Tag Archives: Blessing

2023 First 100 Days – day 30 – Wisdom and Praise

First 100 Days – day 30 – Wisdom and Praise January 30

Image by Yerson Retamal from Pixabay

Wisdom and Praise Collection
Psalm 30, 60, 90, 120, 150 and Proverb 30

This is the next to the last day of a month of psalms and proverbs.  There are some from David’s Prayer Journal, one from Moses, a prayer for deliverance and a whole psalm of praising God.

Proverbs has a few interesting poetic items that make one think.

Let’s dig in.

  • Psalm 30 – a Summary of David’s Prayer Journal
    • Ps 30:1
      • I will exalt You, Lord,
        because You have lifted me up
        and have not allowed my enemies
        to triumph over me.
    • Ps 30:2
      • Lord my God,
        I cried to You for help, and You healed me.
    • Ps 30:3
      • Lord, You brought me up from Sheol;
        You spared me from among those
        going down[a] to the Pit.
    • Ps 30:4-5 NIV 
      • Sing the praises of the Lord, you his faithful people; praise his holy name.
      • 5 For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.
    • Psalm 30:5 KJV  GoTo Verse  
      • For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.
    • Ps 30: 6-10 More examples
    • Ps 30:11-12 The Purpose of God’s hand in our lives
      • You turned my wailing into dancing;
            you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,
        12 that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent.
            Lord my God, I will praise you forever. 
      • 11 NLT  You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing. You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy,
      • 11 Berean You turned my mourning into dancing; You peeled off my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,
      • 12 NIV that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent. LORD my God, I will praise you forever.
      • Ps 4:7 
        • You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and new wine abound.
    • Songs for Psalm 30
  • Psalm 60 – David’s Prayer Journal – deliver me

    • For the choir director: according to “The Lily of Testimony.”[a] A Davidic Miktam for teaching. When he fought with Aram-naharaim and Aram-zobah, and Joab returned and struck Edom in the Valley of Salt, killing 12,000.

    • Ps 60:1
      • God, You have rejected us;
        You have broken out[b] against us;
        You have been angry. Restore us![c]
      • Ps 60:2-3 – prayer
      • Ps 60:4 gave warning to those who were faithful
        • You have given a signal flag to those who fear You,
          so that they can flee before the archers.[d]Selah
        • important precursor to followers of Christ being given a warning about the Lord’s second return – when we are gone, others will reply, they were given a warning, and so did we, and we didn’t listen.
      • Ps 60:5 – rescue the rest that you love
        • Save with Your right hand, and answer me,
          so that those You love may be rescued.
      • Ps 60:6-10 the battle
      • Ps 60:11-12 we need the Lord
        • Give us aid against the foe,
          for human help is worthless.
          12 With God we will perform valiantly;
          He will trample our foes.
        • 12 KJV
          • Through God we shall do valiantly: for he it is that shall tread down our enemies.
    • Songs for Psalm 60
  • Psalm 90 – A prayer of Moses
  • Psalm 120 – Deliver me from Lying Tongues
    • Ps 120:1-2
      • In my distress I called to the Lord,
        and He answered me.
        2 “Lord, deliver me from lying lips
        and a deceitful tongue.”
    • Ps 120:6-7
      • 6 I have lived too long
        with those who hate peace.
        7 I am for peace; but when I speak,
        they are for war.
  • Psalm 150 – Praise the Lord
  • Proverb 30
    • Pr 30:4 – WE know!  Yahweh and Jesus Christ!
      • Who has gone up to heaven and come down?
        Who has gathered the wind in His hands?
        Who has bound up the waters in a cloak?
        Who has established all the ends of the earth?
        What is His name,
        and what is the name of His Son—
        if you know?
    • Pr 30:5 Go To Verse
      • Every word of God is pure;[d]
        He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him.
    • Pr 30:6 Go To Verse
      • Don’t add to His words,
        or He will rebuke you, and you will be proved a liar.
        • Rev 22:18  
          • I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this scroll.
        • Rev 22:19
          • And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll.
        • Deut 4:2 
          • Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the LORD your God that I give you.
    • Pr 30:6-9 Prayer for Contentment and Balance
      • Two things I ask of You;
        don’t deny them to me before I die:
        8 Keep falsehood and deceitful words far from me.
        Give me neither poverty nor wealth;
        feed me with the food I need.
        9 Otherwise, I might have too much
        and deny You, saying, “Who is the Lord?”
        or I might have nothing and steal,
        profaning[e] the name of my God.
    • Pr 30:11-14 Generations
    • Pr 30:15-16 Leeches
    • Pr 30:17 Go To Verse
      • As for the eye that ridicules a father
        and despises obedience to a mother,
        may ravens of the valley pluck it out
        and young vultures eat it.
        • Exodus 20:12
          • 12 “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you. 
        • Ephesians 6:1-2
          • 6 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise— 3 “so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.”[a] 
        • Exodus 21:15
          • Whoever strikes his father or his mother must be put to death.”
        • Pr 15:20, Pr 23:22, Pr 1:8, Pr 6:20, Pr 10:1, Pr 17:25, Pr 17:21, Deut 21:18-21
      • Article from Bible Tools about Dishonoring Parents
    • Pr 30:18-19 Three then four things too high
    • Pr 30:20
      • This is the way of an adulteress:
        she eats and wipes her mouth
        and says, “I’ve done nothing wrong.”
    • Pr 30:21-23 Three and four things too heavy
    • Pr 30:24-28 Four Small but Wises things
    • Pr 30:29-31 Three Stately things
    • Pr 30:33 stirring up strife
      • For the churning of milk produces butter,
        and twisting a nose draws blood,
        and stirring up anger produces strife.
        • Pr 10:12
          • Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses.
        • Pr 29:22
          • An angry person stirs up conflict, and a hot-tempered person commits many sins.
        • Pr 15:18
          • A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger quiets contention.
        • Pr 26:21
          • As charcoal to embers and as wood to fire, so is a quarrelsome person for kindling strife.

~~~~~~~

Hi! My hope in the midst of despair and my joy in the face of depression is because of my relationship with Jesus Christ. If you do not have one, or are not sure you will join him in heaven, please check out these links:

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

Copyrights and Legal-eze 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.

2023 My One Word – Let Go January 13

neon letters saying Let Go!

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

This morning, I delayed, if not excused, the video I’ve been doing with the Psalms and Proverb a day because I was greatly grieved in my stomach.

It felt like sick, but my head felt heavy, my shoulders felt burdened, my solar plexus felt like many burning knives were dancing there.  My every muscle was tight, and trying to relax them was so far from my thinking because I wasn’t even sure I could survive the “knives”.

There are some situations in my life that are greatly volatile, and chaotic that affect my decisions.  There are people that I have to take into account, and relationships that I have to navigate.  There are wounds that are so deep that they are hard to even vocalize.

Then there are memories, tangible places that pull emotions out of my heart and psyche only to force me to look at them again whether I want to or not.  Some memories are good, but most are overshadowed by deep dark grey with streaks and streams of bitter tears that flow through it but don’t thin it’s thickness.

My mental health does affect my physical health and vice versa.

I am planning a trip in April. There is one specific place that I will be attending, the Psychiatric Service Dog Partners 2023 Convention in Rock Hill, SC.

Another place I’d like to go is my brother’s house in Raleigh, NC.

Ohio is always on my hope and prayer list.

But could all of this be why my body is in rebellion today?

Well, I decided to put some things into practice that I’ve been learning.

Breathe – let go of the tension

Get my internal self more open to possibilities, don’t hold on so tightly to MY plans

Cry out to God for being missing in this (every see how much an object is covered when you hold on tight compared to when you open your hand?) – I couldn’t see past the trip I was clinging t6o.

I placed my worry about the truck on the altar.

I placed my worry about the hotels on the altar.

I placed my worry about managing the suitcases on the altar.

I placed my worry about my anxiety and potential freak outs on the altar.

I placed me on the altar.

This took hours – honestly.

Let Go Let God illustration

2023(C) M. Christine Warren Wildman, all rights reserved

My stomach started to release and open up.  The pain started to subside.  My brain started being clearer, and I could see that God had not left me.  I had focused so much on this trip and all that is wrapped up in it that I lost sight of God.

I’m flying.  Still a few things to work out, but that settles many things.  Yes, Gabby is able to fly AND I still have plenty of time to get all of the paperwork in order before the convention.

So, I start to be almost giddy that God was waiting right there for me to open my hand and look up.  But it gets better!

The Psalms and Proverb for today!

  • Psalm 13
    • Lord, how long will You forget me?Forever?
      How long will You hide Your face from me?
      2 How long will I store up anxious concerns[a] within me,
      agony in my mind every day?
      How long will my enemy dominate me?
    • Consider me and answer, Lord my God.
      Restore brightness to my eyes;
      otherwise, I will sleep in death.
      4 My enemy will say, “I have triumphed over him,”
      and my foes will rejoice because I am shaken.
    • But I have trusted in Your faithful love;
      my heart will rejoice in Your deliverance.
      6 I will sing to the Lord
      because He has treated me generously.

this is almost exactly what happened! I cried out(in my blindness), I prayed for intervention then I was declaring God’s faithful love!

There’s more!

  • Psalm 43
    • Vindicate me, God, and defend my cause
      against an ungodly nation;
      rescue me from the deceitful and unjust man.
      2 For You are the God of my refuge.
      Why have You rejected me?
      Why must I go about in sorrow
      because of the enemy’s oppression?
    • Send Your light and Your truth; let them lead me.
      Let them bring me to Your holy mountain,
      to Your dwelling place.
      4 Then I will come to the altar of God,
      to God, my greatest joy.
      I will praise You with the lyre,
      God, my God.
    • Why am I so depressed?
      Why this turmoil within me?
      Put your hope in God, for I will still praise Him,
      my Savior and my God.

Again, before I even looked at the Psalms for today, God knew that what HE had planned for me would line up and the deliverance would be confirmed in HIS word!

Eph 2:10 NKJV For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

I wrote about Ephesians 2 in Itty Bitty Bible Study – so it just kind of jumps out at me!

Even more – another Psalm!

  • Psalm 73
    • 2-3 But as for me, my feet almost slipped;
      my steps nearly went astray.
      3 For I envied the arrogant;
      I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
    • 13 Did I purify my heart
      and wash my hands in innocence for nothing?
    • I exposed my authentic self in my despair.
    • 23 – 24 Yet I am always with You;
      You hold my right hand.
      24 You guide me with Your counsel,
      and afterward You will take me up in glory.[h]
    • 25-26 KJV Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none on earth that I desire beside thee.  My flesh and my heart faileth: But God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.
    • 25 But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy works.

Then came

Psalm 103: 8-9 The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger and rich in faithful love.
9 He will not always accuse us
or be angry forever.
10 He has not dealt with us as our sins deserve
or repaid us according to our offenses.

 

And that is preceded by Psalm 103:1-5 KJV

103 Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.

2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:

3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;

4 Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;

5 Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

 

One more Psalm to go for today – well? Yes, God did show up again!

Psalm 133:1-3 A beautiful Psalm about being in the presence of God.

How good and pleasant it is
when brothers live together in harmony!
2 It is like fine oil on the head,
running down on the beard,
running down Aaron’s beard
onto his robes.
3 It is like the dew of Hermon[a]
falling on the mountains of Zion.
For there the Lord has appointed the blessing—
life forevermore.

I had been holding onto something so hard that my heart was hardening to the Lord’s voice, and I wasn’t even seeing that I wasn’t entering into the joy of the Lord!
Rememeber I said that my eyes had gone dark with despair?
Psalm 13:3 – restore the brightness to my eyes with Proverb 13:9 The light of the righteous shines brightly.

Proverb 13:12 KJV is very well known to me –

Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when the desire cometh it is a tree of life.

A promise, or a desire that takes more time than I want it to makes my heart sick. Of course, there’s the lesson of patience, but I want that desire. I wanted that Eastern trip. I wanted it since I got back from my western trip.
I had to let go of the big idea when I had to sell(let go) my RV trailer.
Today, I had to let go of the middle idea when I had to let go of the driving idea.
There is a sad in my heart that I’m not driving to Ohio. I really want to see my kids and grandkids. But there is a peace in letting God guide my path.
Proverb 13:14 A wise man’s instruction is a fountain of life, turning people away from the snares of death.
and
Proverb 13:20 The one that walks with the wise will become wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.
By spending time every day in the Psalms and Proverbs, I am listening to a wise man’s instruction, and I am walking with the wise.

~~~~~~~

Hi!
My hope in the midst of despair and my joy in the face of depression is because of my relationship with Jesus Christ. If you do not have one, or are not sure you will join him in heaven, please check out these links:

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.

M. Christine Wildman“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

Copyrights and Legal-eze
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.

Praise and worship

First 100 days – day 8 Reading Wisdom and Praise

2023 First 100 days day 8, January 8

Selected thoughts and a song on Day 8 by Chris

Psalms 8, 38, 68, 98, 128 and Proverb 8

today’s readings have many many examples of praising God wrapped around one long psalm of praying out of despair. We all have times where we are crying out to God from the tear stained sheets of our bed. The glory is that there is an end to that despair, and we can join in the songs of the saints singing to the Lord God.

  • Psalm 8 – from David’s Prayer Journal – song of praise
    • Ps 8:1
      • Yahweh, our Lord, how magnificent is Your name throughout all the earth! You have covered the heavens with your majesty.
    • Ps 8:3 Creation glorifies –
      • When I observe Your heavens,
        the work of Your fingers,
        the moon and the stars,
        which You set in place,
    • Ps 8:4-8  Man’s purpose
      • :6 You made him lord over the works of Your hands;
        You put everything under his feet:[e]
      • Genesis 2:15
        • The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. 
    • Psalm 8 ends with the Beginning
      • Yahweh, our Lord, how magnificent is Your name throughout all the earth!  
  • Psalm 38 – a Psalm of despair from David’s Prayer Journal
    • 38:1-2
      • Lord, do not punish me in Your anger
        or discipline me in Your wrath.
        2 For Your arrows have sunk into me,
        and Your hand has pressed down on me.
        • Heb 12:7 (NIV) Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father?
        • Deut 8:5 (HCSB) Keep in mind that the LORD your God has been disciplining you just as a man disciplines his son.
        • 2 Sam 7:14 I will be a father to him, and he will be a son to Me. When he does wrong, I will discipline him with a human rod and with blows from others.
        • 1 Cor  11:31-32  31 If we were properly evaluating ourselves, we would not be judged, 32 but when we are judged, we are disciplined by the Lord, so that we may not be condemned with the world.
        • James 1:2-4 (KJV)  

          2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;

          3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

          4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

    • Ps 38:15 declaration of faith and relationship
      • I put my hope in You, Lord;
        You will answer, Lord my God.
    • Ps 38:21-22  his prayer
      • Lord, do not abandon me;
        my God, do not be far from me.
        22 Hurry to help me,
        Lord, my Savior.
  • woman at sunset with arms outstretchedPsalm 68 – a long song from David’s Prayer Journal PRAISE!
    • Ps 68:5 GoTo Verse for me
      • God in His holy dwelling is
        a father of the fatherless
        and a champion of widows.
    • Ps 68:35  Summary
      • God, You are awe-inspiring in Your sanctuaries.
        The God of Israel gives power and strength to His people.
        May God be praised!
  • Psalm 98 – Praise for Answered Prayer
    • Ps 98:1(ERV)a song from my youth:
      • A Psalm. Sing unto the LORD a new song; for he hath done marvelous things: his right hand, and his holy arm, hath wrought salvation for him.
    • Ps 98:7-9 Creation Praising God
      • Let the sea and all that fills it,
        the world and those who live in it, resound.
        8 Let the rivers clap their hands;
        let the mountains shout together for joy
        9 before the Lord,
      • Like Ps 8:3
      • Like Ps 48 (NIV)
  • Psalm 128  Blessings for fearing the Lord
    • Ps 128:3-4
      • Your wife will be like a fruitful vine
        within your house,
        your sons, like young olive trees
        around your table.
        4 In this very way
        the man who fears the Lord
        will be blessed.
    • Ps 128:5-6  The Blessing
      • May the Lord bless you from Zion, so that you will see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life and will see your children’s children,
  • Proverb 8 – Wisdom cries out for man to come
    • Pr 8:10-11 GoTo Verses for wisdom
      • Accept my instruction instead of silver,
        and knowledge rather than pure gold.
        11 For wisdom is better than jewels,
        and nothing desirable can compare with it.
      • Pr 4:5 (AMP) “Get [skillful and godly] wisdom! Acquire understanding [actively seek spiritual discernment, mature comprehension, and logical interpretation]! Do not forget nor turn away from the words of my mouth.
      • Pr 2:2 (HSCB) listening closely to wisdom and directing your heart to understanding;
      • Pr 4:7 (KJV)  Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.
      • Pr 16:16 (KJV) How much better is it to get wisdom than gold! and to get understanding rather to be chosen than silver!
    • Pr 8:22-31 Wisdom Created?  The Beginning of the world
    • Pr 8:32-36 The Blessing of Wisdom

~~~~~~~

Hi!
My hope in the midst of despair and my joy in the face of depression is because of my relationship with Jesus Christ. If you do not have one, or are not sure you will join him in heaven, please check out these links:

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.

M. Christine Wildman

“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

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.

Copyrights and Legal-eze

Advent 2015 – day 11 – A Key

Today is the 11th day of Advent.

light the 11th candle.

advent11

On the 9th Day of Advent, I thought about the scepter, and how it being extended out to the servant was the code for entering into the King’s Presence. This is similar to a code to enter in for security.

On the 8th Day of Advent, I was thinking about the Kingship of the Father God. He owns the ‘house’, and He gets to say who comes in and who does not.

Today, it’s the key.

Key of David

Key of David

There are so many ways to focus upon the word “key”.
A noun – the keys of David.

Revelation 3:7 “To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write:
These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open.

The keys of death and hades.

Revelation 1:18 – I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.

As an Adjective, Analogy, Symbolism in concept – Jesus is the key to Eternal Life:

John 17:3 Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.

A key opens up something.
Usually, it’s because someone wants inside!
As I said on the 8th, for our security system, we have a code, but you still need a key to enter in.
There are keys to blessings – treasures – such as in Malachi 3:10:

Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

Deuteronomy 11:13

And it shall come to pass, if ye shall hearken diligently unto my commandments which I command you this day, to love the LORD your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul,(and then follows many blessings, also listed in Deuteronomy 28)

Matthew 13:44

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.

Often, I get told “that is old testament, it isn’t appropriate now! We are under Grace!”
We are under grace because humans could not keep the laws! But that does not mean the laws are not good! Who would eliminate the Ten Commandments? Most faith’s have some form of code of behavior. What does the Christian Bible say? What does the Christian Lord Jesus say?

John 14:15

“If you love me, keep my commands.

And, the dear Apostle John wrote that it is KEY to the proof of the love of God!
1 John 5:3-4

3 In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, 4 for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.

But, in a noun sense, Jesus’ death, burial, resurrection are the KEY to enter into the Kingdom.
The Website GodVine.com has a list of scriptures that explain the concept of entering into the Kingdom of Heaven, also known as Salvation.

2 Timothy 1:9-10

9 He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, 10 but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.

John 3:23

And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us.

But there is one other key mentioned – the Key of David, as in RULER.

Isaiah 22:22

I will place on his shoulder the key to the house of David; what he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. (also Revelation 3:7)

JESUS OPENS THE DOOR! or shuts the door. Because he has the KEY to the ruling house of Israel! Jesus is the reigning King!
By applying the keys to salvation, He opens the door, and welcomes us in.

Luke 11:9

“So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.(also Revelation 3:20)

My heart soars to think that my King and Savior has provided me the key to enter in to the Holy of Holies, to be able to come boldly before the throne of the Most High God!
He died for me so that I could be free of the price of my sins!
The Father rose him from the dead to break the bands of death!
Jesus sits on the right hand of the Father interceding for me!

Oh what Joy fills my heart! I have goosebumps, and heart shivers thinking of how much God Loves me – and knowing that my comprehension of His all encompassing love if so small because of my finite mind.

Today, I celebrate Jesus as the key, code, and deliverer of my salvation.
And I confess that Jesus is my Lord, and I will follow Him!

Today’s hymn is the fourth verse ofO Come, O Come Emmanuel, talking about the Key of David.

Enjoy this version by Pentatonix:

Advent Day 10
More Advent Devotions

Hi!
My hope in the midst of despair and my joy in the face of depression is because of my relationship with Jesus Christ. If you do not have one, or are not sure you will join him in heaven, please check out these links.

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.

M. Christine Wildman“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

Copyrights and Legal-eze
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.

Itty Bitty Bible Study – Nahum 1:2b

Nahum

My thoughts for the Itty Bitty Bible Study group on Facebook. (join if you’d like to get these in fb!) The conversation starts Monday, August 20.

Nahum 1 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
Nahum 1:2
The Lord is a jealous and avenging God;
the Lord takes vengeance
and is fierce in wrath.
The Lord takes vengeance against His foes;
He is furious with His enemies.

I talked in IBBS Nahum 1:2 about God being a Jealous God.

Now I want to look at Avenging God.

Websters defines it as:
: seeking or gaining vengeance an avenging angel

Strongs, from Blue Letter Bible, defines it as such:
naw-kam’; a primitive root; to grudge, i.e. avenge or punish:—avenge(-r, self), punish, revenge (self),

What does that mean for us? I decided to study some cross references via Bible Hub, based on the avenging part of Nahum 1:2.

Deuteronomy 32:35 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
35 Vengeance[a] belongs to Me; I will repay.[b]
In time their foot will slip,
for their day of disaster is near,
and their doom is coming quickly.”

Why does God say this?
Back to a parent perspective.

  • You mess with my child, and you have to mess with me! A few teachers found out that I am able to write convincing letters to authorities when they overstepped their boudnaries!
  • You mess with my brother, you mess with me! well, until my little brother grew bigger and stronger than me.
  • You mess with my husband, and you mess with me. There have been a few ladies, and some family members that have faced my wrath in this area!
  • I guess you could even say you mess with my country, and I will remember my oath as a United States Navy sailor.
  • As a Christian, when the enemy messes with my church – I will go into spiritual warfare and fight until the battle is over, or I am relieved by the Captain of the Heavenly Army.

If this is how a parent, sister, wife and Child of God responds to the enemy coming against their family, HOW MUCH MORE WILL GOD GO TO BATTLE ON OUR BEHALF?

Hebrews 10:30 KJV
For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.

Deuteronomy 32:35 ESV
Vengeance is mine, and recompense, for the time when their foot shall slip; for the day of their calamity is at hand, and their doom comes swiftly.’

Romans 10:19 HCSB
Friends, do not avenge yourselves; instead, leave room for His wrath. For it is written: Vengeance belongs to Me; I will repay, says the Lord.

Proverbs 20:22 HCSB
Don’t say, “I will avenge this evil!” Wait on the LORD, and He will rescue you.

In the previous blog about a jealous God, Webster’s definition, number 3 was
3 : vigilant in guarding a possession

This is WHY God is vengeful…on our BEHALF!
The truth is, in the Old Testament, He fought for us, because we could not…please read the full chapter of Isaiah 58, linked below, but here is an excerpt:

Isaiah 59:15-20 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
15 Truth is missing,
and whoever turns from evil is plundered.
The Lord saw that there was no justice,
and He was offended.
16 He saw that there was no man—
He was amazed that there was no one interceding;
so His own arm brought salvation,
and His own righteousness supported Him.

Psalm 42 speaks of the pre-incarnate Christ, and God not sharing His glory with another(back to those idols that get in the way) and Him fighting his enemies.

Isaiah 42:12-13 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
12 Let them give glory to the Lord
and declare His praise in the islands.
13 The Lord advances like a warrior;
He stirs up His zeal like a soldier.
He shouts, He roars aloud,
He prevails over His enemies.

There is so much more I could write about God fighting for us.

  • In Job, we can read about how God has control over what the enemy can do to us…and HE will come out of the whirlwind to deliver us!
  • In Ephesians, we learn about OUR part, through the blood bought price of Jesus Christ, to stand before the enemy, In Jesus’ name, and to do battle…to be intercessors on behalf of others.
  • In James we learn about the prayer of the righteous man or woman availing much.

But, who are God’s enemies?
The Devil, obviously.

Let’s look at Adam and Eve.
They sinned, they were separated from God by their guilt…so, he killed an animal to cover them.
Eve was spoken to by the enemy. Adam just fell to his fleshly desires.

On the other hand, He is also dealing with our evil/base nature. These were not tempted specifically by the enemy as Eve had been.

  • Cain and Abel – God tried to reach Cain, and instead, Cain killed Abel.
  • Jacob and Esau – when Jacob returned, God gave him wisdom to soften Esau’s heart.
  • Moses and Pharoah – when God was done with the pain caused to the Israelites, He sent plagues and caused Pharoah to let His people Go.
  • All the battles in the Old Testament – Jericho, Gideon, David’s mighty men…God went before them, and they knew it! sometimes, the failure was because of their own sins.

The ultimate battle on our behalf – Jesus and the Devil. We could not fight off our sinful nature, nor pay the price, therefore, God sent his son to die on the cross, and pay our price. The ultimate battle on our behalf!

Psalm 91 is the ultimate promise for protection in battle.

Psalm 91 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
Psalm 91
The Protection of the Most High
1 The one who lives under the protection of the Most High
dwells in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say[a] to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.”

9 Because you have made the Lord—my refuge,
the Most High—your dwelling place,
10 no harm will come to you;
no plague will come near your tent.

14 Because he is lovingly devoted to Me,
I will deliver him;
I will protect him because he knows My name.
15 When he calls out to Me, I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble.
I will rescue him and give him honor.
16 I will satisfy him with a long life
and show him My salvation.

This vengeance by God  on behalf of us is because of a relationship!

Deuteronomy 28

When Moses was teaching the people how to understand God, he taught them the words that if we hear, and obey, we are blessed. If we do not, we live under a curse…which to me means that the blessings are removed, or cannot fall upon us.

Nahum 1:7
The Lord is good,
a stronghold in a day of distress;
He cares for those who take refuge in Him.

Jeremiah 1:19 New International Version (NIV)
19 They will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord.

There are many sermons preached about our victory in Jesus.
The point is, the victory was purchased and won BY JESUS – and we have to be IN HIM to dwell in victory.

There is definitely a flip side.
Matthew 25 gives the prophecy of Jesus’s return, and how he will separate the sheep from the goats.

Some think they are sheep, but this is what Jesus says:

Matthew 7:21-23 King James Version (KJV)
21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

Malachi 3 talks about God bringing judgement into the house of the Lord.

1 Peter 4:17 King James Version (KJV)
17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

Proverbs 26:2 King James Version (KJV)
2 As the bird by wandering, as the swallow by flying, so the curse causeless shall not come.

or to be more clear:

Proverbs 26:2 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
2 Like a flitting sparrow or a fluttering swallow,
an undeserved curse goes nowhere.

To be clear – we bring the curses upon ourselves…just as Adam and Eve did.
I even believe that it is NOT GOD that sends people to hell, but their choices. He has done everything that He could do to open the way! I want to make my choice JESUS!

I want God to fight for me, whatever the battle! Here is the promise:

John 10:28-30 King James Version (KJV)
28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.
30 I and my Father are one.

Here are the warnings:

Luke 9:26 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
26 For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in His glory and that of the Father and the holy angels.

Matthew 10:33 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
33 But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father in heaven.

Here is our call!

Philippians 2:12 King James Version (KJV)
12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

Our relationship with Jehovah/Yaweh Creator God is based on his son, Jesus.
Our relationship with Jesus Christ is a personal one.
It must be based on the Bible truths if we want to believe in the Bible blessings.
If we believe in the Bible Blessings, we must also believe in the Bible curses…the removal of blessings.


What Jesus has me do in the way of obedience may look different than what he asks you to do, but the basics for salvation are the same. Denying Christ is the key to not being with Christ.

Many have read John 3:16, but what about verses 17-18, or 19-20?

John 3:16-20 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
16 “For God loved the world in this way:[a] He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world that He might condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. 18 Anyone who believes in Him is not condemned, but anyone who does not believe is already condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the One and Only Son of God.

19 “This, then, is the judgment: The light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone who practices wicked things hates the light and avoids it,[b] so that his deeds may not be exposed.

Wouldn’t it be awful to die and stand before Jesus and hear him say “depart from me, I never knew you”? I don’t want that for anyone!


I’m going to leave some links here so that you can make sure that you have a biblical basis for your profession of faith, and then, I encourage you to go back to the verses about being ashamed…denying…and robbing…as well as the basics of the 10 commandments, which I touched on in the previous Itty Bitty Bible Study – Nahum 1:2a.

My hope in the midst of despair and my joy in the face of depression is because of my relationship with Jesus Christ. If you do not have one, or are not sure you will join him in heaven, please check out these links.

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

Copyrights and Legal-eze
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.

Surgery Scuttlebutt, part six – surgery and recovery

I’m home! It’s been over two weeks since I’ve shared anything…and I wanted to share the update! Surgery was July 17th. I was in the hospital for 7 days.

If you don’t know what scuttlebutt is, please check out

Intro, part one, part two, part three and part four

If you want a great book to help you prepare for, and recover with, please check out Healing and Hope by Christine Carter. Tell her Christi sent you!

I finally got to Chapter 7. Adjust your lens.

The day before surgery, Jim took me to a very unique hotel, the Tudor Arms in Cleveland, Ohio…just down the road from the Cleveland Clinic.

I wanted to have a restful evening with my husband, and that is exactly what we did.

The outside of the hotel is beautiful.

The history of the hotel is amazing.

The entry was intriguing!


We loved the room.

We had a great supper,


And then we went exploring.
In the rooms that were for banquets and balls, there were details that were amazing, but when you stepped back, you could see the whole picture! Go to the website and look at the beautiful weddings!





 

The next day would be my surgery. This whole surgery scuttlebutt series has been how I could be focused upon the minutia of the issue, but instead, I have been encouraged to widen my focus to see the larger picture, and in that larger picture, I have seen the hand of God.

When I widen my focus, then, when I narrow down into the details, I can see God’s hand, even in the little things.
I was unaware of doing this, until I read chapter 7 – Adjust your lens.

Christine had been encouraging me to be intentional in my healing…via the book.

We must be intentional with our thoughts and expand our vision to include the full scenery we are leaving out.

Here are a few of the things that happened while in the hospital:

  • Our daughter Faith was able to be at the hospital with me because of a scheduling boon with her mother-in-law, making it possible to have the children babysat. She braided my hair after the surgery. Big Picture? LOVE!
  • A dear friend came to visit – and one night, it was so perfect because Jim was exhausted and he felt free to go to the hotel, since our friend Suzanne was there with me! The Big Picture? God will provide for our needs!
  • Jim’s cancer treatment got messed up and he had to have some medicine shipped, and it arrived the day after my surgery. Jim and I had forgotten my CPAP for recovery in the hospital. The day of the surgery, our daughter Faith had been asked to bring it, but she forgot. We were able to not make this detail a bit thing. God took these details, and the big picture was that Jim drove back home for the CPAP, was able to pick up his medicine and continue his treatment while staying at the hotel near the hospital! The Big Picture? God had it under control, with all of our frailties in mind, and the possibility that Jim would not have driven home for the medicine except that he needed to pick up the CPAP!
  • My first roommate was apparently a very angry person. I barely remember. Jim remembers her well. He was trying to figure out how he was going to get me transferred so that I was not with her yelling angry presence. She decided to get up, pack, and leave AMA – he says she walked out of the room, yelling, someone get here and take this IV out of my arm…I’m going home! Big Picture? I know that I felt bad for her, and was praying in my drugged state, but God had already made sure that I would have a peaceful room…the woman made her own choice to leave.
  • I had two other roommates during the 7 days, and as they were preparing to leave, they came over to my bedside and sat down and visited with me. I was drugged, so I have no idea why they became so friendly. the Big Picture? When you pray that you will be Christ like, sharing Christ’s love no matter what, people are drawn to you. Jim says that my character was gracious, compassionate and apologetic for bothering the nurses, even drugged.

From Help and Hope:

I finally discovered that if you can broaden your view – expanding the moments when your vision seems stuck – a massive shift in perspective happens.

When I think about my view, I think about this little house that God has provided us.
Out my bedroom window

Out the bay window….

On the swing and from the swing!

There are parks, and places that I can go to immerse myself in beauty. (these were taken on our 38th anniversary, less than one mile from our home!)

There are many other beautiful views…
My grandchildren, who love to come and say hi.
My friends on the internet that check on me daily, from all over the world.
I just have to look outside of myself – see the big picture, and then, I can drill down the focus and see the beauty of a butterfly, a vine ripe tomato plucked by my grandson, or a marigold that he brings me to cheer me up.

Looking at the big picture reminds me that

  • Even though there is pain…there is no infection.
  • Even though there is pain, there is no cancer.
  • Even though there is limited mobility, THERE IS MOBILITY!

The choice is to be grateful, to acknowledge my blessings, and then, my heart is content!

Isn’t that like looking at the stars and seeing HIS handiwork….

Psalm 19:1 King James Version (KJV)
19 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.

and after reading the whole of Psalm 19, I drill down to MY response:

Psalm 19:14 King James Version (KJV)
14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.

Part of adjusting my lens also deals with my mental illnesses – depression, PTSD, and anxiety. When I am in a ‘normal’ state, I feel – MUCH.
But I have been drugged…to help me not feel the pain.
I appreciate the “not feeling” pain, as much as the meds were able to help, but this also effects my emotional state, which is tied to the mental illnesses.

One of the concerns for this journey has been the chemical upset that the various medications will cause to my mental health. Even if one didn’t have mental illnesses, the normal mental person would have struggles with depression and being homebound and such. Therefore, we took measures to insure that I would not succumb to the enemy of my mind.

Just the other day, I read a blog by a dear lady that is also struggling with mental illnesses, and writes about her struggle. She opened my eyes to one of the things that I was experiencing…numbness. What is normal for us is to FEEL – BIG. Take that away, and we don’t feel alive. This can bring in some other issues, for me, such as cutting and bingeing…just to feel. These are some of my enemies.

Katie wrote Wait in the Middle, that so clearly explains this strange situation that effects those of us with emotional issues. I encourage you to go read this!

Back to the book, Help and Hope …I prepared.
I saw the big picture – I have illnesses that need medication.
I saw the big problem – without addressing it, I could relapse into suicidal depression.
I made small, detailed plans – meds were laid out for three weeks, photos of joy were put into photo albums, music to encourage was downloaded, a cd player was set up in my bedroom, and my medical providers were aware of the situation.

Have I had thoughts? not of suicide, Praise God – but I’ve started to have a pity party or two…and by being prepared, I was able to stop that party!
Have I gotten down? yes – and I started counting my blessings, because they were all around me…so the enemy couldn’t lie!
Have I had pain? Yes, and I was able to quote verse as things were being taken care of…to mentally handle the pain.

No matter where you find yourself in this journey, there are those that are willing to help!
In Surgery Scuttlebutt, part two, I talked about how I was afraid I’d be alone…and I have not been!

I hope that you have found something in my story to help you in yours. I have one more blog to share with you the various other things that I have learned…please stay tuned!

 
Hi!
My hope in the midst of despair and my joy in the face of depression is because of my relationship with Jesus Christ. If you do not have one, or are not sure you will join him in heaven, please check out these links.

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

Copyrights and Legal-eze
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.

Itty Bitty Bible Study – Obadiah – Introduction

My thoughts for the Itty Bitty Bible Study group on Facebook. (join if you’d like to get these in fb!) The conversation starts Monday, January 29th.

Obadiah

I love J Vernon McGee for his insights into the Bible. He’s entered into his eternal reward, but we are blessed to still have his works of theology and bible Studies.
Blue Letter Bible provides all of his notes, amont many other commentators. For this study, I’m referring to Obadiah. I also like his outline of the book better than any I’ve seen:

I. Edom — destruction, vv. 1-16

A. Charge against Edom, vv. 1-9

B. Crime of Edom, vv. 10-14

C. Catastrophe to Edom, vv. 15, 16

(Poetic justice — lex talionis — law of retaliation)

II. Israel — restoration, vv. 17-21

A. Condition of Israel, v. 17

B. Calling of Israel, v. 18

C. Consummation of all things, vv. 19-21

(“And the kingdom shall be the Lord’s.”)

In case these references are not deep enough, I’ve been looking over this introduction to Obadiah by David Malik provided by Bible.org, another great place for Bible research online.

Dr Malik proposes this is the purpose of Obadiah:

A. To proclaim judgment upon Edom for rejoicing over the fall of Jerusalem

B. To proclaim through the judgment of Edom that all of the nations will be judged for their hostility to God’s people

C. To proclaim a message of hope for Judah

Here’s my understanding, and since this is my blog, I guess that’s the understanding you are going to get, hahaha!

Who is Obadiah?
Servant of God.

On Bible Gateway, when I do a search for Obadiah, it gives me the list of all the Obadiahs...including the book.

Obadiah – servant of Yahweh.

J.Vernon McGee – “this name was as common in that day as the name John is today.”

When – when was this written?
The dating has been difficult…even for all those lofty scholars that have access to tons of information and references! They have forgotten more bible knowledge than I will ever have, therefore, if they can’t figure it out, I know I won’t! hahaha!

The one agreed upon timing is that it has to do with the time that Edom laughed and helped to take down Judah.
From the Bible.org introduction,

The Babylonian context matches other exilic scriptures which describe the involvement of Edom in the fall of Jerusalem.

a. Psalm 137:7:
Remember, O Lord, against the sons of Edom the day of Jerusalem who said, ‘Raze it, raze it, to its very foundation’

b. Lamentations 4:21-22
Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, Who dwells in the land of Uz; but the cup will come around to you as well, you will become drunk, and make yourself naked, the punishment of your iniquity has been completed. O daughter of Zion. He will exile you no longer. But He will punish your iniquity, O daughter of Edom; He will expose your sins.

c. Ezekiel 25:12-14:
Thus says the Lord God, ‘Because Edom has acted against the house of Judah by taking vengeance, and has incurred grievous guilt, and avenged themselves upon them,’ Therefore thus says the Lord God, ‘I will also stretch out My hand against Edom and cut off man and beast from it. And I will lay it waste; from Teman even to Dedan they will fall by the sword. An I will lay My vengeance on Edom by the hand of the people Israel. Therefore, they will act in Edom according to My anger and according to My wrath’ thus they will know My vengeance,’ declares the Lord God (cf. also Ezekiel 35:5, 12-15)

There are a few other options listed in the Bible.org link, as well as any number of others you can find online.
My feeling is this:  it was appropriate then, to the enemies of the Lord, and it is appropriate today, as a shadow of what we can know of the Lord’s concern for his children today.

To Whom?
The Edomites.
Who were they? descendants of Esau.
To understand this sibling rivalry, one has to reread Genesis.
Genesis 25:19-34

Poor Rachel, finally having a baby, has twins…and they are fighting inside her womb.
She cries out to God WHY!!! and he says:

“Two nations are in your womb,
and two peoples from within you[b] shall be divided;
the one shall be stronger than the other,
the older shall serve the younger.”

Read on and Esau sells his birthright.
Then in Genesis 26, he marries girls that are not of the tribe Abraham…gentile, non believing girls.
Genesis 27 – here’s where Jacob really does in Esau…though he does it at the hands of his mom, Rachel – and steals Esau’s blessing. Any wonder why Esau was angry?

Genesis 27:41
41 Now Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing with which his father had blessed him, and Esau said to himself, “The days of mourning for my father are approaching; then I will kill my brother Jacob.”

I don’t know God’s thoughts.
I know that there is something here about predestination and election – which I have spoken of in Itty Bitty Bible Study – Ephesians 1:3-6. I love what pastor JD Greer said in his study on Ephesians – understand that we are chosen, but that we choose, and that the ability to comprehend that is a mystery.
From Thompson’s Chain Reference Bible, commentary on Romans:

this is what the summary says:

The wall of the supposed sovereign election of God is a certain portion of the race to salvation, and the divine reprobation of all others. Rom 9:7-18
In the midst of his argument showing the awful situation of the natural man, he points out the doors of divine mercy provided for in the plan of salvation, by which all men can escape the impending judgments of God if they will.
An attempt is made in the drawing given to illustrate the points of the apostle’s arguments by a diagram of the walls and doors of escape.

There is a truth that God knew what Esau was going to be like.
There is also a truth that Esau chose to be the way he was.
And, God knew about Cain and Abel…and Cain chose to turn away from his offering to repent, and killed his brother. But each is responsible for HIS choice.

another Bible verse:

Proverbs 26:2
Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow, an undeserved curse will not land on its intended victim.

and:

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

For more on Galatians 6 – you may want to look at Itty Bitty Bible Study Galatians 6.

When there are curses, there is a reason. And even then, God sometimes chooses to judge those that are the instruments of the curse, because they are choosing to be violent and ungodly. Oh my, what a difficult thing it is to be the God of heaven and earth! My head is spinning just trying to keep this all straight!

Brotherly rivalry is as old as right outside of the Garden.
Today, we have the Israelites and all the Arab world. This is the very sibling rivalry, passed down from generation to generation.
There are two sides to every story, but, I want to make sure that this conversation does not turn into a current events religion bashing event.

As Christians, we have to remember that we have a history of blaming the Jews for crucifying Jesus, and treating Jews as less than dogs. As well as anyone that does not believe the same as we do – Muslims, all oriental religions, all tribal peoples, even differing denominations of Christianity! I don’t want to start thinking more highly of myself.

The Bible says that the Jewish people were chosen by God to tell his story. I’ve heard from a Jewish Rabbi that Christians have the wrong idea of “chosen ones” from the point of view of the Jew. “We were chosen to be an example, to carry the Word and to obey it. Look at our history, would you want to be that example?” 
Jesus was a Jew. He gives promise to everyone.
Jesus went to the gentiles…probably Arabs, if the area I understand is correct.
There is NO people group that is separated from the option of “For God so loved the WORLD that HE GAVE his only begotten son that WHOSOEVER would believe on HIM should have everlasting, eternal, life”. John 3:16

I plan to look at Obadiah in the light of prophecy to US, God’s children.
I choose to recognize that if I have chosen God, HE has chosen me, because no one comes to the Father except the Father draw him. I am saved by grace through faith and that not of my own but it is a gift from God. And that is the truth for every believer and follower of Christ. This is a different view of being chosen, that I’m not chosen by my worth, I’m chosen by HIS promise. I am made worthy because HE loves me. He did not choose me because I am beautiful, I am beautiful because HE chose me.

As His child…we have been given an inheritance, and we are given protection.
Many of us pray Psalm 91 for protection when things are scary…

Psalm 91
1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say[a] to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.”

This was written long before Christ.
It’s written to “he who dwells in the secret place of the most High”, or my favorites – “He is my hiding place”, or “those that run into the name of the lord, a strong tower, shall be saved.” THESE are believers.

 The other side of the coin is this:

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

This often quoted verse is written to those that are called according to HIS name…and they need to repent. That would include Jews…since it was written to the Jews…but now, it is applicable to anyone that calls upon the name of Jesus Christ! It says clearly that there is some sort of unhealed land that needs healing, and it will only be healed if the people REPENT from their wicked ways!

When the Israelite were getting a little high minded, this is what God had to say to them:

Deuteronomy 7:6-11
6 “For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. 7 It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the Lord set his love on you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all peoples, 8 but it is because the Lord loves you and is keeping the oath that he swore to your fathers, that the Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. 9 Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations, 10 and repays to their face those who hate him, by destroying them. He will not be slack with one who hates him. He will repay him to his face. 11 You shall therefore be careful to do the commandment and the statutes and the rules that I command you today.

Even more to the point:

Deut 9:6
6 “Know, therefore, that the Lord your God is not giving you this good land to possess because of your righteousness, for you are a stubborn people.

Remember, God was just keeping his promise to the righteous fathers that went before them. He’s faithful to a 1000 generations. Then, remember – this is not written to any specific people group – it’s just true! Cause and Effect!

Proverbs 26:2
Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow, an undeserved curse will not land on its intended victim.

Even Jesus has something to say about where blessings fall…

Matthew 5:44-45
44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.

…and our responsibility to those we perceive as enemies! Love and prayer…which means then, that we are the sons of our Father…who blesses all.

What’s My Focus?

I’m looking at this tiny book to see what characteristics of Edom do I have?

And, what negative traits of the Israelites/Judeans might I have?

And, what do I do to change this in me?

I also am looking at how long suffering God is with His children. While Edom was art of the exile or destruction, there are plenty of prophecies and such that point that God gave Judah plenty of options to change, repent, and get right or He’d remove His hand of blessing. I know thatGod has been loooooooong suffering with me, and for that, I am eternally grateful.

Has God been longsuffering with you?

Are you blessed to know that you were chosen by God?

Can you relate to doing something very UNChristian, and hoping that God would not find out? If so, do you know that HE has provided us with an advocate in Jesus Christ?

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.

1 John 2:1-2 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.

Next – Obadiah, part 1. Please Join 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

I want to thank

for the ability to search the Bible online.

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.

Christi’s Shorts – Jan 16, 2018

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?

Has God blessed you in a special way today?

Please share with me in the comments!

For prayerful reflection ;
Open My Eyes by Maranatha Singers

 

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

I want to thank

for the ability to search the Bible online.

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.

Itty Bitty Bible Study – Ephesians 1:3-6

My thoughts for the Itty Bitty Bible Study group on Facebook. (join if you’d like to get these in fb!)

In the IBBS Ephesians Introduction, I shared my thoughts on Ephesians 1:1-2.

In my research, I have found some that say that verses 3-14 are all one long sentence.
It is commonly known that the verses, the chapters, and maybe even some gramatical markings were not necessarily in the original texts. The KJV has it split up with colons and semi-colons.
ESV has added periods.
I’m not sure if God is concerned how we break it down, as long as we choose to read his word, to apply our hearts to wisdom! I think Psalm 90:12 applies here!

Ephesians 1:
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,
4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world,
that we should be holy and blameless before him.
In love
5 he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ,
according to the purpose of his will,
6 to the praise of his glorious grace,
with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.

I really do not want to deal with the predestination and election theology. That is WAAAAAY above my pay grade.
There are many teachers out there pro and con predestination and election – and one can simply do a google to find whichever point of view feels right. I even hate saying it like that. But, this issue can become a very volatile and divisive issue, and I do not believe that is the point Paul is trying to promote here.

I want to focus on how God the Father positioned us to be sons!(and daughters)

3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. In Christ, God has given us every spiritual blessing in heaven.
4 In Christ, he chose us before the world was made. He chose us in love to be his holy people—people who could stand before him without any fault.
5 And before the world was made, God decided to make us his own children through Jesus Christ. This was what God wanted, and it pleased him to do it.
6 And this brings praise to God because of his wonderful grace. God gave that grace to us freely. He gave us that grace in Christ, the one he loves.

Praise be to God the father of our Lord Jesus Christ

That’s a good start for a confession of faith.

In Christ.

That is our profession of salvation. That is our position.
It is from that position, that we should be everything else in our walk, in our lives.
We are seated in the heavenlies with him.(Ephesians 2:6)
We are joint heirs with him.(Romans 8:17)
In this verse we find out that we are blessed in him.

Every spiritual blessing in heaven.

There is a song that I love called I Can Only Imagine.
There is nothing we can compare to being blessed with every spiritual blessing in heaven!
It will be exceedingly abundantly above all we can ask or think! (Ephesians 3:20)
Right now we can only see through a glass Darkly.(1 Corinthians 13:12)

In Christ, he chose us before the world was made.
He chose us in love to be his holy people—people who could stand before him without any fault.

In Christ is the first blessing. Because it’s by faith by grace through faith and that not of ourselves that we are saved. Which we will see in Ephesians 2:8-9.

Here is the tricky part, He chose us before the world was made.
This gets into the predestination and election.
The thing is, do I believe the Bible means what the Bible says?
Yes I do.
I believe God the Father chose each one of us

  • before He created the world,
  • before Adam and Eve fell,
  • before he sent his son,
  • before my mother and father met,
  • before I was conceived,
  • before I was born,
  • God chose me!

The tricky question, which will come up in this book, is, if God chose people from before creation does that mean He chose those to go to hell?
When we stand before God on the judgement day, we will not be judged on whether God chose us or not, we will be judged on whether we chose God or not.
I’ve been doing a Bible study group at church about God being sovereign. In that group the teacher is talking about God’s perfect will and his permissive will.

Pastor Jimmy Knott, from First Baptist Orlando is doing a study on God’s Will.
He’s talked about God’s Determined or Decreed Will and God’s Desired or Permissive will.

here’s some of my notes:

Many years ago in a Thompson Chain reference Bible, there was illustration that shows the two sides of God’s will. It is from the Bible analysis of Romans.

God’s ways are above my ability to comprehend.
The main thing for me is to know the God has had a plan for me from before the foundation of the world!

He chose us in love …

Why did he choose me? Because he loved me.
For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever whosoever whosoever.

God chose us in love. This brings us back to Genesis 1.
Why did God create? Love.
God chose us before the foundations of the world because of love. Therefore he had to create a world for us in which we could live.
God created the heavens and the Earth and everything that dwells therein, because he loves.
Even simpler, God is love.

He chose us in love to be his holy people—people who could stand before him without any fault.

Chose us to be His holy people.
Holy does not mean perfect, holy means set apart on to him.
Second part of this says “people who could stand before him without any fault.”
That is why Jesus came. In 1st John 1 we are told the followers of Christ do not sin but that if we say we have no sin we lie and that if and when we sin we have an advocate with the Father which is Jesus Christ and that we can pray and ask forgiveness and he will washes clean of our sins. 1 John 2
We stand before God the Father without any faults because God the son, Jesus Christ, took our sins on the cross, and paid the price, so that we are seen as if we had never sinned.
Justified equals just as if I’d never sinned.

5 And before the world was made, God decided to make us his own children through Jesus Christ. This was what God wanted, and it pleased him to do it.

Why did God do this?
Because he wanted to, and it pleased him to do so.

God decided to make us his own children.
That is the whole purpose for creation, for God to have children.

  • God wasn’t surprised that Eve listened to the serpent, that Adam listened to Eve, and they both sinned.
  • God wasn’t surprised that Cain killed Abel.
  • God wasn’t surprised that Moses killed an Egyptian.
  • God wasn’t surprised that Ruth left with Naomi and met up with Boaz and had a child.
  • God wasn’t surprised that it was the Seventh Son of Jesse that chose to worship God and therefore was chosen for the king of Israel.
  • God wasn’t surprised when Herod sent out the soldiers to kill babies around the time Christ was born.
  • God wasn’t surprised when the people of Jesus’s day kept trying to kill him before his time.
  • God wasn’t surprised when Judas betrayed Christ with a kiss.
  • God wasn’t surprised when Jesus hung on the cross to pay the price
  • God wasn’t surprised that Jesus rose from the dead because that was God’s plan from before creation!

The reason that God created from the beginning was so that you and I could become His children through Jesus Christ’s death, burial and Resurrection.
The plan was that the Father would draw us to Him!John 6:44
Just in case we weren’t able to handle it(which he knew we would not be) God gave us the gift of faith so that we could believe in the grace of the cross. Ephesians 2:8-9
He gave us the gift of repentance so that we could turn away from our Wicked Ways and humble ourselves and seek his face. 2 Tim 2:25
Everything that we have comes from God’s hand.

6 And this brings praise to God because of his wonderful grace. God gave that grace to us freely. He gave us that grace in Christ, the one he loves.

This is preparing us for ephesians 2:8-9.
And it gives us our appropriate response for the grace that God has given us that we should praise God from whom all blessings flow!

  • He gave us the grace in Christ, the one he loves.
  • He gave us the grace to Believe In Christ, and
  • He gave us the grace to become children of God, through Christ, whom he loves.

But this whole plan was constructed and conceived because HE loves, because HE loves us, from before the foundations of the world.

My word of the day meditation on February 15th 2017 talks about my choices and HIS plans!
Jeremiah 1:5 talks about being known before we were conceived
Jeremiah 29:11-13 talks about the plans HE has for us.
Psalm 139 talks about being fearfully and wonderfully made

Here is the foundation piece, we love because he first loved us. In addition we are because he first loved us. We will be because he first loved us. 1 John 4:19
Our past, our present, and our future are all enmeshed in His love for us.
There is nothing about God that isn’t done because of his love.
Because of His great love, we are not destroyed!Lamentations 3:22
When we look at First Corinthians 13 describing What Love Is, it really is a description of God.
Love is patient, love is kind, love is not envious, does not rejoice in wrongdoing.
We can go through the names of God and see His love in every name even those that are considered harsh or cruel.

In the King James Version – Ephesians 1:6 says:

To the praise of the glory of HIS grace, where in HE hath made us acceptable in the Beloved.

Acceptable in the Beloved.
Why would I want to be anywhere else?

That’s my thoughts for today….I hope this blessed you!

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

I want to thank

for the ability to search the Bible online.

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 hear what you think – please leave a comment!
Or choose to LIKE me on facebook, or other social media!
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 is one that we are blessed to be a part of. Please consider sponsoring a child – the life you change could be your own.

Itty Bitty Bible Study – Ruth Summary

My thoughts for the Itty Bitty Bible Study group on Facebook. (join if you’d like to get these in fb!)

Ruth 1

This brought me to mind of being brought out of darkness – into the Kingdom of His dear son.
We’ve just left the Christmas season – and this seems to be a beautiful declaration of what has occurred to Ruth through Naomi!

Isaiah 9:2 – The people who walk in darkness Will see a great light; Those who live in a dark land, The light will shine on them.
2 Corinthians 4:6 – For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.
1 Peter 2:9 But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God’s OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

I found these verses in one place – at Knowing Jesus – 13 Bible Verses about From Darkness to Light.

Ruth 2
This brought to mind God’s provision –

Ps 23:1 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
Philipians 4:19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

Ruth sought the Kingdom of God, and He supplied!

Luke 12:31 But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.

Ruth 3
This was a little crazy, but it did bring to mind that God orchestrates the events of human life in order to bring about His plan. His ways are not our ways! This is a warning to not judge – even if I think I can judge the behavior!

Isaiah 55:8-9
8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

I get so stuck in my own perceived “right and wrong” that I can miss God’s voice.
That is NOT saying that I believe that anything goes for a Christian – follower of Christ!
Ruth did NOT go to the threshing floor out of lasciviousness, and seduction – she went out of obedience, and in the anointing of the Lord. They DID avoid all appearance of evil – and they did NOTHING sinful.

I don’t know how this plays out in the life of a Christian. I do know that I need to let God be bigger than my ideas of HIM, in order for HIM to do HIS work in my life. Pick up a hitchhiker? speak to a homeless person? spend time with a Wiccan? Comfort a homosexual? If God says so – if it is for God’s work, and showing God’s love – we have to be open to HIS direction.
My hardest sinner to handle? The liar.

Leviticus 19:11 ‘You shall not steal, nor deal falsely, nor lie to one another.

Rev 21:8 But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars–they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”

I try very hard not to lie.

Matthew 7:1-5
1 “Do not judge, or you too will be judged.
2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
3 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?
4 How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?
5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

John 7:24 Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.

This is a hard lesson for me. I feel that this sin is a simple thou shalt not.
And yet – I have some difficulty with sin – even this one at times!

But when I need to look at the beam in my own eye – I go to these verses:

Exodus 20
1 And God spake all these words, saying,
2 I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.
5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;
6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.

7 Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
11 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

Then, for good measure, I can add this one in:

Exodus 20:12 Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.

If that is not enough to humble me, I look at Matthew 5, 6, & 7. Galatians 5, Titus, Romans – and on and on and on.
I can only ask others to join me on this journey – and share with them the experiences I’ve had – and support them in their walk with Jesus.

Ruth 4

From a legal perspective – Obed was Naomi’s son – to redeem Elimelech’s land. Which meant that nothing financially was beneficial to Boaz.
But in Biblical history – it’s through Boaz’s line that Obed’s lineage is named, as well as Jesus’s. Elimelech was not mentioned in the genealogies. Only Boaz, the son of Rahab!

This family has been through much torment – and I get a sense of PEACE – that transcends the story!

Philipians 4:6-7
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

John 14:27
Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled; do not be afraid.

Grace –

2 Corinthians 2:8-9
8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things, at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 9As it is written: “He has scattered abroad His gifts to the poor; His righteousness endures forever.”

It is all about the condition of the heart:

Proverbs 21:21 He who pursues righteousness and loyalty Finds life, righteousness and honor.

And of course, this whole story is such a beautiful foreshadowing of Christ calling us out of darkness, drawing us to Himself, and redeeming our lives from the destroyer.

I hope that you have enjoyed this study – I have certainly learned much.
I have enjoyed both Matthew Henry’s Commentaries and the Torah Class on Ruth.

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

I want to thank

for the ability to search the Bible online.

I’d love to hear what you think – please leave a comment!
Or choose to LIKE me on facebook, or other social media!
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 is one that we are blessed to be a part of. Please consider sponsoring a child – the life you change could be your own.