May this year bring many blessings and opportunities your way.
©️ Denise L. Calandra 2022
Pictures available at:
https:denisecalandraphotography.picfair.com
Happy New Year
Tag: positivity
“The Light of Life”
“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)
This pathway along The Saint Lawrence River, is delightfully lit up, glowing from the light of the sun. It draws you in and gives a peaceful, comforting affect. Perhaps, a rest on the bench would be good for the soul. A front row seat to watch His glorious beauty unfold for us to embrace.
This gives me cause to consider all God has done for us. He gave all, so we may receive eternal life. After we sinned, He sent His Son to redeem and restore us to a right relationship with Himself. Our God, creator of all. My thoughts go to an old hymn written by Charles Wesley, “And Can It Be, That I Should Gain,”in which one lyric states, “Oh my God that thou should die for me.” This hymn is now public domain and I suggest that you look it up.
If we give all to Him, we do not walk alone in darkness but in His light. He lights our paths. He is truly the light of the world. He speaks in His word to us, as well as Through His creation. God implores us to be filled with His Spirit. Ephesians 5:18 (NKJV) “And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit.” For God so loved the world…how much more does His love and light enfold, encompass and comfort us. He reaches deep into our soul. There is a song called “Spirit Song”, which I highly recommend you look up. Let His Spirit fill you, guide you and truly make you whole.
My prayer is for you to know the fullness of God in your life.
©️ Denise L. Calandra 2022
Scriptures for daily thought and encouragement!
Pictures available at:
https://denisecalandraphotography.picfair.com
For learning to have a closer walk with God and learning how to walk God’s way, check out the discipleship series below.
A Gift Beyond Measure
This is such an important Bible verse. Probably, many of you have it memorized. It tells us about our God, the creator of heaven and earth, loving us so much, He willingly sent His only Son to earth, so that we might have eternal life.
If we turn to the first verse in the Bible we read, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Genesis 1:1 (NKJV) He made the world, then the animals, then man and woman. See in Genesis 1:31, “Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good.” Yes, “God so loved the world.”
We see how much God loved the world, in which, He created. Therefore, one can only wonder why God sent His only begotten Son to earth for us? We seem to forget about the fall of man. In Genesis chapter 3, we can read the account of this tragic event and the consequences of it, for us all.
All creation had sweet fellowship with the living God before the fall of man. After this tragic event, everything changed, our sin separated us from God the Father. In ourselves there was no way back, we were now lost. However, our loving God had a plan all ready for us. He had a plan to save His creation, whom He loved greatly.
His plan began by sending His only Son to earth. He was sent as a little babe. This was the first step. If He never came it would never have worked. We see in The Apostles Creed, the plan. It is stated as follows:
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again; He ascended into heaven,
He is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and He will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.
Now this sums it all up for us. God sent His Son, Jesus, who was conceived by the Holy Spirt, born of the virgin Mary, was crucified for our sins, actually died, and was buried. He descended to the dead, yet on the third day He rose from the dead. He is seated at the right hand of God, the Father almighty. This is also stated in the scripture verse, John 3:16. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son …” He was sent, He came, He died for our sins, He rose again and is seated with God, in eternal life. It is now up to us to believe in Him and what He has done for us, so we too, can have eternal life with Him. As I said at the start of this blog, John 3:16, is a very special Bible verse.
Look closely at the photo of the sun setting. As it is going down the glow that is emanating from it is reflecting the symbol of the cross onto the river. It is reflecting the color red on the water. I think about the blood and water that came out of Jesus’ side when pierced. He shed His blood for us that we may have eternal life. Isn’t this truly the gift beyond measure? As Christmas is quickly approaching, take time to ponder the depth of this act for us. This is the reason and meaning of Christmas.
1John 5:6 (NKJV). “This is He who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ; not only by water, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is truth.”
May God richly bless you this Christmas. Rejoice in the new born king.
©️Denise L. Calandra 2021
Scriptures for daily thought and encouragement !
In Everything Give Thanks
As we, in America, approach our Thanksgiving Day Holiday, we are reminded of all we have to be thankful for; and from whom all our blessings come. However, being thankful should not just be a one day event! Let thankfulness permeate our being. It should be an everyday and all consuming frame of mind.
As stated in the Bible in 1Thessalonians 5:16-18(NKJV) “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
Why?
Because God is good!
Psalm 118:29 (NKJV)“Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!”
On this Thanksgiving, even in the midst of all the turmoil surrounding us all, I encourage you to be thankful. We still have many things to be thankful about. God bless you all. Happy Thanksgiving!
©️Denise L. Calandra 2021
Scriptures for daily thought and encouragement.
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)
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