Friday, July 29, 2016

Grace for your spirit 7-29-16

Grace for your spirit
Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.  Colossians 3:17

Life is much easier and more rewarding when we decide in advance that all our words and deeds will be in the name of the Lord.  If we have to decide with every word and deed how we will live, it can be difficult and very inconsistent.   When we make Jesus #1 in our lives, and make a commitment that everything will be according to His will, then our words and deeds will follow Him.  And so will our thankfulness.  Let's commit now and avoid the crunch later.

Thursday, July 28, 2016

grace for your spirit 7-28-16

Grace for your spirit
Seek the Lord while He may be found; Call upon Him while He is near.  Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; And let him return to the Lord.  And He will have compassion on him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.  Isaiah 55:6-7

God is always near and ready to have compassion on us.  Jesus paid the price for our pardon.  It is not God that has lost contact with us, but are sins cloud our view of His grace.  When we have the presence of mind to see Him, and the desire to call on Him, let's do it now.  He can help us forsake our ways and change our thoughts.  Let's make His ways, our ways.

Wednesday, July 27, 2016

Grace for your spirit 7-27-16

Grace for your spirit
Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread which came down out of heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die.  John 6:49-50

Jesus proclaimed Himself to be the bread of life that came down from heaven.  When we read His Words, make Him our Savior, and possess His Spirit, the bread of life saves us.  An old hymn asks Jesus to break the bread of life for us, multiplying it for us like He multiplied the loaves for the multitudes. Then shall all bondage cease, all fetters fall, and I shall find my peace, my all in all.  The bread of life builds a strong spiritual life.  No carbs, no calories, and tastes great.

Tuesday, July 26, 2016

Grace for your spirit 7-26-16

Grace for your spirit
Then they said to one another, "We are not doing right.  This day is a day of good news,but we are keeping silent; If we wait until morning light, punishment will overtake us.  Therefore, come, let us go and tell the kings's household.  II Kings 7:9

Four lepers were under a death sentence at the gates of Samaria.  God gave them deliverance, drove off the enemy and they were overcome with food and riches.  Suddenly they realized they had to share.  We too sit under a death sentence until the blood of Jesus comes to us.  It is not information that we should keep to ourselves.  This is a day of good news.  Good news to be shared.  We can help others dying in sin with a good word.  Let's not delay

Monday, July 25, 2016

Grace for your spirir 7-25-16

Grace for your spirit
For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.  II Corinthians 5:21

Are you a good trader?  Do you know when you have walked away with a bargain?  Does God have a deal for us!  Through the cross, God allows us to trade with Jesus.  He takes our sins that condemns us, and He trades us for His righteousness that saves us.  Let's take that deal, and walk away with our heads held high, and a smile on our faces.

Friday, July 22, 2016

Grace for your spirit 7-22-16

Grace for your spirit
Thus it came about, when God destroyed the cities of the valley, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when He overthrew the cities in which Lot lived. Genesis  19:29

God talked with Abraham before He destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham bargained with God to save the city because of Lot and his family.  In the end, the cities were destroyed, but Lot and his family were allowed to be saved.  God saved Lot because of Abraham's intercession.  Jesus went to the cross to become our mediator and intercessor.  We are saved by His life.  When the end comes, God will remember Jesus and save us.  Let's maintain a close relationship with our Savior each day.

Thursday, July 21, 2016

Grace for your spirit 7-21-16

Grace for your spirit
For everyone who does evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.  But he who practices the truth comes to the light that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.  John 3:19-20

Evil thrives in the darkness.  Burglars work in the dark.  Muggers work in the dark.  Bugs run in the dark.  Bats fly in the dark. People sneak around in the dark.  Light is the enemies of all these.  Their judgment is Jesus coming into the world.  He is light and in Him is no darkness at all.  All must leave the darkness,and come to Him or perish in the dark.  We will make our best decisions in His light.

Wednesday, July 20, 2016

Grace for your spirit 7-20-16

Grace for your spirit
The reward of humility and the fear of the Lord are riches, honor, and life.  Proverbs 22:4

The devil has caused us to believe an awful lie.  He wants us to believe that we need to stand on our own two feet, and we need help from no one, especially God.  The devil says that is the path to riches, honor, and the good life.  People who choose the devil's path find out at the end of the day, they were led astray.  Trust in the Lord.  His path will give  us success now and forever.

Tuesday, July 19, 2016

Grace for your spirit 7-19-16

Grace for your spirit
And they took offense at Him. But Jesus said to them,  "A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own household." And He did not do many miracles there because of their unbelief.  Matthew 13:57-58

The ministry to Jesus came to a halt in his hometown of Nazareth.  The unbelief and unwillingness of the people there made His ability to reach people impossible.  It affected His family, His neighbors, and eventually spread throughout the city.  This evil leaven took over the whole lump of dough.  If the ministry of Jesus could be stopped with unbelief, it is certainly a liability in our churches.  Negative talk spreads like wildfire. It can destroy the best ministry and best church.  If we see it starting, let's nip it immediately.  NIP IT

Monday, July 18, 2016

Grace for your spirit 7-18-16

Grace for your spirit
Thou art my hiding place, and my shield;  I wait for Thy word. Psalm 119:114

The double minded and evil ones of the world try to get between us and God's word.  God's word is our shield when we are out in the open, and His word is a secure shelter for us where we are rest.  The devil knows we are vulnerable without our hiding place and our shield, and we are. Wait on the Lord and His word.  He will be there for us.

Friday, July 15, 2016

grace for your spirit 7-15-16

Grace for your spirit
My little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.  I John 3:18

Beware of those who flatter us with their words, but are never going to be there for us in times of trouble.  Jesus called people hypocrites when all their commitments stopped with their tongues. Let's rise above that. Not just talking the talk, but walking the walk with deeds and truth.  That is what Jesus would do, and what He did. 

Wednesday, July 13, 2016

Grace for your spirit 7-13-16

Grace for your spirit
Oh give thanks to the Lord, call upon His name;  Make known His deeds among the peoples; Sing to Him, sing praises to Him. Speak of all His wonders. I Chronicles 16:8-9

One of David's goals was to build a place for God's Ark of the Covenant.  He offered burnt offering and peace offering before the Lord. Then he assigned worshipers to continually give thanks to the Lord. Asaph and his relatives began this psalm to honor God recorded here in the Chronicles.  We can speak everything they did when we are moved by God's power and decide to proclaim it.  Let's sing praises and make His name known in the world. Let's do that today.

Tuesday, July 12, 2016

Grace for your spirit 7-12-16

Grace for your spirit
The name of the Lord is a strong tower;  the righteous runs into it and is safe.  Proverbs 18:10

Many people look to the things they have attained in this world to protect them in times of trouble.  We all need to realize that there are storms that can arise that are beyond our own resources.  If we are smart we will realize that the Lord is the strongest resting place.  His righteousness will lead us there, so we can live safely.  Run

Monday, July 11, 2016

Grace for your spirit 7-11-16

Grace for your spirit
Do not say, "I will repay evil", Wait for the Lord, and He will save you.  Proverbs 20:22

The catch phrase of the day is, "I don't get mad, I get even."  That should never be our attitude.  Throughout the Bible, we are reminded that revenge belongs to God, and we are to repay evil with good.  That's how we overcome evil.  If we don't overcome evil, it will certainly overtake us.  Can we wait on the Lord?  If we can't, like Cain, sin in crouching at our door and it will overtake us.  Let's stay with God.  He will save us and we'll be real winners.

Friday, July 8, 2016

Grace for your spirit 7-8-16

Grace for your spirit
Oh give thanks to the Lord, call upon His name; Make known His deeds among the peoples.  I Chronicles 16:8

Do we give God the glory for the good things that happen to us?  Do people hear us thank Him, and call on His name?  Our words and our deeds that give glory to God, is the easiest way to make His deeds known among others.  When we receive great blessings, never say, "Never mind, Lord, I took care of it myself."  Giving Him the glory open doors for us and all who hear us

Thursday, July 7, 2016

Grace for your spirit 6-7-16

Grace for your spirit
Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and sustain me with a willing spirit.  Psalm 51:12

David had wandered a long way from God.  He had a new desire to be cleansed and get back with God again.  There had been no joy in his depths of sin, but now he desired to have the joy of God's salvation restored in him, and God's presence to sustain him with  a broken heart and a willing spirit.  This is a great prayer for us all.  When we remember the joy of His salvation, we need to take steps to get back and stay back. Come on back.

Wednesday, July 6, 2016

Grace for spirit 6-6-16

Grace for your spirit
But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you shut off the kingdom of heaven from men; for you do not enter in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.  Matthew 23:13

Are we walking in His way or blocking the way?  The Pharisees of Jesus' day thought they were the best of religion.  Their self centered, self righteous minds were their downfall.  They rejected Jesus, rejected His kingdom, and blocked potential believers.  Let's make sure the "woe to them", doesn't become "woe to us". When we're out of step with Jesus, we are in the way.  Let's enter His kingdom and help others to find the way as well.

Tuesday, July 5, 2016

Grace for your spirit 7-5-16

Grace for your spirit
Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge.  But he who hates reproof is stupid.  Proverbs 12:1

It takes discipline to learn.  It also takes discipline to rise above criticism and failure. That discipline is rewarded by learning new things and succeeding.   We all have known people who were very gifted yet found no success due to their lack of discipline and inability to use reproof for their advantage. Let's not be stupid.  Love of knowledge and love of discipline go hand in hand.

Monday, July 4, 2016

Grace for your spirit

Grace for your spirit
Act as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God.  I Peter 2:16

What wonderful blessings we have to enjoy.  On this Independence Day, we can enjoy the freedom as Americans, as well as the freedom from sin and death that we have In Christ.   Too many take advantage of these freedoms to live evil lives and take advantage of others. God wishes that we would use our freedom to love, serve, and help others.  We can thank God and those who have sacrificed for us, by saving, "We will live by God's wishes.

Friday, July 1, 2016

Grace for your spirit 7-1-16

Grace for your spirit
O Lord, how my adversaries have increased! Many are rising up against me.  Many are saying of my soul, There is no deliverance for him in God.  Psalm 3:1-2

When we walk in the light of God and trust in Him for our deliverance, we should not be surprised that the enemies of God are also our enemies.  It actually makes them feel better when they can make fun of God for not helping us.  Let's not be weakened by such criticism.  We walk by faith and not by sight.  He is trustworthy.  Let's be trustworthy too.