The blood...
While we are getting closer and closer to a highlight of the Christian celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the tune that keeps flooding my mind is, "Nothing but the blood".
Christ died that I might live...he shed his blood for me and anyone else...
He loved me before I even knew him...
He arose from the grave that I might live...
He ascended into heaven to prepare a place for believers...
He is alive...
We celebrate his death and resurrection with communion, in rememberance...
But, the shed blood...oh that blood, that life we have through it...
So as I was thinking about that, the pastor talks about the importance of blood to our bodies...
One thing....It brings in good things and takes out the waste...what a wonderful description of Christ's forgiveness...he replaces our old life with new...gives us the Holy Spirit...He transforms us, renewing us daily...
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 12:2
Another, it fights infection...Jesus helps us fight our battles...with his Word, Himself...he helps carry the burdens...
Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens.
Psalm 68:19
I know these maybe stretches in descriptions, but it was interesting to see the functions and there are more...cells need the messages carried by the blood...etc. etc...the comparisons many...
But, we need Christ's blood in a spiritual way...as well as a physical way...I love that the Word is so descriptive...powerful...saving...it is hard to wrap my mind around it all...there is something new everyday... Thank YOU...
While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.” Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you.
This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.
Matthew 26:26-28
I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.
Ephesians 1:18-23
http://lifestyle.iloveindia.com/lounge/why-is-blood-important-4118.html
Blood is a body fluid that delivers essential substances like nutrients and oxygen to the cells of the body. Blood also transports carbon dioxide and other waste products away from the cells, to the lungs, kidneys, and digestive system; from there they are removed from the body. In addition, the blood also helps fight infection in open cuts in the body.
Our body has billions of cells that need regular supply of fuel and oxygen to function. Blood meets these requirements and ensures proper functioning of cells, thus, also making sure that our body keeps in good health. It might interest you that an average adult human body has about five liters of blood.
Blood in our bodies is pumped by the heart through a network of arteries and veins. It is interesting to note that even the heart cannot survive without blood flowing through the vessels that bring nourishment to its muscular walls.
Having said that, it is anybody’s guess, we can't live without blood. Without blood, we couldn't keep warm or cool off, we couldn't fight infections, and we couldn't get rid of our own waste products.
Blood, therefore, is a vital body fluid – lifeline of a body that performs many important functions.
Functions of Blood
• Blood performs important functions, some of which are as under:-
• Supply of oxygen to cells / tissues
• Supply of nutrients such as glucose, amino acids and fatty acids Removal of waste such as carbon dioxide, urea and lactic acid
• Making body immune by circulation of white cells, and detection of foreign material by antibodies
• Regulation of core body temperature
• Hydraulic functions
• Aiding body's self-repair mechanism by Coagulation
• Messenger functions like transportation of hormones and the signaling of tissue damage
• Regulation of body pH (the normal pH of blood - 7.35 - 7.45)
Composition of Blood
The blood that flows through a network of veins and arteries is called whole blood. Whole blood contains three types of blood cells which are as under:
• Red blood cells (also called RBCs or erythrocytes) – contain iron rich protein called hemoglobin, giving blood its characteristic red color.
• White blood cells (also called WBCs or leukocytes) – help fighting diseases.
• Platelets (also called thrombocytes) – help in blood clotting.
These blood cells are mostly manufactured in the bone marrow, especially in the bone marrow of bones that make up the spine (vertebrae), ribs, pelvis, skull, and breastbone (sternum). Bone marrow is the soft tissue inside our bones.
These cells that make up the whole blood travel through the circulatory system suspended in a yellowish fluid called plasma. Plasma is 90% water and contains nutrients, proteins, hormones, and waste products. Whole blood is a mixture of blood cells and plasma.
In addition to the cells mentioned above, the blood also contains clotting factors and other important substances, such as nutrients from the food that has been processed by the digestive system. Also, the hormones released by endocrine glands are present in the blood which carries them to the body parts that need them.
Blood Clotting – An important mechanism to heal wounds
Blood, in addition to platelets, also contains important proteins called clotting factors. These clotting factors are vital for the process of blood clotting. Although platelets alone can plug leaks in small blood vessels and even temporarily stop / slow down bleeding, the action of clotting factors is needed to produce a strong, stable clot.
Platelets work with clotting factors to form solid lumps that seal leaks, wounds, cuts, and scratches and prevent bleeding inside and on the surfaces of our bodies.
However, when large blood vessels are severed, the body may not be able to repair itself through blood clotting process alone. Dressings or stitches, in addition to body own blood clotting mechanism, are used to help control bleeding in such cases.
Read more at http://lifestyle.iloveindia.com/lounge/why-is-blood-important-4118.html#DPYGgv3KBw0bORbl.99
The smallest blood vessels measure only five micrometers. To give you some perspective, a strand of human hair measures about 17 micrometers.
But if you took all the blood vessels out of an average child and laid them out in one line, the line would stretch over 60,000 miles. An adult’s would be closer to 100,000 miles long.
https://www2.palomar.edu/anthro/blood/blood_components.htm
Blood Components
Normally, 7-8% of human body weight is from blood. In adults, this amounts to 4.5-6 quarts of blood. This essential fluid carries out the critical functions of transporting oxygen and nutrients to our cells and getting rid of carbon dioxide, ammonia, and other waste products. In addition, it plays a vital role in our immune system and in maintaining a relatively constant body temperature. Blood is a highly specialized tissue composed of more than 4,000 different kinds of components. Four of the most important ones are red cells, white cells, platelets, and plasma. All humans produce these blood components--there are no populational or regional differences.
Red Cells
Human erythrocytes or "red cells"
(cell diameter about .0003 inches)
Red cells, or erythrocytes , are relatively large microscopic cells without nuclei. In this latter trait, they are similar to the primitive prokaryotic cells of bacteria. Red cells normally make up 40-50% of the total blood volume. They transport oxygen from the lungs to all of the living tissues of the body and carry away carbon dioxide. The red cells are produced continuously in our bone marrow from stem cells at a rate of about 2-3 million cells per second. Hemoglobin is the gas transporting protein molecule that makes up 95% of a red cell. Each red cell has about 270,000,000 iron-rich hemoglobin molecules. People who are anemic generally have a deficiency in red cells, and subsequently feel fatigued due to a shortage of oxygen. The red color of blood is primarily due to oxygenated red cells. Human fetal hemoglobin molecules differ from those produced by adults in the number of amino acid chains. Fetal hemoglobin has three chains, while adults produce only two. As a consequence, fetal hemoglobin molecules attract and transport relatively more oxygen to the cells of the body.
White Cells
White cells, or leukocytes , exist in variable numbers and types but make up a very small part of blood's volume--normally only about 1% in healthy people. Leukocytes are not limited to blood. They occur elsewhere in the body as well, most notably in the spleen, liver, and lymph glands. Most are produced in our bone marrow from the same kind of stem cells that produce red blood cells. Others are produced in the thymus gland, which is at the base of the neck. Some white cells (called lymphocytes ) are the first responders for our immune system. They seek out, identify, and bind to alien protein on bacteria, viruses, and fungi so that they can be removed. Other white cells (called granulocytes and macrophages ) then arrive to surround and destroy the alien cells. They also have the function of getting rid of dead or dying blood cells as well as foreign matter such as dust and asbestos. Red cells remain viable for only about 4 months before they are removed from the blood and their components recycled in the spleen. Individual white cells usually only last 18-36 hours before they also are removed, though some types live as much as a year. The description of white cells presented here is a simplification. There are actually many specialized sub-types of them that participate in different ways in our immune responses.
Platelets
erythrocyte (left), thrombocyte
(center), and leukocyte (right)
Platelets , or thrombocytes , are cell fragments without nuclei that work with blood clotting chemicals at the site of wounds. They do this by adhering to the walls of blood vessels, thereby plugging the rupture in the vascular wall. They also can release coagulating chemicals which cause clots to form in the blood that can plug up narrowed blood vessels. Thirteen different blood clotting factors, in addition to platelets, need to interact for clotting to occur. They do so in a cascading manner, one factor triggering another. Hemophiliacs lack the ability to produce either blood factor 8 or 9.
Platelets are not equally effective in clotting blood throughout the entire day. The body's circadian rhythm system (its internal biological clock) causes the peak of platelet activation in the morning. This is one of the main reasons that strokes and heart attacks are more common in the morning.
Recent research has shown that platelets also help fight infections by releasing proteins that kill invading bacteria and some other microorganisms. In addition, platelets stimulate the immune system. Individual platelets are about 1/3 the size of red cells. They have a lifespan of 9-10 days. Like the red and white blood cells, platelets are produced in bone marrow from stem cells.
Plasma
Plasma is the relatively clear, yellow tinted water (92+%), sugar, fat, protein and salt solution which carries the red cells, white cells, and platelets. Normally, 55% of our blood's volume is made up of plasma. As the heart pumps blood to cells throughout the body, plasma brings nourishment to them and removes the waste products of metabolism. Plasma also contains blood clotting factors, sugars, lipids, vitamins, minerals, hormones, enzymes, antibodies, and other proteins. It is likely that plasma contains some of every protein produced by the body--approximately 500 have been identified in human plasma so far.
https://www.gold-traders.co.uk/gold-information/how-much-gold-is-found-in-the-human-body.asp
The human body is composed of many elements, including Gold in trace amounts.
According the technical treatise, The Elements Third Edition, written by John Emsley and published by the Clarendon Press, Oxford in 1998, the average person's body weighing 70 kilograms would contain a total mass of 0.2 milligrams of gold. The volume of this gold in purified form would be 10 nanoliters. If this refined gold were formed into a solid cube of purified gold, the measurement of each side of the cube would be 0.22 millimeters.
By comparison, the human body contains 43 kilograms of oxygen, the most abundant element in the earth, as well as the human body. Other elements found in the human body include 16 kilograms of carbon and 7 kilograms of hydrogen.
While the role of gold in the physiological processes of the human body was unknown for many years, it has recently been determined that gold plays a role in both the health and maintenance of the joints, as well as being a key element in the transmittal of electrical signals throughout the body. Of interesting note, the human body contains 1.0 gram of Silicon. This element is commonly found in the presence of gold in nature and its metabolic function is currently unknown.
Wednesday, March 28, 2018
Tuesday, March 27, 2018
Dividing...
Our family has been working on estate
planning for years...both with my late husband's family, my
grandparents, my parents and ourselves...each has done something
different...each has made good decisions and some not so good...but,
they and we made decisions based on information and laws at the time...
The importance of updating, I cannot
stress enough... We started in the 1990's with guardians for our
children and simple divisions...as times and laws changed as well as
ages of children, we had to update later and I just updated again this
past fall, twenty years later..with three updates in between...( great
accountant and lawyer jobs)...
On the other hand, my parents didn't
update theirs (didn't want to pay all those fees) and it was took a lot
of patience, time to complete their documents after their deaths...
Reading in Joshua, with the dividing
of the promised lands, I was reminded of all those documents we went
through...what did these families get in the promised land?...how did
those divisions line up with Jacob's blessings when he was about to die?
So I searched for those
answers...they didn't talk about lands in relation to townships and
range as we do on property maps...they talked about hills, cities, mountains,
deserts, valleys, rivers as boundaries...what was the interests of the
various tribes, were some fisherman, shepherds, craftsman,
farmers...what kind of land did they get? Did they get what fit their interests? Not sure...but they got what God gave and promised...were they content?
We still ask those questions today as we do estate planning... Will this be a good to distribute? Will our successors be happy with the decisions we made? Will they carry on? Will this help them fulfill their dreams? Etc.
Thank YOU for the resources You Have
kindly blessed us with...help my children and children's children follow
you...be content with the blessings you bestow...
"Question: "Were Jacob’s prophecies about his sons fulfilled?"
Answer: Just before Jacob died, he called his twelve sons and said, “Gather around so I can tell you what will happen to you in days to come” (Genesis 49:1).
The chapter then shares Jacob’s prophecies regarding many of his sons. A
brief look at each prediction reveals that they were fulfilled.
Reuben: He was the firstborn, but he gave up his birthright
by his evil actions. The birthright then moved to Joseph, who received a
double portion as the oldest son of Jacob’s wife Rachel.
Simeon and Levi: These two brothers were mentioned together as being violent (Genesis 49:3–4).
Their land would be divided. This did occur later, as Simeon was given
only a few cities in Israel, and the Levites were the priestly tribe
that received no land inheritance.
Judah: Judah was like a lion and would be a leader of the other tribes (Genesis 49:8–12). His tribe would later produce a line of kings, beginning with King David and, much later, Jesus Christ.
Zebulun: This son would later be given the land between the Mediterranean Sea and Sea of Galilee (Genesis 49:13). Zebulun will also have land that extends to the sea in the future Millennial Kingdom (Ezekiel 48:1–8, 23–27).
Issachar: Verses 14–15 state
Issachar’s land would be agricultural. True to the prophecy, his tribe
later inherited the rich farmland of the Valley of Jezreel in Galilee.
Dan: Verses 16–18 note Dan would
become a judge in Israel. Samson, one of the greatest judges, came from
this tribe. Yet many of Dan’s leaders worshiped idols (as in Judges 18) and brought God’s judgment.
Gad: Verse 19 simply notes Gad would
be effective in military struggles. It is difficult to link this to any
direct fulfillment due to the brevity of the prophecy. Some have seen a
fulfillment of this prediction in the great number of troops who served
King David from the tribe of Gad (1 Chronicles 12).
Asher: Verse 20 states Asher would
enjoy good soil. Asher’s tribe later inherited the very fertile land of
Carmel along the seacoast.
Naphtali: Verse 21 mentions that the
other tribes would admire him. The meaning of this prophecy is unclear,
though it may indicate his tribe would have an easier life than the
other tribes.
Joseph: Joseph received many blessings in verses 22–26, including a double portion. His two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, each became the founder of a tribe of Israel.
Benjamin: Jacob’s youngest son would
be a warrior, producing many of Israel’s military leaders, such as Ehud,
Saul, and Jonathan. His tribe would be known for its warring
characteristics (Judges 5:14; 20:16; 1 Chronicles 8:40).
Jacob’s blessings and predictions
provide further evidence of God’s supernatural power to foretell the
future of His people and to reveal it to whom He desires." Gotquestions.org
Saturday, March 24, 2018
Be strong and courageous...
Be strong and courageous ....
As I was reading the beginning of Joshua, the phase, "be strong and courageous" repeatedly stood out...in fact it is repeated 4 times in the first chapter...
Here is a man in his seventies, who had been a spy for Moses along with his friend Caleb...the two men who had faith enough to want to take the land forty years earlier...the only older men who survived in the desert crossing to actually go into the promised land and be a part of the conquests of taking that land and be given an inheritance ...leaders...but relying on the deliverance help of his God...as his name implies ...."God is help"...
In Chapter one, Joshua is on the verge of going into the promised land...what he must have felt to finally be going into it...trepidation, elation, fear, "finally"... But he was forty years older , but with forty years more faith building in the God whom he followed and revered...with his beloved leader admonishing "be strong and courageous"...as Moses hands off the leadership of this nation to him...
My take away...what do I need to be strong and courageous about? What does God have for me to face with courage, resting in His strength? Only time will tell...
But, somethings have happened and I have had to step into roles that I didn't think I was ready for...God was there ready to comfort, guide...when my mom died, when my husband died and finally when my father died...I became an orphan, a widow with a business, a matriarch of my family...lands and roles which I hadn't explored before...yet for whatever reason I had been prepared for it in the preceding 40 years...in our desert wanderings...
I am be no means a Joshua, a leader of millions, a courageous warrior, but God prepares each of us in our own way for what he has for us...even when we don't know it...He has given us helpers, advisors and a Helper in which to confide and listen...
"Be strong and courageous, for the Lord is with you wherever you go..."
Thank YOU...
Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Deuteronomy 31:6
Then Moses summoned Joshua and said to him in the presence of all Israel, “Be strong and courageous, for you must go with this people into the land that the Lord swore to their ancestors to give them, and you must divide it among them as their inheritance.
The Lord gave this command to Joshua son of Nun: “Be strong and courageous, for you will bring the Israelites into the land I promised them on oath, and I myself will be with you.”
Deuteronomy 31:7,23
Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them.
"Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go.
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Whoever rebels against your word and does not obey it, whatever you may command them, will be put to death. Only be strong and courageous! ”
Joshua 1:6-7,9,18
Joshua said to them, “Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Be strong and courageous. This is what the Lord will do to all the enemies you are going to fight.”
Joshua 10:25
Then you will have success if you are careful to observe the decrees and laws that the Lord gave Moses for Israel. Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged.
1 Chronicles 22:13
David also said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you until all the work for the service of the temple of the Lord is finished.
1 Chronicles 28:20
“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him. With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles.” And the people gained confidence from what Hezekiah the king of Judah said.
2 Chronicles 32:7-8
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
Ephesians 6:10-17
http://biblehub.com/topical/j/joshua.htm
As I was reading the beginning of Joshua, the phase, "be strong and courageous" repeatedly stood out...in fact it is repeated 4 times in the first chapter...
Here is a man in his seventies, who had been a spy for Moses along with his friend Caleb...the two men who had faith enough to want to take the land forty years earlier...the only older men who survived in the desert crossing to actually go into the promised land and be a part of the conquests of taking that land and be given an inheritance ...leaders...but relying on the deliverance help of his God...as his name implies ...."God is help"...
In Chapter one, Joshua is on the verge of going into the promised land...what he must have felt to finally be going into it...trepidation, elation, fear, "finally"... But he was forty years older , but with forty years more faith building in the God whom he followed and revered...with his beloved leader admonishing "be strong and courageous"...as Moses hands off the leadership of this nation to him...
My take away...what do I need to be strong and courageous about? What does God have for me to face with courage, resting in His strength? Only time will tell...
But, somethings have happened and I have had to step into roles that I didn't think I was ready for...God was there ready to comfort, guide...when my mom died, when my husband died and finally when my father died...I became an orphan, a widow with a business, a matriarch of my family...lands and roles which I hadn't explored before...yet for whatever reason I had been prepared for it in the preceding 40 years...in our desert wanderings...
I am be no means a Joshua, a leader of millions, a courageous warrior, but God prepares each of us in our own way for what he has for us...even when we don't know it...He has given us helpers, advisors and a Helper in which to confide and listen...
"Be strong and courageous, for the Lord is with you wherever you go..."
Thank YOU...
Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Deuteronomy 31:6
Then Moses summoned Joshua and said to him in the presence of all Israel, “Be strong and courageous, for you must go with this people into the land that the Lord swore to their ancestors to give them, and you must divide it among them as their inheritance.
The Lord gave this command to Joshua son of Nun: “Be strong and courageous, for you will bring the Israelites into the land I promised them on oath, and I myself will be with you.”
Deuteronomy 31:7,23
Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them.
"Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go.
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Whoever rebels against your word and does not obey it, whatever you may command them, will be put to death. Only be strong and courageous! ”
Joshua 1:6-7,9,18
Joshua said to them, “Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Be strong and courageous. This is what the Lord will do to all the enemies you are going to fight.”
Joshua 10:25
Then you will have success if you are careful to observe the decrees and laws that the Lord gave Moses for Israel. Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged.
1 Chronicles 22:13
David also said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you until all the work for the service of the temple of the Lord is finished.
1 Chronicles 28:20
“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him. With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles.” And the people gained confidence from what Hezekiah the king of Judah said.
2 Chronicles 32:7-8
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
Ephesians 6:10-17
http://biblehub.com/topical/j/joshua.htm
Wednesday, March 21, 2018
Seeking ....
Seeking...
Lying on my college dorm's bed, I questioned that there was a God...and if there was one, how could he let bad things happen....could I really trust Him, who did things or allowed bad events....
My roommate at the time was perplexed that I would even question God's existence, His actually being there....and to this day, I don't know if she ever had those struggles or questions....
Struggles like these must happen to every generation...some more that others...some deeper than others...for a variety of reasons...the questions of Why? How come? Why me? Why them? Are You for real? If, then? What for? Etc...crop up in writings over the years....each person coming to their own conclusion...some feeling guilty and some feeling at peace depending on the context of their questions ....
Job's "friends" questioned, the Israelites under Mose's leadership questioned, generation after generation has questioned....we each have the opportunity to make our decisions regarding God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit...the creation, how we fit into the picture ....some turn away, some feel guilty for even questioning, some dig deeper than others, some find that gentle peace that pervades the seeking soul...for some it is simple while others it is complex...we are each unique in our searching, in the manifestation...
for me, God is there...thank YOU...help each to find their place, their roots, their solid ground....
But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul. When you are in distress and all these things have happened to you, then in later days you will return to the Lord your God and obey him. For the Lord your God is a merciful God; he will not abandon or destroy you or forget the covenant with your ancestors, which he confirmed to them by oath.
Deuteronomy 4:29-31
Ask now about the former days, long before your time, from the day God created human beings on the earth; ask from one end of the heavens to the other. Has anything so great as this ever happened, or has anything like it ever been heard of?
Acknowledge and take to heart this day that the Lord is God in heaven above and on the earth below. There is no other.
Deuteronomy 4:32,39
Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.
1 Chronicles 16:10
“..... If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever.
1 Chronicles 28:9b
You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
Jeremiah 29:13
"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
Matthew 7:7-8
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
Hebrews 11:6
"But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”
Jeremiah 17:7-8
Lying on my college dorm's bed, I questioned that there was a God...and if there was one, how could he let bad things happen....could I really trust Him, who did things or allowed bad events....
My roommate at the time was perplexed that I would even question God's existence, His actually being there....and to this day, I don't know if she ever had those struggles or questions....
Struggles like these must happen to every generation...some more that others...some deeper than others...for a variety of reasons...the questions of Why? How come? Why me? Why them? Are You for real? If, then? What for? Etc...crop up in writings over the years....each person coming to their own conclusion...some feeling guilty and some feeling at peace depending on the context of their questions ....
Job's "friends" questioned, the Israelites under Mose's leadership questioned, generation after generation has questioned....we each have the opportunity to make our decisions regarding God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit...the creation, how we fit into the picture ....some turn away, some feel guilty for even questioning, some dig deeper than others, some find that gentle peace that pervades the seeking soul...for some it is simple while others it is complex...we are each unique in our searching, in the manifestation...
for me, God is there...thank YOU...help each to find their place, their roots, their solid ground....
But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul. When you are in distress and all these things have happened to you, then in later days you will return to the Lord your God and obey him. For the Lord your God is a merciful God; he will not abandon or destroy you or forget the covenant with your ancestors, which he confirmed to them by oath.
Deuteronomy 4:29-31
Ask now about the former days, long before your time, from the day God created human beings on the earth; ask from one end of the heavens to the other. Has anything so great as this ever happened, or has anything like it ever been heard of?
Acknowledge and take to heart this day that the Lord is God in heaven above and on the earth below. There is no other.
Deuteronomy 4:32,39
Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.
1 Chronicles 16:10
“..... If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever.
1 Chronicles 28:9b
You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
Jeremiah 29:13
"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
Matthew 7:7-8
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
Hebrews 11:6
"But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”
Jeremiah 17:7-8
Tuesday, March 20, 2018
Choices...paths....
Choices...paths ...
We were standing in the kitchen, eating cheese and crackers, when the question was asked, " how did you come to faith in Jesus?" to a CEO of a major worldwide mission organization...
The answer was surprising to me...he hadn't been raised in a Christian home, hadn't any affiliation with Christians but at 38, he knew he was missing something in his soul...his story was like reading Jesus' temptations, only this man had said yes to each...until one day, he looked out of his pinnacle office and felt empty inside...he cancelled his appointments, drove his BMW to a market place, intent on finding a Bible, found one, took it home and started reading...called an acquaintance whom he knew had changed his life about going to church with him....heard the gospel, plain and simple and within weeks was saved... Left the worldly pinnacles behind and eventually became a missionary to far away places, sharing Jesus with tribesmen in jungles....moving over the years back into leadership....not the penthouse office, but one which had much more worldwide view- the bringing of Jesus to faraway, obscure places...
He then spoke of being invited to Billy Graham's funeral...the honor of that invitation...sitting there listening to the testimonies of the impact of a man called by God, following that call...simply telling others of Christ and His gift of salvation...
We are each called, chosen...we may be a janitor or a king, a mother of one or a dozen, a father in the public or obscurity...in the fifth avenue office or the jungles of South America...a blogger...a senior in a senior living home, a craftsman, a teacher...a pastor or a secretary, the patient or the doctor ....one up front or one in the back row....we have a plan or a purpose...a path chosen uniquely for us, not to be compared with another, or jealously copied...
Our question is, "are we following it?"... Do we take time to look back and see how God has worked and is working...do we complain about the path or walk faithfully in it???
Thank YOU....that You are at work in our lives moment by moment ...that you bring glory to yourself...
As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust.
Psalm 103:13-14
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.
For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.
In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.
In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us.
With all wisdom and understanding, he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment —to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.
In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will,
Ephesians 1:3-11
We were standing in the kitchen, eating cheese and crackers, when the question was asked, " how did you come to faith in Jesus?" to a CEO of a major worldwide mission organization...
The answer was surprising to me...he hadn't been raised in a Christian home, hadn't any affiliation with Christians but at 38, he knew he was missing something in his soul...his story was like reading Jesus' temptations, only this man had said yes to each...until one day, he looked out of his pinnacle office and felt empty inside...he cancelled his appointments, drove his BMW to a market place, intent on finding a Bible, found one, took it home and started reading...called an acquaintance whom he knew had changed his life about going to church with him....heard the gospel, plain and simple and within weeks was saved... Left the worldly pinnacles behind and eventually became a missionary to far away places, sharing Jesus with tribesmen in jungles....moving over the years back into leadership....not the penthouse office, but one which had much more worldwide view- the bringing of Jesus to faraway, obscure places...
He then spoke of being invited to Billy Graham's funeral...the honor of that invitation...sitting there listening to the testimonies of the impact of a man called by God, following that call...simply telling others of Christ and His gift of salvation...
We are each called, chosen...we may be a janitor or a king, a mother of one or a dozen, a father in the public or obscurity...in the fifth avenue office or the jungles of South America...a blogger...a senior in a senior living home, a craftsman, a teacher...a pastor or a secretary, the patient or the doctor ....one up front or one in the back row....we have a plan or a purpose...a path chosen uniquely for us, not to be compared with another, or jealously copied...
Our question is, "are we following it?"... Do we take time to look back and see how God has worked and is working...do we complain about the path or walk faithfully in it???
Thank YOU....that You are at work in our lives moment by moment ...that you bring glory to yourself...
As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust.
Psalm 103:13-14
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.
For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.
In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.
In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us.
With all wisdom and understanding, he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment —to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.
In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will,
Ephesians 1:3-11
Friday, March 16, 2018
Springtime...
Springtime...
I was awakened by a soft spring rain, not the blustery, wind driven ones of earlier in the year....the grass, the trees, bulbs, spring flowers are lapping up and soaking in all they can get after the dry of winter...the temperature is in the 40's rather than the chilly 30's...spring may actually be coming...or just a taste of it anyway...
The winter wasn't as hard as predicted...which was total blessing for me personally...shoveling snow up over my head was tiring last year...the continual iciness was chilling all the time...I don't like to be whiny, but it got old days after day...but, I kept in good physical shape and didn't fall once!
But, there is just something about spring rains that refreshes the soul...the soft, pattering sounds...and I can just imagine the plants awakening, stretching out their roots, life oozing into the new growth, reaching through the soil toward their light and nutrients...ready to burst forth into the bright of day...growing, growing...those dandelions just waiting to be send forth another year's worth of pesky seeds or the crocus and daffodils brightening the days with their first colors...springtime...newness...freshness...thank YOU for each season and its spectacular displays of Your creativity...hope...
So if you faithfully obey the commands I am giving you today—to love the Lord your God and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul — then I will send rain on your land in its season, both autumn and spring rains, so that you may gather in your grain, new wine and olive oil.
I will provide grass in the fields for your cattle, and you will eat and be satisfied.
Deuteronomy 11:13-15
When a king’s face brightens, it means life; his favor is like a rain cloud in spring.
Proverbs 16:15
Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains.
James 5:7
Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy.”
Acts 14:17
http://www.coolestone.com/media/18910/How-Spring-Looks-Like-around-the-World/#.WrDv1-tOKK1
I was awakened by a soft spring rain, not the blustery, wind driven ones of earlier in the year....the grass, the trees, bulbs, spring flowers are lapping up and soaking in all they can get after the dry of winter...the temperature is in the 40's rather than the chilly 30's...spring may actually be coming...or just a taste of it anyway...
The winter wasn't as hard as predicted...which was total blessing for me personally...shoveling snow up over my head was tiring last year...the continual iciness was chilling all the time...I don't like to be whiny, but it got old days after day...but, I kept in good physical shape and didn't fall once!
But, there is just something about spring rains that refreshes the soul...the soft, pattering sounds...and I can just imagine the plants awakening, stretching out their roots, life oozing into the new growth, reaching through the soil toward their light and nutrients...ready to burst forth into the bright of day...growing, growing...those dandelions just waiting to be send forth another year's worth of pesky seeds or the crocus and daffodils brightening the days with their first colors...springtime...newness...freshness...thank YOU for each season and its spectacular displays of Your creativity...hope...
So if you faithfully obey the commands I am giving you today—to love the Lord your God and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul — then I will send rain on your land in its season, both autumn and spring rains, so that you may gather in your grain, new wine and olive oil.
I will provide grass in the fields for your cattle, and you will eat and be satisfied.
Deuteronomy 11:13-15
When a king’s face brightens, it means life; his favor is like a rain cloud in spring.
Proverbs 16:15
Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains.
James 5:7
Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy.”
Acts 14:17
http://www.coolestone.com/media/18910/How-Spring-Looks-Like-around-the-World/#.WrDv1-tOKK1
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