Redeeming Hope

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From 2 Peter 3:8-10, 13:  “But do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day.  The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance.  But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fire, and the earth and everything that is done will be disclosed.  But, in accordance with His promise, we wait for new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness is at home.”

Bringing hope to Abraham to witness and see

Blessings arrive from His Holy Father above

Abraham’s hopes soaking up spirit, only for thee

“So numerous shall your descendants be” with love

 

Rejoicing in hope, while persevering in prayer

Marks of a true Christian, travel through hope

Being patient with suffering, God does care

Allowing His Word to appear on our radar scope

 

Christ’s Resurrection delivers hope, so rich

Without hope, all feeling shamed and pitied

Setting our hope on Christ, forever a cinch

Living for Christ’s Glory, every town and city

 

All called to Christ, as the early Christians were

Teaching from the Apostles, encouraging our faith

We are all gathered by Christ, this is for sure

Inheriting a glorious-filled hope, step up to taste

 

Remaining forever steadfast in faith and love

Hope travels by way of Jesus Christ’s Salvation

Accepting Jesus as Savior, He reigns from above

The hope of His glory, will be our eternal station

 

With unwavering hope, encourage one another

Delivering a Resurrection, a living hope awaits

God is pure, Christ is pure—like none other

Hoping in Christ; enriching, enduring faith

 

Hope and joy will witness Christ’s coming

A cunning Satan cannot block the way

Waiting with hope, the angels drumming

Christ’s final promise will come some day

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Choose His Path

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We have a clear path to choose

Anything else, we definitely lose

 

A godless enemy brings emptiness

He prowls and waits, eager to strike

His path only leads to unhappiness

Our lives feel like a bursting dike

 

We see the good life in front of us

But the light comes with false hopes

Glamour and riches without the fuss

Darkness clouds over life’s periscope

 

Gloomy doom brings promises, so empty

A champion bears our guilt and shame

There is a better way, filled with plenty

Life truly means more than just a game

 

The Light of Salvation chases away the dark

Christ bears our wounds at a bloody cross

The enemy slithers away, gone is his spark

Jesus’ Holy righteousness reaches across

 

Our loving Father sacrifices His only Son

His shed blood atones for our sinful ways

An empty tomb declares, Christ has won

Accept me and follow, He proudly says

 

We have a clear path to choose

Anything else, we definitely lose

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Harvest God’s Treasures

From Luke 12:32-34:  “Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.  Sell your possessions, and give alms.  Make purses for yourselves that do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in Heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

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Mankind endlessly searches earth’s treasures

Wandering and looking under each rock

Few ever deliver much to measure

As time flees, few seconds left on a clock

 

Treasures worth seeking, always to be found

Depositing the seeds of faith with God

His Word brings a richness, lovingly bound

Accept now His Grace, with a “yes” and nod

 

No earthly treasure can compare to this

Eternal life awaits, accept His call

Taking up our cross, we follow God’s list

His Holy treasure, never fails or falls

 

Following our Lord, no need to measure

Christ’s blood brings a harvest of treasures

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America’s Minister of Encouragement, Dennis Swanberg, writes:  “There is absolutely  no evidence that complexity and materialism lead to happiness.  On the contrary, there is plenty of evidence that simplicity and spirituality lead to joy, a blessedness that is better than happiness.”

 

Living to Give

Apostle Paul writes in Galatians 6:14:  “But as for me, I will never boast about anything except the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

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Christ comes to the world

Bringing God’s love to us

 

Jesus sets the bar high

Higher than we can reach

 

Christ delivers two true teachings

To a sinful, unsaved world

 

Love your God, the Father

Love others more than yourself

 

Jesus does more than preach

He teaches us God’s truth

 

His hands heal the sick

Later pierced with sharpened nails

 

He raises up the dead

Just as He will rise

 

Christ, the Messiah, brings hope

He is Savior to mankind

 

Wearing a crown of thorns

Humbles himself on the Cross

 

Rising from a dark tomb

Christ forever defeats our sins

 

Christ serves His Holy Father

His sacrifice continues to give

 

He lives

The Resurrection lives

Eternal life lives

 

Respond to Christ in prayer

Humble, grateful—on our knees

Honor and praise Jesus Christ

Our eternal Savior and protector

His love lights the way

Accepting Jesus as our Savior

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Are We Worthy?

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From 2 Thessalonians 1:11:  “To this end we always pray for you, asking that our God will make you worthy of His call and will fulfill by His power every good resolve and work of faith.”

Feeling lost, alone, and unworthy

Walking forward to seek God

 

Questioning and asking, crying out

Gathering together, we trust God

 

Seeking Christ must come first

 

Contrasting himself to the Messiah

Foretelling of the One coming

 

Crying out in the wilderness

Baptizing believers at the Jordan

 

Sending John to baptize Jesus

Sensing himself to be unworthy

 

Finding Christ must come first

 

Expressing love now for family

Adoring father, mother, son, daughter

 

Returning from his sinful journey

Rejoicing, a prodigal son found

 

Suffering dishonor for Christ’s sake

Preaching, Apostles speak the Gospel

 

Loving Christ must come first

 

Accepting God’s gift of Grace

Blessing us as worthy Christians

 

Coming to believe Christ’s Salvation

Humbling praising His blessed truth

 

Creating all things, God cares

Receiving glory, honor, and power

 

Standing alone at the Cross

Ransoming His body and blood

 

Loving and accepting our Savior

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Christ Prevails

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From 1 Peter 2:24:  “He himself bore our sins in His body on the Cross, so that, free from sins, we might live for righteousness; by His wounds you have been healed.”

Chosen and precious in God’s sight

To believers, Christ’s Spirit brings Salvation

Jesus Christ turns darkness into light

 

Our faith’s chosen and precious cornerstone

Christ comes forward to redeem us

We can live by His bread alone

 

Jesus becomes our Holy, High Priest

Believe and never put to shame

God’s own Son takes His seat

 

Nonbelievers reject God’s Holy, chosen one

Christ prevails to become our Rock

Salvation goes through God’s Holy Son

 

Christ suffers mightily for His flock

Yet, He never commits any sin

Following God’s steps around the clock

 

Christ never waivers, He follows through

Entrusting Himself to His Heavenly Father

Bearing our sins, Resurrection’s glorious view

 

Our lives feel threatened with gloom

Jesus never ceases caring for us

Standing by, Christ prevents our doom

 

Jesus at our side, always a friend

Loving us with passion and intensity

Our opportunity for Salvation, God sends

 

Christ, the Good Shepherd, beckons us

No longer gone astray and lost

Christ’s body and blood heal us

 

The old, rugged cross stands tall

Freeing us from our endless sins

Washing us white, Salvation calls all

 

Living in bondage, forever in sin

Emancipation by Christ, paying the ransom

Accepting Christ, brings all believers in

From Luke 24:6:  “Remember how He told you, while He was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again.”

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Learning, God’s Way

From 1 Thessalonians 4:1:  “Finally, brothers and sisters, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus that, as you learned from us how you ought to live and to please God (as, in fact, you are doing), you should do so more and more.”

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God blesses us with opportunities to learn

Viewing our sinful ways, brings Him concern

Our Lord assembles His flock to learn His law

Witnessing our errant behavior with many flaws

 

We are encouraged to learn about God’s Word

Humbling ourselves, embracing faith now stirred

God creates each of us with simple, blessed minds

Acquiring wisdom from His Word, we gladly find

 

Wayward hearts and lost souls run to seek God

Taking time to learn His righteousness, all nod

Pursuing life’s errant ways, lost will be one’s fate

Our heavenly Father gathers many on this date

 

Our Lord delivers honest and equal justice for all

Learning to contribute good for others, is our call

God possesses sovereignty over all things

Conveying His message, truth will ring

 

We learn about Christ, His righteous ways

Staying with us to the end of our long day

Christ brings forward promises to be kind

Praying each day for mercy from His mind

 

Christ teaches at the temple, seeing God’s way

Bringing forward His Father’s Words, to say

Christ learns obedience, His Father knows

Taking our sins to a bloody Cross, He goes

 

Step forward and accept our Lord and Savior

Learning a new way, praise God’s selfless favor

God’s Word encourages us to listen and learn

Calling out to sinners, all of us stop and turn

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Silent in Darkness

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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

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Renewing Rain

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From Isaiah 45:8:  “Shower, O heavens, from above, and let the skies rain down righteousness; let the earth open, that salvation may spring up, and let it cause righteousness t sprout up also; I the Lord have created it.”

Rain showers continuously hydrate the lands

Sending restoring moisture from God’s hands

 

Perhaps God’s design will deliver to rinse off me

Washing away transgressions that affix on thee

 

Flowers, grass, and trees experience joy now

Smiling as additional raindrops take their bow

 

This errant life feels God’s restoring spirit of the rain

Helping me to reconcile and move away from pain

 

The clouds hang low, soon rain comes again

Witnessing Christ’s love, forgiving all our sin

 

Temperatures remain cool, clouds shroud the light

Feeling God’s lasting affection, realizing His might

 

My disposition cools, harsh feelings evaporate

Praying to my Lord, as the darkness grows late

 

God continually watches over His creation

Looking down from above, smiles of elation

 

For me, a blood-stained cross forever stands near

Thanking Jesus for bringing Salvation, without fear

 

Nature comes alive as the rains abate

Growing with God’s love, will be its fate

 

An imperfect man such as me, steps from sin’s shadows

Kneeling before God, forgiven for my disobedient travels

Preserving His Saints

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When life’s eventual calamities gather and appear

Providing safe refuge, God emerges without fear

Our Lord remains sovereign over His domain

Assembling Christians to worship in His name

Rock of infinite refuge and mighty fortress to see

Hearing God’s Holy words, coming to rescue thee

Dark and evil situations linger and wait to thrive

Offering worthless promises, the Enemy strives

His hollow assurances hide a dishonest net

Waiting to capture us, continually a threat

Righteous wisdom and truth reside with our Lord

Witnessing our sinful afflictions, like a river to ford

God never gives up on anyone, never makes a fuss

Standing between the Enemy and his devilish lust

Our Lord commands us to deposit trust in Him

Allowing His countenance to shine through sin

Abundant goodness will reach out from Heaven

Hearing our supplications and prayers, so driven

Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ comes to save

Defeating forever sin’s darkness and the grave

His glory spreads to cover each corner of the earth

Saving our resurrected lives with a heavenly berth

All confidently march in spirit to accept His grace

Seeking Christ’s salvation, with rich mercy to taste

Our Lord comes again to preserve His saints

Prompting all Christians to be faithful mates

God stands ready, listening to everyone’s cause

Sacrificing Jesus for us, we kneel without pause

Our Father wants His children to be saved

Desiring that all will return to Him one day

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The foundation for this poem comes from Psalms 31 and 51.   Here are a few of my favorite verses from them.

  • Psalm 31:3-4:  “You are indeed my rock and my fortress; for your name’s sake lead me and guide me, take me out of the net that is hidden for me.”
  • Psalm 51:2-3:  “Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.  For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.”

Do you have a favorite verse or verses from any of the Psalms?  You are invited to share it in the comments.