Opening
Pre-occupied mind
Hearing one voice
God frees another heart
Witnessing
Accepting
God’s Word
Treasuring divine wisdom
Commandments lead daily steps
Trusting
Searching
Life’s insight
Praying to God
Blessed grace, opened eyes
Understanding
From Psalm 145:8: “The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.”
Blessing forever, God above
Kneeling, bending every knee
Praising His greatness, Amen!
Justice sown from righteous decrees
Breathing with hope’s newfound freedom
Witnessing God’s mighty moves
Praising daily in worship
Mercy arrives, His Son approves
Riding donkey, comes humble King
Tasting His merciful grace
Praising faith’s new covenant
Heaven’s goodness, let all embrace
Commanding nations, take notice
Setting every sinner free
Praising repeal of darkness
Throughout earth’s many lands and seas
Sounding faith’s endless trumpet
Protecting with blessed light
Praising God’s lasting greatness
Eternal daylight covers night
From Zechariah 9:16: “On that day the Lord their God will save them, for they are the flock of His people, for like the jewels of a crown they shall shine on His land.”
Praising
From whom
Every blessing flows
Our Lord, our Creator
Gratitude
Maturing
In Christ
Hope’s eternal message
Walking in His light
Faith
Transforming
Spirit’s presence
Love never ceases
Grace arrives from above
Reverence
Hungering
For Father
Whole heart prays
Finding Him always near
Faith
Coming
To Father
Focusing on Light
Following His trusted wisdom
Peace
Gathering
With Father
Restoring tomorrow’s hope
Climbing up mercy’s steps
Love
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.
From John 4:23-24: [Jesus is speaking] “But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such as these to worship Him. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”
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Praising with faith the Sabbath, the Lord’s Day
But, our lives needing to connect in other ways
Worshipping each day, receiving God’s serenity
Setting aside daily moments, faithful identity
Reading Scripture from the Lord’s Holy Word
Praying, praising, giving thanks—voices heard
Coming to the Lord with sincere-filled thoughts
Spending time with Him, connecting life’s dots
Sowing seeds of worship and praise with our God
Transforming by His love, perfect and unflawed
Reaping abounding harvest, singing with gladness
Witnessing God’s sacred harmony, never sadness
Filling our hungry hearts, opening up our minds
Listening to our Lord, He comes and truly finds
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From American pastor and Christian author, A. W. Tozer: “If you will not worship God seven days a week, you do not really worship Him on one day a week.”
Originally published March, 2020.
The greatest legacy we can leave is not money or belongings but the truth that changes lives. Begin today to influence future generations by bringing them the Good News.
From 2 Timothy 3:14-15: “ But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have known sacred writings that are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.”
Jesus has prayed that we might be one with Him as He is one with the Father.
From 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24: “May the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely, and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and He will do this.”
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 Hebrews 11:1-3: “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Indeed, by faith our ancestors received approval. By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was made from things that are not visible.”
Faith fills assurance
Light brightens day’s hope
What’s seen and unseen?
Love viewed through God’s scope
Faith moves through Scripture
Testaments make clear
Witness Abraham
Hope waits, then appears
Faith grows, trusting God
Hope’s great centerpiece
Foundations built strong
Life of blessed peace
Faith matures with time
God’s perfection reigns
His Word guides with truth
Hope makes lifelong gains
Faith’s hope, joined as one
Journey’s promised land
God forever praised
Mercy’s steady hand
From the words of American pastor and Christian writer, Warren Wiersbe: “Love increases our faith, and when we have faith and love, we will have hope.”
From Philippians 4:19: “And my God will fully satisfy every need of yours according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”
Looking to Almighty God
Reigning over His creation
Following His guiding rod
Praying without cessation
Seeing that God will provide
Nourishing Word filled with grace
Sending Spirit, as our guide
Blessing man, follow His pace
Witnessing divine kindness
Offering daily praises
Removing sinful blindness
Navigating life’s mazes
Kneeling under mercy’s hand
Worshipping our Risen Lord
Escaping evil’s quicksand
Vanquishing enemy’s sword
Obeying Holy One’s voice
Standing always as faith’s rock
Providing life’s better choice
Trusting in heaven’s crosswalk
From Psalm 34:10: “The young lions suffer want and hunger, but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.”
On a sunny, early morning, the old man decided to go fishing. He drove out to his favorite fishing hole along the river. Two teenage boys were also fishing near the same area.
After a spell, the boys migrated over to the old man’s spot. The brothers shared their names, Jaylen and Caden. They were fine looking boys, and pretty darn good fishermen.
In about an hour, each had caught 2-3 fish, while the old man was shut out. Perhaps he needed to take a break and think of a different plan.
The brothers were about ready to leave, but they hung around for a bit. Soon the conversation turned to their personal relationships with Jesus Christ. Each was a Christian, and had accepted Jesus as their Savior.
The old man had never considered experiencing a relationship with God. There was a Bible somewhere at home, or at least he thought so. The last time he attended church was for a dear friend’s funeral a couple of years ago.
As the boys continued to share their faith with the old man, time seemed to stand still. Without knowing it, Caden and Jaylen were exchanging their efforts to fish for trout for an opportunity to fish for the Lord. Their little bit of fishing was replaced with blessed evangelism, and now they were casting their net—filled with lots of God.
After about 30 minutes, the brothers checked the time and finished up their conversation with the old man. They needed to get the day’s catch home for their mother to prepare for supper.
The old man thanked them for the conversation, and gave them a wave good-bye. He looked at his own fishing scorecard, and he was still winless in the fishing department.
But, he felt like a winner in the faith department. He picked up his fishing gear and headed up from the river. As he began to drive away in his battered pick-up truck, he made a vow to find that phantom Bible at home.
Jaylen and Caden invited the old man to visit their church for Sunday’s worship service. Because of their encouragement, he told them he would attend. The brothers also promised to share some of their fishing tips with him.
From Matthew 4:18-19: “As He walked by the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea—for they were fishers. And He said to them, ‘Follow me, and I will make you fishers of people.'”
Big Sky Buckeye 