Perspective Pause

Jesus' words below are one of the most sobering

for all who profess to follow and believe in Him

Matt.7:21-23

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ 

shall enter the kingdom of heaven, 

but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 

 Many will say to Me in that day,

 ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, 

cast out demons in Your name, 

and done many wonders in Your name?’ 

 And then I will declare to them,

 ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, 

you who practice lawlessness!’

We serve best

who we love best!

We cannot conquer hate with hate.

We can only triumph over hate

with love.

Only love can abolish hate.

Love is patient and kind.

Love is not envious, boastful,

arrogant, rude, selfish,

irritable or resentful.

It does not rejoice at wrongdoing

but rejoices in the truth.

Love bears all things,

believes all things,

hopes all things,

endures all things.

Love never ends/fails.

1 Cor.13

Oh Lord, help us to truly love You

to truly seek your will

and truly do it!

Help us to truly love/serve you

 by truly loving/serving one another!

Proverbs 17:3
A crucible for silver and a furnace for gold, 

but the LORD is the tester of hearts.

Like a pale-yellow rose, dripping with Heaven’s flawless clime

The plush hush of first light crowns the tableau of daily grind...

Like a pale yellow rose that soon fades into Today

The plush hush of first light is eclipsed by the climbing sun ...

Like a pale-yellow rose, dripping with Heaven’s flawless clime

The plush hush of first light crowns the tableau of daily grind

And rouses us to tread upon the virgin Verge of Time

Where reservoirs of mercy overflow to humankind

Hope is a beacon hung from heights we cannot scope or scale

Love grants life’s Perfect Reason to weather its toil and strife

Because we are beloved by He whose love will never fail

Goodness and mercy follow us all the days of our life

Behold the glory of the Lord who grants another day

To better love’s track record and forgive our fellowman

Lord, Lord, help us to truly love, in Jesus name we pray

Let our heart’s desire be to live love the best we can

Like a pale yellow rose that soon fades into new Today

The plush hush of first light is eclipsed by the climbing sun 

Where, pray the Lord, before we rush headlong into love's fray

We pause to yield our cause to His with 'Lord, your will be done'

Janet Martin

1 John 4:20-21

If anyone says, “I love God,” but hates his brother, he is a liar.

For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen,

cannot love God, whom he has not seen.

And we have this commandment from Him:

Whoever loves God must love his brother as well.

(Read the whole glorious chapter on discernment and love HERE)

Love Lifted Me with Lyrics by Alan Jackson

Charley Pride- Let Me Live

Equipped to Withstand...

1 Pet.1:18-21

18For you know that it was not with perishable things

 such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life 

you inherited from your forefathers, 

19but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or spot.

  20He was known before the foundation of the world, 

but was revealed in the last times for your sake.

21Through Him you believe in God, 

who raised Him from the dead and glorified Him; 

and so your faith and hope are in God.

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.

Faith's battlefield and alter look very much like

common ground of today...

Let's lift a hymn of praise to the Giver of the Victory/Harvest

Equipped to win the victory

To shoulder worship’s price

Equipped to offer faithfully

Love’s living sacrifice

The armour of the Lord is sure

No chink or blemish mars

That which equips us to endure

Faith’s suffering and scars

…for we all were bought with a price

Not gold or silver weighed

But with the blood of Jesus Christ

Redemption’s cost was paid

And all who repent and believe

Confessing creature-sin

Are born again and will receive

God’s power from within

Equipped for crucifixion too

Of everything but Christ

Equipped to be a Soldier who

Lives to be sacrificed

Knowing that life depends on death

Whether of seed or will

Equipped to prove with gifted breath

Whose purpose we fulfill

Equipped with the power to pray 

With faith's Defence, unflawed

Equipped to withstand evil's day 

With the Armour of God

Janet Martin

Eph.6:10-18

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.

 11 Put on the whole armor of God, 

that you may be able to stand against the [b]wiles of the devil. 

12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, 

but against principalities, against powers, 

against the rulers of [c]the darkness of this age,

 against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, 

that you may be able to withstand in the evil day,

 and having done all, to stand.

14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, 

having put on the breastplate of righteousness,

 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 

16 above all, taking the shield of faith 

with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 

17 And take the helmet of salvation, 

and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 

18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, 

being watchful to this end with all perseverance 

and supplication for all the saints—

The Secret to Joy through an Infallible Power-Source

Today, a little heart-to-heart...

Today's post is inspired in part by our summer sermon-series

entitled Joy in the Journey,

in part by today's devotion from Springs in the Valley 

(or aka Streams in the Desert Vol.3)

and in part by a heart-to-heart visit with a dear friend yesterday,

as we encouraged each other to 'keep on'.

Phil.1:21

For to me, to live is Christ...

Acts 17:28

...for in Him we live and move and have our being, 

as also some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also His offspring.’

1 Pet.1:8

...whom having not seen you love. 

Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, 

you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,

CityAlight ~ Yet Not I But Through Christ In Me (Lyrics)

What melds the simple and sublime

Our hurts with hope and peace

What transcends the titles of Time

And bids its tensions cease

What makes our woeful weakness strong

And satisfies each want

And cheers our hearts when things go wrong

And doubt and despair taunt

What draws us to glorious praise

With Self-will sacrificed

And bids us to rejoice always

It is the pow’r of Christ

It is to love without restraint

To forgive and forget

It is to walk and not grow faint

To trust rather than fret

It is to live and move and have

Our being held in Him

To fear not, as we walk by faith

With courage naught can dim

Because greater is He in us

Than any foe we face

Redeemed by the blood of Jesus

Through the pow’r of God’s grace

What frees us from indebted strain

Of ‘have I done enough?’

What eases our ‘waiting/growing-pain’

With quietness and love

What equips us with all we need

Whether aged or youth

What makes worthy the words we heed

Of righteousness and truth

In each sorrow we undergo

What restores joy again

With power none can overthrow

This; Christ in us. Amen

Janet Martin

Better Hope

Tomorrow's Sunday School lesson is about the wise men

who traveled a lo-o-o-ng way to find Jesus, 

and did not stop seeking till they found Him and worshipped Him

Today's poem is inspired in part by pondering this account

and partly by today's devotion from Heb.7 

esp. v.18,19

18 For on the one hand there is an annulling of the former commandment

because of its weakness and unprofitableness,

19 for the law made nothing [e]perfect;

on the other hand, there is the bringing in of a better hope, 

through which we draw near to God.

&25

25 Therefore He is also able to save [h]to the uttermost 

those who come to God through Him, 

since He always lives to make intercession for them.

Thank-you Jesus, for the Better Hope

which crowns common task/toil with holy purpose!

May we all seek to be 'wise men' seeking to

find and follow Jesus!

The 'Christmas' Story brings us to the 'Easter' story;

God's timeless and season-less love story!!!

We The Kingdom - Light of the World (Sing Hallelujah) [Lyric Video]

He saves them to the uttermost who come to Him in truth

And through the Better Hope He wrought love needs no further proof

His consolation is a refuge to which all may flee

Therein the soul is anchored through the truth/hope that sets us free

Praise Jesus for the Better Hope that faith’s persuasion brings

And worship He who gave Himself to bring us better things

Through the gift of salvation, each who repents and believes

Inherits the fulfillment of the promise faith receives

Thus we, heirs of the full assurance of His promises

Are shod with the gospel of peace and called to holiness

To endure patiently the service of Self sacrificed

Not slothful but prepared to suffer for the sake of Christ

Praise Jesus for the Better Hope this world can never boast

His cross-shaped promise crowns all He saves to the uttermost

And fills us with His purpose until we are called away

He bids us not grow weary in well-doing till that day

If it were not for Better Hope how mean would seem earth’s strife

If not for God’s goodness and mercy each day of our life

We surely would fall prey to he who seeks to compromise

Faith, with appealing subtlety of worship-stealing lies

God, make us like the wise men from the east who traveled far

To find the Child and did not cease from following the Star

The Star that did not disappoint or lead astray, or dim

The Star that shines with Better Hope for all who hope in Him

Janet Martin

Pure Delight

1 John 2: 15-17

Do not love the world or anything in the world. 

If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 

16For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh, 

the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life—

is not from the Father but from the world.

  17The world is passing away, along with its desires;

 but whoever does the will of God remains forever.

Col.3:1

If then you were raised with Christ,

seek those things which are above,

where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.

When it comes to 'stuff' much wants more,

and yet is never satisfied!

When it comes to the things of God He has enough

to satisfy all of us for all eternity!

No need to want what the other one has

(unlike two little boys playing with tractors! 😅💓)

Love brings no satisfaction to devotion and delight

If its primal attraction is to seek and serve by sight

If what we long and strive for here, is temporal at best

If fulfillment we live for, dear, is not Supremely blessed

…by He who made and loves us and who knows us, heart and soul

Who placed within the glove of us a Faith-in-Him shaped hole

A love-the-Lord-thy-God-with-all-thy-heart-soul-strength-and-mind

-abyss; that, though we gain the world, we are Heaven-designed

And thus, to find true happiness, true hope, joy, peace and love

We first must pursue righteousness/godliness and seek Those Things Above

With uttermost humility and thankfulness, and then

We will find more delight than we thought possible. Amen

© Janet Martin

From Streams in the Desert Vol.2

For Preciousness of Souls...

Happy Almost Mid-May!!

Once more the day the Lord has made extends the goodness of God’s grace...

We never know what a day holds!

We will never know the ways of God, save this;

all things work together for good to those who love Him 

and are called according to His purpose. (Rom.8:28)

All things! 

though disappointments crush,

though sorrows roll,

though disobedience appears to flourish,

though faith is tested,

though many prayers seem to go unanswered,

though cares groan in our mortal tent

God is working these things together for good 

to those who truly, utterly love Him

and are earnestly seeking to serve God's purposes 

rather than desires of the human heart. 

The human bent of the heart is deceitful above all things

and desperately wicked 

and until faith reaches the place where we are willing

to place our dearly-beloved Isaacs on the altar of sacrifice, 

trusting God's holy and righteous love/will above all, 

we struggle and fall,

 because we are born with a rebellious nature,

and thought that errs!

God's purpose calls us, not to be true to ourselves,

but true to Him! 

2 Cor.5:9-11&14-15

Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, 

to be well pleasing to Him. 

10For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, 

that each one may receive the things done in the body, 

according to what he has done, 

whether good or bad. 

11Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, 

we persuade men; but we are well known to God, 

and I also trust are well known in your consciences...

14 For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: 

that if One died for all, then all died; 15and He died for all, 

that those who live should live no longer for themselves, 

but for Him who died for them and rose again.

2 Pet.3:8-9

But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, 

that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, 

and a thousand years as one day. 

9The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, 

as some count slackness, 

but is longsuffering toward [c]us,

 not willing that any should perish 

but that all should come to repentance.

(I really wanted to write about mothers and tots, 

my family, spring beauty, friends and so much that has confounded delight recently, 

and maybe I still will, but the sacred Source of awe and purpose

 seemed to sound a more solemn note to start a new week! )  

***

Once more the preciousness of souls compels all who believe to pray

Because the holiest of goals approaches with each passing day

This transient tent of skin and bone is but Immortality’s cloak

A dwelling place in which we groan, while should'ring love’s compelling yoke

The human heart is full of schemes to serve the part/art that eyes behold

Tossed to and fro by ‘that which seems’ rather than what God’s word has told

Not how one talks but how one walks bears witness to faith’s diligence

Beware of subtle stumbling blocks dressed in kind disobedience

Study ‘the way that seemeth right’, lest it is filled with compromise

Lest first impressions of delight tempt us with ‘you will become wise’

Lest, in the garden of today, we fall prey to temptation’s vice

Enticed by ‘did God really say?’ rather than humble sacrifice

Once more the day the Lord has made extends the goodness of God’s grace

The example, when Christ obeyed still guides the whole of human race

Faultless and faithful to the end, He bore, for preciousness of souls

The death of convicts, to defend, nay, break the curse where darkness rolls

This Tent is more than food and clothes; time’s flicker, no mean, cosmic whim

The cross, love’s proof that God first chose to save all who believe in Him

Then pray, for preciousness of souls, we take up love’s cross for His sake

Because the holiest of goals approaches, with each breath we take

© Janet Martin

Is Your All on the Altar? 

Lyrics by Elisha Hoffman-1839-1929

1 You have longed for sweet peace,

And for faith to increase,

And have earnestly, fervently prayed.

But you cannot have rest,

Or be perfectly blest,

Until all on the altar is laid.

Refrain:

Is your all on the altar of sacrifice laid?

Your heart does the Spirit control?

You can only be blest,

And have peace and sweet rest,

As you yield Him your body and soul.

2 Would you walk with the Lord

In the light of His Word,

And have peace and contentment alway?

You must do His sweet will

To be free from all ill–

On the altar your all you must lay. [Refrain]

3 Oh, we never can know

What the Lord will bestow

Of the blessings for which we have prayed,

Till our body and soul

He doth fully control,

And our all on the altar is laid. [Refrain]

4 Who can tell all the love

He will send from above,

And how happy our hearts will be made,

Of the fellowship sweet

We shall share at His feet

When our all on the altar is laid! [Refrain]

Spiritual Reveille

Reveille: 1. : a signal to get up mornings.

 2. : a bugle call at about sunrise signaling the first military formation of the day.

Getting up every morning is not for the faint of heart, 

but being properly equipped is the key to success!

Luke 24:49

And behold, I am sending the promise of My Father upon you.

But remain in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”

1 Corinthians 12:7

Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit

is given for the common good.

Ephesians 6:10

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.

2 Timothy 1:7

For God has not given us a spirit of fear,

but of power, love, and self-control.

Without God's Spirit within,

without His word hidden in our hearts

so we do not sin against Him, (Ps.119:11)

how often we would fall prey to sight

rather than walking/living by faith.

How often we would make choices

based on logic deduced from a human standpoint

rather than simply *obeying God

and trusting Him for the consequences.

God gifts us with abilities to use for His purposes and glory!

May that be our whole-sole-soul goal today!

Wishing you a day filled with joy only His Spirit can instill,

as we trust He who is able in all circumstances!

Without His Spirit it is impossible for us to do well 

in life's greatest callings, 

such as training up a child in the way they should go...

Come, all who love and fear the Lord, with holy hunger pray

To be a suit of working clothes His Spirit wears today

To be a vessel filled with Light no circumstance can dim

To be, in humble human form a glorious glimpse of Him

Come, all who seek and trust the Lord, believing in his Word

Pour out your heart in earnest prayer for all who have not heard

Who do not comprehend the Light that shines into the dark

Who, like in days of Noah, scorn the safety of faith’s Ark

Come, all who follow and obey the Lord; do not despair

But be the hands and feet of He who keeps us in His care

Put on His suit of armour, like a soldier who prepares

To head into a battlefield suffused with deadly snares

Come, all who love and fear the Lord, with worship’s yielded awe

For purposes infallible; for timing without flaw

For His glory and by his grace, with holy hunger pray

Then be the suit of working clothes His Spirit wears today

© Janet Martin

2 Tim.2:3

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

Galatians 3:3
Are you so foolish? After starting in the Spirit, 

are you now finishing in the flesh?

Ephesians 3:16

I ask that out of the riches of His glory He may strengthen you 

with power through His Spirit in your inner being,

Philippians 4:13

I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.

Romans 8:9
You, however, are controlled not by the flesh, but by the Spirit,

 if the Spirit of God lives in you. 

And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, 

he does not belong to Christ.

You can't 'work out' disobediences to God.

It doesn't work!

-Charles Stanley from the message HERE 

Come, We That Love the Lord

Perfect Satisfaction (because we all seek to be satisfied)

Every life is a testament, not only

of how much God loves us,

but of how much we love Him!

Photo:  Yesterday's Bake-Apple Crumble Tarts and Scottish Coconut and Jam Tarts

Today's bake (plan): Butter tarts!

I am currently working at a 'tart buffet' as part of a meal

next Wednesday evening 

for all our youth, junior youth and kid's zone ministry leaders at church; approx. 50!

Isn't it a wonderful blessing to be able to serve those who serve others

with a delicious 'encouragement/appreciation' meal once a month?!

BTW!! this was not my initial reaction of 'love'! (insert blush)

My first thought, I am ashamed to say was 'why? all this work/fuss etc.

 when they could all grab a bite before their meeting?!!

It would be SO much easier...

There are so many things faulty with the above attitude😓

hence, the need for confession.

Then to top it off,  I was thoroughly convicted by a conversation from/with

 an ancient Brother Lawrence from the 1600's!

I ordered this little book to tag on a few dollars 

so I would qualify for free shipping!

I am only on the second conversation and have been utterly

encouraged and convicted/corrected in my often carnal tendencies...

We all seek to be satisfied

The world, a big buffet

Of tempting fruit cajoling pride

With ‘did God really say?’

So much to see and touch and taste

What vast fields Choice deploys

Soon yielding either worth or waste

In Want’s pursuit of joys

What fickle ventures we afford

What futile wish and whim

We chase, until we love the Lord

And yield our hearts/lives to Him

Then, come what may, bitter or sweet

When love for God prevails

We find a life of joy complete

Because love never fails

We all seek to be satisfied

God’s grace, a grand buffet

Of hope the world cannot provide

Or ever take away

The more we love the Lord, the less

We want of lesser things

As we embrace/enjoy the happiness

Only loving God brings

© Janet Martin

1 Thessalonians 3:12
And may the Lord cause you to increase and overflow

 with love for one another and for everyone else, 

just as our love for you overflows,

Philippians 1:9
And this is my prayer: 

that your love may abound more and more

 in knowledge and depth of insight,

Last night as our youngest daughter's little

'blue bug' puttered away I prayed a special blessing on her and all the

fellow-workers who serve/minister to our precious youth!

2 Thessalonians 1:3

We are obligated to thank God for you all the time,

 brothers, as is fitting, because your faith is growing more and more, 

and your love for one another is increasing.

1 Thessalonians 4:1
Finally, brothers, we ask and encourage you in the Lord Jesus 

to live in a way that is pleasing to God,

 just as you have received from us. 

This is how you already live, 

so you should do so all the more.

Nothing But This...

Happy First-Friday-in-February!

F- is for Forgiveness!

***

To hold a grudge is such a heavy weight to carry through the day

Forgiveness frees us from its spite and lets it gently slip away 

Ah, life is much too brief to mar it with the bitter grief of hate

Forgiveness melts its iron bar and flings ajar love's glorious gate 

***

A friend and I decided to bring a splash of 'sunshine'

to February's dreary debut by hitting a few thrift stores

with Extreme Leisure!😂

I found the treasure below to hang in our kitchen dining area

as a gentle reminder of what I/we can quite quickly forget!

Have we nothing but this to bring

To God when shadows fall

To be a gift, fit for a king

Though it may seem so small

Have we nothing but this to prove

The flower from faith’s seed

It is enough. A word of love

A kind and thoughtful deed

Have we nothing to leave behind

When death its due will claim

It is enough, to love, be kind

In Jesus precious Name

Enough to see in every face

The scarred hand-print of He

Who helps us to mirror His grace

With kind humility

Lord, let the Name we utter/cherish most

Because of Calvary

Grant nothing but love's greatest boast

'Not I, but Christ in me'

© Janet Martin

This is (one of) my daily devotionals for this year.

January's 'pathway' focused on God's will

February's pathway focuses on Forgiveness

Forgiven!!-David Crowder

Come as You Are- David Crowder

As We Press Toward the Goal

Dawn’s hoists its mast, ahoy, we cast off to another day

Who knows, but our Captain the full of its come-what-may...

Some of my come-what-may suddenly needs to include a grocery run

when a sudden discovery is made that the household

is in short supply of bathroom tissue!

Nothing quite commands our attention like an empty roll😅😂

It's another frigid and blustery 'ahoy' in southern Ontario

 I LOVE this song as regular readers over the years, may guess😅🙏

Life sometimes tests our focus as we press toward the goal

Its Glance of Circumstances sometimes blinds us to the Whole

Where Time is like a Barge, heaped with its charge of creature care

And we are like the crew, appointed to our sacred share

Of doing our part to serve, first God, then fellowman

And not to grumble at the task, but do the best we can

With humble recognition of that Final Port of Call

When we will meet the Captain and give account for it all

Sometimes we become disillusioned by That Which Is Not

And seeds of discontentment may start to sprout in our thought

And sometimes we forget, in the belly of much-to-do

The Captain’s main concern is for the welfare of the crew

And though his methods of correction may vex you and me

He never fails; his love is steadfast as steadfast can be

A hand upon the shoulder and an anchor for the Soul

To fit us for each tumult, as we press toward the goal

Dawn’s hoists its mast, ahoy, we cast off to another day

Who knows, but our Captain the full of its come-what-may

But if we trust His promises and follow His command

He will not let us blow off course or wallow in quicksand

Though sometimes we are puzzled by the strategies He takes

To reel in our focus till the last stubborn hold breaks

Then, as we surrender both want and will to His control

We will be of good courage as we press toward the Goal

© Janet Martin

Hebrews 3:1 (BSB)

Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling,

 set your focus on Jesus, 

the apostle and high priest whom we confess.

Lord, lest we who ought to by now be anchored unwaveringly in the faith

we confessed as a child, 

lest we wallow in doubt and disillusionment,

and neglect to teach by setting a mature, humble and godly example  

for our children and grandchildren as we ought,

adjust our focus where needful, to remain fixed on you, 

and not the Glance of Circumstance!

Amen