creation – Denise's Scriptural Photography

The Word Of Our God Stands Forever

These Black-Eyed Susan flowers are bright and pretty. God created them, for a season, for us to enjoy. They are standing strong and tall, in all their glory. Sadly, they will fade away. God likened our lives to the grass and flowers that dry up, wane, then vanish. We are reminded, in God’s word, of the shortness of human life on the earth. All life is strong and glorious for a season, but we are fleeting. He created us for His good pleasure. In our time and purpose, let us not waver. Stand strong and tall in your season, giving all glory to God.

^“Having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself.” Ephesians 1:9 (NKJV)

This is His word, let us take comfort in knowing that the word of our God will withstand all time on earth and into eternity. While our time on earth fades, we too, if in Christ, can share eternity. Not only will His word stand forever, He does as well. Let this comfort you as you walk along your earthly journey. He will not, at any time, leave you nor forsake you!

“For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’” Hebrews 13:5 (NKJV)

The Bible is His living word to us. It is up to us to read, memorize, study, hide, believe, receive, claim and love it! It will “Stand Forever.” LIVE IT!

^“The grass withers, the flower fades,
But the word of our God stands forever.” Isaiah 40:8 (NKJV)

A Time For Every Purpose Under Heaven

Seasons come and seasons go, but God stays true through all.

As we transition from Summer to Fall, we surely become aware of this, not only by the cooler temperatures, but also by the display in colors of the leaves. Where I live, it is a season we get to enjoy. The leaves lose their chlorophyll, allowing the true colors to come forth. It is also a time of harvest from all the Summer growth. In Fall, we prepare for the season of Winter, where we rest and enjoy the reap of the harvest, while waiting for the renewal and refreshing that Spring brings. God speaks about this in His word, in Ecclesiastes 3:1 NKJV,

“To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven.”

Each season has its purpose. Every year the Summer, season of growth, closes with the change of color in the leaves, becoming Fall. Fall is a time of change and harvest. As the leaves fall to the ground, a yielding to the next season of Winter is taking place. Winter is a season where we rest and enjoy the harvest. Then, once again, Spring arrives, bringing with it a fresh newness. It is a season of new beginning, planting and hope. The cycle starts once again. All the seasons have their “purpose under heaven.”

Surely, this is true in our own lives as well. All the times and seasons have a “purpose.” We learn; we apply and grow. We reap; rest and trust God through it all. Let God show you His “purpose under heaven” for you. Then take your opportunity; share it in due season and He will bless you beyond your dreams.

If you keep God first, He will keep you first.

In All Things

In our life, we seem to focus on the large concerns, to petition God to help us with. This is not wrong; He wants us to come to Him, in all things. However, in our focusing on these, we sometimes miss all the multitude of little things, God is doing. When I first read the Bible, cover to cover, I was astonished at how many of our daily sayings were there. These sayings I heard and used throughout my life. This, once again, solidified the fact of God’s existence and word for me.

This picture is of a glorious sunset, painting the sky red. Admiring this sight, I was reminded of the saying, “Red sky at night, sailors delight, Red sky in morning sailor take warning.” I’ve heard and used this saying many times, and there it was, rooted in the scriptures. For a new Christian, this was a discovery from God. It may seem like a little thing, but nothing is minimal with God. As you wait on the Lord to answer your prayers, look for all the small blessings along the way. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking He isn’t there! He surely is there, guiding your way. Let the word and signs He gives, light your way.

“He answered and said to them, when it is evening you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.’” Matthew 16:2 NKJV

He is in all things.

Prayer

In remembrance of 9/11/2001

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father, who art in heaven,
    hallowed be thy Name,
    thy kingdom come,
    thy will be done,
        on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
    as we forgive those
        who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
    but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
    and the power, and the glory,
    for ever and ever. Amen.

1979 Episcopal Book of Common Prayer

God’s Earth And Sea, It Was Good!

What was it like, before He created the earth and all that is in it? God has no beginning and no end. We are unable to understand how this is possible, as finite beings. We have a beginning and an end. The earth itself has a beginning and will have an end as well, but God Himself has no beginning or end.

Sometimes when I read the Bible, I try to visualize how it might have been at that time. Try to imagine what it was like before creation, when only God existed. I also wonder what creation could have looked like as God spoke all into existence. Take a minute, close your eyes and try to envision before and after creation. He created the heavens and the earth. Things only begin for us in Genesis 1: 1-2.

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.” NKJV

If you ever want to see nature, in its innate raw beauty, Alaska is a place you should consider going. On a cruise along the Inside Passageway, you see the landscape in all its natural form. Early one morning, looking at the mountains and water, in this photo, I thought about creation. Could it have looked something like this? Genesis 1:10 came alive to me, prayerfully this picture, along with God’s word will speak to you also. We truly have an awesome God.

Genesis 1:10 “And God called the dry land Earth, and the gathering together of the of the waters He called Seas. And God saw that it was good.” NKJV

His creation was beautiful in the beginning and still is today. His word and promises, to us continue.

In The Beginning…

On an Alaskan cruise, out in the Pacific Ocean, I enjoyed a miraculous sight. The sun was setting, closing the day, while the moon was rising, beginning the night watch. My thoughts went to Genesis 1:1 NKJV,

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”

As we read further into the story of creation, I realized the truth of this account as I gazed upon the sky. In Genesis 1:16 NKJV we read,

“Then God made two great lights: the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night. He made the stars also.”

Simply put, I was in awe and wonder of our God, who did this in the beginning, and faithfully continues to do this daily. How can we think that there is no proof God exists? Everywhere we look; we see that He is real, His creation and His word reveal this to us continually; they coincide. From Genesis 1:1 to Revelation 22:21, this truly is the word of God.

“From the rising of the sun to its going down
The Lord’s name is to be praised.” Psalm 113:3 NKJV

“Praise Him, sun and moon; Praise Him, all you stars of light!” Psalm 148:3 NKJV

He Will Light Your Way

***His Light And Love Is All Enveloping***

The setting of this photo draws you in. It brings a feeling of coziness, glowing warmth, and peaceful comfort. The lamp Illustrates the glow of His love and light flowing to us; fully enveloping us, illuminating the words of Psalm 119:105, NKJV.

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”

God is like this! He is our light, hope, comforter, teacher, strength, shield, protector, and much more. In everything we do, He longingly, reaches out to us, ever so gently bidding us to come to Him. In His word we read the following:

“Be still and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10 NKJV

“Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28 NKJV

“Jesus said to them, ‘Come away with me. Let us go alone to a quiet place and rest for a while.’” Mark 6:31 NKJV

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

“Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” James 4:8 NKJV

Take a break, sit a while, learn of Him, let his word and His spirit fill you. Feel His love and light surround you. Let Him be the lamp to your feet. God Bless!

Mount Up And Soar

**Waiting on the Lord, is the key to strength**.

One of my favorite areas to walk is by The Saint Lawrence River. I am constantly inspired by the Master’s design of His creation around this river. The beautiful scenes of nature can be enjoyed anytime of the day, what a delight this is. I never know what to expect. Along this walkway, there are many types of birds; Black Hawks, Ospreys, Canadian Geese, and Robins to name a few. You can find some of these birds perching in the trees. The geese strut along the path; the robins sing, but the black hawks and the ospreys are flying, gliding and soaring above. They move with such graceful ease; spreading their wings appearing to float on the air. It seems they don’t have a care in the world. Although the birds in this picture are not eagles, they do give us insight about the meaning of Isaiah 40:31.

^”But those who wait on the Lord
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint.” NKJV

God is telling us to wait upon Him, He will renew our strength. He will enable us to mount up, spread our wings like eagles, to fly. His strength will enable us to run and not get weary; to walk and not faint. The key is, He will do it. He doesn’t want us stressing about every little thing. If you are in a hard time, a struggle or a waiting period, listen to what God is saying. Stand on His word, which is his promise to us, if He cares for the birds, how much more for you? Rest, wait, trust, mount up, glide and soar! He will renew your strength!

God’s Everlasting Covenant

One Summer evening, after a cleansing rain, my husband and I were on our way to the store. We saw a rainbow in the sky. I had to get the picture. I was working very fast, as the rainbow was fading as quickly as it had appeared. I was focusing on the rainbow when I realized that the moon was in the sky as well. It was a stunning image to behold! I was astounded at the profound sight before me. You might be wondering why I would say it was a profound sight. Let us look at the following Scriptures:

Genesis 1:16-18 (NIV)

“God made two great lights—the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars. God set them in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth, to govern the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that it was good.”

Psalm 89:37 (NKJV)

^“It shall be established forever like the moon,
Even like the faithful witness in the sky”

Genesis 9:13-16 (NIV)

“I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.”

Considering these verses, think about how, in the days of Noah, God sent the rain of judgment on the earth. While it was a rain of judgment, it brought about a cleansing of the Earth. The healing, cleansing rain, came along with a glorious rainbow and promise. God said He would never again flood the whole earth and destroy all life. God is still sending rainbows today, reminding us of His unfailing promise and love.

He created the moon for the “Nightlight” watching over us, guiding us through the dark. The moon has it’s nightly “Reign.” God is still sending the moon every night, faithfully. The clouds and darkness may hide it from our eyes at times, but it is still there. This comes from the Creator, who is faithful and true to His living word. Finally, through His creation and word, how can we not believe in our Heavenly Father? To God be the glory. We thank you for your everlasting covenant. This is PROFOUND!