May the glory of the Lord endure forever; may the Lord rejoice in His works -- He who looks at the earth, and it trembles, who touches the mountains, and they smoke. – Psalm 104:31-32
Wonder is mentioned in 8 books and occurs 15 times in the Bible.
The meaning of wonder: a feeling of surprise mingled with admiration, caused by something beautiful, unexpected, unfamiliar, or inexplicable.
How do we wrap our heads around the word wonder? My research pointed me to the 7 wonders of the world? I found myself in of course Wikipedia? Where much to my surprise the 7 wonders are many different lists?? How can this be??
I don’t know when things became so complicated?? I will try to simplify it. You may or may not agree. But without God, there would be no list. So, when I look at the word wonder I go to the source.
And I can only speak from my experience and my heart. My Journey has been filled with wonder, the Triune surprises me at every turn.
With each passing day. I discover more about God, The Son, and The Holy Spirit … Holy Moly if that is not the greatest wonder we will ever know??
How did He come to us in so many different ways?? How has He sustained a following since the beginning of time?? How does He become ingrained in our soul? How does He have the power to heal? How did He give up His life? How did He become alive again?? How? How does He LOVE His children so much??
I stand in awe most of the time. He takes my breath away and leaves me speechless.
I can’t help but wonder what does He want with us? Why hasn’t he given up??
I think He is like any great artist He falls in love with His work. He admires what he created from nothing. He places great value and will take special care of each and every one of His priceless creations.
Imagine if this is true… this beautiful essence of the word wonder is reciprocal, and It holds a Love that bridges time and space. How can we not admire and love Him with our very last breath? How can we not give Him our heart? I stand in awe! I wonder why we are so blessed to have Him?
It's Him! It is always HIM!!
If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, Deuteronomy 13:1NIV
And they knew that it was he which sat for alms at the Beautiful gate of the temple: and they were filled with wonder and amazement at that which had happened unto him. Acts 3:10 NIV
Meaning of wrestle take part in a fight, either as a sport or in earnest, that involves grappling with one's opponent and trying to throw or force them to the ground. “he wrestled with the intruder before being knocked unconscious". Struggle with a difficulty or problem. “For over a year David wrestled with a guilty conscience"
There are only five verses about the word wrestle...
Life as we know it has many struggles... Some of our struggles are in our control some are not. Some of our struggles are spiritual some are physical. All rob us of our peace...and can affect our health, relationships, and ultimately our life.
I believe we must sift our problems through the three Rs...recognize, reconcile, and recover.
You could try all three without any help. You may have a fifty percent chance of getting a favorable result... But I believe if you ask for God's help. Your odds will increase to 110 percent.. maybe even more!!
There is a weight that is lifted when we ask God for His help. That is the first R recognizing there is an issue. As we lay it out for God to see we began to reconcile all the ugly pieces... and with God's help, we began to get clarity...
In this process, we learn that He sees the good, the bad, and the ugly... and loves us in spite of ourselves. He loves us beyond the most difficult situation.
As we travel through the darkness we learn to trust Him. And our clenched fist began to open ... We learn to let go and let Him guide our actions and our hearts. The road to recovery may be a difficult road. But He will give us the strength to endure.
You will feel freedom and recognize that He has never left our side. He has loved us through any darkness and into the light. He has wiped every tear... And has held our hand every step of the way...
The question becomes why don’t we come to Him with everything? Maybe pride? Maybe doubt? Maybe ______?
You fill in the blank ...
I believe the biggest issue we can encounter is when we wrestle with God, Himself... We bring Him our problem... We take it back several times!! We may even say if you are so mighty fix this??? I give up. Life is too hard?
He could fix it just like that. But as our loving Heavenly Father, He would ask Himself what lesson would this teach? What would my child learn??
As a parent, our role is to teach. Lead by example and love with a forgiving and understanding heart. All the while giving our child a soft place to land...
This lesson is spelled out from the greatest teacher there was, there is, and could ever be... The question becomes did We learn the lesson? Did we understand the assignment? Can we execute what He taught us??? or did we ask God just to fix it???
Do we find ourselves still wallowing in doubt and despair and self-pity??
Do we seem to still be wrestling our thoughts and with God???
Have we humbled ourselves before Him and asked He to teach us... Did we say? I cannot do this without you... Father, It's your will, not mine?? Did we truly mean it?
I can share a secret that I have learned... He knows what’s best for us ... way better than we could ever even begin to know for ourselves.
I have thrown in the white towel of surrender and opened my heart to learn whatever lesson He is willing to teach me... Because I know with God all things are possible!!!
It’s Him... It’s always been Him. And many of us are just too stubborn to realize it!!!
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Ephesians 6:12
Meaning of struggle: A struggle is a war, fight, conflict, or contest of any kind.
As I struggle to know how should we study this word many thoughts came to my mind.
I see so many people who are struggling with larger-than-life struggles. Then there are those that are so full of self that they struggle with such superficial things? Like what to wear to their next social event... Some struggle with how many likes they get on their social media post? I struggle with why? Why is that so important? Have we missed the importance of life itself?
Why does God love us so much? Why does He never give up? Why would He go through such pain for people that have become lost or have become too numb care?
How do we explain this behavior to our children? After all, they look to us for guidance. We are their role models.
How do we come to grips and free our hearts? How can we be the change... it is a struggle when our world seems so out of control???
Many of us watch the news and struggle with what to believe?
I can only share my thoughts because I too struggle... However, when I have doubt I return to my higher power. He is not of this world! He reigns supreme... He holds the keys to a beautiful peaceful existence beyond the craziness of our world.
So, my struggle shifts to why? Why do so many turn away from God? Why did it take me so long to realize the true reason we exist? Why did I not know Him before now? If God has a plan why did He make life to be such a struggle?
With time I have learned that He did not make life a struggle... He made life to love! And to be loved. He came to earth with a purpose ... To teach us about life and how to love.
Our Heavenly Father wants the best for His children... We are the ones that fell short... The human race let Him down. But the good news is He has never stopped loving each one of us.
It’s our fault, We have been our own worst enemy.
We have learned to live in the now! We have become singularly focused... Greed, power, and self have scared many hearts... We have detached ourselves from the true meaning of life and this isolation has kept us from loving without boundaries... Many have behaved selfishly.
Thoughts of many hoarding supplies danced in my head...
How do we regain the gift of love? How do we turn to Him for guidance? How do we shift our focus from living in the now to seeking a beautiful future for eternity? I say... take whatever measures that are available to you to find Him... Pick up a Bible, Find a church, or simply get on your knees and ask Him to show you the way...
He has never stopped loving you! You do not have to handle life’s struggle alone... He is our Creator, Our mentor, Our peace amidst any storm... Every question, every struggle... He is the only answer!!!
It’s Him, It’s always Him...
And yes, He had me at Hello.. 😍❤🔥
Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. 1John 4:4
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
“For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world – our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” Yes, Jesus is our hope and anchor who will keep us in the midst of storms. 1 John 5:4-5
Meaning of follow: to go or come after (a person or thing proceeding ahead); move or travel behind:
Jesus talks about people following him 23 times in the Bible.
There are people who feel following someone or something is a weakness... But is it? I have learned more in the last few years than I have in my lifetime. It's not the act of following that is important it’s the why, the whom, and how it affects our life.. and the others around us...
Why is it Jesus ask us to follow Him? What was His mission? Just what is His plan for each one of us? He knows all the answers! He knows our future! He has known all the challenges of being human in a troubled world... But He also knows our Heavenly Father far better than anyone we could ever encounter. He has felt His great love. He has shared His heart... He has shared His vision for all of mankind. His very life has been entwined with our Creator from birth.
Following Him should become our way of life... We should become entwined with the very essence of who He is... They, ... Elohim, Yeshua, and the Holy Spirit our 3 in one, hold all the answers to all of our questions, all of our concerns ... not just for tomorrow but for every day on earth and beyond...
I not only want to follow Him. I crave to see Him with my eyes...I inspire to be like a wide-eyed child and hang on His every word...I dream of the day that I can stand in His presence... Where our hearts yearn to praise His name for all of heaven and earth to hear...
He never stops WOW'g me...
What is this magnetic pull He possesses ??? #destiny
“Christmas should be a day when our minds go back to Bethlehem, beyond the noise of our materialistic world, to hear the soft flutter of angels’ wings.” - Billy Graham
Christmas is one of the most celebrated Christian holidays of the year, but what is the true meaning of Christmas? It is the celebration of the beautiful birth of Jesus Christ, our Savior, but is there more?
Christmas appears zero times in the Bible. But in the New International Version of the Bible, “Christ” appears 453 times!
In order to understand the word CHRISTmas I decided to look at the two syllables that make up this word we have grown to celebrate annually...
The word is a shortened form of "Christ's mass", or "Cristes Maesse" as it was first recorded in 1038.
Christ was the title given to Jesus. It was not His given name. It actually comes from the Greek word Christos which means "anointed one" or "chosen one.".
The second syllable “mass” comes from The English word “Mass” which comes from the Latin word missa, which means to be “sent.” This Latin word has been used since the 6th or 7th century. The mass is the gathering of people to celebrate the life of Jesus. This practice is the ritual we know as Holy Communion and the Lord's Supper.
So to summarize the word CHRISTmas: it is a word that was given to a Christian event that has celebrated the birth of Jesus since Dec. 25, 336 AD.
It is the annual celebration of “anointed” one. The style of this celebration is the drinking of wine and eating of bread to remember our beautiful Savoir.
So how and when did this monumental day become so commercialized? When did we decide to give this “gift“ an annual birthday celebration? Do we even celebrate its true significance? Or do we get caught up in all the materialistic trappings?
This tiny newborn life that we celebrate on Christmas, comes from the very essence of God our Creator. We know Him as the son of God. This beautiful soul came to earth to live and taste life. He wanted to understand first-hand man's journey and how to live life as a human. He wanted to teach us a value system that would bless our lives... He is our living example of how to conduct ourselves with others... He allowed men to take His life in order to offer us a way home and to clean our transgressions before our Heavenly Father... He came to us as a gift with a mission...
So as we break bread, and pour the wine in celebration ... Take a few moments.. and put those shiny new gifts aside.. and let’s bow our heads ... and truly thank Him for being the reason we are blessed to gather today... He is the reason we celebrate life... It’s because of Him that we have been able to share in God's human anointing... We can further discover in 1 Samuel 16:13; Matthew 25:1-13 that the act of anointing symbolizes the Holy Spirit.
So are we to understand CHRISTmas... Is Jesus Christ the anointed one! He is God, the man, who has been sent to us as the deliverer, and He reigns as promised under the title of Messiah, the expected king.
Mass is the gathering of the masses.. To share in the beautiful gift of life. I can only bow my head and thank Him ... The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit for His abundant love. His abundant grace and His patience as I unravel the many clues He has given us.
It makes me smile when I see how He has woven every celebration, every word, every gift... to Him... Because He knows that our lives are much like a butterfly ... We come to earth and stay in the dormant state of our cocoon... Until the day, His love breaks our spirit free and we become alive... This transformation begins our migration home to Our Creator.
Today I celebrate His life, His Love. His gift of the anointed one Jesus Christ... He is my masterpiece of splendid wonder... I appreciate Him beyond this life... He WOWs me...
It’s Him, it’s always Him
Merry CHRISTmas
Hmm, 🤔 More clues to this amazing heavenly puzzle? ...are we ready??
Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; Revelation 19:7 ESV
“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us). Matthew 1:23
“Those who are victorious will sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat with my Father on his throne. “Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches.” Revelation 3:21-22 NLT
“If these walls could talk, I wonder what secrets they'd tell.”― Gayle Forman
The meaning of barn large farm building used for storing grain, hay, or straw or for housing livestock.
There are approximately 14 verses about the word barn in the Bible.
This word came to me as a word challenge from a friend. I am usually up for a good challenge. So, let's see what we can discover about this inanimate object. Living in Tennessee there seems to be such a variety of barns. Some are shiny and new, some are large and red, and some show a character all of their own. They are battered and worn.. some may be dangerous to explore.
They make me think if they could talk what stories would they share ?? How many families utilized them? How many animals did they shelter from the elements of storms? Did they provide protection for their food supply and livelihood?
Well, as always let’s look and see if this word is even found in scripture? And oh yes it’s a win for the home team. Right there in Deuteronomy 28:8, it says “The Lord will command the blessing upon you in your barns and in all that you put your hand to, and He will bless you in the land which the Lord your God gives you”
But as I began to search this word further I found a mediation that played out in my mind's eye. So I thought I would share.
Mediation 10:52
As I started this meditation I had the birth of Christ on my mind. So this is where the story unfolded ...
I listened to meditation music called God's love for you. Beautiful music with no words. I became relaxed and my mind drifted here. I found myself in a setting like the Sahara desert. I was dressed in many long layers with a headdress of long cloth enough to drape across my nose and mouth only leaving my eyes exposed. I seemed to be walking through dunes and traveling through a sand storm. My clothes were waving in the wind as it whipped around me. The sand was stinging my skin as it pelted anything that was exposed to the elements...
It was dusk and I knew in my heart that I had to continue my journey if I was to witness the miracle of birth... As I pressed forward, the night began to fall and the most amazing star appeared and I heard in my soul. This light has always guided you .. just continue to follow it.
I then witnessed the warm lights of a city on the distant horizon ...
I finally reached the dimly lit city and began to seek Mary and Joseph... and I was guided to the barn where they were located. I arrived in time.
I rushed in and kneeled by Mary.. she smiled. I said I am here to help. What can I do to comfort you? She grabbed my hand a squeezed and the moment and intensity of birth began.
My eyes welled up with tears and they began to slowly roll down my face The time went quickly but also seemed to move in slow motion ...
The baby arrived. I held him and I thought something must be wrong because I did not hear him cry. I pulled the cover away from his face and then I witnessed His angelic face. His eyes were open they were a dark brown He had dark hair framing His little face. He was alert, He had the most precious peaceful look upon his face.
As I held him I was in awe of His majestic splendor. His tiny hand grasped my pinky and held on as if He knew me. I gently kissed his forehead and whispered in his ear.
“I loved you even before you were born” ...
The moment and peaceful love engulfed the room with a warm light.
I began to cleanse His tiny body and rewrap Him tightly and handed Him to his beautiful mother, she smiled.
As I stepped back His earthly father loving gathered them both in his strong arms and held them ... I then moved to the back of the barn and watched as others arrived to bow in adoration of this tiny miracle...
I thought this tiny child one day will bear the weight of the world ... So much love filled my heart and soul that I could not contain the tears of joy,they just streamed down my face ...
But at that moment, I also felt heartbreak knowing what lies ahead for this new life... What an amazing sight. The music faded and the meditation ended.
Lesson ... Follow His light. He brings you amazing peace and a love like no other ... He is truly a miracle...
This beautiful royal life could have had a castle but His life started with a modest humble beginning... and "The Lord will command the blessing upon you in your barns"
The next time you see a barn. Let it remind you of HIM !!
It's Him, It's always HIM !!
God chose for His Son to be born in a stable. This is because Jesus came in humility and in poverty to identify with the poorest and weakest among us.
Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you. And lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” Amen!! Matthew 28:20…
Meaning of wise: having or showing experience, knowledge, and good judgment. "she seems kind and wise"
The word wise appears 344 times. The words wiser and wisest appear 9 and 2 times, respectively. The word wisdom appears 367 times. The word wise made me think of this question, what is the difference between wise and smart?
So, we need to do a little digging.
Solomon in the book of Kings asked God for wisdom to be a good king. I am curious why didn’t he ask God to make him smarter?
Being wise is making the best choice inherently. Based on experience, background, and knowledge. Being smart is applying general intellectual resources to “think through” a problem and based on findings arrive at the correct answer. They seem to be similar but yet carry inherent differences. I do believe you can be both simultaneously. But you can also be them singularly.
So, now let’s travel back in time and peek into the pages of the Bible. We all have heard the story about three wise men. They traveled from afar because they heard a story and witnessed a beautiful star.
After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.
Matthew 2:9-10
How many of us would have trusted this story? How many of us would have packed up and made such an amazing trip… Would we have said, we are too busy? Would we have been prepared? Would we have the tools to navigate to our destination? Would we have put it off until we felt if we could travel at a more convenient time? We can see this beautiful soul anytime? Maybe tomorrow?
Why do we let opportunities slip through our fingers? Are we smart or wise? Are we both? or are we neither?
Many wise men before us have traveled this road of life. They have left us many clues… Why do many of us think we are so smart and we can do life on our own? It may be a lack of experience? Maybe it's a lack of knowledge? Where are we in our walk? Are we seeking a better way of life? Are we searching for our King? Are we allowing God to guide us home? Are we looking for eternal hope? And for a love that we have difficultly understanding?
Have we ever asked ourselves why only three wise men, why not more? Well, we did I find that there is some controversy about when and how many Shepard boys and how many wise men were involved in this magical moment? There are some that claim, that there are also some inconsistencies in when the wise men actually arrived at their destination.
I will not try to prove or disprove either story. I can only say that I consider whoever showed up to be wise enough to be blessed to share what they witnessed and who this tiny miracle truly is.
The wise are few. They inherently are set apart. It is based on their experience, background, and knowledge make the best choice. Even if it is inconvenient. They are humble and secure in their decisions.
So, the question becomes how do we become wiser?
We prepare ourselves, we study and invest the time. So, when the opportunity arrives to travel home to witness this amazing soul... We will be excited to see His face with our own spiritual eyes… We will be ready…We will have the tools. Have we gathered our spiritual gifts to give Him..??
I can not speak for others, I can only chase Him each day in hopes that I can grow in knowledge. I need to continue to work on listening to God's whispers. I can pray that as I learn, that I “think through” life on earth and what our Savoir offers. And that I can be wise enough to seek Him, Love Him, and be ready for the journey no matter far and how long it might take.
It truly is Him… It’s always Him
Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. Matthew 7:14
“A wise man will hear, and will increase learning, and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:” Proverbs 1:5 KJV
Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise menfrom the east came to Jerusalem,saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” Matthew 2:1
“From Mary, we learn to surrender to God’s will in things. From Mary, we learn to trust even when all hope seems gone. From Mary, we learn to love Christ, her Son, and the Son of God…Learn from her to be always faithful, to trust that God’s Word to you will be fulfilled and that nothing is impossible with God.”- St. John Paul II
Meaning of Mary, mother of Jesus.
The name Mary is in 46 verses...
As we approach one of the most important and widely celebrated holidays, known as "Christmas." I would like you to indulge me for a moment as we stop and give thanks to a woman who gave the world such a monumental gift...I say woman, but she was only a child, maybe in her early teens...Who was she? Why did God favor her so? He trusted her to fulfill a prophecy that had already been put into motion since the beginning of time...
I struggle with trying to understand her unwavering commitment, her faith, and her love.. at such an early age.
Would we have the strength to say yes, Father, your will not mine... I will carry the shame when others do not understand; I will be your living vessel. I will deliver forgiveness and a love that goes deeper than most people can comprehend. I will do my part to save all of mankind.
Was she even aware of the magnitude of this moment when she became God’s own chosen mother on earth...
Let’s travel back in time... Let me set the scene. God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a city in Galilee. To deliver a message of the highest importance... This message can be found in Luke 1:26-38.
The angel told her, “Don’t be afraid, Mary. You have found favor with God. You will become pregnant, give birth to a son, and name him Jesus. He will be a great man and will be called the Son of the Most High.
How many of us would have been so unafraid? How many of us would have only asked one question? Mary asked the angel, “How can this be? I’m a virgin.” The angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come to you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore, the holy child developing inside you will be called the Son of God.
Mary answered, “I am the Lord’s servant. Let everything you’ve said happen to me.”
UNWAVERING FAITH... such responsibility... such Love and commitment at such a young age.
How could she share this news with her parents? Imagine a young unmarried girl telling her parents, family, and her fiancé I am pregnant... With God's child... ???
How many of us would believe such an unbelievable story??
While trying to understand this moment my mind traveled to Him... This beautiful innocent baby had been placed in her womb for the most incredible mission that man could even begin to understand. What did she feel? Did her emotions run away with her???
I have been blessed with children and I know the feeling of a tiny life growing within... What an amazing God-given miracle... What excitement and joy when you feel the baby move for the first time... But what do you feel when you know you are carrying the Son of God??? Are these feelings magnified? Or are they what every new mother has felt. Excitement, Love, Apprehension maybe fear?
Will the delivery be painful, Will my baby be healthy? Will I be a good mother?? Every child born is a miracle from God but to be singled out to carry God's own Son... What a larger-than-life, heaven-sent responsibility!!!!
Have you ever witnessed childbirth? I have had the amazing privilege of photographing such a miracle... The love that filled the room that day could only be from God...
I wish I could have captured this beautiful moment that happened so long ago... I can only close my eyes and envision this moment in time... Childbirth is a painful bodily experience...But soon, birthing pains are all forgotten, all the questions disappear and you are caught up in the beautiful moment of seeing the angelic face before you... all activity around you seems to fade into the distance ... You hear, see and touch nothing but this precious new life... and time seems to stand still for just a few moments...
I can only wonder, As she gently kissed His beautiful face... Did she think I am kissing the face of God... or at that tender moment was the newborn baby her precious beautiful baby boy and her gift from God?
All believers are given the miracle of God's own Son... to dwell within... He is our gift from God ... Do we cherish Him? Or do we feel shame and apprehension when we share His message with friends and family? Do we feel excited and overjoyed when we feel Him within our very soul? Are we set apart for a purpose? Do we have faith enough to be His willing vessel! Will we care for Him as He grows in our hearts and becomes a part of our very existence?
There is a miracle of new life that happens within each believer. As you feel His presence in your daily life things of this world will fade into the distance ...You see His Face and He will become as precious to you as a newborn babe...
And your heart will whisper ...
It’s Him, It has always been Him. My precious one...My gift from God...
He WOWs me!
So when that day comes, you will know that I am living in the Father and that you are one with me, for I will be living in you. Those who truly love me are those who obey my commands. Whoever passionately loves me will be passionately loved by my Father. And I will passionately love him in return and will revealmyself to him.”
