All We Have...(Comes From God)

Am I truly willing to love (aka give)

with all I have?

This, the challenge/conviction from this morning's reading...

A few excerpts below

This morning is gleaming and shiny as a new silver or gold coin

begging to be spent/invested!

So many avenues, snares and benefits for both money and time

where every day is an investment for eternity!

Ps.16:11 

You will show me the path of life;

 In Your presence is fullness of joy; 

At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Heb.4:13 KJV

Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight:

 but all things are naked and opened 

unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

NIV

Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. 

Everything is uncovered and laid bare 

before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

The Creator of life is the Supreme and Sovereign Giver 

(and withholder) of all we have or want!

Rom.8:28

And we know that in all things God works for the good 

of those who love him, 

who have been called according to his purpose.

Nothing is hidden from the One with Whom we have to do

No thought or motive's intention escapes His thorough view 

Not one measure that we possess , not one means we applaud

Is secured by our own success; All we have comes from God

No one is exempt from the tender love that wrought God's grace

God gave Himself and did not send another in His place

To bear surrender's uttermost; death on a cross, so grim

To leave no room for mortal boast; All we have comes from Him

No part of God's authority is for a select few

Forbid we have no fear of He with Whom we have to do

But, weigh all that transcends the grave with holy diligence

Because all that we have is by the Giver's providence 

Pray, we wholly rely on He who supplies our need

Pray we despise the enemy that thrives on fear and greed

For all we have is given, not to claim as our own

 Else earth's foretaste of Heaven would not make the Giver known  

 

Oh God, deliver us from evil that subtly takes root 

The love of money; a devil that blights both tree and fruit

Oh God, the Giver of our days, with Whom we have to do

Instill in us love's hymn of praise; all we have comes from You

So then, with all we have from You, pray, with all that we have

Of might and means, we purpose to invest beyond the grave 

Aware that life composes what death cannot circumvent 

When the Giver discloses what we did with what He lent 

© Janet Martin

A few more excerpts from the ending of the book

George Muller of Bristol...

to both cheer and challenge all who seek to live

to give without counting the cost!

Building for Eternity...

 

 

 

Unfathomable Ultimate...

 

As attempts were made to summarize and tally

the immense scope and impact of  George Mueller's

work and ministry, not charted in ledgers, accounts, etc.

 they realized its impossibility...

What wonderful inspiration this story of old is to the present generation,

to remind us to remember, ultimately all that matters is this; 

God sees, knows and rewards!

What better hope and reason can there be

Than this, to live and love more earnestly/reverently🙏

If every day we live and love with what God’s grace affords

This truth alone will be enough; God sees, knows and rewards

If, every day we bear in mind the joy still set before

After earth’s griefs are left behind, we would fret less, trust more

If every day we measure most the treasure Heaven stores

How beautiful will be the boast of the Name faith adores

If every day we pay more heed to the things we have heard

We will not be swayed by a creed, mortal and vision-blurred

…if every day we live and love with what God’s grace affords

This truth alone will be enough; God sees, knows and rewards

© Janet Martin

Col.3:23-24

And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, 

24knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance;

 for[a] you serve the Lord Christ. 

Heb.11:6

But without faith it is impossible to please Him, 

for he who comes to God must believe that He is, 

and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

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.

Faith-forge...

This poem is inspired in part by a few stories I recently read or am reading...

the stories of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph and now, Moses!!

Also, the story of George Mueller

(the excerpt below esp.)

Heb.12:1

Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses,

 let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us,

 and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

The beautiful 'cloud of faithful witnesses' that encompass us

 challenge, inspire and encourage

 the ongoing stories of our own lives/faith still being written!

Take heart, fellow-friend!

Stories of faithfulness cannot be written in a hurry!

I began this poem yesterday morning, but it was not a poem

that could be quickly spilled....then tot-care gobbled up the day!

Last night my energy and concentration tank was so completely depleted

to the point of feeling like I was getting sick (but a good night's sleep resolved)

so this is yesterday and today's poem!

Below: a Celebrate-the-Very-Brief-Splash-of-Sunshine-with-a-Hot Chocolate-'Picnic'!

The answers that we seek in our hurry oft seem slow

When faith’s posture is weak, not meek but impatient to know

Doubt and desire wrestle as God tests love’s utmost part

(To be His chosen vessel is not for the faint of heart)

The high call of surrender grants no accolades unearned

Faith’s Author and Perfecter leaves no stumbling block unturned

But moves in ways contrary to sight’s acumen and whim

God’s rebuke necessary to expose wants not of Him

Encompassed by a cloud of witnesses, faith’s legions shine

As God fulfilled/revealed His promises and purposes divine

While waiting-seasons refined trust and taught them to endure

And be obedient because God’s Word is just and pure/sure

What sometimes seems like pleas ignored or forgotten by God

Or futile ‘waiting on the Lord,’ is oft discipline’s rod

To dredge the depth of the heart’s measure where His Word should be

To test the timbre of the treasure only He can see

What masters of disaster mortal’s lack of patience proves

When we choose to move faster than God's higher way behooves

When foolishly we plunder gates still barred to our request

Blind to redemption’s wonder waiting to reveal His best

God's providence instilling/fulfilling holiness, makes no mistakes

He tugs at ties unwilling until pride's resistance breaks 

And probes the hold that still denies Supreme Authority

Until faith's utter boast replies 'not I, but Christ in me'  

© Janet Martin

2 Tim2:3

Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.