They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him, being detestable and disobedient and worthless for any good deed. 

Titus 1:16

The meaning of deny; is the state that one refuses to admit the truth or existence of.1 John 2:22-23 

We located 40 verses in the Bible that speak of the word denial… 

If the roles were reversed between Jesus and ourselves What would it take?  How far would we go to prove ourselves to this unforgiving world??  Would Jesus deny our very existence??  

Even those who claim to be believers have shown doubts and have denied Him when things in life get a little sticky or challenging …

I will admit when we think with our human mind His story seems so hard to believe. How could the story be real? How could our Creator love us this much? Why hasn’t He denied us of His amazing love? 

I can only share my experience. I will admit there have been times I too have questioned how He could be real? Is He just a manifestation in my mind??  And then I have then been swept away with thoughts of the day He touched my life and all doubt dissipates like a vapor in the wind. He doused me in an unexplainable Love and in an instant, everything changed… He opened my heart to see the beauty that had become mundane. I began to see and hear with a freshness that I had missed since being a child.. He has taught me many things. He has held me in the lows and celebrated my highs… He has freed my once-bound soul… 

How could I have any doubt? How could I deny Him?? How could I not give Him control over my life.. when this life I call mine was His from the very beginning?? 

Denying Him is like stopping life dead in its tracks... 

I had an experience recently. When I shared a painting of Jesus as an infant with a Christian group that will remain nameless… I was told it was not Christian enough.. and the word deny came to rest in my heart… 

We must be careful of how and why we close doors… it just maybe Him coming to visit that one soul that has been searching for His love… Not all messages from God come to us as we expect… He is an unpredictable spirit and has been known to teach us in unconventional ways… 

Matthew 10:33

But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.

Who among us has been appointed as “the keeper” of the gate ??  

I believe it’s Him and only Him... 

Only He knows our true heart… 

Photography, Art & Written by Lori Garner  

Inspiring Music: YouTube

We Are Travelers and God Is Our Home 

Meaning of Bench: a long seat for several people, typically made of wood or stone."a park bench” 

After all this time of studying words, I am still surprised when a word comes to mind,  that I doubt is in the Bible… Well, Bench shows itself in eight instances… color me surprised!! 

As I read the scriptures that contained this word, the word that accompanied the word bench was judge… 

We as a society have learned to lead with the word judge… How did we become so unaccepting??? 

So full of self, so righteous?? 

I have had many experiences on this bench… however things are never as they seem. 

Many of you know I meditate.. and a vision that comes to my mind is the bench. I listen to music that lulls me into a state of peace and as my mind drifts Jesus appears. He looks just like many of His followers see Him. 

Chestnut brown shoulder length hair, His cream color robe, sandals on His feet… His skin is tan…His face is peaceful His smile is engaging …His eyes of blue have a boyish sparkle.  Most of the time He reaches for my hand… no words are spoken … He leads me to this bench.. it looks like the one in the image I have provided.. as we approach the bench He lets go of my hand and sits down… He looks at me and smiles and pats the bench with his hand… as to welcome me to sit. 

So I make my way there and sit next to Him. I snuggle in close. 

And lingered there a moment and then found myself laying my head down in His lap… He loving stoked my hair much like a parent and child… 

Sometimes He hums a soft melodic tune. 

I close my eyes and take a deep and deliberate breath, my body relaxes and my soul drifts off to a slumber rich with peace. I feel protected and loved while in His care… My Jesus-induced sleep drifts into a heavenly state of mind… 

I am not sure why this image often appears in my meditations … But I have concluded it happens often when I am tired… I do believe He knows what we need more than we do… “Peaceful Sleep”

So the next time you have trouble sleeping or you feel that life is a little overwhelming… close your eyes and find peace beyond our human understanding. His bench is a place of reflection, rest, and rejuvenation… 

It’s Him, It’s always Him…

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”Matthew 11:28-30

Photography, Art & Written by Lori Garner  

Inspiring Music: YouTube