Tag: grace

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Sing Praises for God 2013 and 2014

The psalmist wrote, “It is good to give thanks to the lord, to sing praises to the Most High.  It is good to proclaim your unfailing love in the morning, your faithfulness in the evening, accompanied by the ten-stringed harp and the melody of the lyre.” Psalm 92:1-3 NLT

Today many are preparing for new year’s eve celebrations.  In just a few short hours 2013 will be history.  The precious gift of time is cause for celebration as well as an opportunity to give thanks to the Lord for all He did in 2013.  The psalmist encouraged us to sing praises to God.  For it was by His Grace and Mercy we celebrate life and His gifts to us.

During this holiday season, my husband and I have had so many reminders in the form of phone calls, cards, texts, FB, visits with family and friends and gifts. These were priceless drops of love from heaven.  They felt like rays of love coming from the throne of Grace.  God was saying I heard your prayers, I know your hearts and thank you.  This time has been glorious, and I am so grateful.

Now, as we prepare for tonight’s watch night service where songs of praise and thanksgiving will be heard, we extend to you and yours blessings for the new year.  Sing farewell to 2013. Sing praises to God and welcome to 2014.

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Confession of Hope

Hebrews 10: 23-24 (NKJV)
“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works.”

My husband and I just finished a whirlwind trip through two states seeing family and friends. At every encounter, I was reminded of God’s faithfulness, and provision, particularly during some of the most difficult periods in our lives. His grace markers were evident as I held hands with our first grandson, looked into the faces of family and friends, and saw the delight in their eyes. God has so blessed us. He has been faithful through all the trials and tribulations, and all the wrong decisions made. Through the Prophet Isaiah God said, “…Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and let your soul delight itself in abundance. Incline your ear, and come to Me, Hear and your soul shall live;…(Isaiah 55:2b-3a). God promised his plans for us would give us a future and a hope. God promised to never leave us nor forsake us. God promised us to give us the desires of our hearts. These promises and more are a testament to the faithfulness of our Lord. His promises are true; because God does not lie. His grace is sufficient. Hold fast to your hope for our God is faithful. Listen carefully to Him.  Incline yourself to His word. Trust Him. Pursue Him with your whole heart, and encourage others to taste and see that the Lord is good.  For we have a hope, a magnificent hope.

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On this day

On this day twelve years ago much of the world watched transfixed by the events of 9/11.  Disbelief, uncertainty, fear, horror filled the air.  Today, we paused to honor those fallen, as well as those left behind to “walk through the valley of the shadow of death” on this day.  We do so with musical tributes, speeches, flowers, poems, stories, candles, the ringing of bells, wreaths, but most of all with memories.

There are other days written on our collective psyche – December 7, Katrina (August 23), and others.  These days mark and unite us in a common bond of sorrow, and pain, but they also create within us the knowledge of precious fabric of life and love, and the need to be more like you O Lord filled with courage, hope, peace, forgiveness, and that blessed assurance.

Today, O Lord help us to remember, and care for those who need your special touch of comfort and love as we all walk through the memories on this day.  In Jesus’ name. Amen

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He entered and walked through

Luke 19:1-10 accounts the story of Jesus and the tax collector Zacchaeus. The story begins with these words, “Then Jesus entered and walked through Jericho” (v1).

Struck by those seven words in verse one, it occurred to me this was the same area where in the OT Joshua and his army defeated the inhabitants of Jericho, and the walls came tumbling down.  The same Jericho, now years later that the Master entered and walked through.  The same vicinity where healing of blind eyes would take place.  The same vicinity wherein grace and restoration would be experienced.

Our Lord entered in and offered an invitation to grace to a tax collector.   As with Zacchaeus, there are walls and rubble all around us [ the sins of our past] waiting for the Master to enter in and walk through.  Just by Him entering in and walking through our walls (vicinity) of pain, suffering, agony, guilt and shame, they are transformed by the Holy of Holies.  When Our Lord Jesus walks through, He offers us the invitation to experience His restorative love and grace, just as He did with Zacchaeus.

Let Jesus enter and walk through the Jerichos of your life.

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A Day of Grace and Divine Love

The work of Christ on the cross did not influence God to love us, did not increase that love by one degree, and did not open any fount of grace or mercy in His heart. He had loved us from eternity, and needed nothing to stimulate that love.  The cross is not responsible for God’s love; rather it was His love which conceived the cross as the one method by which we would be saved.”

A.W. Tozer

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Grace

“Grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” 2 Peter 3:18

“Grow in grace” – not in one grace only, but in all grace. Grow in that root-grace, faith.  Believe the promises more firmly than you have done. Let faith increase in fullness, constancy, simplicity. Grow also in love. Ask that your love may become extended, more intense, more practical, influencing every thought, word, and deed. Grow likewise in humility. Seek to lie every low, and know more of your own nothingness. As you grow downward in humility, seek also to grow upward – having nearer approaches to God in prayer and more intimate fellowship with Jesus.  May God the Holy Spirit enable you to “grow in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior”, [that grace may abound]. Amen   C.H. Spurgeon

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Thanksgiving

 “Earth should be a temple filled with the songs of grateful saints, and every day should be a smoking censor with the sweet incense of thanksgiving.”  C.H. Spurgeon

As you prepare for feasting and fellowship with family and friends, let us not forget those whose sacred circles have been disrupted.  Those columns of home, health, safety, and family which anchor our hearts and minds, for some have been blown apart by nature, poor decisions, or the insensitivity of man.    Pray for those who are feeling lost, abandoned, rejected, alone.  Ask God to strengthen their hearts and minds, and out of His endless supply of love grant them hope, peace and blessed assurance He knows all, see all, and is still there.   Then offer up songs of praise, and thanksgiving to our Great God for His amazing love, His mercy and His grace.   God has done so much for us.  We owe it to ourselves to spend some time in His garden of grace expressing our appreciation for His mercy and great love.

May the God of all mercy and grace be with you and your family this holiday.

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The Mercy of God

The mercy of God is not a little thing.  God is not little, nor is His mercy small or puny.  It is a wondrous thing; full of light, life and love.  Meditate on God’s mercy.  It is so sweet and tender. It heals, and restores the broken heart.  His mercy changes the look and feel of our bodies. Oozing wounds are bound up.   It soothes our troubled minds, and bring joy to our souls.  Mercy puts a smile on the face, where moments before there was a frown.  God’s mercy is wide and infinite.  It can’t be measured or put in a bottle to be stored and saved for a rainy day.  It always ready, and available to everyone.   Surely, goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, the psalmist wrote.   Mercy brings us to the throne of Heaven so we can dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

The mercy of God is ours.  Psalm 52:8

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Graduation

Graduations are times of immense joy for both the graduate and their families, friends, and loved ones.  When the graduate receives his or her diploma, the long days of study, hard work and sacrifice seem worth it for this one moment.

Our family is gathering to celebrate a graduation.  It is particularly meaningful, because of the events of the past two weeks.  The enemy tried his best to take the life of this young person.  However, those attempts were no match for the powerful intercessory prayers of his parents, family and friends, and the grace of God.    When it was all over, we praised God for His grace, and for allowing us to complete this test.

I looked up the definition of graduate, and it means someone who holds a degree.  Graduation signifies the completion of all the requirements necessary to become a degree holder.      We are all enrolled in God’s University.  This heavenly tabernacle of instruction is life changing and eternal for both disciple, and teacher.  There are many courses to take, and completion of each is necessary to successfully pass, and withstand the fiery tests of our adversary.   Spiritual courses such as prayer, fasting, solitude, silence, meditation, study are all critical requirements. Our book encourages us to “study thyself to show thyself approved, a workman who needed not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”  Belief in The Son of God is prerequisite for entry into the university.   One of our professor emeritus, Peter outlined in one of his syllabi [2 Peter 3:18], that we are to grow grace and in the knowledge of Jesus, our Master Teacher.  Jesus told us to remain connected Him-the True vine [John 15:4] for knowledge of Him changes and sustain us through each tests, as we strive to finish the course.  Although, some tests, and trials may be difficult and long, in the end He promises that we will graduate, and become a degree holder.

For those who prayed for the life of this young person, we are pausing to celebration, and recognize this test was successfully completed, and the grade turned in.    Maybe, you are pausing to celebrate a crucial victory in a young person’s life that has, or is about to graduate.  Remember, you’re still in school, and another course is just around the corner.  No need to worry though, we already have the best Teacher and the best Book.

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The Space Before – Forgiveness

Yesterday, I wrote in my journal about forgiveness while praying for someone who is dealing with the lost of their mother. Grief and lost are difficult enough, but dealing with bad attitudes, misplaced emotions, and contentious behaviors in the midst of it can be too much. As I was meditating, the word forgiveness came up. It wasn’t in any of the scriptures I read, but there it was. Forgiveness. What is forgiveness? And why is it necessary to forgive? And when does it occur? I believe it is a gift-a sacred present. A grace offering. Jesus said forgive and pray for those who mistreat you. It is an expectation, a divine directive from our Savior. Life’s challenges make it difficult to forgive, and much time and energy can be lost in the space of unforgiveness.
I was intrigued, and compelled to write about it. In fact, the word returned this morning, so I had to share this thought. How does forgiveness happened?

Forgiveness takes place in the space between “for” and “give”. Yes, in the space before forgiveness is offered. There is a melting, a release, and moving away from the rock and the hard place. It is like the cold snow melting away under the warmth of the bright morning sun. Picture it! The snow and ice becoming water. This is what happens in the space before forgiveness. Transformation takes place, when the giver makes the decision to for-give. In that space hate becomes love, resistance becomes acceptance, and the past gives way to the future.

A new beginning comes into focus in that sacred space [the before]. And this is not a small space. Look at the word forgive. There does not appear to be any space between the letters. Now, look at it again. F O R G I V E. There is more space. Look at it one more time. F O R G I V E. The space is much wider. In fact it huge, because if you have ever been hurt, betrayed, rejected, abused, the space from the pain is wide. However, at the second, the very moment the decision is made to forgive the space [gap] begins to close. And during the closing of the space preparations for the delivery of the gift begins. The gift is wrapped in love with a bright ribbon of hope. Upon delivery the space is closed, and miraculously another space is opened.

Forgiveness is a wonderful gift. It restores, heals, and allows you and I the opportunity to share the greatest gift we’ve ever received, that of God’s forgiveness.