THE GREAT POTTER

As I pray

I try to remember

It's not my will

But Thine be done

As I yield myself

To the Great Potter

And realize I am but clay

I ask Him to mold me

And make me

After His likeness, this day

While I pray, serve

And patiently wait

As into His image I'm made

I thank God for my holy fate.

WELL-DOING

As we trod along life's pathway

From day to day

There's plenty of room for well-doing

Along the way

We must plant and nurture

Although we feel the process may be slow

How else will a dying world know

About the love of "The Saviour"

If we don't tell them so

When you've done the best you can

And the world doesn't understand

You yet must go

Because the Word of God deems it so

We must keep doing the right things

Even if the world says they're all wrong

We have to answer to Christ

For the reason His sheep

We did not feed

Souls to Him we must lead

Ours is a labor of love

For a dying world to be

Lead to Christ our Redeemer

By disciples you and me.

Lord, please let your love

Shine through me

So when others I do see

They'll know

That you're living in me

Help me encourage

Those I encounter

From day to day

And be one

That matters to others

Along my way

Make me one

That good news spreads

And not a gossip

That others dread

Help me to witness

With my life for Thee

Then I know a blessing

I will be.

No greater love

Hath any man

Than to lay down his life

For his friends

God so loved all the world

That He sacrificially gave

His Son for you and me

No greater love

Has this world known

Than the love of God

For men.

As I pen a line or two

I'm thinking especially of you

So, I'm calling your name

In secret prayer

Knowing God will hear

He has promised

He will take care of you

One of His sheep

His strength he will gladly renew

Be encouraged

While you rest on His promises

And remember to pray

Whatever you do

And God will take of you

I love you my brother

And want you to know

You're in my prayers

As onward we go.

Mine is a personal relationship

Between my God and me

It grows dearer from day to day

As long as I commune with Him

It is nurtured and enhanced

As I meditate and pray

In my secret closet I find

There's everything about a "quiet time"

That has a special "ring"

It leads me directly

To the Throne of the King.

I must stand fast for the right

And shun what is wrong

Be bold in my approach

And a popularity contest

I need not broach

If I fit in with the crowd

I cannot win

I must continue

To tell all men

About love divine

I want to have a zeal for service

Realizing time is short

I must move with a spirit of quickness

Into the highways and by-ways

Of this world's wickedness

Long suffering I must possess

As I do all sin detest

I must persevere in season and out

This is what it is all about

This is my task.

Am I focusing on the Saviour

Who was heaven sent

Or am I bogged down with details

Of every day events

When I'm in a dither

And know not what to do

Do I focus on the cross

And keep on trudging through

Do I stop to think

Of all I have to suffer

That it does not begin to measure up

To the Saviour's bitter cup

So, I'll just keep on trying

And when heaven I have won

After all else

Has been said and done

I'll be glad

I set my focus on the Son.

Prayer is the time we spend

Communing with Christ our King

Calling on His precious name

As before the Throne we bring

All our cares, woes, illnesses

Our gratitude and thanksgiving

To the One who died on the cruel cross

For all of our misgivings

Our God is Omnipresent

So He is always wherever we are

We don't have to concern ourselves

With our position before the bar

We can stand, sit, kneel or lie prone

Just remember, the condition of the heart

Is what affords access to the Throne

So with a grateful heart

Take the time to thank and praise Him

For His daily blessings

That He has bestowed

Not just on you and me

But every living soul.

Do we cheerfully give unto the Lord

As the Bible says

Or do we begrudgingly cast aside

A portion of what we have

After all else has been satisfied

When we give

Is it only money that we impart

Or do we also consider

Our time, effort and service

That should also play a part

We cannot outgive God

"The cattle on a thousand hills is His"

And the world is at His disposal

So whatever we give

We're only returning to Him

What He has so graciously given

Let us be generous

And make our sacrifices a "must"

As we give the best we have to offer

Because He gave His all for us

God will truly bless the cheerful giver

And we will have more and more

As He opens the windows of heaven

We will be unable to keep the score.

To call on my Master

It is a privilege to be able to go

Into my secret closet

Where no one else need know

I must read His Holy Word

And determine His will for my life

Then I can talk to Him in prayer

While stillness and quietness are rife

I must remember to "close the door"

To all outside interference

With all my attention directed to the Saviour Divine

No distractions of any kind

Just total concentration and joy sublime

Calling upon the Saviour

And knowing He is mine

This is a personal relationship

That we all should know

So, let's find our secret closet

And from the world go.

All to Thee my Lord and Master

All to Thee I humbly lay

At the altar poor and needy

I do give myself this day

I know my all is but a pittance

Considering what you have done for me

As you suffered bled and died

For all the world to see

You gave your all not just for me

But a world of sinners

Because we were all born in captivity

But we give our humblest thanks to You

For the option

To accept and live for Thee.

Lord help me to serve

In the Body of Christ

Wherever the need arises

Help me to join in

And give it my all

Knowing Your Name

Is to be exalted

Please let me not

Have to be coerced

By those that need assistance

But instead consider my spiritual gifts

And use them Your Glory to lift

I know you are a good and loving God

Who gives to each of us

According to the measure of our faith

To those who are willing to serve

And will do so with humility and grace.

Let's just praise the Lord

And our hallelujahs raise

Whenever we want to show

The gratitude of our hearts

As we ignite with passion

And delight

Our worship and adoration

Comes from our very soul

For our blessings, hope

And our circumstance

Over which we have no control

We praise Him for the beauty

Of the earth, sky and sea

And all of His provisions

Therein for you and me

He's faithful and just

And cares for our every need

He's merciful and gracious

To forgive

So as long as there is breath

Within us

We should praise His Name

Because He is so worthy

And every day the same.

Christ reached down

Into the world

With what is known

As grace

That undeserved mercy

He freely gives

To one and all

Ours for the asking

Christianity to extol

Grace will change

Our hearts and minds

When we to the altar bring

Our all - as we surrender

And to Him closely cling

Our Christian walk

Depends upon

His love and grace

And the joy and radiance

It will exude

Can be commonplace

As we on Christ rely

To wholly satisfy.

I step into the outside world

Early in the morning

Just after the sun has risen

And the events of yesterday

Are but memories given

As the new day dawns

The sun so silently

Peeks through the clouds

As they prepare for rain

The trees are standing at attention

Very still and vain

Occasionally a lonely leaf

Is wafted by the wind

And lightly falls

They can do so gracefully

With no noise at all

The grass has been lightly kissed

By the early morning dew

As it receives its daily moisture too

The four-o'clocks and morning glories

Have not awakened for the day

But their beauty is yet enhancing

As they glow in the way

So, early in the morning

These reminders let me know

That peace is still

And I am thankful

I know my God is real.

I am thankful for the blessing

Of being able to shed a tear

For myself and others

Their burdens to help bear

I pray that I will never be

So hard-hearted

That my conscience is seemingly seared

With a hot iron of indifference

In this dark world of pain and care

So often kindness is mistaken

For weakness

But I would rather err

On the side of weakness

Rather than not show tenderness

And genuine care

I have experienced tears of sadness

When in pain I did cry out

And also tears of gladness

When I would often shout

But whatever my plight

To shed a tear often brings delight

When the rivers of water

Shut up in my soul

Seem to be released and I am set free

Of whatever my temporary lot may be.

Christianity entails more

Than attending meetings at church

On a weekly basis

Or listening to fiery sermons on Sunday

Delivered at their peak

It's not about singing songs and hymns

About love and amazing grace

It's not about dressing in our Sunday finest

Wearing beautiful hats and three-piece suits

With vests

It's not in giving tithes and offerings

Considering it our duty

Or a sacrifice, at best

True Christianity is the act of repenting

Believing and confessing

Surrendering all

To be lead by the Master

And experiencing His personal touch

We will then know the meaning

Of true love and obedience

And be willing to share

Making disciples of others

As we travel far and near.

I thank you, God

For blessings

Great and Small

You have been so good

To your children all

You have given us

Some break-throughs

And we are grateful

For the good news

Christians are reaching out

To their brothers and sisters

Extending hands of welcome

As you would want us to

We thank you and adore you

For all you have lead us through

Hearts are opening

Hands are extending

Minds are studying

The Words of the Scripture

That we must obey

If we are to be your disciples

This is the only way

Thank you, God

For the light

At the end of the tunnel

We can see

As we continue to work

For all the world to be

Commissioned as disciples

And leading others unto Thee.

At His name

Every knee

Shall bow

At His name

Demons recognize

They have no power

There is no other name

Under heaven

By which man can be saved

Other than His name

Jesus, Jesus, Jesus

Say the name loud and clear

The power it possesses

Will make the whole world fear.

At the end

Of a well-spent day

I come down

From a natural high

Of fervent Christian living

That has somehow caused me

To reach out and touch the sky

Simply living for Christ

Showing others the way

Whether at home

On the job

At school or at play

Just victorious Christian living

Enjoyed day by day

When night falls

It brings with it

Fond memories

Of the work that has been done

While looking forward

To continue on tomorrow

What has been left undone

I thank the good Lord above

For hours in the light of day

To see, work and play

Also hours of night

And darkness

In which we can wind down

Ponder and pray.