truth | JanBeek

Spreading love, joy, peace, faith & unity

Archive for the ‘truth’ Category

What Do You Seek?

{{{Donna}}} posted this on her blog 6 years ago at https://thefathersfeet.wordpress.com/ She quoted Matthew … and I decided to repost this today to follow up on my post from yesterday where I explored the subject of seeking happiness. What are you seeking? {{{Donna}}} chose this:

Matthew 6:33-34 “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. … Each day has enough trouble of its own… Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live … So don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will have its own worries. … “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself.”

I asked Donna, “Do you know that song?”
She replied, “I do!” and then she sent me the song she was singing.

Here’s the one I was singing:

“Seek ye first the kingdom of God…”

Here I am up in my sanctuary…
early morning squished head!!

What is it you seek?
Is it the Kingdom of God?
Let’s pursue God first.

What are “all these things”? The scripture was referring to food and clothing… the basics… and reminding us how God takes care of the birds and the lilies of the field.

When I pursue the Kingdom of God and His righteousness,
I am seeking His wisdom.
I am seeking the peace that only He can give.
I am seeking understanding
and the deep compassion
that God’s Son taught us.
I am seeking to exemplify His love ❤️
and the joy that comes with Trust in His Promises.
🙏🏽 I seek His righteousness
so that I may exhibit greater patience,
kindness,
gentleness,
and goodness.

Seek Ye first the kingdom of God … and all these things will be given unto you.

Romans 12:2
“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.”

Pray for discernment
I love the Lord’s perfect will
Freckles and lashes!!

Hah!!

Do not let the world
Trick you into seeking pride –
It’s a dead-end street.

Do not let the world
Trick you into seeking wealth –
Not in hoarded coins.

Do not let the world
Tell you what to dream about –
Look in God’s Word.

Let the Son set you free.
You shall know the Truth
And the Truth shall set you free.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart.
In all your ways acknowledge Him.

I pray for you, my friend…
For your health, happiness, safety,
And for God to guide you in His Way.

God bless you!
See you tomorrow.
Love,
JanBeek

Category:

Bible Lessons, blessings, contentment, Faith, Family, friendship, God, Haiku, Jesus, Life's Challenges, Living in Christ's Family, Love, music, peace, Poetry, prayer, truth

Tagged with:

I Can TRUST

Three out of four of the devotionals I read yesterday and today had the word TRUST as one of the main topics. Everytime I see the word trust, I draw a rectangle around it and affirm, “I Can Trust.” Today I decided to write about TRUST in my journal, “I Can and I Will, Watch Me.” My mind just thought about it in a Haiku format. Here’s what the result was:

I CAN Trust

I know I can trust –
The world may feel chaotic,
But I reclaim peace.

Unsettling events,
An unknown future,
Don’t define my mood.

I am claiming peace.
I see where my power lies:
It’s trusting in God.

What I want in life,
Peace, love, joy, kindness and faith,
Are mine when I trust.

I know I can trust
In the Ruler of my heart
To heal what’s broken.

Heal the world’s chaos,
Bring back Unity for all.
I can trust my God!

Thinking of you and sending love your way.
Trusting Him to guide you and me through the storms of life.
What storms are you facing?

Thanks for visiting…
JanBeek

Category:

Faith, God, Haiku, Living in Christ's Family, Living in Harmony, Love, optimism, Poetry, truth

Tagged with:

Love Returned

In his prompt today, David at

ben Alexander, The Skeptic’s Kaddish

invited us to try our hand
at a poetry form
that is new to me:

Sijo

A Korean verse form related to haiku and tanka and comprised of three lines of 14-16 syllables each, for a total of 44-46 syllables. Each line contains a pause near the middle, similar to a caesura, though the break need not be metrical. The first half of the line contains six to nine syllables; the second half should contain no fewer than five. Originally intended as songs, sijo can treat romantic, metaphysical, or spiritual themes. Whatever the subject, the first line introduces an idea or story, the second supplies a “turn,” and the third provides closure. Modern sijo are sometimes printed in six lines.

David did a fantastic job with the form. Click on his name & blog title above to read his contribution.
I told him I was not sure I was even going to try… it sounds too complicated! But… with the following meme as a prompt, here goes:

Your mind will always believe, if you are ever truthful;
But when you are deceitful, you feed it sorrow, deep grief.
Feed your mind sincere love and truth, and it will be returned to you.

Bob & I send our love and deep peace
to you and your loved ones today.

Thanks for visiting JanBeek.
Will you try your hand at Sijo?

Category:

blessings, contentment, Faith, happiness, Love, Poetry, Promises, Sharing, truth, writing

Tagged with:

Positivity

“Keep your heart with all vigilance,
for from it flow the springs of life.”
Proverbs 4:23

Just as water flows in constant motion,
We are asked to constantly move
In the direction of grace and mercy –
His love and graciousness to prove.

The springs of life flow in you
And are meant to overflow
So God’s joy and peace are what
Your very presence will show.

Choosing positivity brightens life;
It keeps us happy and upbeat.
Even though we encounter difficulties,
We can choose victory, not defeat.

It’s up to us to decide the kind
Of person we want others to see.
If we keep our hearts open to love,
We’ll be the best that we can be.

We can choose positivity again and again
As we focus on the good things in life.
Meet life eagerly as we tackle each task
And ask God to take away any worry or strife.

2 Timothy 2:23-25

“Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies;
you know that they breed quarrels.
And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome
but kind to everyone,
able to teach,
patiently enduring evil,
correcting his opponents with gentleness.
God may perhaps grant them repentance
leading to a knowledge of the truth…”
Ah, TRUTH! It can be so evasive…
But a positive attitude and an open heart and mind
Can make Truth more discernible.
Seek it out with questions wise and kind.

Positive people are filled with curiosity;
They never stop asking when and why.
You can’t stop an intelligent child
From asking, “Why?” even if you try.

So foster that curiosity!
Appreciate it in your own design.
You are a Child of God, you know,
So embrace your uniqueness and SHINE!

Thank you for visiting JanBeek today.
Your positive remark in the comments below
Will add to my joy today.
Let your positivity show!!

Category:

Bible Lessons, contentment, Faith, God, happiness, Living in Christ's Family, Living in Harmony, Love, mental health, music, Poetry, self-acceptance, self-esteem, Serving One Another, Sharing, truth

Tagged with:

Duh!

What public figure do you disagree with the most?

From my Christian perspective, this prompt is a no brainer for anyone in the USA with a moral bone in his/her body. But I have good Christian friends who disagree with me, so why open the gap and create more divisiveness?

Can we disagree and still love one another?

Let peace and unity be our goal.

Amen? Hugs to you from … JanBeek ❤️🙏🏽🥰

Category:

Faith, kindness, Living in Harmony, Love, peace, relationships, respect, Serving One Another, truth

Tagged with:

Peace of Mind

How do you find peace of mind?

In my devotional studies today,
the Moody Bible Institute’s “Today in the Word”
asked that question. What is peace and where do you find it?

If you go to Pexels.com
and put in the word “peace”
you will find many images
that suggest answers to those questions:

Photo by eberhard grossgasteiger on Pexels.com

What does this one suggest to you?

Photo by Oleksandr Pidvalnyi on Pexels.com

Of course, this suggests prayer…

… and this has a Zen origin, right?

Many folks find peace by going out into nature and finding seclusion.

Photo by Anastasiya Lobanovskaya on Pexels.com

Others look for peace in communication
with others who are seeking the same goals.

Music provides a source of peace for me and many others.

My greatest sense of peace comes from my faith.
As a Christian, PEACE is not a place.
It is not an unattainable emotion.
Peace is a person!

My peace comes from God’s grace
in the person of Jesus.

John 14:27

“Peace I leave with you;
my peace I give to you.
I do not give to you as the world gives.
Do not let your hearts be troubled
and do not be afraid.”

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

I find evidence of that joy-giving peace all around me…
and I am assured of it as I read my Bible
and study the devotionals that reinforce my faith.

Today in the Word
has a study of The Gospel of Luke
titled, “Peace on Earth” this month.

In his introductory pages,
Dr. John Koessler wrote,
“This promise of peace belongs to
those upon whom His favor rests.”

Does His favor rest on you?

Photo by mododeolhar on Pexels.com

Thousands of years before His birth, Isaiah predicted Him:

Isaiah 9:6

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given,
and the government will be upon his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor,
Mighty God,
Everlasting Father,
Prince of Peace.”

Then, when Isaiah’s prediction came true,
Jesus came to earth… the Prince of Peace,
Here to show us how to find His peace,
Here to show us how to live.

Ephesians2:14 put it this way:

“Jesus is our peace”
Because Jesus “came and preached peace to you
who were far away and those who were near.”

Jesus came, lived to show us and teach us, and died to save us.
Believing that is the road to His grace.
Believing that is the way to Eternal Life.
Believing that is the path to peace.

Dr. John Koessler wrote:

“Those who know the peace of Christ
become agents of peace themselves.
When Jesus first sent His disciples
to proclaim the kingdom,
He told them,
‘As you enter the home, give it your greeting.’

Matthew 10:12
(the traditional Jewish greeting, Shalom)

This was more than a social formality,
Christians are offering peace through
faith in Christ to others.
The shalom of Christ is more than a greeting.
It is a promise.
There is more to peace than a personal experience.
For the Christian, peace is a person.
Jesus is our peace.”

Reach out!
Touch Him!
He is the Holy Spirit in you.
He is the King of Peace,
here to give you His peace.
Take it!

In Him is my peace of mind.
Where is yours?
I pray you find it in Him.
Merry Christmas!
He came to save you and me.

Love and peace to you,
JanBeek

Thank you, God, Lord, Christ Jesus, Holy Spirit
for the love, joy, and peace that are mine!

Category:

Belief, Bible Lessons, blessings, contentment, Faith, God, Gratitude, happiness, Jesus, Living in Christ's Family, Living in Harmony, Love, mental health, music, peace, prayer, truth

Tagged with:

Embrace 5 Ways to Keep Long-time Friends

Victor Salazar and Bob have stayed in touch for 50 years. How has that happened?

Victor was Bob’s wrestling student when Bob coached at Hillsdale High in San Mateo, CA. back in the 1970’s. Every year at Christmas, we exchanged Christmas cards. Victor let us know where he was each year – and his career took him to over 30 different countries! What a joy to have Vic come from Alabama to reconnect with us here in Montana! (That photo was taken last year when I first posted this blog)

I have had the fun of that kind of connection with former students, too. This is Ty Stiles and his wife with Bob & me. He was my kindergarten student in 1962! I named our first child, Ty. We never let Ty Stiles out of our sphere of contact. He was in my prayers daily. He came with his wife, Roxanne, from California to visit us a few years ago. About a year after his visit, sadly, Ty left this earth for his eternal home. My memories of him and his visit warm my heart every single day as I look at the cross he welded and sent to us shortly after his visit.

There’s no greater joy
Than to reconnect with friends
From long, long ago

Look up for your purpose! — Look up to the cross
Recall its loving meaning
Embrace those friendships

5 Ways to Keep Long-time Friends

Pray lovingly for them daily.
Be sure to keep them in your address book and write to them often (don’t just rely on social media)
Pick up the phone and talk to them, emptying yourself into them… it’s an investment. Be loyal and be confidential.
Let them know how much they mean to you, but don’t force the relationship. It has to be natural. Don’t insist that the relationship is forever reciprocal. Some friendships are meant to be seasonal… and the season may last years – but maybe not. You can’t control that.
Be honest and transparent with them … let them see your warts. It shows you trust them not to hurt you… and you are trustworthy in return.

Embrace Long-time Friendships
Never let those precious folks go
Keep them forever in your heart
How long we’ll be here, we can’t know

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

“Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. Likewise, two people lying close together can keep each other warm. But how can one be warm alone? A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.”

Embrace Long-time Friends
My heart’s covered with footprints.
How about your heart?

See ya tomorrow (God willing)
Love,
JanBeek

Category:

Bible Lessons, blessings, children, Faith, friendship, Haiku, Living in Christ's Family, Living in Harmony, Love, Memories, mental health, Poetry, prayer, relationships, Sharing, truth

Tagged with:

Dressed for Success

Dressing for success
Means a lot of things to me
It’s more than clothing

Dressing for success
Means emerging peacefully
Clothed in righteousness

This lovely woman
Is dressed for certain success
Only needs a smile

Put on compassion
Don the right mood for your heart
Wear love on your sleeve

Photo by Nina Uhlu00edkovu00e1 on Pexels.com

Put on your hope-pack
Wiggle into shoes of strength
Cinch the belt of truth

Wear armor of grace
And the bonnet of bounty
Trash the coat of wrath

Burn the clodhoppers
Of worry and of anger
Just dress for success

Well, they ARE beautiful as they wear…
But it’s not the clothing of cloth that counts!

Ephesians 6:14-15
New International Version

¹⁴Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist,
with the breastplate of righteousness in place,
¹⁵and with your feet fitted with the readiness
that comes from the gospel of peace.

Eight things to add to that list:
1. I have my health.
2. I have love.
3. I have faith.
4. I have trust in God who hears and answers prayers.
5. I have friends who faithfully join me in prayer.
6. My daughter-in-law, Monika had her gall bladder successfully removed and she is at home recuperating… dressed for comfort.
7. Her feet are fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of faith.
8. I am blessed.

I am dressed for success.

Are you?

Thanks for visiting JanBeek today.
See ya tomorrow (God willing)
Hugs!

Category:

Bible Lessons, blessings, Faith, God, Haiku, Living in Christ's Family, Living in Harmony, Love, peace, Poetry, prayer, truth

Tagged with:

Embrace Karfreitag

Embrace Karfreitag!
That’s German for “Sorrowful Friday.”
The same day named “Guode Friday”
in Old English back in the 1200’s.

I always wondered how it got named “Good.”
What’s good about the Friday when Christ died?
I’m more apt to agree with the Germans”
It’s a sorrowful day!

The Baltimore Catechism from 1885
says it is “Good Friday”
because it’s the day
Jesus showed his great love for mankind.

Matthew 27:46

And about three o’clock
Jesus cried with a loud voice,
“Eli, Eli, lema tabachthani?”
that is,
“My God, my God,
why have you forsaken me?”

Matthew 27:59-61

“Joseph took the body,
wrapped it in a clean linen cloth,
and placed it in his own new tomb…
He rolled a big stone in front
of the entrance to the tomb and went away.
Mary Magdalene and the other Mary
were sitting there opposite the tomb.”

Today is the day when Jesus seems gone.
Mary and Mary Magdalene
wept in front of the giant rock
that was between them and the One they loved.
Can you imagine their despair?

The reason I am embracing “Karfreitag!”
is because I think it would be a shame
to jump from Sorrowful Friday
to the joy of Easter morning
without sitting for a day
and contemplating the
sorrow that surrounded
Christ’s death.

Imagine yourself at the tomb.
Imagine the shock of finding
Jesus gone…
with the stone rolled away.

Tomorrow is called
“Holy Saturday.”
This is all that is written about it:

The next day the Pharisees
and chief priests went to Pilate.
“Sir, they said, we remember
that while he was still alive
that deceiver said,
‘After three days I will rise again.’
So give the order
for the tomb
to be made secure
until the third day…”

What would you have thought
if you had seen this scene
on the day after Jesus died?

Holy Saturday
is a day to pause
gather our thoughts,
process what happened,
and get ready for the
beautiful message
of Easter.

**See you tomorrow.**
*Love to you,*
**JanBeek**

Before you go,
treat yourself to this wonderful rendition
of one of my favorite hymns
by a phenomenal boys’ choir …
joined by the wonderful men’s voices
of the King’s College Choir.
You’ll be glad you did!

Category:

Belief, Bible Lessons, Faith, God, holidays, Jesus, Life and Death, Love, music, truth

Tagged with:

Embrace Grace

My hands are dirty –
And my heart is soiled, too.
Time for spring cleaning!

This season of Lent is a time for cleaning –
Cleaning out our hearts in preparation
For the arrival of Easter when we can
Embrace God’s grace through Jesus’ sacrifice.

Today’s sermon on our ZOOM worship service
Was titled, “Holy Ground” as our pastor,
Steve Hundley, recounted his trip to
The Holy Land back about 20 years ago.

My feet are dirty –
And my heart is soiled, too.
Time for spring cleaning!

Holy Ground

What was it like to be able
To walk in the footsteps of Jesus?
What was it like to stand
On Holy Ground? Spiritually renewing?

I was expecting each site to be charged
With such power that holy goose bumps
Popped up all over my body.
But I was a bit disappointed.

It was hard to feel the grace of the risen Christ
In this historically preserved place.
How do you feel Jesus breaking bread
When all you’re seeing is the top of a rock?

It’s important to protect these sites,
But looking through plexiglass makes it
Hard to feel the reality of Jesus.
The garden tomb remains open, though.

It’s helpful to see without obstacles
That distort the original places.
We have our own expectations of
What we’ll feel imagining holy faces.

Jesus and the money changers
Were there on the temple floor
Where I stood on that visit.
But I couldn’t feel Jesus’ anger.

I wondered if maybe those men
Were in fact offering a service.
He told them they could tear it down
And He’d rebuild it in three days.

They didn’t know He was referring
To His body, not the building.
Buildings are not what we worship.
We worship God’s nature in spirit and in Truth.

We are often tied to the
Rites and rituals to define us.
But our traditions must not
Rise above the Christ we adore.

It is not the place that matters.
It is the love in our hearts
That counts when we join together
In worship… thanking God for His grace.

Thank You, God, for Jesus, for Easter,
For the meaning of the cross,
And for the sacrifice of Your Son’s life
So we might EMBRACE GRACE.

The HOPE of EASTER
Is in the grace of the cross.
Let’s engage in some spring cleaning
In preparation to stand on that Holy Ground…
At the threshold of our eternal cleansing.

Embrace Grace.

AMEN

Thanks for visiting JanBeek today.
See ya tomorrow.
I’m headed to do some spring cleaning!

Category:

Belief, Bible Lessons, Faith, God, Haiku, happiness, Jesus, Life and Death, Living in Christ's Family, Love, mental health, music, Poetry, sermon notes, Travel, truth, writing

Tagged with:

JanBeek

Spreading love, joy, peace, faith & unity

Archive for the ‘truth’ Category

What Do You Seek?

Like this:

I Can TRUST

Like this:

Duh!

Like this:

Peace of Mind

Like this:

Dressed for Success

Ephesians 6:14-15
New International Version

Like this:

Embrace Karfreitag

Like this:

Embrace Grace

Like this:

Recent Posts

Archives

You Are Loved!

Awards

Sunshine Award

Commenter Award

JanBeek

Love, Family, Living in God’s Family, Compassion, Judgment, Giving, Forgiveness, Generosity

Follow Blog via Email

Spreading love, joy, peace, faith & unity

Archive for the ‘truth’ Category

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Sijo

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

5 Ways to Keep Long-time Friends

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

Share this:

Like this:

Ephesians 6:14-15New International Version

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Recent Posts

Archives

You Are Loved!

Awards

Sunshine Award

Commenter Award

JanBeek

Love, Family, Living in God’s Family, Compassion, Judgment, Giving, Forgiveness, Generosity

Follow Blog via Email

Ephesians 6:14-15
New International Version