And he read it...

I find the stories of the Old Testament positively fascinating! Intrigue, political espionage, affairs, murder - the history of the early Israelites is not for the faint of heart. Rather than following God's ways, the people often did their own thing and paid a high price. 

The books of the Kings tells the stories of the kings of Israel (northern kingdom headquartered in Samaria) and Judah (southern kingdom headquartered in Judah). Nineteen kings led the nation of Israel, but not one of them followed after the Lord God. Twenty kings led the nation of Judah, and only eight followed the Lord. Eight kings out of 39!

We find the story of Judah's King Josiah in 2 Kings 22-23. Josiah was only eight years old when he ascended to the throne, but even from that young age he knew he wanted to do things differently than his father and grandfather (Amon and Manasseh). He had a godly scribe and high priest who helped him follow the ways of Jehovah, and he immediately began to purge the land of idols and idol worship. When he was 18 years old, he sent Shaphan, his faithful scribe, and some other leaders to the temple to instruct Hilkiah, the high priest, to begin repairing the temple. The monies collected at the temple were to be used to pay the workers and sustain the priests. The Bible says in 2 Chronicles 34:12 that "the men did the work faithfully."

While in the midst of repairing the temple, Hilkiah the priest (who just so happened to be the father of the great prophet Jeremiah) had an amazing find - the Book of the Law. 

"Then Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the scribe, 'I have found the Book of the Law in the house of the Lord.' And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it. So Shaphan the scribe went to the king, bringing the king word, says, Your servants have gatehered the money that was found in the house, and have delivered it into the hand of those who do the work, who oversee the house of the Lord.' Then Shaphan the scribe showed the king, saysing, 'Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.' And Shaphan read it before the king."

Some scholars believe this could have been the original book of of the law written by Moses! Can you imagine?! Until this point, the King only had the word that had been passed down through generations - a set of guidelines to follow, if you will. Now he had the actual written Word of God in his hands!

The Bible says in 2 Kings 22:11 when King Josiah "heard the words of the Book of the Law, that he tore his clothes." The hearing of God's word did a spiritual work in King Josiah. In the strongest way possible (tearing of clothes) he showed his grief and conviction of sin. After hearing the Word, King Josiah immediately sought counsel from a prophetess, read the Book of the Law to the people, and enacted sweeping reform throughout the whole land of Judah.

"Now the king sent them to gather all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem to him. The king went up to the house of the Lord with all the men of Judah, and with him all the inhabitants of Jerusalem - the priests and the prophets and all the people, both small and great. And he read in their hearing all the words of the Book of the Covenant which had been found in the house of the Lord."

Shaphan read the book before the king and the Word of God spread. it has been forgotten and regarded as nothing more than a dusty old book. Now it was found, read, and spread. Throughout the history of Gods' people, when the Word of God is recovered and spread, spiritual revival follows. (Guzik)

God's Word has the power to convict me of my sin, just as it did for Josiah and the people of Judah.

It's amazing to me that the Word of God was so neglected in those days that it was even worth mentioning that the scribe read it, but how often do we neglect our own Word of God? How often do we go days or weeks without opening the Word? Are we like the Israelites? Maybe it's time for a heart check: Do you regularly read the Word and, if so, does it speak to your heart the way it did Josiah's?

Page Details

I used acrylic paint and stamps to create this page. I watered down the acrylic paint a bit, and then blended it as a background. I used distress oxides to stamp the flower background and added white accents and white paint splatter. I then stamped, fussy cut, and colored the typewriter with my (cheap) alcohol markers 😉

 

 

Friends, may you enjoy your time in the Word of God this week! 🙌

Much love in Christ, 

Janelle

@journalingjoy

                            

Serve Him

David assigned the following men to lead the music at the house of the Lord after the ark was placed there. 1 Chronicles 6:31

Hello Friends!
I hope you are well. Today, I am in 1 Chronicles 6. It's one of the chapters that lists genealogy, specifically regarding the tribe of Levi. In addition to the lists of names, it speaks of assignments that segments of the Levites would fulfill. Some would be gatekeepers, some would care for the physical building and instruments once the temple was built, some would be music leaders, and those in Aaron's line would be priests. I wonder if all these men thankfully and graciously served in their assigned roles. I mean, the priests were looked up to, they led they sacrifices and worship. They were important in human eyes. The music leaders probably didn't have it too bad. They were to praise God with music. Sounds good to me. The gatekeepers...probably not the top job everyone wanted, but definitely important. What about the men that had to care for the building, the custodians? Were they appreciated? They should have been if they weren't. Can you imagine keeping the temple area clean? Here's my point, to God every single one of these jobs had a purpose in keeping His house holy. And every single job was just as important to Him as another. It's only in human eyes that we tend to rank jobs.

For believers today, we need to be willing to serve God wherever He puts us, even if that means we're serving in a not so glamorous way. And not only do we need to do it, we need to do it joyfully and with a thankful heart.

• Romans 12:4-8, "Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ's body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other. In His grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness, do it gladly."
• 1 Corinthians 12, the entire chapter, is about serving in different capacities. Paul tells us about spiritual gifts and how the body of Christ works together best when each person serves in the capacity God wants him in.
• 1 Corinthians 12:5, "There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord."
• 1 Corinthians 12:18-19, "But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where He wants it. How strange a body would be if it only had one part!"
• Ephesians 4:16, "He (Christ) makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love."

God assigned the Levites different jobs in the temple. And God gifts believers today in different ways so that we can serve in different areas. Serve joyfully in whichever part of the body you are serving! Every job is important, even those that may seem insignificant, and serves a purpose in completing God's plan.

Page details: I used the following Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps sets: Your Story, All Your Heart, and Vintage Love. I used a Micron pen to shadow the letters of "serve" and "heart." I used watercolor crayons for the background and images.

Have a blessed week! Andrea

Recorded Words...

Hi friends,

In the middle of Job's time of intense suffering and questioning, he cried out "oh that my words were recorded, that they were written on a scroll, that they were inscribed with an iron tool on lead, or engraved on rock forever!" (Job 19:23-24) He then goes on to utter one of the most well-known and loved phrases in the book of Job: "I know that my Redeemer lives..."

I was thinking about these verses and the fact that God was faithful to answer Job's plea for his words to be recorded. In fact, not only were they recorded, but they have been preserved through many centuries of time and have brought wisdom and encouragements to many millions of people throughout the world and throughout history. What an awesome answer to prayer!

When I was creating this page I was challenged again by the opportunity I have to write things down, specifically to journal about my experiences, thoughts, prayers and learning. While I do make regular time for art journaling (painting and stamping in my Bible), I have always struggled to maintain the discipline of writing in a journal, despite knowing its many benefits and even reading books on the subject!!

But when reflecting on Job's desperate plea for his words to be recorded, and the difficulty with which words would have been recorded in these ancient times, I was convicted once again of how easy it is for me to journal, but how undisciplined I am when it comes to writing things down regularly. One of the habits I want to get into going into the new year is to journal more frequently. And when I struggle with finding either the time or motivation, I now can remember Job and how much he valued having his words recorded. I also know that if I pray and ask God to help me develop this habit, he will be faithful to answer me, just as he was faithful to answer Job.

I had lots of fun creating a background with acrylic paints and stencils on this page, using various shades of green and blue. The typewriter, flowers and paper from Vintage Love were stamped on separate card, cut out and coloured with coloured pencils before gluing onto the page. The verse was stamped with a combination of School Days Alpha and Art Deco Alpha.

How do you feel about journaling? Is it a habit you already have established, one you would like to establish in your life? Maybe it's not something you think you need, but I would encourage you to think about how you are recording and reflecting upon the things in your life.

Be blessed...

x Amy x

What Child is this?

Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed the Heir of all things, through whom also He created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of His nature, and He upholds the universe by the word of His power. After making purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name He has inherited is more excellent than theirs. Hebrews 1:1-4

Merry Christmas, dear friends!
One of my favorite Christmas hymns is "What Child Is This" which asks...
What Child is this
Who laid to rest
On Mary's lap is sleeping?
Whom angels greet with anthems sweet,
While shepherds watch are keeping?

The chorus answers...
This, this is Christ the King
Whom shepherds guard and angels sing
Haste, haste to bring Him laud
The Babe, the Son of Mary.

What Child is this? That's such a deep question. Christ is so many things to us. The Hebrews verses I reference above say that God spoke to us through His Son (vs 2). Jesus is the ultimate Word of God to mankind. There is nothing else God needs to say to us. All we need to do is hear what He has said through Jesus and heed it.

These verses also tells us more about Christ.

• He is the heir of all things (vs 2). That means all things are rightfully His. 
• The world was created through Him (vs 2).
• He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of His nature (vs 3). He IS God.
• He upholds the universe by the word of His power (vs 3). Wow! Christ holds everything together!
• He purified us from our sins (vs 3).
• He sits at the right hand of the Father (vs 3).
• His name is above all names (vs 4).

So, what Child is this? He is the King! He is the Word of God. He is the Creator, Sustainer, and Heir of all things. He is our Savior and Redeemer. He deserves our praise.

Friends, in this season when we celebrate His birth, think on these things. Think about who He is and praise Him. I wish you a blessed Christmas and peace in our sweet Savior.

Page Details:

I used the following Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps sets: Vintage Love, Script Outline Alpha, Mini Grunge Type Alpha, and Texture Tiles 1. I used watercolor crayons to color the page, a Micron pen to color in the letters, and a white pen to highlight the letters. 

Have a blessed week! Andrea

Listen to the Gentle Whisper...

Hi friends,

As I've grown older I have realised the value of quiet and silence. In a world of noise coming from every direction in the forms of music, television, video clips, online opinions, conversations with friends, traffic noise and so many other sources, it seems that silence is increasingly rare.

In all that noise, it is pretty difficult to listen, whether it be to others (with care and attention), to our own emotions and thoughts, or to God. There's a story in the Bible that I have read and heard sermons on more times than I can remember (but I've never journaled it in over 4 years of doing Bible journaling!). I think one of the reasons people keep returning to this story over and over again is because it speaks to us something profound about the way God speaks which is different from the rest of the noise around us. This story is found in 1 Kings 19 and shows the prophet Elijah worn out and depressed from the physical and spiritual battles he has been facing.

Elijah is so fed up that he asks to die. God in his grace sends an angel to feed him, allows him to sleep and feeds him again. After this much needed nourishment and rest (something that we all need!), Elijah journeys to Mt Horeb, known as the mountain of God. When he is there, God not only speaks to him, but reveals something of himself in the process. A great and powerful wind tore through the mountain, but the Lord was not in the wind. Then an earthquake rumbled through the mountain, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. So where was God, if not in the noise and thunder and fire and smoke? Verse 12 says 'After the fire came a gentle whisper.' (NIV) It was this gentle whisper that drew Elijah out of the cave to meet with God. 

The thing about a gentle whisper is that you need to be listening for it and to it in order to genuinely hear it. It doesn't come crashing through all the rest of the noise of life, competing for our attention. Instead, we need to still ourselves and take time to be quiet in order to listen. God can speak in loud volumes, but he often doesn't. He often speaks in a gentle whisper, demonstrating his grace, peace and gentleness with us when we are feeling fragile and alone. Will we make space in our lives and our minds in order to hear him?

I had fun using the new Vintage Love set on this page, along with a couple of alpha sets: Bitty Minnie Alpha (my all-time fave!) and  Happy Alpha. I watercoloured the images and the page around them.

 May you be blessed as you seek to listen to the gentle whisper of God.

x Amy x

1-800-JESUS

As for me, I call to God, and the Lord saves me. Psalm 55:16

Hi dear friends,

Today, I'm focusing on Psalm 55. David began this psalm with a lament about being in the midst of adversity. One of his friends had even betrayed him. Have you ever been betrayed by someone close to you? That feeling of betrayal can hurt so deep. Unfortunately, people are going to hurt us- even those that love us. And we may hurt those we love. But there's One who will never betray us. And David knew Him well. In verse 16, his lament turned into a statement of faith and trust that God would save and keep him. David was so confident in God; and we can be too.

That God of David is our God, Jesus, one and the same. Jesus is with us through every betrayal. Call on Him and He will be there. He doesn't hide from us. He wants a relationship with us. Isn't that amazing?? The Creator of the universe wants a relationship with us. Mind blown!! And, He doesn't want just a casual relationship, He wants a close, personal, whole body and mind relationship. Call on Him. He'll never fail you. 1-800-JESUS, the line's always open!

Page Details: I used the following Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps sets: Vintage Love, School Days Alpha, and Classy Script Alpha. The new Vintage Love set is great and has a lot of neat "hidden" gems. In the center of the phone dial are the numbers "53787." That would spell out "JESUS" if you dialed it on a phone! Neat, huh? The other images have phrases on them as well. I think it's just a sweet touch to the stamps. The set was designed by Confetti Creativo by Suzanne Corson. She has a coordinating printable at her etsy shop. Find it here. I colored the page with watercolor crayons.

Have a blessed week, dear ones! Andrea

Where Can I Run From Your Love

Read Psalm 139 here.

Where shall I go from your Spirit?  Or where shall I flee from your presence?

8 

If I ascend to heaven, you are there!  If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!

Good morning
from yours truly!
I've been seriously considering just how fortunate I am that there's a platform for me to share - what a grace to be able to share openly, the love, faithfulness, and mercies of our God!  Simply amazing!

This blog post won't be like others, though it will still come from a heart that seeks the Lord and His strength, day by day.  Of that, I am certain.  I've had a somewhat miserable, and definitely difficult season these past couple of months.  I suppose it hasn't been weeded out of me, this desire to control all situations and lives in my care.  I suppose Jesus is still working on me, my heart and all the deep, underlying issues that remain.
My daily prayer is that one day soon, I will be able to face hardship without feigned faith, with unfettered hope, armed with the sword of His truth.  The most common place in which I typically find myself is in the valley, wishing for the peak.  I know I'm not the only one.  I think we all fight the urge to long for better, comfortable, and easy.  I understand fully however that until glory, we are in the thick of the earth's corruption, powers of the air, and spiritual battles for lost souls.  Which is why I'm so thankful for the comradeship of the Holy Spirit, and the companion of His Word.  I have Jesus Christ to thank for saving my soul, and Him alone to thank for the Helper He has so generously given.  I desperately need Him!

This introduction is a preface for the outstanding and timely effects of God's presence.  His movement in my heart as He guides the trajectory of my day, is too much for me to handle at times.  Even when it's hard, He's there.
Even when it hurts, He's there.
Even when it's lonesome, He's there.
When I sleep,
When I wake,
When I hide,
When I speak,
When I rise,
When I fall,
He is there.

This is why I labeled the blog "Where can I run from your love."  It's the simple question of rhetoric that follows hard on the heels of the rest of Psalm 139.  Where, indeed?
This, and Psalms like it, have an invasive glow in the darkness that surrounds both the Psalmist and me.  I'm sure this is something you've run into before as well as you've battled the schemes of the enemy to further work out your salvation:
"Lord God, it's hard.  It seems to never end.  This turmoil, this trial, it's forever.  It's devastating.  It's hurting me, my mind, my will to go forward.  I want to bury myself in heaps of comforts that can only serve their purpose as would my next breath.  I feel alone.  But...
God, I know you're here.  I know you've not gone.  I know you've never gone.  You're never caught fleeing the scene of my days, my panic-stricken mind, or ever-burdened soul.  I cannot hide my thoughts, my words, or my person from You.  You do not run for cover - You ARE my cover.  I pick up the functional, tangible savior, only to put it down again because in Your mercy, You remind me of Your faithfulness."

You cannot hide from this God.
That's a good thing.
That's a gracious thing.
That's a God thing.

His hand is on the matters of His creation, His heart tenderly working for our complete healing and sanctification.  No wonder the Psalmist says,
"How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!
    How vast is the sum of them!
18 If I would count them, they are more than the sand.    I awake, and I am still with you."  (vv.17-18)
This God of all comforts never sleeps.  Always thinks.  Always considers.  Always knows.  Always sees, always seeks, always loves.
God, even when I get caught up in my mess, or lost in my thoughts, or deep in my disbelief, You are there.  Where could I possibly go that Your love will not find me?  I do not ask for an answer, but glory in Your unbending will to see me through.  God, You are so good!

I pray you have a wonderful day, friends! Below are links to the stamp sets I used as well as the link to the song that inspired this page.  I thank you for your time in reading this, and I encourage you, sweet and hopeful sister, to continue on knowing that the Lord has not lost your way; He is leading you home!  Hallelujah!

Much love,
Deeds

Early Bird Bundle!
hurry!  Ends 12/9

Vintage Love

Art Deco Alpha

Youtube video, "139" by Gateway Worship .  ENJOY!