Wednesday, November 30, 2016

Grace for your spirit 11-30-16

Grace for your spirit
Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you your transgressions.  Mark 11:25

When you pray, forgive.  It opens the flow of forgiveness to us from God.  In our physical makeup, whenever there is a blockage, the result is pain.  In our spiritual makeup, this can be a blockage that causes even more pain.  The healthy flow of grace is not up to God, it is not up to our adversaries, it is up to us.  Forgiveness makes it all work.

Tuesday, November 29, 2016

Grace for your spirit 11-29-16

Grace for your spirit
Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, since he has taunted the armies of the living God.  I Samuel 17:36

The day David volunteered to fight Goliath, he was at peace while the storm of fear raged all around him.  David drew on his faith and his experiences with God's help, and ran toward the battle.  Although Goliath was 9' 6" tall, David knew his God was bigger. This same attitude can pay dividends for us too.  When we face the giants in our lives, let's draw on our faith and experience with God, and move ahead with confidence.  We can leave everyone shaking on their boots too

Monday, November 28, 2016

Grace for your spirit 11-28-16

Grace for your spirit
For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also; but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard it.   Hebrews 4:2

What did you have for thanksgiving that was delicious?  Someone took the right ingredients, put the together just right, and you were blessed. The same is true with our Christian life.  We take the right ingredients from His Word, mix them with faith, and God will produce a wonderful blessing for us.  It doesn't make anything unless we put all the ingredients together with God's hand in it.  Israel missed the Promised Land because of no faith.  Let's learn, and do it right.

Wednesday, November 23, 2016

Grace for your spirit 11-23-16

Grace for  your spirit
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made know to God.  Philippians 4:6

When praying to God, we are called to pray with thanksgiving.  That is being thankful before we pray, and before we receive.   This attitude will give us peace before, during, and after our trials.  Give your anxiety to God.  It is much easier to be thankful after we have what we want, but it is much better to be thankful beforehand.  That is faith

Tuesday, November 22, 2016

Grace for your spirit 11-22-16

Grace for your spirit
Now one of them, when he saw that he had been healed, turned back,  glorifying God with a loud voice, and he fell on his face at His feet, giving thanks to Him.  And he was a Samaritan            Luke 17:15-16

One day Jesus healed 10 men of  the horrible deadly disease of leprosy.  Nine of the men apparently forgot to be thankful.  Perhaps they thought it was due them.  The only one that came back to say thanks was a foreigner.  This Samaritan, who was an outcast in so many ways, was grateful.  Which are we like?  Do we think everything we receive is "too little, too late?'  Let's give thanks with a grateful heart.  Our thankfulness should always surpass those who don't know God.

Monday, November 21, 2016

Grace for your spirit 11-21-16

Grace for your spirit
In everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.  I Thessalonians 5:18

We need to learn to find thankfulness in everything and every situation. In retailing these days, Christmas music and decor starts in August. What happened to thanksgiving decor and thanksgiving songs? Thanksgiving acknowledges God, so it often gets lost.  Let's bring God back into every day, and everything.  That is God's will for our lives.

Friday, November 18, 2016

Grace for your spirit 11-18-16

Grace for your spirit
And He was saying to them, "Take care what you listen to.  By your standard of measure it will be measured to you; and more will be given you besides.    Mark 4:24

Do we take care about what we listen to?  Have we ever asked anyone to stop telling us something that is totally inappropriate for our lives?  We will ultimately become what we listen to, as it changes our thinking and our talking.  Let's learn to measure carefully what we listen to, so we can control the things that clog our thinking.  Then we will find ourselves speaking only the things the build up ourselves and others.

Thursday, November 17, 2016

Grace for your spirit 11-17-16

Grace for your spirit
Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.  John 12:24

This one short thought from Jesus can teach us so much.  We get the secret of farming, the way of salvation, and our path to victory.  When a grain of wheat is planted, it dies and germinates, bringing a crop a hundredfold for each grain.  The success of Jesus' mission came with His death and spread salvation to millions.  For us, when we choose to die to sin, we can be born again, and bless many.  Without His death, He remains alone, and without our death, we remain the same.  The gospel call is for us to come and die.

Wednesday, November 16, 2016

Grace for your spirit 11-16-16

Grace for your spirit
For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.  For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son.  Romans 8:2-3

We all have three choices, but only one good one.  Jesus Christ sets us free from the law of sin and death, and breaks us free from commandments we could not keep that condemned us.  If we choose to do nothing, or try to earn our salvation, we will surely fail.  There is truly no condemnation, but only In Christ.  Let's make the right choice.

Tuesday, November 15, 2016

Grace for your spirit 11-15-16

Grace for your spirit
But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.  II Corinthians 3:18

Our transformation from the flesh to the Spirit is a combination of active and passive changes.  Presenting ourselves to God and living for Him is part of our active change.  The passive changes that take place in us are even greater.  As we continue to behold the image of His glory, His glory will gradually change us to be like Him.  Let's keep our eyes on Jesus, and do our best to renew our minds.  That combination will complete the total change we all need. 

Monday, November 14, 2016

Grace for your spirit 11-14-16

Grace for your spirit
And she called the boy Ichabod, saying, "The glory has departed from Israel," because the ark of God was taken and because of her father-in-law and her husband.   I Samuel 4:21

In one day, Israel lost the ark of the covenant to the Philistines, they lost their Judge, and his two sons died  in battle.  Actually, the glory had departed long before this day.  When the leadership of Israel turned their back on God and decided to misuse God's blessings, that was the day the glory departed.  The loss in the battle was the day in became evident to all.  When tragedy hits our lives we think that is day God departed us, when in fact, He has already been gone quite a while. Let's keep our eyes on the Glory.

Friday, November 11, 2016

Grace for your spirit 11-11-16

Grace for your spirit
From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan did not turn back, and the sword of Saul did not return empty.  II Samuel 1:22

This is David's "Song of the bow"  His funeral dirge over  the death of Saul and Jonathan in battle.  "Your beauty, O Israel, is slain on your high places! How have the mighty fallen!"  David reminded the people of the blessings they enjoyed because of their sacrifices.  Today on this Veteran's Day, may we all pause to remember that blessings come our way on the sacrifices of those who serve and have served. 

Thursday, November 10, 2016

Grace for your spirit 11-10-16

Grace for your spirit
David inquired of the Lord, saying, "Shall I pursue this band? Shall I overtake them?"  And He said to me, "Pursue, for you will surely overtake them, and you will surely rescue all."  I Samuel 30:8

While David was away, his camp was raided by the Amalekites.  All their families and possession were taken, bringing great grief to all his men.  As his men turned on him, he did just the right thing. He asked the Lord what he should do.  God told him to pursue them and he would sure rescue all. Along the way, God provided him with directions leading him to ultimate complete victory. When we're in trouble, do we ask God first or last.  When He gives us directions, are we ready and willing to follow?  Are we asking?   Are we listening?

Wednesday, November 9, 2016

Grace for your spirit 11-9-16

Grace for your spirit
Every  person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. Romans 13:1

God calls us to be submissive to everyone without drawing lines. Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority. Honor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king     Be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.   The election that has divided families and friends is now behind us.  It is time for God's children to line up and pray for those who will lead us.  Whether our candidate won or not, let's see our Christianity rising above our politics.

Tuesday, November 8, 2016

Grace for your spirit 11-8-16

Grace for your spirit
May the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the steadfastness of Christ.  II Thessalonians 3:5

When the word of God is planted into the hearts of people, it will spread rapidly, and will rescue all of us from the evil of one.  When we have doubts and fears that lead us away from His word, may we be led to ask God to turn us back to Him.  Let's pray that the Lord will direct our hearts into His love and the steadfastness of Christ.  As we walk in the steps of Christ,  our eternal outcome will be guaranteed.  We will be blessed.

Monday, November 7, 2016

Grace for your spirit 11-7-16

Grace for your spirit
Then they would say to him, "Say now, Shibboleth."  But he said "Sibboleth" for he could not pronounce it correctly.  Judges 12:6

The armies of Gilead were at war with the armies of Ephraim.  Ephraimites looked the same, but their speech would betray them,  They could not properly pronounce the word, "Shibboleth", and their false identity was revealed.   Paul proclaimed in Philippians 3:30 that our conversation would reveal our Christian citizenship.  Some translations use the word citizenship, others use conversation.  As it turns out they both come from the same word.  Our conversation should reflect our true citizenship in Christ.  Does it, or does it betray us?

Friday, November 4, 2016

Grace for your spirit 11-4-16

Grace for your spirit
Then when he arrived and witnessed the grace of God, he rejoiced and began to encourage them all with resolute heart to remain true to the Lord;  Acts 11:23

Barnabas was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith.  The Apostles gave him the name that means "Son of Encouragement. Throughout his life, he lived up to that name building up others.  He was just what the church in Antioch needed and he came at the right time. We can all use a "Barnabas."  Let's keep that chain of encouragement alive by finding a Barnabas, and being a Barnabas to someone else.

Thursday, November 3, 2016

Grace for your spirit 11-3-16

Grace for your spirit
Take care what you listen to. By your standard of measure it will be measured to you; and more will be given to you besides.  Mark 4:24

As the kid's song goes, "Oh be careful little ears what you hear."  That's good advice no matter how big our ears get.  What gets in our ears, gets into our mind.  When we seek the righteousness of God and tune our ears to those things, God will bless us with more and more.  The devil will curse us the same  when we turn his way.  Which do we want more of in our minds?  Let's tune in to God and enjoy His bounty of blessings.

Wednesday, November 2, 2016

Grace for your spirit 11-2-16

Grace for your spirit
He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.  Revelation 3:21

Jesus never asked us to do anything He didn't do first.  He emptied himself, overcame, died, buried, arose, ascended, and sat on His Father's throne.  He led the way for us.  Now He calls us to empty ourselves, overcome the world, die to sin, be buried in baptism, arise to new life, and meet Him at the throne in Heaven.The trip is not easy, but we have His example and GPS to guide us there.  Come on.  Let's go together.

Tuesday, November 1, 2016

Grace for your spirit 11-1-16

Grace for your spirit
In the Lord I take refuge; How can you say to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain; For, behold, the wicked bend the bow. They make ready their arrow upon the string to shoot in darkness at the upright of heart.  Psalm 11:1-2

There is no greater or better refuge than the Lord.  If we leave the Lord to find what we think is a better place, we are vulnerable.   The wicked are ready willing and able to take us down when we leave the Lord.  Let's remember where our real help is at all times.  Stay with the Lord.