Grace from Above

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?”

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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

 

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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.”

Our Father’s Treasures (Haiku Series #101)

Good Shepherd

Leading precious sheep

Rod and staff always comfort

Caring tenderly 

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Invitation

Call upon the Lord

His love fills with righteousness—

Accepting His Grace

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Cherish

Our Father is near

Safeguarding our hearts and minds—

Rejoice in His peace

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Monday Memories: Grace-Filled Rain

The Bible uses “rain” in many ways as God teaches us about His ways.  This poem was blessed to receive many views in its original post on May, 2019.  Enjoy!

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Waking up to see another blessed, rainy day

Witnessing as God brings us grace this day

 

God creates rain to descend upon the earth

Bringing rain to produce yields from the land

The heavens’ water brings awesome worth

Allowing for existence by woman and man

 

Rain arrives by the word of our mighty God

Sending vital water to the crops and fields

God’s creation brings early rains with a nod

Providing late rains to fulfill a farmer’s yield

 

God brings rain in abundance with His hand

Opening the dry earth, salvation springs up

Skies raining down righteousness, is His plan

Showering our lives with a grace-filled cup

 

Rain nurtures spring’s new green, tender sprouts

Providing seed to the sower, bread for the table

Harvest arrives again on time by fall’s usual route

Filling grain bins as hardworking farmers feel able

 

God shines sun on both the Good and the Bad

Sending rain on the righteous and unrighteous

Rains from heaven fill hearts, never to be sad

Earmarking fruitful seasons for the righteous

 

Remember the incredibly prudent man

Constructing his house upon solid rock

Rains fell, floods came—over the land

Preserving a faith as steady as a rock

 

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Love Triumphs

From 1 Corinthians 13:13:  “And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love.”

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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

 

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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.”

Abandon Your Ways

From John 3:5:  “Jesus answered, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit.”

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Living a dark life of sin

Failing to follow God’s Word

Walking as slaves in the flesh

“Abandon your ways” . . . unheard

 

Falling, ignoring our Lord

Leaving Him for empty thoughts

Taking our path, darkness prowls

Sinful hunger calls the shots

 

Consumed by life in the flesh

There awaits a better way

God never abandons us

Offering His Grace each day

 

God gives Himself entirely

Spirit marches to our hearts

Delivers His greatest gift

God’s Son offers a fresh start

 

Christ becomes our foundation

Jesus walking where we walk

Exchanging His life for us

Shepherd gathering His flock

 

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From John 3:16-17:  “For God so loved the world that He gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him may not perish but may have eternal life.  Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him.”

Max Lucado Quote

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I’ve never been surprised by God’s judgement, but I’m still stunned by His grace.

From Luke 15:3-7:  “So He [Jesus] told them this parable:  Which one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost until he finds it?  When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders and rejoices.  And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’  Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.”

Charles Swindoll Quote

man on red watercraft

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Our trials are not superficial or irrelevant.  They are vehicles of grace that God uses to bring us growth.

From Jeremiah 33:3:  “Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.”

Chains Broken and Free

From Titus 3:4-7:  “But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, He saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we had done, but according to His mercy, through the water of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.  This Spirit He poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by His grace, we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”

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Running life’s perpetual marathon

Searching for finish line, never in sight

Scaling boundless mountains, summits hidden

Paddling always upstream, with all our might

 

Living foolishly through sin-filled choices

Thinking daily good works shall pay our way

Falling down exhausted, never enough

Realizing God brings His goodness each day

 

Loving us with kindness, comes the Father

Giving to us freely, eternal Grace

Sharing His Holy Word, wrapped in mercy

Renewing Holy Spirit will embrace

 

Chained in darkness as unrighteous sinners

Witnessing now—a mournful, blood-stained tree

Paying for our life’s transgressions in full

Accepting Jesus, chains broken and free

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From the words of American pastor and Christian teacher, Charles Stanley:  “There is only one way to receive our heavenly Father’s favor, and that’s by faith in His Son, who did all the work for us.”

E. Stanley Jones Quote

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The Gospel is not so much a demand as it is an offer, an offer of new life to man by the grace of God.

From Proverbs 30:5:  “Every word of God proves true; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him.”

Monday Memories: Stormy Seas

This poem was originally published in July, 2019, and it was inspired from artwork in a hotel room while traveling out west.  

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Most days, life experiences calming seas

Witnessing each moment, steady to see

 

God provides for us, through it all

Picking us up, even when we fall

 

Life moves along at its normal pace

Taking for granted, God’s free grace

 

Then, stormy seas appear in the west

Bringing worried looks, never the best

 

Life’s ship now encounters the storm

Feeling the sea’s fury, totally reborn

 

The storm smothers this helpless ship

Causing sure footing to slide and slip

 

Panic and worry fill helpless hearts

Asking God, may we try a restart?

 

Our boat takes on water, brisk and cold

Overwhelming our spirit, no longer bold

 

Has our Lord forsaken us at this time?

Sinking ship, as faith no longer climbs

 

Across the tempest sea, comes a voice

Calming the storm and sea, His choice

 

Our Lord and Savior walks over to thee

Releasing the terror caused by the sea

 

In an instant, the dark storm is gone

Restoring faith and hope, now strong

 

God prompts us to maintain our hope

Remaining faithful, steadies our boat

 

Calm or stormy seas, look straight ahead

Accepting God’s grace, always best said

 

Thank you Lord for being with us each day

Reminding us, Your Word points the way 

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