Redemption's Groaning Gate Flings Wide...

 My sister Lucy's granddaughter picked these wildflowers for me the other day...

I don't think she noticed the tears I choked back as I was honoured

by her innocent eagerness.

The mug seemed the perfect vase for my utter joy and sorrow!

Below is a collection of verses to treasure as they comfort and cheer the soul

and remind us of what matters most!

Psalm 25:14

The LORD confides in those who fear Him, and reveals His covenant to them.

Psalm 84:11

For the LORD God is a sun and a shield;

 the LORD gives grace and glory;

 He withholds no good thing from those who walk with integrity.

Psalm 115:13

He will bless those who fear the LORD—small and great alike.

Psalm 5:12

For surely You, O LORD, bless the righteous; 

You surround them with the shield of Your favor.

Ps.69:15

But as for me, my prayer is to You,
O Lord, in the acceptable time;
O God, in the multitude of Your mercy,
Hear me in the truth of Your salvation.

Ps.119:153-160

153 Consider mine affliction, and deliver me:

 for I do not forget thy law.

154 Plead my cause, and deliver me: 

quicken me according to thy word.

155 Salvation is far from the wicked: 

for they seek not thy statutes.

156 Great are thy tender mercies, O Lord:

 quicken me according to thy judgments.

157 Many are my persecutors and mine enemies; 

yet do I not decline from thy testimonies.

158 I beheld the transgressors, and was grieved; 

because they kept not thy word.

159 Consider how I love thy precepts:

 quicken me, O Lord, according to thy lovingkindness.

160 Thy word is true from the beginning: 

and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever.

 

Redemption's groaning gate flings wide and a new day is born...

A multitude of mercies smiles upon a world sin-worn... 

Redemption's groaning gate flings wide and a new day is born

A multitude of mercies smiles upon a world sin-worn 

The Author of Salvation who appoints what none can trace

Once more anoints creation with un-stoppered love and grace

Regret, remorse, repentance spar within the human heart 

God's holiness and man's pride are a humble prayer apart 

Oh Lord, rebuke my erring will, waiting to cause offence 

So the purposes You fulfill/instill may have preeminence 

The truth of your salvation comforts all who fear You, LORD 

Imbue deep dedication to the counsel of Your Word

Lest, for the lack of earnest heed I look away and drift

Forgetting who supplies my need with truths that do not shift 

Delight thrills all who love Your law with thoughts too rare to speak

My spirit thirsts for constant awe, but oh, my flesh is weak

Prone to descend the slippery slope of half-truth to appease

The carnal foe to Living Hope with 'come soul, take thine ease '

Each edict of your Word is true, where faith sees but in part  

Lord, help me learn it through and through and hide it in my heart 

So that I do not grieve you, Saviour, but with yielded will

Reverence the Shield of Your favour as Your mercies spill

Janet Martin  

 

 

Courage's Crux

Sometimes in the morning I feel a bit like a turtle, 

as I emerge from my 'shell' of cozy covers

to hit snooze, then retreat back beneath blanket-oblivion,

 until finally Truth, in this case, aka Morning, 

prods me into motion and I trundle to the kitchen

 to 'pour myself a cup of ambition'...🎜🎝

...because no matter how I ignore, deny or pretend,

Truth abides. 

It is unaffected by Denial's mayhem of confusion

pride's boldness/boastfulness of rebellion

doubt's folly of rejection, 

and Disregard's lack of reverent fear

Truth is a solid foundation 

in the shifting tide of seasons, opinions and generations.

It anchors wisdom's disciplines

It corrects erring thought.

It exposes deception

It is the Belt that secures

the breastplate of righteousness

Eph.6:14

Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist,

with the breastplate of righteousness in place,

John 17:17

Sanctify them by[d] the truth; your word is truth.

John 8:32

And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

John 1:14

The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. 

We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son

 from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 1:17

For the law was given through Moses;

 grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

So, all this to say

Rise and shine!!

 because...

It is not for nothing, no!

By God's grace and truth we go

Faith is not some futile fling

Nor we, puppets on a string

God, who is First in command

Guides us by His nail-scarred Hand

His Word girds both aged and youth

 With trustworthy, timeless Truth

Truth, to fit us for the strife

Through the highs and lows of life

Foolish to doubt or dispute

What God said IS Absolute

No matter what waits to be

Truth is faith's divine decree

Steadfast in Want's constant flux

Is the kind Creator's crux 

Able to withstand the tow

Stable in time's ebb and flow

Stronger than opposing tides

The Word-rooted Truth abides

It is not for nothing then

Courage is renewed, amen

Fit to fight faith's cunning foe 

By God's grace and truth we go

© Janet Martin

Guiltless My-My-My

Ps. 31:24

Be of good courage, 

And He shall strengthen your heart,

 All you who hope in the LORD.

I'm so thankful the above verse ministered to me yesterday

when I needed it desperately!

I'm so thankful for the constant reminders

that God will never leave me or forsake me,

but He comes to me sometimes through 

the care and compassion of fellowman,

and sometimes through His Word whispered to me!

Oh, pray we may seek to hide his Word in our hearts

to equip us for whatever today brings

I am so thankful that 'I can do all things

through Christ who strengthens me'

Phil.4:13

I was torn between writing in first person 'my'

or for every believer 'our'

I decided to make it tenderly, vulnerably and joyfully personal 

but the word 'our' can be easily substituted for 'my' as well

so we can 'rejoice in the Lord' together!

My Faith Has Found a Resting Place 

 (My Hope is Built) | Reawaken Hymns | 

 

 

My Jesus, I Love Thee

My Jesus, My Saviour - [Official Video Lyric] 

 

 My God is All I Need / My God is So Big (Live)

Because God is my help, my strength, the Savior of my soul

My Anchor, my Assurance when grief and dread’s billows roll

My Hope and my Salvation, my kind Comforter and Friend

My Cherished Consolation, my Beginning and my End

My dear Heavenly Father, my Healer when my heart breaks

My Closer-than-a-brother who never leaves or forsakes

My Light to pierce the darkness and my Wonder-fullest Praise

For His mercy and goodness that will follow, all my days

My Shepherd, my Defender, my Hunger and my Enough

My God, both fierce and tender in His everlasting love

My Courage, my Commander, my Confidence to endure

My Fortress, and my Armor and my Victory secure

My Excellent Creator, my faith’s Steadfast Cornerstone

My Faithful Mediator, my Interpreter of groan

My Heaven-intercession in my earthly-temporal

My Pardon for transgression, Love Incomprehensible

My Author and Perfecter as I walk by faith, not sight

My trustworthy Protector, my Confidante, my delight

My heart’s Ruthless Inspector, ere pride’s ruin masquerades

My all-knowing Director as each season blooms and fades

My All-in-all, All-seeing and my All-wise Counselor

The Reason for my being, my Peace in the midst of war

My Holiness, Jehovah, my Shelter, my Resting Place

My Glory-hallelujah for His all-sufficient grace

My Yesterday-Today-Tomorrow-and-Forevermore

My Joy, even in sorrow, my Captain who goes before

My Refuge, my Redeemer, my Escort through highs and lows

My Perfect Plan-frustrater, my Orchestrator of woes

My Greater-He-in-me than he that is in, of this world

He is my Might, my Majesty, my Eagle Wings unfurled

Because God IS, He sets me free from fear of death and hell

Because of His power in me I can do all things well

© Janet Martin

My Lord, I Did Not Choose You (Hymn 54)

My Help (Cometh From The Lord) - The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir

My Life Is In Your Hands + Sweet, Sweet Spirit: Song Session

Stayed on Thee

Isa.26:3

Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace,

whose mind is stayed on thee:

because he trusteth in thee

'Now what? Now how?',

my heart seemed to cry this morning

as I thought of Les and his family,

 post-wedding-prep flurry and distraction

Pre-everything that yet remains to be...

(for all of us)

'Now What? Now how?!' I cried

for everyone suffering ongoing sorrow

...and the verse above ministered to my cry

and comforted me 

May it comfort you too.

My Faith Looks Up To Thee 

‘Mind stayed on Thee’ what confidence hope’s careworn courage finds

What peace anoints grief’s wounds, that God, so rich in mercy binds

What comfort cheers life’s ups and downs, where this world’s troubles groan

What joy (in spite of Sorrow) crowns the gape of the Unknown

‘Mind stayed on Thee’ Thy word is truth; faith’s footing held secure

Trustworthy for both aged and youth, armour for rich and poor

Though generations rise and fall like waves upon a sea

Thy Word abides through all of time and all eternity

‘Mind stayed on Thee’ no substitute can console or appease

No mortal merit can compute what God alone decrees

Ah, Heaven’s earthly ordinance nothing can overthrow

Able, in every circumstance to conquer every foe

‘Mind stayed on Thee’, hope’s sure anchor where tempests roar and toss

How trustworthy is He who bore the horror of the cross

Who knew no sin but became sin, each sinner to atone

Savior and Redeemer, amen. Death and hell overthrown

‘Mind stayed on Thee’, no sweeter solace can our spirits find

No purer peace, God’s purpose is compassionate and kind

Though oft misunderstood, until with humble mind renewed

We yield and trust Love’s perfect will with awestruck gratitude

© Janet Martin

And I will pray the Father, 

and he shall give you another Comforter, 

that he may abide with you for ever;

John 14:16

I have told you these things,

 so that in me you may have peace.

 In this world you will have trouble.

 But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Jesus~

John 16:33

.

Lest in the Thick of Here and Now...

Ps.18:1-2

I love You, O LORD, my strength.

2The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer.

My God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,

my shield, and the horn of my salvation,

my stronghold.

3I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised;

so shall I be saved from my enemies.

Is it not a wonderful thing,

To know as we kneel/bow to pray

we are essentially slipping our hand

into God's hand?!

God, by Whom all things were made

and are lent save Him alone!!

He is eternal.

Does this not bring fresh courage 

to face today?!

Lest in the quick of (circum) stance

Or in the thick of sight

We overlook the One who grants

The armour for the fight

The refuge from the foe

The rock that will not move

The blood-bought grace whereby we go

The greatest of these; love

The Life, from death's curse raised

The Saviour of the soul

The Name most worthy to be praised

Who makes the broken whole

Whose will is undeterred

Who keeps his promises

Who leads us by his righteous Word

In paths of righteousness

Who is holy and just

Who forgives confessed sin

Who is faithful (knows we are dust)

Who bids us trust in Him

Who keeps in perfect peace

Hearts and minds on Him stayed

Whose purposes will never cease

Whose joy is unafraid 

The Way, the Truth, the Life

Creator of all things

(Though doubt and argument run rife

Against the King of kings)

Who IS love without end

Supremacy unfazed

Whose thoughts no thought can comprehend

Nor understand His ways

Oh, lest with faithless glance

We haste to meet the day

Lest in the quick of circumstance

We never pause to pray

Let us first humbly bow

And seek Love's kind command

Lest in the thick of Here and Now

We miss His outstretched Hand   

© Janet Martin

I Need Thee Every Hour

Did You Think to Pray?

Because God Is Not a Far-off Father

Sharing some sweet reassurance today,

(because it's so easy to slip into walking by sight!)

Psalm 16:11

You will show me the path of life; 

In Your presence is fullness of joy;

At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Ps.55:22

Cast your burden on the Lord,

And He shall sustain you;

He shall never permit the righteous to be [b]moved.

I couldn't decide on any particular photos to share today

 so I am sharing some recent twilight garden tranquility...

Do the unknowns of tomorrow rob you of peace for today

Does love's joy, laden with sorrow, take a sad, triumphant toll 

Faith, the substance of things hoped for, does it cheer you when you pray

Does it grant God's strength for labor and His comfort for your soul

Or, is dread a thief of laughter, fear, a dark and rolling sea 

God is not a far-off Father; He bids us 'come unto Me'

Do you long for lasting pleasure and delight's true happiness  

Or does this world's fleeting treasure consume worship's mad pursuit 

Do you find sweet consolation in God's steadfast promises 

Does His gift of soul's salvation produce heaven-flavored fruit 

Or is trouble a dictator stealing humble hymns of praise

God is no distant Creator, but a Helper all our days 

In the process of Becoming, are you losing heart, pray tell

Is the noise of progress numbing you to truths that never change  

Although the spirit is willing, does the flesh resist, rebel

Or, is One greater instilling what no rival can estrange 

For, though life is heartbreak-tainted, our prayers are held secure 

Because God is well acquainted with all suff'rings we endure 

In the valley of death's shadow He unfurls the path of life

His word is a Lamp to follow, and a Light to show the Way 

Does the hope of Heaven fill you with courage to face earth's strife

Does the thought of Seeing thrill you as you walk by faith today

Do you face faith's certain danger at the ready to defend

Because God is not stranger; but a very present Friend   

Janet Martin

 

Psalm 145:17-21

The LORD is righteous in all His ways

and kind in all His deeds.

18The LORD is near to all who call on Him,

to all who call out to Him in truth.

19He fulfills the desires of those who fear Him;

He hears their cry and saves them.

20The LORD preserves all who love Him,

but all the wicked He will destroy.

21My mouth will declare the praise of the LORD;

let every creature bless His holy name

forever and ever.

Deuteronomy 4:7
For what nation is great enough to have a god as near to them

 as the LORD our God is to us whenever we call on Him?

Psalm 34:18
The LORD is near to the brokenhearted; 

He saves the contrite in spirit.

Psalm 46:1
God is our refuge and strength,

 an ever-present help in times of trouble.

I know I have shared these songs before

but I longed to hear them this morning...

Lead Me Gently Home, Father

God Will

In the Sweet Bye and Bye

Without Humility and Fear and Trembling at God's Word and Morning-tide is Gently Breaking (a Twofer today :-)

It takes patience, determination and discipline to blog this time of year!!

Yester-morn and this morning Cutie and Duty-Beauty prevailed

before I had accomplished sharing a poem here...

It's harvest and making-the-most-of-moments-

before-school-begins-again season...

Yesterday morning I first deposited all the corn on the lawn to husk but it

was so cool and windy we ended up moving into the garage!

Grand-sonny loved 'trucking' cobs to the wheelbarrow and baskets 

to keep the huskers husking!

Husking complete!

Isa.66:2

“These are the ones I look on with favor:

those who are humble and contrite in spirit,

and who tremble at my word.

I wrote the poem below before heading out to pick corn..., 

inspired in part by the above verse

and in part by plain, old-fashioned 

observation/self-examination 

Without humility and fear and trembling at God’s word

The paths of righteousness, for His name’s sake, are vision-blurred

Without willing contrition/submission of heart and soul, strength and mind

Love is oft led into temptation, sensual and blind

And without daily taking up love’s cross to suffer-long

Speech is a clanging cymbal and worship, a hollow gong

Without utter reliance and unswerving confidence

In God, the tree will not produce fruit of obedience

Without earth’s treasure taken now and then, to temper boast

Our want will never waken to desire God the most

Without the world forsaken first, God’s armor cannot shield

Us from the awful day when the unrighteous are revealed

Without the consolation of God’s hope, we lack the ken

To trust Him for salvation and knowledge of truth. Amen

We lack faith’s thankful fervor for the grace of God, who gave

Himself to be our Savior and to overthrow hell’s grave

Without surrender’s ‘not my will but Thine be done’ today

We lack the love we ought to have that bids us to obey

Without love's purposed commitment of living, sacrificed

We cannot find the fulfillment that comes through Jesus Christ

God will not keep in perfect peace, a mind un-stayed on Him

The ear is deaf if the heart has no word of God within

To lead in paths of righteousness and keep faith undeterred

With love’s humility and fear and trembling at His word

© Janet Martin

After corn husking I forgot to take photos till cleanup was complete!

All done! For now😅

The first four lines of today's poem

whispered to me out of a dead sleep... 💗

(so, if you prefer a quick ditty to

drawn-out doggerels those lines can be

its own little lyric)

Morning-tide is Gently Breaking 

Morning-tide is gently breaking like a gold lake over sod

Faithfulness, free for man’s taking tumbles from the hand of God

Goodness grants fresh salutations of love, from mercy renewed

Grace runs rife with invitations to fill life with gratitude...

Challenging easy desires and the thirst for pleasure’s vice

To a frontline that requires Giving’s living sacrifice

Morning-tide is gently rolling like a wave across the lea

Time’s tintinnabulum tolling holy opportunity

Beckoning, from mercy’s table, to drink deeply from hope’s fount

Reckoning is not a fable; someday we will give account

Pray then, that each day composes a most sober legacy

Lest we blush when God exposes what was hid, for all to see

Morning-tide is grandly sweeping over land and sea; behold

He whose kind and patient keeping dissolves the darkness with gold

He is awesome and all-knowing; earth and heaven beam and brim

With His evidence, bestowing immutable proof of Him

Until, He exchanges glimpses of His glory; time’s veil rent

Where at last seeing convinces every lofty argument

Morning-tide is gently breaking like a lake of gleaming gold

Moments, free for our taking, already slip through our hold

Softly and subtly preparing answers we will not escape

In the face of mercy’s bearing, recompense is taking shape

Where morning-tide, gently shimmers in a lake of gold and pink

Where the mist of reply glimmers, then dries in permanent ink

Come, before the tide of Morning disappears into the dark

Heed the voice that pleads with warning, lest we wait and miss Faith’s mark

Kiss the feet of the Creator, worship Him without reserve

Where He counters each debater with creation’s vim and verve

While the worshipper fills pages with humility or pride

While God crowns the dust of ages with newness of morning-tide

© Janet Martin

Helping gramma painstakingly uncurl and examine every single lemon tea leaf,

(before drying)

for tiny worms woven almost imperceptibly into curled edges!

But I love this tea so much which, I explained to them, is why it is worth the

squeamish effort!' And they love tea at gramma's house too!

1 Tim.1:17

Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, 

to [e]God who alone is wise,

 be honor and glory forever and ever. 

Amen.

Better-Awareness

Sometimes we misunderstand things because we don't wait for the finished picture!

It takes time for an Artist to complete His (or, as below, her) work

Better to be patient in waiting

Than impatient and settling for far less than God would grant...

After she completed the swing set I thought she was done,

and I praised her drawing but, after she studied it briefly she returned to it.

Something seemed wanting.

Then she added grass, sky, clouds and people!

A much prettier picture than I was ready to settle for 💝

Better to be reprimanded than to flourish in deceit

To obey is better than the pomp and show of sacrifice

Better to be bowed in bearing, washing fellow-traveler's feet

Than to be proud and uncaring; always counting giving's price

Better to be poor and gentle than world-wealthy and unkind

Better to be robbed and beaten, than to be the one that steals

Better to walk by faith daily, than coast through life, seeing-blind 

Better to be led through fire than to trust in how one feels 

Better to be mocked and hated than applauded for sin's fruit 

Better this, to suffer wrongly than to live without a care 

Better to be wild with hunger than succeed in greed's pursuit

Better, tossed by trouble's tempest than smooth sailing without prayer 

Better to be God's-grace strengthened than to never know its need

Better to grow wise in waiting, than a fool, soon gratified 

Better to trust in the Lord than lean on Logic's shaky reed/lead 

Better to be stumble-humbled than poised on tight-ropes of pride  

© Janet Martin

Proverbs 15:17

Better a dish of vegetables where there is love 

than a fattened ox with hatred.

Proverbs 17:1

Better a dry morsel in quietness 

than a house full of feasting with strife.

Ecclesiastes 4:6

Better one handful with tranquility 

than two handfuls with toil and pursuit of the wind.

Not every aftermath  is instantly visible

as outlined HERE 

but without a doubt,

we reap what we sow! 

Deut.10:12-21 BSB

And now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you

but to fear the LORD your God

by walking in all His ways, to love Him,

to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul,

13and to keep the commandments and statutes of the LORD

that I am giving you this day for your own good?

14Behold, to the LORD your God belong the heavens,

even the highest heavens,

and the earth and everything in it.

15Yet the LORD has set His affection on your fathers and loved them.

And He has chosen you, their descendants after them,

above all the peoples, even to this day.

16Circumcise your hearts, therefore, and stiffen your necks no more.

17For the LORD your God is God of gods

and Lord of lords,

the great, mighty, and awesome God,

showing no partiality and accepting no bribe.

18He executes justice for the fatherless and widow,

and He loves the foreigner, giving him food and clothing.

19So you also must love the foreigner,

since you yourselves were foreigners in the land of Egypt.

20You are to fear the LORD your God and serve Him.

Hold fast to Him and take your oaths in His name.

21He is your praise and He is your God,

who has done for you these great and awesome wonders

that your eyes have seen.