Spiritual – Denise's Scriptural Photography

The Greatest Gift Of All

***God Sent His Son This Is True Love***

The glowing warmth and radiance of God reaches down to us. This is a marvel to behold! Let us consider how glorious heaven must be. In the picture, we capture a burst of God, just a glimpse of His grandeur, which He allows us to see. The glory of God is glowing brightly for us to grasp. God is yearning for us to turn our hearts toward Him. We, as humans, have fallen from grace. We need a Savior! Although we may feel the need to hide ourselves from God, He still reaches out to us. The rays radiating toward us symbolize God extending His love and forgiveness. How does He do this? He does this by sending His son to earth.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16(NKJV)

Let us take a moment and turn this verse over in our thoughts. We are in great need and God, in His love for us, sent the greatest gift of all, His only Son. He gave Himself fully to take the punishment we deserve. This is Christmas, Christ with us. As we give our loved one’s gifts, let us also lift our eyes and hearts to Him. God gave His Son as the greatest gift to us. Therefore, we can give Him our hearts, as our finest gift to Him. This is the true gift exchange.

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14

To God Be The Glory

Stained Glass Lessons

A Beautiful Window From St John’s Ogdensburg, NY

Delight In The Lord

God is a colorful designer. This painted scene, is from a crisp autumn day, near The Saint Lawrence River. We delight in the wonder of the Lord, as His word tells us to in Psalm 37:4 (NKJV)

“Delight yourself also in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart.”

This verse tells us to delight in the Lord. We can take joy, pleasure, contentment, happiness and so much more in our Lord. Yes, we have every reason to delight in God. He is ever caring, in every area of our life. What a peaceful time it is to walk along this splendid pathway of color, reflecting on the fact that God created it for us to enjoy. We see a glimpse of His unending creative beauty.

Have you ever considered that God is delighting in you as well? Further along in Psalm 37, verse 23 we read just that.

“The steps of man are ordered by the Lord, And He delights in his way.” Psalm 37:23 (NKJV)

When we let God guide our way, then He delights in us! What a comfort to know He truly is concerned about us. He cares for us! Let Him direct your steps, so He may be delighted with you. Take time to notice the beauty along your path in life. You only go through once. Delight in the Lord!

Every Good And Perfect Gift Is From Above

***Every Good And Perfect Gift Is From God Above***

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.” (James 1:17) NKJV

Reflecting on God’s word, in James 1:17, we are reminded that every good and perfect gift is from the Father of lights. As I contemplate this photo, I can sense these words come alive. I can feel His warmth, as God sends His love and light down on us, illuminating our way. Let us ponder this verse throughout the day, knowing that our Father desires to bless us with every good thing. Let His light radiate for all to see. God is love! He is always with you.

God Is Our Rock

A rock is not a living object but is inanimate. However, this lifeless object brings pictures of understanding concerning God. The rock, in this photo, is a large mass of stone, forming a hill, with a cliff. We use the term ROCK to represent a firm foundation or support. The Bible refers to the LORD as our ROCK!

Let us look at what the Bible says about this.

“There is no one holy like the Lord, Indeed, there is no one besides You, nor is there any rock like our God.” 1 Samuel 2:2 (NASB )

Looking at the image, we can visualize this. We can see in the picture the rock is not a pebble; it is not a small stone, or even a boulder, but it is a large foundation stone, which can withstand much, just like our God.

The Bible further states:

“The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.” Psalm 18:2 (NKJV)

Looking closer at some of the words used in the above scripture will help us get a fuller understanding.

Rock- A rock signifies something solid and strong.

Fortress- This is a place we feel protected.

Deliverer-Is someone who can rescue from harm.

Strength- Is being firm, courageous and powerful.

Trust- To have confidence, certainty and to rely on.

Shield- An Armor used to protect.

Salvation-Is to be saved from one’s sins.

Stronghold- Someone or something has a grip on you. This can be good or bad.

All the above words were used in Psalm 18:2 to help us to understand more about God and who He is. In these descriptive words, God is portrayed as, strong in nature; a person who supplies shelter for protection. The one who can rescue, give courage and power. Through these, we can take confidence in Him. Furthermore, we can always rely on Him. He shields us, saves us from our sins and will never let us go. He is the foundation stone we can build upon and stand on. Surely, He is worthy of our trust and adoration. How can we look upon creation, read His word and not see that it all falls into perfect place? Our God is our ROCK!

The Light Shines In The Darkness

In this picture, I see it is the night, the time of darkness. However, God does not leave us without light.

“Then God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. So, the evening and the morning were the first day.” Genesis 1:3-5 (NKJV)

There was a darkness that was hovering over the waters when God created light, giving us day and night. A little while later God added two specific lights to help guide us.

“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.” Genesis 1:16 (NKJV)

Now, we have the Sun to rule the day, and the Moon to rule the night. Even so, the greatest factor in all of this is told in the following verse by the Apostle John.

“This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.” 1 John 1:5 (NKJV)

God is light. He emanates light from His being! No darkness can dwell in Him. Looking at this picture, at the bottom, we see the deepest darkness. As we get further away from the light, the darker it is. When we get closer to the light, the darkness is illuminated. It changes to more of a blue, I call this “Midnight Blue.” His light glows through the darkness, clearing the way until it beams out shining brightly for all to see. God cannot contain Himself; His light must shine forth. He is the light of the world.

^“Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” John 8:12 (NKJV)

God is faithful, from the beginning until the end of time. All of this is part of His plan.

“It shall be established forever like the moon, Even like the faithful witness in the sky.” Selah Psalm 89:37(NKJV)

Midnight Blue

In our midnight hour, when all is blue, He is there. When it is the darkest, look up, do not fear. The light of God dwells within, it is always near. He will enfold you in His loving care. He is faithful, constant, steadfast and true. We can always trust the light to help us through. God is the light in the darkness. He is forever true.

Walk in His ways and the darkness will have no hold. Let His light shine.

^“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” John 1:5 (NIV)

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)

Jesus’ Light Shines Bright

Thought for today . . . If you are in the tunnel of darkness, always remember there is light at the end of the tunnel. The light at the end of your dark tunnel is the living Christ. Travel through that tunnel and come to the light. Let Jesus light your path. He is the way, truth and life. Fear not for He is with you. Believe and trust.

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.