By God's Grace We Go

Each hurdle we have overcome
Does not mean we are good
Each vice to which we don’t succumb
Each test we have withstood
Each success that we celebrate
Each victory we applaud
Each kindness that we demonstrate
All by the grace of God 

By God's grace we achieve the goal

By God's grace when we fall

His goodness and love will console

If on His name we call

For not one iota of worth

Is self-effected, no

But every day while here on earth

Tis by God's grace we go

..so pray to Him and lean on Him

God keeps His promises

When life is dark and hope seems dim

He never forsakes us

Each difficulty that we face

Each sorrow and each groan

By the kind mercy of God's grace

Will be a steppingstone

 

For none are righteous, no, not one

We all need forgiveness

By His grace we receive pardon 

If we our sins confess

If we humble ourselves before

The God of earth and heaven

The gift of grace He will outpour

And His strength will be given

© Janet Martin

 

Romans 8:26

 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. 

We do not know what we ought to pray for, 

but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.

 

2 Co.12:9
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, 

for my power is made perfect in weakness.” 

Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, 

so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

For Soul-diers and Prayer-warriors...

Dreams break; the heart harbours its shards and in hope’s tender aftermath
We learn to carry on where dawn carves out a fresh and gleaming path
For change of plans is part of man’s allotment; we are not in charge
One greater than Want’s meager scope is at the helm of mortal barge

Wills clash; the battleground upon which many silent wars are waged
Appears quite nondescript even while crucial forces are engaged
On terrain strewn with ash of fears while faith is hewn from humble tears
As Mercy stands its ground and Mortal yields to He who commandeers

Time flies; pelf-prizes once fought for have lost their luster; thank-you Lord
But oh, how hard the reckoning of damage no one can afford
While we, still works in progress learn, in the matrix of tick and tock
That truth will never change no matter how much we argue and balk

Grace frees; oh God, without it who could bear the waves of consequence
The rift that Was is bridged by Love and Your gift of deliverance
Where once we too were blinded by the view with foolish vanity
Before the blow that forges faith and fathers true humility

 

 Dreams break; but by God's grace we learn to make the best of what remains
Wills clash; but praise the Lord, the battlefield is strewn with broken chains
Time flies; the prize worth fighting for waits when we pass through death's dark door
Grace frees; now we stand taller on our knees equipped to win this war

© Janet Martin

 Colossians 3:1-4

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above,
where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.
2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.
4 When Christ, who is your[a] life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
Read the whole glorious chapter HERE 

A Call to Prayer

Undeserved Forgiveness

If we confess our sins,

he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins

and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

1 John 1:9

 

Undeserved forgiveness

God, how can it be?

For you fully witness

Our depravity

Yet You do not waver

Lord, if we confess

You cleanse us, dear Saviour

From unrighteousness

Lord of loving kindness

You grant in wrath’s place

Undeserved forgiveness

Unmerited grace

© Janet Martin

For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, 

and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God,  

not by works, so that no one can boast.

Eph.2:8-9

The Great Law of Love

Ah, moral law what sacred bar whereby life’s wrong and right is proved

Yet, may we never use it to make one feel judged rather than loved

Love in its lesser form neglects to caution, rebuke and advise

It claims to care but views a stumbling fellowman with half-shut eyes

Yet, futile to deal with effect before identifying Cause

Where without love there is no merit in waving a book of laws

Forbid, before noon’s flying colours fold into the close of day

That we with earnest heart do not forget to love enough to pray

Lest while we criticize and point at dust-specks in another’s tries

We overlook the beam that looms in our own fault-finding eyes

Forbid we speak of love and yet when push and shove turns into grind

We fail to be its tender proof; not gentle, meek, patient and kind

Then pray at break of day before we face time’s tides that stilly roar

That we above all else seek grace and strive to love each other more

© Janet Martin

Romans 3:19-20, 23-24

  Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, 

so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God.  

 Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; 

rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin.

... for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,  

 and all are justified freely by his grace 

through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

Romans 13:8-10
Owe no one anything, except to love each other, 

for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.  

 For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, 

You shall not murder, 

You shall not steal, 

You shall not covet,” 

and any other commandment, 

are summed up in this word: 

“You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”  

 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; 

therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

the law of love Matt. 22:35-40
 And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him.  

 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?”  

 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God 

with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.  

 This is the great and first commandment.  

 And a second is like it: 

You shall love your neighbor as yourself.  

On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

 Matt.7:1-3

 “Do not judge, or you will be judged.

For with the same judgment you pronounce, 

 you will be judged; and with the measure you use,

  it will be measured to you. 

Why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye,

 but fail to notice the beam in your own eye?…

...and if you are not tired of reading

you might enjoy this post 

Liberty or License

by

Dr. Alan Snyder 

Like a Love-letter From God

Tender splendour rends the regions Mercy’s mentor mediates

Dimming midnight’s starry legions with the light Love orchestrates

Grace extends hope’s salutation where Time ebbs with sober toll

Sustaining the invitation to address the deathless soul

Hail, the Hand that sealed man’s pardon not withholding his own Son

Suffering death’s bitter guerdon for the sins of everyone

Hail the one who interceded when Abraham obeyed He

Who would offer His Son Jesus on the cross of Calvary

Love groans with atoning power where deception’s lies run bold

While Heaven counts down the Hour when all nations will Behold

Look! Compassion’s rose-gold raiment bathes the breadth of sea and sod

Look, where Mercy suspends Judgement like a love-letter from God

© Janet Martin

"It is not the throne of judgement yet, we still approach the throne of grace",
our pastor tenderly entreated/reminded us on Sunday
in this message...Challenge; don't be immature

Gen.22:1-14

 Some time later God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!”

“Here I am,” he answered.

2“Take your son,” God said, “your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah. Offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains, which I will show you.”

3So Abraham got up early the next morning, saddled his donkey, and took along two of his servants and his son Isaac. He split the wood for a burnt offering and set out for the place God had designated.

4On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. 5“Stay here with the donkey,” Abraham told his servants. “The boy and I will go over there to worship, and then we will return to you.”

6Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac. He himself carried the fire and the sacrificial knife, and the two of them walked on together.

7Then Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!”

“Here I am, my son,” he replied.

“The fire and the wood are here,” said Isaac, “but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?”

8Abraham answered, “God Himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two walked on together.

9When they arrived at the place God had designated, Abraham built the altar there and arranged the wood. He bound his son Isaac and placed him on the altar, atop the wood. 10Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son.

The LORD Provides the Sacrifice

11Just then, the angela of the LORD called out to him from heaven, “Abraham, Abraham!”

“Here I am,” he replied.

12“Do not lay a hand on the boy or do anything to him,” said the angel, “for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your only son from me.b ”

13Then Abraham looked up and saw behind him a ramc in a thicket, caught by its horns. So he went and took the ram and offered it as a burnt offering in place of his son. 14And Abraham called that place The LORD Will Provide. So to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided.” 

Luke 23:33-46

 When they came to the place called The Skull,d they crucified Him there, along with the criminals, one on His right and the other on His left.

34Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”e And they divided up His garments by casting lots.f

35The people stood watching, and the rulers sneered at Him, saying, “He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ of God, the Chosen One.”g

36The soldiers also mocked Him and came up to offer Him sour wine.h 37“If You are the King of the Jews,” they said, “save Yourself!”

38Above Him was posted an inscription:i

THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

39One of the criminals who hung there heaped abuse on Him. “Are You not the Christ?” he said. “Save Yourself and us!”

40But the other one rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same judgment? 41We are punished justly, for we are receiving what our actions deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” 42Then he said, “Jesus, remember mej when You come into Your kingdom!”

43And Jesus said to him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”

 

The Death of Jesus
(Psalm 31:1-24; Matthew 27:45-56; Mark 15:33-41; John 19:28-30)

44It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over all the land until the ninth hour.k 45The sun was darkened,l and the veil of the temple was torn down the middle.

46Then Jesus called out in a loud voice, “Father, into Your hands I commit My Spirit.”m And when He had said this, He breathed His last.