The Secret to JOY?

Was listening recently to a sermon from our church when visiting Pastor Colin Gregory said:
 " the secret to JOY is ABIDING!"

That stopped me in my tracks... Abiding.
It's so often it's an aspect  of Christian walk we know  of.. 
But do I dwell there?

The next day I read through a devotion with the same passage.. Who else but God could do that?

John 15: 10 - 11

As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.

If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.

These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full."

"In thy presence is fullness of JOY.."

Like most aspects of the Christian life, abiding is found by self discipline.
By being in the word, meditating upon its depths, being instant in prayer, in fellowship with the Father  through a seeking  spirit of enquiry, and to be in fellowship with believers in God's house. 
The personal part is first. Without it, the latter is meaningless  and our walk joyless.
Through this abiding, the fruit of the Spirit flows into our life.
Love, JOY, peace ... 

John 15:4-5,7

Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.

I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

Note: "Without Me, ye can do nothing".

How blessed of God we are to live in  a land where we are free to know the Lord as our very own Saviour, read His holy word, pray without ceasing and thus to abide in Him through the Spirit's work, to share Him with others.. may we indeed be women of the word  and burn brightly for Christ all our days.
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Wisdom From Oswald Chambers
"There is no condition of life in which we cannot abide in Jesus. 
We have to learn to abide in Him wherever we are placed."  
Our Brilliant Heritage, 946
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Lord bless and strengthen you in your daily doings, dear ones, trust this mediation upon the word has blessed  you as it has blessed me... if so please leave me a comment .Praying for you all.
Prayer hugs, Shaz in Oz.x

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Look of Wonderment On Resurrection Morn

Imagine... . 

It's not 2019, but back about 30AD?

What do we see looking down the centuries?
What would I do, if I was in Jerusalem back then?

Would I cry: "Hosanna! to the Son of David", waving my palm branch a week ago?

Or just four days after, would I join the mob crying, "Crucify Him!"?

Would I the next day shout, "..he’s saved others, let Him save himself.." mocking Him, the King of Glory, in those three hours of darkness, along with other scoffers?

******

Or perhaps I dare to hope we'd be one of the women coming early that morning with the spices... 
I truly hope so. 

See.. behold ..

A look of wonderment in our eyes, as we gaze upon a Risen Saviour on the Resurrection morn?

In our imaginings, there are several certainties.
*****

A woman did see Jesus.. thought Him to be a gardener.. let us have a peek with her and refresh our memories with this most joyous scene:

John 20:11-16

“… Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre, And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. 
 And they say unto her, “Woman, why weepest thou?” 
She saith unto them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him.”
 And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus. 
Jesus saith unto her, “Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou?”

She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, “Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away.”
Jesus saith unto her, "Mary".
 She turned herself, and saith unto him, “Rabboni; which is to say, Master.”
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The boldness of Mary in this scene really strikes me.
Here is this dear lady standing her ground in the midst of deep, all-encompassing, overwhelming grief!

Jesus, the Messiah of Israel is dead. 

Mary could have thought... 
I’m at His tomb.

I’m just trying to honour Him in His death.

All this is against me.

Isn’t this often like us?

We may think all is awry, our dear one we long to see be saved is still lost, or wayward?! No matter how much I pray, and yearn for it it’s not working! What's the point of all this this prayer, this walk of witness before them, or asking for a job, a place to live, good health, etc... is it all too hard to ask? what does it accomplish? 
Yet our tears are seen!
*****

Yes, she hasn’t given up!

She keeps seeking ..

Suddenly all becomes real - with a single word, the spell of engulfing heartbreak is broken with her name:

“Mary!”

The deep sorrow is no longer!!

“Rabboni, which is to say, MASTER!”

John 20:17-18

"Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God. 

Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her."

So let us do likewise. 
Mary ran and told the others. 
They may not have believed (which we see in various accounts).

However their reaction was not her responsibility, nor is it ours. 
We are to sow the seed, and water in prayer.

Faith is believing what God says He can do!

That’s what Mary did this Resurrection day, what a tremendous victory over sin and death our Saviour accomplished.
Joy unspeakable indeed!! 
So let us go forth believing and living for Him, until He comes again or takes us home.

Do you know this Risen LORD Jesus Christ as your very own Saviour?

If you do not or are unsure, please read this post HERE

What a day of rejoicing that Resurrection day! 

Let us rejoice in His Goodness and remember He sees the big picture! and I pray the precious Word blesses you. If it does, please bless me in return in a comment.

Prayer hugs Shaz in Oz.x

PS . If you haven’t I'd love it you to join as a wonderful encourager of this blog ...  link HERE.  Thank YOU to those who have done so already.
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Two Thieves - was Good Friday Good for them?

On this sad, sad day, almost two millennia ago, we see three crosses on a lonely hill.. the hill of Golgotha or place of the skull, outside God's chosen city, Jerusalem. 

We read this in each of the four gospels, inspired by the Holy Spirit, penned by four somewhat unlearned men (with the exception of Dr Luke) is the Good News or Gospel story. 

They each share different views, for example the seven sayings of the Lord Jesus, whilst hanging in great pain and torment of spirit upon the cross, aren't shared in one gospel. The different sayings are shared in each of four gospels, but none have all seven.

It's the thieves upon the cross we're considering today. They are mentioned in Matthew 27:38, 27:44, Luke 23:32-43 and Mark 15:27. 

But not at all in John.

The two gospels we look at are Matthew and Luke.

Notice in both Matthew and Luke there's one particular verse linking the veracity of these two accounts. 

Matthew 27:38, 43, 44

Then were there two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand, and another on the left. He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God. The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth. 
Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour.

Luke 23:32-44

And there were also two other, malefactors, led with him to be put to death. And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left. Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. ...
And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God....

 And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. 
But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? 

And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. 
And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise. And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour.

This last verse speaks of the darkest hours in human history (total darkness, maybe an eclipse, however definitely manifesting God’s power over His creation). 

In these three hours of darkness, as the Son of God bore the sins of the world and the Father, holy and perfect, turned His back upon His Son, the Lord Jesus bore my sins..

"..my God, my God why hast thou forsaken me?"

Oh, the anguish of that cry by the Lord Jesus! 

Darkness all around, thick and impenetrable. Bodily pain unspeakable, as He fought against gravity for every single breath, as His body weight pulled Him down, emptying His lungs as fast as He pushed up to breathe. Anguish of salvation wrought for me and for you!

His lacerated, whipped back of 39 lashes, piercing thorns upon his crowned brow, nails driven through his four limbs... yet the agony greater than all this bodily pain was the separation from God when He “bore our sins in His own body upon the tree”. 

The reaction of the two thieves sharing in this suffering..

As the scripture says;

One was Left 

One was Right.

There's a real truth in their placement now and then.

Initially they both mocked... and believed not. 

Matt 27: 43, 44 
He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God. 
The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth.

Notice here both thieves cast upon Jesus the mocking words of unbelief.

Yet in those dark, dark hours upon the cross one had a change of heart, a lesson for all eternity....

This thief rebuked the other for his mocking of Jesus and said:

 ”.. we justly receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss." 

"And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. 

And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.”

This passage proves that works do not earn salvation.

Salvation is by faith alone. 

All his life he walked in unbelief yet with his last breath he calls upon the LORD ... 

I saw this in my dad’s own life. He passed six months ago at 89 years old. Eighty nine years without Christ. His grandfather had the Communist manifesto read out at his funeral and he was brought up as an atheist. However the LORD worked and brought him to affirm 10 days before passing these precious words, “I didn’t believe, but I do now “ to read full story HERE.

What about you? 
Where are you now? 
We can’t earn heaven. 
If we could earn it, Jesus' death was pointless!!! 

"What shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world but lose his own soul?"

When is it too late to be saved? 

When we breathe our last breath, as the other thief found out. 
But none of us know when that will be!

One was Left, One was Right 

https://youtu.be/fM_bP25WKoY

As the question is asked:

One was Left, One was Right. 

Which one will you be?

So for one of those two thieves, it was a GOOD day that Friday all those year ago, it was so very good for him for all eternity.

May it indeed be good for you too, as the day when our salvation was bought by the Saviour’s precious blood.

May God bless you all, and thank you 😊 if you kindly leave a comment to encourage  me.

Prayer hugs, Shaz in Oz.x

PS . If you haven’t I'd love it you to join as a wonderful encourager of this blog ...  link HERE.  Thank YOU to those who have done so already

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Palm Sunday - the Triumphal Entry

Remembering briefly today that it’s Palm Sunday. I read two posts I’d like to share with you. 

The first is from Birdee Blessings which also shared my lovely graphic.

John 12:12-16
On the next day much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, 
Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord. 
And Jesus, when he had found a young ass, sat thereon; as it is written,
Fear not, daughter of Sion: behold, thy King cometh, sitting on an ass's colt. 
These things understood not his disciples at the first: but when Jesus was glorified, then remembered they that these things were written of him, and that they had done these things unto him.

So at the time the disciples did not know what was happening in this scene, however afterwards it all made sense.

Isn’t this so much we go through in life?

We don’t get or understand the whole point of just what we are going through now - but one day we will! 

Then it will be worth it all!

When we see Jesus as the hymn says.

I also wanted to share a link to this brief blog post HERE on the prophecies of this scene 500 years before its fulfillment here on Palm Sunday nearly two millennia ago.

I think what shock me most as I look at this scene afresh is the fickleness of crowds. 

Less than a week later they willingly cry, “Crucify Him, crucify Him!”.

So sad a reflection upon mankind.

Lord bless you, dear ones. 

I trust  you're  encouraged and will go and encourage others in the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Let us keep on keeping on!

Prayer hugs,

Shaz in Oz.x

(Still not well, so truly appreciate  your loving thoughts and prayers. )

PS . If you haven’t I'd love it you to join as a wonderful encourager of this blog ...  link HERE.  Thank YOU to those who have done so already. 

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Thank YOU.

Lessons of the Eagle's Nest + Proverbs 3:5, 6 Illuminated Verse

{This Post was first written on my craft blog.. see here some years back but thinking on it lately with my unwellness and thought I’d share it again here. It is a blessing to me.. hope it is you too.}
When we think of eagles and the Bible most often we think of this reference here in this passage here: 

Isaiah 40 ^v31  

.".but they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run and not be weary, and they shall walk and not faint."

God has other important messages for us in eagles in the Bible. Often in our lives we have what I call "prickly periods" - prickly because of an association from a message I heard a long time ago, as detailed below.

These words in the verse below meant so much more to those living in Israel than they do to us today. As itinerant travellers or ones settled and farming, they lived close to the land.

Deuteronomy 32: 11 - 12

¹¹ As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings:
¹² So the Lord alone did lead him, and there was no strange god with him. 

This is an excellent summary here in part from a post on Robin's Weidner's (found via Google) website "Secure in Heart" {LINK here}:

A Lesson On The Eagle : 

"...like an eaglet, I can get so comfortable in what appears to offer security that the thought of change fills me with fear.

It turns out that an eagle’s nest is quite an elaborate affair. 

A pair of eagles may take up to 6 weeks to build a nest, usually in the top of a tree, lining it with soft grasses, moss and cornstalks. To complete the next, they tenderly line the bottom with their own feathers.

For the first twelve weeks of life, the eaglet relaxes, trusting her parents to provide everything she needs.

When it’s time for the eaglet to learn to fly, the mother and father use their sharp talons to pull apart the soft materials that lined the nest. Then the mother eagle rises up and hovers over the nest, flapping her huge wings, stirring the nest. 

As she does this, all of the comfortable stuff that kept the nest cozy flies out. This sends a clear message to the eaglet—it’s time to leave your life of comfort!

If needed, the mother will literally knock her baby out of the nest, and then follow it as it falls, swooping it onto her wings at the last moment. The mother eagle knows that her young one can only survive by learning to fly.....

But what strikes me is that of all the analogies God could choose to depict Himself, to win the hearts of His people and generations to come…God chose that of an eagle. And that analogy simply drips with Grace.

You see, unlike the eagle and its eaglet, I haven’t been with God from the day of my birth. Rather He found me in a “barren and howling waste” and then brought me to Himself, shielding me and guarding me. 

And like the Israelites, even though there have been times when I’ve pursued my own selfish ends, and taken some hard falls, He’s still been there ready to renew His compassion.

The lesson of the eagle sheds so much light on a relationship with God.

I entrust myself to God, while He guards me as the apple of His eye. Sometimes He wounds me in his stirring of the nest, but He also is quick to heal. He promises to catch me, and I promise to jump!

And then no one, including the evil one, can steal me out of His hand!"

I would like to close this post with one of my illuminated works, as often asked to do so, and to my shame I never seem to get around it. 

 This is an excellent verse to use - it was one given to me when I first came to the LORD (to read this story + another calligraphy piece see this post here) Please note, this photo is of a photo this work was done about 15 years ago now. Did not have digital cameras then, and was using a borrowed one anyway. Hence the flare on the photos.                             This verse given me as a very young believer in the LORD Jesus - why - because we always think we know best - but we must not lean upon our understanding but God's, trusting in Him with ALL our heart, and in His way alone.

TRUST Him when dark trials oppress you,

TRUST Him when your faith is small,

TRUST Him when to simply

TRUST Him is the hardest thing of all.

May God richly bless you where ever your maybe and thank you SO much for popping over for a peek and chat and making my day! 
Shaz in Oz.x  

P.S. Cheryl of Homespun Devotions recommended this message on Eagles. Its really two illuminating sermons, especially the second one on the moping eagles. Love how the LORD uses His creation to illustrate  the Length Depth Breadth of the wonder of our God.

The Word Only - He is Able

"Our God is Able 

to do Exceeding Abundantly.." 

(From Daily  Light  7th April)

God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work. II Cor. 9:8

The Lord will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness Psa. 41:3

In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them. Isa. 63:9

He whom thou lovest is sick. John 11:3

My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. II Cor. 12:9

Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.-I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. Phil. 4:13

We faint not; . . . though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. II Cor. 4:16

In him we live, and move, and have our being. Acts 17:28

He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: but they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength. Isa. 40:29-31

The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms. Deut. 33:27

"He is ABLE .."

.."ABLE to Save .."
.. "ABLE to KEEP .."

.. "ABLE to subdue .."

.. "ABLE to deliver .."

.."ABLE to do exceeding abundantly.."

May our LORD walk with us through each day.
May our faith in Him be strong  to believe that "HE IS ABLE" to deal in whatever is before us!!

Lord bless you, dear ones. 

I trust  you're  encouraged and will go and encourage others in the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Let us keep on keeping on!

Prayer hugs,

Shaz in Oz.x

(Still not well, so truly appreciate  your loving thoughts and prayers. )

PS . If you haven’t I'd love it you to join as a wonderful encourager of this blog ...  link HERE.  Thank YOU to those who have done so already.

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Thank YOU.

The Word Only - Lo, I am with you alway

I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. Heb. 13:5

So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me. Heb. 13:6

Behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of. Gen. 28:15

Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. Deut. 31:6

Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world. At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge. Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me. II Tim. 4:10, 16, 17

When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up. Psa. 27:10

Lo, I am with you always even unto the end of the world. Matt. 28:20

I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore. Rev. 1:18

I will not leave you comfortless; I will come to you. John 14:18

My peace I give unto you. John 14:27

Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might. Eph. 6:10

If our faith, our hope, our peace rests in our flesh, we will  fail. 
But if it rests in the "Power of His might" then all will be kept by His power in our lives. We will glorify Him.
Sending prayer hugs 🙏🏻🤗 for you, in your burdens,
Shaz in Oz.x
{Sorry I’ve been a bit quiet, I’ve had an unwell patch. But our Loving Father God is gracious.}
PS . If you haven’t I'd love it you to join as a wonderful encourager of this blog ...  link HERE.  Thank YOU to those who have done so already.
If you'd like these posts in your inbox, you can add your email to email link option on side bar. If you're on a mobile device on which there is no sidebar, then scroll down and select "View Web Version" at very bottom of post. This will bring up sidebar and "follow by email" link. 
Thank YOU.