2 Chronicles 15:7
Be strong and take courage
And be not dismayed
Stand firm and unyielding
In honor arrayed
Be busy and useful
And work for the Lord
Because He has promised
A certain reward
So don’t be discouraged
But strengthen your hands
In prayer and in service
As Jesus commands
The Savior is calling
And offers reward
To all who will labor
In love for the Lord
Christina Joy Hommes
“Be ye strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak: for your work shall be rewarded.” 2 Chronicles 15:7
Why Do We Sin?
Why do we sin? Because like Eve
We think the fruit looks good
We think God wouldn’t really do
The things He’s said He would.
We do not stop to look around
And see the fruit God gave,
Instead the one that He forbids
We think we really crave.
We stop to hear the devil’s lies
And let him twist God’s Word,
We give it thought and let our hearts
Be moved by what we’ve heard.
We do not run from those who scorn
And boldly question God,
Who want to be like God themselves
While evil they applaud.
We do not pray for instant help,
For strength to meet each blow,
For wisdom and integrity
To do the things we know.
And so, like Eve, we take the fruit,
We eat and share it too –
We find its sting and feel its death
And say, “What did I do?”
But if like Christ we’ll use God’s Word
To meet the tempter’s lies
And run to Him for grace and strength
He’ll make us strong and wise.
Then, like the Lord, we’ll win the fight,
The flesh will have to flee,
For God will give to those who ask
The strength for victory.
Christina Joy Hommes
Jesus Is Passing Your Place
Jesus is passing your place of work
And calling you, “Follow me.”
Like Matthew and James will your answer be,
“Dear Savior, I’ll follow Thee”?
Jesus is passing your place of need
And willing to help and heal.
Like blind Bartimaeus will you cry out,
“Lord Jesus!” in faith’s appeal?
Jesus is passing your place concealed
And saying, “Come down, let’s eat.”
Like little Zaccheaus will you repent,
“Lord work in me change complete”?
Jesus is passing your place right now
And calling you, “Come to me.”
Like thousands before you, you won’t regret
A simple, “I’ll follow Thee.”
Christina Joy Hommes
Layers of Christian Growth
2 Peter 1:5-8
To faith in God add virtue
Which does whatever’s right;
To virtue add more knowledge –
God’s Word will give you light.
Add self-control to knowledge –
Resisting fleshly lusts;
Then add the grace of patience
Which loves and hopes and trusts.
Add godliness to patience –
A God-like way of life;
Then kindness as to family
Which doesn’t stir up strife.
To all of these advancements
Add charity, yes, love;
For these will make you fruitful
And guide your path above.
Christina Joy Hommes
“And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 2 Peter 1:5-8
SAFE
S ecure from harm or danger,
A ssured of what is best,
F earless in Christ my Savior,
E xpecting perfect rest.
S ure that though waves surround me,
A ll will be well at last,
F or in the Lord I’m anchored–
E stablished till they’ve passed.
S afe in the arms of Jesus,
A t peace with God through Him,
F orever more protected,
E ntrusted safe to Him.
Christina Joy Hommes
Life
From Ecclesiastes (1:1-14, & 12:12-14)
The sun arises in the east
Then sets beyond the west,
The breezes blow in circling paths
Whose end cannot be traced.
The sun evaporates the sea,
The clouds send forth the rain
Which falls and runs until it meets
Within the sea again.
From dust a man is made to live
And then to dust returns,
His work repeated by and by
His knowledge one relearns.
Nothing is new beneath the sun,
What’s done was done before.
Is all vexation, vanity,
Or is there something more?
Ah, more there is, though life is vain
And earth is emptiness,
For we live not for these alone
But for a future place.
Some will discuss things to no end
(They’ll write and teach and fight),
Yet this alone is weariness
And gives no certain light.
Here is the end, this we conclude,
The whole summed up is this:
Fear God and do as He directs
Man’s single duty this.
For God will judge our every work
With everything secret thing,
Deciding what is good and bad
Since He alone is King.
So let us live as He directs,
This life is but a part;
Look on to that eternal life
And keep and guard your heart.
Christina Joy Hommes
