Grace for your spirit 6-29-18

Grace for your spirit

Do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.  Philippians 2:4

Well, who could do that all the time ?  Jesus could, and when we have the attitude of Jesus, we can too.  It worked for Paul.  He wrote this letter from his prison in Rome.  We would think his letter who be about his problems, but instead it was all about his concern for others.  We can get there too when we empty ourselves and focus on others like them.  

Grace for your spirit 6-28-18

Grace for your spirit

Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you;  and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.  I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.  Ezekiel 36:26-27

Judah had been broken down in the years of bondage.  God was preparing to open the way for their return home.  They weren't going home empty handed.  God was giving them a new heart, a new spirit, and a strong desire to follow God's way.  In Christ, God has opened a door for us and is willing to give us a new heart and new spirit.  Let's look up and look around.  It is time to come home.

grace for your spirit 6-27-18

Grace for your spirit

Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry.    Colossians 3:5

Normally when we hear about idolatry, we think of worship of a form or figure that represents our god.  In fact, anything we have a single minded love and devotion for, can become an idol for us.  Anything that comes between God and us, is an idol.  Greed can be directed to things, or toward immoral living.  When they consume us, when they become our god, it becomes idolatry.  Let's be aware and flee from it.

Grace for your spirit 6-26-18

Grace for your spirit

With all  humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.  Ephesians 4:2-3

We all know that forgiving one another is a rule, even though we sometimes seem to forget.  The rule is remembered and carried out more often when we have the spirit of forbearance, and tolerance.  The Ephesians had so many differences they were divided and could not grow.  Paul appealed to them for humility, gentleness, patience, and love.  The appeal is for us as well.  Let's be forbearing that leads to forgiving and unity.

Grace for your spirit 6-25-18

Grace for your spirit

Ah Lord God ! Behold You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm !  Nothing is too difficult You.     Jeremiah 32:17

When we face mighty challenges in our lives, it is possible we might think our challenges are too big for God.  It is then time for us too look at God's record of performance.  From creation to the many times He pulled His family through the mountains and valleys of life, God always knows best and comes through.  This verse says it best.  By His power, nothing is too difficult for Him.  When we turn to God, let's go to Him with confidence, not doubt.  His record is our confidence.

Grace for your spirit 6-22-18

Grace for your spirit

But the goat on which the lot for the scapegoat fell shall be presented alive before the Lord, to make atonement upon it, to send it into the wilderness as a scapegoat.  Leviticus 16:10

In the Old Covenant, God appointed a "Day of Atonement."  The High Priest sacrificed and put blood on the mercy seat in the Holy Place.  The High Priest then took the blood representing all the sins of the nation for that year, and put them on the goats head, Then the goat was led into the wilderness representing sin leaving the camp.  Poor goat.  Poor Jesus!  He was our scapegoat on the cross.  He bore all the sins in the world, and took them away.  No wonder He cried out, "My God, My God, why have your forsaken Me?"

Grace for your spiritr 6-21-18

Grace for your spirit

So then we pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another.  Romans 14:19

When I did some remodeling on my kitchen, I needed to tear somethings out.  Unskilled, untrained, unrestrained people with hammers were perfect for the destruction.  When it came time to build, I needed people with skills and a strong desire to do things right.  The same is true when working with people.  Anyone can tear people down, but it takes skill and caring to build people up.  I hope we are all in training to build up and not tear down because of differences.  Are we on the right track?

Grace for your spirit 6-20-18

Grace for your spirit

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget none of His benefits.  

Psalm 103:2

Bless the Lord, He pardons all our iniquities.  Bless the Lord, He heals all our diseases.  Bless the Lord, He redeems us from the pit.  Bless the Lord, He crowns us with lovingkindness and compassion.  Bless the Lord, He satisfies our years with good things.  Bless the Lord, He renews our youth.  If we forget His benefits, we will soon forget Him.  Let's keep blessing the Lord and prevent that from ever happening.

Grace for your spirit 6-19-18

Grace for your spirit

Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life.  Proverbs 4:23

When we fill our hearts with love for Lord, and love for one another, it will push out the lusts of the flesh, the lusts of the eye, and the boastful pride of life.  When we watch over the love, protect that love, the only thing that will fill our lives is love.  Those springs of love fill our lives, refresh our lives, and takes control of all our thoughts.  May we never get so busy that we forget to watch over what fills our heart and make sure it is the right thing.

Grace for your spirit 6-18-18

Grace for your spirit

And He got up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, "Hush, be still."  And the wind died down and it became perfectly calm. and He said to them, "Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?"  Mark 4:39-40

The apostles were in a boat, in a storm, and Jesus was asleep.  They were wondering if they would perish, and why Jesus didn't seem to care?  Have you ever been in that boat?   Sometimes He calms the sea and sometimes He calms the sailor.  I think I woke up in that boat this week. My ship was going down and I can't swim.  I wondered if there would be a rescue and if it was coming.  Jesus showed  up just in time, changed all the circumstances and gave me victory.  He restored my spirit, restored my faith, and I give Him the glory.  I hope you will find a rescue in Him today as well.

Grace for your spirit 6-15-18

Father's Day Gift

BUILDING THE BRIDGE FOR HIM

by: W. A. Dromgoole

An old man, traveling a lone highway,

Came at the evening cold and gray.

To a chasm deep and wide. 

The old man crossed in the twilight dim, 

For the sullen stream held no fears for him,

But he turned when he reached to other side,

And builded a bridge to span the tide. 

"Old man," cried a fellow pilgrim near,

"You are wasting your strength with building here;

Your journey will end with the ending day,

And you never again will pass this way. 

"You have crossed the chasm deep and wide.

Why build you a bridge at eventide? "

And the builder raised his old gray head:

"Good friend, on the path I have come," he said,

"There followeth after me today

A youth whose feet will pass this way.

"This stream, which has been as naught to me,

To that fair-haired boy may a pitfall be;

He, too, must cross in the twilight dim.

Good friend, I am building this bridge for him."

Grace for your spirit 6-14-18

Grace for your spirit

Who is a God like You, who pardons iniquity and passes over the rebellious act of the remnant of His possession?  He does not retain His anger forever, because He delights in unchanging love.  He will again have compassion on us.  Micah 7:18-19

What a wonderful God,  Forgiving and forgetting our rebellion and  always having that unchanging love.  His compassion is always with us and it keeps Him smiling.  It should keep us smiling as well.  Forgiveness, love, and compassion are the attributes Jesus left for us by the cross.  Why would we ever leave Him for some kind of God we had to keep happy all the time with our pitiful lives ?

Grace for your spirit 6-13-18

Grace for your spirit

And while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously.  I Peter 2:23

When Jesus went to the cross, He had been beaten and abused all night long.  Insults came from the religious leaders, the soldiers, and the crowd.  Did He demand an apology, or say "You'll get yours someday?  No. What did He say?  He said, "Forgive them for they know not what they do !!  That's how Jesus lived and that's how He died.  How do you suppose He wants us to live and die?

Grace for your spirit 6-12-18

Grace for your spirit

We exult in hope of the glory of God. And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance proven character; and proven character hope;   Romans 5:3-4

God gives us grace, faith, and spirit, to do His will, handle our struggles, and come out better on the other side.  May we never squander His gifts on self pity or self indulgence.  When trouble, trials. and tribulations come our way, may we use His gifts to see the hope at the end of the tunnel.  Along the way we will pick up perseverance and character.  Those things will serve us well in troubled times. 

Grace for your spirit 6-11-18

Grace for your spirit

Now they found an Egyptian in the field and brought him to David, and gave him bread and he ate, and they provided him water to drink.  I Samuel 30:11

David was in deep trouble.  His camp had been raided and all their families were kidnapped.  He was chasing blindly, not knowing exactly where to go.  Even in his troubles, he paused to help a man who had been left for dead.  That man gave David the identity of those he was chasing and how to find them. In the end, all was recovered and returned home.  You see, that man wasn't really left for dead, he was left for David by God.  In our rushing pursuits, let not forget to help others along the way.  They may help us greatly in the long run.

Grace for your spirit 6-8-18

Grace for your spirit

The Lord will accomplish what concerns me; Your lovingkindness, O Lord, is everlasting.  Do not forsake the works of Your hands.  Psalm 138:8

David walked before the Lord with confidence because he bowed before Him with confidence.  He knew that Lord would protect and rescue him in time of trouble, and he would be saved.  Aware of the Lord's lovingkindness, he trusted that the Lord would accomplish whatever concerned him.  Let's walk with Him, and talk with Him, until we get to know Him that well too.

Grace for your spirit 6-7-18

Grace for your spirit

And many of those who practiced magic brought their books together and began burning them in the sight of everyone; and they counted up the price of them and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.   .Acts 19:19

These new Christians really understood the benefits of complete repentance.  They recognized that their former interests and hobbies would drag them away from their new life in Christ.  They didn't store them just in case they would backslide later. They got rid of them.  What do we have in our lives that really need to go away?  Perhaps we have books, magazines, music, and movies that will take us away from God.  Let's not sell them in a yard sale and give the trouble to others.  Let's trash them, turn completely to our new life in Jesus, and make it part of our testimony.

Grace for your spirit 6-6-18

Grace for your spirit

Therefore, do not  throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised.  Hebrews 10:35-36

Christ will instill in us the confidence and ability to accomplish His will. Too many of us are ready to give up when something is a little difficult.  We have need of confidence and endurance to make it all the way to the finish line.  That is the point we will receive the reward He has promised.  With our eyes on Jesus, let's take a deep breath of His Spirit and run the race set before us

Grace for your spirit 6-5-18

Grace for your spirit

The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace because he trusts in You. Trust in the Lord forever, for in God the Lord, we have an everlasting Rock.  Isaiah 26:3-4

The goal of God's instruction is that we not be led away by the lusts of the flesh, the lusts of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life.  Additionally, that we not be blown around by every wind of doctrine that blows through our lives.  If we will adopt such a steadfast mind, God has a great gift for us.  It is a perfect peace standing on The Solid Rock.  Let's ask God to take control of our minds so we may be steadfast as He is steadfast.

Grace for your spirit 6-4-18

Grace for your spirit

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 that all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God within me.   I Corinthians 15:10

This was the apostle Paul's response to his critics.  Those who claimed he could not be a real apostle.  His answer was simple.  God's Grace.  Grace to be forgiven, grace to equip, and grace to activate.  His defense can be our defense to our critics as well.  We may be been sinners, enemies of God, and far from His will, but His grace can change everything.  His grace still changes everything, even you and me.

Grace for your spirit 6-1-18

Grace for your spirit

Those who have insight will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead many to righteousness like the stars forever and ever.  Daniel 12:3

Every time we study to gain knowledge of God's word and His wisdom, we will gain insights for living.  Those insights will make us light up God's sky and show the world God is the source.  As they see the source of brightness is God, we can lead many to righteousness and continue to shine like the stars forever.  It is time to shake off our disappointments, failures, and regrets to build some new hopes and dreams.  Walking in the light of Jesus is the key.