the first time ~ the next time

He came the first time to die; He is coming again to raise the dead. 

When He came the first time, they questioned whether He was King; the next time the world will know that He is King of kings and Lord of lords. 

The first time He wore a crown of thorns; the next time He will be wearing a crown of glory. 

The first time He came in poverty; the next time He is coming in power. 

The first time He had an escort of angels; the next time He will come with ten thousands of His saints. The first time He came in meekness; He is coming again in majesty. 

~ Adrian Rogers

Hebrews 11:21

Today’s sermon was on

Hebrews 11:21.

By faith Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff. (KJV)

 It was by faith that Jacob, when he was old and dying, blessed each of Joseph’s sons and bowed in worship as he leaned on his staff. (NLT)

By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, bowing in worship over the head of his staff. (ESV)

When Jacob died, what did he leave behind?  What would his sons remember him by?  What would his grandchildren remember?  Not material things nor wealth.  It would be his legacy, his heritage.  It would be his personal faith, a persevering faith, a praising faith, a prosperous faith. 

Whenever hubby and I die, what will we leave behind?  What would we be remembered by?  Our life insurance, our retirement accounts, our home?  These things would be nice to pass on to the next generation, but they don’t matter.  Materialist things just don’t matter.  What would our children and grandchildren remember us by?  

I pray they would remember me by my faith.  I pray they would remember my life in Christ.  Oh, I’m a sinner, I’ve asked for forgiveness.  But even so, I’ve done and said many things I regret, things that can’t be un-done, un-said, un-heard, un-written, un-typed.  I pray they would remember my love for Christ, my love for them, my love for others.  That’s what I want to leave behind...

✞

Christ the Lord Is Risen Today

Christ, the Lord, is risen today, Al
All creation joins to say, Alleluia!
Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia!
Sing, O heavens, and earth, reply, Alleluia!
leluia!

Lives again our glorious King, Alleluia!
Where, O death, is now your sting? Alleluia!
Dying once, He all doth save, Alleluia!
Where your victory, O grave? Alleluia!

Love's redeeming work is done, Alleluia!
Fought the fight, the battle won, Alleluia!
Death in vain forbids Him rise, Alleluia!
Christ hath opened paradise, Alleluia!

Soar we now where Christ hath led, Alleluia!
Following our exalted Head, Alleluia!
Made like Him, like Him we rise, Alleluia!
Ours the cross, the grave, the skies, Alleluia!

David Garibaldi - Jesus Painting (Lakewood Church)

who are YOU?

While praying one day, a woman asked, 

"Who are you, Lord?"

He answered, "I am".

"But who is I Am?” she asked.

And He replied:

"I am Love, I am Peace,

I am Grace, I am Joy.

I am the Way, Truth, and the Light.

I am the Comforter,

I am Strength, I am Safety,

I am Shelter, I am Power, I am the Creator,

I am the Beginning and the End,

I am the Most High"

The woman, with tears in her eyes,

Looked towards Heaven and asked,

"Now I understand. 

But Lord, who am I?"

Then God tenderly wiped the tears

from her eyes and whispered,

"You are Mine!"

author unknown

life

amazing nature

 “Just ask the animals, and they will teach you.
    Ask the birds of the sky, and they will tell you.
 Speak to the earth, and it will instruct you.
    Let the fish in the sea speak to you.

 For they all know
    that my disaster has come from the hand of the Lord.
 For the life of every living thing is in his hand,
    and the breath of every human being.

Job 12:7-10  NLT

this is an awesome song, with awesome lyrics, about our Awesome God...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrgl9z3grKU&feature=youtu.be

(http://myhopewithbillygraham.org/)

 

Mercy Tree

Lacey Sturm

 

On a hill called Calvary
Stands an endless mercy tree
Every broken weary soul
Find your rest and be made whole
Stripes of blood that stain its frame
Shed to wash away our shame
From the scars pure love released
Salvation by the mercy tree

In the spot between two thieves
Hung the blameless Prince of Peace
Beaten, battered, scarred, and scorned
Sacred head pierced by our thorns
It is finished was his cry
The perfect lamb was crucified
His sacrifice, our victory
Our Savior chose the mercy tree

Hope went dark that violent day
The whole earth quaked at love's display
Three days silent in the ground
This body born for heaven's crown
On that bright and glorious day
When heaven opened up the grave
He's alive and risen indeed!
Praise him for the mercy tree!

Chorus
Death has died, love has won
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Jesus Christ has overcome
He has risen from the dead

One day soon, we'll see his face
And every tear, he'll wipe away
No more pain or suffering
Praise him for the mercy tree

(Chorus 2x)
On a hill called Calvary
Stands an endless mercy tree

the Lord God made them all

All things bright and beautiful,
All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful:
The Lord God made them all.
—All Things Bright and Beautiful, a hymn by Cecil Alexander

It’s a cruel, cruel would out there

Beginning in middle school, I was relentlessly made fun of, picked on, talked about, laughed at, embarrassed, called names, etc.  And, if I couldn’t hold back some tears, that did it.  I was in for a mess of trouble.  Think I’d let a teacher know?  No way!

Back in those days, bullying was the kid at the corner pocketing Opie’s lunch money, a big kid on the playground shoving some poor scrawny kid to the ground, or playing keep-away with a little girl’s doll. 

These days, my life back then would be defined as a bullied kid.  Today, it has evolved into a monster.  I’m thankful there’s such a moving campaign against it now.  I’d like to think there’s some kid out there who isn’t being treated as I was.

No one deserves it...

http://www.stopbullying.gov/what-is-bullying/definition/

that awesome place

The title of my blog – ‘Journey to the Summit’ – isn’t about a direct map from this life I’m living to my forever home in Heaven.  My posts can be about – quotes, poems, songs, memories, pictures, thoughts, stories, opinions, etc... 

I happened upon this poem, and thought I’d share.

That Awesome Place

Journeying, with faltering steps, into the holy place…
The closer I come
to the source of true holiness
the more aware I become
- of my innate tendency
to selfishness & sinfulness
- of the secret things,
which defile who I am.
And my heart grieves that
I break His heart, with
my insolence and obstinacy
~~~~

The impurities I see within
are set in contrast to the
beauty of His perfections,
yet rather than pushing me away,
I am drawn closer, ever closer
into that awesome place
where grace is extended
where cleansing is effected
where life is exchanged
and I arise clothed
in a righteousness, not my own
Alec Depledge

flowers...

be secure