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

Let All Who Believe Shout for Joy

The third week of advent celebrates joy!

Our temporary joys pale in comparison with the eternal joy of Jesus!

Scripture is filled with proclamations of joy!

hallelujah!

...in this world we will have trouble but take heart!

He has overcome the world!

John 16:33

As the Father has loved Me, so have I loved you.

Remain in My love.

If you keep My commandments, you will remain in My love,

just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and remain in His love.

I have told you these things so that My joy may be in you

and your joy may be complete.

John 15:9-11

Jesus, Only Jesus

The joy that waits to transport us from faith to sight defends

The joy still set before us with the joy God’s Spirit sends

To be a friend and comforter, to anoint lips with praise

For what the Lord has done to fill us with joy all our days

The joy that is complete begins with love’s obedience

To worship He who forgives sins and voids its consequence

He is the Vine, the branch apart from Him can bear no fruit

Of righteousness because the heart denies Truth's Absolute

The soul that is redeemed proclaims God’s goodness all day long

Then bless the beauty of the name that fills our hope with song

For glad tidings of joy, no worldly riches can afford

Bethlehem’s baby boy became our Saviour, Christ the Lord

Let all who believe shout for joy for what the Lord has done

No power on earth can destroy what Calvary has won

He broke the curse of death and hell; the world He overcame

He authors joy unspeakable and Jesus is His name

Let all who take refuge in Him rejoice, yes! shout for joy

For time and trouble cannot dim the Voice of hope's employ

Then, may the joy and peace of God, anoint and overflow

In all we do and say, awed by God’s gift so long ago

© Janet Martin

1 Peter 1:3-9

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! 

By His great mercy He has given us new birthb into a living hope 

through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

  4and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, 

reserved in heaven for you, 5who through faith are shielded by God’s power

 for the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.

6In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while 

you may have had to suffer grief in various trials 

7so that the proven character of your faith—more precious than gold, 

which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory, 

and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

8Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; 

and though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him 

and rejoice with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 

9now that you are receiving the goal of your faith, 

the salvation of your souls.

Psalm 5:11-12

But let all who take refuge in You rejoice;

let them ever shout for joy.

May You shelter them,

that those who love Your name may rejoice in You.

12For surely You, O LORD, bless the righteous;

You surround them with the shield of Your favor.

Song of Silence

I had the honor and delight of being one of the hosts

this morning for our church's annual women's Christmas brunch!

(Faces blurred for privacy)

I forgot to take a picture of the food!

(It was a potluck event and it was so delicious)

After the laughter and chatter subdued

After food savored and fond farewells bade

Silence settles like a snowflake postlude

Over scrubbed kettles and memories made

After hello has turned into ‘so long’

After the treasure of fellowship ends

Silence follows, like a bittersweet song

Medley of echoes and pleasure of friends

After the loveliness of touch and sight

Slips from our fingers and fades out of  view    

Silence, like a flicker of candlelight

Wraps love's gold halo around me and you 

After the fabric of moments unfold

After ‘together’ turns into ‘apart’

Silence is like a picture book we hold

Every page in the shape of a heart

© Janet Martin 

Silence settles like a snowflake postlude

Over scrubbed kettles and memories made...

Emmanuel (What more do we need?)

Matthew 1:23

Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, 

and they shall call his name Emmanuel, 

 being interpreted is, God with us.

Emmanuel-God with Us

O Come, Emmanuel-Simon Khorolskiy 

God with us since the beginning; God with us; His Word unfurled

Like hope’s harbor in this sinning, struggle-stricken, broken world

God with us, His omni-presence no army can overthrow

His Word in our hearts, the essence of peace only faith can know

God with us down through the ages; grace and truth to set us free

Manifesting sacred pages; He Who Was, IS and Will Be

God with us in joy and sorrow never to leave or forsake

Yesterday, today, tomorrow His Word will not change or shake

God with us, ah, precious promise, who can fully comprehend

The wonder of Jesus; glorious, infinite and without end

God with us, eternal power, demons tremble when we pray

 Oh, the height and depth of our confidence through mercy's Stay

God with us amidst a heathen disregard and deadly jeer

In and through His Word faith meets/seeks Him to comfort and commandeer

God with us, Unseen, yet faithful Father, Counsellor, and Friend

He helps us to help each other to be faithful to the end

God with us, sweet consolation no matter what may beset

God with us, mankind’s salvation oh, may we never forget

Holy, holy hallelujah! Come, let us praise and adore

He who is Love, Truth, Jehovah! God with us forevermore

© Janet Martin

Emmanuel, God With Us- Charles Spurgeon

Book of Now or Where No Today is Commonplace (because of God's grace)

Now is a sequence of little love-letters

unfolding and folding in sacred synchronicity!

My granddaughter's grin yesterday as her mommy surprised her

 with an unexpected visit (aka break for momma) to gramma's house

This morning's poem was penned amidst much Now unfolding, such as

a frustrated and discouraged daughter asking for prayers 

for wisdom and patience as she parents, 

especially a three year old daughter whose endless curiosity and energy

 results in the most unpredictable episodes.

Yesterday said grand daughter watched ever-so-closely as gramma put in her contact lenses. 

This morning while her mommy was busy with baby brother 

she decided to try to clean mommy's contacts!! 

Last week after her mommy glazed some meatloaf for supper, and

was helping Big Brother with some reading,

this opened a window of opportunity

to slather leftover glaze on the stove burner!

Other recent episodes, often harmless but patience trying...

let's see how much toilet paper fits in a drain.

let's get out all my summer clothes because the snow melted!!!

let's use mom's real taco -seasoning in my toy kitchen while I'm cooking!

(and this gal moves faster than the Tasmanian devil in the old bugs bunny cartoons😂😂)

These episodes are most often followed with a very penitent little girl saying

 "I'm thorry, mommy for'...

and then its hard for mommy to stay cross for very long after😅💓

Dear mommies and daddies, don't give up.

After prayer-folded hands, a loving and firm hand 

is the best thing you can give your children!

(Dear older moms and dads, 

let's remember to pray faithfully for younger parents!

because, do you remember the unrelenting challenge 

of parenting little children?!!)

Let's pray they may have the wisdom, the patience

 and the courage to do the hard parenting!

Every stage of Now, no matter how old we are 

seems to run rife with life's challenges/lessons!

By God's goodness and mercy aka grace, we go...

Lessons learned through laughter and tears

Tune tides soon turned to yesteryears

How swift sterling sunrises set

The stage unfurling folds of ‘yet’

Where gold and gray-spun Granting sweeps

Each new today to Bygone’s deeps

With Now, the ink that pulses through

What first we think and then we do

Until we ford that final rift

To meet the Lord who gave life’s gift

Where time’s tatters of touching lie

In stilled splatters where ink drops dry

…in a love letter God will read

Prompting us to pay better heed

To what deed writes before we bow

And God recites our Book of Now

…where, pray above all He will see

The acquittal of Calvary

That began, with Now’s earnest try

Eternity’s thank-you reply

Where no today is commonplace

In hope’s hooray, because of grace

As step by step and prayer by prayer

God folds away time’s sacred stair

© Janet Martin

some 'nows' are as sweet as maple cream fudge, (see recipe below)

being sampled here...

others, not!

(Above, Miss Mischief's Baby Brother who seems to take up a LOT of mommy-time💞💗)

Here is an annual Christmas treat favourite from my childhood;

Maple Cream Fudge recipe...

Proverbs 19:20
Listen to counsel and accept discipline,

 that you may be wise the rest of your days.

Not a Once-and-Done Thing-Surrender

 

This poem was inspired in part by a conversation with a friend yesterday,

who has suffered some severe disappointments in the past few years 

and what appears to the naked eye, to be setbacks

resulting in trying physical and financial challenges!

But, I was so struck by the beauty of her spirit of surrender to God's will

as she spoke about joys she is discovering through her walk by faith, not sight.

Not easy by any stretch, but real! and a reminder for all of us

to yield and trust rather than fret and doubt!

On our own journeys (my own journey) of surrender,

 I pray, Oh Lord, for more

'trust with all my heart rather than leaning on my own understanding'!

Ah surrender, you are not once and done, but pray

with each surrender we demolish another stumbling block to full surrender!

Only Trust Him-Alan Jackson

The joy of surrender, oh, how can it be

Relinquishing want’s anxious hold

To trust in the Lord, where, though faith cannot see

It rests in the truths He has told

The peace of surrender, oh, how is it so

To yield amidst trouble’s travail

To the kind assurance God’s word will bestow

To know that He will never fail

The heart of surrender, oh, sweet, sweet release

To commit/submit to God’s perfect will

To find in the place of my pining, His peace

As storms of selfish struggle still

The bliss of surrender, unreserved and true

The beauty of bowing, undone

Allowing God’s Spirit to will and to do

The work He has barely begun

© Janet Martin

I remember my grandmother reminding me

'surrender is only a battle if we put up a fight'.

Utterly impacted; oh, that it could be

That the love of God would work

 love’s miracle in me!

Psalm 37:5
Commit your way to the LORD; 

trust in Him, and He will do it.

Prov.3:1-8

My son, do not forget my teaching,

but let your heart keep my commandments;

2for they will add length to your days,

years and peace to your life.

3Never let loving devotion or faithfulness leave you;

bind them around your neck,

write them on the tablet of your heart.

4Then you will find favor and high regard

in the sight of God and man.

5Trust in the LORD with all your heart,

and lean not on your own understanding;

6in all your ways acknowledge Him,

and He will make your paths straight.

7Be not wise in your own eyes;

fear the LORD and turn away from evil.

8This will bring healing to your bodyb

and refreshment to your bones.

Leaning on the Everlasting Arms-Alan Jackson

Unto Us

Pondering Peace on this second week of Advent

Luke 2:14

“Glory to God in the highest, 

And on earth peace, 

goodwill toward men!”

Rom.15:13

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him,

 so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Rom.15:33

The God of peace be with you all. Amen.

Let There Be Peace

Isa.9:6-7

For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
 Of the increase of His government and peace
There will be no end,

He Who Is Mighty

  

Unto us, so undeserving

Unto vile humanity 

God, with love and grace unswerving

Planned our peace, through Calvary

Unto us, like lost sheep wand'ring

Unto us, the angel's King

God did not withhold the offering

That would cost Him everything

Everything, for our redemption

For the sinner's sacrifice

God, for the sake of salvation

Gave His Son to pay the price 

Crushing Lucifer, so cunning

With love's plan for sin's defeat

Unto us, God's purpose, stunning

Evil's curse with mercy sweet 

Unto us, the awesome promise

Of his government's increase

Heaven came to earth through Jesus 

Unto us, the Prince of Peace

Then, from whence come wars and fighting?

Whence the lust that lures the eye?

Doth it not come from delighting

In what cannot satisfy?

Unto us a Son is given

Unto us a Child is born

Unto us, the hope of Heaven

Jesus, Star of endless Morn

Unto us, peace through God's pardon

Unto us peace to transcend

The battle of Armageddon 

Unto us, love without end

Purchased and secured, God's favor

Perfects faith and truth's amen 

Unto us, God's peace forever

As we fully trust in Him

Come, let us reason together

For shared mercies grace imparts

Let us dwell in peace, and ever

Worship God with thankful heart 

© Janet Martin

Silent Night, Heavenly Peace

 

  
 

Awed Awareness

Today's post Inspired in part by Gen.19

And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand,

 and upon the hand of his wife, 

and upon the hand of his two daughters; 

the Lord being merciful unto him...

Luke 19:16

Lest sluggishly we loiter

Lest apathy besot

Lest we grow numb and thus become

Futile in our thought

Lest we seek sorry solace

In the Sodom of sin

Lest terribly we fail to see

The state that we are in

Lest resolution flounders

Lest influence cajoles

The Still Small Voice that affects choice

That affects deathless souls

Lest we no longer shudder

At evil’s evilness

Or recognize the tempter’s lies

Disguised as ‘happiness’

Lord, wake in us awareness

Of Sodom’s fate, to flee

Lest, like Lot’s wife we mourn that life

And look back longingly

Seize us with holy horror

Of sin’s sad judgment day

Lord, chasten us and hasten us

To repent and obey

Lest the nonsense of notions

And opinions, absurd

With worldly vice, lulls us with ‘nice’

Lord, keep us in Your word

Lord, like Lot when he lingered

Be merciful, I pray

Let your command, like a firm hand

Seize us from Sodom’s sway

Lord, where there is a carcass

The vultures congregate

Lord, wake in us awed awareness 

Before it is too late 

© Janet Martin

Luke 17:20-37

The Coming of the Kingdom

(Genesis 19:24–29)

20When asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The kingdom of God will not come with observable signs. 21Nor will people say, ‘Look, here it is,’ or ‘There it is.’ For you see, the kingdom of God is in your midst.d”

22Then He said to the disciples, “The time is coming when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it. 23People will tell you, ‘Look, there He is!’ or ‘Look, here He is!’ Do not go out or chase after them. 24For just as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other, so will be the Son of Man in His day. 25But first He must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.

26Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man: 27People were eating and drinking, marrying and being given in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all.

28It was the same in the days of Lot: People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building. 29But on the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all.

30It will be just like that on the day the Son of Man is revealed. 31On that day, let no one on the housetop come down to retrieve his possessions. Likewise, let no one in the field return for anything he has left behind. 32Remember Lot’s wife! 33Whoever tries to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will preserve it. 34I tell you, on that night two people will be in one bed: One will be taken and the other left. 35Two women will be grinding grain together: One will be taken and the other left.”e

37“Where, Lord?” they asked.

Jesus answered, “Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather.”