The Color of Worship ~ Emerald Green

The deep end of the ocean; so deep you cannot touch bottom and breathe through your mouth at the same time. So deep you would need to be carried, if you could not swim. So deep, that even if you could swim, you would not be able to float for a long period of time without aid or assistance.

This is the depth of worship we enter when we near the throne of glory, wherein God reigns. This is the color of divine hope and future promise.

Here it is that the angel of the Lord carried Ezekiel (Ezekiel 47:1-5). There is an emerald rainbow around the throne of God in heaven (Revelation 4:3; Ezekiel 1:28). A brightly shining emerald rainbow encircles the whole throne, which appeared 'like unto a sapphire' (Ezekiel 1:26; Ezekiel 10:1). Have you ever seen a whole rainbow, not just the half bow? It is a complete circle. It has no beginning and no end which can be seen by the physical eye.

Take me deeper, Lord. Bring me so close to you that I cannot touch bottom unless You carry me. Bring me so close to Your face that You breathe on me, through me, over me. The scent of Your breath and Your very being are drawing me close to You. Let me bury myself in Your love. I crave a deeper walk with Your, Lord. Carry me. I will let You carry me. You raise me up with Your strength. You lift me with Your arms. You hold my hands in Yours. My heart belongs to You. My life belongs to You.

You are holy, Lord. And I long to be holy that I may be in Your presence forever and ever. I surrender my body a living sacrifice every day of my life, all day long and into the night. I am Yours and You are mine.

The Color of Worship ~ Beryl

We hear and see reasons why we, as a united earth, should "Go Green". Save the planet for future generations. Save the whales, the dolphins, the owls. Save, save, save; ignore, ignore, ignore.

What about save the people? The reason Christ was born was to save the people. He didn't die on the cross and rise from the grave to save the polar bears. He died for me and for you and for him and for her.

You want to "Go Green"? Okay. Let's "Go Light Green". In science, the color light green is associated with new growth, spring, new life. Flowers blossoming, trees budding and the first little blades of grass rising through the wet black dirt.

Zechariah 8:12 For the seed shall be prosperous; the vine shall give her fruit, and the ground shall give her increase, and the heavens shall give their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things.

3 John 2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospers.

2 Chronicles 31:21 And in every service work that he began in the service of the house of God, and in the law, and in the commandments, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart, and prospered.

Let's "Go Light Green"! This isn't about $$. This isn't about "Earth Day". This prosperity is prosperity of our soul: My Soul Prospers before the LORD. God wants us to be blessed with "every good and perfect gift from above." Money is not perfect. 1 Timothy 6:10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some have coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many arrows. You want true prosperity as outlined in the Word of God? Seek God. Seek His face, His will, His way. Read His Word, Believe His Word, Obey His Word.

Growth requires the four seasons: spring (seed time), summer (sunshine, rainy days), autumn (harvest time) and winter (dormancy, rest). In order for the seed to grow, it needs to take root. The seed requires sunlight and rain. Once the seed has budded and blossomed, new seeds are released. And then they are harvested. And the root of the seed rests until the next season arrives and begins the cycle again.

Psalm 1:3 "And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he does shall prosper."

You and I are the seeds. Our roots reach deep into the Word of God, where we are grounded. Our hearts and minds and souls push forward through the darkness of this world into the Light of God's Love and Mercy. We stretch forth our hands and wave our arms in the breeze of His Holy Spirit. We receive and embrace the reign (rain) of Authority over us. Our thirst for the presence of God is satisfied when we open our hearts to Him. And when we share the Love of Christ, then more seeds are released to dig into the Word and take root. And so, the garden grows. We grow. We prosper.

While light green is not mentioned as such in Scripture, beryl is. Beryl is a mineral 'with gemstone varieties'. Aquamarine, Morganite, Heliodor and Emerald are all forms of Beryl. It is the darker green shades of Beryl that we associate with emeralds, but it is the lighter green, the pale, translucent greens that we associate with Beryl. A lighter shade of green.

It is the 8th gemstone layer in the wall around the new Jerusalem. While Beryl takes on many shades and colors, the color intimated here is sea-green: Revelation 21:19,20 "The foundations of the city walls were adorned with every kind of precious stone: The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, the fifth onyx, the sixth ruby, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst."

Beryl is on the Breastplate of Judgment worn by the high priest (Exodus 28:20), signifying one of the twelve tribes of Israel. This beryl, though, is thought to be yellow jasper in color, which can also be construed as being a lighter shade of green, depending on the hue of such a stone.
Ezekiel 1:16 states that 'the appearance of the wheel was like unto beryl'.

When the bride describes her bridegroom, in Song of Solomon 5:14, she says, "His hands are as gold rings set with the beryl: his belly is as bright ivory overlaid with sapphires."

I love the many colors mentioned in The Holy Bible. It is hard to choose a favorite, but I like that this pale green, this beryl, tells me that 'my soul prospers'.  My spirit is transformed and my soul is uplifted. 

John 20:19-23

What is the purpose of the Holy Spirit? What is His job? The Father is God the Creator. The Son, is God the Redeemer. But who is this Holy Spirit? He is God the Re-Creator.

The Holy Spirit is God working on the inside of us, doing the work of the transformation. You see, God doesn't just tell us what He wants us to be. That's the work of the Father.

He doesn't show what He wants us to be. That's the work of the Jesus, the Son. God actually gets inside of us; starts making us into what He wants us to be. That's the work of the Holy Spirit.

Isaiah 11:2 is a prophetic verse of the Messiah, Jesus Christ, and reveals to us the working of the Holy Spirit. "...and the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord." We see in this verse that the Holy Spirit's job is to instill us with WISDOM, UNDERSTANDING, COUNSEL, MIGHT, KNOWLEDGE AND FEAR of the LORD. That's a might big job description right there. And only one person in the trinity gets to do it: Holy Spirit.

Now, you and I may be going through some tough times right now. Do you feel as if God is far away right now? Well, He isn't. Luke 4:1 lets us know that "..And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness...". Wow. Do you realize what this means? Right after His water baptism and the baptism of the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit LED Him into the wilderness. Why? To do battle with the enemy and overcome the temptations and obstacles Satan lays before us.

We are taunted, mocked, discredited; offered power, glory and fame. The devil wants us to believe that he is greater than God and do more for us than our God can. BUT GOD, through the Holy Spirit, shows us how to overcome, to battle and win, these minor pitfalls. Jesus was able to make it through each battle, each temptation, because the Holy Spirit was with Him. It is through the power and anointing of the Holy Spirit that Scripture which we read and study, is brought to mind to rebuke Satan. God's Word reveals the devil to be the liar and manipulator he really is.

In Luke 4:3 Satan tempted Jesus with hunger. "turn this stone into bread". Luke 4:5-7 Christ is tempted with power "worship me and I will give you everything you see" Luke 4:9 "jump" Prove yourself and that your God is who He says He is.

Christ made it through the wilderness because He had the Holy Spirit with Him. Jesus showed us by example that when we have the Holy Spirit on us, working in us, that we, too, can make it through the wilderness. You and I are not going to make it through any wilderness journey without Him. If you have not received the baptism of the Holy Spirit, now is the time to ask God for it.

"O, Lord, I need Your Holy Spirit to come into my life, to give me power to live the life which You have ordained for me. Endow me, Lord, with the wisdom, the understanding, the knowledge and the fear of the Lord, that I may live a life that glorifies God. Fill me, use me, teach me all of Your ways that Your Name would be glorified and Your kingdom increased. I need You, Lord. Now more than ever before, more everyday, I need Your Holy Spirit living in me. Teaching me every second of my day to walk in the power of Your Word, changing me "from glory to glory"; advancing in spiritual knowledge of how to overcome every little satanic arrow that is flung in my direction. O Lord, I recognize that I am nothing without You; that with You revealing more and more of Yourself to me every second of my life through the power and anointing of the Holy Spirit I am able to walk in humility and grace. Baptize me." Amen

Living A Worthy Life

Aim High. Personal satisfaction and gain are not even close to what God has in store for you. Crucifying the "self" made man or woman opens the Door for Resurrecting the you God wants you to be: Romans 6:6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that from here on we should not serve sin.

Every lesson we learn has been to make us aware of our possibilities as Christian Adults. To open our eyes and our hands, enabling us to see and use the spiritual gifts from God, to advance His kingdom while we are on this earth. We discover uncharted territory by looking inward, resolving to tame the wilderness of ego, ignorance and apathy.

We remove our mask. Open our heart. Join hands with each other. We are ready to live a life worthy of our calling. Because we KNOW who we are. Nothing constrains us; no one can stop us. But, what is our calling?

First, when we "put on Christ" we are not imitating Him, we are "clothing" ourselves.Clothing means to take on the characteristics, virtues and intentions of the One referred to; and, so, to become like that Person. Our soul is in union with His! Joined together. Romans 13:14 But you put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof. We are the new Transformers!

Second, we are called to the blessing of salvation. We are called out of the human race into the body of Christ, the church. Colossians 3:15And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, because you are called to be one body; and you be thankful. We are called to be the temple of God. 1 Corinthians 3:16 Know you not that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?

1 Corinthians 6:19, 20 Know you not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which you have of God, and you are not your own? For you are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. Metamorphosis is transforming from one level to another level. A caterpillar cannot fly unless he is a butterfly, and then he is no longer a caterpillar. He has metamorphosed into the new body which is created for him. Holiness is an ongoing calling that never ceases until this fleshly body ceases. A life worth living bears fruit in due time.

I'm The Source

Isaiah 26:3 God will keep me in perfect peace, for my mind is stayed on Him: because I trust in Him.

So, if I am not in perfect peace, it is because my mind is not focused on the things of God.

We cannot be blaming our lack of personal discipline on the people factor in our lives. Those grating personalities within our sphere are there to sand us, to whittle our arrogance and self-sufficiency.

When, not if, cause it's a given, someone bad-mouths you, puts you down, or just plain slanders you, don't take it to heart. Don't let that seed take root. Kill it with love. Love that person into the Kingdom of God. Don't let your mind dwell on the bad things. Just praise the Lord!

Not everyone we know will be likable, but we need to remember that we should have the mind of Christ in us, enabling us to see each person with unconditional love. He's not asking you to trust that person(s), or believe what they are saying, just love and accept. In the same way in which Christ loves and accepts you and me.

Now, how do I stay in perfect peace? Is there some magical solution? Does God just throw a bone in my direction and I am totally relaxed? Not hardly. But, He does give me directions on how to reach perfect peace. It is, after all, a state of mind, which transforms itself into a way of life.

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are honest, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

So, just what is pure? What is lovely? What is of good report? What has virtue? What, or who, deserves our praise? Who or what is in our thoughts? What occupies our time so much that we fail to recognize the deterioration going on in our minds? We cannot blame society for what is ultimately our responsibility.

Jesus says we will be held accountable for our actions: 1 Corinthians 4:2, 11, 12 Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful. Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwelling place; And labor, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it; Being defamed, we entreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the off-scouring of all things unto this day.

Wow, even in the early church the Christians were treated like trash (the filth of the world). They never had rights in the community. Our actions are based on our thoughts. If we are continually angry at another, perhaps there is unforgiveness on our part. If we are addicted to something, like shopping or eating, perhaps we are making up for a lack we remember but no longer have.

Our memories are filtered at best. They go through the sands of time and the hands of God (when we let Him) and become grainy and distorted. Give these remembrances to God. Without the bungee cord attached. Cause if you don't let go, God can't heal you. If you cannot forgive, God cannot forgive you.

Matthew 25:21,23 His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things: enter into the joy of the Lord.

We will not hear these words from our Lord and Savior if we are not faithful in the little things. But to me, this is not a little thing. To have sanity and peace of mind is a basic necessity in life. It's right up there with oxygen to breathe and water to drink.

I'm the source of all my anxieties, frets,worries and discombobulations. But GOD, is the Source of all my relief. His Word, His Way, His Love.

God Can't Use Me Because..........

You Think God Can't Use You?

ABRAHAM was too old

ISAAC was a daydreamer

JACOB was a liar

MOSES had a speech impediment

RAHAB was a prostitute

JEREMIAH & TIMOTHY were too young

DAVID had an affair & was a murderer

HOSEA married a prostitute

JONAH ran from God

NAOMI was a widow

JOB went bankrupt

JOHN the BAPTIST ate bugs

PETER denied knowing Christ, more than once

The DISCIPLES fell asleep while praying

ZACCHEUS was too small

TIMOTHY had an ulcer

LYDIA was wealthy

LUKE was a doctor

ESTHER was royalty

MATTHEW collected taxes

SARAH was past her prime

THOMAS never had enough faith

MARY was a virgin

PAUL killed Christians

and

LAZARUS was dead!

Now, what's your problem with serving God?

The Cry of the Seed

Where there is life, there is growth.

Where there is growth, there is suffering.

Where there is suffering, there is pain.

Where there is pain, there is love.

As the seed begins to germinate, it pushes it's way out of the pod in two directions. The root begins to push against the pod from the inside, frantic to get out and into the ground. The ground waits for the root to enter and take hold. This gives the seed a chance to flourish and not diminish.

The sprout pushes its way through the pod and reaches for the above ground level. It seeks sunlight, air and moisture. Not without interference either.

As the seed germinates, its cries are heard by many. The insect community comes to see if perhaps this seed can be of use to them. The worms leave trace nutrients around it, giving it sustenance as it grows. The first little sprout appears above ground and many rush to either feed off of it or neutralize its growth before its barely begun.

But the seed obeys its Creator and keeps on growing, regardless of what may come. It rejoices to be of use by its Creator. And God is glorified by the seed's obedience and desire to grow.

The first leaf unfolds on the stem, the first petal wraps itself around the pollen bed; each petal thereafter wrapping around the first and so on. The rays of the Son shine upon the petals and the flower blossoms and opens. The seeds of the next generation are now available for the bees, the birds and the ants to harvest and spread across the gardens.

The seed is successful. But not without hardship. Not without pain. Not without suffering. But always with Love.

Hiding Place

Psalms 91

I live in the secret place of the Most High where I abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I say of my Lord, He is my Refuge and my Fortress: my God; in Him I trust. He delivers me from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. He covers me with His feathers, and under His wings I trust: His Truth is my Shield and my Buckler.

I shall not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flies (in my direction) by day; I shall not be afraid of the pestilence that walks in darkness; nor am I afraid of the destruction that wastes at noonday.

A thousand shall fall at my side, and ten thousand at my right hand; but it shall not come near me. (All around me is death and destruction. The tongue kills quicker than the sword.) Only with my eyes shall I look and see the reward of the wicked. Because I have made the Lord, which is my Refuge, even the Most High, my habitation. My home, my dwelling place; therein shall no evil befall me, neither shall any plague come near my dwelling.

For He gives His angels charge over me, to keep me in all His ways. His angels bear, lift, me up in their hands, preventing my destruction against the stones. I tread, heavily walk upon, the lion and the adder: the young lion and the dragon I trample under my feet. (Another section of the Bible says, "How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel." After walking on snakes and lions, I still have pretty feet.)

Because I have set my love upon Him, my Lord, He will deliver me: He will set me on high, because I have known His Name. I will call on Him, and He will answer me: He will be with me in troubled times; He will deliver me, and honor me. With long life will He satisfy me, and show me His salvation.

Psalm 1:1-3

"Blessed (happy, content) is the man that walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in His law does he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he does shall prosper."

Well, yes, this appears to be quite a bit to take in at first. But we need to remember that when God says, "O taste and see that the Lord is good", that 'taste' means exactly what it says. When we try to bite into God's Word, we don't get to savor the full flavor. We tend to choke on what we read or hear; refusing to swallow and not being able to digest the wonderful poetry that is God's written Word.

Taste, roll around on the tongue, savor every delightful bit of. You know how you get brain-freeze when you bite the top of the ice cream cone instead of licking it? Well, same application here. Only this time we get heart-freeze when we force ourselves to speed through verses instead of taking the time to understand them.

Walk not in the counsel of the ungodly: Don't take to heart the words of people who are not born again, Holy Spirit filled, humble servants of God. Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me. As long as my delight is in God's law, God's Word, God's way, God's will. As long as I remain as close to my Redeemer as I can get every single day, words should not be able to affect me. But, somehow they do. People I love have killed me off with their words. I have been hated and left for dead. So many reminders from God's Word just popped into my head. You and I have a target on us. It's not on our backs; it is on our hearts.

When people we love abuse our trust and our love, we tend to retreat instead of advance. These are the gates of hell and we need to advance and retrieve these people from the swinging doors of hell. When we retreat, depression sets in. Why? Because we have forgotten our Word. Or perhaps not quite understood it. A baby does not leave the womb walking and talking. He leaves it crying and screaming. When we see ourselves as babes in Christ, we see how little we really do know and understand. Maturity comes with time; growth in the Word of God, the Love of Christ, the power of the Holy Spirit, is gradual and not instantaneous. We do not live a drive-thru existence here. We sit at Jesus' feet and hear Him speak words of restoration, words of healing, words of unconditional love, words of forgiveness.

Stand not in the way of sinners. We are not here to judge. We are not here to block the sinners' path to righteousness. We are not here to fellowship with darkness. Our relationship with Christ should cause the people around us to hunger and thirst for righteousness, not run the other way. Matthew 5:13 says "we are the salt of the earth" and verse 14 says "we are the light of the world". They should be thirsty for a relationship with Jesus Christ. They should see a difference in us that makes them want that difference, too. The verse goes on to say that "a city that is set on a hill cannot be hid." The love of Jesus within us should cause darkness to run and hide, leaving the people we are sharing our lives with open to the redeeming grace of the gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ.

Sit not in the seat of the scornful. Mockers, blasphemers, scoundrels. Wickedness in both high and low places. We sit on thrones in the presence of God. And someday we will reign over many, if we are good and faithful servants. We walk in the counsel of the Holy Spirit, in the path of righteousness, where God's Word is a Lamp to guide our feet and a Light along our path. Walk is an active verb; it requires motion and activity on our parts.

When we read the Word of God, we need to remember that He is speaking directly to each and every one of us as if there was only one of us. I try to apply each verse that is brought to my attention by the direction of the Holy Spirit to myself. So, then, I end up reading the Bible like this:

Blessed am I when I walk not in the counsel of the ungodly (the foolish, the wicked, the rebellious).Blessed am I when I stand not in the way of sinners. Blessed am I when I do not sit with the scornful, nor align myself with them.

My delight is in the law of the Lord; in His law do I meditate day and night.

I am like a tree planted by the rivers of water, I bring forth my fruit in due season; my leaf shall not wither (I am ever green and growing); and whatsoever I do (for the glory of God and none other) shall prosper.

Amen.

Joshua 1:6, 7 and 9

I could have said, "Be good", but you already strive for righteous living. I could have said, "Be safe", but I gave you to God when you were only a few months old. Your father and I dedicated you to God and promised to raise you with Godly values. Your safety has always been in His hands.

I could have said almost anything. But I didn't. I asked God what He wanted me to say to you; the last conversation we would have in person together before you go. And what did He say?

"Be strong and of a good courage." God's strength is not our version or understanding of strength. Isaiah 40:31 reminds us that "They who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary,; they shall walk and not be faint." Our strength is renewed all day long when we wait and see what God wants for us, instead of rushing into things without thinking of the consequences of our actions.

Waiting on God means when we pray, this conversation is a two-way street, not a dead end. How can we know God's voice, if we don't even take the time to let Him talk?

"Good courage." The boldness of the Holy Spirit of God to be a living witness, a faithful testimony, a humble servant comes from saturating our spirit with God's Holy Word. His Written Word: the Holy Bible. Read aloud or read softly, the written Word of God pours over us with power for living a righteous holy life. His Spoken Word: hear the Word of God preached when you are able, read it out loud when you are not able. His Living Word: Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God.

"Be strong and of a good courage." Courage is not found in alcohol. That is foolishness with a designer label. Costs more, but is worth less. Good courage is seldom found, because in order to wield it, we must first use Wisdom. Without the wisdom and counsel of God, good courage will be sought, but not found.

As For Me and My House

Steve, my husband, is a deacon in our church and a substitute Sunday School teacher. Brian is a student at DeVry University, majoring in Multi-Media Design and Development. James is a soldier in the 101st Airborne Division of the US Army. His girlfriend Brianna is a Sunday School teacher at Gospel Lighthouse in Racine, WI. She teaches 11 and 12 year olds. Kenny is still in middle school and loves to sing. I teach and preach and sing. We are all born again Christians who love our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ dearly. He has blessed our blessings and continues to do so on a daily basis.

http://www.bestfreechristian.com/index.htm

Why "scrippix"?

Scrippix means Scripture Pictures. When I read a book, I can visualize it; really good. So when I became interested in reading my Bible more often, God opened up a whole new world of visualization to me. I thought this would be a good place to share not only what I read, but what I see.