Tag Archives: faith

Itty Bitty Bible Study – Ephesians 1:7-14

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.

IBBS Ephesians 1:3-6

note from previous post: 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.

Ephesians 1

Moving along in this very long sentence!

Ephesians 1:7-14

7 In him we have redemption through his blood,
the forgiveness of our trespasses,
according to the riches of his grace,
8 which he lavished upon us,
in all wisdom and insight
9 making known to us the mystery of his will,
according to his purpose,
which he set forth in Christ
10 as a plan for the fullness of time,
to unite all things in him,
things in heaven and things on earth.

11 In him we have obtained an inheritance,
having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will,
12 so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory.
13 In him you also,
when you heard the word of truth,
the gospel of your salvation,
and believed in him,
were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,
14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it,
to the praise of his glory.

IN HIM
Everything is IN HIM! – Remember!

  • vs 3 – blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing
  • vs 4 – he chose us in him
  • vs 5 – adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ(or, IN Jesus Christ)
  • vs 6 – to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.

And Paul continues – IN HIM!

7 In him we have redemption through his blood,
the forgiveness of our trespasses,
according to the riches of his grace,
8 which he lavished upon us,
in all wisdom and insight

 

EPHESIANS 1:7 AMP
7 In Him we have redemption [that is, our deliverance and salvation] through His blood, [which paid the penalty for our sin and resulted in] the forgiveness and complete pardon of our sin, in accordance with the riches of His grace

Remission through His blood

The forgiveness of sins

Grace

  • Colossians 1:13-14 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins
  • Ephesians 2:8-9 For it is by grace you have been saved,through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.

Additional verses

Ephesians 1:8‭-‬10 KJV

8 Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will,
according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:
10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ,
both which are in heaven,
and which are on earth; even in him:

Breaking this down:

8 (grace?)which He lavished on us. In all wisdom and understanding [with practical insight]

This seems to first refer to the grace in verse 7
Then…

…in all wisdom. And understanding…
He made known to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure,
which He purposed in Christ,
with regard to the fulfillment of the times [that is, the end of history, the climax of the ages]–
to bring all things together in Christ,
[both] things in the heavens and things on the earth.
EPHESIANS 1:9‭-‬10 AMP

  • Mystery of his will – He shares His secrets with us, like He shared His plans with Abraham!
  • According to his good pleasure – It is HIS PLEASURE to share with us!
  • Which he purposed in Christ – All things are IN CHRIST – and HE is intentional about His plans for us!
  • Regard to the fulfillment of the times – The End times…just like He shared with Abrahamm about Sodom and Gomorrah
  • To bring all things together in Christ – God’s purpose was always about reconciliation
  • In the heavens and on earth. – To be reunited with Him – to walk with Him, not in the garden like Adam and Eve, but in HIS home!

We have been given insight into the end of the story!
The story HE began at creation!

The study of end times is called eschatology. There are plenty of studies on eschatology…
I’ll link a few I like, here.

Back to the verses:

EPHESIANS 1:11‭-‬14 AMP
11 In Him also we have received an inheritance [a destiny–we were claimed by God as His own],
having been predestined (chosen, appointed beforehand)
according to the purpose of Him who works everything in agreement with the counsel and design of His will,
12 so that we who were the first to hope in Christ [who first put our confidence in Him as our Lord and Savior] would exist to the praise of His glory.
13 In Him, you also, when you heard the word of truth, the good news of your salvation, and [as a result] believed in Him, were stamped with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit [the One promised by Christ] as owned and protected [by God].
14 The Spirit is the guarantee [the first installment, the pledge, a foretaste] of our inheritance until the redemption of God’s own [purchased] possession [His believers], to the praise of His glory.

An inheritance – only heirs get an inheritance –
Predestined – chosen, planned for, known from before the foundations of the world…
vs 11 – According to his purpose who works everything in agreement with the counsel and design of His will – This points to Romans 8:28!

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good,[a] for those who are called according to his purpose.

and just for good measure –

Romans 8:29-30
29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

This ties in with Jeremiah 29:11

11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare[a] and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

 

This reminds me of what I was thinking in IBBS Ephesians 1:3-6

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.

we were chosen for his purpose

For we are God’s handiwork,
created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:10

Back to the verses – why? Why did God do all of this?

Ephesians 1:12 NIV

12 in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.

Referring to those that first believed…

13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation.

And it’s true for those of us that believed since then!


Ephesians 1:13 NIV
When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,

We’ve been marked..sealed…set aside for our protection – Revelation 7:3. similar to the blood on the doorposts at the time of the Exodus.(Exodus 12:23). Ezekiel talked about those that grieve over sin being marked in their forehead! (Ezekiel 9:4).
We are marked – as GOD’S OWN!!!

Ephesians 1:14AMP
(Holy Spirit)who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.The Spirit is the guarantee [the first installment, the pledge, a foretaste] of our inheritance until the redemption of God’s own [purchased] possession [His believers], to the praise of His glory.

When someone creates a will, the proof of the promise of the will is that document. In our case, the proof of our salvation is being filled with the Holy Spirit.
Until the end of the story, when we see redemption face to face.
Hebrews 11:1

We can’t see our salvation…but the Holy Spirit, in us, confirms it.

That leads me back toEphesians 2:8-9

We are Saved by grace through faith and that not of your own…it’s the gift of God

This all seems to go around and around…like a song that is building and building…

  • redemption
  • forgiveness
  • grace
  • wisdom
  • chosen
  • plan
  • inheritance
  • reconciliation

Move some of these around, and it’s the plan of salvation – focusing upon the glories of His love for us, and that we are created for HIS praise and glory.

Here’s how I drew it out:

 
I hope you enjoyed this…and here is a song that really put something in perspective:

There is a phrase – you didn’t want heaven without us, so you brought heaven down.
Because of HIS great love towards us…we have salvation.
Everything is because of HIS GREAT LOVE – and HE loves US!

Amen!

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.

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.

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 – Galatians 3:21-29

Galatians 3

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 Galatians 1:1-10; Galatians 1:11-24 & 2:1-10; Galatians 2:11-21; 3:1-9 and Galatians 3:10-20.

Here’s a few thoughts in review:

Galatians 3:20 mentions a mediator…of what?

The Amplified version reads:

20 Now the mediator or go-between [in a transaction] is not [needed] for just one party; whereas God is only one [and was the only One giving the promise to Abraham, but the Law was a contract between two, God and Israel; its validity depended on both].

Galatians 3:15- 19 talks about the difference between an inheritance and a promise. The link is for the Amplified version.

What was the promise?

Vs 14 – To the end that through their receiving Christ Jesus, the blessing promised to Abraham might come upon the Gentiles, so that we through faith might all receive the realization of the promise of the Holy Spirit

The law CANNOT annul the promise! vs 17.

What is the purpose of the Law?

Galatians 3:19 AMP
19 Why, then, the Law [what was its purpose]? It was added [after the promise to Abraham, to reveal to people their guilt] because of transgressions [that is, to make people conscious of the sinfulness of sin], and [the Law] was ordained through angels and delivered to Israel by the hand of a mediator [Moses, the mediator between God and Israel, to be in effect] until the Seed would come to whom the promise had been made.

Abraham came first. Genesis 22:18
Adam and Eve were given a promise before that! Genesis 3:15

“And I will put enmity (open hostility)
Between you and the woman,
And between your seed (offspring) and her [e]Seed;
He shall [fatally] bruise your head,
And you shall [only] bruise His heel.”

There was NO nation of Israel…until Israel had his twelve children, they went into captivity, and Moses brought them out.
Then, God gave the law. Not just between him, and a man and his family…but between him, his ambassador(Moses) and his people – Israel.
The Law did NOT Annul the Promise.
And God is faithful to His promise.

Galatians 3:21 Is the law then contrary to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could give life, then righteousness would indeed be by the law.

AMP 21 Is the Law then contrary to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a system of law had been given which could impart life, then righteousness (right standing with God) would actually have been based on law.

Romans 6 has something to say about this, as well as the rest of the Bible – yet we know that this is a facetious question. The answer is implied…and then, explained!

Galatians 2:11-21 discussed the importance of grace for our salvation!
Galatians 3:1-9 talked about being saved like Abraham – by FAITH!
Galatians 3:10-20 discussed what the difference is between being saved by law(NOT) or Faith by grace!

And Paul is going over it again!

Galatians 3:22 But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.
23 Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed.
24 So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith.

Amplified:
22 But the Scripture(my word – LAW) has imprisoned everyone [everything—the entire world] under sin, so that [the inheritance, the blessing of salvation] which was promised through faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe [in Him and acknowledge Him as God’s precious Son].

THE Law showed us prideful folk that WE NEED A SAVIOR! We cannot attain to the standards of a HOLY God on our own…and HE knew that! But, the law, like all laws, are for our protection and our training.

Galatians 3:25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian,
26 for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith.
27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.

REMEMBER???

Galatians 3:7-9
7 Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham.
8 And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.”
9 So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.

What does being Abraham’s offspring mean?
We are heirs according to the promise!

And what is that promise?

Romans 4:13
For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith.

HEIRS WITH CHRIST!

Romans 8:14-17
14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”
16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,
17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

HOW?

Romans 10
10:4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.
10:5 For Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on the law, that the person who does the commandments shall live by them.

 

Romans 10:8-13
8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim);
9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.
11 For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.”
12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him.
13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

These scriptures touch on believing, trust, faith, confession(Romans 10) and baptism(Gal 3:27).

In case we start thinking that this is on us again…

Ephesians 2:8-9
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,
9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Titus 3:6-7
6 This is the Spirit He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior,
7 so that, having been justified by His grace, we would become heirs with the hope of eternal life.

Galatians 3:6-9
6 just as Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”?
7 Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham.
8 And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify[a] the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.”
9 So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.

Saved by grace, through faith – the gift of God.
Made heirs to the promise.
The promise being eternal life!

Being a son – daughter – that is the focus of Galatians 4!

Want to see my scribbles?

Galatians 3 – 10-29

2009 IBBS Galatians 3
Now, on to 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 3:10-20

Galatians 3

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 Galatians 1:1-10; Galatians 1:11-24 & 2:1-10; Galatians 2:11-21; 3:1-9 and now,

Galatians 3:10-20.

The Righteous Shall Live by Faith(title from the ESV Bible)
Galatians 3:10-12 – Do you rely on the works of the Law?

Galatians 3:10 For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.”
11 Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.”
12 But the law is not of faith, rather “The one who does them shall live by them.” Habakkuk 2:4

The New Living Translation says Galatians 3:10- 11:

10 But those who depend on the law to make them right with God are under his curse, for the Scriptures say, “Cursed is everyone who does not observe and obey all the commands that are written in God’s Book of the Law.”
11 So it is clear that no one can be made right with God by trying to keep the law. For the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.

God’s Word Translation phrases it:

10 Certainly, there is a curse on all who rely on their own efforts to live according to a set of standards because Scripture says, “Whoever doesn’t obey everything that is written in Moses’ Teachings is cursed.”
11 No one receives God’s approval by obeying the law’s standards since, “The person who has God’s approval will live by faith.”

This refers back to Galatians 1:6-9
Especially verses

8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed.
9 As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.

And Galatians 2:16

16 yet we know that a person is not justified[a] by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.

Danger Danger!
I touched on the danger of the law in IBBS Galatians 2:11-21

Deuteromony 27:26 In New Living Translation to make it clear what is said:

‘Cursed is anyone who does not affirm and obey the terms of these instructions.’ And all the people will reply, ‘Amen.’

Youngs Literal Translation says it this way:

Cursed is he who doth not establish the words of this law, to do them, — and all the people have said, Amen.

Jeremiah was told:

Jeremiah 11:3-5
3 You shall say to them, Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Cursed be the man who does not hear the words of this covenant 4 that I commanded your fathers when I brought them out of the land of Egypt, from the iron furnace, saying, Listen to my voice, and do all that I command you. So shall you be my people, and I will be your God, 5 that I may confirm the oath that I swore to your fathers, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey, as at this day.” Then I answered, “So be it, Lord.”

Even Jesus explained the power and importance of the Law this way:

Matthew 5:18-20
18 For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.
19 Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

 

Trusting in the law is Not a good idea!
BECAUSE No one is justified by the law!

Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, 

But God! God had/has a plan!

Romans 6:23 but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Back to Galatians 3:13-14

Galatians 3:13
13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”—
14 so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.

 

REDEEMED!!!

TO ME, THIS IS THE GOSPEL!!!

Isaiah 53:1-6
1 Who has believed what he has heard from us?
And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
2 For he grew up before him like a young plant,
and like a root out of dry ground;
he had no form or majesty that we should look at him,
and no beauty that we should desire him.
3 He was despised and rejected by men,
a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief;
and as one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
4 Surely he has borne our griefs
and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed him stricken,
smitten by God, and afflicted.
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions;
he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with his wounds we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray;
we have turned—every one—to his own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.

2 Corinthians 5:18-19
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. And He has committed to us the message of reconciliation.

Romans 4:7-8
7 “Blessed are those whose iniquities are forgiven, whose sins are covered;
8 Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him.”

THE GIFT OF GOD IS ETERNAL LIFE!

Romans 6:23 but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

HOW?

Ephesians 2:8-10
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,
9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

IN CHRIST!

Galatians 2:20
I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

This is along the same lines that Martin Luther declared his change of heart – and desire for the church to recognize scripture(he never wanted to leave the Catholic Church).Nathan Bingham discuses Justification by Faith, and Martin Luther’s revelation about Romans 1:17.

15 So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome.
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”

Paul wrote Romans.
The Gospel that he proclaims is that the just shall live by faith – faith imparted, imputed to us, through the death burial and resurrection, depending upon our response to hearing the gospel. If we respond in faith –
it is counted to us a righteousness!

New Living Translation:

Genesis 15:6
And Abram believed the LORD, and the LORD counted him as righteous because of his faith.

Thank you Lord Jesus for saving my soul! And all that the comment implies!

MORE of Romans!

Romans 5:6-11
6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.
7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—
8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.
11 More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

When my heart thinks on this, I know that God loves me! WHILE I WAS STILL A SINNER!
~~~~

I’ve included a lot of Romans.
There is a very easy way that I understand the plan of Salvation, and it’s called the Romans Road.
It is verses through Romans that take a person down the path to understand the steps of salvation.
It is NOT law! It is just a compilation of verse to make it easy to understand!
I appreciate GotQuestions.org for providing this!

I share my steps in My Testimony!

~~~~
The Law and the Promise(title by ESV)

Galatians 3:15 To give a human example, brothers: even with a man-made covenant, no one annuls it or adds to it once it has been ratified.
16 Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, “And to offsprings,” referring to many, but referring to one, “And to your offspring,” who is Christ.
17 This is what I mean: the law, which came 430 years afterward, does not annul a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to make the promise void.
18 For if the inheritance comes by the law, it no longer comes by promise; but God gave it to Abraham by a promise.

There are many references to the legal aspects of the law – and here, Paul is explaining, as only a very well trained Judaic lawyer can, that Abraham’s promise was to have ONE come from him to deliver us all.

Galatians 3:19 Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made, and it was put in place through angels by an intermediary.
20 Now an intermediary implies more than one, but God is one.

I have grown to understand this a little better after becoming a mom. Even since working with children in child care.
Children NEED rules – for their safety – yes, but also to teach them.

DON’T TOUCH THE STOVE
Why not?
IT’S HOT!
What’s hot?
DON’T TOUCH THE STOVE!
….OWWWWWWWW, MOMMMY!
I SAID, DON’T TOUCH THE STOVE, IT’S HOT!
Then, the child learns by experience that touching the stove was hot, what hot meant, and why mommy had a rule. Not following the rules can cause pain!
The outcome is that once the child is able to rule themselves, they no longer touch the stove…on purpose!

This is how I understand the concept of the Law – it was to teach the Hebrews what things were not good for them.
The cleansing rituals? Protected them from many diseases that other tribes and nations died from.
The clean and unclean? Many of the foods were more apt to have toxins or parasites in them, that killed other nations.
Why did Israel have these rules and others suffer without them? Because Abraham chose to follow God! And he taught his family. And they taught theirs.
Sadly, historically, Jews have been persecuted for their being protected, health wise, financially, and other ways. Those that suffered saw that the Jews did not suffer, and decided that they were either stealing from them, or were putting curses on them, causing the diseases, or whatever. It is so hard for the human to accept responsibility for their own choices, and so easy to point the finger to those that have made choices that bring them blessings. It’s so easy for humans to cry “no fair”, when they do not want to play by the rules in the first place.

The law was given as a teacher, as a guide.
That is the rest of Galatians 3!

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 3:1-9

Galatians 3

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

Galatians 3:1 O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified.

Amplified:
O you foolish
and
thoughtless
and
superficial
Galatians,
who has bewitched you [that you would act like this],
to whom—right before your very eyes—Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified [in the gospel message]?

Scathing!!!

WHO! Bewitched!
Definition:

  • cast a spell on and gain control over (someone) by magic.
    “his relatives were firmly convinced that he was bewitched”
    synonyms: cast/put a spell on, enchant;
  • enchant and delight (someone).
    “they both were bewitched by the country and its culture”
    synonyms: captivate, enchant, entrance, enrapture, charm, beguile, delight, fascinate, enthrall
    “we were bewitched by the surroundings”

Strongs(Blue Letter Bible Resource) (G940) defines it:

  1. to speak ill of one, to slander, traduce him
  2. to bring evil on one by feigning praise or an evil eye
  3. to charm, to bewitch

Thayers Greek Lexicon explains this word:
“of those that lead away others into error by wicked arts”

Witches were not looked upon favorably!
Leviticus 20:27 A man also or woman that hath a familiar spirit, or that is a wizard, shall surely be put to death: they shall stone them with stones: their blood [shall be] upon them.
Exodus 22:18 Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.
Revelation in 21:8 and 22:15 place witchcraft and sorcery outside of the Kingdom of Heaven.
King Saul is said to have died for seeking the insights of a witch in 1 Chronicles 10:13-14

Paul says in Galatians 1:8-9

8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed.
9 As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.

He is coming from his understanding of the old testament – the Jewish Bible – witchcraft is a destructive force! He is using very strong language, and stating that they should be accursed is just agreeing with God’s words!

Witchcraft is idolotry – and God does not look kindly upon idolotry:
Exodus 20:1

And God spoke all these words, saying,
2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.
3 “You shall have no other gods before me.
4 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.
5 You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me,
6 but showing steadfast love to thousands[b] of those who love me and keep my commandments.

Somewhere around 2001, I wrote a web page on Eclectic, dealing with Witchcraft.

1 John 4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

The books of John – First, Second and Third – speak a lot about how to test the spirits.
Jesus warned us of False Prophets –

Matthew 7:15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.

Jesus warned us that the closer to the time he returns(and we are closer now than in Peter, James and John’s day) the more danger there will be: Matthew 24:

3 As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”
4 And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray.
5 For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray.

11 And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray.
12 And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold.

23 Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There he is!’ do not believe it.
24 For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.
25 See, I have told you beforehand.
26 So, if they say to you, ‘Look, he is in the wilderness,’ do not go out. If they say, ‘Look, he is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it.

This cry of Paul’s to the Galatians is as important to us today as it was in the first century.
And, between he and John(as well as the written gospels which give us Christ’s words) – we can KNOW how to beware of the bewitching of false prophets.

2 Timothy 4
1 I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom:
2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.
3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions,
4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.
5 As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

Paul even warned the Corinthians!

2 Corinthians 11:3-4
3 But I am afraid that, even as the serpent beguiled Eve by his cunning, your minds may be corrupted and led away from the simplicity of [your sincere and] pure devotion to Christ.
4 For [you seem willing to allow it] if one comes and preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted. You tolerate all this beautifully [welcoming the deception].

I’m not sure if the Galatians were as aware of the seriousness of this accusation, but I do know that Paul is going to try to lay it out for them. I’m glad, because I know that I become a little jew – leaning on rules – to not have to seek God’s face for answers. I KNOW, because of Paul’s writings, that I do not want to fall again into the darkness of the law, rules, and works. I KNOW I do not want to be judged by them! Paul’s writings are deep, wide, and thick. Let’s dive in.

Galatians 3
3:2 Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith?
3 Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?
4 Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain?
5 Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith—

I have to keep floating between versions, and the one that helps me the most is the Amplified.

Galatians 3:2-5 AMP
2 This is all I want to ask of you: did you receive the [Holy] Spirit as the result of obeying [the requirements of] the Law, or was it the result of hearing [the message of salvation and] with faith [believing it]?
3 Are you so foolish and senseless? Having begun [your new life by faith] with the Spirit, are you now being perfected and reaching spiritual maturity by the flesh [that is, by your own works and efforts to keep the Law]?
4 Have you suffered so many things and experienced so much all for nothing—if indeed it was all for nothing?
5 So then, does He who supplies you with His [marvelous Holy] Spirit and works miracles among you, do it as a result of the works of the Law [which you perform], or because you [believe confidently in the message which you] heard with faith?

How did you receive the Holy Spirit?
Did He show up because you were doing good works?
Or did you HEAR the preaching, and believe it – and received it!

Romans 10:17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

Ephesisans 2:8-9AMP
8 For it is by grace [God’s remarkable compassion and favor drawing you to Christ] that you have been saved [actually delivered from judgment and given eternal life] through faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [not through your own effort], but it is the [undeserved, gracious] gift of God;
9 not as a result of [your] works [nor your attempts to keep the Law], so that no one will [be able to] boast or take credit in any way [for his salvation].

The point is, if there is any way that our works can save us, then Christ’s death is in vain!

Galatians 2:21 AMP
21 I do not ignore or nullify the [gracious gift of the] grace of God [His amazing, unmerited favor], for if righteousness comes through [observing] the Law, then Christ died needlessly. [His suffering and death would have had no purpose whatsoever.]”

I want to follow closely the true Gospel – because Hebrews 6:4-6 puts the fear of God into my heart:

4 For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit,
5 and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come,
6 and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt.

Hebrews 10:26-27
26 For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,
27 but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries.

In this last day – nearer to the end of the age – I want to make sure that I cling to the right gospel! To trust in works is to nullify, negate, or diminish the work of Christ on the cross.
On this web site, if one does a search for the tag grace, you will find many many blogs that I have tagged grace over the years. It is by GRACE! I am saved!

Romans 7 explains the purpose of the Law – Paul explains the struggle.
He concludes this chapter crying out:

Romans 7:24-25
24 Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?
25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.

Apparently the Galatians had ‘suffered’ many things on behalf of the gospel – whether dying to the flesh personally, or actually having persecution. Paul asks them basically – is it worth it to go back to being a slave to the law? Was that the price you were wanting to pay?
We are asked to count the cost…is that gospel worth that price?

Galatians 3:6-9
AMP –
6 Just as Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness, [as conformity to God’s will and purpose—so it is with you also].

ESV
6 just as Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”?

Abraham?

I’m going to try this…I hope it works!
The Bible Guy at The Bible Helper shares a power point on Abraham!

I’m going to cut Galatians short here – because there is something that Paul is trying to say…

EVEN as ABRAHAM believed GOD!
THAT faith is what was counted to HIM as righteousness!

Where did Abraham come from?

From Adam to Noah – Genesis 5
Noah’s Grandfather was Methuselah. LONGEST LIVING HUMAN!
Enoch was his Great Grandfather. HE WALKED WITH GOD!
This is the ancestry of SHEM!

Thanks to Knowing Jesus – here is a list of scriptures about Abraham, his family and his descendants.

Genesis 11 gives us the whole lineage, following the Tower of Babel.

Noah believed God – AND BUILT AN ARK FOR A FLOOD!

Heb 11:7 By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.

SHEM! The son of Noah!
Shem RODE IN THE ARK!Genesis 6; Genesis 9; Genesis 10

Abraham descended from Shem, and is one of the heroes of the faith!
Genesis 11:26-32 give the snapshot of Abraham’s Beginning in the Bible.

Hebrews 11:8-10
8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.
9 By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise.
10 For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.

The key here is Hebrews 11:6

6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

Jesus asks at the end of a parable:

Luke 18:8b
Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”

2 Chronicles 16:9
For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him. You have done foolishly in this, for from now on you will have wars.”

How is a heart blameless(or other versions say perfect) towards God?

Deuteronomy 6:5
You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.

Deuteronomy 4:29
But from there you will seek the LORD your God and you will find him, if you search after him with all your heart and with all your soul.

Matthew 22:36-39
36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

Also in Mark 12:29-31;

This passage is interestingly titled “Circumcise your Heart”

Deuteronomy 10:12-15
12 “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul,
13 and to keep the commandments and statutes of the Lord, which I am commanding you today for your good?

How?

Psalm 119:9
BETH. Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.

Psalm 119:11
Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

And what were those commands?

Luke 10:26-28

26 “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”
27 He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

Matthew 22:37-38
37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment.

AND

John 13:34-35
34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

AND

Micah 6:8
He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

AND

James 1:27
Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.

And now we are right back at the beginning!
How did we receive the Holy Spirit? By works or by faith?

Ephesians 2:8-9
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

And that is only because:

Galatians 2:20
I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

2 Corinthians 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 through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation;
19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.

Ephesians 2
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.

10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Our salvation IS ALL A WORK OF GOD!
Yes, we have freewill.
Yes, we have to receive Him, and believe –
but that very ability is a gift from God!
The downside is that we can say no –
or we can follow “another” gospel:

Galatians 1:6-7
6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—
7 not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.

Oh Father God, let us NOT be bewitched by the false teachings of this current age.
Oh Father God, deliver us from evil!
Oh Father God, open our eyes that we might see clearly!
Oh Father God, make the “tickling ears” teachings ring so false in our ears, because we have hidden YOUR word in our hearts, and we have been like Bereans and searched out the scriptures, and we love you with our WHOLE heart!
In Jesus’s precious name, I Pray!
Amen.

Itty Bitty Bible Study On Galatians 1:1-10
IBBS on Galatians 1:11-24 & 2:1-10
IBBS on Galatians 2:11-21

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!
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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.

Itty Bitty Bible Study – Ruth 1

My thoughts for the Itty Bitty Bible Study group on Facebook.

Ruth 1

First is the background for the Story of Ruth!

Ruth 1:1-2
1 In the days when the judges ruled,[a] there was a famine in the land. So a man from Bethlehem in Judah, together with his wife and two sons, went to live for a while in the country of Moab. 2 The man’s name was Elimelek, his wife’s name was Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Kilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem, Judah. And they went to Moab and lived there.

  • Famine.
  • With two sons.
  • And no hope.
  • This was not supposed to be a permanent decision! “For a while”.
  • But the plans did not happen as they had planned!

3 Now Elimelek, Naomi’s husband, died, and she was left with her two sons.

How many mothers plan for their husband to die before them, much less, leave them with TWO sons?

4 They married Moabite women, one named Orpah and the other Ruth. After they had lived there about ten years, 5 both Mahlon and Kilion also died, and Naomi was left without her two sons and her husband.

TEN years – this is such a drop in a bucket in a life. Yet, so much happened so fast in Naomi’s life! Famine, Husband dies, two sons die – and in the middle of this, her sons marry outside of the faith! Nothing is looking right for Naomi!

6 When Naomi heard in Moab that the Lord had come to the aid of his people by providing food for them, she and her daughters-in-law prepared to return home from there. 7 With her two daughters-in-law she left the place where she had been living and set out on the road that would take them back to the land of Judah.

About now, I’d be thinking – “Now what if I’d stayed in Bethlehem in the first place??? Would Elimelek still be here? What about my two sons? Would I have righteous daughters-in-law?”
I would be scared to take the road back to the land of Judah, but, I’d be scared not to! I’d be thinking I need to start all over, and maybe I can find some family that will help me out. There’s laws in Israel that take care of widows!

The thing is, she had TWO daughters-in-law!

“Go back, each of you, to your mother’s home. May the Lord show you kindness, as you have shown kindness to your dead husbands and to me. 9 May the Lord grant that each of you will find rest in the home of another husband.”

These girls had been her daughters for about 10 years. They shared grief. They apparently did not provide children for her sons, but, they loved her. And she loved them enough to want to set them free, free to their own homes, with their own families, with their own faith. Free to have a new life.

Orpah said ok, but Ruth said NO WAY!

Ruth’s Song!

16 But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you.
Where you go I will go, and
where you stay I will stay.
Your people will be my people and
your God my God.
17 Where you die I will die, and
there I will be buried.
May the Lord deal with me,
be it ever so severely,
if even death separates you and me.”
18 When Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her.

Why was Ruth so determined? Did she not have a home to go back to? Or had she seen the faith of Namoi, and decided to hook her wagon to Naomi’s God? This verse has been used in marriage ceremonies for generations, and yet, it is the statement of a young woman for her MOTHER-IN-LAW! One that may not have approved of her in the beginning. One that had nothing to offer her, and yet, Ruth devoted herself to the care of her mother-in-law. This is beautiful. This was my standard for my relationship with MY mother-in-law, though things didn’t work out as I’d hoped. This is a beautiful example of Love…selfless love(and I don’t mean that I was an example!). This should be our example, our goal, for our relationship with our mother-in-law. Or, just to be like Ruth!

19 So the two women went on until they came to Bethlehem. When they arrived in Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred because of them, and the women exclaimed, “Can this be Naomi?”
20 “Don’t call me Naomi,” she told them. “Call me Mara, because the Almighty has made my life very bitter. 21 I went away full, but the Lord has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi? The Lord has afflicted me; the Almighty has brought misfortune upon me.”

Depression takes on many forms. Grief can lead to depression, and grief upon grief upon grief is hard to overcome. In addition to her husband and sons, she had also lost a daughter, even though she’d given her the freedom to go. She returned to Bethlehem with nothing to show for leaving. The famine in her heart was far greater than the famine that was in the land when they left.

22 So Naomi returned from Moab accompanied by Ruth the Moabite, her daughter-in-law, arriving in Bethlehem as the barley harvest was beginning.

Famine – is it WRONG to go somewhere else during a famine?
Abraham when to Egypt – to escape a famine.
Joseph called his family to come to Egypt during a famine.
Is it wrong to try to get away from trials? We are promised a way of escape. (1 Cor 10:13)

Why are there famines?
In several instances, famine is a judgement.
Even in Judgement – famine is utilized by God to MOVE people!

Psalm 33:18-22
18 Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him, On those who hope for His lovingkindness, 19To deliver their soul from deathAnd to keep them alive in famine.
20 Our soul waits for the LORD; He is our help and our shield. 21For our heart rejoices in Him, Because we trust in His holy name.

Psalm 37:18-19
The LORD knows the days of the blameless, And their inheritance will be forever. 19They will not be ashamed in the time of evil, And in the daysof famine they will have abundance.

In this case, whether Ebimielech was lacking in faith, scared, or actually heard from the Lord to go to Moab – this choice laid into motion a Moabitess as a the grandmother of King David, and an ancestor to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Jeremiah 29:11 says

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

And
Jeremiah 29:12 says:

Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.

It would seem that in my life, sometimes God allows famines to move me to my knees!
He has a plan for me.

  • But I need to get on board,
  • call upon HIM,
  • come to HIM,
  • pray to HIM –
  • humble myself….

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

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.

  • Naomi is humbled.
  • Naomi has cried out to God.
  • Naomi has returned to the place of her birth, and the place of the birth of her faith.
  • God will lift her up!

Here is what I hear about my responsibility if I am in a famine:

James 1:2-8
2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,
3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.
4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.
7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;
8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

If I truly believe what this book talks about, I believe that God has a plan, and that HE will orchestrate whatever needs to be done in order to help me make the proper choices for HIS good will in MY life.

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? – yeah, right!

This contains many photos of our trip for surgery.

In January, the Lord gave me this word to meditate upon this year.
Prepare

In 2014, we weren’t prepared to deal with cancer.
We chose a procedure that had a 98% cure rate…as in, no recurrence. It is called HIFU.
At that time, it was not approved in the United States.
In 2015, February, we made out of pocket, traveled to Cancun, Mexico, to receive this state of the art procedure to treat Prostate cancer.
January 2016, the PSA let us know that we were not in the 98%.
So, we started to research options.
From January, to August, the PSA rose from 1.7 to 5.6. In the last few months, it doubled. It was time to do something, but, what?

By now, the procedure had been FDA approved, but not insurance covered. So, still out of pocket. In the meantime, I started doing intense research on the prostate, and what nutritional options would strengthen Jim’s body to fight off this enemy.
~~~~~~~~~

James 1:14 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:
15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.
16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

~~~~~~~~~
In September, We went to see the doctor and obtain biopsies in order to make sure that we have all the options for any future need for cancer treatments.
We were told that November 29th was the date that was open. We were waiting for confirmation, and working to handle our money in order to pay for this procedure.

In addition to choosing to repeat the HIFU, we wanted to get a second opinion for the cancer treatment – and we went through the process of setting up a visit to Cancer Treatment Centers of America, their prostate division based in Atlanta.

We were scheduled for August 17-21. We would be flown in, and see the medical team Thursday, Friday, then stay over the weekend, and get the final recommendations on Monday. We were working with the travel team, the medical information team and everyone at that center.

One week before our trip, we spoke with the Nurse Navigator. We discussed the HIFU done in February 2015, and let her know that we were planning on doing a repeat to eradicate the remission.
She took our information to the medical director who then said that we were not a good fit for their program.
Why?
Jim had not jumped up on a surgery table when his PSA was at 5 when he was 50.
Jim had undergone HIFU without biopsies, based upon Dr. Wheeler’s explanation of Prostate Cancer development, and because of the incidence of track back metastisis at the site of biopsies.
We based it upon a specialized MRI system that indicated the dubious nature of the mass – even though it was in a very difficult place to be found by biopsies.
We did not follow the CTCA procedure. Of course not, we weren’t their patient! So, they denied us the opportunity to ask questions about traditional treatments, to talk with naturopath and nutritionist about how to combat the side effects, and to strengthen Jim’s body to fight cancer.

This was like a punch in the stomach. We didn’t know what the Lord was up to, but at least we knew that we were not going to go to Atlanta.
Then, fires around Atlanta. The city was dealing with the smoke just as we were going to be there. That seemed like a good enough reason for God to change that plan. I don’t do well in smoke filled areas.

Every good gift comes from the Father of Lights…

We went ahead and sent part of the downpayment for Jim’s treatment at the end of November, and we were working on obtaining other funding. I even was a bit rough on Doc about the date…when??? November 29th, but many things need to be orchestrated – please be patient. That was the conversation on Wednesday, November 16.

Friday, November 18, before noon, we got the call that the place had been set up, and we were scheduled for Sunday, November 20. At 9am. WHAT?!?! So, we cleared out schedules, and left for St. Augustine on Friday evening. I had just unpacked my suitcase from my plans to be in Boston. Now, I just had to put those clothes back into the suitcase! I threw most of next weeks groceries I’d just purchased into the freezer!

If we had gone to Atlanta as planned, for the CTCA consult, we would not have been available for this opening! We would have been sitting around Atlanta watching the forest burn, instead of burning out the cancer.

We arrived into the hotel in St. Augustine Beach around 8. We ate at Wendy’s because it was so late.

 

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Saturday, November 19, I woke up barely able to keep back tears. I did not have any peace about the procedure, but Jim was freaking out enough that I needed to stay calm.
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We had breakfast at a local eatery, and Jim started on his clear liquid diet.

 

We did have to find some clear liquid options – which ended up being cartons of bone broth and green jello.

Mostly, Jim drank water. water. water.

First, we explored Palatka.

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This is where the specialists have their out patient clinic, and more importantly,
the Ablatherm HIFU machine.

 

But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. Isaiah 53:5

We traveled around St Augustine, took photos, and just basically spent time enjoying each other.

Fort Matanzas,

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Crescent Beach – just across the road.

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We had not been in the hotel very long when we got the call that the anesthesiologist had been called back home, and that the procedure was canceled for Sunday. “Go ahead and eat some supper, breakfast tomorrow, then clear liquids again after 10, and nothing by mouth after midnight. You are scheduled for noon on Monday.”
I guess God wanted a different anesthesiologist for the procedure.

Exodus 31 – God set apart specific ones for specific giftings

We went to Applebees, because of the burgers.

Romans 8:28
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[a] have been called according to his purpose.
29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.
30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified

 

It was so beautiful out, that we took a walk along this St Augustine Beach community.(Christmas lights at the beach)

street view

street view

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dock

dock

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We walked out on the dark, and looked at the stars!

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Then we finished our Christmas Lights walk!
 

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We returned to the frog place for breakfast. Jim really enjoyed their omelet.

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Then, we  spent Sunday driving around, enjoying the sights, and each other.

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Monday morning, enemas, and take off for Palatka, Florida.
I was very nervous, very sensitive – and I felt like I was going to fall into a crying fit at any minute. But I needed to be strong for Jim.
As we were waiting, with Jim in the spiffy paper gown,

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we overheard the conversation between the engineer and the doctor about the machine. A cable was not working correctly on the machine. The one that connected the ultrasound to the HIFU machine was dead. It had been working just fine on Saturday. It’s canceled for mechanical reasons.

What? Ok.
“Better before than during” – Jim said, after he took a moment.

“the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”Philippians 4:7.

Nerves?
Yes.
Disappointed?
Completely.
Confused?
You bet.

Jim’s comment:

It’s really futile to complain that something is not going right when you are listening to “The Sovereignty of God” by AW Pink

How’s this for preparation – I had brought my medicines for up to one extra day, through Tuesday. I will run out Tuesday evening, and Wednesday morning. Oops. I know I heard a voice in my head telling me to fill in the whole medicine container! I didn’t listen. “I’ll be home – there’s no way that we would be here past Tuesday!” Yeah, Right! Another lesson to LISTEN!

We took another drive.

So, today(I wrote this while waiting for him during the surgery), Tuesday, enemas again. Jim should be very cleaned out by now!

At 9am, we arrived at the clinic again.
The office nurse is not here.
The office doctor came in, then left, and did not unlock the medicine cabinet.
Whew. I’m not telling Jim what I’ve overheard this time.
Jim’s snapping – and who can blame him? He’s not angry, he’s just very guarded. He’s so tired. Very hungry. Tired of drinking bone broth and eating jello!
More nervous than he was any of the previous days. And again, who can blame him?
Jim went out for a walk, and I was not sure if he would come back in.

I found the gown for him this time.
I found the chux to put under him on the chair.
I’ve sat watching the doc, the technician, the anesthesiolgist looking through the cabinets and such in this office. I have heard the doctor say that he didn’t have the catheters that he is used to using.
And then, I was asked to go sit in the waiting room. Of course, that is probably better for me anyway, because I could hear almost everything that they were saying. Now, they could have closed additional doors, but, I was struggling between being able to know what was going on, and being somewhere peaceful!

Prepare for this? HOW?
Be wrapped in the word of God.
Jim played some scripture music as we were on our way here.
I’m focusing on the scriptures while I’m waiting.

Storms?
This feels like a hurricane that just keeps swirling around and coming back and hitting again.
And each time, I feel weaker – and yet, maybe this feeling of being resigned to the Lord’s hand, is exactly where I need to be.
Waiting in the palm of God’s hand.

I met the couple that are going after Jim. Mike and Sandy Norris.
A very sweet couple.
We discussed how we all got here.
We discussed how we believed that God’s hand was in these delays.
I’m so grateful for Christians to sit with.

Post Procedure

  • He had much difficulty with the intubation – almost called off the procedure.
    If not for the new anesthesiologist – this would have been canceled.
  • Jim was difficult to wake up – if not for this very skilled anesthesiologist, we may have ended up at the hospital across the street.
  • Jim could not have the same type of catheter…the had to have one through his abdomen.
    If not for the experienced Doctor, this could have been a serious complication.
  • Considering the stress of all the delays, Jim’s blood pressure remained safe.
    His oxygen even remained 98 and above!

Jim has some wins as well.

Jim was not happy with the placement of the catheter, but, when one is under anesthesia, one cannot understand all the things the doctor explains.

The upside is that the doctor said that he was able to do everything that he wanted to do and that the tissue responded so well, just melting instantly, that he didn’t even go around to do some other areas that were ‘just in case’.
Now, it’s a different type of recovery than the first time. But recover, we shall!

I’m trying to finish this the following week.
To be honest, we are still struggling, which is why this blog is a week late.

The doctor that was supposed to follow up with Jim, and in fact, talked to him on Wednesday, giving him great calming advice, decided on Monday that Jim was not a candidate for his practice.
WHAT? We were just IN his clinic! He’d been talking to us, and gave Jim his cell phone number! And talked to him on said cell phone!

Disappointed?
Yeah!
Confused?
Completely.
Jim was completely frustrated, potentially angry, but I was not with him, because my leg had given out.

Same day – I found out that my pain doctor may not take me back because I’d rescheduled 2 appointments over the last year, and cancelled one. Not one no show…but, still, I was told that she could not schedule me until he looked over my chart and decided he still wanted me for a patient. WHAT? now it’s wrong to reschedule or cancel appointments?

Angry?
you bet.
And I fell apart.
I was trying very hard not to cry as I went in to see my doctor, and ask for pain meds!

I did get in to see my PCP, and she gave me a new medicine for the pain in my hip. One that will not have the side effects that the previous one had. Surprise? IT WORKS BETTER THAN THE OTHER ONE WITH A PAIN PILL! No pain pills! No pain! And sleep, precious sleep.

How do you prepare for surprises?
You put your faith in the Lord, and you dwell on His word, and you join together, and remind each other that we are a team, Jim, me and God.

Isaiah 54:17
No weapon formed against you shall prosper,
And every tongue which rises against you in judgment
You shall condemn.
This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord,
And their righteousness is from Me,”
Says the Lord.

I found this devotional on Isaiah 54:17 by James MacDonald
It reminds me of everything that I believe about God walking with us through storms.

no-weapon-formed-resized
And another devotional about preparing for warfare came with this graphic above. From ChristiansTT, it teaches about warfare in prayer.

The point is, just because we don’t know the answer – our faith tells us that we know the ONE that holds the ANSWER in His hand.
If we did not believe this – we would not be where we are today.
We would both be locked up in a hospital for not being able to think straight!

  • Our lives are not perfect, but we live in the One Who is.
  • they are riddled with sin, but woven with mercy.
  • they are encumbered with guilt, but awash with grace.
  • they are surrounded with storms, but enveloped with his words “Peace, be still”.
  • HE holds us together…without the Love of God through Jesus Christ – we would not be able to handle the storms.

Our Father, Who art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy Kingdom come,
Thy will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
Lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the Kingdom,
and the Power
and the Glory,
Forever.
Amen.

We celebrated Thanksgiving by giving thanks that the Lord is in His house, and in our hearts.
We celebrate Advent, by remembering that many before us have waited to see God’s hand move on their behalf.
We will celebrate Christmas, by thanking the Creator of the Universe for choosing to give of Himself to win us back to Him.
My studies in Prepare this year have been very appropriate.
My studies in Psalm 23 have been very personal.
My heart is that you will be blessed by something in my life stories.

Thank you for sharing them with 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.

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 – when you can’t prepare! 

In the last 18 months,  my husband and I have been walking a path that we were not prepared for.  How do you prepare for hearing the “C” word, when there are no noticeable symptoms?

Once you prepare by researching treatments,  and choose the best option for 99% cure,  how do you prepare to find out that you are one of the 1%?

The answer for us has been, we couldn’t.

I was in the midst of a depressive breakdown, and I was an inpatient in a wonderful mental health hospital.
Jim was in the midst of a mental and emotional stressful time. His wife was in the hospital, and he had just found out that the reason for the elevated PSA was cancer. The procedure was not yet approved in the States, and he needed a companion to accompany him to Cancun for the procedure. We had to schedule my release from the hospital program with the date for the procedure.

98% cure rate(though they cannot use the term ‘cure’).

Fast forward almost one year – and the PSA was coming up again.
The cancer was back.

We had to rearrange our thought process – because we were not planning on dealing with Cancer again!

When God is with you, to guide your steps, there is peace.

Jim went for his MRI.
We set up an appointment with the Doctor.

and God told me that I was to set up my life in order to assist Jim to grow in strength, and spirit, and to lessen his stress where possible.

This meant travel with him as much as possible.
First, I had worked out a system with my counselor to do our visits via Google hangouts. This was arranged while I was in Ohio to assist our daughter with her third child.

Second, we had a situation with our cat. She could not be boarded, because she did not trust anyone. In Ohio, we had her with us. One day, she slipped out, and instead of going and exploring the fields on three sides of us, she ran to the multi lane road a mile+ away, and was hit and killed. Sad, yes. This event did set us free from that concern.

Next, how to travel with my service dog.
He went deaf while being treated for an ear infection. He stopped being able to alert to my medical issues. And, he was depressed with no friend to spend time with.
His hips were getting so painful that he was having difficulty getting up into and down out of a vehicle. Lying on the floor of an airplane had become painful, and stiff.
He had also aged, and was no longer always able to let me know if he needed to go out. There had been several accidents in places that it was imperative that he did not have accidents!
Enter in a new boarder, that loved Gabriel, and Gabriel loved her.
I discussed with her my concerns for Gabriel, and my concerns that Gabriel would no longer be able to train the next service dog, because of the deafness.
Then came the ‘call’ that I was to travel with Jim.
Our new friend agreed to be Gabriel’s caregiver, giving him a small farm to run around, other dogs to play with, release from the anxiety of not being able to serve me, and a job to comfort his new handler, Dana.

Another sad, but important part of this preparation.

Treatment Preparation!

I went with him to Sarasota in order to research the cancer treatments, and discuss things with his doctor.
My presentation(not having studied anything prior) impacted the doctor that was against all biopsies in such a way that he performed the biopsy on Jim, so that if we beat the odds again, with the second procedure, we would have the biopsies in order to know how to treat the cancer.

Now, the travel part!

Jim earned a companion pass for me to fly free with him. That came just as this situation was unfolding.

I needed TSA precheck in order to get through the security with Jim.

Set up an appointment?
Next morning was open!
Wait for the TSA number…30+ days.
Email came in within three days!
Luggage needed to arrange my travel needs.
Macy’s had a sale – and the luggage was available at the closest store the next day! As Jim says – in my weird color!

These things all came about within days of a two week trip.

MY art and writing
I am held to continuing that set of callings. How?
The laptop. WordPress.
And, I need to make sure that drafts do not get published!

Travel sets of art – acrylic, watercolor, colored pencils.
I even found a portable easel!

And when the enemy distracted me and I left my camera in a rental car – (Arting at Stone Mountain) – Jesus had already prepared Jim’s schedule to take him by the house in order for him to pick up another camera. That was only important, because we were going to be back in Atlanta the following week, and we could retake the photos.

Weather? Photos?
The Lord Jesus prepared the timing, the lighting, and the schedule for the pavilion so that we were able to get there, and take the exact set of photos again.

stone mountain, georgia

stone mountain, georgia

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

Our Creator God had prepared this path for us, before we even realized that we needed to say YES to Him.

I hope you are enjoying this journey!

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