If You Have Been Raised With Christ

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.
COL 3:1‭-‬2 ESV

It has been awhile since I have posted anything to this blog .  Over the last couple of years I have been on Facebook posting my photography along with Bible verses and have decided to to the same thing here. My prayer is that I may bring glory to God in sharing His word and showing the beauty of His creation through my photography.

The Perfect and Sufficient Word of God

Photo Credit: Flickr/jalbertganier

פ Pe

¹²⁹ Your testimonies are wonderful;
Therefore my soul keeps them.
¹³⁰ The entrance of Your words gives light;
It gives understanding to the simple.
¹³¹ I opened my mouth and panted,
For I longed for Your commandments.
¹³² Look upon me and be merciful to me,
As Your custom is toward those who love Your name.
¹³³ Direct my steps by Your word,
And let no iniquity have dominion over me.
¹³⁴ Redeem me from the oppression of man,
That I may keep Your precepts.
¹³⁵ Make Your face shine upon Your servant,
And teach me Your statutes.
¹³⁶ Rivers of water run down from my eyes,
Because men do not keep Your law.

(Psalm 119:129-136 NKJV)

This morning I woke up with my mind totally upon what I had planned for the day. As part of my normal daily routine, I come before the Lord in prayer and Bible reading. However, this morning my mind was too engulfed with the things I had on my agenda. I started praying, but could not concentrate. I opened the Word, it was far from my mind. So I decide to lay down my Bible and go ahead trying to accomplish what I had planned. Everything was just amiss. Frustration was sitting in. Do you ever feel like that when you do not put God's Word first? Then I said to myself, "I must go before the Lord in prayer, then spend some precious time in His Word. That was like night and day in the difference it made.

Recently I committed to memorizing the wonderful verses from Psalm 119, which I started this post off with. I want so much to have the attitude and love for God's Word as this Psalmist had. Such wonderful words here to let sink deep down into our souls; then let this truth be lived out in our lives. Today, I would just like to encourage you to spend some time meditating on these verses above and then answer these two questions below.

1. Are there any areas in my life which are off limits to God's Word?

2. Am I heartbroken over the sin I see everyday in the world? (See verse 136)

Plant Me by the Rivers of Water

Photo Credit

1 Blessed is the man

Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,

Nor stands in the path of sinners,

Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;

2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD,

And in His law he meditates day and night.

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.

(Psalm 1:1-3)

If I were a tree with a choice as to where I was planted, where would I choose?

    A. By the rivers of water.

    B. Out in the middle of the desert.

As Christians, why is it so much of the time we desire to be out in the desert just close enough to the river for a sip of water every now and again?

I do not know about you, but I want to be healthy and bear much fruit in the Lord. When the trials and temptations come my way I want to be grounded in truth so the wind does not blow me away.

4 The ungodly are not so,

But are like the chaff which the wind drives away.

5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment,

Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

6 For the LORD knows the way of the righteous,

But the way of the ungodly shall perish.

(Psalm 1:4-6)

 

All scripture from the NKJV