Sometimes it seems that Jesus is

my only lifelong friend.

What Joy to know, that I am His,

who loves my heart to tend!

---

That earthly friends are often full

of thoughts of their own lives,

I understand it as a rule,

but heart within me strives.

---

To spend some moments on my own

I find the peace I need,

while Jesus sits upon the Throne

and by my side to lead.

---

The challenges of daily tests

may tempt me wonder, “Why?”

My Jesus leads apart to rest,

to on His shoulder cry.

---

There’s wonder, “When I’ve breathed my last,

“will I bring You Glory, Lord?

“Have I on your cross my sins all cast?

“Am I living by Your Word?”

---

But Jesus is my lifelong Friend.

He walks me on the Glory Road.

He carries me, not points to send

when I do shoulder heavy load.

---

“I love you, Son. I bore the cross.

I rose up from the grave.

I came to take your every dross.

I live to fully save.”

---

by Jay O’Toole

on April 20th, 2019

Mark 5:41; Matthew 19:14

---

This Jesus loves the little child.

His kingdom is of them.

He holds them soft and touches mild.

Their hearts He all would win.

---

One little girl was dead and gone

upon her precious bed.

He took her hand and life was drawn

with joy in hope was led.

---

Some parents brought their little ones

to Jesus for His touch.

His students thought the raucous sums

were for Him just too much.

---

He sternly spoke, “Permit them come.

“These little ones I love.

“If you would know my kingdom’s plumb,

the child’s a cut above.”

---

The child is safe in Jesus’ heart.

He will not harm a reed.

with smoking flax He will not part

for small is every seed.

---

by Jay O’Toole

on April 19th, 2019

John 11:35

---

To know the mind of Jesus Christ

we start within His Heart.

He paid upon the cross the price,

relationship to start.

---

Is Jesus known for weeping sore

throughout His earthly days?

It seems that joy and laughter’s more

than raining eye displays.

---

Is He seen stern with justice face?

His arms are ever broad.

His heart is full of loving grace.

He’s gentle to the flawed.

---

He spoke with tenderness and love

to lives so marred by sin.

He called them to a life above

relationship to win.

---

He laughed, no doubt, with dearest friends.

He asked them for some fish.

He spent His life their hearts to tend,

and gave them hope o’er wish.

---

But when the Bible says, “He wept,”

the words are very few.

No shorter verse was ever kept

to mention weeping’s due.

---

For weeping’s not the normal part

of who this Jesus is.

There’s joy and laughter in His Heart.

Eternity is His.

---

I wonder if your thoughts could go

to Heaven’s loving shore.

Would tears be there? Would you sorrows know?

Would sadness bar the door?

---

I wonder if you’d see such joy,

not oft known on earthly ground.

Would laughter’s tongue we oft employ?

Would smiles so oft be found?

---

That language in the heights above

is filled with wondrous good

makes us to know the depths of Love

The Savior dove, withstood.

---

This sadness is the shortest verse

giving hope to the longing heart.

In grace the Lord is not averse

to causing laughter’s start.

---

by Jay O’Toole

on April 18th, 2019

John 14:6

---

My Jesus is dread Sovereign Lord of all.

One day He came to me with salvation’s call.

My sin made His Justice worthy and so right.

I had no hope to remedy my plight.

---

How can it be that right and mercy are lasting friends?

How can it be that Jesus is both friend and Lord?

Perfection is required to live without an end,

but I can’t be perfect says His own Word.

---

The cross of Christ has made amends,

that Sovereign Lord can be my friend.

His loving servant and His bride

made dear by grace. I need not hide.

---

By His own Will we’re made complete

to live with Him and with Him eat.

The fear of Hell need never harm

the saint, who’s free from sin’s deep charm.

---

Though once I was His enemy,

I’ve been redeemed, forever free.

And now in joy, I’m made His friend.

This relationship will never end.

---

by Jay O’Toole

on April 17th, 2019

Philippians 2:13

John 3:16

---

This Jesus is the Son of God.

He is the Son of Man.

His Holiness we aye applaud,

full bowing by His Plan.

---

His Justice is forever true.

His Mercy’s from His Heart.

Clear judgment stands all through and through,

while Mercy attends from the start.

---

He’s 100% of the Living God.

He’s 100% of Man.

His death has stood for our payment good.

His life for ours now stands.

---

To know Him as He fully is

is beyond my mind to know.

I do joy that He for me now lives

and causes me to grow.

---

by Jay O’Toole

on April 16th, 2019

The Master has a healing touch

He lifts believing hearts.

The joy He brings is very much

to those, who need new starts.

---

He raised a little girl from death.

The parents knew such joy!

To speak a life with just one breath,

Divinest touch employs.

---

A withered hand was whole one day

when Jesus told him reach,

that human knowledge He’d dismay

and followers he’d teach.

---

by Jay O’Toole

on April 15th, 2019

John 3:16

---

My sin, my sin, it grieves me so,

but to the cross my Christ did go.

My dying Lord bore all my sin,

my lasting soul for aye to win.

---

He rose the third day from the grave

to save me from chains that enslave.

Redeemed my life when just a boy,

that gifts He gave I’d serve, employ.

---

Though sin I see. He sees it not.

The Hell, my debt, He’s long forgot.

On me His love, He ever pours.

The former vile, He now adores.

---

I wonder if this life I live

is really all my best to give.

Oh, Savior, are you pleased with me,

the one You set from sin all free?

---

To measure self with untrue stick

is wading through a slough so thick,

but measuring by Christ’s blessed Gift

will heart restore and soul thus lift.

---

by Jay O’Toole

on April 14th, 2019

Philippians 2:13

---

To serve The Lord in all I do

is quite a lofty goal.

I’d serve Him better, if I knew

to keep commitment whole.

---

The meager steps I take each day

seem smaller than His worth.

Have I the right to plainly say,

“I’m changed by the new birth?”

---

The timeless words of Gospel song

are helps to flagging heart

for little is much, even when I’m wrong,

that hope again may start.

---

The Christian’s way can’t perfect be

for we aren’t perfect, yet.

The hope of Christ remains in me.

I’m ever in His debt.

---

But debts to Christ can ne’er be paid

for human strength is sin.

The whole of Sin was on Him laid

The Victory to win.

---

Now, service to The Lord of lords

is always in His Power,

that when I act or speak some words,

’twill redound unto that Hour.

---

Yet, even credit of my good

is crown, that I shall throw,

before the feet of One, Who’s Good,

Who more I’ll ever know.

---

by Jay O’Toole

on April 13th, 2019

Can we yet see The Lord of Life

at work ‘mid dying days?

Is there still hope, that daily strife

results in His great praise?

---

The sun came up this morn again.

My lungs still take their breath.

Though sadness threatens all to win,

the heart still beats o’er death.

---

The Earth spins on its axis true.

It gallops around old Sol.

This Jesus loves the soul of you,

redeeming you as whole.

---

The days of Earth have good and bad,

that weary the human core,

but focused eyes remain so glad

for Jesus we adore.

---

by Jay O’Toole

on April 12th, 2019

Matthew 1:18-25

---

“The virgin will give a man his birth.

“He’s Jesus, saving Lord

“to give His people greatest worth

“as stated in God’s Word.”

---

“Behold, a virgin great with child

will bring forth loving son.

“His name, Emmanuel, meek and mild,

is God, the Only One.”

Isaiah 7:14

---

“So, Joseph, son of David’s line,

be not afraid to take this wife

“for Grace will be to thee most kind

and Mary will complete thy life.”

---

“The child within her’s Holy, Divine.

no sin nor shame need cause thee hide

“The Holy Spirit’s craft is fine.

His hand’s on you, your way to guide.”

---

The Truth of God may tempt us fear

for oft it goes beyond the mind.

Just trust The Lord before it’s clear.

The understanding oft is blind.

The God, who loves us, holds us dear,

is all we need, the way to find.

Proverbs 3:5-6

---

by Jay O’Toole

on April 11th, 2019