Tag Archives: Grace

2017 – My One Word – #mydays – cleansing

Psalm 90:12
12 So teach us to number our days
that we may get a heart of wisdom.

Honestly folks, I did not think that this was going to be part of my one word this year!
Cleansing?
BUT…..GOD!
This past weekend, I have spent a wonderful time with my classmates at a reunion.
Springfield South High School – combined reunion of classes 74-79.

my high school days were a little different than many.
Sophomore – 1975-1976 – Band, Choir, fun…except for the things going on at home.
I was enjoying music and the one semester of art so much – I wanted to go to the JVS school for art. the school counselors told me that I was ‘too smart’ to go to JVS – and to stay at the high school. I look back now, and realize, at that time, I knew I was to be an artist – but the powers that be(were) did not see that path for me.

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Junior – 1976-1977 – things got worse at home with my mother’s bi-polar, and her self medicating, and, I ‘dropped out’ of classes for a couple months to work at Burger Chef as much as possible to pay for the heat, electric, and make sure my brother Johnny had some sort of Christmas.

Senior – 1977-1978 – I didn’t even do band or choir. I tried to get all of my classes before Dec, but could not get government in first semester.


I started working for my Aunt to get a paycheck to support the family, in case my mom would lose another job at another nursing home.

I started running with a bit rougher crowd because the stress of what was going on at home was getting rough…I needed release, and I needed to feel like someone was accepting me.

When I say a rough crowd – I may have gone to a handful of parties and drank. I never did drugs, because of my mom’s issues with drugs. But, I was inching away from my Jesus Freak days of my sophomore year. I was worried that I wasn’t good enough to accomplish anything.
The second semester – I started working full time-ish for my Aunt Dodi, to pay for the family needs.
I was trying out different churches to see if I could find something that would fill my emotional needs.
I found ways that I thought were filling my emotional needs – and, those ways undid my desire to be a nun.
By the time the end of my senior year came around – I was so tired of taking care of my mother’s drug problem(self medicating bi-polar, manic depression back then), and I was so sure that there was something seriously wrong with me, I could not accept a scholarship to THE Ohio State University for art and music. I remember telling God that HE did not know what HE was doing – I was NOT good enough for an Art OR Music career.
I also was convinced that I needed to make sure I was taken care of, and that I had a steady paycheck to make sure that my mom and brother would be taken care of. If I went to college, it was only going to be money going out…not coming in.
I joined the Navy.

I almost skipped my graduation for leaving for bootcamp.
God intervened there. I did march in graduation with my class.


But, my photo is NOT in the senior class yearbook – because I was not attending school after 11am, and didn’t show up for the photos.

I disobeyed God in 1978, and joined the Navy.
I did not have enough faith that He would provide for our little family.
I don’t think I had the energy to actually go to school AND care for my family.
I also had so little confidence in myself that I got so sick, I never took the ACT or SAT – I would be totally nauseated – and didn’t attend the test.
I’d been so isolated from my school friends, I didn’t even know when anyone else was taking it!
The counselors that were supposed to guide me had implied, at least in my mind, that a technical art career was only for those troubled kids that could not make it through college, and needed to attend the Joint Vocational School. By the time I made it to deciding the course for my life(what a horrible pressure to put upon a 17 year old!), I was so mixed up in my head, I couldn’t even believe God knew what HE was doing!

CONFESSION FOR CLEANSING –

James 5:15-16
15 And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.
16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.

1 John 1:7-10
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

1 John 2:1-2
My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2 He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.

1 Peter 5:6-7
6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

James 4:10
10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

What happened because I went into the Navy?
ON THE THIRD DAY – he didn’t raise me – because I was NOT in obedience, I was NOT listening to the voice of the Lord…

I was NOT trusting in the Lord – in my reverse pride, I was trusting in my own might:

Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths.

I KNEW I was not following the path the Lord put before me – though I did ask him to bless it! (such pride!):

Psalm 37:5
Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.

on the third day of boot camp – as I was running in our PT – thrilled that I was being able to run, and keeping up, and not out of breath, as I turned to my friend and said “I’m not even out of breath…”

Proverbs 16:18
Pride goes before destruction,
and a haughty spirit before a fall.

SMACK!
I blacked out!
first my tail bone hit…
the snap of my back whipped my mid back, then my neck….
then my head hit the pavement.
Those on the other side of this HUGE black top area HEARD my head hit the ground.
Within a week, I could not stand on my right leg – and I was being carried to and from classes and the galley for meals.

I spent one week, I think it was week four, in the recruit hospital, because I could not walk.
I had fallen!

2 Sam 1:27
“How the mighty have fallen! The weapons of war have perished!”

Strongs Concordance breaks “mighty” down very interestingly.

Within the above tool, there is a tool called Gesenius’ Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon.
there is a slight twist on this definition within that Lexicon:
“commonly of an impetuous soldier”

I had been so busy taking care of my family (and I’m sure it was not nearly as competently done as my little 16 and 17 year old heart remembers) – that I was impetuous in my decision to join the Navy.
I thought it was MY job to take care of my mom and brother.
I made a decision at age 17 that laid the course of my life, forever.

I can go into how my thinking I wasn’t good enough in the face of God’s gift of college was actually thinking I could do better than God – that I knew better than God.
I can go into how my not placing my burdens on God was my actually being prideful – that I was more able than God.
I can go into the stories that brought me to this point….

But, the point here is that I DISOBEYED MY FATHER GOD!
it’s as simple as that.

1 John 2:3-6
3 And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments.
4 Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, 5 but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him:
6 whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.

There’s only one thing I can do!

James 4:7-10
7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
9 Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom.
10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.

Therefore – I am confessing before my brothers and sisters, the pride of a 17 year old…that laid a path for my life.

I have been in disobedience for a very long time.
I have not addressed the art gift that the Lord placed within me as a calling to be focused and applied. I have allowed the prideful aspect of a lack of confidence IN MYSELF(thank you brother Darryl Simmons, for again pointing that out!) to put my light under a bushel.
I have allowed my lack of confidence to quiet my story, in much the same way as Moses…and I am hearing God cry out from His word to me:

Exodus 4 specifically”
10 But Moses said to the Lord, “Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.” 11 Then the Lord said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? 12 Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak.” 13 But he said, “Oh, my Lord, please send someone else.” 14 Then the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses

This weekend, I obtained some closure to the years of my highschool.
Like our highschool has been revived to produce new fruit, the Lord Jesus has touched my struggling heart to produce new fruit.
Like lost friendships have been rekindled, the lost first love of my faith has been rekindled.

Oh Lord Jesus – I thank you for not giving up on me!
Oh Dear Heavenly Father – I thank you for grace, mercy, forgiveness, and that rod and staff that you use to guide me, protect me, draw me to you, and comfort me!
Oh Dear Holy Spirit – fill me – and renew a right spirit within me!

Psalm 51:3-12
3 For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is ever before me.
4 Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you may be justified in your words
and blameless in your judgment.
5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
and in sin did my mother conceive me.
6 Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being,
and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.
7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
8 Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones that you have broken rejoice.
9 Hide your face from my sins,
and blot out all my iniquities.
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and renew a right spirit within me.
11 Cast me not away from your presence,
and take not your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and uphold me with a willing spirit.

And when one is forgiven – there is a “show me” response:

Psalm 51:13-15
13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
and sinners will return to you.
14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God,
O God of my salvation,
and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness.
15 O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth will declare your praise.

UhOh –
yes, there is teaching…but, there is some singing in there as well!

I have some marching orders:

1 Timothy 4:14
14 Do not neglect the spiritual gift within you, [that special endowment] which was intentionally bestowed on you [by the Holy Spirit] through prophetic utterance when the elders laid their hands on you [at your ordination].

I do not want to fall into the negative aspects of Matthew 25.
the ten virgins – 5 prepared, 5 not…and miss out.
The servants given the ‘talents’ – 5, 2, 1. and the one that only hid his talent:
“30 And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’”

I know that my salvation is sure – so please, do not worry about that.

John 10:28-30
28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all[a]; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”

But, this is my cleansing by confession post.
I just said I did not want to fall into the negative aspects of Matthew 25.

Jesus gave me a command:

Matthew 5:13-16
13 “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.
14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.
15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.
16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

For this reason was I created!

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

I do not want to see my Lord face to face – and hear him say:
depart from me, I never knew you….

Matthew 7:21-23
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

I do work out my own salvation with fear and trembling now….

Philippians 2:12-13
12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,
13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

I know it is by grace that I am saved, and that not of myself…but that it is a gift from God!

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.

The desire of my heart is to please my Heavenly Father….and to one day hear these words:

Matthew 25:23
23 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. ….Enter into the joy of your master.’

Very few would accuse me of hiding my light under a bushel.
and that’s fine…they aren’t the ones that will invite me in past the white throne!
here is my confession:

Proverbs 16:2
All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes,
but the Lord weighs the spirit.

The Apostle Paul thought he was doing God’s work by persecuting the Christians.
The Apostle Peter thought he was doing God’s work by rebuking Jesus for stating that he would be killed.
Martha thought she was doing the work of the Lord by taking care of the household!
Jacob wrestled with God – Genesis 32:22-32 – and while God gave me what I asked, I walk with a limp.

Psalm 106:15
And he gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul.

I have felt, always, that something was preventing me to be all that I wanted to be for Christ. Yes, it was my sin!

I can ‘defend’ and ‘explain’ my decisions in 1977-80.
But GOD knows my heart.
I disobeyed what I KNEW God wanted me to do.
And yet, HE knew that I was but dust – and HE never left me!
My salvation was not jeopardized – but, my relationship with My Lord has had a deep dark secret for many many years. Lord, have mercy upon me, a sinner! Forgive me and cleanse me! In Jesus’ name!

This quote explains my understanding of WHY I should obey…
“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

While I was in the Navy hospital – the Lord and I had a talk.
Again, I was bargaining.
“I will yield to your will for me to be removed from the Navy. I ask that you will make it so that they cannot find the reason I am paralyzed, and that you will allow me to finish bootcamp. ”
But God knows our hearts…HE knew mind…and HE was so gentle with me.
The swelling went down and I was released from the bedrest.
The doctors were going to put me back into another unit, but my CPO believed I would do the PT work – and I actually graduated with my unit!
I was chosen to paint the unit concrete block in the hallway – and it was a painting illustrating:

Isaiah 40:31
31 But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

This became my life verse.
as well as:

Ps 63:7
“Because You are my help, I sing in the shadow of Your Wings.”

The story of what God did to have me removed from the Navy – WITH HONORABLE DISCHARGE – is another story.
And it’s part of the story I’m supposed to write…
It’s part of the light I have hidden under a bushel.
It’s part of the salt that I have not shared.
Because I did not continue in His word – there were many more stumbles.
I’m not dead yet!
But my soul needed cleansing – I needed the confrontation of that time, to realize that I needed to more completely confess my sins, and ask for forgiveness.

Now – I am facing the dilema that Isaiah did in chapter 6

Isaiah 6:5
5 Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.

I know that I am forgiven – as Isaiah was:

6 Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar:
7 And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.

And, I want my response to be as Isaiah:

8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.

I want my heart to be that of Samuel:

10 And the Lord came and stood, calling as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant hears.”

This was the prayer I prayed as I knelt in the church wherein I grew up.
This was the prayer I prayed as I read those prayers from the Episcopal prayer book.
This was my commitment sealed as I took the bread and the cup, in remembrance of what Jesus has done for me.

Proverbs 9 gives us the Ways of Wisdom….
and these are some points for me to heed:

Proverb 9:
9 Give instruction[b] to a wise man, and he will be still wiser;
teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning.
10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.
11 For by me your days will be multiplied,
and years will be added to your life

Prov 1:5
Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance,

Proverbs 1:7
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Psalm 111:110

Job 28:28
And he said to man, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.’”

Hosea 6:3
Let us know; let us press on to know the LORD; his going out is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth.”.

2 Peter 3:18
But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

The above explains my marching orders!
I have been forgiven much – and, therefore, I love much!

Luke 7:36-50
Luke 12:41-48

Mark 12:30-31
30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

I will not apologize that this is such a long post.
I will not apologize for the Word of God that is set forth in this blog.
I will not apologize for my faith in the Lord Jesus.
For I am not ashamed!

Romans 1:16
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.

I AM NOT CONDEMNED!

Romans 8:1-6
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

But, I do have work to do!

Philippians 3:13-14
13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Amen! and Amen!
I will be writing about committing my way to the Lord – as I work on the second installment of the Itty Bitty Bible Study Philippians 1:3-11.

For now, here’s a few photos of my shenanigans this weekend:

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Until then:

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 – Philippians 1:1-2

it’s been a long time since I’ve been posting these…and I have no excuse.
here we go again!

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

Phillipians 1

1 Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus,
To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers[b] and deacons:
2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Servants – websters – one that serves others a public servant; especially : one that performs duties about the person or home of a master or personal employer

of Christ Jesus – the point of servant is that it has a master…and they declare who their master is, Whom they serve, right up front!

to:

All – websters – used to refer to the whole quantity or extent of a particular or thing.
ALL – not one left out!

All the saints….
Saints – websters – one of God’s chosen and usually Christian people

if the definition of saints is not clear enough, Paul and Timothy clarify it by saying that the ALL saints are those that are IN CHRIST JESUS!

The difference between we Christians and everyone else is NOT that we have no sin.
1 John takes care of clearing up that!
it’s that our sins are hid IN CHRIST, and that we continue to dwell IN CHRIST to live!

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

Or – it should be….

Romans 6:5-11
5For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.
6We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.
7For one who has died has been set free from sin.
8Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.
9We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him.
10For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God.
11So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Paul described the live of a Christian this way:

Acts 17:28a
for “‘In him we live and move and have our being’;

The benefits of being IN CHRIST are priceless:

Philipians 4:7
And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

This is peace that the world does not have, cannot understand, but desires intensely.

Then, the prayer –
grace be unto you, and peace…..from where?
FROM GOD OUR FATHER, AND FROM THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.
here, Paul is really laying it on thick to make sure that we know…WE KNOW without any shadow of doubt…that he is talking about the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob – the FATHER, as well as the multiple titles of Jesus…LORD – JESUS – CHRIST –
Lord and master
Jesus – God with us
Christ – messiah.

As Jesus left – he sent us a few gifts…
the Comforter and

John 14:27
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

My whole life has been filled with struggling against fear, and doubt.
Yes, even after all of the years of walking with the Lord.
Yes, even after all of the times he has proven over and over and over that HE is faithful.

Jesus knew that anxiety and doubt would be the greatest detriment to our faith.
that’s why he told us to cast all of our cares upon HIM!

The New Living Translation says it this way:

1 Peter 5:7
Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.

New International Version says it:

Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

The common denominator is HE CARES FOR YOU – AND ME!

I believe that it is the Holy Spirit Who imparts the peace upon us…but, first, we must let go of the anxiety, worry, care…so there is room for peace.

So, in an odd way, I see the whole trinity in this prayer of Paul and Timothy – and the power of the God Head, to bring us into and to keep us IN Christ Jesus – and the life that he desires for us.

 
The Lord has had me on several journeys, with much soul seeking, and heart tweaking. (NOT TWERKING!)

I hope you will join me on a journey through Phillipians.

I don’t know that this will be a week long…two weeks – or maybe up to a month.’
I do know that God has something wonderful to speak to us – if we are willing to listen!
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.

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 – 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.

Itty Bitty Bible Study – Ephesians 1:3-6

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Praise be to God the father of our Lord Jesus Christ

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

In Christ.

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

Every spiritual blessing in heaven.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

here’s some of my notes:

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

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

He chose us in love …

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“The Lord does not give me rules, but He makes His standard very clear.
If my relationship to Him is that of love, I will do what He says without hesitation.
If I hesitate, it is because I love someone I have placed in competition with Him, namely, myself.” – from My Utmost for His highest

I want to thank

for the ability to search the Bible online.

Some artwork is from me – ChristArtist. It is copyrighted – by me. Please do not share it without my permission.
The same goes for my written work.
Some artwork is from ChristArt – not me! I have purchased a membership, and the art is copyrighted by them.

I’d love to hear what you think – please leave a comment!
Or choose to LIKE me on facebook, or other social media!
I’d love to stay in touch with you – we are working on email subscriptions…sign up! 
Soon, we will have a gallery for the art I have created by the hand of God.

There are many organizations that support children and families. Here is one that we are blessed to be a part of. Please consider sponsoring a child – the life you change could be your own.

Itty Bitty Bible Study – Ephesians – Introduction

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

In my studying for these readings, I have found a very useful on line tool for study. While I miss sitting with my Strongs concordance, and my Bakers Bible Atlas, and my other various Bible study reference materials – being able to link to them in my blogs is priceless!
Thank you to Bible Study Tools for making these available!

Bible Commentaries

Matthew Henry’s commentary on Ephesians

Scofield Reference Notes on Ephesians.

I like this quote from Scofield:

THEME: The doctrine of the Epistle confirms this view. It contains the highest church truth, but has nothing about church order. The church here is the true church, “His body,” not the local church, as in Philippians, Corinthians, etc. Essentially, three lines of truth make up this Epistle:
the believer’s exalted position through grace;
the truth concerning the body of Christ;
and a walk in accordance with that position.

Acts 19 talks of Paul’s visit to Ephesus.

Ephesians 1 (KJV)
1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:
2 Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Amplified
1 Paul,
an apostle (special messenger, personally chosen representative) of Christ Jesus (the Messiah, the Anointed),
by the will of God [that is, by His purpose and choice],
To the saints (God’s people)
who are at Ephesus
and are faithful
and loyal
and steadfast in Christ Jesus:
2 Grace to you
and peace [inner calm and spiritual well-being] from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Here is more from Scofield:

DATE: Ephesians was written from Rome in A.D. 64. It is the first in order of the Prison Epistles. Acts 20:1-27:44 . (See Scofield “Acts 28:30”) and was sent by Tychicus, concurrently with Colossians and Philemon. It is probable that the two greater letters had their occasion in the return of Onesimus to Philemon. Ephesians is the most impersonal of Paul’s letters. Indeed the words, “to the Ephesians,” are not in the best manuscripts. Colossians 4:16 mentions an epistle to the Laodiceans. It has been conjectured that the letter known to us as Ephesians is really the Laodicean letter. Probably it was sent to Ephesus and Laodicea without being addressed to any church. The letter would then be “to the saints and the faithful in Christ Jesus” anywhere.

I have often had difficulty wondering if the letters written to those people were actually applicable to me.

2 Timothy 3:16-17
16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

Romans 15:4
4 For everything that was written in the past was written for our instruction, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures, we might have hope.

I sort of understand the cannonization of the Bible books…
If my reader struggles with this – Focus on the Family discusses how we got the Bible.
The Gospel Project explains it well.
Answers in Genesis goes a bit further and talks about how we got the Bible in English.

I share all of this, because in my life, I have had difficulty accepting that God chose me.
There is much in my history that indicates that in my family, I was not chosen for good things.
So, when Paul begins the epistle to the Ephesians – I often have to go through this exercise to remind myself that God made sure that the Bible was preserved so that I would hear it read every Sunday from the Episcopal pulpit, that I would hear the Bible every summer in the Methodist VBS, that I would respect the Bible when, in 1969, I attended a Pentecostal church and it was explained that each person needs to make a personal choice to ask Jesus in.
Because of that Bible, an evangelist from a Methodist church thousands of miles from my home would tell me to start reading the gospels. It was in a Baptist church I attended because of a boyfriend that I learned that I should KNOW my bible(Bible sword drills). It was in a faith church that I learned theology.
It is the Word of God that is hidden in my heart so that I will not sin against God.
It is the Word of God that saves me – as in – Jesus is the Word of God.

I like Scofield stating that this may have just been written to all the Christians…and of course, there is that verse that comes from Peter:

Acts 2:38-39
38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
39 This promise belongs to you and to your children and to all who are far off, to all whom the Lord our God will call to Himself.”

Grace to YOU,
and PEACE
from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ!

Grace to ME!
and PEACE!

So, for tomorrow – we will read Ephesians 1 – and see how far we get!

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 – wk5day3

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 does contain potential triggering information.

It is my heart cry to understand.

deep breath
i wish that i had a whole lot more experience with good doctors.
doctors that cared about their patients, and cared about the outcome and that were more concerned about their healthy recovery than their money.
why would someone go into medicine and not be concerned about their patients?
really, do so many go in just to have a profitable career?
Lord you brought S and M into our lives at a very difficult time, and for them, the time has gotten very difficult.
it’s negligence and a man’s life is in danger.
this make me furious.

thank you, lord for the senior tech that did my eyes yesterday.
thank you, lord that she and i were able to come up with a possible cause. sugar!
ok, another reason for me to stop sugar! sigh.
i’m supposed to be taking care of this temple.
and I eat sugar when i am frustrated, angry, sad, glad, afraid!
i eat sugar to comfort and to celebrate.
why?
my emotions are not allowed!
it’s more acceptable for someone to eat their emotions than to show their emotions.
it feels better to scream that i am angry about a doctor not caring for my friend well.
but, with a quiet man as my husband – and it’s not his fault – i tend to try to be more quiet for him. he’d laugh at that! but lord, you know it’s true.
it’s more acceptable to go to a party and sit and eat cake and drink alcohol than it is to jump up and down and hug and high five…unless of course you are watching a football game and at a football party/bar.
i’m really a very demonstrative person – at least I used to be.
as a child – i loved to do things and give things and make things for people, and i remember the time i was surprised with my first bike for my birthday. i ran and jumped up on my dad to give him a hug, i probably screamed! I was so happy.
i wonder what happened.

i don’t have to wonder too hard – sex happened.
if i made him mad – sex
if i made him happy – sex
if he gave me something – sex
it was always sex
and then i would hurt
of course, a child would hurt from the sex of an adult –
13, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2
EIGHTEEN MONTHS
sex done to a child would hurt –
it’s why the ob/gyns in the navy saw such damage to my vagina and cervix –
it’s why they said i could never have children
my insides were such a mess the stoic navy guy doc gasped when doing the exam.
“it’s a mess in here! What happened?” actually – wth happened here?
He actually jumped.
I didn’t know – so I asked “what are you talking about.”
he quickly composed himself – “oh, just some scarring.”
12 years later the memories returned.
but it took years for me to put the pieces together, the things that happened in the present(at that time) while i did not remember, and put them together with the memories.
timelines – i want timelines!
but my memories are fading…i only have my journals.
and, the book. I’m supposed to write this book about my past, how i got to my present and my goals for my future.
and, i wonder if that doctor had told me what he’d seen, would i have started to remember? of course, they were not allowed to ‘lead’ a victim…they were not allowed to plant ideas into the head of a victim.
so I went along through life, wondering what was wrong with me…not knowing that it was something done to me.
what about doctors?
what about the family doctor that cared for me…shouldn’t he have known?
except there was nothing they could do back then, unless the child said something.
thank GOD that my mom apparently found out when I was 12 – sent me away to Florida, and separated from, then divorced my dad.
family called me the whore, the hussy, the tramp, slut – but i had no idea what had happened to me.
such horrors cause the brain to break into little pieces. thing were locked away.

but that trip to Florida set me up to meet Jerry the evangelist – and find out how to be a christian – to find out how to read the bible(didn’t know that was part of being a christian) – found out that I love love love the bible.
The memories almost ruined our marriage.
The memories still haunt our marriage.
The memories still hinder our marriage.
the memories, well, the act, has left scars in my body, my mind, my heart – and even in my spirit and whether i can trust my father God.
But I have learned grace.
I have learned forgiveness.
I’m still learning grace and forgiveness – daily.
but, mostly, it’s learning to give myself grace and mercy, extend forgiveness to myself – and then, to allow God to fill me with His Spirit – and to believe what I’ve written – that I have been chosen since before the foundation of the world.
I am loved by the creator of the universe!
I have worth, because THE GOD says so!
And who am I to argue with God?
I love you Lord Jesus – I ask you to stay
close by me forever and love me I pray
keep all your dear children in your tender care
and take us to heaven to live with thee there.
Amen!

No wonder I’ve struggled with suicide and depression all of my life.
No wonder I am an advocate for mental health awareness and rights.
No wonder I feel for those that cannot speak for themselves, that do not understand what is going on, that are bullied, abused, baited and attacked.
My past experiences have made me who I am.
My faith in Jesus Christ has kept me alive.
My heart is filled with emotion, and I feel so much.
I pray that I am a light, a source of grace and love to everyone.
In Jesus’ name.

I need to write this book – That is what today’s 750words has opened up for me.
I am able to write about this, without falling apart for weeks, or ending up in the hospital.
I am able to be ridiculed and called names without falling apart.
I have grown – and for that I thank Jehovah – Yhwh – G_d – through Jesus Christ, and by His Holy Spirit.
If it’s not clear which God I serve…it’s because someone isn’t listening!

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 6

I’m going to just throw this out there today – it’s late – and I’m sure those that have been following this can look up the verses on their own!

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

Galatians 6

1 Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.

  • Matthew 18
  • 2 thes 3:15
  • 2 Tim 2:25
  • 1 John 5:16
  • James 5:19
  • Nathan with David – 2 Samuel 12

In my IBBS thoughts on Galatians 5, I talked about WHY we are to judge righteous judgement.
Paul talks about his confronting Peter in Galatians 2:11-14.
WHY???
To RESTORE our brethren!

2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

3 For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.

4 But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor.

5 For each will have to bear his own load.

Responsibility to oursevles and each other!

  • Romans 15:1, 14:1
  • Matthew 9:13
  • Isaiah 35:3-4
  • 2 Thess 3:15

6 Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches.

If we know anything – we are to teach…old women teach the younger, older Christians teach the newer.

  • Deut 6:7
  • Mat 28:19
  • Psalm 25:4, 27:11
  • Acts 1:1, 15:35
  • 1 Tim 1:3, 3:2
  • 2 Tim 2:24

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

Cause and effect

  • Eccl 11:1-6
  • Luke 8:5-15

9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.
10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.

Endure to the end!

  • Mt 24:13
  • James 1:12
  • 1 Cor 13:7
  • James 1:22
  • 1 Peter 3:11
  • Amos 5:14
  • Luke 6:27

Paul is stating that this is HIS writing…hand in hand with his declaring that he is an apostle.

11 See with what large letters I am writing to you with my own hand.

Again – Paul repeats that those that want the Galatians to be circumsized are not able to keep the law themselves.

12 It is those who want to make a good showing in the flesh who would force you to be circumcised, and only in order that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ.
13 For even those who are circumcised do not themselves keep the law, but they desire to have you circumcised that they may boast in your flesh.

Interesting note here – several times he mentions being persecuted – and it’s always about refusing to apply the Jewish laws…and for teaching saved by faith through grace. He is saying that those others do not want to be persecuted, as Paul is, for the cross of Jesus.

14 But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
15 For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.
16 And as for all who walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.

2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come

17 From now on let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus.

Paul is referring back to his explanation of his position and calling…basically saying, leave me alone! It’s settled!

He ends with a simple prayer, though, grace is nothing simple!

18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Amen.

Amen – and I pray this for those that are joining me in this journey!

I’ve shared my thoughts on

2009 IBBS Galatians 6
My focus for this week will be to write up a summary of my thoughts – and starting next week, Itty Bitty Bible Study will be looking at Joel.

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 5

Galatians 5

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 5
1 For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.

I believe that this is one of the key verses in Galatians!
I love the King James Version – it’s what I memorized as a young Christian!

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

It’s not just chains…it’s entanglement!

From Marmion by Sir Walter Scott

copyright by ChristArt.inc

The vision is that once entangled, it is very hard to unravel all the parts to be set free.

How are we set free?

John 8:31-32
31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples,
32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

John 8:36
36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

Because the issue of being entangled into the law is:

James 2:10
For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it.

Paul specifically points out the law issue of THIS letter – circumcision – to be counted as a child of God.

Galatians 5:2-6
2 Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you.
3 I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law.
4 You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace.
5 For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness.
6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.

The historical background is in Acts 15.
Paul wrote about this experience with Peter in Galatians 2:11-21
My thoughts on the aspects of the danger of the law in IBBS Galatians 2:14-21; Galatians 3:1-9; Galatians 3:10-20; Galatians 3:21-29.

Paul pleads with the Galatians…with a bit of an interesting wish for those that were preaching the “other” gospel…aside from being accursed (Galatians 1:6-9)

7 You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth?
8 This persuasion is not from him who calls you.
9 A little leaven leavens the whole lump.
10 I have confidence in the Lord that you will take no other view, and the one who is troubling you will bear the penalty, whoever he is.
11 But if I, brothers, still preach circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been removed.
12 I wish those who unsettle you would emasculate themselves!

A little leaven leavens the whole lump.
in Galatians 2:11-21, Paul makes it evident that Peter’s hypocrisy affected others in the area to raise themselves up above the gentile believers.
One reason for our walking in the Spirit(later in this chapter) is that we do not cause others to stumble!

Mark 9:42
“Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea.

Matthew 18:6-7
6 but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin,[a] it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.
7 “Woe to the world for temptations to sin![b] For it is necessary that temptations come, but woe to the one by whom the temptation comes!

1 Corinthians 8:12
Thus, sinning against your brothers and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ.

1 Peter 2:15-16
15 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people.
16 Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God.

Called to Freedom – and the purpose is not to sin, but to love and serve one another.

Galatians 5:13-15
13 For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.
14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
15 But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.

Walking in the Spirit does NOT lend to itself to sin,

Galatians 5:16-17
16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the
flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.

Romans 6:1-2 –
1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound?
2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?

One version says GOD FORBID!

Christians will be known by their fruit…their lives…their works!

Matthew 7:16

You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?

Being led of the Spirit – is to walk in liberty, not the law!

Galatians 5:18
18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

The works of the flesh…known by their fruit!

In Matthew 7, Jesus is talking about a lot of things!
It starts out in verses 1 – about Judge not that ye not be judged.

1“Judge not, that you be not judged.
2 For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.

In verses 13-14 he talks about the narrow gate:

Matthew 7:13-14
13 Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.
14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.

Then,Matthew 7:15, he’s talking about judging false prophets!
Verse 16 –

you shall know them by their fruit.

We are to judge people BY THEIR FRUIT!

Matthew 7

15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.
16 You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?
17 So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit.
18 A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit.
19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
20 Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.

In John 7:24 Jesus tells the leaders of the church to judge justly. Interestingly enough – his talk references circumcision being done on the sabbath, and that not breaking the law! There this sticky issue comes up, again!

We are to test the spirits of the prophets…1 John 4:1-3
How are we to know if we need to help a weaker brother, if we do not recognize the fruits of the flesh?

1 Thessalonians 5:14
And we exhort you, brothers: warn those who are irresponsible, comfort the discouraged, help the weak, be patient with everyone

Matthew 18, Jesus tells us how to address a brother or sister in sin –
Obviously, there is a difference between judging another in order to ignore a sin in our own life(hypocrisy), and recognizing that a brother or sister is having difficulty, and going to them in love to restore them to fellowship(love for the brotherhood).

Galatians 5:19-21
19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality,
20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions,
21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Based on the Matthew 7 chapter – first we need to take the log our of our own eye!

1 Peter 2:1-3
So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. 2 Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.

There are plenty of passages for putting off the sins of the flesh.
Even a few verses back!

Galatians 5:16-17
16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the
flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.

Why should we take heed to how we act and are?

1 Peter 2:15-17
15 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people.
16 Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God.
17 Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.

Why? To silence those that are outside the church. To not give them any reason to truthfully say evil against us, thereby the church, thereby the reputation of Jesus Christ. We are ambassadors – we are often the only Jesus someone will see.

Galatians 5:22-25

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.

Peter had something to say about this!

2 Peter 1:3-10
3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence,
4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.
5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge,
6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness,
7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.
8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9 For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins.
10 Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall.

Paul talked to Timothy about it in 1 Timothy 6

Titus 3:1-2
1 Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work,
2 to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people.

Colossians 1:9-14
9 And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,
10 so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;
11 being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy;
12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.
13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son,
14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

In Revelation 2 and 3, the Apostle John is told to write, over and over and over “i know your works…”

James 2:14-26 talks about faith without works being dead.
Works IS THE EVIDENCE of faith!
We cannot SEE faith, but God, in His wisdom, has showed us how to grade ourselves…and how to take the temperature of others in order to love them back to the fold.

John 13:35
By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

This is Jesus speaking! The only way to know about someone’s love for another is to SEE it!

We were created FOR GOOD WORKS!

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

Paul describes love in 1 Corinthians 13 – and it sounds a lot like the fruit of the Spirit!

Jesus talked about the difference between following the law in Luke 10, comparing it to that of the Samaritan who showed HIS faith by HIS works, and was commended for his acts, or “work”.

We need to show our faith by our works – our fruit – our evidence!
We will be judged by our works:

1 Corinthians 3:12-15
12 According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled[b]master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it.
11 For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
12 Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw—
13 each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done.
14 If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward.
15 If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.

We are building upon the foundation – Jesus Christ. We are not adding to salvation, we are declaring our LOVE for HIM and our desire to HONOR HIM with our lives.

We will be judged by our words:

Matthew 12:36-37
36 I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak,
37 for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

John 15:8-10
8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.
9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.
10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.

The beauty of Christianity is not that we don’t have to walk circumspectly…it’s that God has made a way!

John 15
Specifically verse 5

I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

And he even promises us Joy for abiding in HIM!

John 15:11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.

Fruit and works are similar –

​Galatians​ ​5:22-23
22​ ​But​ ​the​ ​fruit​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Spirit​ ​is​ ​love,​ ​joy,​ ​peace,​ ​patience,​ ​kindness,​ ​goodness,​ ​faithfulness,
23​ ​gentleness,​ ​self-control;​ ​against​ ​such​ ​things​ ​there​ ​is​ ​no​ ​law.

I looked up some verses about Love, Joy and Peace. Just the first three!

LOVE The only way to know if someone, if I, have the fruit of LOVE – is to see it. – it’s often said that Love is a verb. We can SEE it! (1 Cor 13; Mt 5:43-48, 22:39; Lk 6:27; Eph 5:2; 1 John 3;1 John 4 )

JOY – this should show on my face, even in times of despair…and I’m not talking about happiness that is based upon happenings around me. I’m talking about JOY that transcends what is going on, and is based in Jesus. (Mt 25:21; 1 John 1:4; Rom 14:17; Neh 8:10; John 15:11; Ps 16:11)

PEACE – it is obvious when someone has peace – or anxiety. (John 14:27; Eph 2:14; Phil 4:7; Heb 12:14; Isaiah 9:6)

 

I found a lovely coloring page for the Fruit of the Spirit from paper gifts for Estafany.

Galatians 5:26
24​ ​And​ ​those​ ​who​ ​belong​ ​to​ ​Christ​ ​Jesus​ ​have​ ​crucified​ ​the​ ​flesh​ ​with​ ​its​ ​passions​ ​and​ ​desires.
26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

We do not use our liberty to sin – but rather, rejoice in our liberty, wherewith Christ has set us free – and abide IN HIM, so that we are empowered to not become entangled again in the sins and lusts of our lives. Will we sin again? of course. Thank God for our advocate in Jesus Christ (1 John 1:9) But will we become entangled? Not if we abide in Christ!

1 John 5: 1- 3
1 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him.
2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments.
3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome

Adding a little hope of joy and peace:

Romans 15:13
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

 

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 1:1-10

Galatians 1:1-10

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

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

Galatians 1

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Grace and Peace.
Grace

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

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

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

Peace
The word study on this is Strongs G1515 –

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

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

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

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

Galatians 5:22 mentions it as a fruit!

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

HE – Jesus is our PEACE!

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

Hebrew, 7965 – shalom

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Jesus said, in Matthew 18:18

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

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

Jesus says in John 14:12-14

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

Matthew 21:21-22 records Jesus saying:

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

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

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

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

The Amplified Bible says it this way:

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

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

Jesus mentioned in Matthew 6:24

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

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

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

“The Lord does not give me rules, but He makes His standard very clear. If my relationship to Him is that of love, I will do what He says without hesitation. If I hesitate, it is because I love someone I have placed in competition with Him, namely, myself.” – from My Utmost for His highest

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“The Lord does not give me rules, but He makes His standard very clear.
If my relationship to Him is that of love, I will do what He says without hesitation.
If I hesitate, it is because I love someone I have placed in competition with Him, namely, myself.” – from My Utmost for His highest

I want to thank

for the ability to search the Bible online.

I’d love to hear what you think – please leave a comment!
Or choose to LIKE me on facebook, or other social media!
I’d love to stay in touch with you – we are working on email subscriptions…sign up! 
Soon, we will have a gallery for the art I have created by the hand of God.

There are many organizations that support children and families. Here is one that we are blessed to be a part of. Please consider sponsoring a child – the life you change could be your own.