Some Crucial Do's and Don'ts

I pray in this poem it is not a note of harshness, but earnest love that prevails!
Time is the most precious insecurity that we have!
...with do's and don'ts that carry an eternal impact!

Don’t let the gate that looms ahead

That waits to seal away the dead

Steal living’s joy with dying’s dread

Unless you don’t know Jesus

Then call upon the One who saves

The soul, immune to death and graves

Let faith prevail where fear enslaves

But God’s forgiveness frees us

Do not ignore, do not delay 

For who knows who'll meet God today?

His promises prepare the way

Where none return to tell

The glory or the horror of

Either a place of hate or love

Oh, do not wait 'til death will prove

The truth of Heaven or Hell

© Janet Martin

"Now he'll find out" Matt said sadly ...

It is with deep sadness we hear that Stephen Hawking has passed away!

Science can never prove the soul,
disprove the soul
or save the soul!

Also, we mourn with the loved ones of a local young man who was going to be married in June but was struck by a vehicle yesterday and died! We never know when we will meet God but this we do know; We will meet God! Are you ready to meet the One who sent His Son for our salvation and life after death?!

A Living Hope for believers!

 Brothers, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you will not grieve like the rest, who are without hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, we also believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him.…
1 Thess. 4:13-14

 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By His great mercy, He has given us new birth 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 protected by God’s power for the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.
1 Pet.1:3-5

For All The Hers and Hims

 I tried to post something earlier but I simply could not concentrate this morning 

so after the first verse was somewhat jumbly-jotted, I jumped in the vehicle 

and went to one of my favorite local beauty-spots to 'commune' with my Maker.

... a small plot of Grave-markers and a grand vista of 'present'  balances perspective!

Sometimes when I'm out in the quietness of His wonderful world it's like God puts his arm around me and He whispers/shouts, "Janet, look! I made all this and I will take care of you and yours!"

The blue tulle where dusk’s crepuscule gathered earth in its folds

Begins to thin; the din that daylight wakens starts to stir

Yon bar layered with stars grows dim and dons flushed pinks and golds

Once more the door of mercy metes time’s streets to him-and-her

This burial place of human race is decked with dashing feet

The gateway to what-waits-to-be rouses earth’s eastward scrim

Ho, ho, here’s to a showdown where woe and wonder compete

As Mercy pours light to time’s corridors for her-and-him

A canvas splashed with answers that we cannot comprehend

Clashes with questionnaires we clutch in vain like paper gods,

While earth showcases manifold Masterpieces, my friend

And woos us to trust in the Artist all nature applauds

Time’s seasoned telltale signs keens expectation’s catalyst

Where That-and-This still startles him-and-her with life’s Meanwhile

God keep us on our tippy-toes with rose and amethyst

And points our faces upward to anoint us with His smile

© Janet Martin

 O Lord, You have looked through me and have known me. 

  ² You know when I sit down and when I get up. You understand my thoughts from far away. 

  ³ You look over my path and my lying down. You know all my ways very well. 

  ⁴ Even before I speak a word, O Lord, You know it all.

  ⁵ You have closed me in from behind and in front. And You have laid Your hand upon me.

  ⁶ All You know is too great for me. It is too much for me to understand.

Ps. 139:1-6 

To my blog-readers, not on FB; Jim got his surgery results today!

Although the tumor was cancer, we are thankful they caught it early and

no immediate further treatment is needed.

He will be watched closely however because this type of tumor can return quickly.

Thank-you for all you prayers, thoughts and encouragement!

Continued prayers are deeply appreciated.

...oh! and where is this beauty spot, you are asking?😀
At the east end of the 10th/Well. Cty. Rd.8!

Step-by-Step Soul-diers

Hopefully hugs and kisses far out-number scolding and discipline 

but sometimes when our 'discipline' seems harsh at the moment 

it's good to remember this is no ordinary task; these are soul-diers we are training!

 (Beautiful baby-innocence is soon shed; 

pray we provide Solid Ground for this step-by-step sojourn/soul-journey)

Like specks of dust upon an arc by light and dark caressed

We forge a path toward a mark etched where Time takes its toll

Until we leave behind this grind that flowers east to west

And weaves with step-by-step discourse the death of all but Soul

The voice of choice sometimes distracts us from life’s Greatest Call

(To love God first and next to love our neighbor as our self)

Where we have this in common; no one knows what will befall

To test time’s step-by-step trailblazers prone to love of pelf

Leviathan-like longing looks a lot like you or me

The One who loves us most pleads ‘come, and I will give you rest’

His Genuine Fulfillment is *The Truth that sets us free

He tunes death’s step-by-step approach with noble, purposed quest

Like specks of dust, yet, each so loved by He who fashioned us

He made us in His image; instilled dust’s mortality

With peace that passes understanding, only if we trust

In He to Whom each step-by-step will lead Ultimately

© Janet Martin

The Thing about Truth is; it never grows old!

This timeless truth should never leave our lips...

 God loves you! God loves me!

More than anything in the world God desires for us to love Him 

but just as we cannot force anyone to love us 

He allows us to choose Him 

and He never forces Himself on anyone!

The Truth will Set You Free
(2 John 1:4-6)

As Jesus spoke these things, many believed in Him.  

So He said to the Jews who had believed Him, 

“If you continue in My word, you are truly My disciples.

Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

“We are Abraham’s descendants,” they answered. “We have never been slaves to anyone. 

How can You say we will be set free?”

Jesus replied, “Truly, truly, I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.  

A slave is not a permanent member of the family, but a son belongs to it forever. 

So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

 John 8:30-36 

Below, an excerpt From Keepers of the Springs by Peter Marshall 

who had a passionate concern for this world's soul-diers!

Ultimately, we are all soul-diers in training!

Love Offering, From He Who Owed Us Nothing

 

I know I've posted these songs before, but with Easter coming

the messages in the lyrics ring nearer and dearer than ever

as I reflect on God's glorious gift of grace 

for all mankind forever, to sorry sinners that stand condemned

but for the redemption that poured from Calvary's cross 

once for all in forgiveness of sins to all who believe!

(all that wonder in one run-on sentence!!:-)

Is there any message 

dearer 

than the one from 

Calvary? 

Jesus took the place of 

sinners; 

gave His life for you

 and me

With the pardon His blood 

purchased, 

we who stand condemned 

may call

On He who loves and 

forgives us 

and gave His life once, 

for all...

Granting for our guilt

salvation; 

absolution from sin's 

curse

With His death he 

overpowered 

Death's dominion 

over us  

Sealed the gates of hell with 

Heaven

Tore the veil twixt God

and man

Took our justified

chastisement 

to fulfill salvation's

plan

He who owed us nothing

offered

To suffer in our

place

Love looked far beyond the 

moment 

And sealed Destiny with

grace

Free, but for one 

stipulation

Only those who ask

receive

Only those receive

salvation

who first repent and

believe

Janet Martin

Sometimes one simply has to marvel again and again

at how the love of God grants to sinful, sordid, shameful, selfish

human race-

Grace

(Inspired in part by today's message)

Today's message is part one of two entitled

One Man's Choice

If you are filled with what's and whys as to what in the world life is all about

feel free to listen to the previous messages in the link to the Romans series we are in

and stay tuned as we continue through to the end of the book!

Link to the first chapter of the Book of Romans here

Lest We Let Defeat Triumph...

Type, back-space, rewrite then delete

And try again, no easy-street

…the pen, the keyboard at command

Obey the order of the hand

But oh the heart and mind oft torn

Trembles beneath ink’s kiss and scorn

Where word alone can’t spell the whole

Of wars that well in heart and soul

Or tell in spite of ‘ups’ love crowns

The vortex of its down-down-downs

For which we feel so ill-equipped

In knowing how to deal with it

Save, like the poet with a pen

To try and try and try again

(another poem or
stanza two)

For we are never all alone

…through all the depths that thought may hone

There is One who never forsakes

We, masters of love’s harsh mistakes

As we learn, unlearn, relearn, oh

To crave the grace whereby we go

That helps us learn to sympathize

With others on their umpteenth tries

Who don’t give up, but grasp the pen

That bids them try and try again

Where smudge and smear oft run awry

And tests the measure of the sigh

That would bow us in crushed defeat

But for Love's dawn-replenished sheet

© Janet Martin

Lord, I prayed, how can I love
The way you that You love me?
The King of Heaven and earth replied,
Child, with humility

Ephesians 2:4-10   (KJV)

⁴ But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
⁵ Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
⁶ And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
⁷ That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
⁸ For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
⁹ Not of works, lest any man should boast.
¹⁰ For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.