Showing posts with label prayer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label prayer. Show all posts

Wednesday, February 28, 2024

Sometimes We Miss The Scars...


Jesus said to him, 
“If[c] you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”
Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, 
“Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”

This poem began the other day, when, after listening
to 'her' frustrations, sorrows and challenges,
 all I could think of to say was,
'I will pray for you'.
As I pondered that promise I was a shamed to have wished
I could offer something more profound!


SO much to pray for, always!! 
So much to author awed worship and so much to kindle humble pleas
for God's leading, comfort, wisdom and provision,
 spiritually, emotionally and physically!
We pray for those who are striving to be faithful followers of Jesus,
for those who have wandered astray,
for those who have never put their faith in Christ
(and the finished work of Calvary.)
We pray for the poor, the downcast,
for those who mourn, 
for those in war-torn countries,
for the shut-in, and the shut out.
We pray for teachers and preachers,
students and school bus drivers.
We pray for strength for the day and rest at night.
For young, exhausted parents
and for those who long to be parents and are not...
We pray for the elderly, the lonely,
the sick and the prisoner...
The tempted and the fallen,
etc.
(or what feels like His silence)
and sometimes the reason we question Him is because
we miss the scars on His hands 
(and who/what put them there)

How often we find ourselves echoing those words of old; 
“Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”





Sometimes we miss the scars on hands we place our cares into
When kindness grasps at strands, and utters ‘I will pray for you’
But, this is no ‘when-all-else-fails, last-resort song-and-dance
No, this is to God, who prevails in spite of circumstance
His are the hands that wore the nails that bore deliverance

This is no consolation prize we offer casually
No secondary compromise of pious empathy
When we say ‘I will pray for you’ what sacred words we speak
When we pause to consider who hears the favors we seek
Whose ways are trustworthy and true; Whose strength uplifts the weak/meek

When we say ‘I will pray for you’ we relinquish control
The One who loves us so, who gave His Son, once and for all
To pay sin’s debt we owed, to break the curse wrought at The Fall
When we say I will pray for you’ it is on Him we call

Sometimes we miss the scars on hands outstretched to help us through
When desperation grasps at strands, with ‘I will pray for you’
But as we enter faith’s hushed courts, when creature cares beset
And trust the hands no hurtle thwarts and no ‘Unknown’ can fret
Then suddenly we see the scars that sometimes we forget

© Janet Martin

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens,
 Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we profess.
  15For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, 
but we have one who was tempted in every way that we are, yet was without sin.
  16Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, 
so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.




Thursday, February 1, 2024

Of Steadfast Cheer

 

Happy February!
 The month famous for the day that celebrates 
what we hopefully celebrate every day;

Morning By Morning-Pat Barret (feat, Mack Brock)



Then do not worry ‘bout today
God is a ‘help me’ prayer away
In every circumstance of need
He will our helpless heart-cry heed
Should sorrow try our happiness
He does not leave us comfortless
Should fear threaten courage to steal
Should faith fall prey to sight’s appeal
Should temptation’s enticing stance
Lure us from promises God grants
Should idle words and prideful thoughts
Turn stepping stones to stumbling blocks
Should hope be inclined to despair
Beneath love’s pressing weight of care
Should Want be wont to disobey
Turning alas, to our own way
Should trust grow weary in the fight
To cling to what is good and right
Or, as we face the enemy
Forget ‘not I, but Christ in me
Or should confusion author doubt
As to Who life is from, about
Or worship bow to lesser gods
That human natured dust/lust applauds
Should trouble its dark shadow cast
The love of God remains steadfast
In whatever we face today
He is a ‘help me’ prayer away
He is a faithful Friend indeed
A Helper in our time of need
A Father to the fatherless
A God who keeps His promises
Hope’s anchor in the storms of life
Joy’s strength amidst opposing strife
Contentment’s gladness undeterred
In all who delight in His word
Where, though we are the Tempter’s prey
God is a ‘help me’ prayer away
What comfort, kindness, peace to cheer
For God is always 'help me' near  

© Janet Martin

Heb.13:5
Keep your lives free from the love of money 
and be content with what you have, 
because God has said,
 “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”

Rom.8:38-39
For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, 
nor angels nor principalities nor powers, 
nor things present nor things to come, 
nor height nor depth, 
nor any other created thing, 
shall be able to separate us from the love of God 
which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.



Saturday, January 13, 2024

Of Dialogue Unseen

Nothing we do, no matter how noble, or enjoyable, or profitable
can/should take the place of 
fellowship with the One who made and knows us completely!
Sometimes when I feel busy its tempting to 'skip' a time
of morning fellowship with my/our Giver of every good and perfect gift!
How foolish to choose to settle for less of Him 
on those days we need more of Him! 

Yesterday I enjoyed some mid-winter canning!


I schnitzed the last of the apples from our tree...

...because it looks like the temperatures are going to dip enough
that the produce I was still storing in the garage, might freeze.

I turned some of the cabbage, carrots and onions into another batch of veggie soup!


Below,  little spinoff from this morning's quiet fellowship with my Best Friend

Ps.139:23-24
Search me, O God, and know my heart: 
try me, and know my thoughts:
And see if there be any wicked way in me, 
and lead me in the way everlasting.



Lord, hearer of lament
Beholder of my heart
Discerner of thought and intent
You do not see in part

…but know all things. You look
Beyond what love pretends
My life is like an open book
That no excuse defends

Lord, nothing can replace
The fellowship between
The Taker and Giver of grace
In dialogue unseen

Through You the branch bears fruit
Faith can no proxy plead
Prayer has no equal substitute
To satisfy its need

Unless Thy Word prevails
And Thy laws I embrace
In vain I hoist devotion’s sails
In vain I state my case

O Lord, search my lament
You see and know my heart
Thou, Discerner  of thought's intent
How very great Thou art
  
© Janet Martin



 Psalm 139:1-6 & 13-18

O LORD, You have searched me

and known me.

2You know when I sit and when I rise;

You understand my thoughts from afar.

3You search out my path and my lying down;

You are aware of all my ways.

4Even before a word is on my tongue,

You know all about it, O LORD.

5You hem me in behind and before;

You have laid Your hand upon me.

6Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,

too lofty for me to attain...


For You formed my inmost being;a

You knit me together in my mother’s womb.

14I praise You,

for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

Marvelous are Your works,

and I know this very well.

15My frame was not hidden from You

when I was made in secret,

when I was woven together

in the depths of the earth.

16Your eyes saw my unformed body;

all my days were written in Your book

and ordained for me

before one of them came to be...


How precious to me are Your thoughts,b O God,

how vast is their sum!

18If I were to count them,

they would outnumber the grains of sand;

and when I awake,

I am still with You.


Monday, November 13, 2023

Don't Wait Till You Are Old...

Yesterday, as part of the teaching team in a room full of beautiful,
eager, smart, rambunctious Gr. 4-6 Sunday School students,
I couldn't help but long and pray
 for each of them to choose Jesus while they are young;
to be saved from a bitter harvest of wasted years!

Yesterday's was a solemn lesson; Jesus' crucifixion,
stirring and touching tender hearts!
Will you pray for them, and for children the whole wide world over
to believe in and receive Jesus as their Saviour while they are young?!!

On Saturday I compiled  this post after listening to the message below...
and before listening to the message our speaker preached yesterday
also on prayer!!!

Click here then click Nov. 12, 2023) for yesterday's message

***
Devote yourselves to prayer, 
being watchful and thankful.
Col.4:2

***
Pray in the Spirit at all times, 
with every kind of prayer and petition. 
To this end, stay alert with all perseverance 
in your prayers for all the saints.

Below are some excerpts from Alistair's message;

Alistair Begg begins this message, (an address to students), with this;
 "The things I want to share with you are things
that are pressingly important to me.
They are personal things.
They are biblical truths.
They are necessary matters"...

 

If our prayer is meager 
it is because we believe it to be supplemental
 and not fundamental.

***
If we pray only when we feel like it
we will not pray very much at all.

***
More spiritual progress is made through failure and tears
than through success and laughter.

***
C.T. Stodd
If Jesus Christ be God and died for me
then no sacrifice that I could ever make for Him 
could ever be too great

***
Can I tell you how to amount to absolutely nothing for God?
Think of yourself more highly than you ought.

***
Humility is the very seed-bed
in which all of the graces and gifts of God
grow to their maturity

***
1 Pet. 5:6
Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, 
that he may lift you up in due time.

***
I am not talking about our resolves.
I am not talking about our desires and designs.
I am talking about our doing!

***
I want to tell you,
"When I talk more than I pray,
When I study more than I seek God's help,
When I am tempted to think that when I am on my feet
I am at my most useful,
and when I am on my knees that I am
somehow filling in time that could be more beneficially exercised,
then I am declaring that I am on the wrong side
of this equation.
You see, since prayer is the  key area of our relationship
with our Heavenly Father, it is this area
that is most frequently under attack.
Indeed, I might safely say to you
that you will face no greater attack than in this area
because the evil one knows that the weaponry
that our Commander in Chief, namely Jesus,
has given to us is prayer and the ministry of the word of God.
Therefore He will come to confront us with our view of scripture
and to seek to call in question
the voracity and the sufficiency of God's word,
and he will at the same time seek to undermine any
deep-seated conviction that we have,
that it is imperative that we come to Him and cry out
'Abba, Father!' and that we seek His help
in every part of our journey.."

***
No Christian is greater than his/her prayer life

**
The secret to praying is
praying in secret

***
...but, in the matter of praying
how tragic that so many
have left so much
to so few...

***
Set your moral compasses now.
Take the high ground.
Go for the gold.
Live for Christ.
There is no good thing that the Lord withholds
from those whose walk is blameless

***

...and here is my prayer
for every boy and girl
the wide world over...

Don't wait till you are old
To seek the good and right 
Don't wait till worldly pleasure clouds
God's wellspring of delight 

Remember your Creator
While in your days of youth
Don't wait till you are old to mine
 God's Word for wealth of truth

But love the Lord today
With all your heart; don't wait
Till you are old, to start, because
Then it may be too late

This is my earnest plea
For every girl and boy
Don't wait till you are old, and life
Is full of wasted joy

This is my earnest plea
For children far and near
Don't wait till  God becomes a Voice
That you no longer hear

© Janet Martin

Eccles.12:1
Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth, 
Before the difficult days come, 
And the years draw near when you say,
 “I have no pleasure in them”:

Isa.66:1-2
This is what the Lord says:
“Heaven is my throne,
and the earth is my footstool.
Where is the house you will build for me?
Where will my resting place be?
2Has not my hand made all these things,
and so they came into being?”
declares the Lord.
“These are the ones I look on with favor:
those who are humble and contrite in spirit,
and who tremble at my word.


Thursday, August 24, 2023

From The First Moment of Waking...


A phrase from the last paragraph of yesterday's devotion seemed to
say, 'pick me, pick me!!' for today's poem...so I did💖


...and because I SO identify with the battle addressed, 
I am sharing the whole devotion
so you may also be encouraged and edified
From My Utmost For His Highest by Oswald Chambers



From the first moment of waking
Till the light of day grows dim
May our ‘lifetime in the making’
Be a living worship hymn

As life’s lyrics fill time’s pages
Binding sacred numbered days
May the Author of the ages
Be the purpose of our praise

In the highs and lows of learning
(Something we never outgrow)
May the increase of our yearning
Be for God who loves us so

Then, as we embrace the beauty
Of mercy’s enduring ways
May the common calls of Duty
Compose hymns of thankful praise

From the first moment of waking
Until daylight disappears
May the music we are making
Bring sweet pleasure to God’s ears

From the first moment of waking
May we join the melody
Of a love-song in the making
That will fill eternity

© Janet Martin

Today's devotion continues the sacred topic of prayer...


From the rising of the sun to its going down
 The LORD’s name is to be praised.
Ps.113:3








Monday, February 13, 2023

A Precious 'Pressing' Presence



'prayerfully pressing into His presence.' 
is the final phrase in today's Daily Bread Devotion.

Oh, what would we do without this refuge?! 
When all else fails, never God. 
No matter what may seem...

Ps.31:19
How great is Your goodness,
Which You have stored up for those who fear You,
Which You have wrought for those who take refuge in You,
Before the sons of men!



He gives sufficient grace where Unknown’s tempest rolls
He tests the treasures we embrace as we pour our souls
Goodness and mercy’s trove no trial can expend
Nor drain the storehouses of love no thought can comprehend

He teaches us to trust only as all else fails
He reaches through our rue of dust to hoist hope’s weathered sails
His promises endure to comfort mortal care
He keeps faith’s falt’ring bark secure as we press into prayer

…where God’s presence defends faith’s groaning cruciform
As peace, not of this world transcends the substance of the storm
Where no power on earth can begin to compare
To the inimitable worth of full surrender’s prayer

© Janet Martin





Friday, November 25, 2022

Good, Better, Best


Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly
 above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
Eph.3:20

For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
Phil.2:13


This is the time of year when in boxes and mail boxes are FLOODED with pleas for donations
 leaving us wishing we could help them all! they are all worthy causes.
The Red Cross seeks to touch our hearts with a packet of tangible gifts,
right down to a personalized pen to sign and send; no excuses!!



Today's Devotion in the book Streams in the Desert
struck me with the realization that to give is more than
the licking of an envelope with 'gift enclosed'
more than a few clicks on a keyboard after hitting
'donate now' then forgetting as soon as we exit the page.
Rather, monetary aid hopefully is the small part in the
much larger labor of praying for the causes to which we give!



In my in box, just to name a few;
The Canadian Bible Society seeks to bring the
hope of the God's Word to those who do not have access to bibles.
Focus on the Family seeks to minister in various ways to strengthen families
in this troubled and confused age.
Our local churches seek to minister in our own communities...
and the list goes on!!
Praying we all pray for guidance to know where
to do our part with a generous heart!

To ‘do’ is a good start
To give is pleasing too
But to pray is the vital part
Of all we say and do

For as we pray toward
The hope to which we live
We will better honor the Lord
With what we do and give

To give is well and good
To ‘do’ our part is fair
But to live and love like we should
Begins and ends with prayer

The good of love's kind quest
Is better every day
As we are blessed with Mercy's best
Because we pray and pray

Then, what seems commonplace
Turns into worship where
Exceedingly abundant grace
Works God's pleasure through prayer 

© Janet Martin

We may not be able to help everyone but everyone can help someone,
hopefully beginning with prayer and seeking to honour God
in all we give and do!

Eph.6:18
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions 
with all kinds of prayers and requests. 
With this in mind, be alert 
and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.


Luke 18:1
Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray at all times 
and not lose heart:


Philippians 4:6
Be anxious for nothing, 
but in everything, by prayer and petition, 
with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

Monday, August 29, 2022

Not at Trouble's Mercy

Often my prayers for my family (esp. truck-driver husband) include prayers 
for safety and that they may reach their destinations without any trouble, 
but if they do have trouble that God would grant help.

We are all on a journey to a final destination 
and we know we will have trouble but Jesus reminds us to be of good cheer; 
He has overcome the world. 
Our Heavenly Father is with us every step of the way 
and it is such sweet comfort to know He will never leave or forsake us!

John 16:33
These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace.
 In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”




The designer of every flower's intricate detail
knows even more dearly every detail of us🙏💗



We are not at the harsh mercy of this world’s trouble and care
What a friend we have in Jesus, as we lean on Him in prayer
What a comfort in our sorrow, what an anchor in the gale
Yesterday, today, tomorrow, His compassion will not fail

Transcending man’s comprehension is God’s goodness undeterred
Where we should pay more attention to the power of His Word
Because on our way to meet Him we must fight the Tempter’s play
Without God’s word to defeat him we are weak and easy prey

In this world we will have trouble that no logic can amend
Where today wafts like a bubble laden with love without end
Thus, pray we, not at the mercy of this world’s trouble and care
Lift up more than clanging cymbals in an unrepentant prayer


© Janet Martin

Prayer is the believer's sacred solace!
But in coming to Him does it not make sense
if we want Him to listen to us, that first
we ought to listen to Him? 
Does it not make sense we first plead for Christ to reveal
the sin we are unwilling to surrender and confess?

Some of life's trouble is out of our control!
some trouble comes of our willful way when we disobey...

Here, in this first day of a new week I pray for each of you reading this,
that we may be encouraged and convicted to run with endurance
To find fresh joy and zeal in laying up treasure in Heaven!

a few more marvelous intricate details...






Monday, August 8, 2022

Thus...Joy


Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray at all times 
and not lose heart:




What weight of woe could crush my heart
The cross of creature care
(Where oft love groans beneath the smart
Of faith’s ongoing prayer)
Would be too heavy to endure
Without the joy of He
Who died my pardon to secure
And set my doomed soul free
Thus, I will keep on singing through my tears of joy and grief
While I cry ‘Jesus, I believe, Help thou mine unbelief

…Or else discouragement’s despair
Would hopelessly succeed
And I would find no solace where
Both joy and sorrow bleed
But for the One who calms the storm
According to His will
And tunes me to love’s cruciform
And whispers ‘peace, be still’
Thus, I will keep on praying through my tears of want and need
While I cry, Jesus, hold me closer, while You intercede

…or else the dark of fear and dread
Could never be subdued
No eagle wings of hope to spread
As faith’s strength is renewed
But, because I believe, you pull
Doubt’s blinders from faith’s eyes
With joy unspeakable and full
Of glory’s tear-stained prize
Thus, I will keep on trusting, even though heart-cries increase
While I cry, Jesus, help me, you reply with perfect peace


© Janet Martin

Isa.40:31
But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; 
They shall mount up with wings like eagles, 
They shall run and not be weary, 
They shall walk and not faint.



Thursday, May 5, 2022

Daybreak Devotion

We know beneath spring’s barren tress its wing is flower-lined...




When the LORD smelled the pleasing aroma, He said in His heart, 
“Never again will I curse the ground because of man, 
even though every inclination of his heart is evil from his youth. 
And never again will I destroy all living creatures as I have done. 
Gen.8:21-22


No longer will each man teach his neighbor or his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’
because they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the LORD.
For I will forgive their iniquities and will remember their sins no more.”
36“Only if this fixed order departed from My presence, declares the LORD,
would Israel’s descendants ever cease to be a nation before Me.”…


*On this National Day of Prayer
it seemed fitting to kneel at the window this morning as the sun came up, to pray.
And as I thought of Daniel of old this poem started to find its wings...
(We pray to the same God that Daniel did; the God who stoppered the mouths of lions!)

The break of day, like golden surf dissolves nebulous hues
A flare above the olden earth lights ancient avenues
Mercy unfurls before our gaze God’s ancient covenant
Of seedtime, harvest, night and day’s manifest sacrament
Then praise the One who does not fail, who demonstrates His love

We know beneath spring’s barren tress its wing is flower-lined
And though we cannot see Him yet, His evidence confounds
God, forgive us when we forget and fret where grace abounds
Convict us of the sin that mars our fellowship with You
Impress upon our hearts the scars faith runs prayer's whispers through

© Janet Martin

Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, 
he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. 
Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, 
giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.


*From Franklin Graham this morning...(and needful for Canada too!)
Taking a stand for our country begins by going to our knees in prayer before Almighty God.
Today is the #NationalDayofPrayer, and for the past 71 years,
Christians across our country have gathered on this day to ask God for His help.
Our country is in trouble—we’re in a free fall, morally and spiritually.
We need to pray for our families, schools, churches, law enforcement,
military, judges, and our political leadership in Washington.(/Ottawa)
I hope you’ll join me in asking God to intervene and turn the heart of this nation back to Him.
We also need to pray for world leaders, and for an end to the deadly conflict in Ukraine.
The Word of God promises
“the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer”
(1 Peter 3:12).
My father Billy Graham once said, “A prayerless Christian is a powerless Christian.”
He also called prayer “the Christian’s greatest weapon.” I couldn’t agree more.
The most important thing we can do is come to God and ask Him for help and direction.
He’s the only hope for this world, and that’s why I pray
in the mighty Name of Jesus Christ on this National Day of Prayer.
“Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace,
that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need”
(Hebrews 4:16).