Grace for your spirit May 10, 2013

Grace for your spirit

Please run now to meet her and say to her, "Is it well with you?  Is it well with your husband?  Is is well with the child?"  And she answered, "It is well."  II Kings 4:26

Here is my nominee for woman of the year.  Her life was an embodiment of faith, hope, and love.  This no name woman from Shunem on the wrong side of the country was a hospitable soul, who provided food and lodging for God's prophet and wished for nothing in return. She was content.  The prophet noticed that she had no son to provide for her future, and she was provided with a blessed son.  One day her son died, and she rode to the prophet for an explanation and help.  Her child was dead, her husband befuddled, but how was she?  She answered "All is well."  Instead of worry, she had faith.  Instead of fear, she had hope.  Instead of anger, she had love.  Her positive outlook was rewarded, her son restored, and her life blessed.  We can be her children when we walk with her faith today.

Grace for your spirit May 9, 2013

Grace for your spirit

Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to Jesus with her son, bowing down and making a request of Him.  And He said to her, "What do you wish?" She said to Him, "Command that in Your kingdom these two sons of mine may sit one on Your right and one on Your left."  Matthew 20:20-21

James and John, the sons of Zebedee had made it to the inner circle of Jesus' disciples.  As believers in the future of Christ's kingdom, all the apostles hoped they would be an important part of His kingdom.  Mama Zebedee, wanting the very best for her sons, decided to give them and Jesus a little encouragement in the decision.  She didn't know exactly what she was requesting, but she was right there for them.  Mothers praying for their children to be close to Jesus and His ministry is one of the greatest things to be done.  Pray that the children will bear His cross and wear the crown in His kingdom

Grace for your spirit May 8, 2013

Grace for your spirit

But when she could hide him no longer, she got him a wicker basket and covered it over with tar and pitch.  Then she put the child into it and set it among the reeds by the bank of the Nile.  Exodus 2:3

King Pharaoh of Egypt feared their Hebrew slaves would grow in number and strength and overcome Egypt.  He ordered all the males that were born to be thrown into the Nile River.  A women named Jochebed refused to kill her son.  She set him free to float down the Nile under the providence of God.  That baby was found by Pharoah's daughter, but nursed and raised by his own mother.  Because he was drawn out of the water, they named him Moses.  Eighty years later God called him to be the deliverer of Israel.  Believe it or not, many people do not know this story of faith, sacrifice, trust, and deliverance.  Let's share it with someone this Mother's Day.

Grace for your spirit May 7, 2013

Grace for your spirit

O Lord of hosts, if you will You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me and not forget Your maidservant, but give your maidservant a son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and a razor will never come on his head.  I Samuel 1:11

Hanna had a lot of bad days.  Her husband had another wife who was giving him children, but she could not. She felt the shame and was ridiculed daily.  She prayed to the Lord for a son with the vow that if her request was granted she would give the son back to the Lord.  Her son, Samuel was born with a Nazarite vow and a commitment to serve God from his youth.  God granted her request and she kept her vow.  After the child was weaned, she took him to the to Shiloh and dedicated Samuel to the Lord.  Her great blessing was in her sacrifice.  Samuel would be called of God as a judge over Israel,  He would rule with a reputation of honesty and integrity all his life. How proud this mother must have been and how she was blessed for her sacrifice.  How great in the sight of God was Hanna, the mother of Samuel.

Grace for your spirit May 6, 2013

Grace for your spirit

Honor you father and mother (which is the first commandment with a promise) so that is may be well with you, and that you may live long on the earth.  Ephesians 6:2-3

Mother's day is Sunday, May 12th, and this in honor your mother week.  Please notice that the command is not conditional, based on how good of a mother we have.  Next, there is no limitation on that honor.  Even if they have passed on, we can still honor them.  This is the fifth commandment of the ten commandments found in Exodus, and it is the first one connected to a promise.  The two promises with this commandment are that things may be well with us, and we will live long on the earth. Some people may choose rebellion not honoring their mother, but they are only hurting themselves.  Let's commit to God's will, and enjoy the benefits of keeping His commands.  Happy everyday.

Grace for your spirit May 3, 2013

Grace for your spirit

Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you shut off the kingdom of heaven from people;  for you do not enter in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.  Matthew 23:13

The scribes and Pharisees were the so-called religious leaders of the day.  They were supposed to hold the doors open for Jesus, instead they blocked the way.  When people say to us, "I won't go to church because there are too many hypocrites."  Do we answer, "Well, we're closer to God that you are."  Let's take that self-righteous answer and bury it. If our inconsistent lives keep ourselves and others out of the kingdom, we usually know it.  Just because we are a church member, it doesn't mean we are an open door to the kingdom. When someone calls up a hypocrite, woe to us if we don't carefully evaluate our stance in Christ.  If we don't, if we won't, we may be the hypocrites we deny being.  Let's not play a part.  Let's get real.

Grace for your spirit May 2, 2013

Grace for your spirit

Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth.  For I am God, and there is no other.  Isaiah  45:22

Throughout history God's people have turned to Him to be saved, but they haven't turned often enough.  Many times they forgot to seek Him and calamity would strike unexpectedly.  When we work on computer projects, we learn the value of saving our work regularly and often.  We never know when the program might crash or the power go off, and we lose everything we have worked on. It can be devastating.  When our walk with Jesus is off and on, we may find ourselves vulnerable to a spiritual crash or power outage.  Let's commit to walk in His light continually and when trouble comes, we will be sure of our status in Christ.