"Self-examination is the key to insight, which is the key to wisdom" ~ M. Scott Peck.
Consider is a word that will lead you to do a deep examination of the path you are on.
“Consider your ways” were words spoken to some 42,000 people who had returned to Jerusalem in 538 BC after spending seventy years in captivity in Babylon.
The king told them to go back to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple that had been destroyed, and he gave them all the supplies necessary to do it.
Fast forward 18 years. The people had only the foundation of the Temple built. But they had built themselves fine cedar-lined houses fit for a king. They had plenty of food and drink but were still hungry and thirsty. They had plenty of clothes but were not warm. And plenty of wages, but they were put in a bag with holes.
God said to them, “You, you have built your fine houses, and My house still lies in ruins. Consider your ways!”
What was the problem? What did they need to consider? Was it their priorities? They had lived to please themselves instead of pleasing God.
The Temple was the place where they could come to hear the words of God, read, they could pray, and feel His presence. God wanted the people to have that beautiful fellowship with Him as they worshipped. The younger generations could hear Him say, “Love Me with all your heart, soul, and might.”
The Scrolls containing His words had not been read, nor had they sung the Psalms together for seventy years.
The words in this little two-chapter book in the Bible took place over 2,500 years ago. What is it saying to us today? He is still saying, “Consider your ways! Examine your priorities. He is calling you to come closer to Him. To really get to know Him and love Him with all your whole heart, soul, and mind.”
The time is now, not next week or 18 years from now. He is waiting with open arms.
To the Israelites the glory of the LORD looked like a consuming fire on top of the mountain. Exodus 24:17
The meaning of intensity the quality of being intense.
The word intensity is only in the Bible 5 times.
When we look at this word and the Bible, I would guess that most would look to the last chapter Revelation. It’s there that our world and our lives will see and feel things on a very intense level.
I will not go there… because with God there is so much more to understand and feel…
God Himself is intense… He is intense in His creations. His personality is intense. So, when He loves it is intense!!!
It is a beautiful gift to feel even if it is just a fraction of His love. To this day I question why? Why did He touch my heart with such intensity? The day this happened everything changed. I can say I will never be the same… He blew my soul wide open… I felt like I was coming apart at the seams, and He was putting me back together one layer and one day at a time… I felt lighthearted and carefree. I was indeed like a child running through life seeing things as for the first time. I began to feel raw emotions with such intensity. He let me in so close, I could feel His love so soulfully deep it is difficult to describe … Somewhere during this process I will admit I fell in love with Him and the intensity He shares.
I can tell you it has left me wanting more… He is the master at sharing His love just enough to leave us craving more. I believe He does this so His children will continue to chase Him with a vigor and intensity that many on lookers will not understand…
When I look at the word intensity, I see HIM!!! I feel a love beyond this world…
I can only surrender to the intensity that I feel in His presence. it is not of this world…
I stand in AWE, He renders me speechless. He consumes me.
Its Him, It will always Him!
The LORD your God is a devouring fire; he is a jealous God. 24 God, your God, is not to be trifled with - he's a consuming fire, a jealous God. Deuteronomy 4:24
Because of the dazzling glory of the light, I couldn't see—I was left blind. Act 22
“Nothing is impossible. The word itself says I'm Possible.” – Audrey Hepburn
The meaning of nothing, not anything; no single thing.
We located 46 words that contain the word nothing… That is indeed something.
As this word began to make its way into my head…I could not help but have many thoughts dance through my mind. I could not clear my head enough to focus...
So I decided to think of nothing but God's face... Take a deep breath, close your eyes, and focus on nothing but Him!!! Imagine Him with me for the next few moments…His amazing face. His eyes are soft and kind. His hair is as white as snow. His facial features are strong and manly, His skin shows the age of a wise man. And He has the most amazing inviting smile…
That is when a nothing moment became a beautiful something moment... Do you see Him?
He has painted a vision in my mind of His beautiful face… and that is truly something.. Because when I see His face in my mind…I can feel Him in my heart… hear Him in my thoughts and feel a love in my soul beyond our world…
Do we take the time to realize without Him there would be nothing!!!
No me, No you, no earth, no sky, and the greatest gift no Jesus, no Holy Spirit... And no LOVE.
We owe our Creator more than we could ever repay.. more than we could ever own in our lifetime.. more… And all He wants is our LOVE… How do we not understand He wants nothing, no works, no objects we have acquired… he just craves our Love… He is the God of Love.. so without his Children’s love would He be nothing??
Many shy away from loving Him because they feel they have to give up so much of their earthly existence… But I am here to say…Once you fall in love with Him you will understand what is essential in this life. You will find a peaceful Heavenly connection. And find yourself willingly giving up things of this earth for more of Him. For nothing is impossible with Him.. nothing can stand in your way of becoming everything He has created you to be!!! For life is nothing without Him!!
It’s Him… It’s all about Him!!
Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. Psalm 73:25
Timeless means not affected by the passage of time..
This pass week was so busy… I had this thought dance through my head as I moved forward with the crazy days ahead. “STOP the world I want to get off” ! Have you ever felt that morning urge to kill your alarm clock ? The rush of the day pulling you from one life event to another? Schedules and deadlines to meet?
Time… tick tock, tick tock with each stroke of the clock, time becomes more precious…
How can we stop time??
You say thats impossible!!
But with God everything is possible!!! There is a place I run to stop the worlds madness… a place where I can catch my breath … a place where I can fill my soul with the sweetness of a love far beyond this world…
His beauty, His love, His kindness has no beginning it has no end…
He is my alpha and my omega… He does not count hours, minutes
or days … When I am in his presence I have His undivided attention…
He makes me feel like He has no better place to be than with me…
no rushing, just calm serenity… the world as I know it quietly fades…
No clock ticking, tick tock tick tock.. just the rhythmic beating of 2 hearts… Mine and my beautiful Creators…
To be swept away in His timelessness… is a gift that I can never truly explain…there are no words … It a soulful experience…
Timeless
It’s Him, It will always be Him…
Stop the world… even if it is just for a brief moment in time to be with Him… Your life will be forever changed.
They thought of God as eternal, in the sense that He is timeless or atemporal.
But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 2 Peter 3:8
Meaning of exploit make full use of and derive benefit from (a resource).
The word exploit can be found nine times in the Bible.
Writing about this word will be a difficult task but it’s been a burden on my heart for some time and it’s very possible my writing will cause me heartache, and will possibly cause some to turn away...
As many of you know that follow me my journey in my opinion has been uniquely amazing! I have found the greatest gift anyone could share... I have traveled to many churches, events, and small gatherings. I have been actively seeking more, about this great love that fell from heaven into my heart and soul...
But as I study and share my heart. I have witnessed many “followers” of God... selling Him? I may be new to this subject but when did selling God become so popular? It seems to have become a daily occurrence and a billion-dollar industry... It makes me wonder, where do we draw the line? How do we come to grips with sharing God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit without getting caught in the snare of "self" motivation, gratification, and wealth ??
When did having this great gift become such an income stream for so many?? Did the light we once held so beautifully in our hearts become tainted by our world? Did a little greed sneak into our hearts? Do we find ourselves hiding behind a cloak of Godly as we sell His message of love and salvation? Has the very light He gave us grown dim? Are we straddling the fence? One foot in the light and one in the dark? I call it living in the spiritual grey... We can not serve two masters.
(Matthew 6:24)
I will share an event I attended. It was in a large venue with hundreds of believers... I was very excited to attend! I was searching for more of Him!! I could not find someone to go with me so I went on this adventure of discovery alone...
It was presented as free. But as I arrived I found out that they needed a $25 donation... "First Hmm". I gave them my money found a seat and settled in to listen and learn. The program started with a few songs.. you could feel the excitement in the air...
But the more the MC spoke the more disillusioned I became and my soul became restless... The first 20 mins seemed like one long commercial. Selling the multiple speakers works... books, CDs, tee shirts.. just to name a few. And the good news is we could buy them at the end of the “Holy” event...
My heart sank and my soul began to grieve. I could not believe what I was hearing! I could not find any reason to stay. I stood and made my way from the crowded room... As I opened the door I began to cry.
I remember thinking how can they exploit Him like that ??? I left sad, disappointed, and betrayed. I could only whisper to Him I am so sorry.
I do know many of us have been given this gift of His great love to share with others. He calls us to be disciples and to share in His mission of a greater love with the world.
I am not here to judge? Nor to throw the first stone ... That is between each person and God... I can only pray that we do not get so enamored with the price tag that we miss seeing His Face... We miss feeling His love... and that we do not step out of His light into the world of grey...
Where do we draw the line? I realize first hand there is a cost associated with sharing Him. Travel, Online fees, Print work, Music, Studio Time, Venues, and the list goes on..and on
But when a believer’s life reflects the riches of this world we must look at the heart... His love should flow from their lips. You will see God's love radiate from their souls. There will be no hidden agenda. They will freely share His love and grace with others. You will see the joy on their face. And you will hear the song of love in their heart.
Be aware of the sheep in wolves' clothing... Not every heart is genuine... (Matthew 7:15)
At the end of the day, we are all His Children, and we are all a work in progress and trying to just find our way in this troubled world...
Only He knows our heart, our deepest thoughts, and our motives...
So if there is any doubt in our mind... And we find ourselves losing focus and dancing in the grey ... GO TO HIM FOR ALL YOUR ANSWERS ...
Remember the person sitting beside you is also just trying to find their way in this crazy world.
Go to our first love...
It's Him! It has always been Him... Knowing Him is free... There is no dollar value associated with His love... He just wants our love in return...
There will be no doubt in our motives when we go to Him for guidance. Because He will give us that peaceful feeling in our soul...
We must not tempt the Lord [that is, test His patience, question His purpose or exploit His goodness], as some of them did—and they were killed by serpents. 1 Corinthians 10:9
“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. Matthew 7:15
For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, 2 Timothy 4:3
Then the Lord spoke to you from the midst of the fire; you heard the sound of words, but you saw no form—only a voice. Deuteronomy 4:12
Have you ever felt lost as you travel among a flock of people?
Have you ever felt isolated and alone, as life seems to be spinning around you?
Do you have a longing for more? Is there something missing?
Have you traveled down dark roads not knowing what may lie ahead?
Are you spiritually lost?
Are you the one? Is it you?
“Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Luke 15:4
Don’t let this come as a shock but we are all that one, out of ninety-nine at some time in life. The good news is we are all equally important to our gentle-hearted loving Shepherd.
Our Shepherd makes each one of us feel special. He always drops everything in His busy life to listen to our hearts, soothe our souls, and give peace to our very existence. He gives us His unwavering attention… Day or night, With no distractions. He does not say wait I have another call can this wait. Never will He make you feel less important. To Him you are everything. We can rest safely knowing He has a watchful eye.
He is the protector of my heart, the lover of my soul… He has chased me for many years…Sadly I never knew it was His voice calling my soul… However, I am so grateful that He never gave up! He is relentless in His pursuit of the ones He loves…
Since that pivotal day in May, I have grown to recognize the melodic sound of His alluring voice. Now even in a flock of souls, I can hear Him singing His love song to my heart.
Shhh, Be still, Listen with soulful ears…
Be still my heart!
Its Him. It has always been Him. Can you feel His love? His love can take you places your soul can only dream of…
I will follow Him on earth as I will in Heaven… Matthew 6:9-13
Every second of every day is the opportunity for a new beautiful beginning. Embrace it, Love it! Own it! (LG)
The word "beginning" occurs 107 times in the King James Version of the Bible.
Meaning of beginning a point in time or space at which something starts:
Sometimes the scariest thing is the beginning. The uncertainties. The expectations, The unknown?? It can bring a rush of emotions excitement, joy, fear, and anxiety just to name a few??
Somehow, we all have faced the beginning of something new ... New locations, new friends, new jobs, new schools, newfound loves, new passions, and the list goes on. There are times when we feel we are in control and then there are the times we are on a journey that seems to have a life of its own. Are we on autopilot ? or is there a Godly presence that has our destiny in His control?
As I pondered this and looked at the scriptures for answers? I found a scripture that states “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.” Hmm crazy as this sounds, I love thinking about this verse as we feel about life... Knowing God was there at the beginning of life, and He has held us in his loving hands and loved us through this fantastic journey. He makes me smile.
This verse also gives us comfort knowing He will be there at the end of this life as we know it... But wait!! He has also promised us life for eternity in exchange for loving Him above all else.
So, let’s put the two together and see this as an amazing LOVE Story! His love for us started at the beginning of life and He has loved us through our entire journey. He has loved us through all of life's trials. The happy..the sad..the wins.. the losses..and all the victories small and large. The beauty of His promise of love is it will continue until we take our last breath.
But if we believe Him and His word it’s not the end, it is a beautiful new beginning with God for eternity... He chose each of us before the world began ...It's what we do with this gift of life that will determine how and with whom we will spend eternity. What type of impact and memories we leave and intrust with others on this earth will determine our soul's future residence.
I would pray that when that time comes we can raise our hands and say I am present God count me in! I am ready for the beginning of this new adventure. Let's do it!
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."John 3:16
“When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me. And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning.” John 15:26-27 NIV
“A long time ago, the Lord had me. He had me before he created anything. The Lord chose me in the beginning before the world began.”Proverbs 8:22-23 EASY
Photography, Design & Written by Lori Garner Bible Verses From KJV, NIV, Easy / Sinner's Prayer
Inspiring Music: YouTube Video
A Special Performance of "Rainbow Connection" from Kermit the Frog | The Muppets
Alone,we can do so little; together, we can do somuch,” is a truism. - Helen Keller...
Meaning of gathering an assembly or meeting, especially a social or festive one or one held for a specific purpose.” a family gathering"
We were able to gather 46 verses in the Bible that speak of the word “gathering”
As I started to peel back this word I began by asking myself... “Gathering” What is it that I am gathering? In our lives, we all seem to have interest and we begin the art of gathering things? Stuff that has meaning to oneself... We seem to hold them tight... perhaps it is a collection that you have worked hard to obtain... Bobbles and trinkets galore!!!
But when we are faced with transitioning from our earthly life to our spiritual life... Those things that were so important somehow lose their luster... Have we been sucked up into a false sense of what is important by our own human desires? If you were told you have 48 hours to live... What would gather???
I can not answer that in generic terms... but I can share my heart. I would gather my family, my friends, and all who are willing to listen...
That although my time on earth may be fleeting... I have been given some exciting news that I know there more...
He has loved me further than I ever thought possible... He has shown me a world far beyond the stars...
He is gathering His children the most precious gifts that he has created... He has given us the freedom to experience life... But He has also poured love into each of His believer's souls... That love will guide us home...
It is there we will be given the privilege of worshiping our Heavenly Father, His Beautiful Son, and His Holy Presence (Spirit)... Like never before!!! I have tasted this love and my life will never be the same...
Gather with me today and analyze what is it we are gathering? Will it last the test of time when you leave this world?? Will you be able to take it with you? How will you be remenbered ?
He has taught me the most important thing to gather is LOVE... LIFE WITHOUT LOVE IS VOID...
Gather your loved ones and anyone who will listen to His love song... Be ready for His time is drawing near...
It's Him!! It will always be Him!
God Is Love
Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 1 John 4:7-8
I soar my spirit and unfurl my joy.- Jonathan Lockwood Huie...
Meaning of unfurl: to open up by unrolling. (intransitive, figuratively) To turn out or unfold; to evolve; to progress.
In our search for this word we unfurled the beautiful pages of God's words we found two instances where this word was used.
I am unclear why this word dropped into my heart today… But as I closed my eyes and began to relate to this word …
I found myself being directed to a time in my life when I was on autopilot… I believe many of you can relate… We seem to get caught up with our daily activities… and one day just overflows into the next… We become so tightly wrapped that we miss God's beautiful gifts before us… Do we take the free moments to see life? Or has our lives become just a blur…
I can speak of feeling tightly wrapped because I lived it. I too was caught up in the tidal wave of life… Do we know where to go when we are drowning? Or do we wait to gasp that final breath before we look for Him???
I can not take any credit for finding Him. Because He is the one who found me… even when I did not even know I was lost!!
He came soft as a whisper in the wind… and spoke a love song to my thirsty soul. At first, I was so confused? I was not sure what this love from heaven wanted from me? What was the cost??? As each day passed I became more drawn into this presence that would greet me every morning … I began to trust Him more each day… I relaxed and His love began the slow deliberate dance as He began to unfurl my once-bound heart!!! There was a transformation in my soul that I could not contain… I began to see life in new vivid colors... I began to seek His face in every instance … I began to discover His eloquent words... Words that have been passed down from generation to generation… it’s His love story being unfurled right before our eyes… He loves us like no other !!!
Unfurl my heart Lord … take it it belongs to you, as you well know my life will never be the same…
It’s Him, it is always him !!!
But for those who fear you, you have raised a banner to be unfurled against the bow.Psalms 60:3-4
