A place where my thoughts, words and feelings converge…
Category: Portraits of Life – Seeing God in All
I have discovered a new and exciting hobby of taking photos and sharing God’s Words as they inspire me to be in complete “AWE” of how great our God is! I hope you enjoy the photos.
Awe, two of my favorite things; celebrating my birthday and going to Walt Disney World! It appears my eyes are looking intently on my birthday cake! Watch Out! The other picture isn’t really watches but they sort of look like watches. This photo was taken on the plane with my friends on our way to WDW! It was a great trip. Both of these activities require some waiting and watching, waiting 365 days until the next birthday celebration and Disney provides lots of watching people and activities. I hope the picture provided a smile for you today. God Bless you and Keep you~Amen!
Matthew 24:42
“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.”
Matthew 25:13
“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.”
Habakkuk 2:1
“I will stand at my watch and station myself on the ramparts; I will look to see what he will say to me, and what answer I am to give to this complaint.”
Matthew 27:54
“Now when the centurion and those with him, who were keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were terrified and said, “Truly this man was God’s Son!”
ειρήνη – “Peace” in Greek, reference listed the below.
“Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all your sons here?” And he said, “There remains yet the youngest, but he is keeping the sheep.” And Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and bring him; for we will not sit down until he comes here.” He sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and had beautiful eyes, and was handsome. The Lord said, “Rise and anoint him; for this is the one.” Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the presence of his brothers; and the spirit of the Lord came mightily upon David from that day forward. Samuel then set out and went to Ramah.”
In the scripture reading for today, we read of the prophet Samuel coming to anoint one of Jesse’s sons. All are present except one, David; he was a shepherd. Someone was sent immediately to bring David home. At David’s arrival, he was found ruddy (a healthy reddish color), beautiful eyes and handsome.
Remember, Samuel did not have a picture or even a description of the one he was to anoint. Jesse and Samuel both thought surely the biggest and strongest would be anointed king but after passing over 7 of Jesse’s sons, Samuel ask, is this all your sons and that’s when Jesse says his youngest is with the sheep. Upon David’s arrival home Samuel is told by God, “Rise and anoint him; for he is the one.”
The story of David is a great reminder that God sees the heart of man/woman. God is looking for a broken and contrite heart. A heart willing to be moved to forgiveness, compassion and action. Our strength comes from God, He supplies all that is needed to continue His work here on earth, all that’s required is a willing heart, whose faith is in God the creator of all things. During this season of Lent God is called each of us to open our hearts to the endless possibilities to expand the kingdom of God. Our call is to go before God, ask to be anointed with His Spirit and to walk in His light so that others will see and believe. ~Peace To You~ ✝️🙏🏻
Practice:
Make the sign of the cross on your forehead and say, “I am anointed with the Spirit of Jesus.” Share the same blessing with a friend.
ειρήνη – “Peace” in Greek, reference listed below.
• not receiving, reflecting, transmitting, or radiating light
• arising from or showing evil traits or desires
• absence of light
Everyday we have an opportunity to shine the light of Jesus in the corners of the world filled with darkness. The slightest ray of light will illuminate the dark, the darkness will never overcome the light. Showing kindness to someone will spark the light in their world.
Have you ever sat is a room completely in darkness? If you have, you know the tiniest bit of light 💡 can brighten the room. Today’s word reminds me of a song I sang as a child and now as an adult it’s meaning is so much deeper. “This Little Light of Mine”
In the craziness that is going on around the world with COVID-19, I pray you are healthy and your light continues to shine. The darkness that is happening with this horrible disease cannot over take the LIGHT, God is our Light, our Hope and our Salvation! 💜🙏🏻✝️
ειρήνη – “Peace” in Greek, reference listed the below.
In the Book of Psalm, David is writing about admitting his sins before God, chapter 119 verse 26-27, “When I told of my ways, you answered me; teach me your statutes. Make me understand the way of your precepts, and I will meditate on your wondrous works.”
“CONFESSION IS GOOD FOR THE SOUL”
When I used GOOGLE to search that phrase the first result was an APP I use often, biblestudytools.com. The inquiry provided the verse Psalm 119:26 and a biblical commentary explaining the verse.
Naming and claiming the things we are guilty of is good for the soul. It is a spiritual and emotional cleansing of oneself. When we confess our sins/wrong-doings to God, it’s not for His benefit but our own. God knows our hearts, minds and souls. We confess so we can acknowledge them, speak them aloud, take ownership of them. Through this process, our worries and burdens are alleviated/forgiven. Often believers describe it as “a load has been lifted off my shoulders.” Keeping things locked up inside ourselves only makes the situation worse. Pressure builds the longer we try to hide our shortcomings, keeping secrets but why…
In verse 27, David ask God to make him understand His precepts so he can meditate on His works. The closer our relationship with God, the more we will understand His will for our lives. Spending time in prayer and meditation is life foundational building. The closer our relationship is with God, the more opportunities exist for God to mold us into the individuals we were created to be.
Isaiah 64:8
“But now, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand.”
Commentary Notes: Bible Study Tool
EXPOSITION
Verse 26. I have declared my ways. Open confession is good for the soul. Nothing brings more ease and more life to a man than a frank acknowledgment of the evil which has caused the sorrow and the lethargy. Such a declaration proves that the man knows his own condition, and is no longer blinded by pride. Our confessions are not meant to make God know our sins, but to make us know them. I have provided a link below if you are interested in further explanation.
Practice:
In this final week before the cross, consider what is still lying heavy on your heart.
• What do you need to let go of?
• What do you need to accept?
ειρήνη – “Peace” in Greek, reference listed below.
Throughout the Bible God promises to deliver us. God is our Rock and our Redeemer. It is through God’s grace and God’s mercy that we are forgiven. And, this forgiveness is ours because of the great sacrifice of Jesus. Brothers and Sisters in Christ, trust in God to DELIVER YOU!
Judges 6:9
“…and I delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians, and from the hand of all who oppressed you, and drove them out before you, and gave you their land.”
Judges 10:11
“And the Lord said to the Israelites, “Did I not deliver you from the Egyptians and from the Amorites, from the Ammonites and from the Philistines?”
2 Samuel 22:1-2
“David spoke to the Lord the words of this song on the day when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul. He said: The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer.”
Psalm 22:8
“Commit your cause to the Lord; let him deliver— let him rescue the one in whom he delights!”
Daniel 3:28
“Nebuchadnezzar said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and delivered his servants who trusted in him. They disobeyed the king’s command and yielded up their bodies rather than serve and worship any god except their own God.”
ειρήνη – “Peace” in Greek, reference listed the below.
“Let me hear of your steadfast love in the morning, for in you I put my trust. Teach me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.”
Rev. Sam shared a story in the devotional today about a friend (Julie) who had lost her mother and how she continued living after a great loss. Julie has a ritual to starting each day that included; rising early, sit is the same chair, journal and read her Bible and drink her coffee.
I wish I care share a story filled with faithfulness as Julie, sadly I do not. Rather, a more appropriate answer would be when I lost my mother, I simply stepped into her shoes to fill the voids for my family. Over time, I realized no one could fill the void that was in heart. I learned it wasn’t about filling the emptiness but recognizing the beauty of the space. All the things my mother was and is to me are still there and will always be! I am no longer afraid of the void and emptiness because she’s still my mom.
We can experience the same kind of relationship with Jesus, we have His story and those who lived and loved His during His life here on earth. They were sad and distraught after the death of Jesus. Jesus promised to never leave them or to forsake them, they did not understand how that could be when Jesus was crucified. Love transcends the grave, Jesus gave the disciples the gift of the Holy Spirit.
John 14:26
“But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.”
John 14:27
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.”
Practice:
Listen or sing “Give Me Jesus.”
ειρήνη – “Peace” in Greek, reference listed below.
• free from guilt or sin especially through lack of knowledge of evil
• harmless in effect or intention
Philippians 2:12-16
“Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed me, not only in my presence, but much more now in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure. Do all things without murmuring and arguing, so that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, in which you shine like stars in the world. It is by your holding fast to the word of life that I can boast on the day of Christ that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.”
Innocent: By Third Day
It seemed like I had run out of second chances And they sentenced me to die And I was just like a dead man walking I was running out of timeBut you came to me and opened my eyes You gave me a brand new lifeI am innocent and I have been set free I no longer have chains around my feet And no matter where I go or what they say I am innocent Many years have passed since the day that I met you But your words are still the same And every time I find myself with joy or sadness I am calling out your name’Cause you came to me and opened my eyes You gave to me a brand new life
ειρήνη – “Peace” in Greek, reference listed the below.
“But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you lock people out of the kingdom of heaven. For you do not go in yourselves, and when others are going in, you stop them.”
WHAT GETS A RISE OUT OF YOU?
Rev. Sam shared a story in today’s devotional about a classmate being picked on in high school and how she defended him. Have you every fought for something you felt convicted about. Have you seen injustice and wanted to do something to stop it. After reading the devotional, I immediately remembered an incident when I was maybe 12-13. I was playing softball one summer and I was the youngest girl on the team, everyone else was over 16. My mom was at the game cheering me on, as she always did and one of the older girls for whatever reason called my mom a name I did not approve of (B#%+¥), I came unglued. I went straight at the girl asking for a fight, and she had two sisters there with her and before I knew what was happening I was smack dab in the middle of all of them. I did pretty well, defending myself and my moms honor, not that she really needed me too. I am not condoning fighting by any measure, and yet there are things that sometimes just push our buttons. This particular time I just exploded 🧨💥🔥! I learned later on that my mom was the strongest person I knew, she was brave and confident and simply ask no less from others than she expected of herself, she could defend herself.
If we find ourselves in a place of apathy and indifference, it is at these times we must let God get a rise out of us. Spend time in prayer asking God to help you discern your convictions and ways you might help mitigate the situations.
Go in Peace my dear friends. I pray for you health and safety during these difficult times as we battle COVID-19. STAY STRONG, STAY HOME, and SAVE LIVES!
Practice:
What injustice gets a rise out of you?
Donate to a church or nonprofit seeking to alleviate the suffering of those experiencing it.
ειρήνη – “Peace” in Greek, reference listed below.
• to set free from restraint, confinement, or servitude *John 8:36, “So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.”
• to relieve from something that confines, burdens, or oppresses *Isaiah 58:6, “Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke?”
• relief or deliverance from sorrow, suffering, or trouble *Psalm 69:29, “But I am lowly and in pain; let your salvation, O God, protect me.”
ειρήνη – “Peace” in Greek, reference listed the below.
“Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask of him.” Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
John 11:43-44
“When he had said this, he cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out, his hands and feet bound with strips of cloth, and his face wrapped in a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.”
God’s timing is always “on time.” We are battling COVID-19 around the world right now. People are suffering and dying due to this illness that is sweeping the globe. It is scary and has brought the world to a “STOP” in many places. It needs to bring us to our “KNEES” asking God for strength, courage, compassion and comfort. Our medical personnel are doing the very best they can given their circumstances and supplies, placing themselves in harms way to provide lifesaving procedures and medications. We all have a responsibility to help in these difficult times, follow governmental guidelines, stay in whenever possible, practice social distancing, cover you coughs and wash you hands often.
Hebrews 9:27-28
“And just as it is appointed for mortals to die once, and after that the judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.”
Speaking of God’s timing, the devotional I am using for this blog was written and printed in 2019, most likely a year ago. The Spirit of the Lord was guiding Rev. Sam, planting seeds that would grow and feed us today. We are promised that we will live in eternity after the death of our bodies and our spirit/soul will live for eternity with God. Everyone who is saved, believes that Jesus is the Son of God, died on the cross for our sins and was resurrected and conquered death, will have eternal life.
John 6:47
“Very truly, I tell you, whoever believes has eternal life.”
Friends, please know that you are never alone no matter what journey you are traveling on. Jesus experienced pain and sorrow during His life here on earth. He knows and has been to the places you and I are grieving. Trust Jesus to comfort you, to heal you and most importantly to save you. In the story we read today in John 11, we read that Jesus “wept.” He cares so deeply for us and loves us so very much! ♥️🙏🏻✝️
John 11:33-35
“When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, he was greatly disturbed in spirit and deeply moved. He said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” Jesus began to weep.”
Practice:
Write a note to someone who has lost a loved one recently. Let them know they are not forgotten.
ειρήνη – “Peace” in Greek, reference listed below.
DISCOVER 
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