“I just love happy reunions! I also love it whenever a heavy burden of guilt and fear is lifted. I know Jacob was so relieved at that moment when Esau ran to meet him, fell on his neck, and kissed him. He was relieved that he and his wives, servants, and children were safe from harm. However, that wasn’t all. There was a huge bonus. Esau poured out his love on Jacob. I keep bringing up the fact that these men were not only twins, but at this chapter of their lives they were about 100 years old, and it just amazes me. Jacob was hobbling along because of his hip.”
“Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.
2 Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.
3 When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long.
4 For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah.
5 I acknowledge my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.” Psalm 32:1-5 KJV
“1 And Jacob lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, Esau came, and with him four hundred men. And he divided the children unto Leah, and unto Rachel, and unto the two handmaids.
“And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.” 1 John 4:16 KJV
“4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;[b]6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 ESV
“14 I perceived that whatever God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it. God has done it, so that people fear before him.15 That which is, already has been; that which is to be, already has been; and God seeks what has been driven away.” Ecclesiastes 3:14-15 ESV
Abram and Sarai in Egypt
10 Now there was a famine in the land. So Abram went down to Egypt to sojourn there, for the famine was severe in the land.11 When he was about to enter Egypt, he said to Sarai his wife, “I know that you are a woman beautiful in appearance,12 and when the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ Then they will kill me, but they will let you live.13 Say you are my sister, that it may go well with me because of you, and that my life may be spared for your sake.”14 When Abram entered Egypt, the Egyptians saw that the woman was very beautiful.15 And when the princes of Pharaoh saw her, they praised her to Pharaoh. And the woman was taken into Pharaoh’s house.16 And for her sake he dealt well with Abram; and he had sheep, oxen, male donkeys, male servants, female servants, female donkeys, and camels.
17 But the Lord afflicted Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram’s wife.18 So Pharaoh called Abram and said, “What is this you have done to me? Why did you not tell me that she was your wife?19 Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’ so that I took her for my wife? Now then, here is your wife; take her, and go.”20 And Pharaoh gave men orders concerning him, and they sent him away with his wife and all that he had. Genesis 12:10-20 ESV
Abraham and Abimelech
20 From there Abraham journeyed toward the territory of the Negeb and lived between Kadesh and Shur; and he sojourned inGerar.2 And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, “She is my sister.”
And Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah.3 But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night and said to him,
“Behold, you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken, for she is a man’s wife.”4 Now Abimelech had not approached her. So he said, “Lord, will you kill an innocent people?5 Did he not himself say to me, ‘She is my sister’? And she herself said, ‘He is my brother.’ In the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands I have done this.”6 Then God said to him in the dream, “Yes, I know that you have done this in the integrity of your heart, and it was I who kept you from sinning against me. Therefore I did not let you touch her.7 Now then, return the man’s wife, for he is a prophet, so that he will pray for you, and you shall live. But if you do not return her, know that you shall surely die, you and all who are yours.”
8 So Abimelech rose early in the morning and called all his servants and told them all these things. And the men were very much afraid.9 Then Abimelech called Abraham and said to him, “What have you done to us? And how have I sinned against you, that you have brought on me and my kingdom a great sin? You have done to me things that ought not to be done.”10 And Abimelech said to Abraham, “What did you see, that you did this thing?”11 Abraham said, “I did it because I thought, ‘There is no fear of God at all in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife.’12 Besides, she is indeed my sister, the daughter of my father though not the daughter of my mother, and she became my wife.13 And when God caused me to wander from my father’s house, I said to her, ‘This is the kindness you must do me: at every place to which we come, say of me, “He is my brother.”’”
14 Then Abimelech took sheep and oxen, and male servants and female servants, and gave them to Abraham, and returned Sarah his wife to him.15 And Abimelech said, “Behold, my land is before you; dwell where it pleases you.”16 To Sarah he said, “Behold, I have given your brother a thousand pieces of silver. It is a sign of your innocence in the eyes of all[a] who are with you, and before everyone you are vindicated.”17 Then Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, and also healed his wife and female slaves so that they bore children.18 For the Lordhad closed all the wombs of the house of Abimelech because of Sarah, Abraham’s wife. Genesis 20 ESV
Genesis 12 and Genesis 20 say a lot about people…..even people of faith. Those chapters say a lot about the Lord, too. I am so thankful He is patient and good even when I am older, but not much wiser. I am so thankful that we have a God who cares.
Do you have a Bible? If you don’t have one, you need not worry. Just click here:www.biblegateway.comThey have many versions and translations of the Bible that you can read. Some of the best things in life are free!
“29 Are not two [j]little sparrows sold for a penny? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground without your Father’s leave (consent) and notice.
30 But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
31 Fear not, then; you are of more value than many sparrows.” Matthew 10:29-31 AMP
“6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you,7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.’ 1 Peter 5:6-7 ESV
“1Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. She had an Egyptian maid whose name was Hagar.
2 And Sarai said to Abram, See here, the Lord has restrained me from bearing [children]. I am asking you to have intercourse with my maid; it may be that I can obtain children by her. And Abram listened to and heeded what Sarai said.
3 So Sarai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar her Egyptian maid, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his [secondary] wife.
4 And he had intercourse with Hagar, and she became pregnant; and when she saw that she was with child, she looked with contempt upon her mistress and despised her.
5 Then Sarai said to Abram, May [the responsibility for] my wrong and deprivation of rights be upon you! I gave my maid into your bosom, and when she saw that she was with child, I was contemptible and despised in her eyes. May the Lord be the judge between you and me.
6 But Abram said to Sarai, See here, your maid is in your hands and power; do as you please with her. And when Sarai dealt severely with her, humbling and afflicting her, she [Hagar] fled from her.
But [a]the Angel of the Lord found her by a spring of water in the wilderness on the road to Shur.
8 And He said, Hagar, Sarai’s maid, where did you come from, and where are you intending to go? And she said, I am running away from my mistress Sarai.
9 The Angel of the Lord said to her,Go back to your mistress and [humbly] submit to her control.
10 Also the Angel of the Lord said to her,I will multiply your descendants exceedingly, so that they shall not be numbered for multitude.
11 And the Angel of the Lord continued,See now, you are with child and shall bear a son, and shall call his name Ishmael [God hears], because the Lord has heard and paid attention to your affliction.
12 And he [Ishmael] will be as a [b]wild ass among men; his hand will be against every man and every man’s hand against him, and he will live to the east and on the borders of all his kinsmen.
13 So she called the name of the Lord Who spoke to her, You are a God of seeing, for she said, Have I [not] even here [in the wilderness] looked upon Him Who sees me [and lived]?Or have I here also seen [the future purposes or designs of] Him Who sees me?
14 Therefore the well was called Beer-lahai-roi [A well to the Living One Who sees me]; it is[c]between Kadesh and Bered.
15 And Hagar bore Abram a son, and Abram called the name of his son whom Hagar bore[d]Ishmael.
16 Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael.” Genesis 16:1-16 AMP
Here we are in Genesis 16 facing an interesting situation. The Lord had spoken to Abram on a number of occasions concerning offspring (note the scripture below), and if you look at Genesis 15:6 you will see that it says that Abram believed the Lord. Abram was a lot like us. He had some information, but not all of the information. I think a lot of people in a situation like theirs would reason and conclude that a surrogate mother was the means the Lord intended them to use. I can sympathize with Abram, Sarah, and Hagar. However the Lord had His own plan. The same God who sees every sparrow that falls looked upon them….all of them. He looks upon us, too, and He cares for us.
1Now the Lord said[a] to Abram, “Go from your country[b] and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you.2 And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.3 I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” Genesis 12:1-3 ESV
14 The Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him,“Lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are,northward and southward and eastward and westward,15 for all the land that you see I will give to you and to your offspring forever.16 I will make your offspring as the dust of the earth, so that if one can count the dust of the earth, your offspring also can be counted.17 Arise, walk through the length and the breadth of the land, for I will give it to you.”Genesis 13:14-17 ESV
God’s Covenant with Abram
15 After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision:“Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.”2 But Abram said, “O Lord God, what will you give me, for I continue[a] childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?”3 And Abram said, “Behold, you have given me no offspring, and a member of my household will be my heir.”4 And behold, the word of the Lord came to him:“This man shall not be your heir; your very own son[b] shall be your heir.”5 And he brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.” Then he said to him,“So shall your offspring be.”6 And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness.
7 And he said to him,“I am the Lord who brought you out from Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to possess.”8 But he said, “O Lord God, how am I to know that I shall possess it?”9 He said to him,“Bring me a heifer three years old, a female goat three years old, a ram three years old, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.”10 And he brought him all these, cut them in half, and laid each half over against the other. But he did not cut the birds in half.11 And when birds of prey came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away.
12 As the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell on Abram. And behold, dreadful and great darkness fell upon him.13 Then theLord said to Abram,“Know for certain that your offspring will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs and will be servants there, and they will be afflicted for four hundred years.14 But I will bring judgment on the nation that they serve, and afterwardthey shall come out with great possessions.15 As for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried in a good old age.16 And they shall come back here in the fourth generation, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.”
17 When the sun had gone down and it was dark, behold, a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch passed between these pieces.18 On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying,“To your offspring I give[c] this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates,19 the land of the Kenites, the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites,20 the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim,21 the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites and the Jebusites.”Genesis 15 ESV
On December 20, 2013 I started a series titled “A Loving Pursuit”. I am resuming my study tonight. Below are the links to the other posts in the series for anyone who would like to start from the beginning and catch up. Although I started in Genesis, and am working my way through the Bible I won’t make a post on every chapter of every book, so if you only wish to read occasionally it really doesn’t matter what order you read the posts or if you only read some of them.
Do you have a Bible? If you don’t have one, you need not worry. Just click here: www.biblegateway.com They have many versions and translations of the Bible that you can read. Some of the best things in life are free!
“25 When Methuselah was 187 years old, Lamech was born to him.
26 Methuselah lived after the birth of Lamech 782 years and had other sons and daughters.
27 So Methuselah lived 969 years, and he died.
28 When Lamech was 182 years old, a son was born.
29 He named him Noah, saying, This one shall bring us relief and comfort from our work and the [grievous] toil of our hands due to the ground being cursed by the Lord.” Genesis 5:25-29 AMP
15 And God spoke to Noah, saying,
16 Go forth from the ark, you and your wife and your sons and their wives with you.
17 Bring forth every living thing that is with you of all flesh—birds and beasts and every creeping thing that creeps on the ground—that they may breed abundantly on the land and be fruitful and multiply upon the earth.
18 And Noah went forth, and his wife and his sons and their wives with him [after being in the ark one year and ten days].
19 Every beast, every creeping thing, every bird—and whatever moves on the land—went forth by families out of the ark.
20 And Noah built an altar to the Lord and took of every clean [four-footed] animal and of every clean fowl or bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar.
21 When the Lord smelled the pleasing odor [a scent of satisfaction to His heart], the Lord said to Himself, I will never again curse the ground because of man, for the imagination (the strong desire) of man’s heart is evil and wicked from his youth; neither will I ever again smite and destroy every living thing, as I have done.
22 While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease. Genesis 8;15-22 AMP
“9 What gain has the worker from his toil? 10 I have seen the business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with. 11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. 12 I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live; 13 also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil—this is God’s gift to man.
14 I perceived that whatever God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it. God has done it, so that people fear before him. 15 That which is,already has been; that which is to be, already has been; and God seeks what has been driven away.[a]” Ecclesiastes 3:9-15 ESV
“Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righteousness upon you.” Hosea 10:12 KJV
My intention when I started this series was to hopefully write every day, or at least a few times a week, but look how long it has been. I am such a mess. If you have hopes of being the model wife, or mother, or housekeeper, or blogger don’t look at me. If you are in search of the secret to becoming slim and trim, financially secure, or even the life of the party you won’t find it here. I am none of those things. If I were graded on those things my report card would be made up of C’s and D’s…and even an ‘F’ or two.
However, I am still trusting that the Lord loves me. I still believe that if I am to have any peace, or experience any joy in my life it will only come from my knowledge of the Lord. It has always worked for me without fail, so I will keep on praying and reading the Bible.
It is magical in a way.
I just love how I feel as I turn each page, and in a sense, enter that kingdom. During those times all of my own issues just fade away as I make myself at home there. Even hours later while I am doing household chores I find that each little task will hold some analogy that bears witness to that kingdom. Have you ever experienced that, ever felt that way, and just wished you knew someone who could identify?
Now that might be a reason to come here. 🙂
A little while ago I was looking at Genesis 5:28-29, and how it offered hope concerning the cursed ground and the grievous toil of their hands, and thought about the destruction that would need to take place first. During the fall and winter my yard doesn’t look so great. The oak, maple and sweet gum trees all lose their leaves, and the hydrangeas look pathetic. Then we will have an ice storm or two that will cause our pine tree to lose great big limbs. In March or April we start to clean up the yard, so it will look better when everything starts to grow again.
My life gets pretty messy, too from season to season. I’m a messy person in more ways than one. I always hope that I will become ‘neater’, but I have a long way to go and an even shorter time to get there. I am beginning to realize that maybe I should hope a little less in myself and just focus on these words and be glad:
“9 What gain has the worker from his toil? 10 I have seen the business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with. 11 He has made everythingbeautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. 12 I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live; 13 also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil—this is God’s gift to man.
14 I perceived that whatever God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it. God has done it, so that people fear before him. 15 That which is,already has been; that which is to be, already has been; and God seeks what has been driven away.[a]” Ecclesiastes 3:9-15 ESV
“Sow for yourselves righteousness
Reap in mercy,
Break up your fallow ground,
For it is time to seek the Lord
Til He comes and rains righteousness on you. ” Hosea 10:12
Sow righteousness reap in mercy break up your fallow ground
for it is time to seek the Lord while He can be found.
Today I am praying that the Lord will help me to do that…to go to Him and allow Him to till the hard and unused portions of my heart, to destroy all that must be destroyed there, so it, too will be beautiful.
Do you have a Bible? If you don’t have one, you need not worry. Just clickhere:www.biblegateway.comThey have many versions and translations of the Bible that you can read. Some of the best things in life are free!
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.[d] 18 Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.” James 1:17-18 ESV
“9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.” John 1:9 KJV
“37 All whom My Father gives (entrusts) to Me will come to Me; and the one who comes to Me I will most certainly not cast out [I will never, no never, reject one of them who comes to Me].
38 For I have come down from heaven not to do My own will and purpose but to do the willand purpose of Him Who sent Me.
39 And this is the will of Him Who sent Me, that I should not lose any of all that He has given Me, but that I should give new life and raise [them all] up at the last day.” John 6:37-39 AMP
“18 To Enoch was born Irad, and Irad was the father of Mehujael, and Mehujael the father of Methusael, and Methusael the father of Lamech.
19 And Lamech took two wives; the name of the one was Adah and of the other was Zillah.
20 Adah bore Jabal; he was the father of those who dwell in tents and have cattle andpurchase possessions.
21 His brother’s name was Jubal; he was the father of all those who play the lyre and pipe.
22 Zillah bore Tubal-cain; he was the forger of all [cutting] instruments of bronze and iron. The sister of Tubal-cain was Naamah.
23 Lamech said to his wives, Adah and Zillah, Hear my voice; you wives of Lamech, listen to what I say; for I have slain a man [merely] for wounding me, and a young man [only] for striking and bruising me.
24 If Cain is avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech [will be avenged] seventy-sevenfold.
25 And Adam’s wife again became pregnant, and she bore a son and called his name Seth. For God, she said, has appointed for me another child instead of Abel, for Cain slew him.
26 And to Seth also a son was born, whom he named Enosh. At that time men began to call [upon God] by the name of the Lord.” Genesis 4:18-26 AMP
It has been said that “time marches on”, and we see that here in Genesis 4:18-26. We can also see that mankind went blundering along with it, and we continue to do so. People are pairing off, having children, and pursuing various career paths, and all the while music is playing in the background helping to set the mood. Each of us is living out a carefully chronicled story:
“Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me,” Psalm 40:7 KJV
“13 For You did form my inward parts; You did knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I will confess and praise You for You are fearful and wonderful and for the awful wonder of my birth! Wonderful are Your works, and that my inner self knows right well.
15 My frame was not hidden from You when I was being formed in secret [and] intricatelyand curiously wrought [as if embroidered with various colors] in the depths of the earth [a region of darkness and mystery].
16 Your eyes saw my unformed substance, and in Your book all the days [of my life] were written before ever they took shape, when as yet there was none of them.” Psalm 139:13-16 AMP
I love the way this 4th chapter of Genesis ends. Mankind was far from perfect, but they had already begun to call upon God, and He heard them calling. People are still calling on God today, and He hears each and every cry….and He cares…He loves you ever so much.
The lord pursues us and calls out to us, too.
Here is a song that expresses the intense power of God’s Loving call.
Do you have a Bible? If you don’t have one, you need not worry. Just click here:www.biblegateway.comThey have many versions and translations of the Bible that you can read. Some of the best things in life are free!
Last night I shared a status on facebook that got no likes or comments. I decided to share it here. I hope somebody will appreciate it. Here it is below.
I was thinking about these two Bible verses:
“5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6.
For years I have pondered and appreciated them, and the verses that follow them.
I was thinking about “in all thy ways” and “acknowledge” in verse 6 tonight.
acknowledge– “to know, recognize”
in all thy ways– everything (basically)
(Sighing)…
We go through seasons where our hearts can be so heavy with sadness. Yet even during these times it is so obvious to me that the Lord is lovingly providing for me constantly in countless ways. Some might say I’m taking my interpretation too far, but I believe “all of my ways”would also include “all of my moods”:
“6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;
10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.
11 For we which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.” 2Corinthians 4:6-11
That was my post.
I said a lot there. I hope you all don’t mind.
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Well, where do I go from here? What is my real problem?
My problem is that there is something that I am holding onto with all of my might. I’m holding onto it with my heart while being fully aware that it’s not in my hands, and oh, how I wish it were in my hands! If there “is” some part that is still in my hands it is a part that is so tiny that I can’t see it…like a tiny splinter or a tiny sliver of glass. It is something that is sharply felt. I don’t want to let it go. I don’t want to say “It’s okay even if it is never repaired…even if it’s never restored.”
This isn’t good, is it? I am supposed to “sincerely” say “Thy will be done”. Oh, how it must hurt my Heavenly Father that I would underestimate His Hands!
I have huge regrets.
A few years ago I entered a season where I began to compromise when it was not appropriate to do so. No, I didn’t kill anyone. No, I didn’t steal. No, I didn’t have an extramarital affair.
But yes, I did compromise and I sinned.
Someone very close to me did the very same thing at the very same time.
A third person witnessed it all. This person was in a weakened state at the time. She had weathered many personal conflicts, and had been straying in her own way for quite some time. However she loved me and the second person very deeply, and we loved her so deeply…still love her so deeply. We absolutely adored her from the very moment she was born.
When she witnessed it all (our sinful compromises) she jumped to conclusions. Her imagination went wild, and assumed we had committed sins that in actuality, we had never committed. She was deeply hurt, and felt deeply betrayed.
She left.
She never gave us a chance to explain anything. We haven’t seen her in over two years. The last time we heard from her she told us she never wanted to see us again.
It’s as if she suddenly forgot about 20 years of love we had poured into her, 20 years of careful nurturing, protecting, comforting…even extravagant doting were all erased from her memory. We were not rich in material things, but we managed to make the ends meet and in a sense doted on her constantly. Some might call it “dime store doting”, or “Dollar General Store doting”….”cookies and Kool-Aid, countless slumber parties…never say ‘No’ ” kind of doting.
We know in a general sense that she is less than a two hour drive away. But we do not know which town, and her heart is many thousands of miles away. We have no phone number. I have nightmares almost every night. I still cry every day.
The Lord continues to bless us though. Every day I witness Him at work in so many beautiful ways. I still have moments where I just have to smile, and moments where I laugh at things. But there is not an hour that goes by where she is completely out of my thoughts…where I am not trying to think of some way to locate her, to reach out to her, to apologize, and to clarify…to hold her and never let go.
I am a mother who misses her daughter. I guess I’ll keep holding on as best I can, and try to rest in the fact that the Lord is holding on, too.
Do you have a Bible? If you don’t have one, you need not worry. Just click here:www.biblegateway.comThey have many versions and translations of the Bible that you can read. Some of the best things in life are free!
This picture was taken 6 or 7 years ago while I was on a trip with my children. There was an
impending storm at the time.
Scripture reference;
“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” 2 Timothy 1:7
“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”Romans 12:2
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You’re driving along under a sky that “had” been blue until those thick gray clouds you noticed earlier, maybe ten miles to the west, finally made their way overhead. You scan the sky wondering.
Then it happens—that first raindrop makes a hurried descent splashing against your windshield. Two seconds pass, and a few of her companions arrive—splat! Then the clouds can contain themselves no longer—your car, the road, the entire landscape—all is at the mercy of a heavy downpour. You reach for that little switch, and feel the satisfaction that comes once those wipers are set in motion. The song on the radio is interrupted as the station makes the announcement that the “National Weather Service” has issued a “Flash Flood Warning” for your area.
Next you pull into the parking lot of your favorite grocery store. What luck! There’s an empty parking space right by the entrance. You rush inside quickly gathering the items on your list, and make your way to the check out.
A few moments later you are once again in your car pulling out of the parking lot, and back onto the street; parts of which are already under an inch or two of water, so you gingerly make your way through town, and finally pull into your own driveway—safe and sound.
Do you live in an area that is prone to flooding? If you do, you already have this memorized. I copied and pasted the following from wikipedia.
There are two types of alerts for flash floods which are issued by the National Weather Service. One is a flash flood watch, which means that conditions are favorable for flash flooding, and the other is a flash flood warning, meaning that a flash flood is occurring or one will occur imminently and is usually issued when there are strong weather radar echoes for an area that is prone to flash flooding. Flash floods can also occur because of a dam or levee failure, or because of a sudden release of water held by an ice jam.”
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Today I am once again thinking about words, phrases, and expressions. Let’s look at these:
“rain”, “rain drops”, “weather”, and “flood”.
Each of these words have both literal and figurative (or allegorical) meanings. Figuratively speaking, rain can have both positive and negative meanings. Rain can be that precious resource that nourishes and hydrates the earth and all of its inhabitants. Too much rain can bring destruction along with it.
Flooding often has a negative and obvious meaning. However, it can also have a positive meaning. At daybreak the sun floods the earth with life giving light. Sun loving plants literally reach out to the sun. Our minds can become flooded with thoughts, and our hearts flooded with emotions.
Weather can be equated with circumstances. It also can be equated with the prevailing mood or mindset of a group of people, may they be those who dwell in our homes, those we encounter at work, school, or church, or those whose words we read or listen to by using various types of media.
Now I am once again thinking of the scenario at the beginning of this post, but in a figurative way. I believe we can find some spiritual parallels there if we try.
“9 And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
10 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
11 If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?
12 Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?
13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?” Luke 11:9-13
Our minds are like that windshield.
Do we truly understand why we must daily go to the Lord in prayer and in the reading of scripture if we are to have our minds renewed? Do we truly understand that a sound mind is a precious gift that only our Heavenly Father can bestow? Do we understand that He delights in bestowing us with this gift, and will withhold neither the Holy Spirit nor the gift of a renewed mind…(or a sound mind) from a single person who asks for them?
The Bible reveals what the Father desires, what each of us needs, and just how those needs are supplied. It will even help us to pray when words seem to fail us. Do you know the Lord’s prayer? Here it is below.
Love and Blessings,
Theresa
“9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
10 Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.” Matthew 6:9-13 KJV
Do you have a Bible? If you don’t have one, you need not worry. Just click here:www.biblegateway.comThey have many versions and translations of the Bible that you can read. Some of the best things in life are free!
“If we take the time to consider just how frail each and everyone of us is we are enabled to forgive much and love much and be set free from much, enabled to know a measure of peace and joy that we have never known before…”
I have been a little sick lately. I would appreciate your prayers.
I wrote this blog post a few years ago. I thought I would share it again. I hope it blesses you.
1Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
2Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:
3Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;
4Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;
5Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
6The LORD executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed.
7He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel.
8The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.
9He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever.
10He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.
11For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.
12As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
13Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him.
14For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.
15As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth.
16For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more.
17But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children’s children;
18To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them.
19The LORD hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all.
20Bless the LORD, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word.
21Bless ye the LORD, all ye his hosts; ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure.
22Bless the LORD, all his works in all places of his dominion: bless the LORD, O my soul.
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Today I am looking at verse 19:
“The LORD hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all.“
Here is another verse that expresses that:
“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 KJV
This verse means a lot to me. It speaks of authority. As we look around it may seem like evil is prevailing, but the Lord will have the last word. He sees everything. Nothing escapes His notice. The causes that truly are just are also the causes the Lord will honor and execute. I pray that the Lord will help us… will help me… to be patient, and to trust Him, and that we…I… would obey Him. Here is a song I like that speaks on this subject:
You know what really comforts me about His authority? He has the authority to cancel sins…to blot them out…to pardon. Oh, this makes me so glad! He is full of pity for us, and convicts us, and we, in turn, cry out to Him, “Father forgive me for I have sinned!” Then he scoops us up in his tender embrace and heals us with His love. I am crying as I type this. I am so thankful.
I wrote a poem a while back that illustrates this:
“Leaning” by Theresa Anne Moore
L aying my cheek upon His Breast I exhaled softly and
E ntered His rest.
A nxious and noxious thoughts that choked me
N o longer held power; no longer provoked me.
I mpressions were formed deep down inside me;
N uances of love to support and to guide me.
G racefully carried by God.
If you would like to read other poems I have written you will find them here:
Do you have a Bible? If you don’t have one, you need not worry. Just click here:www.biblegateway.com They have many versions and translations of the Bible that you can read. Some of the best things in life are free!
Moore to Ponder 