Tag: Jesus

Daily Word, Journal Journey's, Uncategorized

Life with Jesus

judyinthesky91

Life with Jesus

     July 29th, 2023 and ahhh, my friends, I have missed you during this season of grief and restoration.  

     I am just returning from my second retreat in Montana.  My first was last August.  Timmy, my brother, was hospitalized at the time with a broken femur.  It was a catalyst for his death in November.  My Aunt Katherine was surrendering to life in a care facility and would precede my brother in death by a few days at the beautiful age of 102 ½…. more than twice as much as Timmy.  My message from that retreat was “cease striving”.  Jesus knew hard things were coming.

     It has been a weird season, this cease striving season, where I had very little to say.  I have always loved writing.  It’s my prayer language.  It’s my super-power to express words that ignite the senses.   I wondered where the desire went.  I wondered if it would ever come back.  

     On retreat this year, Jesus brought me into joy… simple joy.  He showed me how to walk in nature and see him at work all around me.  He gave me things to delight in for no other reason than to confirm his love and that I am cherished.  And he woke me up, he gave me words to say, and a calling to share them.  

     You may have heard it said that being a Christian is not about religion, but relationship, a real and amazing relationship with Jesus.  It is my desire to share my relationship with him in the most transparent way I can.   I pray you are curious and that Jesus uses your curiosity in a personal and intimate way.

John 3:16  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Jesus: Judy, it’s like your wedding ring. You are married whether Kevin is with you or apart. The ring is a symbol of that. Would you like a token of some sort to remind you that I am always with you? Another ring? A tattoo? Your bracelet? Is there something you can wear to draw you back to the truth when the world blurs me out?

Me: Jesus, I’m so sorry. It’s true though.

Jesus: Judy, stop, shhhh, this is not about condemnation. It’s about helping you know I am always with you.

Me: Would you really be okay with a tattoo, Jesus? I don’t like them.

Jesus: (laughs) Then maybe you should get one, like Paul’s thorn. How about if we just start with what you already have? The bracelet you are wearing is beautiful.

Me: Thank you, Jesus, yes.

2 Corinthians 12:9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

I have been given a new word for 2023, CHERISHED. I have been keeping my life simple. I have ceased striving for validity through other people, positions and even posts. But, I was not ready for “cherished”. Yet Jesus, in his gentleness, has slowly persisted in teaching me that I am worthy to be cherished.

Song of Songs 2:16 My beloved is mine, and I am his; he grazes among the lilies.

We had some free time one morning, so I took a walk past the gate. I was feeling grateful for my physical being, able to walk and breathe. I thanked God for my eyes, which were able to take in the beauty all around. He gave me an experience so wonderful that I tried to capture it with words:

I am a bride. His path is adorned with flowers.

I am invited to dream. He grew a wishing flower to ignite my imagination and remind me that my asks can be as infinite as all the wishing flowers in all the world.

He goes before me. The fragrance of the forest envelops me, reminding me He is always with me.

He asks me to dance. I don’t even know why, but it sure feels good to move, skip, and twirl on the path. My smile grows. It is a wonderful thing to be loved by Jesus.

I am returning. It is uphill, and I am breathless. I stop at the edge of the shade, then will myself to press on.

The music stops. He says stop. He reminds me that he invited me here just to play. There’s nothing to hurry off to.

Psalm 68:19 Praise the Lord; praise God our savior! For each day he carries us in his arms.

     Later that day I was again tasked with going on a lunch date with Jesus.  When I did this last year, I spent much of the time in fear of bears, wolves, murderers, snakes, ticks, poison oak or ivy or whatever they have in Montana.  I worried I might get lost on the 2000 acres I was given license to wander about.  Jesus kept assuring me he was not that kind of date, but it did take some time for me to be at ease.  

     One of my prayer requests for Trinity 2.0 was that I would not be afraid in the forest, and I wasn’t.  Jesus is real and he really cares about me.

 John 14:13 Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

     You left instructions for me to come find you, bringing only my curiosity, the sack lunch and comfortable shoes.

     I went in a direction I had never considered, down where the two hills come together and the tall grass grows.

     I discovered grass laying down for a span in one area and it made me curious.  A few steps out of the resting grass I discovered animal droppings… This is how you let me know it was a place of rest for others within the vast realm of your creation.

     The walk was messy with uneven terrain, more droppings, different than the last, and fallen trees in various stages of decay.  I stopped to look up and marvel at the beauty.  When I walked, I could only look down for my careful next step.  It seemed like a metaphor for walking with Jesus.  When I am trying to control things, I have to be very careful and I miss most of the beauty.  

     A path appears.  Jesus is such a gentleman.

Isaiah 30:21 And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left.

     My steps made a different sound on the pine needle covered dirt road.  I felt stickers poking within my shoes and tried to balance on one foot to pluck them out.  I was a clumsy sight to no one but the Lord.  He pointed to a nearby tree, where I hopped and finished clearing my socks from the intruding thorns.

     I want to go on that pilgrimage, Camino De Santiago. It is a walking trip with many starting points, ending at the shrine of the apostle James in Spain. An authentic Camino will encompass 100km (the bare minimum) to 600km. The rhythm of my steps made me think of it.  This is like a taste of it.  A question formed in my mind, “Am I capable?  What am I capable of?”

     Like I said, last year I was afraid, and this year I am not.  I am capable of being in the forest without fear.

     I think I hear running water and stop to find where it is coming from.  I discover it is not running water, but the song of the leaves dancing in the breeze.  I am grateful for their song and the breeze and the clouds that pass by offering me moments of shade on this 90* day.

     Purple wildflowers enter my view on the border of the pasture.  Thank you, Jesus, for dropping beauty here and there…. I’ve seen yellow ones and white ones that reminded me of pompoms.  Our walk is peppered with butterflies in whimsical flight.  Their lives are so short, but they seem to dance and discover the whole way through.  Jesus has a lot to teach me from them.

     There is a tree stump with new life sprouting from its core.  This is perseverance, Jesus impresses on my mind.

 Psalm 71:20  You who have made me see many troubles and calamities will revive me again; from the depths of the earth you will bring me up again.

     At last I arrived at the Bitterroot River.  The temperature is cooler near it.  The sound is full and rich, much like the place I released my mothers ashes last spring.  It is a place of release.  My toes are resting on a muddy rock while the cool waters soothe me.  The sound of rushing water lulls me to silence.

     The ranch is encompassed with a barbed wire fence and signs that read PRIVATE PROPERTY NO TRESPASSING, but I am their guest.  I am permitted in.

Enter by the narrow gate.  For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.  For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.  Matthew 7:13-14

     Heaven will be like that.  I will enter through the narrow gate that few will find.  

     In many ways, I am walking as a citizen of heaven here and now.  Like in heaven, Jesus is with me wherever I go, but I know the best is yet to come!  One day I will take off this world of corruption and my body, full of aches and demands, as I enter into the full glory of His presence.  That is indeed cause for celebration…. ultimate celebration.

We grow weary in our present bodies, and we long to put on our heavenly bodies like new clothing.  2 Corinthians 6:2

Daily Word

Daniel 3

judyinthesky91

Read Daniel 3 – Forced religion meets true faith and courage – Chapter 3 is a picture of forced religion. The king determined he was to be worshipped by everyone; he determined how he was to be worshipped and set his demands against the threat of death. Our God is nothing like that – Hallelujah!

The true and living Lord Jesus Christ takes the risk of freewill with every soul. That is love. Jesus died for all, but only those who say yes to Salvation and invite him in as Lord and Savior are saved.

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego are called out for refusing to bow down. Verses 13-15 fascinate me. The supreme ruler of Babylon himself, King Neb (can we call him that moving forward? Nebuchadnezzar is kind of a mouthful in our generation), is furious, yet calls the three before him and offers a second chance. They respond with a level of valor that must have shocked him, “We do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it…” :17

I pray you did not read the next part casually as one is apt to do in the face of miracles. Scripture records that King Neb’s face was changed… fury had taken over. The king ordered the fire so hot that even the guards that walked the bound threesome up to the furnace burned up! Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego did not burn up though… verses 24-27 record that they were unscathed, even their garmets were untouched by smoke or flame, and that there was a fourth man in the fire with them.

WHO WAS THE FOURTH MAN? My heart screams JESUS!!! King Neb said he saw four men loosed… so the fire burnt only the ropes that bound them.

Beloved, consider that one day there will be an anti-christ who requires the worship of all people. We all know and even love people who will not fall under the protection of Jesus in the wicked days to come. Even after the church is raptured, there will be second chances for a short time. Tell them about Daniel and his friends and pray they remember and are counted among the faithful.

Daily Word

Ephesians 4

judyinthesky91

Read Ephesians 4 – For Christ’s sake – I was raised with that expression; it wasn’t said in reverence to the LORD, much like people say o.m.g. today without thinking about the Lord they are offending.  But hear the words as the truth that they are…

For Christ’s sake live worthy of your calling.  For Christ’s sake always be humble and gentle.  For Christ’s sake live in unity with the church, your eternal brothers and sisters, by the power of the Holy Spirit in you. (:1-3)

And let’s talk about church.  Many people have strayed from church or go merely as spectators.  Verses :11-16 address the importance and purpose of church.  

“Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers.  Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church body.”  :11-12

The leadership is to equip us and our responsibility is to build up the church body.  No spectators and no immature believers… you are not called to make things up as you go.  You are called to:

“Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church.”  :15

It’s time to live for Christ’s sake… in the past you may have lied, been ruled by anger, stolen, used harsh/foul language and brought sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit in any number of ways.  Jesus is calling you to turn from that to a life of honesty, generosity, helpful and encouraging talk, forgiveness, kindness and tenderheartedness.  Can you feel your soul relax as you read the last sentence?  The things the Lord expects you to give up are garbage and everything he calls you to is beautiful. 

“Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another just as God through Christ has forgiven you.” Ephesians 4:32

Daily Word

Ephesians 3

judyinthesky91

Read Ephesians 3 – Be awed. Be truly and fully AWED by our holy, benevolent, glorious Heavenly Father.

As I read I couldn’t help but want more of Jesus. I don’t think I have even scratched the surface of how awesome he is.

Paul mentions that “the stewardship of God’s grace” (:2) was given to him for the Gentiles (like me). The words struck me as especially wonderful…. I may have read them countless times before, but today they are precious. He even says the mystery was made known to him (:3). What an incredible and joyful privilege… how very special to introduce a person to the most excellent nature of God’s grace, especially a Gentile who may have felt outside of the Lord’s love prior to Jesus.

Paul’s prayer is that we, and all God’s people, have the power to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ (:18). I am small in the presence of His love, even my little understanding is so enormous it makes everything else small. The God of the universe, the LORD God Almighty loves us fully and eternally… wow!

Beloved, may we both ask for more today…. More understanding of God’s love, and more understanding of our privilege to know and share Jesus.

Daily Word

Ephesians 1

judyinthesky91

Read Ephesians 1 – It’s a fountain of wonderful! We talked about the importance of remembering and looking back at God’s hand over our life a few days ago, and here Paul is doing that very thing for the church at Ephesus.

Paul reminds them of God’s goodness and power. He reminds them they were chosen before the creation of the world, predestined for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ simply because it pleased Him(God).

Paul shared his thanks and prayer support for the church. (:16) He prays that the glorious Father may give them the Spirit of wisdom and revelation so that they would know him better. (:17)

That is a great prayer to pray over yourself, your pastor, your loved ones in Christ… that all would know Jesus better.

Paul writes about this age and the age to come (:10, :21) – life is about infinitely more than this moment!

These truths were for the Jewish and Gentile believers then and even now, you, me, all who are Saved, always. Read this chapter with the eyes of your heart wide open. May you unwrap each verse like the gift that it is and look confidently and expectantly for all that is to come.

Daily Word

Ephesians

judyinthesky91

Read Ephesians 1:1-2 – Back to book… Back to the Good Book.  Today we are going to return to our reading with the book of Ephesians.  It is in the New Testament.  The New Testament starts with the four gospel accounts of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.  They covered Jesus’s birth, life, death and resurrection.  Acts comes next and covers the early beginning of the Church, the arrival of the Holy Spirit, Stephen’s death (the first person martyred for the Christian faith), and Saul/Paul’s road to Damascus experience.  Then Romans, Paul’s letter to Rome, 1 & 2 Corinthians, Paul’s letters to the church in Corinth, then the shorter epistles of Galations, EPHESIANS, Philippians and Colossians.  

I learned an acronym GENERAL ELECTRIC POWER COMPANY, to keep these epistles straight.  My friend later taught me the Sunday school method – GO EAT POP CORN; isn’t that cute?  I hope  this is helpful.  I want you to know your way around the Bible as we go.

Ephesians was written by Paul while he was imprisoned in Rome.  If your bible contains an introduction to Ephesians, please read it along with verses :1-2:

“This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus.  I am writing to God’s holy people in Ephesus, who are faithful followers of Christ Jesus.  May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.”

Paul was chosen by God to be an apostle of Jesus… This happened after Jesus’s death, as Paul was on the road to Damascus with the intent to persecute Christians there.  It is an incredible conversion and you can read about it in Acts 9.  

Beloved, we are on a mission with Paul for more grace and peace found in Jesus.  God bless your day.

Daily Word

Confession – part 1

judyinthesky91

Confession part 1 – When I was about 5 years old I was shopping with my grandma at JCPenney.  They used to have bins of hard candy for sale by the register.   I asked for some butterscotch and she said no.   She never said no.  I decided in my heart that this was a mistake and that I really deserved that butterscotch. I took one. My grandma discovered my disobedience to her and my theft from the store…. The guilt and shame were awful! 

I hadn’t thought about that in forever, but the LORD put it on my heart recently and I have to admit, I was perplexed as to why.

At the retreat last month we did an exercise on confession.  We were to confess one thing on paper – that was all ours – we weren’t going to share it, no one was going to read it besides me and Jesus.  

I wrote mine, but didn’t know what to do next.   I saw it as a situation out of my control, and knew I would repeat the sin the next time it came around. That’s not repentance, the thing I’m supposed to do after my confession and his forgiveness.  

I started to cry which in turn caused my mascara to melt and burned my eyes. I got distracted from the emotion and had to go wash my face. That made me laugh, but still cry. I felt like a mess inside and out. 

By the time I got back we were on to the next thing.  We were to confess something else to a partner (we were instructed to go with a PG confession for this).  I silently asked the LORD what he wanted me to confess as I walked outside with a younger mom.  As clear as day, Jesus brought up the butterscotch!

Beloved, what comes to mind as you read my story?  Do you have guilt over something you did when you were little?  Do you recognize the difference between conviction from the Holy Spirit and guilt from the enemy?

“Search me, O God, and know my heart!  Try me and know my thoughts!  And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!”  Psalm 139:23-24

Daily Word

Matthew 28

judyinthesky91

Read Matthew 28 – It’s a brand new day!  Beloved, everything matters because of Jesus’s resurrection!  Our Savior lives.  His atoning sacrifice, his very life was given and accepted as payment for my sin and yours. Yet, had he not risen he would have been no more than a good man.  Jesus’s resurrection is the ultimate display of God’s authority over life and death, and it is our assurance that we will also be raised from death to life, covered in Christ Jesus and alive with him for all eternity… but I am getting ahead of myself.

“Early Sunday morning, as the new day was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went out to visit the tomb.  Suddenly there was a great earthquake! For an angel of the Lord came down from heaven, rolled aside the stone, and sat on it.  His face shone like lightning, and his clothing was as white as snow.” :1-3

Where does one begin with all this great news?  For some reason, it tickles me to picture this mighty and fearsome angel sitting on the stone that had sealed Jesus’s grave…. The grave means nothing, death is conquered.   He speaks great truth to the Mary’s.  Can you recieve his words as if you were there? Don’t be afraid.  He is risen.  See for yourself…. :5-7  

Meanwhile the cover-up is going on in the city.  There are a few things wrong with this plan.  First of all, the guards would have been killed for falling asleep on the job and letting their one duty be taken.  Second, it implies that Jesus remained dead, yet we know he will be seen by many in the coming days.

Now, Jesus gives what we call THE GREAT COMMISSION in verses :18-20.  Go make disciples; baptize them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach them.  I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Hallelujah!  

Beloved, how can one keep quiet in light of this Good News???  May your assurance grow!  May your boldness grow!  Jesus is alive!  Hallelujah!!

Daily Word

Matthew 27, part two

judyinthesky91

Read Matthew 27:32-65 – take your time and consider each detail.   Jesus was offered sour wine… this would have had a narcotic effect,  but Jesus declined.   In trying times being numb might be tempting to the common man, but Jesus kept his full wits. :34

The humiliation continued throughout Jesus’s crucifixion.  They placed a sarcastic charge above his head which read,  “THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS.”  :37, but truer words were never spoken. 

At midday, the sky darkened for three hours… your bible may say the 6th-9th hour (counting hours from sunrise) or noon to 3.  This was a remarkable darkness. It is said to be,”the agony of creation itself in the Creator’s suffering. ” (David Gusik commentary)

Verse :46, serves as a marker for Psalm 22, and Jesus’s experience of true separation from God, having taken on our punishment for sin. It would have been something he never experienced before. 

Try to wrap your thoughts around the extraordinary events that happened at the moment of Jesus’s death in verses :51-53.  The veil was torn, the earth quaked, rocks were split in two, tombs were opened, godly men and women were raised from the dead and appeared to many… Wow, right?

Jesus is buried in a wealthy man’s tomb, Joseph of Arimathea. It was sealed with a stone and guards.  Those in authority feared Jesus’s words about being raised back to life in three days and took every human precaution against it. 

And many today want Jesus put away.  They want to cling to their illusion of control and will accept nearly anything but Jesus… That is one more reason why we must stay in God’s Word, living close to Jesus; our blessed hope and joy is a light to many.

Daily Word

Matthew 27, part 1

judyinthesky91

Read Matthew 27:1-31 – This is hard.   It’s hard to imagine this level of corruption as the religious authorities bully the governor to kill Jesus. It’s hard to swallow their callousness when Judas tried to undo his betrayal by returning the silver. Judas killed himself…. He was a disciple of Jesus Christ and sinned so harshly against him that he hanged himself. The religious leaders response is just sickening. :3-10

The people joined the religious leaders,  shouting to crucify him, when Pilot made a last ditch effort to set Jesus free.  And though it was Pilots responsibility to  judge fairly, he instead gave in to mob justice, ordering Jesus flogged and crucified. :11-26 

Beginning in :27 the soldiers mocked Jesus…. Why? Why? Why?  It’s so cruel, yet it is the fulfillment of prophecy and just one more part of the cost Jesus was willing to pay. 

My heart aches at these verses. Our silent Savior let these heinous things play out upon him.  This is Jesus paying the cost of my sin and yours.   

Beloved,  let the weight of these verses sink in.   This is love in action, his love for you.   If there would have been any other way to reconcile us to the LORD,  then these things would not have had to happen. Jesus is the way,  the truth and the life and no one gets to the Father except through him. (From John 14:6)