Faith and Grace (Elfchen Series #34)

Believe 

River

Mighty waters

Life paddles on

Trusting in God’s Spirit

Faith

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Faithful Walk

Choices

Sowing seeds

Pleasing to God

Following footsteps of Christ

Blessed

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Messiah

Lost

In darkness

Grace comes calling

Accepting through faith, Jesus

Salvation

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Faith and Mountains

From Mark 11:23:  “Truly I tell you, if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and if you do not doubt in your heart, but believe that what you say will come to pass, it will be done for you.”

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Life facing complex, hurting world

Rugged mountain peaks, blocking us

Never be in doubt, but believe

Accepting God’s grace, ride His bus

 

Immovable mountains stand tall

Remaining steadfast in prayer

Requiring faith in our Father

He watches over our welfare

 

Lacking faith, walking in darkness

Our Father sends His lasting grace

Prepared and willing to assist

His energy, ready to embrace

 

God seeks men and women of faith

Follow His Word, forever speaks

For our Lord’s glory and kingdom

Trusting Him, tackling mountain peaks

 

Believe totally in the Lord

Walking in faithfulness each day

Our faith moves our Father to act

Thanks be to God, He shows the way! 

 

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From the words of American pastor and author, E. M. Bounds:  “Only God can move mountains, but faith and prayer can move God.”

Rejoice and Be Glad

From Psalm 118:1:  “O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His steadfast love endures forever!”

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Rejoice and be glad in our God

His steadfast love endures forever

 

Giving thanks and praise to the Lord

His goodness shall reign forever

 

In our distress, God hears each cry

Without fear, we follow His way

 

His Peace driving away our fears

His Mercy filling up our hearts

 

His voice calls us to His refuge

Our confidence rests with the Lord

 

His Word comforting our sorrows

His Love healing our many wounds

 

From Psalm 118:24:  “This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”

 

His Holy Son, our cornerstone

Salvation arrives at the Cross

 

His Grace delivering His love

His righteousness covering sins

 

God, the Father, blessing Spirit

Through His beloved Son, Jesus

 

His Wisdom showing us the way

His Manna feeding hungry souls

 

God’s infinite strength, our fixed Rock

All foes challenging us . . . vanquished!

 

Rejoice and be glad in our Lord

His steadfast love endures forever

 

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From Psalm 118:29:  “O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His steadfast love endures forever.”

Anthem of Grace

From Hebrews 11:1:  “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”

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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

 

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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?”

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.”