God's world (Ephesians 4:17-32, Philippians 4:4-7, Psalm 24:1-2)

"The  earth is the LORD'S, and all it contains. The world, and those who dwell in it.
For He has founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the rivers."
(Psalms 24:1-2 NASB)
© Karen Kyle Ericson, all rights reserved.

I forgot to mention in my last post, when I go out and do ministries on my own, I let my Pastors know what I'm up to.  That way they know we don't all sleep in Church : )  They work so hard and certainly deserve encouragement. It was fun to thank my first Pastor for leading me to Christ 38 years ago.  I sent him a copy of my testimony.

(Ephesians 4:17-32 NKJV)
17 This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, 18 having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; 19 who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.
Hmmm "walking in the futility of your mind..."  Yikes!  I see that as someone who is living in an imaginary world.  Just there.  Sometimes I ask Todd what he's thinking and he says, "Nothing."  
So I ask, "Nothing?"
He answers, "doooooo.  Yup nothing."
I think all the time!  It must be so relaxing : )  

To me, these verses describe people who are constantly thinking.  If something doesn't make sense, they make up a solution they like.  They close their minds to any other options.  They have done this for so long their minds and hearts don't know what truth is.  They are self serving and ignore God even making up lies to justify their thoughts.  


We keep hearing about climate control in the USA, it's Obama's favorite topic and investment.  After Hurricane Sandy hit New Jersey, an Environmental conference was held.  It was horrible there was less than 1/4 of an inch of water lost from our shorelines.  That doesn't concern me as much as the people still trying to rebuild their homes.  They also worry about the polar ice caps melting.  Yet 2 ice cutter ships got stuck in the ice last winter.  I love Christianity.  With God, humans are His best asset.  Not the ice or the water which He created.  We must protect our world but not pretend to control it. That's God's domain.

What would it feel like to believe we are just fine the way we are?  To just relax, work hard, sleep well, laugh, love and dance.  We'll know in Heaven for sure : )


20 But you have not so learned Christ, 21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: 22 that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, 23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.
When I put off my old ways and temptations, I feel like a new woman.  I have joy in my heart.  I am respected and loved.  Only God can provide the peace that passes understanding.  When we have faith and walk in the light, the fruit of His Spirit comes.  Paul describes it in his letter to the Philippians.

4 Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!
5 Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. 

6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
(Philippians 4:4-7 NKJV)

25 Therefore, putting away lying, “Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,” 
Guilty!  I have a hard time telling other people (except my husband) that they are upsetting me.  We live in a townhouse that's close to other homes.  My neighbor  throws their beach towels over our courtyard fence when they're wet.  It's a small private space and I usually just push them off our side onto theirs.  I really should ask them to stop.  Nothing like seeing someone elses laundry in your courtyard...  Do we have to be honest?

for we are members of one another. 26 “Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, 
Members of one another describes the body of Christ.  We are His hands, ears, feet...  God has given all of us gifts and talents to share.  My husband and I try not to let the sun go down on our anger.  I just can't sleep when I'm mad.  Neither can he.  We sometimes have pillow fights or squirt gun fights to get out of the angry mood.  It works well. Basically it's taking ourselves too seriously.

27 nor give place to the devil. 
This describes giving the devil a place (foothold) when we dwell in anger instead of faith.  I hate being angry it's so annoying.  Anger is a necessary emotion to help us change things but it's not good to constantly feed it.  "Did you see that lady?  She just hit my cart with her cart.  How rude!" and then pace all night... Not that I would ever... ok I would.

28 Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need.
This verse sounds like it's for new Christians. I was so confused when I first became a Christian.  I didn't feel like sinning as much.  I think that's normal when we first go to Church.  It's all so intimidating.  Paul is giving an alternative that's to be useful.   I am happy to say, "I'm working quietly with my own hands now!"  I'm at home.  Hopefully this blog is useful for others : )  Ok I do talk to myself and the kitties sometimes... /blush

 29 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. 32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.
Bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor and evil speaking greaves the Holy Spirit.  I definitely don't want to do that.  He would rather we are kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving, just like Jesus forgave us.

Dear Heavenly Father,
I pray for those in Iraq and Israel.  I pray for peace in Jerusalem, for the Holy cities in the middle east.  They are in a precarious place with all the fighting.  Lord, I pray You will give our Congress courage to do what must be done in the White House.  Please let your Spirit bless the children from Central America still waiting in warehouses.  I pray they will be able to live safely in Central America.  Thank You for all the blessings you have given us.  Be with those in Ukraine.  Bless our allies and help all our nations be strong.  In all these things let the right win and the wrong fail.
In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Here's a song by Matt Maher, "Alive Again" (link)

If you have a prayer request feel free to write it in Comments.  I'd be happy to pray for you.  God bless!

Good news

The TV News keeps bringing more and more bad news.  Last night I was troubled and remembered the Lord's prayer.  Sometimes I simply don't know where to start : )  With all the stuff building up, it's getting harder and harder.  So glad He gave us a prayer to recite.  After I prayed, I felt peace and joy.  This is way out of my control.

Jesus told us to pray like this:
Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed by Your name,
Your kingdom come,
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts
As we forgive our debtors,
And do not lead us into temptation,
But deliver us from the evil one,
For Yours is the kingdom and the power
and the glory forever. 
Amen.
Matthew 6:9-13

At times, it feels like I'm watching a speeded up version of Tim LaHaye & Jerry B. Jenkins series, Left Behind.  So many nations are rising up against each other, ok us.  Our Administration continues to focus on a movie being responsible, but the world leaders believe the President is responsible to solve the problem.  It doesn't appear the world leaders want to hear about a movie.  At this point we can't say for sure if this is the end times.  Because Jesus said, 

"Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.  But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only."  Matthew 25:35-36

It appears some of the old Biblical prophecies could be fulfilled, but no one knows for sure.  I'm debating about writing about the prophecies.  I hesitate because they can be so misinterpreted and the last thing I want to do is spread more fear.  The Mayan calendar isn't in there, sorry.  My theory about the calendar is the guys who started it, got bored, and decided to work on football instead.  Just a thought...  

The good news-

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.  Genesis 1:1
The heavens and earth aren't fragile things man put together.  They are God's workmanship.

The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.  Psalm 24:1
God, not man, has ultimate authority over what happens.

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.  For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world,  but that the world through Him might be saved.  John 3:16-17
God loves us all.  Even those who are different.  He didn't send Jesus to condemn us all to destruction.  He came to save us.  

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9
No one is beyond His love or ability to forgive.  We just need to believe and confess, to allow Him to be Lord of our life.

He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away. Revelation 21:4
Jesus will come to take us home to Heaven, the New Jerusalem.  We will not fear anymore. 

This is a very important year to remember to vote!  And, please pray with me for Israel.  The leader of Iran verbally said his goal is to completely destroy Israel at the United Nations.  Hard to believe it's real, but it is... this is in the prophecies.

Feel free to leave a comment if you'd like me to go through the prophecies.  I'm still undecided.

Not done yet

God smiled on His earth, His creation. 
Gen 1:31
31 Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
NKJV
Sadly, we don't always realize what we have.  It's easy to become ungrateful or just not notice what's going on around us. I remember shooting a gargoyle on the top of a building in NYC.  I had my camera on a tripod.  A man in a business suit walked up beside me to see what I was shooting. It made me wonder how many people live in the city and miss out on details like this.  But God doesn't give up on us.  The struggle with faith and thanksgiving was huge for the people of Israel.  We still have that struggle today as Christians.

Psalms 85

1 God, you smiled on your good earth!

You brought good times back to Jacob! 

2 You lifted the cloud of guilt from your people,

you put their sins far out of sight. 

3 You took back your sin-provoked threats,

you cooled your hot, righteous anger.

I can pray along with this Psalm, "Help us again."  Jesus provided the new start we needed, the resurrection life.  After I accepted Christ, the first thing I noticed was I laughed for the first time in years.  I was watching a TV show and just started laughing.  I think the first fruit of the Spirit I experienced was joy.  With the current political climate in North America, this prayer is important.

4 Help us again, God of our help;

don't hold a grudge against us forever. 

5 You aren't going to keep this up, are you?

scowling and angry, year after year? 

6 Why not help us make a fresh start — a resurrection life?

Then your people will laugh and sing! 

7 Show us how much you love us, God!

Give us the salvation we need!

In Heaven there will be no more religions, no one will be called, "fools."  All questions will be answered.  He loves His holy people which includes the Jews- all people who accept Jesus' sacrifice. 

8 I can't wait to hear what he'll say.

God's about to pronounce his people well,

The holy people he loves so much,

so they'll never again live like fools. 

9 See how close his salvation is to those who fear him?

Our country is home base for Glory!

Love, truth and right living are a result of our faith.  At least I do my best with living right.  I am definitely not perfect.  I don't know any Christians who want to destroy others because they don't believe like they do.  I do know a lot of Christians who try to help others with food, visiting in prisons, clothes, and other things, regardless of their beliefs.  Jesus is our example.  He showed us how to live. 

10 Love and Truth meet in the street,

Right Living and Whole Living embrace and kiss! 

11 Truth sprouts green from the ground,

Right Living pours down from the skies! 

12 Oh yes! God gives Goodness and Beauty;

our land responds with Bounty and Blessing. 

13 Right Living strides out before him,

and clears a path for his passage.
THE MESSAGE
"Right Living strides before us, and clears a path for His passage" just like Palm Sunday in the New Testament (Matt 21:4-11).  Jesus, Son of God, chose to ride a donkey into Jerusalem.  Though He is God, the King of King's, He came to earth in humility.

Look up!

Psalms 46
8 Attention, all! See the marvels of God!
He plants flowers and trees all over the earth,
9 Bans war from pole to pole,
breaks all the weapons across his knee.
10 "Step out of the traffic! Take a long,
loving look at me, your High God,
above politics, above everything."
THE MESSAGE

This world has gone crazy.  It seems like every time I open a news website another disaster occurs.  War, famine, people trying to escape their countries for freedom only to die on the way.  The politics have gone way beyond what I've ever seen in my life.  Traffic is always heavy in New Jersey, people are annoyed, impatient, bosses demand schedules pushing drivers to do what they can to get through the traffic.  It's a treadmill that doesn't seem to end.  But above all is God.  He is still in control of the universe.  He created the flowers and trees.  He created us to live a simple life- it's us that made it all so complicated.  I am constantly challenged to find ways to simplify my days and find the priorities.  But the question always remains, how long God?  How long must we wait for peace on earth?  Here's what Jesus said,

John 3
16 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.  17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
NKJV

That none should perish.

Photographing His artwork

Ps 24:1-2
24 The earth is the Lord's, and all its fullness,
The world and those who dwell therein.
2 For He has founded it upon the seas,
And established it upon the waters.
NKJV

As a photographer, I will let you in on a secret.  I hope it's not considered cheating... Ok, when I go out to shoot, I ask God to show me where the good shots are.  There. It's out in the open. Shew!  It makes sense to me, He created the Heavens and the earth. I know He likes us to notice His work, like I do.  I can tell He loves color; me too.  And the animals- he's got a great sense of humor.  I sometimes wonder what He thinks of all our ideas for managing the universe.  I wonder if we ever make Him laugh.  I hope so.

Where to start?

Ps 22:27-28
27 All the ends of the world
Shall remember and turn to the Lord,
And all the families of the nations
Shall worship before You.
28 For the kingdom is the Lord's,
And He rules over the nations.
NKJV

Sometimes the world seems so out of control.  Nations rise up and nations fall but God is still the Creator of the world.  He is still in control.  Although I can't see or hear what He's thinking "the kingdom is the Lord's, And He rules over nations."  When I pray and tell God how to fix things I ramble on and on, get frustrated, then finally acknowledge He knows what He's doing.  My ideas may be partly right but He's the Almighty.  So I pray for the problem and leave it in His hands.  Then smile.  There's certain things we just don't need to worry about.