Spiritual – Page 4 – Denise's Scriptural Photography

Come Unto Me, I Will Give You Rest

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

This setting is calling out to us to come and sit for a while. It says to take a rest; be still, learn and reflect. In these times of great busyness, this is a lost practice. In this world of stress, distractions and many troubles, we can lose sight of God and the peace we can have in Him. He wants to know us, and for us to know Him. Many things get in the way. We don’t make the time we need to build that relationship. It takes time to get to know Him and His word to us. He desires for us to have a relationship with Him. God wants to ease our burdens. We must give them to Him, and He will give us rest. Let us learn to stop, be still and listen.

Furthermore, Matthew 11:29-30 (NKJV), speaks to us still more:

“Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

As I think about how being still and spending time with the Lord is quickly becoming a missing practice, this old hymn came to mind. Sadly, hymns have become a lost entity as well. Really listen to the words in the hymn William Longstaff wrote. We are inspired to “Be holy, for I am holy” as said in 1 Peter 1:16(NKJV)

Hymn Lyrics:

Take time to be holy, speak oft with thy Lord; Find rest in Him always, and feed on His Word. Make friends of God’s children, help those who are weak, Forgetting in nothing His blessing to seek.

Take time to be holy, the world rushing on; Much time spend in secret, with Jesus alone. By looking to Jesus, like Him thou shalt be; Thy friends in thy conduct His likeness shall see.

Take time to be holy, let Him be thy Guide; And run not before Him, whatever betide. In joy or in sorrow, still follow the Lord, And, looking to Jesus, still trust in His Word.

Let us be sure to come to Jesus and take time to be holy. The picture bids us to, “Come Sit Awhile.”

Hymn “Take Time To Be Holy” Written by William Longstaff, 1882. Public Domain

He Is Our Covering

“He spread a cloud for a covering, And fire to give light in the night.” Psalm 105:39(NKJV)

The picture featured, illustrates this scripture very well. It shows the cloud, as the covering. The sun, with the red glow, portrays the fire. Psalm 105:39 tells us how God was there for the Israelite’s all through their exodus and journey in the wilderness. God led them out, but didn’t desert them, even though the Israelite’s complained like He had. That is not true, He supported them all along the way. They weren’t living a luxurious lifestyle, but their needs were being met in miraculous ways. Some thought it would be better to go back to Egypt. Had they already forgotten why they cried out to be delivered? They were living under harsh bondage. God is loving and caring.

“Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we may boldly say: ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?’” Hebrews 13: 5-6(NKJV)

We really can’t say too much about the Israelite’s and how they behaved, because we must honestly look at our own lives to see we have fallen into the same attitudes. We, who have the Holy Spirit as our helper, cannot even walk as we should. We grumble and complain. We are not content, as it tells us in the verse in Hebrews. God does care for us and is there for us through everything. He hasn’t deserted us either! His word teaches and guides us.

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” Hebrews 13:8 (NKJV)

This scripture says a lot. Simply put, it tells us that God doesn’t change. He gave us the Bible, His word; Holy Spirit inspired, for us to have and live by. It is His Story from creation (Genesis) to His coming again (Revelation). It has the beginning, the fall of man, His plan to redeem us, guides to life, many promises, the end; basically, everything we need to live by. God was with the Israelite’s as they wandered along their pilgrimage, and He is also with us as we travel on ours. May we at no time forget that He is our God, He is our helper, and He will not at any time leave us nor forsake us. God does not change; He will always be there for us. God is our covering.

Let The Rivers Of Living Water Flow

At the end of a family hike was this stunning waterfall. If you were never there, it is a wonderfully, refreshing surprise! A rewarding end to an adventurous day.

On our path in Christian life, we must continue along, pressing forward to the prize. This is stated in Philippians 3:14 (NKJV):

“I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

Then the rivers of living water will flow.

“He who believes in me, as the scripture has said, out of His heart will flow rivers of living water.” John 7:38 (NKJV)

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!

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.

He Is Our Keeper

**Come To The River Of The Water Of Life**

A lighthouse is known for the light it sends out. The light guides and directs the ships on their way, warning of danger and keeping them safe. I could have used the scripture in John 8:12 NKJV, “I am the light of the world.” However, when I look at this picture many other scriptures come to mind. Psalm 1:3 NKJV, “He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water.” Psalm 18:2 NKJV, “The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my shield, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.” These are just a few of the multitude of scriptures that could have been used. I chose Psalm 121:5 NKJV, “The Lord is your keeper; The Lord is your shade at your right hand.” Looking at this picture, I see the rocks, signifying Jesus our rock and strength. The tree is firmly planted by the river of water, and the lighthouse portrays Jesus, our keeper, standing strong in the background. Even though we don’t always sense the presence of God in our daily walk, He is steadfast, like a beacon. He is watching over us, warning, guiding and directing our steps in this earthly life. The Lord is keeping us safely on the right pathway. Open your hearts and let Him keep you.