Hobbiton in Matamata

 Memories of visiting the Hobbiton movie set in New Zealand.  

Lake Wanaka - Sun Greets the Mountains

"How glorious a greeting the sun gives the mountains."

John Muir

Fort Matanzas Beach - Flower Vines

When Solomon had finished all these prayers and supplications to the LORD, he rose from before the altar of the LORD, where he had been kneeling with his hands spread out toward heaven.  He stood and blessed the whole assembly of Israel in a loud voice, saying:

"Praise be to the LORD, who has given rest to his people Israel just as he promised.  Not one word has failed of all the good promises he gave through his servant Moses.  May the LORD our God be with us as he was with our ancestors; may he never leave us or forsake us.  May he turn our hearts to him, to walk in obedience to him and keep the commands, decrees and laws he gave our ancestors

1 Kings 8:54-58 NIV

Fort Matanzas Beach:  Hurricane winds and waves washed away the sand dunes and destroyed the vegetation.  Nature is coming back; the flowers, shrubbery, vines, wildlife are thriving once again.   

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

Garden of The Gods National Natural Landmark

 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.

John 10:27 NIV

And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, "This is the way, walk in it." when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left.

Isaiah 30:21 ESV

Ask me, and I will tell you things that you don't know and can't find out.

Jeremiah 33:3 CEV

The Spirit shows what is true and will come and guide you into the full truth.  The Spirit doesn't speak on his own.  He will tell you only what he has heard from me, and he will let you know what is going to happen.

John 16:13 CEV

In the past, God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets of many times and in various ways, but in these days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe.  The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word.  After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.  So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs.

Hebrews 1:1-5 NIV

Book of Jeremiah - Crumbling Empires

The LORD proclaims:  Cursed are those who trust in mere humans, who depend on human strength and turn their hearts from the LORD...Happy are those who trust in the LORD, who rely on the LORD.

Jeremiah 17:5,7 CEB

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

He Who Turns Dawn to Darkness

He who forms the mountains,
creates the wind,
and reveals his thoughts to man,
he who turns dawn to darkness,
and treads the high places of the earth--
the Lord God Almighty is his name.

Amos 4:13

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

Lake Wanaka, South Island - "And the Mountains fall into the Heart of the Sea..."

 

God is our refuge and strength,
an ever present help in trouble,
Therefore we will not fear,
though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into
the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake
with their surging.

Psalm 46:1-3 NIV

Do Not Be Dismayed

 Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Isaiah 41:10 NIV

"Behold, I am coming soon!"

 "Behold, I am coming soon!  My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done.  I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.

Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city.  Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.

I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches.  I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star."

The Spirit and the bride say, "Come!"  And let him who hears say, "Come!"  Whoever is thirsty, let him come, and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life.

Revelations 22:12-17 NIV

Steep Hills

No hill is too steep where God walks with me.

"The Lord said to Paul, "My grace is sufficient for thee; for my strength is made perfect in weakness."

2 Corinthians 12:9 KJV

Blowing Rock - the mysteries of God

 

Can you fathom the mysteries of God?
Can you probe the limits of the Almighty?
They are higher than the heavens--what can you do?
They are deeper than the depths of the grave--
what can you know?
Their measure is longer than the earth
and wider than the sea.

Job 11:7-9

Moving Mountains

 

Truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, "Move from here to there," and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.

Matthew 17:20 NRSV

The Power of Solitude

 

Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.

Luke 5:16 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

"Peace I Leave with You"

 "But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in  my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.  Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.  I do not give to you as the world gives.  Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."

John 14:26-27 NIV

"Do Not Let Your Hearts Be Troubled"

 

"Do not let your hearts be troubled.  You believe in God, believe also in me.  My Father's House has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.  You know the way to the place where I am going."

John 14:1-4 NIV

The Greatest Discovery

 

"The greatest discovery we will ever make is to know the love of God, which was fully demonstrated by His Son's sacrifice on the cross for us.  This is the power that transforms man's myth into Christ's truth.  Jesus did not die on the cross for people's sin so that we would believe in Heaven--but that we would believe in HIM.  Heaven does not save souls...it collects them."

Billy Graham -"The Heaven Answer Book"

Jesus replied, "Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching.  My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.

John 14:23 NIV

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

Fontana Lake and Dam

 Jesus replied, "Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, Go, throw yourself into the sea, ad it will be done."

Matthew 21:21

Unfailing Love

"Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,"  says the LORD, who has compassion on you.

Isaiah 54:10