Moultrie Creek - “The Wind Blows were It Wishes”

 

"The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell were it comes from and where it goes.  So is everyone who is born of the Spirit."

John 3:8 NKJ

St. Augustine - Before a Breakthrough

 Then the Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men.  March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days.  Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams’ horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets.  When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have the whole army give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the army will go up, everyone straight in.”

Joshua 6:2-5 NIV

At the seventh time, when the priests had blown the trumpets, Joshua said to the people, "Shout!  For the Lord has given you the city."

Joshua 6:16 NRSV

Ft. Matanzas Beach - “In the Garden Alone...the Dew is Still on the Roses”

In The Garden

 "I come to the garden alone⁠

while the dew is still on the roses,⁠

and the voice I hear⁠

falling on my ear,⁠

the Son of God discloses.⁠

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 speaks, and the sound of His voice⁠

Is so sweet the birds hush their singing,⁠

And the melody that He gave to me⁠

Within my heart is ringing.” ⁠

Lyrics by C. Austin Miles

Fort Matanzas Sunrise

 Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat.  But Jesus was sleeping.  The disciples went and woke him, saying,  "Lord, save us!  We're going to drown!"

He replied, "You of little faith, why are you so afraid?"  Then he got up and revoked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.

The men were amazed and asked, "What kind of man is this?  Even the winds and the waves obey him!"

Matthew 8:24-27 NIV

Shores Park - Matanzas River

 

Do not be deceased:  God cannot be mocked.  A man reaps what he sows.  The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.  Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.  Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

Galatians 6:7-10 NIV

Don't Look Back!

 With the coming of dawn, the angels urged Lot, saying 'Hurry!  Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, or you will be swept away when the city is punished."

When he hesitated, the men grasped his hand and the hands of his wife and of his two daughters and led them safely out of the city, for the LORD was merciful to them.  As soon as they had brought them out one of them said, "Flee for your lives!  Don't look back, and don't stop anywhere in the plain!  Flee to the mountains or you will be swept away!"

But Lot said to them, "No, my lords, please!  Your servant has found favor in your eyes, and you have shown great kindness to me in sparing my life.  But I can't flee to the mountains; this disaster will overtake me, and I'll die.   Look, here is a town near enough to run to, and it is small.  Le me flee to it--it is very small, isn't it?  then my life will be spared."

He said to him, "Very well, I will grant this request too; I will not overthrow the town you speak of.  But flee there quickly, because I cannot do anything until you reach it."  (that is why the town was called Zoar.)

By the tie Lot reached Zoar, the sun had risen over the land.  then the Lord rained down burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah--from the LORD out of heavens.  Thus he overthrew those cities and the entire plain, including all those living in the cities--and also the vegetation in the land.  But Lot's wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.

Genesis 19:15-22 NIV

Shores Drive Park Intracoastal - Worth More then Sparrows

"Are not two sparrows sold for a penny?  Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father.  And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.  So don't be afraid, you are worth more than many sparrows.  

Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in Heaven.  But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven.

Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth.  I did not come to bring peace, but a sword."

Matthew 10:29-34 NIV

Bringing Out the Best

 

You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored?  It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot.

Matthew 5:13 NRSV

Thought for the Day:  I can use my faith to bring out the best in others. (Upper Room, July)

Shifting Shadows

 

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

James 1:17 NIV

Beyond the Galaxies

When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you have established; what are human beings that you are mindful of them, mortals that you care for them?

Psalm 8:3-4 NRSV

He Calms the Storm

Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, 

and he brought them out of their distress.
He stilled the storm to a whisper;
the waves of the sea were hushed.
They were glad when it grew calm,
and he guided them to their desired haven.
Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love
and his wonderful deeds for mankind.

Psalms 107:28-31

A Boy Fishing

 As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew.  They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen.  "Come, follow me." Jesus said, "and I will send you out to fish for people."  At once they left their nets and followed him.

Matthew 4:18-22

Anchor of Hope - The Storm

 

When a gentle south wind began to blow, they saw their opportunity; so they weighed anchor and sailed along the shore of Crete.  Before very long, a wind of hurricane force, called the Northeaster, swept down from the island.  The ship was caught by the storm and could not head into the wind; so we gave way to it and were driven along.  As we passed to the lee of a small island called Cauda, we were hardly able to make the lifeboat secure, so the men hoisted it aboard.  Then they passed ropes under the ship itself to  hold it together.  Because they were afraid they would run aground on the sandbars of Syrtis, they lowered the sea anchor and let the ship be driven along.  We took such a violent battering from the storm that the next day they began to throw the cargo overboard.  On the third day, they threw the ship's tackle overboard with their own hands.  When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days and the storm continued raging, we finally gave up all hope of being saved. 

After they had gone a long time without food, Paul stood up before them and said, "Men, you should have taken my advice not to sail from Crete; then you would have spared ourselves this damage and loss.  But now I urge you to keep up your courage, because not one of you will be lost; only the ship will be destroyed.  Last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me and said, 'Do not be afraid, Paul.  You must stand trial before Caesar; and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.'  So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me.  Nevertheless, we must run aground on some island."

Acts 27:13-26

Shores Waterfront Park - The Tire Swing

 The Tire Swing

An old tire hanging
From the big ash tree,
Was always swinging
With my friends and me.

With an old piece of rope,

We hung it high,

All in the hope,

We could touch the sky.

We swung on that swing,

From dawn to dusk,

To that tire we would cling,

With all our trust.

Swinging up high,

Into the air,

Straight up our feet would go,

Without a care.

The days we spent,

In the shade of that tree,

Swinging for the sky,

So happily.

By Juan Olivarez 6/27/10

Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."

Matthew 19:14 NIV

Out of the Deep Waters

Then the channels of the sea were seen.  
The foundations of the world were uncovered, 
At the rebuke of the Lord, 
At the blast of the breath of His nostrils.  
He sent from above, He took me, 
He drew me out of many waters.
He reached down from on high and took hold of me; 
He drew me out of deep waters.

2 Samuel 22:16-17

"I am with you always...'

 

"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.  And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

Matthew 28:19-20

Wisdom of Trees

 

Listen to the wisdom of trees...

For trees know 

that you can be still and grow..

at the same time.

Muse from a mystic

The Bread of Life

 

And Jesus said to them; "I am the bread of life  He who comes to me shall never hunger, and he who  believes in me shall never thirst."

John 6:35

Do Not Conformed to this World

 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God--what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Romans 12:2

Yours is the Day and also the Night

The day is yours, and yours also the night;
you established the sun and moon.
It was you who set all the boundaries of the earth'
you made both summer and winter.

psalms74:16-17