“Blessed is the man whose strength is in You…
they go from strength to strength;
Each one appears before God in Zion.”
Psalm 84:4-7 NKJV
Photography by denisebalog
Captured in early morning Jerusalem 2018
Tag: Jerusalem
Staff in Hand
“To travel once more to the Holy Land.
Walking the dirt;
Staff in hand.
Mind prepared;
Heart in shape;
Take us again to the Jaffa Gate!”
“They shall come and sing aloud on the height of Zion,
And they shall be radiant over the goodness of the Lord…
The young women rejoice in the dance,
And the young men and the old shall be merry.”
Jeremiah 31:12:13 (ESV)
Poem by denisebalog©2016
Photographs captured at the Jaffa Gate 2011 by denisebalog©2011
Where Two Ways Meet
“Take me to Jerusalem,
Your city named for
Peace.
The place where
Crossroads cross,
And the street
Where two ways meet.
One leads to change;
It will never be the same.
And the other;
Through Your gate,
The place where my feet
Walk by faith.”
“And when they came nigh to Jerusalem…
At the mount of Olives,
He sendeth forth two of His disciples,
And saith unto them,
Go your way…And if any man
Say unto you,
Why do ye this?
Say ye that the
Lord hath need of him…
And they went their way, and
Found the colt tied by the door without
In a place where two ways met;
And they loose him…
And they said unto them
Even as Jesus had commanded:
And they let them go.”
Mark 11:1-5 (KJV)
Poem by denisebalog©
Staff in Hand
“To travel once more to the Holy Land.
Walking the dirt; staff in hand.
Mind prepared, and heart in shape;
Take us again to the Jaffa Gate!”
“They shall come and sing aloud on the height of Zion,
And they shall be radiant over the goodness of the Lord…
The young women rejoice in the dance,
And the young men and the old shall be merry.”
Jeremiah 31:12:13 (ESV)
Photos captured February 2011 at the Jaffa Gate in Jerusalem.
poem by denisebalog©
Passover Moon
Passover Moon
“Passover – let the death angel Passover LORD.
Apply the Lamb’s Blood to the house.
His Precious Blood atoning;
Cry out His Victory Shout!”
“The LORD roars from Zion,
And utters His voice from Jerusalem,
And the heavens and the earth quake.
But the LORD is a refuge to His people,
A stronghold to the people of Israel.”
Joel 3:16 (ESV)
As a Sparrow – Singing His Praise!
“Today I’m a sparrow;
“Neither reaping or sowing”
But yet!
My Father in heaven
Feeds me;
Cares for me;
Knows every
Count of feather
on my head;
And covers me
With His love.
“Are you not worth more
Than one of these to your
Heavenly Father
Who loves you.”
Yes,
Cut off from the flock;
Recovering,
My Father sends one of
His little sparrows
To land outside
My window’s view.
Reminding me from
Heaven’s realm,
“I Love you!”
“Even the sparrow finds a home,
And the swallow a nest for herself,
Where she may lay her young,
At Your altars,
O Lord of hosts,
My King and my God.
Blessed are those who dwell
In Your house,
Every singing Your praise!”
From the Psalm
-My Soul Longs for
The Courts of the LORD-
Psalm 84:3&4 (ESV)
Jesus said,
“Are not two sparrows sold for a penny?
And not one of them will fall to the ground
Apart from Your Father.
But even the hairs on your head
Are all numbered.
Fear not, therefore,
You are of more value
Than many sparrows.”
Matthew 10:29-31 (ESV)
On a personal note
– missing fellowship
with my Church family
as I recover from what seems
as a self-induced,
sever sinus infection.
But yet, I will sing His praise!
Photo captured of sparrows
making their nest in
the Wailing Wall
in Jerusalem – February 2011
I Will Comfort You in Jerusalem
Encouraged again by neighbor Butterfly Mind
http://andreabadgley.com/2015/08/15/practice-makes-progress/
and her post on a favorite pillow, her words brought
my comfort or Promise blanket to mind.
In an attempt to write, as with a pencil, and
Not a keyboard…here goes!
“As the mountains surround Jerusalem,
So the LORD surrounds His people.” Psalm 125:5
Yep, that’s the verse. In 2010 the Lord invited me to Jerusalem.
At first thought, my heart skipped a beat with excitement.
After the initial burst of joy, and my mind took over,
Fear set in.
But it was too late,
the Scripture had dropped down into my spirit,
And I knew that I knew, I was going to Israel.
I came up with a million and one reasons why
this was not possible for me to go to Israel.
Keep in mind, I am a girl from Philadelphia who has traveled.
I flew the first time in 1967, by myself no less.
My husband and I, while living in Southern California,
flew the back and forth to Philly many times.
My folks drove us as kids up and down the east coast
every summer visiting family from here to there.
So why was I unable to do this?
And what does this have to do with a blanket?
One morning in prayer and distress at the
Prospect of the pending trip in the air,
I cried out to the Lord, and He gave me,
“As one whom his mother comforts,
So I will comfort you;
You will be comforted in Jerusalem.” Isaiah 66:13
I felt better, but the real truth was
“Lord, what happens when I am in the middle
Of the 9000 mile journey, in the air, I know
the evil one is going to tell me I made a mistake.
I heard wrong. I am SCARED…I can’t do this!”
He reminded me what Jesus answered
when the ol’ snake attempted to do
the same to Him. Jesus spoke,
“It is written…”
So it began…I bought the most comfy fabric
I could find. Thinking I could write the words,
But the pen didn’t work very well on fleece.
So I started to stitch the words.
I thought, I would never finish one verse!
With each stitch, the Words were beginning
To become engraved on my heart.
And from His faithfulness and comfort
My Promise blanket became alive with hope.
May I share a few verses…
I asked why He would want to bring me there.
He was faithful! I was not sick, not one day!!
I complained I didn’t understand what He was doing.
I would understand later.
We talked about how long the journey would take..
Its an eleven day journey Lord!
(As if He didn’t know this!)
Lord, how will I ever make this whole trip?
(I remember thinking on the bus…
I’m not ready to go home!)
Lord, what about my responsibilities at home?
My Prince of Peace…
gave me this verse on Easter morning.
“Go to Galilee…there you will see Me”
(I wept like a baby in the Jesus Boat
gift shop on the Sea of Galilee)
And the by the time the trip was ready to depart
on February 16, 2011…I was seeing myself
“Walking about Zion!”
In the LOVE of my Father,
He brought me to His land of Promise.
and with a desire and new seed planted
in my heart, I believe I will go again!
“Let us go at once to entreat the favor of the
LORD and to see the LORD of hosts;
I myself am going!”
Secured to the Door of Rest
“The LORD has taught me more in rest,
Than when I’ve strived for my best…”
Poem by denisebalog©
First mention of Strive
“And the LORD said,
‘My Spirit
Shall not strive
with man forever.” in Genesis 6:3 (NKJV)
Strive – duwn (doon) the root of #1777 (Strong’s Concordance)
Dalet, Vav, Noon
The Door – Secured/Nailed – to life activity!
“Then Jesus said to them again…
I AM the Door…(NKJV) John 10:7
Anyone who goes through Me
Will be cared for – will freely
Go in and out, and find pasture…
I came so they can have
Real and eternal life,
More and better life than
They ever dreamed of.”
John 10:9-10 The Message
Yep, Jesus has taught me more
In rest,
than I have ever dreamed of,
Or when I have
Strived at my very best!
blessings,
denise
ps: I love the pizza pictured at the entranceway of the door!
Photo captured “along the way” in Jerusalem, Israel 2014
Photo101 – Day 13 – Moments and Motion – …heart highway.
“Blessed are those whose strength is in You,
In whose heart are the highways to Zion…
They go from strength to strength.” Psalm 84:5-7 (ESV)
Photograph captured on the “highways to Zion” approaching the City of Jerusalem, Israel in March 2014.
Would it make a difference?
Sunday Morning
“What if I chose not to go,
to stay at home, another – no show?
Would it make a difference,
would my Savior care,
if I stay at home, and wasn’t there?
Would the songs be missing one small voice,
because I decide to stay in bed by choice?
If one less hand a midst the sea,
raised in worship and praise to Thee?
Would the prayers be less pronounced,
as they say “Amen” in the Father’s house?
Would it make a difference if I wasn’t there,
Dear sweet Jesus, do You really care?
I heard Him whisper softly to me,
“Don’t shy away in fear you see,
I died for you to Come to Me.”
by denisebalog©
In a …Word – “Dabar”
“… the word of the LORD came unto Abram…”Genesis 15:1 First mention of “word” (dabar) in Scripture can visually illustrate…
Dabar – The door within the heart of man.
– Opening your heart to “…the word of the LORD…” brings divine communication and revelation.
Jesus said… “I AM the Door.” John 10:9 (ESV)
“Anyone who goes through Me will be cared for – will freely go in and out, and find pasture…I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of.” John 10:9-10 (The Message)
Visually seen in the Hebrew for “word” – Dabar (daw-bawr) [דבר] – Strong’s Concordance #1697
- Dalet – ד – door – entranceway or the path
- Bet – ב – house – within the heart
- Reysh – ר – head of man – the beginning…of communication and revelation!
Amen!
With the flutter of a wing…
In a Word…Heavy – “Kabed”
“…for this thing is too heavy for thee…” Exodus 18:18
“Kabed” – With the flutter of a wing, opening the path of the heart to find refuge and rest –
When the burdens of the day, the efforts of a heavy week have physically and mentally been more than one can bear, in a Word He comforts me.
“Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28 (ESV)
Hebrew word for Heavy – kabed (kaw-bade’) – Strong’s Concordance # 3515
Kaf – כ palm (left hand) – to cover, to open, wing of a bird, refuge
Bet – ב house – within, begin to, heart
Dalet – ד door – path, entranceway, break forth
