Monday, August 31, 2015

Grace for your spirit August 31, 2015

Grace for your spirit
If you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.  Colossians 3:1

Looking up to God is a long standing tradition for believers.  Noah looked up through his window, Israel looked at the cloud of glory over the Holy Place in the wilderness, and the standard with the bronze serpent. When Jesus was crucified He was lifted up, and as He ascended into Heaven, the apostles were looking up watching Him go. They were told to keep looking up for His return, and we are instructed to look at the heavens for His return also.  Let's show our risen lifestyle by looking up.  How are things today?  "They're looking up."

Friday, August 28, 2015

Grace for your spirit August 28, 2015

Grace for your spirit
You shall make a window for the ark and finish it to a cubit from the top;   Genesis 6:16

Noah built his ark exactly as God instructed. Wood, size, decks, door, and window.  The only window was 18 inches from the top.  The only way anyone could look out was looking up.  God didn't want Noah to see the destruction around him.  God only wanted Noah and his family to look to Him.  That focus is good advice for us today as well.  We need to keep our eyes on God.  When we do it will keep us from seeing the evil world around us.  Good advice for all times.  Look up and live.

Thursday, August 27, 2015

Grace for your spirit August 27, 2015

Grace for your spirit
Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me.  You will stretch forth You hand against the wrath of my enemies, and Your right hand will save me.  The Lord will accomplish what concerns me.  Psalm 138:7-8

Does it seem like trouble is always just around the corner? Do we spend lots of time worrying about what is going to happen next?How much better it would be to remember that God is always in the middle of our trouble with us, and He is concerned about saving us and helping us do His will in our lives.  Let's start walking with confidence and leave the worrying to other people.  We walk with the King.

Monday, August 24, 2015

Grace for your spirit August 26, 2015

Grace for your spirit
Then Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel , saying, "If you return to the Lord with all  your heart, removed the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you and direct your heart to the Lord and serve Him alone; and He will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines.  I Samuel  7:3

The two middle letters of the word LIFE are IF.  The heart of life really is based on IF.  If the children of Israel really were sorry, and they really had repented in their heart, there would be a change in their behavior. If they destroyed their idols, God would reward them with victory.  Godly sorrow leads to repentance and that is the proof.  Do we have any proof?

Grace for your spirit August 25, 2015

Grace for your spirit
And watch, if it goes up the way of its own territory to Beth-shemesh, then He has done us this great evil.  But if not, then we shall know that it was not He hand that struck us; it happened to us by chance.  I Samuel.  6:9

The Philistines had captured to the Ark of God and had taken quite a beating for it.  The were sending it back to Israel on a cart pulled by two cows.  They were wondering if God had struck them, or if it was just by chance.  That is the never ending question among idol worshipers and atheists.  As believers, we should never test God in any way.  It is God who rewards, it is God who disciplines, it is God who provides, and it is God who causes all things to work together for our good.  Trust Him.

Grace for your spirit August 24, 2015

Grace for your spirit
Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 
Hebrews 12:2

It should go without saying that when we are having trouble, we should look to Jesus for inspiration.  Note Jesus' plan to endure the pain and the shame.  For the joy set before Him He endured.  In other words, when we are in tough times, look ahead at the reward we will receive for faithfulness.  It carried Him, and it will also carry us.  Let's fix our eyes there.

Friday, August 21, 2015

Grace for your spirit August 21, 2015

Grace for your spirit
For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also; but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard.  Hebrews 4:2

Do you remember what happened to the children of Israel in the wilderness?  The heard the voice of God, they saw His mighty works, yet the adults who left Egypt died in the desert, failing to make it into the promised land.  Reason?  They did not mix the word they received with faith.  Here is the reminder and warning for all of us.  We can hear His word, know His mighty works, but without faith we cannot please Him.  Let's not find ourselves falling short of our  promised land in heaven.

Thursday, August 20, 2015

Grace for your spirit August 20, 2015

Grace for your spirit
Apply your heart to discipline, and your ears to words of knowledge.  Proverbs 23:12

It sounds like disciplined hearts open the ears.  There is little we can do with one is undisciplined and our of control.  They cannot hear, they will not hear, and reject any knowledge and wisdom.  When we have decided in advance that we will not be challenged or changed, nothing positive can every happen to us.  Like the old farmer who hit the mule with a board. They told him the mule wouldn't do anything that way. The farmer replied, "I'm not trying to get him to do anything, I'm just trying to get his attention."  When will God get our attention?

Wednesday, August 19, 2015

Grace for your spirit August 19, 2015

Grace for your spirit
All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.  II Timothy 3:16-17

If the first part of this verse is false, then the second part is false as well. There can be no reproof, correction, training, or equipping, if the message is unsure.  If we maintain the the premise that the Bible is partly the Word of God, that is much more damaging that rejecting it completely.  If we are free to accept the part we like, and reject the part we don't, our discipline to learn and transform lies dormant.  God wants us to change, not change what we read.

Tuesday, August 18, 2015

Grace for your spirit August 18, 2015

Grace for your spirit
For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.  II Timothy 1:7

When we take an inventory of our emotions and motivations, we need to identify who is supplying us with them.  If we are running with "the wrong crowd", our spirits can change quickly.  Let's identify which of our emotions are from God and which are from the devil.  God does not give us a spirit of fear.  Instead, He fills us with power, love, and discipline.  If we find ourselves filled with fear, timidity, weakness, hate, and lack of self control, we are probably running with the wrong crowd. Let's open our spirits to The Light, and He will push the darkness away.

Monday, August 17, 2015

Grace for your spirit August 17, 2015

Grace for your spirit
But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord, I will put My law within them , and on their heart, I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.  Jeremiah 31:33

When the house of Israel left Egypt, He wrote the Law on tablets of stone for Moses on Mt. Sinai.  When Moses returned to the people and saw their idols, he shattered the tablets and they had to be replaced. The people shattered His law with their constant disobedience, and there would be a time for a permanent replacement.  Not on stone this time, but in the hearts of believers.  With Jesus, we can treasure Him in our hearts and never break our relationship with God.  That is the joy of this new covenant.

Friday, August 14, 2015

Grace for your spirit August 14, 2015

Grace for your spirit
It will no longer be said of  you, "Forsaken," nor to your land will it any long be said, "Desolate":  But you will be called, "My delight is in her." And your land "Married"; For the Lord delights in you, And in Him your land will be married.  Isaiah 62:4

Israel had a disturbing background.  Because of their disobedience, they carried the title "Forsaken" and "Desolate".  Isaiah, the prophet of the Messiah, had better news for them.  The coming of Jesus would change their status to "delight" and they would transform into the bride of Christ.  Christ's church is most certainly His bride.  As His bride, we shake the image of "forsaken" and "desolate" and replace it with "Delight".  It was hope for their future, and hope for ours as well. 

Thursday, August 13, 2015

Grace for your spirit August 13, 2015

Grace for your spirit
Great is our Lord and abundant in strength; His understanding is infinite.  Psalm 147:5

Those who know the Lord will put their trust in Him, because they know He never forsakes those who seek Him.  He is strong enough to stand forever, and understanding enough to know what we need before we know how to ask.  Our God is an Awesome God.  He can see and know from beginning to end, and knows how to fit us in. When will we learn not to put our trust in other things?  Let's learn not to lean on our own understanding, when we can have His.

Friday, August 7, 2015

Grace for your spirit August 7, 2015

Grace for your spirit
Like a city that is broken into and without walls,  is a man who has no control over his spirit.  Proverbs 25:28

The walls of the city gave it identity and protection.  Once those walls were breached, their city belonged to their enemies.  God gives us a spirit giving us an identity and protection like walls.  When we surrender, our lives belong to our enemies as well.  God's Spirit can strengthen our spirit when we give our lives to Him.  Romans 8:16 "The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we children of God". When we are children of God, it comes with a new identity and new protection.

Thursday, August 6, 2015

Grace for your spirit August 6, 2015

Grace for your spirit
Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.  Matthew 16:24

There seems to be a common philosophy in religion.  They say It doesn't matter what road you take, or what kind of car you drive, as long as we all end up in the same garage.  In other words, do your own thing, in your own way, to get to the same place.  Jesus prescribed a narrow way of submitting to Him in His way with self denial.  He said He was the way, the truth, and the life.  We will never make it to the "same garage", unless we are in Him.  It is not our interests that are important, but Gods.

Wednesday, August 5, 2015

Grace for your spirit August 5, 2015

Grace for your spirit
And those who know  Your name will put their trust in You, for You, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You.  Psalm 9:10

David wrote, "I have been young, and now I am old; yet  I have not seen the righteous forsaken, or his descendants begging bread". Psalm 37:25    David was called a man after God's own heart.  Although he experienced many lows in his life, he always came back up with his trust in the Lord.  Sometimes it takes a while for us to get it right too. When we are ready, God is always ready to help us.  Let's commit to know the Lord and put our trust in Him

Tuesday, August 4, 2015

Grace for your spirit August 4, 2015

Grace for your spirit
And have mercy on some, who are doubting; save others, snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh.  Jude 22-23

How grateful we can be when we need rescued.  Grateful that fire fighters, police, paramedics, and military personnel are trained and ready to help us in time of need.  There is another rescue squad that needs to be trained and ready as well.  That is Christ's rescue squad.  People are perishing all around us everyday due to spiritual and emotional loss. With dedication and training, we can be part of that rescue squad.  Let's be ready to answer the bell when it rings.  Wait! It's ringing now.

Monday, August 3, 2015

Grace for your spirit August 3, 2015

Grace for your spirit
For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen   Romans 1:25

How can anyone who says they know God, turn their back on Him? There is a big difference between knowing about God and honoring Him as God.  When anyone is drawn away by the lust and sin of life, there is a strong desire to be involved in it without guilt.  To do that,  the truth of God must be exchanged for the lie the devil sells us.  When we are satisfied to serve the creature, there is no limit to the depths of our sin. Let's beware when there is no fear of God before our eyes.