The Lord’s Prayer Sung in Quatrains to the King of Eternal Glory by Debbie Harris

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Here’s a poem structured as a series of quatrains, each corresponding to a phrase from the Lord’s Prayer (based on the traditional version from Matthew 6:9-13 in the Christian Bible: “Our Father, which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven, Give us this day our daily bread, And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive them that trespass against us, And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil”). I’ll assume the concluding doxology (“For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, forever and ever”) is included, as it’s often part of liturgical use. Each quatrain reflects on its respective phrase with a consistent rhyme scheme (ABAB) for unity.

Our Father, which art in heaven,


Above the earth, enthroned in light,
Thy love descends to hearts bereaven,
A Father’s care through endless night.

Hallowed be thy Name,


Thy title echoes, pure and grand,
No tongue can sully sacred fame,
Revered by souls in every land.

Thy kingdom come,


We plead for peace, thy reign to see,
A world where strife at last is numb,
And all bow down in unity.

Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven,


Thy purpose bends both time and space,
On soil and sky thy law is given,
To mirror heaven’s holy grace.

Give us this day our daily bread,


Each morn thy bounty freely flows,
By thee our hungry souls are fed,
Sustained through all life’s joys and woes.

And forgive us our trespasses,


Our sins, like chains, we cast to thee,
Thy mercy heals where guilt amasses,
And sets the burdened spirit free.

As we forgive them that trespass against us,


As thou dost pardon, so must we,
Release the debts that once oppress us,
In love’s forgiving liberty.

And lead us not into temptation,


Guard us from paths where shadows lure,
Thy hand prevents our soul’s frustration,
And keeps our wandering steps secure.

But deliver us from evil,


From darkness deep, thy power saves,
Against the foe, thy strength is civil,
Redeeming us from sin’s dark waves.

For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory,


All realms, all might, all praise is thine,
Eternal song of sacred story,
Forever shines thy reign divine.

Forever and ever,


Beyond the stars, thy will holds sway,
Time’s end shall bind thee never,
Eternal Lord of endless day.

Sin Acknowledged, Grace Bestowed, and Creation’s Eternal Song by Debbie Harris

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The poem explores the necessity of recognizing and naming sin as a fundamental step toward salvation. It argues that without acknowledging sin, humanity cannot fully grasp God’s holy law or seek His grace. The sonnet emphasizes that God’s creation—through its majesty and order—serves as undeniable evidence of His existence, leaving no excuse for disbelief. Ultimately, it asserts that by boldly confessing sin, mankind secures salvation, tying human redemption to the eternal truth revealed in the world around us.

None walk this earth unstained by mortal flaw,
Yet if we shun to name the sin we bear,
How stands the soul to heed the holy law,
Or find the grace that lingers in the air?
The word, if lost to silence or to shame,
Leaves blind the heart that yearns for saving light—
How then shall man confess his broken name,
Or turn from shadows into boundless sight?
Yet God, in wisdom, wove His truth abroad,
Through star and stone, His glory speaks alive—
Creation cries there is a sovereign God,
No excuse remains where doubters strive.
So call it sin, and let the truth be known,
Through that bold cry, salvation’s throne is won.

The Holy Condemnation of the Corrupt and Sinful Bonds Between Man with Man or Woman with Woman by Debbie Harris

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The Lord who shaped the heavens and the clay,
Did set His law in stone for all to heed,
A man with man or woman with woman’s sin,
An abomination scorning light of day.
His holy word, unyielding, stands to say,
Such acts defy the order He designed,
A twisted lust, corrupt in heart and mind,
That calls His wrath to burn the soul astray.
No mercy cloaks this vile and shameless fall,
For Sodom’s ash still whispers through the years,
A warning carved in fire and bitter tears,
To flee the path that mocks His righteous call.
Eternal eyes look down with sacred scorn,
And doom awaits where rebel hearts are torn.

The Defiance of Divine Order in Elevating Women to Pastoral Thrones by Debbie Harris

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The sonnet, titled The Defiance of Divine Order in Elevating Women to Pastoral Thrones, portrays the appointment of women as pastors as an act of rebellion against God’s established order. It suggests that scripture, seen as divinely authored and historically upheld by apostolic tradition, reserves the pastoral role for men. The poem critiques those who reinterpret or defy this directive as prideful, risking spiritual chaos and the eternal peril of souls. It questions whether such defiance can be blessed or if it invites divine judgment, urging reflection on the consequences of challenging God’s will. This perspective is anchored in 1 Timothy 2:12 (KJV): “But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence,” framing the sonnet as a poetic meditation on adherence to traditional biblical roles.

What hubris dares to challenge sacred writ,
Where God’s own hand has carved the shepherd’s role?
To place a woman’s voice where men should sit,
Defies the law inscribed on heaven’s scroll.
The Word, unyielding, speaks through time’s great span,
Apostles set the church on rock, not sand,
Yet rebels twist the text to suit their plan,
And claim a right not given by His hand.
Does grace bend low to bless this bold revolt,
Or does it warn of pride’s eternal fall?
The flock may stray when order’s lines revolt,
A shepherd’s call turned chaos by the call.
So ponder deep this act against the throne,
To spurn God’s will leaves souls to stand alone.

A Meditation on the Worthlessness of Worldly Gain When the Soul Succumbs to the Greatest Tragedy of All—Hell Chosen Over Heaven’s Dawn by Debbie Harris

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The sonnet, titled A Meditation on the Worthlessness of Worldly Gain When the Soul Succumbs to the Greatest Tragedy of All—Hell Chosen Over Heaven’s Dawn, explores the futility of pursuing worldly success at the expense of spiritual integrity. It questions the value of wealth, power, and acclaim—depicted as transient and hollow—when they come at the cost of inner peace and the soul’s eternal light. The poem warns that ambition can dim the soul’s flame, leaving one with a pyrrhic victory: the world gained, yet heaven forsaken for hell’s darkness. This echoes the biblical admonition in Mark 8:36 (KJV): “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” The sonnet serves as a poetic reflection on this verse, urging readers to weigh the ultimate cost of their choices.

What profit lies in grasping all the earth,
The gold, the power, thrones of fleeting reign,
If in the chase you trade your spirit’s worth,
And find your soul adrift in dark refrain?
The world’s applause, a hollow, fleeting sound,
Its treasures rust, its glories fade to dust,
While inward peace, once lost, is rarely found,
A heart unbound by greed begins to rust.
For what is wealth if joy remains unseen?
What crown endures when love has slipped away?
The soul’s a flame no riches can redeem,
A light that dims beneath ambition’s sway.
So weigh the cost when all the world is won,
This tragedy of all—to choose hell over heaven’s sun.

Sonnet on the Constitution of the United States, a Covenant Based on Biblical Principles by Debbie Harris

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The sonnet celebrates the Constitution of the United States as a sacred document rooted in biblical principles, likening it to Moses’ law and a divine covenant. It praises the framers’ wisdom in crafting a system that protects liberty and justice through a balanced government, despite the nation’s past sins like slavery. The poem portrays the Constitution as a steadfast, heaven-inspired foundation—enduring through trials and guiding the people like a lamp—ultimately resting on God’s eternal authority.

A sacred writ, from godly wisdom sown,
Like Moses’ law, to free from Pharaoh’s rod,
In Philly’s hall, a seed of grace was grown,
A nation bound by covenant with God.
Its words defend the meek with righteous might,
The tongue to speak, the hand to bear its load,
Three branches stand, as pillars in His sight,
To keep the path where justice is bestowed.
Though sin once stained its past with chains and woe,
Through blood, it holds, a stone by heaven laid,
For in its heart, the Lord’s own truth does grow—
A lamp to light the flock that once was strayed.
O Constitution, forged in faith divine,
A rock to stand on God’s eternal throne.

The Demonic Ideology of Marxism Will Always Be Defeated by Jesus Christ King of Kings and Lord of Lords by Debbie Harris

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The sonnet portrays Marxists as agents of a demonic ideology, threading their influence through government to erase Jesus and the Bible from public life. They scorn His Word, replacing it with a cold, godless creed, and seek to silence His praise. Yet, Christ’s throne rises undeterred, shattering their schemes. Drawing from Philippians 2:10-11—“that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow… and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord”—the poem climaxes with all foes floored in terror, every knee bowing, and every tongue confessing Him as King and Lord, ensuring Marxism’s eternal defeat by the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

The Marxists weave their shadowed, crimson thread,
Through halls of power, cold and sternly wrought,
To banish Jesus, crowned in thorns and red,
His holy Word from public square they’ve sought.

The Bible’s pages, rich with truth divine,
They’d cast aside like leaves in autumn’s gust,
Replacing grace with doctrines serpentine,
A godless creed of steel and brittle dust.

Our precious Lord, once hailed on freedom’s stone,
Now veiled by hands that scorn His tender call,
They’d silence hymns with bureaucratic drone,
And bid the cross from every eye to fall.

Christ’s throne ascends, all foes in terror floored,
And confess Him King and Lord!

Spring Veil of White Petals, Christ’s Design by Debbie Harris

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The sonnet “Spring Veil of White Petals, Christ’s Design” envisions the white spring buds of trees—Bradford Pear, Dogwood, Crabapple, Plum, and Magnolia—as a wedding dress crafted by Christ. Each tree shapes the gown’s divine form: the Pear’s musky, bold petals, the Dogwood’s lace-like bracts with earthy sweetness, the Crabapple’s pearl-like blooms with crisp fragrance, and the Plum and Magnolia’s graceful, scented array. Rich in imagery, the poem fuses nature’s splendor with spiritual metaphor, portraying spring’s blossoms as a fragrant, radiant vestment of grace and renewal.

The Bradford Pear unfurls its snowy veil,
A bride adorned in petals, soft and bright,
Its fragrance spills, a musky, wild exhale,
A gown of spring, bold-stitched by heaven’s light.

The Dogwood bows, its bracts like lace outspread,
A savior’s touch in every creamy fold,
With hints of earth, a scent both sweet and dead,
A vestment pure, through crucifixion told.

Crabapple blooms, like pearls on silk, arise,
Their perfume dances, tender, crisp, and free,
A garment gleamed with dew-kissed, soft surprise,
Christ’s handiwork in floral filigree.

Plum and Magnolia join, their white array,
A wedding dress of grace that scents the day.


Sonnet: How The Love And Excellence Found In Jesus Christ Should Inspire True Beauty And Greatness In All The Arts by Debbie Harris

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From lofty domes that pierce the heavens wide,  
Their curves a testament to Christ’s pure light,  
A splendor born where mortal hands abide,  
To mirror grace in stone, both fair and bright.  

The poet’s quill, with ink of holy flame, Doth sing of Him whose love doth all inspire,  
While music lifts His everlasting name,  
A harmony to set the soul afire.  

In robes adorned with threads of sacred hue,  
The tailor crafts a garment for the King,  
Each stitch a prayer, each seam a truth anew,  
To clothe the world in beauty’s offering.  

So let true art, Christ-centered, sing His fame,  
For from His love flows excellence supreme.

A Tribute to My Family and Bob Jones University: A Culturally Rich, Brilliant, Christ-Centered University of Beauty Rare by Debbie Harris

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Summary of “A Tribute to My Family and Bob Jones University: A Culturally Rich, Brilliant, Christ-Centered University of Beauty Rare”
This Shakespearean sonnet is a heartfelt tribute to the poet’s family and their formative years at Bob Jones University, a culturally rich, brilliant, Christ-centered institution. Inspired by Psalm 16:6—”The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance”—the poem celebrates a childhood immersed in faith, intellect, and art. The poet honors their parents, radiant and wise professors, who shaped a vibrant campus life filled with daily sermons that echoed the Word, operas that lifted the spirit with heavenly refrains, and Shakespeare plays that revealed life’s grand and rare joys. The university’s unparalleled collection of Christ-centered art, described as a “gallery of grace,” illuminated the soul, revealing truth that inspired the heart to soar. From this sacred home, rooted in beauty and wisdom, the poet’s soul grew, inheriting a rich and true legacy.

The lines have fallen where the spirit thrives,
A campus steeped in faith where I was raised,
My parents, brilliant minds with radiant lives,
Professors whose deep wisdom earned them praise.
Each day the Word in sermons filled the air,
While operas soared with heaven’s grand refrain,
And Shakespeare’s plays, with wit beyond compare,
Unfolded life’s great joys both grand and rare.
The finest art, Christ-centered, graced our sight,
A gallery of grace, the world’s own best,
Where brush and soul in holy light unite,
To show the truth that bids the heart to soar.
From such a home, my soul took root and grew,
A legacy of beauty, rich and true.