Faith is not a feeling; it is action. It is a willed choice.
From Hebrews 11:1-3: “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Indeed, by faith our ancestors received approval. By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was made from things that are not visible.”
Elisabeth Elliot (1926-2015) was a Christian author and speaker. She and her husband, Jim, spent time as missionaries in Ecuador.
From Hebrews 11:1: “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”
Weary times, filled with quiet tears
Witnessing mankind’s cruelest hurts
Hate, division, violence, fears
God’s grace, peace, love . . . never deserts
When witnessing injustice, stand
Lift up voices, sing with passion
Offer a loving, helping hand
Filled with oneness and compassion
No longer sit with thoughts muzzled
Liberty-filled harmonies ring
God’s grace flows, days never puzzled
Loud as roaring seas, let us sing
God’s Word lighting eternal fires
Inside our faith, unwavering
Hope fills each heart, never expires
Teachings of Jesus, favoring
Jesus always front and center
Faithfully walking as His feet
Loving as His hands, our mentor
Marching on, His grace ever sweet
From 1 John 5:3-5: “For the love of God is this, that we obey His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome, for whatever is born of God conquers the world. And this is the victory that conquers the world, our faith. Who is it that conquers the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?”
From Micah 6:8: “He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”
Filled with mercy and love
God’s Word becoming flesh
Grace and truth, Christ proclaims
Spirit comes to refresh
God’s message resonates
Resist dark temptations
Gives grace to the humble
Receive His salvation
Believing in Jesus
Saved by “Amazing Grace”
Love transcends from above
Light shines upon each face
Doesn’t look for our faults
Our Lord never keeps score
His grace given freely
Loving us, evermore
Transformation through faith
Raising life from the dead
Unfathomable love
By grace, and blood Christ shed
From the words of American pastor and Christian author, Charles Swindoll: “Grace operates apart from the response or the ability of the individual. Grace is one-sided. Grace is God giving Himself in full acceptance to someone who does not deserve it and can never earn it and will never be able to repay.”
An elderly man steadily works in his backyard, raking up some of autumn’s harvest of red maple leaves. The quiet, afternoon air is punctuated by angry and upset mumbling coming from the neighbor’s yard.
Walking over to the fence, the former teacher listens while a much younger man unsuccessfully tries to start up his lawn mower. The neighbor, in his late twenties, has been facing extra pressure and longer hours at the small business he operates.
Pausing and then sending some words of encouragement over the fence, the quiet man offers some advice, “Does the mower need a new spark plug?”
A quick reply comes back, “I never thought of that.”
The conversation continues back and forth for a few minutes. The young man confesses his frustration at work has brought a heavy burden on him as well as his family. He is married with a young daughter.
The wise neighbor adds some gems of wisdom before they both go back to their separate chores, “Hang in there. God’s using these difficult days to prepare you for a more successful tomorrow. He’s equipping you with tools which will help you to bear fruit.”
The young man replies back, “Thanks. I appreciate your advice as well as your testament from the Lord.”
With the rake in his hand, the elderly man prepares to step away from the fence, but he returns and offers a prayer for the young man, “God, grant Tim the serenity to accept the things he cannot change, the courage to change the things he can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”
Both men say their final words, and return to their respective yard work.
As the retired teacher continues to rake more of the stubborn leaves into a series of small piles, he hears the lawn mower start up with a roar. Obviously, the young man has changed the mower’s spark plug, and it is now running as it should.
At the same time, Tim feels the spark of God’s Word bringing him patience and encouragement for today as well as for tomorrow.
From 2 Peter 1:5-7: “For this very reason, you must make every effort to support your faith with goodness, and goodness with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with endurance, and endurance with godliness, and godliness with mutual affection, and mutual affection with love.”
Daily walk of faith
One step after another—
Following Jesus
Love be genuine
Feed enemy with goodness—
Overcome with good
Lost in wilderness
God’s GPS brings us home—
Walk never alone
Sitting in darkness
Feeling so lonesome
Dealing with sadness
Silence still fearsome
Waking at night
Harsh dreams exist
Silent images in sight
Dark visions persist
Feeling infinitely restless
Nearly every day
This mind will confess
Nothing but gray
What voices speak
To a lonely heart
No one to greet
Needing a restart
This world filled
With eerie muteness
No longer a thrill
Never a kindness
Who hears at all?
Silence sadly grows
Landing with a fall
No embers glow
Forget this life
So long ago
No more strife
Waiting to go
Too much “stuff”
To deal with
Darkness is enough
This life drifts
Special love lost
Many years ago
A ring is tossed
Away it goes
Empty, shattered heart
Now freezing cold
Alone in the dark
No longer bold
My Lord, my God
Bring light to bear
Be an awesome God
Help one to care
In total blackness
Of a lost night
Words of brightness
Feeling so right
God’s truthful voice
Speaks loud and clear
Brings a perfect choice
No longer in fear
Cutting the quietness
Like a warm knife
God brings sunniness
Saves another life
Falling to knees
Now in prayer
Sad emotions flee
This soul cares
Kneeling at the Cross
Laying down sins
Repentance, now costs
Accept Christ within
Beholding Christ’s Salvation
Help to break out
Heart fills with elation
Lighting a shout
From Lamentations 3:22-23: “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”
Early morning arrives
Filled with mishmash of thoughts
Searching for peace of mind
Asking God, call the shots
Waiting in the kitchen
Prayer time with the Lord
His spirit calms life down
Life’s outlook feels restored
Table’s Bible invites
Reading, learning God’s Word
His insight teaches truth
Daily lessons inferred
Accepting God’s invite
Dressed for an autumn walk
Dialog moves outside
Let’s continue to talk
From Isaiah 57:19: “Peace, peace, to the far and the near, says the Lord; and I will heal them.”
From 2 Corinthians 11:13-14: “For such boasters are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder! Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.”
Facing life’s harshest trials
Walking uphill in shadows
Keeping on the proper trail
Coveting greener meadows
Suffering darkest ordeals
Praying for divine advice
Listening for God’s response
Willing to pay any price
Hiding off the path, waiting
Offering cunning, false hope
Sliding into Satan’s net
Reaching up for rescue’s rope
Clutching God’s forgiving hand
Leaving the enemy’s grip
Finding new life with the Lord
Walking in His fellowship
From Romans 6:22-23: “But now that you have been freed from sin and enslaved to God, the advantage you get is sanctification. The end is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
From 1 Corinthians 13:13: “And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love.”
Living hollow life without love
Nothing but emptiness, thereof
Disconnected faith fills our veins
Minus love, tall mountains remain
Mankind’s meaningless possessions
Forgotten in life’s recessions
Worldly knowledge, means so little
Love gently binds, never brittle
Love arrives with Holy kindness
Patience without any blindness
Never arrogant or hateful
Without envy, always grateful
Jesus teaches, love each other
Sincere love, sisters and brothers
Caring God so loved this dark world
Christ’s own unselfish love unfurled
From a blood-stained Cross comes His Grace
Love speaks out, sin falls on its face
Our Lord offers His Holy gift
Faith, hope, love . . . no longer adrift
God’s Word delivers life’s new lease
Love triumphs, building lasting peace
From the words of Christian theologian, Reinhold Niebuhr: “The cross symbolizes a cosmic as well as a historic truth. Love conquers the world, but its victory is not an easy one.”
From Psalm 31:24: “Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord.”
Facing life’s trials and critics
Soul and body wasting away
Discouraged, hurting, and distressed
Broken down, strength failing . . . decay
Needing encouragement with love
Safe from others, place for healing
Looking for refuge, where to turn
Life under siege, tired and reeling
Seeking lasting grace and mercy
Delivering us from dark gloom
Rescue arrives, stand and rejoice
His steadfast love, fully in bloom
Staffed by a special redeemer
Our strength, comrade, fortress, and rock
Holding us up with steadfast love
Follow Him, our living bedrock
Called by another name . . . Jesus
From Psalm 31:1-2: “In you, O Lord, I seek refuge; do not let me ever be put to shame; in your righteousness deliver me. Incline your ear to me; rescue me speedily. Be a rock of refuge for me, a strong fortress to save me.”
Big Sky Buckeye 