(G)Leaning on Grace

I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. Ephesians 1:18 Prayer serves many purposes in the life of a Christian. Through prayer we can communicate with God, sharing our thoughts, our dreams, our worries. We can tell Him about our failures and our triumphs. We can petition Him on behalf of our loved ones or friends. We confess our sin and ask for forgiveness that is promised and provided through His grace and mercy when we exhibit true repentance. In the obedient practice and commitment to prayer we tap into the almighty power of God that is part of our inheritance as his child. "That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power ...

For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. 2 Corinthians 4:6 Afraid of the dark? Me too, or at least I used to be. There was a time when I wandered aimlessly in the disorientation that an all consuming blackness could bring on. I remember feeling totally lost with no sense of direction. Constantly groping for a lamp, a candle, even a match, anything that would bring the slightest bit of brightness into my world. Now, I'm not saying that everything in my life was horrible, on the surface it may have seemed normal, but I felt no sense of hope for future improvement. I did not see how my situation could ever get better and in fact my circumstances were spiraling out of control. My personal life, my home life, my health all reaching destructive extremes. I had my husband, but our relationship was rapidly deteriorating. My job was taking over my life ...

Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. Colossians 4:2 This is part of the Apostle Paul's letter to the church in Colossi. He is imploring these young followers to be devoted to prayer and to furthering the message of Christ. He reminds them that in their devotion they need to be watchful and thankful. Watchful of their behavior and that of those whom they follow because what they do and say can affect how new converts or seekers of the way will perceive Christ. It is still the same today. As we trek through our individual journey with Christ as our guide we must always be mindful of not putting stumbling blocks in the paths of others. We cannot expect ourselves to be perfect, because none of us are, but we should certainly strive to make decisions and take actions that best reflect our faith so as not to mislead. Once we identify ourselves as Christians we must be aware that we say and do represents to church and most especially the head of the church, Ch...

During the days of Jesus' life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered. Hebrews 5:7-8 It is impressed on my heart this morning how important our response to suffering in difficult times actually is. Jesus, the One and Only Son of God, spent much of his time in private prayer. He performed great miracles. He had a servants heart in all situations. Yet, he was not saved from suffering. As He ministered to the disciples he was ridiculed at times and mocked. Even in his public ministry he was questioned and shunned by the people of his own home town. As I think on these things I can't help but imagine what my own reaction would have been. What feelings course through me when I meet with vocal opposition and critical opinion in my daily life. It is a human reaction for sure for our fee...

Let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most. Hebrews 4:16 (NLT) Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Hebrews 4:16 (NIV) Let us then fearlessly and confidently and boldly draw near to the throne of grace (the throne of God's unmerited favor to us sinners), that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find grace to help in good time for every need [appropriate help and well-timed help, coming just when we need it]. Hebrews 4:16 (Amplified) This verse says a lot to me, to us, as Christians who have been accepted, sanctified and strive live by the Word of God. It says that God did not go through all the trouble, make the greatest sacrifice in the history of mankind for us to live timidly. He gave His son, making a pathway to himself so that we would come boldly, confidently and fearlessly t...

The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms. Deuteronomy 33:27 I have spent a significant amount of time pondering this verse. I know that in context of the chapter it may not mean all the things I can imagine it to, but it's still a comforting thought to try to imagine God's everlasting arms. This is part of Moses' blessing on the Tribes of Israel. Moses was imparting his wisdom on his Israelite brothers and reminding them just who had delivered them, His power, His might, His protection and that the God of Israel is in control of all things. Our God is in control of all things. Our God is eternal, no beginning and no end. He is forever the same, yesterday, today and tomorrow. Because he is eternal His promises are for all generations of believers. We all have access to Him because of His great sacrifice so that we could be reconciled to him. We can be with Him in his eternal glory, heaven. He is our refuge. He is the safe place where we can fin...

For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. Hebrews 4:12-13 As human beings we all long for companionship, friendship and even truly deep relationship with another person that we can trust and share our most telling secrets with. Our emotional stability sometimes hinges on that very thing. We have an intrinsic need to share. Or at least women do. I understand that men are wired somewhat differently and it takes them a little longer, if ever, to open up to their contemporaries. I believe however, that God made us that way. He knew that we would long for relationship with another. He created us to do life, to serve him, to be living and active in our faith as a group. That's why h...

Show me your ways, O LORD, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. Psalm 25:4-5 I am forever thankful that God teaches me to walk in his path. He ordained my life before my existence on this earth. He knows the numbers of my days. So who am I to question that He would know best? I take comfort in His guidance. I find reassurance in knowing that He is God and by trusting in Him who can do more than I could ever ask or imagine I will not need for anything. My hope is in Him, in who He is not just what He does. I know the truth. He is the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, the Alpha and Omega. My Almighty God and Heavenly Father, my God, my Savior. In Him alone do I put my trust and pledge my undying love and obedience. Thank you Lord for just being and allowing me to know you. Thank you for your sacrifice of your Son so that our relationship would be possible. I trust you this day and ask that you guide me in...

"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. Matthew 7:13-14 No one ever said that traveling the road to who God wants us to be would be easy. This road is rocky, it is strewn with pits in which we can fall, it even has slippery slopes that may cause us to slide in the wrong direction. This road is also very narrow and the gate is small. To follow this roadway and enter through the gate of righteousness we have to focus and we have to do it with purpose. No one does this by accident or without thought. Sometimes when we are trekking our way through the ups and downs of life we are faced with decisions or choices that are obviously not on the narrow path. When we come up against them, the choice may be clear but actually stepping out and moving in the right direction may not be so simple when those around us are pu...

“ May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”- Romans 15:13 This is my prayer for you my friends!  As we each move through our day, as we come in contact with those around us, as we face challenges and make decisions I pray that you trust in Him.   I ask that today, as we do life together, we are able to recognize his presence, find comfort and hope in his touch, and be willing vessels for him to fill to overflowing.  Submit yourselves to the Holy Spirit today and let him reign on the throne of your heart, releasing his power in your life.  As you trust, as you allow him to fill your being you will have renewed hope in your heart.  Situations that maybe seemed to overshadow you will become miniscule in the light of God.  And as you see in this new light, you will find joy you didn't know you could have.  Joy that comes only by the h...

But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. James 4:6-7,10 My hope this morning, the eternal promise of God's grace, humbles me before Him as I think about what He wants for my life. I'm not talking about whether he wants me to take a particular job, buy a new house, what college he wants my daughter to go to. I'm not even referring to which church I attend or not. There are certain things God wants for all of us so that we can live with joy in his abundance. (John 10:10) Obedience is one. He has given us his Word to use as a guide( 2 Timothy 3:16) and His son to model our behavior after(Ephesians 5:1). In the Bible there is guidance for any and all situations in our lives. As we spend time reading and studying the perfect Word of God he will speak to us and give...

Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control. Proverbs 25:28 This morning as I was completing day 5 of this weeks bible study homework, conviction fell all over me. I could so relate to the story that the author was sharing of how she felt conviction when studying 'self control'. I sit morning after morning, sipping my coffee with flavored creamers, sometimes eating along with it as I do my study. This morning, as I read about her drinking her coffee, eating dark chocolate and jelly beans, I was drinking coffee and eating strawberry pop tarts. I realized, just as she did how ridiculous this is. I have spent the last 4 and half years of my life trying to get away from unhealthy eating. I took great measures by the grace of God, to become healthier and happier in my own loose skin and yet I sit here doing what got me in that predicament to begin with. I guess what upsets me about it most is that I am not honoring the temple of God. My body i...

Many are saying of me, "God will not deliver him." But you are a shield around me, O LORD; you bestow glory on me and lift up my head. To the LORD I cry aloud, and he answers me from his holy hill. Psalm 3:2-4 This morning as I sit in a hotel room waiting to hear from my own sweet daughter, I am encouraged by the Word. I have been working on this weeks Bible study assignments trying to learn and let these words of life, wisdom and hope find their way deep into my heart, into my very being. These words from Psalm 3 stood out to me today. The images in my mind are of a vulnerable child before her father after having done something she is not proud of or that he would find disappointing. As she stands before him with her face downcast I can just see her sighing deeply, her shoulders drooping with dread and shame. I can sense her hopelessness in that she feels she has failed herself and her father again. Because you see, this has happened before. No matter how hard she tries, the...

That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, "Let us go over to the other side." Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, "Teacher, don't you care if we drown?" He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?" They were terrified and asked each other, "Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!" Mark 4:35-41 In the bible study I am currently working on, these verses were used as part of the daily study. I have read and reread and pondered and meditated on them for a few days now. Sometimes it takes time for ...

I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.   Philippians 1:3-6 This weekend, my husband and I will be savoring one of the many "lasts" with our daughter.  As a senior in high school we are nearing the completion of her journey through childhood and the end of a season in her life.  Her graduation is less than three months away where we will see come to fruition many of the hopes and dreams we have had for her in the last seventeen years.  Of course, we have many more for her future but for now I want to enjoy this season of her life.  Watching her step outside her comfort zone and really put herself on the line to reach her goals has been difficult as a parent.  I have wanted to protect ...

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.  Hebrews 13:8     I have heard the saying many times in my life that "the only sure thing in life is change".  I can say that on many levels that is true.  Everything in life changes.  Who our friends are, where we work, where we go to church.  Our attitudes evolve, our children grow up, parents pass away, our families get closer or sometimes more distant. As I was sitting in a board meeting at my work yesterday, the concept of just how much change has affected every area of my life was displayed in front of me.  The people sitting around the conference tables were all new.  Not necessarily new to me, but new to the positions which brought them to this meeting.  All of us had come up through the ranks together.  We all had experienced struggles, ha...

"Because he loves me," says the LORD, "I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation." Psalm 91:14-16   Psalm 91 is one of my absolute favorites. I love it because of the way the description of God's protection warms my heart and reassures me of how He surrounds me with Himself. Usually, I focus on the beginning of this psalm, "He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, 'He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust'." v 1-2 because it comforts me and reminds me who He is to me. It soothes my anxious soul in seasons when I feel overwhelmed or threatened. But today, as I was reading the whole Psalm, ...

Then Jesus told them this parable: "Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.' I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent. Luke 15:3-7 As I was doing my bible study this morning I read this scripture in Luke 15 and although I have read this many times, heard it referenced over and over, a picture of safety came to my mind fresh and strong today. I have been studying the parent reference to God as our Heavenly Father and what that truly represents has flooded my mind with images and memories of my own father, grandfather and my husband. The words "he ...

For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil. Ecclesiastes 12:14 Over the last couple of days, I have written about hurt and disappointment at the hands of another. I have been preoccupied with the bitterness, anger and emotional pain that have consumed me and my struggle to find peace. During this time, I realized that I was allowing someone else to determine my outlook, my attitude, and ultimately to steal my joy. I was taking on the responsibility of God, by judging this person and deciding for myself what punishment they deserved. I was angry. I felt mistreated. I felt as though this person thought they got away with their actions because I had decided it best not to call them on it personally in an attempt to avoid further conflict and long term hurt. But then a very wise man, my husband (don't tell him I said that), reminded me of these words in Ecclesiastes. One of God's promises and a reminder that it is His job ...

"But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you. "If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' lend to 'sinners,' expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to...

I have been searching this morning for guidance. As we all do at times, I am faced with Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing. Proverbs 12:18 The tongue that brings healing is the tree of life, but a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit. Provers 15:4 I have been searching this morning for guidance. As we all do at times, I am faced with conflict and with that I am filled with competing emotions. These emotions are strong and they demand attention, but I must determine if in doing so external action will be necessary or wise. When I am upset, hurt, torn by the words or actions of someone else the temptation is always there to react. But, that urge to react must be controlled. It has been my experience that it is seldom prudent to speak when angry or emotionally charged no matter what the reason. Often, when I do not hold my tongue, I say things that are hurtful, even if unintentionally so. On numerous occasions I have allowed myself to react to a b...

15 For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. a]'>[ a ] And by him we cry, "Abba, b]'>[ b ] Father." 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.  Romans 8:15-17   I am overcome this morning with the knowledge and promise of the great family of God.  This greatness not measured only by it's goodness rather  by it's vastness beyond my comprehension.  I grew up in what most people would consider a big family.  I have six siblings, five sisters and a brother.  We did all the normal things like pick on each other, fight with each  other and ultimately love each other too.  You would think that I would be used to enormity but in fact I am much of loner on m...

2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.  Ephesians 4:2-3   What gives me encouragement this morning is knowing that I am forgiven!  Having godly friends lends some level of assurance that they will follow God's word, be patient with me and I with them and bear with one another in love.  Even as faithful followers we still make mistakes.  We still make choices that to us seem important, but to others may seem untimely or inconvenient.  And when that happens, when someone we love, or even someone we are simply acquainted with does something differently than we would have liked and we feel let down then we need to remember Jesus' command. "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another". John 13:34   We must be willing to love one another in spite of ourselves. ...

12 See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. 13 But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. 14 We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first. Hebrews 3:12-14 This was a warning and a reminder to the Jewish converts who were wavering in their new found beliefs to watch out for one another. Like most Christians, these new believers had a fierceness about them when they first heard and accepted the gospel of Christ. They wanted to believe and they were willing to lay down the traditions and the man-made laws that the Pharisees preached for the simplicity of faith in a new relationship with God. In many ways, the same struggle is still being waged today between rigid ritualized religion and the need for an intimate relationship with the Father through Christ. The distraction of human traditi...

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     Peace, God's Peace.  What could be more encouraging or comforting than to have His word, His promise that He gives to us what no one on earth can, peace?  Through faith and believing in not only the existence of the Creator but also recognizing his sovereignty, trusting in his wisdom and being assured of his presence we are experiencing and reaping the benefit of being his most highly valued creation, children of God.   He wants us to experience life as he planned it, not as the world would have us to.  The outside influences of society and the pressures of living in this fallen world can become overwhelming to any of us if we allow our focus to stray.  We need to look to God when we feel the pull of humanity dragging us away.  He alone can soothe our troubled souls and untang...