Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Love, Joy, Peace

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,"
Galatians 5:22
http://th03.deviantart.net/fs71/PRE/i/2010/340/7/1/love_joy_peace_watercolor_by_jesserayus-d34cfnk.jpg
 I remember singing a song in Sunday School as a child. The song is called "Peace Like a River." Do you remember that song? It's simple, with just a few change in words with each verse. I guess that's why they sang it in the children's programs. 
But I started thinking about what it means to have:
Peace like a river,
Love like an ocean,
and
Joy like a fountain  

When I think of a river, I think about the sound of water, slowly flowing over the rocks. I think of how the sunlight glistens on the current. Even the thought gives me a relaxed and unhurried feeling. What a wonderful description of what true peacefulness is like!

 Love, God's love, is endless and deep! So is the ocean! Another great correlation of two different, but similar things. I also think of how in the storm, the ocean can be rough and scary, but God's love covers all, and in Him we have nothing to fear!

 And joy!!! When I think of a fountain, spraying and spouting up and out, I think of how it makes me smile and want to jump into it! The water from a fountain will spray drops of water on those close to it and it feels so refreshing on a hot, humid day!!
 The joy God puts in our hearts is like that...full and refreshing! Those around someone who is joyful can't help but find it contagious and uplifting.

 The animated video below is a unique version of the song.
May you enjoy the words and visuals!!  

As you go about your week, consider that out of all of the Fruits of the Spirit, the first three listed are
Love
Joy
Peace
 http://www.sunnykilogram.com/wp-content/themes/sk/images/other/love-peace-joy.gif
May you seek and find all of these and be blessed!
  
Continuing to count my blessings, one by one at   "Multitude on Mondays".

1,370 - Getting a cappuccino maker; the excitement coming from my son!!
1,371 - A day out in the boat with my two favorite guys.

1,372 - A delicious pizza for supper.
1,373 - Watching my two sweet dogs taking in the sights as we ride around the lake in our boat.

1,374 - Watching my son go fishing. He hasn't wanted to fish in years!
 1,375 - Hmmm. . .This may be the reason. (Love his expression!)

1,376 - A quiet, peaceful couple of days.
1,377 - That the Lord is teaching me to be more full of peace, love, and joy!
1,378 - My hubby, initiating prayer time together in the evenings!
1,379 - Wonderful memories of children's songs sung.
1,380 - 




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Monday, June 3, 2013

"Cultivating Contentment" - Do Not Complain

Yes, we have all done it from time to time. Things don’t go our way and we are complaining about this and whining about that. We make excuses. Yet the Bible clearly says that complaining is a sin. It shows an attitude that you are ungrateful and bitter. It often tests God’s patience.

 1 Corinthians 10:10 - And do not grumble, as some of them did—and were killed by the destroying angel. (NIV)

Our ladies Bible study group has been studying the book, "Cultivating Contentment" by Thomas Nelson. Our recent focus has been on complaining and what God says about it. Here are some excerpts from the book.

". . .in the morning you will see the Glory of God. Yes, he’s listened to your complaints against him. You haven’t been complaining against us, you know, but against God.” Exodus 16:7
  • When we lash out because we don't like our lives, our complaints are heard in heaven. In a sense, we are telling God He's not doing things right, and we want Him to d things our way.

After reading this, I had to ask myself, "Am I testing God, whenever I complain?"
"You must not test the Lord your God as you did when you complained. . ." Deut. 6:16 NLT

So once more the people complained against Moses. “Give us water to drink!” they demanded.
“Quiet!” Moses replied. “Why are you complaining against me? And why are you testing the Lord?” Exodus 17:2 NLT
  • Selfish, ungrateful, forgetful, cantankerous, rebellious, argumentative. . .
  • How could (can) God's children complain?  We are His chosen ones. He knows us. He loves us. Look at all He has done for us! He cares for us. He died for us. He has given us an eternal hope! No matter what inconvenience we face on this earth, we are assured of living "happily ever after".
  • The complaining we exhibit reveals the childishness of our hearts.
Things will go wrong in our lives. A pop quiz. A long term paper. A break up. A fight with a friend. These things happen. We can spend our time complaining, taking our eyes off of God, or we can find a way to make things better. We can remember all the other things God has provided. Not only will we be happier, but we will be a positive Christian example to everyone around us.


Ephesians 4:29 - "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen." (NIV)
 I'm reminded, once again, even complaining about the small things that irritate me in life show my lack of trust and maturity in my relationship with God.

Continuing to count my blessings, one by one at  
1,356 - A beautiful, warm, sunny spring day.
1,357 - My knee feeling good enough to walk some trails with my friend.
1,358 - The sweet aroma of a field full of wild phlox.
1,359 - The pretty lavender color, spread across a field in the middle of the woods.
1,360 - God leads and directs our paths...
"Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path."
– Psalm 119:105 (NIV
1,361 -  An entwined, knotty tree, with many branches that form a frame for the wild phlox...God's perfect frame of His beauty!
 
1,362 - The goodness of God, as he reminds me, over and over, of His great love and how He blesses me every day!
1,363 -  The beauty and stoic look of a blue heron, standing on my neighbor's pier.



1,364 - Even when I'm feeling frustrated by other's unkindness or untruthfulness, that God provides me with patience and a kind spirit to the other person.
1,365 - A Cardinal, stopping briefly at the feeder to look my way.
1,366 - Finally getting to see my sweet, 2 month old great-niece!!
1,367 - The peacefulness of a sleeping baby.
1,368 - My aunt, the little one's great, great-aunt, also getting to see her for the first time!
1,369 - Adorable expressions!
May you find many blessings, through Christ, in the coming week!


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Friday, May 31, 2013

Short and Sweet: God's Creation




Just been enjoying views of God's great creation. . .from flowers, to the animal world, to nature!!!
 
Hope you enjoy!


"Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made." (John 1:3)

So God created the great sea creatures and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarm, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. Genisis 1:21
"O LORD, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory
above the heavens." (Psalm 8:1)
For behold, he who forms the mountains and creates the wind, and declares to man what is his thought, who makes the morning darkness, and treads on the heights of the earth— the Lord, the God of hosts, is his name!  Amos 4:13
Source: 1x.com via Ann on Pinterest

 "Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord. All nature praises God" (Pslams 150:6)

Can you, like him, spread out the skies, hard as a cast metal mirror? Job 37:18
Source
 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.  Colossians 1:16
http://i630.photobucket.com/albums/uu26/j4jokes12/funny/funny1/funnypictures2335.jpg
Let heaven and earth praise Him, The seas and everything that moves in them.  Psalm 69:34
Lift up your eyes on high and see: who created these? He who brings out their host by number, calling them all by name, by the greatness of his might, and because he is strong in power not one is missing.   Isaiah 40:26
 
Source
 Who builds his upper chambers in the heavens and founds his vault upon the earth; who calls for the waters of the sea and pours them out upon the surface of the earth— the Lord is his name. Amos 9:6

The world is firmly established, it cannot be moved; He will judge the peoples with equity. Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it; let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them. Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy; they will sing before the LORD, for he comes, he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in his truth. Psalm 96:10-13

Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. Luke 12:27

For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.  Romans 11:36
Source: pixdaus.com via Melissa on Pinterest

“From whose womb has come the ice? And the frost of heaven, who has given it birth?” ~Job 38:29

God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:25


Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him! Psalm 34:8

I was allowed to share only a certain amount of pictures on this post. Good thing, since I could have kept going. 
 As you can see, God is such an amazing, Creator of all things!!




Have a blessed weekend!


 Linking over to these blog hops:

No Rules Weekend Blog Hop @ Sincerely, Paula



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