Grace for your spirit June 9, 2015

Grace for your spirit

How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? After it was at the first spoken through the Lord, and it was confirmed to us by those who heard.  Hebrews 2:3

God has great gifts for us through the righteousness that comes in Christ Jesus.  What are our options if we ignore and neglect Him?  Well, there really aren't any options.  If it is great, and it is, and it's the only solution for our problems, we should never lose sight of it.  Yet, we do.  We drift away, we don't pay attention, we forget the consequences, and end up in trouble.  Let's pray we will never get so preoccupied, drifting, not paying attention, and forgetting.  Let's keep His great gift in sight all the time.

Grace for your spirit June 8, 2015

Grace for your spirit

Light is sown like seed for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart.  Be glad in the Lord, you righteous ones; And give thanks for His holy name.  Psalm 97:11-12

The Lord has made today for our enjoyment.  With our standing in Him, it should be a day of celebration, rejoicing, and joy.  Let's be thankful for the light he shines on us.  Let commit to be glad and thankful.  Most of the time in our prayers, we focus on our troubles and cares for Him to solve.  Let's thank Him for results of the seed He sows in our lives too.

Grace for your spirit June 5, 2015

Grace for your spirit

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, His mercies never come to an end. They are new every morning.  Great is Thy faithfulness.  The Lord is my portion says my soul, therefore I will hope in Him.  Lamentations 3:22-24

Jeremiah's lament is over Jerusalem and his people. He is often called the weeping prophet for the tears he shed in his ministry. May his efforts, tears, and teachings help us more than it helped them.  Even at the end of great disappoint, the love, mercy, and hope in God encouraged him every day.  He knew that the portion he received from God would be plenty.  May it be plenty for us too, in good times and in bad.

Grace for your spirit JUNE 4, 2015

Grace for your spirit

We exult in hope of the glory of God.  And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulation, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character, and proven character, hope.   Romans 5:2-4

When we are made right, or justified by Jesus, we are introduced to a path of spiritual maturity.  We find peace with God, and are introduced to faith and grace.  The proof of grace and faith working in us should be obvious.  We can now exult both in hope and troubles, bringing about patience, character and more hope.  Then we will find a hope that never disappoints in good times and in bad.  Let's ask God to continue supplying us with His grace to reach that maturity.

Grace for your spirit June 3, 2015

Grace for your spirit

Let your character be free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, "I will never desert you, nor will I forsake you." so that we can confidently say, "the Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid.  What can man do to me?  

Hebrews 13:5-6

It is the nature of man to love money, sacrifice for it, and accumulate all we can for that "rainy day."  As Christians we trust in the Lord for our eternal salvation, but do we find ourselves being afraid about tomorrow?  Can we confidently say we believe the Lord will take care of our tomorrows?  Let's lay up our treasures with God, and confidently spread our testimony to a world in constant fear.

Grace for your spirit June 2, 2015

Grace for your spirit

How I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you publicly and from house to house. Acts 20:20

As the Apostle Paul left Ephesus for the last time, he reviewed the work he had done among them.  Indeed, Paul had been busy and bold.  He told them what they needed publicly and from house to house.  You never saw him shrinking back from what needed to be said.  How about our testimony?  Would we describe it as declaring or shrinking?  If we seek opportunities to instruct, then take those opportunities, we would be declarers.  If we never see an opportunity or don't speak when we should, we are shrinking back.  Let's pray for "Acts 20/20 vision" to see and speak.  May our day be bold and busy in the service of the Lord.

Grace for your spirit June 1, 2015

Grace for your spirit

For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for a lifetime; Weeping may last for the night, but a shout of joy comes in the morning.  Psalm 30:5

David's life was often like a wild roller coaster ride.  Great highs, horrible lows, upside down, and fast.  The heavy hand of the Lord was often pressing on him, but David never forgot his way of deliverance.  He also never forgot to be thankful for that deliverance.  Maybe we feel like David sometimes.  High, low, upside down, fast, and scary.  May we never forget when we shout for joy at our deliverance to remember to thank the One who made it possible.  God our deliverer.