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Seared Hearts and Sleeping Souls: The Quiet Tragedy of Our Desensitization by Debbie Harris

18 Tuesday Aug 2026

Posted by in Christ-centered poetry, Exalting Jesus Christ, Holy Bible, Jesus Christ, King of Kings, Luke warm, Spiritual Warfare, Taking A Stand Against Evil, The curse of being luke warm

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Dear Reader,

I wrote these lines not as one who claims any moral superiority, but as one who, by God’s sheer and undeserved grace, has been kept from the full weight of that slow dulling of the soul the poem describes. I have not felt the same progressive numbness that has settled over so much of our culture—yet I know it is only grace that has preserved me, not any strength of my own. The same heart that beats in me is capable of the same hardness; apart from the continual mercy of God, I too would drift. Biblical theology is clear on this danger. From the beginning, sin is not merely a mistake; it is a turning away from the God who is life itself:

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.
— Romans 3:23 (KJV)

The apostle Paul warns of those whose consciences are seared:

“Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron.”
— 1 Timothy 4:2 (KJV)

and of minds that become darkened:

“Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.”
— Ephesians 4:18–19 (KJV)

Isaiah cried out against a people who reversed moral truth:

“Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!”
— Isaiah 5:20 (KJV)

Jesus Himself wept over Jerusalem:

And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it, Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes. For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side, And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.
— Luke 19:41–44 (KJV)

The danger is real and eternal:

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

Yet the same Scriptures that expose our peril also hold out mercy. God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked:

Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?
— Ezekiel 18:23 (KJV)

Christ came not to condemn the world:

For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
— John 3:17 (KJV)

The poem is therefore not a final word of despair, but a quiet alarm—an invitation to awaken, to name what is broken, and to return to the One who still calls, “Come to Me.”If these lines disturb you, let them. If they awaken even a small hunger for holiness, give thanks. The Spirit still convicts, still softens, still restores. And if, like me, you have been spared thus far, then join me in trembling gratitude—knowing that every day of spiritual sensitivity is pure gift.

To God be the glory—always and only.

The Poet

In the glare of endless screens,
sin slips soft as silk,
no longer a wound that bleeds,
but a background hum we barely hear.

We scroll past the sacred
and call the hollow holy,
trade the weight of conscience
for the lightness of “whatever feels right.”
The old names—lust, pride, greed, envy—
have been rebranded into lifestyle,
identity, self-care,
until the soul forgets it ever had a pulse.

How tragic:
hearts once made for fire
now settle for the flicker of a notification.
Children learn the language of appetite
before they learn the language of awe.
Mercy is mocked as weakness,
repentance as shame,
and the quiet voice that once said “Stop”
is drowned by a chorus of “You do you.”

How dangerous for souls:
for what we no longer call sin
still devours in the dark.
It hollows the eyes,
frays the bonds between us,
and leaves us wandering
in a fog of our own making—
convinced we are free
while the chains grow tighter
around the part of us that was meant to fly.

We have become a culture
that laughs at the cliff edge,
calls the fall “progress,”
and wonders why so many
feel the wind but never the landing.

Wake, if you can still hear.
The tragedy is not only that we sin—
but that we have forgotten
how to weep for it.

The Sacred Ache of Watching Beloved Saints Enter Their Eternal Home by Debbie Harris

18 Tuesday Aug 2026

Posted by in Christ-centered poetry, Exalting Jesus Christ, Grief, Bereavement, Loss, Holy Bible, Inspirational, Jesus Christ, King of Kings, Love Of Family

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A Note from the Poet

Dear Reader,

I count it a privilege to have grown up on the campus of Bob Jones University, surrounded by brilliant, Christ-centered, humble, talented, and faithful professors. How blessed was I that Jesus let me be born into all of this—their lives were living testimonies, quietly radiant with devotion, marked by sacrifice, and poured out for the glory of the One they served. In recent years, many of these dear saints have gone home to be with their Lord and Savior. Truthfully, I cry over every one. Yet even as tears fall, I rest in the certain knowledge that their sacrifices and eternal rewards far exceed anything we can imagine this side of glory. Through decades of faithful service, they have touched thousands upon thousands of students, leaving an indelible imprint of Christ upon generation after generation. This poem is my humble tribute—to them, and to so many others who have crossed into their eternal home.

With deep gratitude, love, and admiration
for their Christ-centered service—
a lasting example of faith poured out for His glory,

To God be the glory—always and only.


The Poet

Psalm 116:15
Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.

2 Corinthians 5:8
We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

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

John 14:2
In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

John 14:3
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

Revelation 14:13
And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.2 Timothy 4:7
I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:2 Timothy 4:8
Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

Matthew 25:21
His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

Hebrews 12:1
Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

Hebrews 12:2
Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

How my heart aches
when word arrives like evening’s hush
that a saint I have loved
has crossed the final threshold
into the everlasting home prepared for them.

I and many others were granted
the rare privilege of watching
their Christ-centered gifts unfold—
talents refined in the furnace of devotion,
a brilliance that never sought its own glory
but steadily reflected the radiance of the Crucified.

At their side I learned
the quiet art of a faith made flesh,
and still I aspire, with imperfect resolve,
to carry even a faint echo of that light
into the ordinary hours they no longer share.

Yet the ache abides:
a sacred hollow where their presence once dwelt,
a hushed space once filled with their voice of praise.
With grateful hands I release them
into the scarred embrace of the Savior
who first claimed their heart,
while mine continues onward—
marked forever by the honor of having seen,
having learned,
and still striving to mirror, however faintly,
the Christ they so faithfully revealed.

From Shadowed Vales to Radiant Peaks: The Royal Ascent of Those Redeemed by the Lamb by Debbie Harris

17 Monday Aug 2026

Posted by in Christ-Created Nature, Christian Poetry, Exalting Jesus Christ, Inspirational, Royally Redeemed, salvation

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A Note from the Poet

Dear Reader,

These lines were born in the quiet hours when the heart remembers that the Christian life is no flat path, but a living mountain range—valleys fragrant with rain and wildflowers, steep climbs that burn the legs and refine the soul, and summits where the air itself seems to sing of glory.

I have tried to paint what the eyes see and the lungs breathe along the way: the silver mist, the crushed thyme underfoot, the diamond flash of waterfalls, the clean scent of snow and cedar. And above all, I have tried to honor the Triune Companion who never leaves the trail—rescuing, transforming, coaching, cheering, correcting, and disciplining with a love that is both fierce and tender.

May these words find you wherever you are on the ascent. May they remind you that you are already royally redeemed, already crowned, and that every step—whether through shadowed vale or blazing height—is leading you, at last, into His holy presence bright.

With quiet joy and shared hope,

The Poet

Psalm 23:4

“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.”

Habakkuk 3:19

“The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds’ feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places.”

Hebrews 12:5–6, 11

“My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. … Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.”

1 Peter 2:9

“But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.”

Revelation 1:5–6

“Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.”

Following Jesus is ascending a vast mountain range,

A kingdom trail of wonder, trial, and grace’s change—

Where emerald valleys unfurl beneath silvered skies,

Rain-kissed meadows glisten like jewels before the eyes.

Behold the soft mist rising from the dew-drenched floor,

Wildflowers cascading in violet, gold, and crimson lore;

Their petals open wide to drink the morning’s light,

While fragrant hyacinth and mountain lily take flight

Upon the breeze—sweet nectar, earth after the rain,

Petrichor rising rich, a perfume that soothes all pain.

Down in those sheltered vales where shadows gently fall,

Beauty hides in mossy stones and ferns that softly call;

The air hangs heavy with the scent of pine and blooming thyme,

A holy hush where tears become the soil for growth sublime.

Here the heart is refined beneath the canopy of green,

As distant peaks gleam white against a sapphire sheen.

Then the upward climbs begin—the rocky, winding way,

Where lungs burn deep and muscles ache beneath the day;

Yet every step reveals new vistas painted bold and bright:

Cascading waterfalls that flash like diamonds in the light,

Alpine meadows blanketed in star-like edelweiss,

Their crisp, clean fragrance mingling with the snow’s pure ice.

At last the mountain tops—oh, exquisite, breath-held views!

Endless ridges rolling blue, kissed by the sun’s soft hues;

Clouds drift below like woolen seas, while eagles wheel and cry,

And heaven’s glory spills in gold across the endless sky.

The wind carries the scent of distant cedar, wild and free,

A heady incense rising toward eternity.

And there—always there—our Triune God abides:

Father’s mighty arm that rescues when the footing slides,

Spirit’s gentle breath that transforms the weary soul,

Son who walks beside, coaching every upward goal.

He cheers with tender joy when courage starts to rise,

Corrects with loving firmness when pride would compromise,

Disciplines as a King who shapes His royal heirs,

Turning every stumble into deeper, richer prayers.

Oh, what a sacred adventure for the royally redeemed!

Crowned in blood-bought mercy, by the Lamb forever claimed.

Through fragrant valleys low and summits piercing high,

Through rain-scented sorrow and vistas that stun the eye,

We follow our Savior, heart and senses filled with praise,

Climbing, redeemed and crowned, into His holy presence bright.

The Risen King’s Mercy by Debbie Harris

17 Monday Aug 2026

Posted by in Celebratory, Christ-centered poetry, Christian Poetry, Exalting Jesus Christ, Holy Bible, Jesus Christ, King of Kings

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A Note from the Poet

Dear Reader,

These lines were written not to impress the mind, but to stir the heart toward the risen Christ—the One in whom “mercy and truth are met together” (Psalm 85:10), and through whose blood we have “obtained mercy” (1 Peter 2:10).

All true mercy flows from Him alone. It was purchased at the Cross where He bore our sins in His own body (1 Peter 2:24), sealed by the empty tomb that declared Him “the firstfruits of them that slept” (1 Corinthians 15:20), and forever secured by His throne, where the Lamb once slain now lives and reigns forever (Revelation 5:6, 12).

Like the green olive tree of Psalm 52:8, the believer stands rooted in the house of God only because of this unfailing mercy. May every verse point you beyond the poem to the Victor Himself—the One who “led captivity captive” (Ephesians 4:8) and has given us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:57).

If these words cause you to lift your eyes to the Lamb and rest more fully in His finished work, then they have fulfilled their only purpose.

Soli Deo Gloria.

Behold the mercy centered in the Cross,

Where Christ the Victor bled and overcame!

Tender His wounds that heal our every loss,

Yet thunderous the triumph of His name.

Great is this mercy—boundless as the throne

Where Jesus reigns, the Lamb once slain now crowned;

It crushes sin, breaks every iron stone,

And lifts the rebel where His glory’s found.

Undeserved it floods from Calvary’s height—

No merit ours, yet Christ has paid the whole;

The wrath we earned was swallowed in His fight,

And justice satisfied now crowns the soul.

Rich is the mercy flowing from His side:

A fountain opened, crimson, pure, and free;

It turns our ashes into royal pride,

And clothes the beggar in His victory.

Manifold it rises from the empty tomb—

One death, one rising, yet a thousand gains:

Forgiveness, life, adoption, endless bloom,

All clustered in the Conqueror who reigns.

Abounding still—though hell itself assail,

This mercy marches on, unspent, unbowed;

Millions are raised, yet never does it fail,

For Christ has triumphed, and the grave is cowed.

Unfailing stands the risen, reigning King:

In every battle He has gone before;

Temptation flees, and death has lost its sting—

We conquer now, and shall forevermore.

So shout, O soul, the mercy of the Lamb!

The olive tree stands green in endless light;

Through Christ alone we claim the great “I AM,”

And ride with Him in everlasting might.

Ceaseless, Majestic Hope by Debbie Harris

16 Sunday Aug 2026

Posted by in Christian Poetry, Exalting Jesus Christ, Holy Bible, Inspirational

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A note to the reader from the poet

Dear friend,

I have sat with this truth for a long time now, turning it over in my hands like a smooth stone: the hope we have in Jesus Christ is inexhaustible. It does not dwindle with the years. It does not thin when the night grows long. It simply keeps giving. Look at Him. On His robe and on His thigh He has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. The powers of this world will gather and rage. They will wage war against the Lamb. But the Lamb will triumph over them because He is Lord of lords and King of kings—and with Him will be His called, chosen and faithful followers. That includes you. That includes me. In His own time — not ours —God will bring about the day when the blessed and only Ruler appears: God Himself, the King of kings and Lord of lords. So I keep returning to this praise, as if I have just discovered it for the first time: Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. This is not a fragile wish. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It has already entered the inner sanctuary behind the curtain where nothing can touch it, nothing can steal it, nothing can wear it out. And still the mystery deepens: To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Christ in you. Not beside you. Not merely for you. In you —the hope of glory that can never be exhausted. So rest here a while, friend. Let this hope hold you. It has no end.

— the poet

Revelation 19:16

On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

Revelation 17:14

They will wage war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will triumph over them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings—and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers.

1 Timothy 6:15

which God will bring about in his own time—God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords.

1 Peter 1:3

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

Hebrews 6:19

We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain.

Everything about

Colossians 1:27

To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

Everything about Jesus Christ,

King of Kings and Lord of Lords,

Gives us majestic, ceaseless hope

That never fails, but ever soars.

His holy birth in humble stall,

The Word made flesh among the low,

Foretold by prophets long ago—

Isaiah’s Child, Emmanuel’s call—

Now shines where darkest shadows fall.

With every word of truth He spoke,

And miracles of healing power,

He stilled the storm and raised the dead,

And walked with grace through every hour.

Upon the cross His love was shown,

The Lamb who bore the weight of sin;

In dying, death itself He broke,

Disarmed the powers, triumphed then

(Colossians’ cry of victory won).

Then from the tomb He rose in light,

The grave could not contain His might;

Ascended high to reign above,

Yet present still in boundless love.

This hope, unlike the fleeting kind

That earthly treasures may bestow,

Is rooted in the eternal King

Whose promises forever flow.

When storms of sorrow crash and break,

And shadows lengthen through the night,

This ceaseless hope still holds its ground—

A fixed and ever-burning light.

No time can dim its radiant flame,

No trial quench its steady fire;

For Jesus lives, the risen Lord,

And lifts our longing ever higher.

Behold the Rider on the white horse,

Faithful and True, with eyes of flame;

A sharp sword issues from His mouth,

He judges, conquers in His name.

On His robe and on His thigh

The title written, clear and bold:

“King of Kings and Lord of Lords”—

The Alpha, Omega, from of old.

He tramples out the winepress fierce

Of wrath against the rebel throng;

Yet for His own, the blood-bought flock,

He sings the everlasting song.

Through every age and every land,

Where faith has fixed its trusting gaze,

This hope has sung its deathless song

Of mercy, power, and endless praise.

It whispers peace in deepest pain,

It strengthens hands that tremble weak;

It points beyond the fleeting hour

To joys no mortal tongue can speak—

The New Jerusalem descending,

Where God Himself shall wipe all tears,

And death shall die, and night shall flee

Before the Lamb through endless years.

Ceaseless it flows, a river pure,

From throne of grace that never ends;

In Christ our Anchor, sure and strong,

This hope through every trial transcends.

Victorious, majestic, sovereign King,

Whose complex plan from ages past

Unites the cross, the empty tomb,

The final triumph that shall last.

King of Kings and Lord of Lords,

His reign shall never know an end;

Thus hope in Him remains unceasing,

Our constant joy, our faithful Friend.

When Winter Comes to the Heart That Raised You: Still the Blessings of the Savior Flow by Debbie Harris

01 Saturday Aug 2026

Posted by in Christian Poetry, Exalting Jesus Christ, Holy Bible, Inspirational

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A Note from the Poet

Dear Reader,

If these lines find you in the quiet ache of watching a parent decline—whether the fading is slow or sudden, whether memory still holds or has begun to slip—know that you are held by the same Christ who wept at the tomb of Lazarus and who still draws near to the brokenhearted.

I wrote these words for the sacred space between love and letting go, where roles reverse and strength becomes the child’s. Yet even here the gospel remains true: the Lord who is close to the crushed in spirit has not withdrawn His presence. His bountiful blessings take the form of His own companionship—the same Jesus who promised, “I am with you always,” walks these final miles with both the parent and the child who watches.

May these verses point you gently back to Him. May they remind you that the Light of the World does not wait for winter’s end to shine, and that every tear is already seen by the One who will one day wipe them all away.

In the sure hope of Christ,

The Poet

Even when the one who held you first grows frail,

And memory softens like the evening light,

When strength that once upheld you starts to fail

And days grow quieter, edged with coming night—

Still mercy moves beneath the heavy years.

In trembling hands that once could lift the world

A deeper tenderness at last appears;

In slower steps, a gentler love is unfurled.

The body wanes, yet something sacred stays:

The look that knows you still, the whispered name,

The quiet courage of declining days,

The grace that lingers, never quite the same.

God’s bountiful hand does not withdraw its gift—

It offers presence in the fading breath,

A chance to serve, to sit, to simply lift

The weight of love against the face of death.

So in this season, bitter, slow, and deep,

When roles reverse and strength becomes the child’s,

Blessing still walks where the weary weep,

And heaven draws near in soft and sacred miles.

Thou Crownest the Year with Thy Goodness, O Lord: An Ode to the Constant Blessings and Joyous Harvest of Divine Providence by Debbie Harris

01 Saturday Aug 2026

Posted by in Christian Poetry, Exalting Jesus Christ, Holy Bible, Inspirational, Praise, Royally Redeemed

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A Note from the Poet

Dear Reader,

These lines are set forth in humble meditation upon that crowning word of the Psalmist: “Thou crownest the year with thy goodness” (Psalm 65:11). All the year long the mercies of the Lord fail not; they are new every morning, and great is His faithfulness (Lamentations 3:22–23). Whether we lie down in sleep or rise to labour, His lovingkindness compasses us about, even as the air that we breathe, so that in Him we live, and move, and have our being (Acts 17:28).

Yet the same God who is constant in His providence is also rich in special seasons of grace. As the sun at noonday burns more fiercely than at dawn, as the rivers are swollen in the time of latter rain, so the Lord, in the appointed hour, magnifies His favour before the sons of men. Chief among these overflowing seasons is the harvest, when the earth yields her increase and the reaper fills his bosom with the sheaves of heaven’s liberality. Then is the year crowned, not merely with temporal abundance, but with a visible token of that spiritual harvest for which the Lord of the vineyard still calls labourers into His field (Matthew 9:37–38).

Let the heart therefore be stirred to inward gratitude, that it may meditate day and night upon this goodness (Psalm 1:2). Let the lips break forth in praise, for it is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord (Psalm 92:1). And let the hand not be idle, but bring a freewill offering—a thank-offering of substance and of self—unto the Lord of the harvest, remembering that every good gift and every perfect gift is from above (James 1:17).

May these verses, poor as they are, serve only to direct the eye upward to Him who alone is worthy of all honour, and may the reader’s own soul be crowned with the joy of harvest, both now and in the day when the final sheaves are gathered into the eternal garner.

With reverence and hope,

The Poet

All seasons through, each hour by night and day,

The Lord pours forth His blessings on our way;

When sleep enfolds, or waking eyes unclose,

His mercy waits, and never doth repose.

The sun may sink and bequeath a darkened sky,

Yet God withdraws not love’s unclouded eye;

His beams of favour, constant, pure, and bright,

Shine on His children through the longest night.

As some deep river, full and ever free,

His lovingkindness rolls eternally—

Inexhaustible as His own nature’s store,

It flows, and fails not, evermore and more.

Or as the ambient air that wraps the sphere,

Sustaining life, and always hovering near,

So God’s benevolence surrounds the whole;

In it we live, and move, and have our soul.

Yet as the summer sun more warmly glows,

And rivers rise when gracious rains dispose,

And air grows pure with bracing, balmy power,

So mercy too hath its appointed hour—

Its golden seasons of abundant grace,

When God before the sons of men displays

His favour heightened, overflowing, free,

And magnifies His kindness openly.

Among the blessings of the nether springs,

The harvest brings its rare and joyous things;

Autumn’s ripe glory, when the fields unfold

Providence’s gifts in liberality untold.

This is the mellow time of full content,

When hope is crowned in rich accomplishment.

Great is the joy that fills the reaper’s breast;

Happy the arms that gather heaven’s behest,

And bear away the bounty freely given—

The crowning mercy that adorns the year from heaven.

The Psalmist sings: the harvest crowns the year;

These crowning mercies claim our praise sincere.

Let inward gratitude the heart inflame,

Warm every spirit, meditate His name;

Recall, remember, ponder all His good,

Till wonder rises as it rightly should.

Then with the lips His bounty let us laud,

And magnify the Name from whom all flows abroad;

With gifts we yield, His cause we will uphold—

A thank-offering pure, more precious than gold,

The practical seal of hearts that truly know

The Lord of harvest, source of all below.

Thus may our lives, in gratitude complete,

Reflect the mercy that makes all things sweet,

And crown with praise the Giver of the year,

Whose goodness shines, perpetual and clear.

Never Build on Shifting Sand: Let No One Be Your Cornerstone — Christ Alone Is Worthy of Your Full Faith by Debbie Harris

22 Wednesday Jul 2026

Posted by in Christian Poetry, Exalting Jesus Christ, Holy Bible, Israel, Pleasing God Not Man, Royally Redeemed, salvation

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Dear Reader,

In these lines I have tried to echo the sober wisdom of C.S. Lewis while lifting our eyes higher still — to the only Foundation that will never shift. Human hearts, even the best and wisest, are like sand: beautiful for a moment, yet unable to bear the weight of our eternal trust. May these words gently turn your hope away from every mortal cornerstone and fix it firmly upon Jesus Christ, the Rock who rose and who remains.

With prayer and affection,

The Poet

Matthew 7:24-27

Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.”

1 Corinthians 3:11

For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 2:20

And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone.

Verses Warning Against Trusting in Humans

Jeremiah 17:5-7

Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD. For he shall be like the heath in the desert… Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is.

Psalm 146:3

Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help.

Isaiah 26:4

Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength.

Additional Strengthening Verses

1 Peter 2:6 (quoting Isaiah)

Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.

Proverbs 3:5-6

Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Beneath the sky’s unyielding gaze,

We seek a rock where faith may stand—

Yet turn too swift to mortal praise,

And build on shifting, golden sand.

The wisest heart, the kindest hand,

Can walk beside us for a while;

Yet every soul on earthly land

Will falter in the fiercest trial.

There are footprints, trails, and fragile art

That shimmer softly in the sun—

Sweet moments shaped with gentle heart,

That slip away when day is done.

But never lay your soul’s foundation

On any one, however true.

Come build instead on Christ the Rock,

The One who rose and lives in you.

Let human love be gift and grace,

A melody, a helping hand—

But fix your hope and fix your faith

On Jesus, firm where all else fails.

When storms arise and tempests roar,

When towers tremble, crack, and sway,

The soul secured in Christ the Lord

Will stand unmoved, come what may.

— Inspired by C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

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 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.

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 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.