Monday Memories: 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.”

Originally published October, 2020.

Suffocated in Drought

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Leaves falling early

Nature witnesses drought

Farmers’ harvest dwindles

Future seeming in doubt

 

Nation in crisis

Hopeful news faces drought

Today fills with darkness

Tomorrow seeks fresh route

 

World’s chaos deepens

Suffocated in drought

Actions for peace missing

Voices of anguish sprout

 

Leaves filling with green

Rainfall erases drought

Farmers’ outlook restored

Future transformed from doubt

 

Nation’s common ground

Compromise quelling drought

Hope’s spirit rekindled

Tomorrow walks new route

 

World commits to peace

Goodwill overcomes drought

Togetherness . . . one goal

Voices of courage sprout

 

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David Wilkerson Quote

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Faith is not to get you out of a hard place but to change your heart in the hard place.

From Ezekiel 36:26:  “A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you, and I will remove from your body the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.”

David Wilkerson (1931-2011) was an American evangelist, Christian author, and pastor.

Faith’s Beloved Passion (Elfchen Series #236)

Defining

Love

Bethlehem’s gift

Passion’s lasting peace

Witnessed in Messiah’s breath

Proven

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Transforming

Faith

Light ahead

Father’s promises fulfilled

Son’s passion at Calvary

Reborn

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Uplifting

Hope

Passion’s breath

Scripture speaking truth

Blessed destiny in Christ

Resurrected

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Reinvigorating (Haiku Series #312)

Stepping Back

Shelving pride’s spirit

Infusing fresh, new outlook—

Filled with humbleness

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Brightening Forecast

Dreaming overnight

Reaching for another star—

Tomorrow refreshed

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Awakening Makeover

Character’s frayed rope

Integrity’s transformed strength—

Potential nourished

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Oswald Chambers Quote

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If you will give God your right to yourself, He will make a holy experiment out of you.  God’s experiments always succeed.

From Romans 12:1-2:  “I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, on the basis of God’s mercy, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your reasonable act of worship.  Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of the mind, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

Oswald Chambers (1874-1917) was a Scottish evangelist and Christian teacher.  Following his death from an illness while in Egypt during World War I, his wife took on the task of transcribing the detailed notes she had written from his lectures and sermons.  Gertrude Hobbs Chambers’ efforts resulted in the publication in 1924 of MY UTMOST FOR HIS HIGHEST.  I frequently read from this devotional, and it has greatly deepened my faith and understanding of God’s Word.

Lord and Savior (Elfchen Series #233)

Repentance

Foreshadowing

Sin’s forgiveness

Come unto my Lord

Kneeling, praying at Calvary’s

Cross

Courtesy of Pinterest.

Redemption

Surrounding

Sin’s darkness

Only one Light

Hope found my Savior

Peace

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Transformation

Embracing

Faith’s cornerstone

Set aside everything

Commit life to Jesus

Reconciliation

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This series of poems (written in the German-inspired style of Elfchen or Elevenie) shares a total of eleven words in each poem, with a sequence by line of one, two, three, four, and one words.

Enchanting Masterpiece (Haiku Series #308)

Imagination

Landscape’s color wheel

Artist’s infinite choices—

Every brilliant shade

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Perception

Quiet morning breeze

Punctuated with raindrops—

Perfectly designed

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Transformation

Empty canvas waits

Sketch’s anticipation—

Inspiration blooms

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Ruth Bell Graham Quote

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God’s work is not in buildings, but in transformed lives.

From Matthew 3:2:  “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”

Ruth Bell Graham (1920-2007) was an American Christian author.  Born to American parents who were dedicated to medical missionary work in China, she would later become the wife of evangelist Billy Graham.  They met when both were attending Wheaton College in Illinois.

Directing Our Best

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

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Giving thanks, praising Father

His enduring, steadfast love

Faith today, hope tomorrow

Embracing grace from above

 

Kneeling in daily prayer

Father listens with patience

Faith today, hope tomorrow

Transforming our impatience

 

Taking refuge with Father

His righteousness leads forthwith

Faith today, hope tomorrow

Overcoming evil’s myth

 

Surrounding witness of light

Father blazes road ahead

Faith today, hope tomorrow

Nourishing with daily bread

 

Grasping wisdom of Father

Skies no longer full of gray

Faith today, hope tomorrow

Directing our best, His way

 

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