Diary of a Photographer

What is Real Love?

2012-01-22T23:02:00.001-05:00

"Beloved, let us love one another,

for love is of God.

and everyone that loveth is born of God,

and knoweth God.

He that loveth not, knoweth not God,

for God is love."

I John 4: 7-8

God is Love. Before anyone existed, before the world was formed, God was Love.

God was Love before there was anyone to love.

That is true, unselfish love. Agape Love.

My Poem for the Day, The New Jerusalem, based on Revelation 21

2012-01-12T11:47:00.001-05:00

The New Jerusalem

The Holy City from God descended,

out of heaven, New Jerusalem came down,

prepared for us, celestially adorned,

as a bride in an elegant, jeweled gown.

A voice then greatly thundered,

and heavenward all eyes were compelled.

“Upon you my dwelling place is centered,

Together with you I desire to dwell!”

My dwelling place is with you

My people you will be

I will dwell with you

And your God I will be

Forever I will wipe away your tears

No more death and no more sorrow,

No more crying, pain or fears

In the lake of fire I have cast your foe

All these things are passed away

And I make all things new

I am Alpha and Omega

And I’ve done it all for you

To those who are thirsty I freely give

Living Water from my fountain

Be my son and daughter and live

What I say is true and it is done.

I am the Beginning and the End

Based on Revelation 21, By Brenda J Jones,

matphotocards at gmail dot com

The Movie, Courageous

2012-01-08T23:43:00.001-05:00

My husband and I watched Courageous on Sunday night and thoroughly enjoyed it. It is a Christian movie that impacts fathers and strengthens families.
Out of the four movies that Sherwood Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia has made, this one was one of our favorites.

Will it be a Happy New Year for you?

2012-01-03T15:05:00.019-05:00

… There is Hope in Jesus

News of distress and unbridled crime...

What turmoil is occurring in our time!
A world engulfed with fear and desperation...

We’re sowing seeds of a Godless generation.

With falling stocks, and the economy stressing,

our time on earth seems bleak and depressing.

Barren pantries and shrinking savings,
lower even the influential to craving.

There is a God that has been forgotten,
Who gave for you His only Begotten.

Though blotted out of colleges and schools,

He's worth more than silver and jewels,

He shed His blood to forgive your sin.
You have eternal value to Him.
In the flesh you are an earthly slave,
but He rose again so you might be saved.

For you He opens prison doors,

your penalty for sin He bore.
From the pits of hell He took the key,

to set the worldly captives free.

Brenda Jones

“But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God,

thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.”

Deuteronomy 4:29

The True Account of "Christ"-mas, Christ's Birth

2011-12-26T12:40:00.017-05:00

I have heard some ask why Christians celebrate Christmas when it is a pagan holiday.

An event occurred in a quiet moment, in a busy town, known at the time only by small groups of people around the world. Christ was born. Not just any man. He was and is the Son of God, sent as the Savior of the world. His birth, death and resurrection were the most pivotal and climactic moments in time. Most people celebrate religions because of an historical event that occurred on a certain date or time. The meaning of Christ's coming and resurrection were timeless, based not on religion, and vastly greater than something to set a date by. They happened in order that we, as fallen as we are, could have a close relationship with a Holy God.

Though the date of December 25th is set aside to celebrate Christmas, those that have received Christ into their hearts, from the depths of their hearts celebrate Him every day.

Christians celebrate the coming of Christ because He is God, He is God's Son, and God loves us and we love Him, because He came to die for us, was buried and was the only One that ever rose again. It's based on a love relationship with Him, not a date.

What is important is that the Christmas celebration was set aside, not based on date-specific events, but rather, to REMEMBER His birth, just as Easter was set aside to REMEMBER His resurrection--that He as God rose again so that we could have abundant and eternal life. John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

We are busy humans, fallible, and forgetful. We know that as humans we tend to become wrapped up in daily responsibilities, overwhelmed by depressing daily news, and can easily put Christ in the back of our minds or, sadly forget about our Savior altogether.

Setting this date aside to give gifts reminds us of THE GIFT that was given to us, the gift of eternal life through God's Son, Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Many parents over the years, have watched with delight as their little ones recounted the story of the birth of Christ on platforms in churches across the nation. During our childhood years, many of us memorized various passages from the account of the Christmas story in Matthew and Luke, participating in pageants and presentations dressed as angels or shepherds, hoping we wouldn't forget our lines when the light was upon us. I remember forgetting my lines one time, and my Sunday School teacher whispered the words from behind the curtain. And then there is always that little angel that steals the show.

In later years I learned that certain accounts of the Christmas events portrayed in these childhood dramas were inaccurate. Learning about these inaccuracies never discouraged me, but rather, I found them to be quite intriguing, and this caused me to dig into scripture further to discover the accurate account of Christ's birth, which never ceases to amaze.

I thought it would be interesting to point out some of these inaccuracies and then point out what really happened according to the Word of God:

1. We were taught that the angels SANG when they appeared to the shepherds. They actually SPOKE to them, according to Luke 2:8-14. As a matter of fact, if we search all of scripture, we find that the angels never sang, but only spoke.

2. When the shepherds went to Bethlehem to see the Christ child, he was indeed still a baby. But when the wise men when to see Him, he was a child of about 2 years of age. Matthew 2:10-12.

3. Though neither stable, nor cave are mentioned, but only the manger, Christ was born in a lambing cave, and not actually a stall or stable. Many prophetic implications here point to the reason for his birth -- to die for our sins; i.e., the lambing cave--Christ, the Lamb of God, slain for the sins of the world; and, He was wrapped in swaddling clothes--similar to those wrapped around someone who died. Genesis 22:8 fulfilled in John 1:29 and John 1:36 "The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world."

4. Angels are frequently portrayed as women in Christmas plays, but throughout scripture, angels have always appeared in male form, though in Matthew 22:30 and Mark 12:25 it is made clear that they are not as humans.

Hopefully this has intrigued you enough to cause you to delve into the Word of God to see the account of His birth for yourself!

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-14T12:44:00.002-05:00

My Greeting Cards are available at www.brendajones.artfire.com

Merry Christmas everyone!

I thought that I would write the Christmas story, but in a slightly different way. I have the INTERLINEAR GREEK-ENGLISH NEW TESTAMENT with Lexicon and Synonyms by Zondervan. If there is ever a passage of scripture that you want to look up to see what the words were in Greek, a Greek Lexicon really comes in handy. I thought it would be interesting to type the entire Christmas story from the book of Luke here. When you read it, you will find some words that appear to be backwards, such as the noun first and then the adjective or adverb following, just so you are aware, it is because of the direct translation from the Greek above the words in English.

Keep in mind, it will read a little funny because the words are moved around from Greek to English, but I love to see direct translations like this.

Luke Chapter 2 from the Interlinear Greek New Testament

And it came to pass in those days went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that should be registered all the habitable world; 2 this registration first took place when was governor of Syria Cyrenius. 3. And went all to be registered, each to his own city: and went up also Joseph from Galilee out of [the] city Nazareth to Judaea, to a city of David which is called Bethlehem, because of his being of [the] house and family of David,

5 to register himself with Mary who was betrothed to him as wife, she being great with child.

6 And it came to pass in the [time] they were there were fulfilled the days for her bringing forth, 7 and she brought forth her son the first-born, and wrapped in swaddling clothes him, and laid him in the manger, because there was not for them a place in the inn.

8 And shepherds were in the country same, lodging in the fields and keeping watch by night over their flock;

9 and behold, an angel of [the] Lord stood by them, and [the] glory of [the] Lord shone around them, and they feared [with] fear great.

10 And said to them the angel, Fear not; behold for, I announced glad tidings to you [of] joy great, which shall be to all people; 11 for was born to you today a Saviour, who is Christ [the] Lord, in [the] city of David.

12 And this [is] to you the sign: ye shall find a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in the manger.

13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of [the] host heavenly, praising God, and saying,

14 Glory in [the] highest to God, and on earth peace, in men good pleasure.

15 And it came to pass, as departed from them into the heaven the angels, that the men the shepherds said to one another, Let us go through indeed as far as Bethlehem, and let us see this thing that has come to pass which the Lord made known to us.

16 And they came having hasted and found both Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in the manger.

17 And having seen, they made known abroad concerning the saying which had been told them concerning this little child.

18 And all who heard wondered concerning the things which had been spoken by the shepherds to them.

19 But Mary all kept these sayings, pondering [them] in her heart.

20 And returned the shepherds, glorifying and praising God for all things which they had heard and seen, as it was said to them.