To catch up, the links are at the end of the blog, or all the Itty Bitty Bible Studies are listed on this page.
Philippians 1:18b – 26
Yes, and I will rejoice, 19 for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance, 20 as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. 21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22 If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. 23 I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. 24 But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. 25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, 26 so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again.
First, focus on what Paul is saying here:
Yes, and I will rejoice,
19 for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance,
This sounds very familiar!!!!!
Maybe because Paul wrote ROMANS!!!
He’s in Jail.
He’s chained to a guard. Or possibly on house arrest.
Blue Letter Bible provides a very nice Timeline of Paul’s Life and Ministry
He’s had so many things happen to him…and he’s still looking at these things from the point of view that all things work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to HIS purposes! Romans 8:28
The whole chapter of Romans 8 could be written, and summarized in this thought…that no matter how badly things look, we can know that it is bringing about OUR salvation. Not in the sense that we get saved again and again, but more in the sense that we work out our salvation with fear and trembling, that this is a walk, a journey, and the fullness of Christ is to be worked out in us.
In Philippians 1:12 he is pointing out to everyone that is concerned that this is all for the furtherance of the gospel! This is his first and foremost concern.
In Philippians 4, we’ll hear about how it’s not about him having his needs met.
It’s to comfort those that are concerned, and to speak of HIS confidence in Christ.
I started that part with verse 18b – and yes, I will rejoice!
It reminds me of the letter that James wrote:
James 1:2-4
2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,
3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.
4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
James knew Paul, Paul knew James – James was the head of the church at Jerusalem. Bible Odyssey goes into much more detail.
It makes sense that James and Paul were thinking alike!
To understand a little bit more of verse 20, we have to read it with verse 19.
Phil 1:19-20
19 for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance, 20 as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death.
I will not be at all ashamed,
but that with full courage now
as always
Christ will be honored
in my body,
whether by life
or by death.
He’s not talking about him being ashamed of the gospel. To confirm this, read
Romans 1:16
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
He’s talking about being ashamed of himself – because his first love is Christ Jesus, and he wants to glorify Him in all that he does, whether by living, or by dying.
And, with that, we will stop here. There’s too much to consider with the next 5 verses!
I pray that this will bless you.
Have you ever had to choose joy in the face of a “prison” surrounding you?
Have you every been “trapped” because of your faith?
Have you ever been concerned about YOUR behavior – ashamed of Your behavior as an ambassador of Christ?
Do you know that we have an advocate with the Father?
1 John 2:1-2
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. 2 He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.
disclaimer – I’m not saying that I WENT to heaven. I’m not saying that THIS is what heaven looks like. This is MY experience in response to a situation for which I was seeking God. My intent is to offer comfort.
Back in the 1980’s, when we had five children, and didn’t know what we were doing. One night, our oldest son got sick. The ugly, throw up down the side of the bed, kind of sick. I’m not sure what happened to me, but I was having difficulties breathing, and I was lying down in my bed, on the other side of the house. I couldn’t move to help Jim with our son. Things kept coming into and out of view.
All of the sudden, I realized that I was walking on this beautiful green hill, with a beautiful blue sky above my head. The grass was the greenest green I’d ever seen. The river below me was babbling along, with that sweet sound of water just lazily flowing over round rocks, a musical sound that nothing can replicate. In the far distance were purple mountains rising up to meet the blue sky, with bits of white on the tops, mixing in with the white clouds so that it wasn’t obvious where the mountains ended and the clouds began.
“Hello, Christi” a warm, friendly voice spoke. The voice sounded familiar, but it almost didn’t sound at all. It was if everything, including me, resonated with this voice. I turned around.
“Jesus!” I exclaimed! “Where am I?”
“With me, child”
We seemed to take a walk, though we seemed to stay in one place. I thought I was moving, and yet, there was no effort, just a flowing, being, kind of movement. As we walked, I told Him of my concerns for my children, and them growing up to serve him. I told Him of my concerns about being good enough to be their mom. I told Him how I felt worthless as a woman, a wife, a mom and a child of God. I told Him how I felt I was failing Jim and Him.
He listened to all I said, and would interject loving words that seemed to wash away all of my concerns.
“Jesus – I have a question, please.”
“Yes…” He replied, looking me in the eyes, with more love that any mother ever had for her child.
“Am I dead? Is this heaven?”
“Almost, my dear. You are almost dead, but this is just outside of heaven.”
I started asking him questions, and I wasn’t bothered at all that I was mostly dead. I just loved hearing his voice, and feeling that love roll over me like a wave of the ocean on a warm summer day. I wanted to lie down in that green grass, feel the breeze flow over me, and enjoy the musical melody of the water. I don’t remember all that He told me, but for that period of time, nothing matter, except that I was with Jesus. I knew everything I needed to know, I feared nothing, and I was so full of love and joy that I thought I was going to burst!
As I was listening to Jesus, there came a buzz in my ear…like a mosquito that just won’t let you fall asleep. I started waving it off, and it got louder and louder. I didn’t even stop to grasp, why are there mosquitoes in heaven? I just kept swatting it away. I was getting annoyed!
I looked up at Jesus, about to ask why, and saw that He had this interesting, understanding grin on his face.
“christi” – I heard, as if it was far away, as if it were from someone on those mountains…someone yelling my name. The voice was pulling me away from standing there with Jesus. The voice was taking my attention away from focusing on Jesus and this beautiful place. It was if a pull that I could not control were trying to drag me away. I just wanted to be right there, in the sweet green grass, beside the still waters, and enjoy the restoring of my soul!
“Go away”
“Christi”
“Be Quiet!” I said…trying to wave off that pesky voice.
“Christi” – I heard it again, even louder. NOOOOOOooooooooo!
“Jesus, it’s Jim’s voice…why is he interrupting us? Doesn’t he know I’m with you? How dare he interrupt my time with You!”
“Yes, dear, he does. But he’s calling you back.”
“Jesus, NO – I don’t want to go back there…it’s beautiful here, YOU are here,” and I fell on my knees and begged him…tears falling down my cheeks.
“We agreed a long ago that if you called one of us home, we would not demand that they come back…doesn’t he remember that?”
Jesus took my hands in his, and smiled into my face. I could feel the warmth of His glory fall upon me.
“I haven’t call you home yet, my dear.”
As he wiped away my tears, He said,
“My child, you have to go back, he can’t raise the five children without you. He can’t make it without you.”
“Oh, Jesus – sure he can…he’s got the Bible, family and You…just let me stay here. They’ll be fine!”
“CHRistiiiii” – Jim’s voice was getting louder. I turned to see if he was walking up the hill to meet us.
“Lord – I want to stay here with you…please”
“I’m sorry, my child – it’s not your time to come here yet. You have work to do”
As Jim’s voice pulled me closer and closer…I realized that I was being pulled away from the presence of Jesus. It was like one of those sci-fi vortex things from which you cannot escape – crossing dimensions. I reached out for Jesus’ hands, but he was far, far away now, and was disappearing into the vision. The hills were just faded green, I could not smell the grass anymore. I couldn’t make out the mountains from the clouds anymore. The water was so distant, and so soft now that I could barely hear it. I was being pulled back, back to…..
“CHRISTIIII – COME BACK!”
I jerked, and looked up, and a female EMT was on top of me with her hands on my sternum. Her face was white, but a glimmer came across her face and she exclaimed
“We got her!”
I looked to my left, and Jim’s mouth was right at my ear – he’d been shouting in my ear the whole time.
I looked to my right, and saw another EMT, just as white as the first one, taking deep breaths.
“Good – “ and started rattling off those things EMT’s rattle off in emergencies.
I closed my eyes and tried to see the hills, the meadows, the mountains, the river…and Jesus.
They were gone.
The colors had faded.
The touch was gone.
The warmth of His glory was gone.
The peace of that quiet hillside was crashed with the noise of people, children, instructions, machines…and I don’t know what else. It was just loud.
“We thought we’d lost you” Jim said.
I don’t remember right now if I told him, or if I was even able to speak.
All I remember is that I had met with Jesus, seen a glimpse of heaven, and knew that heaven was my home.
All I knew was that I wanted to get back there.
And I knew that Jesus had told me that I was supposed to finish raising my five children.
But He left me with a memory:
Ps 73:25
Whom have I in heaven but you?
And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.
26 My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
Phil 3:20
20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,
Matthew 4:17
17 From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
My heart was filled with a song that my husband, Jim, taught me:
This World is not My Home, three ways.
Have you felt His presence in YOUR life in times of struggle, or times of joy?
Have you been near death, and known that Jesus was with you?
please share your comments with me!
Jim & Christi 2017
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.
“The Lord does not give me rules, but He makes His standard very clear.
If my relationship to Him is that of love, I will do what He says without hesitation.
If I hesitate, it is because I love someone I have placed in competition with Him, namely, myself.” – from My Utmost for His highest
Some artwork is from me – ChristArtist. It is copyrighted – by me. Please do not share it without my permission. The same goes for my written work.
Some artwork is from ChristArt – not me! I have purchased a membership, and the art is copyrighted by them.
Some artwork is from FreeClipArt Library. copyrights belong to them.
I’d love to stay in touch with you – we are working on email subscriptions…sign up! Soon, we will have a gallery for the art I have created by the hand of God.
There are many organizations that support children and families. Here are ones that we are blessed to be a part of. Please consider sponsoring a child – the life you change could be your own.
The son of a friend will be interning with CRU – previously known as Campus Crusades for Christ. If you’d like to support someone I can vouch for in this area, please consider going to Matthew Plant’s donation page.
disclaimer – I’m not saying that I WENT to heaven. I’m not saying that THIS is what heaven looks like. This is MY experience in response to a situation for which I was seeking God. My intent is to offer comfort.
Many years ago while I was struggling with various things, I was having a conversation with the Lord. It seems like I was climbing up the stairway and just as I would get to the top stair of what I could see, that step would fall down and before me would be even more steps that I needed to climb. Each step seemed to start out way over my head where I could just barely reach with my hands, and then as I struggled my way up I could get to where I could see a little bit over and eventually I could pull myself up and be on that next step. Before there was much time to rest or relax, the step I was on would seemingly drop from beneath my feet, and I would be facing another step, reaching up above me, almost higher than I could reach. For each step, I had to claw, pull, and drag myself up and over that step. Today it seems a little like American Ninja Warrior and that curved wall thing.
I told the Lord that I was getting a little bit discouraged about how whenever I made it to the top of a step, the step I was on would fall or that next step would fall suddenly down and the step before me would be so overwhelmingly tall. As I was praying for encouragement the Lord said look over the next step and as I did I got a glimpse of Heaven.
There was a wall before me, but in the center of the wall, I saw the throne, at least what looked to be the throne. The wall was made out of stones that seemed to breathe, they were unlike any stones I’ve seen on earth. The thrown was made of a white material that glistened. Out of the foot of the throne flowed water that was crystal clear and pure. It looked like molten silver that had no impurities, and you could see right through it.
The water flowed down and into a basin flowing out from the foot of the throne. The basin had a fountain like the Fountain of Youth. As the water sprayed up in the fountain it was as if there were diamonds and pearls mixed in with the water spray. As the water was sprayed up, or spashed down, the glistening and gleaming and sparkling water drops danced with joy.
On either side of this water basin were roads that were paved in Gold. This gold shown with such intensity that our own sun was darkness in comparison. The gleam seemed to eb and flow as if undulating with life. I could not comprehend walking on those streets!
As I gazed upon the beauty that I could barely comprehend, I heard the Lord’s voice say, in a way that seemed to emanate from the gold, the stones, the water…
“this is the joy that is set before you.
This is the table that is set on the other side of the Valley of the shadow of death,
this is the blessing that comes from enduring to the end.”
Hebrews 12:2
2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
Hebrews 12:1-2
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
I pray that I am always reminded that by enduring the trials of today, we can see the joy of tomorrow. James 1:2-4 says to
2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
When I do see Jesus face to face…on that final day…I want to hear him say “well done, thou good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of your Lord.”
Have you ever wondered what heaven looked like?
If so, can you describe it?
Are you going to heaven? If you think so, here is a little quiz that can help you confirm it.
Please share your thoughts with me in the comments!
Jim & Christi 2017
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.
“The Lord does not give me rules, but He makes His standard very clear.
If my relationship to Him is that of love, I will do what He says without hesitation.
If I hesitate, it is because I love someone I have placed in competition with Him, namely, myself.” – from My Utmost for His highest
Some artwork is from me – ChristArtist. It is copyrighted – by me. Please do not share it without my permission. The same goes for my written work.
Some artwork is from ChristArt – not me! I have purchased a membership, and the art is copyrighted by them.
Some artwork is from FreeClipArt Library. copyrights belong to them.
I’d love to stay in touch with you – we are working on email subscriptions…sign up! Soon, we will have a gallery for the art I have created by the hand of God.
There are many organizations that support children and families. Here are ones that we are blessed to be a part of. Please consider sponsoring a child – the life you change could be your own.
The son of a friend will be interning with CRU – previously known as Campus Crusades for Christ. If you’d like to support someone I can vouch for in this area, please consider going to Matthew Plant’s donation page.
Christi’s shorts, or Christi’s God winks
This is day 17/100 for 2018
1.
This morning, I had fasting labs and therefore had not eaten breakfast. I had no intention of eating breakfast and was actually going to not eat for whatever the reason. After my labs, I was driving 45 minutes to the veterinarian to drop off my cat, Gideon. On the way out of the veterinarian parking lot, I heard the still small voice saying eat breakfast.
I didn’t want to eat breakfast;
I had no appetite and the only breakfast that I could come up with between the veterinarian’s and my way home was a McDonald’s breakfast burrito.
I was trying to eat better.
Therefore, as is my norm, I argued with that voice.
As I turned off the road the veterinarian office was on, I had to take a right turn to head home. As I looked ahead, I saw on the left side a brand new Chick-fil-A restaurant that I had not known was there nor had I seen it on my way in to drop off my cat.
One of my favorite breakfasts in the fast food rule world is the Chick-fil-A sausage egg cheese bagel. They also have a nice little fruit cup or a Greek yogurt cup instead of the hash browns and
I like their unsweet iced tea.
I just giggled to myself and looked up to the Lord and said
“of course there’s a Chick-fil-A!”
“Of course I’m supposed to eat breakfast!”
God was looking out for me and looking for way to bless me.
2.
For several years I have had some issues with my eyes. One of the issues has made it difficult, if not impossible, for me to drive at night. On top of not being able to drive at night, I don’t drive at night on country roads because they are not lit. Tonight, because of the timing to go and pick up my cat from the veterinarian’s office after my doctor’s appointment, I was not going to make it to the veterinarian until after 6 p.m. This is January in Florida, and the sun goes down around 6:30. I picked up the cat, went to Chick-fil-A for supper to get the grilled chicken and the Amazing Power Foods salad and more wonderful unsweet iced tea, and headed north towards my home.
As I was getting closer there were a couple routes that I could take and the first one I chose not to take because it goes out in the country and it’s very desolate. But mainly I didn’t go that way because there would be no lights.
There was a secondary way called Lake Louisa Road, which kind of cuts the hypotenuse of a triangle to get towards the road that goes around the lake to get to my house. The thing is it’s a country road. There are no lights.
I heard that still small voice say “take Lake Louisa”
As is my norm, I argued and said “there are no lights, I’m going Hammock Ridge!”
As I came up to the turn I saw a truck going into the left turn lane with a trailer behind it was turning onto Lake Louisa.
Again, I just looked up to the Lord, and laughed and said “so you’re going to provide the light!”
As we turned onto the road I realized that all the way down the road were the white lines on the side that reflected, but not only that, this very a;most desolate dark road had those reflectors embedded into the center line.
As I giggled at how God had arranged for me to take the shorter route home, I looked up and said “so now I can slow down to the speed limit because I don’t have to keep up with the truck in the trailer!” Shortly after I realized that I was able to see to drive, the truck with the trailer turned off.
Again, God had found a special way to let me know that I was hearing his voice and as I obeyed, I was blessed.
I almost missed these blessings by arguing with God’s still small voice – but when I obeyed, I was able to see His hand just wanting to bless me.
Isaiah 30 is titled in one version “God deals with an Obstinate nation”. Sometimes, it’s titled Rebellious.
My arguing was my being obstinate.
Here are some of the promises he makes to his rebellious children:
Is 30:15 For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel,
“In returning and rest you shall be saved;
in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.”
Is 30:18-19 18 Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you,
and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you.
For the Lord is a God of justice;
blessed are all those who wait for him.
19 For a people shall dwell in Zion, in Jerusalem; you shall weep no more. He will surely be gracious to you at the sound of your cry. As soon as he hears it, he answers you.
And one of my favorites:
Is 30:21 And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left.
It is my prayer that God would open my ears and eyes to hear and see Him, and to recognize His loving hand as He holds me in His palm.
I pray that I recognize this still small voice, and stop arguing! Please Lord, continue to help me, and don’t give up on me!
In Jesus’ name!
Amen
Do you ever hear God’s still small voice telling you which way to go?
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.
“The Lord does not give me rules, but He makes His standard very clear.
If my relationship to Him is that of love, I will do what He says without hesitation.
If I hesitate, it is because I love someone I have placed in competition with Him, namely, myself.” – from My Utmost for His highest
Some artwork is from me – ChristArtist. It is copyrighted – by me. Please do not share it without my permission. The same goes for my written work.
Some artwork is from ChristArt – not me! I have purchased a membership, and the art is copyrighted by them.
Some artwork is from FreeClipArt Library. copyrights belong to them.
I’d love to stay in touch with you – we are working on email subscriptions…sign up! Soon, we will have a gallery for the art I have created by the hand of God.
There are many organizations that support children and families. Here are ones that we are blessed to be a part of. Please consider sponsoring a child – the life you change could be your own.
The son of a friend will be interning with CRU – previously known as Campus Crusades for Christ. If you’d like to support someone I can vouch for in this area, please consider going to Matthew Plant’s donation page.
Character is what you are when no one is watching.
Hypocrisy is what you are when ONLY someone is watching.
Christ is NOT a hypocrite.
Can someone be a hypocrite without realizing it?
Yes, by lying to themselves.
The rich young ruler was certain that he had done all that he needed to do to enter into the Kingdom…until Jesus said “go, sell all that you have and come follow me” and he went away sad.
His heart was mixed up with those things!
He didn’t realize that he was bound by greed. THIS WAS HUGE!
Giants are huge. I wrote a few of my giants down in some blogs, which can be found at “there are Giants in My land”
The first three for me are
Fear
Depression
Unforgiveness
These giants make us do things that we would rather not do…like Paul saying that he doesn’t understand his own actions. Romans 7:15-20
Like someone sabotaging themselves for a promotion.
Someone not writing a book they have been called to write.
Like someone messing things up so that they cannot get a medical procedure.
Like someone refusing to go to the doctor because they are so afraid of what might be found.
When you get below the excuses, you usually come up with four basic reasons:
Mad
Sad
Glad
or Afraid.
These are the most basic human emotions.
From these, all others eminate.
FEAR or Afraid.
Afraid of something.
and, the giant wants to take control.
The giant wants you to believe that you are in control of the situation…by using fear to talk you out of something.
While the person sabotaging themselves against a promotion, or not writing the book would have obvious consequences, does the person refusing to see the doctor, or refusing a scan really have any control over what is going on in their body? Of course not…they are lying to themselves.
The sad thing about this giant is that not only does it keep one in the state of fear…it brings along it’s brother – Liar.
You see, the giant liar can weave a story around in your head (because that’s where they dwell) with all your thoughts, dreams, and fears, and make the excuses make sense to you. He’s a master manipulator!
“He didn’t call me, so I won’t call him.”
“I can’t do this right, and they know it, they’re just trying to humiliate me.”
“I’m not good enough for that scholarship, God knows that, so I’m not going to take it. It’s his fault”
“I can’t prepare if I don’t have total control of my appointment time, so it’s their fault.”
“They won’t give me a job, so why even show up for the interview, they lied to me.”
The rich young ruler said “all of these I have kept from my youth”…as in, I’ve walked in the law perfectly. Mark 10:17-22
He thought that Jesus would welcome him in!
Jesus saw his heart.
Jesus said – wait…there’s a bit more to this!
The Consequences are HUGE…possibly eternal!
There is the story of the Pharisee and the Tax collector.
Luke 18:10-14
10 “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.
11 The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.
12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’
13 But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’
14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
The Pharisee knows all the ways and ins and outs of the law.
The Pharisee is revered by people, as he walks through the street as a holy man.
The Pharisee does what he does when others are watching, so as to be seen.
Jesus goes into even more detail about his thoughts about the hypocrisy of the Pharisees in Matthew 23:17-33
The Tax collector is honored, BY JESUS HIMSELF! I think that Jesus was talking about a REAL occurrence! I even wonder if this man was standing in the back of the crowd while Jesus was talking, and thought “he saw ME!”
There are so many promises given to those that humble themselves….here are a few:
1 Peter 5:6-7English Standard Version (ESV)
6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.
2 Chronicles 7:14King James Version (KJV)
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall 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.
James 4:6-10English Standard Version (ESV)
6 But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.
With humility comes peace, forgiveness, grace, and joy. What’s to be afraid of there?
Oddly enough – peace counteracts fear, forgiveness counteracts unforgiveness, joy counteracts depression…and grace…well, that will address another giant in my land…condemnation.
The Pharisee was deceived – he was lying to himself.
The Rich Young Ruler was deceived – he was lying to himself.
Lying is a serious sin.
It’s one of the 10 – Ex 20:16 “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
So, does this mean it’s ok to lie to ourselves?
That line of reasoning would also go like this:
Ex 20: 13 “You shall not murder.
But that means only other people, so it’s ok to commit suicide.
You probably would disagree with that, wouldn’t you?
King James
Revelation 21:8King James Version (KJV)
8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
ESV
Revelation 21:8English Standard Version (ESV)
8 But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”
If there was any question as to what God thinks of lying…or the rest of these, here’s His answer.
This is the final judgement.
These are giants that have taken over folks, and folks did not deal with them.
They may not have even recognized them.
They have been manipulated BY the giants.
They may have been blindsided by them, like David almost was, and his mighty men had to kill one for him.
Fear and Lying….
cowardly and faithless…
and idolatry.
Yep, idolatry is in that set of 10! the first four deal with our relationship with GOD!
I put this quote at the end of every blog and email:
“The Lord does not give me rules, but He makes His standard very clear.
If my relationship to Him is that of love, I will do what He says without hesitation.
If I hesitate, it is because I love someone I have placed in competition with Him, namely, myself.” – from My Utmost for His highest
For me, this is the simplest definition of idolatry I’ve ever found. I allow something between ME and HIM.
So, when I wrote there are giants in my land, I was taking down the rights of those giants to get between me and Jesus. I also confessed that I will not put ME between me and Jesus! My definition of LORD is that HE is given control(as if he needed me to give him permission) over my life, and I will yield to MY LORD.
Lying to myself gets between me and my God…and peace, forgiveness, grace and joy.
Lies...that is how the abuse in my life continued.
I suppose that folks that knew lied to themselves, as well as others.
Those lies almost destroyed me.
John 8:30-32King James Version (KJV)
30 As he spake these words, many believed on him.
31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
The truth of sexual abuse is not an easy truth to accept.
but by allowing the truth to open my eyes, so many things started to fall in place that had been chaotic, and confusing. Things that had never made sense were now making sense, in the face of this ugly truth. And the bigger TRUTH??? Jesus was in control. Not me. Not my abuser. Not those that knew and allowed it.
Even Satan has to get permission to mess with God’s Saints…Job 1 … and God puts limitations upon his efforts.
We cannot allow the enemy to rule in our bodies…Romans 6:12
12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. 13 Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. 14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.
THIS IS OUR CHOICE! But if we remain afraid…if we continue lying…we will not know this freedom.
So, fear, brings in lying, which brings in other things…for some of us, suicide and depression. Giving up.
Quitting.
Anger because things aren’t working out the way we want it to.
Because we think we are in control.
If God is not in control of our lives and our decisions, then the enemy is, and he doesn’t ask permission to mess with our heads…not from us.
The only way that we are protected from the enemy is when we are choosing to walk in faith and truth.
Will we stumble? yes.
Will we fall? yes.
Will be revert back to the old fearful, lying ways? Absolutely.
But every time we stand up to the giant, we are stronger for the exercise, and he is weakened because of the presence of God in our lives.
And by the power of the Holy Spirit within us…
Romans 6:11
11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
1 John 1:6-7
6 If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.
1 John 2:3-6
3 And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. 4 Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, 5 but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: 6 whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.
We’re supposed to BE LIKE JESUS!
Here are some prayerful songs for humbling myself:
Here is a video of the service preached by Pastor David Uth, on Letting Go
I’d like to recommend this booklet by Syvia Gunter of The Father’s Business. I have no affiliation with her other than my respect for the things she has written.
We are called by HIS name – Christians – Christ followers – therefore, let’s
humble ourselves
pray
seek his face
turn from OUR wicked ways(they are ours, even if giants manipulate us)
AND HE WILL HEAR US
AND HE WILL HEAL OUR LAND.
Bottom line, isn’t that better than living with giants?
Jim & Christi 2017
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.
“The Lord does not give me rules, but He makes His standard very clear.
If my relationship to Him is that of love, I will do what He says without hesitation.
If I hesitate, it is because I love someone I have placed in competition with Him, namely, myself.” – from My Utmost for His highest
Some artwork is from me – ChristArtist. It is copyrighted – by me. Please do not share it without my permission. The same goes for my written work.
Some artwork is from ChristArt – not me! I have purchased a membership, and the art is copyrighted by them.
Some artwork is from FreeClipArt Library. copyrights belong to them.
I’d love to stay in touch with you – we are working on email subscriptions…sign up! Soon, we will have a gallery for the art I have created by the hand of God.
There are many organizations that support children and families. Here are ones that we are blessed to be a part of. Please consider sponsoring a child – the life you change could be your own.
The son of a friend will be interning with CRU – previously known as Campus Crusades for Christ. If you’d like to support someone I can vouch for in this area, please consider going to Matthew Plant’s donation page.
I admit it, I’m a treky. I have been since the original series. Yes, in the 60’s.
I’ll also admit it – Star Trek does NOT coincide with Christian beliefs.
It was never meant to. Gene Roddenberry
For me, as an artist and writer, I have enjoyed the cinematic evolution that is Star Trek.
The artistic aspects of the sets, the clothing, the scenes…all of that.
The humanistic study of humans…from a psychological and sociological point of view.
This is my review of the new series, Star Trek, Discovery, currently only available on CBS All-Access.
I utilized the free 7 day trial.
While all of the Star Trek episodes are/were meant to push the social envelope(Kirk kissing Uhura – first mixed race kiss on TV) – I’m feeling a bit pushed over the edge.
What I’m going to write next is NOT politically correct. This is MY review, this is MY opinion. Everyone has one!
Pros:
I love the strong women!
I love the reality of their back stories!
In only 10 episodes, I love their growth.
I love the dealing of PTSD in the life of Tyler, after being tortured by Klingons.
I love the character development.
I love the equality of the story line – mixed skin-color couple, mixed race couple(Klingon and Human) and the same sex couple. Since this is NOT a Christian statement show…I appreciate the balance from a humanistic point of view).
Cons:
This is NOT a show that will encourage my Christian faith.(sometimes, non Christian shows do give me food for thought)
This is a much more RAW Star Trek – while there are good parts…it feels much more savage and violent.
This series has been promoted as the series to push the women’s movement, and the LGBT movement into mainstream.
This is NOT a show that will encourage my Christian faith. (yes, I said that before…I’ll explain the reasoning behind this CON later)
PROS: As a survivor of abuse, and having PTSD and anxiety issues, and to some extent, having been ‘brain washed’, the little bit of Tyler’s story, having been a POW in the Klingon camp, and having been tortured in ways we do not understand at this time, I am intrigued by his character development. In one episode, he has horrible flash backs and goes almost catatonic, and the other character talks him through the flash back. The words she says to him are the very words needed when PTSD flashbacks come.
Focus on the sound of my voice.
These are not happening, these are memories.
They didn’t defeat you then, they won’t defeat you now.
breathe.
MY Views:
My comfort when going through PTSD flashbacks sometimes needs to be from a human voice outside of my raging head filled with memories and negative self talk. Sometimes, I just need a human to keep me grounded to the present. I believe the Bible has the answer to this. I do not want my heart and mind divided.
1 Corinthians 12
26 If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.
As an abuse survivor that has suffered from every cognitive distortion, I have struggled with not being good enough – and with suicidal thoughts. For a few of my thoughts, I submit:
Like I said above, the episode where Tyler is crashing from the flashbacks of his torture, the Admiral, a Psychiatrist, gave him simple, exact support to pull him back to reality.
A human voice on which to focus, can break through the (enormously loud chaotic) noise in my head.
As a mental healt awareness advocate, this is great exposure to how someone feels going through an episode.
In case someone needs this, here are 21 Anxiety Grounding Techniques.
As a Christian, my healing is based on my faith, my relationship with Jesus and with the Word of God speaking into my life. That is evident in my blogs above. And, prayer, Bible Verse recital, and Worship songs, and the like are VERY important safety/grounding techniques for MY healing. I believe the Bible has the source of healing that is eternal. I do not want my heart and mind divided. I’ve added some Bible verses at the end, but not about mental health at this time.
Powerful women…wow. What a change from the damsel in distress women in the original Star Trek.
Over coming mistakes.
Overcoming abuse.
Overcoming life long ridicule.
and rising up, taking back your power, and using the past to empower your future.
MY views…….
While they are encouraging and inspirational – they do not fill me with the love of Jesus that is MY healing power.
1 Peter 2:9English Standard Version (ESV)
9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
You see, I need to remember that I belong to another…Another…and HIS light is a light that I desire…not the light of this world. Or any light that star trek can offer.
Luke 11:34-36English Standard Version (ESV)
34 Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is full of light, but when it is bad, your body is full of darkness. 35 Therefore be careful lest the light in you be darkness. 36 If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, it will be wholly bright, as when a lamp with its rays gives you light.”
I’ve written many blogs about how to overcome the above issues with scripture, prayer and a relationship with Jesus Christ. Some are listed above. I believe that the Bible supports women rising up, taking back their power, and using the past to empower their future. I am one of them. I do not want my heart and mind divided.
Tolerance – all are one blood – no color seen by God. Acts 17:26
From a humanist point of view – the equality is refreshing. Including the very “normal” treatment of the prominent gay couple.
MY Views….
From a legal, and humanist point of view – this is great. From an American point of view, all are equal – We the People.
From MY Christian point of view –
all are equal before God, before salvation.
all human life is valuable to God – because he sent his son to die for the WHOLE WORLD.
all have the opportunity to be reconciled to God.
all have the opportunity to be members of the Kingdom of God.
And the method I believe in is through the Lord Jesus Christ’s death, burial and resurrection.
As with all countries – I believe every sovereign country has the right to choose who may enter their borders.
God(Jehovah, Yaweh, Yeshua, Jesus, Messiah, Emmanuel – the God that created the world, and created man, and gave His son, wholly God and wholly man to be the sacrifice for our sins, and indwells the believer with the Holy Spirit, also wholly God) – has given his requirements for entry…and that is to be a citizen.
To be a citizen, one has to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, renounce their sins, receive Him as Lord and Savior of their life, and live their life to glorify God until we meet him face to face.
I have followed the citizenship steps, and I am a citizen of the Kingdom of God.
Phillipians 3
18 For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. 20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.
I believe the Bible, and I do not want my heart and mind divided.
CONS
The violence…period.
the deceit being rewarded.
The gay couple.
The embracing of a very over the top women’s movement.
MY views.
So, basically, my cons are pretty much that this show does not promote my beliefs.
I didn’t expect it to.
But I do need to make a choice…or be divided.
1 Kings 18:21
Elijah came near to all the people and said, “How long will you hesitate between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” But the people did not answer him a word.
Isaiah 29:13
The Lord says: “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is based on merely human rules they have been taught.
Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
Isaiah 55:7
let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
Isaiah 5:20
“How terrible it will be for those who call evil good and good evil, who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness, who substitute what is bitter for what is sweet and what is sweet for what is bitter!”
For the Christian, it is not as easy as just turning off the tvs how.
2 Corinthians 10:3-6
3 For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh.
4 For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.
5 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,
6 being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.
2 Peter 2:
20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.
21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.
Those chapters are convicting, but here is the verse that really settles things in my heart:
Luke 9:
62 Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”
Yes, those words are in red, because they are the words of Jesus.
So, while I like some of the ways that this show is going, and I do not like the raw ness of it with the violence and such, I will discontinue my All-Access membership before I am charged, and choose not to watch this.
This will have an affect on my other watching habits, as well.
You see – the impression I’ve been given for this year is
“the end is near,
the time short…be like Jesus.”
There are so many more eternally profitable things I can be doing with my time.
There are so many more things that could help me to grow into Jesus’s likeness.
Star Trek is not one of them.
many of the things I’ve watched are not.
Why do you watch what you watch?
Does it further you toward your passions?
Does it help you to fulfill your calling?
If not…what do you choose?
Joshua 24:14-15
14 “Now therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. 15 And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
I admitted at the beginning that I was a trekky – that is my confession, and I am not going to stop being a trekky.
I’m a child of God – and I have a job to do – and being a trekky keeps my heart divided and distracted.
Several things I’ve allowed into my life are causing division and distraction.
The time is short, the end is near…I need to get about the job at hand, the purpose for which I was saved.
Jim & Christi 2017
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.
“The Lord does not give me rules, but He makes His standard very clear.
If my relationship to Him is that of love, I will do what He says without hesitation.
If I hesitate, it is because I love someone I have placed in competition with Him, namely, myself.” – from My Utmost for His highest
Some artwork is from me – ChristArtist. It is copyrighted – by me. Please do not share it without my permission. The same goes for my written work.
Some artwork is from ChristArt – not me! I have purchased a membership, and the art is copyrighted by them.
Some artwork is from FreeClipArt Library. copyrights belong to them.
I’d love to stay in touch with you – we are working on email subscriptions…sign up! Soon, we will have a gallery for the art I have created by the hand of God.
There are many organizations that support children and families. Here are ones that we are blessed to be a part of. Please consider sponsoring a child – the life you change could be your own.
The son of a friend will be interning with CRU – previously known as Campus Crusades for Christ. If you’d like to support someone I can vouch for in this area, please consider going to Matthew Plant’s donation page.
Often, I am given things in the middle of the night. Most of the time, I just lie there and beg to go back to sleep! Recently, I’ve been convicted to share these ramblings, and I’ve had some encouraging responses. So – here goes obedience! ~Christi
This is day 10/of 100
And this fits into my One Word Phrase – Be Like JESUS
What do you see
When you see me?
What do I do that
Sets your heart free?
Why do you share
Your hurts, pains, and joys
Your deepest regrets,
Your favorite toys?
Why do you speak to me
As if I’m your friend
As if I’ve known you
World without end
I’m only a person
That speaks from my heart
Does that help you open
Does that help you start
To share from your heart
And to share from your life
All you joys and your triumphs,
Your struggles and strife?
Why do you talk to me
As if I’m a friend
When we’ve never met before
And our time will now end.
Is it the safety of
not seeing me again?
Is it the freedom of
Anonymity for the win?
I don’t have the answers,
But I do have a heart
I will listen and share
And I’ll do my part.
You are human,
And lovely, with special worth
You are the only you
That is here on the earth.
I know that you need love
I know that you care
Your job is your passion,
Your life is your prayer.
Because I am open,
You feel free to share,
I used to think it was
Gabriel my dog
That enabled me to talk
Not get lost in the fog
But Gabriel is gone now,
And I’m now all alone,
But still people talk to me
By speech, text and phone.
I have no answers,
But I do know the One
That will listen with wisdom,
And He gave up His son.
It’s the only answer
I have for my trials,
And I know that he’s keeping
My tears in pure vials.
I want to show Jesus,
To all that I meet,
I want to spread love, joy,
And mercy and peace.
I don’t always feel it
I often will fail
Especially to those
Who know me so well.
But those that just met me
And open their hearts,
And tell me their stories,
Explain their life’s charts.
I don’t know why
I don’t know how come
But I do know I have to
Listen until done.
We are the hands, feet and tears
Of Jesus the king,
Aren’t we his ears,
And his tongue – so to sing?
To sing of his praises
To sing of his love
To share with others
The gifts from above.
He puts me in places
I don’t want to be
And there is a person
That needs to be free.
Sometimes, it’s just chatter
Sometimes, it’s their grief
Sometimes, it’s their need
To have someone believe
Someone that listens,
And gives them the boost
To know what their heart needs,
To know what to choose.
I’m not very good at it,
But God disagrees
Because he keeps bringing
The broken to me.
The hurting, the tired,
The ones that may scream,
The joyful, the funny,
That share me their dream.
I don’t know my purpose
I don’t know my cause
I do know my Savior
And I love him because
He loved me before
I had something to love
And because of His love,
I’ll share with the ones
The ones he brings to me,
The ones that I meet
The ones that my heart sees
And connected are we.
It’s not our religion
It’s not of our creed
It’s because of the love
That sets us both free.
No judgement, No hatred
No critical crap
Just love and respect,
We know there’s no trap.
What we say, we respct
What we feel, we empower
And if it will last,
With love, we will shower.
Friends come and go,
Some stay with forever
But friends become friends
When we learn how to share.
I hope what I have
Is the light that does shine,
The salt that does season,
And the love so divine.
No I’m not Jesus –
Not in the flesh,
But I try to be like him,
I do try my best.
Your stories are safe
Within my heart wall
I won’t share them, blare them,
Or use them at all.
Jesus is
a tower of strength,
The righteous run
to Him and are safe.
So to be like Jesus,
I must not share
But hold your stories,
With the greatest of care.
But how do you know
When we’ve only just met
Is it Jesus you feel?
Is it God’s love that is set?
I didn’t say Jesus,
No shirt did declare,
How did you know
In my heart was a prayer?
A prayer that each day,
I could make someone smile,
And let them know Jesus
Can make life worthwhile.
That peace is an option,
That grace is a given,
That forgiveness is chosen,
And Love comes from heaven.
Yes there’s a price,
But one must know the wares
Eternal with Jesus,
And support for my cares.
The price it is worth it,
The cost oh so high,
But to have Lord Jesus
Beside me and nigh
Is worth my whole life
It is worth my whole being,
And because of His help,
‘Neath His shadow I sing.
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.
“The Lord does not give me rules, but He makes His standard very clear.
If my relationship to Him is that of love, I will do what He says without hesitation.
If I hesitate, it is because I love someone I have placed in competition with Him, namely, myself.” – from My Utmost for His highest
Some artwork is from me – ChristArtist. It is copyrighted – by me. Please do not share it without my permission. The same goes for my written work.
Some artwork is from ChristArt – not me! I have purchased a membership, and the art is copyrighted by them.
Some artwork is from FreeClipArt Library. copyrights belong to them.
I’d love to stay in touch with you – we are working on email subscriptions…sign up! Soon, we will have a gallery for the art I have created by the hand of God.
There are many organizations that support children and families. Here are ones that we are blessed to be a part of. Please consider sponsoring a child – the life you change could be your own.
The son of a friend will be interning with CRU – previously known as Campus Crusades for Christ. If you’d like to support someone I can vouch for in this area, please consider going to Matthew Plant’s donation page.
Philippians 1:12-18
12 I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, 13 so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ.
14 And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.
15 Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. 16 The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. 17 The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment. 18 What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice.
First:
Phil 1:12 I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, 13 so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ.
So often, when things go badly from our point of view, we wonder what we did wrong, what others did wrong, or why God did not protect, provide, or prevent whatever happened.
28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
This goes all the way back to the story of Joseph – being thrown into the well by his brothers…and his final statement to them:
Genesis 50:19-20
19 But Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid, for am I in God’s place? 20″As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.
This goes back to Ruth and Naomi…if Naomi, Elimelech and their sons had not gone to Moab, and the men had not all died, Ruth would not have met Boaz and been the grandmother of David, and in the ancestral line of Christ.
Ruth 4:13-17
Then Naomi took the child and laid him on her lap and became his nurse. 17 And the women of the neighborhood gave him a name, saying, “A son has been born to Naomi.” They named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.
The verse states : those that Love God and are Called according to his purpose Paul loved God – shown early on by his zealous nature to eradicate the Christians, and his willingness to humble himself, admit he was wrong, and zealously follow Christ! Paul was called – again – hearing the voice of God saying “Paul, Paul, why do you persecute me?”, and then, as a blind man, being led to Christ so that he could truly see.
Our lives, when we give them over to the Lord, are knit together to bring about HIS good will and purposes in our lives. Throughout the Bible, it is obvious that God is not as concerned about being the holy Santa Claus and giving us the material things to look like the wealthy kings, but more that he is interested in giving us lessons so that our character is challenged, and we are given spiritual things so that we can be filled with the Holy Spirit, and walk as an Ambassador of Christ! A representation of Christ to the world.
What was Paul called unto? 1 Cor 1:1 Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ… 2 Cor 1:1; Colossians 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God…. Galatians 1:1 Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised him from the dead) Philippians 1:1 Paul…the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus…. 1 Timothy 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope; Titus 1:1 Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness
An apostle.
But this is talking about the effect his bonds have upon others…and, this is the statement that talks about Paul’s specific calling:
Philippians 1:17
The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel.
Saul’s calling was pretty dramatic. Acts 9 talks about the zealot – and his blinding – and his healing – and his calling!
Ananais was not convinced to go see this man that killed the Christ followers! But here is where God states Paul’s calling:
verse 15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel.
Paul’s bonds for Christ hve drawn attention. I’d imagine, it wasn’t just the bonds, because many had been put in bondage. It’s the REASON for which he was put in bondage…something worth being put into bondage for!
Christ’s death exploded the faith. His resurrection completed the plan – but being willing to die for His faith set in motion the cost to be a follower. Here are just a few of the ways that Jesus tells us to count the cost…
Count the cost
don’t love family more than Christ
lay down his life
save your own life and lose your soul
foxes have holes but the son of man has no where to lay his head
We can understand why Paul said, in Philippians 3:7-9 that he counts all things as loss, except for Jesus Christ.
Philippians 1:18
But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice,
Jesus said something similar. in Luke 9:49-50(ESV)
49 John answered, “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he does not follow with us.”50 But Jesus said to him, “Do not stop him, for the one who is not against you is for you.”
To me, this is saying that God is able to make sure that HIS word is able to accomplish that to which HE has sent it.
Isaiah 55:10-11English Standard Version (ESV)
10 “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven
and do not return there but water the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout,
giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
11 so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.
Mark 16:15-16English Standard Version (ESV)
15 And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.
There’s a parable about the seed…we all know it.Matthew 13
We’re to cast the seed – maybe we do some watering – maybe some day, we get to harvest…but we are all called to cast the seed!
Paul explains to us that some plant, some water, and some harvest – but, the point is…we all spread the seed. 1 Cor 3:6
Remember, we may be the only Jesus that someone ever meets!
Let’s BE LIKE JESUS!
Jim & Christi 2017
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.
“The Lord does not give me rules, but He makes His standard very clear.
If my relationship to Him is that of love, I will do what He says without hesitation.
If I hesitate, it is because I love someone I have placed in competition with Him, namely, myself.” – from My Utmost for His highest
Some artwork is from me – ChristArtist. It is copyrighted – by me. Please do not share it without my permission. The same goes for my written work.
Some artwork is from ChristArt – not me! I have purchased a membership, and the art is copyrighted by them.
Some artwork is from FreeClipArt Library. copyrights belong to them.
I’d love to stay in touch with you – we are working on email subscriptions…sign up! Soon, we will have a gallery for the art I have created by the hand of God.
There are many organizations that support children and families. Here are ones that we are blessed to be a part of. Please consider sponsoring a child – the life you change could be your own.
The son of a friend will be interning with CRU – previously known as Campus Crusades for Christ. If you’d like to support someone I can vouch for in this area, please consider going to Matthew Plant’s donation page.
Often, I am given things in the middle of the night. Most of the time, I just lie there and beg to go back to sleep! Recently, I’ve been convicted to share these ramblings, and I’ve had some encouraging responses. So – here goes obedience! ~Christi
This is day 6 of 100 in 2018 and this fits into my one word(phrase) be like Jesus.
How Long, Jesus?
I just want to quit,
I’m so tired of the pain,
I’m tired of the questions,
I’m tired of the shame.
YOU said to be saved
One must endure to the end,
That’s not what the banners
All say, “let’s be friends!”
Jesus will heal
Jesus will give
Jesus will bless
You with good things to live.
But what about pain?
What about doubt?
What about those
That never make it out
Out of the darkness
Of mental dispair
Out of the treatments
Or with nothing to wear?
What about those that
Never see “good”
And struggle and grab
For each morsle of food?
What about those
That pray underground?
Or those that have
Financially drowned?
Some wait for the miracle,
But the miracle does not come.
Is this the end we endure?
That we get to go home?
I know YOU aren’t Santa,
Or even welfare!
I know you are focused
On getting me where…
Where I can see
Your hand when I look,
When I can hear
Your voice when you’ve spoke.
I just want to sleep,
But my legs won’t relax
My arms want to twitch,
And my skins feels like tacks.
I know there’s an enemy,
And he’s out to destroy,
Whatever good YOU create
In my life, it’s his ploy.
I know he has to ask You
For whatever he plans,
And there’s nothing he can do,
Except it comes from your hands.
There are so many concerns,
So many deep longings,
So many heart cries,
But time keeps on rolling.
Rolling along,
Toward whatever the end,
And that’s when I’ll see
Jesus, My Friend.
YOU stand by my side,
When I whine and complain,
YOU sit near my seat,
When I can’t move from the pain.
I know in my heart,
That you would if you would…
Heal me, and free me
So that I could do good.
The issue isn’t the can
But the will,
But I’m tired of hearing,
Peace, child, be still.
You’ve given so much,
No one can compare,
To the blessings around me,
And my soul, you did spare.
I’m tired, dear Jesus,
I just want to rest,
Can you lesson this pain,
From off of my chest?
Can you tell my legs CEASE
Be STill, and at rest,
Can you tell my head,
Stop fearing the test.
What test? You might ask,
For the Christian to pass?
Yes, but it’s easy,
Because he IS the class.
There is a test
For all to take,
And it’s about Jesus
Our Lord to make.
If we choose Him,
And allow the Spirit
To be our guide to make
Us for heaven – fit.
HE says COME
HE says LOVE
HE says GRACE
Coming from above.
No matter how tired
No matter how hurt
To HIM I will offer
All of my heart.
JOB is my hero
In the midst of his trials
He cried out to God
And his tears could fill vials
Yes he complained
HE argued His case
And God reprimanded
And got in his face.
The end result
Was Job fell contrite
I’ll shut up,
You, LORD, are right!
My God is not small,
He can handle my why’s
He loves me enough
To listen to my cries.
He always wins,
Because I always give in
Sometimes it’s the hard way
Because I do sin.
He guides me, And leads me
Along my life’s way
To finish the work
Prepared for His day.
I love Him, I need Him
To reign in my heart.
So that I am empowered
To yeild to my part
My part in this grand plan,
This eternal choice
To connect with His people
And give HIM a voice.
And it’s His voice I cherish,
His voice I crave
His voice that has saved me
From a suicidal grave.
Yesterday, today
And forever the same
My God loves me always,
I am safe in His NAME.
So whether I’m tired,
depressed or in pain,
He loves me, and holds me
And whispers my name.
I love you, dear Christi,
And I came for your heart,
I know that you’re hurting,
I’ll do my part.
To hold you, and love you,
And pour out mercy and grace,
I will prepare you,
To see me by face.
My glory you’ll share,
As we reign and we rule,
Because you endured
Life’s rocky, tough school.
You’ll hear my voice say
Well done, my dear girl,
And we finish this journey,
Together and sure.
You see, I won’t leave you,
No matter your words,
I want you to know that
Your pain has been heard.
My reasons are mine,
My purposes sure,
To grow you in goodness,
And make your heart pure.
Sometimes the fire,
Gets painful with heat,
But you’ve asked to be seated
At my holy feet.
You will come out holy,
You will come out pure,
As seven times silver
Is refined to be sure.
Your face will reflect mine,
You light it will sihine,
As my love in you,
Is completely refined.
I love you dear daughter,
I won’t leave you alone,
My plans, they are good,
To bring you to HOME.
Thank you, Dear Jesus,
For letting me see,
Again, of your favor,
To meet all my needs.
I love you, dear Jesus,
I ask you to stay,
Close by me forever,
And keep me I pray.
Bless all the dear children
In Thy tender care
And fate us for heaven
To live with Thee there.
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.
“The Lord does not give me rules, but He makes His standard very clear.
If my relationship to Him is that of love, I will do what He says without hesitation.
If I hesitate, it is because I love someone I have placed in competition with Him, namely, myself.” – from My Utmost for His highest
Some artwork is from me – ChristArtist. It is copyrighted – by me. Please do not share it without my permission. The same goes for my written work.
Some artwork is from ChristArt – not me! I have purchased a membership, and the art is copyrighted by them.
I’d love to stay in touch with you – we are working on email subscriptions…sign up! Soon, we will have a gallery for the art I have created by the hand of God.
There are many organizations that support children and families. Here are ones that we are blessed to be a part of. Please consider sponsoring a child – the life you change could be your own.
The son of a friend will be interning with CRU – previously known as Campus Crusades for Christ. If you’d like to support someone I can vouch for in this area, please consider going to Matthew Plant’s donation page.
Often, I am given things in the middle of the night. Most of the time, I just lie there and beg to go back to sleep! Recently, I’ve been convicted to share these ramblings, and I’ve had some encouraging responses. So – here goes obedience! ~Christi This is day 6 of 100 in 2018 and this fits into my one word(phrase) be like Jesus.
Okay, so I’ve binged. I ate the whole bag of Christmas chocolates.
I admit,
I am sick and tired of having problems with my legs.
I hate having to put the braces on to stretch out the tendons so that I don’t have the electric shock things.
I hate having to put ointment on my legs,
I hate having to wrap my legs,
I hate having to wear socks that compress my legs, and
I hate the fact that I’m doing all of these things and have no idea why I’m doing it because no one knows what’s going on.
NO ONE?
Well someone knows.
God knows.
God knows what’s going on with my body,
God knows what’s going on with my heart,
God knows what’s going on with my mind.
Romans 8:28English Standard Version (ESV)
28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good,[a] for those who are called according to his purpose.
I have no idea what good works I can do when I’m spending so much time dealing with pain, headaches, other strange things that I get doctor saying “ooh that’s really weird, but I have no idea what it is!”
But God knows.
And I know God.
And one thing I know about God is it that he intends everything that happens in my life to do something good in me, so that I can glorify him in my life .
God says it…and I say I believe God…so therefore, I believe it is true, whether I understand or not.
Glorify God in my struggles?
Jesus said to let our light shine so that others would glorify God. (Matthew 5:16). Our purpose here is to glorify the King of Kings Lord of lords, Glory Glory! Our purpose here is to share with others the love, grace, mercy that is the heart of the King of kings and Lord of lords. And since there are going to be trials (thank you James), and we’re not supposed to be surprised that they come upon us (Thank you, Peter), we are to count it joy(Thanks again, James), we are to share our love, we are to be in peace, and the whole point of struggling, and suffering with Jesus, is to show how to suffer with Jesus (thanks again, Peter!).
For that matter – we’re not supposed to be surprised if the world hates us! (Thank you, Jesus, as reported by John!) They hated him, first.
1 Peter 2:12English Standard Version (ESV)
12 Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.
Empathy
There’s a verse about participating in the sufferings of Jesus, and that’s not what I’m talking about here, because this is about chronic illness, mental illness, and such things. These were not issues that Jesus dealt with, specifically.
For me, this is not confessing to be a Christian. Here in the United States of America, for the most part, it’s not hard to confess to be a Christian.
Suffering well, in any situation, shows others hope in their situation. Participating in suffering gives us a bridge to touch others who are suffering, because we can empathize, not just sympathize. Experiential Compassion.
Do Good?
For the most part, most Christians don’t look any different than everybody else. For the most part, the majority of the population gives the Christian church, and any faith-based anything really, a wide berth as do-gooders. But is that the tag, the evidence, of our Christianity? Doing Good?
I know that there are people that do not believe in Christ, who have no basic faith statement, but are good people! They choose to support the poor, to donate to organizations that help the homeless, that restore are land, help our schools, etc., etc., etc. How does that look any different than the Christians who collect food for the food pantry, go in and help with floods, and give their money wherever? How are WE supposed to look different?
How are OUR good works supposed to look differently?
Matthew 5:16
In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
For me, with the problems I have with my legs, I can’t go stand at a soup kitchen, I can’t go serve for the floods, there’s so many things that I cannot do, and good people are doing more good than I am. So how do I stand out as a Christian in the midst of the darkness that we are surrounded by? How do I show empathy, and experiential compassion from the core of my faith? From Jesus in me?
LOVE
Jesus said to or through John that they will know us by our love. It has to be something different about our love compared to the love of your basic do-gooder. The love of Jesus was a love that suffered, and died, on our behalf. His life shows us how he struggled with those that would say things against him, that would choose to throw him off the cliff, and how he actually responded those last days as he knew he was going to end up on the cross.
What do we have to show, differently?
We love because he first loved us(1 John 4:19).
He loved us while we were yet sinners(Romans 5:8).
For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son (John 3:16).
The symbol of our Christianity is that they will know us by our love(John 13:35).
Jesus showed us his love when as he was being tried and beaten and made fun of, he looked over and his best friend had just denied him.
Jesus showed us his love, when another of his disciples did not believe that he had risen and demanded to touch his feet and hands.
Jesus showed us his love when he embraced Peter back into the fold and asked him to feed his sheep.
Jesus showed us his love while he was hanging on the cross, and he looked down and asked John to take care of his mother Mary even though he knew he had brothers that could do the job.
How Can I show this type of Love?
Love is patient, love is kind, love is not envious, and does not seek its own way… And the rest of 1 Corinthians 13. As Paul said, if I speak with the tongue of angels and have not love, I am just a noisy gong.
This is NOT easy…and this is a growth!
JOY
Joy is another key that Christ has given us in the midst of trial.
He came that we would have joy and have it fully(John 15:11).
The joy of the Lord is our strength (Neh 8:10).
And in his presence is Joy forever more (Psalm 16:11).
KEY —> if we don’t have joy, it’s because we haven’t spent time in the presence of our King and Joy Giver.
I can’t really talk about Jesus showing Joy because that’s not really what the scripture talks about when it talks about how Christ responded. But I can say scripture points to Joy. The fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, and I think the next is patience or long-suffering(yep, Gal 5:22-23). The spirit that is providing us with these fruit to grow is the Holy Spirit, the part of God that lives within us. So we should exhibit the love, and we need to exhibit the joy.
But on top of that, there’s some aspect of joy that should just emanate from the Christian, as well as peace in the midst of Trials.
PEACE
The next way to be different than the world in my trials is to have peace.
The peace of God that passes all understanding and keeps my heart and mind in Christ Jesus(Phil 4:7),
Who is the Prince of Peace(Is 9:6),
Who spoke to the storm “peace, Be Still” (Mark 4:35-41)
and said to us “be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10).
In the world there are tribulations (John 16:33)) but HE promises us peace.
Someone without the spirit of God within misses out on the peace that God grants us through his word and through prayer and through the privilege of fellowship with our creator father. So peace is the other indicator of our walk with Christ.
In Foxe’s Book of Martyrs, you can read about people that were singing hymns while they were burning at the stake. That is definitely joy and peace in the midst of a very serious trial. And I have never been asked to confess my faith or renounce my faith at the pain of death, or bodily harm. In our lifetime there have been Christians beheaded in Ethiopia area, there have been people, students, shot in schools because they were asked if they were Christian. There are Christians in China and India that are being tortured and killed. And I know someone from Indonesia who tells of the story of it being so dangerous to be Christian there. I want to look different, even here, in the United States.
I want to look like JESUS!
Conclusion?
James said
James 1: ESV
2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,
3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.
4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
The point is, sometimes trials are what God uses to grow us in love, joy, peace and patience (no, I didn’t write about patience, but it’s a good fruit to have!). When we exhibit that love, joy, peace and patience in the midst of turmoil, we actually glorify God in the midst of our struggles, and that is a very good thing. If in any way I can help someone walk through their Darkness and find some light from the Lord that brings them love, joy, peace, and patience as they face what seems to be insurmountable terrors and trauma and trials and tribulations, then my trials and tribulations have value. This is where God takes coal of my life and presses it with intense pressure, and heat(fiery trials), and eventually brings forth a diamond that is a jewel in His crown to glorify him when I see him face to face.
My Prayer
I confess the struggle with my human flesh dealing with pains and such, and I ask my Lord and Savior for strength to endure with character qualities that glorify him. And I pray that my life would be given over and a sacrifice for his glory and to help whoever may need help to take the next step as they walk to the Valley of the shadow of death.
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.
“The Lord does not give me rules, but He makes His standard very clear.
If my relationship to Him is that of love, I will do what He says without hesitation.
If I hesitate, it is because I love someone I have placed in competition with Him, namely, myself.” – from My Utmost for His highest
Some artwork is from me – ChristArtist. It is copyrighted – by me. Please do not share it without my permission. The same goes for my written work.
Some artwork is from ChristArt – not me! I have purchased a membership, and the art is copyrighted by them.
I’d love to stay in touch with you – we are working on email subscriptions…sign up! Soon, we will have a gallery for the art I have created by the hand of God.
There are many organizations that support children and families. Here are ones that we are blessed to be a part of. Please consider sponsoring a child – the life you change could be your own.
The son of a friend will be interning with CRU – previously known as Campus Crusades for Christ. If you’d like to support someone I can vouch for in this area, please consider going to Matthew Plant’s donation page.
