Tag Archives: Jesus

In The Garden

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How many times is a garden pictured in the Word?   Whether it is in the Garden of Eden or the Garden of Gethsemane it seems gardens are a popular place to meet our Lord.

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Meeting Him in the Garden of Eden, Genesis 2:6-7   Before God even planted the garden He put man in it.  What might be the reason for this?  I think God wanted Adam from the very start of his life to know that God is THE CREATOR.  That everything needed for life is from Him.  Look at what God did on the sixth day of creation.  He created Adam and Eve, the flora and fauna, the animals of the land, sky and sea…everything that exists He created.  Later on in Genesis we are told it was common for God to walk in the garden and commune with Adam and Eve.  Every day they could meet Him in the Garden and create a relationship with Him.  Oh, my, what they gave up for an apple.

Andrea Mantegna's Agony in the Garden, circa 1...

Andrea Mantegna’s Agony in the Garden, circa 1460, depicts Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Travel with me through several centuries to another Garden.  This time at Gethsemane (on the Mount of Olives).  The story is in Matthew 26:36-46, Mark 14:32-42 and Like 22:40-46.  Jesus had asked James, John and Peter to go with Him while He prayed.  What was His expectation?  I think He wanted them to support Him physically and spiritually.  Physically because He knew what was about to happen and He wanted those He loved around Him.  Spiritually because He was about to spend serious time in prayer and He wanted the support of their prayers also.  But, guess what?  Once again God (Jesus) is disappointed.  Each time He returned to them they were asleep.  He says pretty much what He said in the Garden of Eden…What are you doing/What have you done?  Oh, my, what they gave up for a nap?

hanginggardensofBabylon

These are the two most well-known gardens in the Word, but there are others.  One the Ancient Wonders of the World was the Hanging Garden of Babylon built by Nebuchadnezzar.  The entire book of the Song of Songs takes place in a garden.   I think I can safely say, God really likes gardens.

Worship Him with song:  In The Garden/There is None Like You

Abba, there is None Like You.  Let me join You in the beauty of my garden.  The day lilies, ferns, and hanging planters are just a bit of the beauty You created.  Praise You and thank You for the colors, the smells, the blooms…Grow me as You grow them, set apart, sanctified for Your purpose only.  Make it so!

Living Water

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waterHave you ever noticed how many times water is used to describe a Biblical concept throughout the Word?  The Old and New Testament use this metaphor.  I’m going to focus today on a few of the ways water is connected to Jesus, the Living Water.

Turn to John 1:29-34 and let’s take a look at Jesus’ Baptism.  John makes a clear distinction between baptizing (The Greek word here is baptizo and means getting totally wet) with water and the Baptism of the Spirit.  Water baptism is obedience to the Lord’s call with a public affirmation of faith.  The symbolism here regards the complete washing away of our sin and rising to eternal life from the watery grave.  The baptism of the Spirit is what we receive when we acknowledge Christ as our personal Savior.  The Spirit completely indwells and covers us, never to leave.  It represents us to the world as God’s own.

The first miracle recorded in the Word is His turning the water into wine.  This account is found in John 2:1-10.  Mary tells Jesus the wine has run out.  Not a good thing to happen in a wedding celebrations.  It would have been very embarrassing because hospitality was a very big part of life in that time.  It is interesting that He appears to say no to His mother.  In reality He followed through.  On the surface of this miracle it would seem that turning water to wine is the main issue.  I think Jesus was starting the pattern of signs that would lead to our understanding that He is the Jehovah Jirah, the God who provides.  He wanted us to understand that as the Living Water He alone will provide all our needs.

Wedding-Feast-at-Cana-Carosfeld

Jesus uses water again to show the Woman at the Well that she needs to turn away from her sin and start a new life.  (Hm-m-m-m-m I see hints of our Baptism concept.)  John 4:5-26 tells the whole story.  Water is the true fountain of life.  One can live longer without food than they can without water.  As Jesus speaks to the Samarian Woman she understands and asks where she can get some of this Living Water.  Jesus explains His place in the metaphor and she gets it!  If you read the next few verses you find that she left her waterpot (a physical manifestation of the need for water) and went into the city to tell the men.  They came to see Him.  She filled Christ’s desire for us to ‘go and tell’.  (Perhaps she is the first missionary…)

There are many water metaphors.  Consider Luke 22:10 – You will see a man carrying a pitcher of water….John 19:34 – Water poured out of the wound left by the piercing of His side…Revelation 22:17 – The invitation to freely take the Water of Life.

Water is a visible representation of life from Genesis to Revelation.  Such a simple commodity, such an eternal function.

Heavenly Father, Giver of Eternal Life, I have tasted the Living Water.  Give me more.  Let me feast at your table…Let me drink of the Water.  Make it so!

Worship Him with song!   Let The Living Water

 

God’s Resolutions

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Happy New Year

At this ending of the year many are making resolutions to bring in the new.  Things like lose weight, exercise more, learn more, read more and on and on and on…  Interestingly these re-solutions to old problems last for only a few days, perhaps weeks at best.  As I thought about this it crossed my mind that God has SOLUTIONS and has spelled them out very plainly for us in His Word.  We only need to believe that He can and will do what He says He can.

10 Solutions from God (I have capitalized the solution.)

  1. DON’T WORRY, because I am with you.  DON’T BE AFRAID because I am your God, I will make you strong and will help you: I will support you with my right hand that saves you.          Isaiah 43:1-3
  2. The LORD’S LOVE never ends; His mercies never sop.  They are new every morning;  LORD, Your loyalty is great.  I say to myself, “The LORD is mine, so I hope in Him.”  The LORD is good to those who HOPE IN HIM, to those who SEEK HIM.     Lamentations 3:22-25
  3. COME TO ME, all of you who are tired and have heavy loads, and I will give you REST.  Accept my teachings and LEARN FROM ME, because I am gentle and humble in spirit, and you will find REST for your lives.   Matthew 11:28-29
  4. God will show His MERCY forever and ever to those who WORSHIP and SERVE HIM.    Luke 1:50
  5. The LORD your God is with you;  the mighty One will save you.  He will REJOICE over you.  You will REST IN HIS LOVE; He will sing and be joyful about you.   Zephaniah 3:17
  6. WAIT and TRUST the LORD.  DON’T BE UPSET when others get rich or when some else’s plans succeed.  DON’T GET ANGRY.  Don’t be upset; it only leads to trouble.   Psalm 37:7-8
  7. I tell you the truth, whoever HEARS what I say and BELIEVES in the One who sent Me has eternal life.  That person will not be judged guilty but has already left death and entered life.    John 5:24
  8. In Christ we can COME BEFORE GOD with freedom and WITHOUT FEAR.  We can do this through faith in Christ.  Ephesians 3:12
  9. Anyone who speaks should SPEAK WORDS FROM GOD.  Anyone who serves should SERVE WITH THE STRENGTH GOD GIVES so that in everything God will be praised through Jesus Christ.  Power and glory belong to Him forever and ever.     1 Peter 4:11
  10. Let the teaching of Christ live in you richly.  Use all wisdom to teach and instruct each other by SINGING psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with THANKFULNESS in your hearts to God.  Everything you do or say should be done to OBEY JESUS your Lord.  And in all you do, GIVE THANKS to God the Father through Jesus.       Colossians 3:16-17

There are so many solutions in the Word it was hard to choose just 10.  That really is the gist of this short article…the solutions are in the Word.  I hope that every believer will spend more time this year, in the Bible, searching for God’s Solutions.

Heavenly Father, my One and Only, You alone are worthy of my praise.  How can I ever give thanks often enough for the Words You have breathed on every page of the Bible.  Oh, Lord, help us all have an uncurable passion for You and Your Word.  I lift these words before the Throne in the Precious Name of Jesus.  Make it so!

Scriptural passages from The Holy Bible, New Century Version

12 Days of Christmas

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During my years as an Elementary Music Specialist I discovered that children really like to sing songs that add content to each verse.  Of course at Christmas they especially liked to sing the 12 Days of Christmas.  (This is my favorite recording of this Carol.  Enjoy by clicking on the link.) Little did the students  realize the meaning of those 12 objects is rooted in Christian History.

Catholicism was outlawed in England from 1558 to 1829.  During this period of time those who wanted to learn of their faith gave meaning to each object in the song by attaching it to a Christian precept.  Whether there is truth to this story or not it does present a unique way to attach a secular song to basic Christianity.

  • Two Turtle Doves – The Old and New Testaments
  • Three French Hens – The three virtues of Faith, Hope and Charity
  • Four Calling/Collie Birds – Four gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John
  • Five Golden Rings – First five books of the Old Testament
  • Six Geese-a-Laying – Six days of creation before God’s rest on the seventh day
  • Seven Swans-a-Swimming – Seven gifts of the Holy Spirit
  • Eight Maids-a-Milking – Eight Beatitudes
  • Nine Ladies Dancing – Nine fruits of the Holy Spirit
  • Ten Lords-a-Leaping – Ten Commandments
  • Eleven Pipers Piping – Eleven faithful disciples
  • Twelve Drummers Drumming –Twelve points of belief in the Apostles’ Creed     (source BBC.com)

I am including the words to the Apostles’ Creed because they so resonate in my heart, having been raised in the Lutheran Church and Tradition.  (When I married Ray, a member of the Church of Christ,  my grandmother nearly disowned me.  That all disappeared when she got to know him, his belief in Jesus Christ, and his desire to create a Christian marriage and home.  By the way we are now members of ‘the holy Christian Church’ fellowshipping in the Body of Christ as Southern Baptist’s ) 

As you read through these words make them a prayer of thanksgiving for who He is and what He has done.

I believe in God, the Father Almighty,thumbnailCAW5ZPKY

maker of heaven and earth.

And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,

who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
and born of the virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died and was buried.
He descended into hell.
On the third day He rose again from the dead.thCAJJS5RQ
He ascended into heaven
and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.
From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,

the holy Christian church,

the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,thumbnailCAG6BOYY
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.
This creed was written using selected verses and concepts from the four Gospels – Matthew, Mark, Luke and John in the Holy Bible.

I Wonder As I Wander

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I Wonder As I Wander is one of the most beautiful of all Christmas Hymns.  It was originally published in Songs of the Hill Folk in 1934.  It tells of the longing to understand why Jesus came to earth for each one of us.  The haunting melody speaks of that lonely longing so many Believers experience at this time of year.

John Jacob Niles, who created the melody and penned most of the words based the song on a fragment of a song he had heard while attending an evangelistic meeting in the mountains.  In his own words…

A girl had stepped out to the edge of the little platform attached to the automobile. She began to sing. Her clothes were unbelievable dirty and ragged, and she, too, was unwashed. Her ash-blond hair hung down in long skeins…. But, best of all, she was beautiful, and in her untutored way, she could sing. She smiled as she sang, smiled rather sadly, and sang only a single line of a song.                                  Pen, Ron. “I Wonder as I Wander”. A Kentucky Christmas (George Ella Lyon, editor). University Press of Kentucky (2003), p200–201. ISBN 0-8131-2279-1.

I can see the shadows and shapes of the dark Appalachian Mountains as I listen to this beautiful piece of music.  I can almost hear the Heavenly Hosts singing…Glory to God in the highest, and on Earth peace, goodwill toward men!   –Luke 2:14

http://youtu.be/jQqp6hpBpd8

Heavenly Father, during this waiting time, the Advent of Jesus return, keep me mindful that the loneliness I sometimes feel is Your Spirit within waiting to be rejoined with You.  As I anticipate with great joy Your return not as a Baby but as my Redeemer grant me the peace that comes from knowing that You are my One and Only.  Glory be to God in the Highest!