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BibleDude.Net Excellence Award

Iris Godfrey

I have been awarded the BibleDude.Net Excellence Award by Jeff at Scripture Zealot. It is a privilege to be considered as one who loves the Creator (I do because He first loved me and poured – better translation = “gushed,” His love into my heart – Romans 5:3- and one who loves the creation. I do and enjoy taking pictures of His beauty revealed to us through the glory of the creation.

Thank you Jeff for passing it to me. I pass it on to Singing Owl who also loves our Creator very much and loves to put beautiful photo’s on her blog.

I have been unable to embed the logo here or on my side bar. However, if you will go to the box under the award statement on the side bar it will take you to the original post about the award.

Learning To Rest

Iris Godfrey

There is much activity in my personal life right now. My daughter will shortly be closing on a two family dwelling and my husband and I will be moving into the lower flat of the home. My daughter will move into the one upstairs. This is wonderful! It will put her near us as we get older and it will put her in a home of her own — yet not alone. Her Dad always knows how to do things (we have not found things he cannot figure out how to work or make work) so he will be near to help her. All in all it is awesome of the Lord to allow and make provision for this.


Yet, because so much seems up in the air (so to speak) I find my body not wanting to relax. I see so much to do and so much to think through that I have a tendency to stay tense. This was pointed out to me in a big way this morning as I went to see my chiropractor. Her office always puts us in a room for 10 – 15 minutes before she comes in, and that is good, because we are instructed to lie on the table and wait. Well, I got there and did as instructed and my body began to tell me “No!,” Nothing in it wanted to relax. This relaxing is essential so she can adjust the body appropriately. She is excellent and I always feel so much better after a visit, but my body did not want to let go and just rest. Well, before she came into the treatment room, my body did relax and she was able to work her miracle.

I know we are all very much alike. We get tense when life gets busy, or excited, or even difficult. Relaxing or resting is one of the most difficult things to do when we first try. But, as with my body this morning, when we choose to rest and allow ourselves to do so, then matters find their priorities and we are able to rest in the middle of whatever.

Our Lord has called us to “rest” in Himself. It is a call purposely out of tenseness and work. It is a call to trust — to rest and let Him exercise His role as Lord of all. That “all” means me and my body and my life. It is a call out of trial and past. It is a call out of stress and worry. It is a clear call to trust Him and to allow Him to order our lives. It is a call to Sabbath (Jesus is that Sabbath as the day in the Old Testament was a prophetic statement of the role of the Christ in our lives).

He loves us so very much. He knew from the beginning that being tense and stressed would work against health and well-being, so He provided Himself for that peace and that rest. “Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke on you and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and my load is not hard to carry.” Matt.11:28-30 Net Bible

(Photo of some of my flowers on my balcony. Taken yesterday).

Prayer as Foundational

Iris Godfrey

Prayer is not an option for a person who follows Jesus Christ. My students know that I even hesitate to use the word “prayer” because so many do not know what it means. It is not a form, it is not a set of words (though it involves words some of the time), it is not a formula. Many, many books have been written on prayer and I have a lot of them in my library. However, everyone of them fall far short of the truth of prayer. 

It is impossible to describe and it is impossible to live in the Holy Spirit without it. However, it is the easiest so called “discipline” of the Christian life. It is the easiest, because all one does is just turn the mind and the heart and say “Jesus.” Amazingly it can be said out loud, silent, or simply an impetus of the heart — and He’s immediately alert to us. Now He is is always with us so we do not have to summon Him. He is always listening, so we do not have to get his attention. Just a turning of the attention and He is very present. 
Verbal prayer is needful at times, but not always. Sometimes the sweetest time with Him (which is what I call prayer) is simply becoming quiet and listening to what He will share with me. His Word is always His springboard and the main source of His sharing, yet He is exceedingly personal (since He knows the number of the hairs of our heads) and brings deep contentment in our moments. 
I would just encourage you to let Him love you and include you. He will and much more than that! His word just makes it very simply “Draw near.”  His throne is called “the throne of grace” in Hebrews. Now what could be better than that?!
Use a form, or a formula, or whatever you choose, or none at all. Just be with Him and share yourself. That is all He wants from you in any moment. 

His Sufficiency

Iris Godfrey
(These “bleeding hearts” are from a friend’s garden. I think they are (were) beautiful).

Our Lord has done all that is needed for the entirety of the human race! That sounds a bit like heresy, but it isn’t — it is good theology. Our Bibles tell us that He entered into the Most Holy Place of the eternal sanctuary “once for all” just like His sacrifice was “once for all.” Sometimes we protestants have fought the catholic people over their words in their liturgy without realizing we do the same thing when we do not understand that all sins have been forgiven. It is true that everyone must accept our Lord and what has been done for each and every one of us, but our sins were taken away over 2,000 years ago!

No one will be eternally separated from God because of their actions. We, however, will be separated from Him if we do not receive Him and move into relationship with Jesus Christ. The lesson of Romans, Galatians, and Hebrews (I do not believe Hebrews was a Pauline book — due to internal textual evidence) sin was paid for on the cross and mankind is now free to relate to God freely and very personally.

When we try to impose “law” upon one another, we undercut the work of Jesus. I think Paul makes that very clearly. We cannot live by law and by grace. Titus 2:12 tells us that “grace teaches us to say ‘no’ to ungodliness.” So we do not even need the law to teach us right and wrong. Grace does that.

Just how grace does that, I am studying and working to find out its pieces parts. It is exciting so far and oh so life giving. I am hearing the Good News all over again in newness and freshness. You are welcome to come on the journey with me.

“Jesus loves me this I know, For the Bible tells me so” — He is not mad at me or at you. Isn’t that wonderful?!

Sweetness!

Iris Godfrey

Sweetness!

The sweetness of fellowship with our Lord is so very precious. It is awesome, majestic, healing, renewing etc… all of those things and more, but the remembrance of the Friday Fellowship of Psalm 19 this past Friday — is just Sweet!

The worship was precious, then then Spirit began to teach us that we have been given the righteousness of Christ Jesus. The title of the message was “Wake up to Righteousness” from 1 Corinthians 15:34 KJV. I used the KJV simply because it said what the Greek says here. The context is that by waking up to righteousness (becoming aware of it, receiving it and its power in our lives) we will be empowered to live lives that are full of peace, love and goodness! The righteousness He gives is not something we work for in any way, but simply a gift that He is more than pleased to give to all who receive Him. Our lives are empowered by His righteous nature to reflect the love and goodness of Himself.

Passages highlighted were: 1 Corinthians 1:30; Romans 4:25; Romans 5:13-19; and the main scripture was 2 Corinthians 5:11-21. A CD is available. Just go to www.psalm19ministries.org and call the office (10-4 M-F) for instructions. (We will soon have the ability to order on-line, but for now we need you to call – sorry for any inconvenience, but I think you would really enjoy the CD).

After the service, there was such richness in the fellowship together that our facility was not closed until near 11:30 pm. We had such sweetness in our hearts about the Lord’s gift to us and it was clearly empowering us to fellowship together much more deeply. Nothing here was shallow. Awesome — truly awesome!

He is so good to do for us all needed for “life and godliness.” (2 Peter 1:3) “…their knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness.” (Titus 1:1 TNIV)

A Bride Yearning

Iris Godfrey

The following prose was written by one of my very bright and insightful students, Tina Hook. She and her husband are part of the Psalm 19 Staff and she regularly shares prose with me the Lord has inspired through her. I wanted to share this with you — with her permission, of course. (The photo is from the collection Diane Hernandez took during a recent retreat’s quiet time, again used by permission).

A bride yearning
Dressed in white
Hair gleaming down back
Unfettered, glistening
Curling down around
Feet upon the ground
Upon her head the bridegroom
Has set a circlet of pure gold 
Above her heart sapphires gleam
Upon her feet sandals of silver
Her face shines
showing the glory
Of the love within her
Raised in yearning
Chin tipped
Focus above
Upon the bridegroom
Who has come
To fetch her to His heart
His hands pierced 
Raised to embrace her face
In loving caress
Eyes of fire looking
Burning with intensity
Upon the face of His beloved
She decked in white
Drenched in oil
Running off the hem of her gown
To be ignited by His love
Always burning
Never consumed
In refining
Not destruction
Love shines
From burning eyes
Upon the head of His bride
Waiting, ready, prepared
And preparing for the return 
Of the King.

A Day Away

Iris Godfrey

What an absolute wonderful day in our Lord’s presence we had last Wednesday at Stella Maris Retreat Center in Skaneateles, NY. The house is a house of prayer, so very suited to embrace us and allow us very special time with our Lord Jesus Christ.

The photo is of my daughter leading us in worship with a small portion of the crowd showing. Lauren is a very special young woman with a heart very sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit. (She is in full-time ministry in her church). If one looks closely, my husband is also seen to the left in front of the window on the keyboard. What blessings the Lord gives to me to work with my family in the ministry. It is a total joy to me. 
These retreat days are rich in worship, Word, and fellowship. There were prayers for healing and we had the delightful presence of Dr. Margaret Nikol and her anointing through her violin. She graciously played with our ensemble during the worship and then later for our offering. How very precious. 
We allowed the Lord Jesus to unfold Himself out of the Song of Songs 4-5 + some other parts of that beautiful book. It was a delightful time in Him. 
This past week-end I was in Nazareth, PA with Living Waters Fellowship for a special teaching Conference. The Lord gave me three words for the three times I would speak: Cleansed; Empowered; Released. He was ever so faithful — always is. 
I am now busy getting the text-book ready for the coming Institute course on the Book of Hebrews. I will be teaching that this fall. 
Prayers are always appreciated. 

Amazing!

Iris Godfrey

This is just one of the many, many blooms from my Azeliea plant my daughter gave me for Mother’s Day. It is a beautiful plant. What is so amazing is the detail in design and color in each one of the little blooms. How great is our God! He has created such absolutely beautiful things both in tiny expressions and in large expressions. I am constantly amazed, and the older I grow it just continues to impress me over and over again of His great love for each one of us. He lets us live in such a beautifully created world. It is absolutely amazing to me that He, being the great God He is, has such love for me.

I have the great joy of being quite busy in ministry during this next week and week-end so if I do not post again for a bit — that is why. Just a bit overwhelmed right now.  I so appreciate your comments. Some of you write them; those of you who know me personally usually just let me know when you see me. Thank you for reading and come back soon. 

Glory

Iris Godfrey

The Sunday Morning Session of our Spring Conference was spent in the understanding of “Glory.” We have been working with the theme, “I have come to bring life…” and as we worked with the various themes it was a discovery of the kind or type of life the Lord Jesus Christ has brought to us. 

We are very familiar with Isaiah 42:8 where the Lord states, “I am the Lord; that is my name! I will not yield my glory to another.” (TNIV) We have heard sermon after sermon on how we must not steal the Lord’s glory and that always makes us “feel” really good (or bad — depending). However, there is a scripture that is in a very famous chapter that either is overlooked or not believed or both. 
John 17:20-23 “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me that they may be one as we are one — I in them and you in me– so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” (TNIV)
In our Lord’s High Priestly prayer He clearly stated that He has given His glory (the glory the Father had given Him) to those who follow Him. We have been given the glory of God. We have become through His action in us —  His glory! 2 Corinthians 3:18 states that as we behold the image of the Lord we are transformed from glory to glory. How have we missed this aspect of His gifting? In the passage above it also states that this is part of the unity of being one with the Lord and with the Father. The glory was given so we would be one in Him as He is in us. 
When we receive the Lord, we become one with Him and with one another. The Father answered Jesus’ prayer for unity when He poured out the Holy Spirit on the church on the day of Pentecost. How have we missed it? The life He came to bring is a life of the glory of God, the empowering of God, the breath of God and the love of God. We are one in His glory. It is accomplished in the new birth. Our God is an awesome God!