Thursday, February 27, 2014

Grace for your spirit February 28, 2014

Grace for your spirit
To obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,  I Peter 1:4

As saints and sons in Christ we are qualified for all the blessings our Father has for us.  We have all the blessing waiting for us in heaven; no hunger, no thirst, no heat, and no tears.  Add that to the great blessings while we are here on earth.  We have new life in Christ, We have forgiveness of our past sins, an unfading guarantee in the future and a present in the sunshine of His love.  He provides protection for His children with all things that pertain to life and godliness.  The Lord is our portion and we have much to enjoy.

Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Grace for your spirit February 27, 2014

Grace for your spirit
Now there was a rich man, and he habitually dressed in purple and fine linen, joyously living in splendor every day.  And a poor man name Lazarus was laid at his gate, covered with sores.  Luke 16:19-20

Which kind of person are we drawn to ? Most of us are drawn to the successful and beautiful people, and try to avoid and ignore the poor and needy.  What we see on the outside of people may not be an indicator of their hearts.  At the end of their lives, in eternity, their positions were reversed.  James 2 warns us not to judge with externals when people come into our assemblies.  To make distinctions and judge comes from evil motives.  We are called and sent to save all souls, not just rich souls.  Let's focus on souls for Christ, not what benefits us.

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Grace for your spirit February 26, 2014

Grace for your spirit
I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one.  John 17:15

Just before Jesus' arrest in the garden, He spent time in prayer.  He prayed for His followers and those who would be His disciples forever. We all have two journeys in life.  Our first journey is on earth, and the second in our eternal home.  We may long for our eternal home, but while we are on earth, we need to do the work God has left us to do. Jesus prayed that we would be made holy by the truth of His word. Not that we would be taken out of the world to avoid the evil one, but that we would live above evil in our Christian walk.  Let's make His holiness work in us

Monday, February 24, 2014

Grace for your spirit February 25, 2014

Grace for your spirit
You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp, and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Matthew 5:14-15

God is light, Jesus is light, and when we become Christians we are light. At the end of the day, let's evaluate how our light is doing.  Has it been shining and lighting the way for others?  Is it still shining but hidden from view, or has it gone out completely.  When we spend our days thinking only of ourselves, we hide our light and ultimately smother it.  When we really desire to touch the world with the light of God, we will make sure it is always shining and in full view.  What will be our priority today?

Thursday, February 20, 2014

Grace for your spirit February 22, 2014

Grace for your spirit
Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.  John 7:24

Is it right to judge or not?  Jesus was used to people making quick judgment about Him, and watched those same people do the same with others.  He warned us to be careful in the judgments we must make, because we will be judged by the same standard.  How can we make righteous judgments instead of jumping to conclusions based on appearances?  First of all, we must know what God has to say about what is right and what is wrong.  Then we must carefully measure the difference.  "I heard, I saw, I'm not surprised," is appearance judgment and will not do, by us or toward us.  Let's bathe our judgments with grace.

Grace for your spirit February 21, 2014

Grace for your spirit
When Jesus saw that he had answered intelligently, He said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God."  Mark 12:34

Intelligence and knowledge alone will not get us into the kingdom of God. This man had answered Jesus that, loving God and loving our neighbor is much more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.  Focusing on love instead of Law was a great first step, but it would not be enough.  Our transfer out of darkness and into the kingdom,  comes when we make Jesus our Lord and Savior.  Maybe some of us are not far from the kingdom.  We know the right things, but we must take the step into Christ.  Let's not stay close to the kingdom, let's be in it.

Wednesday, February 19, 2014

Grace for your spirit February 20, 2014

Grace for your spirit
Be of sober spirit, be on the alert,  Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.  I Peter 5:8

Most of us have been reintroduced to the word "vortex" this winter. Specifically "polar vortex".  A swirling mass of low pressure that has sucked us into a horrible winter.  Ever been fascinated by a coin vortex?  Our coin swirls downward and it seems entertaining, but soon we've lost the coin.  The devil has a vortex for us too.  It starts with an activity that seems like fun, but soon we are sucked down the drain and lost.  Let's beware if getting caught in the devil's vortex, and get out before he consumes us.

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Grace for your spirit February 19, 2014

Grace for your spirit
For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome.  I John 5:3

More people have thought God's commands were hard and not tried them, than those who have tried them and found them hard.  Loving God as we should, loving brethren, and keeping commands are all tied together.  Whenever we are faced with a command that seems to be too hard, let's look again.  The answer is in our depth of love for God. Who do we love more, ourselves or God?  We can always overcome the world after we overcome ourselves.

Monday, February 17, 2014

Grace for your spirit February 14, 2014

Grace for your spirit
This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord.  I will put my laws upon their heart and on their mind I will write them, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.  Hebrew 10:17

Aren't you glad we live in the New Covenant with Jesus where God not only forgives our sins, but He forgets them too.  The blood of Jesus pays for our sins, forgives our sins, and allows God to forget them. That is the spirit of God and His grace, and He desires for that spirit of grace to live in us as well.  How often have we heard the phrase, "I know we must forgive, but I can never forget."  Would be willing to try for the sake of God?  What God has given us is great.  Let's try to give that gift to others.  Forgive and forget.

Grace for your spirit February 16, 2014

Grace for your spirit
So I answered and said to them, "The God of heaven will give us success; therefore we His servants will arise and build but you have no portion, right or memorial in Jerusalem."  Nehemiah 2:20

Nehemiah was ready to lead the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem. He faced all kinds of resistance from the enemies of Jerusalem and not much help from the people of the city.  Through it all Nehemiah was confident.  He had already overcome many obstacles with God's help, and he was assured that the walls would be built.  That's the kind of confident voice we all need to lead us in triumph.  Let's pray for that voice to be our voice, and God would give us success

Grace for your spirit February 18, 2014

Grace for your spirit
We know that we are of God, and that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.  I John 5:19

The writings of John remind us that we are light, love, and the power of God in us is greater than anything in the world.  Being Christians can like being stranded on a desert island.  The ocean of sin and evil is all around us and consuming our island.   Our only help and rescue comes from above.  Let us never forget that the ocean around us is in the power of the evil one.  We will have ultimate victory when we stay with the power of God.

Wednesday, February 12, 2014

Grace for your spirit February 13, 2013

Grace for your spirit
For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, "Abba Father!"   Romans 8:15

When we rise from the waters of baptism, the Spirit of Him who raised us, dwells in us.  This changes everything about our relationship with God.  We are no longer slaves in the kingdom, but now we are adopted children of God.  The call of Abba! Father! reflects our new intimate relationship with Him.  We become children, heirs,and fellow heirs with Christ our brother.  All the benefits of God's family and His inheritance now belongs to us.  His Spirit living in us, frees us from the spirit of slavery permanently.  Praise to our Father.

Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Grace for your spirit February 12, 2014

Grace for your spirit
Then they came to Jerusalem. And He entered the temple, and He begin to drive out those who were buying and selling in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves.  Mark 11:15

This was the second time Jesus cleared His Father's house when men turned it into a circus.  Many assume that Jesus was angry when they see His actions, but there is nothing in scripture to prove it.  Jesus was certainly determined, and focused in His ministry.  Sometimes we may get a little stressed, even angry at our circumstances, but let's make sure that we do it without sin.  When we are determined and focused on our ministry, we can do it with God's help.

Monday, February 10, 2014

Grace for your spirit February 11, 2014

Grace for your spirit
The Lord's bondservant must not be quarrelsome, but kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged.   II Timothy 2:24

In order to really be a light in a dark world, we must have certain qualities that bond us with people.  We should want to help others, but often we can be upset with people.  If we are quarrelsome, unkind, and mad all the time when people do us wrong, we will hardly reach people with good news.  It is not enough to stop being mean.  We need to go all the way to being kind and patient.  When we come to our senses, we will be able to help others come to their senses too. That is the path to lead souls to the knowledge of the truth.

Sunday, February 9, 2014

Grace for your spirit February 10, 2014

Grace for your spirit
Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling you, for as long as you practice these things,, you will never stumble.  II Peter 1:10

When I walk around in this world, I am very careful.  I am fully aware that if I begin to fall I will.  I also know that if I fall, I may not be able to get up.  For this reason I watch my step.  God applies us with many grace gifts to help us walk securely.  Listed here, virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love. We are encouraged to have these qualities always increasing,and  they will guard us from tripping and falling spiritually.  We never know if our next fall will be our last, so let's not have it.  We don't want to caught before God saying, "I've fallen and I can't get up."

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Grace for your spirit February 7, 2014

Grace for your spirit
Give, and it will be given to you.  They will pour out into your lap a good measure--pressed down, shaken together, and running over.  For by your standard of measure it will be measure to you in return.  Luke 6:38

All the good gifts from God are circular.  We are blessed to bless, and receive more blessings. We are forgiven to forgive and receive more forgiveness. To us much is given that we might give and receive more. We need to trust in God.  Let's not bring a measure to him of what we want to give, but what we want to receive.  We will always leave with more than we brought.   Test Him and enjoy the overflow.

Grace for your spirit February 6, 2014

Grace for your spirit
And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness, and he was called the friend of God.  James 2:23

There is a big difference between believing in God and believing God.  Abraham did both.  God gave him the gift of righteousness and they were friends.  Imagine a human being a friend of the Almighty.   Imagine no more, because Jesus had made it a reality for all of us. We have a friend in Jesus and that connects us to His Father when we keep his commands. He told us that in John 15.  Now with Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we all can be called a friend of God.  Believe in God and believe Him.

Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Grace for your spirit February 5, 2014

Grace for your spirit
For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant.  But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good from evil.  Hebrews 5:13-14

None of us can stay on infant formula all our lives.  We need to get into the meat of the word and train our senses to know good from evil.  It is time to grow up and make the right decisions we have been trained to make. In the story of the prodigal son, we find him in a pig pin.  Suddenly scripture says he came to his senses, and desired to go back to his father.  Where did he learn his senses?  From his greedy friends who took his money?  No.  From the pigs? No.  From his father? Absolutely.  If we lose our senses, let's get back to our Father God for a refresher course.

Monday, February 3, 2014

Grace for your spirit February 4, 2014

Grace for your spirit  
The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.  Philippians 4:9

It has been said that we learn and retain.....
10% of what we read
20% of what we hear
30& of what we see
50% of what we see and hear
70% of what we discuss with others
80% of what we experience personally
95% of what we teach others

Having trouble remembering scripture?  Read, discuss, experience, and teach it.  Three of the four require interaction with others.  If we really want to remember, that is the road to success.