Grab on to grace

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—  not by works, so that no one can boast.~Ephesians 2:8-9

Grace.  The undeserved favor from God himself.  We did nothing to earn it, but He freely grants it to each and every one of us.  Grace is such a precious gift, but too often we get caught in a mindset of thinking we can sell it or buy it.

It breaks my heart to witness people burden by the weight of guilt in shame.  Satan wants our minds twisted into thinking that we are still cursed by the law.  He wants us to devalue who we are to God.  To think that our present  circumstances or suffering is a result of our lack of faith or that we are getting what we “deserve”. But hear this; hear the truth…

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,  because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death (Romans 12:1-2)

The therefore lets us know that the truth is based upon a previous action or statement.  The action is the life, death, and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  The wages of sin is death, eternal separation from God.  However, God made a decision way back when Adam and Eve committed the first sin to save us from ourselves.  He made the choice to freely  give his life in exchange for ours.  So rather than get what we “deserved” we receive blessings and a hope. ( Romans 5:5-11)

A hope that is not based on our actions or transaction, but solely on Christ.  A hope that is grounded in the grace that He offers freely to us.  So let's stop trying to cheapen the gift by buying it.  Let's stop trying to make it better by setting additional conditions on it.  

Here is the only condition for grace: receive it.  Receive His love!

Receive the freedom that He offers you to live life free from the burden of guilt.  Sin locks you up, but the Son sets you free. 

When you receive His unconditional love you get off the “tit-for-tat” train.  You realize that you can never out give God so instead you just love Him as hard as you can and with all that you’ve got (Matthew 22:37).   That’s all He really wants for us, to love (John 15:12).

 Everything else will fall in place because we then live to show love and not just produce works .  Because the reality is that we don't produce anything we just walk in what He has already prepared for us.  Christ in us the hope of glory( Colossians 1:27) is doing the work, we are just the vessel He chooses to use (Ephesians 2:10).

 So grab on to grace and grasp onto His love. Spread it around freely.  For perfect love casts out fear and allows us to simply walk with Him. 

Father thank You for your grace.  Thank You for your love.  May we hold firmly to what you freely give us and treasure it and may we share it with others. In Jesus name. Amen

I didn't imagine, but He did!

However, as it is written: "What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived" -- the things God has prepared for those who love him-1 Corinthians 2:9

I like to serve and to be used by God.  The fact that He sees me as usable is a comfort and an honor.  I never imagined that I would be writing in a blog or ministering to other women.  I never imagined that God would take all of my mistakes and turn them into something beautiful; something that would showcase His abundant grace and mercy. I never imagined that my trials would be a testimony.

I never imagined, but He did.  He saw something greater for me.  From the moment He thought of me, He knew what my end would be (Jeremiah 1:5) I am not unique for He knows the plans for each of us.  He is just asking us to trust Him. He is asking us to trust Him and to believe His report.  He is asking us to believe beyond what our eyes can see.

It’s Friday and I made it through the end of the work week.  I started out the week struggling to get out of the bed and turning myself inside out trying to grip on my current circumstances on my job.  My focus was on my problem.  I didn't allow myself to imagine that God has a plan greater than what I was currently seeing.  I placed my Big God in a tiny box.  I let my fears become greater.  

But here I am today with a bounce in my step. Not because of who I am, but because of who He is!  His word says we may pressed, but not crushed.  I tripped over my fears this week, but He did not abandon me.  He revealed some things in my life that I need to die to do that He may be revealed within me.  ( 2 Corinthians 4:7-12).

He must become greater; I must become less.~John 3:30

His plan is greater and I must become less.  I must become less because He is greater.  He is greater than any fear, problem, or circumstance.  My great God gave me women who prayed with and for me, friends who held me accountable, a husband who is supportive, and most importantly His word to guide and correct me.

God has given me a platform, but the only one who is to be raised and lifted is Christ.  I am grateful to let my light shine so that He may be glorified ( Mathew 5:13) but He is the light. He is the source.  I am just the lamp He has chosen to illuminate.

Father I thank You for the lessons you teach me daily.  Thank You for your grace and mercy.  Thank You for your patience and endurance.  Thank You for walking with me and being both my Lord and friend.  You are amazing. Forgive me for doubting and moving my eye off the prize.  Keep me humble and may you be glorified.

Plans require action

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.~Jeremiah 29:11

I have been struggling with trying to find my sense of purpose on my job.  It has been a struggle.  I asked God for help and He supplied me with a plan, a good plan. Here’s the thing.  A plan is only good if it is put into action.

When I was in the classroom I used to emphasize to my class the importance of not only having a plan to meet their goals for my class but actually implementing it.  That same principle applies to me.  God has given me a plan that will cause me to prosper and have hope in the midst of confusion.  Yet, I have not followed through with all of the steps and I have not been consistent. So here I am again, but I thank God for His grace and His patience as my teacher.  I thank Him that His plan is not for me to fail.

God instructed me to cast my anxiety on to Him and to trust Him.  So while I acknowledge I can go to Him, I have not acknowledged Him in all my ways (Proverbs 3:5-6). I have not acknowledge God in my thought process about my situation.  Rather,  let my mind go to “they should be doing this” or “why aren't they doing that?”.  I let a spirit of judgement creep in rather than trusting the Judge of all things.  Again I have the plan, but I am not following the steps.

God also instructed me to not grumble or complain.  Sure I am disappointed with how some things are going, but complaining expresses and lack of gratitude.  Everyday God supplied me with my daily bread.  He gives me someone to serve and help.  That’s s blessing.  I might not be a rising star, but I can shine for Him.  Once again, He has given me the plan. I need to walk in it.

My job, my life, and His plan for me is not about what I get.  It's about what I give.  How can I please you today Lord?  When I am in that heart and head space there is peace.  There is contentment.  This is where I prosper.  This is where there is no harm.  God has given me the plan for living a life above my current circumstances and situations. Now I have to keep implementing it; keep walking in His steps by faith.

Lord my desire is to follow your perfect plan. Annoying me with your Spirit so that I may actually follow it.  May I be intentional with it everyday.  In Jesus name. Amen

Take heart!

I have told you these things, so that in me you may peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.~John 16:33

 Hallelujah! Father I thank You for leading me to your Word and your truth. Let me hold on to it and meditate on it day and night. 

 Don't let anyone tell you that the Lord does not hear your cries. He hears every whisper, moan, groan and even those words unspoken that run through our hearts. My heart has been heavy for the last couple of days. Issues with my job, consequences of racism, health issues, battles with depression, friends with crisis, and the plights of this world take a toll. Trouble has been at my doorstep. Every time I sweep it off more comes back. It's piling up and I want it gone. So what do you do when you get weary and feel depleted of strength? What do you do with the troubles of this world? 

 You take heart! You encourage yourself with the promises of God. You remind yourself that this world and all of its issues are fading. They are temporary. You take heart and remember that you don't have to fight the battle, you just have to show up! Jesus said He has overcome the world! Not, He will overcome, but He has overcome. It is already done! So my job, my mind, the ignorance of people who choose to hate me because of my gender or the color of my skin is done. Those battles have been won by God on my behalf and your behalf. I have to take heart. My God has given me eternal encouragement and a good hope! ( 2 Thessalonians 2:16) A hope that endures and overcomes every weapon the enemy throws at me. 

 So go ahead. Keep throwing the kitchen sink at me because you devil have nothing left. My Lord is victorious! I am His daughter and so I am victorious. I stand! I stand on the battlefield knowing you are already defeated. For greater is He that is within me than you who are in this world.( 1 John 4:4). You may try to harm my body, but not my soul. 

My brothers and my sisters take heart and "May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, 17 encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word".~2 Thessalonians 2:16-17

Where are you?

And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.~Mathew 28:20b

"Where are you?"  Three words that caused my heart to ache yesterday.  The voice on the other end belonged to my dearest friend.  I heard the agony and the pain and I wasn't anywhere near.  I could not hop into my car to make it better. I could not take her pain and diminish her fear.  We prayed and asked God for peace and comfort, but I still wanted to be there.  I wanted to give more than a quick platitude.  I wanted to give her something that would mean something.  Words that would sustain her.  The problem is that there is no replacement for God.  Sure, I can be used to give comfort.  But He is comfort.

In this ordeal God showed me that perhaps I wasn't there for a reason.  Perhaps it was to assure my friend that no matter what comes He is there until the very end.  In fact, because I know she is a believer,  He is there all the way to the other side of this earth.  He is there always.  He is all!  He is sovereign and had the final say on all things.

My friend is suffering.  I want to fix it, but my assignment is not to fix it but rather to stand in the gap.  To remind her of God's immense love for her and her family.  She may bend, but she will not break.  In all things we can. E sure if His great love for us.  "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, not anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:38-39).
This true for all of us.  

Father I thank You for being with us.  Bless my friend and her family.  Bless the families of this earth.  May we fill your love and assurance of peace. Give us hope.  Give us You. In Jesus name. Amen

Hope: A life of expectation

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.~Romans 15:13

The dictionary defines hope as a feeling of expectation and desire for certain things to happen.  The archaic meaning of hope is trust.  For me hope is living a life full of expectation because I trust God with the outcome.  

I am a planner by nature.  I like to have itineraries, if only in my head, to help design the actions and the events of my day. I can be especially anal with this on trips.  However, I have learned that life cannot be planned.  Things happen and as hard as I might try I can't see into the future to determine what my end will be.  So rather than stressing about what is not in my control, I can prepare for my day by trusting God with my outcome.  

This takes practice, but it is so worth the effort because when I have hope life is becomes an adventure.  I become more aware of my present moments with God even in the mundane task of life.  I live with the expectation that I am going to see God work.

 I see Him at work as He guides me safely to and from work. I see Him in the grocery store as He gives me wisdom to purchase what I need to stay within my budget.  I also watch Him supply more as I am sometimes able to get what I want. I see Him at work as He gives me favor on my job and gives me the endurance to work my full shift.  Or perhaps He places someone in my path that I am able to minister the love of Christ too.  

I am filled with joy and peace as I relax in Him.  I am not rushed or too busy trying to make something happen in my own strength. I now live by the power of His Spirit.  Life flows and I am filled with joy.  My plan, my itinerary, becomes seeking Him; the God of hope.  

Father thank You for hope.  I thank You for the indwelling of your Spirit.  Thank You for letting me see You at work.  God my life is full of expectation because of You.  Cone what may, I know that You are working it out for my good.  You will turn it around in my favor for your purpose.  My hope is in You.  You are my peace.  In Jesus name. Amen 

Wisdom over intellect

“‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the LORD. ‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. ’”~Isaiah 55:8-9

As I study the book of Job with my fellow First5 community, I find myself rebuking a  pattern of thinking.  I hear God warning me about intellect.  Being smart or educated is not a bad thing, but being wise in our own estimation is faulty and foolish. (Proverbs 3:7) We must understand and acknowledge that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10).

I only know what I know because He chose to reveal it to me.  God has allowed us to observe His creation and to get some understand of how it works.  We can “predict” weather based on past events, but we still don't know the exact time the rain will fall or when the winds will blow.  We can measure the intensity of an earthquake, yet fail to know when the plates in the earth will shift and tremble.  We see the lightening and hear the thunder, but we can't create it; we only imitate.  

God has granted us with intelligence, but more and more we are making the gift from Him a god.  We  may have the mind of Christ, but we do not have His thoughts.  To have the mind of Christ is to have His attitude towards God, one of humility and reverence.  To have the mind of Christ is to have a mindset of obedience and surrender to the only wise God.  The mind of Christ propels is to worship and praise, not replace. (Philippians 2:5-11 & 1 Corinthians 2:14-16)

We are not God.  We search to discover the unknown, but failed to take the time to fellowship and learn more about what is known and revealed all throughout nature; God Himself.

Father I thank You for revealing how creation works, but may I never worship it.  Thank you for knowledge, but I pray for your wisdom so that I may continue to walk humbly with you.  In Jesus name I do pray. Amen