Jehovah Sees and Provides

Recently, I read Philippians 4:19 and discovered a deeper meaning beyond God simply providing for our everyday needs. This verse demonstrates that God meets not only our physical and emotional essentials but also our spiritual needs.

Reflecting on Genesis 22:14, where Abraham names a place "The Lord Will Provide" (Jehovah Jireh), we see God’s profound care for His children. In this context, God tested Abraham’s faith by asking him to sacrifice Isaac. Abraham’s willingness to comply prompted God to provide a ram as a substitute, highlighting His mercy and provision.

The name Jehovah (YHWH) means "I am the one who is," emphasizing His eternal presence. Jireh means "to see" and "to provide," illustrating that God recognizes our circumstances and proactively meets our needs, giving us confidence to trust Him, especially in challenging times.

As we reflect on Philippians 4:19 and Genesis 22:14, we should consider our greatest need: to be in a right relationship with God. This relationship was fractured by the sin of Adam and Eve and has continued to be affected by the sins of humanity throughout history. In His love, God provided a way for reconciliation through Jesus Christ, allowing us to mend this broken relationship and offering us redemption and eternal communion with Him.

Where do you stand? Do you recognize yourself as a sinner? Do you believe that God desires reconciliation with you? Regardless of your current situation or past actions, God has provided a path to reconciliation. He sent His Son to die for your sins and mine. The debt is paid in full; all you need to do is believe, confess your sins, and live your life in obedience to God.

3 Things We Need When Our Emotions Can't Be Trusted

Last night, before the service began, a flashback came to my mind. Where it came from, I do not know. There didn't seem to be anything that triggered it. Unfortunately, it's not uncommon. Too often, out of nowhere, images play across my mind that I wish would stay buried. In the past, a trigger like this would cause hours, or days, of wrong thinking, eventually sending me toward darkness. It would often end in depression. The images were powerful, filled with so much shame and accusations. But God continues to heal, to teach and to help me battle those flashbacks. He helps me bring them back to the foot of the cross where they belong. It lasted for only seconds. Thank God for His daily grace and mercy in my life. I could now sit and listen to His word being taught without shame being whispered in my ear. At the end of the sermon, a quote by Chuck Swindoll was shared that said, "For faith to replace fears, steer clear of naysayers.*" In other words, stay away from those who influence you to draw away from God. Be careful whom you give access to speak into your heart and life. You do not want to surround yourself with those who will not point you to Christ. Then, a thought entered my mind, "What if you are the naysayer?" What if you are the one who speaks lies to yourself? What if you continue to believe, and dwell on the lies the enemy whispers into your heart? Immediately, I thought back to what happened right before the sermon and thought, "We take it back to the cross." You see, we cannot always be trusted to know if we are believing a lie or not. Our hearts and minds have all kinds of emotions going on that just can't be trusted typically. So, we need help. I believe that help comes in three ways: 1) We need to go before the cross. It's here that we are reminded of who we were. We are reminded of our sin which required Jesus to die in our place. We are reminded of the Gospel. We are reminded that Jesus died for our sins and was raised again so that we might have victory. Victory over sin, shame, flashbacks, and lies. At the cross, we are reminded that the same power that raised Jesus is the same power at work in us. 2) We need to be in His Word, the Bible. We need to read, study and meditate on the word of God. The actual Bible, not books written about it. Without the truths written in His word, we cannot distinguish the truth from lies. We cannot know God, the One true God of the Bible. 3) We need friends who know Jesus. We need friends who will always point us back to the truth, to Jesus when we have forgotten. When we can't see the truth we need those around us who can. We do not need "naysayers" who agree with us or tell us what we want to hear. We need those willing to "hurt" us with the truth. Friends, I do not always get this right but I am so grateful that God does not give up on me. No matter how stubborn I can be, no matter how often I forget, He is always there to point me in the way I should go.

* Swindoll, Charles R. Insights on Mark. Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 2016. page 140

Do You Live a Life That Prepares Others For Christ?

Today I began studying/reading through The Gospel of Mark. And after a three-year hiatus of writing, I felt led to begin again. Hopefully, I will sit and write my journey for the past couple of years. Why I stopped writing and why I found the words hard to flow out of my heart. I promise to try to do that soon, but for now, I want to share with you, what I was struck by in the first eight verses of Mark.

First a summary. Mark begins by reminding us that Isaiah foretold the coming of John the Baptist in Isaiah 40:3. John was sent to prepare the way for Christ. For those that would hear, John proclaimed the coming of the Messiah. His message was one of "repentance for the forgiveness of sin." (v.4) In verse eight John says, "I baptized you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."

As I read these eight verses I was struck by the fact that I am like John the Baptist. I was giving life through Christ in order to proclaim the coming of Christ Jesus. Not just the message of His first coming, death, and resurrection but that He is coming again. My life should be lived in such a way that I prepare others to hear the message of Jesus. John could not baptize with the Holy Spirit, but He did baptize with water in order to prepare for the message of Jesus. Jesus, the One who would bring the Holy Spirit with Him.

As I thought through these verses I began to ask questions of my own heart. What am I doing to prepare hearts for the message of the gospel? Am I preaching, with my words and life, the gospel in a way that makes those who don't know Jesus want Him? John's message was one of repentance and forgiveness of sin, do I live a life that proclaims the same?

The world is watching those who proclaim they have a relationship with Christ. The question is does your life, your words, prepare a way for them to want to follow Jesus or does it live them wanting nothing to do with Christ? I once heard someone I love, say to me if what they do and say is who Jesus is I want nothing to do with Him. Honestly, the judgment and hate she experiences are heartbreaking to me. Because of what she had seen she wanted nothing to do with the gospel message.

So, again I ask, Does your life and words prepare the way for others to hear the message of Jesus?

Living at the Cross of Jesus

I want to awaken each morning and fall at the cross of Jesus. At the cross is the only place that I can remember what a great sinner I am and what a great Savior I have. To begin each day at the cross is where truly humility is evidenced by Jesus coming down to earth in the form of man so that He could take my sins upon Himself and pay the penalty of death that should be mine to pay.

The cross is a beautiful picture of humility, suffering and grace. I want to embrace it anew each morning so that I will be reminded of the gospel, what it means, what it cost and that I need to walk in it. But I don’t want to stay there, I want to then look to the empty tomb where there is grace.

You see, if I begin each day at the cross how can I possibly think more highly of myself than I ought? How can I not be humbled? But even more so, how can I not walk in a humble gracefulness that then preaches the gospel to myself and to others?

The truth is though, I will fail every single day. I will sin against God and against others. My pride, selfishness, insecurities, fear and so many other sins of my flesh will cause hurt toward God and others. But if I am living at the foot of the cross, remembering I am a sinner and then looking to the empty tomb and beyond to the One who already paid the price, I will walk in grace and not shame.

And this is where I want to live. I want to live at the cross so that I might look beyond it toward the resurrection and walk in the freedom of grace.

If I live preaching the gospel to myself on a daily basis then when I sin against others and God I will seek forgiveness. I will remember when others hurt me that I need to freely forgive them whether they ask for it or not. By living at the cross I will remember to walk in grace.

Oh Jesus, I do not want to ever forget of my great sinfulness. My sins before you are great and I deserve hell. I deserve to be separated from you eternally. There is nothing in me that I can do or say to make myself righteous in Your eyes. Not one thing. So I come before you and cry out for mercy, forgiveness and grace which is so freely given to me. Thank you Jesus. Thank you. Amen.

Called to Forgive, Again!

Have you ever had one of those moments when you think you are over something, it's in the past, been forgiven and healing has come and then wham out of no where someone hits you with a baseball bat? That was my week. From out of no where someone hit me. I was completely unprepared. I am not sure why I was so stunned.

My past was filled with hurtful words and actions from this person. Some might say that I should have expected it. But the thing is I didn't expect it because healing in the relationship had come. I had forgiven and for a couple of years we've experienced a new relationship. We had reached a place of common ground, of walking in grace and forgiveness. Or so I thought.

Her words cut deep. They hurt, and as I took my hand and rubbed over the once healed scar expecting it to be open and bleeding again I found it was still healed. The wound was healed, but the feeling of the scar caused a deep ache within. I wanted this to be over. I didn't want to be reminded again of the past betrayals. The past hurt. To be honest, this hurt knocked me to the ground. For almost 2 days I sat there stunned trying to figure out why now. Why did I give her the power to hurt again? 

We all have those times don't we? Times we know healing has come or that we have moved past a hurt and yet find ourselves knocked to the ground. It's in that moment, with face to the ground, that we have a choice. 

A choice. What will I do now? Will I continue laying there on the ground wallowing in self pity and hurt? Or will I allow Jesus to pick me up? One thing I know for sure is that it has to be Jesus picking me up because left on my own I would sit and nurse those old wounds. I would feel sorry for myself. My flesh is often so weak and I want to hurt them back. I want revenge. But I know truth. I know what Jesus says about forgiveness. I know what He says about loving my enemies and those who hurt me. So I give it to Him. I offer up the hurt and ask Him to help me up. 

Looking at Jesus causes us to look at what HE has done not what has been done to us. When I look at Jesus I remember that I too am a sinner. I have hurt others with my words and by my actions. I have failed. I have fallen short. But He, Jesus, has forgiven me. His blood was shed so that I might walk in freedom of my sin. 

When I look at the cross of Jesus and see my sin that nailed Him there and the forgiveness that was given how can I not forgive again? How can I not offer forgiveness to this person again when ALL my sins have been forgiven? 

When I look at Jesus I can forgive again and continuing walking with love for my enemies and those who hurt me. 

Then Peter came and said to Him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. Matt 18:21-22

I am Desperate and Needy

Trust. Control. Two words that seem to cause a constant struggle in my heart and life. To trust means to have an “assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something” or the “belief that someone or something is reliable, good, honest, effective, etc”.   Control means to have power over (something), to direct the actions or function of (something)  or to cause (something) to act or function in a certain way.” (Merriam Webster Online Dictionary)

I believe God. I believe His written words are truth, His truth. I read and believe in His goodness and yet when it come to my life so often I struggle to trust that He is good to me in all things. I struggle to trust that He will always DO good, not that He IS good. Yet, I know those two can not be separated. He is good and does good. (Ps 84:11; 119:68) I struggle to trust that He will always have MY good in mind even in the midst of horrific circumstances. I struggle in my human flesh to choose what I know is TRUTH over that which I FEEL.

Most days I am a desperate, needy child of God who battles over what I feel and what I know is truth. Truth says that God is trust worthy, He is good and He will work out all things together for my good and His glory. I don’t always see it. The good I mean. In many things I am still waiting to see the good. I might not ever see it until heaven and I need to be okay with that. I am most days.

You see the truth is I am broken, desperate and in need of a Savior. I have tried to be in control. I have tried to “fix” people and myself, but failure always comes. I can not do it. I was never meant to fix anyone or thing. I try to do in order to please so that I might be worthy, but it’s never enough. Even on my best day when I am totally in sync with Jesus it’s still not enough. The truth is I am a desperate, weak, needy sinner. Every single day I fail at some level to be righteously good. I do not have the power to make myself righteous, only Jesus does. Yet too often I try, in my own power, to be good enough.

I am desperate. Yet it is the desperate that Jesus came to save. The leper knew he was an outcast. He knew he was unclean, unworthy and could do nothing about it. He could not heal himself. So he did the only thing he could think of, he went to Jesus. The leper knew that no matter what he tried to do, how well he might try to hide his skin he would always be unclean. He knew he needed a savior. He needed the One true God and so he went out to find Him. (Matt 8:1-4)

The woman with a blood issue knew she too was unclean. She had tried for years to be clean but was powerless to do so. Nothing helped. No one could make her unclean. Then in desperation she reached out to Jesus. Empty of all other hope she reached out and touched Jesus and in that moment she was healed. (Luke 8:43-48)

Both the woman and the leper knew they had no power to fix themselves. They didn’t let their neediness keep them from reaching out. They knew their only hope was Jesus, God incarnate. In Him there was power to raise the dead and to make them clean.

In Jesus there is still the power to raise the dead, make clean, forgive sin and defeat the enemy. Yet I struggle to trust completely. I so often fight for control of my life. I want things “fixed” in my way, in my timing. The truth is, I want to be God. Not really, but isn’t that really what we are saying when we want control? Aren’t we saying, “God my way is better than yours?” If it wasn’t so serious it would be laughable. I mean, it’s not like I’ve done a good joy trying to control my world anyway.

How this must grieve the heart of God when I fight for control. Why do I say I believe with my mouth yet deny His power when I try to do it my way? Why do I deny the work that Jesus wants to do in me by thinking I know better?

Why? Because I am desperate and in need of the gospel. I need to preach it to myself every single day. And when I forget to preach it I forget I am not in control. Every single day I must remind myself that it is Jesus who came to die for my sins, my weakness, my desperation and neediness. He came to die and to defeat sin and death. He paid the price. I must remind myself that He died and then was raised through the power of God. He died, was raised from the dead and this same power that raised Him is available to me.

This is the power of the gospel living in me. A power that says, yes you are desperate, needy and you are so filled with pride to think you can control, yes you are unclean but Jesus came to set you free. Because of what Jesus did on the cross God sees Him not me. It’s the power of the Gospel of Jesus that tells me I can trust that He truly does have everything in control.

So on those days when I battle for control, when I am not inclined to trust completely I must preach the Gospel of Jesus to myself. I must choose to believe, trust and surrender to what I know it truth instead of what the circumstances show or how I feel.

Oh Father I find great comfort knowing that you will not stop your work in me until I am perfect. You will not give up on me. You do not grow weary or impatient with my desperation or neediness. No, because of Jesus You already see me as I will be. My mind can not comprehend it for I only see my need of You and yet You see Jesus. Forgive me for the times I lack trust and I refuse to surrender my will. Help me to trust more completely and surrender wholeheartedly to You. Amen.

 

Joining…..

Weekend Rewind and

 

A Do Over Will Not Change Anything

“True repentance always terminates on Jesus. It does not wallow in self-loathing or delight in self-flagellation. Rather, it allows an honest sense of our sinfulness to drive us toward the depth of Christ’s mercy in the gospel.” (taken from Journey to the Cross – Readings & Devotions for Lent)

How many times have I come face to face with my own sin and thought, “I will try harder next time to be obedient”? Or how often have I looked over past failures and sins with guilt and shame thinking if I could just have a do over. If I could just go back I would do things differently.

The truth is having a “do over” will not change anything. The reality of my sinfulness tells me that chances are great that I would do the same thing over again. Why? Because I am hoping to change things in my own strength. More often than not when we want a “do over” it’s about us and what we did or did not do. We are focusing on how we might go back and change things and do them right or better this time.

But, what we fail to remember is the sinfulness of our hearts. Hearts that are prone to wonder. Hearts that are bent toward our own selfish desires. Hearts that are often filled with ourselves and not God.

No, having a do over will not change anything. But what will change things is an honest evaluation of our heart. We change things when we allow our weaknesses, failures, and sinfulness to turn us toward Christ, His grace, and what He did on the cross. Only when we come in humility to the cross of Christ and meet Him there can we truly see that no amount of self punishment, do overs or self induced shame will change anything. Only repentance changes our hearts. Repentance, true repentance “allows an honest sense of our sinfulness to drive us toward the depth of Christ’s mercy in the gospel.”

Today may I encourage you to take all those “do over” wishes and lay them at the foot of the cross? Ask for forgiveness. Repent of the sins that may have caused them in the first place. Repent of your tendencies to want to try to go back to ‘fix it’. Move forward, forgetting the past and allow Christ to heal you, change you and show you how you can grow through those failures. Then choose to walk in the knowledge of His grace, forgiveness and power.

 

Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. Phil 3:13-15

Change My Heart….

For weeks I have struggled to find words to write. My heart has been processing much. It seems that while I may have much to say the words are not forming on “paper” very easily. Nor are they forming easily out loud. So I sit and ask God to help me understand what it is my heart is feeling?

Then today I keep singing these words, “Change my heart, O God make it ever true. Change my heart O God may I be like you.”

And these are my thoughts…thoughts that are kind of jumbled up inside in some sort of confusing, growing, I know God is trying to tell me something, kind of way. So I sit and write and pray.

God knows me. I mean He REALLY knows me. Inside and out. He has examined the depths of my heart. He knows my thoughts and my motives. He knows the words I whisper in my heart but choose not to speak. He knows all about me. (Psalm 139:1-5) That can be a scary thought. At least in my mind, because you see, I too know the ugly parts of my heart. I hear my unkind thoughts.

My constant cry is Psalms 139:23-24 which says, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.”

Ya’ all, here is the deal. I am a sinner. Oh I know Jesus died for me and conquered death. I know I have been born of the Spirit of God who now lives in me. I know there is grace. I know I stand forgiven. But all this does not change the fact that I still sin.

I still get angry when I should love.

I still fight forgiving others when they hurt me.

I still want my own way.

I still want it to be about me.

I am still stubborn. I can be very unkind. My are not always pure. I can be a hypocrite, a Pharisee and I could go on, but you get the idea. On many days I can forget I am redeemed. And  I often serve whatever idol of the day is rising up in my heart for control.

Regardless of what you think, what you might perceive, I do not have it all together. I have not arrived to some level of super Christian or to a mega spiritual level. So if you want to stop following me, or stop being my friend, or if you lose confidence in me as a leader, a mentor, a disciple(r)? I get it. Really I do.

But know this. It breaks my heart as much as it breaks yours. I grieve over the sinfulness of my heart. The sin it is capable of committing. Sometimes I wonder if there is any hope at all for my heart to really change.

I mean, like change forever!

But the truth is my heart has already changed forever. I now have a new heart. I have the heart of Christ who is changing me daily. I have a heart that desires to do good and to please God. Yet while I am still here on earth I will always battle my flesh.

I have changed and I am changing. Sin is no longer my master. Because of Christ’s victory on the cross I know am no longer a slave to sin. Sin no longer has to control the way I live. I have been freed from the power of sin.  (Romans 6) But still, I will fail. I will sin. I will do the very thing I do not want to do.

I, like you, battle the flesh and I can say with Paul in Romans 7:18-19 (NLT) “I know I am rotten through and through so far as my old sinful nature is concerned. No matter which way I turn, I can't make myself do right. I want to, but I can't. When I want to do good, I don't. And when I try not to do wrong, I do it anyway.”

So what hope do I have? What hope is there? Oh what a miserable person I am!! Who will free me from this battle of the flesh? This sinful heart? “Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God's law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin. So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. For the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you through Christ Jesus from the power of sin that leads to death. ” (Romans 7:24-8:2)

I am not condemned. God does not condemn me, He only sees the work of the cross. He sees the righteousness of Jesus. Therefore I will not condemn myself. I will not condemn you. And please, I ask, do not condemn me. Let us remember that the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed us and is in the process of changing us to be ever more like Him.

Let’s offer grace to one another. Grace that says, “I trust the Spirit that is working in you.” Grace that says, “I see Jesus working in you.”

 

 

I am linking up with….

 

Fill My Empty Cup

She walked alone down the street unsure of where she was going. She was a pitiful looking little thing with her dress hanging just below the knees, threads hanging down from the hem which was coming loose. It was barely a dress; it looked more like a potato sack that had been made into a makeshift covering. She had no shoes on. Her straggly hair, hung down to her lower back and looked like it hadn’t been combed in weeks. Her tear streaked face was dirty. Her eyes spoke of heartache and loneliness. If you looked long enough into the depths of her eyes you could see the longing of her soul.

He watched her as she approached a young boy. She pulled from her pocket an old dirty cup. She held it out to him and asked if he could please fill it for her. As he filled it with parts of himself, her eyes began to shine and she smiled.

"Thank you very much sir," she said as she skipped away.

It wasn’t but a short distance until she became that same sullen, lonely little girl as before. Time and time again He watched the girl walk up and down the street asking to be filled by anyone who might pass her way but the joy she received never lasted very long.

He waited until He knew she was becoming weary.  He approached her and ask, "What is it that you need child?" She looked at Him with big sad eyes and said, "My cup won't stay full! Every time someone fills it with love and happiness it just flows out."

"Oh, my child," He said with love and tenderness, "you are filling it up with all the wrong things. Do you not know that if you would allow Me to fill it up with all that I am that it would never be empty again?"

Holding tightly to the cup she eagerly held it out to Him to be filled. "No child, you must let go of the cup. You must surrender it to me. Once surrender then I can fill it to overflowing and you will never feel empty again."

Quickly she pulled the cup back and held it tightly to her chest. How could she trust this man with her cherished cup? What if He took it and she still felt empty inside? At least with the cup there were moments of happiness, even if they were fleeting.

She looked up into His eyes. They were kind eyes, soft, and filled with such love. She looked down at her cup. It was empty, again. The ache in her heart was painful and she was growing weary of trying to keep it filled. Maybe she could trust Him. Maybe she would try.

Hesitantly she lifted the cup up to Him with her hands open. He took the cup from her and as He did she felt a joy deep inside that felt so wonderful that she thought she just might explode.

His eyes danced with joy as He watched her transform into a child that flowed with love, beauty and a joy that quickly become contagious to those around her.

The girl instantly became clean and filled with laughter. She rushed toward Him and held Him tightly, tears of joy streaming down her face. She was no longer empty. She no longer felt alone or unloved. She was filled to overflowing with His love. She was filled with Him.

 

“but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." John 4:14

You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence.' Acts 2:28

Marvelous Grace

The below hymn was written by Julia Hariette Johnston who wrote approximately 500 hymn texts but is best known for this great hymn which first appeared in a compilation of hymns by Daniel B. Towner in 1911.

This hymn is all about grace, God’s grace, His amazing grace! This grace, His grace, does the the amazing work of salvation in the life of the believer. God’s grace points us to the Cross, and it enables us to be forgiven.

His marvelous grace! A grace that is far greater than ALL our sin.

 

Grace, Grace God’s Grace

Marvelous grace of our loving Lord,
Grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt!
Yonder on Calvary’s mount outpoured,
There where the blood of the Lamb was spilled.

Refrain:
Grace, grace, God’s grace,
Grace that will pardon and cleanse within;
Grace, grace, God’s grace,
Grace that is greater than all our sin!

Sin and despair, like the sea waves cold,
Threaten the soul with infinite loss;
Grace that is greater, yes, grace untold,
Points to the refuge, the mighty cross.

Dark is the stain that we cannot hide;
What can we do to wash it away?
Look! There is flowing a crimson tide,
Brighter than snow you may be today.

Marvelous, infinite, matchless grace,
Freely bestowed on all who believe!
You that are longing to see His face,
Will you this moment His grace receive?

 

 

Join me for 31 Days of Seeking Grace

Grace Motivated Obedience

There is a blog post here where Pastor Tullian wrote,

“The gospel serves the Christian every day and in every way by reminding us that God’s love for us does not get bigger when we obey or smaller when we disobey. And guess what? This makes me want to obey him more, not less! As Spurgeon wrote, “When I thought God was hard, I found it easy to sin; but when I found God so kind, so good, so overflowing with compassion, I smote upon my breast to think that I could ever have rebelled against One who loved me so, and sought my good.”

Therefore, it’s the gospel (what Jesus has done) that alone can give God-honoring animation to our obedience. The power to obey comes from being moved and motivated by the completed work of Jesus for us. The fuel to do good flows from what’s already been done. So, while the law directs us, only the gospel can drive us.”

I am on a journey to understand grace more fully and while I have far to go I am beginning to see that my motivation to obey God needs to come from what Jesus did on the cross. My motivation needs to be love and gratitude because of the gospel.

Think of it this way, if I obey with an attitude that says, “if I obey, then God will bless me, love me more and answer my prayers” then my obedience is motivated by what I can get from God. I obey so that He will give me things and love me. My obedience is self-focused and conditional on what God will do.

On the other hand, if I understand that I have been saved by grace and therefore have everything I need in Jesus and do not need anything more, then I will obey out of love. My motivation to obey comes from a grateful heart for all that He has done for me. My motivation is to please God.

I want to obey, not because of what God will do, but because of what He has already done. This is living a grace filled life. I am still learning and to be honest it's hard to get my mind around it completely. I have lived so much of my life focus on the law instead of the cross.

I want to live a life of obedience motivated by grace. What about you?

 

Join me for 31 Days of Seeking Grace

WONDERFUL GRACE OF JESUS

  Wonderful grace of Jesus, greater than all my sin;
How shall my tongue describe it, where shall its praise begin?
Taking away my burden, setting my spirit free,
For the wonderful grace of Jesus reaches me!

Wonderful grace of Jesus, reaching to all the lost,
By it I have been pardoned, saved to the uttermost;
Chains have been torn asunder, giving me liberty,
For the wonderful grace of Jesus reaches me!

Wonderful grace of Jesus, reaching the most defiled,
By its transforming power, making him God’s dear child.
Purchasing peace and heaven for all eternity;
And the wonderful grace of Jesus reaches me!

REFRAIN: Wonderful the matchless grace of Jesus,
Deeper than the mighty rolling sea;
Higher than the mountain, sparkling like a fountain,
All-sufficient grace for even me;
Broader than the scope of my transgressions,
Greater far than all my sin and shame;
O magnify the precious name of Jesus, praise His name!

—Haldor Lillenas (1885-1959)

Wonderful Grace of Jesus is a hymn that is rich in it’s doctrinal message. Especially the doctrine of grace. So often we don’t really think about the words when we sing them, but when we slow down and read it as a poem we begin to absorb the depth of the meaning. 

This hymn reminds us of  the surpassing nature of God’s grace. It’s far greater than ALL my sins. Grace takes away the burden of sin and free me.

We are reminded that His grace covers all. It is sufficient.

We are reminded of God’s grace in salvation, sanctification, and our eternal security. 

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. Eph 2:8-9

 

 

Join me for 31 Days of Seeking Grace

Grace is a Gift

Have you ever received a gift for no reason. There was no holiday or special day to celebrate but you were given a gift “just because”. You did nothing to deserve it, you didn’t earn it but the person giving it just wanted to express their love.  We often have a hard time with that don’t we? We want to give a gift in return or somehow be deserving of it. The gift was simply given out of love and friendship.

God’s grace is like that. I can’t earn it. I can’t do anything to deserve it. I don’t deserve to have my sins forgiven. I don’t deserve to spend eternity in heaven with Jesus.

But God showed His grace by saving me from sin's punishment when I trusted in Jesus.  God also shows His grace by giving me strength and guidance. He cares for me. It’s in His free gift of grace that I can have strength to handle life’s hard circumstances.

It is truly a gift to be able to depend on God each day for the grace I need to live for Him. Apart from His grace I couldn’t live for Him and I certainly would not be able to offer grace to others. It is because of Him I am able.

Thank you Jesus for Your amazing gift of grace, not only in regards to my salvation but the grace I need daily to live.

"For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God." (Ephesians 2:8).

 

Join me for 31 Days of Seeking Grace

Grace Changes Us

 

Too often I can get caught up in works. I think I must change and do so that God will love me. Much of it is the result of growing up with a lot of rules. Lists of dos and don’t that show I am a believer. Most of the time it only produced failure and shame. I can not change. I can not follow all the rules or the law.

Over the past five years or so God has been teaching me that the Gospel is not a bunch of rules I need to follow. No the gospel is about grace. The grace of a God who sent His Son because He loves me. I do not need to work for His love, I only need to accept it.

It’s not me, it’s God who changes me. It’s the gospel that changes my heart and life. What Jesus did on the cross freed me from law. I am no longer bound to it. Does it mean I can do whatever I want and no longer follow the law No! It means that Jesus is changing me, He changes my heart.

Because He loves me and desires me to be holy He changes me through the work of the gospel because He knows I can not do it. 

But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me. 1 Corinthians 15:10

 

Join me for 31 Days of Seeking Grace

This is Grace

This is part of the 2014 31 day writing  challenge over at the Nesting Place. It’s my first year in joining along so give me GRACE as I go!

 

As I read this quote the only words that come to mind is, “Thanks be to God!” But it is not enough. How can it be? To simply say thank you seems so small. So insignificant compared to the cost of such a gift.

No, these words written by Spurgeon, rather should cause my heart to worship, to surrender all that I am to a God that has poured out grace upon grace to me through His Son.

Jesus took on all my sin, my weaknesses, my humanness and paid the price of death. He died in my place so that God might see His (JESUS) righteousness instead of my sinfulness. Jesus paid the debt that I should have paid. This is GRACE.

 

Join me for 31 Days of Seeking Grace

Handling Our Emotions

I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. (Ephesians 4:1-2)

On a exceptionally good day it might be easy to walk in a way that brings honor to Christ. But what about on a day when everything seems to go wrong? What about a day when our body seems to be fighting against us? What about those days we suffer from PMS? On these days how do we walk in a “manner worthy”? How can we possibly be humble, gentle, patient, tolerant and loving when on those days we feel anything but that?

Here are a few thoughts on handling our emotions on bad, awful days regardless of the reasons.

We can not make excuses. We often try to excuse our bad attitudes as a weakness. We say that “we just can’t help how we feel”. We blame it on PMS and so many other things. We tell ourselves that somehow as women it’s okay to give in to our negative, hurtful emotions. We fly off the handle, become unglued and leave broken and hurt husbands, children, friends and co workers in our path. We expect them to just over look it, or we haphazardly apologize with, “I’m sorry, it’s just PMS or ____(you fill in the blank)”

We should not rely completely on human resources. Yes sometimes it helps to talk with a friend, but not in order to whine and complain. We can go to a friend in order to be reminded of truth and to pray.  There is great value in a friend who will listen to your “5 minutes” of emotional outcry but then points you to truth and prays with and for you.

We need help. The plain truth is we battle a sinful flesh. We don’t need a 3 step plan or a few carefully crafted questions. We do not need to “dump” it all on a friend. Or take out our anger or frustrations on those around us. What we need is help! We need someone to save us from ourselves. We need Jesus.

We don’t need to try harder or come up with a better plan to battle an onslaught of negative attitudes or thinking. No, what we desperately need is Jesus. (1 Cor. 15:3). We need to run to the only place where we can find true help. It’s a relationship with Jesus that will help us overcome those times of PMS, negative thoughts and emotions. For it is in Him that we can ask for the strength and grace to get our thinking right again. We need to go to Jesus and the cross not man’s remedies or man’s counseling.

We need to see our weaknesses. We need to see that we are sinners in need of a savior. We need to understand that we can not save ourselves and that our sin is deserving of God’s holy punishment. It’s at the cross that we see hope and help for our ugly flesh. It’s at the cross we receive forgiveness and the power of the Holy Spirit to help us walk in a manner that is worthy. It’s at the cross we find grace and forgiveness for sins. At the cross we receive a new heart with new desires to please and glorify God. At the cross we find a “way of escape” when we are tempted (1 Cor. 10:13).

Remember, just because we feel bad, or we are suffering from PMS it doesn’t mean we have to give into our sinful emotions. Yes it’s where our flesh naturally goes but we can choose to not sin against those around us. We can choose to allow Jesus to change us. For lasting genuine change only comes through Jesus. The only thing that will truly transform our thinking and emotions is the Gospel of Christ. It’s choosing to live a “gospel focused life”. A life that doesn’t try to excuse our sinful emotions but understand it comes from sinful desires in our heart. Sin that must be confessed and forgiven.

We need to live a gospel centered life. Living a gospel centered life means that when these sinful emotions arise we will take them to the cross where Jesus nailed them. Then we will look beyond the cross to the grave that no longer holds him. A grave that is empty because He conquered the power of death and sin for us. His risen body reminds us we are free. That same power that raised Jesus from the dead is the same power we have access to. It’s that power that can change our thinking, and our emotions.

Next time we feel our negative attitudes and emotions rising up within and every part of us is about to become completely unglued and start waging war on those around us; instead of trying to muster up our own strength to overcome we need to go to the cross. It’s there we have power to rise above sin and behave in a manner worthy of Christ. 

“…so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects ,bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;” Col 1:9-10

Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you,unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, (1 Cor 15:1-4 NAS emphasis mine)

 

Joining these lovely ladies today….

Too Independent for My Own Good

I don’t know what made me think I didn’t need help. But there I was six years old walking the three miles home from school. I missed my bus and instead of telling anyone I just began the journey home. We lived near the State Penitentiary and my journey took me through the work release site of the prisoners.

I don’t remember being afraid. Of course I didn’t understand all the possible dangers that lurked out there. I was confident I knew the way home. I was only about a half mile from home when a neighbor saw me, took me home and called my mother.

She had been frantic when I didn’t get off the bus. She started crying, first tears of joy then anger. I understand now that I have raised children, but at the time I didn’t see what all the fuss was about.

I remember looking at her and saying, “Momma, I am fine.” “I was almost home.” She told me I was too independent for my own good.

Too independent for my own good. That about sums up my life.

Seems I have always thought I could handle my problems on my own. I didn’t need anyone’s help. I would just figure it out myself.

That independent, figuring out how to handle life in my own way, attitude has left me with a lot of heart aches. Too many wrong choices that have scars. But it also left me with no other choice but to follow Jesus when I met Him.

My life, my choices, hadn’t been working out very well. Maybe He would know the way.

I’ve been following Him for a long time now. I wish I could say I’ve learned not to be so independent.

Too often I still think I know better. I still try to do things my own way.

I can still be too independent for my own good. But here is the beauty of it all. Here is the wonder of following the One who knows the way I should go. The One who died for my sins. He journeys with me.

He is patiently revealing my sinful independence. My “I can do this myself” attitude. It’s in this process I continue to learn to let go and trust Him. I learn to surrender my will for His will.

He continually asks me to surrender and trust those places that I cling to and as I obey I find that He provides my deepest needs.

It’s a journey, but I am following the One who knows the way home. I am learning to be dependent on the One who knows and sees the dangers that my independence can bring.

He sees my deepest need for Him and is faithful to bring whatever is needed into my life in order to remind me of my need for total surrender. For that I am grateful.

Today I am joining…

   

WANTED: Christ Followers

For those seeking peace, grace, love, mercy, healing, security, hope, forgiveness, riches beyond anything this world has to offer and so much more there is a place for you. There is one who longs for you, seeks for you and has died for you.

You see long ago before the world began God saw you and loved you. He wants a personal relationship with you, but a man and woman sinned. As a result you and I are born into sin, as sinners. So in order to rectify the sinful nature that now separates us from God He needed a spotless perfect sacrifice in order to make a covenant with those who would accept Him. God the Son, Jesus, willingly laid down His life so that all who are willing to believe on Him may enter into a covenant with Him.

There is a cost however. The cost of the covenant has been paid through the flesh and blood of Christ and forgiveness is offered to all who, by faith walk through the blood of Christ. As one who is now in covenant with God there will be a great cost, but the reward is even greater.

If you are a follower of Christ the cost will be...

• We will have a common enemy with Christ, Satan. He will seek to destroy you.
• You will be persecuted and betrayed by the world, including your own family. We will suffer in this life.
• We will be afflicted.
• Sorrow.
• Weaknesses, insults, distresses, persecutions and difficulties.
• To carry your own cross in which you must bear.
• Die to self.
• You will be hated by the world.
• To give up pursuing treasures in this world.

There is a Reward of being a covenant partner with Christ. These things are promised to every follower.You can expect:

• You will not battle your enemies alone – Christ fights for you and with you.
• He will never leave nor forsake you.
• Your soul will be entrusted to a faithful God who will do what is right.
• To be worthy of the Kingdom of God
• Favor with God
• To draw on His Strength.
• A new self, a new robe of righteousness.
• Forgiveness of sin.
• Eternal life with Christ in heaven with God.
• Co-Heirs with Christ.
• Called beloved of God.
• Saved from God’s wrath.

These lists are not exhaustive, there is so much more to see – to know. But for now I just want you to understand that to be a follower of Christ means that there is a cost to pay. Being in Covenant with Christ means that we are willingly taking on Christ and His sufferings. It means that we will persevere until the end when God’s glory WILL be revealed in us. Oh what a glorious day that will be!!

One final caution, if you are a true follower of Christ you WILL suffer in this life for His sake. You will choose to die to self and all the pleasures (sin) this world offers. If you are not willing to “count the cost and carry your cross daily” you might want to ask the Holy Spirit if you are truly a follower of Christ.

For further study see Matthew 10:16-39; Romans 8:17; 2 Cor 1:6; Phil 1:29; 2 Tim 1:12 \ 3:11; 1 Peter 4:19; 2 Thess 1:5, 1 Peter 2:19; 2 Cor 12:10; Luke 14:27; Matt 16:24; Col 3:9-10; Mark 13:13; John 15:18; 1 Peter 1:3-5; Romans 5:6-10…

Re-posted from 2010

Called to Live and Preach Christ

There is a quote that has often bothered me. It just didn’t sit right in my heart. The quote is often attributed to Francis of Assisi and says “Preach the Gospel at all times. Use words if necessary.”

Quite honestly it just doesn’t make sense to me.  I mean if my neighbor sees me living my life in service to others and being a good neighbor, loving those I meet, all he will think is that I'm a nice person. He doesn’t  come to know the content of the gospel  simply by watching me live my life.

Shouldn’t  I also speak the gospel so that he will know?

So, I sat down to do some research on the quote. I wanted to know the context of the quote. Maybe the context had been distorted over the years. Interestingly enough what I found was that Francis of Assisi never said it. Read more here.

Mark Galli of Christianity Today says this about the quote, “First, no biography written within the first 200 years of his death contains the saying. It's not likely that a pithy quote like this would have been missed by his earliest disciples. Second, in his day, Francis was known as much for his preaching as for his lifestyle.”¹

I love what Jeremy Carr writes about the quote on his blog One Thing, “ While it commends us to live out the Gospel through our life, it falls short of what it means to preach the Gospel and it actually makes no sense at all. I recently heard D. A. Carson comment that it would be like telling a news reporter to "Give the news and if necessary use words." After all Gospel means good news. News is something you tell people.”

Some might say who cares who said it, after all it’s still a good statement. Maybe,  but I wouldn’t want someone to say I said something when I didn’t, or take something I said and misquote it. Would you?  I imagine not. So it is import to understand that Francis of Assisi did not say this.

But is it a good quote regardless of who said it? I really struggle with that in light of what scripture says. God’s word is very clear that we are to live out the gospel and we are to preach the gospel.
We live the gospel when we love one another. What if the body of Christ so loved one another that they actually did 1 Thess 5:11-13 and encouraged, built up, showed appreciation, encouraged the fainthearted, helped the weak, was patient, and sought what was good for one another. Wouldn’t that speak volumes to the world if they saw the church living out the gospel in such a way? So yes,  we absolutely must live out the gospel before the world.

We are also told to preach the gospel. Jesus tells the disciple to “go preach the gospel.” (Mark 16:15) and Paul says “for woe is me if I do not preach the gospel.” (1 Cor 9:16) In fact as I searched scripture (but did not do an in-depth study) it seems that the New Testament writers often preached the gospel to those outside of the body. They did not leave it up to the idea that “if I just live right before them they will know I am a believer”. No they PREACHED Jesus! (2 Cor 10:16; Rom 15:20; Mark 15:15)

A quick look at 1 John 3:18 “Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.” John is telling us that if we speak love only with words and no actions it is not love. When taking the gospel to a dark world we need to both live and preach the gospel. It’s not one or the other. We are called to live and love as Jesus did. He IS our example.
My dear beloved, Jesus both lived and spoke the gospel. His life both showed and spoke the love of the Father. We should go and do likewise.

¹ http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2009/mayweb-only/120-42.0.html

When A Heart Weeps

My heart is heavy. Broken. On days like today I wish my heart didn’t feel so much. I wish it didn’t hurt so deeply. The pain, at times, is unbearable.

There is One who weeps with me when my heart weeps.
My heart aches for the mother whose child has lived the first year of his life broken. He has spent more time in the hospital than at home. She holds him tight not knowing how many more days she has with him. Her heart weeps.

There is One who weeps with her.

A family torn apart. A father leaves. Another family, another marriage falls through the cracks of the church community. No one seems to notice.

There is One who sees. One who weeps.

A discouraged woman sits in the pew. She is considering suicide. She wonders if anyone would miss her. Does anyone see her tears, her pain, her loneliness.

There is One who not only sees but feels her tears as her heart weeps.

A man comes and sits in church Sunday after Sunday looking for answers. He is in bondage. He wants to believe that he can be free. He wants to believe he is loved. No one reaches out to him. No one takes the time to know him.

There is One who knows Him. One who loves Him.

I look around my community and see those who are dying a spiritual death. I see those who need a hug, an encouraging word. I see that woman whose marriage is failing. The mother who cries each night for her wayward child. I see the one who wonders where God’s people are in the midst of suffering.

Why aren’t we being the hands and feet of the One who has called us to Preach the Gospel. My heart weeps for I know I should do more. I know I can do more. But I struggle, for I am only one and a weak one at that.

My heart weeps. It is broken for the brokenness I see in my community. There is One is weeps with me. He has promised that He will be with me. He will be my strength, my Rock, my Counselor.

My heart weeps for I know I can not help them all, I am only one. But there is One who whispers to my heart, “minister to the ones I send you, it is enough.”

I will go. I will do the work of weeping with those who weep for I know there is One who also weeps with us.