Crucified

 I continue to do my study on the word "walk". I have finally gotten into the New Testament. I was reading in Galatians Chapter 6 today. Verse 16 talked about "as many as walk according to this rule". Well, context is everything, so I went back and read the early verses in the chapter. 

One verse leaped off the page and grabbed my heart. The Holy Spirit does that! It is almost like my chin is gently, but firmly grabbed by the Great Teacher and my head is turned towards a specific verse. My glasses are instantly clean and my eyes clearly see the verse for the first time. My mind soaks up the words and lets them settle in my heart. 

Galatians 6:14

But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. 

But God forbid

That I should glory,

Save in the cross

of our Lord Jesus Christ,

by Whom 

the World is crucified unto me,

and I unto the world. 

Each phrase echoes in my soul like I am in a big cathedral with a vaulted ceiling alone, speaking the words out loud. I can't yet find the words to express just the power of this verse within me. My mind flashes to dozen upon dozens of stories of martyrs and faithful Christians that I have read or heard about, those since the time of Stephen to a modern day teenager named Jeremiah, the Faithful . 

God forbid...that I ..... should glory, save in the cross....of our Lord Jesus Christ, ... by Whom the World is crucified UNTO me... and I unto the world...

Rachel Scott

Aquilla and Pricilla

my pastor

Perpetua

my brother-in-Christ Ty

Titus

my homeschool mentor Kim

Paul

my dad

John the Apostle

Thomas Hawkes

Through the ages this verse echoes........................................

My pastor tells the story of two soldiers in a trench during war. One is calm. One is shaking with fear. The one who is terrified is afraid to die. The one who is calm died to himself already.

I think the Christians of Paul's day understood becoming a Christian means persecution and death. They didn't expect to escape their persecutors. They understood, like many converts in Muslim countries know, a relationship with Christ is a death sentence in this world they know. They expected to die for what they believed. And they lived boldly because of it. They were dead to the world. The world was dead to them. 

And so it should be with me. 

So it must be with me.

And with you too. 

Walk: A Word Study Part 1

So it has been a busy and emotional few months. 

This blog shows that with its silence. But the LORD is always at work, even in the silence.

 Last week my dad had heart surgery. Two stents put in. It was just 2 days before the anniversary of the death of my beloved Jim. 15 yrs he has been in heaven and I have been parenting solo. Amazing! That in itself is a testimony to the great tender care and faithfulness of God Almighty. But when you meet my mighty young men. The touch of the Father is evident in their lives. 

And all those ancient lies of the enemy continue to melt away. And my heart feels free. And healed. Even when I miss my beloved and tears fall. When memories of that sorrowful winter night grasp my heart, I still feel held safe by my LORD. 

Back to the day of my dad's surgery.

As I read my Bible in the early hours of the morning a couple phrases in 2 John stood out to me:

"...walking in truth..."

"...love one another..."

"...walk after His commandments..."

I determined in my heart, not to let fear grip my heart about my dad's surgery. I was going to walk in truth and love those around me. Surgery went well. And a blizzard had my mom and I get lots of girl time at the restaurant and hotel. 

A few days later I was reading in Ephesians 5. 

"...walk in love..."

"...walk as children of light."

My mind jumped to a verse I have memorized: 2 Cor. 5:7

"For we walk by faith, not by sight."

So I am embarking on a word study about how we should WALK according to God's Word. We are instructed to walk IN certain things, and avoid walking in other. We need to walk AFTER certain things and walk WITH certain things and AS certain things. It might be hovering around zero degrees outside, but we can work on our spiritual walk as we wait for spring to come to do some brisk walking outside. I encourage you to grab a concordance or use an online resource and seek for yourself what God says about how we should WALK. 

Verse for the Year?

 Proverbs 1:33

But whoso hearkeneth unto Me 

shall dwell safely, 

and shall be quiet 

from fear of evil.

Time and time again I have come back to this verse 

since the beginning of the year: 2021. It is a good one.

Hearken. Unto Who? The LORD.

Benefits? Dwell in safety. It surrounds you. 

Peace. Calmness within. Quietness within. 

Fears flee. Evil can not steal the joy of the LORD.