The Vine and the Gardener...

Hi friends,

In John 15, in the middle of Jesus' farewell discourse at his last meal with his disciples before his death, he describes his relationship with his Heavenly Father and with his disciples using several images. One of them is that of a vine and branches. This extended metaphor shows how we are a part of Christ and how we draw our source of life from him. When Jesus says 'I am the true vine' he is claiming to fulfil what Israel was meant to have been. Israel is referred to as a vine in the Old Testament, but it failed in its purpose as it grew wild and sick, and was eventually destroyed by other nations. Jesus reframes this image around himself (as with so many other images he uses as he teaches).

If Jesus is the true vine and we are the branches bearing leaves and fruit, then the Father is the gardener. As the gardener, he cuts away branches that don't bear fruit, and prunes those that do so that they will produce even more. This is both an encouraging and sobering truth. Our Heavenly Father will remove branches of his true vine that show they are no longer drawing life from the vine - they have become unfruitful and therefore unnecessary. When Jesus spoke these words they could have applied to those Pharisees and Sadducees who refused to acknowledge Jesus as the Messiah, the source of life, and therefore were not bearing fruit. Today, this could apply to those who claim to be part of the vine but who are not bearing fruit because their connection to the source has dried up. It is the Father's right to tend and care for the vine, and he does so with infinite wisdom. He doesn't just lop off branches carelessly - he knows which branches need careful tending and which ones just need to go.

What I find interesting is that along with cutting off branches that don't bear fruit, the Father prunes the ones that do - which means cutting bits from them. So either way, cutting is involved! Sometimes God cuts things from our lives or ministries which feel painful, and we feel empty or bare as a result. But in these seasons we need to know that God the Father does this for the good of the vine. We are still connected, so we are still drawing life from Jesus, and the cutting away he does in our lives will actually lead to more fruit in the future. So if you feel the painful snip of God's pruning in your life, be encouraged.... there is greater fruit coming. 

On this page in my Illustrating Bible, I painted a background with acrylic paints, then stamped the leaves from Give Thanks over the top with Stazon brown ink, colouring with coloured pencils (if you are colouring over darker backgrounds, you can add a layer of white pencil first, then add colour over the top). The verse was stamped with a combination of I Am, School Days Alpha, Rebecca Script Alpha and Mini Grunge Type Alpha. I added a couple of butterfly stickers and some washi tape down the side to finish. Here are the sets I used:

Let's be encouraged as we see our Heavenly Father at work as the gardener and choose to keep drawing our life from the vine, Jesus Christ.

Be blessed...

x Amy x

Declare the Goodness of God!

SNEAK PEEK at a part of May's release!  Cannot wait for tomorrow!

Hello again, ladies.
Last Friday, I had the opportunity to deliver a small message with some of the ladies in my local church.  We had a virtual "tea" and may I just tell you, what a thrill to see and hear these special ladies!!  It was only a 45 minute Zoom chat, but there was plenty of smiles to last me...at least until the Saturday. ;)
When God lays it on your heart to share something, you should.  That's why I want to share with you what He gave me to share on Friday.

This past year God has shown me over and over again that I need the Gospel. I've been a Christian for over 20 years and I still need the Gospel every day. I need Jesus to be a better mom, to be a better friend, to be a better wife, to be a better me.

The first thing God has been teaching me is this: The Gospel is for all people, whether you are a disciple of Jesus or one who has walked away or one who doesn't know who Jesus is, you need the Gospel.

The second thing God has been teaching me is this: The Gospel is for all people, whether you're interacting with a disciple of Jesus or one who has walked away or one who doesn't know who Jesus is, they need the Gospel.

Let's look a bit at something that I believe the Lord wants to say to all of us about that.  1 Peter 2:1ff says,

So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. 2 Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.

4 As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For it stands in Scripture:

“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone,
    a cornerstone chosen and precious,
and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”

7 So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe,

“The stone that the builders rejected
    has become the cornerstone,”

8 and

“A stone of stumbling,
    and a rock of offense.”

They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.

9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy."

 WOW!  Did you see it?

If you have not rejected the Living Stone (that's talking about Jesus Christ) but instead, believe God is building you as a spiritual house to be "a holy and royal priesthood" you have power for impact to those around you.

But what does it mean to for us to be priests? Cuz, that's kinda different.
Back when Peter wrote this, when someone thought of a "priest" they would have thought of a Jew from the tribe of Levi, publicly ordained and anointed with oil, to be a minister and mediator between man and God by way of offerings and sacrifices.  I got to thinking and studying about this, and would submit that it's not so much the title of "priest" that Peter is emphasizing, but rather the lifestyle of a priest.  As Peter speaks, he doesn't say a word about being a Jew, or a Levite, dripping oil, handling the blood of sacrifice, or any such specific access to the Holy of Holies…

So, if that's not what he's referring to, what does he mean? Listen again to what Peter says of us…

1. a holy nation - Set apart, anointed not by oil, but the fire of the Holy Spirit.
2. a people for God’s own possession - in His service, working as a purposed part of His body of believers to keep the body functioning with Christ as head.
3. to proclaim

announce officially or publicly,

declare something you consider important with due emphasis

   4.     the virtues:  that's a strange word, so here's what virtues means:

behavior showing high moral standards

In face some of your translations of the Bible may say, "goodness," "excellencies," and "praises"

of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light."

At first, I couldn't see anything here that Peter is saying as having much relation to a priest's responsibility in the Old Covenant.  At least, I couldn't before I had this book, "Christ-centered Exposition in Leviticus."
Peter is telling us the purpose of our life in Christ.

How are we like the Levitical priests?

We are set apart and distinct representatives of God, that's true. What else?

He says, Proclaim…

Declare…

Make public the goodness and praises of God?  Did priests used to do that?

Priests, even in the strange garb and attire, turbans and all, announced God's virtues. Even as the ordained minister of sacrifices, handling the offering of an animal, blood, guts, and all, his proclamation would be, "the goodness of God."

Upon fulfillment of the sacrifice by the priest, someone - the one who brought the sacrifice and offering for sin, for guilt, for restitution, would be declared forgiven; covered; made right with and reconciled to God.  You can see that all over in the sacrificial system as written in Leviticus.

Their job pointed to the Messiah.  Jesus is the fulfillment of the law (Matt. 5:17)
We know that He was a Jew, from the Kingly line of Judah (Heb. 7, Rev. 5);  He was anointed by God the Father Himself (Matt. 3:17)
to be the High Priest and Mediator between God and man
(Heb. 7), offering Himself as a sacrifice for the sins of all people (John 3:16).  And, as Hebrews again puts it appears "for us in God's presence." (9:24)

The priest's were pointing to the Gospel! And what is the Gospel?  The spotless Lamb, Jesus Christ, was sacrificed for our sins, our guilt, to restore and reconcile us to God, that we would be declared forgiven! Covered! Made right in our relationship to God Almighty.  This is wonderful news!  This was wonderful news for the Hebrew children in the time of the Levitical system, and it's wonderful news for us, right now, in the 21st century!

Peter says,

"Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy."

We are priests, not of the Levitical priesthood; but of a royal priesthood.
We are priests, not serving an earthly high priest, but under the rule of a perfect heavenly high priest.
We are priests, not by name, but by lifestyle.

We are priests, partakers in a holy calling, having tasted and seen that the Lord is INDEED GOOD, commissioned to declare the goodness of God - the praises of God - the mercies of God - the grace of God - the love of God.  Peter writes that
We have been chosen.

We have been forgiven.

We have been set apart.

We have become priests, in God's service, to proclaim and declare God's goodness - the Gospel.  And,  as we have encountered it in our lives, and as we know it to be completely needed in our world around us.  Like we agreed on before, we need this good news and we all know people who also need this good news!
News is for sharing.  News is for proclaiming.  This news of God's goodness is our declaration today! The Gospel is for us to give to others that they too may

1. Taste and see that the Lord is good
2. Come out of darkness into light
3. Become a people of God
4. Obtain the mercy of God
5. Become a priest under Christ
6. And declare the goodness of God to more!

I pray this was good for your heart and soul.  God's word is living and active, and I'm so excited that we have this good news to share with all people!

Much love,

Deeds

Stamps Used:
Begin Again (Sneak peak!)
Rebecca Script

Like A Tree

Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord and whose trust is the Lord. "For he will be like a tree planted by the water, that extends its roots by a stream and will not fear when the heat comes; but its leaves will be green, and it will not be anxious in a year of drought nor cease to yield fruit." Jeremiah 17:7-8

Hello Friends!
Wow, these verses say so much. Ever gone through rough times? Life is full of them. and the key to get through them, according to these verses, is to trust in God. If we trust in God, these verses say, we will be like a tree with a good source of water. Not only will we be nourished, even when the heat comes, even when the drought comes, our leaves will be green and we will bear fruit, and we will not be anxious. Oh, these verses are like a balm to my soul. Even in our toughest times, God is nourishing our souls if we are trusting in Him. He is the Living Water, after all! And through His nourishment, we have no reason to fear or be anxious even in the midst of circumstances we don't understand. Instead, we can grow and bear fruit.

Have you ever looked a the rings of a cut tree? The ring tells the story of the tree's life. In general, each ring is a year in the life of a tree, the thicker the ring, the better the year- lots of growing. I think tree rings are a great metaphor for us, but in reverse. If our souls had rings, I think the thickest, the ones that make us strongest and show the most growth, would not be for the "good years", but instead would be the times of our toughest circumstances when we had to trust and rely on God.

Our God is good. All. The. Time. We can trust Him. No. Matter. What. If you are in the midst of difficult circumstances, dear friends, hold on to Him. Trust in Him. Be nourished by Him. And BLOOM.

For the page, I used the Following Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps sets: Wood Backgrounds, Shake It Off Caps, and Rebecca Script. Wood Backgrounds is part of the December release and I love it!! It's the December Stamp of the Month and FREE with a $75 purchase during December.

 Have a blessed week! Andrea

This time I will praise the Lord!

Hi friends,

There are so many fascinating stories in the Old Testament that show us how people lived out their faith in the God of Israel - many times in faltering and imperfect ways. One that I have read many times is the story of Jacob and his wives and sons, but the last time I read it there was a little part of the story that jumped out at me.

 You see, in the story of Jacob's wives, Leah was the one who felt second-best. She was the one Jacob didn't really want. She wasn't the pretty or popular one. So she felt inferior and thought the way she could overcome this was by bearing children for her husband. God had compassion on her and opened her womb and when she gave birth to her first child her response was 'now my husband will love me.' She conceived again and in naming her son once more referenced her husband's attitude toward her and God's provision in response. When she gave birth to a third son she said 'now this time my husband will be attached to me...' Each time she responded to a blessing from the Lord with a hope that this blessing would bring something else she desperately wanted. She didn't see and celebrate the blessing for what it was because she had her eyes on something other than God.

But then Leah conceived and gave birth to her fourth son, and this time her response was different: "this time I will praise the Lord." There was no reference to her husband or her desire for favour from him. She was simply grateful for God's blessing and responded in praise. This story made me reflect on how many times I miss opportunities for gratitude and praise, because I see God's blessing as a means to an end rather than seeing them as pure gifts from God that should be celebrated in their own right, with grateful praise. This story challenges me to make this time (right here, right now) the time when I praise the Lord - not next time, not when I get everything I want - THIS time!

I had so much fun on this page and it turned out as one of my favourites in a while. It started out as a hot mess, with fushia paint spread and stenciled on the page so it looked dark and ugly. I was going to leave it and resign it to the 'tried but failed' pages, but I decided to apply a thin layer of white paint of the fushia and see what happens. That lightened it so it looked a bit better, so I went on to add some gelatos in contrasting colours, blending them into the page with my fingers. I then splattered some white and gold paint over the top, with some musical washi tape and little torn strips of glittery washi tape to finish the background. The images and verse were stamped over the top using Women of Praise, Bitty Minnie Alpha and Rebecca Script Alpha.

Let's remember to be people who praise the Lord THIS time and every time he blesses us - without agenda or waiting until we have 'more' - He is worthy of our praise!

Every blessing...

x Amy x

Justice, Mercy & Faithfulness...

Hi friends,

Have you ever focused so much on little details that you've missed the big picture? Whether it's focusing on the imperfections of our homes and missing the fact that we have one to be grateful for, or nitpicking at the faults of others instead of cherishing the gift of relationship, this is something that I can be frequently guilty of!

Jesus faced people who also focused on the small things instead of the more important matters - those people were called the Pharisees. In Matthew 23, Jesus does not hold back in his criticism of their attitudes, behaviour and heart condition. In this list of rebukes, Jesus points out that the Pharisees were really great at tithing (giving 10%) of every... little... thing (including herbs and spices!!) but they were neglecting the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy and faithfulness.

The Pharisees were so consumed with box ticking in the small matters and making sure they looked good and had done their duty, that they missed the heart of God's instructions: they way they treated people. This verse is very similar to one found in Micah 6:8, and I suspect that Jesus was reminding them of this verse of Scripture (which they would have been familiar with), which says "what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?" These three actions/attitudes correspond to Jesus' words in Matthew 23: justice is mentioned first in both, mercy and kindness come from the same Hebrew word, and faithfulness could be described as walking humbly before God. You see, God hasn't changed. The heart of the Old Testament law is the same as the heart of the Kingdom of God that Jesus came to teach and demonstrate. God places the highest value on how we treat one another and how we follow Jesus. It's that simple.

I used one of the stamp sets that you can get for free as a Stamp of the Month during November, called Poppies and Greetings, on this page, watercolouring the flowers. I also used Life in Jesus, Skinny Caps Alpha and Rebecca Script Alpha for the three main words, with little words from Armor of God along with some small alpha stickers to complete the text.

Let's remember to keep focused on the things that matter most to God: justice, mercy and faithfulness. When these things are our priority, the little things tend to take care of themselves, or they get put into their proper perspective!

Be blessed...

x Amy x

Show Hospitality... Without Grumbling!

Hi friends,

Today is new release day over at Sweet n Sassy Stamps, and this month is a special month as SNSS turns 11! One of the sets being released today is the adorable Cocoa's Cups, which is a combination of previous favourite Cocoa images - sooo cute!

I had a think about what Scripture verses I could illustrate using this set and one of the words that came to mind was 'hospitality'. I used an online Bible website to search for the word hospitality and found a few verses to meditate on. One of them was in 1 Peter 4:9, which says "Show hospitality to one another without grumbling." This is such a simple, straightforward instruction, but oh how we (or maybe just I?) need to hear it! How easy it is to moan about the dishes or the mess or the time or money spent in showing hospitality - even, and maybe especially, to our own household!

But God asks us to serve with grace, not with grumbling. We are called to follow the example of Jesus, who poured out his life for others without grumbling or complaining. So, next time we have to clean up a spill, do extra dishes or spend time we feel we don't have cooking, cleaning or caring for others, let's remember to minister hospitality with grace rather than grumbles!

I stamped the images from Cocoa's Cups onto watercolour card then cut out different elements to create this scene. The verse was stamped with a combination of Rebecca Script Alpha and Bitty Minnie Alpha, and I added some splashes in the background using one of the stamps from Grunge Elements 2. Here are the sets I used:

I pray that you would be richly blessed as you extend the gift of hospitality to those around you!

x Amy x

Come, Let Us Worship!

Hey guys!

It's just me, Deeds, and it's a good day to blog. :D

Forgive me, I'm smirking as I write that.  Why?

Because today has been a horrible, rotten, no good, very hard day.  I have issues.  Yes, issues.  About the weather, about my house, about my family relationships, about my own health and they all find their way into the deep, deep holes of my heart and begin festering.  

It's quite demotivating actually.  

And to tell you the truth, this horrible, rotten day has gotten so far out of hand I barely made it to the computer to write more of my journey by God's grace.

Now, I sit here, and just rest with a cup of green tea at my side.  Kids are napping, and the only noise I hear is the dehumidifier working it's mechanic "tail" off to keep my house from growing.

Y'all these hard days are purposed for so many things that we don't see or understand.  God has been trying so hard with this stubborn child of His to just help in my learning: "My child, I'm still God.  Come to Me and worship Me.  You will find all you ever need in me."

Background was done using Ranger Distress Oxide.
Colors picture below.

I'm thankful for the ability to sit and type this up, because as I further explain the course of my life in conjunction with the matter of worship, I'm humbled. 
Today may be one of the most terrible, but it's always a good day to praise the Lord.

Come, let us worship and bow down. Let us kneel before the LORD our maker,  for he is our God. We are the people he watches over, 

the flock under his care. If only you would listen to his voice today!  

The LORD says, “Don’t harden your hearts as Israel did at Meribah, 

as they did at Massah in the wilderness.
Psalm 95:6-8

Here in Psalm 95, we are given a call and beckoning to come and just be with our Maker.  For He is our God and we are His sheep.  We have but one response to God that we may have peace and feel assurance: kneel and worship!

So on this day when my heart grows weary and tends toward the hardness spoken of in verse 8, I am to gravel at the feet of my LORD.  My God. My Savior. 

Sweet 'n' Sassy Stamps released this beautiful Christmas set this month, called "O Holy Night."  I found silhouetted manger scene to be quite appropriate.  Having just been newly born, Jesus the Christ is worshiped in splendor, honor, and humility.  Mary and Joseph assume a position of servant in the presence of this baby King. 
Years later, He would be the object of affection and adoration for Magi that traveled miles upon miles to do the very same, only this time to a toddler. 

Ranger Embossing Powder used to created the star shapes from
the stamp set, as well as lettering for "Come."
Supplies pictured below.

Years and years later, the same holds true for us: the key element of our worship is the Object Himself.  Jesus our Savior.  And in Psalms, we are called to worship and bow down - not tomorrow.  Not on a better day.  Not on a good day.  Now.  Right now.  This moment.  This hard, impossible, horrible, defeated moment. 

Bow.

He is God.  God alone.  Jesus is worthy of all praise.  All honor is due His Name. 

You guys, life IS hard.  It's a crap thing, sometimes, and nobody understands that better than the Most High.  No one gets our complaints in full like the LORD of Hosts.  No one can truly identify with our toughest battles than the LORD of Armies, Jesus Christ.

So, come.  Let us worship together.  Let us bow before our Maker.  Christ the LORD.

Stamp sets used: "O Holy Night" and "Rebecca Script Alpha."

O, come let us adore Him…

O, come let us adore Him…

O, come let us adore Him, Christ the LORD!!

*Sigh*  God is good; all the time. :D

Much love,

Deeds

Does God Act for You?

"From of old no one has heard
    or perceived by the ear,
no eye has seen a God besides you,
    who acts for those who wait for him."

Isaiah 64:4 

Waiting is hard.  Our human nature, the way our minds often work, presupposes that waiting means inactivity.  When we are waiting, something is not being done.  And most of the time waiting means our inability to control what we want to happen.  We think waiting means the situation isn't going to be fixed in the way we think it should...and certainly not in the time frame we desire.  Waiting is hard.  

God has something powerful in his word about waiting.  In this verse, we see two things about God:  1)  nothing, absolutely nothing comes close to the power God wields; 2) God acts with that power on behalf of those who wait upon him. 

"From of old no one has heard
    or perceived by the ear,
no eye has seen a God besides you,
    who acts for those who wait for him."

Isaiah 64:4 

We cannot even conceive or imagine the power God possesses, but He has promised to harness all than power and bring it to bear upon people of faith who in trust wait upon him to act for them.  So for the fervent believer, waiting is far from inactivity.  It is trusting, it is surrender, it is freedom from worry, it is confidence in a the power of God.  Waiting can be a time of deep worship, ground-shaking prayer, a time of remember how God has acted on our behalf in the past.  Waiting upon God to act is FAR from inactivity.  It is in itself one of the engaging activities in our spiritual developing.  When we wait, we are growing, deepening our faith, and we are releasing the limitations of our human frailties and opening wide the door for God's power.  We cannot conceive or imagine what God is about to do in our circumstances.  When we wait, we wait for God's perfect timing and we wait for his miracles to occur.  

While we wait, God is building a highway before us, he is clearing obstacles in our path.  If we run headlong before him, taking matters in our own hands to fix our situation, we will trip and stumble over the stones he would have removed for us in his timing. 

The world repeats humanistic messages.... "You are strong, you can do it,"  "Take care of yourself first,"  "No one else will do it, if you don't"  "Strength and competence lies within you,"  "You are the master of your destiny."  "Create your own life, you deserve it."  On and on we are told in numerous ways every day...YOU are in control.  Nothing could be farther from the truth and if we are all honest with ourselves it only takes ONE day in our lives to prove that we are simply not in control.  We are not in control because the Master of the Universe, the REAL master of our destiny will never relinquish his control.  He will let rebellious people go their own way toward destruction if they are literally hell-bent to be master of their destiny.  The abyss of the absence of God is their destiny if they live apart from the God to whom no one compares.  

God acts for those who wait upon him, who surrender to his will and his power, who trust in his ability to bring about the perfect outcome.  His perfect outcome may not seem perfect.  But in the end, if we turn it over to him he will bring all things together for our good--. ^"And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose," Romans 8:28. 

Do you need something to happen?  Pray, trust, wait.  God will act for you if you wait upon him.  

-----

Design Details:  The background is a simple watercolor wash.  I used stamps and stencils for lettering and texture and the July printable, Go God's Way, for the images.  

Sets used:

Go God's Way Printable

Rebecca Script

Bitty Minnie Alpha