Showing posts with label advent. Show all posts
Showing posts with label advent. Show all posts

Monday, December 5, 2022

Unto Us

Pondering Peace on this second week of Advent


Luke 2:14
“Glory to God in the highest, 
And on earth peace, 
goodwill toward men!”

Rom.15:13
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him,
 so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Rom.15:33
The God of peace be with you all. Amen.




For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
 Of the increase of His government and peace
There will be no end,

He Who Is Mighty

  

Unto us, so undeserving
Unto vile humanity 
God, with love and grace unswerving
Planned our peace, through Calvary

Unto us, like lost sheep wand'ring
Unto us, the angel's King
God did not withhold the offering
That would cost Him everything

Everything, for our redemption
For the sinner's sacrifice
God, for the sake of salvation
Gave His Son to pay the price 

Crushing Lucifer, so cunning
With love's plan for sin's defeat
Unto us, God's purpose, stunning
Evil's curse with mercy sweet 

Unto us, the awesome promise
Of his government's increase
Heaven came to earth through Jesus 
Unto us, the Prince of Peace

Then, from whence come wars and fighting?
Whence the lust that lures the eye?
Doth it not come from delighting
In what cannot satisfy?

Unto us a Son is given
Unto us a Child is born
Unto us, the hope of Heaven
Jesus, Star of endless Morn

Unto us, peace through God's pardon
Unto us peace to transcend
The battle of Armageddon 
Unto us, love without end

Purchased and secured, God's favor
Perfects faith and truth's amen 
Unto us, God's peace forever
As we fully trust in Him

Come, let us reason together
For shared mercies grace imparts
Let us dwell in peace, and ever
Worship God with thankful heart 

© Janet Martin







 
  
 

Monday, November 28, 2022

Hope, No Greater Joy Endearing...Celebrating Hope on the first week of Advent

Is there anything better to celebrate than hope?!!


So it begins...the celebration of the Believer's hope!
The first two lines of this poem was written yesterday morning before church


the next 2 stanzas this morning before hosting a tea-for-two-friends party, then
I worked at it again before a dentist appointment,
finally finishing it while supper is cooking!


...and what is supper you ask?
Hamburger Stew!

This poem was
inspired by Ephesians 2 and 
Titus 2:11-14
11 For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. 
12 It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, 
and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age,
 13 while we wait for the blessed hope—
the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, 
14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness
 and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, 
eager to do what is good.



Once we were aliens and strangers without hope and without God
But we who once were so far off have been brought near by the blood
Of Christ Jesus. Raised to newness, we who were dead in our sins
Unaware until he saved us, of the hope where life begins

Praise the precious name of Jesus. He, who died in our place
So that He might show us the exceeding riches of God’s grace
For His grace that brings salvation has appeared to one and all
Bringing to mankind redemption from the curse after The Fall

Gone, the veil of separation; He himself is our peace
There is now no condemnation to all who trust and believe
In the Promise that releases us from judgement’s damning rod
Through the precious blood of Jesus, He gives us access to God

Hope, what sacred consolation where the dread of death would reign
Where instead of peace and pardon a barrier would remain
Hope, no greater joy endearing the sweet nearing we applaud
While we wait for the appearing of the glory of our God

© Janet Martin





Monday, December 6, 2021

Universal Invitation to Peace

Inspired in part by Luke 4&5
as well as week two of advent and the theme of Peace

Matt.5:9
Blessed are the peacemakers, 
For they shall be called sons of God.



Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!
2 Cor.9:15



Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, 
and I will give you rest.
Matt. 11:28

Come with gladness and receive Him
Come with faith and be made whole
Lest by rejection we grieve Him
Healer of body and soul

Come, ye weary worn, care-laden
Come elder and children all
Come, young fellow and fair maiden
Heed The Great Physician’s call

Lest sin remains unforgiven
(Deathly debt none can defend)
Lest we, worldly-wisdom driven
Forfeit Heaven in the end

Lest hell’s hopeless haunting breaks us
As we wander to and fro
Lest the tempter’s taunting takes us
Where no thought or feet should go

Come, lest Lofty Dream deceives us
Come, though scorning skeptics laugh
Follow He who never leaves us
But pleads on the Soul’s behalf

We are crippled, blind and broken
Without God’s peace to console
Until we hear these words spoken
Friend, your faith has made you whole

Let the Prince of Peace deliver
Hearts, bitter and cynical
Like an arrow in His quiver
Let love work faith’s miracle

Forsake debate and believe Him
Lest doubt’s dark demons increase
Trust His promise and receive Him
Author of hope, joy and peace

© Janet Martin

When Jesus saw their faith, he said,
 “Friend, your sins are forgiven.”
Luke 5:20





Saturday, December 4, 2021

Where Still The Call To All Remains...

 Inspired in part by Luke 3

Unto Us-Living Stones Quartet




In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea
2and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.”
Matt.3:1

And all people will see God’s salvation.
Luke 3:6

Truth’s Voice cries in the wilderness ‘prepare’ for He who will return
The advent of His holiness trembles in hearts that wait and yearn
Where still the call to all remains, ‘repent, ‘be baptized’, ‘come, adore’
Before the Lord winnows the grains from chaff on Judgment’s threshing floor

Faith bows before Him in reply, whose feet we are not fit to kiss
Whose appearing will fill the sky; no foretold oracle amiss
Whose example still fills the Word, whose Truth will never shift or sway
Whose Spirit abides, undeterred to all who trust Him and obey

The advent of the Lord’s return burns in hearts fixed beyond time’s strife
While Mercy pleads where unfaith spurns the Only Way, the Truth, The Life
As believers become the voice that cries in holy urgency
Because belief becomes the choice that becomes soul’s eternity

Hark! Where the angels praised his birth, they will fill up the sky again
As the Lord of Heaven and earth returns forevermore to reign
Where the God of Deliverance tarries because so many doubt
And do not grasp the recompense of what God's gift is all about

Truth’s Voice cries in the wilderness ‘prepare’ for He who will return
The advent of His holiness trembles in hearts that wait and yearn
Where still the call to all remains, ‘repent, ‘be baptized’, ‘come, adore’
Before the Lord winnows the grains from chaff on Judgment’s threshing floor

© Janet Martin



Someone posted the suggestion on Facebook to read a chapter of Luke every day till Christmas Eve to read the whole book of Luke and his account of the whole life of Jesus!
So, before I go to bed I will try to read a chapter of Luke until Christmas.
I might not have a poem for every chapter but wow!
so much wonder in the Word to kindle inspiration, rejoicing and Hope!

Thursday, December 2, 2021

Advent Aria (for modern-day 'Marys')

 Inspired in part by Luke 1 

John 1:6-9
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 
7 This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, 
that all through him might believe. 
8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. 
9 That[b] was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.





Love is the Light that pierces the darkness
Crowning our cares with courage, not despair
Love is God’s presence in us, lest harshness
Of this old world would be too hard to bear
Mercy extends Hope’s pure consolation
Not in some Thing that at death’s door will dim
Through generation unto generation
Love is the Light that draws people to Him

Joy to the world, magnify mercy’s author
Bethlehem cradled God’s humanity
For Jew and Gentile, love sent a Saviour
Let the world cry then ‘be it unto me’
Let us like Mary, with utter surrender
Trust in He who we know will never fail
Love is mankind’s death-defying Defender
Love is the Light that rent the temple’s veil

Love fills the womb of Time with God's kindness
Love conceives and gives birth to daily grace
Love is the healer of faith's would-be blindness
Love is the seeking soul's sweet resting place
Blessed is He, the Lord God of Israel
Love is the hand that sacrifice will scar
Love is the gift of good news to all people
Love is the Light of the Bright Morning Star

Love is the keeper of Hope’s expectation
Someday all people will look up and see
Glory’s appearing, the God of salvation
Ending the advent of all prophecy
Fulfillment finished at His second coming
As Heaven descends to earth’s broken world
Where Love still waits for lost people still roaming
Love is the Light of the gospel unfurled

© Janet Martin





Tuesday, November 30, 2021

This Life-We-Live Love-Letter...

Hope; what a bitter-sweetest word
for when we hurt
then we seek Hope!

Psalm 71:14-18
As for me, I will always have hope;
I will praise you more and more.
My mouth will tell of your righteous deeds,
of your saving acts all day long—
though I know not how to relate them all.
 I will come and proclaim your mighty acts, Sovereign Lord;
I will proclaim your righteous deeds, yours alone.
 Since my youth, God, you have taught me,
and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds.
Even when I am old and gray,
do not forsake me, my God,
till I declare your power to the next generation,
your mighty acts to all who are to come.

And here is our living hope!
Matt.1:21
She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus,
because he will save his people from their sins."
So,
All about Jesus
or
not about Jesus at all
Who is our life-we-live love-letter to/about?

'Where we are in the process of shaping love’s sacred sum
Then pray for fresh awareness of He who dawn’s page is from'





I was unable to share these photos 'hot off mercy's press' yesterday 
because our internet went down while I was working on this post
and was down all day!
Here is a bit of yester-gold to brighten today's gray😊


This life of you and I is like a love letter we pen
To He who grants the grace whereby we rise and shine again
Where we are in the process of shaping love’s sacred sum
Then pray for fresh awareness of He who dawn’s page is from

The grave will soon collect the boast and bones of you and me
Then, that which matters most will unveil truth’s finality
Dawn’s page of brand-new day soon fills with ink spilled into act
Where what we do and say portrays solemn matters of fact

How subtle is the shuttle of the loom that weaves life’s threads
Reverence and rebuttal groom the rooms of hearts and heads
Where seasons lent soon disappear into revise-proof past
Where the bough bent with now and here soon leaves sheer shadows cast

Love’s weight of cares could crush us beyond ways and means to cope
Without God’s hands to cup us and His word to anchor Hope
Then, when the heart is broken, still true love will suffer long
Through that which God has spoken to comfort and keep us strong

This life-we-live love-letter is a holy enterprise
Our gift to the Creator given when the body dies
Where each new day is a fresh page awaiting our reply
Where what we do and say writes so much more than meets the eye

© Janet Martin

Psalm 62:8
Trust in Him at all times, you people;
Pour out your heart before Him;
God is a refuge for us. Selah











Thursday, November 25, 2021

Thursday Thoughts on Thanksgiving and Hope

Happy Thanksgiving to our American neighbours/friends💖

It is always touching and inspiring to watch the wonder and joy of children
as the gaze at the babe in the manger...
Pray, as they grow they will never lose the wonder
but come to know the boundless hope and joy
only faith in Jesus can give!



This kind of poem is always hard
to reel in to page-size portions.
someday we will have eternity to sing it; 
no time constraints!

(this can be read as six shorter poems or one longer poem)

When earthen vaults have overflowed
With plant-to-harvest sum
When orchards and vineyards have glowed
With garnet, gold and plum
When once again the land and limb
Is culled of ripened food
Then once again we raise a hymn
Of humble gratitude
For eyes to see and hands to hold
And fold in thankful prayer
For wonders that never grow old
For strength, love’s load to bear
For hope in God’s Supremacy
Who teaches us to trust
His lifeline thrown upon a sea
Of groaning dust-to-dust

***

Upon earth’s hearth scattered with ash
Of autumn’s fallen leaves
Where days are doffed of summer’s sash
Of dusk’s long-ling’ring eves
Where seasons, like a carousel
Spin round and round and round
Where time is like a tolling bell
Where we tread holy ground
Where all we have and hold is lent
And not meant to enslave
Where not one solitary cent
Can cheer us in the grave
Where God who fills earth’s treasure trove
Where bud and seed-gems brim
Upon this hearth we lift our love
In worship-songs to Him

***

From hands bearing redemption’s scars
Where once man’s pardon poured
From hands that established the stars
Hope’s anchor is restored
For on atonement’s cruel cross
Sin’s debt of guilt was paid
By He, who saw beyond his loss
To souls that would be saved
Then, to the God of earth and sky
With selfish heart undone
May endless praise be our reply
For what His grace has won
So when we cross that Awesome Deep
The angels will applaud
For Death will be Victory’s leap
Into the Arms of God

***

Give thanks for He whose love bestows
The blessings grace employs
Where would-be mis’ry overflows
With wonder’s countless joys
No woebegone, bleak hopelessness
In spite of woes that be
But pure and utter thankfulness
For Hope through Calvary
Where horror’s darkest hour wed
With The True Light unfurled
For, from redemption’s fountain bled
Joy’s beacon to the world
And what appeared as death at first
Where hatred seemed to win
Was but the heel that crushed the cursed
And evil wage of sin

***
For fruit of faith and field we sing
With glad and grateful laud
Where the altar and offering
Will prove who is our God
Where we will never be alone
If we believe in He
Who left the glory of his throne
To die upon a tree
Who, Lord of all, suffered life’s loss
Jesus, mighty to save
Obedient, endured the cross
To overthrow the grave
And instill to this toil and strife
Soul’s goal, purposed and true
The promise of eternal life
When life on earth is through

***

*Do not despair; love’s weight of care
Is but the tender price
And in a sense, a little share
Of God’s great sacrifice
Then, when the second mile seems long
And songs are groaned and wept
God’s grace is not inept
But tunes in us the humble cry
Not I, but Christ in me
The Rock upon which we rely
Is hope’s Sufficiency
Then we will let our worship spill
Though dark the glass between
For someday, face to face God will
Unveil what is unseen

© Janet Martin

*this last stanza was written with my cousin Wayne and his family in mind.
What trial they suffer as Wayne's MS continues to try and test,
and forces them into decisions/care arrangements 
love mourns to need to make
😢🙏💔

Luke 2:10-11
Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid,
 for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy 
which will be to all people. 
For there is born to you this day in the city of David 
a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 

It's beginning to look like Christmas...😀






Monday, December 14, 2020

What Joy? and This/His Joy!


The third Advent Candle stands for Joy.
(in spite of sorrow. Prayer request at the end of this post)

Yesterday morning at our service someone reflected on the thought 
that without what the first two candles represent, hope and peace,
the third would be impossible; Joy.
 Hope + Peace = Joy
In order to receive true hope and peace
Jesus!

Jesus suffered love's greatest sorrow
to bring mankind love's greatest joy!

What merit fills the songs we sing 
What good the festive hall 
If hearts do not receive the King 
And make Him Lord of all 

What steadfast hope is yours and mine 
What peace, comfort and joy 
If we in our hearts decline 
Bethlehem’s baby Boy 

What joy to the world can there be 
What hope can Christmas bring 
What peace on earth for you and me 
If hearts reject the King 

© Janet Martin

 Joy to the World- King and Country



Love and Joy Perfected
John 15:9-17

9“As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love.
  10If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love,
just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.
11“These things I have spoken to you,
  that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. 
12This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 
13Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. 
14You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. 
15No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; 
but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. 
16You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, 
and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. 17These things I command you, that you love one another.

The beginning of Luke is filled with joyful song!

Mary's song; 

And Mary said:
“My soul glorifies the Lord
47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48 for he has been mindful
of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me—
holy is his name.
50 His mercy extends to those who fear him,
from generation to generation.
51 He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones
but has lifted up the humble.
53 He has filled the hungry with good things
but has sent the rich away empty.
54 He has helped his servant Israel,
remembering to be merciful
55 to Abraham and his descendants forever,
just as he promised our ancestors.”



His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:
Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel,
because he has come to his people and redeemed them.
69 He has raised up a horn[a] of salvation for us
in the house of his servant David
70 (as he said through his holy prophets of long ago),
71 salvation from our enemies
and from the hand of all who hate us—
72 to show mercy to our ancestors
and to remember his holy covenant,
73 the oath he swore to our father Abraham:
74 to rescue us from the hand of our enemies,
and to enable us to serve him without fear
75 in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.
76 And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High;
for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him,
77 to give his people the knowledge of salvation
through the forgiveness of their sins,
78 because of the tender mercy of our God,
by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven
79 to shine on those living in darkness
and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the path of peace.”


Angel's Song:
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, 
praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.


Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:
29 “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,
you may now dismiss[d] your servant in peace.
30 For my eyes have seen your salvation,
31 which you have prepared in the sight of all nations:
32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and the glory of your people Israel.”


So we who believe also sing with joy
This Joy! His Joy
The joy only Jesus can give!
His joy stays in spite of hurt!
His joy heals the crushed and broken spirit!
His joy is full because He emptied Himself for us!
Hallelujah!


(His) Joy does not shift with circumstance 
Or when our faith is tried 
(His) Joy is the Spiritual Romance 
Between the Groom and Bride 

(His) Joy enters in the heart of hearts 
When faith is genuine 
What intimacy (His) joy imparts 
Twixt mortal and Divine 

(His) Joy binds the wounds beneath our skin 
And brightens darksome days
It overflows heart-founts within 
And spills forth in glad praise 

(His) Joy is the delight of the soul 
As we dwell on the grace 
Of He who came to make us Whole 
By dying in our place 

Then, as we think upon these things 
Recorded in God’s Word 
(His) Joy, is the faith that sings and sings 
As we wait on the Lord 

© Janet Martin 

We have some families in our church family
suffering tremendous sorrow at the death
of their sister's husband, a three-week daddy!
Will you join us in lifting these families
(and the families/friends of another young man 
also killed in the same tragic workplace accident)
up to the God of all comfort?

2 Cor.1:3-5
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 
the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 
who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble 
with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 
 For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, 
so also our comfort abounds through Christ.

Saturday, November 28, 2020

Approaching Advent...



Your eyes saw my unformed body; 
 all the days ordained for me were written in your book
before one of them came to be.
Psalm 139:16

(one of my favorite advent hymns!)




Miracle of Love



No matter what we dread or fear, crave or anticipate 
Or hate or love, or wish or wonder or doubt or debate 
No matter what we have and hold or lose, bind or set free 
All of our days were written down before one came to be 

Naked we came into this world; naked we will return 
No matter what we boast or brave or crave or learn or earn 
Each morn, like a banner unfurled, advances certainly 
The Doorway to another world beyond the one we see 

No matter what or how or where one thing we cannot change 
The One who saw us ere we were and nothing can estrange 
No matter who we think we are, we are his workmanship 
Created for good works in He who will aid and equip 

He saves us by his grace, not works, lest anyone should boast 
Without faith it is impossible to please Love’s Uttermost 
No matter where life takes us it is no surprise to He 
Who ordained all our days before one of them came to be 

For we who have believed (ah, mortal’s most wonderful state
Do not despair but look beyond earth’s grave-studded dirt-gate 
To Bethlehem, to Calvary, to Triumph’s empty tomb 
To He who knew us when we were still in our mother’s womb 

© Janet Martin 

Saturday, December 1, 2018

Commemoration AND Expectation!

I began a load of laundry and other house-holdish chores when rat-a-tat-tat, 
somewhere beneath my ribs and in my head a song began to beg Existence!
Night's noose of dread and weariness is cut loose by Morning's Star!
Hallelujah!

 


Rejoice, hope's celebration
Is more than we can see
Sacred commemoration
Joined with expectancy

Hope, heaven’s holy hunger
Hope, hunger’s holy prayer
It fills the heart with wonder
In spite of earthy care

It keeps us looking forward
Whilst still remembering
It mingles joy with sorrow
And paupers with a King

Come join the celebration
Where hope, true joy imparts
The candle of the nation
Resides in human hearts

As Love convicts the sinner
Yet sets its captive free
For Love sent a deliverer
To ransom you and me

So now Commemoration
And Expectation meet
In joyful celebration
Before we kiss Love’s feet

© Janet Martin