Author Archives: Marie

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About Marie

Happily married to the same awesome guy for many years. Love God, reading, cats, and travel. Avid crafter especially counted cross stitch and crochet.

Always Forgiven!

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ResurrectionWE CANNOT OUT-SIN HIS FORGIVENESS!!!!

For Heaven’s sake don’t even think that I would ever suggest even trying.  One of the ways we get ever closer to Jesus likeness is our whole-hearted desire not to sin.  But we are human and we are sinful and that’s something we simply can’t ignore!

In Psalm 103:2-3 David tells us that we are not to forget His benefits and one of these is the forgiveness of sin.  For me, David’s words speak mountains of truth about forgiveness.  His story helps us understand that even the one (David) who had a Heart like His could and would sin!  David depended on God’s forgiveness, asked for it and it was given. Fully!

God is the God of the second, third, forth….chance.  Take a look at Jonah 1:1-3.  God told him to go to Ninevah and preach against its wickedness.  Jonah tried to run away and had the adventure and epiphiny of his life.  (Yes, my God is the Only One who could keep a man alive in the ‘belly of a whale’!)  Jonah 3:1 says the LORD spoke to him a second time and said go to Ninevah and proclaim the wickedness of the Ninevites.  Jonah obeyed!  God will forgive our disobedience but does expect to eventually obey.

Jesus tells us clearly in Matthew 6:14-15 that we must forgive others when they sin against us.  If we don’t the consequence is to big to imagine…the Father will not forgive us.  We are to be the picture of God to those around us.  If there is no way to out-sin God’s forgiveness then there is no sin of another that we can’t forgive.

Mighty, Awesome, Forgiving LORD!  Forgive my sins, the ones I know and the ones I don’t.  Give me Your super-natural ability to forgive those who have and will sin against me in some way.  Nurture in me a heart of forgiveness!  Make it so!!!

“It is Finished!”

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Beautiful pictograph of Christ in the Garden!

Bill Sweeney's avatarUnshakable Hope


garden praying

Sweating drops of blood, in anguish I prayed,

asleep

While friends sleep in the cool of the night’s shade,

 betrayed

A crowd, a commotion; with a kiss I am betrayed,

crown

Scorn and ridicule; with a crown of thorns and a royal robe I am arrayed,

 stripes

With the shards of a crude whip my body is beaten and flayed,

crucify

“CRUCIFY HIM” came the verdict of the angry brigade,

jesus on cross

Hands and feet nailed to a cross, as a trophy I was displayed,

jesus tomb

“It is finished!” In a dark tomb my body was laid,

 risen jesus

Hell and death defeated; for you the price of sin I paid!

“God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)

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Colorful Worship

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I discovered that God is very explicit about the colors He wanted used to decorate the Tabernacle while reading Exodus 26.  He told Moses to use blue, purple and scarlet.  I began to wonder why these colors?  What is important about them?

The colors are used for several articles in the tabernacle: the curtain – Ex. 26:1, the drape that separates the Holy of Holies from the rest of the tabernacle – Ex. 26:31, the High Priest ephod – Ex. 28:15, are only a few examples.

tzitzitThere is no mention of what the colors stood for but there could be a direct relationship to the idea that Jesus is fully God and fully man.  (According to Jewish scholars.) Blue always represents Yahweh.  In the tzitzit, the prayer shawl, there is a blue thread to symbolize God and His Commandments.  There is also a scarlet thread to symbolize mankind.  Woven between these colors is purple which is a combination of the primary colors – red and blue.  God (blue) and man (red) were separated by the sin in the Garden of Eden.  God never intended to leave it that way.  His plan was to have a go-between to restore the fellowship between Himself and His creation.  The go-between would be all God (blue) and all man (red), our Jesus (purple).

The colors also represent other aspects of the Judeo-Christian culture.  Holy of HoliesPurple is the color of royalty.  Jesus is the King of the Kingdom and would rightfully wear a purple robe.     It is also the color of the Royal Priesthood. Blue is the color of God’s chosen people dating back to the time of David.  The restored throne of David is described in Ezekial 1:26 as being made of sapphire (blue stone).  Red is a primary color and can not be made from any other color(s).  It is interesting that the Hebrew root word for Adam is oudem which means red clay.   Red symbolizes atonement, sacrifice, life, death, and flesh.  

I found it interesting to learn what these colors may mean.  I do not intend this to be any more than interesting information that may make your study of the Word more informative.

Heavenly Father, what a heritage You have provided for us.  Help us to remember, in whatever way necessary, that You alone are God.  Make it so!

 

 

Breathe on Me

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I just came across another example of God’s ‘aliveness’ while studying His Word. Second Timothy 3:16 tells us that ALL scripture is God-breathed.  I found another set of scriptures that reinforces and strengthens this concept.

Turn Back To God

In John 20:22 we once again see the Breathe of God in action.  After Jesus’ Resurrection the Disciples have locked themselves in a room because they were afraid of the Jews.  Jesus had come to them to prove He really was Jesus.  After He spoke with them and reminded them of their mission He breathes on them and says, “Receive the Holy Spirit”.   As Jesus breathed on the original disciples His very breath is on us as we disciple those around us.  Are you saying, whoa, wait a minute here, how did she come to that conclusion?  It’s really quite simple.  I believe God’s word is God breathed and is alive and active in me AND every time I open the Word it is the Breath of God.  Verse 17 of 2 Timothy 3 says that the Scripture completes me and equips me for every good work.  The Breath of God is both on me and in me.

pentecost-small-1

Think about Pentecost.  Acts 2:1-4 tells us that on Pentecost, (By the way, Pentecost is not a new Holy Day to the Jews.  It is the second of the OT established harvest festivals occurring 50 days after Passover.)  the sound of rushing wind came from heaven and filled the house where they were gathered.  Tongues of fire rested on them and they were filled with the Holy Spirit.  This time the Breath of God is perceived as what sounded like rushing wind.  (Scholars believe this outpouring of the Spirit filled the 120 present in the Upper Room.  The 120 represent those Believers who were part of the larger group that followed Jesus.  The 12 Disciples that were closest to Jesus were a part of this group but had already received the Spirit directly from Jesus.)

Whether God’s Breath is directly breathed as with the Disciples, sounds like a rushing wind as with the 120 or is breathed through the Scripture it is still His Breath.  Isn’t it awesome that we can experience it whenever we want to just by opening His Word.  Praise You Jesus!

Worship Him in Song!  Breathe on Me

Heavenly Father, breathe on me.  Fill me with Your Holy Spirit.  Make me constantly aware that You are constantly with me.  All praise to You, my God and King.  Make it so!

I AM

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I have always loved God’s response to Moses at the Burning Bush.  Moses asked His name and God said I AM.  Don’t ya just love it.  The One and Only chose a name that the Israelites wouldn’t say aloud – – I AM.  The Almighty chose a name that I have yet to find anyone else ever has – – I AM.  I AM is used over 700 times in the Word.

The Hebrew word for I AM is YHWH or Yahweh.  The vowels were added to make it pronounceable.  It is God’s personal, given to Himself, name.  The word actually means “I am who I am” or “I will be who I will be.  I most English translations it is printed in all caps, LORD.

The ‘I AM’ scriptures of Jesus show different characteristics of who He is:

I Am the Bread of LIfe

I am the gate

I am the good shepherd

I am the Light of the World

I am the Resurrection

I am the Vine

I am the Way

th (4)

Jesus divine nature is revealed in John 8:58 He says, Before Abraham was, I AM.

The I AM is for us.  HE IS the Alpha and Omega!!!

Ah, LORD, God, You are my Bread, the Gate to Eternity, my protecting Shepherd, my light in this dark, dark world, the Resurrection and Life, the Vine, the only Truth that matters.  Fill me to overflowing with Your Spirit today, guide me as only You can.  Make it so, Lord!