The Secret to True Success and Wealth

Thy Word...

In the beginning was the Word,

and the Word was with God

and the Word was God

John 1:1

In the eyes of the world George Muller died, 

a very poor man.

In the eyes of God, George Muller's earthen vessel

left behind a legacy overflowing with treasure...

God's Word heard, believed, received and obeyed,

holds the secret to true success, to true riches!

Rom.11:33

Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! 

How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!

Pray we believe and receive His inheritance!

Eph.1:17-21

I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, 

the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit[f] of wisdom and revelation, 

so that you may know him better. 

18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order 

that you may know the hope to which he has called you,

 the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, 

19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. 

That power is the same as the mighty strength 

20 he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead 

and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 

21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, 

and every name that is invoked, 

not only in the present age but also in the one to come.

Today's poem was first inspired by 

today's Scripture reading from 2 Cor, 4 & 5

click links for glorious passages from God's Word

The Word of God IS spoken; faith’s token of delight

God’s Word to heal the broken; to give to the blind, sight

God’s Word to help the helpless, to give strength to the weak

God’s Word to gird love’s answer to turn the other cheek

God’s Word to guide the pilgrim, God’s word to gird and bless

God’s Word to teach, correct, rebuke and train in righteousness

To thoroughly equip us for every good work

To remind and convict us of laws we dare not shirk

God’s Word, a lamp to our feet; a light unto our path

God’s Word to tell us of the blood/love that saves us from His wrath

God’s Word, perfect and holy, to show us right from wrong

To equip us, like soldiers, and in God’s might, be strong

God’s Word to give true wisdom, true knowledge, joy and peace

God’s Word, glimpse of His Kingdom after this world will cease

God’s Word to comfort sorrow, to cheer us on our way

God’s Word, changeless in spite of what the proud and erring say

God’s Word, solace for seekers who flee the world, sin-cursed

To satisfy soul-hunger and quench hope’s panting thirst

God’s Word to be both beacon and bulwark , our defence

To fill faith’s earthen vessels with Heaven's excellence 

To be the soul’s firm anchor, though we are tempest-tossed

To be our Good Shepherd, to seek and save the lost

The Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End

God’s Word, Judge and Redeemer, faithful Forever Friend

God’s Word, His divine power instilling godliness

God’s Word filled with exceedingly, precious promises

© Janet Martin

2 Pet. 1:3-4

His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, 

through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue,

  4by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, 

that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, 

having escaped the [c]corruption that is in the world through lust.

A Rare and Gleaming God-send; Today

Wild flowers drive wonder wild with worship...

or, is it worship wild with wonder??

Thank-you, thank-you!!

Dear God and dear property-owner 💖🙏

On my way home from lunch with my mother-in-law today

I stopped at this field, which I glimpsed as we 'flew' by yesterday...

Nothing can steal the thunder of wonder awakened by

God’s word and handiwork bursting with earnest ‘Here AM I’

A rare and gleaming God-send rends the air and wends its way

To where we are to raise the bar of recompense's prey

Where what is past is cast in Bygone’s everlasting wake

Where every morn mercy reborn grants every breath we take

Where beckoning, response and reckoning subtly become

Without a shadow of a doubt, a lifetime’s sacred sum

Ah, what more can we ask for than the anchor of the soul

Than God’s unreserved fervency of love enough for all

Than knowing He is able; faith’s foothold stable, secure

In awesome promises He gave to stave the Tempter’s lure

He leads us, not into temptation but to holiness

Guiding the meek and seeking into paths of righteousness

Nothing can steal the thunder of wonder awakened by

God’s word and handiwork bursting with earnest ‘Here AM I’

God, give us ears to hear till it is You for which we yearn

And it is You that others see through faith’s humble return

Where a great cloud of witnesses lavishes sky and sod

And we, once proud have bowed in eternal worship to God

A rare and gleaming God-send rends the air and wends its way

To where we are; let’s raise the bar of recompense Today

For, what is past is cast in Bygone’s everlasting wake

But, every morn mercy reborn grants every breath we take

Where beckoning, response and reckoning subtly become

Without a shadow of a doubt, true worship’s sacred sum

© Janet Martin

Yesterday our worship service was opened with Psalm 89

Here are a few glorious excerpts-

11 The heavens are yours, and yours also the earth;
    you founded the world and all that is in it...

14 Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne;
    love and faithfulness go before you.
15 Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you,
    who walk in the light of your presence, Lord.
16 They rejoice in your name all day long;
    they celebrate your righteousness.
17 For you are their glory and strength,
    and by your favor you exalt our horn.[d]
18 Indeed, our shield[e] belongs to the Lord,
    our king to the Holy One of Israel.

This is My Father's World

Sweet Summer- Part two

"Summer afternoon; summer afternoon; 

to me those have always been the two most beautiful words 

in the English language." 

Henry James

Summer morning, afternoon and night are celebration-worthy, 

don't you agree?!

compilation # 2  of summer mementos

(sweet summer part one HERE)

Sweet summer is mornings, swathed in soft-mist cape

A rushing recurrence of wonder, agape...

A landscape where lilies of garden and field

Awes/Wows worship with whispers of Heaven revealed...

Where work of an Artist anoints our gaze

With countryside canvases agog with praise...

From fine feathered choristers filling the glade

With joy for the new day the Lord has made

Sweet summer is soaking in sun-shaded nooks

With cuppa hot java and basket of books

Sweet summer’s to-do lists are not hard to bear

Of tending the garden, then gleaning fresh fare...

Sweet summer is ever the tenderest yen

Of troubadour-tug of wars twixt plow and pen...

Good Lord full of mercy, what is Woman to do

With sink full of dishes, and world full of You...

Sweet summer is mornings, swathed in soft-mist cape

A rushing recurrence of wonder, agape

A landscape where lilies of garden and field

Awes/Wows worship with whispers of Heaven revealed

Where work of an Artist anoints our gaze

With countryside canvases agog with praise

From fine feathered choristers filling the glade

With joy for the new day the Lord has made

Impressing the Creature, human-nature bent

To trust in their Teacher and thus be content

Sweet summer is soaking in sun-shaded nooks

With cuppa hot java and basket of books

To take a break from toil’s beck of grins and groans

That earns the sweet slumber of work-weary bones

From redeeming wisely each hour, for we know

The truth of the precept; 'we reap what we sow'

And it is not prudent to sit idle long

Nor is it idleness to join in the song

That trembles in tresses of maple and birch

Above grassy pews in an open-air church

Sweet summer’s to-do lists are not hard to bear

Of tending the garden, then gleaning fresh fare

Of weeding and pruning and mowing for hours

To enjoy the company of birds and flow’rs

To commune with the kind Creator of these;

Hilltops fringed with stately silhouettes of trees

Meadows hung from ethereal rafters, azure

Rivers full of laughter and fisherman’s lure

Larkspur’s purple pleasure for butterflies, bees

And we who delight in the Maker of these

Sweet summer is ever the tenderest yen

Of troubadour-tug of wars twixt plow and pen

Good Lord full of mercy, what is Woman to do

With sink full of dishes, and world full of You

Where Time’s fleeting fuel, so briefly bestows

Creation’s crown jewel in every rose

And Poet is eager to tame onto page

Fond scenes to revisit when winter gales rage

Like sweet summer morning, swathed in mint-green mist

Like long summer evening, dust and dew kissed

Like slow summer afternoons, muzzled, it seems

Where breeze is too lazy to ruffle the streams

Where the former riot of bird song and screech

Grows quiet, save for the sea gulls at the beach

Where mothers are ready for tots to take naps

And shake out the warm nest made of arms and laps

Where Cat that Dog chases, gets a holiday

Where yon slope showcases sun and shadow play

Where God tips a treasure vault of petal-wealth

Where reeds turn russet, as they drink to their health

Sweet summer is never presumptuous enough

To give us too much of everything we love

Then, break its bread rev’rently, savour each crumb

Of buttercup, daisy, of delphinium

And linger a little bit longer because

What is today's Is, will be tomorrow’s Was

Save, if by the grace of God He grants the ink

To press into poem endless poppy-pink

To capture, like the fragrance of lavender

The rapturous wonder of sweet, sweet summer

...because there is always a yesterday tugging

Always a precious today that needs hugging

 Always tomorrow, tonight holds at bay

Always a moment slip-slipping away

Always, in spite of  bygone's vast eons stilled

An eager emptiness waiting to be filled

Ah, sweet, sweetest summer, you do your best part

At keeping us younger/keening the hunger in years of the heart

Though we sense Past's eloquence, hour by hour

As we collect happiness/holiness, flower by flow'r

© Janet Martin

Where Time’s fleeting fuel, so briefly bestows

Creation’s crown jewel in every rose...

A Melody of Mercy Plays (or, A Great and Effective Open Door)

Good, glorious morning (or afternoon) to you!

Lam.3:22-24

Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed,
Because His compassions fail not.
23They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness.
24“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,
“Therefore I hope in Him!”

Rom.13:11

The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber,...

1 Cor.16:9

For a great and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.

A melody of mercy plays where morning is a mist-kissed flow’r...

A melody of mercy plays where morning is a mist-kissed flow’r

Unfolded with a breath of grace from He who orchestrates the hour

God’s loving kindness is enough no matter what today may bring

Goodness and mercy follow us until we dwell at last with Him

He helps us (if we ask) to bear the toll of toil and troubles drills

Faith weeps for joy; from founts of air, God’s unforgetting favor spills

For His compassions never fail, in spite of we who often do

Redemption’s Author rends the veil where mercy’s melody pours through

…where a great and effective door swings wide, where adversaries boast

Thus, we should not advance before we are equipped to face this host

Without the full armor of God, no one is able to withstand

The devil’s wiles; a scheming fraud who thrives on breaking God’s commands

But, praise the name of Jesus Christ; through Him fresh courage is unfurled

Because, greater is He in us than all the armies of the world

Where all who walk by faith behold far more than meets visual gaze

As the bud of today unfolds the melody that mercy plays

…a sweet and solemn battle-hymn, to fit us for frontline warfare

Because the stakes are high and grim, with consequence beyond compare

For, to take up the cross of Christ and follow Him demands our whole

Self is the idol sacrificed to serve the Saviour of the soul

Be of good cheer! Ah, can’t you hear?! a melody of mercy plays

The day of salvation draws near; and then will be the end of days

Come quickly Lord, nay, tarry for too many still reject Your call

Where a great and effective Door opens once more to one and all

© Janet Martin

Rom.13:11-14

And do this, understanding the occasion. 

The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber,

 for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 

12The night is nearly over; the day has drawn near. 

So let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. 

13Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, 

not in carousing and drunkenness, 

not in sexual immorality and debauchery, 

not in dissension and jealousy. 

14Instead, clothe yourselves withc the Lord Jesus Christ, 

and make no provision for the desires of the flesh.

Imagine if we lived each day with the awareness that 

we are living just outside the gates of Heaven! or hell.

Below are a few breath-stealing pages

 I have been parked on this week

and I can't resist sharing with you

to enrich your pondering (and practicing) pleasure, 

to challenge, encourage and refine our daily resolutions...

There is a Fountain-

 

Conditional Unashamed-ness

Psalm 25:2

In You, my God, I trust. 

Do not let me be put to shame; 

do not let my enemies exult over me.

Psalm 71:1

In You, O LORD, I have taken refuge; 

let me never be put to shame.

When I asked my grandchildren yesterday if they want to eat lunch inside or outside

in unison they disagreed, so after some fruitless attempts at coming to an agreement,

 I suggested best two out of three draw! They enthusiastically agreed,

until it was over! all three draws were 'inside'. 

Aw, said Grandson, let's just ignore it and eat outside!' 

I reminded him a deal is a deal, 

and quite futile if we don't stick to the conditions.

Then I was struck with the thought of how often I read God's 'deal'

and respond a bit like Grandson...aw, let's just do it my way,

 ignoring His conditions. 

Oh God, thank-you for your mercies, new every morning!

...and what a gorgeous July morning in rural Ontario!

If I would not be put to shame

Lord, let me not seek wealth or fame

But find my joy in Jesus’ Name

The Saviour of the soul

You are the giver of life’s breath

You are the deliverer from death

The Maker of heaven and earth

Faith in You makes me whole

…and keeps me from the tempter’s snare

And guards me from depths of despair

As I confide in You in prayer

And lean upon Your word

That leads in paths of righteousness

For Your name’s sake; so You may bless

Each step with peace and holiness

Through mercies undeterred

If I would live the life I should

So You may work all things for good

Because I love You; pray I would

Never my own god be

…foolish and wise in my own eyes

Often distracted from the Prize

Of Your high calling, by the lies

Of pride, fear, vanity

There is a way that seemeth right

But leads to death, if I delight

Not in You, Lord, but walk by sight

Where distractions run rife

If I would not be put to shame

Lord, let me Your goodness proclaim

And fix my hope in Jesus’ Name

The Way, The Truth, the Life

© Janet Martin

Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing 

Prov.18:10

The name of the LORD is a strong tower;

 The righteous run to it and are safe.

Psalm 18:2

The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; 

my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; 

my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, 

and my high tower.

Proverbs 14:26

In the fear of the LORD is strong confidence:

and his children shall have a place of refuge.

Isaiah 33:6

He will be the sure foundation for your times, 

a storehouse of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge. 

The fear of the LORD is Zion's treasure.

It is not possible to trust someone we don't know;

to put our faith in a stranger.

If we are ignorant of the morals and principles

of someone we cannot put our confidence in them.

This, above all, applies to our relationship with God

The only way to grow our love for Him enough to truly trust Him

is to know what He stands for,

 is to know Him through His Word.

To pray that He will open the eyes of our hearts

1 Cor.15:57-58

But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

58Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, 

always abounding in the work of the Lord, 

knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

I came across this poem this morning;

a fitting reminder for 'lads' of all ages!

...and here is the rest of the poem about Aunt Jane 😂

This is the Life

'This is the life!' I sometimes find myself repeating,

as the raw brunt of it rushes away another day midst work and play

..as I sense the precious shimmer of summer skimming

 the surface of sod and skin, while sweeping souls

in Rites of Passage back to the Giver of life.

Sometimes my breath is stolen anew

by the re-realization of the brevity of Innocence

as I watch my grandchildren growing up far faster, even

than our children did 😅💞

resulting in renewed earnest endeavor, by the grace of God,

not to take a moment for granted,

not to take holiness for granted but pursue it with

unthwartable purpose!

Heb.12:14-17 & 25

Pursue peace with everyone, as well as holiness,

without which no one will see the Lord.

15See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God,

and that no root of bitterness springs up to cause trouble and defile many.

16See to it that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau,

who for a single meal sold his birthright.

17For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing,

he was rejected.

He could find no ground for repentance,

though he sought the blessing with tears.

25 See to it that you do not refuse Him who speaks...

This is the life!! May we, by God's grace

make the sacred most of Today!

Cookies are ready, calls Grandma

...and they all come running!! 😂😂💗

This is the life; the good and bad, the happy-sad of hold-let-go

This the life; the grim and glad, the weathering of yes and no

Hello-goodbye, we laugh, we cry, while growing older by the hour

While learning, teaching, crawling, reaching, planting, reaping, sunshine-show’r

This the life, the joy and strife, of traveling a winding path

Of depth, of height, of gloom, delight, of day and night’s long aftermath

Of touch and taste soon laid to waste, of slowing haste to hear the sound

Of Footsteps in the garden where the place we stand is holy ground

…where commonplace is full of grace and nothing stays the same for long

Where happiness is saying ‘yes’ to righteousness and ‘no’ to wrong

Where gray and gold and heat and cold and work and rest skim sea and sod

Weathering frames where death soon claims this little life that leads to God

…this is the life God grants, a gift of song and dance, of loss and pain/gain

Where seasons swirl, where little girl and boy cannot a tot remain

This is the life; morning, noon, night, how swift God’s gifted seasons glim

Where every life is running rife with Rites of Passage back to Him

© Janet Martin

Do Not Be Deceived

The antidote to deception is knowing what is true/truth!

How vital for (professing) mature believers to

walk in truth, living as irreproachable role models,

not authoring confusion!

John 17:17

Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

(from Jesus prayer (for us) in the garden of Gethsemane,

 just before He died for us)

Matthew 24:4,11,24

And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you…

Galatians 6:7

Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

1 Corinthians 6:9-10

Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? 

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

 nor adulterers, nor men who submit to or perform homosexual acts,

10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor verbal abusers,

 nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.…

1 Corinthians 15:33

Do not be deceived: "Bad company corrupts good character."

 34Sober up as you ought, and stop sinning; 

for some of you are ignorant of God.

 I say this to your shame.…

This poem was inspired by my Scripture reading today, 1 Cor. 15,

as well as a few paragraphs from the final chapters

 in the book George Muller of Bristol 

Half-truths will hurt the hearer more than we can comprehend

God, help us handle correctly, the truth that does not bend

To understate matters of fact by gentling truth with lies

To mollify its impact, is a deadly compromise

To take the tempter's doubting stance of 'did God really say?'

Leads into disobedience; instead, we ought to pray 

Deception is a foe that coils in enticing façade

The victor of soul-spoils unless we know the Word of God 

Oh, do not be deceived; truth does not shift or sway or die

Truth is safely believed; God's gift on which we can rely 

The wise discreetly strive to speak the truth in clearest ways

Careful, lest someone who is weak misinterprets, then strays 

Truth is not complicated; Word on which we can depend

Truth, unintimidated and trustworthy to the end

God, make us conscientious, humbly striving to be true  

For the Tempter's pretentious cunning, cannot altar You  

 © Janet Martin

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.

John 17:17
Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

1 Pet.5:8-9

Be sober-minded and alert. 

Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, 

seeking someone to devour. 

9Resist him, standing firm in your faith and in the knowledge

 that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing 

the same kinds of suffering.