Will Refresh the Weary and Satisfy the Faint: A Song of Restoration from Jeremiah’s Book of Consolation” by Debbie Harris

22 Wednesday Jul 2026

Posted by Debbie Harris in Christian Poetry, Holy Bible, Inspirational, Pleasing God Not Man, Royally Redeemed, salvation, Thanksgiving

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Poet’s Note to the Reader

Dear Reader,

Jeremiah 31 falls in the heart of what scholars call the “Book of Consolation” (chapters 30–33). The year is roughly 587–586 BC. Jerusalem has been besieged, the temple is about to burn, and the people of Judah are being dragged into Babylonian exile. Families are torn apart, homes reduced to rubble, and hope has almost died.

In the middle of this national heartbreak, God does something astonishing: He speaks comfort directly to the exhausted. The weary soul (nephesh ‘ayephah) and the sorrowful soul (nephesh dagah) are not abstract ideas—they represent real mothers who lost children in the siege, farmers whose fields were trampled by armies, and exiles trudging in chains toward a foreign land. Into their despair the Lord declares that He Himself will satiate (fill to the full) and replenish (restore what was drained).

The poem that follows draws its imagery from this exact moment in history—the desert heat of exile, the cracked reed of a broken people, the sudden river of divine mercy, and the promised return to a land that will bloom again. May these lines become cool water for any soul, ancient or modern, that arrives here feeling faint.

With hope,

The Poet

In exile’s dust where weary pilgrims groan,

Their feet like lead, their spirits cracked and dry,

The Lord descends in mercy’s silver tone,

A living stream beneath the burning sky.

He sees the soul that faints beneath the blaze,

A drooping reed scorched by the desert’s breath,

A hollow reed that holds no note of praise,

Yet whispers still its plea for life from death.

“I will refresh the weary,” rings His word,

Like dawn’s first light on frost-encrusted boughs;

“I will replenish every soul that’s blurred,”

And turn their ashes into blooming vows.

He pours cool rivers through the fevered vein,

Sweet manna dew on lips long parched with grief;

He lifts the fallen, clothes the bare in rain,

And weaves new strength through every trembling leaf.

The faint shall drink from fountains never spent,

Their cups o’erflow with wine of endless joy;

The weary soar on eagle wings unbent,

Above the valleys where old sorrows die.

No more the hollow night, the thorn-crowned day,

No more the chains that bind the hopeful heart;

He plants green gardens where the wastelands lay,

And bids the desert burst with heaven’s art.

O burdened traveler on the flint-sharp road,

Lift high your eyes—the Healer draweth nigh!

In His embrace your heavy yoke is stowed,

And rest descends like stars from mercy’s sky.

Thus speaks the Faithful, sovereign, strong, and true:

The weary find their rest, the faint arise,

Refreshed, replenished, made forever new—

Beneath the shelter of His healing skies.

The True Vine on Samaria’s Hills: A Christ-Centered Reflection on God’s Promise to Israel in Jeremiah 31:5 by Debbie Harris

22 Wednesday Jul 2026

Posted by Debbie Harris in Christian Poetry, Exalting Jesus Christ, Holy Bible, Inspirational, Pleasing God Not Man, Royally Redeemed, salvation, Triumphant

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Dear Reader,

This poem flows from a deep love for the precious Jewish people—the apple of God’s eye and the beloved children of His covenant. Jeremiah 31:5 is the Lord’s tender promise to Israel: after exile and heartbreak, they will once again plant vineyards on the hills of Samaria and joyfully enjoy the fruit as their own. It is a picture of homecoming, dignity, security, and the faithful restoration of Jacob’s descendants.

The verses linger on the imagery of scarred hills turning green, weary hands planting with renewed hope, clusters swelling with life, and the sweet, ordinary-yet-sacred joy of tasting the harvest of their own labor. At the center stands Jesus, the True Vine, in whom these ancient promises find their richest fulfillment. The poem seeks to honor God’s everlasting love for Israel while rejoicing that every vine, every grape, and every feast ultimately points to the Redeemer who makes all things new.

May these words stir your heart to marvel at the faithfulness of God to His people and the beauty of His redemption plan.

With reverence and affection for Israel,

The Poet

On Samaria’s hills, once scarred by flame,

The Lord restores what sorrow overcame.

His people plant the vines with hopeful hands,

And feast upon the fruit of promised lands.

No more for strangers shall the harvest go;

The planters taste the sweetness they bestow.

Yet deeper still, beyond the earthly yield,

The True Vine rises — Christ, our Living Field.

His branches stretch like arms upon the Tree,

Where blood and mercy flowed for you and me.

The sap of grace through every tendril runs,

Awakening the dead to greet the sun.

Clusters swell like jewels in heaven’s light,

Heavy with the wine of pure delight.

Not common fruit, but covenantal store —

The blood of Calvary forevermore.

He walks the rows at dawn’s first golden ray,

The Bridegroom calling, “Abide in Me today.”

The lame now leap, the blind behold His face,

The remnant sings of everlasting grace.

From Ephraim’s heights the watchmen cry aloud,

“The King is come! Behold the Son of God!”

Exiles return, no longer lost or lone,

Grafted as one in Jesus on the throne.

O hills of joy, your terraces now shine

With leaves that whisper of the Cross divine.

Each grape a promise, ripened in His love,

A foretaste of the feast prepared above.

In Christ the Vine, our roots are deeply set;

In Him we bear the fruit we ne’er forget.

No sword divides, no exile steals away —

We feast on Him who is our endless Day.

Here ordinary meals become a feast

Of resurrection joy for greatest and least.

Planted, protected, satisfied in Him —

The True Vine fulfills Jeremiah’s hymn.

In the World but Not of It: The Friction of Faithful Obedience and the Harbor of Christ’s Peace by Debbie Harris

21 Tuesday Jul 2026

Posted by Debbie Harris in Christian Poetry, Exalting Jesus Christ, Holy Bible, Inspirational, Pleasing God Not Man, Royally Redeemed, salvation, Spiritual Warfare, Thanksgiving

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Dear Reader,

This poem was born in the tension every sincere follower of Christ eventually feels — the sense of moving against the current of the age. The world flows one direction; the cross pulls us another. There is real friction, real cost, and sometimes real loneliness in that obedience.

Yet in the very place of conflict, Jesus offers something the world cannot give: a deep, abiding peace that does not depend on circumstances. I wanted to paint this reality with living images — the glittering crowd, the backward pilgrim, the sparks of resistance, and the quiet flame of Christ burning within.

My prayer is that these lines will strengthen your heart to keep walking the narrow way with courage and hope. The road may be hard, but it is never walked alone. The Savior who calls you also carries you, and the peace He gives is stronger than every storm.

May you hear His voice afresh:

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” (John 14:27)

Grace and strength to you on the backward path,

The Poet

Romans 12:2

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

John 17:16

They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

2 Timothy 3:12

Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

John 14:27

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

Matthew 7:13-14

Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

John 16:33

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

1 John 2:15-17

Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

Through velvet night the multitude advances,

A glittering flood of silk and shattered glances,

Chasing lanterns hung on mist and lies—

Broad road of self where every pleasure dies.

Yet one lone pilgrim presses contraflow,

Face lit by a cross that only saints may know.

Each step a wound, each breath a battle cry,

While heaven’s whisper thunders, “Follow, I.”

Society’s wide river, swift and loud,

Sweeps gilded barges toward the waiting shroud.

The pilgrim wades against the current’s flood,

A living scandal to the world’s false god.

The friction sparks—flames lick the pilgrim’s frame;

Derision howls like wolves that scent the slain.

Yet in the furnace of their scorn refined,

A still, small voice breathes peace the world can’t find.

For Christ, the Rock that cleaves the raging sea,

Has planted deep an anchor, firm and free.

No gale can loose the peace His wounds secured—

A crystal river where the Lamb is Lord.

Though friendships fracture like a brittle reed

And crowns of comfort tumble as they bleed,

The pilgrim lifts their eyes where thorn-crowned glory shines,

And tastes the joy no earthly chain confines.

O soul, arise and join this backward race—

The narrow path where Jesus sets the pace.

In conflict’s forge His image you shall bear,

And wear the peace that calms the tempests there.

May We Look Upon All Sin as Our Enemy: A Call to Holy Vigilance by Debbie Harris

20 Monday Jul 2026

Posted by Debbie Harris in Christian Poetry, Exalting Jesus Christ, Holy Bible, Inspirational, Royally Redeemed, salvation, Spiritual Warfare

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A Note from the Poet

Dear Reader,

In a world that so often softens, excuses, or even celebrates what Scripture calls sin, this poem is a quiet call to holy clarity. May we never make peace with what seeks to destroy us. Sin is not a harmless flaw or a cultural quirk—it is the ancient enemy of the soul. Yet we do not fight alone. Greater is He who has already overcome it.

My prayer is that these lines stir in you a deeper vigilance, a fiercer love for holiness, and an abiding hope in the Victor who sets us free.

With grace and urgency,

The Poet

Genesis 4:7 — If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.

Psalm 119:11 — Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

James 1:14-15 — But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

Romans 6:23 — For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

1 Peter 5:8 — Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.

Ephesians 6:11-12 — Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

1 Corinthians 15:57 — But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

In twilight chambers of the restless soul,

May we look upon all sin as our enemy—

A silken thief that glides without a sound,

To steal the light no treasury can hold.

It wears the mask of pleasure, soft and bright,

Whispers “One taste only,” then devours the night.

It flatters pride with crowns of fool’s gold spun,

Then topples every throne when judgment comes.

Awake, O heart! Take up the watch and sword,

For sin is no companion, but a horde

That marches under banners falsely fair,

To bind the will in chains none else can wear.

Call it by its true name—traitor, blight,

Ancient serpent, father of the lie—

Meet it at the threshold, never yield,

With prayer’s keen blade and truth’s unyielding shield.

Within the fortress of the contrite breast,

Where holy fire burns and will finds rest,

We cast its shadows out, reject its claim,

And walk unscorched through refining flame.

For One has conquered it who broke its reign,

Rose from the grave and washed away its stain.

Lift up your eyes, let every battle cry

Ring clear: “All sin’s my foe—and in His name, I fly!”

Stand fast, beloved pilgrim, through the storm;

The victory is sealed, the crown transformed.

May we look upon all sin as our enemy—

And run at last in freedom’s boundless sea.

Closing Prayer

Heavenly Father,

Searcher of every hidden chamber of the heart and faithful Keeper of our souls,

Open our eyes to see all sin for what it truly is—our relentless enemy, the silken thief, the ancient serpent, the destroyer of joy and peace.

Grant us holy clarity where the world offers excuses.

Awaken us from spiritual slumber.

Arm us with the sword of Your Word and the shield of faith.

Fill us afresh with the power of Your Holy Spirit,

that we may resist every temptation, reject every lie,

and stand firm when the battle rages.

Lead us daily to the cross where sin was defeated,

and to the empty tomb where victory was sealed.

May our lives become living proof of Your redeeming grace—

free, courageous, and wholly surrendered to You.

Let every battle cry rise as worship,

and every step forward become a testimony of Your triumph.

We ask this in the mighty, matchless name of Jesus Christ,

our Victor, our Redeemer, and our eternal King.

Amen.

No Cheap Grace: The Blade of Law, the Balm of the Lamb, and Grace Both Fierce and Kind by Debbie Harris

19 Sunday Jul 2026

Posted by Debbie Harris in Christ-centered poetry, Christian Poetry, Exalting Jesus Christ, Holy Bible, Inspirational, Jesus Christ, King of Kings, Pleasing God Not Man, Royally Redeemed, salvation

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Dear Reader,

From the heart of a poet who still believes the old truths have never lost their fire, I offer you this plea. In an age of soft words and comfortable sermons, where grace is too often cheapened into mere sentiment, my soul burns to speak plainly. The gospel is not a lullaby for the untroubled conscience, nor a gentle mist upon hardened ground. It is thunder and lightning, wound and healing, death and resurrection all at once.I write not to condemn the preacher, but to stir him — and every soul who listens — to proclaim the whole counsel of God. Let the Law do its piercing work. Let Sinai roar. Let the sinner see the abyss yawning beneath his feet. Only then can the Cross rise in all its terrible beauty, and grace shine forth as the fierce, costly, life-giving wonder it truly is.

May these lines find you unsettled, then comforted; convicted, then set free. May you never again settle for half the gospel when the full glory of Christ is offered.

With urgent affection and trembling hope,

The Poet

The Law Reveals Sin and Convicts the Heart

Romans 3:20
Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

Romans 7:7
What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.

Galatians 3:24
Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

Humanity is Dead in Sin and Under Wrath

Ephesians 2:1-3
And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world… and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

Romans 1:18
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness.

Preaching Must Include Judgment and Repentance

Acts 20:26-27
Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.

Luke 13:3 (Jesus)
I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

Acts 24:25 (Paul before Felix)
And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled…

The Law Precedes Grace

Galatians 3:22-24
But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe… the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ.

John 1:17
For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

True Grace is Costly and Seen at the Cross
Romans 6:1-2
What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid.

Titus 2:11-12
For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly…Romans 5:20-21
Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.

The Full Gospel – Both Wound and Balm

2 Timothy 4:2-4
Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.

1 Corinthians 1:18, 23-24
For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God… But we preach Christ crucified…

If grace alone is preached with silken tongue,
Like dew upon the unplowed, hardened sod,
How shall the dead in trespasses be wrung
From slumber, knowing not the wrath of God?

No mirror of the Law reveals the stain,
No terror shakes the fortress of the will;
The heart, unconvicted, hugs its chain,
And calls sweet poison what it craves to fill.

Yet Sinai’s thunder must precede the Dove—
The blade must pierce before the balm is poured.
Hell’s yawning gulf must open from above
To make the narrow path a soul’s reward.

For grace is not cheap alms for rebel hands,
Nor license veiled in sentimental lies;
It flames most radiant where a sinner stands
Beneath the cross, with opened, weeping eyes.

Preach sin in all its leprous, crimson hue,
Preach judgment’s fire that never shall abate;
Then lift the Lamb whose blood makes all things new—
And watch the broken rise, regenerate.

A precious soul is never truly won
By half the gospel softly spoken, mild.
It takes the whole: the wound, the spear, the Son—
Both holy terror and the mercy wild.

Thus preach the fullness, preacher, undiminished:
The bad news first, then glory unconfined.
So shall the ransomed sing, their chains relinquished,
And grace be grace indeed—both fierce and kind.

A Closing Prayer

Heavenly Father,

Thou who art holy and just, yet rich in mercy, grant us grace to speak Thy whole truth without softening. Awaken the dead in trespasses with the thunder of Thy law. Pierce every unconvicted heart with the blade of conviction, that no soul may hug its chains or call sweet poison what it craves. Then, O Lamb of God, lift high Thy cross before their weeping eyes. Let Thy precious blood cleanse the leprous stain and make grace shine forth—fierce and kind, costly and free. Raise up preachers who will not shun to declare all the counsel of God. Turn half-gospels into dust, and let the full gospel thunder and sing until the ransomed rise regenerate, their chains relinquished, and Thy name glorified.

In the name of the Son whose wound brings healing and whose mercy is wild, we pray.
Amen.

This World Is Not Our Home: Standing Firm as Evil Is Exuberantly Celebrated, and False Faith Embraces Darkness by Debbie Harris

19 Sunday Jul 2026

Posted by Debbie Harris in Exalting Jesus Christ, Holy Bible, Inspirational, Pleasing God Not Man, Royally Redeemed, salvation, Spiritual Warfare

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A Note from the Poet

Dear Reader,

I wrote this poem with a heavy yet hopeful heart. In these darkening days, we see what Scripture warned us about: Satan’s ancient mission to lie, kill, and destroy is no longer hidden. Evil is not merely tolerated — it is celebrated with exuberance. Even some who call themselves Christians now applaud wickedness and twist grace into a license for sin. Proverbs 2:10-22 reminds us that true wisdom will guard our steps and deliver us from the path of those who “rejoice in doing evil.” This world is growing louder in its rebellion, but take heart — this world is not our home. We are pilgrims passing through. My prayer is that these words will stir discernment in your spirit, strengthen your resolve to cling to God’s unchanging Word, and fix your eyes on the only One who gives life abundantly. Stand firm. The Light still wins.

With prayer and urgency,
The Poet

In shadows deep where darkness schemes,
Satan advances with cunning gleams.
His ancient vow, a venomous art:
To lie, to kill, to tear apart.
He steals our joy, our hope, our breath,
Brings only ruin, pain, and death.
With twisted tongue he lures the weak,
And sets his deadly traps they seek.

This is how you know his hand—
When fruit is poison in the land,
When promises become cruel chains,
When hatred only hate sustains.
If it defies the Word of Truth,
If it destroys the good and youth,
If it wars against the holy scroll—
Then know the thief who steals the soul.

Yet heed the call of wisdom’s voice,
As Proverbs shows the righteous choice:
When knowledge fills the heart with light,
Discretion guards the path aright.
It rescues from the evil way,
From crooked speech that leads astray,
From those who stride in darkness’ tide—
Who never mourn the harm they’ve done,
But laugh with glee when damage’s won.
They revel in their wickedness,
Exult in horror, curse the bless’d.
They celebrate evil, get exuberant,
Wild with delight at what is abhorrent.
They clap and cheer with shameless glee
For deeds that wound humanity.

Beware the ones who claim His name,
Yet dance with sin and flaunt their shame.
They wear the cross but serve the night,
Twist grace to license every vice.
They call Him Lord with lying breath,
While celebrating moral death.

The world grows darker every hour,
More like the realm of Satan’s power.
Evil struts without a blush,
Immorality met with wild hush.
This world is not our lasting home—
We are but pilgrims here below.
Our eyes are fixed on realms above,
The city built on perfect love.

The upright walk in blessing’s light,
The faithful anchored in God’s sight.
No snare of hell can bind them fast—
For dawn will break when night has passed.
Choose life abundant, pure and true,
The Shepherd’s voice that calls to you.
For Christ has come that we may live,
While Satan only comes to give
Ruin and dust and open grave.
Stand firm, O soul, in wisdom’s brave!

Cling to the Word that never bends,
Where truth and life forever blend.
Against the thief and every lie,
Let heaven’s blazing light reply.
Though earth grows cold and filled with night,
Our true home waits in glory bright.

A Closing Prayer

Heavenly Father,

In a world that grows darker by the hour, where evil is celebrated with exuberance and even some who bear Your name rejoice in wickedness, grant us eyes to see and ears to discern. Fill us with the wisdom of Proverbs that guards our hearts and paths. Protect us from the thief who comes only to steal, kill, and destroy. Keep us rooted in Your unchanging Word. Let us walk as pilgrims whose true home is with You. Strengthen every weary believer, expose every false light, and draw the lost to the true Shepherd who gives life abundant. May we stand firm, shine brightly, and never lose hope — for the Light has already overcome the darkness.

In the mighty name of Jesus Christ our Lord,
Amen.

The Watchman’s Lament for the Church in Our Time: When Preachers Trade the Whole Counsel of God for Polished TED-Like Talk by Debbie Harris

19 Sunday Jul 2026

Posted by Debbie Harris in Bible Centered Poetry, Christ-centered poetry, Christian Poetry, Exalting Jesus Christ, Holy Bible, Inspirational, Jesus Christ, King of Kings, Pleasing God Not Man, Prayer, Royally Redeemed, Spiritual Warfare

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Dear Reader,

I write this lament not in anger, but in sorrow and holy concern. In an age when many pulpits have exchanged the pure milk and meat of God’s Word for smooth, self-affirming speeches that tickle the ear, the Church grows lean and weak. May this poem stir the hearts of preachers and hearers alike to return to the old paths — where the Scriptures are opened, explained, and applied with reverence and power. Let us weep for what has been lost, and pray for a restoration of true biblical preaching.

From the Poet

2 Timothy 4:2-4
Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

2 Timothy 3:16-17
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

Acts 20:27
For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.

Jeremiah 6:14
They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.

When shepherds feed the flock with sugared wind,
And turn the holy desk to stages bright,
Where polished phrases dance, and hearts are pinned
To self’s frail throne, not to the Lamb’s pure light—
Then sermons, once the thunder of God’s voice,
Become but TED-like sparks that briefly gleam,
With tales of triumph, tips for earthly choice,

And you are enough—a false, beguiling dream.

No more the sword of Spirit, whetted keen,
That pierces soul and marrow, sin to slay;
No exposition deep of what hath been
From Genesis to Patmos’ final day.
Instead, the itching ear receives its due:
Smooth words like balm, yet leaving wounds anew.

O Watchmen on the walls! Awake, arise!
Unfurl the Scroll, declare the whole counsel true.
Let not the age’s siren charm your eyes,
Nor crowd’s applause your sacred charge subdue.
For manna light from heaven’s table falls,
Not crumbs of wit or motivational thrall.

Christ’s bride deserves the feast, not empty show;
The cross, the blood, the narrow way made plain.
Repent, ye preachers! Let the Scriptures flow
As rivers living, breaking every chain.
Then shall the flock be fed, the weak made strong,
And glory rise where TED-like echoes die—
In pulpits purged, where God alone is sung,
Till heaven’s Well done resounds from on high.

A Closing Prayer

Heavenly Father,

We thank Thee for Thy holy Word, which is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path. Forgive us, O Lord, for the many pulpits where Thy truth has been exchanged for the wisdom of men. Raise up faithful preachers who will declare all the counsel of God without fear or compromise. Restore to Thy Church the power and purity of expository preaching. Stir the hearts of Thy people to hunger once more for the sincere milk and strong meat of Scripture. May our pastors feed Thy flock with the Bread of Life, and may Christ be exalted in every sermon.

In the mighty name of Jesus Christ our Lord,

Amen.

The Two-Edged Word: Refusing the Counterfeit Gospel in the Laodicean Hour by Debbie Harris

19 Sunday Jul 2026

Posted by Debbie Harris in Christ-centered poetry, Christian Poetry, Exalting Jesus Christ, Holy Bible, Inspirational, Jesus Christ, King of Kings, Luke warm, Royally Redeemed, Spiritual Warfare, The curse of being luke warm

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Poet’s Note

I wrote The Unbowed Counsel in the shadow of the prophets and apostles, conscious that the Church stands at a perilous hour much like Laodicea—lukewarm, rich in self-deception, yet wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked (Revelation 3:14–22). The poem is no mere literary exercise; it is a lamentation and a trumpet blast drawn from the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:27).

At its core burns the tension that modern sensibilities most dislike: the coincidentia oppositorum of divine attributes—the terrifying holiness of the Judge and the astonishing tenderness of the Saviour in one Triune God. “Our God is a consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:29; Deuteronomy 4:24) is not metaphor but reality; yet the same fire kindled the bush that was not consumed (Exodus 3) and was poured out upon the Son so that mercy might triumph over judgment (James 2:13). To excise either pole is to preach another gospel (Galatians 1:6–9).

The “anodynes of ease” are the opiates of therapeutic religion—smooth words that soothe the conscience without slaying the old man (Romans 6:6). They echo the false prophets who cried “Peace, peace” when there was no peace (Jeremiah 6:14; Ezekiel 13), offering a crossless grace that costs nothing and therefore redeems nothing. True grace, as Dietrich Bonhoeffer once warned, is costly because it cost God the blood of His Son. It demands repentance (metanoia—a total turning), mortification of sin, and conformity to the crucified and risen Christ.

The structure moves deliberately from diagnosis (the counterfeit gospel) through confrontation (the unbowed Word) to doxology (the mystery of wrath and mercy meeting at the cross). Every image is soaked in Scripture: the two-edged sword (Hebrews 4:12), the winepress (Isaiah 63:3; Revelation 19:15), the midnight cry (Matthew 25:6), the fan in the Judge’s hand (Matthew 3:12), the garments dipped in blood (Revelation 19:13), and the final trumpet that shall raise the dead and bow every knee (1 Corinthians 15:52; Philippians 2:10–11).I have chosen elevated, archaic-tinged diction not for ornament but for gravity—to echo the King James cadence that shaped the English-speaking Church for centuries. The poem refuses the therapeutic and the sentimental because the Bible refuses them. It insists that the same Lion who will roar in judgment is the Lamb who was slain. Only those who tremble at His Word (Isaiah 66:2) will find refuge beneath His wings.

If the lines wound, let them wound unto healing.

If they offend, let the offense be the offense of the cross (Galatians 5:11).

For in the end, there is no other Name, no other Gospel, and no other way to stand in that Day than clothed in the righteousness of Another.

Soli Deo gloria.
— The Poet

The Two-Edged Word & Power of Scripture

Hebrews 4:12
For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged 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.

Revelation 1:16
And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.

Ephesians 6:17
And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Lukewarm / Laodicean Church & Counterfeit Gospel

Revelation 3:15-17
I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.

2 Timothy 4:3-4
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

Jeremiah 6:14
They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.

Holiness, Judgment & the Fear of God

Hebrews 12:29
For our God is a consuming fire.

Hebrews 10:31
It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

Malachi 3:2
But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap.

Call to Repentance & Awakening

Acts 17:30-31
And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

Revelation 3:19
As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

Ephesians 5:14
Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.

Full Counsel of God

Acts 20:27
For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.Wrath & Mercy at the CrossRomans 3:25-26
Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.

Romans 11:22
Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.

Psalm 85:10
Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.

O Age of silken sermons, honeyed lies,
Where pulpits peddle anodynes of ease—
A Christ recast in pastel sympathies,
Who never thunders, never wounds to heal.
Thy gospel is a mirror, bright and bland,
Reflecting back the self in flattering light;
No Sinai-smoke, no blood upon the lintel,
No narrow gate, no terror of the Night.

Yet stands the Word, undimmed, a two-edged blade,
That pierces joints and marrow, soul and spirit.
The Holy One whose eyes are flames of fire
Beholds the heart’s deep treachery unbidden.
“Be holy, for I AM,” the thunder cries
From burning bush through prophets’ scalding lips,
From Calvary’s cry to Patmos’ rolling skies—
The Judge who weighs the nations in His fist.

Where is the preaching that makes sinners quake?
The hammer on the rock of stony pride?
The arrow sharp that finds the conscience’ wake
And drives the soul, undone, to Christ’s pierced side?
Instead they chant of “journeys,” “best life now,”
Of love that never grieves, of wrath long dead.
A cross without its scandal, without its vow:
“Take up and follow”—or be spewed instead.

Awake, thou slumbering watchman on the wall!
The Bridegroom comes at midnight unawares.
His fan is in His hand; the chaff shall fall;
His winepress trod alone, His garments fair
With blood of grapes and blood of rebel kings.
No plea of culture, context, or of “grace”
Shall stay the sentence when the trumpet rings
And every hidden thing finds its true place.

Yet in that blaze of unrelenting light
Shines mercy’s mystery, deeper than the sea:
The Lamb once slain stands risen, robed in white,
Whose wounds cry louder than Golgotha’s plea.
He bore the cup thou couldst not taste and live;
He drank the dregs of wrath reserved for thee.
Repent—O ragged, ruined, ransomed slave—
And rise, clothed in His righteousness, set free.

This is the Gospel whole, unmaimed, untamed:
Both Judge most terrible and Saviour mild.
It slays the old man, burns away the stained,
Then quickens dust to glory undefiled.
Let modern prophets tremble, scribes grow pale;
Let soft assemblies hear the ancient roar.
The Lion of Judah breaks the seven seals—
Prepare thy soul. The Judge stands at the door.

He comes. He comes.
And every knee shall bow.

Closing Prayer

O Holy and Terrible God, consuming Fire and Wounded Lamb, we come trembling yet bold through the blood of the Lamb. Forgive us for peddling anodynes of ease while Thy two-edged Word lies sheathed. We have grown lukewarm and called it grace. Awaken us, pierce our hearts, and grant us godly sorrow that leads to repentance. Raise up faithful voices who will declare the whole counsel of God without shame. Clothe us in the righteousness of Christ alone. Let the Lion of Judah roar again through Thy Church, that when Thou appearest we may lift up our heads in joy and not be ashamed. Come quickly, Lord Jesus, and first come search us, refine us, and possess us wholly. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost we pray. Amen.

King Jesus Reigns Supreme: An Unyielding Battle Cry for America’s Soul Against Islam, Marxism, Demonic Darkness, and Moral Collapse by Debbie Harris

18 Saturday Jul 2026

Posted by Debbie Harris in Christian Poetry, Communism Is Treason, Exalting Jesus Christ, Inspirational, Pleasing God Not Man, Royally Redeemed, salvation, Spiritual Warfare, The Absolute Evil Of Islam, Triumphant

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Biblical Truth, Christian Poetry, Communism Is Treason, Inpirational, Inspirational, Royally Redeemed, Spiritual Warfare, Taking A Biblical Stand Against Evil, The Absolute Evil Of Islam, The evils of immorality, The evils of Islam, theology, Triumphant, Victorious

A Note from the Poet

Dear Reader,

This poem was written in fervent prayer and with a burning heart for our beloved country. It is not born of anger or hatred toward people, but of deep love for truth, righteousness, and the souls of men and women made in the image of God.

In an age when false ideologies rise boldly — seeking to enslave minds, nations, and consciences — I felt compelled by the Holy Spirit to lift up the Name that is above every name. Jesus Christ is not merely a religious figure; He is the living King, the Conqueror of darkness, the Redeemer of nations.

May these words stir your faith, strengthen your resolve, and call you to your knees. May they remind you that the battle belongs to the Lord, and that greater is He who is in us than he who is in the world.

Let us stand together — not in our own strength, but in the power of the Cross and the hope of the Resurrection — until our land turns back to Christ.

For His glory alone,

The Poet

Psalm 33:12

Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.

Additional Key Verses

Philippians 2:9-11

Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Ephesians 6:12

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

2 Corinthians 10:3-4

For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)

Matthew 28:18

And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

John 8:36

If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

2 Chronicles 7:14

If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Romans 8:37

Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

Arise, O my nation, beneath heaven’s gaze,

Where liberty’s torch once defied darker days.

The shadows encroach—crescent, hammer, and horn—

Yet Christ is exalted, the Crucified, sworn.

No rival submission, no Marxist deceit,

No serpent’s seduction our souls shall entreat.

For Jesus, the Lion of Judah, has roared:

The grave could not hold Him; death is no more.

Islam’s rigid crescent demands every knee,

But we bow to the One who knelt at Gethsemane—

Whose blood bought redemption, whose stripes heal the scar,

Whose gospel of grace outshines every star.

Communism’s red idol, with envy enthroned,

Devours the fruitful, leaves fields overthrown.

Yet Christ is the Servant who washes our feet,

Who lifts up the lowly and makes the proud retreat.

Satanism’s mirror reflects only night,

Self twisted as god in its counterfeit light.

But at Jesus’ name every demon must flee—

The darkness dissolves in His sovereign decree.

Immorality’s flood, glittering, vile, and base,

Corrupts the pure spring and defiles sacred space.

Yet Christ is our holiness, Christ is our fire—

He fashions the fallen to temples of desire.

We war not with hatred but love from the Cross,

Not flesh against flesh, but the power of His loss.

Clad in His armor—truth, righteousness, shield—

We stand on the Word that the enemy yields.

Awake, Church of glory! Let revival ignite,

From sea unto sea in unquenchable light.

Teach children the Cross, the empty tomb’s song,

The blood that still cleanses, the hope ever strong.

No creed forged in conquest, no system of chains,

Can conquer the King who forever remains.

One nation under Christ, redeemed by His hand,

Restored by His mercy, made whole by His plan.

O Jesus, our Captain, our Shield, and our Sword,

Pour out Your Spirit as never before!

The darkness must tremble where saints take their stand—

For greater is He who indwells every land.

Lift high the Redeemer on mountain and stone:

“King Jesus is Lord—and His kingdom alone!”

The battle is won by the blood of the Lamb;

In Christ we are more than conquerors—

Amen.

You Can’t Plumb His Depth: A Call to Passionately Pursue the Endless Christ(An Invitation to Dive Deeper Through Grief, Loss, and Every Season of Life) by Debbie Harris

18 Saturday Jul 2026

Posted by Debbie Harris in Christian Poetry, Exalting Jesus Christ, Holy Bible, Inspirational, Pleasing God Not Man, Royally Redeemed, salvation, Thanksgiving, Triumphant

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Biblical Truth, Christian Poetry, Grief, hope, Inspirational, Royally Redeemed, theology

A Note from the Poet

Dear Reader,

This poem was born from a single sentence spoken by a dear friend who has now gone on to Heaven. When I once considered chasing a PhD, she looked at me with sparkling eyes and said, “Pursue Christ—you can’t plumb His depth.”

Those words became a compass for my life. They have guided me through seasons of multiplied grief, through the slow fading of loved ones, and through nights when tears seemed the only language I had left.

In a world that often measures success by titles, achievements, and visible results, Pep’s gentle challenge still rings true: the greatest pursuit is Christ Himself. We will never reach the bottom of His love, never exhaust His comfort, never come to the end of His presence. Every sorrow, every tear, every loss becomes an invitation to go deeper still.

If you are walking through grief, through weariness, or through a season where life feels too heavy, this poem is for you. May it remind you that you are not alone, and that the depths of Christ are safe, endless, and full of grace.

Keep pursuing Him.

There is always more.

With love and shared hope,

The Poet (Debra)

Romans 11:33

O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!

Ephesians 3:18-19

May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

Philippians 3:8-10

Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death.

Psalm 42:7

Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts: all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me.

Jeremiah 29:13

And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

Ephesians 1:17-19

That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power.

Isaiah 55:9

For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18

For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

(A Call to Passionately Pursue Christ)

“Pursue Christ,” the voice still echoes, pure and strong,

“You cannot plumb His depth—dive deeper, come along.”

Not silver shallows shimmering at dawn’s first light,

But midnight oceans roaring with unmeasured might.

Leave fragile shores where comfort draws its fragile line,

And plunge beneath the surface of the Great Divine.

Past thunderous waves of grief that crash and cry,

Through caverns deep where hidden treasures lie.

His mercy is a galaxy without an edge,

His love, a molten river no heart can fully gauge.

When losses fall like autumn leaves in golden rain,