Not Seeing Yet Believing...(or, See, Lifted O'er the Dregs of Desperation)

1 Corinthians 1:18
For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing,

 but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

In the Cross of Christ I Glory

See, lifted o'er the dregs of desperation wrought by sin

The cross of Calvary, hope's resolution to begin

He who knew no sin became sin, so sinners may become

The righteousness of Christ, the cornerstone of Christendom 

See there the tree that wears the blood that turns sin's scarlet white

And bears the One who loves beyond comprehension's vague flight 

He who endured the cross, beheld, while being nailed-engraved 

Beyond the nature of love's call to all who would be saved 

See Him suffer then die, so you and I may look and live

Hear Him, while being crucified, cry out, 'Father, forgive' 

He did not hold against us a debt we could never pay

Then praise the name of Jesus who washes our sins away

See, the grave where they laid Him, it is empty, as He said

Death and hell overthrown by He who arose from the dead

See, lifted o'er the dregs of desperation, Dread's reprieve 

The power of the cross; salvation for all who believe 

© Janet Martin

Heb12:2

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, 

the author and perfecter of our faith, 

who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, 

scorning its shame, and sat down 

at the right hand of the throne of God

Philippians 2:8
And being found in appearance as a man, 

He humbled Himself and became obedient to death--

even death on a cross.

Romans 10:9

that if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," 

and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, 

you will be saved.

 

Does It Not (Bid Thought to Marvel)

 Alas, and Did My Saviour Bleed?

 

Grace and peace to you from God our Father 

and the Lord Jesus Christ,

 4 who gave himself for our sins 

to rescue us from the present evil age, 

according to the will of our God and Father, 

5 to whom be glory for ever and ever. 

Amen. 

Gal.1:3-5

Does it not bid thought to marvel

He who knew no sin became

Sin's sacrifice for all people

To redeem us through His Name

Does it not stir adoration 

For He whose blood was out-poured

Once for all, the soul's salvation

Wrought, through Jesus Christ the Lord

Does it not stun contemplation

That the Son of God should be

Humbled to death's meanest station

On a cross for all to see

Crushed beneath the weight He carries

Sinless, bearing all our sins

For we, beneficiaries

Of His holy sufferings 

Does it not undo vainglory

To view hate's presumptuousness

While love, clothed in bloodshed, gory

Wove faith's robes of righteousness

Does it not renew surrender

Does it not steal our breath

To behold the soul's Defender 

Obedient unto death

Look, where love's manifestation

Suffered voluntarily  

Does it not stir adoration

From the likes of you and me

Jesus Christ gave Himself for us

Bearing Pardon's Albatross 

So that we we may be victorious

Through the power of the cross

Does it not bid thought to marvel

At the hope the cross affords

Through sin's sacrifice so royal-

King of Kings and Lord of lords

   © Janet Martin

Nothing But the Blood of Jesus

Wonderful Merciful Saviour

A Meek Appeal

“I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh

and give you a heart of flesh. 

And I will put my Spirit within you . . . 

and you shall be my people, 

and I will be your God”

 (Ezekiel 36:26–28).

Something for Thee

Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross

Forgive my apathy

My soul, not wholly awed

Forgetful, where a blood-drenched tree

Extolled the Lamb of God

Forgive my wayward eye

From Cal’vry’s silhouette

Where grief does not compose a cry

Of true repentance yet

Forgive my easy loss

Of sorrow for my sin

Forbid, I gaze upon the cross

Yet bar the Door within

Forgive my errant whim

Desires, prone to pride

Unshaken, as I gaze on Him

With Self, not yet denied

Forgive my lack of zeal

For Your sufficient grace

Draw me back to the cross to feel

Your blood drops on my face

Forbid that I should bow

O Christ, beneath thy Blood

Only to return to sin’s slough

Like a pig to the mud

Remove my heart of stone

Break through my ache of skin

With renewed awe for You alone

Who takes away my sin

Forgive me when I seek

The willing ways of men 

Lord, enter in where flesh is weak

And make me strong again 

© Janet Martin

Nearer, Still Nearer

Lord, When I Think About Your Love or Awed Impetus

How Great Thou Art 

 

And Can It Be?

Lord, when I think about Your love

And what it bid of You

May it revive awed impetus

To be faithful and true

Thou, King of kings and Lord of lords

Author of earth and sky

Led like a lamb ‘neath slaughter’s swords

On a cross lifted high

Lord, when I think about Your Son

Who died so I could live

Who, during His crucifixion

Cried out, ‘Father, forgive’

I pray that Your love would pour through

My redeemed edifice

To amaze, humble and renew

Devotion’s impetus

Lord, when I think about Your love

The Lamb that took my place

I cannot comprehend the trove

The spills grace upon grace

Or the breadth of Thy treasury

From which mercies abound

To satisfy each earthly plea

With purpose heaven-crowned

Lord, when I think about your love

Words fail to intercede

Redemption’s ‘Infinite Enough’

Supplies infinite need

Where blood drenched altars made of stone

Could never satisfy

What only Christ’s blood could atone

The sins of you and I

Lord, when I think about the breath

That rent the temple's veil

And broke the curse that authored death

All other wonders pale

The love that frees, and bought for us

Not punishment, but Prize

The blood of Jesus wrought for us

The right to Paradise

Lord, when I think of who You sent

Spite’s sword falls from my hand

Redemption seals a covenant

I cannot understand

You gave Your Son to take my place

Though You know me full well

Still, I receive grace upon grace

Instead of death and hell

© Janet Martin

John 1:16-17

From His fullness we have all received grace upon grace.

 17For the law was given through Moses;

 grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 

As We Face What Waits To Be...

 

After two funerals, one on Friday and one yesterday

it is impossible not to be impacted by the brevity and sacredness of life on earth.

For, even though both funerals were for elderly women who had outlived

'by reason of strength, four score years'...

the moment life ceases to be all that matters is how we prepared for eternity!

Here we all still are, where God tips the scales of mercy in our favour,

where the invitation to 'come' resounds, 

and where redemption for sin still flows full and free!

Heb.9:27-28

Just as man is appointed to die once, and after that to face judgment, 

28so also Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many;

 and He will appear a second time, 

not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who eagerly await Him.

Are you among those 'who eagerly await Him 

because of His gift of salvation'?!

Jesus Paid It All

Daybreak tips God’s scales of mercy in our favour; faith ahoy

With the promise of his Presence we proceed with hope and joy

Armed with the awesome awareness of the power of His Word

Gladness rekindles commitment to our calling undeterred

Because no matter what happens as we face what waits to be

Nothing in the world can sever us from God and love's decree

As Time’s thread runs through His fingers and our numbered days decrease

May Hope’s finished work through Jesus fill our hearts with joy and peace

We who believe in Him receive so much to be thankful for

As the Hour is approaching that nobody should ignore

When the joy still set before us is unveiled and we shall see

He who tips morn’s scales of mercy and beckons ‘come unto Me’

Death demands life’s full attention ere it cuts time’s sacred cord

And it ushers us to reckon with the love we most adored

Pray before the hour ceases when repentance comes too late

We have put our trust in Jesus, who will greet us at death’s gate

Then, when like a little vapor time’s brief sojourn disappears

We who have believed will enter in to ‘no more pain or tears’

But for all who disregarded He whose love tips mercy’s scales

There remains the endless horror of rejection’s endless wails

© Janet Martin

There is a Fountain filled with Blood

Let's Talk Today About Good News

Some Good News songs and a poem to kick off the week leading to

The manger, the cross and the empty tomb!

Leading us from despair to hope,

from darkness to Light

from hell to Heaven!

 Noel, Noel-(2022 remake)

Agnus Dei-Michael Smith

 

God Made Low

In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.

John 1:4

Note of 'non-apology'!: 

it was really hard to reign in the Good News surge of pure joy!💖🙏

Let’s talk today about the things that bring us hope and joy

The song the angels sang still rings with truth none can destroy

Where unto us was born that day, a Saviour, Christ the Lord

And nothing in the world can sway the soundness of God’s Word

And nothing can annul the gift that gladdens death’s dark toll

Time cannot change nor tempest shift the anchor of the soul

Nor dim the Light of men that darkness cannot overcome

In Him is life and that life is the Rock of Christendom

The breath of the believer and the faith that makes us whole

The bane of the deceiver and the beauty of love's goal

The Good News of salvation is greater than headline gloom

The Author of creation did not leave us in sin’s doom

But gave His Son to save us from a debt we could not pay

The precious blood of Jesus Christ washes our guilt away

And cleanses us from all unrighteousness when we confess

God fits us for faith’s fight with his abiding promises

He leads us not into temptation but delivers us

From awful condemnation for all those in Christ Jesus

Let’s walk the Way He taught, faith’s humble devotion to prove

Let’s talk today about God and His everlasting love

Let’s count with grateful gladness all the blessings grace bestows

And counter this world’s madness full of wolves dressed in sheep’s clothes

Wise in their own eyes they deny the cross that faith must bear

And reason truth into a lie and pride into a prayer

Without repentance and belief; oh, pray they see the Light

And weep because  joy crowns our grief, for He gave us the right

To become His dear children, if we believe in His name

No longer slaves of Satan but heirs of Christ's glorious claim

Thus faith abounds with hope and joy, through the power of He

Whose Spirit, grace and truth’s alloy, secures death’s victory

Let’s talk about Emmanuel; God with us constantly

His goodness and mercy the wellspring of eternity

His perfect peace to all whose minds and hearts are stayed on Him

Let’s talk about the Good News and drink from fountains that brim

With glad tidings that bad news cannot keep from coming true

Let’s talk about God’s love and choose to love Him through and through

Because no matter what betide, God works for our good

He knows our need and will provide, though oft misunderstood

Because of what faith’s testing brings while trouble has its day

Ah, let’s talk about heav’nly things that never fade away

© Janet Martin

Prepare Him Room

A Get-Rich-Quick-Forever Gift!

 

Inspired by the riches of Ephesians 1&2, Phil. 2, and so many more scriptures

All hinged to the Reason for the Christmas Season

Oh may we desire the wealth of spiritual blessing

possible only if we receive The Gift. God's Gift of grace

(Note: this is not a wealth of ease and material opulence,

because this wealth was bought with a great price!

But the price gives us access to all the priceless promises of God)

One Still Night

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 

who has blessed us in the heavenly realms 

with every spiritual blessing in Christ.

Eph.1:3

God’s gift of glorious grace

In meanest cradle lies

The riches of redemption veiled

In baby’s newborn cries

The hope of humankind

Descends from Heaven’s throne

To mercy’s masterpiece designed

Death’s sentence to atone

Through the shed blood of Christ

God trumps Lucifer’s schemes

From His Own Offspring sacrificed

Pardon’s profusion streams

…to lowly sons of earth

The holy Son of God

Suffered the pains of human birth

To bear rejection’s rod

…and suffer unto death

Even death on a cross

The King of kings offered Himself

To be a Lamb for us

The Son of God became

The Name believer’s hail

He suffered crucifixion’s shame

To rend the temple’s veil

So, all may freely come

Hope’s riches to embrace

The Cornerstone of Christendom

God’s gift of glorious grace

No more to be enslaved

By doubt, greed, pride and fear

But through faith, by grace we are saved

We, once far off brought near

To taste death's sweet release

Where Jesus took our place

His blood, the purchase price of peace

God’s gift of glorious grace

Ah, here all praise begins

Death falls like shackles spliced

We, who were dead in our sins

Are made alive with Christ

God, who is rich in love

Forgives this sinful race

Through the exceeding riches of

Jesus, God’s gift of grace

That in ages to come

His kindness might be known

Through we who benefited from

The kindness Christ has shown

© Janet Martin

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.

Hope Has a Name

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

For The Joy Set Before Us...

PAD Challenge Day 12: For today's prompt, write a future poem. 

Heb.12:2

Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; 

who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, 

despising the shame, and is set down 

at the right hand of the throne of God.

Luke 2:10

And the angel said unto them, Fear not: 

for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, 

which shall be to all people.

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

A hymn of great joy!

What lies behind we cannot change

What looms ahead we cannot see

Today, the day the Lord has made

Brims with redemption's majesty

Good tidings of great joy still ring

As we press on to life's reward

Anchored in mercy's offering

A Saviour, who is Christ the Lord

The message that the angels bore

Still peals with hope's favor and grace

Concealed in joy still set before

When we behold Him face to face

 

The evidence of things unseen

Is worth the fight that faith employs

As we endure what lies between

Each step we take to Heaven's joys 

Fear not, for unto us this day

Glad tidings of great joy resound

Nothing can take our hope away

As we traverse time's holy ground

A Saviour, who is Christ the Lord

Has borne our sorrow and our grief

He suffered what none could afford

The punishment that brought us peace

For the joy set before Him He

Endured the cross, despised its shame

Seeing beyond the agony

To all who would call on His Name

Made perfect through His suffering

Where we esteemed Him stricken, He

Salvation's captain, crushed the sting

Of death, robbed graves of victory

The message that the angels told

In days of old, none can destroy

The anchor of the cross will hold

Till hope is crowned with Heaven's joy

Janet Martin

1 Cor.1:18

For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness;

 but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.

For Your Name's Sake...

Unlike Queen Esther's husband, the Persian King Ahasuerus (Xerxes I), 

who, if any came into his inner court without being summoned, 

would be put to death, unless the king held out his golden scepter,

 The Kings of kings beckons all to 'come' 

because He came to break death's curse and bring us life 

and more abundantly!

His blood-wrought/bought scepter is stretched out to one and all!

What a high call and glorious purpose

is our freedom from slaves to sin/Satan, to servants of Christ!

Nearer, Still Nearer

  

More Love to Thee

For Your Name’s sake, help us take up our cross and follow You

And make love’s price of sacrifice an honor, meek and true

Kindle in us, Lord Jesus, faith’s vision, profound and keen

Of ‘substance of things hoped for, evidence of things unseen’

For Your Name’s Sake, Lord Jesus, wake in us the awesome sense

Of beckoning and reckoning; of Choice and Recompense

….and immense Aftermath; of grace or wrath’s eternal sum

(With blood-wrought streams, love’s scepter gleams and beckons all to ‘come’)

For Thy Name’s sake, Lord Jesus, make us more and more like Thee

Not vain, loud, proud, crowd-pleasers but full of humility

Thy pain and loss upon death’s cross our gain; You bore our shame

Forbid we boast save in love’s uttermost; Salvation’s Name

For Your Name’s Sake Lord Jesus, break the will that still resists

Open our eyes to want The Prize that some deny exists

Unclench the fist that clings to mist; with holy hunger wake

The sacred call to give our all for Your precious Name’s sake

© Janet Martin

This Is Love's Power and Glory

Todays poem-a-day challenge is to write a power poem...

To the Christian the power of God;

 His Word that in the beginning created the heavens and the earth,

His love that brought salvation to the world,

His Son who suffered our sin's penalty,

 are first thoughts that come to mind when hearing the word 'power'!

Rom.1:16

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, 

because it is the power of God 

that brings salvation to everyone who believes: 

first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.

There is Power in the Blood-Alan Jackson

The Power of the Cross-Keith and Kristyn Getty

Death could not subjugate Life Everlasting

Hatred could never be greater than love

The empty cross was hope’s graphic forecasting

Christ shed the grave like a linen glove

‘"Tetelestai!" "It is finished!" Love’s story

Nothing can thwart; the tomb’s stone could not stay

‘Thine is the kingdom, the power and glory

Forever.' Nothing can take it away

No one can nullify the sinner’s pardon

No one the King of kings can overthrow

After the battle of wills in The Garden

Christ, through submission vanquished hope’s dark foe

Redemption’s scarlet flood flows through the ages

Nothing can abrogate Atonement’s Gift

Though scorn is violent and hate, tenacious

Hope is an anchor that nothing can shift

Though wars unfold horrors, brutal and gory

These are the fulfilling of prophecy

Before the King of Kings appears in glory

To dispel evil in a fiery sea

Death, is the shadow that each breath is casting

Death, though it seems to have the final word

To those whose hope is in Life Everlasting

Know God’s love and justice is undeterred

Love’s hands, through which hatred’s daggers were driven

Love’s brow thorn-torn; Love’s body crucified

Love’s blood, the flood whereby sins are forgiven

This is the love that stripped death of its pride

This is love’s power and glory we honour

Name above all names, Love, mighty to save

This is the power above any other

This is the glory that shatters the grave

Death cannot subjugate Life Everlasting

Hatred will never be greater than love

The empty cross is hope’s symbol, forecasting

Graves that will be shed like a linen glove

© Janet Martin

Advent Awareness

Phil Wickham - Away In A Manger (Forever Amen) (Official Music Video)

Be always on the watch,

and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen,

and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.”

Luke 21:36

The Sands of Time Are Sinking...

 

Be always on thy watch and live as if today

Could be the chariot that draws thy deathless soul away

Then arm thyself with truth and seek God’s kingdom first

We all will face the Judgement booth, forever blessed or cursed

With bowed head and bent knee, thy damning sin confess

No one is righteous without He who is our Righteousness

Then as He hears our cries His sacrifice prevails

And his atonement justifies the faith that saves the soul

Time’s somber pendulum is swinging to and fro

And counting down what will become That Day and Hour, oh

Then always watch and pray; Time’s terminating wink

May draw this day of grace away without time left to think

Be always on thy guard, like a watchman alert

Though life/love is hard do not be disillusioned by the hurt

But bow before the manger, bloodstained cross, the empty grave

And think on He a stranger to His own, who came to save

© Janet Martin

God presented Him as the atoning sacrifice through faith in His blood, 

in order to demonstrate His righteousness, 

because in His forbearance He had passed over the sins committed beforehand.

 26He did this to demonstrate His righteousness at the present time,

so as to be just and to justify the one who has faith in Jesus. 

27Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. 

On what principle? On that of works? 

No, but on that of faith.…

Rom.3:25-27

Love Possible

Somehow, as I grow older the messages etched and penned

onto and into lovely Christmas cards grows dearer.

 

Human nature tries to be wise in its own eyes; beware

It is a masterpiece of lies that leads us to despair

Without the love and grace of God we cannot be made new

The creature by one’s self cannot the creature's curse undo

Though in his very nature God, Jesus did not esteem

His reputation above what the love of God did deem

But with will meek and lowly He the love of God did prove

And calls us to be holy imitators of His love

How harsh and hard and hopeless is the heart devoid of God

Where judgement is spite’s solace and intellect, darkness-flawed

How sweet the song that fills the tongue, no longer vengeance-cursed

Love possible for everyone because God loved us first

Aha, we altogether need God’s Christmas gift of grace

The affection Mercy decreed is for all human race

Forgiveness from the debt of sin, to all who will believe

And transformation from within only love can achieve

Human nature by one’s own self cannot be overcome

Only the love of God can help after we yield, undone

Above all else then pray that He would give us eyes to see

The price love was willing to pay to set doomed sinners free

Ah, what an everlasting love song fills the heart with praise

For He who forsook heaven’s throne earth’s wretched race to save

Jesus, Jesus, oh may we never cease to bring Him laud

His blood signed the sinner’s release, sealed by the love of God

© Janet Martin

Eph.5:1-2

Therefore be imitators of God as dear children.

 2And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, 

an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.

Oh Come Let Us Adore Him

 

Perfect Grief and Joy

This world is full of the sorrow of

Christmases without loved ones...

My son-in-law and his family are mourning the

sudden loss Grandmother/mother

the victim in this head-on collision on Thursday evening.

My prayer is that the love and comfort of God

will be their strength and peace in the days ahead.

(will you pray too?)

and for my son-in-law as he travels home for four days to be with his family? 

I'm running a bit behind on my Luke reading's reflections

Such a treasure trove of Scriptural wealth

makes it difficult to choose just one or two gems to share...

this post is inspired in part by Luke 17, 

in part by our music and message this morning

(click link then click Sunday Service Dec.19)

and in part by this week's advent theme of love

We sang this breathtaking song this morning

(a new one for me!)

Chris Tomlin - Emmanuel (Hallowed Manger Ground) [Lyric Video]

“Suppose one of you has a servant plowing or looking after the sheep. 

Will he say to the servant when he comes in from the field, 

‘Come along now and sit down to eat’? 

8 Won’t he rather say, ‘Prepare my supper, get yourself ready 

and wait on me while I eat and drink; after that you may eat and drink’?

 9 Will he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do? 

10 So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say,

 ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.’”

Luke 17:7-10

 

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God.

 Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 

8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 

9 This is how God showed his love among us: 

He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 

10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us 

and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 

11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 

12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, 

God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

1 John 4:7-12

Unto earth’s span of toil and test

Where trouble takes its toll

God gave to man His utter best

The Saviour of the soul

This little mist of time and place

Soon vanishes away

God’s gift of salvation and grace

Succeeds faith’s cup of clay

Imagine if time’s trifling toast

Was all that we could win

But love robbed the grave of its boast

And broke the curse of sin

The love of God did not withhold

His Son from suffering

But saw the joy that would unfold

As Death loses its sting

Life’s bitter brunt of grief and loss

Is but triumph’s prelude

Servanthood’s blood and tearstained cross

Unworthy gratitude

To He who came, by Heaven sent

Counsellor, Father, Friend

The Prince of Peace whose government

Will increase without end

Who, in his very nature God

Did not refuse the call

Humility and love unflawed

Obeyed. Death, once for all

From heaven’s throne the Savior stepped

Bethlehem’s Baby Boy

While surely heaven’s angels wept

With perfect grief and joy

© Janet Martin

Joy to the World (Christmas is Far More Than Just a Happy Holiday)

How shallow a happy holiday is compared to the Christmas Celebration

of God's gift to humanity when the fullness of time had come!

This post is inspired in part by Luke 15...

Gal.3:4-5

But when the fullness of the time had come, 

God sent forth His Son, born[a] of a woman, born under the law, 

5 to redeem those who were under the law, 

that we might receive the adoption as sons.

Hallelujah!

This week's advent theme is Joy...

Joy can seem a hard-fought battle when we focus on what we see without

The world groans with oppression,

with havoc and loss through natural disasters,

with sickness and sorrow,

but, Jesus is still the true light,

Still joy unspeakable

because He is the living hope for humankind...

Though you have not seen him, you love him;

and even though you do not see him now,

you believe in him and are filled

with an inexpressible and glorious joy,

1 Pet.1:8

Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee-Chris Tomlin

Joy Has Dawned

Castles built on the sand cannot withstand life’s stormy cares

Thus, nations disregarding God, (fools, unfaith-flawed) will fall

The One who came to save us and to make us sons and heirs

Is still the Rock of Ages and the Godhead over all

He is not mocked; He who suffered and died to set us free

(Though some may scoff and buffer fear and doubt with foolish pride)

He, to his own a stranger on the earth, left majesty

Laid in a lowly manger at his birth, then crucified

All hail the True Light of the world has come, the Son of God

 Pierces the dark. A star unfurled in sympathy and grace

When all creation groaned beneath oppression's brutal rod

Jesus obeyed His Father and atoned the human race 

He fulfilled mercy’s masterplan, afflicted and despised

King of kings, rejected by man and acquainted with grief

Like a lamb to the slaughter led, eyes esteemed Him chastised

Not knowing yet that His blood shed hope’s bedrock of belief

Then let’s make Christmas more than just a Happy Holiday

Let’s worship and adore the Reason for this season’s joy

Jesus, is mankind’s Saviour still, hope’s confidence and stay

No death-fated dominion will with hate God’s love destroy

Like a banner, let’s lift the name of Jesus above all

And praise Him for the love that came to seek and save the lost

Though He could see the awful price and sorrow of God's call

He saw beyond the sacrifice and deemed us worth the cost

He welcomes home each prodigal and meets us with arms wide

He works in us the miracle of righteousness and peace

By gift of grace the soul is saved and sinner justified

Praise Jesus for the cross He braved, with songs that never cease

© Janet Martin

 'leap for joy, for great is the reward in Heaven'.

Luke 6:23

After hearing that the remaining missionaries that were taken hostage in Haiti exactly two months ago were released today I wept for joy! Pure joy! Praise the Lord!

Because Love Came Down

When Love Came Down to Earth

And they were all amazed at the greatness of God.

Luke 9:43

This post inspired in part by Luke 9

and this message by Charles Spurgeon

The Secret of Loving God

(a few excerpts from this message)

"Faith is an act, partly of the intellect, and partly of the affections.

And we must therefore have both head and heart renewed by the spirit of God

Or we shall not have true faith.

…it is no mere child’s play. No matter to be settled off hand without thought or consideration.

Search yourself and see whether the spirit of God has produced in you

the true knowledge, 

the true faith 

and the true love 

or otherwise whatever you may think you possess 

of these things is not of God.

We love Him because he first loved us.

1 John 4:19

Oh, if you really believe that Jesus loves you 

sit down and turn this over in your mind...

Jesus loves me.

Jesus chose me.

Jesus redeemed me.

Jesus called me.

Jesus has pardoned me.

Jesus has taken me into union with Himself.

Jesus has made me to be a part of The Bride, the Lamb’s wife. 

I shall be one with Him forever!"

When love came down, yon starry height

Was rent with angel host

The darkened world was bathed in Light

And hymns of Heaven’s Boast

When love came down from God to man

In form of helpless babe

The offspring of Love’s Master Plan

Was in a manger laid

When love came down from glory’s Best

To suffer evil’s worst

No one could confound love by test

Because He loved us first

When love came down no man could claim

Worth justifiable

To deserve Jesus Christ who came

One sacrifice for all

When love came down mankind beheld

Love’s/God’s Holy Mystery

The seed that in Virgin’s womb swelled

Infant, Infinity

When love came down, man could not know

How Satan’s scheme was wrecked

Hate tried but could not overthrow

The Cause that births effect

When love came down to you and me

Ah, who with logic whole

Could reject He who came to be

The Savior of the soul

When love came down to sinners vile

Their affection to woo

It made the hosts of Heaven smile

May it make us smile too

...and let the heart of worship brim

And sing, ‘Jesus, Jesus’

And shout for joy this; 'we love Him

Because He first loved us'

From well-springs inexhaustible 

Love's living waters laud

To fulfill the impossible

The love of man for God

With joy unspeakable and sure

God's sorrow forged a crown

The prize of faith and hope secure

Because His love came down

© Janet Martin

another small excerpt from the above message...

Our love is a simplicity founded upon a Mystery…

We love. That is simple enough.

Because He first loved us.

Ah, there is the great mystery which none of us can fully understand.