Grace for your spirit 7-21-17

Grace for your spirit

Now he said this, not because he was concerned about the poor, but because he was a thief, and as he had the money box, he used to pilfer what was put into it.   John 12:6

Judas Iscariot; When we hear that name, we think of the man who betrayed Jesus.  What else was he? Apostle, business man, treasurer, greedy, complainer, crook, and betrayer.  Some people have thought that of all the apostles, he might have been our first choice. Here just before He turns Jesus over to the authorities, we start to see his true nature.  When a  person sells their soul to the devil, one deed of the flesh seldom stands alone. Let's learn to watch for the "tip of the iceberg", and make corrections before it is too late

Grace for your spirit 7-20-17

Grace for your spirit

Make sure that your character is free from the love of money being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, "I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you."   Hebrews 13:5

The love of money is the root of all forms of evil.  It is impossible to love the Lord and love money at the same time.  When all of our attention is on money, we are seldom content with what we have now.  If our character is free from the love of money, we have the time and attention to love and serve the Lord.  He will take care of the rest when we trust in Him.

Grace for your spirit 7-19-17

Grace for your spirit

Now Saul was afraid of David, for the Lord was with him but had departed from Saul.  I Samuel 18:12

Saul had known the power of God directing his steps, but now he knew the Lord had departed.  His unfaithfulness had destroyed their relationship and he was completely lost.  At the same time, David was walking with the Lord.  His confidence before Goliath was well known throughout the nation.  Saul was afraid and jealous of David.  When we walk  through the valley and shadow of death alone, we will fear everything.  If and when we have those feeling, may we make a quick turn and get back with the Lord.  His is waiting.  Are we turning?

Grace for your spirit 7-18-17

Grace for your spirit

Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men.  Colossians 3:22

Do we work heartily, o1r hardly work?   Maybe we have a job that we dislike so much we can't get excited about it.  Or perhaps we just don't like the people we work with and wish we could change.  It is especially important at those times that we remember that ultimately we work for the Lord.  Let's serve heartily for Him, and the rest will take care of itself.

Grace for your spirit 7-17-17

Grace for your spirit

For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for to you follow in His steps.  I Peter 2:21

Jesus called us to be lights in a dark world.  When we try to make changes, we will often feel the sting of persecution.  Jesus said that they persecuted Him and they will also persecute us. He suffered to show us how to do it and be victorious. He did it better but we need to do it.  Resistance and persecution is one way to know we are getting somewhere.  Let's get somewhere and help the lost and suffering.  That really is our purpose.

Grace for your spirit 7-14-17

Grace for your spirit

But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ.  Ephesians 2:4-5

His love and mercy brought us life.   Israel often saw God as a God of justice and wrath.  God sent Jesus to change all that, so we would see God as mercy and love.  Jesus paid for our sins on the cross.  God's love draws us to Him through all things.  When we commit to those paths from God, even though we were once dead, now we can be alive forever. His love and mercy brought us life.

Grace for your spirit 7-13-17

Grace for your spirit

Do all things without grumbling or disputing; so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world. 

Philippians 2:14-15

One of the most basic teachings of Jesus is our charge to be "The Light of the World."  When we hide it under a bushel, or let Satan blow it out, we fail to meet the challenge.  Throughout history the number one way God's people have hidden their light  was by complaining.  Grumbling and complaining kept Israel out of the promised land, and it continues to "poison our water" too.  God knows this world needs light.  Do we know it?  It is channeled through our lives or it doesn't get here at all.