poetry

"Your works I know, your toil, your pain" (Labor Day reflections) | letter 146 on fighting for joy

Luke 10:38 Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. 40 But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” 41 But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, 42 but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”

Revelation 2:1 “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: ‘The words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands.

2 “‘I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. 3 I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name's sake, and you have not grown weary. 4 But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. 5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. 6 Yet this you have: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.’

Your works I know, your toil, your pain

Your works I know, your toil, your pain
Your works I know, you've not grown faint

Your works, O Martha, to and fro you scurry
Cumbered, burdened, missing the one thing necessary

Your works I know, your patient endurance
Yet you've forgotten to rejoice in the dance

Downcast soul, your feet have slipped
Abandoned the joy of true fellowship

Your love I seek, your adoration
My praises lifted, gladsome celebration

Martha, Martha, cease your madness
Serve the Lord with joy and gladness

Remember your espousals, from whence you fell
Repent, My love, buy the truth, do not sell

Return, O sister, do the works you did at first
Blessed is the soul who hungers and thirsts

Come to Me, taste and see, drink and savor
Feast on My sovereign goodness and favor

Like heavenly dew come to wilderness place
My Spirit refreshes, pours grace upon grace

Hearts made willing in the day of My power
A sweet aroma, no longer bitter and sour

The Christian who murmurs and whines and moans
Brings reproach to My Name and My Holy Throne

In your pilgrimage, through every trial and blight
Sup with Jesus: Sustenance for ecstatic flight

Though daily spring up thistles, thorns and weeds
Trust My promise to supply all your needs

Joy unspeakable bubbling in driest drought
Come you thirsty soul! Come, My love! Do not doubt

My love – do you know it? My toil, My pain
Full atonement for sinners, your ransom paid

My love – do you know it? I won't grow faint
I ever live to intercede, your soul to sustain

Until you seek Me, you will never find
Supplies excelling every earthly kind

Grace abounding for every God-ordained task
Come to our Father, be importunate and ask

He delights to give His children from His treasure store
Ask for His Spirit, He loves to hear your cries for more and more

To the throne of grace, with boldness draw near
Drink of the River of Life in the valley of tears

Martha, look to Mary, and choose the best
Labor to enter My Sabbath Rest

Take up My yoke, take up and sing
Hallelujahs to the Victor, the King of kings

Upon your high places with eagles' wings take flight
Your cup overflowing with greatest delight

Foretastes of glory, the paradise of God
Through Baca's Valley, this fallen sod

Come to the waters, be fully satisfied
How beautiful your love, My sister, My bride!

Your love I seek, your adoration
My praises lifted, gladsome celebration

Luke 11:5 And he said to them, “Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves, 6 for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; 7 and he will answer from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I cannot get up and give you anything’? 8 I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his impudence he will rise and give him whatever he needs. 9 And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 11 What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; 12 or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

Psalm 110
3 Your people will offer themselves freely
on the day of your power,
in holy garments;
from the womb of the morning,
the dew of your youth will be yours.
4 The LORD has sworn
and will not change his mind,
“You are a priest forever
after the order of Melchizedek.”

Philippians 2:12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

14 Do all things without grumbling or questioning, 15 that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, 16 holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.

Ephesians 5
1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.
2 And walk in love,
as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us,
a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

"... for your progress and JOY in the faith..." (Philippians 1:25)
~ Karen ~

Related:

My other letters on assurance & fighting for joy including:

the laborer's lamentation and affirmation (the precursor to my posts on assurance and joy)
Letter 1 on assurance and fighting for joy
Letter 11 on assurance and fighting for joy (the Lord is at hand! - Philippians 4)
Letter 13 on assurance and fighting for joy (strengthened for endurance and patience with joy)
Letter 15 on assurance and fighting for joy (Joy is a gift of God, more than a feeling)
Letter 16 on assurance and fighting for joy (our prayers, His wise denials and joy)
John 3:36a Whoever believes in the Son HAS eternal life (letter 64 on assurance & joy)
"give me also springs of water" - Will you be an Achsah? (letter 66 on assurance & fighting for joy)
You whine and complain (Letter 70 on assurance & fighting for joy)
Will you finish your course with joy? (Acts 20:24) - letter 71 on assurance & joy
a conversation with Jesus about misplaced joy ("do not rejoice in this" - letter 73 on joy)
Doubting one, do you know Me as a rewarder? | letter 78 on assurance & fighting for joy
Are you a radiant Christian or a drunken old woman? (letter 82 on assurance & fighting for joy)
Where do you go when the world is unlovely? (Psalm 84 & the theology of Biblical counseling)
dreams grasped, dreams released | letter 104 on assurance & fighting for joy
the poor & needy & joy ~ Psalm 35:9-10 | letter 105 on assurance & fighting for joy
the pilgrim's Assurance ~ His Sovereign pouring | letter 110 on assurance & fighting for joy
Can there be more? | letter 113 on assurance & fighting for joy
Let us therefore strive to enter that rest (Hebrews 3:7-4:13) ~ Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion (letter 128)

Why not pray for the baptism of the Holy Spirit?
birthday reflection: "the great & glorious possibilities" ~ "Now therefore, give me this mountain"
♥ Valentine's Day Posts ♥ (Series Links)
Embittered, pricked in heart? Go into the sanctuary of God (Psalm 73)
Christian, don't waste your life whining
don't waste your new year ~ teach us, satisfy us, make us glad (Psalm 90:12-15)
Advent #1 WHY HAS JESUS COME? that we might have life & life more abundantly
Advent # 5 WHY HAS JESUS COME? So we might draw near to God | Even a Vapor
Advent # 7 WHY HAS JESUS COME? So we might be satisfied with Him

Scripture quotations are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Copyright ©2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Work found at http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Otto_van_Veen.jpg / CC BY-SA 3.0 / {{PD-old-100}}
bitter for sweet ... (What did you expect, when the goblet met your lips?)

Galatians 6:7 Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. 8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.

bitter for sweet ...
(What did you expect, when the goblet met your lips?)

bitter for sweet
darkness for light

lies for truth
strange for fresh

What did you expect,
when the goblet met your lips?

What did you expect,
when you lingered in the night?

sorrow for gladness
fleshly for Spirit

unsavory for pleasant
fleeting for imperishable

What did you expect,
when the goblet met your lips?

What did you expect,
when you lingered in the night?

creation for Creator
vile for sanctified

wickedness for purity
death for eternal life

What did you expect,
when the goblet met your lips?

What did you expect,
when you lingered in the night?

harlotries multiplied,
insatiable, you groan unsatisfied

can ephemeral dainties
compare to the Beloved's embrace?

What do you expect,
as the goblet meets your lips?

What do you expect,
as you linger in the night?

What do you expect,
fleshly sup ~ deadly exchange!

Proverbs 23
29 Who has woe? Who has sorrow?
Who has strife? Who has complaining?
Who has wounds without cause?
Who has redness of eyes?
30 Those who tarry long over wine;
those who go to try mixed wine.
31 Do not look at wine when it is red,
when it sparkles in the cup
and goes down smoothly.
32 In the end it bites like a serpent
and stings like an adder.
33 Your eyes will see strange things,
and your heart utter perverse things.
34 You will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea,
like one who lies on the top of a mast.
35 “They struck me,” you will say, “but I was not hurt;
they beat me, but I did not feel it.
When shall I awake?
I must have another drink.”

Ezekiel 16:28-30 (NKJV)
"You also played the harlot with the Assyrians,
because you were insatiable;
indeed you played the harlot with them
and still were not satisfied.
Moreover you multiplied you acts of harlotry as far as the land of the trader, Chaldea;
and even then you were not satisfied."
"How degenerate is your heart!"
says the LORD GOD,
"seeing you do all these things, the deeds of a brazen harlot."

Jeremiah 4:18
Your ways and your deeds
have brought this upon you.
This is your doom, and it is bitter;
it has reached your very heart.

Romans 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. 21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.

24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.

26 For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; 27 and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.

28 And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. 29 They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32 Though they know God's decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.

John 4:7 There came a woman of Samaria to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” 8 (For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.) 9 The Samaritan woman said to him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) 10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.” 11 The woman said to him, “Sir, you have nothing to draw water with, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? 12 Are you greater than our father Jacob? He gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and his livestock.” 13 Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty forever. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” 15 The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I will not be thirsty or have to come here to draw water.”

John 10:10
"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly."

What are you sowing?
What are you drinking?
What are you eating?
Where are you lingering?

Proverbs 23:1-3
When you sit down to eat with a ruler,
observe carefully what is before you,
and put a knife to your throat
if you are given to appetite.
Do not desire his delicacies,
for they are deceptive food.

Psalm 141:1-3 (KJV)
LORD, I cry unto thee: make haste unto me; give ear unto my voice, when I cry unto thee.
Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.
Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.
Incline not my heart to any evil thing, to practise wicked works with men that work iniquity:
and let me not eat of their dainties.

Related:

Advent #1 WHY HAS JESUS COME? that we might have life & life more abundantly
Advent # 5 WHY HAS JESUS COME? So we might draw near to God | Even a Vapor
Advent # 7 WHY HAS JESUS COME? So we might be satisfied with Him
Dearest idol, how can I find rest?
Are you sitting in the midst of the ephah? ~ Zechariah 5
Two Fountains ~ Where are you drinking? What is flowing? Don't waste your drinking!
Are you a radiant Christian or a drunken old woman? (letter 82 on assurance & fighting for joy)
"Garbage In" (Are you truly His disciple?)
Linger, linger, linger – so you might know God's love
Where are you lifting up your eyes? Psalm 121:1-2
why you need a new heart
Letter 25 on assurance and fighting for joy (a strong craving ≠ His joy)
John 3:36a Whoever believes in the Son HAS eternal life (letter 64 on assurance & joy)
"give me also springs of water" - Will you be an Achsah? (letter 66 on assurance & fighting for joy)
Embittered, pricked in heart? Go into the sanctuary of God (Psalm 73)
tangled

Scripture quotations unless otherwise indicated are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Copyright ©2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked NKJV taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked KJV are taken from the King James Version of the Holy Bible.

Work found at http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gerard_ter_Borch_(II)_-_Woman_Drinking_Wine_-_WGA22137.jpg / CC BY-SA 3.0/ {{PD-Art|PD-old-100}}

Work found at http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jesus_and_the_Samaritan_woman_%28Jruchi_Gospels_II_MSS,_Georgia,_12th_cent.%29.jpg / CC BY-SA 3.0/ {{PD-Art|PD-old-100}}
The Thorny Hedge for your joy (Hosea 2) | Letter 144 on assurance & fighting for joy

Jeremiah 2:31-32
And you, O generation, behold the word of the LORD.
Have I been a wilderness to Israel,
or a land of thick darkness?
Why then do my people say, ‘We are free,
we will come no more to you’?
Can a virgin forget her ornaments,
or a bride her attire?
Yet my people have forgotten me
days without number.

Hosea 2:6-7
Therefore I will hedge up her way with thorns,
and I will build a wall against her,
so that she cannot find her paths.
She shall pursue her lovers
but not overtake them,
and she shall seek them
but shall not find them.
Then she shall say,
‘I will go and return to my first husband,
for it was better for me then than now.’

"I wish to submit to His sovereign will,
nay, to cordially acquiesce therein,
and to examine myself rightly to see what in me has contributed to this evil."
~ William Carey ~

THE THORNY HEDGE

Ho! You hungry, thirsty covenant child
In days of famine and of drought,
Be sure My grace will find you out!

Merciful pursuit – the thorny hedge
Proves My everlasting blood-bought pledge

In the Valley of Achor, O! troubled bride
Drink of My consolations, draw near My side

The wall erected, your paths unfound
My chast'ning love to turn thee around

Remember thy espousals and repent
Feast on choicest wine, bread heaven-sent

To My sovereign will cordially acquiesce
Have I ever been a wilderness?

How can the Fount of Life be darkness?
Escape the ephah, enjoy My rest!

Ho! You hungry, thirsty covenant child
In nights of famine and of drought
Come and sup, be satisfied in My house!

Job 5:17-18
Behold, BLESSED is the one whom God reproves;
therefore despise not the discipline of the Almighty.
For he wounds, but he binds up;
he shatters, but his hands heal.

Isaiah 55:1-3
Come, everyone who thirsts,
come to the waters;
and he who has no money,
come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
without money and without price.
Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread,
and your labor for that which does not satisfy?
Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good,
and delight yourselves in rich food.
Incline your ear, and come to me;
hear, that your soul may live;
and I will make with you an everlasting covenant,
my steadfast, sure love for David.

Psalm 65:4
BLESSED is the one you choose and bring near,
to dwell in your courts!
We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house,
the holiness of your temple!

Related:

My other letters on assurance & fighting for joy including:

Letter 16 on assurance and fighting for joy (our prayers, His wise denials and joy)
Letter 24 on assurance and fighting for joy (the Father's discipline)
Letter 25 on assurance and fighting for joy (a strong craving ≠ His joy)
true repentance leads to joy (Letter 37 on assurance & fighting for joy)
Shall we not drink the cup the Father has given us? (Letter 53 on assurance & fighting for joy)
our Father's discipline, William Cowper on trials & sufferings (letter 61 on assurance & joy)
Are you a radiant Christian or a drunken old woman? (letter 82 on assurance & fighting for joy)
Rejoicing here on the Potter's Wheel (Psalm 66) | Letter 96 on assurance & joy
year end reflections, # 1: "end of the year ... in the midst of heartache" | Letter 97 on joy
year end reflections, # 2: rejoicing in "The Often Unwanted but Necessary Gift" | Letter 98 on joy
the lover's inquiry | letter 114 on fighting for joy

why I write poetry
Are you sitting in the midst of the ephah? ~ Zechariah 5
God, Love & Cookies ~ Have you abandoned your first Love? (Revelation 2:4)
Have you forgotten? Will you REMEMBER and REPENT?
"if I would but cease struggling ... I might be happy" (Edward Payson)
To take whatever thy Father's pleasure | "May adversities uninterrupted be my lot" ~ Edward Griffin
the house of mourning (Ecc. 7) ~ grieving to the glory of God ~ "pleasing pain" (David Brainerd)
Advent # 7 WHY HAS JESUS COME? So we might be satisfied with Him
my notes on Tim Keller's talk on idols @ The Gospel Coalition Conference
Dearest idol, how can I find rest?

Scripture quotations are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Copyright ©2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Emphasis mine.

Photo credit: I edited the work found at http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Goalposts_and_thorny_hedge_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1086796.jpg / http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

naphtali_deer

About me...

Christian hedonist in training. Pressing on to know more and more of the joy of the LORD. Pleading with God to rend the heavens and revive and refresh my own soul, as well as His Church, to His praise, honor and glory.

Thank God. He can make men and women in middle life sing again with a joy that has been chastened by a memory of their past failures. ~ Alan Redpath

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tent of meeting: Prayer for reformation & revival

(See also Zechariah821. Zechariah821 is a mirror site of tent of meeting, found on WordPress)

deerlifetrumpet: Encouragement for those seeking reformation & revival in the Church

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Naphtali Journal

poetry

"Your works I know, your toil, your pain" (Labor Day reflections) | letter 146 on fighting for joy

bitter for sweet ... (What did you expect, when the goblet met your lips?)

The Thorny Hedge for your joy (Hosea 2) | Letter 144 on assurance & fighting for joy

naphtali_deer

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Naphtali Journal

poetry

"Your works I know, your toil, your pain" (Labor Day reflections) | letter 146 on fighting for joy

bitter for sweet ... (What did you expect, when the goblet met your lips?)

The Thorny Hedge for your joy (Hosea 2) | Letter 144 on assurance & fighting for joy

naphtali_deer

About me...

More about this blog...

My other websites

Recent posts

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