Wednesday, February 28, 2018

Grace for your spirit 2-28-18

Grace for your spirit
Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.      Revelation 3:20

In the course of our spiritual lives, sometimes we are hot, sometimes cold, and sometimes lukewarm.  Sometimes we think we need Jesus, and sometimes we don't think we do.  No matter what, Jesus is always nearby and willing to help us. He is at our door knocking, and calling, but the door latch in on the inside.  If we will open he door, He will help us and have fellowship with us.  Will we open up?  We will be opening to grace, not judgment.

Tuesday, February 27, 2018

Grace for your spirit 2-27-18

Grace for your spirit
Do not be deceived: "Bad company corrupts good morals."

Mom and Dad were right. "Birds of a feather do flock together".  When we run with the wrong crowd, we will end up wrong. Instead of getting our thinking straight and listening the voice of wisdom, we allow ourselves to be deceived.  Anyone without the knowledge of God should never be our life guide.  Let us never be deceived to think we are the only ones who will get out of it unaffected.

Monday, February 26, 2018

Grace for your spirit 2-26-18

Grace for your spirit
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.  I came that the may have life, and have it abundantly,  John 10:10

Jesus is the loving shepherd.  Jesus is the good shepherd. Jesus is our loving and good shepherd.  He  is the way to safety and provision.  That is the key to the abundant life.  As a shepherd cares for his sheep, Jesus cares for us.  We are like sheep.  We are helpless, useless, and our own worst enemies.  Thank you Jesus for being there for us. He is the way, the only way.

Friday, February 23, 2018

Grace for your spirit 2-23-18

Grace for your spirit
For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.  Philippians 1:6

The church in Philippi must have questioned such confidence from the apostle Paul.  After all, he wrote these words from prison in Rome, and they suspected that his imprisonment might be the end of their ministry.  Pau'sl letter of joy and confidence was just what they needed to pick them up and get them going.  He said to them to keep working because God would perfect and complete their ministry in the world.  He is saying the same thing to us today.  2/3's of God is Go.  Let's go.

Thursday, February 22, 2018

Grace for your spirit 2-22-18

Grace for your spirit
For this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away from it.  Hebrews 2:1

Most of us have a passenger side mirror with a warning.  It says "objects may be closer than they appear in the mirror."  When we look into the mirror of life, it is easy to be deceived.  The important decisions we need to make seem to be far away.  Our day of reckoning and judgment can also seem to be distant.  This kind of thinking can cause to be drift away and neglect what is important.  Just like the mirror on our car, let us not be deceived.  Let's always double check our "blind spot."

Wednesday, February 21, 2018

Grace for your spirit 2-21-18

Grace for your spirit
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.  Romans 12:21

How would we describe our Christian race?  Are we chasing or being chased? Are we good going after evil, or being chased and overcome by evil ?  When we run with Jesus, we will run to victory and not defeat. Let's always be aware of our position in the race.  When we run with His grace, victory will be ours over evil.

Tuesday, February 20, 2018

Grace for your spirit 2-20-18

Grace for your spirit
Delight yourself in the Lord; and He will give you the desires of your heart.  Psalm 37:4

Delight is an interesting word in connection to God.  Delight shows a high degree of pleasure, enjoyment, and satisfaction in our lives.  This Psalm reminds us that  when we trust in the Lord, dwell in His presence, and commit our ways to Him, we will be highly satisfied with the results.  There is no need to fret because of evil and those who do wrong. God has the best for us.  Let's delight in that.

Monday, February 19, 2018

Grace for your spirit 2-19-18

Grace for your spirit
I considered my ways and turned my feet to Your testimonies.  I hastened and did not delay to keep Your commandments.  Psalm 119:60

Here is a great 1-2-3 punch for us all when we are in trouble.  Consider our ways.  Turn our feet toward His testimonies.  Keep His commandments quickly, with haste, and without delay. 

Friday, February 16, 2018

Grace for your spirit 2-16-18

Grace for your spirit
But the Lord said to Samuel, "Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as a man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.  I Samuel 16:7

As they looked for a new king to succeed Saul, they would have never thought of the little shepherd boy named David.  He had a heart for God, but didn't fit the picture the people had in mind.  Most people make judgments about people by the way they look, when we all should be examining the hearts of people.  That is the way God sees us, and we need to see it God's way.  Let's give people a second look, watching for the spirit and heart for God.

Thursday, February 15, 2018

Grace for your sirit 2-15-18

Grace for your spirit
So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.    Colossians 3:12

When we are risen with Christ, it is for more than our own personal benefit.  The salvation in Christ and the change of lifestyle is also our platform for helping others.  We have literally been chosen by God to be like Him and do what He would do.  Let's all get busy to learn what He is like, and what He would do, then do it !

Wednesday, February 14, 2018

Grace for your spirit 2-14-18

Grace for your spirit
You shall love the Lord your God with all  your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.....and the second is like it, You shall love  your neighbor as yourself.  Matthew 22:37-39

The love for God and the love for people is the glue that binds us together.  Every command of God can be fulfilled when we master love in our lives.   God's love can only flourish in our lives when we have mercy and forgiveness.  Where there is anger and revenge, true love is impossible.  On this day of love, may we be the standard others can see and follow.  Beloved, let us love on another.

Tuesday, February 13, 2018

Grace for your spirit 2-13-18

Grace for your spirit
Our people must also learn to engage in good deeds to meet pressing needs, so that they will not be unfruitful.  Titus 3:14

"For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them."  Galatians 2:10.  If we can't see any pressing needs, nor have the will to help solve them, we are not walking in the path God has for us.  There are many things that contribute to our spiritual health, and certainly working out what has been worked in us is one of them.  Let's take His grace and carry it to a troubled world.

Monday, February 12, 2018

Grace for your spirit 2-12-18

Grace for your spirit
Give, and it will be given to you.  They will pour into your lap a good measure-pressed down, shaken together, and running over.  For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.  Luke 6:38

When we give to the Lord  it costs us nothing, because we will also get back more than we give.  When we bring a container to the Lord, no matter how much is in it, we get it back full, shaken together and running over.  When we discourage ourselves from giving because we don't have enough, we actually hurting ourselves.  Let's trust God's Word and trust His grace to sustain us with what He knows we need

Friday, February 9, 2018

Grace for your spirit 2-9-18

Grace for your spirit
Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.  Colossians 3:16

Does the word of God dwell richly in us ?  When it does, there should be evidence to prove it.  When we sing songs, do people see thankfulness in our hearts? When we study and when we sing, let's start considering the consequences.    Does anyone see wisdom and feel encouragement to do better ?  Singing should reflect the joy of His Word, and create joy at the the same time.  Whether we are studying or singing, let's put a little more effort in it.   God's grace is ready and willing to help our  hearts come alive.

Thursday, February 8, 2018

Grace for your spirit 2-8-18

Grace for your spirit
But Naaman was furious and went away and said, "Behold, I thought, he will surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place and cure the leper."  II Kings 5:11

Naaman needed healing from his deadly disease of leprosy.  He thought the king would do it.  He thought the prophet would do something great. He thought he should be able to wash in clean water. He thought he should pay for the cleansing.  He thought those things because he thought he was something special, and he didn't know God.  Let's beware of thinking we are "something special."  We might miss knowing God and His gracious healing.  Let's find His grace and walk in it. 

Wednesday, February 7, 2018

Grace for your spirit 2-7-18

Grace for your spirit
And my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that our faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.  I Corinthians 2:4-5

We would think that the apostle Paul was a confident and powerful  speaker, swaying audiences with his knowledge and wisdom.  Paul didn't see himself that way and he didn't wish for others to see it either. He wanted people to see the power of the Spirit, so he hid behind the cross of Christ.  Let's be careful to trust in Christ instead of preachers. Christ has the power to save so we can walk in His grace. 

Tuesday, February 6, 2018

Grace for your spirit 2-6-18

Grace for your spirit
A man had two sons.  The younger of them said to his father, "Father, give me the share of the estate that falls to me." So he divided his wealth between them.   Luke 15:11

This is the beginning of the story we call, "The Prodigal Son."The name prodigal is not found in the Bible, but literally means extravagantly wasteful.  After wasting everything, he ended up in a pigpen, and ultimately returned in shame.  We don't know what kind of person he was before he left home, but apparently those thoughts were already in him.  We need to he careful that we do not waste God's blessing He has given us.  We may not be in the pigpen yet, but we might be on the trail to one.  Let's ask God to lead us the right paths and overcome our problems.  With His grace we can all have a great day.

Monday, February 5, 2018

Grace for your spirit 2-5-18

Grace for your spirit
They put forward false witnesses who said, "This man incessantly speaks against this holy place and the Law;"   Acts 6:13

The two things the Jews held in high esteem were the Law and the Temple.  Anyone who spoke against it were in danger of blasphemy.  
The trouble came because Jesus came to die on the cross and establish a New Covenant.  God wanted everyone to turn from earthly matters and center their devotion to the risen Christ.  That is what God wants for us too.  When we free ourselves from the Old Covenant, many will misunderstand, but God knows it is the right way.  May He give us grace to stand and walk.  With His grace, let's have a great day.

Friday, February 2, 2018

Grace for your spirit 2-2-18

Grace for your spirit
Joseph named the firstborn Manasseh, For he said, "God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father's household."  He named the second Ephraim, For he said, "God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction."  Genesis 41:51-52

Remember Joseph ? Betrayed by his brothers as a teenager, sold into captivity, accused, abused and seemingly forgotten.  Through his faithfulness God gave him victory and his dream interpretation saved the world from starvation.  The names of his children are a testimony of how he felt about his past. He forgot about it and gave God the glory for all his victories.  What is our testimony?  Can God get the glory for our lives, or are we pining over what could-a, should-a, would-a been?  With God's grace let's look forward and have a great day.

Thursday, February 1, 2018

Grace for your spirit 2-1-18

Grace for your spirit
But if you will not do so, behold, you have sinned against the Lord, and be sure your sin will find you out.   Number 32:23

God made many promises to His people in connection to the "promised land."  Each promise came with a condition of faithfulness. If, If, If.  It was important to remember His promises, remember the if's, and remember that it was never "out of sight, out of mind."  They must have forgot that their sins would find them out, because they certainly forgot all the if's.  Their unfaithfulness would eventually cause the loss of His promises.  How are we doing?  Let's' be faithful, and never think we are out of the Lord's sight.  With His grace, let's have great day