Grace for your spirit May 1, 2014

Grace for your spirit

No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other.  You cannot serve God and wealth.  Matthew 6:24

The cadence of the drums moves the band down the street and keeps them together through the songs. The band must march to the same beat or chaos results.  As we walk in this world, we can hear the sound of drums.  One beat encourages to follow the masters of the world, the other draws to walk in the calling of God.  If we are constantly marching to one beat and then the other, we won't be able to keep up.  Let's choose, love, and be devoted to the drumbeat of God and keep it in our hearts always

Grace for your spirit April 30, 2014

Grace for your spirit

Now Moses was faithful in all His house as a servant, for a testimony of those thing which were to be spoken later; but Christ as faithful as a Son over His house--  Hebrews 3:5-6

Who has the greater glory in the eyes of God?  Is it Moses, the deliverer of Israel, or Jesus Christ, God's anointed Son?  Moses brought the Law to Israel, but Jesus brought grace and truth to all men. Those who worship Moses and the Law, are worshiping the shadow of the real thing.  The scripture tells us that Moses was a servant in God's house, but Jesus is the Son of the house.  We can be God's house, when we serve His Son, Jesus Christ.  Let's not chase shadows, when we can know the real thing.

Grace for your spirit April 29, 2014

Grace for your spirit

For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.  Jude 4

Sometimes we are so dull of understanding.  As the church is steadily invaded by those who would turn the grace of God into lust, even denying Christ as Lord, we don't seem to notice.  When we first notice it, it may be a shock, then tolerated, and finally ignored.  We certainly need to guard against those whom the Lord has marked for condemnation.  Our task is conversion, not alliance.  Let's keep the good news of Jesus and His path in front of us every day.

Grace for your spirit April 28, 2014

Grace for your spirit

As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.  Psalm 103:12

This psalm tells us what the Lord does for us.  He pardons, heals, redeems, loves, gives compassion, and renews us.  I like this part the best; as far as the east is from the west, He removes our transgressions.  Have you heard? " East is East and West is West, and never the twain shall meet". In other words, God removes are sins as far away as possible. Let's be thankful that He forgives and remembers them against us no more. 

Grace for your spirit April 25, 2014

Grace for your spirit

he who shows mercy with cheerfulness.  Romans 12:8

Romans12 tells us that we all have gifts of grace to serve.  The grace gifts are prophecy, service, teaching, exhorting, giving, leading, and showing mercy with cheerfulness. We all have one or more of these to serve others.  No matter which we have been gifted with, we really need to combine them with showing mercy with cheerfulness.  Showing mercy with cheerfulness lifts all our other gift to a new high.  People who need the Lord, need a lift.  Nothing lifts us like true mercy and good cheer.  Let's be life lifters.  Let's develop the grace gifts that lift others and we will lift ourselves

Grace for your spirit April 24, 2014

Grace for your spirit

Now therefore, write this song for yourselves, and teach it to the sons of Israel; put it on their lips, so that this song may be a witness for Me against the sons of Israel.  Deuteronomy 31:19

The reign of Moses as the deliverer had been a difficult journey. Here, at the end of his life, God directed him to write a song, a chronicle of their journey over the past forty years.  As they would sing this song in the future, it would be a reminder of their need to be faithful. Throughout Biblical history, songs were the best way to teach and encourage.  If it was good then, it certainly is good now.  Christian songs lift our spirits, open our hearts, and help us remember God in our lives.  "Sing on ye joyful pilgrims"

Grace for your spirit Pril 23, 2014

Grace for your spirit

For this reason He is the mediator of a new covenant, so that, since a death has taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were committed under the first covenant, those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.  Hebrews 9:15

When Jesus died on the cross, He cried out, "It is finished".  The plan of redemption was finally finished.  In the old covenant, they sacrificed the lamb and the blood each year for the sins of the people.  When Christ gave His life on the cross as the perfect lamb of God, there would be no more sacrifices.  The debt had finally been paid.  Almost like buying something with a credit card.  You get the benefits, and the bill comes later.  Only this sin debt bill was paid for us by Jesus Christ.They got the benefits and He paid the bill later for us all.