Law/Awe of Love

There is nothing glamorous or sensational 

when it comes to humble, faithful obedience.

Look at the cross!!

No wild applause praises the Living Sacrifice.

Often it is not beautiful to behold!

Yet, only careful, diligent obedience to His commands 

makes manifest our declarations of love for God

Today as in the days of Moses, the condition of 

God's blessing remains the same...

James 1:25

But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it,

 and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, 

this one will be blessed in what he does.

How can His Word be in our mouths and hearts? 

By familiarizing ourselves with it/Him.

How do we do that? Only one way.

By spending time in his Word/with God.

then what happens?

More love for Him.

An awe-struck love

 yielding a willing, humble obedience!

for we serve best/most what/who we love best/most

How often I/we fail!!

but oh, pray failure will not drive us to despair

but rather to repentant prayer, to confess our sins

to He who is faithful and just to forgive them 

and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

1 John 1:9

...and then, re-impacted with awe for God's grace, on we go,

not in lawless living but in the law of liberty/love!

Re-impact us with awe

Impress upon our hearts

The wonder of the law of love

That serving You imparts

Renew our minds, oh Lord

So, we may test and prove

The righteousness that will confess

The perfect law of Love

The law that binds love's wounds

The law of liberty 

The law that stands on the commands

Of old eternally 

Delight us with your Word

And thus, complete our joy

With the increase of hope and peace

That nothing can destroy

With heart and soul and mind

Let love’s agenda be

Diligence in obedience

With glad humility

Re-impact us with awe

For love’s redeeming vow

And the reward we press toward

When at Thy feet we bow

…when at Thy feet we bow

By utter awe undone

The mysteries of Your grace and love

Unveiled around Thy throne

© Janet Martin

Romans 2:13
For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God,

 but it is the doers of the law who will be declared righteous.

Romans 8:2
For in Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life 

set you free from the law of sin and death.

The chaos, confusion, and curse of disobedience

(lack of reverence and love for God) 

speaks for itself

💔🙏😢

More Love to Thee

For So Much Still To Do

On an icicle-brickle bedazzled morn

the heart is sweet and tenderly torn

between footloose fancies that sparkle and woo

And common cares 

of chores to do

I admired from the window then tackled work-to-do...

The muffins turned out well,

( I had one bite from the missing one to sample 

because I didn't use any particular recipe.

When I came back from cleaning the bathrooms to finish my 'sampling' 

 this is all that remained)

No, I don't have a pet, but I have a husband😂😅

but the cake flopped... 

(It boiled over in the oven and lost its oomph!!)

while rooms got dusted and floors got mopped

Now its off to market,

to market

to buy a fat jug

of laundry soap, (etc.)

then home again,

home again

luggedy-lug

...to do dishes and kitchen clean up

and decide what's for sup!!

(I'm craving roasted vegetables!)

***

Today's poem was inspired in part

 by yesterday and today's devotion in the book

My Utmost for His Highest

By Oswald Chambers

Arise and let us go, for there is much to do

Redemption, greater than our woe will see each mercy through

Though many times we slip when we fail His command

The armour of God will equip us for the day at hand

Make haste without delay to pray and then proceed

Committed to trust and obey as God supplies our need

For the harvest is great but its workers are few

Arise, before it is too late for so much still to do   

© Janet Martin

Arise, My Soul Arise

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

(Temporary) To-do List/Must

The gray, sunless stretch of weather continues!!

sometimes it seems to threaten to seep into our spirits😏😐

Do you ever wake up feeling defeated before you begin

a new day, a new week, as struggles and battles seem to hit 'repeat'?!!

Call on God, call on a friend, 

call on a mother, spouse, sibling

but whatever we do, let's not try to do it alone!

Father Along

Do you ever wish for a life without care?!!

(I confess, sometimes I do! But,

a life without cares would make us 

pretty careless and self-reliant, wouldn't it?!

On the other hand, sometimes we can create cares

 by being careless and self-reliant!

Here is the balance challenge:

To not become complacent,

 yet, to not become discouraged

as we shoulder the yoke of faithfulness!

 The only way to accomplish this requires

constant refueling in God's company/His Word!

(To keep our eyes on faith's prize is impossible

if we love the world...more)

1 John 2:15-17 (BSB)

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.

Happy Monday!

Let's make the most of to-do lists 

not simply with what we have wherever we are,

but with Who we have wherever we are,

 (if we have believed in He who is able!)

💓🙏

this hard-to-do to-do list kind of unfolded as I contemplated

what to write about, as I weighed wishes and wants with what is, etc.

Some successes, no matter how hard-fought 

seem to evade, maybe because we're not ready for it yet!

...to loathe the pride that lurks inside accolades of success

To hunger for still waters and green pastures of His Word

While feasting on a five-star meal of hope with thankfulness 

And to pray without ceasing, leaning wholly on the Lord

To love our neighbor as ourself without selfish reserve

To be more kind and patient where we all have much to learn

Where only by God’s favor we have more than we deserve

A glorious inheritance that we could never earn

To fight against desires that wage war against the soul

To count spiritual blessings and to covet more and more

Its measure, life’s true treasure beyond time’s transient toll

When at last, we will see what now we are yet striving for

To make Heaven our goal, so that we labor not in vain

To remember, the garment of the soul will soon decay

And what once seemed so far off and arduous to attain

Will be an everlasting crown that never fades away

© Janet Martin

1 Cor.9:24-27 (NIV)

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run,

 but only one gets the prize? 

Run in such a way as to get the prize.

 25Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. 

They do it to get a crown that will not last, 

but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.

 26Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly;

 I do not fight like a boxer beating the air.

 27No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave 

so that after I have preached to others,

 I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

Truly Love

Oh, how we love our precious innocent children

who depend on us to honor their innocence 

and teach them what is right

and Who is the one true God!!

Encouraging young parents through 'tough love' 

when training little children reminds us

over and over how parenting our earthly children

reflects a picture of our Heavenly Father as He 'parents' us, doesn't it?!

We sure must test His patience sometimes as we ignore His commands.

What a kind and merciful Father he is!

He took the time to appoint/establish commandments that,

if we obey them will lead to peace and joy!

All we need to do is listen to be happy!

Sometimes we use 'happiness' as an excuse to bend or break His rules

instead of trusting the love that puts boundaries in place!

Today's scripture reading included the account of Moses

 receiving the Ten Commandments from God...

Imagine what this world would be like if we obeyed them/Him?!

Our Heav’nly Father cares for us: so He sets Ground Rules

And boundaries, to keep in check our bent to being fools

And making deadly choices when temptation’s lure is tossed

To echo 'did God really say’ when innocence was lost

And Eve believed the liar and did eat, and Adam too

One bite began the plight of man that still tests me and you

Our Heav’nly Father cares for us; so, he gave us His Word

A kind, tangible Presence to comfort and undergird

To be a lamp unto our feet in a world dark without

Where logic errs without His Word to vanquish fear and doubt

Where we would stray into the way that seems right but is not

Where the romance of ignorance sets a Death-trap of Thought

Our Heav’nly Father cares for us; He knows that we are prone

To wander like sheep, shepherd-less, if He leaves us alone

So, like all loving parents do, He authors boundaries

To safeguard precious darlings against lurking enemies

Because like children we will never fully understand

The love that cares enough to guard desire with command

Our Heav’nly Father cares for us; He works for our good

How often we do not appreciate Him like we should

And thank him for His steadfast righteousness and truth and grace

To anchor us so that we do not drift from place to place

But embrace the sweet peace we find with awed epiphany

God’s flawless laws and precepts do not bind but set us free

Our Heav’nly Father cares for us; what perfect happiness

To walk, not in the counsel of wicked ungodliness

But in the way where blessing will both console and chastise

Like the tough love of parents who are vigilant and wise

As they train up a child to see choice leads to consequence

And love is only truly love with a commandment-fence

© Janet Martin

Psalm 1:1-5

Blessed is the man

Who walks not in the counsel of the [a]ungodly,

Nor stands in the path of sinners,

Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;

2But his delight is in the law of the Lord,

And in His law he [b]meditates day and night.

3He shall be like a tree

Planted by the [c]rivers of water,

That brings forth its fruit in its season,

Whose leaf also shall not wither;

And whatever he does shall prosper.

4The ungodly are not so,

But are like the chaff which the wind drives away.

5Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment,

Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

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.

What Do I/We Know But This...

'Being a follower of Jesus is so sweet and wonderful and easy!' I said to myself yesterday,

...while sitting quietly in the comfort of a church pew

...being fed from God's Word!

Then BOOM!! As soon as I get up reality hits!

 I stick my foot in my mouth,

 I blunder,

 I err in judgement and desire,

I let Satan mock me, 

unnerve me, 

discourage me, 

oh!! the battle is real 

and relentless 

and hard!

Prayers often reduced to nothing more than 

 a flood of tears and groans...help me, God, help me 

to know how to honor and glorify You and only You.

this morning His answer seemed to flow distinctly through the

Bible in a Year: Genesis 39 - 40; Matthew 11 passages 

summarized in two words 'trust' and 'obey'!

(I originally wrote this in first person but then changed it to 'we'

because together we weather the wants and woes and taunts and blows 

of faith's highs and lows...)

What do I/we know but this; when I/we trust and obey

The blessing of God’s presence is sufficient for the day

When God’s Words contradict what logic deems as right

Obedience and trust commit to walk by faith, not sight

God’s higher thoughts and ways hone hope’s humility

Blessed is the one who obeys unconditionally

Satisfied to believe what is not understood

Knowing God’s promises achieve His purpose for our good

Oh God, forgive me/us when I/we err in what I/we seek

The spirit is willing, amen. But oh, the flesh is weak

Lord, rebuke stubborn pride and teach me/us how to pray

Because wisdom is justified when I/we trust and obey

© Janet Martin

Trust and Obey

(sharing another good old hymn by David Wesley)

I think I started over 5 times with today's poem...

resorting at last to what we were repeatedly advised to do

when I was part of a writer's group years ago

'write what you know'...inspiring the first line instantly

'what do I know?? but this...

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

The Awful (Terrifying) Truth

Why this poem?!!

Because whoever and wherever we are,

God so loved us that He gave his only begotten son

that whosoever believes in Him

will not perish but have everlasting life.

John 3:16

...and we all need to be reminded

 this sacred prelude, this day of grace

is leading to Forever and ever. either with God

or without!

🙏

We love to think about and praise God for his love, hallelujah!!

but His love would be a mockery

without judgement's wrath against all injustice and evil!

We don't hear the word hell much, used

in the context of its awful truth, do we?

And small wonder! 

There is no more sobering topic in the whole world.

But on the other hand, if this is so,

 why are we so afraid to speak of it

and perhaps snatch someone from a fiery grave?!!

Not everyone goes to Heaven,...

"“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."

said Jesus in

Matt.7:21

While we are saved not by works, but by the gift of God's grace

through  His son, Jesus

works will always testify who we truly believe, honour and love above all!

Rescue the Perishing

Don’t buff truth with a lie

Don’t sugarcoat hell’s lair

Don’t wink and think the sin will die

Without confession’s prayer

The Word of God is just

And absolute and whole

The Word of God transcends the dust

That clothes the deathless soul

When God joins him and her

No lawyer can undo

Or sever with a signature 

One, turned back into two

Beware, lest lies take root

Be careful lest you fall

The tree will be known by its fruit

God’s Word, infallible

Fall on your knees and pray

The hope God calls us to

Commands us to love and obey

In everything we do

Be on guard where deceit

Gains popularity

Because its laws seem kind and sweet

-er than God’s fixed decree

The Tempter’s cunning guile

Harkens back to that day

When he deceived Eve with a smile

And ‘did God really say?

There is a Promised Land

There is a lake of fire

One, for the Faithful to the End

The other for the liar

The want of man will fight

And fight and fight until

He sees God in dawn’s breaking light

And yields his stubborn will

Then, wanting above all

A life that God can bless

By honoring the sacred call

Of holy righteousness

Don’t buff the truth with lies

And think no one can tell

The Word of God does not disguise

The awful truth of hell

There is a way that seems

Right in the eyes of man

Beware, beware, the devil schemes

To seduce all he can

Forbid that we become

Wise in our own eyes

Untroubled by the condition 

Of truth exchanged for lies

It is a fearful thing

To live bold and unbowed

Far worse, the awful reckoning

To die, still cold and proud  

God's grace will intercede

And help us bear the cross

That guards against the lies that lead

To hell and endless loss

Forbid that we become

Emboldened by a lie

Until the conscience becomes numb

To what will never die

© Janet Martin

Luke 16:17-18

It is easier for heaven and earth to disappear 

than for the least stroke of a pen to drop out of the Law.

“Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery,

and the man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

1 Corinthians 6:9-11 ESV /

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? 

Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters,

 nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves,

 nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.

 And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified,

 you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Rev.20:15

And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.

Revelation 21:8 ESV /

But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, 

the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars,

 their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, 

which is the second death.”

When we are struggling to know if something is right or wrong

don't ask of someone 'what do you think??'

What we think is irrelevant!

Go to God's word and seek what He commands!

The Hands of God

D.H. Lawrence (1882-1930)

The Hands of God

It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

But it is a much more fearful thing to fall out of them.

Did Lucifer fall through knowledge?

oh, then, pity him, pity him that plunge!

Save me, O God, from falling into the ungodly knowledge

of myself as I am without God.

Let me never know, O God

let me never know what I am or should be

when I have fallen out of your hands, the hands of the living God.

That awful and sickening endless sinking, sinking

through the slow, corruptive levels of disintegrative knowledge

when the self has fallen from the hands of God,

and sinks, seething and sinking, corrupt

and sinking still, in depth after depth of disintegrative consciousness

sinking in the endless undoing, the awful katabolism into the abyss!

even of the soul, fallen from the hands of God!

Save me from that, O God!

Let me never know myself apart from the living God!

Happy Labor Day Rest

Harvest season; the most wonderful, wearying time of the year!

Aren't you so thankful for God's design/example/command?!

Six days labor, 7th day rest!

Ex.20:8

Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.

Isa.58:13-14

Observance of the Lord’s Sabbath quickly becomes obsolete

if it does not spring from the sense of sanctity

generated and nourished by the fact 

that God set apart this day for our good.

It’s not irksome.

It is not a punishment.

It’s a phenomenal liberating privilege.

(one quote from messages below)

Holy Day or Holiday! (Part 1 of 4)

Holy Day or Holiday (part 2 of 4)

Holy Day or Holiday (part 3 of 4)

Holy Day or Holiday (part 4 of 4)

I began to save profound thoughts from the above messages;

below are a few more but there are too many to keep up with so

I just re-listen to the messages

 to be reminded, rebuked, re-challenged and recommitted!

The recognition of the distinction of the day

is indispensable to its observance.

The rest which God has ordained is a rest from labor and a rest to Him.

The Day of Rest is a day which has a positive dimension and focus

towards the Lord, our God.

It is not simply kept from our every day routine

but it is kept for the Lord.

It is a rest of another kind of activity.

We rest from the ordinary activity of the other six days.

Why?!

Because we might be released into the worship and contemplation 

of the glory of God!! That's why!!!

...so, the principle stated is such that we might enjoy

the privilege of God's presence,

the study of God's Word,

the fellowship of God's people

uninterrupted by both employment and leisure,

which draws from us a devotion to Christ

in a singular way...

Thy delight Lord, who can measure

What kind goodness for man’s best

Is the wise and wondrous treasure

Of Thy ordained Sabbath rest

Reprieve from workaday stresses

Rest from toil to honor Thee

To worship the One who blesses

All who seek You truthfully

Six days for mankind to labor

Six days for mortal employ

One day set apart with favor

To laud the believer’s joy

..with attentions undivided

With hearts wholly fixed on Thee

To reflect and be reminded

Of Thy love at Calvary

What a gladdest invitation

To go to Thy house, oh Lord

To celebrate the salvation

That no labor could afford

Thou, oh God of all creation

Didst found the fourth command first

One day for rest’s consecration

Even before man was cursed

What a sweet and sacred priv’lege

After six work days are through

One day to pay humble homage

To One God, faithful and true

What relief Sabbath releases

As we worship and applaud

Thy name above all names, Jesus

With the family of God

What unparalleled refreshment

As we listen to Thy Voice

As Devotion's fond commitment

Rests from labor to rejoice

© Janet Martin

Heb.10:19-25

Therefore, brethren, having boldness[a] to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, 

20 by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh,

 21 and having a High Priest over the house of God, 

22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, 

having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience 

and our bodies washed with pure water. 

23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, 

for He who promised is faithful. 

24 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, 

25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, 

but exhorting one another,

 and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.

Not at Trouble's Mercy

Often my prayers for my family (esp. truck-driver husband) include prayers 

for safety and that they may reach their destinations without any trouble, 

but if they do have trouble that God would grant help.

We are all on a journey to a final destination 

and we know we will have trouble but Jesus reminds us to be of good cheer; 

He has overcome the world. 

Our Heavenly Father is with us every step of the way 

and it is such sweet comfort to know He will never leave or forsake us!

John 16:33

These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace.

 In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

The designer of every flower's intricate detail

knows even more dearly every detail of us🙏💗

We are not at the harsh mercy of this world’s trouble and care

What a friend we have in Jesus, as we lean on Him in prayer

What a comfort in our sorrow, what an anchor in the gale

Yesterday, today, tomorrow, His compassion will not fail

Transcending man’s comprehension is God’s goodness undeterred

Where we should pay more attention to the power of His Word

Because on our way to meet Him we must fight the Tempter’s play

Without God’s word to defeat him we are weak and easy prey

In this world we will have trouble that no logic can amend

Where today wafts like a bubble laden with love without end

Thus, pray we, not at the mercy of this world’s trouble and care

Lift up more than clanging cymbals in an unrepentant prayer

© Janet Martin

Prayer is the believer's sacred solace!

But in coming to Him does it not make sense

if we want Him to listen to us, that first

we ought to listen to Him? 

Does it not make sense we first plead for Christ to reveal

the sin we are unwilling to surrender and confess?

Some of life's trouble is out of our control!

some trouble comes of our willful way when we disobey...

Here, in this first day of a new week I pray for each of you reading this,

that we may be encouraged and convicted to run with endurance

and to give more earnest heed to what we have heard.

To find fresh joy and zeal in laying up treasure in Heaven!

a few more marvelous intricate details...