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The Sonnets of Michelangelo
I came across this book in an antique book shop, while searching for something else. I love the artists of the Renaissance era. Michelangelo was an artist that had a passion that emerged in the 75 years of his working life. His talent brought exquisite accuracy in depicting the human figure. In his poetry, he found solace from his inner spiritual struggles. In the last 30 years of his life, his writings portray him coming to terms with not being in his beloved Florence and the tyranny of the current Medici Family and under employment by the fifth and sixth in a series of Popes in Rome.
Hand of God
Michelangelo may have been employed by the Medicis’, but the spiritual price ate away at him. Eventually, Michelangelo made peace with his three judges: One is Time- The Second is God and the Third was the man himself. His art in drawings, sculpture and painting were the marriage between his God given gift and himself. His Sonnets are the pumping of blood from his God given heart.
This sonnet is on Dante Alighieri, a poet, language theorist in the Middle ages.
Author of New Life-1295 and Divine Comedy. I strongly suspect the parallels have to do with Michelangelo’s faith. Translated by Elizabeth Jennings
From heaven he came, in mortal clothing, when All that was worst and best had been observed. Living, he came to view the God he served To give us the entire true light again.
For that bright star which with its vivid rays Picked out the humble place where I was born- For this, the world would be a prize to scorn; None but its Maker can return its praise.
I speak of Dante, he whose work was spurned By the ungrateful crowd, those who can give Praise only to the worthless. I would live
Happy were I but he, by such men scorned. If, with his torments, I could also share His greatness, both his joy and exile bear.
It is not possible to say how much We owe to him, because his splendour blinds Our eyes. Simpler to blame those minds Too small to honour him, to sense touch.
He did not fear to plunge to places where Failure alone survives. But this was done For our example. Always he was near To God. Only his country dared to shun
His greatness. Her ingratitude at last Turned on herself. As proof of this, observe How always to the perfect sorrows fall
Most painfully. To those who are the best Most ill occurs. Dante did not deserve Exile; his equal never lived at all.
At first, to read this sonnet, I believed Michelangelo was talking about Christ at the time just before his crucifixion. It saddens me that he used these words to express his feelings of a mere mortal, no matter how Dante influenced the vernacular of the Italian regions.
Psalms 119:2 Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart.
I still prefer to see the God honouring in the poetry.
xxVal
The Gospel- become as little children…
Hide and Seek is a child’s game, to be as little children means having a humble and teachable heart.
In my last post, we established through scripture that there is indeed a Hell. Now begs the question: How to go to Heaven?
We prioritise things in our every day life. From little things like, what to have for tea, to getting the car insurance sorted.
Insurance- now there’s a thing! God provides that insurance in your salvation, avoiding that terrible second death to being our comforter, our guide, our redeemer.
Since we don’t have a date on the ‘rapture’ or ‘taken up into the clouds’, like we would with the car insurance, it’s best to look into scripture and make up your heart sooner rather than later.
Hopefully, you can find a hand to hold in some of these posts to point you in the right direction. 
=Matthew 18:4&5 (and Jesus states) = :4- Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
:5- And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.
=Romans 3:10- As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one.
:23- For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
:27-Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.
This scripture provides the need to be humble in your growth in faith. From a newly saved Christian to the practised pastor.
=Ephesians 2:8- For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
:9- Not of works, lest any man should boast.
=2 Corinthians 6:18- And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty
This particular passage wraps itself, God wraps himself around me and makes me feel I have come out the other side and there He is, my- your eternal parent (if you so choose:) If you choose to accept faith to be yours;
Ephesians 1:13- In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
Assurance and insurance.
=Acts 20:32- And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.
=Ephesians 1:2&3- Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
:3- Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
Photo credit: Cee cee Grain
=Matthew 11:25- At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.
There is a place for the wise and the prudent, if they can see beyond their pride and accept the gospel as their faithful salvation.
Once you have accepted the true, living gift of God, give him your heart and soul.
Then I recommend reading the Gospel book of the Apostle John in the AV/ King James Bible.
Every blessing that God allows, while we all enjoy the Lord’s bounty in this holiday season and the coming New Year of 2018!!
XXx Val
Am I in cloud koo~koo land?
Sometimes, we get our wires crossed regarding loads of things in life. Even in our Christian walk. Especially if you are a babe in Christ.
How does the belief system work?
What are the rituals?
Am I bonkers to think if I believe, will I go to heaven, if there is a heaven?
All valid questions…as no one should be made to feel silly or stupid in gaining knowledge. It’s how you get the most out of what you need to know. They are the first steps to having a strong, unwavering faith.
Part of our belief system is having faith in our sweet Lord and saviour, is knowing his inspired word~The Holy Bible, is that you have the same absolute faith that it ‘does what it says on the tin’.
Genesis 1:1= In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
Genesis 1:15= And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so.
Psalms 113:6= Who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven and in the earth!
Acts 7:49 & 50= Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest? ~:50= Hath not my hand made all these things?
1 Corinthians 15:1~4= Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; ~:2= By which ye also are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. ~:3= For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures: ~:4= And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to scriptures:
1 Corinthians 15:21= For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
Photo credit: Nathan Dumalo
So, now that we know by scripture that there is a heaven and as believers we will join the heavenly host when we (as Shakespeare would say:) ‘shuffle off this mortal coil’, (die).
What of Hell then and does that exist as the fire and brimstone preachers would have you hear? You bet’cha. So how do you keep from doing the backstroke in the lake of fire for eternity?
Job 11:8 & 9= It is as high as heaven;what canst thou do? deeper than hell; what canst thou know? ~9=The measure thereof is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea.
Psalm 9:7= But the LORD shall endure forever: he hath prepared his throne for judgment.
Psalm 9:17= The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.
Matthew 25:41= (And Christ states:) Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
(notice how hell was originally created for when Lucifer went bad and convinced some angels to join him in the darkness, we now know Lucifer as Satan)
Revelation 20:14 & 15= And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.~:15= And whoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
(The second death is reference to : you die once on earth and a terrible second death going to hell. for simply not being able to find it in your heart to take Jesus into your heart.) 
You can live without God, but you shouldn’t die without God.
Acts 20:32= And now, bretheren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.
John 3:16= For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
I now recommend you read the Gospel of John.
I will expound a bit more on the gospel message in the next post. If spared that is!
Every blessing XxVal
Who Are the Tares?
Photo credit: Evi Ogunseinde, found on Unsplashed
This post is right off the back of someone I follow on Fbook.
His name is Elijah Pickett, I found him on Fbook, check him out or if you don't have that platform I will be happy to send you his posts. His understanding is inspiring.
This morning I came across his post that talked about 'Tares'. Specifically in Matthew 13:25-26.
Jesus is speaking to the multitudes from a boat off shore. He is speaking in parables lest the multitude fall to the enemy that deceives with ease.
His parable is of the Sower.
-Matthew 13:25 = But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.
-:26= But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.
A few facts on what tare is: From Bible Study notes.
Tares: darnel, zizania, margine ( Lolium temulentum)
A species of rye grass. The seeds are a strong, soporific poison. (Also see green manure)
Grows in Palestine and Syria. Not poisonous unless infected with the mould- ergot. Is also used for chicken feed.
Is commonly confused with wheat until both come to maturity. Tare is apparently straight and – dare I say stiff necked. While wheat bows its head in submission and humbleness.
Jesus speaks in bold type.
-:27= So the servants of the house-holder and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?
-:28= He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?
-:30= Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather he first together the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.
Upon coming away from the multitude, back to his Deciples, they continued to ask Jesus about the parable of the tares of the field -:36.
-:37= He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man;
-:38= The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;
Photo credit: Nathan Dumlao- found on Unsplashed
-:39= The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.
Photo credits: Snake- Cotswold Wildlife Park. Sunset: Paula Jeffries
-:40= As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of the world.
Every blessing that God allows.
Xx Val
A Sympathetic Friend told me…
I've been belly aching this week, as I had a belly ache.
After the third day, I was interwebbing symptoms, as you do…
I spent some of my down time reading some scripture and catching up with people, bouncing some ideas around, willing to try anything different. One of my sisters in Christ sent me a very apt verse from Isaiah.
-Isaiah 40:31= But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
-That prompted me to find context and what I needed to reflect on.-
-Isaiah 40:28= Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. ❤️
-Psalm 147:5= Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite.
-Psalm 48:1= GREAT is the LORD, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness.
-Psalm 145:3= Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable.
-Isaiah 40:29= He give the power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increase strength.
-Jeremiah 31:25= For I have satiated the weary soul, and I have replenished every sorrowful.
I have many blessings, this down time has indeed replenished me and continues to do so.
I have been aware that there are others that continue to suffer in their unglorified bodies and lives in this world we were born into.
This is dedicated to them, and all that care for others.
Photo credit: Alex Guillaume- profiled on Unsplashed Photos.
With every blessing that God allows,
XxVal
Why Do Bad Things Happen to Good People?
I personally stumble over this "go to" response when describing the need for the Lord.
Why does God let these things happen to the vulnerable and innocent?
I was reminded that no one is sinless (innocent) no, not one. And we are all vulnerable to different destructions.
There are many more examples in the AV Bible to answer this and related questions.
I have copied a few, just to get us thinking and hopefully put to bed the distress in the painful 'why' in this case.
-Ezekiel 18:23 = Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?
-33:11= Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?
-2 Peter 3:9= The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is long suffering to us-ward, not willing that anyone should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
-Romans 5:8= But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
-5:14= Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adams transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.
-1Corinthians 15:25= For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.
-15:26= The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.
Galatians2:17= But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid.
2Peter 3:18= But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever.
Amen.
Every blessing that God allows,
Xx Val
The Judgement Seat
I was inspired by my Christian sister whom is unafraid of approaching people, house to house, with her family, to spread the gospel. She sees a slammed door as an opportunity to quickly get on to the next person that may be interested in what they have to say.
I would cry.
She has many strategies in her peace, saying that we will be put before God at his Judgement Seat to tell all. These verses tell us: we will be on bended knee, on our own, before our God.
To me, it is taking responsibility for our actions, I can wait for as long as it takes to get to that stage…but what better person to trust these things with.
-Acts 4:9-10 &12.
:9 = If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means is he made whole;
:10 = Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom he crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.
:12 = Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
-Romans 14:10-13
:10= But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgement seat of Christ.
:11= For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.
:12= So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.
Isaiah 45:23-24
:23= I have sworn by myself, the word has gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.
:24= Surely shall one say, in the LORD have I righteousness and strength: even to him shall men come; and all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed.
1 Corinthians 8:2 & 6
8:2= And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know.
:6= But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.
Romans 15:33
:33= Now the God of peace be with you all.
Amen.
Go out and have the best day you can in God's name.
Every blessing,
Xx Val
Paul’s Preaching
Welcome back!
Social media is a fickle thing, but I use it for good and not evil, but out of my five or six friends that I know and follow, I have one person I’ve never met, but follow with regularity. He is an AV man and prefers to speak his mind through the word of God praising the Lord Jesus as he goes.
At the weekend he had more of his own words than normal. He was particularly passionate about Paul’s preaching of the pure gospel.
“He preached it as he received it.” To encourage us to preach the gospel, as Paul was inspired by the Holy Spirit. To encourage us to preach as it is written as in scripture. To tell it as the pure word that has been given to us by grace and should be received as such.
To compromise God’s pure word, dilutes the powerful grace the Lord provides to those that believe and want to believe.
-1Corinthians 1:1-4
:1= MOREOVER, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also he have received, and wherein ye stand;
:2= By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
:3= For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures:
:4= And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
Galatians 1:10
:10= For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.
1Thessalonians 2:4
:4= But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts.
(In other ) Psalms 118:8
:8= It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man.
Romans 5:6
:6= For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
Psalms 51:12
:12= Resore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.
Matthew 24:35 (and Jesus speaks)
:35= Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.
2 Corinthians 9:15
:15= Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.
Psalms 27:1
THE LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
May the Lord bless our efforts today!
Xx Val
on-Go Set a Watchman
Harper Lee writes, the Bible reveals
Who is the Watchman?
Harper Lee Published ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’, then 50 years later, she published ‘Go Set a Watchman’.
I revisited To Kill a Mockingbird on it’s 50th anniversary, then Go Set a Watchman came out and I gobbled that up as well…so, who is the watchman?
These in Isaiah, are prophetic verses.
Isaiah 21:4= My heart panted, fearfulness affrighted me: the night of my pleasure hath he turned into fear unto me.
21:5= Prepare the table, watch in the watchtower, eat, drink: arise, ye princes, and anoint the sheild. 21:6= For thus hath the Lord said unto me, Go, set a watchman, let him declare what he seeth.
(So that sets the scene and tone, giving us a little context)
21:7= And he saw a chariot with a couple of horseman, a chariot of asses, and a chariot of camels; and he hearkened diligently with much heed:
21:11=… ,Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?
(But who is the watchman?)
Malachi 4:2=But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; …
2 Kings 9:19= Then he sent out a second on horseback,which came to them, and said, Thus saith the king, Is it peace? And Jehu answered, What hast thou to do with peace? turn thee behind me.
9:20= And the watchman told, saying, He came even unto them, and cometh not again: …
Ezekiel 3:17= Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at thy mouth, and give, and the people be not warned; them warning from me.
33:6= But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet and the people be not warned; if the sword come come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman’s hand.
33:7= So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me.
Every blessing,
Xx Val
Good Friday…
Why Good Friday?
I always thought of Good Friday as being the most emotionally exhausting of the services.
In scripture it takes you there, we must never profess what it was that Jesus went through, only to be aware and know why he did it.
Because He won’t be doing it again!
Matthew 28:5-6
:5 And the angel answered and said unto the woman, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.
:6 He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come see the place where the Lord lay.
(That must have been quite the event to try and process!)
1 John 3:16= Hereby perceive the word of God, because he laid down his life for us:
Romans 5:8= But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
John 3:36= He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that beleiveth not on the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
Hebrews 10:11-12, 18-19= And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins:
:12= But ‘this man’, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God;
:18= Now where ‘remission of these is, there is no more’ offering for sin.
:19= Having therefore, bretheren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,
Revelation 21:6= And he said unto me, It is done.
AMEN.
Every blessing,
Xx Val
Also, check out these web sites:
http://www.biblebelieverschurch.uk
Searching in the AV Bible or KJV. 