The Power of Fullness

 The Power of Fullness                                       

Have you ever said, “My heart is full,” or “My cup runneth over”? At times in life when an experience or event pleases me immensely, I have felt this way and have said those words.

For example, when I first held each of my newborn sons and then years later each of my grandchildren, the feelings of joy and completeness overflowed. More importantly, when our two sons and eight grandchildren each received Jesus as Savior and Lord and was baptized, my heart was full.

These life experiences fill our hearts and complete something in our lives. The Bible speaks of fullness on several occasions, meaning to be filled to satisfaction or brought to completion. Strong’s defines fullness as “what fills (as contents, supplement, copiousness, multitude), or what is filled (as container, performance) … fulfilling …” * 

By Robin Lambert (Instagram) - used with permission

Psalm 24:1-2 tells us, “The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell therein. For He has founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the waters” (NKJV). 

How encouraging it is to know that God owns the earth and all that’s in it. 

Though the nations rage and Satan appears to be having his way on many fronts, ultimately God will have His way. In the end, we who are in Christ will come out winners. 

On God’s calendar:

In the fullness of time He laid the foundations of the earth. (Psalm 102:25)

In the fullness of time God established His own people through Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

In the fullness of time Father God brought forth His own Son through the virgin, Mary, and named Him Jesus, (Yeshua in Hebrew).

In the fullness of time Jesus paid the sin debt of all Mankind, dying on a cross.

In the fullness of time God rose Jesus back to life from the dead, completing the way for those who put faith in Him to have eternal life.

In the fullness of time Jesus will return, God will set up His Eternal Kingdom and all wrongs will made right.

I believe that my favorite Bible uses of the word fullness are found in Paul’s letter to the fledgling church in Colossae when he spoke of Jesus. His description of Jesus helps reinforce our reasons to trust Him.

“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on the earth, visible and invisible. Whether thrones or dominions or principalities of powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist (that is, hold together**).

“And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have preeminence.

“For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross” (Colossians 1:15-20 NKJV).

Now, that’s enough to make me want to shout! Unless you’re pressed for time, I suggest you read that passage again—this time out loud, standing up.

And there’s more. Let’s move into the next chapter for a nugget that can knock our socks off when we soak it in and believe in depths of our being that it’s true.

“For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principalities and power” (Colossians 2:9-10 NKJV).

Jesus Christ is the fullness of God in bodily form. When we are born-again believers in Him, He is in us by way of the Holy Spirit. That means we are complete in Him who has authority over all other powers that may exist.

The fullness of God is full in us. No, we are not equal with God by any means. But we have access to our Creator through our Savior, Jesus. He is in our very breath. We have power over sin, power to stand on truth, and power to walk in the character of Jesus Himself.

Therefore, let us know our God and know our Savior. Let us meditate on and study God’s Word, the Bible, so we can understand who we are in His fullness and be able to withstand the attacks of evil forces and stand firm in truth—that is, God’s truth. (Ephesians 6:12-13)

Let’s pray: Father, thank You for sending Jesus to rescue me from evils of life and fears of death. Thank You that in Him Your own fullness dwells. Help me to allow the fullness of Jesus to shine in my own life and to fill me with all I need to be who You created me to be. In Jesus name I pray—amen.

*Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance, by James Strong; Crusade Bible Publishers, Inc.,, Nashville, TN, 1890; Greek Dictionary, p. 58.

**my insert

©Copyright 2020 Connie Wohlford

What’s on Your Child's Reading List?

 

Children’s Books by Connie Wohlford      

What’s on your child's Reading List? 

How about some books about Jesus — or a unique animal character? 

Do your children (ages 3-11) know about things that happened to Jesus as an infant? And, what about captivating events before during and after Jesus crucifixion? 

Or perhaps the young ones in your life would enjoy unique stories about that odd creature, a rhinokaroarus, named Gerald. 

Please consider the stories I wrote for my grandchildren which have evolved into delightful, informative books for all children to enjoy—even grown up ones. And, hey, each book comes with a FREE reproducible word puzzle! 

Though each is a stand-alone book, the four books about Jesus are connected by a parallel donkey story. The adorable donkeys, Gil (meaning joy), Elpis (means hope), and Kavod (meaning glory), affectionately help captivate young readers and listeners. 

Watercolor illustrations, by Virginia artists, Molly Keller and Lesley James, beautifully carry the stories along.  

Then for entertainment with a moral twist enjoy the rhinokaroarus stories. Delightful illustrations, by Virginia artist, Ken Henderson, help convey the story of Gerald, whose unfortunate life changing experience brings him a best bud and some unusual adventures. 

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Book lengths are between 20-30 pages. Each book comes with a FREE word puzzles which challenge and are enjoyed by children who are old enough to write as well as adults. These puzzles may be copied as much as you wish for repeated use and/or group use, such as in Children’s Church, VBS, homeschool, Christian school, etc.

 I invite you to take a look at my children's books:

Joy Comes to Bethlehem- (Temporality Sold Out) - Meet the lovable donkeys, Gil, and her little one, Elpis.

Journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem with Joseph, Mary, and Gil. Experience the sad goodbye of Gil & Elpis as well as the danger and the drama along the way. See the faithfulness of God and the amazing birth of His Son, Jesus.

Again, read of the birth of the Savior. Enjoy the setting & the perspective of these faithful beasts of burden carried along with the beautiful full color illustrations by Virginia artist, Molly Keller.

 

At eight days of age Jewish boys experience the custom called “Bris Milah,” and their names are recorded in the Hebrew records. Go with Joseph and Mary as they take Jesus to the home of a rabbi for His own ceremony. While walking along the dusty road, Mary & Joseph each recall the most unusual way in which they came to name their baby son. Their faithful donkey, Gil alerts them to an alarming danger at the Rabbi Jonathan’s courtyard. 

Meanwhile, back in Nazareth, the young donkey, Elpis, is still missing her mama, Gil, but continues to be comforted in a very special way. So, join in with these wonderful characters of the Bible & learn about the infant life of Jesus. Young & old alike take pleasure in gaining insight into these early days of the King of kings, artfully captured in the story & illustrations in His Name is Jesus.

 

He Is The ONE - As was tradition, at 40 days of age little Jesus is taken by His parents to the Temple to be dedicated to Yahweh. There an amazing thing happens. Share the surprise and wonder with Joseph, and Mary when strangers, Simeon and Anna, recognize Jesus as the long awaited Messiah. 

Their faithful donkey, Gil (whose name means hope), accompanies the Holy Family to Jerusalem. While Gil waits outside the temple, her thoughts turn to her own little one, Elpis (pronounced el-peese’), who is back in Nazareth. On this eventful day, Elpis’ jolly fun with her buddy, Buzi, turns into a painful tumble. Join in to see how the little donkey deals with her ordeal with her Mama so far away

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The Lord Has Need of YOU - Join donkeys, Elpis & her little one, Kavod, and experience the last days of Jesus’ life on earth prior to His ascension. Having known each other since childhood, Elpis and Jesus are uniquely reunited.

Through the eyes of these loveable donkeys, see the Bible account of Jesus’ earthly life from His triumphal entry into Jerusalem to His ascension back to Heaven after rising from the dead. It includes several occurrences during Holy Week and thereafter.

 Walk alongside Elpis and Kavod and share in the joy of knowing Jesus on a personal level. Feel the sadness of His crucifixion. Then rejoice with the donkeys, the disciples, and others at the resurrection of the Jesus, the Messiah. Stand amazed with them at the risen Lord as He ascends to Heaven, rejoicing at the promise of His eventual return.

This account is carried along pictorially with the beautiful watercolor paintings of Virginia artist, Lesley James. Children and adults alike will be blessed by her art, by the story of Jesus, and by the personal challenge to step out in faith because the Lord has need of you.

 

You’re A What?! ~Every once in a while, a story or character comes along that is different−really different−from anything else you find on a shelf of children’s books. 

 Gerald, the star character in You’re A What?! is just that−different.  He is a captivating creature who has been dealt a ruthless blow, having experienced a collision with life that changed everything. He suddenly finds that he has become a “rhinokaroarus” (pronounced “ry-‘nock-a-roar-us”). “A What ?!@#?!”  you might ask. The author, herself, did not invent the word, “rhinokaroarus.”  It was made up by her father. She and her brothers heard it on a regular basis.  Amidst his destress, Gerald is befriended by a funny badger named, Banjo, whom every reader or listener will come to adore.

                    

Make It A Happy Day  ~ That, one of a kind, creature, Gerald, sets out on an adventure with his new friend Banjo, the badger. Through a bit of conflict, they really do find a way to make it a happy day. Just ask the fish! The 6 friendly trout get to experience the good and the bad when they encounter the odd-looking Gerald and the clash with Banjo. 

Artist, Ken Henderson’s captivating illustrations help to carry the story along.

 

Thanks for considering my books for the children in your life. 

Let me know—if you would like to order a signed and personalized copy of one or more of my books?

The Lord has Need of You is the only one of these books available on Amazon but if you would like a signed copy, get it through me.  

You can contact me via email or Facebook message:

author@conniewohlford.com https://www.facebook.com/ConnieWohlfordAuthor/         

 PayPal or credit card.  Sales Tax added, in Virginia.  Nominal fee for shipping.

FREE SHIPPING on orders of 4 or more books shipped anywhere in continental USA 

 All of my books are 100% Made in U.S.A.

©Connie Wohlford 2020 

The Power of Holiness

 

The Power of Holiness                                              

A Bible teacher whom I greatly admire told of an incident in which she purchased pajamas for a gift. In order to best fit the recipient, she switched out the top from one pair to go with the bottom of another pair. She carried her purchase out of the store, pleased to know the PJ’s would fit perfectly. But by the time she got home, she was miserable with guilt. The Holy Spirit was nudging her spirit, helping her realize and admit that her action was wrong—dishonest even.

The next morning, she returned the pajamas and confessed to the store personnel what she had done. Can’t you imagine the humbling experience that must have been?

Her point in the telling of her blunder was that the Holy Spirit is holy. Holy. When we are born-again followers of Jesus, He resides in us and helps us stay on the straight and narrow path.

So, what is holy? What is holiness? 

Photo by Connie Wohlford

It can be defined as “the process, quality, and condition of a holy disposition and the quality of holiness in personal conduct. It is the principle that separates the believer from the world … It causes every component of our character to stand God’s inspection and meet His approval.” *

Many Bible scholars describe holiness as being “set apart.” We who follow Christ are to be separate from the world. We’re to be in the world but not of the world. (John 17:14-16)

The world’s system often emphasizes accumulation of wealth, power, fame, notoriety, constant entertainment, self-indulgence, and so on. What would you add to this list? These things can preoccupy our minds and our time, pulling us away from the things of God, which are of eternal significance.

While many accomplishments and pleasures can fit into a holy life, they are not to be the focus and fuel that drives us. God wants us to have plenty and to enjoy life. He also warns that life is not always easy, and we may be persecuted for our faith because we disapprove of and/or do not participate in many of the world’s ways.

Peter inspires us with this powerful exhortation: “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy” (1 Peter 2:9-10 NKJV).** 

We have been called out. We are His own. Think about it—meditate on that. We’re a chosen generation—each one handpicked by our Creator. He calls us His own special people. Father God has looked down on us with compassion and mercy that is renewed every morning. (Lamentations 3:23)

We need not live in darkness for we are in His marvelous light.

The Holy Spirit is holy. Let’s never forget that. In Him is no darkness nor impurity. And He has chosen to take up residence in each of us so that we have the power to be holy and walk in holiness.

Paul wrote, “And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you, so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints” (1 Thessalonians 3:12-13).

“For God did not call us to uncleanness, but to holiness. Therefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God who has also given us His Holy Spirit” (1 Thessalonians 4:7-8).

Yes, the call to holiness is a mighty tall order but with the help of the Holy Spirit in us, we can do this thing for God. We can be set apart—separate from the ways of the world.

I have told my grandchildren that taking a stand for Christ and what is right may be the bravest thing they ever do. It takes courage to be holy and like my admired Bible teacher, we’ll sometimes miss the mark. But when we step up and make it right, we’ve grown some and have allowed the light of Christ to brighten in us.

Let’s pray: Holy Father, thank You for calling me out to be Your own. Thank You for the indwelling of Your Spirit Who helps me walk in holiness according to Your own character. Lord, help me to be brave so I can fulfil the purpose You have set before me and help others along the way. In the holy name of Jesus, I pray—Amen.

 

Me—Holy?

Holiness—me! You’re kidding. Right?

You do know who I am.

 

You’ve called me out to walk upright

But God, I’m such a sham!

 

Enter in—Your Spirit, Lord.

Yes now—I do receive.

 

Your loving kindness—thank You, Lord.

In You, I do believe.

 

Now holy, I will walk with You.

Your Spirit lives in me.

 

The road of life we’ll travel on,

And holy I will be.

 

By Connie Wohlford

August 2020

 

*Spirit Filled Life Study Bible, Thomas Nelson, “Word Wealth” page 1829.

 **Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version

©Copyright 2020 Connie Wohlford