Ben was mistaken – v4

In a land of thinkers, of revolutionaries

breaking free of an empire, needing their wits

their guile, to hide behind trees, rocks,

rather than being in the open, exposed.

The concept might have made sense -

“God helps those who help themselves”;

but Ben was wrong; he missed the point

nothing of salvation, of grace, in these words.

We are as Adam, as Lot, as David, as Paul

doing that which we hate, living of the world

dying in sin; rising by faith, by grace alone

nothing we could do to restore our souls.

By grace we are given hope,

our works pale in comparison

we are not self-made,

we need the help of God, of others.

Clay only on the Potter’s wheel

by His hands alone made worthy vessels

By grace we give grace to others

as we walk in life.

====

edited March 5, 2015

Ben was mistaken – v4

(editing original again)

edited June 30, 2014

Ben was mistaken – v3

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2014/06/ben-was-mistaken-v3.html

June 30, 2014

Ben was mistaken – v2

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2014/06/ben-was-mistaken-v2.html

July 20, 2008

Ben was mistaken

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2008/07/ben-was-mistaken.html

Romans 5:1-5

and Sermon by Rev. Huntley Halvorson,

“Murphy Was Wrong”,

Suncook United Methodist Church, Suncook, NH

Murphy’s Law - “Whatever can go wrong, will go wrong”

&

“God helps those who help themselves”,

by Ben Franklin (not the Bible)

http://www.ushistory.org/Franklin/info/

Poor Richard's Almanac in 1757

http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Poor_Richard's_Almanack#1757

&

other information on the source this quote:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/God_helps_those_who_help_themselves

http://www.gotquestions.org/God-help-themselves.html

All of my poems are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss for usage. See all 36,029+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Ben was mistaken – v3

These words were a lie

the falsehood of enlightenment

the self-made man an illusion

the stuff of smoke and mirrors, a canard,

as if we on our own are good enough

The words sound like Proverbs

on first blush, evident, our belief as Americans,

of purpose in life, perhaps from the Bible

that we somehow earn heaven, that

“God helps those who help themselves”.

In a land of thinkers, of revolutionaries

breaking free of an empire, needing their wits

their guile, to hide behind trees, rocks,

rather than being in the open

easy enough to believe

The concept might have made sense -

“God helps those who help themselves”;

but Ben was wrong; he missed the point

altogether wrong, not knowing God

His infinite mercy, His boundless grace.

We are as Adam, as Lot, as David, as Paul

doing that which we hate, living of the world

all of us Prodigals, not all coming home,

dying in sin; rising by faith, by grace alone

not by our hands, our intellect, our work.

By grace we are given hope,

our works pale in comparison;

Clay only on the Potter’s wheel

by His hands alone worthy vessels;

His sacrifice gives us life.

====

edited June 30, 2014

Ben was mistaken – v3

June 30, 2014

Ben was mistaken – v2

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2014/06/ben-was-mistaken-v2.html

July 20, 2008

Ben was mistaken

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2008/07/ben-was-mistaken.html

Romans 5:1-5

and Sermon by Rev. Huntley Halvorson,

“Murphy Was Wrong”,

Suncook United Methodist Church, Suncook, NH

Murphy’s Law - “Whatever can go wrong, will go wrong”

&

“God helps those who help themselves”,

by Ben Franklin (not the Bible)

http://www.ushistory.org/Franklin/info/

Poor Richard's Almanac in 1757

http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Poor_Richard's_Almanack#1757

&

other information on the source this quote:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/God_helps_those_who_help_themselves

http://www.gotquestions.org/God-help-themselves.html

All of my poems are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss for usage. See all 30,820+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Ben was mistaken – v2

The words sound like Proverbs

on first blush, evident, our belief as Americans,

of purpose in life, perhaps from the Bible

that we somehow earn heaven, that

“God helps those who help themselves”.

In a land of thinkers, of revolutionaries

breaking free of an empire, needing their wits

their guile, to hide behind trees, rocks,

rather than being in the open

The concept might have made sense -

“God helps those who help themselves”;

but Ben was wrong; he missed the point

altogether wrong, not knowing God.

We are as Adam, as Lot, as David, as Paul

doing that which we hate, living of the world

dying in sin; rising by faith, by grace alone

not by our hands, our intellect, our work.

By grace we are given hope,

our works pale in comparison;

Clay only on the Potter’s wheel

by His hands alone worthy vessels;

His sacrifice gives us life.

====

June 30, 2014

Ben was mistaken – v2

July 20, 2008

Ben was mistaken

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2008/07/ben-was-mistaken.html

Romans 5:1-5

and Sermon by Rev. Huntley Halvorson,

“Murphy Was Wrong”,

Suncook United Methodist Church, Suncook, NH

Murphy’s Law - “Whatever can go wrong, will go wrong”

&

“God helps those who help themselves”,

by Ben Franklin (not the Bible)

http://www.ushistory.org/Franklin/info/

Poor Richard's Almanac in 1757

http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Poor_Richard's_Almanack#1757

&

other information on the source this quote:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/God_helps_those_who_help_themselves

http://www.gotquestions.org/God-help-themselves.html

All of my poems are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss for usage. See all 30,820+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Grace is Given

Grace is given, by the savior, the creator,
by faith alone, a free gift, no payment, never earned
a wondrous gift for all, all willing to serve,
to be God’s instrument, to help others
Grace is for all of us, able to call on God
willing to admit the need of saving grace
not able, ourselves, to help ourselves
Needing the grace of God, that moment
we are given just that, beyond measure
a gift of the creator, love without end
Seek and ye shall find, ask and it will be given

July 20, 2008
Romans 5:1-5 and
Sermon by Rev. Huntley Halvorson,
“Murphy Was Wrong”,
Murphy’s Law - “Whatever can go wrong, will go wrong”
Suncook United Methodist Church
Suncook, NH


All of my poems are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss for usage. See all 19,730+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Ben was mistaken

In a land of thinkers, of revolutionaries
breaking free of an empire, needing their wits
their guile, to hide behind trees, rocks,
rather than being in the open

The concept might have made sense -
“God helps those who help themselves”;
but Ben was wrong; he missed the point

We are as Adam, as Lot, as David, as Paul
doing that which we hate, living of the world
dying in sin; rising by faith, by grace alone

By grace we are given hope,
our works pale in comparison
Clay only on the potter’s wheel
by His hands alone worthy vessels
By grace we give grace to others

July 20, 2008

Ben was mistaken

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2008/07/ben-was-mistaken.html

Romans 5:1-5

and Sermon by Rev. Huntley Halvorson,

“Murphy Was Wrong”,

Suncook United Methodist Church, Suncook, NH

Murphy’s Law - “Whatever can go wrong, will go wrong”

&

“God helps those who help themselves”,

by Ben Franklin (not the Bible)

http://www.ushistory.org/Franklin/info/

Poor Richard's Almanac in 1757

http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Poor_Richard's_Almanack#1757

&

other information on the source this quote:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/God_helps_those_who_help_themselves

http://www.gotquestions.org/God-help-themselves.html

All of my poems are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss for usage. See all 30,820+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Grace through Us

Grace is an experience
imparted through us, recognized
all around, in the sunset,
in a loving touch, in the rain,
the flowers blooming,
the children growing
grace abounds, experienced
not a word, a reality
a freely given gift
of the creator, of the father
the son, the spirit
lived out through us
children too, by faith
vessels of God’s grace
like Abraham, by faith, a blessing


July 20, 2008
Romans 5:1-5 and
Sermon by Rev. Huntley Halvorson,
“Murphy Was Wrong”,
Murphy’s Law - “Whatever can go wrong, will go wrong”
Suncook United Methodist Church
Suncook, NH


All of my poems are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss for usage. See all 19,730+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Grace is for Others

Through faith is grace given;
but not as an end, a thing given for us
Grace is for others, we merely agents,
vessels, pouring out God’s love
being God’s grace, by faith
poured into us, by the spirit
shared in the world
Grace given, shared with us,
when we accept, when we are ready,
instruments of His grace
for others

July 20, 2008
Romans 5:1-5 and
Sermon by Rev. Huntley Halvorson,
“Murphy Was Wrong”,
Murphy’s Law - “Whatever can go wrong, will go wrong”
Suncook United Methodist Church
Suncook, NH



All of my poems are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss for usage. See all 19,730+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.