Showing posts with label baptism. Show all posts
Showing posts with label baptism. Show all posts

Monday, June 6, 2022

Rock-solid Build/ Race Route

I really enjoy the show Rock Solid Builds on HGTV.
This post however is about a different kind of Rock-solid build!

One of my favorite top ten things in the world is a baptism service.
Listening to testimonies of faith and witnessing the outward sign of an inward change
from the old man to the new rouses in me Joy Unspeakable and Sacred Sympathy.
Joy for the choice by the believer to receive the gift of salvation
and sympathy because the deceiver does not depart when someone takes this step of faith
but rather seems to amass its forces against the child of God, as he or she endeavors to
'grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. ' 
(This is the same Peter from Matt.16:18
And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter,
and upon this rock I will build my church;
and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.)

Growth; we cannot hurry it!
We can make wise choices so as not to hinder it but growth takes time!
Whether plant or child, whether physical or spiritual.
But until full maturity, growth is essential to reach the subject's full potential!
It takes time to grow a sprout to a tree/ sainthood..

...above, as attractive and tender as bindweed's first tendrils may appear
it is full of deadly evil!


On Saturday I once again tackled its tenacity
which has invaded my front flower garden, winding its visible tendrils
around anything it can bind. Left unattended it would dominate 
and terribly hinder healthy growth.
(below; network of roots)


A network of roots running deep below the surface makes it nearly
impossible to completely obliterate the pesky weed, 
but I noticed something as I pulled
at rocks to chase down the rampant roots. 
The weed could climb around and between but never penetrate the rocks!
What a parable as we battle the tendrils of temptation
and seek safety from deadly vices!
They cannot penetrate the Rock!
If we build our house on the Rock,
and embrace the cornerstone which is Christ
sin cannot prevail!
It is when we look away or step/slip from the Rock that we
become enticed and entangled...

Let's build and run on a rock-solid route!

Yesterday at the baptism service one of the young converts
received this verse as a memento of encouragement... 
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice
 is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.
Matt.7:24

This devotion from a few days ago also deals with the 'battle'
we encounter as we strive to live for Christ...
(full page below)


Temptation’s tendrils entice first and then entangle, oh
None can afford to wander from the grace whereby we grow
To grow in grace and knowledge of the truth requires grit
And diligent persistence by faith, to accomplish it

The gift of grace begins a race that we are called to run
For the redemption of our souls cost God His only Son
Thus, we are called to throw off all that would entangle us
Eyes fixed on the author and perfecter of faith; Jesus

This is no game, when we lay claim to salvation’s free gift
Without the steadfast anchor of God’s Word, soon we will drift
Without the armor of the Lord none are equipped fitly
To withstand the beguiling wiles of sin’s artillery

Upon the solid Rock of Christ alone we are secure
Do not despair; but pour to prayer the hunger to endure
For the joy set before us let us run and not grow faint
Temptation’s schemes cannot uproot the Rock-established saint

© Janet Martin



 

I looked up the stanza by Charles Wesley quoted above!
A beautiful hymn I had never heard before.











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!

Monday, June 28, 2021

Perfecting Love...


Life/love's blows pay no attention to heart's desire...
Hearts desire, unless guarded with God's Word 
and honed with humility, 

Because Your lovingkindness is better than life,
My lips shall praise You.
Psalm 63:3

The Creator of earth and heavens loves us with



Yesterday we attended a beautiful outdoor service,
where nine believers with totally different life/love-stories/testimonies
all with the very same ending;
 faith in Jesus, in God's everlasting love, were baptized!

One young man shared being impacted by
 the story of the dying thief on the cross beside Jesus;
how only faith can save...
The thief had no time left to 'do', only repent and believe.
It's easy to become performance-driven and distracted.
Only by God's grace are we saved and through His grace
we are forgiven and in His grace,
we are able to follow Him and live obedient lives.

Rom.6:1-4
What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?
 2Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?
 3Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized 
into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?
 4Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, 
that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father,
 even so we also should walk in newness of life.

One young woman testified,
'I put my faith in Him and it changed everything'.
When we trust and believe in Him
it changes our focus and motives!
Hallelujah!

Here is an excerpt from our daughter's testimony...
(one of the nine who were baptized)

We 'oldies' are often extra-refreshed and re-encouraged as we witness
faith's obedience of baptism!

Listening to the testimonies stirred reflection on the
purpose of the body of Christ on earth, the church...
While watching live-stream or 'screen' messages
 is certainly better than nothing, to teach and edify,
it cannot ever be a sufficient substitute for face-to-face fellowship
which produces and strengthens a bond of love and unity.

When each for the other lives
With love, with a lot of prayer
When the attention one gives
Is wholehearted in its care

When we seek God’s kingdom first
Longing for His holiness
When our hunger and our thirst
Is for more of righteousness

When we bind each other’s wounds
With compassion’s healing pow’rs
We will find our spirits tuned
To He whose love perfects ours

© Janet Martin



There is a fountain filled with blood
  Drawn from Immanuel’s veins;
And sinners, plunged beneath that flood,
  Lose all their guilty stains:
  Lose all their guilty stains,
  Lose all their guilty stains;
And sinners, plunged beneath that flood,
  Lose all their guilty stains.
2
The dying thief rejoiced to see
  That fountain in his day;
And there may I, though vile as he,
  Wash all my sins away:
  Wash all my sins away,
  Wash all my sins away;
And there may I, though vile as he,
  Wash all my sins away.
3
Dear dying Lamb, Thy precious blood
  Shall never lose its power,
Till all the ransomed ones of God
  Be saved, to sin no more:
  Be saved, to sin no more,
  Be saved, to sin no more;
Till all the ransomed ones of God,
  Be saved to sin no more.
4
E’er since by faith I saw the stream
  Thy flowing wounds supply,
Redeeming love has been my theme,
  And shall be till I die:
  And shall be till I die,
  And shall be till I die;
Redeeming love has been my theme,
  And shall be till I die.
5
When this poor lisping, stammering tongue
  Lies silent in the grave,
Then in a nobler, sweeter song,
  I’ll sing Thy power to save:
  I’ll sing Thy power to save,
  I’ll sing Thy power to save;
Then in a nobler, sweeter song,
  I’ll sing Thy power to save.


 

 


Monday, August 27, 2018

A Gift From God

I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.
Luke 15:7



Heaven's joy-bells must be clanging overtime these days...
Again yesterday we attended a baptism-service; this time our niece and some of her friends! 
I was struck anew by how, with all the differences that may be visible on the outside 
due to culture, denominations, etc 
The Invisible is the same; the only name whereby we can be saved; 
(Salvation is found in no one else, 
for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved."
Acts 4:12)
Everyone baptized in every service we have attended 
in four different settings over the past few months were baptized in
the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit; 
(Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit
Matt.28:19)

so what is Baptism? A visible declaration of an invisible transformation when we
repent and obey the command to then be baptized!
(Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 2:38)

What a gift! The power within us to fight temptation and run this race with perseverance!



Now sin no longer reigns
Where grace, not law is Chief
And faith in Jesus breaks the chains
That binds blind unbelief

Not visibly transformed
Yet oh, somewhere within
Mercy’s miracle is performed
Redeemed from curse of sin

Now the Old Man is dead
And buried in the Past
The New Man rises in his stead
And holds Faith’s promise fast

Where we no longer sin
So that grace may abound
But trust the blood that makes us clean
Where Time is Holy Ground

And grace not some cliché
Tossed lightly to and fro
But grace alone atones for aye
And washes white as snow

Through grace no one can boast
Or mortal works applaud
But glorify Hope’s Uttermost
Grace is a gift from God

© Janet Martin

  For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—
and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—   
not by works, so that no one can boast.
Eph.2:8-9


 The above version of this hymn written by William Cowper (pub.1772) 
skips a few gorgeous stanzas...
  1. There is a fountain filled with blood,
    Drawn from Immanuel’s veins,
    And sinners plunged beneath that flood
    Lose all their guilty stains:
    Lose all their guilty stains,
    Lose all their guilty stains;
    And sinners plunged beneath that flood
    Lose all their guilty stains.
  2. The dying thief rejoiced to see
    That fountain in His day;
    And there have I, though vile as he,
    Washed all my sins away:
    Washed all my sins away,
    Washed all my sins away;
    And there have I, though vile as he,
    Washed all my sins away.
  3. Dear dying Lamb, Thy precious blood
    Shall never lose its pow’r,
    Till all the ransomed church of God
    Are safe, to sin no more:
    Are safe, to sin no more,
    Are safe, to sin no more;
    Till all the ransomed church of God
    Are safe, to sin no more.
  4. E’er since by faith I saw the stream
    Thy flowing wounds supply,
    Redeeming love has been my theme,
    And shall be till I die:
    And shall be till I die,
    And shall be till I die;
    Redeeming love has been my theme,
    And shall be till I die.
  5. When this poor, lisping, stamm’ring tongue
    Lies silent in the grave,
    Then in a nobler, sweeter song,
    I’ll sing Thy pow’r to save:
    I’ll sing Thy pow’r to save,
    I’ll sing Thy pow’r to save;
    Then in a nobler, sweeter song,
    I’ll sing Thy pow’r to save.