Grace for your spirit 3-31-17

Grace for your spirit

Hate evil, you who love the Lord, who preserves the souls of His godly ones;  He delivers them from the hand of the wicked     Psalm 97:10

When we clearly define and choose the things we love and the things we hate, it will be the most important decision we will ever make.  Do we hate evil and love the Lord, or hate the Lord and love evil?  Do we know from one day to the next ?  Let's choose to love the Lord, our preserver, our deliverers, and the one who will give us victory.  We can depend on Him.  Can He depend on us ?

Grace for your spirit 3-30-17

Grace for your spirit

Listen to counsel and accept discipline, that you may be wise the rest of your days.  Many plans are in a man's heart, but the counsel of the Lord will stand.  Proverbs 19:20-21

Scripture tells us that every promise and plan of God has come true. With His record, we have every reason to believe that the rest of  His plans will stand as well.  Think of all the plans and promises we have made that never made it.  It stands to reason that we need to accept His counsel, His discipline, and make His wisdom our wisdom.  Let's restore the phrase many used to say with every plan;  "Lord willing."

Grace for your spirit 3-29-17

Grace for your spirit

Yet they did not obey or incline their ear, but  walked in their own counsels and in the stubbornness of their evil heart, and went backward and not forward.  Jeremiah 7:24

God called out to His people to obey and walk in the way He commanded them.  He promised it would be well with them if and when they did.  They did not.  They went backwards and not toward God. The result was their destruction and captivity in a foreign land.  May we all resolve not to let our stubbornness lead us to evil and rejection of God's word in our life.  God is the path to blessings.  Which path will be choose?

Grace for your spirit 3-28-17

Grace for your spirit

Do not incline my heart to any evil thing, to practice deeds of wickedness with men who do iniquity; and do not let me eat of their delicacies.   Psalm 141:4

As followers of Christ, we need to make a firm stand against evil.  We must stay away from any inclination or practice of evil deeds.  We must stay out of association with anyone who would draw us to it.  The devil wants us to taste evil and sin just a little bit.  That little bit of worldly "sweetness", may be all it takes to draw us into his web completely.  Let's ask God to keep us far from it all. 

Grace for your spirit 3-27-17

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

This is God's way of saying, "Hang in there".  The Christian race is a race of endurance.  We must believe we can stay in the race, keep our eyes on Jesus, be renewed by His Spirit with every step, and insist our body will follow.  None of it is worth it if we quit before we receive the reward for which we run.  Do you hear His voice?  "Hang in there".

Grace for your spirit 3-24-17

Grace for your spirit

In the same way the Spirit also helps our weaknesses; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit  Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words;  Romans 8:26

We see the mighty works of the Spirit in the book of Romans.  He binds us to our Father, regenerates us, and gives us hope for today and eternity.  The Spirit is also even helps us in prayer.  When we need to pray, but can't find the words to touch the throne of God, He intercedes and helps us without words.  We may be left with just a groan, but it is a great groan.

Grace for your spirit 3-23-17

Grace for your spirit

Peter said to Him, "Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You."  All the disciples said the same thing too.  Matthew 26:35

It is great to be confident and committed, but beware of being conceited.  We would all like to think we are on the right path and in no danger of failing, but may we never be dishonest or careless in our walk with Christ.  Discipleship is an effort we must renew every day.  How can we say we would die for Him, when we really can't even live for Him?  Let's make every day, days of renewal, regeneration, and refreshing.  That will get us to the finish line.