Gods written word week 3

 2 John 1:12

12 Though I have many things to write to you, I do not want to do so with paper and ink; but I hope to come to you and speak face to face, so that your joy may be made complete.

How God's word impacts our lives.   John is speaking to us about using pen and ink but takes it to deeper lever.  "I have so much to share" with you that now I want to talk to you face to face.  {shows how invested he was in those lives in his circle of care.  {Shows us when he couldn't visit and have face to face interactions like he wanted to, he took the time to write profound and heartfelt letters.

The message that John was conveying in this written letter in 2 John is very important, over all letter itself he is warning them of false teachings and purging them to continue in love and truth.  He wanted to continue this conversation in person.  "So that our joy may be complete."

Face to face fellowship is important and we can learn about the attitude of 2 John 1:12  Be very mindful how we use our words to encourage others, whether we write, text, email or even posting on social media.   It is beneficial to get together with like minded people, fellowship, small groups, bible studies, book groups, activities ect.

Isn't it amazing how the power of the Holy Spirit connects others to our hearts from those we have just met?

This is a very special connection when we are  face to face , that happens when 2 people who love Jesus get together and talk about HIM.

We all have a circle of influence that God has given each one of us, we have unique opportunities to encourage those around us with face to face interactions.

Always us face to face to encourage those around  you and point them to Jesus.  "That is where we will find complete JOY."

Girls weekend August 11 thru 13

we stopped at a winery in AR first time some of us had ever been to one (including me)  this is the gang that went 

The back patio on the top floor what an awesome view

the trail that leads down to the lake

Beaver Lake Garfield Arkansas

Maddie the weather girl got to forecast the weather and she was spot on!

This is War Eagle Mill entrance a working water mill since the Civil War

Some of the gang walking to the mill, the old bridge is still driven across today

Some history about the mill

The bridge and creek

 

The water wheel turning

we got busted at the moonshine house, not really it was all in fun, but told family at home it was 500 per person and there were 7 of us.

Nothing but God's beauty as far as the eye could see

a different look out point

This was up the hill from the air bnb we stayed at.  I could live here with no guilty feelings.

back of our bnb so beautfiul

the trail to the lake again

This cemetery was really cool

Old Ruddick School house established 18 something (what the sign says)

Old country church all of 4 cars there

Pearidge War Park

I see you baby peeking at us.

over view of Pearidge!  4300 acres what a sight to see.

a storm is brewing with the cannons in the background

we had a fantastic weekend, and we are all ready to go again.  I am so thankful for God's beauty and the friendships made.  I and 1 of the gals have been friends since 1976, one was her sister, another was sis n law and her 3 daughters.   I left home with 2 nieces, 1 nephew, 7 great nephews, 1 great niece, 2 brothers.  I came home with 3 sisters, 3 more nieces, 4 great nieces and 3 more great nephews   Family isn't always blood!

August Bible Journaling Gods Written Word week 1 and 2

 

August bible Journaling

Gods Written Word

Week 1 Luke 4:16-20

 ¹⁶ And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up; and as was His custom, He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath, and stood up to read. ¹⁷ And the scroll of Isaiah the prophet was handed to Him. And He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written:

¹⁸ “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,
Because He anointed Me to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent Me to proclaim release to captives,
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set free those who are oppressed,
¹⁹ To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord.”

²⁰ And He rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down; and the eyes of all the people in the synagogue were intently directed at Him.

Jesus is reading about Himself as the prophet Isaiah had written about Jesus many years before.  Gods written word is pointing toward the living word, Jesus.

This is the story of Jesus holding the scrolls of Isaiah, reading these words that were written about Himself.  This scene pops open for what would have been like to have been there and hearing His voice.  The bible wasn’t in book form back then just a collection of scrolls, even today these scrolls are prized possessions in the Jewish Synagogue, they are hand copied, decorated and are very expensive to create, there are elaborate files showing where the scrolls are kept.

Jesus preached His very first sermon that day, where He said “The scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.  Proclaiming who He was, basically saying He came and was there to address issues, freeing their hearts, heal the broken pieces as he still does for us today.  He has removed all binders from me (MY CHAINS ARE GONE) The living working power of Gods written word that became flesh in Jesus coming to earth.  Jesus began His public ministry reading a scroll, holding the written word, describing the character, compassion of the living word, which was Himself.

Week 2 John 5:36-40

Testimony of Works

³⁶ But the testimony I have is greater than the testimony of John; for the works which the Father has given Me to accomplish—the very works that I do—testify about Me, that the Father has sent Me.

Testimony of the Father

³⁷ And the Father who sent Me, He has testified about Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His form. ³⁸ Also you do not have His word remaining in you, because you do not believe Him whom He sent.

Testimony of the Scripture

^39 [a]You examine the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is those very Scriptures that testify about Me; ⁴⁰ and yet you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life.

           

Jesus was speaking to the Pharisees about the verses above, the leaders who were supposed to be leading the people.  It is as Jesus is condemning them for reading and studying the scriptures so diligently.  It is a sobering warning in the truth He speaks for us today.  The Pharisees were reading the word, but not turning to Jesus and weren’t allowing the words to point toward Him.  God’s word, <don’t get stuck on the words we are studying but, that our focus stays on the word, which is Jesus, THE LIVING WORD.>

Through our bible journaling it builds a personal relationship with Jesus, it becomes a help tool, hep us grow in Him, gives us Guidance, deliverance, provider, giver, translator, wisdom when we need it the most.  When we need a reminder of God’s word we can go back through our journaling.  The same God who rescued us back then is the same God who has the same power for us today.  Let’s all stop and think for a moment, about the people closest to us are the people we tend to spend the most time with, those we talk to and share with.  We read about and follow a person on social media, we know of them, and know a few things about them, but do not know them on a personal level.   Knowing Jesus is about the relationship we have with Him, not just reading abut Him in the bible.  We must let those words point to Him, His living word.   Our study of God’s word should {ALWAYS point to Jesus and draw closer to Him}

Thankful Thursday

 Happy Thursday!

We all have so much to be thankful for on a daily basis.  Instead of listing everything that I am thankful for I am going to focus on 1 thing.  This does not mean I am thankful for everything else.

I am always thankful for my salvation.  Today I am thankful for the much needed rain we have gotten over the last few days, why you ask, do I want to focus on the rain?  

Rain, cleanses the air we breath daily, you should have seen all the pollen, dust, dirt that showed up on the vehicles.  Rain cleanses the outside, like Jesus cleanses us.  Without rain, crops die, grass dies, trees die, cracks in the ground 1" wide or more.  It also effects the hay for winter, people who have farms depend on hay for winter for their livestock.  

Rain also brought a BIG relief in the very hot and dangerous temps, Sunday here the temp was 108 and heat index of 122 and had been in the 100's over 2 weeks straight.  Today the temp is 86.

Let it Rain  what a powerful song

Jesus is the shelter in the storm week 4

 I am sorry for the late post to finish this study up.  

 I truly hope you have enjoyed this series as much as I have.

Week 4 Psalm 55:6-8 Jesus is the shelter in the storm

6:  I said, “Oh, that I had wings like a dove!  I would fly away and be at rest.  7:  behold, I would wonder far away, I would lodge in the wilderness.  8:  I would hasten to my place of refuge from the stormy wind and tempest.

David is stressed, worried and concerned about his “so” called friends who were plotting and betrayed him.  He is unsure which way to turn or who he can trust anymore.  How hurtful for him, for those he thought loved him had strategized against him even plotting to kill him.  He is overwhelmed by so many emotions which is understandable. Helplessness, betrayal, hurt, fear, just a few emotions he must have felt.   <A mighty big storm for David to face> death, betrayal, fear and uncertain who he could turn to or trust or even where to turn.  We can all relate to the emotions like David did.  He wonders how he could just escape from it all. 1) Fly away like a dove, 2) Rave shelter from the storm} He can’t stop thinking about the murderous plans that the people plotted against him.  The hardest of all was knowing that someone behind all this was someone who David thought was a close friend.  In the midst of all the stress David turns to God and his faith is reunited again even while he wrestles with the thoughts of betrayal and fear, he decides the only way to rebuild by the burden on his mind:  Hand everything over to God, {we need to do this also, God is our safe place}  when we feel like we can’t find Him, He meets us where we are, when we do not know which way to turn due to the wild winds and the storms going on in our lives, He is right there with us.  When we can’t think of anything but running away, all we have to do is run into the arms of Jesus, for He is the safest place to be.

TRUTH:  Rest in peace in knowing that He is who He says He is and knowing he will do what he says he will do.  Also, how David found refuge in God, we can too!