Wonderful Jesus!

Category: the Word of God

• Planted By Rivers of Waters

  Posted at 10:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on October 9, 2020

  Psalm 1:3 – “He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper.” NKJV

  

  planted-by-rivers-of-waters.mp3

  When I saw this picture, it certainly reminded me of our text for today! Waters flowing, greenery on both sides of the river, and a call to the soul of anyone who loves the great outdoors! Unfortunately, that isn’t me! I can enjoy a beautiful scenery like this, or in a movie; but when it comes to this type of nature, let’s just say, I’ll pass! Having said that, I can see the imagery that the psalmist was painting when he said that a blessed man shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water.

  I pick up with verse 3 today, but I must revisit verse 2. We’ve already discussed that a blessed man loves God’s law. In our case, that would be the Bible. A godly man, who loves the Word, is a man who is planted, rooted and grounded in the Word. He draws his spiritual strength and nourishment from God’s word, much as a tree draws water and nutrients from a river, which is necessary for sustaining life and growth!

  The prophet Jeremiah, used similar words to describe the man who is blessed:

  Jeremiah 17:7-8 – “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose hope is the Lord . For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes; but its leaf will be green, and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit.” NKJV

  Jeremiah confirms that a man who is blessed, is a man with roots! Roots are important to the tree, but they are also important to the soil. Roots give stability to the tree and provide it with nutrients, but it also keeps the soil from eroding. Stable people have a way of keeping those around them, from falling apart. Their strength is easily transferable to those who may be in need, being a blessing because they are blessed.

  The psalmist tells us three important things about this tree that is planted, which we understand symbolizes a blessed man:

  First, it brings forth its fruit in its season. This sounds a lot like dependability. As a kid I ate a lot of fruit from the trees in the neighborhood: pears, plums, and figs, to name a few. We knew in the summer that we would be able to play outside all day without the need to go in for lunch, because we were surrounded by fruit bearing trees. Some neighbors would ask us to help them harvest the trees and would allow us to have access to them when we wanted them. And honestly, sometimes we would just go and take what we wanted! We depended on those trees in the summer time. When Jesus went to the fig tree and found no fruit, I can well imagine His disappointment in that tree! A godly man is expected to have good fruit in his season, just as we expect fruit to be on fruit bearing trees in their season!

  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23 NKJV

  This blessed man, is an attractive man. I already shared my husband’s way with our girls, but let me tell you, I’m his number one girl. When we met, I saw the fruit of the spirit in his life, and was drawn to him. Are you looking for a husband? Make sure he is bearing fruit of godliness and not just talking it. Talk is real cheap, when you are thinking of committing yourself in a marital relationship! Look for the real deal!

  Second, its leaf shall not wither. Jeremiah helps us to understand this a little better. He writes that the leaf will be green and will not be anxious in a drought. He’s planted by waters. Photosynthesis is always happening within a tree that is well watered and filled with nutrients from that water. Therefore, the leaves are healthy, vibrant, and green. Even in a drought, because it doesn’t affect the tree by the waters. Blessed people are not concerned in times of famine or drought because they are planted near the flow of life; a river whose stream makes glad! The Word is a great source of nourishment in a drought. This pandemic has created a drought for many, but those planted in the Word, are still flourishing! Their leaves are still green and healthy! Does that mean that they don’t experience hardship? Not at all! But when things settle down, the blessed will be found standing!

  Lastly, whatever he does shall prosper. That’s what God told Joshua!

  Joshua 1:8 – “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” NKJV

  The word of God causes us to prosper and to have good success! God said it several times and in several ways. The blessed man will be successful and prosperous! It doesn’t get any plainer than that! If you are a carpenter, then God will cause your carpentry to prosper and to be successful. If you are a teacher, like I am, then God can cause you to be successful and to prosper. What ever the arena, wherever you go, your way will prosper and you will have good success!

  Let me stop here and say what Jesus said many times, “Be it done to you according to your faith!” If you believe this is only about your spiritual well-being, then that’s where you will prosper and have good success. If you believer this applies to your finances and life, again, that’s what you will have. But if you believe it applies to everything that God has for you, including, “every spiritual blessing”, and every natural benefit, yep, that’s what you will receive.

  I just sensed that sometimes, we don’t feel like we are blessed because of a lack material things, or the trials we go through, or the fact that we are still single, or childless, or jobless. These things can mark the blessed person’s life. But what I wanted to help you to understand, is what God has helped me to understand: the most blessed person in the world, is the person who is living their life with God by His standards! And when you get these other things, they won’t pull you off because you know they are the benefits of you being blessed and not the things that make you blessed! Hope that makes sense! Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in blessings, God’s Blessings, Psalms, the Word of God | 0 Comments | Tagged blessings, encouragement, fruit of the spirit, God, hard times, pandemic, planted, psalm, relationships, waters, word of God

• Blessed People Love the Word!

  Posted at 10:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on October 7, 2020

  Psalm 1:2 – “But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night. NKJV

  

  blessed-people-love-the-word_.mp3

  If you read my previous blog, you will remember that I have already looked at the first verse of this psalm that refers to the things that a blessed man shouldn’t be associated with. In this blog, I want to continue looking at the qualities of a blessed man.

  Verse two is a continuation of the thought from verse one. The psalmist told us that a blessed man doesn’t seek counsel from the ungodly, doesn’t hinder the sinner, and doesn’t look at people with contempt. In this verse, the psalmist basically compares the godly to the ungodly! Now, we want to look at what the psalmist has to say that the blessed man will do!

  First, his delight is in the law of the Lord. To delight in the law is to be happy about it, to get excited about it; whether you are reading, studying, or hearing someone expound on it! This scripture let’s us know that when you delight in the law, God calls you blessed! Blessed people, fulfilled people, delight in the word of God!

  I’ve been reading the Word of God for decades. I wish I could say to you that as a daily reader of the Word, I have memorized the Bible; but I cannot, because I have not! However, I love God’s word! There are times when I approach it with more excitement than other times, but I hold it in high esteem. The New Testament is my favorite part of the Bible, but I have learned to truly love the Old Testament! I’m still working on the books with all of the tribes, laws, and rituals; yet the more I read them, the more I am able to see some special things about God.

  For example, during the earlier part of the pandemic, I read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, in about three months. During that reading, I was just amazed at the God who thinks in such detail. When I read about the tabernacle and how the tribes were to surround the tabernacle at rest, I saw some things I hadn’t seen before. God thinks of everything! He is such a detail oriented God, that it should bring us great peace to realize He knows the details of our life! Sometimes it takes us a while to appreciate certain portions of the word, but stick with it, because it will begin to open up to you!

  In Psalm 119, the Word is mentioned frequently by many terms: statues, commandments, law, testimonies, precepts, and judgments. The psalmist obviously loved the word, as this psalm is the longest chapter in the Bible, and it is about the word!

  I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies, As much as in all riches. Psalm 119:14 – NKJV

  Can you imagine being more excited about God’s word than about riches? Somebody is probably saying, “I haven’t got there yet!” When I have to teach or preach, I have to tell the Holy Spirit that I need to go to sleep. The Word can have me so excited that I have difficulty settling down. Scriptures are floating through my mind, as the Spirit brings points, thoughts, and illustrations that will help me to make the word plain!

  I can spend hours studying the word, and I can honestly say that I delight in the Word! There are other times, when I read something in the word, and I have to talk about it to everyone who will listen! That’s why blogging is so perfect for me. I get to talk about the word, and share what the Holy Spirit says to me, without apology!

  I will delight myself in Your statutes; I will not forget Your word. Psalm 119:16 – NKJV

  I heard that Jewish boys are taught the Law, verbatim. I’m impressed! My secret prayer to the Lord has been that I would be given a photographic memory that I might know the word. Years ago, someone said to me that they could quote more of the Word than I could. My response was, but can you live it? I’m not going to tell you about how much of the Word you should put to your memory, just that memorizing scripture is important. As a matter of fact, I think the psalmist is saying that he delights in the Word, and as he goes about his day, he won’t forget what the word said! Which may have nothing to do with memorizing scripture! I think it more accurately means that when you delight in the word, there’s no forgetting it. It becomes so important to you that you find yourself thinking about it at “odd” times, because you enjoy it so much!

  This leads us to the next point! Not only does the blessed man delights in the Word of God, but he meditates in it day and night! I wish the psalmist hadn’t said day and night! I wish he had said day or night, because the night time is my favorite time to get in the Word.

  God told Joshua:

  This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Joshua 1:8 – NKJV

  I believe Joshua followed God’s command to him! And here’s the thing that I want to point out to you: meditating on the word of God, is really meditating on God! As we think about Him day and night, and night and day, we can’t help but be blessed!

  I think of all the years I wasted worrying over the fear of backsliding. Once I asked the Lord if so-and-so backslid, how could I make it? He said the devil seeks whom he can to devour, just don’t be the one! As I began to meditate on God, the fear of backsliding left me. Am I perfect? Certainly not! However, my meditation is on the Word, on God, and not on failing! I think that is an important key!

  When we think of being blessed, we think in terms of material things. And that’s okay! However, it is an absolute blessing to know God, and delighting in His word, means you are delighting in Him. Meditating on His Word, means you are meditating on Him! This is an amazing opportunity for every believer to be blessed. It is something that we can all do! You don’t need an invitation, a degree, or even the right connections! All you need is a copy of the Word of God and a desire!

  I encourage you today, to see the word differently. I challenge you to ask God to open His word to you, and to help you to delight in it! You won’t be sorry! He’s worth the time, and so is His Word! Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in blessings, Psalms, the Word of God | 3 Comments | Tagged blessed man, blessings, God, laws, meditating on the word, memorizing scripture, precepts, Psalm 119, statues, testimonies, word of God

• The Sower Sows Seed

  Posted at 9:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on June 9, 2020

  Matthew 13:3-9 – “Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: “Behold, a sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them. Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth. But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them. But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” NKJV

  

  The parable is called, “The Parable of the Sower”, but it is really not about the sower. As a matter of fact, the sower could really be anyone, as the sower is not an important part of the parable. I’ll come back to the sower.

  The seed that the sower sowed is the seed of the word, or of the gospel. The seed is important because the sower, whomever that may be, is sowing (teaching or preaching) the Word. That’s important to know to understand this parable.

  The ground is the heart of the individual who hears the word. There are four types, the wayside, stony places, thorny ground, and good ground. Each of these individuals hear the word. We will use each type of hearer, or ground, to learn what Jesus is saying.

  Let’s begin with the seed that falls by the wayside and is eaten by the birds. “And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them.” Jesus tells us in His explanation that when anyone hears the Word and doesn’t understand it, it’s easy for the enemy to steal the word. This is likened to when you hear a sermon, that your mind rejects for whatever reason, and the enemy steals that word from you. If you have an issue with the “tithing” message, when you hear it, it would fall on the wayside of your life, because you didn’t understand it, and that keeps you from believing it and receiving the blessing of tithing. It was wasted seed in your regards. This person is unreceptive to the Word.

  Then we have the seed on stony ground. “Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth. But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away.” Jesus said this person also hears the word and receives it with joy, has no root in himself, but endures for a little while. As soon as he is persecuted or have some type of tribulation come upon him because of the word, he is tripped up and the word is null and void in his life. Let’s stay with tithing. In this case, you hear about tithing, you get excited about tithing and as soon as someone in your family start giving you a hard time about it, you decide it’s not that important. The word had no root in you and withered away. This person is shallow, and has no true interest in the word.

  The thorny ground has a little more depth to it. “And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them.” Jesus explains that this person hears the word but allows the cares of the word and the deceitfulness of riches to choke the word. This person has heard the word about tithing. As they are being taught about tithing the enemy reminds them of their bills, of what they could do with that money, or just too preoccupied with the world. And for some reason, that person just can’t seem to bring himself to tithe or to do so faithfully. The word has been choked out of his life. Jesus said, this person is unfruitful.

  Lastly, good ground. “But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.” This person not only hears the word, but Jesus said this person understands the word that has been heard. This individual receives the word as truth, believes it is necessary for their life, and acts upon it. This person would be the one who becomes a tither. Faithful, diligent, committed tither, because the word that was heard and understood took root in his heart. This person will have much fruit, in differing degrees of fruitfulness, but will still the reward of being good ground.

  Let’s go back to the sower. The sower is the pastor, the Bible teacher, the Sunday School teacher, the conference speaker, in other words, the deliverer of the word. The sower has the responsibility to sow the word, but every person has the responsibility to have good ground, a heart that is open to the Word. Grant it, some things may be new to you, and you may need to have more clarity before you embrace it, but your ground should be open to receive the word.

  Another point about the sower. The sower sows the word and has no control over the ground the seed will fall upon. In an audience, of any size, there will be all types of soil, but the sower’s responsibility is to sow; and the hearers’ responsibility is to hear and gain understanding in order to bear much fruit.

  Being unreceptive, shallow, or too preoccupied with the world hinders the word of God from taking root in the soil of our hearts. It hinders fruitfulness in our lives. This is why Jesus said it is such an important parable and it helps us to understand the others. What is produced in our lives, depend on how we hear and understand the word that is sown. Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in Parable of Jesus, the Word of God | 0 Comments | Tagged good ground, hearer of the word, Jesus, parable, seed, sowing, the Word of God, understanding

• He Spoke in Parables

  Posted at 5:45 pm by wonderfuljesus8, on June 6, 2020

  Matthew 13:3 – “Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: “Behold, a sower went out to sow. NKJV

  I’ve been reading through the Bible. Sometimes I just like to focus on reading the Bible from cover to cover, for the simple pleasure of reading. I am in the New Testament and will probably finish it by next Saturday. As I’ve been thinking about the blog, and just my own time with the Lord, I believe that I will spend some time studying the parables of Jesus, something I’ve never focused on before.

  What is a parable? The word parable, or “parabole” in the Greek, according to the Vine’s Dictionary, is “a narrative, fictitious but agreeable to the laws and usages of human life, by which either the duties of men or the things of God, particularly the nature and history of God’s kingdom are figuratively portrayed; a comparing, comparison of one thing with another, likeness, similitude”. This is important to note, because all parables are not stories, for in the gospel of John, the author uses metaphors that teach us the nature of the Son of God.

  When I was growing up in the things of God, my question to Jesus was, why did you talk so much in parables? Why didn’t you just say what you meant? Then at least I wouldn’t have to wonder about what you wanted me to know. Have you ever felt like that, or even thought that? If so, you are in good company, because the disciples also felt this way when they asked Jesus the same question, why parables?

  Well, the answer to that question is in the word itself. The first time Matthew uses the word parable is in the 13th chapter. Up until this time, Jesus is speaking pretty plainly to the people. As He goes about healing and casting out demons, people begin to either reject and criticize Him, or they begin to believe on Him. By the time we get to Matthew 13, He begins to conceal His message of the kingdom in parables. It is this obvious disdain and rejection that causes Jesus to begin to speak in parables, intentionally targeting His disciples with His message.

  Another key reason He speaks in parables is that it was prophesied that He would. Psalm 78: 2 – “I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings of old.” Isaiah gives even greater insight when he writes in Isaiah 6:9-10, that He would speak and they wouldn’t hear or understand. Jesus even quotes this when He explains the purpose of the parables to His disciples.

  And lastly, from the words of Jesus Himself, the most important reason is, because the message of the kingdom is for those who are in the kingdom. Kingdom citizens need to know what is being said to them by their King. Therefore, we will seek to understand what is being said to us in the parables, whereas, those outside of the kingdom will be unable to understand, or could care less.

  I’m always trying to look at the word and make it applicable to my life. When I think of the use of parables, I think of how some couples relate to each other. A husband and wife that truly spend time together, learn to communicate in ways that others don’t understand. There may be special phrases, nuances, or looks that they exchange with one another to convey a message meant just for the two of them. This deepens their intimacy and keep private, things that are not meant for others.

  As Jesus’ Bride, the parables serve as a “special” message reserved for us. When He talks about seed, we understand that He is talking about His word, or an offering, but not an actual seed in a garden. We don’t get it all at once, and sometimes, we need help in the understanding, but those of the kingdom persist in their journey to understand what it is the King is saying.

  Not only do I read the Bible, but I’ve had years of teaching and studying the Bible. I enjoy searching out the scriptures, reading commentaries, and listening to sermons to understand what Jesus is saying to us through the Word. After decades of doing all of this, I am still amazed at how much I don’t know about the Word and how much I need to know still. But I also know some things. As I go through this study, I will encounter truths I understand well, truths I’ve heard but need clarification on, and some things I just didn’t really understand. Hopefully, I’ll be able to do the same for you, and at the end we will all have a more intimate understanding of Jesus, our King! Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in Parable of Jesus, the Word of God | 1 Comment | Tagged Jesus, parables, prophecy of Jesus, teaching the word of God

• The Blessing of His Word!

  Posted at 5:43 pm by wonderfuljesus8, on May 23, 2020

  Psalm 119:11 – “Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You.” NKJV

  

  Psalm 119 is the longest psalm in the Bible. What makes it such a wonderful psalm is that it speaks of the blessings or benefits of the word of God. Today, I would like to share a few benefits of the word! As you can see from the picture, it is a psalm I have marked up in my personal Bible!

  1. That I might not sin against God- The psalmist wrote the importance of hiding God’s word in our heart, we call it memorizing scripture, that we might not sin against God. How does that work? As you go throughout your day, your life, the word that is in your heart will be quickened in your spirit, at just the right time, to help you.

  2. That I might see wondrous things in the word- The psalmist asked God to open his eyes, not his physical eyes, but his spiritual eyes, that he might see wondrous things in the word. Asking God to open your eyes while reading the word keeps it fresh and interesting. Things He reveal to you during your time of reading become the cornerstone of your faith. It’s one thing to be told He is good, and another thing to have Him reveal that to you through His word!

  3. Strengthen me according to your word-In this verse, the psalmist admits to having a heaviness in his soul; but he recognizes that God’s word will bring him strength. As a matter of fact, this is a request for the word to do just that, strengthen him!

  4. Teach me, O Lord, the way of your statutes, and I shall keep it to the end.-There are a lot of people who would rather have someone explain the word to them, than for them to get in the word. The psalmist understands that when God teaches His word to him, he will have a tendency to keep it. Again, being told to live holy, and getting an understanding of why He wants you to live holy through His word, has a greater impact on your life.

  5. Remember the word to your servant, upon which you have caused me to hope-This is a powerful verse. God’s word tells us that we can remind Him of the word upon which He has caused us to hope. Whether that word is a word about salvation, healing, deliverance, strength, if He gave it to you, and caused you to hope on it, you can remind Him of that truth! Prophecies come to encourage us to wait on God. His word is a sure word of prophecy!

  6. Forever, O Lord, your word is settled in heaven- This is a truth of God’s word that every single believer needs to know. It is forever settled! It doesn’t change from year to year, from generation to generation, from situation to situation, the word is settled in heaven! This truth about God’s word is the anchor of faith. It can be trusted because it it does not change!

  7. Unless your law had been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction.- Delighting in the Lord is medicinal. When affliction comes upon us, and we delight ourselves in the word of God, it keeps us from perishing in the midst of that affliction. Reading His word should be a delight, not a chore! When we delight in it, the word produces all that we need.

  8. Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. – How many of us need direction on a regular basis? I do! The word will lead you in the way to go. It will keep you from having regrets in your life as you allow it to light your path. I can testify over and over again to the word being a lamp to my feet, a light to my path. I have very few regrets in my life as a result of allowing the word to lead me. It’s direction is priceless.

  9. I have restrained my feet from every evil way, that I may keep your word.-This is key to your victory. When you really know the word, you have the power to turn from evil. You understand by the word it is wrong to commit sexual sin of any kind. When you are convinced of that truth, you walk away from it. Josh McDowell and Bob Hostetler wrote a book years ago, that I used in my teens ministry, “Beyond Belief to Convictions”. It’s time to stop just believing the Bible is the word of God and to having a conviction in your soul that it is so!

  10. You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in your word.- His word gives us hope! It is our hiding place during the storm. It is our shield against attacks! It is our safety net in life. And because of the power of God’s word to protect us, we can hope in it for all we need.

  Today’s post is a little long, but I just love talking about the Word! And I have only written about ten of the one hundred seventy six verses of the psalm! So much available to us through His word! Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in the Word of God, Victorious Living | 0 Comments | Tagged encouragement, Faith, hard times, Healing, miraculous, protection, provision, Psalm 119, Salvation, testimony, trust in God, victory

• You Are God’s Garden!

  Posted at 9:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on April 16, 2020

  1 Corinthians 3:9 -For we are God’s fellow workers [His servants working together]; you are God’s cultivated field [His garden, His vineyard], God’s building. AMP

  

  The phrase, “you are God’s garden” has been turning over in my mind for the past few days; and you’ve guessed it, I had to blog about it.

  In verse 6 of this same chapter, Paul wrote, “I did the planting, Apollos did the watering, but it was God who gave the increase”.

  Look at the image of the garden! It’s gorgeous! I wouldn’t want the responsibility of it, but I would love to view it every day. That’s an image of you, from heaven’s point of view. It’s how He sees you! Growing more beautiful every day, with vibrant colors, and a variety of flowers, you are a God’s garden!

  Who decides what is planted in this garden? Paul said that he did the planting. Paul was the one who sowed the seed of God’s word to the Corinthian believers. God’s word, His promises, are the seed for your garden. The planting in your garden is based on the word that you hear, read, study, or embrace. Although He sees the end product, beautiful, luscious, vibrant, and well groomed, ultimately, you are responsible for the seed that is planted in your garden. Remember, Jesus said that the seed sown was the word of God.

  Another important ingredient to the well being of a garden is water. Paul said Apollos watered. Apollos came after Paul and watered that seed that Paul had planted. This analogy was based on the ministry they were cultivating in Corinth; but for us, it’s about our own personal garden, our heart. So your garden needs water. This is where you allow the Holy Spirit to help you in the growth of the word. As you meditate on the word of God, rehearse, pray it, sing it, rejoice over it, you are watering your garden. David loved God’s word! He was always watering his garden with the word, “oh how I love your law, it’s the meditation of my heart, thy word have I hid in my heart, your word is forever settled in my heart.”

  When you plant God’s word in your heart, His promises, you need to water that seed to see it produce what you are expecting and believing Him for. The word for healing could be, “Father, you wounded Jesus for my transgressions and with His stripes I was healed. I’m so grateful for that. I rejoice in that truth and accept that truth over my symptoms! Thank you! Thank you for driving sickness and disease away from me. Thank you for saying healing is my bread! You are so wonderful to me like that! I receive your medicine, oh God, and I know it is done!”

  Then, God gives the increase! When we are cultivating the word of God in our hearts, and watering it with praise, thanksgiving, and meditation, that’s the end of our responsibility. Now, you trust God to bring increase into your garden. Healing, peace, blessings, favor, mercy, whatever you are believing for! He watches over His word to perform it!

  Right now, you don’t see the beautiful garden of your heart, that God sees. You may only see a dry and parched land. But it’s not too late to begin sowing seed and pouring water into your garden. Trust the Holy Spirit to assist you in the redesigning of your garden. Let Him help you pick out your plants: healing, peace, deliverance, love, joy, and whatever else that will cause your garden to be something that others will enjoy! That you will flourish within!

  You! Are! God’s! Garden! Work with Him to make you something that will last for all eternity! Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in Believers, Healing, the Word of God | 0 Comments | Tagged 1 Corinthians 3:9, encouragemnt, God’s garden, Healing, Holy Spirit, praise, trust in God, word of God

• As a Further Matter!

  Posted at 11:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on October 15, 2019

  Psalm 19:11 – Moreover by them Your servant is warned, And in keeping them there is great reward.

  For the past several posts I have been blogging from Psalm 19, writing about the different terms used to identify the word and what it does in our lives. Today, at least for the moment, I will conclude my blogs on this topic.

  First of all, David started this verse with the word “moreover”. Moreover is used to convey the thought, “as a further matter, or besides”. David has been sharing with us in this psalm the purpose of the word of God. First he gives us a noun (testimonies), then he gives us an adjective (sure), and then he shares the action or verb pertaining to the noun (making wise); a pattern he uses six times to convey to us the importance, the blessings of the word. And now he revisits this theme by stating, “moreover”.

  In other words, besides all of what I have shared with you in regards to God’s word, there is still yet to be said. Or as a further matter, in case you have not yet been convinced, I have something I want to add. Besides all of what I have already told you about the word, I want you to know that the Lord’s servant is warned by His word.

  The word not only warns us about sin and how to avoid it, but it warns us that we have a real adversary and how he operates and what his agenda is in this earth’s realm. The word warns us against the futility of living in the flesh. The word warns us that we wrestle not against flesh and blood. The word warns us against false prophets and teachers. The word warns us against loving money. The word warns us of the pitfalls of life that we need to avoid. The word warns us of what a life spent without Jesus means for our eternity. And the list can go on.

  But the psalmist also tells us that the same word, if we keep it, it has great rewards. I was just talking with a sister in the Lord and we were saying how grateful we are that we did it God’s way, in regards to marriage. Both of us have been married for over 30 years and we were rejoicing in the joys of having a blessed marriage and family. But we understood and know that it was because we kept the word of God and what it had to say about the sanctity of marriage, the way we were to raise our children, the way were to submit to our husbands and to respect him, the way we were to not go to bed in anger… Sometimes people say things to me like, “You are so lucky!” Well, I can assure you that luck has absolutely nothing to do with my life. But making the choice to live by the word of God and to honor Him has been the best decision I could’ve made.

  The blessing of having a relationship with Jesus, the blessing of knowing that I am the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus, the blessing of going to bed at night with peace in my heart, the blessing of meeting old friends and having no guilt or shame, the blessing of seeing our children blessed, the blessing of knowing that my life is pleasing to the Father, etc. I give absolutely no credit to luck, and all the glory to the One whose Word I have chosen to keep. I’m not a perfect Christian. Far from it on some days. But I decided a long time ago to obey God’s word and adhere to His warnings.

  I will close with this: I have seen and heard of men and women of God who didn’t end as well as they began. One day I asked the Lord about this and He said, “The devil is like a roaring lion, seeking whom he can devour, don’t be one he can devour.” And from that day to this I have endeavored to live life in such a way that I give no place to devil.

  You see, some people want to live their lives in such a way that it is as if they are trying to see how close to the world they can get without being burnt, or without fully committing to the world. But what is needed is a greater commitment to see how close to Jesus we can get, how much of His word can we get, how much of His love can we embrace so that we will look more like Him! And to leave the world alone with all of it’s headaches.

  Don’t be fooled into thinking that it’s okay to have a head knowledge of the word, or even to be selective of the word you choose to obey. There is nothing in this world more precious than Him, than His word. He warns us in it, so that we can discover the blessings in it. I am really thankful for this psalm. I have memorized this passage and I meditate on it regularly. I want the word to have a greater place of honor in my life and when I see myself straying from it, I rush right back to it. What ever term you use, the word of the Lord, the judgments of the Lord, etc…just read it, value it, obey it and let it bless you! Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in Believers, Christian, Psalm 19, the Word of God, Victorious Living | 0 Comments | Tagged Christian, Psalm 19, word of God

• More Precious Than Gold

  Posted at 1:54 am by wonderfuljesus8, on October 6, 2019

  Psalm 19:10 -More to be desired are they than gold, Yea, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.

  In this psalm, David has spoken highly of the word of God. He spoke of the word as the law of the Lord, as the testimonies of the Lord, as the statutes of the Lord, the commandments of the Lord, the fear of the Lord, and the judgments of the Lord! Have you noticed how often David refers to Lord? David understood the most important point of all about the Word; it belongs to the Lord! No matter what you call it, no matter what you say it provides or does, it is the Lord’s! And David was thrilled with that truth!

  David said the word of the Lord, (and all the other synonyms for the word) was to be desired more than gold, and more than much fine gold. I looked up the value of fine gold. Gold is considered to be a precious metal. What makes it so precious is because it is beautiful and costly. It is also an element and a mineral. I read that it takes about a ton of ore to get one third of an ounce of gold. Fine gold is the purest form of gold with a current value of about $1500 per ounce. But David said the word is more precious than gold.

  If any of us were to realize one day that in our backyard was a ore deposit of gold, we would do everything in our power to guard it and to mine it in order to obtain the wealth of that gold. Nothing would stop us, distract us, or keep us from mining every ounce of gold that we could get from that deposit. Why? Because of its great value and all that we could do with that gold. Yet David stated that the word of God is more precious than gold.

  Gold is also precious because of its usefulness. It is used in art, in electronics, in dentistry and in medicine. It is used to find fingerprints on surfaces like plastic or leather. Much like the word is precious because it converts the soul, rejoices the heart, makes wise the simple, endures forever, etc! As the value of gold is increased because its versatility, so is God’s word.

  David described it also as a lamp to his feet and a light to his path. He said the entrance of the word brings light. He said he hid the word in his heart that he might not sin against God. David also said that the word is life to those who find it and health to all their flesh. There is so much more to the word of God that we have yet to understand. Then John stated that the word became flesh and dwelt amongst us. That in the very beginning of time was the word, and the word was God and the word was with God. These truths, in and of themselves, make the Word of God the most precious, the most valuable of all.

  David also said that the word of God is sweeter than honey and the honeycomb. Again, I went to Google because I wanted to know why David was comparing the word to honey and the honeycomb. The honey in a honeycomb is sweet, but the honeycomb is notably sweeter. There was much info on how the bees make honey and the honeycomb, but the thing that stood out to me is the strength of the honeycomb. It is the home of the larvae of the bees as well as the storage place of the honey. It is built instinctively with hexagons which allows for a lot of weight without using a heavy material. But the raw honey is by far sweeter in the comb than the stored honey. What was David saying? You will miss the best part of the Word of God if you jut focus on what seems to be restrictive about the word of God. The word is sweet, and it is strong enough to produce sweetness in your life.

  I don’t know about you, but I have found myself wanting to spend more time reading and meditating on His Word. I have truly experienced the wonderful benefits of His Word and shouldn’t ever have need of a reminder, but I do! And I am grateful to received it. Take some time this week to show God that you understand the value of His Word and will make a point to live life, valuing Him and His Word. Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in Christian, Psalm 19, the Word of God, Victorious Living | 2 Comments | Tagged Christian, Psalm 19, word of God

• True and Righteous Are His Judgments!

  Posted at 2:17 pm by wonderfuljesus8, on September 28, 2019

  Psalm 19:9 – The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for: the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.

  David loved the word of God, which was referred to as the Torah in his day. When he wrote the psalms, under the inspiration and revelation of the Holy Spirit, I believe his heart was truly in tune with God. This psalm about the Torah, God’s word is an encouragement to all who love it!

  David said to Solomon, on his deathbed: “I go the way of all the earth; be strong, therefore, and prove yourself a man. And keep the charge of the Lord your God: to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His judgments, and His testimonies…that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn; that the Lord may fulfill His word which He spoke concerning me… (1 Kings 2: 2-4). David understood the importance of obeying the Word!

  The phrase, “the judgments of the Lord” refers to His decisions about mankind and our situations. The Hebrew word, “mispat” has two main meanings, according to the Vine’s Dictionary. The first meaning is that “of sitting as a judge, hearing a case, and rendering a proper verdict. The second meaning carries a sense “in which things are in proper relationship to one’s claims; a judicial verdict. Nevertheless, the bottom line is that judgments refer to the One who offers a verdict over a case.That One is none other than the LORD!

  In His word, God has made some judgments, and rather they are accepted or not; believed or not; wanted or not; they are so!

  *Some say it doesn’t seem right that God dealt so harshly with the Egyptians, but guess what, it was His call and He made it!

  *Some don’t like the truth that the soul that sins shall die, but again, that’s the decision God has made. And He informed us of His judgments so that we won’t sin and spend a Christless eternity in hell.

  *Some don’t like the judgment that there is no other name given among men whereby we can be saved, His name is Jesus. His judgment has been sealed that if we don’t believe on the Lord Jesus, we shall perish.

  *Some refuse to believe that God will turn them away because they don’t believe in Jesus, but sad will be the soul who leaves this earth holding that lie dear to his heart.

  *Some don’t like that God judges the sin of homosexuality, that He forbids adultery and fornication, that He demands holiness, but His judgments are His. He is the Judge and the Juror and needs no advice or counsel for His judgments.

  His judgments are true. They are the truth! They don’t change with generations. Generation X, Y and Z and every one before and behind have to submit to His judgments to be in right standing with Him. There is no other truth higher than His judgments and we need only to study them and trust in Him to see the truth of them. The freedom of knowing them and living with them in our heart.

  His judgments are righteous, or right!! Can you imagine that? God is right? Of course He is! In every decision, every judgment, every call. He never has to apologize to anyone. He has never made a mistake, a bad call. He is just right all of the time, in every situation!! I heard someone quote a well know speaker saying that God will have to apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah if He doesn’t punish America! How about this? I don’t think so!! He doesn’t need to or have to. As a matter of fact, with all of our issues and all of our sins, we are still not in the same boat as they were. How do I figure that? They couldn’t find ten righteous in the land and I know that we have hundreds of thousands in the land who have not bowed their knee to the devil!!

  God’s judgments are dependable. They are the same for each of us. They are righteous all together for everyone. No getting around them or ignoring them. He knows what He is doing and what He has done. And again, they are with us in mind. Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in Christian, Psalm 19, the Word of God, Victorious Living | 0 Comments | Tagged Psalm 19, word of God

• The Fear of the Lord!

  Posted at 3:05 am by wonderfuljesus8, on September 23, 2019

  Psalm 19:9 -The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.

  I trust that you have been enjoying these blogs on the word of God. As I have been writing them, I have also been learning more about the Word of God. Can we ever learn enough? Will we ever know it all? Someday, maybe! But today is not that day!Anyway, today I am looking at the fear of the Lord.

  The fear of the Lord is not being afraid of the Lord or His word; but it is a reverence of the Lord. The Greek word for fear is “eulabeia”, which means “caution, reverence, godly fear. I am not afraid of God in the sense that He frightens me. Quite the opposite. He draws me with His love! But I have such a reverence for Him, for His Word that I don’t take lightly what He says to me.

  David spoke much about the fear of the Lord. Here are a few things David had to say:

  • Psalm 25:12 -Who is the man who fears the Lord [with awe-inspired reverence and worships Him with submissive wonder]? He will teach him [through His word] in the way he should choose. (AMP) When you fear the Lord, God Himself will teach you! That’s a huge benefit!

  • Psalm 25:14 – The secret [of the wise counsel] of the Lord is for those who fear Him, And He will let them know His covenant and reveal to them [through His word] its [deep, inner] meaning. (AMP) God’s counsel is for the one who fears Him, and He will reveal His word to him/her.

  • Psalm 33:18 -Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon those who fear Him [and worship Him with awe-inspired reverence and obedience], On those who hope [confidently] in His compassion and lovingkindness, (AMP). God’s eye is on those who fear Him and whose hope is in Him.

  • Psalm 34:7 The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him [with awe-inspired reverence and worship Him with obedience], And He rescues [each of] them. AMP. Angelic protection and deliverance is available to the one who fears the Lord!

  • Psalm 111:10 – The [reverent] fear of the Lord is the beginning (the prerequisite, the absolute essential, the alphabet) of wisdom; A good understanding and a teachable heart are possessed by all those who do the will of the L ord; His praise endures forever. AMP. Fearing the Lord, is the beginning of wisdom. You’re pretty smart if you fear Him!

  And I could continue in this vein, going through scriptures to share the wondrous truths of fearing the Lord. None of these benefits, are to keep us under God’s control, but to bless our lives immensely. None of these scriptures talk about tyrannical rule (where He exercises His power in a cruel or arbitrary way). Contrary to what some may say about God “getting us,” everything He has ever done has been out of a heart of love for us. Israel & New Breed sang a song, “Surely Goodness and Mercy”. In the song he sang, “And you’re not mad at me, no you’re not mad at me, you’re madly in love with me!” That’s the reason we can fear Him without fear! That’s the reason we can submit to the God of the Word and to the Word of our God! His word is a love letter to let us know the extreme He went to for us to redeem us to Himself! The extreme love He has for all us! And therefore, to fear Him, to reverence Him, to give Him that which is due Him, is our reasonable service to Him!

  Joshua said, “Now therefore, fear the Lord and serve Him in sincerity and in truth; remove the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the (Euphrates) River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:14

  Yes, in fearing Him, it means letting go of the worldly gods that you and your family may have embraced willingly and unwillingly. Yes, in fearing the Lord, you are going to have to walk away from some things: SIN! But He won’t force you! He wants you to do it because your fear Him. You reverence Him and care about what He says and asks of you!

  I went a little different with this one. I felt I had to. The psalmist wrote that the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever! Well, one thing I can attest to about the fear of the Lord: it will definitely lead you to a life that is clean and has everlasting rewards! Wonderful Jesus!!

  Posted in Christian, Psalm 19, the Word of God, Victorious Living | 2 Comments | Tagged Psalm 19, word of God

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