Grace for your spirit 5-31-18

Grace for your spirit

Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd.  Matthew 9:36

Compassion is a feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for another who is stricken by misfortune, accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate the suffering.  Compassion is the heart of Jesus.  Jesus said He desired compassion more than sacrifice.  Without compassion for others, there will be no sacrifice for others.  Do you feel we live in an uncaring world? A world that doesn't see needs, nor care about the needs of others?  Let's take on the heart of Jesus.  Compassion help us to see, and move us to service.

Grace for your spirit 5-30-18

Grace for your spirit

Then it happened when he turned his back to leave Samuel, God changed his heart; and all those signs came about on that day.       I Samuel 10:9

When Samuel found Saul to anoint him as the king of Israel, Saul didn't think he was ready for the job.  He was right, he wasn't.  God promised Saul that he would make him a new man when he obeyed and took the step of faith.  With his first step in the right direction, God changed his heart, and all the signs and wonders came true for him before their very eyes.  We may not think we are able to walk the Christian walk, and we probably aren't.  When we turn out backs on the world, and take that first step toward obeying Christ as Lord, God will change us, equip us, save us, and make us His servant.

Grace for your spirit 5-29-18

Grace for your spirit

O Lord, You have heard the desire of the humble, You will strengthen their heart, You will incline Your ear to vindicate the orphan and the oppressed, so that man who is of the earth will not longer cause terror.  Psalm  10:17-18

God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.  The words of the proud do not reach Him, but His ears are open the humble.  He promises to hear, strengthen, vindicate, and give victory to the humble. The victory of the humble is the destruction of the proud who cause terror.  Let's stay humble, and close to the Lord.  The journey may be difficult, but the victory is sure.

Grace for your spirit 5-25-18

Grace for your spirit

Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about  you, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you, surely I will help you,  surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.  Isaiah 41:10

Can you think of a day that this thought from the Lord wouldn't make us feel much better ?  There are so many things in life that are out of our control and they often bring fear and anxiety.  We know of His strength,and ability to help us.  May we remind ourselves of that and be sure of it in our darkest hours.

Grace for your spirit 5-24-18

Grace for your spirit

You enlarge my steps under me, and my feet have not slipped.  Psalm 18:36

This Psalm is a song about God's protection, both with a great defense and great offense.  Whether we are retreating or attacking, sure footing is always important. When someone is forced to walk through deep snow, snowshoes are just the thing.  They are huge mesh like boots, that enlarges our steps to give us sure footing in deep snow.  God will supply us with just the right equipment we will need for every circumstance.  Let's go with God and go prepared.

Grace for your spirit 5-23-18

Grace for your spirit

A woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple fabrics, a worshiper of God, was listening; and the Lord opened her heart to respond to the things spoken by Paul.  Acts 16:14

The Apostle Paul was divinely directed to this person and this place.  Not knowing the opportunities that awaited him, he only knew of his desire to share the good news about Jesus.  While this woman was listening the Lord opened her heart to respond.  As a result, she and her household were baptized and the church was established in Europe. When we allow the Lord to lead us, and to equip us, we never know whose heart might be opened.  We will only find out by sharing the message of Jesus and watching the response.  When we are there, let us continue to share.  It will declare that we care.

Grace for your spirit 5-22-18

Grace for your spirit

I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me;  and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. Galatians 2:20

Remember those old wanted posters in western movies.  Frequently they were "Wanted Dead Or Alive."  Well, God's wanted poster for us is a little different.  It is "Wanted Dead And Alive."  God wants us to be crucified with Christ, and be dead to the flesh, dead to the Law, and dead to ourselves.  At the same time, we alive to the Spirit, with Christ living in our dead bodies.  He gave Himself up for us.  Now it is our turn to give ourselves up for Him.

Grace for your spirit 5-21-18

Grace for your spirit

Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author an 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

How can we get through the difficult things in life and still be faithful to God and His cause?  As usual, Jesus is our best example.  How did He endure the cross and the shame to be with His Father in heaven?  Look at six words on that verse;  "For the joy set before Him".  When we  keep our eyes on the joy set before us, we can endure, we will endure, and find victory in Jesus.

Grace for your spirit 5-18-18

Grace for your spirit

You  have heard that it was said, "An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.  But I say to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.  Matthew 5:38-39

It is true that in the Old Testament, revenge was the cure for restitution.  "Eye for eye, tooth for tooth." Jesus introduces a new and much better way in His kingdom.  His way is restitution and reconciliation.  No resistance, no revenge, but rather turning the other cheek and giving of grace.  It is the way God restores us, and connects us to each other.  The other way would only give us lots of blind, toothless people.

Grace for your spirit 5-17-18

Grace for your spirit

What shall I render to the Lord for all His benefits toward me ?  I shall lift up the cup of salvation and call upon the name of the Lord. I shall pay my vows to the Lord, oh may it be in the presence of all His people.  Psalms 116:12-14

When God rescues us, saves us, and sustains us, do we remember to say "thank you." Do we proclaim His salvation, and give honor to His name?  Can we give Him His portion of our time, talent, and resources, and lead others to do the same?  Grace calls for gratefulness. We live in a world that resists His grace and is increasingly ungrateful.  Let's break out of that negative mold

Grace for your spirit 5-16-18

Grace for your spirit

Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them, for the Lord your God is the one who goes with you.  He will not fail you or forsake you.  Deuteronomy 31:6

Moses found out that he would not cross Jordan into the promised land.  He turned to hand the reigns of leadership to Joshua.  Naturally fear would grip them as they were about to lose their great and only leader.  Moses reassured them that their true leadership was not changing, for the Lord would not fail nor forsake them.  When it comes our time to step up into leadership, may we please remember that our leader always was and always will be God.  When we follow Him we can always go forward with courage and confidence.

Grace for your spirit 5-15-18

Grace for your spirit

And Paul said, "I would wish to God, that whether in a short or long time, not only you, but also all who hear me this day, might become such as I am, except for these chains."  Acts 26:29

Paul stood before King Agrippa as a prisoner, and preached the gospel of Jesus to him.  The king answered that he was almost persuaded to become a Christian.  Paul's love for Christ and for his love for lost souls was evident by his actions.  He said he hoped the king and everyone who heard his voice would accept Christ.  Does our love for Jesus and our love for lost souls motivate us to preach on?  It is easy for things to get in our way, so let's don't let that happen to us. May we not be "almost persuaded", but altogether determined.

Grace for your spirit 5-14-18

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

I was always fascinated by the old sailing ship movies when they were stuck in the doldrums. Their only power was the wind and since they had no wind, they just drifted hoping for some improvement.  If no wind came, they would all die on the boat.  We can find ourselves in the spiritual doldrums.  The state of inactivity, stagnant, dull, listless, in low spirits.  We need to find a way to get some wind in our sails, so we don't drift until we die.  Study, prayer, and fellowship is the wind we need, and the wind we must seek.

Grace for your spirit 5-11-18

Grace for your spirit

Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, so is the lazy one to those who send him.   Proverbs 10:26

Vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes irritate and are a general pain.  Proverbs has much to say about those who are lazy sluggards.  They accomplish nothing and make life difficult for everyone around them.  Before we lose everything, and make every mad at us, let's get the wisdom from God to do our very best.  Let's be the kind of people who brighten up a room when we enter it, not when we leave it.

Grace for your spirit 5-10-18

Grace for your spirit

There is one who speaks rashly like thrusts of a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.  Proverbs 12:18

When we say, "I'm going to tell you something even if it hurts," it usually will.  We have measured our words and we see their damage.  It would be great if we could gather the wisdom that God offers us, and then measure our words that will heal instead of cutting.  When we care about people and wish to leave them better and happier than we found them, healing words are what we need.

Grace for your spirit 5-9-18

Grace for your spirit

"For the mountains may be removed and the hills may shake, but My lovingkindess will not be removed from you, and My covenant of peace will not be shaken," says the Lord who has compassion on you  Isaiah 54:10

Nothing much robs our peace like the earth shaking below us.  Any kind of natural disaster shakes most of us. We never know how it will affect us.  God wants us to know that we can trust in Him, and He makes a covenant with us for a  peace will never be shaken.  Let's feel His love, feel His compassion, and feel the peace that comes with it. 

Grace for your spierit 5-8-18

Grace for your spirit

For I am jealous for you with a godly jealous; for I betrothed you to one husband, so that to Christ I might present you as a pure virgin.  II Corinthians 11:2

Little boy at a wedding asked,  "Mom how come the bride is dressed in white?"  It is a sign of purity as the bride comes to be joined to her groom. She honors herself, her future husband, her family, and her upbringing.  God's wish and design or all of His believers is for us to be pure, free from sin, and loyalty to any other. When a Christian is washed in the blood of the Lamb, we are betrothed to Christ, and put on our white robes  We honor that commitment to Jesus by our pure lives unto we meet Him at the wedding supper or the Lamb.

Grace for your spirit 5-7-18

Grace for your spirit

"These who are clothed in the white robes, who are they, and where have they come from?"  I said to him, "My Lord, you know."  And he said to me, "These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb."  Revelation 7:13-14

This is one of many glorious pictures of heaven.  These are protected from hunger, thirst, heat, and tears, because of the presence of Jesus.  Who are the recipients of such blessings?  The ones who have come out of the great tribulation in the world with the help of Jesus.  These have been to Jesus for the cleansing power, washed in the blood of the Lamb. The power of faith, repentance, and baptism and brought them into contact with the blood of Jesus.  When the roll is called up yonder, will we be there dressed in white ?

Grace for your spiritr 5-4-18

Grace for your spirit

Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not give the devil an opportunity.  Ephesians 4:26-27

We all need to be slow to speak and slow to anger because anger does not achieve the righteousness of God.  Anger can be a positive or negative emotion, but either way we need to get rid of it quickly.  If we hold onto it, it will fester into something ugly, and the devil can use it against us.  Let's give Jesus our anger and receive His righteousness before the sun goes down.

Grace for your spirit 5-3-18

Grace for your spirit

For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:     II Corinthian 5:14 KJV

A preacher's wife was typing his sermon notes and couldn't quite read his writing.  On this passage she typed, "the love of Christ can strain us."  If we walk with the love of Christ it can control us, but if we fight against the love of Christ it certainly can strain us.  Just as it is possible to strain our bodily muscles and feel the pain, we can strain our spiritual muscles and feel the pain too.  When we will walk with the love of Christ, we can and will avoid the pain. 

grace for your spirit 5-2-18

Grace for your spirit

I wait for the Lord, my soul does wait, and in His word do I hope.  My soul waits for the Lord more than the watchmen for the morning;   Psalm 130:5-6

It is necessary for us to be patient and faithful as we wait for the Lord.  Waiting and watching are skills that most of us do not possess.  When we are watching and waiting for something to appear on the horizon, a good set of binoculars arehout  great.  Fortunately, God provides the best binoculars ever.  His word gives us vision and insight so we can see our promises as they come.  Don't leave hope without it.

Grace for your spirit 5-1-18

Grace for your spirit

These things I have spoken to  you, so that in Me you may have peace.  In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world."   John 16:33

When I was a kid running the streets, it was great to have someone bold, strong, and brave with me.  He would always do the difficult things first and we knew that if we got into trouble, he could bail us out.  Jesus is that special friend for us all our lives.  To give us courage and confidence, He walks before us and with us.  He never asks us to do anything He hasn't done first and found victory.  That courage should give us peace and hope for victory every day. Let's be faithful even unto death.  He was.