Hope

It's the end of the year, and I can hardly believe it. This year seems to have gone by so fast, at least to me. While I feel like I haven't accomplished a whole lot, I have grown in my walk with the Lord. Here is something I have learned about recently. 
This Christmas I felt beat and weighed down by my crazy life. I saw words everywhere like JOY, LOVE, PEACE! But I didn't really feel any of them. Don't get me wrong, I have joy in Christ as a believer in Jesus, I have the love of my family everyday, and an indescribable peace with God, but they just didn't seem as prominent as previous years. There was something missing from this list of words. Something that I didn't see a whole lot of, but is just as important as the other three words. This simple word has gotten me through many trials and hardships. Even if it doesn't present itself clearly, it's always there. Sure it's been used lots of times in many scenarios, in movies, TV, songs, and books. But rarely have I associated it with Christmas. And it's what Christmas is all about. The word I'm talking about is HOPE.
Hope is what drives us on, carries us through the dark. Hope is looking to the future with a gleam in our eyes, knowing that present circumstances are not all there is. Hope is when you feel let down by the very things you put your trust in, but you know something better is coming.
'For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.'
Jeremiah 29:11
We look to 2018 with hope. We don't know for sure what will happen, just like with any other day. We may have plans, but even those don't always work out like we thought they would. Hope is what you have when you keep going anyway.
But, where does that hope come from? What is your hope in? For a Christian, a believer in Jesus, the answer to this question is easy. My hope is in God, in the salvation He gave me through His Son Jesus. With God we will always have hope.
'Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him for the help of His countenance.'
Psalms 42:5

Hope doesn't mean nothing bad will ever happen again, but that we look forward to something good.

Did you know you can't have hope without faith? Hope and faith go hand-in-hand.

'Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.'

Romans 5:1-5

'Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.'

Hebrews 11:1 

And when you have persevered through hardships because of your faithful hope, you can show love to others.
'And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.'
1 Corinthians 13:13
 Without faith you can't have hope. Without hope you can't love. Without love, all your good works are in vain. (1 Corinthians 13) 
Even when we have nothing, we can have faith that God was, is, and always will be with us. Having this faith, we have hope in the future God has for us. This hope can be placed in the treasures God might give us on earth, like a home, family, and friends. But even these will fail us. Our ultimate hope is in knowing that one day we will be with God eternally in Heaven. But, you can only have this hope if you believe Jesus is who He says He is. If you repent of your sins, and trust God to forgive you, believing that Jesus died for you, and rose again. And you accept His Son into your heart, as Lord of your life. Without this faith and surrender, you will have no hope.
'Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.'
1 Peter 1:3-5

Do you have this hope? If not, I pray that you will talk with someone who knows Jesus and has a personal relationship with Him. It's never too late, don't wait to accept God's free gift of Grace.

'Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.'

Romans 15:13 

Happy New Year!
Elizabeth :)
Jesus Loves You! <3

Sunday Bible Verse

“Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom, thanksgiving and honor and power and might, be to our God forever and ever. Amen.”

Revelation 7:12

Sunday Bible Verse

Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.
Isaiah 7:14

Sunday Bible Verse

Ah, Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for You.
Jeremiah 32:17

Sunday Bible Verse

For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:6

Sunday Bible Verse

Behold, how good and how pleasant it  is for brethren to dwell together in unity!
Psalms 133:1

Sunday Bible Verse

Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever You had formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.
Psalms 90:1‭-‬2

Sunday Bible Verse

We give thanks to You, O God, we give thanks! For Your wondrous works declare that Your name is near.
Psalms 75:1

Sunday Bible Verse

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is high, I cannot attain it. Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.
Psalms 139:6‭-‬7‭, ‬14

Sunday Bible Verse

And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.
Colossians 3:23‭-‬24

Sunday Bible Verse

And the Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord , the Lord  God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the  guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children’s children to the third and the fourth generation.”
Exodus 34:6‭-‬7

Sunday Bible Verse

Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
John 14:27

God's Enduring Presence

I wanted to share something that I have learned this week about God. It's something that is a recurring theme in my life. I feel like I'm constantly being reminded what it means, even though I tell people about it all the time. I'm talking about what I'm calling God's enduring presence. Not promise, presence.
I tell people all the time that God is with them, no matter what, He is always there by your side, and He'll never stop loving you, never abandon you, and never let you go. It's something that I can see clearly in my own life, that God has never left me. He's always been hear, and I can always trust Him, even if I don't know how it will work out.
One of my most favorite Bible verses is Deuteronomy 31:6. God has led the children of Israel through the wilderness, and it's time for them to take control of the land God promised them. During this time they are also transitioning from Moses to Joshua as their leader. New land, new leader, I can see how they might be a little scared. But here is what the verse says:
"Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you."
Isn't it great to know that God goes with us wherever we are, and never leaves?! I find that very comforting. The "them" this verse is referring to are the people that were living in the promised land. God had told the children of Israel that they would have to fight with the inhabitants to posses the land. If we wanted to apply this verse to our lives, "them" may refer to someone at work doing something illegal, or a foreign enemy trying to hurt us where we live. It could be something like the house and car bills, or something your family maybe dealing with at home.
Here is my story I wanted to share today about how I was reminded of all of this just this week. It starts with me not wanting to go back to school, and believing  that I wouldn't be able to afford it anyway. Everyone was telling me that it's something I needed to do, and that there were ways to do it. I didn't want to hear that. But God has been working on me, and I have tried to listen to His Will and wait for His timing. I want to do so many different things, but I didn't want to choose just one of my interests as a life-long career. But with a low budget capability I could only choose one and choose it wisely. I finally decided, about a month ago, on something that I would like to start a career in, planning on continuing my education in another field of interest after graduation. I was super excited. I had finally decided what to do with the next couple of years of my life, and I felt like God had led me to this decision. There were many things that still needed working out, and I didn't see any clear path on how to complete those tasks before I could get started, but I knew that if I just took everything one step at a time, God would take care of it all, one way or another. I had options, and I was waiting to see which one, if any, God would use. After the first two steps of my path, I was completely discouraged, and didn't see any possible way I could go to school. Isn't it funny how the things right in front of us can make us forget our faith? I didn't realize it at the time, but I had stopped putting my faith in God, and my whole point of view shattered. I came from this, "God says I can do this. I don't know how, but I'll make it through." And went to this, "There is no way around it! I can't do it after all!" My optimism dropped within two weeks. I stopped praying about school, and I stopped seeking God's help. I became bitter at the very thought of school.
Here's where my lessen was learned. My parents never gave up. My mom talked to people, and the next couple of hurdles were passed. I felt silly. She took one day to figure something out, while I felt defeated for a week and a half. I suddenly realized what happened. I took my focus off God and was relying on myself. Everything is not settled yet, but we're closer than ever before.
I learned a new aspect of something I have known for such a long time. I know God is always with us, and when He sets us on the path of His Will, He will prepare the way to accomplish that Will. But that doesn't mean it will always be easy to say or think it, let alone believe it. This is something I always knew, but I guess it hadn't fully soaked in. We need to keep our focus on Him through all of the darkness, not just the beginning or the end of that darkness.
Two things that I understand better after this experience. (1) The LORD truly does direct our steps. Proverbs 16:9. And (2) We need to be surrounded by fellow believers. Can you imagine what would have happened if my parents had no idea what I was going through? I probably wouldn't be writing this post right now.
You may think you know God very well in one way or another, but God will always continue to surprise you. I thought for sure I had this whole trusting God thing down, and that I knew all I needed to know about His presence in my life. But I was so wrong!

Elizabeth :)
Jesus Loves You! <3

Sunday Bible Verse

So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.
James 1:19‭-‬20

Sunday Bible Verse

But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak;  for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.

Matthew 10:19‭-‬20

Sunday Bible Verse

Praise is awaiting You, O God, in Zion;
And to You the vow shall be performed.
O You who hear prayer,
To You all flesh will come.
Psalms 65:1‭-‬2

Sunday Bible Verse

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
Ephesians 2:10

Sunday Bible Verse

Let nothing be  done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.
Philippians 2:3

Happy Birthday, ECP!

Three years ago today I started this blog. Wow! I can't believe it! And this is my 175th post! That was certainly mot planned. *Haha*

Thank you, my readers, for being a part of this journey. I knew my blog would be read in my home country, but I never thought it would be read in France, Germany, and a hand full of other countries. Hi!

I hope and pray that God uses this blog to His glory. I pray over my posts before and after I write them, that God speaks through them, and helps someone grow a little closer to Him.

Now, I would like to say that I have continued plans for this blog. I'm planning on writing more on here, different things that I feel like God would want me to share, things that might be important. I am currently finishing my very first book. So, check back for updates on that. Maybe I can get some new short stories on here, too. And I will always be looking for stories from history to share.

I look forward to sharing with you the next 3 years (and many more) to come.

Have a great day!

Elizabeth :)

Jesus Loves You! <3

Sunday Bible Verse

And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.
Galatians 6:9

Understanding Philippians 4:13

"I can do all things through Christ, who gives me strength."

To understand this very misinterpreted verse, I'm going to present an example from the Bible itself, through a story about a woman experiencing this truth, while its author was probably in diapers.

Think of Elizabeth, Mary's cousin, who gave birth to John the Baptist. She never had any children of her own, and was beyond the age of having children, and yet God gave her a son. That in itself is a miracle, and you know that. But, let me take you deeper into that miracle.

Imagine Elizabeth as your grandmother. She's got to be between 60 and 80 years old. Can you imagine your grandparents having another child? They probably wouldn't be able to handle a crying baby 24/7, right? Long, sleepless nights, taking a 6-pound baby, that is constantly growing, with you wherever you go. What about when that child gets older, and needs more exercise and play time? I know my grandparents have a hard time shopping, let alone staying on top of a toddler, keeping them out of trouble. You might say, "What about the young neighbors around them? Couldn't they help take care of the child?" I'm sure they could, but not day and night. Many people were married and having children at young ages, with a million other chores to do. What is my point?

This example is a perfect comparison for Philippians 4:13. While it may provide comfort, people can, and sometimes do, use it for personal gain, or to justify a wrong. However, I can totally see Elizabeth saying this before Paul did. Not only did God give Elizabeth the ability to bare a son in her old, grandmotherly age, when she had never had a child before, but God also gave her the strength she needed to take care of that child as he grew into a man.

Now, get this:

God strengthened Elizabeth for His purpose, not for Elizabeth's purpose.

That child, named John, led many people on the right path to salvation during his short ministry. One of John's followers was a man named Andrew. He was able to recognize Jesus as the Christ because of his time with Elizabeth's son. And Andrew brought Simon Peter, his brother, to meet Jesus. Andrew also brought the boy with 2 fish and 5 loaves of bread to Jesus, who in turn used that to feed over 5,000 people. God used Elizabeth, in her old age, to give him a servant, who in turn discipled a man, who later walked with Jesus, bringing glory to His Name. God gives you strength to obey His will, not to follow your own.

If you wanted to go bungee jumping, saying I can do all things, you're taking it out of context. But if God calls you to minister to people in a country where Christianity is strictly forbidden, He will give the strength to carry out his calling to you. Or, it may be something less dangerous, like raising a child.

You can do all of God's will for your life, through Christ who gives you strength.

Sunday Bible Verse

But those who seek my life, to destroy it,

Shall go into the lower parts of the earth.

They shall fall by the sword;

They shall be a portion for jackals.

But the king shall rejoice in God;

Everyone who swears by Him shall glory;

But the mouth of those who speak lies shall be stopped.

Psalms 63:9‭-‬11

Sunday Bible Verse

My soul follows close behind You;
Your right hand upholds me.

                                        Psalms 63:8

Sunday Bible Verse

My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips, when I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night; for you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy.
Psalms 63:5‭-‬7

Sunday Bible Verse

Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise You. Thus I will bless You while I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name.
Psalms 63:3-4

Sunday Bible Verse

O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory.
Psalms 63:1‭-‬2

Sunday Bible Verse

The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
II Peter 3:9

Sunday Bible Verse

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

Sunday Bible Verse

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
Genesis 1:1

Sunday Bible Verse

Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.”
Deuteronomy 31:6

Happy Independence Day!

What do you think of when you here 4th of July, or Independence Day? Fireworks? Parades? Cookouts? Do you think about vacations, family, friends? Do you think about Washington D.C. or the White House? How about the Revolutionary War, the patriotic fight for freedom? You would be getting closer. Why do we celebrate July 4th every year in America? Just about every citizen of the US, if not every citizen, knows that it's the day we declared our independence from Great Britain, from English rule and tyranny of the king on the throne in 1776. But did you know that July 4th, 1776 was not the day we officially gained our freedom?

Let me take you back to April 19th, 1775. You may remember my post from April about the 240th anniversary of the start of the Revolutionary War. The Battles of Lexington and Concord were fought a whole year, and nearly three months before the Declaration was signed. Many people of the time still hoped that there was a way to reconcile with their mother country.

On June 11th, 1776, Thomas Jefferson was appointed to a committee of 5 men by the Second Continental Congress, including John Adams and Dr. Franklin, to draft a declaration of separation from the British crown, and show the world they were ready fight and die for their own country, one they would have the liberty to govern themselves through a democracy. After nearly a month, The draft was presented to the Second Continental Congress, and voted on. All 13 colonies had to vote unanimously. It was a great moment of stress to be sure. On July 2nd, 1776, the vote for independence was unanimous. The colonies were now fighting a war to free themselves from English rule. Wait a minute. July 2nd? What happened to the 4th? It is said that john Adams was so excited after the vote that he said July 2nd should be revered in history, and celebrated with games, bonfires, and illuminations. But celebrating would have to wait. The Second Continental Congress wanted to go over the document in more detail. They wanted to edit it, and word it in a way all the delegates could agree on. On July 4th the Declaration of Independence was officially adopted by the Second Continental Congress. The document was then carefully hand written into what we see today. The delegates then signed on August 2nd, 1776. Even then, some didn't sign it till later.

Two more events I would like to bring to your attention are the Siege of Yorktown and the end of the war. The Siege of Yorktown started on September 28th, 1781. American General George Washington had troops on land, and had the French fleet of ships on the water. The British were stuck. With no way out, British General Charles Cornwallis surrendered on October 19th, 1781. This was a huge victory for the Americans, and the end of the war.

King George III didn't want to admit defeat, but he finally sent representatives to Paris, France, where the king's men and representatives from America signed the Treaty of Paris. They went over negations for months. Great Britain also had to resolve the conflict with the countries that aided the colonies in the war. On September 3, 1783 the treaties were signed and are collectively known as the Peace of Paris.

The new American country was now free to rule themselves, but the 13 colonies still considered themselves separate from each other having their own constitutions. The colonies were not yet united states. That's why the Constitutional Convention began on March 27th, 1787. The men who fought the political battle for independence now had to fight the battle of unity. They debated for months, through the day and into the night during that summer, for the fate of their infant country. Great care had to be taken in establishing the laws that the new Americans would live by. Even George Washington got in on the action. Finally, on September 17th, 1787, the Constitution was adopted and signed. George Washington was inaugurated as President of the United States of America on April 30th, 1789. And that is what our Independence Day is about.

Sunday Bible Verse

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
Romans 8:28

Sunday Bible Verse

“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

Matthew 5:14‭-‬16

Sunday Bible Verse

Blessed is every one who fears the Lord,
Who walks in His ways.
When you eat the labor of your hands,
You shall  be happy, and it  shall  be  well with you.
Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine In the very heart of your house,
Your children like olive plants
All around your table.
Behold, thus shall the man be blessed
Who fears the Lord .
Psalms 128:1‭-‬4

Sunday Bible Verse

To everything there  is a season,
A time for every purpose under heaven:
A time to be born, and a time to die;
A time to plant, and a time to pluck what  is planted;
A time to kill, and a time to heal;
A time to break down, and a time to build up;
A time to weep, and a time to laugh;
A time to mourn, and a time to dance;
A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones;
A time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to gain, and a time to lose;
A time to keep, and a time to throw away;
A time to tear, and a time to sew;
A time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
A time to love, and a time to hate;
A time of war, and a time of peace.
What profit has the worker from that in which he labors? I have seen the God-given task with which the sons of men are to be occupied. He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end.
Ecclesiastes 3:1‭-‬11

Sunday Bible Verse

For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him; for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds.
II John 1:7‭, ‬9‭-‬11

Sunday Bible Verse

Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
Hebrews 12:1

Sunday Bible Verse

Who can find a virtuous wife?
For her worth is far above rubies.
Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing,
But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.
Proverbs 31:10‭, ‬30

Sunday Bible Verse

And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Preached among the Gentiles, Believed on in the world, Received up in glory.
I Timothy 3:16

Battles of Lexington and Concord 242nd Anniversary

By the rude bridge that arched the flood,
Their flag to April's breeze unfurled,
Here once the embattled farmers stood,
And fired the shot heard round the world.

R.W. Emerson - "Concord Hymn"

Photo credit: Wikipedia  Replica of "Old North Bridge"

This poem excerpt is about the start of the American Revolutionary War for Independence.On this day, April 19, 1775, the Battles of Lexington and Concord were fought.

You probably thought the war for American independence started July 4th, 1776, right? I did at one time. However, that would be wrong. There were many skirmishes between the Colonists and British soldiers even before Lexington and Concord. There was the Boston Massacre, the Boston Tea party, and many other violent instances occurring over the years. You may even think the war was about taxes, but it was about more than money. If you read the Declaration of Independence, the Second Continental Congress wrote down everything that led the American people people to their state of unrest. Even Thomas Paine's Common Sense was written in anger at the unjust acts of their unwanted king.

But this day, these battle sights, were the official beginnings of the Revolutionary War.
The cities of Lexington and Concord are both in Massachusetts, where much of the Revolution began. The night before the big day, Paul Revere, William Dawes, and Dr. Samuel Prescott rode throughout the country all night long, warning the the Massachusetts militia and Minutemen of coming British attack. These colonists were mostly simple farmers, trying to earn their freedom. At the time, many of the earliest American soldiers were called Minutemen, before they officially formed the Continental Army. Why the name Minutemen? Because they were able to be ready for battle at a minute's notice.

The British had been occupying Boston since the Boston Tea Party of December 1773, when the colonists threw the highly taxed tea into the waters of Boston Harbor. The soldiers were sent to stop the rebellious deeds of the colonists, and arrest any trouble makers.

Word got to Dr. Joseph Warren about the British soldiers planning to seize ammunition from the colonists at Lexington. And they were trying to do it secretly, without any resistance. The rag tag band of colonist rebels did not have a lot of fire power already, and what they had was precious. So, they gathered together to save their ammunition, by standing up to the British soldiers.

The colonists were given strict orders not to fire at their enemy, unless the enemy fired first. The British were ordered not fire until they were ordered to.

On April 19th, 1775, at break of dawn, on Lexington Green, the British army and the Boston Minutemen faced each other, ready to carry out their tasks.
The British commander ordered the Bostonian militia to disperse, lay down their arms, and go home. But the men held their ground.

After this point their was much confusion. A shot was fired, but even to this day, no one knows who fired the first shot. This is what is known as the "Shot Heard Round the World".
After that first shot, the British soldiers began firing upon the rebels. The colonists fired back a few times, but ended up retreating, leaving 8 Americans dead on Lexington Green.

The Rebels gathered their wits back, and gained reinforcements, while the British continued to Concord, awaiting their reinforcements. The British decided to dismantle the old North Bridge so the Americans could not cross over the Concord River. But the Americans got to the bridge before the British could finish their task, and the British took on their first casualties of the new war.

The Americans chased the British all the way back to Boston, and besieged them there. Thus began the American war for independence.

Some great resources, if you would like to read about this stuff for yourself, is History.com and Wikipedia. Something kid friendly, and highly recommended, is a cartoon series called Liberty's Kids. There is also a Disney movie called Johnny Tremain, which starts in Boston just months before the Boston Tea Party, and ends with the siege of Boston after the Battles of Lexington and Concord. This movie is based off of a book of the same title, written by Esther Forbes. The book has much more story, and is more focused on life of a citizen watching, and getting involved with, the events of the time. I highly recommend this book, but it does have some "PG" moments.

Thanks for reading my celebration post of the 242nd anniversary of the start of our country!

Elizabeth :)
Jesus Loves You! <3

Sunday Bible Verse

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.
Colossians 1:15‭-‬16

Behind Palm Sunday

Even though "Palm Sunday" over, we can still learn about its important role in the Gospel story.
John 12:12-16 of the Bible gives a pretty good image of what "Palm Sunday" is about. Other than this special day being the Sunday before Easter, it is also a significant point in the prophetic ministry of Jesus Christ. In this post I will go over each part of this passage in the book of John, referring to other verses of the Bible to better understand this scene.

The next day a great multitude that had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him, and cried out: “Hosanna! ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ The King of Israel!”
Then Jesus, when He had found a young donkey, sat on it; as it is written: “Fear not, daughter of Zion; Behold, your King is coming, Sitting on a donkey’s colt.”
His disciples did not understand these things at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written about Him and that they had done these things to Him.
John 12:12‭-‬16

1. "a great multitude that had come to the feast"
This "feast" was the Passover. You can read about the very first Passover in Exodus 12:1-30. This was when God struck down the first born of Egypt, but passed over the first born of Israel.
"Palm Sunday" in Bible times was known as lamb selection day. The Passover lamb was very special, it had to be without spot or blemish, the fur perfectly white. This symbolized righteousness. Only righteousness can cleanse unrighteousness. If you want to learn more about Old Testament sacrifices, the book of Leviticus explains the process in detail. But I warn you, it is rather gruesome. But the significance of Palm Sunday being lamb selection day is that Jesus was the "spotless Lamb of God," come to pay the sacrifice for the sins of every human on Earth. Jesus was the selected Lamb.

2. "when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, [the multitude] took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him"
This part is why it's called "Palm Sunday", because of the palm branches the multitude broke off of the near by palm trees, and worshiped Jesus with.

3. “Hosanna! ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ The King of Israel!”
This is a reference to Psalm 118:26. The Israelites were proclaiming that Jesus was the fulfillment of the previous prophesies that had been foretold by God's prophets. They were praising Jesus as the One who came in the Name of the LORD to save Israel.

4. "Then Jesus, when He had found a young donkey, sat on it; as it is written: 'Fear not, daughter of Zion; Behold, your King is coming, Sitting on a donkey’s colt.' ”
This scene is another fulfillment of a previous prophesy in Zechariah 9:9. Another good reference is Jeremiah 23:5-6. "Zion" was another name for Israel.

5. "His disciples did not understand these things at first"
The disciples did not know what all this meant at the time it was happening. They thought it was great that other people were worshiping the One they thought was the Messiah. Surely this was God's people recognizing their Savior, and they would now follow Him through anything. They might have even believed that Jesus was going to become their military leader, and free them from their oppressors. But God's ways are not man's ways (Is. 55:8).

6. "but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written about Him and that they had done these things to Him"
After Jesus died and rose again, He sent His Holy Spirit to guide us in His ways, and to make us more like Him. When the disciples received the Holy Spirit, all was revealed to them, as we can see in the book of Acts, when the disciples became bold in preaching the Gospel, and revealing to others the mysteries of God that had recently played out before their eyes. Suddenly the Scriptures and Prophesies were opened to them, and they understood how God's plan of Salvation works.

This scene of the famous "Triumphal Entry" was only one of the many pieces of God's master plan that would lead to Easter...

-Elizabeth :)
Jesus Loves You! <3

Palm Sunday Bible Verse

The next day a great multitude that had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him, and cried out: “Hosanna! ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ The King of Israel!”
Then Jesus, when He had found a young donkey, sat on it; as it is written: “Fear not, daughter of Zion; Behold, your King is coming, Sitting on a donkey’s colt.”
His disciples did not understand these things at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written about Him and that they had done these things to Him.
John 12:12‭-‬16

Sunday Bible Verse

Now I know that the Lord saves His anointed;
He will answer him from His holy heaven
With the saving strength of His right hand.
Some trust in chariots, and some in horses;
But we will remember the name of the Lord our God.
They have bowed down and fallen;
But we have risen and stand upright.
Save, Lord! May the King answer us when we call.
Psalms 20:6‭-‬9

Sunday Bible Verse

May He grant you according to your heart’s desire,
And fulfill all your purpose.
We will rejoice in your salvation,
And in the name of our God we will set up our banners!
May the Lord fulfill all your petitions.
Psalms 20:4‭-‬5

Sunday Bible Verse

"May the LORD answer you in the day of trouble; May the name of the God of Jacob defend you;
May He send you help from the sanctuary, And strengthen you out of Zion;
May He remember all your offerings, And accept your burnt sacrifice. Selah" Psalms 20:1-3

Wednesday Bible Verse

Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are  due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.
Romans 13:1‭-‬2‭, ‬7

Sunday Bible Verse

You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord; He is their help and their shield. The Lord has been mindful of us; He will bless us; He will bless the house of Israel; He will bless the house of Aaron. He will bless those who fear the Lord, Both small and great.

Psalms 115:11‭-‬13

Sunday Bible Verse

For You formed my inward parts;
You covered me in my mother’s womb
I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Marvelous are Your works,
And that my soul knows very well.
Psalms 139:13‭-‬14

Sunday Bible Verse

My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord,
Nor detest His correction;
For whom the Lord loves He corrects,
Just as a father the son in  whom he delights.
Proverbs 3:11‭-‬12

Happy Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day... A day to show love and affection by giving cards, candy, flowers, or even balloons, having an expensive dinner, or seeing a movie. However you celebrate the day, have you ever thought about how Valentine's Day was started?

Much of the meaning or origin of St. Valentine's Day is unknown.
The day was first picked as the day to remember or commemorate a man named Valentine, or Valentinus, later proclaimed a Saint.
There are, however, multiple St. Valentine's associated with February 14th, all of whom being martyred, or buried after being martyred, on February 14th.
But the most famous one being Valentine of Rome.

While much of his story is unknown, there are a lot of legends surrounding this character of history. And here are the tales of St. Valentine of Rome, which have started our modern day traditions.

Valentine lived during the days of the Roman Empire, around 250 AD. He was a leader in the early Christian church, believed to be a bishop.
In his days Claudius II was Emperor of Rome, and according to legend, he proclaimed marriage to be illegal, believing that Roman soldiers with families were more wimpy than those without. However, while no such proclamation exists in archived Roman laws, it is believed that he told soldiers they could take multiple wives for the rewards of victory in battle. Either way, he was butchering God's law of Marriage.
St. Valentine continued to perform traditional biblical marriages, while helping other persecuted Christians as well.
One day he was caught and thrown into prison.
While he was there, he met Julia, the blind daughter of Asterius, the jailer.
Valentine ministered to her during her daily visits to the jail, and told her of the gospel. He prayed for her each day, and one day, God answered his prayers, and opened the eyes of Julia.
With such a miracle, Asterius's whole household believed on the Lord Jesus, and was baptized.
The Emperor was not happy with Valentine, and brought him forward to be placed on trial.
He told Valentine that he would release him if he denounced his faith in Jesus. But Valentine refused, instead trying to convert Emperor Claudius II to Christianity. The Emperor became furious and commanded Valentine to be beheaded.
Before his execution, the legend says Valentine wrote a love letter to Julia, ending it with "your Valentine".
Valentine is believed to have been executed on February 14th.

While about 90% of the story may only be legend, it is an amazing story to think about. Many such events did take place in history, to many early Christians suffering persecution. Even in the the Bible, we have stories of miracles and steadfast believers of Jesus, who remained faithful unto death.

My reason for sharing this story today is to ask you not to forget those who gave up everything to obey the Word of God, and proclaim the Good News of Jesus.
Just think about it, people could have died so that we could still have biblical marriage, and our culture today is trying again to throw it away.
When you tell your spouse or date you love them, tell them so with all your heart, knowing that they, and their affection is a gift from God.
And for those of us who don't have a romantic relationship, remember that your family and friends are a gift as well. Thank God for them, and share the love of Jesus, showing you love Him too.

God is Love.
He showed love to us by dying for us while we were still lost in our sin.
There is no greater love than to lay down your life for your friend, and Jesus calls us friend.
Now abide in these three, faith, hope, and love, the greatest of these is love.

1 John 4:8, 10, 16.  John 15:12-15. 1 Corinthians 13:13. Romans 5:8.

Sunday Bible Verse

The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
Psalms 27:1

Sunday Bible Verse

Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.”
Deuteronomy 31:6

Sunday Bible Verse

“Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty,
Who was and is and is to come!” “You are worthy, O Lord,
To receive glory and honor and power;
For You created all things,
And by Your will they exist and were created.”
Revelation 4:8b‭, ‬11

Sunday Bible Verse

Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ
Philippians 1:6

Sunday Bible Verse

“The Lord  is my portion,” says my soul,
“Therefore I hope in Him!”
The Lord  is good to those who wait for Him,
To the soul who seeks Him.
Lamentations 3:24‭-‬25

Sunday Bible Verse

Behold, bless the Lord,
All you servants of the Lord,
Who by night stand in the house of the Lord!
Lift up your hands in the sanctuary,
And bless the Lord.
The Lord who made heaven and earth Bless you from Zion!
Psalms 134

Wednesday Bible Verse

being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;
Philippians 1:6