Just a thought by coppi

Just a thought by coppi – written in 2015

A light house does not blow fog horns but it only shines.  

When I read the above I thought of our walk as Christians.  Does our life reflect the light  of Jesus.  St Mark 4:21: and he said unto them, is a candle brought to be put under a bushel, or under a bed? And not to be set on a candlestick?  A candle beams its flickering light so we may find our way in the dark as does the Lighthouse.  As Christians we should let our light shine & walk in the light of Christ.  We need not blow fog horns but just shine & let the Holy Spirit beam through us.  Proverbs 20:27 The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord……i grew up in a very legalistic religion & if we did have a little light, it was totally blown out with dos & don’ts & lots of fear. 1 John 4:7: Beloved, let us love one another; for love is of God….10: herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us & sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 1 John 4 is filled with scriptures of love.  The pendulum swings both ways but should be in balance.  I guess my desire is not to be a fog horn but a flickering light for our Lord.

Just a thought by coppi 

“No book is a chapter, no chapter tells the whole story, no mistake defines who we are. Hope makes our lives page turners.” — Bob Goff

“Measure your success against others and you’ll be unhappy when they win—and less likely to receive help from them due to your jealousy. Measure your success against yourself and you can be happy when others win—and more likely to receive help from them thanks to your support.” – James Clear

Enough said.

Just a thought by coppi

A woman named Hagar first used one of these names. When God met her in her distress, she said, “You are the God who sees me… I have now seen the One who sees me” (Genesis 16:13). This phrase, “The God Who Sees Me,” is translated as “El Roi” in Hebrew.   He said, “Hagar, slave of Sarai, where have you come from, and where are you going?” “I’m running away from my mistress Sarai,” she answered. Then the angel of the Lord told her, “Go back to your mistress and submit to her.” The angel added, “I will increase your descendants so much that they will be too numerous to count.” The angel of the Lord also said to her: “You are now pregnant and you will give birth to a son. You shall name him Ishmael, for the Lord has heard of your misery. He will be a wild donkey of a man; his hand will be against everyone and everyone’s hand against him, and he will live in hostility toward all his brothers.”

‭‭Genesis‬ ‭16‬:‭8‬-‭12‬ ‭NIV‬‬

I was reading Genesis 16:8-12 today.  I love the part where God met her in her distress and when she said “you are the God who sees me”.  I really never gave much attention to the blessing given to Hagar;  It is quite a blessing.  “I will increase your descendants so much that they will be too numerous to count.” “You are now pregnant and you will give birth to a son. You shall name him Ishmael, for the Lord has heard of your misery. He will be a wild donkey of a man; his hand will be against everyone and everyone’s hand against him, and he will live in hostility toward all his brothers.”  Ishmael is a boy’s name of Hebrew origin, meaning “God will hear.” Gifting baby this biblical title is a lovely way to honor one’s faith and remind baby of their religious roots. In the Old Testament, Ishmael is the name of Abraham’s firstborn son and is also considered the traditional ancestor of the Arab people. 

I am not a theologian and do not claim to be, but reading what I did about Ismael, I will say the prophetic blessing given to Hagar rings true.    

God is a God of love and His love reaches into a world of calamity and calmness;  His mosaic of people are brought together in one big mosaic, and every little stone completes the mosaic. 

Proverbs 15:3, “The LORD is watching everywhere, keeping his eye on both the evil and the good.” (NLT)

Just a thought by coppi

Just a thought by coppi

“We  remain preoccupied with many little things, our Lord walks with us on the road and keeps explaining the Scriptures to us. Thus there are many rays of hope casting their light on our way through life. “ Henri Nouwen 

On The Road to Emmaus:  Only one of the four gospel writers  included this story. It is a story that reveals to us not only something about who we are, but how Jesus opens our eyes to see Him for who He is and about how we can come to know Him.

The journey to Emmaus is both a literal and a spiritual journey. Luke 24:13-35

Years ago, I did a painting of on The Road to Emmaus.  A lady in Dallas, Tx, bought it and gifted it to Oral Roberts University.  On the road to Emmaus is very meaningful to me because of Jesus walking with these two doubtful/questioning, men.  He listened to their woes.  He did not condemn them for their doubts,  but opened their eyes to who He was.  Often times, I find myself singing the lyrics of a song “He Walks With Me“ -(“And he walks with me and he talks with me – And he tells me I am his own -And the joy we share as we tarry there -None other has ever known”. )  He walks, talks, and tells me I am is own – I need His love and guidance in my life as I walk on my way to Emmaus.

Crown Jesus as Lord of your life. Commit to surrendering everything to him today. Hand over control of your plans, relationships, finances, and emotions to the one who will guide you daily into the abundant life he died to give you.

Happy Resurrection Day

Where are we going? After a very short visit to earth the time comes for each of us to pass from this world to the next. We have been sent into the world as God’s beloved children, and in our passages and our losses we learn to love each other as spouse, parent, brother, or sister. We support one another through the passages of life, and together we grow in love. Finally, we ourselves are called to exodus, and we leave the world for full communion with God. It is possible for us, like Jesus, to send our spirit of love to our friends when we leave them. Our spirit, the love we leave behind, is deeply in God’s Spirit. It is our greatest gift to those we love.

We, like Jesus, are on a journey, living to make our lives abundantly fruitful through our leaving. When we leave, we will say the words that Jesus said: “It is good for you that I leave, because unless I pass away, I cannot send you my spirit to help you and inspire you.” Henri Nouwen

I read this today, it spoke to my heart. Thought I would share with my just a thought readers. Coppi

People don’t like to be told what to do and when they need to get it done – they long to be free. If someone – even themselves – tells them they have to achieve something by a specific date, they’re not going to have fun in the process even if it’s something they enjoy.

I was listening to Dr Jeremiah last night via television.  His message was on goal setting.  He quoted scriptures and told many stories of people who set goals and  accomplish them even when they would have a setback. Goal setting has always caused me lots of angst and anxiety. He also said go to God and ask Him to show you what is His plan for your life; follow his leading.  There was a time in my life I had so many goals (all were I thought given me by God).  I was running in many directions and since my expectations are very high for myself, I accomplished none. Maybe my motivation was for myself and not God’s.  Anyway, I heaped up so much anxiety for myself – all I wanted was to be free from everything and rest.  I longed to just sit by a river bank with a fishing pole in my hand and enjoy God’s creation.  Now, I am in my golden years feeling anxiety over goal setting, and wondering: did all the time I spent ‘doing and not being’ was wasted, because I did not have one goal specifically to work on? Probably so, but at this point in my life, I am looking for my fishing pole and a quiet place to rest from anxiety and angst and enjoy God’s creation all around me. 

Just a thought by coppi

Just a thought by coppi

Ps 42:1-2 as the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for you O’God. I thirst for God, the living God. 5-6: Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again – my Savior & my God.

I am reading the book of Psalms.  David, a man after God’s heart, is praising God in one chapter & pleading for help in the next.  Where are you God, where are you, I need your help…..and then my God is the fountain of my life – he protects me & delivers me from all my enemies.  I like reading the Psalms as I see humanity….myself bouncing around from praise & worship to “where are you God, where are you”.  As long as we are in these “tottering” earthly houses, journeying through this fallen creation, we will experience the joys of life as well as the discouragements.  But, as David found in his search, God never left him…..David left God.  God is God, he never changes – we do.  I am so glad the scriptures tell about the failings of humanity & the love of God’s redeeming grace…..

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV)

After the crucifixion, the disciples were together “with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders” (John 20:19–20, NIV). They had heard that Jesus had risen from the dead but did not know what to think. Suddenly, Jesus appeared, saying, “Peace” and inviting them to see His scars. The disciples were overjoyed when they knew He was with them

The disciples walked closely with Jesus. They had seen miracles being by His side.  He spoke to them about his death and resurrection.  He spoke in parables and if they did not understand, He knew their confusion, and would clarify the parable. But, yet, when his crucifixion happened their doubts and fear took over.  When He arose from the grave, as He told them He would, they gathered in a room, locked the doors, and huddled in fear.  He appeared saying “peace” and showed them his scars.  They were overjoyed and believed.  I remember years ago sitting in a Sunday school class I attended regularly.  I noted it was different that day.  A young man was  seated at the piano, and the way he was playing it, I thought I saw angels flying around the room singing the song “Hallelujah”.  It was a beautiful feeling. Afterwards he gave his testimony and I found out why he was overwhelmed with joy.  He was part of a successful band in Dallas, Tx, and that being so, he was in the drug scene taking all kinds of drugs.  One day he was locked in his room drugged out, and Jesus appeared – “the door was locked but he appeared he reiterated and He miraculously cured all my desire for drugs, etc. “. Later the above scripture was given to him, and thus cemented his believed in Jesus. 

We can hide behind lock doors, etc, but if we need Him in our life……locked doors will not keep Him from coming to us. 

Just a thought by coppi

What a challenge it is, Lord, for me to let you take over.

I read this today and thought “yes, that is a true statement for me”.  I remember as a child reading about the little train plugging along to climb a very steep hill  – “I can do it, I can do it”, it kept repeating until it reached the top.  There is truth in “I can do it” but the reverse side is ‘I don’t need any bodies help, I can do it myself”.  It was when I totally faltered at being the administrator of the world that I said Jesus I can’t but you can, i turn this headache, problem, difficulty, etc over to you & I will trust you to take care of it.  As the words in song & scripture says “take your burdens to the Lord & leave them there…..leave them there……..leave them there.

Just a thought by coppi

St. Andrew of Crete (AD 650–740) wrote:

Let us spread before his feet, not garments or soulless olive branches, which delight the eye for a few hours and then wither, but ourselves, clothed in his grace, or rather, clothed completely in him. We who have been baptized into Christ must ourselves be the garments that we spread before him.

Now that the crimson stains of our sins have been washed away . . . and we have become white as pure wool, let us present the conqueror of death, not with mere branches of palms but with the real rewards of his victory. Let our souls take the place of the welcoming branches as we join today in the children’s holy song: “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Blessed is the king of Israel.”