Thank you Lord,

For a brand new day
when I awake
For the air I breathe
and the breaths I take.

For the rising sun
and the warmth it will bring
For the beautiful birds
and the songs they sing.

For the flowers and trees
standing tall
For all your blessings,
big and small.

Guilty under the Law by birth is man’s verdict

Totally depraved naturally absent the Spirit

The Helper provides knowledge and understanding

The gift of grace through faith planting

Through His power and will can good news be received

The sinner drawn to salvation only to those He retrieved

He alone leads the sinner’s awakening

No worldly appeal by man can cause such hastening

Death for Life the Son exchanges for currency

His Son accepted only To Whom He will have Mercy

From Him all things are made

The Heavens and the Earth so awesomely laid

Through His hand all strength and power work

Who of the clay can question or shirk

To Him all glory is deserved

In whom there is no likening or equal observed

From Him I was formed so intricately in the womb

His steadfast love into the grey I will consume

Through His Word and Law I am taught

I incline my ears to instruction and hate not

To Him all the worship of earth He will uncover

For He alone is God, There is no other

No need to fear, He goes before us

He has overcome the world, we take heart and trust

His counsel will instruct and teach

Firm are the steps as we delight in His reach

Although weary, burdened and weak

His grace and strength are made perfect as we seek

Renewal of strength to those who hope

Perseverance granted when we take His yolk

Plans declared to give us hope and a future

Peace that transcends all understanding given by the Producer

By His wounds we have been healed

Of His Spirit we are delivered and sealed

In our stillness, He will always fight

We shall fear no evil in the darkest night

In every trouble He hears our cry

A refuge of Himself He will always provide

In all our ways we will submit in recognition

As the Giver is revealed through the Promises Given

Service in the body we often escape

Let us labor and not merely spectate

Baptizing and teaching is our commission

Interrupted by our own selfish-ambition

A testimony of His grace we proclaim

But of wrong done to us we lay blame

To “be a good Christian” we certainly strive

But time with Him we so deprive

The time is near not knowing the date

Of His likeness we are called to imitate

So be doers of the Word and not hearers only

Just as He is, we are elected to be Holy

To the end of the age, He will not forsake

Therefore in obedience and love we will Go and Make

Father I cry out as long as I have breath

Conversation made accessible only by His death

To You I petition Your will be done

For the brethren as well as one on one

Give me eyes to see and ears to hear

As you have forgiven me, may I also adhere

Protect me always with a means of escape

Let no evil touch this vessel or reshape

Accept my worship Lord, so long as it is called today

In all circumstances giving thanks and never ceasing, Humbly I Pray

In harmony we are called to live

Acceptance without judgment we cheerfully give

Through humble submission and respect

We exhort and build up with no neglect

Burdens we bare and counsel we provide

Our gracious response to Christ in whom we abide

Service to the body and preserving all unity

Offering comfort through the gift of our immunity

Gentle and kind in all our words and deeds

Admonishing all as the Holy Spirit leads

When we are wrong we will confess

Forgiveness we give with no protest

All fear cast out by the perfect Lover

Because He first loved us, we Love One Another

You Love me

You carry my burdens and give me rest

Your arms remain open like an everlasting nest

You are gentle and kind in all your ways

But in my anxiety and fear there is a constant haze

Like a perfect Father protects his son

You saved me once and for all and said it was done

Your heart for my whole being holds me

Humble and meek but containing all power and authority

You dawn me with rich grace and mercy

You demonstrate perfect love towards me

Yet even though I still stumble

You promise grace if I would be humble

No matter the extent of my trouble

Lord let me never forget what you chose me to be

I pray I always know just how much You Love me

Still a Slave

Shackled by the weight of my sin

Drowning in a sea of guilt up to my chin

You rescued me from impending death

Why me Lord, why this guilty wretch

I was created to worship until disobedience led to my fall

Now my chains are subject to Your Law

My body aches and mourns as it slowly dies

Everyday is filled with only lows and no highs

Then, in Your love, grace and mercy, You offered a rescue

A sacrifice of Yourself that is justified and true

No longer am i an instrument of sin

You have recreated me for life with no end

Once convicted and held captive by death’s dreadful wave

I am free at once in You, yet Still a Slave

I Trust

Fear surrounds me from all sides

In my despair it slowly creeps in like an evening tide

Arrows of past sin memories haunt me

Worry and fatigue exhaust my efforts to truly see

In the depth of my sorrow I start to lean in

Your Word saves me and reminds I am free from sin

Flesh begins to fade as the Spirit takes over

Understanding my heart is not mine and You are the owner

Father, You are in control and without You I am just dust

How wonderful Your love is for me and in whom I Trust

Be Still

The noise of this world is deafening

Thoughts of doubt cause much wavering

Why can’t I be calm while I wait

For You are at work and never late

Lord I ask, have faith and will not doubt

Like a divine map, you have designed my route

Perfect and complete, lacking in nothing

Generously You give to the steadfast and trusting

Unstable in the flesh, but firm in the Spirit

How thankful I am of what You said I would inherit

Test and trials we count as joy according to Your will

Lacking wisdom and strength, I run to You Father to Be Still

By Faith

We see the creation and know He is God

He speaks and we hear ever how steady we plod

Abraham was called to go and he went

In obedience, he set out for the promise with no relent

Moses led the people out of Egypt

Knowing without knowing God’s script

David conquered the giant

Answering the call with a heart so suppliant

The fiery furnace could not touch those He chose

In the same way, the Lions mouths were closed

Peter walked on the water with eyes fixed

Fully committed in our Savior’s midst

Saved through His sacrifice by grace

In all these things, none is possible, but By Faith

The Pool

I have little strength to move or to walk

Day after day I strain on what to say or how to talk

Like the blind and lame I am in need

For so long, I have come to a Bethseda with no seed

Now this day, I desired to be healed

Nothing else needed, but only that I yield

By His Word He promises the tool

Never again will I visit The Pool

No Weapon

His armor protects me with mighty strength

He is never far away, closer than an arms length

No matter what scheme or what snare

My Redeemer is always there

Standing firm will be the result against evil in that day

As He promised His Spirit through the Way

His shield of faith , so much at work

It is a refuge from the enemy that lurks

As iron sharpens iron, so does He do so for the brethren

I am forever safe in Him with no need of a weapon

Growth

Lord I so long to hear your voice

I have wasted time complaining, rather than rejoice

I should by now recognize Your Words

But by running, I can no longer discern

Like in my youth, I drink milk like a child

But in my brokenness, I dine on meat from the wild

As a son, I take joy in your discipline and correction

You mature me through the test and trials of my election

Whether as a child or now as a man, You have walked with both

Lord sanctify me every day, so Your glory is seen through my Growth

The Spirit Discerned

Good and evil, how can I distinguish

Only through His Word and Spirit, self I must relinquish

Scripture overtime trains the senses

The cloudiness of my sight now has new lenses

He promised the Helper to guide in truth

Even when the path is assuredly unsmooth

Now because He leads, I repent and have turned

I can hear you Lord, as the Spirit Discerned

Wait

Lord without You I am nothing

My hope is only in Your Son, no cause for puffing

So many times, I get ahead of You

Lacking rest and self-control I push through

Fear and worry prevent my eyes to see and ears to hear

If only I would be calm and still, You promise to draw near

In my heart of flesh I make plans, but you plan my steps

Through the Spirit You me guide by Your precepts

My heart will take courage in expectance

I will root myself in Your Word where there is true acceptance

You will fight, I need only remain

I was bought with perfect blood only You sustain

As I hold in silence eager for an update

My hope is in You, so I patiently Wait

Thank You

How grateful I am to You Lord

You chose me, a promise from Your Word

How amazing is Your character and nature

May You always be glorified through my labor

How wonderful is Your love for Your people

Never ending grace until the day of our retrieval

How beautiful it will be when we finally see You

An unimaginable sight and incomprehensible view

How great and awesome is Your reach

Even to me, the smallest grain of sand on the beach

How worthy You are to be praised and adored

Humbled by Your grace, a debt I can’t afford

How marvelous the sight of all Your creation

No words can describe how extreme my elation

My God, my Lord, my Friend, all things you subdue

May I always obey, trust and never forget to Thank You

We Ask

You exhort us to seek

To find strength when we are weak

As we draw near with obedience and trust

You fix our brokenness and self-disgust

We approach Your throne in reverent prayer

Our joy resides in the answer You declare

More abundantly than we can imagine

You console us with all compassion

Freely we come to You with all our needs

You supply faith when we lack the seeds

In our flesh, we hide behind our mask

But in the Spirit, there is no fear, if only We Ask

The Bread

For those who hunger and thirst, a promise You make

You freely give. No need to earn, we need only take

Our souls long to be filled

Possible only through a perfect Man killed

Everlasting storehouses of provision given

Attainable solely by the Son risen

We come to the table and feast

Never again needful in the least

Life giving supply He offers

Of His body and blood, we become righteous quaffers

His Words nourish our growth as we are fed

Truly sustained forever only by The Bread

The Preacher (Ecclesiastes)

We seek to toil in whatever would glorify Him

We desire not to earn the approval of men

Wealth and riches is above and beyond our need

Without wisdom and obedience, all is vanity

Righteous or wicked, suffering exists in all

Under the sun, a product of the fall

Upright we were made

But our many schemes demanded a debt be paid

How wonderful are the gifts He has given

Bread and wine for life, a Savior risen

Time ordained and a season for every matter

Our time is short, yet He endures forever

So take pleasure in His creation with joy

For one day He will come to judge and destroy

As we approach even closer back to the dust

Our duty only is that we love, obey and trust

Immanuel

The magi followed the stars to what was foretold

While Mary and Joseph journeyed a route so bold

Shepherds attended flocks unaware of the coming King

As Herod laid snares that would not sting

The prophecy given would be upheld

“Glory to God in the highest” the multitude of host yelled

Bethlehem, a small town of sheep and shepherds

Bore the Shepherd of Israel with worship and treasures

How humble and meek was the place of His birth

Lying in a manger on a floor of hay and dirt

From the line of David was His position

“Unto us a Child is born, a Son given”

Our Savior and King so true and just

“Immanuel, God with us”