Redwoods

I Looked all Through the Forests Deep

/ pastorpete51 / 8 Comments 
I looked all through the forests deep
Over hills through rushing streams
Until sunset I searched on
For peace I’d glimpsed in dreams

Till in complete exhaustion
I sat down to catch my breath
Just then I heard the gentle voice
Of Christ calling me to rest

And when I turned to look at Him
He showed His hands with wounds
And invited me to touch those scars
Where nails had pierced Him through

Then in worship I fell down
For suddenly I knew
That His peace for which I’d searched
 He would give me all night through

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 14:27 NIV

I Looked All Through the Forests Deep
by Peter Caligiuri
Copyright © 2023 all rights reserved

The Day The Lord Has Made

/ pastorpete51 / 1 Comment

This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24 ESV

Interestingly the day that King David was writing about in this Psalm was not the church picnic, or some other celebration. In fact when David woke early that morning he looked out his window and saw an army camped out on his doorstep and he began to cry out to the Lord for help. The rejoicing part of this psalm begins as David realizes that God is listening to his cry for help and that God will come to his rescue.

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As we face off against this latest Corona crisis, with each of us virtually barricaded in our homes it is easy to give in to boredom, frustration or even despair. But David reminds us that the circumstances we are in are not the source of our hope. Our hope is in the Lord. We are in trouble but God is listening. He knows what to do and He promises to come to our rescue. So whether God’s rescue looks like a sudden turn of events in our favor or a quiet voice reminding us that His grace is all we need; we can know one thing for sure:

This is the day that the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it!!

God’s Point of View

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And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus. Ephesians 2:6

I learned a few valuable lessons during my time as a tree surgeon that has helped me in my climb of faith. Tree climbing can be dangerous but our perception of that danger depends on whether we are standing at the bottom or the top of the tree. God is in the business of changing our point of view!  KIMG1816

The first thing we learn is to not look up. In fact the first thing to do is to simply assemble your gear. While I collected my rope, saddle, long pole and ladder I didn’t have time to worry about how much of the tree stood above me. In the same way our walk of faith begins each day by asking for mercy and grace. When we do that; then God comes and fastens His forgiveness around our waist and He pulls us up by His rope of love. We cannot make progress if we worry that His love and mercies will fail. But as we trust God’s equipping then He slowly but surely helps us to climb up towards Him. Secondly we need a ladder to help us get off the ground.  That is what God does when He sends His Holy Spirit. His Spirit comes in and lifts us up daily towards Jesus.  We can’t figure it out or work it out; we just have to keep climbing by faith. Last of all when a climber gets to the highest point in the tree he ties in, sits back and then looks out.

KIMG1845That is God’s promise. He will raise us up so that we can look out and see all of His amazing plan and know that our entire climb has been by grace. We will finally understand that because He has loved us He has brought us up to heaven and seated us right next to Jesus Christ!

 

 

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