Author Archives: christartist

Depression like Driving Rain

Depression comes like the darkness of night
slowly blinding, and taking your sight.
First it feels gray
in the midst of the day
then it feels thick
like mud with a stick.
for help you reach out
and to others give shout
but the sucking is on
and assistance is nought.

Darkness falls down
scary things all around
Listening for the sound
of one on solid ground
Comes driving rain
cleansing all stains
Lightning strikes again
and illuminates the pain

I kneel before the King
to whom I used to sing
I wonder where His wing
to shelter me from pain?

Muscles grow in pain,
flowers grow in rain,
Sunshine brings the heat
that on the earth does beat.
The rain will wash away
the pains they cannot stay
renewal is my way
neath my wing for you to stay.
Neath the shadow you do sing
and give praises to your King
the scary things are lies
and demons in disguise
I’ll cover you anew
just as you ask me to
give up this fear of yours
and let my love run it’s course.

I love you more than you can know
but my rain disturbs you so
will you let me love you true
and do the things I do?
Let me pour out grace like rain
Let me see thoswe pains again
Let me show you truth alone
and remove those stumbling stones

You are my chosen girl
I know your hair, your curls
I made you as you are
and I think you are a star
You love me totally
and your heart I truly see
Just look up and you will see
you are snuggled next to Me.
I allow only the pain
that will make you strong again
and the darkness that you see
is abiding deep in me
My wings provide the shadow
against the heat of your sorrow
As you snuggle deeper in
I protect you from those sins
those things that make you hurt
those things that burn
those tears that do surround
that mucky mirey ground

Come to me
my precious one
draw near to me
within the Son
Night will pass
and day will dawn
those horrors will soon
be all gone

Your mind will be renewed
and I can wash you through
My grace will set you free
My love will give you wings
And then again you’ll sing
‘neath the shadow of My wings.

written as given – 8/4/2011

To those that read this…this is my heart…please be gentle.
In His hands and under His wings,
~Christi
Ps 67:3 Because you are my help, I will sing beneath the shadow of Your wings.

100 Spiritual Walking Steps – #16 Can you lose your map?

It’s been a rough couple of weeks, with some serious soul searching about several situations.
In the midst of the soul searching, my notes for my path got lost. In them was the main verse for several steps, and the corresponding verses. With multiple hands and multitasking events, the notes disappeared in the midevent cleanup. NOTE to self – write notes down in a notebook, not on a piece of recycled printer paper that looks like trash. Also avoid writing notes on napkins.

So – I lost my map.
Without a map, how does one find their way?
In my experience, I can’t. I have to go back, to back track, until I get to someplace I know…and hopefully it’s a gas station that can sell me a new map! In English!

We don’t have to go all the way back to Darkness – of course, that is where we all began. But we can go back to a common place – the cross.

From Step 12 –

“If you are in agreement as to where we all started, and that we needed to face the cross…then we can go on from there, to determine where are WE starting. At the cross.”

At least, that’s the common ground for every Christian.

Then, I took the step to get rid of baggage that held me back in Step 13.

I can remember that anything that brings condemnation is NOT of God….WAIT…that’s a next step! It wasn’t the next step on that lost set of notes…but, it is the next step for me today.

Rom 8:1 [There is] therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

NO CONDEMNATION!

Imagine, living a life free of condemnation.
To Condemn:

1.	to express strong disapproval of; censure
2.	to pronounce judicial sentence on
3.	to demonstrate the guilt of: his secretive behaviour condemned him
4.	to judge or pronounce unfit for use: that food has been condemned
5.	to compel or force into a particular state or activity: his disposition condemned him to boredom

Sadly, this is a description of many of my Christian experiences. I have lived with expectations from others about how I should act, dress, eat, look, worship, study, pray, mother, wife, mission, etc. All of these expectations have brought death to my heart.

I don’t want to write an expose’ on the law being death, and Christ being life…because I’m not talking about the laws of the Bible here. I’m talking about the laws placed upon me by other people’s expectations.

John 8:32 – you shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free.

Know the Truth…My whole walk with Jesus has been about KNOWING JESUS.

John 14:6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

I come to the Father….through Jesus Christ.

I come to the Father through Jesus Christ.

The relationship with the Father in the OT was through the law – so that His people knew there was a standard of morality. Before you can hold someone to a standard, the only just way is that you let them know the standard. And – as Paul and all the others shared, it was impossible. But Noah, and David and Moses and Elijah and Isaiah KNEW that God had a greater plan than just the law. In Hebrews 11, they died knowing that a great hope was coming.
JESUS!

There is now no condemnation … for whom?

to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

IN CHRIST JESUS – know Jesus -> know truth = truth sets you free.

And yes, there is a stipulation…a condition…or, a proof that one IS in Christ Jesus:

who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

When I was full of trying to please man’s teachings…women’s critical eyes and words…I was, in a way, walking after the flesh. As Paul said:

Gal 1:10 Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.

While I was trying to please man…even under the guise of Christian teachings…I was not pleasing Christ…I was not serving Christ…I was trying to win the approval of men. And when I didn’t get it, CONDEMNATION!

Rom 8:8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

One of the beauteous things of walking with Jesus is that when you get off the path, you can always call out, and find your way back.
In fact, even while a person is in sin, or confusion, or misguided, I believe they can still be walking in the Spirit…if they are desiring to walk with Jesus.

Prov 11:23 The desire of the righteous ends only in good, but the hope of the wicked only in wrath.

My concept of righteous is desiring a right relationship with Jesus.
David was righteous…but he messed up.
Moses was righteous…but he messed up.
Paul was probably righteously killing Christians when he was Saul…out of his intense desire to serve the Lord…and because of his desire to have a right relationship with God, he had a blinding enlightening moment.

IF…IF is a big word.

John 2:1 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

IF we sin…he knew we would…then WE HAVE AN ADVOCATE…that is what Jesus does for us daily! Not condemn…but advocate on our behalf!

2 Chron 7:14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

MY PEOPLE
CALLED BY MY NAME
This is written to believers....both before Jesus, and through Jesus it applies to those of us who are called Christian.
This is a call to repent…and be forgiven…and be brought back into the fold.

CONDEMNATION – that’s final. It’s DEAD.
But desiring a right relationship…I’m not good at the proper grammar words…but that is an ongoing action…it’s ALIVE!!!
It leaves room for grace, forgiveness, mercy and love.
It leaves room for growing, by pruning off the old stuff, and putting on the new stuff…and moving…walking…taking steps towards ‘perfection’.

Rom 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

Rom 8:11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.

While my walk with Jesus may not look like YOUR walk…the point is, that OUR CHRISTIAN walk SHOULD keep taking us closer and closer to Jesus. It is my desire is to be right with Jesus – and my heart is desiring to seek HIM for my path….and these are my prayers:

Ps 73:25 Whom have I in heaven [but thee]? and [there is] none upon earth [that] I desire beside thee.
Ps 119:105 NUN. Thy word [is] a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
Ps 37:23-24 The steps of a [good] man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth [him with] his hand.
Ps 16:11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence [is] fulness of joy; at thy right hand [there are] pleasures for evermore.
Ps 37:4 Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
Ps 27:4 One [thing] have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.

And when I am tempted to fear condemnation, or messing up by not meeting MY standards…these verses give me comfort:

Is 41:10 Fear thou not; for I [am] with thee: be not dismayed; for I [am] thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.
Is 41:13 For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.

He has never let me down…He has never left my side…and I owe HIM my all.
So, if I lose my map…MY map, I just need to go back to MY guide…

Prov 8:17 I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.
Deut 4:29 But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul.

And then, by the grace given to me through Jesus Christ, I just start putting one foot in front of another all over again.

Thanks for joining me in this journey,
In His hands and under His wings,
~Christi
Ps 63:7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.

I’d love to hear what you think – please leave a comment! Or ‘like’ me! Or follow me with the RSS feed.

Naomi's Heart Mission

Help a child in need. Check out Naomi’s Heart Mission or Compassion International. The life that changes will be your own!

100 Spiritual Walking Steps – #15 – Whose walk is it?

With 100 total posts behind me in this journey, and this being #15 as I meditate on the steps along this journey, I need to reflect.

This is MY journey. My journey is based on some presuppositions.

First is, my statement of faith.
The second is, my story.
The third is that most people that would recognize these things, are going to be reading this, to join me in this journey, or at least, to watch the journey.

If my journey isn’t YOUR journey – which it isn’t – why would my journey cause YOU to have a negative reaction?
Does my believing that the sky is green affect you? Of course not, though, you might want to argue with me about it.
The point is, if I want to say the sky is green – you can leave me alone, think I’m crazy, and go on. To attack me about it would be ludicrous, if not ridiculous! A total waste of time. Why would you feel the need to deliver me from the belief of a green sky?

Does my believing in Jesus Christ as the Son of God affect YOU? If you don’t believe in Jesus…how can it? If you don’t believe in Jehovah God, or the Holy Bible, how can my believing affect YOU? It doesn’t matter, does it?

It’s not like believing or not believing in stop signs.
You believe in stop signs. I don’t. My lack of belief may run me right into the side of your car killing us both.
But that’s not like believing in God, Jesus or the Bible, is it?

If someone believes that stepping on a crack will break their mother’s back…it doesn’t stop me from stepping on any cracks!
If someone believes that eating 20 almonds a day will keep the doctor away, that doesn’t force me to eat 20 almonds a day.

But if I say I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, very God of very God…son of a virgin, was crucified, died, buried and rose on the third day…some folks take great offense at that.

If I want to wear a scarf tied around my head, because I am a Muslim…that’s ok.
If I want to wear a scarf on my head because I am a Christian, that’s legalism.

If I want to wear dresses down to my toes because I live by Sharia law…that’s ok.
If I want to wear dresses because I believe that is what I read in scripture…that’s being too strict.

I could go on and on….and I could change the other to other religions, foods, sanitary practices, other cultures, other gender.

My point is, this is MY walk, this is MY journey – and if what I have to say encourages someone else to walk similarly, or even differently, then my sharing has fulfilled it’s purpose. It is for sharpening one another’s minds that I write. It is for developing my path, and my direction, and logging it down so that I am accountable, if only to myself. If it does not agree with you…so be it. It’s MY God that I am striving to please, not yours, and we can still be civil, we can still be peaceable, as long as we both agree that our beliefs are OUR responsibility alone.

Now, here’s the song that keeps playing in my head:

You’ve got to walk that lonesome valley,
You’ve got to walk it by yourself….
Ain’t nobody else gonna walk it for you..
You gotta walk it by yourself

here’s a version…warning….it’s the Carter Family, so it’s VERY old school country!

So, I guess step #15 is to realize that this walk is a lonesome one.
It’s deeply personal, intimate, and private.
It is between ME and MY GOD.

But sometimes, our lives interconnect, and we touch one another, and that touch affects each others’ lives.
I don’t know if other religions have the various denominations that Christianity does, so I am only going to speak about what I know.
To me, it would seem, that if followers of Christ could spend more time focusing on their own walks, and taking from others the good…and just tossing the bad, we could have a lot less denominations and a lot more unity.

Oh wait…you don’t approve of my collar? Then I guess we’ll have to split up. And I wouldn’t be caught dead sitting with someone wearing capped sleeves! Thanks for joining me in this journey,
In His hands and under His wings,
~Christi
Ps 63:7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.

I’d love to hear what you think – please leave a comment! Or ‘like’ me! Or follow me with the RSS feed.

Naomi's Heart Mission

Help a child in need. Check out Naomi’s Heart Mission or Compassion International. The life that changes will be your own!

100 Spiritual Walking Steps – #14 – Whose path am I walking on?

I think this will be very short.

2 Cor 10:12 For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.

This scripture is dealing with boasting…but I think it also applies to comparing yourself to others, and allowing that to drag you down.

When Jim and I were doing races, he could run them, and I could only walk. I would see him running past me, and I had not even made it to the 1/2 way point. I had to remind myself that I could not run…and that I was doing my best, and yet, I often felt my best was not good enough.

Sometimes the 5k races were coupled with 10k or marathons…and each had it’s own path. If a 5k person got off onto the 10k, or worse, the marathon path, there would be no support to get back to the real path…and someone like me could be overcome with fear, and regret, shame and sadness, and just quit.

With some physical things coming up in my life…I am having trouble believing that my path is actually a path.
I have friends that are missionaries to the Phillipines, in Naomi’s Heart Mission. I always wanted to be a missionary with children.
I have friends that have been able to GO to mission fields, or participate in Compassion’s Sponsorship tours. My heart has broken to go to meet the children we have sponsored.

There are people that go speak to churches, sing, perform, and bless people.
I have friend that have multiple children that do amazing things…all over the country and world….
I have friends that have homeschooled and done amazing things with their children, and seemed so together doing it!
I have friends that have children that have grown up in the church, taken part in the church and eventually become leaders in the church.

These are paths that I have always wanted to walk.
But, when I try to go down those paths, I soon get weary, overwhelmed, and discouraged.

My path is writing and art. Not organization, not performance, not leadership.
When I write, I feel alive, I know the presence of the Lord is with me, and I dwell in His joy.
When I paint, I can feel the power of HIS creative forces flow through me, and I can touch a little of His artistic bent.

There is ONLY ONE path to Heaven – and that is through ONE door, JESUS Christ Our Lord, as the Son of God, who lived, died and rose again to pay the price for our sins.
Whereas the world would have there be many paths to the door, and then we will all be alike on the other side, the Bible has it ONE path to ONE narrow gate, the door Jesus Christ, and then, we are individuals on the other side.

I’m not going to be a Kay Arthur or a Beth Moore. I won’t dress like Joyce Meyer, or wear make up like some of the 700 club women.
I am me.
Jesus knew who I was before I did.
Jesus knows what my ‘bent’ is, because HE bent me this way!
I made it through the narrow gate…because HE chose ME!
Now, I have to choose to be ME – and walk on the path HE sets before me…
So, #14 is – walk on YOUR OWN path…knowing that others are walking their own paths in God’s time!

Here’s a neat song..”Walkin down Heaven’s Road“…I wish I could find a better version:

Thanks for joining me in this journey,
In His hands and under His wings,
~Christi
Ps 63:7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.

I’d love to hear what you think – please leave a comment! Or ‘like’ me! Or follow me with the RSS feed.

Naomi's Heart Mission

Help a child in need. Check out Naomi’s Heart Mission or Compassion International. The life that changes will be your own!

100 Spiritual Walking Steps – #13 Baggage Claims

When traveling anywhere, my husband Jim tries to have as little baggage to carry as possible. In fact, if he can take a computer bag, with a change of underwear and socks, he will do so.
When I flew to and from Germany, I had no choice but to take two pieces of luggage. Two VERY HEAVY pieces of luggage! But for my carry-on…I only wanted to deal with ONE if I could manage. I had a service dog to handle with my left hand. So if my right shoulder could bear the weight of everything else so that my right hand was free…that would be the perfect situation!
On the other hand, when we go to a hotel, I would rather have everything in as little amount as possible, though we STILL seem to fill up those luggage dollys in the lobby.

Marathon runners run LIGHT

People that walk to walk, or run to run, try to eliminate weight in every way possible. The shoe and athletic industry have created many many ways for runners to run without carrying anything. Shoes are lighter, the racing clothes are lighter, and there are belts that one can wear to carry drinks for the run. There are carrying cases for your mp3 player, keys, and some cash so that your hands are free. Race Organizations prepare watering spots, refueling spots…of course, bathroom stops all along the path of a race course. The point is to help the runners finish the race, as quickly as possible, and as unencumbered as possible in the process.

Between our start and finish points, we are in a race.

1 Cor 9:24KJV Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.

New International Version (©1984)
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.

It is assumed that we KNOW we are in a race…and therefore Paul is telling us to RUN in order to obtain the prize!

The Author of Hebrews says it this way in Heb 12:1:

New International Version (©1984)
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.

First, we have to commit to RUN THE RACE.

Gal 6:9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

What IS the RACE? Obviously, it’s our lives, between birth and meeting Jesus. It is also WHAT we do WITH our lives in that in-between times. Linda Ellis wrote a poem, entitled, The Dash.

It’s appropriate, because, well – we DASH to the finish line!

To enter the race, to have a hope of enduring the race, we need to PUT OFF…Throw off….everything that hinders us…..

Heb 12:1 New Living Translation (©2007)
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.

BECAUSE we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses….of course those in Heb 11 – but what about Eric Liddell?
His stand of faith was the topic of the movie Chariots of Fire.
Eric refused to run on Sunday, risking his chance for a medal in the 1924 Paris Olympics.
In his case, NOT running the race wass running THE race. Eric Liddell is one of our current heroes of faith – and I believe he is one of the ones in the cloud of witnesses.

Eph 4:22 New Living Translation (©2007)
throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception.

The Bible even mentions some things to be thrown off…
Col 3:8 New International Version (©1984)
But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.

Brother Eric did so by putting aside the pride and arrogance of a gold medal. Noah put it aside by being willing to be made fun of as he built a ship to protect him from something no one, not even he, had ever seen. Moses put aside being the son of Pharoah to be the mouthpiece of God. Paul(also not in Heb 11) put aside his cushy prominent Pharisee position to be a preacher for outcasts.
We cannot race with baggage. And God has provided the way for us to release this baggage to Him, through repentance, confession, forgiveness, letting go and releasing things to Him. But it is a fight…Paul told us so….in 2 Tim 4:7 :

New International Version (©1984)
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

The race is a FIGHT.

The race is to the FINISH.

The race is a race of FAITH.

Eric Lidell fought and finished as Paul described.
His life continued to be a race for God’s Kingdom, as he ministered in China. It is said “The entire camp, especially its youth, was stunned for days, so great was the vacuum that Eric’s death had left.”

I pray that when my life is over, I will have touched so many lives by God’s light and grace, that somewhere, someone will notice a vacuum. I pray that my DASH affects others to the glory of God. May my light shine brighter and brighter as I learn to run my race, fight my fights and keep the faith…in Jesus’ name.

Thanks for joining me in this journey,
In His hands and under His wings,
~Christi
Ps 63:7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.

I’d love to hear what you think – please leave a comment! Or ‘like’ me! Or follow me with the RSS feed.

Naomi's Heart Mission

Help a child in need. Check out Naomi’s Heart Mission or Compassion International. The life that changes will be your own!

100 Spiritual Walking Steps – #12 Um, WHERE do we start? Where are we, again?

In yesterday’s blog, I started with:

Whenever you are headed someplace, you need to know your current position in order to get the map to give you directions to where you are going.

I then proceeded to discuss WHERE we were going to.

Where am I going? What is my destination?
My goal is Glory and my destination is HEAVEN! I want to live in Ps 91:1

Now that we know where we are going(and that Heaven is in our hearts), we need to know from where we start!

We used to sing a song years ago that went like this:

You brought me out of the mirey clay,
You set my feet on the rock to stay,
You put a song in my heart today,
a Song of praise, Hallelujah.

This song is from a wonderful set of verses:

Ps 40:2-3KJV He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, [and] established my goings.
And he hath put a new song in my mouth, [even] praise unto our God: many shall see [it], and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.

Ps 40:2NIVHe lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.

Just check out this list of the various versions of Psalm 40:2. What a glorious thing God did for us…delivering us from that pit!

That tells us that our starting point was in a horrible pit of despair, destruction, a deep waste place. One version says “and brought me out of the pit of misery and the mire of dregs.”

Another description of the starting point is DARKNESS. It is inferred, because of God’s redeeming work of bringing people OUT of darkness.

Ps 107:10 – Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, [being] bound in affliction and iron;

Is 42:7 To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, [and] them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.

Luke 1:79 To give light to them that sit in darkness and [in] the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.

We start in Darkness and Despair.

Only two people started in light; Adam and Eve. They lived in the garden, and walked and talked WITH God in the cool of the evening. They CHOSE darkness, and were expelled from the Garden.

~note: I believe the Garden was a REAL place, and that God REALLY walked with Adam and Eve, just like God talked face-to-face with Moses.

Then, we have a choice….even creation shouts the glory of God. NO EXCUSES!!!

Romans 1:20 New Living Translation (©2007)
For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities–his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.

But out choices, just as Adam and Eve’s, keep us in darkness.

2 Cor 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

I thank God that we are given the FREEDOM of CHOICE!!! I am soooooo PRO CHOICE! It’s YOUR CHOICE to go to heaven or hell! No one’s choice but YOURS and MINE!

Ok, so, we start in darkness – and the next step forward is to move towards the light…and this is an interesting point…Do we move towards God or does God move towards us???

John 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. (this verse gives a hint to a trip we are going to take later, with JESUS! Yeah!)

John 6:37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.

John 14:23 New International Version (©1984)
Jesus replied, “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.

Matt 11:28 Come unto me, all [ye] that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

The right answer is YES!

James 4:8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse [your] hands, [ye] sinners; and purify [your] hearts, [ye] double minded.

Eph 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Titus 3:4-7 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

It’s OUR CHOICE – But we have to answer HIS CALL!

Josh 24:15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that [were] on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.

A Friend of mine, Ms Cheryl Miller, wrote this on her Facebook status today:

Many are called but few are chosen (Matthew 22:14) the call goes out to the entire world, but there are many who turn deaf ear to this message without listening to what it’s all about. It’s not that God has restricted his invitation to a select group, but it’s the group that is willing to hear the call of God. Ultimately only a few will be chosen because the majority will be unwilling to sacrifice and fulfill the conditions of salvation which is little compared to the great sacrifice that Jesus made. Be blessed

This was so perfect this morning! And so true…For God so loved THE WORLD….As many as will believe will be saved!

We are called….and Jesus wants to bring us out of darkness, out of captivity…that’s why HE GAVE HIS LIFE. Therefore, our starting point is facing the cross. We may not know the depths of our despair and depravity, but no one – NO ONE – meets the criteria to enter into God’s Kingdom according to His laws! By our choices, we are shut out. Don’t think so? Here’s a page I wrote asking “So you think you’re going to heaven, right?” Here is Ray Comfort’s online test to see if you are good enough.

Some folks are starting, just realizing that they need to embrace the cross of Jesus Christ. That is THE place that EVERYONE starts.

There is ONLY one way…at the cross.

John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

In fact, this passage talks about Jesus taking a journey….

John 14:1-3 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if [it were] not [so], I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, [there] ye may be also.

Then He says this:

John 14:4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.

SAY WHAT???? I KNOW Where and How to get there? REPEAT THAT PLEASE!!! And, that’s Jesus talking…it’s in RED!!!! <grin>

John 14:4 New International Version (©1984)
You know the way to the place where I am going.”

Dear Old Thomas…he asked the question….”Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?”
I’m not sure he got the answer he was looking for…or if the question was actually answered…but this is when Jesus said:
“I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. ”

That’s back to coming to God.
We start out sinful….

Is 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

and we walk towards God!

1 Peter 2:25 For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.

Prov 4:18 New International Version (©1984)
The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day.

John 6:39-40 And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.
And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

We were captives – by the resurrection power of Jesus Christ, we are set free!
We were in darkness – and by the finished work of Jesus Christ, we are brought into the Light!
We were slaves to sin and death, and by the grace of God’s own gift of Jesus Christ, we are dead to sin, and alive In Christ!

Luke 4:18 New American Standard Bible (©1995)
“THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME, BECAUSE HE ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR. HE HAS SENT ME TO PROCLAIM RELEASE TO THE CAPTIVES, AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND, TO SET FREE THOSE WHO ARE OPPRESSED,(Is 42:7, 49:9 & 61:1)

John 1:1– In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John 1:4-5 – In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
John 1:9-10[That] was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
John 1:12-13 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, [even] to them that believe on his name:
Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

2 Cor4:6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to [give] the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

1 Pet 2:9 But ye [are] a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

Col 1:12-13 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:
Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated [us] into the kingdom of his dear Son:
In whom we have redemption through his blood, [even] the forgiveness of sins:

If you are in agreement as to where we all started, and that we needed to face the cross…then we can go on from there, to determine where are WE starting. at the cross.

Heb 10:22 GOD’S WORD® Translation (©1995)
We have been sprinkled [with his blood] to free us from a guilty conscience, and our bodies have been washed with clean water. So we must continue to come [to him] with a sincere heart and strong faith.

“So we must continue to come to him…”

Col 3:1-3 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.

We are all on a path, headed from darkness to light…shining brighter every day – until the full day – until Christ appears

Col 3:4 When Christ, [who is] our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

We are all on our own path – but it is a path that is created for us, with guidance from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
So – wherever we are starting from, we must walk in the light:
1 john 1:5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

And, since we will trip and fall along our paths toward the Light…HE gave us THIS promise:
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Where are YOU starting? I’ve been on this path for 30 some years…and some days, I feel like I’m starting right back at the cross. The good thing of that is, I never get too far from the cross, but, as I learned yesterday, I’m never too far from heaven, either! He is with me, ALWAYS!

Thanks for joining me in this journey,
In His hands and under His wings,
~Christi
Ps 63:7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.

I’d love to hear what you think – please leave a comment! Or ‘like’ me! Or follow me with the RSS feed.

Naomi's Heart Mission

Help a child in need. Check out Naomi’s Heart Mission or Compassion International. The life that changes will be your own!

Just 10 Minutes – by Guest Blogger Kirsten Tucker

~from Christi ~ I have talked about having to redeem the time, and I have talked about how much could get done if we just did 10-15 minutes a day. Here is a lovely post by my friend and trainer, Kirsten Tucker:

Just 10 Minutes

by brngckn on June 22, 2011

Italy is fast! Nothing takes nothing more than 10 minutes. Nothing is more than a 10 minute walk or drive away. The train will arrive in 10 minutes.
(BIG HUGE WINK)

If you’ve ever been to Italy, you know everything is a little slow, a little late, but it all works out in the end. It’s the “manana” or “island time” idea but with European flair! I can’t help but wonder though, why TEN minutes? Why not 20? or 5?

When I visited Japan, 20 minutes was the standard response if you asked how long it took to walk to somewhere. Are 10 and 20 easy numbers in a linguistic sense – easy for non-native English speakers to remember? So, regardless of the actual time required, 10 and 20 are standard responses? Are 10 and 20 magic numbers? Are 10 and 20 minutes timeframes we feel more comfortable with than others? Any linguists out there?

Ah, well – I am back home in the USA now. I’ve got about 10 minutes ’til I have to be somewhere.
(BIG WINK)

Kirsten Tucker is a certified Level 1, 2 & 3 Hoopnotica hoopdance instructor, Level 1 & 2 BodyHoops instructor, play advocate and Certified Laughter Leader. She offers hoop classes and training in NW Houston and worldwide. She is the founder of Houston Spin Stars hoop Meetup group. She thinks hoopy thoughts every day.

~~Her post today made me think of the verses:

Ps 90:12 So teach [us] to number our days, that we may apply [our] hearts unto wisdom.
Eph 5:16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

~~Eph 5:16 says it a little more clearly in the NIV translation:

…making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.

Making the most of every opportunity…

10 minutes a day – 365 days a year = 3650 minutes = 60.83 hours.
Imagine the impact that 60.83 hours of practice, workouts, reading, or even cleaning would have on our lives!!!

Thanks for joining me in this journey,
In His hands and under His wings,
~Christi
Ps 63:7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.

I’d love to hear what you think – please leave a comment! Or ‘like’ me! Or follow me with the RSS feed.

Naomi's Heart Mission

Help a child in need. Check out Naomi’s Heart Mission or Compassion International. The life that changes will be your own!

100 Spiritual Walking Steps – #11 – Where am I?

Whenever you are headed someplace, you need to know your current position in order to get the map to give you directions to where you are going.
Where am I going? What is my destination?
My goal is Glory and my destination is HEAVEN! I want to live in Ps 91:1

He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

Ps 27:4 One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple.

Ps 84:10 For a day in thy courts [is] better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.

So – How far Is Heaven?

I’ve been locked up way too long
In this crazy world
How far is heaven
I just keep on prayin’ Lord
And just keep on livin’

How far is heaven
Yeah, Lord can you tell me
How far is heaven
I just got to know how far
How far is heaven
Yeah, Lord can you tell me

A catchy song that tells us NOTHING!!!!

Where is Heaven???? Heaven is in my heart.

I LOVE THIS SONG!

The kingdom of our God is here
Heaven is in my heart
The presence of His majesty
Heaven is in my heart
And in His presence joy abounds
Heaven is in my heart
The light of holiness surrounds
Heaven is in my heart

His precious life on me He spent
Heaven is in my heart
To give me life without an end
Heaven is in my heart
In Christ is all my confidence
Heaven is in my heart
The hope of my inheritance
Heaven is in my heart

We are a temple for His throne
Heaven is in my heart
And Christ is the foundation stone
Heaven is in my heart
He will return to take us home
Heaven is in my heart
The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come!”
Heaven is in my heart

Heaven is in MY Heart – and Yours, if you have Jesus Christ as Your Lord and Savior!

Rev 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

John 14:23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.

1 Cor 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and [that] the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

The reason I was wondering about this was, I wanted to know how to get back to dwelling in the secret place after I’d been mucking around in the worldly necessities of life. You know what I mean, walking amongst those thorns and upon those stones that steal the seed of God’s word out of your conscious thought(Matt 13).

Oh, wait, the verse(Ps 91:1) is he that DWELLETH, he that ABIDETH.
I need to STAY THERE, right?
I ought not go OUT into the world, right????
Of course, the Word says:
I’m not of the world,
but I’m told to be IN the world,
and to go ye INTO ALL the world to preach the gospel…
so, what is all this about getting back into that secret PLACE???

Dwell = as a verb…in light of a place:
1. to live or stay as a permanent resident; reside.

Abide = as a verb…in light of a place:
1.to remain; continue; stay:
2.to have one’s abode; dwell; reside:

So – it’s where I go home to…

Of course, there are these definitions:

Dwell – 2. to live or continue in a given condition or state:

Abide – 3. to continue in a particular condition, attitude, relationship,

MY HEART – IS THE HOME OF THE SPIRIT OF GOD!

How do I want the Spirit of God to dwell in me? Because I AM THE TEMPLE OF GOD – the Holy Spirit DWELLS in me!!!!
And since the Holy Spirit dwells IN ME, I can dwell in HIM!
Paul said in Acts, as he was trying to explain God to the folks at Mars Hill(Acts 17:28):

For in him we live, and move, and have our being;

Therefore, I can dwell in Him because He dwells in me…that makes sense, right????
Well, for me, as I think about it, I get this old commercial in mind:

In other words, I don’t really quite get how He can be in us, as we are in Him…but then, I don’t get how the Creator of the Universe came to earth born as an infant child, and dwelt among us. God Is…God. I am (wo)Man…and I rejoice in the parts He has explained…and rejoice that HE chose to dwell with me.
He chooses to dwell with all who believe.

1 Cor 6:19-20 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost [which is] in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

That’s simple to understand…so, I’m going to apply the second set of definitions for now…and look forward to heaven being my home when I finish this race.
But this didn’t answer WHERE am I…it answered WHERE am I aiming to go….so, I guess I need to figure out WHERE I am tomorrow!

Thanks for joining me in this journey,
In His hands and under His wings,
~Christi
Ps 63:7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.

I’d love to hear what you think – please leave a comment! Or ‘like’ me! Or follow me with the RSS feed.

Naomi's Heart Mission

Help a child in need. Check out Naomi’s Heart Mission or Compassion International. The life that changes will be your own!

How many spoons does it take to make a day?

I do have chronic illnesses – and unless I am using a cane, walker, wheelchair or wearing a boot or brace, you cannot see what goes on inside me. And even those tools do not tell you totally what is going on. I also have an Assistance Dog – Medical Alert. No, he’s not for impaired vision…he is NOT a seeing eye dog. But Gabriel makes my life much easier.

Because not all handicaps are visible, I wanted to share this great blog with you.

The Spoon Theory, by Christine Miserandino

Basically, she explains if you are only given so much energy per day…and how are you going to use it?

This has helped Jim and some of my friends understand why I am so excited at the beginning of the day, and I have several things I want to get done, and it all seems so doable, and then something happens, and I MIGHT get ONE thing done, and I’M DONE for the day.

But, really, isn’t that the case with everything?
We each get 24 hours in a day.
86,400 seconds every day.
What do we do with each one?

If we were dying of thirst, and we were given a canteen of water…we would do everything to get every drop of water out of that canteen. For normally healthy folks, drawing as much out of every 8 hour workday, and then as much out of the next 4-6 hours before dropping in bed is pretty easy. For folks with challenges, it takes a bit more thought. For folks that will answer to the Lord Jesus Christ for every minute of every day, for every word spoken…we ought to look at it a bit differently.

We have a chronic illness…SIN – and it eats away at our choices for the Lord Jesus Christ.

We have a perfect solution – SALVATION – and that stops the death and destruction, but we have to fight that old addiction!

We have the perfect remedy – GRACE and MERCY…but we must apply them daily, minute by minute, second by second.

Ps 90:12 So teach [us] to number our days, that we may apply [our] hearts unto wisdom.

Thanks for joining me in this journey,
In His hands and under His wings,
~Christi
Ps 63:7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.