"The Expanse of the Heavens"

 -Alistair Begg

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Genesis 1:1,16-18

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth...

God made the two great lights, the greater light to govern the day, and the lesser light to govern the night; He made the stars also.

God placed them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth, and to govern the day and the night, and to separate the light from the darkness; and God saw that it was good."...

Psalms 8:3

..."When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,

The moon and the stars, which You have ordained;"...

Psalms 19:1

"The heavens are telling of the glory of God;

And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands."...

Psalms 33:6

..."By the word of the Lord the heavens were made,

And by the breath of His mouth all their host."...

Psalms 147:4

..."He counts the number of the stars;

He gives names to all of them."...

Isaiah 40:26

..."Lift up your eyes on high

And see who has created these stars,

The One who leads forth their host by number,

He calls them all by name;

Because of the greatness of His might and the strength of His power,

Not one of them is missing."...

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Safely Held by Jesus :o)

- Fashiondeja.com

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2 Thessalonians 3:3

..."the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen and protect you from the evil one."...

Psalms 91:1-4

"He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High

Will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.

I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress,

My God, in whom I trust!”

For it is He who delivers you from the snare of the trapper

And from the deadly pestilence.

He will cover you with His pinions,

And under His wings you may seek refuge;

His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark."...

Psalm 55:22

..."Cast your burden upon the Lord and He will sustain you;

He will never allow the righteous to be shaken."...

Psalm 62:1-2

"My soul waits in silence for God only;

From Him is my salvation.

He only is my rock and my salvation,

My stronghold; I shall not be greatly shaken."...

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'Tis so Sweet to Trust in Jesus

 -Josh Atkinson, Marietta, Ohio

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'Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus

Just to take Him at His Word

Just to rest upon His promise

Just to know, "Thus saith the Lord"

Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him!

How I've proved Him o'er and o'er

Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!

Oh, for grace to trust Him more

Lord oh, for grace to trust You more

-Louisa Stead

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Trust and Obey

-Yellowstone FB

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When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word

What a glory He sheds on our way!

While we do His good will, He abides with us still

And with all who will trust and obey

Trust and obey, for there's no other way

To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey

Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies

But His smile quickly drives it away

Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh or a tear

Can abide while we trust and obey

Oh, Trust and obey, for there's no other way

To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey

Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at His feet

Or we'll walk by His side in the way

What He says we will do, where He sends we will go

Never fear, only trust and obey

Trust and obey, for there's no other way

To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey

Oh, Trust and obey, for there's no other way

To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey

-John Sammis

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Do not trust worry, but do Trust Jesus

-internet meme

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 Isaiah 41:10

..." ‘Do not fear, for I am with you;

Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God.

I will strengthen you, surely I will help you,

Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’ "...

Matthew 6:25-34

...“For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. 

Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?

Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. 

Are you not worth much more than they?

And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?

And why are you worried about clothing? 

Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these.

But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? 

You of little faith!

Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’

For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.

But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

“So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."...

Philippians 4:4-7

..."Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!

Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. 

The Lord is near.

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."...

1 Peter 5:6-11

..."Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.

Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. 

Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world. 

After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.

To Him be dominion forever and ever. Amen."...

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A PLUGGER's Christmas

-PLUGGERS

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It's a Cold Wind Blowing....

-Simon's Cat

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Time for some Hot Tea!

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We all need refueling...in His Word, on our minds, and on our tongues

F-4 Phantom ready to refuel

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Matthew 11:28-30

...“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.

Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

1 Corinthians 15:56-58

..."The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord."

2 Corinthians 1:3-4

..."Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God."...

Deuteronmy 31:8

..."The Lord is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”...

Psalms 121:1-2

"I will lift up my eyes to the mountains;

From where shall my help come?

My help comes from the Lord,

Who made heaven and earth."...

Isaiah 41:10

..." 'Do not fear, for I am with you;

Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God.

I will strengthen you, surely I will help you,

Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’ "...

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Who knows Your name?

-meme

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As an analogy for how the LORD God treats those who choose to trust Him as our God and Savior:

Isaiah 43:1

"But now, thus says the Lord, your Creator, 

O Jacob [Israel],

And He who formed you, O Israel,

“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;

I have called you by name; you are Mine!"...

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Isaiah 45:3b-7

..."So that you may know that it is I, 

The Lord, the God of Israel, 

who calls you by your name.

“For the sake of Jacob My servant,

And Israel My chosen one,

I have also called you by your name;

I have given you a title of honor

Though you have not known Me.

“I am the Lord, and there is no other;

Besides Me there is no God.

I will gird you, though you have not known Me;

That men may know from the rising to the setting of the sun


That there is no one besides Me.


I am the Lord, and there is no other,

The One forming light and creating darkness,


Causing well-being and creating calamity;


I am the Lord who does all these."...

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Because David has the same feeling 

concerning the LORD as we can have:

Psalm 139

O Lord, You have searched me and known me.

You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
You understand my thought from afar.

You scrutinize my path and my lying down,
And are intimately acquainted with all my ways.

Even before there is a word on my tongue,
Behold, O Lord, You know it all.

You have enclosed me behind and before,
And laid Your hand upon me.

 

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
It is too high, I cannot attain to it.

Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence?

If I ascend to heaven, You are there;
If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there.

If I take the wings of the dawn,
If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea,

Even there Your hand will lead me,
And Your right hand will lay hold of me.

 

If I say, “Surely the darkness will overwhelm me,
And the light around me will be night,”

Even the darkness is not dark to You,
And the night is as bright as the day.
Darkness and light are alike to You.

For You formed my inward parts;
You wove me in my mother’s womb.

I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Wonderful are Your works,
And my soul knows it very well.

 

My frame was not hidden from You,
When I was made in secret,
And skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth;

Your eyes have seen my unformed substance;
And in Your book were all written
The days that were ordained for me,
When as yet there was not one of them.

How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!

If I should count them, they would outnumber the sand.
When I awake, I am still with You.

 

O that You would slay the wicked, O God;
Depart from me, therefore, men of bloodshed.

For they speak against You wickedly,
And Your enemies take Your name in vain.

 

Do I not hate those who hate You, O Lord?
And do I not loathe those who rise up against You?

I hate them with the utmost hatred;
They have become my enemies.

Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Try me and know my anxious thoughts;

 

And see if there be any hurtful way in me,
And lead me in the everlasting way.

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A Snow Day!

-internet

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Isaiah 1:18 

...“Come now, and let us reason together,”

Says the Lord,

“Though your sins are as scarlet,

They will be as white as snow;

Though they are red like crimson,

They will be like wool."...

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The LORD God reasons with us. We need to listen.

We all sin, but if we choose salvation in Jesus as our Savior our sins are forgiven and He gives us the desire and strength to overcome our sins.

You are not alone. Jesus knows your name even if you do not know Him. 

Search Him in the Scriptures, a Bible, and you can learn and know Him also. 

You can place your trust and faith in Him. It will change your life when He saves you!

Get your helmet from Jesus! (see below)

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Ephesians 6:10-17

..."be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.

Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.

Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.

Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.

And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."...

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The LORD's peace passes all understanding

-pelicans

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Philippians 4:5b-7

..."the Lord is near.

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."...

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When winds are raging o'er the upper ocean,

   And waves are tossed wild with an angry roar,

It's said, far down beneath the wild commotion,

   That peaceful stillness reigns forevermore.

Far, far beneath, noise of tempests falls silent,

   And silver waves lie ever peacefully,

And no storm, however fierce or violent,

   Disturbs the Sabbath of that deeper sea.

So to the heart that knows Your Love, O Father,

   There is a temple sacred evermore,

And all life's angry voices causing bother

   Die in hushed silence at its peaceful door.

Far, far away, the roars of strife fall silent,

   And loving thoughts rise ever peacefully,

And no storm, however fierce or violent,

   Disturbs the soul that dwells, O Lord, in Thee.

-Harriet Beecher Stowe

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"Pilgrim was taken to a large upper room 

that faced the sunrise.  And the name of the 

room was Peace."

-from Pilgrim's Progress

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Thankful Always

-PLUGGERS

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The Marvelous Creation

-Food Fact: internet

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"Did you know every strand of corn silk is connected to a kernel of corn?

Each acts like a tiny pollen tube which is the lifeline that allows the kernel to grow." 

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God's Marvelous Creation!

-internet

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When starlings take to the sky, they form breathtaking murmurations—hundreds of thousands of birds flying in perfect harmony, twisting and turning like living smoke.

 

Scientists say they react almost instantly to their seven nearest neighbors—no leader, no chaos, just perfect flow.

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The LORD created them this way :o) ...amazing!

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My Favorite Veteran

-1973

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This is the one who shared Jesus with me :o)

I've never been the same since! My salvation is so precious to me and so is he! Both were gifts from the LORD!

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In the Beginning...

-internet

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 Believe in the Truth

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1 John 1

"What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life— and the life was manifested, and we have seen and testify and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us— what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ.

These things we write, so that our joy may be made complete.

This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.

If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.

If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.

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God's Grace

-Autumn on the Mississippi 

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"The person who knows how to wait has grown to an exceptional degree in God's grace."

-unknown

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