If your mind is filled with the Word of God, then it can’t be filled with impure thoughts.
From Proverbs 30:5: “Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.”
David Jeremiah (born 1941) is an American pastor and Christian author.
From Proverbs 30:5: “Every word of God proves true; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him.”
Feeling weary and lost
How can any prevail?
Desolate road ahead
Actions will surely fail
Lost in darkness of life
Our Father lights the way
Filled with His righteousness
God’s road map saves our day
Our Lord’s Word speaking truth
Daily meditation
Bible’s meanings ring clear
Leading to salvation
Study God’s Holy Word
Share its hope and Good News
Trusting each promise
His commands, we must choose
Inhale, breathe it all in
Fed by the “Bread of Life”
Quenched by “Living Water”
Transforming daily life
From the words of American-born missionary and Christian theologian, E. Stanley Jones: “The Gospel is not so much a demand as it is an offer, an offer of new life to man by the grace of God.”
Originally published July, 2020.
From Psalm 25:4-5: “Make me to know Your ways, O Lord; teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; for You I wait all day long.”
Day to night . . . night to day
Praying for His guidance
Looking to God above
Trusting His every breath
Darkness absorbs His love
Lighting path of wisdom
Teaching His righteous way
Finding strength in God’s Word
Thankful, kneeling to pray
Forgiving transgressions
Walking toward His grace
Keeping God’s covenant
Humbleness fills heart’s place
Unshackling sinner’s chains
Living under God’s peace
Replacing mind’s worry
His love shall never cease
Believing in God’s Son
Accepting Him as Lord
Tasting redemption’s joy
Deliverance restored
Night to day . . . day to night
From Psalm 25:20-21: “O guard my life and deliver me; do not let me be put to shame, for I take refuge in You. May integrity and uprightness preserve me, for I wait for You.”
From 1 Thessalonians 4:1: “Finally, brothers and sisters, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus that, as you learned from us how you ought to live and to please God (as, in fact, you are doing), you should do so more and more.”
Photo by Oladimeji Ajegbile on Pexels.com
God blesses us with opportunities to learn
Viewing our sinful ways, brings Him concern
Our Lord assembles His flock to learn His law
Witnessing our errant behavior with many flaws
We are encouraged to learn about God’s Word
Humbling ourselves, embracing faith now stirred
God creates each of us with simple, blessed minds
Acquiring wisdom from His Word, we gladly find
Wayward hearts and lost souls run to seek God
Taking time to learn His righteousness, all nod
Pursuing life’s errant ways, lost will be one’s fate
Our heavenly Father gathers many on this date
Our Lord delivers honest and equal justice for all
Learning to contribute good for others, is our call
God possesses sovereignty over all things
Conveying His message, truth will ring
We learn about Christ, His righteous ways
Staying with us to the end of our long day
Christ brings forward promises to be kind
Praying each day for mercy from His mind
Christ teaches at the temple, seeing God’s way
Bringing forward His Father’s Words, to say
Christ learns obedience, His Father knows
Taking our sins to a bloody Cross, He goes
Step forward and accept our Lord and Savior
Learning a new way, praise God’s selfless favor
God’s Word encourages us to listen and learn
Calling out to sinners, all of us stop and turn
Photo by Wendy van Zyl on Pexels.com
Originally published August, 2019.
From Psalm 119:105: “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”
Father’s tender voice
Presenting oneself
Hearing His calling
Old ways left on shelf
One body in Christ
Transforming faith’s breath
Hearing His calling
Rising from sin’s depths
Father’s trusted Word
Walking faith’s new road
Hearing His calling
Sharing burden’s load
Response to Christ’s grace
Tuning in faith’s love
Hearing His calling
Finding peace above
Father’s righteous ways
Honoring faith’s flight
Hearing His calling
Embracing Christ’s light
From Romans 12:2: “Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of the mind, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
An elderly man steadily works in his backyard, raking up some of autumn’s harvest of red maple leaves. The quiet, afternoon air is punctuated by angry and upset mumbling coming from the neighbor’s yard.
Walking over to the fence, the former teacher listens while a much younger man unsuccessfully tries to start up his lawn mower. The neighbor, in his late twenties, has been facing extra pressure and longer hours at the small business he operates.
Pausing and then sending some words of encouragement over the fence, the quiet man offers some advice, “Does the mower need a new spark plug?”
A quick reply comes back, “I never thought of that.”
The conversation continues back and forth for a few minutes. The young man confesses his frustration at work has brought a heavy burden on him as well as his family. He is married with a young daughter.
The wise neighbor adds some gems of wisdom before they both go back to their separate chores, “Hang in there. God’s using these difficult days to prepare you for a more successful tomorrow. He’s equipping you with tools which will help you to bear fruit.”
The young man replies back, “Thanks. I appreciate your advice as well as your testament from the Lord.”
With the rake in his hand, the elderly man prepares to step away from the fence, but he returns and offers a prayer for the young man, “God, grant Tim the serenity to accept the things he cannot change, the courage to change the things he can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”
Both men say their final words, and return to their respective yard work.
As the retired teacher continues to rake more of the stubborn leaves into a series of small piles, he hears the lawn mower start up with a roar. Obviously, the young man has changed the mower’s spark plug, and it is now running as it should.
At the same time, Tim feels the spark of God’s Word bringing him patience and encouragement for today as well as for tomorrow.
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.”
Originally published October, 2020.
Preach the Gospel to yourself every day.
From Lamentations 3:21-22: “But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.”
Jerry Bridges (1929-2016) was an American Christian author and speaker. In his autobiography, God Took Me by the Hand, Jerry said, “When I was seventeen years old, it seemed as if God took me by the hand and said, ‘Come with Me.’ And for more than sixty-five years, God has, as it were, continued to hold my hand and lead me in the path He has marked out for me.”
Special Note: Sometimes my early morning time brings God’s Word into greater focus. This poem walks through a day filled with His vision.
Waking up early on a darkened, rainy day
Unable to walk, disrupting my morn with gray
Turning off the news, craving a necessary break
Immersing in other blogs, with their unique take
Sharing thoughtful comments, here and there
Always reminded, so many people truly care
This stubborn mind stores much, obsolete clutter
Causing my mature engine to cough and sputter
Life’s music sometimes offers a stimulating tune
Witnessing other perspectives, into an afternoon
Discovering positive discussions, comforting my mind
Challenging me to see, steps lead to future grace to find
Life’s lens sometimes fails, entirely clouded over
Like searching for a four-leaf, in a field of clover
As a culture, broadcasting anew from many landscapes
Exchanging ideas, opening our lens to exciting escapes
Our Lord, fashioning in us a curious intellect to wear
Stepping out, witnessing life as others wish to share
Reading God’s Word, helping to clear the murky view
Seeing life through His lens, aligning honest and true
Originally published March, 2020.
It is imperative that preachers of today learn how to declare the spiritual law of God; for, until we learn how to wound consciences, we shall have no wounds to bind with Gospel bandages.
From Romans 8:14-15: “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, ‘Abba! Father!'”
Walter J. Chantry (born 1938) served for 39 years as pastor of Grace Baptist Church in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. He has also been a prolific Christian writer and editor.
From the words of Latin priest and theologian Jerome of Stridon: “Love Holy Scripture, and wisdom will love you. Love her, and she will keep you. Honor her, and she will keep you.”
Pursuing wisdom over a lifetime
Gathering, enriching a single life
Applying to everyday challenges
Loving Scripture, supplanting darkest strife
Seeking wisdom with a hunger for more
Searching in the truthful and proper place
Persevering with consistency now
Tasting God’s Holy Word and loving grace
Sustaining the tree of life, holding fast
Following a righteous path, leads to peace
Finding God’s wisdom, life’s only true wealth
Blessing His wisdom, sustains life’s new lease
Trusting these blessed fruits of God’s wisdom
Turning evil away, aligned with Him
Refreshing mind and body, healing flesh
Respecting God’s Word, singing a new hymn
Treating our neighbors better than ourselves
Trusting, loving, supporting each other
Walking together with God, hand in hand
Partnering with each sister and brother
From Proverbs 3:13: “Happy are those who find wisdom, and those who get understanding,”
Originally published June, 2020.
Big Sky Buckeye 