Staying on the Ancient Path- Psalm 91

This is the next installment of  my Artsy-devotional video series on Staying on the Ancient Path. Here we explore the “bumps” that came on Abraham’s path as He followed God and how he overcame them.  Then we read and talk about the great inspirational Psalm of David, Psalm 91.

Staying on the Ancient Path -Love

Staying on the Ancient Path Devotional Art Journal - Using 2 Peter 1:5-8 to continue on the journey by adding the final ingredient to our faith - love. 

We are discussing the meaning of how much God loves us by personalizing John 3:16, ”For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” and see that God loves us (each individual person) so much that He sent His only Son to take our place and make the payment for our sins so that we can have eternal life with Him through faith.

We also take a close look at 1 Corinthians 13 - the love chapter in the Bible where this Agape, self-sacrificing love is described to us so that we can understand how we can love others.

To make the journal page we collage a picture from a magazine and a vintage bird print with the verse 1 Corinthians 13:13 “And now abideth, faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity (Love).”

We collage and embellish it on a piece of one of my botanical gel prints. 

     We wrap up this study in 2 Peter with verse 8, where it says that if we add and practice these 8 ingredients to our faith, we will be fruitful, joyful and effective in our knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ and our Christian walk.

 2 Peter 1:5-8 - “And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.  For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Additional verses used:

Galatians 5:22-23-”But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.”

1 Corinthians 13:1-8- “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;  Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.”

1 John 4:7-11-”Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.  Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.”

Staying on the Ancient Path - Taking the first Step - Gospel

"Heaven is a gift" tract is read and gives the gospel message.

Also, the story of Abraham and Isaac when God told Abraham to offer his only son

as a burnt offering on the altar and how God provided the Ram as a substitute.

This story gives a clear picture of what Jesus did for us on the cross.

Freedom 2024 word of the year- impromtu journal page

I've decided to have a word for the year for 2024.  It's the word - Freedom!  It's been popping up a few times recently and it would be a good word to use to focus my mind on.  There are 3 verses that talk about freedom that I want to think about:

Galatians 5:1-
Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

It's talking about how Jesus made us free from our sins with his death on the cross and resurrection. We don't need to try to pay for our sins by doing all kinds of work and religious things.  He gave it to us as a free gift.  We can now worship Him in Spirit and in truth.

2 Thessalonians 3:1
Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you:

The Apostle Paul wanted to be able to preach the Word of God freely and that it will spread throughout without any hinderance and be effective.  I pray that same prayer for me.

Revelation 22:17
And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

A beautiful verse at the end of the Bible, showing that God wants everyone to come to Him, freely.  He wants to be involved in your life and help you and give you eternal life, if only you will freely come to Him.

Watch as I create an art journal page, with these thoughts in mind...