listen to the rocks

As I’m painting rocks – His words are in my heart…
Lord, I praise you because we are fearfully and wonderfully made! You have created us in Your likeness and given us a heart that can love as you do! I thank You that there is nothing too hard for You and as we walk with You – nothing is too hard for us! Guide us in this week to walk with love and grace to all we encounter. Let our words be filled with encouragement and joy as we join the rocks in praising Your ways! 

They brought the colt to Jesus. Then, throwing their coats on its back, they helped Jesus get on. As he rode, the people gave him a grand welcome, throwing their coats on the street.

Right at the crest, where Mount Olives begins its descent, the whole crowd of disciples burst into enthusiastic praise over all the mighty works they had witnessed:

Blessed is he who comes,
    the king in God’s name!
All’s well in heaven!
    Glory in the high places!

Some Pharisees from the crowd told him, “Teacher, get your disciples under control!”

But he said, “If they kept quiet, the stones would do it for them, shouting praise.”
Luke 19:35-40

be the light

There are no two the same in my Kingdom. There is none like you. Trust yourself and trust what we are doing in you. We will not let you fall. Just stay close to us. Do not let darkness overtake you. Be the LIGHT.

…whispers from above – we never walk alone!

good counsel

Some “shifting” in life so my blogging may be a simple verse or a weekend rambling. The verse from yesterday is in my ponder position this week.

Are you eager for the glorious second coming of Jesus and feeling we’re left alone to the wolves of this world?
What of our Helper & Counselor?
How is it to our advantage to have the Spirit with us and not Jesus?

“But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.” John 16:13 NIV

If he is the Helper, Counselor, speaks the truth he hears from God and knows what is to come – maybe we need to get to know him a better… 

May you know the greatness of the Father’s love today. The grace of Jesus and the counsel of the Holy Spirit. Blessings dear ones!

see simplicity

Interesting things come as I pray and listen before sleep. Recently questions arose on the Israelite’s and their years of wandering.

I don’t usually as God “Why” when it refers to my life but in understanding His ways and His word, it’s frequent.

Why 40 years for a 250 mile trip? Their complaining and disobedience.
Why were their lands later restored? They repented and praised.
Seem too simple from a complex and awesome God?

We do make many things difficult and intricate in regards to the Lord…I feel He wanted me to see the simplicity too. We often read the details of the Bible and try to dissect each word, often feeling an overload instead of a simple point.

In just one verse you will find a multitude of messages as it comes to life over and over.

A challenge to you this week – pick one verse and meditate/study/pray through it multiple times in each day. See what great things are revealed to you and what the simple points are that He would like to share. 

I think I’ll start here…

Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. John 16:7 ESV

Thank you Jesus for sending the Helper – Your Holy Spirit to guide us in all truth, to enlighten us more in Your ways and share even more of Abba’s heart. Let us know You in a richer way this week through Your holy words. 

 

goodness now

Blues

I admit to some envy for the Jewish ways of deeply knowing the Torah. I dig deep but there is so much more to discover! I think one of our biggest purposes in this life is getting to know the many facets of God through the Father, the Son and the Spirit. He desires that deep personal relationship with us. He desires to reveal mysteries to us. He desires for us to know the width, length, height and depth of His love. He desires to shepherd us and for us to know His voice. He desires to shelter us and encourage us.

We so often focus on what we can give to God or do for Him. We can even become prideful in our “doing” where we actually forget He is part in the relationship. It become us and our list of good deeds. The best relationship is mutual giving and receiving – and God is the Creator even of relationships!

I remain confident of this:
I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.
Psalm 27:13-14

Lord we thank you that there is always more You want to share with us. Thank you that You are not distant but so very intimate with our lives, knowing every hair on our head and every hope in our hearts. Guide us to know You even more as we seek You through Your word, Your presence and Your voice. 

 Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.
Worship the Lord with gladness;
    come before him with joyful songs.
Know that the Lord is God.
    It is he who made us, and we are his;
    we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving
    and his courts with praise;
    give thanks to him and praise his name.
For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;
    his faithfulness continues through all generations.
Psalm 100

do you question

TRUST – encaustic

Do you think God is eager for us to enter heaven?
Why doesn’t He take us as soon as we believe?
What purpose is there to endure earthly life and death before our heavenly one?
Is our earthly life only a testing before the sifting and judging?
Are the things we do and skills we learn on earth needed for our eternal future?

We cannot wrap our minds around God’s wisdom and knowledge! Its depths can never be measured! We cannot understand His judgments or explain the mysterious ways that He works! Romans 11:33 VOICE

 

Our “natural” minds can’t understand. That is also why we have the Holy Spirit as our Counselor and why He says we need to renew our minds. Romans 12:2

 

Thank you Lord for Your Word. It is a great way to get to know You and hearing Your voice is so encouraging! Thank you for Your Presence that dwells within us, that You walk with your children every moment of every day – even if they don’t know Your saving grace. We seek further wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of You as we continue our journey of faith on this earth. 

heart passion

unfinished work

Your heart has a passion that has been neglected.
Let it come again.
Let it be breathed with life again. 

…a whisper from God

seems right

I woke to this verse several weeks ago.

There is a way that seems right to a man,
but its end is the way to death.
Proverbs 16:25 ESV

Am I heading in a wrong direction? Is this a warning to me? Is this to guide me in pray for someone else? I wasn’t sure so I continued to ask… As I wrote yesterday, this verse came again and reminds me also of Romans.

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:1-2 NIV

Sometimes when we are doing what seems right to us, it’s acceptable to the world and to what we know of God’s ways, yet the results can be detrimental.

Maybe its words spoken that hurt relationships.
(No, we can’t control when saying “Hello” will bring someone pain.)
Times we settle for easy fixes that cause even bigger problems.
(That would be me in some of my home repair projects.)

Jonah decided he was not going to do as God asked. Was his reaction fear? Plain ole disobedience? Or just a matter of being in control instead of surrendered to God? His choice didn’t go well and came with a great cost to others. Jonah didn’t die in that fish belly – but a part of him was certainly killed after that experience! God’s grace redirected him so his purpose was completed.

Why do I talk about the dreams God has for our lives so often? Because I know that is part of His message for me to share. He has uniquely designed each of us “in His image and likeness” and He really NEEDS us to walk in that.

It’s not just a matter of us needing God but even more is His need for us to be “fully” who He created us to be. The master blueprint before you were even born showed a God sized destiny – not just an earthly lifespan. Will you dare to dream big again?

 

once again

Long, long ago I painted this scene large and vibrant. I ran across my photo reference and felt to create a little 5×7 of it. Such a peaceful place from a color tour in New Hampshire – Virginia area.

We all need peaceful places. A place to refocus on what is truly important. I find that through prayer, reading or listening to the word or worship, painting, or working in the garden. Sometimes even cleaning house! Often just in silence to say, “Speak Lord, I’m listening.” He is definitely a great encourager!

A few years ago I engaged in a negativity fast. It can be a difficult thing, especially since bad news sells and gossip is the general “Hi how you doing? Did you hear about so and so?” kind of conversations. A great verse to keep me in line was…

Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Philippians 4:8

I do have bad days but I don’t hang on to the stress or repeat the negative parts to multiple people anymore. It is really liberating to live from that place of peace. Many things still do bother me and I occasionally need to release to someone, but I remember it takes 13 positives to overcome a negative, so I make sure I find the good AND keep it in front of me! I’m sticking to true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy!

Thank you Lord that there are always great things to the day! Thank you for the freshness of the snow cover. For time to paint, write, pray and dig into your Word. Guide us all in the paths of peace that we would know Your ways and walk in them Jesus. Amen

the whole earth

Where’s Your Focus?

Sometimes the Message version just speaks a little louder…

Psalm 24 MSG

 God claims Earth and everything in it,
    God claims World and all who live on it.
He built it on Ocean foundations,
    laid it out on River girders.

Who can climb Mount God?
    Who can scale the holy north-face?
Only the clean-handed,
    only the pure-hearted;
Men who won’t cheat,
    women who won’t seduce.

God is at their side;
    with God’s help they make it.
This, Jacob, is what happens
    to God-seekers, God-questers.

Wake up, you sleepyhead city!
Wake up, you sleepyhead people!
    King-Glory is ready to enter.

Who is this King-Glory?
    God, armed
    and battle-ready.

Wake up, you sleepyhead city!
Wake up, you sleepyhead people!
    King-Glory is ready to enter.

 Who is this King-Glory?
    God-of-the-Angel-Armies:
    he is King-Glory.