Tag Archives: Christ

2017 My One Word – #mydays wk5day1 – why why why?

Psalm 90:12
Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

This is today’s 750words. It’s about #mydays.
Warning – it is NOT a theological discussion!
It is my heart cry to understand.

today.
today is monday
I have cleaned the house for the ccarpet cleaners.
I may have upset a friend who was coming this weekend
my foot hurts
i forget what I was going to write about when I first woke up, then went back to sleep.

why why why why
these are my words that come up often.

why why why why
i don’t ask why me, I jsut ask why
if God is faithful – why am I hurting
oh that horrible connundrum of christianity
maybe of any faith – but christianity has that promise that by christ’s stripes we are healed, that he sent his word and healed them.
i know that in his life, he healed physically
he has healed me physically
so I know, KNOW that he is able, and sometimes willing
I guess, while the question to God is why – it’s not why me, though, it is why me, what am i supposed to be learning?

oh, i’m learning about the lack of patience~!
I’m learning about the irritability!
i’m learning about asking for help – oh i hate this one with a passion!
I’m learning about leeting go of perfectionism
i’m learning about timing – oh yea, counting my days – numbering my days –
i’m learning about choosing each and every step
the steps of a good man are ordered by the lord – and he delights in his way
though he fall though he fall he shall not be cast down for the lord upholds him with his hand. (Psalm 37:23)
i’ve asked that the lord teach me to number my days that i might apply my heart to wisdom. (Psalm 90:12)
hmmmm, i think i just wrote that this trial is providing that very thing!

count it all joy brethren when you encounter trials…for the trying of your faith worketh – PATIENCE – ENDURANCE!(James 1:3-4)

oh my –

the fruit of the spirit is lLOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE – GOODNESS…..SELF CONTROL(Galatians 5:22-23)

Love is patient. (1 Corinthians 13:4)

i asked why…and it would appear that i am getting my answer.
how does one go about learning patience quickly?
um, i think that is the problem!
i want patience and i want it now!
old joke.
how does one obtain patience…

the working of your faith produces patience…I’m going to have to look that one up. (James 1)

why why why – i don’t think this is a bad question…
as long as my heart is open to the answer.
why me?
well, that could also give an insight into my heart
what about my heart?
what about the anxiety?
fear?
dread?
they call it high functioning anxiety.
I call it a pain!
the thing is – i could say that the bible calls it sin!
that which is not faith is sin….(Romans 14:23)
lack of faith is doubt
doubt and fear go hand in hand.
how many times does the bible tell me do not fear?(I don’t know – a bunch)

be strong and courageous…don’t tremble or be afraid….for the Lord your God is with you, wherever you go!(Joshua 1:9)
tremble – that’s anxiety!
naturally, i’m wired for anxiety.
but, i’m going to go out on a limb and say that naturally, we are all wired for anxiety!
that which is not faith is sin.
faith is not fear
fear not – (Isaiah 41:10)
the guys on the boat…in the storm….(Mark 4:35-41)
PEACE BE STILL
oh ye of little faith.

again – asking why brings me to these lessons from my past
stirs up the words that have been hidden in my heart

and the question reminds me that I have a Father that loves me, and cares for me, and looks after me, and is interested in teaching me his ways, and bringing me about to the likeness of His Son, Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 4:13)

I can wrestle – like Jesus did in the garden(Matthew 26:36-46)
I can wrestle – like Jacob did and his thigh was touched.(Genesis 32:22-32)
walked with a limp the rest of his life.
well, my hip issues come from the disobedience of God – going into the Navy instead of the college for music and art.
and he touched me on the third day.

I guess I need to be thankful that He allows there to be medical ways to relieve the pain.
I need to use this pain to remind me every day that I am here for a purpose – and that I have made wrong choices, and in those choices, I have caused myself pain, in more ways than one.

teach me to number my days…that I may apply my heart to wisdom.(Psalm 90:12)
sigh
the answer to why is that I asked for this!
I gave the Lord Jesus, and the Father the permission to do whatever it takes to bring me into the fullness of Christ.
Do I trust my Father?
you bet I do!

I edited this in only two ways –
one, to add the scripture links
two, to correct spelling.

750words is part of my teaching me to number my days for 2017.
I am being able to face anxiety better.
I am being able to face uncertainty better.
Because, I am bringing these things to the Lord in prayer, and meditating upon HIM giving me the guidance needed.
I believe I am healing.
And it’s still January!

It’s all about choice.
And I choose Jesus!

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.

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Itty Bitty Bible Study – Galatians 4

Galatians 4

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

I’ve shared my thoughts on

As you can see – I had difficulty getting out of Galatians 3.
The Bible was not written with chapters and verse, well, unless you are talking about Psalms.
So, Galatians 4:1 is a continuation of what Paul was explaining in Galatians 3
.

Galatians 4

4:1 I mean that the heir, as long as he is a child, is no different from a slave, though he is the owner of everything,
2 but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by his father.
3 In the same way we also, when we were children, were enslaved to the elementary principles of the world.
4 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law,
5 to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.
6 And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”
7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.

From the time of Creation – when Adam and Eve sinned, God was putting into production the plan to bring us back to HIM.
The Law as a school teacher – until such time as we were ready to receive our sonship through faith in Christ Jesus!

Just like when we first have a child.
We tell them

      • when to eat,
      • when to drink,
      • when to brush their teeth,
      • wipe their toosh,
      • and go to bed.

We tell them to

      • pick up their toys,
      • put dishes away,
      • be nice to their sisters,
      • don’t lie,
      • don’t steal
      • don’t hit

…you get the point.
Once they are old enough, the get to learn the consequences of their choices.

      • hunger
      • thirst
      • rash on their bottom
      • too tired to have fun
      • broken toys
      • hit in the nose by the sister…

We have adult children that are all around their 30s. Every now and then, we get a call, and we hear “I know you told me that if I did this, then that would happen.” We do NOT rejoice in the troubles of our children – we do rejoice in their growth. I will say it right now, We have been very blessed to watch our children grow into adults. The struggle is wishing we could protect them from pain! It was often through that pain that they have learned to be responsible adults.
Because of grace, our children can talk to us, and they know that we will love them through whatever. Sometimes, they wonder – but the truth is, God has taught us that a parent always loves. Nothing they can do can ever cause that to stop.

I’ll love you forever,
I’ll like you for always,
As long as I’m living
my baby you’ll be.

From the book “Love You Forever” by Robert Munsch

God has done the same thing for us, his children. He doesn’t want us to hurt. And if we had just listened to what HE said we should do, and done it…we could have saved ourselves SOOOOOOO much trouble! Just ask Adam and Eve!!! Moses! David! Peter!!! AND, He loves us forever – FOREVER.

The thing is, that humans are hard headed, and we all need a teacher. The law showed us what is right and wrong, our actions showed us how impossible it is for us!

Galatians 4:8-11

8 Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to those that by nature are not gods.
9 But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more?
10 You observe days and months and seasons and years!
11 I am afraid I may have labored over you in vain.

ENSLAVED!

Captive!

Romans 6 is such an amazing chapter on the difference between being a slave to sin and a slave to righteousness.

Jesus declared the beginning of his ministry by standing up in “church’ and reading Isaiah 61:1:

Luke 4:18-19

18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives
and recovering of sight to the blind,
to set at liberty those who are oppressed,
19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

Other versions of Luke 4:18

      • The Berean Study bible says:
        “proclaim deliverance to the captives”
      • Holman Christian Bible says:
        “proclaim freedom to the captives”
      • God’s Word Translation:
        “He has sent me to announce forgiveness to the prisoners of sin and the restoring of sight to the blind, to forgive those who have been shattered by sin,”
      • Weymouth New Testament:
        “He has sent me to announce release to the prisoners of war and recovery of sight to the blind: to send away free those whom tyranny has crushed,”
      • Amplified
        “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me (the Messiah),
        Because He has anointed Me to preach the good news to the poor.
        He has sent Me to announce release (pardon, forgiveness) to the captives,
        And recovery of sight to the blind,
        To set free those who are oppressed (downtrodden, bruised, crushed by tragedy),

The very purpose for which Christ was sent was in jeopardy by the Galatians turning back, or turning to the law!

Colossians 1:13-14

13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son,
14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Ephesians 2:1-7

1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins
2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—
3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.
4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us,
5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—
6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

Also – Read Ephesians 2:11-22 – Again, Paul is declaring to the Ephesians what GREAT deliverance God has given them!

Paul is referring back to the beginning of the letter!

Galatians 1:6-9

In IBBS Galatians 3:1-10, I was quite struck by how serious Paul took their deception!

After he has spent time trying to explain to them how deadly the law was, and how life was given through Christ by faith – he pleads with the Galatians!

Galatians 4:12 12 Brothers, I entreat you, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You did me no wrong.
13 You know it was because of a bodily ailment that I preached the gospel to you at first,
14 and though my condition was a trial to you, you did not scorn or despise me, but received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus.
15 What then has become of your blessedness? For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have gouged out your eyes and given them to me.
16 Have I then become your enemy by telling you the truth?
17 They make much of you, but for no good purpose. They want to shut you out, that you may make much of them.
18 It is always good to be made much of for a good purpose, and not only when I am present with you,
19 my little children, for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you!
20 I wish I could be present with you now and change my tone, for I am perplexed about you.

This passage sometimes gets confusing to me.
What I hear here is the heart of an apostle, evangelist, preacher, pastor, shepherd – whose heart is filled with the desire for his spiritual children to follow the path laid before them, and not to wander. I hear frustration in Paul’s voice here. He does not want to see them suffer the consequences of the old ways…but to walk in the freedom of the way of Christ!

Romans 6:20-23

20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness.
21 But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death.
22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life.
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:1-2

1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
2 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.

I can’t help stopping a moment to worship!


 

Paul takes the time to try to show the Galatians, and US – the difference between those of the law and those of faith:

Galatians 4:21-31

21 Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not listen to the law?
22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by a slave woman and one by a free woman.
23 But the son of the slave was born according to the flesh, while the son of the free woman was born through promise.
24 Now this may be interpreted allegorically: these women are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery; she is Hagar.
25 Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia; she corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. 26 But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother.
27 For it is written,

“Rejoice, O barren one who does not bear;
break forth and cry aloud, you who are not in labor!
For the children of the desolate one will be more
than those of the one who has a husband.”
28 Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise.
29 But just as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so also it is now.
30 But what does the Scripture say? “Cast out the slave woman and her son, for the son of the slave woman shall not inherit with the son of the free woman.”
31 So, brothers, we are not children of the slave but of the free woman.

The Old Testament is a rough, raw, set of stories. Life is rough and raw.
God uses the past to teach us in our present so that we can have a different future.

Why would someone want to live under the law whe this is true?

Romans 8:1-2

1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
2 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.

When I was looking at Galatians 3:10-20, I was impressed with how impossible the requirements of the law were, and that to try to live by the law is to have to live by ALL of the law!

I can’t do it. You can’t do it. The Galatians couldn’t do it. Adam and Eve couldn’t do it. EVEN NOAH couldn’t do it. And Enoch…he was so righteous that he just ended up walking with God and was not…but, did HE do it????

Galatians 5 starts with

1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

That will be my next thoughts…

2009 IBBS Galatians 4

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.

Itty Bitty Bible Study – Galatians 1:1-10

Galatians 1:1-10

I am sharing my thoughts, and others are commenting their thoughts at the Itty Bitty Bible Study on Facebook. Please Join us! You can also comment here if you’d like!

I’m trying my hand at highlighting, I’m not sure this will show up for anyone but me!

Galatians 1

1 Paul, an apostle—sent not from men nor by a man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead—

In the old days (hahaha), folks put their authorship at the beginning of letters. It’s kind of like a return address.

Paul – once Saul. Wikipedia is not the bastion of Christian thought, but, it is a good place to obtain a summary on Saul/Paul! Lot’s of excellent information and links to research on Paul’s life.
CALLED as an APOSTLE

  • Not of men
  • neither by man
  • but by Jesus Christ
  • and God the Father (Who raised HIM(Jesus)from the dead)

This book is truly deep – and I’m not going to go into a word study on Men and man – because honestly, in the strongs, they look like the same thing.
Matthew Henry has this to say, if you are interested!

As to his office, he was an apostle. He is not afraid to style himself so, though his enemies would scarcely allow him this title: and, to let them see that he did not assume this character without just ground, he acquaints them how he was called to this dignity and office, and assures them that his commission to it was wholly divine, for he was an apostle, not of man, neither by man; he had not the common call of an ordinary minister, but an extraordinary call from heaven to this office. He neither received his qualification for it, nor his designation to it, by the mediation of men, but had both the one and the other directly from above; for he was an apostle by Jesus Christ, he had his instructions and commission immediately from him, and consequently from God the Father, who was one with him in respect of his divine nature, and who had appointed him, as Mediator, to be the apostle and high priest of our profession, and as such to authorize others to this office.

The second Part states what he believes about God, as well as the basis for his calling!

  • but by Jesus Christ
  • and God the Father (Who raised HIM(Jesus)from the dead)

Again – Matthew Henry’s thoughts on the differentiation here:

He adds, Who raised him from the dead, both to acquaint us that herein God the Father gave a public testimony to Christ’s being his Son and the promised Messiah, and also that, as his call to the apostleship was immediately from Christ, so it was after his resurrection from the dead, and when he had entered upon his exalted state; so that he had reason to look upon himself, not only as standing upon a level with the other apostles, but as in some sort preferred above them; for, whereas they were called by him when on earth, he had his call from him when in heaven.

I have read this, and said yeah yeah yeah – of course.
In Paul’s day – he was under fire about who he was, Whose he was, and HOW he got his calling. This first chapter shows his concern that not HE, but the GOSPEL was being discredited.
WHO calls me?
TO WHAT had HE called me?
and is my life bearing witness to that call, or discrediting that call?

Galatians 1:2 and all the brothers and sisters with me,

It’s nice that Paul includes his brothers and sisters. Though his name is on the letter – he includes others in sending out the blessing. Christianity is NOT a loner religion – it is a communal religion. I do not mean living on a commune together, though, that would be amazing. Living in close proximity to believers of similar intensity would give a standard of support, and even a bit of peer pressure, that would make walking the walk a bit easier. That is the purpose of a local body!

To the churches in Galatia:
3 Grace and peace to you

Grace and Peace.
Grace

  • Noah found grace in God’s eyes! Genesis 6:8 In this grace, he built an ark and survived the flood!
  • Moses found grace in God’s eyes! Exodus 33 In this grace, he made a demand of God to go with them!
  • Ruth found grace! Ruth 2 In that grace, she gave birth to King David’s grandfather and preserved the lineage of Christ!
  • Esther found grace! Esther 2 In that grace, she delivered the nation of Israel!

Ephesians 2:8-9
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—
9 not by works, so that no one can boast.
10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

We have found grace in God’s eyes – and in that Grace, there are good works which he has prepared for us to do…amazing!
Amazing Grace!

Peace
The word study on this is Strongs G1515 –

  1. a state of national tranquillity
    exemption from the rage and havoc of war
  2. peace between individuals, i.e. harmony, concord
  3. security, safety, prosperity, felicity, (because peace and harmony make and keep things safe and prosperous)
  4. of the Messiah’s peace
    the way that leads to peace (salvation)
  5. of Christianity, the tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and content with its earthly lot, of whatsoever sort that is

Doing a study on that Greek word has many offerings, but these mean much to me:

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

John 16:33
33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Galatians 5:22 mentions it as a fruit!

Ephesians 2:14
14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility,

HE – Jesus is our PEACE!

Isaiah 26:3
You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.

Hebrew, 7965 – shalom

  1. completeness, soundness, welfare, peace
  2. completeness (in number)
  3. safety, soundness (in body)
  4. welfare, health, prosperity
  5. peace, quiet, tranquillity, contentment
  6. peace, friendship
  7. of human relationships
  8. with God especially in covenant relationship
  9. peace (from war)
  10. peace (as adjective)

Two different languages, ONE HUGE blessing and promise!
I wonder if this is how we should bless one another – GRACE and PEACE to YOU from our Lord Jesus Christ, ….
Galatians 1:3

from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ,
4 who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father,
5 to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Here is the power!
FROM OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST!
BY the power of his paying the price for our sins, and his resurrection by the Power of OUR God and Father(Who is ONLY our God and Father through the price paid by our LORD and Savior, Jesus Christ!)!
BY GRACE – we have been rescued from this present evil age by the Will of our Father God!
PEACE in that we are no longer at war with sin and death(well, at least the war is over…we have to fight the battles).

I want to break out into the song “There is power, power, wonder working power, in the blood of the Lamb!”
That blood bridged the chasm that separated us from the PEACE of GOD!

Jesus was being heckled for mentioning the forgiveness of sins when he healed a paralytic, and he said:

Matthew 9:5 Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’?

The implied answer is that it would have been easier for him to say get up and walk, because man cannot forgive sins! It was a statement of WHO He is, and FROM WHOM He came!

POWER! This is not your squeamish “bless you” thrown around on a daily basis!
AND, as ambassadors for Christ – we are to bless others! Paul begins his letters with blessings, and ends his letters with blessings. The people in that day took blessings very seriously!
Just check out the verses about taking back your blessing if the folks of the house are not worthy!
A blessing is not something to be tossed about willy nilly!

Then, Paul really jumps into the WHY of the letter!

Galatians 1:6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—
7 which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ.
8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse!
9 As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God’s curse!

We’ve just looked at the power behind a blessing – now Paul is speaking out a curse!
This almost sounds like some mumbo jumbo in our day in age.

Jesus said, in Matthew 18:18

“Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.

That’s some more mumbo jumbo sounding stuff.
Is it?
Or do we really have power to impart God’s blessing, and to withold it?

Jesus says in John 14:12-14

12 Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.
13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

Matthew 21:21-22 records Jesus saying:

21 Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done. 22 If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”

Proverbs 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.

We are given responsibility for our words, our speech to speak the things of God.
I’m not talking name it claim it, though there is some truth to those teachings. That is why they are so popular.
I’m not saying that we have the same creative power in our words as the Son of God, who spoke the worlds into existence.
I’m saying that the creator God lives within us, and by that position, we have the power available, and we can speak good and evil over people, and God will hear, and move. We are his hands, feet, ears AND HIS MOUTHS!
I want to be a blessing!
But, when someone needs to know that they are taking the wrong turn, I want to speak correction in love!

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

The Amplified Bible says it this way:

10 Now am I trying to win the favor of men, or of God?
Do I seek to please men?
If I were still seeking popularity with men, I should not be a bond servant of Christ (the Messiah).

I kind of giggle when I read this.
If I wanted to be popular, I wouldn’t be talking this kind of talk!
I’d be talking to tickle ears!
I’d be petting and flattering!
And I cannot be a bond servant of Christ and live like that!

Jesus mentioned in Matthew 6:24

“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

On the mount, God spoke to Moses and said (Exodus 20)

20:1 And God spoke all these words:
2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.
3 “You shall have no other gods before me.
4 “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.
5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me,
6 but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.

“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

Before I move on to Paul’s explanation of WHY he can claim to be an Apostle – I am thinking on this very point…
If something that is told to me as scriptural leads me to be more comfortable with men/women, and not with God – should I be listening? When I write it out that way, of course the answer is NO!

When I am speaking with someone that is espousing homosexuality, abortion, addictions, promiscuity, working on the Sabbath or even which day is the Sabbath, what to eat or drink or wear or any other item in the word, how do I handle myself? Do I water down the word? Or do I pound them into the ground with scripture from my perspective?
Do I start clawing at their splinter, while I cannot see around the beam in my eye?
The key for me is that I speak the truth in love.

Ephesians 4:14-16
14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.
15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.
16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

It appears to me that this is addressed to Believers speaking to believers – not unbelievers.

Mark 16:15-16
15 He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

In case you do not like the latter part of Mark 16, here is Matthew 28:19-20

19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,
20 and teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you.

FIRST, we preach the gospel to the unbelievers.
NEXT, we teach them about baptism
THEN, we teach them to obey all that Christ has commanded us.
By that time, THEY ARE BELIEVERS!

My point is that we need to recognize to whom we are speaking.
In doing so, we need to recognize our own tendencies to want to be pleasers of men.
2 Corinthians talks about not being unequally yoked.
John 17 talks about being IN the world but not OF the world.
1 John talks about not loving the world.

It is so easy to just hedge, so that I don’t have to deal with conflict.
On the other hand, I’ve been in places where there are those that are screaming angry phrases and waving judgmental signs and I have unbelievers ask me if THAT is the Jesus I serve.
I have to tell them no.
Jesus did not scream angrily at unbelievers.
He did not point out the sins of unbelievers with a bull horn.
He spoke to them one on one, and once they believed, he took them by the hand and discipled them.
Noah, Hebrews 11:7

7 By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith.

I’m sure Noah had many many people asking him questions…and I’m sure he told them what God had said.
I’m sure that his life stood out as different – considering that God had noticed that he was the only righteous one!
It wasn’t Noah’s words that condemned the world – it was his righteousness in the face of all the others telling him to be this way or that! IN the midst of an evil generation, Noah was righteous! He did not succumb to peer pressure. He was not a man pleaser!

Hebrews 11 speaks of many that lived a righteous life, by faith.

This is what I see for me in this section.
I want to walk in the Grace and Peace of God, to use the gifts HE created within me to glorify HIM, and to not cave to the ways of the world to be more comfortable. That takes FAITH – which of course is not of my own, but a gift from God!

I want to stand before my Lord and hear Him say that I am definitely a bond-servant of Jesus Christ.
I want to hear him say “enter into the joy of your Lord”
And I’d like to take as many with me as I can!

A Blast from the Past – my comments in 2009 on Galatians 1.
Itty Bitty Bible Study – Galatians 1:11-24 & 2:1-10

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.

Christmas Carol Considerations – O Come all Ye Faithful

O Come all Ye Faithful – Wikipedea has history about the writing and composing of this carol.

O come, all ye faithful,
Joyful and triumphant,
O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem.
Come and behold Him,
Born the King of Angels!

O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord.

Faithful – Luke 18:8 –

I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”

Hebrews 11:6

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

Additional verse from Wikipedea:
God of God, light of light,
Lo, he abhors not the Virgin’s womb;
Very God, begotten, not created:
O come, let us adore Him, (3×)
Christ the Lord.

From the Nicene Creed:

And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, begotten of the Father [the only-begotten; that is, of the essence of the Father, God of God,] Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father;

Sing, alleluia,
All ye choirs of angels;
O sing, all ye blissful ones of heav’n above.
Glory to God
In the highest glory!

O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord.

Deuteronomy 138:1

I will praise thee, O lord, with my whole heart: for thou hast heard the words of my mouth. I will sing praise to thee in the sight of his angels:

https://youtu.be/n0tryKdpl0s

Yea, Lord, we greet Thee,
Born this happy morning;
Jesus, to Thee be the glory giv’n;
Word of the Father,
Now in the flesh appearing,

O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord.

This verse reminds me of Mary Magdelene greeting the Lord that Easter morning – Mark 16:9; and John 20:14

It makes me want to sing “Was it a morning like this” by Sandi Patti!
That always leads me to the Easter Song by Keith Green!

So, here is another O Come all Ye Faithful!

I hope that everyone that reads this answers this call!
Matthew 11:28

28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

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.

Itty Bitty Bible Study – Ruth 4

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

Ruth 4

4
1 Meanwhile Boaz went up to the town gate and sat down there just as the guardian-redeemer he had mentioned came along. Boaz said, “Come over here, my friend, and sit down.” So he went over and sat down.

I have a question here –
Boaz knew he was the kinsman redeemer for Naomi – and he knew that there was someone closer than him…
WHY WEREN’T THESE MEN DOING SOMETHING ABOUT IT?
Why did Ruth have to glean, why did Naomi have to send Ruth to the threshing floor?
Why did Ruth have to propose to Boaz? In Ruth’s defense, she didn’t understand that ways of the Hebrews –
BUT BOAZ DID! and he was very quick to say “there is another closer than I”
WHY did Ruth and Naomi have to institute the care for widows?
Why did Ruth and Naomi have to beg for the care of the family that was ordained, whether by God or by tradition?

Ok, so now that Boaz has been called out on his duty – he’s going to to his job, and get things in order.

2 Boaz took ten of the elders of the town and said, “Sit here,” and they did so. 3 Then he said to the guardian-redeemer, “Naomi, who has come back from Moab, is selling the piece of land that belonged to our relative Elimelek. 4 I thought I should bring the matter to your attention and suggest that you buy it in the presence of these seated here and in the presence of the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, do so. But if you[b] will not, tell me, so I will know. For no one has the right to do it except you, and I am next in line.”

“I will redeem it,” he said.

oops – wrong answer…or was this a sly way to lay things out?
And again, this is not a huge metropolis…why doesn’t this unnamed family member know all about this as well?

5 Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the land from Naomi, you also acquire Ruth the Moabite, the[c] dead man’s widow, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property.”
6 At this, the guardian-redeemer said, “Then I cannot redeem it because I might endanger my own estate. You redeem it yourself. I cannot do it.”

Boaz was apparently a shrewd business man.
I’m assuming he knew exactly how to ask and present this to this family member.

9 Then Boaz announced to the elders and all the people, “Today you are witnesses that I have bought from Naomi all the property of Elimelek, Kilion and Mahlon.
10 I have also acquired Ruth the Moabite, Mahlon’s widow, as my wife, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property, so that his name will not disappear from among his family or from his hometown. Today you are witnesses!”
11 Then the elders and all the people at the gate said, “We are witnesses. May the Lord make the woman who is coming into your home like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the family of Israel. May you have standing in Ephrathah and be famous in Bethlehem. 12 Through the offspring the Lord gives you by this young woman, may your family be like that of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah.”

Here is a neat thing – this is the blessing spoken upon HEBREW women when they are married.
Here’s an interesting twist…Tamar bore to Judah?
Genesis 38 tells the progression of Levirate marriage!
Tamar was married to Er – Judah’s first born.
Er dies.

Genesis 38:7 But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the Lord’s sight; so the Lord put him to death.

Onan refuses- by spilling his seed (not by abstaining).
Onan dies.

Genesis 38:9 But Onan knew that the child would not be his; so whenever he slept with his brother’s wife, he spilled his semen on the ground to keep from providing offspring for his brother. 10 What he did was wicked in the Lord’s sight; so the Lord put him to death also.

So, Judah has one more son…Shelah. He promises him to Tamar when he grows up.
long story short – he doesn’t.
Judah’s wife dies – he is greiving – and sees one that he thinks is a prostitute at the side of the road.
Tamar.

Here is an interesting part:

Genesis 38:24 About three months later Judah was told, “Your daughter-in-law Tamar is guilty of prostitution, and as a result she is now pregnant.”
Judah said, “Bring her out and have her burned to death!”

I’m remembering Mary – who was found to be pregnant.
I’m thinking about what could have happened to Ruth, had Boaz accused her of prostitution!

Instead – Genesis 38:25-30
Tamar calls him on his broken promise as well as for sleeping with a, perceived, prostitute!
Twins – Perez and Zerah.

The Hebrew blessing upon a marrying woman speaks of Tamar! a woman who was scorned(and, suffered because she was married to a man that was evil in God’s sight!). God raised up her name to be part of a blessing!

Ruth 4:
Naomi Gains a Son
13 So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. When he made love to her, the Lord enabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son. 14 The women said to Naomi: “Praise be to the Lord, who this day has not left you without a guardian-redeemer. May he become famous throughout Israel! 15 He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age. For your daughter-in-law, who loves you and who is better to you than seven sons, has given him birth.”
16 Then Naomi took the child in her arms and cared for him. 17 The women living there said, “Naomi has a son!” And they named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.

Boaz and Ruth redeem Naomi’s family, that of her husband and her sons, by giving her their first born son.
What if Boaz didn’t have another? Boaz did the right thing, swearing to the possibility of his own hurt. Psalm 15:4
I don’t know, but there is no mention of Boaz having a prior wife, or prior children. This could have been his only chance.

I find this next passage interesting!

Ruth 4
The Genealogy of David
18 This, then, is the family line of Perez:
Perez was the father of Hezron,

19 Hezron the father of Ram,
Ram the father of Amminadab,
20 Amminadab the father of Nahshon,
Nahshon the father of Salmon,[d]
21 Salmon the father of Boaz,

Perez, the one born of some sort of legal incest, was Boaz’s ancestor!

Boaz the father of Obed,

22 Obed the father of Jesse,
and Jesse the father of David.

Matthew 1 repeats this genealogy. This is the mother’s side(I think)
it includes Rahab…

Matthew 1:5

Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab,
Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth,

Boaz was half Amorite! Rahab – from the story of the men Joshua sent out in Joshua 2 was an Amorite. And a Prostitute!

Another from another land that professed her trust and belief in the God of Israel!

Joshua 2:8 Before the spies lay down for the night, she went up on the roof
9 and said to them, “I know that the Lord has given you this land and that a great fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who live in this country are melting in fear because of you.
10 We have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan, whom you completely destroyed.
11 When we heard of it, our hearts melted in fear and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below.

Of course, the story of Rahab and the spies is where we get the shadow of the scarlet cord – the foreshadowing of the scarlet blood that was shed by Christ to save us all.

Obed, the father of David – the shepherd King and the forerunner of Jesus Christ – was 1/4 Amorite and 1/2 Moabite!

God truly raises up the humble, the meek, the poor, the lowly to be His instruments!

1 Peter 5:6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.

Matthew 23:12 For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.

James 4:7-10
7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

Romans 9:15-16
15 For he says to Moses,
“I will have mercy on whom I have mercy,
and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”[a]
16 It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy.

And this – I see this flowing through the whole of the story of Ruth!

Matthew 5:3-9
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.

If I ever get to thinking that I am special in anyway – I can look at this…and I can look at Balaam’s Donkey – and remember, God uses those that are willing – not those that are special.

I want to live the beattitudes – and there is no room for pride of arrogance in that list.

James 4:6
But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”

I am just now reading the Torah Class lesson about the rest of Ruth 4. I love how the teacher does not try to excuse the words, but rather, accept it for what it is, while also looking to the whole Hebrew history. Boaz and Ruth did not have the Levirate marriage. That was Tamar and Judah’s sons. Read more about this in the Torah Class.

In this lesson, it is also mentioned that Leah and Rachel were gentiles before marrying into Israel!

Then after the elders publically notarize the agreement, they pronounce a prayer and a blessing over Boaz and Ruth asking that God would make them very fruitful (in children and descendants) like Leah and Rachael did for Jacob. It is an interesting choice of women’s names to invoke because Rachael and Leah had something in common with Ruth: they were all gentiles before their Hebrew husbands married them. It’s hard to get away from the fact that gentiles always played a key role in building up of the nation of Israel and in their redemption. In fact, when even the name of Tamar is mentioned as the mother of Peretz (Judah being the father) she too was a gentile woman. And Peretz is mentioned because he was an ancestor of Boaz.

This teachers final thoughts are well written:

But let’s not let one other connection zoom by us the son of Ruth, the one who redeems, was born in Bethlehem and then perhaps 125 years later that son’s grandchild, King David, would also be born in Bethlehem. And then 1000 years after that, Yoseph and Miriam who lived far to the north in Nazareth of the Galilee found themselves in Bethlehem for a few days and there, in the same place that Obed and David were brought into this world, so was Yeshua the Messiah.

I’m going to write up some final thoughts tomorrow about my thoughts on Ruth.
Please join me!

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.

2016 end of year thoughts

I am thankful to the Lord Jesus Christ for bringing me through this year.


The beginning of the year was not as bad as the beginning of 2015.

I spent from the end of March to the beginning of June in Youngstown, Ohio, to help our daughter with the birth of her third son.

 

I stayed in an apartment – and that enabled me to watch the other two boys.

with the help of my co-gramma, Kate Gibson, I planned and executed two parties – a Baby Shower, and a third birthday!
My BFF Susan Stephens came to help with the Shower:

Theodore Montgomery Gibson was born April 6, three days after the shower!

Oliver’s third Birthday was a success – with many cousins from around Ohio!

 

 

Sad part – my cat Purrl got outside on a wet, rainy day, and was killed.

Much of the time in Ohio was spent with the Gibson family, enjoying the boys, and of course, our daughter.
I missed the birthday party for Aubrey Jo, because i was sick. I did get to buy some dance outfits for her! And she did come to Oliver’s birthday, as did Brayden and Wyatt!

ADD FAMILY PHOTO

Sad Part – just as everyone was coming for Mother’s day, Gabriel started having ear issues, and was having difficulty standing up. We took him to a veternary ER. Within days, he could no longer hear – which seemed to be from the medicine.

Mother’s day – almost the whole family was together. Rachel flew in, Stephen came up with his son, Brayden, and we had a great time. It’s been a long time since i’ve had this much of a wonderful Mother’s day!

sad part – Meranda’s grandmother was on the last leg of her trip into eternity, therefore Meranda and Aubrey and Wyatt spent her last mother’s day with her. a week later, gramma was gone.

Gabriel was having difficuties understanding commands – which meant that he was in a questionable position as my service dog.

We came home, and Jim had planned a west coast trip in connection with RedHat Summit in San Francisco. We did a lighthouse tour from San Fran up to Seattle.
We could not take Gabriel – and we found an amazing lady to board him!
The really awesome gift was getting to see our daughter Anna in San Francisco!

  • In August, we found out that Jim’s PSA was rising rediculously fast – the cancer was back.
  • In September, we talked to the surgeon. And, I realized that Gabriel needed to be retired, and that I needed to travel with Jim to aide in the stress reduction of his travel. Therefore, I gave Gabriel up.
  • In October, we had a biopsy done. Gleason score of 7
  • In November, we were on a waiting list for the set up to repeat the HIFU procedure.Set up just before Thanksgiving.
  • In December, we had several procedures to handle Jim’s situation.
  • The end of the year – we traveled to Seattle to spend Christmas time with our daughter, Anna, and to relax for the end of the year.

My word for this year was Prepare – and I wrote several blogs about that word.
Moving to Ohio for three months really brought home the need for preparation.
Hearing that the cancer was back, and more aggressive – that really screamed the need to be prepared for anything.

i have been leaning on Psalm 23 these last few months. Things have been happening so fast, that I have not finished my devotions on Psalm 23!

That and the focus upon the trials of the original Christmas story. I have added painting to my trips with Jim in order to reduce my stress.

I sewed little bags for the ornaments – breaking out my sewing machine for the first time in years! actually, since the movers lost mine when they brought us down from Ohio to Texas in 2010!

Money has been tight, because the medical procedure is NOT covered by insurance, and we are still paying off the loan for the last procedure (Feb 2015). God has shown himself our shepherd – we shall not want! Jim’s job provided enough travel that most of our visit to Anna for Christmas is paid for by points! And, the things that we do here have been gifts from Anna! It’s been amazing to just rest, and let Anna take control! She has such good taste!

I have no idea what 2017 has in store.
A new president – which may enter in the events to allow Jesus Christ to return, and usher in the new Kingdom! If not – we still know that this world is not our home, we are just passing through.

Because of all the uncertainty, my focus for next year, that I don’t seem to get away from, is to number my days.

Psalm 90:12
Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

I know I am supposed to finish the devotions on Psalm 23, I know I’m supposed to start up the Itty Bitty Bible Study again, and I know that I’m supposed to be painting.

I will be by Jim’s side as he fights this enemy.

I will try to live my life with Matthew 5, 6, & 7; 1 corinthians 13, and Galatians 5 as my examples.
I will try to remember to put on my armor – Ephesians 6, and to trust that the battle is the Lords – Psalm 91.

More than anything, this year, I want to live in the grace and mercy of the Father – so that the negative self doubt and self talk no longer keep me a spiritual invalid. I want to embody:
Philippians 4:13
13 I can do all things through Christ[a] who strengthens me

~~~~~

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

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.

Christmas Carol Considerations – Silent Night

Silent Night

The history is simple – the beauty is timeless.

https://youtu.be/9T4WB2zfmps?list=PLMQpRrc0BZkHcs83AzEvm6J_stToxlU5x

Silent Night, Holy Night….
All is calm, all is bright
Round yon virgin, Mother and child.
Holy Infant so tender and mild.
Sleep in heavenly peace,
Sleep in heavenly peace

Verse one speaks of the virgin birth – Isaiah 7:14 and Matthew 1:23

Silent night, holy night!
Shepherds quake at the sight.
Glories stream from heaven afar
Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia,
Christ the Savior is born!
Christ the Savior is born

Verse Two speaks about the shepherds – watching their flocks. Luke 2:8-20
Angels came to them, sang to them, and they, the shepherds, were the first to go to greet the baby Jesus.

Silent night, holy night!
Son of God love’s pure light.
Radiant beams from Thy holy face
With dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus Lord, at Thy birth
Jesus Lord, at Thy birth

Verse Three speaks about Jesus coming as the Light of the World

.John 8:12
When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

John 1:4
In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.

John 12:35-36
35 So Jesus told them, “For a little while longer, the Light will be among you. Walk while you have the Light, so that darkness will not overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going.
36 While you have the Light, believe in the Light, so that you may become sons of light.”

1 John 1:5-7
5 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.
6 If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out 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, purifies us from all sin.

This is the reason Jesus came to earth…to save us from our sin, and to reconcile us to God!
Merry Christmas!

~~~~~~~
Advent Devotions
Thank you to Christmas Carol Lyrics for providing the lyrics for these Christmas Carols!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

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.

2016 Word of the year – Prepare – Psalm 23 – My(part 3)

Part 1
Part 2

To Review:

Step One – He paved the way long before we were born;

Romans 5:7-9
7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die.
8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
9 Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!

Step Two – Recognize we are separated from God by our actions

Romans 3:10-12
10 As it is written:
“There is no one righteous, not even one;
11 there is no one who understands;
there is no one who seeks God.
12 All have turned away,
they have together become worthless;
there is no one who does good,
not even one.”

Step Three – We have to believe.

That is the first part of our part of the price. To believe.

Acts 16:30-31
30Then he brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, you and your household.”

Which brings me to Step Four – RECEIVE!

Faith through Grace. IT’S A GIFT!
A GIFT
The other person in a deal can GIFT the item to you. That is the other way a deal can be made!

What is our responsibility in the event of being offered a gift? RECEIVE!

And now, on with Part Three. Picking up with Step four.

Step Four – Receive the Gift!
The only way to own a gift is to receive that gift from the original owner.
To say yes to the dealer, that is giving you a gift – the ability to pay for the vehicle you wanted, without you having to do anything, really.

Why wouldn’t someone want to receive a gift?
They may not believe that they deserve the gift,
In the area of salvation, that is correct. As I’ve discussed, we are all sinners, no one is worthy. That is why Jesus came to die on the cross on our behalf.

What is this gift? Payment for Sin

Romans 6:23
The wages of sin is death.

Because of sin, we are separated from God. In any relationship, a separation can determine the priority of that relationship.
What is the ATTITUDE? This shows the importance of the relationship.
Adam and Eve were so embarrassed about their sin that they hid from God.
God was so invested in that relationship He came looking for them.
Was He surprised that they ate of the tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil? Of course not! He wanted to show them how important it is to follow his rules to live and his paradise. He also wanted to show them that he had their back. He had a plan.

First the plan had to do with sacrificing animals to pay the price for their sin with one animal per person. This was the promised that He gave to not only Adam and Eve, but also to Lucifer. Genesis 3:15

He will send a deliverer who will be bruised in his heel(death) but will crush the head of the serpent(ressurection). That is how much God wants to have a relationship with you and me.

The sacrifices started out one-for-one for Adam and Eve. Genesis 3:21-24
One for Cain and one for Able. Genesis 4:3-7
Noah sacrificed for his family. Genesis 8:20-22
Then there were sacrifices for houses ( Exodus 12) and then for tribes and then for nations.
The ultimate sacrifice was One Man for the World!

Jesus paid the Price

John 3:16-18
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.

The issue is blood of goats and Rams was not satisfying the debt but rather delaying the consequence of sin which is death. The sacrifices the Old Testament did not pay the debt they only delayed it until the time that the perfect sacrifice, the perfect lamb could be given. There was no one that could walk perfectly enough to pay the price for themselves much less pay the price for all of creation, until Jesus!

The rest of Romans 6:23 –

For the wages of sin is death,
but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

John 1:29
The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

1 Peter 1:18-19
18 For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life you inherited from your forefathers,
19 but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or spot.

Hebrews 9:11-12
11 But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that have come, He entered the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made by hands (that is, not of this creation).
12 He did not enter by the blood of goats and calves, but He entered the Most Holy Place once for all by His own blood, thus securing eternal redemption.

The item (US) is so desired by God that He chose to pay the price for us, or in more detailed terms, he wiped the Slate clean.

2 Corthinans 5:17-19
17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come!
18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:
19 that God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting men’s trespasses against them.

The story of Cain and Abel(Genesis 4) explain to us how there are heart issues behind our sacrifices.
Attitude.
One’s offering was received, one’s was not. And Cain did not take heed, and went on to commit the first recorded murder.

Just because we pay a sacrifice it doesn’t mean that it’s received. Anything that we have to give was given to us in the first place!

1 cor 13….if I speak in tongues…and have not love…it is nothing.

3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast,[b] but do not have love, I gain nothing.

But there are going to be those that stand at the gate and say Lord Lord did we not prophesy in your name did we not heal in your name did we not raise the dead and your name? And he is going to say depart from me you evildoers, for I never knew you. To me that implies that evil doers can cast out demons, heal the sick, and raise the Dead. That means that they are evil teachers prophesied that do not know the Lord Jesus!

Matthew 7:22-23
22 Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’
23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness.’

There’s the parable of the 10 Virgins – five did not prepare. Matthew 25

There are all the people that were the religious leaders of the day – they were condemned for hypocrisy by Christ. Matthew 23

It is said many times when we stand in the Kingdom we’re going to be very surprised you got it and who didn’t. That kind of brings to mind the thing about the pharisee and the tax collector before the altar. The tax collector, a despised man, is on his knees saying “Lord have mercy on me a sinner.” The pharisee is standing up, which in and of itself says a lot about his attitude’ and saying “Lord I’ve done this and I’ve done that and I’ve done the other.” ( Luke 19:9-14)

Where do I fall in the room between these two? Does this mean rich men can’t get to heaven? Oh, thank heavens, NO! It means it’s harder for a rich man to enter in than it is for a camel to go through the eye of a needle. (Matthew 19:23-24)
It also means that God is interested in our hearts.

We are like the person not making our relationship a priority. The whole point of making relationship priority is you have to actually know that is a priority! You have to know that you want that relationship! You have to know the value of that relationship! When we are lost in sin and we didn’t have any desire for Jesus Christ, He chose to state how valuable is the relationship to him. He gave his life for us because he wanted to spend eternal life with us.

Romans 5:9
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

The value of this gift is not dependent upon OUR goodness, but solely upon the perfection of Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 2:8-9
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.

The fact that God the Father chose to allow His own son to die on the cross IN OUR PLACE, is what imparts worth and value to us.

If we say NO?
Walking away from a gift?
I think just about everyone can say that there was one person in their life that “got away”.
Was it because you didn’t say that you love them?
Was it because you didn’t recognize you needed them in your life?
Was it because you were just too of your full of yourself at that time? Whatever the reason there are so many people that had a person that they gave up on, and that person left them.

The point is, to actually OWN a gift, you have to say YES, and receive that gift.
And the beauty of the Love of God is that, we can say no.
Unlike Sheep.
Though, like sheep, if we say no, our lives will end in eternal death. and we do not have the protections that are provided to the sheep by having a shepherd looking over them. But that comes in more detail in my discussion about Jesus being my shepherd.

So, we can’t pay, but there is a price.
We are told to COUNT THE COST in several parables.
Luke 14:28-30 and Luke 14:31-33
Matthew 8:18-22
Matthew 19

Payment Plan

So what’s the payment plan?
That is walking out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
That is walking a life where we are persecuted for Christ sake, we sacrifice the lusts of the flesh for the growth of the spirit.
That is choosing live as much like Christ as we possibly can.
That is coming to him when we fail, because he rose again from the dead his blood continues to be effective as the price to pay for her since.
There is no longer any need for sacrificing lambs and goats and Rams and Bulls. There’s not even any reason to sacrifice doves and pigeons.

Romans 12 1-2
12 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

1 Cor 6:20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

Yes, there is a payment plan – and that means there is someone to whom we make payment.
The gift of God is eternal life, Peace, Joy, and love, unconditional love. I do not understand why anyone would say no.

Part four and step five of MY and the word Shepherd are combined.
That will come next!

MY Advent Devotions

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

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

I want to thank

for the ability to search the Bible online.

“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’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.

2016 – Word of the Year – Prepare – Psalm 23 MY(part2)

lord-is-my-shepherd_t_nv

I started this series in October.

Then the world fell apart! Well, just The United States going crazy over an election.

In the midst of all the noise, I was reminded what my government thought of me in 2009, 2012, and now again in 2016.

In the midst of this, I was hit with not being prepared for the path placed before me, being Cancer in my husband. Even this plan has changed, and become up in the air!

ps23tattoo

Today, I saw a sweet young lady’s tattoo that had a lamb on it, with the words “The Lord is my Shepherd” above it. Interesting way for God to remind me that I need to get back to the work HE has placed before me!

Psalm 23.
I’ve been looking at the meaning of the first words of the first verse.

The.
Lord.
Is.
MY…and I ended with the first part of my understanding of MY.

Here’s a gift for the families, or for folks that want to color, as they meditate upon Psalm 23.

ps23colorPsalm 23 Coloring Pages

Here’s part two.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When we want to own something, we go and purchase it.
By paying the cost we free that item from its previous owner, and make it our own.

Sometimes, that is done with the trade.
Our son Stephen has a gift for finding things people want who have things that he wants in order to trade with them and both parties are happy.

There is also the concept of bartering.
Our two daughters-in-love have a system of bartering for clothes and hair care. Some parents barter babysitting. “I’ll watch your kids this week and you watch my kids next week”. Both parties benefit.

The thing is, both parties need to want something from the other. Both parties have to agree upon the value of that item or service or relationship. If the price of one person’s belonging is higher than the other can pay, the owner has the ability to make or break the deal by adjusting, or making provision for the deal, or not. The person in the lesser position is at the mercy of the person with the more coveted belonging.

In the case of salvation I have to want to be set free from my old life and be given a new life in Jesus Christ. That wouldn’t make any difference if God did not want a relationship with me.

In the situation with Jesus, I don’t have enough to buy my salvation. I am so far in the hole that I cannot get myself out in order to purchase my salvation. The rules in the Old Testament prove that we cannot earn our way into heaven. The price for salvation is so immeasurably High that only the owner of that gift can meet the price.

At the time of Adam and Eve, God chose to provide the sacrifice. It was the first time that a life was given for a life. The first blood sacrifice. It was the first death in the garden. That is a serious message about separation from God, and that is the evidence of the cost for sin.

Romans 6:23a

The wages of sin is death.

Habbakuk 1:13

Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; you cannot tolerate wrongdoing.

When we have sin in our lives we have enslaved ourselves to sin. Ever notice how easy it is to say yes to sin after you say yes once?
Ever notice how difficult it is to say no once you’ve said yes?
Ever try to only take one bite of a decadent dessert, and not finish it once it is sitting in front of you? I have! on all accounts!

There is an awesome chapter about sin, and slavery to it.

Romans 6

When Adam and Eve sinned, they separated themselves from their relationship with God who would walk in the garden with them normally.

Genesis 3:

8 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden.
9 But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”
10 He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.”

Adam and Eve had never felt the need to hide from God before. Their disobedience (sin) separated them from a pure and free relationship with their creator.

The fact that God created a sacrifice for them or perform the sacrifice for them, shows how great was his desire to be in relationship with his creation. God paid the price on their behalf. Actually, He made the first sacrifice by creating them skins to cover their nakedness.

Genesis 3:21

21 The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them.

And Adam and Eve suffered the consequences of their choices.

Genesis 3:23-24

23 So the Lord God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken.
24 After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side[e] of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.

Adam and Eve were separated from the intimate relationship they had previously enjoyed with God.

~~~~~~~~~

Step One – He paved the way long before we were born;

Romans 5:7-9

7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die.
8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
9 Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!

Step Two – Recognize we are separated from God by our actions

Romans 3:10-12

10 As it is written:
“There is no one righteous, not even one;
11 there is no one who understands;
there is no one who seeks God.
12 All have turned away,
they have together become worthless;
there is no one who does good,
not even one.”

Step Three – We have to believe.

That is the first part of our part of the price. To believe.

Acts 16:30-31

30Then he brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, you and your household.”

It’s in the contract:

Mark 16:16

Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

Here’s the contract:

John 3:16-19

16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.
19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.

Acts 2:37-39

37 When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”
38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”

Acts 16:30-31

29 The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.”

John 3:36;

Unfortunately we don’t even have that much that we can give towards this purchase!

Ephesians 2:8-9

8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—
9 not by works, so that no one can boast.

Back to my analogy:

“The thing is, both parties need to want something from the other. Both parties have to agree upon the value of that item or service or relationship. If the price of one person’s belonging is higher than the other can pay, the owner has the ability to make or break the deal by adjusting, or making provision for the deal, or not. The person in the lesser position is at the mercy of the person with the more coveted belonging”.

We can’t even come up the down payment to believe that we are sinners and we need a savior.
We can’t even muster up the down payment of wanting to have a relationship with God.
God in His grace and mercy saw our poor, wretched selves, and not only did he pay the price with Jesus Christ on the cross, he gave us the ability to say “I want you in my life”.

The point of being able to trade with someone is that both of you have to want the trade. Both of you have to have something that the other one wants. Even if that something is a $20,000 car, and your other person is the car salesman. If you don’t have $20,000 in your account, you can’t buy that car. Sometimes, when the car dealer wants to sell the car to you bad enough, they will actually set up a loan in order for you to be able to pay in parts. It’s not your money that is paying for the car, because you didn’t have any. It is the car dealers money and they are asking you to pay it in steps.

We don’t have enough in our account to pay or earn or by our salvation. The Creator God wanted a relationship with us so badly, it had such value to him, that he chose to pay off our debt. That is salvation.

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—

He paid a debt He did not owe!

Faith through Grace. IT’S A GIFT!

Which brings me to Step Four – RECEIVE!

GIFT
The other person in a deal can GIFT the item to you. That is the other way a deal can be made!

What is our responsibility in the event of being offered a gift? RECEIVE!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

That will be Part 3 of Psalm 23 – MY

I’ll discuss receiving the gift, not receiving the gift, and the payment plan!
What does this have to do with my one word, prepare?
This is the beginning, the preparation work, the foundation stone for everything else in my life. I hope you will join me!

Team Wildman

Team Wildman

Thanks for joining me in this journey,
In His hands and under His wings,

~Christi

Ps 63:7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.

I want to thank

for the ability to search the Bible online.

“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’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.

2016 Word for the year – prepare – reviewing

I started this journey of a Word for the year in January.

I was given these four things:

And the first four things I’m to focus upon are

  • Faith
  • Foundations
  • Finances
  • Food

I started out meditating upon the foundations of my faith.

I meditated upon numbering our days – to realize the importance of every moment.

Then, as the foundation of family, founded in our faith – I meditated upon our marriage.

As February turned to March, we needed to focus upon our family by moving me to Ohio for three months to help our daughter and son-in-law out with their new baby, due early April.

Again, I spent Resurrection Sunday with Faith’s family, but my meditations turned to preparing for Christ’s Return.

There was much preparation to do for a temporary move to Ohio.
There was much preparation to do for several parties that I assisted with.
There was much preparation to do in readying the family for the newest child.
And, there were many memories made.

While there, I did work on the food aspects of preparation.
I did focus upon my faith, and how to implement that in my life and how to share that with our grandchildren.
Finances? well, that was sort of a fly by the seat of our pants type of thing.
It was not cheap to stay in a furnished apartment.
I did not follow a budget for the shower, birthday party, gifts or activities. I was given carte blanch.

Now, as we look to pay for another procedure for Jim, as well as pay off the costs of the visit to Ohio, we are also looking to focus on the finances.
I am again focusing upon the food issues.
We are leaning on the foundations of our faith.
And we are blessed that we have a family that loves us, and that we can spend time with.

The rest of this year, I will complete my meditations upon Psalm 23 – preparing to be with my shepherd, and his preparing for me.
I will complete my focus upon the foundations of my faith.
I have things in which to focus upon our family – friends, both near and far.

I just wanted to do a review, and see where I am for this year.

I was not prepared for all the things that happened this year – but God was.
I am probably not prepared for the things that will happen to me from this point on – but God is.

I’m often surprised by the topics of conversation that come up, but, I thank God that I have prepared before hand by hiding HIS word in my heart…and that HE prepared the things that come up before hand, and HE brings them to me when I am ready. Or in order to make me ready for the next event.

The foundation stone for preparing for whatever comes my way is having a living relationship with Jesus Christ.

Thank you for joining me this year…

Team Wildman

Team Wildman

Thanks for joining me in this journey,
In His hands and under His wings,
~Christi

Ps 63:7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.

I want to thank

for the ability to search the Bible online.

“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’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.

Naomi’s Heart Ministries

Obed’s House Ministries