Now Traveling Light

From Psalm 55:22:  “Cast your burden on the Lord, and He will sustain you; He will never permit the righteous to be moved.”

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Life’s stumbling footsteps

Sullen heart weighed down

Darkness at doorstep

Day’s final breakdown

 

Burdens never light

Load much too heavy

Collapsing at night

Floodwaters’ levee

 

Spirit’s tiresome tone

Christ walks alongside

Merciful seeds sown

Faith breathing, clear-eyed

 

Shelter’s welcome place

Prayer’s trusted reach

Overflowing grace

Christ’s faithful outreach

 

With every new day

Worry taking flight

Christ’s open gateway

Now traveling light

 

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From Matthew 11:28-30:  “Come to Me, all you who are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.”

Charles Stanley Quote

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Christians should reflect Jesus to the world so that all can share in the joy of salvation.

From Galatians 2:19-20:  “For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God.  I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”

Charles Stanley (1932-2023) was an American pastor and Christian writer.  He was dedicated to leading a teaching ministry.

Unparalleled (Elfchen Series #249)

Sacrifice

Anguishing

Heaven’s tears

Sheep without Shepherd

Savior’s final breath taken

Death

Confusion

Mourning

Overwhelming sadness

Convicted by sinners

Witnessing Calvary’s bloodied cross

Darkness

Fulfillment

Discovering

Empty tomb

Christ has risen!

Eyes opened to truth

Resurrection

All images courtesy of pinterest.

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.

Salvation’s Destiny

From Colossians 2:13-14:  “And when you were dead in trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive together with Him, when He forgave us all our trespasses, erasing the record that stood against us with its legal demands.  He set this aside, nailing it to the cross.”

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Witness faith’s new covenant

Genuine with every breath

Sufficient grace rises free

New life born in Savior’s death

 

Man’s sins meet at Calvary

Debts paid upon bloody tree

Ledger totally erased

Forgiven, now darkness flees

 

Father’s predetermined plan

Resurrection breathes with light

Eternal hell defeated

Righteousness stands with White Knight

 

Never any random act

Salvation’s destiny sown

With Spirit’s redemptive pulse

Seated at Messiah’s throne

 

Reconciled through Father’s love

Promised truth builds Heaven’s road

Made ambassadors for Christ

Eternity’s quest bestowed

 

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From 2 Corinthians 5:20-21:  “So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making His appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ: be reconciled to God.  For our sake God made the one who knew no sin to be sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.”

Charles Spurgeon Quote

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Oh!  Yes, I do love Jesus, because He first loved me.

From Colossians 1:18:  “He is the head of the body, the church; He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He might come to have first place in everything.”

Charles Spurgeon (1834-1892) was an influential English preacher.  Even in modern times, his writings and many sermons have remained a constant source of encouragement to Christians around the world.  He has often be referred to as the “Prince of Preachers.”

Promised Grace

From Psalm 118:1:  “O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His steadfast love endures forever!”

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Christ shall endure forever

Witnessing His steadfast love

Forgiveness heals brokenness

Righteousness flows from above

 

Christ journeys to Calvary

Bringing man’s darkness with Him

Sin’s valley of death’s shadow

Light waiting at heaven’s rim

 

Christ becomes faith’s cornerstone

Yielding to Father’s design

Truth waiting at Roman cross

Sacred blood pays every fine

 

Christ foils enemy’s insults

Shedding eternity’s wrath

Love borne, no matter its cost

Promised grace reveals faith’s path

 

Christ builds heaven’s trusted bridge

Rising from now empty tomb

Passion’s flames light mercy’s quest

Brought forth into Father’s room

 

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From Psalm 118:19:  “Open to me the gates of righteousness, that I may enter through them and give thanks to the Lord.”

Faith’s Clean Heart

From Psalm 51:1-2:  “Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your steadfast love; according to Your abundant mercy, blot out my transgressions.  Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.”

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Heart feeling empty of faith

Crushing embers of hope

Wilderness of transgressions

Walking next slippery slope

 

Born into journey of sin

Following darkest road

Thorns of guilt penetrate soul

Stumbling under burden’s load

 

Year after year, without joy

Lowering head in shame

Chained to enemy’s false words

Searching emptiness in flames

 

Light shines upon Calvary

Breathing with Savior’s grace

Forgiven steps fill with hope

Ending sin’s unfruitful race

 

Deliverance filled with truth

Witnessing faith’s clean heart

Every sunrise guarantees

Elevating life’s fresh start

 

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From Psalm 51:10-12:  “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me.  Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your holy spirit from me.  Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and sustain in me a willing spirit.”

Charles Stanley Quote

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Unseen by human eyes, a great exchange took place as Jesus hung on the cross.  He took all our sin upon Him and bore the wrath of every single one . . . past, present, and future.

From Romans 8:38-39:  “For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Charles Stanley (1932-2023) was an American pastor and Christian writer.  He was dedicated to leading a teaching ministry.

Oswald Chambers Quote

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Our Lord received Himself in the fire of sorrow, He was saved not from the hour, but out of the hour.

From John 12:27-28:  “Now My soul is troubled.  And what should I say:  ‘Father, save Me from this hour’?  No, it is for this reason that I have come to this hour.  Father, glorify Your name.   Then a voice came from heaven, ‘I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.'”

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.

Courage Found

From Isaiah 43:19:  “I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth; do you not perceive it?  I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.”

Courtesy of Pinterest.

Be prepared to be surprised

Promises shall be fulfilled

God honors His divine Word

From wilderness, truth rebuilds

 

Faith’s path to mighty waters

Savior’s life rising from death

Light’s mercy conquers darkness

Resurrection’s living breath

 

Deliverance from sin’s death

Salvation wipes away tears

Harvest of grace bearing joy

Witness Jesus, He appears

 

Flesh left at Calvary’s cross

Righteousness offers new road

Christ buys freedom with His blood

Gather love from seeds He sowed

 

Courage found in Savior’s steps

Invitation to see ahead

Holy Spirit left to guide

Nourished with God’s daily bread

 

Courtesy of Pinterest.

From Psalm 126:5-6:  “May those who sow in tears reap with shouts of joy.  Those who go out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, carrying their sheaves.”