Christmas 2022 - "Behold the Lamb of God.. "

(Those who read my craft blog, this is partly from it, more bible & minimal crafty details.😁 please pray God's blessing on His word with me." Crafty post HERE - has Aussie summery photos)

At Christmas time IF the Christ of Christmas rates a mention, it is as the Babe in the Manger.

So when I saw this set of Beccy's digis, with this verse, I was so delighted! It's my favourite make this Christmas.

"Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world. Let us adore Him."

In this  “Lamb of God”  set we see the Christ child as our Saviour.. 

The “Why” Christ came is the emphasis. 

Christ, born to die that we might live... 

These words weren’t spoken at Jesus' birth, but approximately 30 years later, at the commencement of Jesus’ ministry by His cousin, John the Baptist. 

“The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and (John) saith, 

Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.”

“And I saw, and bare record that this IS the Son of God.”

John 1:29, 34 

 John the Baptist was the Forerunner who went before Jesus, as Isaiah said to “prepare the way of the LORD” (Isaiah 40:3 see prophecy here). 

Isaiah through God’s Spirit spoke those words prophesying the WHY Jesus came and WHO Jesus was! In the gospel of John they are the very words John used to answer the questioning Pharisees. 

He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the LORD, as said the prophet Esaias.  John 1:23

*****

Two miraculous births occurred in the first Christmas story, see here in Luke 1.

These were the birth of John to his barren elderly mother Elisabeth (and priestly father Zecharias), and 3 months later the LORD Jesus to Elisabeth's cousin Mary - both were miracles. 

Pray with me dear ones, that this Christmas time that those cannot see, or hear will see and believe on the miracle of God’s coming to earth to seek and save that which is lost! 

Only God's Spirit by prayer can draw hearts to seek - while there is time.

As the birth of Christ is noted, may His coming again be remembered.

Jesus Himself said in Matt 24:44

Watch! “Therefore be ye also ready for in such an hour as you think not, the Son of Man cometh."

 I love, adore and worship today Christ crucified, risen and glorified.. not just the Babe in a manger..

As I pondered Christmas this year I was discouraged at how far from the LORD many in our world seem to have moved. Then as I’ve read John 1 many times this week, I was struck by this verse, which absolutely reflected my thoughts: 

And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. John 1:5

So the following verses show that once again the KEY 🔑 to piercing the darkness is PRAYER, so WE MUST pray WITHOUT ceasing.

And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.

The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.

He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. 

That was the true Light, which lighteth EVERY man that cometh into the world. 

He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.

He came unto his own, and his own received him not. 

But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:    

John 1:5-12 (emphasis added)

So it’s through the LIGHT 🕯 of the World shining through those of us who love Him, and by earnest prayer🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏 that comprehension will shine!

Note: the LIGHT lights everyone who comes into the world... if they'd but open their eyes and hearts... a clear choice given. 

Abundant grace.

*****

This beautiful ‘original words’ rendition of “O Holy Night” blessed me so much - so that I share it with you, the words really match today.

(Link here if not showing) 

Happy Christmas everyone - may our Loving Father God be with you wherever you maybe, sending giant prayer hugs and much love - thank you so much if you read this far, especially if you pray for God to bless it and are able to comment.. 

You all mean a lot to me!

🙏🤗❤ Shaz in Oz.x 

 

If you'd like to know more, please read this post here 

- Who or What is a Christian?

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. It really encourages me to keep on. 😁

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PRAYER IS POWER - aching, hurting prayers - POWER WITH THE ALMIGHTY!

 Today's topic is one that often fills my time, thoughts and heart:

The prayers of the saints.. 🙏🙏🙏

Believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are saints according to the Bible. They trust in Him as their Saviour alone. 

Yet too often as believers we underestimate the POWER of PRAYER. 

For to quote a dear saint now above, Bro Mac:

“Prayer is Power, it brings about the Mighty Action of the Almighty”.

As a result of our limited understanding, we also under-utilise the power of prayer.

We breathe. 

We never or rarely think of how to breathe. 

So prayer ought to be exactly the same as breathing. 

As we grow as believers, it becomes as natural as breathing. 

I'm closer in my chat with my Lord than to anyone else I know.

I've been saved 50+yrs. Right from salvation at 12 years, two key things were practiced daily. My Father God drew me, met my deep hunger, I was so very lonely, and sad too in pre-teens and teens. He met the deep need. 

1. Reading of God's word daily. A habit never lost, unless very ill. 

2. Prayer of heart - fellowship of the Spirit, communing, praising my Father.. a growing, deeper relationship. Very simple at first .. as child-like, but hunger drew me on.

 When saved I was not in a strong Bible teaching church, my family were unsaved or not walking with LORD. However in spite of this, I trusted in the LORD Jesus as my Saviour for sin.

The key truth I recall was the sudden realisation that MY SIN put our LORD Jesus on the cross!

It was locally at a Scripture Union Beach Mission. I was largely untaught, except by the Spirit, and my own gleanings with God from 1966 to 1974. However these two habits of prayer and word ie daily quiet time habits kept me anchored, alert aware of God’s truth in His word when the attacks of the evil one surely came.

The LORD in His wisdom brought very hard and extremely rough, sad, lonely paths in my life as a teen. These extremities almost to death, great tests of faith,  also kept me anchored. Jesus gave me HOPE.. And this was reflected in His word.

So it’s rough now, dear ones?!!

Oh, YESS! its for our good.

Most of all it is for our Loving Father's glory, as He works in and through us.

May He be glorified in us today!

Do you long for our Father God to be glorified in you? 

Then expect hard things.

I love how very much God values prayer. 

Prayer to an Eternal Father God - that prayer is eternal.. your heartfelt cries, weepings, pleadings, rejoicings to the Eternal One all live on.

Rev. 5:8 And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.

Rev. 8:3 And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.

Revelation 8:4-5 And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand. 

And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake.

Every single one of our yearning, hurting, intercessory, or praising prayers are there in heaven before the throne of God.

.. or even as Romans 8:26 puts it of prayer “the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us, with groanings which cannot be uttered..” none of them are lost, or left unanswered. 

Unanswered prayer is a lie of the evil one. God answers - like our earthly parent may have said - “yes”,”no”or “wait” .. but all are answers.

The hardest answer to a prayer maybe no, but it IS an answer. As is WAIT, or yess! The wait maybe more than a decade, or with my dad's salvation, more than 5 decades. 

And therefore will the Lord wait, that He may be gracious unto you,

 and therefore will He be exalted, that He may have mercy upon you: 

for the Lord is a God of judgment: 

blessed are all they that wait for him. Isaiah 30:18

*****

Revelation 6:9-10 And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: 

And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?

Recently I was just thinking or it was as I was praying actually - a beautiful thought came ..

It was of Revelation 6 above and the praying tribulation saints in heaven, who were praying for the avenging of their death, having been slain for their faith, yet they saw others still suffering the same - I wondered if there are praying saints who’ve gone before who are praying for those suffering below, now! and for those before us also?

We are a finite being, limited.. and God is infinite and eternal, as is heaven. We really don’t know what it’s like in the life to come, unless we are caught up as for example Paul was (2 Cor.12) and shown unspeakable things.

How do we know that saints before are watching as witnesses even now?

Hebrews 11 is the Faith chapter describing many saints of Old Testament. 

THEN Hebrews 12 the very next chapter begins thus:

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, 

let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, 

and let us run with patience the race that is set before us..

“Wherefore seeing (= BECAUSE) we are also compassed (SURROUNDED) about with so great a cloud of witnesses”..

Yes, the Heavenly witnesses, spoken of in Hebrews 12 are those of Hebrews 11 - remember this letter to the Hebrews had no chapter verse divisions, so as Chap 11 ends it follows immediately with “wherefore seeing we are so compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses” in my minds eye the passage turns to those who've gone before, they’re watching on, above.

As Hebrews 11 says it’s truly those of the FAITH who’ve gone before! 

Their prayers on earth prayed even now live on, even though they are no longer here to pray them. eg Daniel for Israel in Daniel 9, Jesus for ALL those who follow Him in John 17, etc., so will ours when we are gone - and even now those who've gone before!

Indeed they are the "so great a cloud of witnesses”, 

SO “let us lay aside every weight, and the sin that does so easily beset us..

….  let us run with patience the race that is set before us... looking unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith."!

Why? run with FAITH as they did "seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses"..

How LONG indeed,  before You come, Lord?

.. even so come Lord Jesus ... perhaps today.

While we wait - let press on doing the best we can as those who’ve gone before, be not discouraged or cast down look up and fight and be not weary! (If not showing - Hymn link)

Praying for you all who read this. I wrote the bulk of this over many months - starting more than two years ago when a very dear sister in the LORD went to be with Him. It greatly grieved her that she wasn’t staying here to keep praying for her dear ones!

The lovely LORD gave me this word back then - saying her prayers last longer than her sick physical body - our prayers of faith are eternal in heaven in ..“those golden vials full of odours..” UNTIL they’re ANSWERED - and I believe perhaps even then preserved as a testimony to God’s faithfulness in “those golden vials full of odours”. 

It is God Who is glorified in ALL this, dear ones!

Remember GOD is not finite as we are!

He is infinite, not limited and communication with Him is limited only by our FAITH. 

It’s truly something we cannot fully grasp until heaven how great a tool and how VERY important our prayer is!

So use it every moment of every day.

(I’m sorry for my silence.. as my craft blog said I’m in an unwell patch, but I’m hopeful I maybe on the improve. Thank you for popping by, I truly pray this blesses you as it has me - as I write, rewrite, meditate and pray ...

I’m sorry it’s a bit long, I didn’t want to do two posts as was concerned I may not get back to it as it has happened before.)

AND thanks you so much if you are able to comment.

Love in Him, 🙏🤗

Shaz in Oz.x 

 If you are not sure if you are a Christian, a Christ follower, please read this post here 

- Who or What is a Christian?

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. It really encourages me to keep on. 😁

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The ETERNAL God is Thy Refuge

The title of this post is part of a very well known verse.

One of God's promises given by Moses to Israel. 

The ETERNAL God is thy refuge, 

and UNDERNEATH are the everlasting arms: 

Deut 33:27

It describes the nature of the LORD God, the El Shaddai, the Everlasting Father, our God = “ETERNAL” (from Collins Dictionary)

“1. without beginning or end; existing through all time; everlasting · 

2. of eternity 

 3. forever the same; always true or valid; unchanging. the eternal verities”

We are to keep our focus on the ETERNAL GOD.

He promised He would never leave us nor forsake us.

He is the same yesterday, today and forever.

He sees, knows, understands what we cannot in our finite, limited mind - worldly box.

Satan wants us to put our God in that worldly box... but that’s the path of discouragement. 

For our INFINITE God is immeasurable in His grace mercy and love for us... The LORD God Almighty reaches where we can never ever imagine. 

How many of us I wonder know the second part of that verse?

It struck me afresh today in its entirety. 

IF we ever needed to have second part of this verse to be fulfilled… it’s today in the left wing, anti-God controls of today’s governments worldwide. May God indeed thrust out the enemies of Truth and Righteousness and Destroy them! Especially in our nation's governments. 

Mercy please LORD, we plead Thee. Protect Thy servants everywhere! We flee to Thee for Refuge.

The ETERNAL God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: 

and He shall thrust out the enemy from before thee;

and shall say, Destroy them. Deut 33:7

This verse is a promise to Israel before they were to take possession of the promised land, and just one of many promises by God through Moses to each of the twelve tribes. 

Another well known one is this illumination I’ve done ‘ As Thy days, etc.’, which is a preceding verse and promise is to tribe of Asher, but both are also it maybe noted to the tribes of Israel (see verses 28, 29). 

Painted in 1990s in water colours, rather than gouache like my later works, the good water colours still faded too much hence changed to Gouache.
Full post on this can be found on my craft blog here, done in 2014.

Deuteronomy 33:24-29

[24] And of Asher he said, Let Asher be blessed with children; let him be acceptable to his brethren, and let him dip his foot in oil.

 [25] Thy shoes shall be iron and brass; and as thy days, so shall thy strength be. 

[26] There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun, who rideth upon the heaven in thy help, and in his excellency on the sky. 

[27] The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them. 

[28] Israel then shall dwell in safety alone: the fountain of Jacob shall be upon a land of corn and wine; also his heavens shall drop down dew. 

[29] Happy art thou, O Israel: who is like unto thee, O people saved by the LORD, the shield of thy help, …

Verses 24, 25 were to Asher and were the concluding promises to each of 12 tribes. From verses 26 to verse 29, the end of chapter it’s to Israel whose name is also Jeshurun.

 Jeshurun (Hebrew: יְשֻׁרוּן Yəšurūn; also Jesurun or Yeshurun) is a poetic name for Israel used in the Tanakh or Hebrew Bible.

The importance and usefulness of these promises was necessary because of testing that lay before them. Does it apply to us today?

Most certainly, the LORD Jesus in His temptation with Satan used scripture promises in other parts of the scripture.. see here Matt 4:1 - 11

Or just looking at this example:

Matthew 4:7-10

[7] Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. 

[8] Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;

 [9] And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.

 [10] Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

And that is key.. the battle is being fought today, through the living word, as much as in Moses and Joshua’s day. 

The enemy is the same father of lies and Accuser of the brethren and the LORD Jesus Himself. So we must gird ourselves in the Word of God.

As Jesus Who is called the WORD did!

Ephesians 6:16-17

[16] Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 

[17] And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

*****

The ETERNAL God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: 

and He shall thrust out the enemy from before thee;

and shall say, Destroy them.

Deut 33:7

So God will not only now be our Refuge underneath us, but He will THRUST OUT our enemies, before us!

See hymn below or link to video here, words by A.B Simpson.

1	Art thou sunk in depths of sorrow Where no arm can reach so low? There is One whose arms almighty Reach beyond thy deepest woe. God th’ Eternal is thy refuge, Let it still thy wild alarms; Underneath thy deepest sorrow,   Are the everlasting arms.
	Underneath thee, underneath thee, Are the everlasting arms, Everlasting, everlasting,   Are the everlasting arms.
2	Other arms grow faint and weary, These can never faint, nor fail; Others reach our mounts of blessing, These our lowest loneliest vale. O that all might know His friendship! O that all might see His charms! O that all might have beneath them   Jesus’ everlasting arms.
3	Underneath us, O how easy; We have not to mount on high, But to sink into His fulness, And in trustful weakness lie. And we find our humbling failures Save us from the strength that harms! We may fail, but underneath us   Are the everlasting arms.
4	Arms of Jesus! fold me closer, To Thy strong and loving breast, Till my spirit on Thy bosom Finds its everlasting rest; And when time’s last sands are sinking, Shield my heart from all alarms, Softly whispering, “Underneath thee,   Are the everlasting arms.”

A beautiful promise - for the eternal God is Thy Refuge and underneath are the everlasting arms. I pray this has blessed you as it has me.

May God richly bless you and those you love, wherever you may  be. Thank you SO much for popping over for a read, a meditate and especially if you’re able to chat.

Prayer hugs 🙏🤗 Shaz in Oz.x  

Addendum to post on the sudden passing of our faithful Queen Elizabeth II, after more than a seventy year reign.

Our very dear and so beautiful inside and out, Queen Elizabeth II, was reigning before I and many of us were even born..  

She  had a sudden arrival to a job of huge responsibility so young, but took it willingly with both hands and all her heart... a servant of her God and her people. 

Her faith was often shared in her Christmas messages, she was not ashamed of her Saviour, and the latter messages especially I remember.  It encouraged me as I watched it.  (Some of these Queen's Christmas messages are shared verbatim in this post here, the link left by Rita R. below)

I truly believe she heard "well done thou good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of the LORD." 

Amen, and may God save the King.. king Charles III ... for truly he is yet to acknowledge God as his King. 

🙏👆🙏👆🙏 may God have mercy on us all in every day ahead.

 If you are not sure if you are a Christian, a Christ follower, please read this post here - Who or What is a Christian?

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. It really encourages me to keep on. 😁

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, which is on the top of sidebar. 😊 thank you!

Trial of our Faith - more Precious than Gold

 In all our tribulations, sadnesses, pain and suffering can we still focus on the big picture. Gods big picture not ours! 

THE ONE TALENT

Hide not thy talent in the earth,

However small it be;

Its faithful use, its utmost worth,

God will require of thee.

His own, which He hath lent on trust,

He asks of thee again;

Little or much, the claim is just,

And thine excuses vain.

Go, then, and strive to do thy part,

Though humble it may be;

The ready hand, the willing heart,

Are all heaven asks of thee.

- William Cutler

1Pet 1.6-8

Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: 

That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see Him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:

Isn’t that wonderful? we rejoice with joy unspeakable, though we see Him not.. we believe! Amen!

Pressing on the upward way, new heights I’m gaining day by day!

Hymn Link here if not showing

In the harvest field now ripened

There's a work for all to do

Hark! the Master's voice is calling

To the harvest calling you

Does the place you're called to labor

And does the place you're called to labor

Seem so small and little known?

It is great if our God is in it

For He'll not forsake His own

Little is much when God is in it!

Labor not for wealth or fame

There's a crown, and you can win it

If you go in Jesus' name

And when the conflict has ended

And our race on earth is run

He will say, if you've been faithful

"Welcome home, My child—well done!"

Little is much when God is in it!

Labor not for wealth or fame

There's a crown, and you can win it

If you go...

If you go...

If you go in Jesus' name

Source: Musixmatch

Little Is Much When God Is In It lyrics © Word Music, Llc

May God richly bless you and those you love, wherever you may be! 

Thank you SO much for popping over for a read, a meditate and especially if you’re able to stay for a chat. 

Prayer hugs, 🙏 🤗 

Shaz in Oz.x  

(Edit: I’ve no idea who the poet William Cutler is, if anyone can clarify, please do in comments and I’ll add it, I loved his poem. 😊)

If you are not sure if you are a Christian, a Christ follower, please read this post here - Who or What is a Christian?

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. It really encourages me to keep on. 😁

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, which is on the top of sidebar. 😊 thank you!

Prayer with Purpose 🙏☝🐑❤

One of the best things about prayer is God's omniscience. 

It doesn't matter when you pray, God is not in our time zone, in His eternal eyes its relevance is never lost. Even if for example another's request is sorted before you pray.. 

If you don't know, keep praying. 

I remember in my youth discussing this with a very dear sister in LORD, she was saying no point in praying, it is decided. 

I said, I don't know result, so I'm praying, God is big enough to figure that.

(yes, God figures that all out, eternally our time zone is irrelevant.)

Praise His holy name.

The verse attached is my calendar today.

A beautiful passage.

Good one to pray for all dear lost ones and for ourselves:

Jer 29:11-14

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. 

[12] Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. 

[13] And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. 

[14] And I will be found of you, saith the LORD.. 

Promise for Israel but also for us as Christ followers.

 

Key point is 

Then shall ye call upon me,

 and ye shall go and pray unto me, 

and I will hearken unto you.

Whatsoever ye ask in prayer believing, ye shall receive. ... if its according to the Father’s will. 

1 John 5:14-15

And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that, 

if we ask any thing according to His will, 

He heareth us: 

[15] And if we know that He hear us, 

whatsoever we ask, 

we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him.

The LORD ... is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9

Souls, heart requests for another in eternal perspective.. 

This is prayer our Father hears.. "for He is not willing that ANY should perish". 

Pray on in faith to the Living God.

🙏☝🙏Prayer with purpose.

For souls 🙏🐑❤🙏and ETERNITY. 

As believers it's important to "encourage ourselves in the LORD", as David did, as all his friends were about to stone him. 

(See 1 Samuel 30:6) 

This is especially so in prayer.

May God richly bless you and those you love, wherever you may be! 

Thank you SO much for popping over for a read, a meditate and especially if you’re able to stay for a chat. 

Prayer hugs, 🙏 🤗 

Shaz in Oz.x  

If you are not sure if you are a Christian, a Christ follower, please read this post here - Who or What is a Christian?

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. It really encourages me to keep on. 😁

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, which is on the top of sidebar. 😊 thank you!

I am Thine, O Lord, I have heard Thy voice - Treasures of Darkness

 Some of you may know this hymn, but this hymn was re-etched afresh in my heart just before the beginning of 2022; a most memorable night after our wonderful family Christmas Day. As often happens, I was slow unwinding. So about 2am, standing at my bedroom window, and ready for my night-time chat with my LORD.

Have you had almost audible times when God speaks out aloud in the quietness of your heart?

So love the dark contrast to the bright twinkles of our amazing southern night skies (the northern hemisphere I’ve seen is half of what ours in southern hemisphere, to my eye, even in April on lake in Finland or balmy, summer Florida)! 

This night after Christmas Day, standing at the open window - it made me blink, then look again! Hurrying out to back door and outside - there high up in trees in our yard and rear neighbours, all were full of twinkling lights, myriads of them! Moving gently, pulsating in the breeze.

I knew there were no Christmas lights of any sort, so it was momentary puzzlement!?

Then suddenly I realised the warm ‘after-storm-humidity’ of our summer night had brought out this ‘never-seen-before’ spectacle of about 80 fireflies some flitting, some just swaying on the trees, moving in time with the beauty of the gentle summer breeze; some were brighter and some different colours.
I started to pray, praise turned into a hymn.. 

"Draw me nearer, nearer blessed Lord to the cross... 

I stopped mid line of that refrain, taking in the meaning of next line.

” .. to the cross, where Thou hast died, 

draw me nearer, nearer to Thy precious bleeding side”.

I knew what God was saying. How or details I've no idea, but know there is crosswork ahead.. 

 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.  Galatians 2:20

Yet one thing is ALWAYS sure, my Father knows the way through the wilderness, ALL I have to do is follow.

It’s most unusual to see fireflies here, we are not in the zone. None in my family have seen them before, but it was definitely a God gift, for a purpose yet to be known.

I managed with mobile phone to get one photo with three bright lights in darkness. Only three out of all the myriads of twinkles and they were different colours, that was miraculous too.

(I’m not sure if they’re visible on screen, but this from a large full size photo with just three fireflies shown and in different colours, how amazing is God!)

The next night there were just three fireflies again, moving around at similar time. However they were in side yard, next to the courtyard, nowhere else, just three, flitting moving in time to breeze.

 

I thought these verses so apt to think upon with this post.

2 Chronicles 6:1 

Then said Solomon, The Lord hath said that he would dwell in the thick darkness.

Isaiah 45:2-3,5, 7, 22

 I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron: 

And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the Lord, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel. 

I am the Lord, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me:

I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things.

Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.

There are many choice verses and treasures in Isaiah, my favourite O.T. book, along with Job. 

This last verse holds the key to the treasures of darkness referred to in verse 3. 

“I am God, and... none else!”

Darkness and treasure are not usually associated together. 

How like God’s ways, which are higher than our ways, to put them together!

(*note these verses with notes section above was written in July 2021, this is a paste from Blog Drafts. Long before that night, yet how apt is this passage for this event? 

Who else but God does these sorts of things?

AND I’m also very sure, this is not shared just for me, but written for others blessing, too.

God’s ways are past finding out) 

Another night looking into the starlit sky it struck me, I’ll never do this in heaven, look out upon a clear, starry night. 

Darkness CANNOT be seen in heaven - where God is, for He is LIGHT. 

On a moonlit night, or lit up night sky, the stars are less bright, in God’s bright light they maybe there, they are simply not seen.

So that’s why there are no lesser lights to rule the day and night - no stars or moon or sun, and no more sea… what a changed place the heavenly realm is for those of us, who now are earth dwellers. 

HOWEVER, there is still the promise a pure, unspoilt by sin, a new earth AND new heaven to contemplate upon (see Revelation 21) and we have Eternity to enjoy it all, as we worship our loving Father God, King of Kings, LORD of Lords.

To close, in the months since that night, another verse from this hymn has echoed frequently, strongly in my heart and mind (the section in red, especially the last part, my will = Thine).

I am thine O LORD, I have heard Thy voice , 

And it told Thy love to me… 

Let my soul look up with a steadfast hope,

And my will be lost in THINE!

Or link here if not showing.

1	I am Thine, O Lord, I have heard Thy voice,   And it told Thy love to me; But I long to rise in the arms of faith,   And be closer drawn to Thee.
	Draw me nearer, nearer, blessed Lord,   To the cross where Thou hast died; Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer, blessed Lord,     To Thy precious, bleeding side.
2	Consecrate me now to Thy service, Lord,   By the pow’r of grace divine; Let my soul look up with a steadfast hope,   And my will be lost in Thine.
3	O the pure delight of a single hour   That before Thy throne I spend, When I kneel in prayer, and with Thee, my God,   I commune as friend with friend!
4	There are depths of love that I yet may know   Ere Thee face to face I see; There are heights of joy that I yet may reach   Ere I rest in peace with Thee. (Hymn lyrics “Draw me nearer”copied from Hymnary.org)

By Fanny Crosby - based on Hebrews 10:22 link here.

There’s a passage in scripture that applies to this sort of period of life … the stirring of the 🦅 eagle’s nest.. ever so lovingly.

Here are the verses (passage link here, in Deut 32:11-13) AND there’s a post on it in my Christian section in craft blog here.

It has an illuminated Prov 3:5,6 on it too. Most apt.

Yes, there IS cross work, heart work, or a moment by moment dying to self in various ways going on. To be honest there always is, in a growing Christian walk. 

Nevertheless, as I think upon that night, I know its ACTUAL purpose is not yet mine to know yet, or may never know this of glory.. 

So I leave it in my Father’s safe hands till it is. 

In the meantime, I strive to do my best for whatever He sends, for His grace is ALWAYS SUFFICIENT.

(The Lord spoke also like this in Christmas 1983/ New Year 1984. 1984 was indeed an unforgettable year,.. that time it was on pruning, in the vineyard 🍇.

This post dedicated to Diane Ronzino, - see “Hadarah” blog, link here or on sidebar. She wrote a post at this time about the way God speaks to us as believers, it caused me to write this experience down.  Thank you, Diane. Her post here.)

May God richly bless you and those you love, wherever you may be! 

Thank you SO much for popping over for a read, a meditate and especially if you’re able to stay for a chat, and a cuppa, eh? 

Wouldn’t that be grand!? The kettle is always on! 
Prayer hugs, 🙏 🤗 

Shaz in Oz.x  

If you are not sure if you are a Christian, a Christ follower, please read this post here - Who or What is a Christian?

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