Tag Archives: Jesus Christ

Itty Bitty Bible Study – Habakkuk 3b finale

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

The first verse is explained in various versions (as obtained via Bible Hub) and on got questions.

Habakkuk 3 Amplified Bible (AMP)
God’s Salvation of His People
3 A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet, set to [a]wild and enthusiastic music.

Habakkuk 3 Living Bible (TLB)
3 This is the prayer of triumph[a] that Habakkuk sang before the Lord:

Habakkuk 3 World English Bible (WEB)
3 A prayer of Habakkuk, the prophet, set to victorious music.

In my research, no one really knows, but it sounds like the variations of worship, praise and prayer that we all see today in the variations of worshipers!

I’m going to do chapter three a little different than usual. I’m going to just list the verse, and add some cross references that come to mind. This chapter sounds so completely relevant to today, and the second coming of our Lord (Matthew 24). See if you agree.

Habakkuk 3 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
Habakkuk’s Third Prayer
3:1 A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet. According to Shigionoth.[a]
2 O Lord, I have heard the report of you,
and your work, O Lord, do I fear.
In the midst of the years revive it;
in the midst of the years make it known;
in wrath remember mercy.

Some verse, then my verses. Do you agree? Do you have some to add?

Isaiah 43:2
Deuteronomy 31:8
Jeremiah 42:11

Matthew 24:22 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
22 Unless those days were limited, no one would[a] survive.[b] But those days will be limited because of the elect.

Psalm 85:6-9 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
6 Will You not revive us again
so that Your people may rejoice in You?
7 Show us Your faithful love, Lord,
and give us Your salvation.

8 I will listen to what God will say;
surely the Lord will declare peace
to His people, His godly ones,
and not let them go back to foolish ways.
9 His salvation is very near those who fear Him,
so that glory may dwell in our land.

Back to Habakkuk 3

Description of our great God:
3 God came from Teman,
and the Holy One from Mount Paran. Selah
His splendor covered the heavens,
and the earth was full of his praise.

Psalm 48:10
Psalm 72:19
Psalm 113:4
Knowing Jesus has a compilation of verses about the earth being filled with His glory!

Isaiah 6:3 New International Version (NIV)
3 And they were calling to one another:

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty;
the whole earth is full of his glory.”

Praise Break!

Back to Habakkuk 3

4 His brightness was like the light;
rays flashed from his hand;
and there he veiled his power.

Matthew 24:27
Isaiah 30:30

Luke 17:24 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
24 For as the lightning flashes from horizon to horizon and lights up the sky, so the Son of Man will be in His day.

Revelation 1:12-20 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
12 I turned to see whose voice it was that spoke to me. When I turned I saw seven gold lampstands, 13 and among the lampstands was One like the Son of Man,[a] dressed in a long robe and with a gold sash wrapped around His chest. 14 His head and hair were white like wool—white as snow—and His eyes like a fiery flame. 15 His feet were like fine bronze as it is fired in a furnace, and His voice like the sound of cascading[b] waters. 16 He had seven stars in His right hand; a sharp double-edged sword came from His mouth, and His face was shining like the sun at midday.[c]

Do you see the similarities? Not to mention that Jesus is the light of the world! I love seeing Jesus in the Old Testament tying together both testaments!

John 1 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
Prologue
1 In the beginning was the Word,[a]
and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
2 He was with God in the beginning.
3 All things were created through Him,
and apart from Him not one thing was created
that has been created.
4 Life was in Him,[b]
and that life was the light of men.
5 That light shines in the darkness,
yet the darkness did not overcome[c] it.

Habakkuk 3

5 Before him went pestilence,
and plague followed at his heels.[a]

“Things followed him”… not? I don’t think this means that pestilence and plague were part of God’s presence. I think this is part of the whole concept that where the holy God is, that which is unholy just trembles and dies!  On the other hand, this also sounds very similar to the judgments in Revelation for His coming again to judge the living and the dead.
I’ve written a quickie guide to Revelation from the end to the beginning.
If you want to look up the judgments, start at Revelation 6.
There are many warnings in the Bible of judgement, both in the current lifetime of the prophet/writer, and in prophetic nature for the future. It is a part of the Christian’s theology.

Habakkuk 3

6 He stood and measured the earth;
he looked and shook the nations;
then the eternal mountains were scattered;
the everlasting hills sank low.
His were the everlasting ways.
7 I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction;
the curtains of the land of Midian did tremble.

Zechariah 14:4
Psalm 73
End times verses, Matthew 24.  PureFlix has compiled a few,  as has Open Bible.

Back to Habakkuk 3

8 Was your wrath against the rivers, O Lord?
Was your anger against the rivers,
or your indignation against the sea,
when you rode on your horses,
on your chariot of salvation?

This is Habakkuk asking God questions.
What is being said here? Why is a chariot of salvation being called when he’s going forth pouring out judgement?
Salvation for those in the midst?

This brings to my mind the discussions about when the rapture is, when the tribulation is, and where are all the believers during any of this. If you checked out the above collections of verses for end times, you know that this sounds very much like some of the judgments in Revelation! I’m not qualified to write much about this, but there are those who are, and they do not agree! All about God  is one place I like to go to for some answers. My belief lines up with a Keith Green quote – “pray for Pre, Prepare for Post” as in, no one knows the hour or day, so be prepared!

My looking at the various scriptures, of which I do not have the space to list here, I am preparing for mid trib rapture. Why? That’s what I see when I look at the whole of the end times verses.  Also, it’s what I see as how God works with his children…He saves them in the midst of the storm!  My other reason, how terrible will it be for those that are not preparing for any true persecution to find out that they are in the first three and a half years of the tribulation, not raptured out before hand as they had been taught, and completely ill prepared to stand for God in the midst of the horrors that, well, honestly, are going on every where else in the world but here in America. The Bible warns that many will fall away and hearts will grow cold.  How many are falling away because the prosperity doctrine does not work for them? How many fall away because it’s been preached that they will be healed in this life, and they continue to suffer, or lose a child, or what have you?  Why won’t God answer their prayers? and the spiral starts. Be prepared! And we can rejoice if we are raptured before the tribulation!

Back to Habakkuk 3

9 You stripped the sheath from your bow,
calling for many arrows.[b] Selah
You split the earth with rivers.
10 The mountains saw you and writhed;
the raging waters swept on;
the deep gave forth its voice;
it lifted its hands on high.
11 The sun and moon stood still in their place
at the light of your arrows as they sped,
at the flash of your glittering spear.
12 You marched through the earth in fury;
you threshed the nations in anger.

Still sounds very much like His last campaign on the Earth to separate the sheep from the goats. Just read the various passages listed herein.

Back to Habakkuk 3

13 You went out for the salvation of your people,
for the salvation of your anointed.
You crushed the head of the house of the wicked,
laying him bare from thigh to neck.[c] Selah
14 You pierced with his own arrows the heads of his warriors,
who came like a whirlwind to scatter me,
rejoicing as if to devour the poor in secret.

There’s a verse about the end times enemies turning upon themselves and hiding. They did so many times in Old Testament battles.  One such is Gideon in Judges 7:17-22.  Also 1 Samuel 14:20, and 2 Chronicles 20 .

The key for believers to remember is this… the children are saved, in the midst of the judgement. Remember the three Hebrew children, and Daniel in the lions’ den, and Joseph in the pit, and then the jail, and then raised up to deliver the world as they knew it! I discussed this in IBBS Habakkuk 2

Psalm 46:10-11 New International Version (NIV)
10 He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”
11 The Lord Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Habakkuk 3

15 You trampled the sea with your horses,
the surging of mighty waters.

16 I hear, and my body trembles;
my lips quiver at the sound;
rottenness enters into my bones;
my legs tremble beneath me.
Yet I will quietly wait for the day of trouble
to come upon people who invade us.

This is in light of the scripture shared above that except the day be cut short even the very elect would fall away. Here are some verses about our responsibility and our comfort for the end times.

Isaiah 54:17 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
17 No weapon formed against you will succeed,
and you will refute any accusation[a]
raised against you in court.
This is the heritage of the Lord’s servants,
and their righteousness is from Me.”
This is the Lord’s declaration.

Isaiah 41:10 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
10 Do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be afraid, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you; I will help you;
I will hold on to you with My righteous right hand.

Luke 10:19 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
19 Look, I have given you the authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy; nothing will ever harm you.

Ephesians 6:10-20 is our responsibility to be prepared for battle, remembering this:

Ephesians 6:12 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
12 For our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens.

Romans 12:19 with Proverb 20:22

Psalm 37
Who better to fight for us than the God of all Creation?
Jesus is the prince of Peace…Psalm 23 goes nicely here.
As Psalm 46:10 says, Be Still and know that I am God!

Back to Habakkuk 3

Habakkuk Rejoices in the Lord
17 Though the fig tree should not blossom,
nor fruit be on the vines,
the produce of the olive fail
and the fields yield no food,
the flock be cut off from the fold
and there be no herd in the stalls,
18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord;
I will take joy in the God of my salvation.
19 God, the Lord, is my strength;
he makes my feet like the deer’s;
he makes me tread on my high places.

No matter what happens around us we need to rejoice in the Lord and joy in the God of our salvation because He is the strength of our heart and He does make our feet like Hinds feet that walk on high places!

My Joy blogs –

  • a year ago I wrote Joyful Joyful about my decision to choose joy.
  • a Quick read about Joy from my Advent series.
  • I also have written about my struggle with depression, and how I’ve had to choose joy. One such blog is Oil of Joy, my testimony.
  • Another is Whose Joy am I responsible for, an addition to my joy journey.

Why am I talking about Joy in the midst of talking about end time events? I defined Joy for myself several years ago:

Joy is not dependent upon the things going on around me. It depends upon the Joy that is within me –

Another point of view is that

Happiness comes from Happenings, but Joy comes from Jesus.

If we depend on things around us to determine our joy, we will be sadly disappointed, if not depressingly despairing.
If our Joy is based upon Jesus residing in us, no one, NOTHING can take that from us, and we will have the Love of God within us, and the Peace of God sustaining us! Remember the first three fruit of the Spirit  are listed as Love, Joy, and Peace! These are gifts to us from our heavenly father because HE KNOWS what’s going to happen! Let’s thank him!

Praise Charts has a list of various Christian Songs to praise the Lord and give Him thanks.

Here’s my praise Break!

Final bit of Habakkuk:

To the choirmaster: with stringed[d] instruments.

Remember that in all of things, we should worship. Worship is our greatest weapon!

Patheos has written a collection about verses to ward off the enemy.

Let me know what you think about this!
~~~

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

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

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

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

Depression is as depression does

Depression is as depression does
Is that how the saying goes?
Or can depression just be
And I can choose what I will see?

Depression comes and depression goes
And for why, no one knows
But when it comes my thoughts go dim
And my choices planned, become Slim

Depression muddies up the brain
And makes me think that I’m insane
Sometimes I think it’s just a game
Other times chemistry’s to blame

If left alone, it might subside
do I have the strength with it to bide?
And if I tell someone my fears
Will they fill me up with cheer?

Depression is not being sad
And cheering up not always bad
yet sometimes, there is just no clue
What help for me can come from you.

Biology may need one cure,
Triggers can trip me, that’s for sure!
sugar load can cause a crash.
Overdoing it, though it was a blast.

Pain is often a main event
That steals my hope and makes me vent.
Emotional wounds can lead to downs
But even exhaustion makes a sad sound

The joy of the Lord is my strength
But when ears are dull, I’m on the brink
My mind and flesh are often too weeak
But the spirit of God, will often speak

Sometimes in a song, sometimes in a verse
Sometimes in a place that I just traverse
Sometimes in a breeze, sometimes in the still
Sometimes just a touch to strengthen my will

I have stumbled and fallen and needed help to get up
I have struggled and clawed to not drink this cup
I’ve hated the way my body is formed
But I can’t hate the One for whom I was born

I believe I was known in my mother’s womb
I believe there were plans before my parents were two
I believe there’s a purpose for me to be here
And I know God has saved me to share of that cheer

It isn’t about Christmas it isn’t about works
It isn’t about where you call your church
It’s about knowing Jesus as Savior and Lord
And filling my heart with his wonderful word

Because when the darkness comes in like a flood
When my mind can’t remember the love of his words
The Holy Spirit descends like a dove
And reminds me of his Heavenly love

(c) m. c. wildman 2018

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

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

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

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

Itty Bitty Bible Study – Habakkuk 2

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

IBBS Habakkuk Introduction
IBBS Habakkuk 1

Habakkuk 2

In IBBS Habakkuk 1, we discussed that sometimes bad things happen to discipline us. that is not always the case.

Sometimes, it’s to test us…(though we are told not to blame God for our temptations!

James 1:12-15 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
12 A man who endures trials[a] is blessed, because when he passes the test he will receive the crown of life that God[b] has promised to those who love Him.

13 No one undergoing a trial should say, “I am being tempted by God.” For God is not tempted by evil,[c] and He Himself doesn’t tempt anyone. 14 But each person is tempted when he is drawn away and enticed by his own evil desires. 15 Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and when sin is fully grown, it gives birth to death.

There are those that fall because of their own lusts…and they need Psalm 38

The truth is, that there are those that are refined by the fire, and that refining has a higher purpose!

Habakkuk is not happy with the answers by God in the first chapter…

Habakkuk 1:13 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
13 Your eyes are too pure to look on evil,
and You cannot tolerate wrongdoing.
So why do You tolerate those who are treacherous?
Why are You silent
while one[a] who is wicked swallows up
one[b] who is more righteous than himself?

He decides to:

Habakkuk 2 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
Habakkuk Waits for God’s Response
2 I will stand at my guard post
and station myself on the lookout tower.
I will watch to see what He will say to me
and what I should[a] reply about my complaint.

Here’s a few of the clarifications that God gives in Chapter 2, for what His purposes are:

Habakkuk 2
8 Since you have plundered many nations,
all the peoples who remain will plunder you—
because of human bloodshed
and violence against lands, cities,
and all who live in them.

11 For the stones will cry out from the wall,
and the rafters will answer them
from the woodwork.

13-14 Is it not from the Lord of Hosts
that the peoples labor only to fuel the fire
and countries exhaust themselves for nothing?
14 For the earth will be filled
with the knowledge of the Lord’s glory,
as the waters cover the sea.

16 You will be filled with disgrace instead of glory.
You also—drink,
and expose your uncircumcision![i]
The cup in the Lord’s right hand
will come around to you,
and utter disgrace will cover your glory.

Bottom Line?

Habakkuk 2:20 But the Lord is in His holy temple;
let everyone on earth
be silent in His presence.

God sees us, even in the midst of darkness!
Here’s some examples:

Daniel and the Three Hebrew Children

Daniel 1 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
6 Among them, from the descendants of Judah, were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. 7 The chief official gave them other names: he gave the name Belteshazzar to Daniel, Shadrach to Hananiah, Meshach to Mishael, and Abednego to Azariah.

Daniel and the three Hebrew children and many others were taken away in Babylon and they were made eunuchs, which to be very graphic and specific means they were neutered. Everything that they understood from their religion was taken away from them and they had a reason to cry out like Habakkuk!

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego
Daniel 3

The three Hebrew children were thrown into the fiery furnace, because they would not bow down and choose fleshly comforts in exchange their lives.

Daniel 3 – their declaration of faith.
16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied to the king, “Nebuchadnezzar, we don’t need to give you an answer to this question.
17 If the God we serve exists,[f] then He can rescue us from the furnace of blazing fire, and He can rescue us from the power of you, the king.
18 But even if He does not rescue us,[g] we want you as king to know that we will not serve your gods or worship the gold statue you set up.”

The rest of the story is that they were not delivered from the fiery furnace, but another walked with them who was like the son of God. later in the Bible we find out it was the pre incarnate Christ that walked with them and protected them from the fire while they were in the furnace. Those that were unrighteous and had been trying to destroy the righteous Hebrew children, thought they had one, and those that cranked up the fire were actually swallowed with the heat. The three Hebrew children were pulled out. When they were not consumed, Nebuchadnezzar declared praises to their God, and freedoms to serve their own God!

Dan 3
28 Nebuchadnezzar exclaimed, “Praise to the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego! He sent His angel[m] and rescued His servants who trusted in Him. They violated the king’s command and risked their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. 29 Therefore I issue a decree that anyone of any people, nation, or language who says anything offensive against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego will be torn limb from limb and his house made a garbage dump. For there is no other god who is able to deliver like this.” 30 Then the king rewarded Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon.

Would that have happened if the Three men had not endured this fire?

Daniel in the Lions den.
Daniel 6
Daniel was recognized as being a very gifted leader, and he actually served under a couple of the leaders of his day. And then there were those people that set him up that he should not pray to any God other than Darius. Not only did he continue to pray, it says he opened his window, and knelt by his window to pray to God. Daniel didn’t go into hiding!

It horrified the king that he had been duped to put this law into effect and he worried about Daniel being thrown into the lions den. The rest of that story is the unrighteous thought they were winning the day as they threw Daniel in, but God sent the angel of the Lord to keep the Lions from eating Daniel. So the righteous was pulled out of the Lion’s Den and the unrighteous were thrown in afterwards.

The end of this chapter has Darius, not a Hebrew, God worshiper, giving God, Yahweh, YHWH, Jehovah, praise!
Daniel 6:25-28

Would that have happened if Daniel had not endured this trial?

Jesus and Judas

Judas was one of Jesus’s top 12. Judas was given the responsibilities of finances. He went out with the others and apparently was able to do the same Miracles that the others. If he didn’t, whoever he was sent out with would come back and say

“yeah well whenever we go with Judas he just can’t do anything! I have to do all the work!”

The thing about the story at the Last Supper was that no one had any idea that it was Judas that was going to turn in Jesus.
So we have the Last Supper and then some very ugly days of thinking everything has gone wrong and that the wicked have won!
We, as Christians, know that the rest of the story is that on that third day Jesus rose from the dead and some days after that He rose to sit beside his father and to intervene, and to pray on our behalf. They didn’t have this Bible from which to draw strength!

If Judas had not betrayed Christ, there wouldn’t have been the crucifixion and there would not have been the days where everyone questioned their loyalty to Christ.

There are others!

Moses on the back side of the desert – or he would not have experienced the burning bush!
Paul in prison – Purposes for his suffering were to spread the gospel!

I’ve shared this testimony before and some of my stories specifically in IBBS Jonah, but it fits here as well.

My life was rough, but there’s many who had lives worse than mine. I had a very, very difficult ability in pushing for things or believing things that I believed were God’s call for me because I had no one in my life that actually was hearing God’s call and following it. I didn’t know how to embrace God’s calling!

So when I was told to go to Ohio State University for art and music and English, because of varying scholarships for the different schools, I told God He didn’t know what he was talking about, I wasn’t good enough for college. I joined the Navy. I want to get this very clear. I joined the United States Navy in direct opposition to what I knew God wanted me to do. At the time, I was attending churches, I was attending youth groups, I was attending Bible study. My life had gotten very rough in my senior year of high school, and I could not see any way that I could go to college. So I decided (I DECIDED) that I should go in the Navy to get an education and to learn a trade and to serve my country. Also to be clear, I don’t think the serving my country was where I was wrong. Where I was wrong was knowing God’s direction for me, and having probably half a dozen Bibles and even more Bible studies available to me to tell me how to hear God’s voice, and I told God no. I TOLD GOD NO! that is the error, the mistake, the sin. In Jonah, I talk about what happened.

If you look at Moses and the burning bush and God telling him that he is being sent to deliver his people, Moses says “I can’t speak send somebody else!”

If we look at Jonah, which I did in itty bitty Bible study about Jonah, Jonah said “no I’m not going to Nineveh!”

In both of these guys’ lives, God used some very interesting techniques to get their attention. We all know Jonah was thrown over the side of the boat and was swallowed by a fish and was spit up on the shores of Nineveh.

What did God use for Moses? Well for one his brother Aaron showed up having walked all the way across the desert and he finds Moses whom the Pharaoh wanted Dead! There’s also the little thing where Moses is almost being killed on his way back and God speaks to Zipporah who circumcises her sons and throws the foreskins at Moses and says “a bloody husband out art.”

If there was any doubt of the seriousness of God’s call for Moses or Jonah, that would get their attention.
Me, well, I ended up paralyzed from the waist down after a fall the third day of boot camp. I still struggle with the physical ramifications of that choice! Kind of like Jacob walking with a limp because he wrestled with God.

There is a history book that we had when our children were being homeschooled that shared how history when looked at from above from the big picture, can be seen as the varying ways God uses the wicked to orchestrate his greater plan.

Providential History
disclaimer – I do not get any benefit for sharing an amazon link.

One such example is Nazi Germany and the extermination of Jews.
If there had not been such a horrid Event that was documented by photographs and newsreels, the global mentality would not have been such that they would have the outcry to create the nation of Israel. The nation of Israel being reestablished is a crucial point in the Fulfillment of the end time prophecies. The whole aspect of what was done to the Jews was horrific. I don’t know what the spiritual status was of the Jews in the way that we know by God’s word back in the time of Saul and David and Solomon and Josiah and Hezekiah. But I do know that this one event caused sympathy for this one nationality and everyone agreed to the creation of the nation of Israel.

Why does God allow evil? Rabi Ravi Zacharias explains this so well in his answer to Gun violence.

Another of his messages is How could an all-powerful, all-loving God allow evil to exist?

For me, there are two key verses…

Habakkuk 2:4 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
4 Look, his ego is inflated;[a]
he is without integrity.
But the righteous one will live by his faith.[b]

and

Habakkuk 2:20 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
20 But the Lord is in His holy temple;
let everyone on earth
be silent in His presence.
But the Lord is in His holy temple;
let everyone on earth
be silent in His presence.

In honor of the three Hebrew children, I’m going to put Even If by Mercy Me here again.

And this is a reminder for us!

The history of this hymn story is huge.

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

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

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

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

Itty Bitty Bible Study – Ephesians 2:11- 19 flesh and spirit

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

For review – here is IBBS Ephesians 2:1-10

Ephesians 2:11-17

Ephesians 2:11 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
11 So then, remember that at one time you were Gentiles in the flesh—called “the uncircumcised” by those called “the circumcised,” which is done in the flesh by human hands.

 

REMEMBER!
Lent day 11 we are called to remember what Christ did for us. This blog talks about the importance that God gives to remembering. Here we are, being told to remember something again!

What is Paul telling us to remember here in Ephesians?
That we have two natures.
That we are delivered from the old one, into the new one.
That we have responsibilities because of this great gift.

Romans 5:12 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
Death through Adam and Life through Christ
12 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, in this way death spread to all men, because all sinned.

2 Corinthians 5:17 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, new things[a] have come.

Galatians 5:16-17 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
The Spirit versus the Flesh
16 I say then, walk by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. 17 For the flesh desires what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit desires what is against the flesh; these are opposed to each other, so that you don’t do what you want.

I want to try to compare the flesh to the spirit.

flesh is  Adam….. spirit is Christ Romans 5:12

flesh is Judas (Lent day 9 and Lent day 15 )…..spirit is Peter (Lent Day 16)

flesh is worldly and old….. spirit is Christ and new 2 Corinthians 5:17

flesh loves not….. spirit loves 1 John 4:7-8

flesh listens to the world….spirit listens to the Word 1st John 4 5 & 6

flesh is of below and has died…..spirit is from above and is alive Colossians 3:1-3

flesh is  an Earthly nature(Colossians 3:5-11) ….. spirit is we put on new clothing of the Spirit (Colossians 3:12- 17)

flesh is baptized into death….. spirit walks in New Life Romans 6:1-4

flesh is Laws and death….. spirit is life with no condemnation Romans 8:1-2

flesh desires fleshly desires….. spirit desires spiritual desires Romans 8:5

flesh is death and carnally minded….. spirit is life and peace Romans 8:6

flesh is hostile to God, …..by implication the spirit is not Romans 8:7
 
flesh cannot please God….. spirit is in Christ   Romans 8:8-9 and Hebrews 11:6

flesh is dead and sin…..spirit is life and righteousness Romans 8:10

Romans 8:11 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
11 And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, then He who raised Christ from the dead will also bring your mortal bodies to life through His Spirit who lives in you.

THIS IS WORTHY OF WORSHIP AND PRAISE!!!

THIS IS THE MIRACLE OF SALVATION! we who were dead in our sins…which is everyone ever…when we ask the Lord Jesus into our lives, we are raised from the death of sin into the life of righteousness! HALLELUJAH!!!

Ephesians 2:12-15 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
12 At that time you were without the Messiah, excluded from the citizenship of Israel, and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world.
13 But now in Christ Jesus, you who were far away have been brought near by the blood of the Messiah.
14 For He is our peace, who made both groups one and tore down the dividing wall of hostility. In His flesh,
15 He made of no effect the law consisting of commands and expressed in regulations, so that He might create in Himself one new man from the two, resulting in peace.

Here is the huge result of God’s gift to us through Christ:
The separation from the garden has been removed!
Our sinful selves have been brought near!
Our old dead flesh has been made new and alive!

HE BOUGHT US PEACE WITH HIS DEATH ON THE CROSS!
HOW CAN WE NOT BE GRATEFUL AND FULL OF WORSHIP????

Ephesians 2:15-17 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
15 He made of no effect the law consisting of commands and expressed in regulations, so that He might create in Himself one new man from the two, resulting in peace.
16 He did this so that He might reconcile both to God in one body through the cross and put the hostility to death by it.
17 When the Messiah came, He proclaimed the good news of peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near.

This is how God repaired the separation in the garden!

Ephesians 2:18 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
18 For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.

This is how God brought us into his family!

Ephesians 2:19 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
19 So then you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with the saints, and members of God’s household,

And this is how God created the body of Christ

Ephesians 2:20-22 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the cornerstone.
21 The whole building, being put together by Him, grows into a holy sanctuary in the Lord.
22 You also are being built together for God’s dwelling in the Spirit.

LIVING STONES! stones are dead until God breathes life into them!

1 Peter 2:4-6 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
4 Coming to Him, a living stone—rejected by men but chosen and valuable to God— 5 you yourselves, as living stones, are being built into a spiritual house for a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For it is contained in Scripture:

Look! I lay a stone in Zion,
a chosen and honored[a] cornerstone,[b]
and the one who believes in Him
will never be put to shame![c][d]

At the beginning of this passage we are told to remember! What are we supposed to remember? On the one side, we’re supposed to remember the we are nothing special apart from God. Apart from God we can do no good thing(John 15). In God we can do all things(Phil 4:13).

As we discussed in Chapter 2: 8 – 9 it’s by grace that we are saved through faith and that not of ourselves but it’s the gift of God! Not of Works lest any man should boast. (IBBS Ephesians 2:1-10) We cannot do anything to earn our salvation except to put our hands out and believe and receive from the hands of God!

What else is this that he’s talking about?

  • That we are no more strangers and foreigners but fellow citizens that we are of the household of God.
  • That we are living stones.
  • That we are built on the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets that Jesus Christ is the Chief Cornerstone.
  • We’re being built together into a holy Temple unto the Lord

Ephesians 2:22 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
22 You also are being built together for God’s dwelling in the Spirit.

We are the Temple of the Holy Spirit! I’m going to go into that more about those last few verses in the next blog!

To conclude this blog, we have two natures that fight, and we need to choose which one will win.
There is a story about a native american father:

A fight is going on inside me,” said an old man to his son. “It is a terrible fight between two wolves. One wolf is evil. He is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego. The other wolf is good. He is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. The same fight is going on inside you.” The son thought about it for a minute and then asked, “Which wolf will win?” The old man replied simply, “The one you feed.

In the next blog, we’ll also talk more about how to feed the spirit within us! Psalm 37 will give you a heads up!

but for now…let’s remember that God has given us power to make this choice!

For review – here are the previous sections:

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

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

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

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

Itty Bitty Bible Study – Ephesians 2:1-10 The situation

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

For review – here are the chapter 1 sections:

In the IBBS Ephesians Introduction, I shared my thoughts on Ephesians 1:1-2.
And here are the others up to this point:
IBBS Ephesians 1:3-6
IBBS Ephesians 1:7-14
IBBS Ephesians 1:7-14

Ephesians 2

Ephesians 1 is all about God’s love for us. At least, that is what Ephesians 1 speaks to me.
Ephesians 2 speaks to me of Grace. First, though, we need to see WHY we need Grace!

Ephesians 2 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
2:1 And you were dead in your trespasses and sins
2 in which you previously walked according to the ways of this world, according to the ruler who exercises authority over the lower heavens, the spirit now working in the disobedient.

  • Dead
  • trespasses
  • sins
  • ways of the world
  • according to…well, the devil

Who did we begin as dead in our sins??? In order to understand the greatness of God’s grace, we have to understand the WHY about the need.

We have to begin at the beginning, which is Genesis.
I wrote about this in Advent #6

For good measure, let’s start with Genesis chapter 2

  • God created a garden and it was good
  • God created man and he was good, except that it was not good that he was alone…
  • so God created woman, and she was good.
  • God created tress in the garden, and they were good…because the garden was good, creation was good, etc., etc.

There were two special trees…knowledge of good and evil, and the tree of life.
One they were not to eat of…the knowledge of good and evil, because in that day they would die. Only ONE rule.

Genesis 2:10-17
16 And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree of the garden, 17 but you must not eat[g] from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for on the day you eat from it, you will certainly die.”

They knew no shame or guilt:

25 Both the man and his wife were naked, yet felt no shame.

Then came the enemy:
Genesis Chapter 3

There was ONLY one rule, ONLY one requirement, and everything else was paradise. Yet, their flesh got in the way!
Ephesians tells us that this applies to us as well.

Ephesians 2:3 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
3 We too all previously lived among them in our fleshly desires, carrying out the inclinations of our flesh and thoughts, and we were by nature children under wrath as the others were also.

So does the rest of the Bible. The bible agrees with itself.

Romans 3:23 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
23 For all have sinned and fall short of the[a] glory of God.

Isaiah 64:6 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
6 All of us have become like something unclean,
and all our righteous acts are like a polluted[a] garment;
all of us wither like a leaf,
and our iniquities carry us away like the wind.

Genesis is the Old Testament. In the New Testament in Romans 5, we have at the example of how this applies to us today. read verse 1-11 for hope, then, here’s how God planned it.

Romans 5:12 through one man came sin through one man came salvation

Romans 5:12 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
12 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, in this way death spread to all men, because all sinned.

This is the problem – this is how genesis 3 applies to us!

Romans 5:14 through one man death reigned and through the other we have life
Adam was the protype of Christ

Romans 5:14 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
14 Nevertheless, death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who did not sin in the likeness of Adam’s transgression. He is a prototype[a] of the Coming One.

Romans 5:15 in the transgression of the one, many died but the free gift from the One is Grace to many
Romans 5:16 out of the transgression of one came condemnation and judgement, but because of the transgression of many, through Christ and his obedience we have the resulting justification – the gift.
Romans 5:17 from the transgression of one, death reigned. From the gift of Grace of One, Jesus Christ, we reign in life
Romans 5:18 through transgression of one came condemnation for many, but through the righteousness of the One came justification for everyone.
Romans 5:19 through Disobedience of one many were made sinners but through the obedience of the ONE many were made righteous

There will be an account made, and paid.

2 Corinthians 5:10 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
10 For we must all appear before the tribunal of Christ, so that each may be repaid for what he has done in the body, whether good or worthless.

Romans 3:4-5 let God be true and every man a liar. God has a right to pronounce judgement!

The Gift of God

Ephesians 2:4-10

Ephesians 2:4-5 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love that He had for us,[a] 5 made us alive with the Messiah even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace!

Ephesians 2:8-10 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
8 For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift—
9 not from works, so that no one can boast.
10 For we are His creation, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time so that we should walk in them.

The judgement is real.
The effect is real.
The gift is real.
Simply put, there are “buts” to this situation!

Romans 5:8 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
8 But God proves His own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us!

Romans 6:23 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:13 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
13 for if you live according to the flesh, you are going to die. But if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

How do we obtain this gift of God?

Some thoughts on choice from Lent day eight
Thoughts on Repentance from Jonah chapter 3
and, here’s one of my confessions as an example!

Now, I want to worship!
Grace by the Martins
Grace that is Greater than all our sins by Don Moen
Your grace still amazes me Phillip, Craig and Dean
and my favorite:

Ephesians 2:11-22 will touch on our two natures, and why we cannot do it, and why the gift of god is infinite in it’s worth

Josh Groban sings this…and many faith’s have put their own spin on this, but for me…this is my song of thanks to God, through Jesus Christ…because without Him, I am nothing!

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

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

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

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

A Revelation Summary, the end to the beginning

Because the study I did was in the NIV Bible from Bible.com, via my Youversion app, I need to post this permission:

New International Version (NIV)

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

This is from the end to the beginning…this is not the usual way to read through any book.  Some read the end of mysteries first, which I do not understand. On the other hand, I do not want anyone to be mystified about what will happen at the end of the world…so, I start from the end, and move towards the beginning.  I only mention the letters to the churches, as those are pretty clear.

Epilogue: Invitation and Warning
12 “Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done.
Revelation 22:12 New International Version (NIV)

John and the Angel
6 The angel said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. The Lord, the God who inspires the prophets, sent his angel to show his servants the things that must soon take place.”
7 “Look, I am coming soon! Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy written in this scroll.”
Revelation 22:6-7 New International Version (NIV)

What will not enter heaven:
Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.
Revelation 21:27 NIV

Those that don’t get in
But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”
Revelation 21:8 NIV

Who are not the Friends of God?
Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.
Revelation 20:15 NIV

For what shall we be judged
And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books.
Revelation 20:12 NIV

The enemy
He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years.
Revelation 20:2 NIV

Jesus, the warrior king
I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God.
Revelation 19:11‭-‬13 NIV

The celebration
Then the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!” And he added, “These are the true words of God.”
Revelation 19:9 NIV

The why
In her was found the blood of prophets and of God’s holy people, of all who have been slaughtered on the earth.”
Revelation 18:24 NIV

Another call to repentance
Then I heard another voice from heaven say: “ ‘Come out of her, my people,’ so that you will not share in her sins, so that you will not receive any of her plagues; for her sins are piled up to heaven, and God has remembered her crimes.
Revelation 18:4‭-‬5 NIV

Unrepentant – refused to repent
They were seared by the intense heat and they cursed the name of God, who had control over these plagues, but they refused to repent and glorify him.
Revelation 16:9 NIV

God is just
Then I heard the angel in charge of the waters say: “You are just in these judgments, O Holy One, you who are and who were; for they have shed the blood of your holy people and your prophets, and you have given them blood to drink as they deserve.” And I heard the altar respond: “Yes, Lord God Almighty, true and just are your judgments.”
Revelation 16:5‭-‬7 NIV

Warning even in the end
He said in a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water.” A second angel followed and said, “ ‘Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great,’ which made all the nations drink the maddening wine of her adulteries.” A third angel followed them and said in a loud voice: “If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives its mark on their forehead or on their hand, they, too, will drink the wine of God’s fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. They will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb.
Revelation 14:7‭-‬10 NIV

Characteristics of the enemy
It opened its mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven. It was given power to wage war against God’s holy people and to conquer them. And it was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation.
Revelation 13:6‭-‬7 NIV

The plan of the enemy
Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to wage war against the rest of her offspring—those who keep God’s commands and hold fast their testimony about Jesus.
Revelation 12:17 NIV

The enemy
Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: “Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Messiah. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down.
Revelation 12:10 NIV

Unbelievers are angry
The nations were angry, and your wrath has come. The time has come for judging the dead, and for rewarding your servants the prophets and your people who revere your name, both great and small— and for destroying those who destroy the earth.”
Revelation 11:18 NIV

It’s God’s right
The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah, and he will reign for ever and ever.”
Revelation 11:15 NIV

To his prophets
And he swore by him who lives for ever and ever, who created the heavens and all that is in them, the earth and all that is in it, and the sea and all that is in it, and said, “There will be no more delay! But in the days when the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet, the mystery of God will be accomplished, just as he announced to his servants the prophets.”
Revelation 10:6‭-‬7 NIV

Lack of repentance
The rest of mankind who were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands; they did not stop worshiping demons, and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood—idols that cannot see or hear or walk. Nor did they repent of their murders, their magic arts, their sexual immorality or their thefts.
Revelation 9:20‭-‬21 NIV

Breastplates red
The horses and riders I saw in my vision looked like this: Their breastplates were fiery red, dark blue, and yellow as sulfur. The heads of the horses resembled the heads of lions, and out of their mouths came fire, smoke and sulfur.
Revelation 9:17 NIV

Who is permitted to be tortured
They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any plant or tree, but only those people who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads.
Revelation 9:4 NIV

The bride
After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.
Revelation 7:9 NIV

Who can stand
They called to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can withstand it?”
Revelation 6:16‭-‬17 NIV

How long
When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. They called out in a loud voice, “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?” Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the full number of their fellow servants, their brothers and sisters, were killed just as they had been.
Revelation 6:9‭-‬11 NIV

Now, a quick cover of the first books of Revelation.

Revelation chapter 5 talks about Christ is Worthy
9 And they sang a new song, saying:
“You are worthy to take the scroll
and to open its seals,
because you were slain,
and with your blood you purchased for God
persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.
10 You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God,
and they will reign[b] on the earth.”

Revelation chapter 4 is John’s vision of heaven.
11“You are worthy, our Lord and God,
to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things,
and by your will they were created
and have their being.”

Revelation chapters 2, & 3 are the letters to the churches.
Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

Revelation 1 is the introduction, and John’s vision of the glorified Christ.
17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last.

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

The end is coming, but we can begin at the beginning.
Those that have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ are part of the Bride of Christ.

Revelation 22:14
14 “Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city.

Ephesians 5:22-33
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her
26 to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word,
27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.

Revelation is not to be scary, but to be a warning.
Revelation is an invitation.

Revelation 22:16-17
16 “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you[a] this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.”
17 The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.

COME!

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

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

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

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

Itty Bitty Bible Study – Nahum 1:2- 15

Nahum

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

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

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

Now, I will attempt to understand how the rest of Nahum applies to us in 2018.

Nahum 1 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
1 The oracle concerning Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite.

2 The Lord is a jealous and avenging God;
the Lord takes vengeance
and is fierce in wrath.
The Lord takes vengeance against His foes;
He is furious with His enemies.

This explains with whom God is angry, and to whom he focuses his wrath!

Deuteronomy 7:10 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
10 But He directly pays back[a] and destroys those who hate Him. He will not hesitate to directly pay back[b] the one who hates Him.

Yet the following gives us a picture of God on the believer’s behalf, and the reason that we want to be RIGHT WITH GOD:

Nahum 1:3
3 The Lord is slow to anger but great in power;

IT IS FOLLOWED BY A WARNING!:

the Lord will never leave the guilty unpunished.‘

Nahum seems to be quoting:

Numbers 14:18 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
18 The Lord is slow to anger and rich in faithful love, forgiving wrongdoing and rebellion. But He will not leave the guilty unpunished, bringing the consequences of the fathers’ wrongdoing on the children to the third and fourth generation.

THIS IS GOD!

  • slow to anger
  • rich in faithful love
  • forgiving wrong doing and rebellion

THIS IS ALSO GOD!

  • will not leave guilty unpunished
  • bring consequences….of the fathers sins on the children…to the third and fourth generation.

Deuteronomy 5:9 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
9 You must not bow down to them or worship them, because I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the fathers’ sin to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me,

There is a requirement for God’s blessing….

John 3:36 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
36 The one who believes in the Son has eternal life,
but the one who refuses to believe in the Son will not see life; instead, the wrath of God remains on him.

It’s all about our choice! Which side do we want to find ourselves on? Back in Nahum 1:2b, we talked about the Lord takes vengeance against his foes…furious with his enemies. I don’t want to be found to be an enemy of God!

Romans 8:7 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
7 For the mind-set of the flesh is hostile to God because it does not submit itself to God’s law, for it is unable to do so.

To be more clear:

Romans 8:7 King James Version (KJV)
7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

The carnal mind, the flesh serving and focused mind is an enemy to God – but only because it CANNOT turn to God…which is WHY we need to become new creatures!

2 Corinthians 5:17 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, new things[a] have come.

God made a way so that we could choose NOT to be his enemy!

Our God is an AWESOME God…and we need to know both sides of him! We need to understand WHY there is a requirement to believe, to obey, to honor, to worship….why we need a relationship with God through Jesus Christ!

Romans 6:23 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

That says it in a nutshell…it’s the plan of salvation, but more importantly, the NEED for salvation.

Nahum 1:3-5 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
3…His path is in the whirlwind and storm,
and clouds are the dust beneath His feet.
4 He rebukes the sea so that it dries up,
and He makes all the rivers run dry.
Bashan and Carmel wither;
even the flower of Lebanon withers.
5 The mountains quake before Him,
and the hills melt;
the earth trembles at His presence—
the world and all who live in it.

Worship break!
Our God is an Awesome God!

many forget this part of this song!

Once we see part of the awesomeness of God…
Then, the warning!!!

Nahum 1:6 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
6 Who can withstand His indignation?
Who can endure His burning anger?
His wrath is poured out like fire,
even rocks are shattered before Him.

As I said above, we do NOT want to be his enemies…and I’m trying to make it clear how we can become his enemies, and how can be part of his family!

Psalm 2:12 King James Version (KJV)
12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.

Nehemiah 9:16-17 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
16 But our ancestors acted arrogantly;
they became stiff-necked and did not listen to Your commands.
17 They refused to listen
and did not remember Your wonders
You performed among them.
They became stiff-necked and appointed a leader
to return to their slavery in Egypt.[a]
But You are a forgiving God,
gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger and rich in faithful love,
and You did not abandon them.

Even in the midst of His people being rebellious, He still offers forgiveness…for repentance!

2 Chronicles 7:14 speaks to people that are CALLED BY HIS NAME! on the Bible hub link, you can read it in ANY version you would like!

I prefer Amplified:

2 Chronicles 7:14 Amplified Bible (AMP)
14 and My people, who are called by My Name, humble themselves, and pray and seek (crave, require as a necessity) My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear [them] from heaven, and forgive their sin and heal their land.

Amplified Bible (AMP)
Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. All rights reserved.

THIS IS WRITTEN TO GOD’S PEOPLE…NOT THE UNBELIEVERS!!!!
This is OUR responsibility! Not just to ourselves, but to our communities, our families, our churches, our states, our nations and our world! We are the change that God places in this world!

Back to Nahum.
Even in the midst of describing the destruction of Nineveh, it’s as if God doesn’t want us overwhelmed by His vengeance, He wants us to remember the other side of Him! The side that HIS children enjoy!

Nahum 1:7 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
7 The Lord is good,
a stronghold in a day of distress;
He cares for those who take refuge in Him.

We can look at Psalm 91 – and remember specifically verses 1-2

Psalm 91:1-2 King James Version (KJV)
91 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.

We can read Psalm 46 starting with verse 1!

Psalm 46:1-2 King James Version (KJV)
46 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
2 Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;

Back to Nahum:

Nahum 1:8-10 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
8 But He will completely destroy Nineveh[d]
with an overwhelming flood,
and He will chase His enemies into darkness.
9 Whatever you plot against the Lord,
He will bring it to complete destruction;
oppression will not rise up a second time.
10 For they will be consumed
like entangled thorns,
like the drink of a drunkard
and like straw that is fully dry.

God is in control…We who believe KNOW this.
Some judgments we see here on earth…some, at a future time.

Romans 2:5 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
5 But because of your hardness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath, when God’s righteous judgment is revealed.

KJV says “hardness and impenitent hearts”
one says “unwillingness to change.”
many others say “stubbornness.”
This concerns me because of THIS verse:

1 Samuel 15:23 King James Version (KJV)
23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being king.

Bible Hub gives you other versions in which to read 1 Samuel 15:23 – but the warning is still very similar!

  • Hard hearts
  • Stubborn hearts
  • impenitent hearts
  • rebellious hearts

IT’S A HEART ISSUE!

Let’s compare Egypt, Nahum’s prophecy of deliverance for Judah, and Salvation:

Enslaved

  • Exodus – enslaved to Pharoah
  • Nahum – enslaved to Sennecharib and Assyria
  • Salvation – enslaved to Sin

Cruelty

  • Exodus – forced to work in labor camps
  • Nahum – Sennecharib was hated for his cruelty, even by his allies
  • Salvation – we are cruelly kept from peace, hope, and joy, used for his purposes

In Darkness

  • Exodus – the plague of darkness descended, but they were in darkness of hopelessness
  • Nahum – The darkness of the constant fear
  • Salvation – rescued out of the darkness Colossians 1:13

Warnings

  • Exodus – the 10 plagues
  • Nahum – Nineveh warned by Jonah(you can read about Jonah starting with IBBS Jonah Introduction)
  • Salvation – Pricks of conscience – Like Saul/Paul in Acts 9:5

Sacrifice

  • Exodus – First born of all, and the Passover lamb
  • Nahum – Sennacherib – his sons killed him(Wikipedia)
  • Salvation – God’s son, Jesus(I wrote a bit about Jesus being the Passover Lamb in Advent day 12 and the New Covenant

Slavery Broken – Shackles broken

  • Exodus – they left!
  • Nahum – Judah delivered – Nahum 1:13
  • Salvation – whom the son sets free is fee indeed! John 8:36

Worship Break!

Repentance

Light

  • Exodus – Light in the darkness during the plague of darkness
  • Nahum – the promises from the prophets
  • Salvation – called out of darkness into HIS wonderful light – 1 Peter 2:9

Separated from the Enemy

  • Exodus – splitting of the red sea – enemies destroyed
  • Nahum – Civil war caused the Assyrians to be weakened(from Wikipedia)
  • Salvation – old has passed, all things made new 2 Corinthians 5:17

Responsibility

What is my point in all of this?
The Bible is ONE story – the story about how God created us to enjoy HIS presence, we messed up, like a parent he has to discipline us, but he calls us back to HIM! and when we cannot make it, which none of us can, HE made the way!

Let’s finish up chapter one.

Nahum 1:11 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
11 One has gone out from you,[a]
who plots evil against Yahweh,
and is a wicked counselor.

Not all counselors are good ones…some are wolves in sheep’s clothing….

Nahum 1:12-13
12 This is what the Lord says:
Though they are strong[h] and numerous,
they will still be mowed down,
and he[i] will pass away.
Though I have afflicted you,[j]
I will afflict you no longer.
13 For I will now break off his yoke from you
and tear off your shackles.

The Promise of deliverance in the midst of an overwhelming enemy!

Nahum 1:14
14 The Lord has issued an order concerning you:
There will be no offspring
to carry on your name.[k]
I will eliminate the carved idol and cast image
from the house of your gods;
I will prepare your grave,
for you are contemptible.

Complete annihilation of the enemy…makes me think of Revelation!!!

Nahum 1:15 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
15 [l]Look to the mountains—
the feet of one bringing good news
and proclaiming peace!
Celebrate your festivals, Judah;
fulfill your vows.
For the wicked one will never again
march through you;
he will be entirely wiped out.

2 Chronicles 20:15 King James Version (KJV)
15 And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the Lord unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s.

Read Exodus 14:14 in all of it’s versions…the LORD will fight for US! for ME! for YOU!

Psalm 46:10 King James Version (KJV)
10 Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.

No matter what a mess we have made of our lives, God can straighten it out.
No matter how big the enemy, God can take them down.
No matter how long the trial, God can see us through!

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

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

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

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

Itty Bitty Bible Study – Nahum 1:2b

Nahum

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

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

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

Now I want to look at Avenging God.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Psalm 91 is the ultimate promise for protection in battle.

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

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

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

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

Deuteronomy 28

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

or to be more clear:

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

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

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

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

Here are the warnings:

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

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

Here is our call!

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

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


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

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

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

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

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


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

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

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

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

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

Surgery Scuttlebutt – The finale

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

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

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

Here is my latest video to the Wildberry Patch group on facebook…

GREAT NEWS!
The Cancer is gone
the Kidney is healing
the kidney is working like a healthy kidney!
YAY!

With that said and done…What was the journey from part six, to this one, the finale?

Well, there was the struggle with confusion with the pain and doctor’s instructions, as I share in Pain/Peace.

There is so many things that I;ve learned on this journey, and I’m still learning, because the wound site for the JP Tube is still an open wound. My skin is bleeding from the tape used to keep the bandages on it for the last, going on 6 weeks. BUT GOD!

God is our creator, and He made us in His image (just read Genesis 1 and 2), so He infused us with creativity! Once the major drainage stopped…I was waiting for an answer…and he has given me one that is giving my skin relief. Also, someone was given creativity for the super special sensitive skin tape…when I have to use tape, I use that now!

That said, I’ve also learned that I need to set boundaries…for myself and others.
What? you say? Boundaries? Christi, of what do you speak??? HAHAHA!

Yes, I have to realize that without that tube in me, I do not have the continual pull on skin that caused sheering pain, and could drive me to my knees! Now, I just get tired. And some base pain from the muscles that have been in rest mode for 6 weeks! First day…I walked out to the garden, and into the garden, to my daughters house, and then back to my herb garden.
This was after I straightened up my own office… yep…putting things away, bending and reaching.

OW! Boundaries…who knew?

I’m going to finish up this series by sharing what I’ve learned, by going through the final chapters in this book. Christine Carter has really been a Godsend to help me take this journey step by step!

Chapter 8 – Own it, Laugh a Little and Get Out.

“Here’s the thing: you are physically broken right now.
You might not have showered for days, and the stench you exude proves it”

Personally, I lived with baby wipes and those neat cloths that hospital gave me to bathe with.
I did wear deodorant.
My hair was always up…because if it was down, folks would know just how dirty it was!

Showering was a torment…and the last shower before the tube came out seemed to almost pull the stitch that held the tube in out of the skin. I mean, seriously…who thought ONE stitch would keep this tube connected to me…ME, the one that hates to sit still so God has allowed some physical ailments to MAKE me sit still. I was afraid that I’d torn something inside…I was afraid I’d caused infection…I was afraid. Period.

This chapter helped me to NOT compare myself to other able bodied people, or even others going through physical trials. I needed to OWN IT…this was the current NORMAL for me…and the only way to get through this valley was to MOVE through it! Not exercise type moving…but, mentally moving.

GO OUT – yes, I chose some opportunities to go out.
With my husband for our anniversary

With a friend to Olive Garden, and a few others places.
Do you know what I struggled with?
The stupid JP Tube showing as a bump under my clothes…no matter how bulky the clothing was.
I didn’t want anyone to look at me and wonder “what’s that under her shirt/dress?”

“You need to be okay with where you’re at right now”

I wasn’t…and I was vain!
God spoke to my heart…how do you respond to someone you see with a catheter? Oxygen? any other health related addition?
“Lord, I would look at them, not the appliance…let them know they are human, and I see them!”

Then humble yourself to learn how they truly feel, and be thankful for such tools for your healing.

This all happened in a matter of seconds, between getting out of the car, and stepping up on the curb.
Just to really drive it home…when the tube was removed, Jim was going to take me out for dinner. As I got out of the car, I started walking into the restaurant, and noticed that the side of my dress where the tube was had gotten soaked with bodily fluid. The little bandage the doctor had put on was in no way ready for the flow…and my dress caught the rest.

“oh no, let’s just go home!”
Ever supportive, Jim started to turn around, and he said Ok…but I remembered this earlier lesson….
“No – I’ll go into the bathroom and see what I can do…and it’s not so big I can’t cover it with my purse. Let’s go in”

Sometimes, when we are given lessons, we get a retest later, to see if we were really listening!

I’m thankful for the mornings I’ve spent on my swing.

And, I’ve found that if I smile at someone…they don’t notice the JP tube sticking out of my shirt, the wet stain on the side of my dress, or the wheelchair that I’m in. They smile back.

I also planned from the beginning to enjoy two FB shows…
Returning the Favor with Mike Rowe
Drybar comedy show

These have helped me laugh, and rejoice in others outside of myself.

Chapter 9 – Prayer and Spirituality

“Religion/spirituality is a significant part of many people’s lives. This is one area that should not be neglected, especially now. …
For me, Christ is the only answer and true source of peace”

Christine allows that there are other faiths that one may be a part of, and encourages all to seek their faith in times such as these, but clearly speaks to her faith as a Christian.

This may be the first time God has had you all to Himself

Not quite true…but, often true that I’m too busy to just be still.
This has been a learning about being still…knowing that HE is God…
declaring that HE is God
acknowledging that I AM NOT God!

Here are a few of my lessons learned:

  • My worth is based on WHOSE I am, not who I am
  • asking for help is part of life
  • Saying No can be healthy
  • Speak LIFE -scriptures – over my life, body, husband, children, friends…SPEAK LIFE not death
  • My messenger group of prayer partners…I would get an encouragement every day!

And a huge change in my view point:
Let It Go…Let them go!
Some people are in my life for a time
others for eternity.
let those that want to leave, leave.
If I have tried to make sure I didn’t offend, and gotten a response that I did not, then…
It’s not personal, so don’t take it personal.

Seriously – I’ve spend so much wasted time worrying over folks that I thought I had a connection with that just dropped me like a hot potato.
Some that I thought would be prayer partners with me that didn’t even want to receive notifications of the surgery(and they had asked for them).
Some I thought were my best friends, that decided that a hurt, misunderstanding or whatever was far more important than restoring our friendship.

If I have done what I could do…I cannot change their minds.   Here’s the Bible on my responsibility:

Matthew 5:23-24 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
23 So if you are offering your gift on the altar, and there you remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift.

There are more scriptures.
I cannot force anyone to forgive me, I can only apologize, and try to make amends.
If I don’t know what I’ve done, I can’t fix it…and in that case, again, I need to let it go, I need to let them go.

Christine has a great outline for prayer in this chapter, with fill in spaces for one to write them in.

Chapter 10 – A new Day

“Wherever you are on this healing journey, I want to promise you something:
There will be a day when you are done healing.”

I’m not there yet…but, I’m closer than I was 6 weeks ago!

“you will treasure what you discovered during the long, quiet moments of reflection, dreaming and digging deep to find passion, purpose, and new ideas for the road ahead.”

That is what these surgery scuttlebutt stories are all about.
I have restored my faith in Jesus Christ.
I have remembered my calling to write a book.
I have received the love of many, virtual and physical as I’ve healed.
and I rejoice in the way the Lord has met me on each step!

“Some things need to be broken, opened and taken apart to let light in.
Look for the light, my friend. It is shining somewhere in you.”

Amen!

Chapter 11 – And another thing

“After you are all healed and life has returned to its rapid pace, you may still have those lovely little reminders of this difficult season:
that twinge of pain comes along now and again, or maybe your arm doesn’t quite boast the strength it once did….”

I have a 12 inch scar now….and no idea how the JP tube hole will heal.
I have a kidney that I need to treat carefully…I need to seriously consider my diet options.
I have muscles that are achy…and, there are a whole set of side muscles that have been cut that will not like doing side bends, or anything else!

This is my new normal.
And, I thank God for it.
If I had not gone through all the stuff to get to Cleveland Clinic….The End is Near explains the journey…I would not even have this kidney!

I’ve learned to rejoice in hearing the birds.
I’ve learned to laugh with my grandchildren, and my husband, and my friends.
I’ve learned that I can love others from my bed because I live in the age of social media!
I’ve learned that others love me.
And even more so, I’ve learned again, that Jesus loves me!

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

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

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

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

Introducing BlackWaterFalls Testimony – a book in progress

Why write a book about my past? is it relevant?
The purpose of this book is to shine a light on Darkness that is in our midst. Children are sexually abused every single day and it is ignored. Currently there’s even political people saying that it is okay for an adult to have sex with a child if a child is consenting. This absolutely blows my mind. How can a 12 month old, 18 month old, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 year old(for me, to age 12) actually know what they’re consenting to in the realm of sexual interactions.?

Think the church is safe? I tried to hide out in the church! Protect my children in the church!

And then there’s the church. Because the church is spotless and pure obviously there is no childhood sexual abuse within here! At least that was the false believe until we saw the Catholic Church go through serious problems with priests and nuns, and then the various Protestant churches, and then even in a group that we were part of that was very very intent on keeping girls and boys apart until marriage, it was exposed that the leader and his brother had had sexual situations with secretaries and children who were entrusted to him in his ministry.

What is my purpose? What is my goal?

I hope that my story can be used to take what has been whispered in Dark Places, in secret and shout it from the rooftops to bring truth and light into that darkness. It is because of knowing this truth and bringing this truth and shining the light of God’s word onto it in my life that I have been able to overcome. I hope, and I pray, that this book will help others to seek out the truth, release themselves from the guilt and shame, and even get to the point that they can forgive their abuser so that they are completely released from the chains of Darkness.

The break through came while I was hospitalized when the memories resurfaced.  Yes, there was a memory there for years, like one of those little tags at the back of the shirt that is irritating, but you ignore it.

For those that may wonder – the memories were confirmed by 6 different people – all of whom have gone on to their eternal reward.  

Here’s the Summary – created for a writing conference:

My Blackwater Falls Testimony, by M. Christine Wildman

The painting “Blackwater Falls” illustrates the river of my life journey.  The river journeys from hidden abuses, to a chaotic childhood and Christian confusion crashing me about in rock strewn rapids of teenage responsibility.  I am placed into a precarious life as a woman, with five children, and a marriage on the rocks, and I am propelled towards the waterfall plummet that ends in a violent crash.     The onslaught of repressed memories, the rejection from the church and family, and repeated self abuse issues threaten my ability to survive to serve God again.

How does a child handle 13 years of sexual abuse? What does that do to a teen as she looks forward to a future? Can a marriage make it with millions of IEDs lying in wait to destroy every tenet of trust? Can a human being learn to trust a God that allowed such things to happen?  And can a suicidal, mentally ill person become whole again?

As I learned to apply scripture to my situations, I learned to be still in the storms, embrace the storms, and even dive into the storms to obtain the nourishment for my recovery.  On the other side of the valley of the shadow of death, God is setting up a table for me in the presence of my enemies. It’s my job to walk with Him in the valley, so that I can get to the party!

Here is the painting that came out of me, and helped to set me free:

I’ll make a page to link the updates for this book…and I’d love to have your input!

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

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

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

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