Thoughts from November 24

      Dear reader,

     I am continually amazed and inspired by the sky! Whether daytime or nighttime, "The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork." Ps. 19:1, NKJV. Make sure you take the time to read the whole chapter. It is simply beautiful! I love the words. And when you are reading it, take a look at how seemingly suddenly the verses switch from talking about the sky to the law. Isn't it, though, not sudden at all, but just going from God's handiwork in the sky to His handiwork in His law? Perhaps from how the heavenly bodies obey God's law to how beautiful His law is, or from how beautiful is the sky to how beautiful is His law? Or from the heavenly bodies telling about God to what they are actually "saying" without words -- that is, from saying that the heavens talk about God, to "quoting" them? And isn't the law a reflection of God's character? Of course, you put into your law what is important to you. So one way of telling about God is to tell what is important to Him. And the beauty and power of God revealed in His Creation and His law humble us to worship God.

     Anyways! On to some photos of the sky.

^This was about 6:45 or so this morning.

^I was thrilled to see Venus was up! I had been sleeping in too late to see it.

NASA/JPL-Caltech, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

^As I was looking for Venus photos on Wikimedia Commons, I found this one that was taken by Mariner 10 as it left Venus. The photo is a "contrast-enhanced false color view".

^The sunrise at about 7:00 or 7:15 am

^I just love seeing mountains out my front window!

^And a warm fire on a frosty day is an added bonus.

     Have a beautiful day!

     Bye,

     Christina Austine

Thoughts from November 23

      Dear reader:

     Take a moment to read 1 Thessalonians this week. I only have time to go over chapter one today.

     Things for us to do as we go about our daily lives

• Give thanks to God for those close to us (vs. 2, NKJV)
• Mention them in our prayers (2)
• Remember their work, faith, love, patience, and hope in Christ before God (3)
• Know our "election by God" -- God chose us and wants us (4)
• Follow the Lord, receive the Word, endure trials in the "joy of the Holy Spirit" (6)
• Be an example to all who believe (7)
• Let the Word and your faith in God sound forth and go out (8)
• Turn "to God from idols to serve the living and true God" (9)
• Wait for Jesus to come (10)

     Things God gives us

• Grace and peace (1)
• Faith, love, and "patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father" (3)
• The gospel "not...in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance" (5)
• The Word (6)
• "[J]oy of the Holy Spirit" (6)
• Deliverance "from the wrath to come" (10)

     "...and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come." 1 These. 1:9, 10, NKJV. He is coming -- just wait!

     Have a blessed day!

     Bye,

     Christina Austine

Thoughts from November 16

     Dear reader:

     I opened up Bible Gateway this morning for my daily devotions, and the verse of the day struck me as so simply beautiful.

     "Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law." Psalm 119:18, NIV.

     Lord, open my eyes. I am blind. I don't know what You want to show me today. But You are not stopped by blindness! You healed Bartimaeus in Jericho of physical blindness (Mark 10:46-52); You offered healing to the church in Laodicea -- they didn't even think that they were blind, but You knew, and You offered help that they didn't ask for and didn't know they needed (Rev. 3:17-18); You can heal me. Thank You.

     Show me wonderful things in Your law. Why Your law? Well, Your laws are good (Ps. 119:39), righteous (Ps. 119:62), enduring (Ps. 119:91 -- this is another good verse to think about, so be sure you look this one up), right (Ps. 119:137), and true (Ps. 119:142). They give room for the saving of life (Ps. 119:156) and they are eternal (Ps. 119:160). Your law was the psalmist's delight (Ps. 119:92), he loved it (Ps. 119:113), and he stood in awe of it (Ps. 119:120). This one is too beautiful to paraphrase, so here it is: 

     "Great peace have those who love your law, and nothing can make them stumble." Psalm 119:165, NIV. 

     Do I need peace now! Especially do I realize my need for peace this year, with all the un-peace in my world so suddenly! And here's this one:

     "I long for your salvation, Lord, and your law gives me delight. Let me live that I may praise you, and may your laws sustain me." Psalm 119:174-175, NIV.

     I need sustaining, too! Lord, help me to praise You every nano-second of my life. Help me to delight myself in Your law and let You sustain me.

     And in simply looking for what the psalmist says about God's law, what a list of wonderful things I have found in God's law! Then too, that's just talking about what God's law is like, not what it actually teaches! I could go on and on, but the morning is getting late and breakfast will be ready before long. :D

     Have a beautiful day!

     Bye,

     Christina Austine