Tag: Grace

Days of Grace- Day 7

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Moving ahead in tracing God’s grace and favor throughout the pages of the Bible, our next stop along the way is found in 1 Samuel.  Samuel is an adult now and serves as a prophet. In our text today, Samuel has already anointed Saul as King of Israel. At the people’s insistence, God had relented and agreed to allow them a king and Saul was chosen to be the first.  That, however, has not worked out exactly for the best. In chapter sixteen, God has a talk with Samuel and assigns him to go to the house of Jessie, take a sacrifice with him and anoint the ‘one’ God tells him  as the next king of Israel. The Lord was very specific that Samuel not look at Jessie’s sons based on their appearance nor at their physical stature, God was looking at their heart.

One by one, Samuel met Jessie’s sons, seven in all had passed by Samuel. Samuel spoke to Jessie and said, “The Lord has not chosen these; are there any more children?” Jessie sent for his son David who was in the field tending sheep. The Lord said “this is the one” and Samuel anointed David. The Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul and his gradual fall as king began. Initially, Saul seeks David out and is friendly but as time goes by, Saul starts slipping and David begins to grow in power and influence. Our grace text is found in 1 Samuel 27:5. David is fleeing Saul’s attacks and goes into Gath in the land of Philistines. He has sought favor with Achish, son of Maoch, king of Gath so that he could have refuge from Saul. David asks in verse 5, ” If I have now found grace in thine eyes, let them give me a place in some town in the country, that I may dwell there: for why should thy servant dwell in the royal city with thee?”(KJV)  Achish granted him Ziklag, where David resided for the next sixteen months. During this time David gained the favor and the respect of Achish.

This story amazes me!  David, who conquered the Philistine Goliath, later seeks refuge among these same Philistine people. This is just another example of scripture proving scripture and God’s marvelous grace to those who have a heart for Him. Proverbs 16:7    “When a man’s ways please the Lord, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.” David surely experienced this in his life, at times with Saul and certainly  during his stay with the Philistine people.

Days of Grace-Day 6

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Have you met Hannah? If not, I am pleased to introduce you to her. Today, we will look at another woman spoken of in the Word of God, her name is Hannah. Hannah lives with her husband Elkanah from the hill country of Ephraim. They are mentioned beginning in First Samuel chapter one. One of the first things we learn is Hannah is not Elkanah’s only wife. To make life even more difficult for her, she shared her husband with another wife, Peninnah. Peninnah had been blessed with children; Hannah had none.

    Elkanah was a man of God, we know this because he made a yearly journey to worship and sacrifice to the Lord. When the time for sacrifice came he gave portions to Peninnah and her children, but to Hannah he would give a double portion because he loved Hannah. Hannah suffered greatly because of her inability to have children. If it were not enough, Peninnah made it a rivalry and did not miss a chance to remind Hannah of her lack of fruitfulness. In verse 8 we see Elkanah as he tries to comfort Hannah saying, ” “Hannah, why do you weep and why do you not eat and why is your heart sad ? Am I not better to you than ten sons?” I am sure she appreciated her husband’s attempt at comfort, but Hannah wanted more than anything to give her husband children. She went up to the temple. Hannah bowed in prayer, weeping greatly in her cries to the Lord.  Eli, the priest saw her there and rebuked her thinking that she was drunk.  One would think that might have been the tipping point for Hannah. Here she is childless, broken-hearted, suffering taunting and provocation from her rival and now she was also misunderstood completely by the priest who thought she was crying uncontrollably because she was drunk. But no, Hannah answered Eli calmly, ”  “No, my lord, I am a woman oppressed in spirit ; I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have poured out my soul before the LORD.  “Do not consider your maidservant as a worthless woman, for I have spoken until now out of my great concern and provocation.” 1 Samuel 1:15-16 Eli’s, response was, “Go in peace, may the Lord grant you your request.” Hannah, in verse 18 responded, “And she said , Let thine handmaid find grace in thy sight. So the woman went her way, and did eat , and her countenance was no more sad.”

The following day Elkanah and Hannah went early to bow and worship the Lord and began their journey home to Ramah. After a while, The Lord remembered Hannah, she conceived and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel because she “requested him from the Lord.” verse 20.  Not only did our friend Hannah find grace in Eli’s sight, she also found grace and compassion in God’s sight and He answered her prayer. In gratitude, she raised young Samuel, dedicated him to the Lord, and when he was weaned this young boy served the Lord in the temple alongside Eli the priest.  1 Samuel 2:21 goes on to tell us that God remembered Hannah, at least one translation says ‘was gracious to Hannah’ and she had another three sons and two daughters. As for Samuel, he was raised in the temple and called by God to be a prophet in Israel and later a judge over Israel. God heard Hannah’s cries and He had a plan greater than she could have ever imagined. We may not always understand when we go through difficult trying times or times of suffering.  This I do know looking back in hindsight on my life’s circumstances and at the stories we are seeing in this journey. There is always a greater plan and God among all His other attributes is a God of mercy and grace.

Grace and blessings to you!


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Days of Grace- Day 5

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     Let’s look at a slightly different view of God’s grace, His grace shown through one of His own people. This particular example of grace comes on the heels of tragedy and much sorrow at a time when its recipients are feeling alone and burdened, perhaps even a bit forsaken. To begin, a little back story is in order.  Israel was in a time of famine, people were suffering. A man named  Elimelech decided it would be prudent to take his wife Naomi and his two sons into the land of Moab. While they were in Moab, Elimelech died. Naomi’s sons also each took for themselves a wife from among the people of Moab; their names were Orpah and Ruth. After about ten years, Naomi and her daughters-in-law suffered the death of her two sons. Naomi by this time had heard that conditions in her own homeland had improved, and being a widow in a strange land, she decided to return home was her best choice for survival. Naomi spoke to her daughters in love and encouraged them to  “Go, return each of you to her mother’s house. May the LORD deal kindly with you as you have dealt with the dead and with me. “May the LORD grant that you may find rest, each in the house of her husband.” Then she kissed them, and they lifted up their voices and wept.” according to Ruth 1:8-9 (New American Standard). Both young women declined and opted to return with her to her homeland but as time came for their departure, only Ruth traveled with Naomi. Scripture tells us that at this point in the story, Naomi was feeling old, used up and feeling that the hand of God was against her. Ruth was dedicated to Naomi and very loving toward her. They began their trip back to Naomi’s homeland.

     Safely back in Bethlehem, Naomi and Ruth settled in. Ruth asked permission from Naomi to glean wheat along the edges of a field so they would have food. It was the tradition of the day that the land owners would leave the edges of their field so that the poor could come and gather some of the harvest so their family would have some food. The field where she stopped belonged to Boaz who was a kinsman of Elimelech.  Interestingly, Boaz visited his fields that day and saw this young woman gleaning in the field, he first inquired about who she was from his servants. Next he spoke with Ruth letting her know she was safe in those fields and his servants would make sure she had water while she was working. He asked her not to glean in any other fields and left her to her work. When mealtime came, Boaz called her to eat with the others and when she returned to the fields they were instructed not to insult her and to intentionally drop some of their grain that she might find it.

     At one point, Ruth inquired of Boaz as to his great kindness and favor toward her because she was a stranger in the land. Boaz’s response is recorded in Ruth 2:1-12, “Boaz replied to her, “All that you have done for your mother-in-law after the death of your husband has been fully reported to me, and how you left your father and your mother and the land of your birth, and came to a people that you did not previously know. “May the LORD reward your work, and your wages be full from the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to seek refuge.” Ruth had left everything familiar because of her devotion to her husband’s mother after his death. Not only  did she leave her land and family, she had been so touched by this family’s devotion to their God that she wanted to serve God just as they did. Boaz’s kindness and these words were confirmation that she had chosen wisely.

     This beautiful story doesn’t end here, it is just beginning. Boaz and Ruth marry and from that marriage comes a son named Obed. Obed has a son named Jessie, and Jessie has sons, the youngest named David who becomes the best known king of Israel. Grace continues to flow and be traced throughout the generations, even among tragedy and sorrow, grace continues and is found in the new life of Obed. Ruth 4:16-17 says, “Then Naomi took the child and laid him in her lap, and became his nurse. The neighbor women gave him a name, saying, “A son has been born to Naomi !” So they named him Obed. He is the father of Jesse, the father of David.” Naomi, who had lost her husband and both sons now had a new start with this grand baby, the one who had previously said call me ‘bitter’ had hope, healing and joy through the grace of God shown to both her and her daughter through her kinsmen redeemer Boaz.

Days of Grace- Day 4

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     In our journey so far we have looked at three examples of grace. First, Noah found grace with God because he and his family stood out above the wickedness that surrounded them. Secondly, Abraham and his family was the benefactor of the grace of God and lastly Moses and God’s chosen people found favor with God as the cord of grace and favor are weaved further through scripture. Our first day we looked at the Strong’s definition of the Hebrew word for grace (Chem). Today, let’s finally look at a working definition of this word grace.  According to Noah Wester 1828 online dictionary, the noun grace is defined “Favor; good will; kindness; disposition to oblige another; as a grant made as an act of grace;  appropriately, the free unmerited love and favor of God, the spring and source of all the benefits men receive from him.” Amazingly, this just covers the first two of twenty definition listings just for grace the noun. It is a very dynamic word!  For more see:  http://webstersdictionary1828.com.

     Now that we have a working definition in our language, let’s look at the next connection in our grace pilgrimage, we will be in Judges six looking at the story of Gideon. The story begins with an explanation of how God’s chosen people find themselves living in caves and mountain strongholds because they have done evil in God’s sight and have been targeted for seven years now by the Midianites. Israel was hurting. After all that God had delivered them from in the past, they still had memory failure and fell into disobedience once again. Now they find themselves in a struggle to get by and crying out to God once again and God answered their cries. His response is located in verse  8-10: “the LORD sent a prophet unto the children of Israel, which said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I brought you up from Egypt, and brought you forth out of the house of bondage; and I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all that oppressed you, and drove them out from before you, and gave you their land; and I said unto you, I am the LORD your God; fear not the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell : but ye have not obeyed my voice.” KJV

     Gideon was hiding out and threshing wheat by the winepress. This is indeed an unusual place to be threshing wheat, normally they would thresh on the hillside where the chafe could blow away and the wheat would fall back to the ground but Gideon was here trying to preserve the little wheat they had from the enemy. An angel of the Lord appeared saying, “The LORD is with you, O valiant warrior.” (Judges 6:12b)  Gideon responded,  “O my lord, if the LORD is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all His miracles which our fathers told us about,saying, ‘Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the LORD has abandoned us and given us into the hand of Midian.” (Judges 6:13)

     Then the Lord responded that Gideon should go in his own strength and deliver Israel from Midian and Gideon, much like Abraham had several excuses why he could not do as he was asked.  Patiently, the Lord responded again with these words from Judges 6: 16-17. “But the LORD said to him, “Surely I will be with you, and you shall defeat Midian as one man.”

      Gideon then said to Him, “If now I have found favor in Your sight, then show me a sign that it is You who speak with me. “Please do not depart from here, until I come back to You, and bring out my offering and lay it before You.” Gideon found favor with this messenger and He awaited as Gideon prepared a meal and returned. The angel of the Lord then sacrificed the meal as an offering unto the Lord.  Judges 6:22-24 tells us, “When Gideon saw that he was the angel of the LORD, he said, “Alas, O Lord GOD! For now I have seen the angel of the LORD face to face.”  The LORD said to him, “Peace to you, do not fear; you shall not die.” Then Gideon built an altar there to the LORD and named it The LORD is Peace.”

      Once again we see the great grace that God shows one of His chosen. This is  a man clearly hiding and trying to protect his grain and yet God sees his potential and calls him mighty warrior despite him being of the least and the smallest among his people. As the story goes Gideon takes the first step in fulfilling God’s request. We not only observe that God is a God of peace, we also get a glimpse into the great patience God has with Gideon. God goes on to patiently answer Gideon as he asks for signs not once but twice before he continues to fulfill what the Lord has called him to do. How great is the patience and grace of God throughout all the ages and even in our day, Grace to you!

Days of Grace-Day 3

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Imagine, if you can for a moment that you are Moses. Yes, the same Moses that God called in Exodus 3, and was commissioned to return to the land of Egypt from which he fled to the desert having killed a man. The same Moses who tried to get out of the assignment by claiming to be slow of speech and slow of tongue in chapter 4. In the following chapter, Moses goes to God and asks in 5:22,” “Lord, why have you caused trouble for this people? Why did you ever send me? 23 From the time I went to speak to Pharaoh in your name, he has caused trouble for this people, and you have certainly not rescued them!” Following this interchange, Moses and Aaron went before Pharaoh and following each visit one of the ten plaques of Egypt occurred. (Exodus 7-11)  Finally, in chapter 13 of Exodus the Hebrew captives were released and Moses led them out of Egypt.  One of the ways God showed the now freed captives His favor or grace was that He chose to deliver them from captivity to the promised land by taking them the long route through the desert to the Red Sea. This would spare them from running into the Philistines, and avoid possible war and their running back to their former captors in fear. He also showed  them His favor by leading them as they went. During the day He went before them in a pillar of cloud, and then by a pillar of fire by night. (Exodus 13)  God led them to and through the Red Sea. They walked through the Sea on dry ground and got safely across the Sea just before God allowed the enemy troops in  pursuit of them to be swallowed up into the Sea. God showed His provision, forgiveness and favor to His people many times during their forty-year journey in the desert in search of the promised land.

Our real grace verse for today is found in Exodus 33:12. Before we take a look at it, let’s set the stage or glimpse the context of this verse. We have just passed the verses that tell about Moses   going up the mountain, God giving the ten commandments and the people growing impatient and talking Aaron into making a golden calf to worship. God has told Moses to take the obstinate people and go to the land promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob but they will go without Him lest He destroy them along the way.  It is here that Moses intercedes for the people. We read in Genesis 33: 12-16 “ Then Moses said to the Lord, “See, You say to me, ‘Bring up this people!’ But You Yourself have not let me know whom You will send with me. Moreover, You have said, ‘I have known you by name, and you have also found favor (chem) in My sight.’ Now therefore, I pray You, if I have found favor in Your sight, let me know Your ways that I may know You, so that I may find favor in Your sight. Consider too, that this nation is Your people.”  And He said, “My presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest.”  Then he said to Him, “If Your presence does not go with us, do not lead us up from here. For how then can it be known that I have found favor in Your sight, I and Your people? Is it not by Your going with us, so that we, I and Your people, may be distinguished from all the other people who are upon the face of the earth?”  Moses was wise enough to know that it was God’s presence and favor among them was what had preserved them and distinguished them among all the other people of the world.

God responds to Moses pleas with this: “ The Lord said to Moses, “I will also do this thing of which you have spoken; for you have found favor in My sight and I have known you by name.”Exodus 33:17 NAS

Again as with Abraham yesterday, we see God granting favor or grace on his servant, hearing his bold prayers on behalf of the people and answering them. God’s grace threaded throughout His story. May His grace, favor and peace be with you and keep you!

Days of Grace- Day 2

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Last time we looked at the first mention of grace in the Bible, it was in relation to Noah. He found grace or favor with God. Because of this, when God decided to send the flood to end wickedness in the world, Noah and his family were spared to repopulate the world after the flood was over.  The next mention of grace we find in Genesis 19:19 and it also uses the same Hebrew word as our previous verses. This time we find ourselves in the middle of the story of Lot. When he and Abraham had parted ways because of the size of their herds and the need for more land, Lot chose the land toward Sodom and eventually found himself living there. Lot was visited by two guests who were angels. They confirmed the evil in Sodom and it became targeted for destruction. The angels warned Lot to get out of this place for the Lord will destroy it. Let’s pick up in Genesis 19: 17-19, “As soon as the angels got them outside, one of them said, “Run for your lives! Don’t look back and don’t stop anywhere on the plain! Run to the mountains, or you will be swept away!” But Lot said to them, “No, Lord-please. Your servant has indeed found favor in Your sight, and You have shown me great kindness (mercy-Hebrew word Checed) by saving my life. But I can’t run to the mountains; the disaster will overtake me, and I will die.” (HCSB) Other translations choose either the word grace (Chem in Hebrew).

For further context, in the previous chapter these two angels along with a third met with Abraham prior to their visit with Lot. They shared with Abraham the condition of Sodom and their plans to see if the condition was as grave as it seemed. This is when Abraham pleads for Sodom- will you save it for the sake of fifty righteous? Forty-Five? Forty? Thirty? Twenty? Will you save it for the sake of ten? Amazingly, each time Abraham asked, God showed him favor/grace by responding yes, even for the sake of ten I will not destroy it. When the angels arrived, Lot, his wife and his two daughters appear to be the only righteous people they found. Lot and his family found grace with the angels and were warned to leave before the city was destroyed. This is a wonderful example of God’s grace to His people. All throughout the Old and New Testament we can find great illustrations of the richness of God’s grace extended His people.

May your day be filled with glimpses of His grace!

Days of Grace-Day 1

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Reflecting on the sheer number of articles and comments about Lent over the last few days, I was challenged to spend some time focusing the next forty days leading toward Easter on the topic of grace. My plan is to share this journey over the next few weeks taking a scripture or two relating to God’s grace and digging into it, seeking the cord of God’s grace running throughout His Word and seeking to know Him better each step of the pilgrimage.

Today, I would like to begin with the first mention of grace in the Word of God. It is found in Genesis 6:8, but we will begin a little sooner for context.  Starting in verse five it reads: “5 Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 The Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. 7 The Lord said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, from man to animals to creeping things and to birds of the sky; for I am sorry that I have made them.” 8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.” (NAS)  The King James version uses the word grace.

First we note that the word used here translated grace from the Hebrew is Chen (khane) and the meaning denotes favor, grace, charm, elegance and acceptance (Strongs 2580). It is used sixty-nine other times in the Old Testament and is most used to mean favor or grace.

Next, Psalm 84:10-12.  In the Holman translation (HCSB) it reads: “Better a day in Your courts than a thousand anywhere else. I would rather be at the door of the house of my God than to live in the tents of wicked people. For the Lord God is a sun and shield. The Lord gives grace and glory; He does not withhold the good from those who live with integrity. Happy is the person who trusts in You, Lord of Hosts!”  The Lord gives favor, grace and acceptance, not withholding the good from those who live with integrity. He also gives glory, Kabowd (kaw-bode’) glory, honor, glorious, abundance, riches, dignity, reputation, and reverence (Strongs 3519)  and it is only used here in Psalms and in Ezekiel 1:28 where it speaks of his vision of the Lord. The psalmist here is longing for the house of God and setting the stage that even the most humble in God’s house receives His grace and glory as they live with integrity. Happy, blessed is the one who trusts in Him!

“The curse of the Lord is on the house of the wicked, but He blesses the dwelling of the righteous. Though He scoffs at the scoffers, yet He gives grace to the afflicted. The wise will inherit honor, but fools display dishonor.” Proverbs 3:33-35 NASB  The word for grace here is also Chen. He gives favor/grace to the afflicted.

The Creator of the universe loves His creation, He is for us and wants a relationship with each one of us. He longs for us to know and understand His true character through His Word and to interact with Him relationally, just as we long for close and loving relationships with our children both as they grow and in adulthood. As we long to give our children good gifts whether material, educational, or spiritual; He longs to give us good gifts like His favor and grace. Though I believe this with my entire heart, I also want to caution that we can not lose track of the fact He is God as I draw this parallel. We can have the tendency to want to create a god in our image and this is not what I have in mind when comparing God as Father to us as parents and our desires for our children. His ways and thoughts are much higher than ours but His Word proves it many times over; He is a good and loving Father who wants the best for His children.

Making Room

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Today’s Bible reading passage in the plan I am using is Isaiah 54, or at least I thought it was… until I looked later and found I jumped ahead a chapter. Perhaps I was subconsciously eager because it is one of my many favorites in Isaiah. It is right on the heels of another favorite, Isaiah 53 which is the prophecy of the coming Suffering Servant, Jesus Christ. There are great promises for Israel in this chapter, I personally believe there are lessons for the Christian also in these words and perhaps some of the promises apply to us as also. Based on Galatians 3: 13-14 “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us (because it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree ”) in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham would come to the Gentiles, so that we could receive the promise of the Spirit by faith. For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female – for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to the promise. (Galatians 3:13, 14, 27-29 NET).

The first attention getter for me was verse two. It says to enlarge your tents, spread out the wall, stretch your boundaries. Then one translations says don’t hold back; another says spare no effort; and lastly another says spare no expense. It goes on to say lengthen your ropes and pound your steaks deep. Many commentaries agree that this refers to the time after Christ when the gospel would be shared with both Jews and Gentile. As I considered the passage this morning I felt impressed that it could also be very applicable in my life and the lives of others. Maybe for our day, it is saying make room for God and all that He desires to do in our lives. Make space for Him, for the assignment He has for our life, and for the blessings He wants to give us. Be diligent and prepare even when it may seem nothing is actually happening right now. Keep trusting God and being expectant of what He has planned for it will come to pass in His timing. His timing is always perfect and right on time. His plans for us are good, believe and trust He is for us!

Don’t be afraid, for you will not be put to shame! Don’t be intimidated, for you will not be humiliated! You will forget about the shame you experienced in your youth; you will no longer remember the disgrace of your abandonment. (Isaiah 54:4 NET). Trials, troubles from the past that cause shame will no longer haunt you, they will be forgotten was my next big take away. We all have an experience or two in our lives that haunts us, one we want to forget. That is exactly why Jesus came (Isaiah 53 & 61:1-4) to bear our sickness, disease, sin and shame. Also He came to encourage the poor, heal the broken hearted, bring liberty to captives, freedom to prisoners, and relief and joy to those who mourn! We are neither limited nor do we have to be defined by our past, we can move past the things that shamed, intimidated, humiliated and held us back in the past!

Though the mountains move and the hills shake, My love will not be removed from you and My covenant of peace will not be shaken,” says your compassionate Lord. (Isaiah 54:10 HCSB) Our Heavenly Father loves us and nothing can change that. Those In Christ have been given right standing with Him. His love is unwavering and His covenant of peace will not be shaken!

I also love verses thirteen and fourteen, that our children will be taught of The Lord and prosper and that we can live oppression free and far from terror. Followed up by: ‘No weapon forged to be used against you will succeed; you will refute everyone who tries to accuse you. This is what the Lord will do for his servants – I will vindicate them,” says the Lord’.(Isaiah 54:17 NET) I certainly am no theologian, just a simple follower of Jesus. One who, based on many experiences in my own life, has witnessed the goodness of God and His promises in even the toughest of times and the loss of some of the people dearest to me. I can attest to His great love, His mercy and grace in the hard places in life even in the times He seems absent or silent, He is there working, loving and watching over you. May you be blessed this day and may His goodness and mercy follow you!

Grace Gifts – Pondering the Precious

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I no longer feel as I once did the tremendous pressure to perform or produce, oh it stills rears its head from time to time but it does not haunt me moment to moment as it once did! Why? Because I finally understood…I ran across Psalm 139 a number of years ago. The realization became clear. Jesus, God – knowing me fully before I was ever formed – loved me, loved us. Knowing before either you or I was formed EVERYTHING about us in advance – still He formed me, formed you. He knew I would fail, He knew I would blow it – just like now two days behind again  in my Christmas devotional reading, or something stupid or hurtful that I carelessly said to someone dear. Still, He loves me; He loves you! Knowing everything about us, in advance of our first breath, He lovingly formed us with a purpose, a plan…a specific place in time in His mind for us where we would be placed purposefully.  Knowing we would go our own way at times, get off track…yet He, in His great love, called forth my life and has walked every step with me  – the good, the bad and yes, even the ugly! Even before I was aware of His Presence, He was right there whispering, “Perform no more, walk with Me and be free to become who I created you to be… not someone else’s image or destiny but your own unique calling unlike any other – no cookie cutter image here!” He provides grace for the gaps; and there are gaps! Times of self-doubt; times of difficulty; times of comparison; times fear slips in that I am not enough, unworthy, unloved. He always steps in, His Words chase me with grace; compel me; woo me; draw me closer… His grace whispered… love lavished…drawing me back, closer… reminding me of His love – unconditional – the love He created me in, you also!

How grateful I feel for God’s gift, His ultimate gift… Salvation! Right standing, a chance for real life, full and abundant life… Not just about heaven, the after life. No it is not just about avoiding separation from God, or a fiery hell and eternal punishment. No, His salvation is so much more… It is about life, true life.  Full life, living water flowing in and through me; through you, overflowing that we might love  others with a love that is greater than ourselves. A love like His! Pure love, unselfish love. His salvation is about working it out in our lives while we are alive, Philippians 2:12, with fear and trembling.  Fear? Doesn’t perfect love cast out fear? Yes, this fear has a rich deep meaning of reverence and respect – not being afraid but a deep reverence and respect for the One who created us, loves us.  He is for us, Jeremiah 29:11. When we understand and believe His Word, when we know He is for us and not against us, then we are able to see God as a perfect and loving Father who is always seeking our best as we walk this planet; then the reverence and respect He desires from us follows naturally. It is then we stop seeing Him as the great rule maker; we stop seeing Him as out to limit our fun, control us. It is in this place we begin to see His loving and gentle hand protecting us, guiding us to be the best we can be; to reach toward our destiny. We begin to live life to the fullest and most abundant progressively moving forward in love, joy, peace, patience, faithfulness, goodness, kindness, gentleness and self-control.

Salvation and eternal life are found in Jesus, but it does not stop there! We work it out (Philippians 2:12) in our lives by seeking the Father and walking with Jesus by means of the Holy Spirit’s guidance in our life – hearing God’s Word directing us in what He created us to be, wooing us, drawing us into the dance of our lives. His salvation is not just for eternity but for life here and now!  He makes it so simple a small child can understand, yet we complicate it. He loves us indescribably, exponentially!! Yes, He like any good father wants us to be obedient but not for His sake or for His satisfaction but for our protection, for our good so that we can have the richest and most satisfying life possible. Jesus taught His disciples to pray, “thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven…” He would not have taught them this if it we not possible, in fact all things are possible with God.  What would it look like if every one of us who God calls son or daughter walked in our destiny and fully understood who we are in Christ.   Can we even imagine? What would His kingdom come on earth as it is in Heaven look like?

I am betting that just one glimpse and not one of us would ever be the same!!

Whose Team are We On?

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Today’s post is somewhat awkward. Typically prayer and conversation with God is extremely personal to me. I am not prone to share those a times but I feel he is leading me to share a bit about my time with Him, so here goes:

As I was talking to The Lord this morning praying for concerns and needs among my family, friends and church, there was an unusual change in the direction and tone of my prayer. I had prayed for health and healing, and some more specific individual needs and for wisdom and understanding for myself and those for whom I was praying. As I continued, I began to pray about things going on in the world. There is so much need, so many people hurting and more than our share of violence and atrocities all around! I began to feel an urgency to pray for an awakening in the church, for renewal, and for revival. Once again the phrase, “arise oh sleeper” from Ephesians 5:14 came to mind. prompted by the Holy Spirit? Perhaps, probably.

As I began praying for the Church around the world. I felt prompted to intercede because The Lord called those in the church to be in the world but not of the world. Many times in our culture it has become hard to tell the difference because there is a tendency to fit in rather than stand out. As I prayed, I felt as if The Lord, Himself was guiding the direction of the prayer by bringing to mind certain scriptures. There was an urgency to pray for a great move of the Holy Spirit, a renewal of loving as Jesus loved. I also felt Spirit prompted to pray that individuals and the church worldwide would learn that it is not our job to accuse, condemn and judge each other whether inside or outside the Body of Christ because according to Revelation 12: 10, Satan is the accuser of the brethren. Instead, may those of us who belong to Jesus respond as Jesus would respond, with love, mercy and grace.

A prime example is found John 8. The experts in the law and the Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery to Jesus. Scripture clearly says that their purpose was to set a trap for Jesus. Jesus’ response: “Jesus bent down and wrote on the ground with his finger. 7 When they persisted in asking him, he stood up straight and replied, “Whoever among you is guiltless may be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 Then he bent over again and wrote on the ground. 9 Now when they heard this, they began to drift away one at a time, starting with the older ones, until Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. 10 Jesus stood up straight and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?” 11 She replied, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “I do not condemn you either. Go, and from now on do not sin any more.”

John 10:10 tells us that Satan comes to steal, kill and destroy…but Jesus came to bring life! abundant and full. Being critical, accusing and being judgemental throws up barriers, brings out defensiveness. Paul teaches us this in Ephesians 4:14-16 (HCSB):
“14 Then we will no longer be little children, tossed by the waves and blown around by every wind of teaching, by human cunning with cleverness in the techniques of deceit. 15 But speaking the truth in love, let us grow in every way into Him who is the head—Christ. 16 From Him the whole body, fitted and knit together by every supporting ligament, promotes the growth of the body for building up itself in love by the proper working of each individual part.”

The wisdom of Solomon teaches us this in Proverbs 16:5-7 (NET):
5 The Lord abhors every arrogant person;
rest assured that they will not go unpunished.
6 Through loyal love and truth iniquity is appeased;
through fearing the Lord one avoids evil.
7 When a person’s ways are pleasing to the Lord,
he even reconciles his enemies to himself.

Oh Heavenly Father, may there be a great renewal of Your love flow through this world. May your Spirit be poured out and the Fruit of the Spirit flow fully in Your people!! May renewal come, may Your children love others following the example of Jesus! Lord, please fill Your church with Your love, mercy and grace like never before in ever-increasing waves until the whole world has been covered and all have had a chance to experience the greatest and truest form of love ever known!

1 Peter 1:21-23
Living Bible (TLB)
21 Because of this, your trust can be in God who raised Christ from the dead and gave Him great glory. Now your faith and hope can rest in Him alone. 22 Now you can have real love for everyone because your souls have been cleansed from selfishness and hatred when you trusted Christ to save you; so see to it that you really do love each other warmly, with all your hearts.

*bold words, author’s emphasis