Monday, November 30, 2009

Grace for your spirit November30, 2009

Grace for your spirit
Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials,knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. James 1:2-4
How in the world is it possible to take troubles with joy? In the world it is not possible,but in the spiritual realm we can have the vision of God. With the vision of God we will be able to know that this testing will produce endurance. With that knowledge we will have faith to let endurance have its perfect result. The trials will perfect and complete us. So let's go ahead and be joyful now. When we know, and let trials work for for us, we will end up where God wants us to be. Consider it joy now, Why wait?


The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit
Philippians 4:23
graceforyourspirit.blogspot.com

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Grace for your spirit November 25, 2009

Grace for your spirit
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. And whatever you do in word and deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to Him through God the Father. Colossians 3:15+17
Some people have a difficult time with the holidays. During the year they spend most of their time apart at school and work and are not equipped to spend a whole day together in peace. Many family squabbles are reported during holidays. More suicides take place on holidays than at any other time. Wherever we are this thanksgiving season, let's make sure to take our Christianity with us. A peaceful and thankful heart will soon be evident in our words and deeds. As we gather together to give thanks, may we be leaders in showing hearts of thankfulness. This may be the best time for us to display our Christians heart to the world. Don't leave home without it. We will be going over the river and through the woods to grandmother's house, and will miss "grace for your spirit" on Thursday and Friday. We will try to remember to pack our peace and thankfulness as well. Have a Happy Thanksgiving.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit
Philippians 4:23
graceforyourspirit.blogspot.com

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Grace for your spirit November 24, 2009

Grace for your spirit
So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved,put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; Colossians 3:12
Have you ever been around a "one upper"? No matter what story anyone tells, they always have a story that is bigger and more important. It is particularly sad when someone is pouring out their heart about a trial and tribulation, looking for some sympathy and guidance. We listen, and then say, "That's nothing, wait until you hear what happened to me"! Let's listen closely to those who are hurting with a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. For a little while, let's forget our troubles and show how we care about others. As we spread a little sunshine on others, we will be surprised how the sunshine falls on us as well.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit
Philippians 4:23
graceforyourspirit.blogspot.com

Monday, November 23, 2009

Grace for your spirit November 23, 2009

Grace for your spirit
Thus has the LORD of hosts said, 'Dispense true justice and practice kindness and compassion each to his brother;and do not oppress the widow or the orphan, the stranger or the poor; and do not devise evil in your hearts against one another.' Zechariah 7:9-10
The exiles that had returned from Babylon had questions for the Lord. They wanted worship information. When should we fast and pray? God wanted their worship to motivate them to do right, practice kindness, and compassion to their brothers. Further, to take care of those they met in need, including widows, orphans, strangers and the poor. Flush the evil out of your hearts and do good. They got more of an answer that they wanted. They only wanted fasting and prayer information, and didn't want to hear God's instructions. We can fall into the same pattern when we are only interested in what we want. Our answer will not satisfy and we will not be blessed. Listen to the full answer from the Lord.


The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit
Philippians 4:23
graceforyourspirit.blogspot.com

Friday, November 20, 2009

Grace for your spirit November 20, 2009

Grace for your spirit

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Matthew 28:19

The first step in completing the great commission is to go. Most people will not come, they must be brought. Most people will not learn without being taught. Most people won’t accept Christ, they must be won. Most of us have our mail delivered everyday. If we had to go to the post office to get our mail, some people would never get any mail. We would figure the trip is not worthwhile for more junk mail. To the lost, the truth of the gospel is little more than junk mail. When it is delivered, they can look it over, and maybe it will be just the offer they have been waiting to see. Go, deliver the good news, make disciples, and rejoice over those who obey.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit

Philippians 4:23

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Grace for your spirit November 19,, 2009

Grace for your spirit

Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. Romans 5:9

Jesus stepped into humanity fully aware that His blood sacrifice was necessary for the salvation of all men. He knew His commitment was to death. We are not only helped by the total sacrifice, but we are justified and saved by Him. A little girl volunteered to donate blood for her little brother at the hospital. When she was asked, she quickly agreed. As the blood flowed out of her body into her brother, it was evident that her brother was being helped. She looked at the doctor and asked, “Do I die now?” Only then did they realize that when she volunteered, in her mind it wasn’t a donation. It was a total sacrifice. The total sacrifice of Christ calls for our total sacrifice as well. How long will it take us to decide?

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit

Philippians 4:23

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Grace for your spirit November 18, 2009

Grace for your spirit

This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him. I John 5:14-15

When our prayer life is silent before the Lord, what does that day about our Christian life? Do we doubt that God will really be there for us? Is it arrogance, saying that we can handle everything better alone? Are we asking someone else for help? If we have confidence that He hears our prayers, and really know He will give us the things we request, why don’t we pray more often. Prayer is our way to build intimacy with God, and understand more about His will for our lives. Let’s not forsake our time with the Lord with the hurry of this life.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit

Philippians 4:23


Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Grace for your spirit November 17, 2009

Grace for your spirit

preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. II Timothy 4:2

We live in a world of sin and there will be a judgment day for everyone. God left His disciples in the world to preach His word to the lost. Disciples need to know the word well enough to prove the truth over and over again. Then disciples need to be bold enough to point out how the truth has been missed. Finally,there must be specific encouragement to reach God’s goals. Too many have endured “longhorn” lessons with a point here and a point over there, and a lot of bull in between. Longhorn lessons result from a lack of preparation. Let’s be ready to preach His word all the time.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit

Philippians 4:23

graceforyourspirit.blogspot.com

Monday, November 16, 2009

Grace for your spirit November 16, 2009

Grace for your spirit

His mother said to the servants, "Whatever He says to you, do it." John 2:5

Jesus and His mother were at a wedding feast where they ran out of wine. His mother gave the wedding party words of wisdom. She said, “Whatever He says to you, do it!” They followed his directions and He change water into wine. Jesus is still committed to meeting our needs too. The first step to victory is to obey His words. When we do, He can change our water into wine as well. Whatever we are short of in this world, whether it be physical, emotional, or spiritual, the change is just a word away. Jesus can still change the ordinary into the extraordinary. Let’s allow Him to do a miracle in our lives today. Whatever He says to you, do it.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit

Philippians 4:23

Friday, November 13, 2009

Grace for your spirit November 13, 2009

Grace for your spirit

Philip ran up and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, "Do you understand what you are reading? And he said, "Well, how could I, unless someone guides me?" And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. Acts 8:30-31

God had requested Philip to leave a successful evangelism campaign in Samaria and go into the desert, God knew there was a man of Ethiopia that needed a little “face time.” We spend lots of time fine tuning our worship services, producing mass media presentations, and programs, hoping lost souls will tear our doors down coming to services. In fact, there are very few times when people are led to Christ in the Bible without some “face time”. Face time is one person guiding another through the scriptures, leading then to obey the truth of the gospel. We email, we twitter, we face book, trying to reach people, when they need someone to guide them. Philip did guide him. The result was baptism, and the word sent off to Ethiopia.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit

Philippians 4:23

Thursday, November 12, 2009

Grace for your spirit November 12, 2009

Grace for your spirit

For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does. Js. 1:23-25

Self evaluation is an important part of our Christian walk. We must look into the right mirror, and make the right changes to please the Lord. Too many keep changing mirrors until they get the one that pleases them, not pleases the Lord. We say, “Mirror, mirror on the wall, whose the most righteous of them all?” The only sure self evaluation is to choose the Lord’s mirror. When we make His perfect law our mirror, make the changes necessary, we will be blessed doers of His will every day.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit

Philippians 4:23

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Grace for your spirit November 11, 2009

Grace for your spirit

And let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, Hebrews 10:24

Welcome to a “lettuce patch” of scripture. It is a formula to remain faithful and help others do the same. In verse 22, “let us” draw near with a sincere heart. Verse 23, “let us” hold fast without wavering. Then, “let us” consider how to stimulate others, When we all draw near, and hold fast, then we will be more likely to stimulate others to love and good deeds, We will desire to be together to give and receive encouragement. If we continue in these practices, and repeat them, we will insure faithfulness for ourselves and others. Like the man who had been washing his hair for hours. Asked why he was taking so long, he replied he was simply following the instructions on the bottle. LATHER, RINSE, REPEAT, over and over again. Let’s do the same. DRAW NEAR, HOLD FAST, STIMULATE, over and over again.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit

Philippians 4:23


Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Grace for your spirit November 10, 2009

Grace for your spirit

For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:20

I once heard an elder in the church say that this verse was very frightening to him. He thought the Pharisees were so righteous that we would never be able to be as good as them. The Pharisees lived in a self-righteous state, following the rules they had written for themselves. The said they were righteous, but Jesus called them hypocrites. When we are ‘in Christ”, we have the righteousness that comes from God. The first day we are filled with Christ’s righteousness, we have already surpassed the righteousness of those under the Law. Jesus said that John the Baptist was the greatest man born of women, but the least in the kingdom is greater than he. Rest easy; entrance into the kingdom is not a race with the scribes and Pharisees.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit

Philippians 4:23

Monday, November 9, 2009

Grace for your spirit November 9,, 2009

Grace for your spirit

Yet those who wait for the LORD will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary. Isaiah 40:31

Once there was an eagle born and raised in a hen house. He never flew, he just walked around the henhouse trying to lay an egg. He pecked in the dirt for chicken feed. He was an eagle with a chicken personality. The farmer wanted him to fly high, but he never did. One day the farmer led him out to see the blue sky and sun. He threw him up into the air, and he became a high flying eagle. We were born again to fly high above our troubles. God can make us soar up and away. If our eyes our always downward looking for chicken feed, if we never see heaven or the Son, we may never know we can fly. Let’s mount up with wings like eagles. Don’t chicken out.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit

Philippians 4:23


Friday, November 6, 2009

Grace for your spirit November 6, 2009

Grace for your spirit

It came about in due time, after Hannah had conceived, that she gave birth to a son; and she named him Samuel, saying, "Because I have asked him of the LORD." I Samuel 1:20

Hannah was a woman living in the shame of her circumstances. She was ridiculed by others because she had no children. She prayed to the Lord and made a promise that if God would bless her with a child, she would dedicate him to the Lord all his life. God honored her request and she honored God by keeping her promises before God. She gave God the glory and gave her son to be the greatest judge in the history of Israel. How often do we pray, make promises, and then when blessed, forget the promises we made? Like sliding off a roof and praying for God to help. Then when stopped by a nail, we say, “Never mind Lord, this nail took care of it.” God keeps His promises. Let’s keep ours too.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit

Philippians 4:23


Thursday, November 5, 2009

Grace for your spirit November 5, 2009

Grace for your spirit

Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Colossians 3:16

I understand there is a cell phone now that can identify songs. We hear a song on the radio, hold this phone up to the music, it will identify the song, and can download it to our phone. As Christians, Christ has given us a song to keep in our hearts. When His Spirit dwells in us richly, we will be filled with songs. They are songs that are filled with wisdom, knowledge, and thankfulness. If somebody could hold one of those phones up to us today, what would be the outcome? Would it identify Christ dwelling in us richly? Would they download wisdom, knowledge, and thankfulness? If our song is anything else, it is time to change stations.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit

Philippians 4:23


Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Grace for your spirit November 4, 2009

Grace for your spirit

Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, "I will dwell in them and walk among them; and I will be their God and they shall be my people. II Corinthians 6:16

When Jesus walked this earth and saw His temple being defiled, He cleaned it out. There was no room for God’s Spirit, and the idols of this world in the same place. Jesus declared that we are now temples of the living God. His Holy Spirit is meant to dwell in us. Like the physical temple, there is no room for God and the idols of the world in our temple. When we are aware of that relationship with God’s Spirit, and we wish for Him to dwell with us, we must have a house cleaning each day. He wants to be our God and dwell among us. When we have that mutual goal, we really are the living temples of God.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit

Philippians 4:23


Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Grace for your spirit November 3, 2009

Grace for your spirit

Nathanael said to him, "Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see." John 1:46

When Jesus began to reveal Himself to the world, one of His first tasks was the gathering of His apostles. When some of those looking for Him asked about Him, Jesus simply replied, “Come and see.” When Nathaniel expressed doubt about Jesus, Philip simply responded with “Come and see.” One by one these men received their basic training by calling on their brethren to “Come and see.” Their whole mission was to bring others to Jesus so they might see and believe. All of us have the potential to be soul winners for Jesus. When we determine to help people to see the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world, we need to lead them there. Have we started yet? Basic training is always open to all. Come and see!

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit

Philippians 4:23


Monday, November 2, 2009

Grace for your spirit November 2, 2009

Grace for your spirit

For lack of wood the fire goes out, and where there is no whisperer, contention quiets down. Proverbs 26:20

It takes fuel to keep a fire going. Just a spark in the right place at the right time can turn into a blazing inferno that is difficult to contain. It takes accelerant to keep gossip going as well. If somebody keeps restarting the fires of controversy, soon we can have a blazing inferno of contention. Gossip is seldom shouted from the rooftops. It is mostly funneled by whispering in a corner. The whisperer places doubts and fears in others secretly avoiding detection. The whisperer sets a fire with words. They whisper in the corners of our church buildings, setting fire to the unsuspecting. The things that we have to say, that cannot be said in front of many witnesses, don’t need to be said at all. When the contention dies down, clear thinking can continue.


The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit

Philippians 4:23