Grace for your spirit August 12, 2013

Grace for your spirit

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?  I Corinthians 6:19

The Christian walk is about surrender to Jesus in all things.  We sing songs like, Take my life and let it be. Consecrated Lord to Thee.  Take my hands, feet, voice, lips, silver, gold, and love. These songs help shape our lives.  The other day I was assaulted with some very loud music coming from a mini van full of kids.  The lyrics were, "It's my mouth, I'll say what I want.  It's my body I'll do what I want.  It's my mind, I'll think what I want. I'm me, I'll be just what I want."  These words with music blasting in our ears, will also shape lives.  Garbage in, garbage out.  Oh be careful little ears what you hear, and what you let others hear. Whatever we sing along with, we will probably become.

Grace for your spirit August 9, 2013

Grace for your spirit

For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, that through perseverance and encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope.  Romans 15:4

The inspired documentation of the prophets and Jesus offers us a great value.  We all need constant encouragement and strength to carry on in God's will.  When we learn about their victories over trials, it can build a bridge for us.  As we are strengthened by our faith, we can also learn to help those who are weak.  As we pass along this information, it will help the church have one faith, one hope and one voice.  Let's get back into the scriptures with a new look.  Let's look for how their faith and victories can help us build a bridge today.

Grace for your spirit August 8, 2013

Grace for your spirit

Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near when you will say, "I have no delight in them".  Ecclesiastes 12:1

When we decide early in life to put all our hopes and dreams in this life, at some point we will probably be very disappointed.  For those of us a who a little over the hill, when we hear young people complaining, we are tempted to say, "Hold on, it doesn't get much better when you get old.  On the other hand, when we put our hopes and dreams in God, it will get sweeter as the days go by.  Paul wrote, "though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day". Let's enjoy the constant renewal and pass it on.

Grace for your spirit August 7, 2013

Grace for your spirit

Now if Christ is preached, that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?  I Corinthians 15:12

At the time of Jesus and the apostles, there were religious groups that refused to believe in the resurrection.  There were also intellectual groups that sneered at the thought of it all.  These two diverse groups had at least one things in common.  They put their futures in their own devices.  To trust in Jesus and His power took them out of the driver's seat.  Groups like that still exist today. The religious group at the time of Jesus that rejected the resurrection, were the Sadducees.  That is why they were "sad you see"?  Let's trust in our risen Lord.  It will make our futures bright and happy.

Grace for your spirit August 6, 2013

Grace for your spirit

But sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence.            I Peter 3:15 

As I sit and talk with church people and preachers, I hear lots of talk about what we are against, but get little talk about the hope we have in Christ.  I wonder if the people in the world feel the same way?  Oh how we love to complain about the sin in the world, the moral decay of our country, and how the government is robbing us of our rights.  Our "Thou shalt not" list, is quite lengthy.  How much better we could serve the world if our conversation would be about how the Lord has changed our heart, the hope that we have in Christ, and how He can change the world.  When our hope is in the cross, let's share that message of hope.

Grace for your spirit August 5, 2013

Grace fpr your spirit

And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.  James 4:4

These verses tell us we should have joy during trials.  Does that sound right to you?  Most of the time when we are enduring troubles and trials, the one question we ask is, "When will I get out of this?"  As people of faith, we should be asking, "What can I get out of this?" When we gain all the Lord wants us to know from our trial, then it is time for it to pass.  With this pattern, we won't get everything we want when we want it, however we will get what God wants us to have.  Which is the most important to us?  Our answer will reveal our commitment to the Lord.

Grace for your spirit August 2, 2013

Grace for your spirit

My beloved put in his hand by the hole in the door, and my bowels were moved for him.  Song of Solomon 5:4 KJV

Many times in Bible study we have to look deeper at the words that are used.  The word 'bowels" is used many times in the King James Bible, and applied to many different things.  On the surface, the appearance of our beloved causing our bowels to move, seems hysterical instead of romantic. Bowels are used to describe our physical bodies, childbirth, disease, yearning, heart, spirit, and emotions.  I hope all our bowels will be refreshed by the deep study of His word and obedience.  Philemon 7.  A little learning with a little humor.