God’s Promises

From Matthew 7:13-14:  “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road is easy that leads to destruction, and there are many who take it.  For the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it.”

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Life tempting us with enticing shortcuts

Most of these never seem to bring success

Gods speaks honestly, always asking us

Did we burrow deeper, rather than guess?

 

Clever world flooding us with remedies

Formulas for a more successful life

Simple, surefire, easy to use, guaranteed

God’s formula, always true without strife

 

Never shy from following the Father

He doesn’t promise a road without bumps

God offers promises with blessed love

His way leading us forward, our hearts jump

 

Requiring patience, life’s a marathon

God remains our Rock, faithful and steadfast

His blessings fill our lives in countless ways

Our ship sails, with eternal hope amassed

 

Losing hope at times, seeking a quick fix

Encouragement and trust arrives from God

Offering us Grace, filled with peace and joy

Grateful, He accepts us, totally flawed

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From the words of Saint Teresa of Avila, “We ought to make some progress, however little, every day, and show some increase of fervor.  We ought to act as if we were at war–as, indeed, we are–and never relax until we have won the victory.” 

 

Leaving Room

From Galatians 1:15-16:  “But when God, who has set me apart before I was born and called me through His grace, was pleased to reveal His Son to me, so that I might proclaim Him among the Gentiles.”

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Life will sometimes serve us trials

God asking for some elbow room

Always leaving room for the Lord

Delivering light over our gloom

 

Never be surprised when God comes

At His choosing, His will descends

Always leaving room for the Lord

His Spirit pays real dividends

 

Looking out for God’s faithful love

Expecting Him to come close by

Always leaving room for the Lord

Never certain of how, when, why

 

Following God’s Holy commands

He stands at center of our selves

Always leaving room for the Lord

Transforming lives, from cluttered shelves

 

Just as Jesus stuns vengeful Saul

On a darkened Damascus road

Always leaving room for the Lord

Knowing our way, will just implode

 

Any given time, God breaks in

He blesses us with His surprise

Always leaving room for the Lord

Following His plan, always wise

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From Scottish evangelist and Christian teacher, Oswald Chambers:  “Always be in a state of expectancy, and see that you leave room for God to come in as He likes.” 

If I Was a . . .

This poem is inspired by a song which has been sung by many artists.  Bobby Darin and later Johnny Cash and June Carter recorded their versions of “If I Were a Carpenter.”   The song was written by Tim Hardin, and other artists have recorded and performed the song as well.  Here is Bobby Darin’s version:  “If I Were a Carpenter.”

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If I was a teacher

Bringing energy, passion, and patience

Transforming all into knowledge seekers

 

If I was a firefighter

Serving with unselfish duty and pride

Protecting all, making worries lighter

 

If I was an architect

Designing buildings for many uses

Looking ahead to challenging projects

 

If I was a farmer

Rising at dawn, working until sundown

Bringing a nation food, as God’s armor

 

If I was a nurse

Sharing with patient, compassionate care

Filling lives with hope, never for the worse

 

If I was a writer

Crafting words into stories and much more

Witnessing through eyes, open and brighter

 

If I was a musician

Creating good vibes through words and music

Bringing pleasure across generations

 

If I was a preacher

Instilling God’s Word with a church’s flock

Encouraged to be one of God’s teachers

 

If I was a soldier

Preserving peace and freedom in the world

Band of brothers, stand shoulder to shoulder

 

If I was a young tyke

Looking up to these inspiring adults

Growing up, each day feeling more alike

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Trusting in the Lord

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The teenage boy has been battling an aggressive form of brain cancer for months.  Mark has shown the unwavering courage of a young man who follows God without flinching.

His pastor, Wayne, visits Mark one afternoon.  The teen has been at the hospital for several days as he is undergoing another round of treatments to battle his cancer.  Wayne wants to share some of God’s Word with this courageous teenager.

Mark’s hair is gone.  His slender frame looks even thinner than Wayne remembers.  His young body is marshalling all of its resources to battle the foe within.

Mark’s bubbling smiles lights up when Wayne walks into his room.  He is thrilled to have a visitor stopping by.

To prevent transmitting any germs or infections, Wayne is gowned up.  He looks more like a skilled doctor than a pastor.

After several minutes of conversation, Mark surprises his pastor by sharing a verse from Proverbs 3:5:  “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own insight.”

The fourteen year-old’s faith under such harsh circumstances is truly remarkable.

At the end of his visit, Wayne asks if he can pray over Mark.  Mark quietly says, “Certainly!”  The two of them share a few moments in prayer.

Walking down the hallway after leaving Mark’s room, Wayne thinks to himself, “I feel like Mark has ministered to me.  I come to bolster his spirits, yet he is the one who reminds me to always trust in God.”

This story is based on a true life experience of a fourteen year-old boy.  An entire community has rallied around him as he continues to battle cancer.  He recently shared the verse from Proverbs in a video which has been shared with many believers.  His witness to his Lord is inspiring indeed.  God’s peace.  

Charles Stanley Quote

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A person with no devotional life generally struggles with faith and obedience.

From Psalm 92:1-2:  “It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to your name, O Most High; to declare your steadfast love in the morning, and your faithfulness by night.”

Charles Swindoll Quote

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God waits for you to seek His counsel.  If you act without discerning His timing, you may lose the smile of divine favor.  He will not bless what He has not ordained.

From 2 Corinthians 5:6-7:  “So we are always confident; even though we know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord–for we walk by faith, not by sight.”

Monday Memories: God’s Mighty Fortress

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I awaken with a heavy heart today

Sleeping later than usual if I may

 

My thoughts are with those in dire need

Hoping their lives will blossom to please

 

When a person cares about others nearby

Feeling their sadness and sorrow going by

 

It causes me to really stop and think

Dashing my energy whenever I blink

 

I feel like running to those who suffer so

Forgetting the many miles that I must go

 

I reach for my Bible at this morning hour

Reading God’s word that forever towers

 

His amazing grace and love always fill me up

Plugging the vacuum of a sinner who’s corrupt

 

My Bible journey transports me to Psalm 31

Allowing the words to reach out, one by one

 

I pursue refuge with my almighty God, my Lord

Delivering to me His righteousness, like a sword

 

God has created a holy, mighty fortress for all

Carrying all of us to a safe place before we fall

 

Lord, remove me from this netting that holds thee

Allowing my troubles to fall as I drop to my knees

 

I extend my troubled hand out to His

Guiding me to bless Him and all that is

 

My Lord has redeemed me to stand firm

Sending me forth to help others in return

Waking up on a morning when my own heart was indeed very heavy, God transformed my attitude in His way.  Before writing this poem, I was reading a short devotional, and the Biblical text sent me to  Psalm 31:1-5.  Use the link to read these inspiring verses.

E. Stanley Jones Quote

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Faith is not merely you holding on to God–it is God holding on to you.

From 1 Peter 5:6-7:  “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, so that He may exalt you in due time.  Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.”

Infinite God

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From 1 Peter 5:6-7:  “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, so that He may exalt you in due time.  Cast all our anxiety oh Him, because He cares for you.”

God, our Creator

In Heaven above

Standing powerful

Sends infinite love

 

Father in Heaven

Promises fulfill

Support and courage

His infinite skill

 

Read God’s Holy Word

Be bold, life begins

His love filled with care

Grace overcomes sin

 

Walking with our Lord

His strong hands extend

Trust always in Him

Whatever contends

 

Miraculous brings

Infinite outcomes

Filled with sacred love

Like a beating drum

 

Our finite minds weep

Lack of faith descends

Our infinite God

Holds, never to bend

 

Our Lord’s specialty

Impossible makes

Genuine and true

His love, no mistake

 

Rely on God’s ways

Hopeless turns to hope

Prayer lifts worry

Walking life’s tightrope

 

God’s eternal love

Endures forever

He holds on to us

With faith, whenever

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Sharpen My Focus

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With another year starting up, I have been contemplating and praying about how to manage my life in better alignment with God’s Word.  While a new decade is upon us, I am more concerned about the year ahead.  Better yet, I need to build my faith day-by-day.

Last year, I kept three key words close to my heart:

  • Faith
  • Family
  • Health

While I have been successful in managing my pre-diabetic condition, and my family has been a true blessing in so many ways, I still feel there is room for growth in my faith.

In reading Scripture, Jesus is always connected to us.  At the same time, there is a need to reshape my daily habits by reading God’s Word with a deeper understanding and to be more consistent in prayer.

From John 15:1-2:  “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower.  He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit.  Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit.”

  • God prunes and shapes. 
  • Bear more fruit by sharpening my faith.

From John 15:11:  “I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.”

  • Christ’s joy resides in me. 
  • He keeps my cup overflowing with joy. 
  • I will abide in the Father and the Son.

My mother (she will turn 82 this month) reminds me to make each day precious.

With faith at the forefront of my agenda for 2020, I will use a phrase to better emphasize keeping my faith on track and growing.

  • “Sharpen My Focus”

With God’s guidance, this Grace-driven foundation will consistently build up my spiritual energy.

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