. Aughey (1828-1911) was an American minister.  During the Civil War, he was imprisoned and scheduled to be executed for his anti-Secession and pro-Union beliefs.  Fortunately, he was able to escape from his Confederate captors and reached the lines of the Union army.

John Ortberg Quote

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The best place to start doing life with God is in small moments.

From Psalm 33:18-19:  “Truly the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, on those who hope in His steadfast love, to deliver their soul from death and to keep them alive in famine.”

John Ortberg (born 1957) is an American pastor as well as a Christian author and speaker.

Elizabeth Barrett Browning Quote

Courtesy of Pinterest.

Earth’s crammed with heaven, and every common bush afire with God:  But only he who sees takes off his shoes.

From Exodus 3:4-5:  “When the Lord saw that he had turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, ‘Moses, Moses!’  And he said, ‘Here I am.’  Then He said, ‘Come no closer! Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.'”

Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806-1861) was an English poet of the Victorian era.  Her published works earned popularity in both Great Britain and the United States.

Monday Memories: Future Glory

From Isaiah 6:3:  “And one called to another and said:  ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory.'”

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Expecting our best

God shall never rest

 

God’s future glory

Becomes our story

 

Adopting each child

Life now reconciled

 

What’s lying ahead?

God’s plan weaves its thread

 

Life fosters trials

Coming with each mile

 

His Word, guidance, love

Shining from above

 

God’s sacred fitness

Our constant witness

 

Daring to dream now

God’s mercy allows

 

Caring, righteous Lord

Trusting His accord

 

Patience encouraged

Waiting with courage

 

Together working

Blessed networking

 

Humbleness fills life

Removing all strife

 

Sowing fertile seeds

Harvest’s bread now feeds

 

Called by Jesus Christ

His blood sacrificed

 

Glory fills God’s name

Building each life’s frame

 

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From 1 Corinthians 10:31:  “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God.”

Originally published October, 2020.

Monday Memories: Beyond Compare

From the words of English novelist and poet, Mary Webb:  “Nature’s music is never over; her silences are pauses, not conclusions.”

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Creation’s wonders, lasting treasures

Beyond compare, by any measure

 

God’s unique Spirit molds, creates

Earth living as His domain, first-rate

 

Forests dazzle with matchless beauty

Witness to our Lord’s sacred duty

 

Animal species roam, some quite rare

Others appear to be everywhere

 

Distinctive flowers color the land

Their music soothes, like any jazz band

 

Unequaled majesty reaching high

Rugged mountains climbing to the sky

 

Creatures with their eccentric pursuits

Actions showing off, fun attributes

 

Man taking note of what God has done

High praises, He stands second to One

 

One and only one master designs

Each day, smiling at His nature shrines

 

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From Genesis 1:29-30:  “God said, ‘See, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them for food.  And to every beast of the earth, and to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.’  And it was so.”

Originally published October, 2020.

Heavenly Guidance (Elfchen Series #242)

Daily Joy

Faith’s

Goodness breathes

Mercy shall lead

Surely found in God

Hope

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Healing Breath

Delivering

From darkness

Victory over enemy

God’s still waters flow

Restoration

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Every Step

Trusted

Divine love

Lighting righteous path

Walking toward God’s eternity

Peace

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Monday Memories: Morning Peace

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.”

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Early morning arrives

Filled with mishmash of thoughts

Searching for peace of mind

Asking God, call the shots

 

Waiting in the kitchen

Prayer time with the Lord

His spirit calms life down

Life’s outlook feels restored

 

Table’s Bible invites

Reading, learning God’s Word

His insight teaches truth

Daily lessons inferred

 

Accepting God’s invite

Dressed for an autumn walk

Dialog moves outside

Let’s continue to talk

 

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From Isaiah 57:19:  “Peace, peace, to the far and the near, says the Lord; and I will heal them.”

Originally published September, 2020. 

Monday Memories: Finding New Life

From 2 Corinthians 11:13-14:  “For such boasters are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.  And no wonder!  Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.”

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Facing life’s harshest trials

Walking uphill in shadows

Keeping on the proper trail

Coveting greener meadows

 

Suffering darkest ordeals

Praying for divine advice

Listening for God’s response

Willing to pay any price

 

Hiding off the path, waiting

Offering cunning, false hope

Sliding into Satan’s net

Reaching up for rescue’s rope

 

Clutching God’s forgiving hand

Leaving the enemy’s grip

Finding new life with the Lord

Walking in His fellowship

 

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From Romans 6:22-23:  “But now that you have been freed from sin and enslaved to God, the advantage you get is sanctification.  The end is eternal life.  For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Originally published September, 2020.