There Is a Hand...

Psalm 139:23-24

Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:

 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

 Savior, Lead Me Lest I Stray

 

There is a Hand to which faith clings with confidence secure

A hand that fits us with armor that fits us for the fight

And helps us in thick of opposition to endure

As we trust His command and make His love our chief delight

As we rely on He who tries and tests our hearts and minds

To see if there be any wicked way that persists still

To mar His perfect peace because of pride that blindly binds

Us to the pattern of this world rather than to His will

There is a Hand that draws us to the comfort of His Word

He leads in paths of righteousness through valleys of despair

And fills us with fresh wonder for His mercies, undeterred

To we, often forgetful of His faithful, loving care

He guides and keeps, while calling sheep still wandering and lost

His arms always wide open to welcome prodigals back

To kiss His hands, scarred with reminders of redemption’s cost

Hands still outstretched to all who still reject love without lack

© Janet Martin

Psalm 34:8-14

Taste and see that the Lord is good;

blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.

9Fear the Lord, you his holy people,

for those who fear him lack nothing.

10The lions may grow weak and hungry,

but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.

11Come, my children, listen to me;

I will teach you the fear of the Lord.

12Whoever of you loves life

and desires to see many good days,

13keep your tongue from evil

and your lips from telling lies.

14Turn from evil and do good;

seek peace and pursue it.

 

For Athletes (in Life's Race)

Living in a culture bombarded with sensationalism and a buffet of distractions,

can subtly infiltrate our best intentions. 

On more than one occasion the small group I am part of from our local church 

ponders what living faithfully looks like...it always ultimately comes back to,

not what we do, but Who we do what for. 

The gift of salvation is free but comes with a cost;

to be a living sacrifice!

Rom.12:1

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters,

 in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, 

holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.

Matt.6:33

But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, 

and all these things shall be added to you.

The prizes we pursue are subtly immersed

In what we think and say and do, then hence, who we seek first

For all the poise of words the voice of Choice transcends

The noise of speech, and undergirds what wordless proof defends

To keep perspective true and not fooled by fine lies

Begins with the important Who we put first in our lives

We need no script, well-versed, no proficient prowess

To humbly seek God’s kingdom first; to seek His righteousness

What better way to start the Unknown of Today

Than, with a yielded seeker’s heart, come what-so-ever-may

Then, as we strive toward tomorrow, pray we find

A dearer drive to love the Lord with heart, soul, strength and mind

We, athletes in life's race, are not judged for our speed

We trip and fall and all need God's patient grace to proceed  

But step by step, faith smiles where once more, morning dawns

For, step-by-step turns into miles, and miles to marathons

Until the finish line is crossed; the race complete

(to win this race at all cost is each life's most solemn fete)

To be faithful and true, with every gifted breath

To Jesus who loved/loves me and you, obedient to death 

God, rich in mercy grants redemption for our sins

And with each morning a fresh chance to run as one who wins

Greater is He in us, than all the world times ten

Then pray that we, through Jesus, shine as lights for Him. Amen.

© Janet Martin

1 Cor.9:24-27

Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? 

Run in such a way that you may [i]obtain it. 

25And everyone who competes for the prize [j]is temperate in all things. 

Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. 

26Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. 

Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air.

 27But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, 

when I have preached to others, 

I myself should become disqualified.

Crowning Call

Dawn's glory crowns the earth like

hope's glory crowns our faith...

it rends the darkness!

God, would that we would hear

The call that crowns all calls

Then count no other cause more dear

No matter what befalls

God, would that we would heed

Your still small voice within

And take captive each thought and deed

That leads us into sin

God, would that we would love

You, heart, soul, strength and mind

Committed to what You approve

Through grace and truth combined

God, would that we would claim

Your gift that sets us free

Salvation in no other name

Save Christ of Calvary

And would that we would guard 

Against appeals, more sweet

Against what does not seem so hard

When other calls compete

 

But, with the joy of You

As hope and peace enthralls

Would that we would yield wholly to

The call that crowns all calls

Faithful until faith's glove

From deathless soul will fall

 Forever in the presence of

The final crowning call

© Janet Martin 

2 Cor.5:20-21

Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ,

 as though God were making His appeal through us. 

We implore you on behalf of Christ: 

Be reconciled to God. 

God made Him who knew no sin to be sinb on our behalf, 

so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.

Take Time to be Holy

Brutal Truth

 

Lest we become complacent...

This poem was inspired again in part

 by an excerpt from the story of George Mueller...

Proverbs 28:13-17 KJV

He that covereth his sins shall not prosper:

 But whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.

Oh, the gravity of its depravity

The enormity of its deformity

The awfulness of its unlawfulness

As it dominates within

The subtleness of its brutal-ness

The evilness of vain promises

Of lies disguised, idolized and prized

This is the truth about sin

The pelf of stubborn selfishness

The stealth of Satan’s deadly steps

The guile of a vile, downward spiral

A wolf dressed in sheep skin

Danger and dire consequence

The liar daring providence

Unholy, rebellious ignorance

Mocker, smooth talker; sin

Hunger and thirst hopelessly cursed

Excuses soothed, me-first immersed

Self-righteous drivel at its worst

Pride’s beguiled, unbridled din

Deception’s uncontested will

Desire never quite fulfilled

Defilement, sensuous and skilled

Beware, oh, beware of sin

Unrepentance unrecognized

Hell’s curb appeal hailed, unapprised

Blind leading blind, applause-imbibed

Deaf to the toll within

Brutal refutal of wisdom astute

Pitiful, poisonous, ravenous root

Half-obedience-corrupted fruit

Horrible horror of sin

© Janet Martin

Romans 5:12-20

Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned— 13(For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. 14Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come. 15But the free gift is not like the [e]offense. For if by the one man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many. 16And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned. For the judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift which came from many [f]offenses resulted in justification. 17For if by the one man’s [g]offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.)

18Therefore, as through [h]one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one[i] Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. 19For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous.

20Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, 21so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

While We Wait (let us not grow weary...of love)

Just as an army general must rally his troops from time to time,

so too, those who put on the armor of God, need to be 'rallied'

lest we grow weary of servanthood and doing good!

Hopefully today's poem serves as a bit of a 'rallying of faith's troops'!

2 Tim.2:3-5

You therefore must endure[a] hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

 4 No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, 

that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier. 

5 And also if anyone competes in athletics, he is not crowned

 unless he competes according to the rules.

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.

Titus 2:11-14

And let us not grow weary while doing good, 

for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. 

 Gal.6:9

'What on earth are you doing?' asked Hubby on Saturday

as I pulled down the window and stood on the sill so I

could see as much as I could see😅

'I'm feasting on the view', I replied, 

'Don't you see this every day?!' he asked, a little mystified.

'Well, yes, but never quite like this before!!'

...and on that note here's to a new day, a new week, a new year,

much the same as many previous but never quite like this before!

Come, Ye that love the Lord

While we wait for Thy appearing, let us not grow weary, Lord

Weary of love’s awed revering of Thy everlasting Word

Weary of love’s faithful praying for those of faith’s dear household

And for those still lost and straying in a world, corrupt and cold

Weary of love’s exaltation for salvation’s blood bought gift

Of love’s devout consecration to Thy calling, lest we drift

Weary of worship and living to give glory to Thy Name

Weary of love’s glad thanksgiving for what faith alone can claim

Weary of love’s meek pursuit of God-ordained obedience

Of examining the fruit of choice that leads to consequence

Of encouraging and cheering one another on with joy

As we wait for the appearing of Christ’s glorious convoy

As we wait for the unveiling of the hope that we profess

To behold Thee; love’s unfailing Keeper of Thy promises

Let us with unwearied purpose do good without doubt’s despair

For love’s Due Season of harvest will be worth the getting there

Will be worth the persevering of each second mile we trod

…while we wait for the appearing of the glory of Thee, God

By the grace of Thy salvation and the power of Thy Word

With love's renewed dedication, let us not grow weary, Lord

© Janet Martin

There is Rest By and By

Awed Awareness

Today's post Inspired in part by Gen.19

And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand,

 and upon the hand of his wife, 

and upon the hand of his two daughters; 

the Lord being merciful unto him...

Luke 19:16

Lest sluggishly we loiter

Lest apathy besot

Lest we grow numb and thus become

Futile in our thought

Lest we seek sorry solace

In the Sodom of sin

Lest terribly we fail to see

The state that we are in

Lest resolution flounders

Lest influence cajoles

The Still Small Voice that affects choice

That affects deathless souls

Lest we no longer shudder

At evil’s evilness

Or recognize the tempter’s lies

Disguised as ‘happiness’

Lord, wake in us awareness

Of Sodom’s fate, to flee

Lest, like Lot’s wife we mourn that life

And look back longingly

Seize us with holy horror

Of sin’s sad judgment day

Lord, chasten us and hasten us

To repent and obey

Lest the nonsense of notions

And opinions, absurd

With worldly vice, lulls us with ‘nice’

Lord, keep us in Your word

Lord, like Lot when he lingered

Be merciful, I pray

Let your command, like a firm hand

Seize us from Sodom’s sway

Lord, where there is a carcass

The vultures congregate

Lord, wake in us awed awareness 

Before it is too late 

© Janet Martin

Luke 17:20-37

The Coming of the Kingdom

(Genesis 19:24–29)

20When asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The kingdom of God will not come with observable signs. 21Nor will people say, ‘Look, here it is,’ or ‘There it is.’ For you see, the kingdom of God is in your midst.d”

22Then He said to the disciples, “The time is coming when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it. 23People will tell you, ‘Look, there He is!’ or ‘Look, here He is!’ Do not go out or chase after them. 24For just as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other, so will be the Son of Man in His day. 25But first He must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.

26Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man: 27People were eating and drinking, marrying and being given in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all.

28It was the same in the days of Lot: People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building. 29But on the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all.

30It will be just like that on the day the Son of Man is revealed. 31On that day, let no one on the housetop come down to retrieve his possessions. Likewise, let no one in the field return for anything he has left behind. 32Remember Lot’s wife! 33Whoever tries to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will preserve it. 34I tell you, on that night two people will be in one bed: One will be taken and the other left. 35Two women will be grinding grain together: One will be taken and the other left.”e

37“Where, Lord?” they asked.

Jesus answered, “Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather.”

What More Then, Do We Need?

Tis quite a thing to contemplate

The measure of love's price

It's law no one can mediate

To keep, or sacrifice

 Where what we sacrifice for Who

Tells who our allegiance is to

What joy when what is sacrificed 

 Turns loss to gain, when done for Christ 

***

He forgives our sins and remembers them no more!

What more do we need?

Isaiah 43:25
I, yes I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake

 and remembers your sins no more.

You discern thought’s intents

You look into the heart

Still, morning spills the evidence

Of mercies You impart

You lavish us with love

You keep us in Your care

Your Word, a wondrous treasure trove

Of wealth beyond compare

You hear us when we pray

Your light dispels dark doubt

Your grace sufficient, come what may

Your ways past finding out

You discern thought’s intents

You look into the heart

Still, morning spills the evidence

Of mercies You impart

Your well never runs dry

Where Living Waters roll

Your Bread of Life will satisfy

The hunger of the soul

Your Son died in our stead

One sacrifice for all

To free us from the curse that led

To hell after The Fall

Where blood of bull and ram

Could never pay sin’s price

Jesus, the only spotless Lamb

Fit for the sacrifice

What a gift we receive

You gave the best you had

So, all who repent and believe

May call you Abba-Dad

What more then, do we need

Where greed for gain runs wild

Your goodness is enough to feed

All who become Your child

You lavish us with love

You keep us in Your care

Our hope in You, more than enough

For every cross we bear

Where, when death runs us through

Death is not the last word

But simply the Grand Entrance to

Forever with You, Lord

What more then, can we say

You make our joy complete

As we press on toward That Day

When earth and Heaven meet 

Then, how awed we will be

All that we sacrificed

A pittance, as eternity

Consummates, All for Christ 

© Janet Martin

John 1:12
But to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name,

 He gave the right to become children of God--

(Re)-Commitment-Creed

This is no average Cause we are called to

and accountable for!

This is our reply to the Creator of Heaven

 and earth

To the Saviour of the Soul!

Hallelujah! what a Saviour!

Not as some rigid to-do list

Nor with reluctant ‘yes’

Or because ‘Duty doth insist’

Nor for self-righteousness

Not for the sake of pious rites

That loveless deeds employ

But because heart and soul delights

In serving You with joy

With gratitude, humble and kind

With love, to find my place

With all of heart, soul, strength and mind

Devoted to Your grace

Lord, because of the awful price

You undertook to pay

Make me a living sacrifice

On altars of Today

© Janet Martin

Rom.12:1

Therefore I urge you, brothers and sisters, 

by the mercies of God, 

to present your bodies as a living and holy sacrifice, 

acceptable to God, 

which is your spiritual service of worship.

Love, or the Lack Thereof...

Jesus, Strong and Kind

Clash of wills when expectations don’t see eye to eye

Word that kills, when untamed tongue wounds with spite’s quick reply

Cup that overflows with sorrow when love is not kind

When love does not ‘suffer long’, with Other first in mind

Hunger is a heart-shaped hollow; want unsatisfied

When we cannot seem to swallow self-important pride

When we find no creature comfort in love’s common test

…of so much to learn about love’s good, better and best

Gentle joy and sweet contentment are love’s fruits, my dear

When forgiveness, not resentment keeps the conscience clear

When the welfare of another sets thought’s tender tone

Aware we leave either stumbling block or stepping stone

To love as we ought to, is impossible to do

Without the example of Love’s Author, kind and true

He is slow to anger, rich in mercy, gracious, good

What a way to live; to love each other as we should

God, who gave the Best He had because He loves us so

Does not leave as helpless, hopeless; by His grace we go

As His love pours through us it transforms wrong attitude

Until all that remains is love's law of gratitude 

© Janet Martin

There Is One Gospel

Psalm 145:8-9

The LORD is gracious and compassionate,

slow to anger and abounding in loving devotion.

9The LORD is good to all;

His compassion rests on all He has made.

Awed Altar-call

Countless crowds throng beaches the world over, 

where front-row, no-charge seating to the greatest show on earth,

 draws young and old to behold the heaven's declaring the glory of God..

Psalm 19:1-4

The heavens declare the glory of God;

the skies proclaim the work of His hands.

2Day after day they pour forth speech;

night after night they reveal knowledge.

3Without speech or language,

without a sound to be heard,a

4their voiceb has gone out into all the earth,

their words to the ends of the world.c

Romans 1:19-20

For what may be known about God is plain to them, 

because God has made it plain to them.

For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities, 

His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, 

being understood from His workmanship, 

so that men are without excuse.

...hopefully an awesome awareness of  'No Excuse' 

kindles in our hearts and souls a kind of altar-call

to recommit our wants and ways to the Creator of the world 

and everything/everyone in it! 

In His Word we find everything we need

to restore our souls and

to lead us in 'path's of righteousness'!

Come, Holy Spirit kindle, through the power of Thy Word

A fire of desire to labour for Thee, O Lord

For Thou art near and dearly with each soul who seeks Thy will

Who strives with earnest diligence faith’s calling to fulfill

Lord, let our love for Thee and not the world, consume this clay

Thou, who dost not lead us into temptation or astray

Thou, Invisible, and yet whose qualities are unfurled

In sky and land and sea since the creation of the world

…so that all are without excuse; the universal tongue

Of the heavens declares thy glory to both old and young

Day after day, night after night without language or speech

To the ends of the earth, not one escapes the heavens reach

Lord, come what may, let love abound amidst adversity

For thou wilt keep in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee

Our Father who art in heaven, Thy kind goodness grants

Sufficient grace to help us face and bear the circumstance

Lord, wake in us an earnest ache Thy glory to behold

Let Thy cause be the constant sake that draws and fills faith’s mold

Until we see thee face to face forever to proclaim

Thy praises for the gift of salvation found through Thy name

© Janet Martin

Come Gracious Spirit, Heavenly Dove

No Easy Street ...But God, Faithful and True

Psalm 16:11

You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy;

At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Today I am helping at the funeral of a dear sister in our church family

who lived ninety-nine and a half years on this earth

with many, many joys and trials,

but the moment she closed her eyes the shroud of Time fell away,

the glass she peered through darkly disappeared;

in the twinkle of an eye the corruptible put on incorruption, 

mortality put on immortality!

Thinking about this makes us re-evaluate what really matters, doesn't it?!

In the Sweet By and By

Johnny Cash

(would love to link each line to the scripture but

There is a funeral meal waiting to be prepared💗👑😊🙏)

This is no Easy Street; this ‘fighting the good fight’

This ‘making every effort to Shine forth, a blameless light

To walk as wise, not fools; to be careful to keep

God’s commandments and laws, lest idly, we fall asleep

This is no Easy Street; this walk by faith, not sight’

This ‘renouncing ungodliness’, this ‘suffering for Christ’

This ‘walking worthy of the calling we received

Worthy of the gospel of Christ we confessed and believed

This is no Easy Street; to ‘therefore watch and pray’

To take up our cross to follow Jesus every day

To make faith’s sacred calling and election very sure

To be strong in the Lord through the hardship we must endure

This is no Easy Street; obedience and trust

To follow what is good and to deny all worldly lust

To be rich in good works; to walk humbly and kind

To love the Lord our God will all our heart, soul, strength and mind

This is no Easy Street; to take captive each thought

And not to think of ourselves more highly than we ought

To offer our bodies as a living sacrifice

And to shun profane babbling that leads to ungodly vice

This is no Easy Street; to repay good for ill

To surrender as Jesus did and utter ‘not my will’

To know the Scriptures so that we are thoroughly equipped

To abound in love and good works like our Example did

And give more earnest heed to that which we have heard

To grow in the knowledge and grace of Jesus through His word

To commit to stand firm; to take heed, lest we fall

He who saved us has called us to the greatest work of all

This is no Easy Street; but God, faithful and true

Is rich and grace and mercy and He cares for me and you

Who, through his risen Son, births in us living hope

The Father of compassion and comfort who helps us cope

…and makes us strong in Him; the power of His might

When we put on His full armor, will fit us for the fight

For God resists the proud but gives the humble grace

His eyes are on the righteous who long to behold His face

…who strain toward the goal; with holy zeal press on

To win the prize of God’s heavenly calling in His Son

Who lay up heavenly store; who have ‘beautiful feet’

Whose joy is in the Lord and not in quests for Easy Street

This is no Easy Street; the strait that few will find

That leads to life when soon we leave this world of strife behind

Where the fulness of joy and pleasures evermore 

Make worth the little while and mile that we suffer before

© Janet Martin

Sunrise Reveille For Soul-diers

Arise and shine. God’s love divine beams brighter than the sun

No feckless race is yours and mine that we are called to run

Through hope that maketh not ashamed, because the love of God

By His Holy Spirit acclaimed, in hearts is shed abroad

Do not despair. God’s tender care is faithful to the end

Nothing in this world can compare to Jesus as our Friend

He heals the broken-hearted and instills in us His worth

Faith's every step is guarded by the God of heav’n and earth

Behold the Lamb. The Great I AM who takes away our sins

His Word is not an errant sham; He IS where hope begins

He is the Way, the Truth, the Life; by His grace we are saved

Redemption’s cleansing stream runs rife where Calvary was braved

Trust in the Lord. Who can afford to forfeit deathless soul?

Or doubt the infallible Word undeterred by time’s toll

The Bread of Life none can destroy. The truth that sets us free

Is but the foretaste of the joy that fills eternity

Oh taste and see. This is no fleeting pleasure or delight

The goodness of God will appease heart and soul's appetite 

Hunger and thirst for righteousness rather than worldly laud

Then He who loved us first will bless us with the peace of God

 

© Janet Martin

Rom.5:1-5

Therefore being justified by faith, 

we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

 2By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand,

 and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

 3And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: 

knowing that tribulation worketh patience; 

4And patience, experience; and experience, hope:

 5And hope maketh not ashamed; 

because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts 

by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.