November 14th, 2021

Peter’s Shadow

Countless hearts were aglow,
Hoping Peter’s shadow
Would fall across them.
The apostles in Jerusalem
Were evangelizing the people.
Many sick and feeble
Were profoundly healed;
These marvels were real.
Zealous faith emerged.
Souls evolved into spiritual receptors;
The Holy Spirit proved their protector.

Throngs converged in Jerusalem.
On their beds the sick
Were carried into the streets
Striving to meet
Peter or encounter his shadow
So they could be well.
The tides did swell.
Believers mushroomed
Into masses from nearby towns,
Desiring a glimpse of Peter’s shadow.
Their hearts would grow.
They would know
They were children of the Lamb.

By ELM
November 10, 2021

“Sick people were brought out into the
streets on beds and mats so that at least
Peter’s shadow would fall across some
of them as he went by!”
Acts 5:15 (TLB)
In Context: Acts 5:14-16

November 7th, 2021

Turn Off the Flow

A wise man speaks
With well-chosen words;
Each syllable is crucial,
Every sound essential.

Words convey a message to relate;
A prudent man shall articulate.
He shall be thoughtful and logical
And always practical
 And often advisable.

Too many words clutter
The perceiver’s mind.
A man should know
When to turn off the flow.

The speaker should be
Concise and incisive.
He or she should be
Forthright and polite.

By ELM
November 1, 2021

“Don’t talk so much.  You keep putting
your foot in your mouth.  Be sensible
and turn off the flow.”
Proverbs 10:19 (TLB)
In Context: Proverbs 10:18-21

October 31st, 2021

Blood on Us

Blood contains life
It breathes
Life procreates life
Jesus proffered his
On Calvary
His blood removes sin
Men urgently need
They must believe
Yet the mob cried
“His blood be on us”
It was it is
Children helpless
Knowing weakness
Being tempted
All responsible
Blood on us
Forgiveness possible
Not without faith
Blood must be applied
A generous supply
Heavenly longevity
Trusting steadily
Tenets are a must
Grace never ending
If utilized
Barabbas released
Jesus not
Blood on us

By ELM
October 27, 2021

“And the mob yelled back, ‘His blood
be on us and on our children!’”
Matthew 27:25 (TLB)

October 24th, 2021

Aglow and Burning

Aglow and burning
A Christian should be;
Never turning
To the right or left
But straightforward be.

Never lagging in zeal,
Ever loving for real,
A genuine believer must be.
Jesus is the best deal;
He is a protective shield.

Make an earnest endeavor
To tell all about heaven.
It’s a place of gold streets;
A place where loved
Ones shall meet.

Aglow and burning
A Christian should be;
While kneeling in prayer he can
Grow like a green bay tree,
So that others shall believe.

By ELM
October 18, 2021

“Never lag in zeal and in earnest
endeavor; be aglow and burning
with the Spirit, serving the Lord.”
Romans 12:11 (The Amplified Bible) 

October 17th, 2021

The Triumphing of the Wicked

The pleasure of a wicked man is brief
Blowing away as a leaf
The state of his affairs is dire
He’ll soon grow weary
Getting stuck in the mire
Muck and mud slows his pace
As he seeks a permanent place
That spot he never identifies
He loses his tangible grip
Never getting there
Embarking on a one way trip
His earthly pleasures
Are but for a moment
Soon life as he knows it
Comes to an end
His skeleton reverts to dust
His soul never explored
Eternal life as it marched by
Not stopping at his location
As it situates itself
High on a shelf
Out of his reach
Since he never really listened
As the minister preached
His soul being lifeless
His spirit not communing
With God’s

By ELM
October 16, 2021

“…The triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy
of the godless and defiled is but for a moment?”
Job 20:5 (The Amplified Bible)
In Context: Job 20:4-17 

October 10th, 2021

Building Altars

When Noah came out of the ark,
He soon built an altar
On which he offered
Burnt offerings.
Clean beasts he slaughtered.

When Abraham dwelt
In the plain of Mamre,
He built an altar.
Later in the land of Moriah
 On an altar he placed
A member of his family.

Jacob went to Bethel
And there he dwelled.
He made an altar
Before he met
Esau his brother.

Moses built an altar
And named it Jehovahnissi
For the Lord would have
War with Amalek as
Witnessed by men’s eyes.

By ELM
November 21, 2020

“And Noah builded an altar unto the Lord;
and took of every clean beast, and of every
clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar.”
Genesis 8:20 (KJV) 

September 26th, 2021

There Is Hope for a Tree

There is hope for a tree.
Its roots are still alive
If a living tree is cut down.
It can sprout again
In the shape of a shoot.

If Jesus is my root,
If he inhabits my heart,
I can spud again
Like the branch of a tree.
Surely there is promise for me.

If I wear my heavenly crown,
I can cultivate fruit.
Of Jesus I must stay in pursuit.

If the tree’s stump has decayed,
If the roots have grown old,
It may sprout again and bud.
This no man can dispute.

Jesus was nailed to a stud.
He died but now is alive.
There is hope for a tree
And hope for me.

By ELM
September 20, 2021

“For there is hope for a tree –
if it’s cut down it sprouts again,
and grows tender, new branches.”
Job 14:7 (TLB).

September 19th, 2021

For Though He Wounds

For though he wounds,
For though he injures,
God does mend.

Correction may be an infliction;
A blight may come at night.

For though he wounds,
For though he harms,
God does heal.

Rectification may be an imposition;
Troubles may arrive in doubles.

For though he wounds,
For though he plagues,
God does restore.

Discipline shall come to all citizens;
Difficulties may spread like seeds.

By ELM
September 8, 2021

“For though he wounds,
he binds and heals again.”
Job 5:18 (TLB)

September 12th, 2021

Seventy Times Seven

Forgiveness is my business;
It is heart given;
It is soul driven.
My Spirit shall not always
Strive with man,
Yet mankind’s salvation
Is my wise divine plan.

Men must forgive likewise
Seventy times seven.
Atonement is noted in heaven.
Redemption is like eating
Bread without leaven.
Pardons result in phenomenal peace;
Superb sensations derive from
Saintly solutions.

Seventy times seven
Is what the Lord told Peter –

A countless number.
Forgiveness bestows humility;
Mercy triggers clemency.

By ELM
July 3, 2021

“Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft
shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him?
till seven times?  Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto
thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.”
Matthew 18:21-22 (KJV)

September 12th, 2021

Consider One Another

Time should be given
To ponder another’s problems.
What weight does he carry?
Who knows when a man
Hits bottom?
Sometimes life gets hairy.

One must strengthen
Another a little further.
How heavy is his load?
To what dimension
Are his troubles?
Isn’t it good to be so bold?

Should one make a crusade
Of another’s case?
What is his dilemma?
Perhaps it is a serious predicament;
It may cause a private man
A grievous embarrassment.

By ELM
July 16, 2021

“And let us consider one another to
provoke unto love and to good works,”
Hebrews 10:24 (KJV)

September 5th, 2021

When the Clouds Are Heavy

When the clouds are heavy
The rains come down.
God given blessings
Usually spread around.
In Christ there
Are no letdowns.

When the clouds are heavy,
Snow may follow.
So snowman building
May be tomorrow.
Coats and mittens
May be borrowed.

When the clouds are heavy,
Storms may come
Bringing hail as large as
The end of a thumb.
This is when trust must
Be placed in the Son.

When the clouds are heavy,
Shades are created.
Sitting under, stories
Can be narrated.
It is the perfect time
For tales to be exaggerated.

By ELM
August 11, 2021

“When the clouds are heavy,
The rains come down.”
Ecclesiastes 11:3a (NLT)

August 30th, 2021

Mud on My Eyes

I use to sit and beg
Until Jesus put mud on my eyes.
I was born blind, but now I see.
In Christ I believe.

After coating my eyes with mud,
My Savior instructed me to wash
In the Pool of Siloam.  I did.
Of my blindness I am now rid.
From my sins I am now purged;
I felt a spiritual surge.

This magnificent Messiah
Made mud with his own saliva;
My story of revival is in the Bible.

For the first time in my life
I could see, yet the Pharisees
Did not believe my story;
They did not want to give
Jesus the glory.
He is the subject of my worship;
This is my narrative, my version.

By ELM
August 16, 2021

“Having said this, he spit on the ground,
made some mud with the saliva, and put
it on the man’s eyes.  ‘Go,’ he told him,
‘wash in the Pool of Siloam’ (this word
means Sent).  So the man went and
washed, and came home seeing.”
John 9:6-7 (NIV)

August 29, 2021

Searching and Showing

Secrets are revealed
To the studious believer.
The Holy Spirit
Exposes and discloses
Transgressions and rebellions
And mortal blunders.

The Spirit scans our souls
And sets eternal goals.
Disciples must allow the
Spirit to be in control
And cover sins black as coal.
To be sanitized saints
Is a heavenly state.

God’s will is declared
And discovered
By the Spirit’s searching,
Exploring, probing
And showing.
Secrets emerge;
Private matters are divulged;
Stealthy sins are brought to light
By the power of God’s might.

By ELM
August 26, 2021

“But we know these things because God
has revealed them to us by his Spirit, and
his Spirit searches out everything and shows
us even God’s deep secrets.”
I Corinthians 2:10  (NLT)

August 22, 2021

Scattered Sheep

Desertion from all
Would occur that night.
They would sadly recall
That Jesus had been right.

Their faith would be
Temporarily discarded;
They would depart
As scattered sheep.

The events of the night of
Betrayal could not be altered;
The Shepherd would soon
Be tried and slaughtered.

After entering Gethsemane,
Jesus was filled with deep distress.
He knew his Father’s will;
He could not transgress.

Jesus told them he
Would meet them in Galilee;
The leaderless sheep
Would later believe.

By ELM
August 17, 2021

“All of you will desert me, Jesus told them.
For the Scriptures say, God will strike the
Shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.”
Mark 14:27

August 15, 2021

Everything I Ever Did

Everything I ever did he knew;
I believe he is the Messiah.
With his words he drew
A picture of me.
He knows the Scriptures;
That was the final clincher.
My life had been a sinful adventure.

Everything I ever did he knew,
All of the old things and all of the new.
About my five husbands he was aware;
Talking to him was like
A breath of fresh air.
He knew the man I’m with now –
He knew everything somehow.

Everything I ever did
And every word I’ve said
 He knew.
Who is he? Who?
I believe he is the Savior;
I now want to change my behavior.
He wants me to love my neighbors.

By ELM
August 14, 2021

“Come, see a man who told me everything
I ever did.  Could this be the Christ?”
John 4:29 (NIV)

August 1, 2021

The Visible Display of God’s Grace

Grace showered
Gives godly power
To trusting believers each hour.

The incredible wealth
Of God’s mercy is a visible
Display of God’s grace.

The joy that he bestows
Is fragrant like a rose.
He causes a man’s heart to glow.

An incandescent heart
Sets a believer apart
Now and when he departs.

God’s kindness toward us,
A solidifying factor
So ordered before time began,
Is eternal and vigorous.

By ELM
July 31, 2021

“Throughout the coming ages we will be
the visible display of the infinite riches of
his grace and kindness, which was showered
upon us in Jesus Christ.”
Ephesians 2:7 (TPT) 

July 25, 2021

Writing on the Ground

A woman had committed adultery;
Was that her life history?
Her accusers brought her
To Jesus to see what he would do.
This woman had been caught,
But did her claimants have any faults?

Meanwhile Jesus stooped down
And began writing on the ground.
When the accusers demanded an answer,
Jesus stood and said,
He who had no wrongs
Was to throw the first stone. 

Again, Jesus stooped down
And began writing in the dust.
Were the accusers being unjust?
Around the woman there gathered a crowd;
Were they being too proud?

When Jesus stood again,
The crowd had dispersed.
To the woman he said,
“Go, and sin no more.”
O! How her heart soared!

By ELM
July 20, 2021

“…Jesus stooped down, and with his finger
wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.”
John 8:6b (KJV)
In Context: John 8:1-11

July 18, 2021

All the Fullness of the Godhead

Inhabited completely by grace,
The Holy Spirit populates the soul.
All the fullness of the Godhead
Penetrates a man making him whole.

When a man believes he becomes complete;
He is rooted and built up in Christ.
All principality and power rests in the Son,
So living for Jesus is utterly sweet.

A man must put off the sins of the flesh;
Desires of this world must take a backseat.
The believer can take a consummate rest.
In Christ alone a man never knows defeat.

By ELM
July 16, 2021

“For in him dwelleth all the fullness
of the Godhead bodily.
Colossians 2:9 (KJV)
In Context: Colossians 2:9-13

July 11, 2021

Commit

The edge of a cliff
The brink of a river
The ledge of a skyscraper
Can all be a point of departure
The safety depends
On the means used
On the commitment made
On the willingness to practice faith
But not blindly
Not reflexively
Not indiscriminately
But with purpose
With Godly intention
With reverent determination
A divergence is needed
A deviation is required
A readjustment is mandatory
Passion must be practiced
A pledge of perseverance
Should be taken by a
Spirit filled heart
This sin cursed world
Bleak and austere
Shall give way to a new one
Where commitments are sure

By ELM
July 9, 2021

“Commit thy way unto the Lord;
trust also in him, and he shall
bring it to pass.”
Psalm 37:5 (KJV)

July 6, 2021

My Rainbow in the Clouds

In the sky
It reminds me of
My grace applied.
In the clouds is
My rainbow.
Sometimes it is double.
I need men to be humble.
I need men to know
I’ll not destroy mankind
With water again.
This is a promise;
Yet men should not
Be astonished
When justice prevails.
My path is a
Narrow trail;
It is straight.
Men should not
Carry sin;
It is a heavy weight.
The rainbow colors
Are glistening and glimmering
When the Son and the sun reign.
Until the end of time
This is my sign.

By ELM
June 23, 2021

“I have placed my rainbow in the clouds
as a sign of my promise until the end of
time, to you and to all the earth.”
Genesis 9:13 (TLB)

June 27, 2021

To Die Is Gain

The most important thing
 About living is Christ.
He adds spice to life;
Day is no longer night;
Wrong is made right.

To truly live is Christ;
He is an irresistible presence
In a believer’s essence;
In the gist of a man’s substance,
The Savior of the world is a must.

A godly man’s demise is
A jubilant occasion.
To die is gain.
Death closes the door of human pain
And opens the door to heaven’s reign.

All those that know him feel
His presence when they kneel
At the foot of the cross
Praying for the lost.
Living is Christ; dying is gain.

Dying in Christ is a profit;
It is being totally honest
With one’s own soul.
If Jesus is rejected the outcome
Becomes horribly catastrophic.

By ELM
May 27, 2021

“For to me to live is Christ,
and to die is gain.”
Philippians 1:21

June 20, 2021

Unless the Father Attracts You to Me

Unless the Father attracts you to me,
You shall not believe.
It is by far the best to concede
The necessity of your need.

Unless the Father attracts you to me,
You shall not live for me.
You must be born again;
Have faith the size of a mustard seed.

Unless the Father attracts you to me,
What can you hope to be?
You shall remain a lost soul;
Your name shall not be on God’s roll.

Unless the Father attracts you to me,
You shall not have a spiritual birth.
How much is your soul worth?
Please heed my earnest plea!

By ELM
June 19, 2021

“… No one can come to me unless the Father
attracts him to me.”
John 6:65b (TLB)
In Context: John 6:61-71

June 13, 2021

Decreasing

Decreasing
I must do;
How about you?
Diminishing
While finishing
This life is not new;
A heavenly concept
Changes our view;
On this idea chew.
A tapering off
Of self must exist;
I must slow down;
I must rest.
Reaching the end
Is where a man begins,
Time after time and again.
I am earthly; God is not.
He has touched
My soul’s spot.
My joy does not increase
Until I decrease.
To Satan’s temptations
Sometimes I fall;
When I do I hear
God’s call
To decrease again.

By ELM
June 4, 2021

“He must increase, but I must decrease.”
John 3:30 (KJV)

June 6, 2021

Wait on the Lord

It is not easy;
It is not convenient,
But it is advantageous
To wait on the Lord.
I am not too courageous;
I do not feel valiant or gallant,
But I must be determined
To discover if I should wait.
I don’t want to be too late.
I don’t wish to miss that date;
With acceptance I acquiesce.
I must relinquish my will and seek his.
I must take the time to give in to his.

My soul must surrender to my Savior.
I do not wish to falter or waver.
Therefore, at his throne I must linger,
But not lollygag.
I must not dally or dawdle.
I must extend
A willingness, a readiness,
A predisposition to defer to his will.
I must be expectant;
I must anticipate;
I must wait. 

By ELM
June 5, 2021

“Wait on the Lord: be of good courage,
and he shall strengthen thine heart:
wait, I say, on the Lord.”
Psalm 27:14 (KJV)

May 24, 2021

The Day My Son Was Buried 

The day my son was buried
At his grave I wanted to tarry.
I had watched as the bearers carried
His casket to the grave.
I knew this was it;
Soon everyone would split
And I would still be wanting to sit
And reflect on memories
Asking myself what if
There had been a remedy.
Then I thought of Calvary
Where God’s Son was crucified,
And the believers cried
And some men were scared
And some went away to hide.
They had been told to remain in Jerusalem
And wait for his return;
They were to abide in unison.
My son and Jesus I’ll see one day
Because God’s Spirit lives in my heart,
As He was in my son’s.
This fatherly connection is here to stay.
I’m sure I’ll have my moments of sadness,
But all depressing thoughts vanished
As I drove my car out of the cemetery.
He is not in the ground;
At Jesus’s throne he can be found.
I don’t even have to look around
Or dwell on old memories
Because my son believed,
And his sins were forgiven.
One day I’m going to heaven too,
So I’ve decided not to be blue.

By ELM
May 24, 2021

“What manner of communications are these that ye
have one to another, as you walk, and are sad….”

Luke 24:7

May 21, 2021

Unto Me Turn

Unto me turn
And learn
What that entails,
What that implies,
What that signifies.
With me dwell.

Unto me turn
And build a firm
Foundation
Upon me, the Rock.
Heed my knock;
Consist of my flock.

Unto me turn
And be concerned
For your brother lost.
Remember my cross.
In the waves you are tossed;
Of me please yearn.

Unto me turn;
Grace you can’t earn.
Life in me is a gift
So don’t drift.
I’ll welcome you home;
Tis where you belong.

By ELM
May 18, 2021

“Turn ye unto me, saith the
 Lord of hosts, and I will turn unto you,
saith the Lord of hosts.”
Zechariah 1:3 (KJV)

May 16, 2021

I Will Give You Rest

I will give you rest
When your life is a mess,
When you’re dealing with stress,
When your sins you need to confess.

Come to me
When you know sin is deadly,
When your burdens are heavy.
 I’m coming, so you better get ready.

Come to me
All of you that labor,
As you live on God’s acre,
As you love your neighbor.

I will give you rest
As you try to do your best,
When you are being oppressed,
When your sins you need to confess.

By ELM
May 15, 2021

“Come unto me, all ye that labor and are
heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” 
Matthew 11:28 (KJV)

May 9, 2021

So Close to the Edge of the Cliff 

I came so close to the edge of the cliff!
Satan’s snare I did sniff!
Just getting a whiff
Of sin can shift a man.

It only takes a smidgen,
And a man can land in a pig pen,
Then he will imagine what might have been.

You see; I was envious,
So I could not be victorious
In my stroll with Christ.
How dark the night!

I came so close to the edge of the cliff!
How wide and deep is Sin’s abyss!
A man will detect everything amiss.

My feet were slithering like two snakes,
Sliding and straying away.
Bad ways sometimes seem right,
But I knew better after some days.

I was arrogant and insolent;
I was conceited and impudent.
Sin’s precipice ended in a deep ravine.
At the edge of the cliff, I saw my need.

By ELM
April 28, 2021

“… I came so close to the edge of the cliff!  My
feet were slipping and I was almost gone.  For I was
envious of the prosperity of the proud and wicked.”
Psalm 73:2-3 (TLB)

May 2, 2021

Disputing and Persuading 

Disputing and persuading
Challenging and convincing

Questioning those who
Opposed the gospel
Denying Christ had come
Rejecting him as God’s Son
Paul winning the souls of some

Disputing and persuading
Contending and coaxing

In the synagogue preaching boldly
In the synagogue teaching strongly
Believing Christ crucified
Revealing Christ sanctified
Paul pleading promptly

Disputing and persuading
Contesting and compelling

By ELM
March 12, 2021

 “And he went into the synagogue,
and spoke boldly for the space of
three months, disputing and persuading
the things concerning the kingdom of God.”
Acts 19:8 (KJV)

April 25, 2021

Handkerchiefs and Aprons

Divine circuits
Raced through
 Paul’s handkerchiefs
As diseases vanished
Ending much anguish
To those tormented.
Men were now thankful
As these cloths,
Which were given at no cost,
Touched their bodies
Diminishing and eliminating
Infections and afflictions.

Miraculous miracles
Mesmerized morbid men
As Paul’s aprons stirred
Curative capabilities
Increasing men’s potentials
As healthy witnesses
Embracing and expounding
Salvation’s gospel.

Handkerchiefs and aprons
Placed on men and matrons,
Belonging to Paul,
Were used to provoke
A healing sensation
To men most grateful.

By ELM
March 15, 2021

“And God wrought special miracles by the
hands of Paul: so that from his body were
brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or
aprons, and the diseases departed from
them, and the evil spirits went out of them.”
Acts 19:11-12 (KJV)

April 18, 2021

Prayer like Air

Prayer is like
Breathing air
To a believer.
Worshippers should
Spiritually give God
All their cares.
Blessings flow when
Prevailing prayer
Is shared.
God and a man
Forge a united pair
When that man’s soul
Solicits God’s throne.
The longer a man
Lingers there
He becomes aware
Of God’s
Everlasting air;
It is imperishable
And sustainable.
Prayer is
Like sitting in a
Comfortable chair;
It chases away
Human despair.

By ELM
April 6, 2021

“The Lord … heareth the prayer
of the righteous.”
Proverbs 15:29b (KJV)

April 11, 2021

Against Wiles

Against wiles one must stand
Holding the Master’s hand.
Facing foolery,
Suppressing shenanigans,
Rejecting ruses
Are a must if one is to endure
The deviousness of the devil.

Calculated cunningness,
Computed craftiness,
Compiled chicanery
Are capabilities Lucifer consumes.

Against wiles one must stand
If life is to go as God planned.
Confronting cleverness,
Tackling trickery,
Solving schemes
Are a must if one is to prevail
Over the obliqueness of the ogre.

By ELM
March 21, 2021

“…Ye may be able to stand against
the wiles of the devil.”
Ephesians 6:11b
In Context: Ephesians 6:10-11

April 4, 2021

Persecuted

An impelling believer,
A spiritual achiever,
A Christ receiver
Shall be persecuted.
He has been effectively
 Viable when this occurs.
The old Deceiver
Never stops.

The persecuted
Must be rooted
In the Word.
Christ-like victims
Should explore God’s wisdom.
They are recipients
Of God’s benevolent
Forbearance engrained
In persecution’s reign.

Evil men retaliate
With devilish intimidation.
Their hounding suppression
Is maximized by their
Determination
To ostracize Christians
From satanic mainstream
Civilization.

By ELM
March 24, 2021

“Blessed are they which are persecuted
for righteousness sake: for theirs is the
kingdom of heaven.”
Matthew 5:10 (KJV)
In Context: Matthew 5:10-12

March 28, 2021

To Rise from the Dead

I was led
As a lamb to the slaughter;
I was crucified;
I bled.
I gave up my life
To become the
Eternal Bread.
As the Son of God
I knew what was ahead.
The tomb was my bed
For just three days;
Afterwards, I rose
From the dead.
Come to me and be fed.
I died in your stead.
I suffered on Calvary’s hill
So you can live.
I can give your heart a thrill
If you worship me and be still.
This is my holy will.

By ELM
March 26, 2021

“…It is written, thus it behooved Christ
to suffer, and to rise from the
dead the third day.”
Luke 24:46b

March 21, 2021

Eutychus

The sleepiness of Eutychus
Resulted in his death.
As he took his first last breath,
A whispered silence
Arose from the worshippers.
He had been sitting
In a window in the third loft
Listening to Paul preach
His farewell speech.
While he was
Enjoying his deep slumber
Without the aid of a pillow,
He plummeted to the ground below,
Falling from the open window.
He died instantly.
Paul went downstairs
And embraced Eutychus.
He came back to life.
Blessings filled the night
As the believers gave thanks
And Paul sermonized
Until the morning light.

By ELM
March 16, 2021

“And there sat in a window a certain
young man named Eutychus, being
fallen into a deep sleep: and as Paul
was long preaching, he sunk down
with sleep, and fell down from the
third loft, and was taken up dead.”
Acts 20:9 (KJV)
In Context: Acts 20:6-12

March 14, 2021

With a Holy Calling

There is no time for stalling;
We have been called
With a holy calling.
We must be about our
Appointed vocation,
Advocating the Christ
And his sinless life.

This happened before
The world began;
It was God’s plan
For the Son of Man
To come so we can
Be embellished with grace.
On the cross he took our place.

With a holy calling
Before man’s time began,
God knew he would send his Son
To solidify his divine plan.
Without Christ a man
Is helplessly lifeless,
Pulseless and breathless.

By ELM
March 9, 2021

“Who hath saved us, and called us with
an holy calling, not according to our works,
but according to his own purpose and grace,
which was given us in Christ Jesus
before the world began,”
II Timothy 1:9 (KJV)

March 7, 2021

Draw Near With a True Heart

Draw near me year after year
With mind and soul that are clear.
Grab faith and hang on firmly,
Seeking my will and mercy.

A heart full of assurance
Gives a Christian confidence.
My love to you is a pledge;
Around you I have my hedge.

You are washed with pure water;
You are my sons and daughters.
Now draw near with a true heart;
It is not too late to start.

By ELM
March 4, 2021

“Let us draw near with a true heart in full
Assurance of faith, having our hearts
sprinkled from an evil conscience, and
our bodies washed with pure water.”
Hebrews 10:22 (KJV)

February 28, 2021

Embedded Knowledge

Instinctively and wittingly,
Every man is imbued with God’s truth.
God has embedded this like a root;
This knowledge is in every
 Human heart
From the start.

God’s plans for men
 Are deliberate
And quite adequate.
They are premeditated
And quite calculated.

Incredibly forceful
And particularly
Specific is God’s veracity
In human reality.

Although God is noted
Intuitively,
A man must accept
The Savior
Unconditionally.

By ELM
February 24, 2021

“In reality, the truth of God is known
instinctively, for God has embedded this
knowledge inside every human heart.”
Romans 1:19 (TPT)

February 21, 2021

The Begotten Son

From the bottom
Of his heart,
The begotten
 Sovereign
Gave his life
While on earth’s
Trampled dirt.

Overwhelmingly
Overcoming
Sin and death,
The supreme Monarch
Left his blood mark 
On his cross so dark.

His compassion for men
Time and time again
Has been proclaimed.

He is the Rock
For whom the dove came;
He is the Savior
Lost men must claim;
He became sin
To feel men’s shame.

By ELM
February 14, 2021

“For God so loved the world, that he
gave his only begotten son….” 
John 3:16a (KJV)

February 14, 2021

Seven Cows and Seven Heads of Grain

My confusion was extreme;
I had two dreams,
But they were one it seemed.
They had the same theme
The dream interpreter said to me.

In my first illusive interlude
I was on the margin of the Nile
When I was mesmerized
By seeing seven wholesome cows
Emerge from the water of the river

And they began to pasture.
Thereafter seven scrawny, skeletal cows
Came forth from the river,
And they promptly devoured
The seven salubrious ones.
Nevertheless, they remained
Sickly, scraggy, skinny cows.

In my second slumbering sensation
I envisioned seven heads of grain

On one stalk that were luscious and loaded.
Suddenly from the same stalk sprouted
Seven shriveled, stunted heads of grain
That swiftly swallowed the seven succulent ones.

The reasonable rationale of these reveries
 Is that seven prosperous years shall be shadowed
By seven desolate, dreadful ones of famine.
Preparations must commence to prevent
Human starvation and malnourishment.

By ELM
February 9 2021

“The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven
good heads of grain are seven years;
it is one and the same dream.”
Genesis 41:26 (NIV)

February 7, 2021

Love Your Enemies

In adversities love your adversaries;
In hostilities love those who are hostile;
In antagonisms love your antagonists;
In oppositions love those who oppose.

Enemies who are relentless,
Remorseless, ruthless
Must be remembered
In prayers of faith,
In rains of grace.

Did not our Lord do so?
Do you love your oppressors?
Do you cherish your foes?
Do you tolerate your tormentors?

If you are a child of the King,
Favor forgiveness;
Overlook offenses;
Waive wrongdoings.

By ELM
February 8, 2021

“…Love your enemies, bless them that curse you,
do good to them that hate you, and pray for them
which despitefully use you, and persecute you;”
Matthew 5:44 (KJV)
In Context: Matthew 5:43-45 

January 31, 2021

Without the Shedding of Blood

The blood of Christ
Atones for sin
Until time ends.
Wise men
Ask forgiveness
In the stillness
Of their hearts.
They become witnesses
Of the righteousness
Of the blood of Christ.
Old ways of living diminish
When a man lives for Christ
Until his days are finished.
The blood of bulls and goats
Was a foreshadowing of the cross
Without which all men
Would be lost.
There is not a need
For other sacrifices
Because the blood of Christ
Is so genuinely precise.

By ELM
January 30, 2021

“…Without the shedding of blood
there is no forgiveness of sins.”
Hebrews 9:22b (ESV)

January 24, 2021

A Lamp and a Light

God’s word is a lamp and a light;
It shines bright at noon and midnight.

His word glows in my soul’s alcoves;
With it there are no dim shadows.

A darkened trail I don’t travel;
In life’s stream it is my paddle.

Life with the word avoids defeat;
I can see God’s path and my feet.

His word I remember and read;
Christ went to Calvary for me.

His word shines my enlightened heart;
Each day with it is a fresh start.

Holy Scripture is my life’s guide;
In Christ’s word I know to abide.

By ELM
November 17, 2020

“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet,
and a light unto my path.”
Psalm 119:105 (KJV) 

January 17, 2021

To Be Consumed with Christ

To be consumed with Christ
Is the desire of a prayerful life.
A heartfelt commitment
Establishes sincere enthusiasm.
Worshipful sentiments
Reflect the depth of a soul.

When a poignant confession
Follows divine conviction,
Responsibility is acquired,
And joy possesses
Worshipful expressions.

A man’s righteousness
Must be based
 On Christ’s faithfulness.
For a man to know God,
He must acknowledge
His own iniquities
And deficiencies,
And believe God’s
Confidential forgiveness.

By ELM
November 16, 2020

“My passion is to be consumed with him….”
Philippians 3:9a (TPT)
In Context: Philippians 3:8-10

January 10, 2021

Out of the Whirlwind

Out of the whirlwind
The Lord spoke to Job.
He must now begin;
Trials would not end.

‘Don’t question wisdom
From your ignorance.
Who created earth?
Do you know your worth?’

‘I laid the groundwork
Knowing dimensions.
I made your framework.
I’m your redemption.’

‘I kept the oceans
In their boundaries.
I laid foundations;
I made the nations.’

‘The morning stars sing.
I’m the creator.
I give birds their wings;
I make the bees sting.’

Out of the whirlwind
The Lord spoke to Job.
He is man’s dear friend;
In God there’s no end.

By ELM
November 20, 2020

“Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind….”
Job 38:1 (KJV)

January 3, 2021

I Am Rebekah

Receiving a husband
I had never seen,
Believing a servant man
I had never known,
I went to a strange land.
I perceived this was God’s plan.
I am Rebekah.

I became the mother
Of thousands of millions
Who were ordinary civilians,
Yet some were ancestors
Of the Messiah who were willing
To follow the Savior,
Being very resilient.
They shall live forever
In his dominion.
I am Rebekah.

Leaving the only home
I had ever known,
Being obedient to
The servant’s request,
I followed him to Isaac
With great excitement.
A future Son would be
The promised Messiah.
I am Rebekah.

By ELM
December 30, 2020

“And they called Rebekah, and said unto her,
Wilt thou go with this man?
And she said, I will go.”
Genesis 24:58 (KJV)

December 27, 2020

Prophet of the Highest

I am the prophet of the Highest;
For many years
The oracles had been silent,
When I came
To prepare a way.
I went before his face
To announce to the human race
That he was the Messiah.
I confronted sin
Until my life’s end.

I was the forerunner
And the front-runner
And the trailblazer
And the newcomer
Demanding that men repent.
Their sins they had to regret.
The Messiah would pardon
And he would forget.
Sins must be forgiven
For a man to live in heaven.

By ELM
December 19, 2020

“And thou, child, shalt be called the
prophet of the Highest: for thou
shalt go before the face of the
Lord to prepare his ways;”
Luke 1:76 (KJV)
In Context: Luke 1:76-78

December 20, 2020

The Trough

In strips of cloth
They wrapped the
Newborn baby
And laid him in
A feeding trough
Cut in the bedrock.
Did the baby cry?
Perhaps he gave
A little cough?
Mary kept him in her eye
As the baby uttered a sigh.
Near the trough
Did a neighboring cow bellow
As it looked at the wee fellow?
There were angels all around
Singing in the air
And sitting on the ground.
The trough was the manger

Protecting the baby
From all danger.
This baby is
The soulful Savior.

By ELM
December 14, 2020

“…They laid him in a feeding trough….”
Luke 2:7b (TPT)

December 13, 2020

Love Each Other Deeply

Love each other deeply;
This is what I planned;
The more so is grand.

I want you to love
Particularly when it’s not easy,
As you must love your enemies.

I gave up my life
So that you thoroughly
Can love deeply.

I constantly cultivate
Your love as you activate
My will in your soul.

Persistently praying
And continually obeying
Nurtures your love for each other.

My love is unfathomed
Yet intensely profound
When you grasp I’m around.

By ELM
December 9, 2020

“So this is my command: Love each other
deeply, as much as I have loved you.” 
John 15:12 (TPT)

December 6, 2020

On My Side

The Lord is on my side
When my eyes are not dry.
When tears run down my cheeks,
In the stillness He speaks.

God is my instructor,
My heart’s faithful factor.
For worse or for better,
He’s my life’s pacesetter.

God is my foundation
Built in his holy soil.
He’s my soul’s salvation
Ending all the turmoil.

The Lord is on my side;
I trust this faithful Guide
When sadness overwhelms.
All grace in him I’ve found.

By ELM
December 1, 2020

“The Lord is on my side; I will not fear.
What can man do unto me?”
Psalm 118:6 (KJV)

November 29, 2020

Don’t Doubt Me

Blind people can now see;
Lame people can now walk;
Don’t doubt me.

Lepers have been healed;
Many deaf can now hear;
Don’t doubt me.

The dead have been raised;
Empty are their graves;
Don’t doubt me.

Many lost have been found;
Prisoners are no longer bound;
Don’t doubt me.

Behold, I come quickly;
Believe in me swiftly;
Don’t doubt me.

By ELM
November 28, 2020

“…Blessed are those who don’t doubt me.”
Matthew 11:6 (The Living Bible)

November 22, 2020

Affection on Things Above

Affection on things above
Develops as a result of God’s love.
A fondness,
A tenderness,
A warm heartedness
For sacred matters
Are relished as one
Soars the celestial ladder.

Compassionate good will
Is acquired and remains
When one obtains
The Savior’s saving grace.

A man is able to stand
By the mercy granted
By the crucified hands.

A man can be zealously engaged
When his affection is on things above.
A man’s heart shall burn when he learns
To saturate himself with biblical verse.

By ELM
November 23, 2020

“Set your affection on things above,
not on things on the earth.”
Colossians 3:2 (KJV) 

November 15, 2020

When Men Began to Multiply

When men began to multiply,
The Son of God many denied.
To worship him they did not try.

And it came to pass
On the face of earth,
Men’s souls did not grasp
The plans of the Lord.

When men began to multiply,
Before they were led to Sinai,
With one another they did strive.

And it came to pass
The sons saw the daughters of men.
The Spirit did not seek again.

When men began to multiply,
Their sins caused them to go awry.
The Lord’s grace they did not apply.

And it came to pass
On the face of earth,
Many did not try
The free second birth.

By ELM
September 28, 2020

“And it came to pass, when men began to
multiply on the face of the earth….”
Genesis 6:1a (KJV) 

November 8, 2020

Sharper than Any Twoedged Sword

The Word’s perceptiveness
And judiciousness
Cleanses a man’s heart
Of unrighteousness.

The Word rejuvenates
And invigorates
And liberates
A man’s soul.

It is like a twoedged sword;
It is like a spiritual scissor;
It is like a surgical knife.
This weapon is bladed
And clawlike
And sharper than
Any bread knife.
Sin it strikes.

To a man’s being it penetrates.
It intermingles the thoughts
Of a man with the heart of God.
A man’s essence it captivates;
It stimulates a man’s being
To anticipate
Blessings.

By ELM
October 27 2020

“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and
sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even
to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of
the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the
thoughts and intents of the heart.”
Hebrews 4:12 (KJV) 

November 1, 2020

All That Delights God’s Heart

I trust when I pray
That I delight God’s heart.
I go to my private place
That is my praying space.
I explore my Lord;
I expect his grace.

I aspire to be a sacrifice
That Christ will cleanse
With his sacred fire.
He empties me of vile
Muck and mire.
Shall my shame expire?

I intend my prayers to be
Genuine endeavors
Expressing my needs,
Emphasizing my brokenness,
Declaring my feelings,
While I am kneeling.

By ELM
October 29, 2020

“I encourage you to surrender yourselves to God
to be his sacred, living sacrifices.  And live in
holiness, experiencing all that delights his heart.
For this becomes your genuine expression of worship.
Romans 12:1b (TPT)

October 25, 2020

Calling Out for Insight

Calling out for insight
Day and night
Is a good thing.
Asking God for this
May result in bliss.

Having a degree
Of perceptiveness,
Kindled with
Forthrightness,
Adds an openness
To a person’s being.

Christian integrity
Seeks sincerity.
Godly honesty
Ensues genuine humility.

 Calling out for insight
Can make a dark
Situation bright.
Fears can take flight.
Wisdom is a delight.

   By  ELM
October 19, 2020

“Indeed, if you call out for insight…
You will understand the fear of the Lord.”
Proverbs 2:3a, 5a (NIV)

October 18, 2020

Before You Ask Him

Before you ask him, 
He knows what you need,
But he wants you
To agree to believe.

Jesus is the key.
On his daily bread do feed.
Only in Christ can you succeed.

Before you ask him,
In his grace take a swim.
Faith in Christ is never just a whim.

Jesus is full of compassion;
He wishes to be the main attraction.
His grace and love are everlasting;
Therefore, veer from sinful distractions.

Before you ask him,
Walk in his direction.
He does not want you to zigzag
As you carry his cross.
Follow his path; you won’t get lost. 

By ELM
October 12, 2020

“…Your Father knoweth what things ye have need
Of, before ye ask him.”
Matthew 6:8b (KJV) 

October 11, 2020

Of Such Is the Kingdom of Heaven

One must be as a child
To be reconciled
With God.

A relying acceptance,
A responsive alignment,
A resolute acknowledgement
Of the merciful grace of Jesus
Must be present
In the heart of a man
To be as a child.

The kingdom of heaven,
The paradise of promise,
Is given to those who 
Come as a trusting youngster
To the heart Adjuster.

Children – of such
Is the kingdom of heaven – 
Come without leaven
To their eternal home.
They find blessed rest
In a haven, a nest
Where all needs are addressed.

Men should bring children to Jesus;
They should not be hindered
With their hearts loving and tender.

One must be as a child,
Meek and mild,
To enter the kingdom.

By ELM
July 23, 2020

“But Jesus said, Suffer little children,
and forbid them not, to come unto me:
for of such is the kingdom of heaven.”
Matthew 19:14 (KJV)

October 4, 2020

Fully Mature

I have been proclaimed.
You should feel no shame
When you trust in me.
I trust you are fully mature;
My love is pure.

I want you to admonish
All believers.
You must not let
The old deceiver
Lessen your joyfulness
That you possess.

There should be
A flowering in your soul.
My desire is that you
Continue to grow.
A contemplative calmness
Should take hold
As you let me have control.

Find yourself fully mature.
Problems you must endure
So be at home in prayer.
Perpetuate an
Awareness that I care.

By ELM
September 7, 2020

“He is the one we proclaim, admonishing 
and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that
we may present everyone fully mature in Christ.”
Colossians 1:28 (NIV)