Tag Archives: Love

Christmas Carol Considerations – It came upon a Midnight Clear

The birth of Jesus was a miracle.
The timing of His birth was a miracle.
In fact, His lineage, His protection, His life and His death were all fulfillments of the prophecies.

It came upon the midnight clear,
That glorious song of old,
From angels bending near the earth
To touch their harps of gold!
Peace on the earth, good will to men,
From heaven’s all gracious King!
The world in solemn stillness lay
To hear the angels sing.

Of course the Angels sang! They were seeing the plan unfold!

Still through the cloven skies they come
With peaceful wings unfurled
And still their heavenly music floats
O’er all the weary world;
Above its sad and lowly plains
They bend on hovering wing.
And ever o’er its Babel sounds
The blessed angels sing.

This verse refers to the joyous gift in the midst of a weary world in darkness.

Yet with the woes of sin and strife
The world hath suffered long;
Beneath the angel-strain have rolled
Two thousand years of wrong;
And man, at war with man, hears not
The love song which they bring:
O hush the noise, ye men of strife,
And hear the angels sing.

When I hear this verse, I think “Peace, Be still”
and “Be still and Know that I am God!”

For lo! the days are hastening on,
By prophet bards foretold,
When, with the ever-circling years,
Shall come the Age of Gold;
When peace shall over all the earth
Its ancient splendors fling,
And all the world give back the song
Which now the angels sing.

This is a reference to Christ’s return – as the reigning King.

Mark 13:32-35
32 “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.
33 Be on guard! Be alert[e]! You do not know when that time will come.
34 It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with their assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch.
35 “Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back—whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn.
36 If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. 37 What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!’”

1 Thessalonians 4:16-18
16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.
17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.
18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.

Acts 1:11
“Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”

My faith says this is a historical event.
There is plenty of historical evidence of the life of Christ.
It takes FAITH to believe in the fulfillment of prophecy, and in Jesus as your Lord and savior.
I believe!

My faith says that Christ is coming again – and I am to be ready.

Merry Christmas!

~~~~~

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

Merry Christmas!

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

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

I want to thank

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THE SKY IS FALLING! The end of the world as we know it!

Yes, Donald Trump is going to be our next president.
No, Hillary Clinton did not win.
And, no, all the independent candidates only kept the big show from being more of a separation. 1-2-6% just didn’t come close to winning…but, it could have effected the outcome, one way or another.
I know very seriously committed Christians that voted in every one of those categories. No one has the Christian mandate.

AND YET – that is NOT the focus of my post!

AS CHRISTIANS – What should our response be?

My first post this morning was to thank friends of mine on the “other side of the aisle” for having respectful discussions with me throughout this election.

KB, I want to thank you for reaching out to me this election. I pray that our respect for one another is a symbol for others that vehemently disagree and the who…but completely agree in the need for change. SS, you and I have described our political relationship as being on opposite sides so dramatically that we end up back to back fighting for the same issues from different points of view.

I know how you feel on the day after an election, and you ladies did not gloat and rub your victories in my face in 2008 and 2012. I wish I would say ” good race”, but I can’t. What I can say is thank you for your love for our country. May God bless America…and may we the people come together to don’t a more perfect union!
Thank you, ladies, and other friends that disagree with my position…I’m thanking DP, JR, DE and others. Thank you for the respectful freedom to discuss our differences. THIS is what makes America great!

Then, I wrote this post on Facebook this morning, as I saw folks blasting both sides:

For 8 years, I’ve been respectful of a man for which I had no respect. I hope those that were for Hillary can find themselves able to honor the way the founders set up our method of election, and be respectful. Our country needs to be united against our common foes…poverty, uneducated, Healthcare issues and security issues among so many others. Let’s all be AMERICAN!

I’m going to post that discussion here. I’m not going to name my friend, because she is not the only Christian that is feeling this way.

One response:

Yes, you were, but we need to face the fact that many, MANY people were not respectful of President Obama. Those people have no right to expect Hillary supporters to all of a sudden respect Trump. What goes around, comes around.

My reply:

It doesn’t mean that Christians shouldn’t raise the bar and live above the past. We can encourage one another to shine a light. To be a light. People live down to your expectations.

Her comment:

I totally agree that we should encourage one another to do what’s right, but I think that Christians who were disrespectful of President Obama gave up their opportunity to be the light in this particular situation.

My reply:

Repentance and confession go a long way…and then, they can show their change by their quiet response to wrath. The Christian life is about growth. I’m speaking a vision…I hope believers will hear. Every day I have to try to live and love better than yesterday. In times like these, that’s the light that can be shown. I hope that a sinful past does not eliminate my future opportunities to be salt and light. By grace through Faith I stand! And that not of myself! The psalmist said that we are to shine brighter and brighter…I call out to my brothers and sisters to rise to the call of the kingdom of God, not muck around in sport game celebrations. Even sports know it’s unsportsmanlike. We are to be different…and someone has to call out and remind us that we have a higher calling! That is what I am attempting to do.

I got one response from another friend that said:

I am not united with bigots, racists, misogynists, and xenophopes.

hmmm. That means me.

Another post by a friend, was this meme:

Here’s my response:

This is highly offensive to me. If you are one that is posting such memes, this is to you.
It just hurts me when folks make such generalizations. As if I’m ignorant…and those like me could not possibly have an intelligent reason for our position. I cannot comprehend your position, and you cannot comprehend mine, but isn’t that where we grow by respecting each other and not supporting memes and such that call each other ugly names? Doesn’t that smack of bullying? And isn’t that a huge thing Democrats have screamed about trump? Wasn’t part of Hillary’s campaign anti bullying? I just don’t understand the divisiveness. And yes, just as blacks consider themselves judged as part of a whole group…and the Democrat position was anti bias, I’m part of the group indicated in red…I have been bullied and judged by this meme.
I’m anti-bullying, anti-stereotyping. Are you?

And this is just in response to the stuff that those pro Hillary and anti Trump have posted.

I’ve told those that are pro trump that I will not be posting or liking any of their meme’s either. On both sides, there have been some funny things, but, not everyone sees the humor.

As a follower of Christ, here is how I have handled the last 8 years of a presidency that I did not agree with.

1. I have dual citizenship! United States Citizen(by birth) and
The Kingdom of Heaven (by rebirth).

Phil 3:20
But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,
Romans 8:17
Now if we are children, then we are heirs–heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
John 17:15-17
15 My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. 17 Sanctify them by[a] the truth; your word is truth.
John 18:36
36 Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.”

2. Responsibility to My Heavenly King
I’m going to post this after #3, but I wanted it to be clear that my first responsibility is to my Heavenly King. This is from where all of my decisions derive, and this is where my world view is formed.

Here’s a hint!

Mark 12:29-33
29 “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.
30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’
31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

32 “Well said, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him.
33 To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

Matthew 6:33
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Here, take a break and listen to Rich Mullins singing Creed!

3. Responsibility to my earthly government

Romans 13:1-2

1 Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.
2 Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.
Mark 12:13-17

17 Then Jesus said to them, “Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.”

Matthew 22:15-22
Romans 14:17-18

17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, 18 because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval
A great sermon was preached on 11/6/2016 by David Uth of First Baptist Church of Orlando. I hope I can update this soon, when that podcast is published.

Back to point 2.

Is Jesus my King? YES!

Joshua 24:14-15
14 “Now therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord.
15 And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

1 John 3:23
And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us.

John 1:12
1 John 4:15
Acts 16:31
1 Corinthians 3:11

Now, what is my responsibility as a Christian – to those around me?
Jesus had a lot to say, and none of it depended upon the outcome of an election.

Ephesians 4:1-3
1 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.
2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.
3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.

LOVE

John 13:34-35
34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.
35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

John 15:17
This is my command: Love each other.

If you are not familiar with the standard of how love acts, in the life of a Christian, please click on 1 Corinthians 13.

PEACE

Romans 12:18
If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

Hebrews 12:14
Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.

Psalm 34:14
Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.

2 Corinthians 13:11
Finally, brothers, rejoice! Aim for perfect harmony, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.

FORGIVENESS, KINDNESS, COMPASSIONATE

Ephesians 4:31-32
31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.
32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

galatians 5:13-16
13 You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh[a]; rather, serve one another humbly in love.
14 For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
15 If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.
16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.

Galatians 5:22-26
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

LIGHT(to cause darkness to flee)

Ephesians 5:8-9
For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light,
9for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness, and truth.

Matthew 5:14-16
14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.
15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.
16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

SALT (preservative, seasoning)

Matthew 5:13
“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot

Mark 9:50
“Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt among yourselves, and be at peace with each other.”

Colossians 4:6
Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

Get rid of ugliness:

Galatians 4:29-32
29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.
32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Romans 14:19; Romans 15:2; Colossians 3:8;1 Thessalonians 5:11

And verse upon verse upon verse about the dangers of the tongue!

Focus on the Good:

Phillipians 4:8-9
8 Finally, brothers and sisters,
whatever is true,
whatever is noble,
whatever is right,
whatever is pure,
whatever is lovely,
whatever is admirable—
if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—
think about such things.
9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

Speak not evil of governing authorities

2 Peter 2:10
But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.

Jude 8

Exodus 22:28
Thou shalt not revile the gods, nor curse the ruler of thy people.

The wisdom of Solomon:

Ecclesiastes 10:20
Do not revile the king even in your thoughts, or curse the rich in your bedroom, because a bird in the sky may carry your words, and a bird on the wing may report what you say.

And if you can’t bring yourself to do that, here are a few verses that always bring me to my knees:

Matt 5:43 – 46
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor[a] and hate your enemy.’
44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?

Luke 6:27-28
27 “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,
28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.

Why?
Because Christians are called to be DIFFERENT than the rest of the world.
Christians are supposed to be growing into the likeness and image of CHRIST JESUS!

Philipians 2:5
Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus,

John 13:15
“For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you.

Romans 8:29
For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren;

2 Corinthians 3:18
But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.

Mark 8:34-35
And He summoned the crowd with His disciples, and said to them, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it.

John 15:10
“If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.

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

I’m commanded to love those that use me, abuse me, persecute me, and even are my enemies. Jesus Loved from the cross.

But I have another responsibility, to this country, based on my citizenship in the Kingdom of Heaven.

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

My responsibility is:

as one of HIS people
called by HIS name
HUMBLE MYSELF
Pray
Seek HIS face
Turn from MY wicked ways
THEN
He will hear me
and forgive me
and heal our land.

But the verse is PLURAL – MY PEOPLE!
There is a need for revival in the land – for the children of God to rise up to their responsibility for the condition of our country.
I know that I have not been consistent with this set of requirements to be a good citizen. Have you?

Yahweh, Jehovah, Yeshua or Jesus(however you want to speak the name of God) did not put any clarification that this only applied when the King was a Godly King. In fact, Daniel was led to pray for the King of Persia…
Israelites were called to pray for the leaders when in Babylon(jeremiah 29:7)
The early Christians were told to pray for the government, that would kill them.

Our government in the United States of America grants us freedom of religion – at this time – in the constitution. That is NOT the case around the world. And, according to the scriptures, that will not be the case forever.

Matthew 24 is a good place to read about how things will change.
Luke 21.
Mark 13.
And they are changing.

1 Timothy 4
2 Peter 3
1 Thessalonians 5

So, my prayer, dear Christian, follower of Christ, lover of the true Light – is this:

Hebrews 10:22-25
22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.
23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.
24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds,
25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Jeremiah was told

(Jeremiah 29:7):
7 Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.”

Jeremiah 29:11-13
11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
12 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.
13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

1 Timothy 2:1-4
2 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people,
2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.
3 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior,
4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

Let’s humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God.
Let’s stand in the gap on behalf of our nation.
Let’s make our speech, both written and spoken, be wholesome and edifying, not given to gossip and division.

Let’s live our lives to rise to glorify God in our bodies, and not fall to the destructive methods of others.

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

When Jesus returns for his Bride – I want him to be able to pick me out of the crowd! I want to be different. How about you?

note – this does not discuss the grace and mercy of God upon us, the propitiation for our sin through Jesus Christ, and the forgiveness when we fail. On the other hand, I did not reference the times we are told to be perfect as he is perfect or holy as he is holy. The point is – we are supposed to aim higher. That is my goal. I fail often, but by His grace, I go before the throne, call upon the name of Jesus, and I’m cleansed, and welcomed back to try again.

Team Wildman

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

I want to thank

for the ability to search the Bible online.

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

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

2016 Word for the Year – Prepare – Psalm 23 – MY

Psalm 23 – The Lord is MY Shepherd

I have written several posts about my meditations upon Psalm 23.

Now – I am personalizing it.
MY
Dictionary.com definition of MY

pronoun
1.
(a form of the possessive case of I used as an attributive adjective):
My soup is cold.

Mirriam Webster

Full definition of MY
1: of or relating to me or myself especially as possessor, agent, object of an action, or familiar person

Possessive case. Belong to ME.

This is the crux of Christianity – in relationship to Jesus Christ.
The LORD(Jesus) is MY shepherd. Savior. Lord. King.

It’s not enough to say that Jesus is Lord.
It’s not enough to say that you believe IN God or Jesus.
It’s not enough to say you go to church, take communion, try to live right, give to the poor – and all that stuff in 1 Corinthians 13

One must take the actions of making Jesus Christ THEIR OWN personal Lord and savior – and making the Words of God their OWN guide for life – and making their lives line up with the teachings.

That includes grace, mercy and forgiveness, by faith which is a gift, and that not of our own, but from God! Ephesians 2

Ephesians 2:1-2
As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins,
2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.
3 All of us also lived among them at one time,gratifying the cravings of our flesh[a] and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath.

I talked about gifts from God in my Arting post!

The first step to making Jesus MY Lord and shepherd has already been done. More about the first step later.

Now we are at the second step:

Recognize that we are sinners – that our lives have separated us from the Creator God!
And yet, there is even a bit more, that goes even before –

Romans 3:10-12 English Standard Version (ESV)
10 as it is written:
“None is righteous, no, not one;
11 no one understands;
no one seeks for God.
12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless;
no one does good,
not even one.”

Here are the Scriptures from The Biblegateway – Romans 3:10-12; Psalm 14:1-3 and Psalm 531-3

No one is immune! It does go back to Genesis 3, but we’ll just mention that here.

Here is some thoughts I’ve shared before about If you think you are are good enough.

This is the clear path that led me to know, at age 9, and many times over, that

I am not good enough to enter into the Kingdom of God.
I am not good enough to dwell in the house of the Lord.
I am not clean enough to enter into the holy place of God most high.
I have no way to make the Lord MY shepherd!

Let’s talk about sheep.
Do the sheep go out and say “I need a shepherd!” and go hire one?
No – the shepherd seeks the sheep, purchases them, and then cares for them.
Without the shepherd seeking the sheep, they would get into so much trouble, as anyone that has ever worked with sheep can tell you!
In fact, there is nothing that the sheep can do in order to get connected with a shepherd. The shepherd seeks the sheep, and purchases them.

But, do the the sheep even know they need a shepherd?
Do they know the cost of not being cared for by a shepherd?

Romans 6:23a

23 For the wages of sin is death,

This is echoed in Proverbs 11:19; Matthew 25:46 and Romans 1:32

The finality of this is written about in Revelation 20:11-15

11 Then I saw a great white throne and the One who sat on it. The earth and the heavens fled from His presence, and no place was found for them.
12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne.
And there were open books, and one of them was the book of life. And the dead were judged according to their deeds, as recorded in the books.
13 The sea gave up its dead, and Death and Hades gave up their dead, and each one was judged according to his deeds.
14 Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death—the lake of fire.
15 And if anyone was found whose name was not written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

A sheep, without a shepherd, eats poison, goes places it ought not go, and gets into situations that are dangerous. A sheep, without a shepherd gets lost and cannot find it’s way home. The worst case is that a sheep that is without a shepherd is prey to the wolves and other predators that want to Use it. They want to steal, kill and destroy it.

Back to Genesis 3. When Adam and Eve sinned against the one and only rule that God had given them – they were made to leave the Garden of Eden. They were sent away from paradise, where they had walked with God.

This is the cost of sin.
Separation from our Creator God, that created us, to walk in the garden with us!

So how do I make the Lord MY Shepherd? Belonging to me?

I am my beloved’s and he is mine.

I am My beloved’s

That is part 2, of Psalm 23 – MY!

Team Wildman

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

I want to thank

for the ability to search the Bible online.

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

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

Naomi’s Heart Ministries

Obed’s House Ministries

2016 – Arting at Stone Mountain Georgia(prepare)

Before we left for Atlanta and Stone Mountain, I was preparing my art materials in order to take them with us. One of my tools is a camera. The preparation was so that I could utilize one of the gifts that God has placed within me.

This is the meditation that came about as I thought about painting as worship. It also includes a meditation after I lost my camera.

~Christi

Psalm 139:14 I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

Ephesians 2:10 I was created in Christ for good works which God prepared beforehand that ib should walk in them.

He gives everyone gifts. Got Questions has written an answer to how does God give spiritual gifts.

1 Peter 4:10 We are expected to use the gifts that we have been given!

Romans 11:29 The gifts and calling of God are without repentance

Matthew 5:14-17New International Version (NIV)

14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

I have been told that I have a gift when it comes to art.
I have not been so sure, until folks that do art are doing things that amaze me, and tell me that my work, without training, is amazing.
I have denied what I have – and therefore, I have not used it for any type of worship consistently.

Don’t bury your gift/ talents !!!

Matthew 25:14-30
Luke 19:11-27

The parable of the talents is very scary when you look at the one that buried his talent…sent into outer darkness.
In Lukes version, they were brought and killed.
That’s a high price for hiding your talent!

Like forgive as we are forgiven…if you don’t forgive, God will not forgive you.

Matthew 6:14-15(Right after the Lord’s Prayer!)
14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Forgiveness is a gift. From God. Therefore, we should give forgiveness!
Ephesians 4:32
Colossians 3:13

Mercy is how we are given forgiveness.
Deuteronomy 4:31
For the LORD your God is a merciful God; he will not abandon or destroy you or forget the covenant with your ancestors, which he confirmed to them by oath.

Psalm 103
Of David.
1 Praise the Lord, my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
2 Praise the Lord, my soul,
and forget not all his benefits—
3 who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,
4 who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,
5 who satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

A commentary about God’s Mercy is very enlightening.

Grace is how we receive the gift of faith.

Ephesians 2:8-9New International Version (NIV)

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

To not give forgiveness when it’s been freely given is to say that I have more right to be wounded than God!
To not be merciful when I’ve been given so much mercy is to cheapen that gift.
To not give grace through forgiveness is to hide that gift of God under a bushel.

Matthew 5:16
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works (for which we are created) and glorify your father in heaven.

This is how we turn our gifts back to God as worship.

So, on October 6, 2016, I chose to walk out to a pavilion, carrying my painting supplies, in order to worship God in the nature, and to paint as worship to Him!

Update; three days later –
That day, I took photos in order to paint after leaving the area. Once we arrived in Ohio from Atlanta, I searched for that camera, and it is no where to be found.

I fell prey to the enemy telling me that I was not worthy to be an artist for Christ. And, he’s right. I am not worthy.

I wrote this on Facebook:

I was so excited about painting at Stone Mountain.
I was so excited about my first plein air painting.
I was content to finish it with the photograph on my camera.
I was looking forward to painting Stone Mountain from the photos I was able to take as we left the park.
I am devastated to realize that the camera is missing – and unless it shows up in Jim Wildman’s computer bag(no reason for it to be there}, it is gone. Last known place is the rental car we turned in at Atlanta.
Even worse? I have no idea what other photos are on the camera,
And, today, I will not be able to take photos of our grandson playing football.
I’m feeling very stupid, careless, and a hundred other negative feelings about myself. The camera is part of my ‘job’ tools. If Jim Wildman were to lose his laptop, a composer lose his sheet music in progress, or a dancer lose her shoes – it would be similar in devastation.

I’m so sad. and the worst part is that I wanted photos of the grandkids.

I am not worthy – except that I have embraced Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior, and IN HIM, I am counted as worthy to bear the name of Christ – as in Christian. IN HIM, I am counted as worthy to be a standard bearer, an ambassador for him. The enemy always forgets that part when attacking me! or any of us!

It always seems to be that once I commit to doing something for the Lord, something happens to undermine it. The other interesting part of this is that I felt that I needed to defend my discouragement by pointing out the issues like not being able to photograph our grandson. That was important, but, I have hidden my talents for so many years that I was really thrilled to pull them out and try to let them shine. I had a phone to take photos of our grandson. And they turned out pretty well! In my own lack of worth, I felt that I was not even good enough consider the loss of my camera for the art’s sake as important.

Was God surprised about the camera? Of course not.
Can we replace the camera? Yes – though we’d rather not spend that money right now.
Does God forgive me my carelessness? Of course.
Do I? That is a different story! Probably a different post!
Did God stop loving me or call me an unprofitable servant? Of course NOT!
Do I? call myself an unprofitable servant? It’s been known to happen.

There is something about learning to see myself with Jesus’s eyes.
This song is for me and my friend Shirley –

The upside is that Jim will be stopping by home, and coming back with our other camera, and we will be back in Atlanta before I return home. We will drive back to Stone Mountain, and by God’s grace and mercy, snap a few more photos so that I can share the glory of God!
No matter how dismal the situation seems, if my heart is focused upon serving the Lord Jesus, He will make all things work together for the good!

Romans 8:28-30

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

Preparation?

First – know that you are called and have a calling! that means preparing with a relationship with the Creator God through His son, Jesus Christ.
Second – have the tools ready, available, and portable to go when and where you are called. Prepare with packing and packaging!
Third – Remember that our enemy is a roaring lion, prowling about looking for whom he can destroy. Prepare for the battles!
Fourth, and this may be the most important – prepare my heart by hiding God’s word within!

I hope you enjoyed this little insight into my life. Once I have the new photos of Stone Mountain, I will post those here, and maybe even the finished painting!

Me and My Love

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

I want to thank Blue Letter Bible and
Bible Gateway and
Bible Hub for the ability to search the Bible online.

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

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

Naomi’s Heart Ministries

2016 Word of the Year – Prepare – Marriage tools 2

I wrote recently about how God is preparing our marriage for, well, whatever. We started repairing our marriage by attending a Smalley Institute Marriage Intensive. I shared some marriage tools in Marriage Tools 1.

I admit, I did not think that this was going to work for us. I was, however, compelled(by my commitment, and by God’s constant reminding) to do my part. We were instructed to pray 1 Cor 13, personalized for the two of us. Like this:

4 Love is patient,
I will love Jim.
I will be patient with Jim

love is kind.
I will be kind to Jim.

It does not envy,
I will not be envious or jealous of Jim.

it does not boast,
I will not boast to Jim.

it is not proud.
I will humble myself before God and with Jim.

And so on….
5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
8 Love never fails.

This is the NIV version.
The other versions have some additional twists….like verse 5 in KJV!

5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;

Here’s CEB:

4 Love is patient, love is kind, it isn’t jealous, it doesn’t brag, it isn’t arrogant,
5 it isn’t rude, it doesn’t seek its own advantage, it isn’t irritable, it doesn’t keep a record of complaints,
6 it isn’t happy with injustice, but it is happy with the truth.
7 Love puts up with all things, trusts in all things, hopes for all things, endures all things.
8 Love never fails.

Here is the version that will give me the most challenge:
Amplified Version:

4 Love endures with patience and serenity, love is kind and thoughtful, and is not jealous or envious; love does not brag and is not proud or arrogant.
5 It is not rude; it is not self-seeking, it is not provoked [nor overly sensitive and easily angered]; it does not take into account a wrong endured.
6 It does not rejoice at injustice, but rejoices with the truth [when right and truth prevail].
7 Love bears all things [regardless of what comes], believes all things [looking for the best in each one], hopes all things [remaining steadfast during difficult times], endures all things [without weakening].
8 Love never fails [it never fades nor ends].

I confess, I tried to get out of this assignment by pleading to go back to Galatians 5:22-23. But the Amplified Version really convicted me:

22 But the fruit of the Spirit [the result of His presence within us] is love [unselfish concern for others], joy, [inner] peace, patience [not the ability to wait, but how we act while waiting], kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law.

“the result of His presence within us”
“unselfish concern for others”

Those amplifications of being in the Spirit and love really threw me back to this assignment – praying 1 Cor 13:4-8 over Jim, as I confessed and asked God for grace and mercy to follow His path.

What happened?
I changed.
I have heard so often that if you pray for someone, you will love them more. Yeah yeah yeah! I pray for Jim – and not for him to change. That wasn’t changing me!
This changed me.

Try it.
I dare you!

Praying God’s word is powerful…especially if you are praying it over yourself!
Warning! This could change you forever!

Me and My Love

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

I want to thank Blue Letter Bible and Bible Gateway for the ability to search the Bible online.

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

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

Naomi’s Heart Ministries

28 DAYS OF GRACE – DAY 22! A NEW DAY!

Jim is doing a Level Up program through Nerd fitness….
and today’s post is AMAZING!

But it’s copy righted and for a private paid for group(I get bonus because I’m Jim’s wife).
But this is a quote that Steve quoted in this post:

Victor Frankl, author of the absolutely heartbreaking and yet incredibly positive “A Man’s Search For Meaning” once said:

“Those who have a ‘why’ can bear with almost any ‘how.”

Here’s my response:

Yes yes.yes…I’ve wanted a why for my whole life, and for our married life!

WHY?

and then, the what and how fall into place, or at least the what nots are more easily recognizable!

I’ve always had a WHY that pertains to EVERY Christian:

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. Eph 2:10

walk in good works to glorify God!

WHICH GOOD WORKS?????

Obviously, the good works that ALL Christians are supposed to walk in…..
The Fruit of the Spirit – Ephesians 5, Galatians 5

The Number one Fruit – Love – John 13:34

A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

The Whole Law – Matt 22:37-40

Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
This is the first and great commandment.
And the second [is] like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

BUT WHAT DOES THAT SAY TO ME, SPECIFICALLY?
That gets into talents, hiding them, or investing them…

I wrote about that before…but the WHY for how to live, for me, is to glorify GOD!
The HOW and WHAT is all about investing the talents God has given ME to use for HIM.

And, there is another thought hidden in here for me….
“Love your neighbor AS YOURSELF.”

I HAVE SPENT MANY MANY YEARS NOT LOVING MYSELF!

Not taking care of my own health has been a self hatred behavior.

These 28 days of Grace…which was what I was begging and praying for to get through this Yeast Free program…has not just turned my body and health around…it has turned my heart and mind around.

I need to LOVE ME because HE FIRST LOVED ME!
And if GOD has decided to LOVE ME the way HE does…Who am I to argue?

Good food
Good exercise
Good prayer
Good fellowship….
Good life!

I CHOOSE LIFE!
God life!
And I pray that my life will glorify Him, as I learn my WHY, WHAT and HOW to walk in good works!

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

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

I’d love to hear what you think – please leave a comment!
Or ‘like’ me!

If you like The WildBerry Patch, follow me with the RSS feed.

We have email subscription! Or sign up for an account, and you can manage your subscription from the dashboard!
Soon, we will have a gallery for the art I have created by the hand of God.

Naomi's Heart Mission

Help a child in need. Check out Naomi’s Heart Mission or Compassion International. The life that changes will be your own!

28 Days of Grace – day 11: The folded napkin

I got this in my email today, and it really hit me in the context of meals, eating, lifestyle, etc. I have reprinted it here:

So Why Did JESUS Fold The Napkin?
Do you know why? This is just beautiful.

Why Did Jesus Fold the Napkin?

This is one I can honestly say I have never seen circulating in the e-mails so; I’ll start it.. If it touches you , You might want to forward it.

Why did Jesus fold the linen burial cloth after His resurrection? I never noticed this….

The Gospel of John (20:7) tells us that the napkin, which was placed over the face of Jesus, was not just thrown aside like the grave clothes.

The Bible takes an entire verse to tell us that the napkin was neatly folded, and was placed at the head of that stony coffin.

Early Sunday morning, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance.

She ran and found Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved. She said, ‘They have taken the Lord’s body out of the tomb, and I don’t know where they have put him!’

Peter and the other disciple ran to the tomb to see. The other disciple out ran Peter and got there first. He stopped and looked in and saw the linen cloth lying there, but he didn’t go in.

Then Simon Peter arrived and went inside. He also noticed the linen wrappings lying there, while the cloth that had covered Jesus’ head was folded up and lying to the side.

Was that important? Absolutely!
Is it really significant? Yes!

In order to understand the significance of the folded napkin, you have to understand a little bit about Hebrew tradition of that day.
The folded napkin had to do with the Master and Servant, and every
Jewish boy knew this tradition.

When the servant set the dinner table for the master, he made sure that it was exactly the way the master wanted it.

The table was furnished perfectly, and then the servant would wait, just out of sight, until the master had finished eating, and the servant would not dare touch that table, until the master was finished..

Now if the master were done eating, he would rise from the table, wipe his fingers, his mouth, and clean his beard, and would wad up that napkin and toss it onto the table.

The servant would then know to clear the table. For in those days, the wadded napkin meant, “I’m finished..”

But if the master got up from the table, and folded his napkin, and laid it beside his plate, the servant would not dare touch the table, because……….

The folded napkin meant,
“I’m coming back!”

AND SO HE SHALL!!!

And so He shall return –

Luke 18:8 Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?

Why is that in red? Because those are the words of Jesus as told to us in the book of Luke.
Jesus has just proclaimed that:

And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. (Luke 18:7)

Prayer….
Though HE bear long with them….
God will avenge…

Mary Magdalene, along with all the others, felt that the Lord had left them all alone.
Jesus had told them about this judge that didn’t fear anyone, even God, but a widow had come to him over and over and over to be avenged of her adversary…and he chose to do so, because of her constant appeals.
Jesus said that we should pray like that widow.
In fact, Luke says:

And he spake a parable unto them [to this end], that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; (Luke 18:1)

The point of the email was that Jesus is coming back…there is another meal being prepared…who is going to be found ‘worthy’ to sit at that table?
Servants of faith! (not fear – not to self)

Hebrews 11:1-3 says

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
For by it the elders obtained a good report.
Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

By FAITH the elders obtained a good report!

Hebrews 11:6 But without faith [it is] impossible to please [him]: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and [that] he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Without FAITH – it is impossible to please God!

I wrote a series of blogs about Giants in my land, and one of those giants was the Giant of Fear.

Fear and Faith cannot co-exist.
Fear holds me back,
Faith propels me forward.
Fear steals my happiness,
Faith impels me to joy.
Fear makes me paralyzed,
Faith compels me to LOVE.

(mcw 6/8/2012)

Why do I continue to climb my way forward?
Because I have faith that HE is coming back for me!
He folded His napkin!
By His GRACE, I’ll be ready!

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

I’d love to hear what you think – please leave a comment!
Or ‘like’ me!

If you like The WildBerry Patch, follow me with the RSS feed. We have email subscription! Or sign up for an account, and you can manage your subscription from the dashboard!
Soon, we will have a gallery for the art I have created by the hand of God.

Naomi's Heart Mission

Help a child in need. Check out Naomi’s Heart Mission or Compassion International. The life that changes will be your own!

28 Days of Grace – day 7

Yes, day 6 is missing….it’s sitting in it’s draft position because we had a wonderful day yesterday with a new church and a new group of people.
that post will be coming(just out of order)

Today, I woke up feeling great!
Nice, since this is DAY 7 of the YF diet…no symptoms.
I was realizing – I hadn’t taken Robaxin or Mobic to sleep for several nights! That IS a big change.
That means, no muscle spasms and no pain…at least not that I thought would keep me up!

Here’s another PRAISE!
I walked down the outside steps like a non handicapped gimp! as in, using my left foot with full motion and strength!

This morning my friend and I walked Gabriel 1.11 miles.
By the program I used to track it, we did it in…35 minutes….but we stopped to talk with friends for a few minutes, and Gabe kept slowing us down. On Monday, he has to smell all the smells from all the dogs that stayed in the RV park that weekend…no walking along on Monday!
That to say, I may have actually walked 2 mph!
and I don’t hurt!

What if, by choosing to take care of my body, my body is able to start taking care of itself????
By nourishing my body with GOOD things, everything is able to work together!

The Body of Christ is the same!

Eph 4:16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

Huh????

NIV From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

Everyone in the Body of Christ is needed in order to grow and build itself up in love!

1 Cor 12:12 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also [is] Christ.

Last night’s study was on 1 Peter 4:7-11

1 Pet 4:10
As every man hath received the gift,
[even so] minister the same one to another,
as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

Each person has received a gift – a job to do – and we need to recognize that this gift, this job, is in essence, the GRACE of GOD!
We must be good stewards of this GRACE of GOD!

NIV says it this way:

Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.

I have a saying when I offer something to someone, and they try to refuse it:
“Do you really want to steal my blessing?”
Why does someone refuse a gift? Pride? false humility? fear of obligation? Socially expected response?
But, it prevents the giver from enjoying the blessing of giving!

Last night, I saw the other aspect, the other side.
I have gifts that I have held inside because of fear – fear of rejection, ridicule, or failure.
Nah, I say it’s because I’m not ready, I’m not good enough, I’m not needed, or whatever false humility statement fits the bill.

I have buried these gifts, and kept them from being shared with others…
I have prevented others from receiving the GRACE of GOD that HE planted in me, in order that I would walk in good works, and bless others, to the GLORY OF HIS NAME!!!

That’s like burying your hand in the freezer because you don’t want to seem prideful that it is pretty….or something like that.
Oh, I know…it’s like having a surgery that removes parts of the body, and sends other parts reeling trying to make up the difference.
No matter that the removed part was going to destroy my life…the after affects caused my physical body to be ravaged.
My body didn’t have an extra that could step in…though my Thyroid and Adrenals tried to…they just couldn’t keep up.

In the Body of Christ, God is not going to let His body suffer and not move forward, but those that try to fill in the gaps of others burying their gifts can be burned out.
There may be other toes in the body, to help bring balance.
There may be another spleen, kidney, liver…whatever….but there is something that is lost because the person burying the gift did not GIVE it to the body.

As I ponder on GRACE – I realize that my gifts are FOR ministering the GRACE OF GOD TO THE SAINTS!

I have struggled with the concern that I am burying my gifts…sometimes by life situations…sometimes purposefully…sometimes in fear.
But until last night, I didn’t realize that by burying my gifts…odd gifts that many are not interested in accepting…I am robbing the Body of Christ the gifts of GRACE that GOD preordained to be shared by me.

I’ve been trying to place my giftings out for availability for several years now…though not all have been exposed.
Maybe that is part of the fear in obtaining this studio…
I’m coming out!
I’m coming out of my basket!!!!
I’m already out of the boat!

I wonder what will happen as I take my walks with Jesus farther and farther…growing stronger and stronger?
That basket will disintegrate in the face of HIS GLORY AND GRACE!!!

John 1:14,16 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.

1 John 1:4 And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.

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

I’d love to hear what you think – please leave a comment!
Or ‘like’ me!

If you like The WildBerry Patch, follow me with the RSS feed.

We have email subscription! Just sign up for an account, and you can manage your subscription from the dashboard!
Soon, we will have a gallery for the art I have created by the hand of God.

Naomi's Heart Mission

Help a child in need. Check out Naomi’s Heart Mission or Compassion International. The life that changes will be your own!

100 Spiritual Walking Steps #41 – John 3:16, football and boldness

Tim Tebow - www.timtebow.com

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Tim Tebow – the wonderful young man that is quarterback for the Denver Broncos – threw passes for 316 yards against the Steelers.
They said he couldn’t do it…but God is the one that writes the story of our life.

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

This young man is an example to all who call themselves by the name of Christ:
Tim has embraced the reality of John 3:16, along with the following passages from John 3:

John 3:17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
:18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.

I have posted my testimony as “Who Is ChristArtist?”

But here’s a question for all that want to ride on Tim Tebow’s coat tails…Do you think you’re going to heaven?

If you are a Christian, why aren’t WE being persecuted in the same manner as Tim Tebow?

Tebow has done what we as Christians are commanded to do – encourage one another while it is still day….Heb 3:13;
and

Heb 10:24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.

Can we say:

Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

And do we believe:

Luke 9:26 For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and [in his] Father’s, and of the holy angels.

Mark 8:38 Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.

I wrote about boldness in Step #37 New Beginnings, Again!

I have been challenged to be BOLD this year…BOLD for the LORD…and Tim Tebow has been a beautiful example of that this year.
You can see a ripple of boldness in the other football players, and the teams…being unafraid to share their faith.
I challenge anyone to live like Tim Tebow – imitating him as he imitates Christ.
We could all follow much worse.

Thank you, God, for bringing Tim Tebow into our lives for such a time as this! Bless him and his family, as they have blessed us, in Jesus’ name.

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.

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100 Spiritual Steps #40 – “A Word on Fire Extinguishers”

I stared this morning with my through the Bible readings.

I started this morning with several blogs that I have to write.

I started this morning with some concerns for my focus with my life.

I started this morning with my facebook to check up on a few of my prayer concerns(as in, people that I pray for).

What I got was a dear friend, Vicki Small’s status saying this:

“I wish I didn’t understand this post so well, that I had always “walked the walk” and spoken, as Dave says, when the Holy Spirit gave me the opportunity. Too often have I quenched the Spirit out of fear of rejection or ridicule. Not since the 9th grade, the end of my “zeal without knowledge,” have I been one to push my faith on those who weren’t interested. Ugh. In my 20’s, there were times when I tried, in fear and in trembling, to pull of some evangelistic strategy promoted by my church. The last time was such a bomb that I swore, “Never again.” The result has been most of a lifetime of NOT speaking up; on the other hand, if you’re not walking the walk, it’s best not to talk, isn’t it?
Sorry. That is not the direction of Dave’s post, and I encourage my friends who love and follow Christ Jesus to read it. It’s good for chills up your spine.

Her status shocked me.

Her words unnerved me.

Vicki is one of the ones that inspires me to be better, to be more compassionate, to be more Christ like…and she’s confessing that she doesn’t think she quenches the Holy Spirit? This blog sent chills up her spine? What does this guy say?

A Word on Fire Extinguishers

This not only sent chills up my spine, it set a fire under my bum.

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