God's Control!

And he went out to meet Asa, and said to him: “Hear me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin. The Lord is with you while you are with Him. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you. II Chronicles 15:2

King Asa decided to trust in men and his own riches to protect him instead of God and was defeated.

The bad news is we are way weaker and worse than we think we are....the good news is that Jesus is way stronger and better than we could ever hope or imagine....a quote from Pastor Tullian

Trust God to take care of everything!

 This picture was taken on a walk October 20, 2012 at Morikami Japanese Gardens.

Restoring the Joy

"The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit."  Psalm 34:18

I wrote this in 2004:
Dear Lord,
In this moment, I cling to the promise that Your strength is perfected in my weakness. Today my spirit is wounded, battered by hurtful words and challenging circumstances. The weight of it all has left me feeling beaten, tired, and discouraged.

Yet, in the midst of my tears, I cry out to You, Lord I pause to acknowledge Your presence, I pray for your strength, and I wait in expectation of Your healing balm.

Though the pain is real, I am reminded that it pales in comparison to the suffering Your Son endured for me. His sacrifice gives me the courage to trust in Your plan, even when I don't understand it.

Surrounded by "joy-takers" and negativity, I choose to fix my eyes on You, the Restorer of my joy. I trust that You are still working, even in the darkest moments.

So I cry, I pause, I pray, and I wait. Lord, infuse me with Your strength, Your joy. May Your grace sustain me, and may Your love guide me forward.

Thank you Lord, for being my Rock, my Refuge, and my Redeemer.

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give it to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.  John 14:27

I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety. Psalm 4:8

This picture was taken at Bethesda by the Sea Church in April 2013.

The Garden of Eden: A Paradise Created - Bible Study of Genesis Chapter 2

Genesis chapter 2 provides a more detailed account of the creation story, focusing on the creation of Adam and Eve, the Garden of Eden, and the relationship between God and humanity.

 

This chapter discusses:

God - our creator

Adam - the man God created from dust of the ground

Eve - made from a rib taken from man

Verses 1-3: Day 7 - God rested and made the 7th day holy

Verses 4-7: How God created man

Verses 8-17: The Garden of Eden - two trees (tree of life & tree of knowledge)

The location of the garden by naming of the rivers: the rivers Piston, Gironde, Tigris & Euphrates. Two rivers still exist in ancient Mesopotamia which is now known as Iraq.

Verses 18-25: Up to this point God names everything but now has man naming the animals. God made woman for companionship. Man & woman were naked and not ashamed. 

God created the union between man and woman in this chapter. I believe marriage was designed in this chapter by God. It is not a man-made institution but instead designed by God.