Grace for your spirit 3-30-18

Grace for your spirit

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that he was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.     I Corinthians 15:3-4

The entire Bible is about Jesus.  His presence, death, burial, resurrection, and ascension is the central piece of all Scripture.  He is the good news that brings us life eternal.  When someone asks us, "What do you know?"  Don't say, "Nothing."  Tell them you know what is the most important thing in the Bible.  Let's honor Him with our lives and our praise.

Grace for your spirit 3-29-18

Grace for your spirit 3-28-18

Grace for your spirit

The  Lord is near to the brokenhearted, and saves those who are crushed in spirit.  Psalm 34:18

God is ready, willing, and able to heal the brokenhearted and bind up our wounds.  He anointed Jesus to come to the afflicted and to bind up the brokenhearted.  God certainly knows the feeling of being crushed by all of us rejecting Him and Jesus.  Let's invite Him to be near us at all times, and be open to His touch.

Grace for your spirit 3-27-18

Grace for your spirit

We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.  II Corinthians 10:5

The apostle Paul was on the front line in the defense of Jesus.  The battle was always before him.  He was working to destroy anything that rose up against the knowledge of God by taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.  A hard fighting soldier stays sharp and keeps his goals clearly before him.  How about us?  Does this describe us at all?  Let's work toward these goals, taking every thought captive, and every action for the Lord.

Grace for your spirit 3-28-18

Grace for your spirit

Now Elijah said to Ahab, "Go up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of the roar of a heavy shower."  I Kings 18:41

At the time Elijah made this statement, there wasn't a cloud in the sky. There was no wind, no clouds, no thunder, nothing but clear sky.  After prayer, and looking seven times, they saw the smallest cloud on the horizon.  And there is was.  The rains came to end a 3 1/2 year drought.  You see Elijah heard the voice of God's promise about rain.  Then the promise came true.  His promises will come true for us as well. Listen for the voice of promise.

Grace for your spirit 3-23-18

Grace for your spirit

But thanks be to God that though you were slaves to sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.  Romans 6:17-18

When do we become free from sin?  When we obey from the heart the teaching from God.  We escape condemnation when we are in Christ and walking after His Spirit.  God's action was completed at the cross.    God shows us the way, so that through our obedience we might be servants of righteousness instead of slaves to sin.

Grace for youor spirit 3-22-18

Grace for your spirit

Then it happened in the spring at the time when kings go out to battle, that David sent Joab and his servants with him and all Israel, and they destroyed the sons of Ammon and besieged Rabbah,  But David stayed in Jerusalem.   II Samuel 11:1

It was spring and time for King David to lead his people into battle.  Instead, he stayed home.  It was on that occasion that the idle David lusted after Bathsheba.  He actions led him to adultery and murder.  How his life and kingdom might have changed if he was about his work.  Idle hands really are the devil workshop.  May our lives be filled with forward motion for the Lord.  It will help us and everyone else

Grace for your spirit 3-21-18

Grace for your spirit

Retain the standard of sound words you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.   II Timothy 1:13

This is the key principle for continuing the proclamation of the gospel.  We need to commit ourselves to the standard set by Christ.  Take these sound words of faith and love

 in Christ and teach them.  We can't let this information "go in one ear and out the other."  We need to take them in seriously, so we can retain, remember, and repeat.  If we have never been able to retain anything, retain this !

Grace for your spirit 3-20-18

Grace for your spirit

Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that  you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days.  Be faithful until death and I will give you a crown of life.   Revelation 2:10

Did we ever notice that Jesus never asked us to do anything He hadn't done before us.  Jesus came to us without fear, ever knowing what He would suffer.  He was tested, suffering tribulation, and was faithful unto death.  For that God granted Him a throne in heaven.  Now He turns to us encourages to and through the same thing.  The heart of His encouragement is, "I did it, and you can do it too."

Grace for your spirit 3-20-18

Grace for your spirit

So he returned from following him, and took a pair of oxen and sacrificed them and boiled their flesh with the implements of the oxen, and gave it to the people and they ate.  Then he arose and followed Elijah and ministered to him.  I Kings 19:21

Elijah was near the end of his mission.  He was almost ready to quit, but God encouraged him to keep going.  One big job he had left was to find his successor.  Went he met Elisha and put his mantle on him, God had already prepared him to go and never look back.  We should never give up in our mission for God.  God may be preparing someone right now to step into our shoes.  Let's hang in there and find the one God has prepared for us today.

Grace for your spirit 3-16-18

Grace for  your spirit

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity !  It is like the precious oil upon the head, coming down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard, coming down upon the edge of his robes.  Psalm 133:1-2

If the devil had psalms, his psalm on this subject would be, "Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to be divided, fighting with each other and not getting anything done."  Unity is God's delight, division is the devil's delight.  Who are we working for ?  It is time for us to pick a side.  Division is easy because what is wrong is almost always easy.  That's why it is so popular.  Let's go with God plan for unity.  It is the record I want to have when I am called before the Lord.  How about you?

Grace for your spirit 3-15-17

Grace for your spirit

Peter began to say to Him, "Behold, we have left everything and follow You. "  Mark 10:28

The last words in the U.S. Declaration of Independence are these;

"And for the support of this declaration with a firm reliance on the protection of divine providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor."   The signers of the Declaration of Independence for the U.S, had this in common with the early apostles of the church.  They were "all in" in there commitment to the mission ahead.  Do we share their commitments and zeal?  It is the standard that brought results and it will work again.  Let's make a pledge to each other to get going and keep going in God's work together.

Grace for your spiritr 3-14-18

Grace for your spirit

In everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive."  Acts 20:35

Do we live with the attitude that we work so we can help others, or do we think we should sit around and expect everyone to help us?  We know we have reached spiritual maturity when we feel more blessed giving than receiving.  Let's reach for that goal as we seek Jesus as our guide.  God's grace can help us grow up until we become like Jesus.

Grace for your spirit 3-13-18

Grace for your spirit

But  you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.  II Tim 4:5

There are many things that can make us lose our focus.  We must think seriously, being prepared to handle hardship and disappointments.  God has a work for us to do.  He wants us spread good news to a lost and sad world.  When we are committed to overcome the hurtles in life, at the end we will know we have fulfilled the ministry he had for us. Won't it be great to hear those words, "Well done, good and faithful servant."

Grace for your spirit 3-12-18

Grace for your spirit

I gave you milk to drink, not solid food, for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able, for you are still fleshly.  For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men?  I Corinthians 3:2-3

Often we wonder why we aren't growing spiritually.  We look for the problem all around us.  Many blame the preacher, or the church we're in.  Perhaps we should look within.  When our lives are filled with jealousy and strife, we aren't able to get it.  Let solve that strife problem in our lives with love and forgiveness. That will allow our spiritual life to bloom.

Grace for your spirit 3-8-18

Grace for your spirit

The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.  I Timothy 2:2

We all have a commission from Jesus to disciple others, baptize them, and teach them to observe all things He has commanded.  How do we get that done from generation to generation?  We learn to "pass the baton".  The Christian challenge is not a single person sprint or a marathon.  It is a relay race.  We run our leg and then pass the message on to others for the next part.  That is our commission and our commission to pass it on.  If anyone asks us if we are "ordained" to preach, just tell them we have the 2/2/2 ordination.  That is II Timothy 2:2, and pass it on

Grace for your spirit 3-7-18

Grace for your spirit

For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.  Galatians 5:13       

Through the righteousness that comes from God in Jesus Christ, we are free from the law of sin and death, free from law of Moses, and free from the wrath of God.  God doesn't give us that freedom so we can run free with a sinful nature.  He gives us that freedom so we can serve one another in love.  May we never take the gifts of God, and use it for our own desires.  Let's use them to do God's will.

Grace for your spirit 3-6-18

Grace for your spirit

Is anyone among you suffering?  Then he must pray.  Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises.     James 5:13

Through our ups and downs of life, do we remember to pray and praise for ourselves and others?   It is a key part of the fellowship we have together.  The Bible encourages us to weep with those who weep, and rejoice with those who rejoice.  May we all remember to lift each other up through troubled times with prayer, and praise the Lord together in the good times.  Let's be known as God's children with our prayer and praise each day.

Grace for your spirit 3-5-18

Grace for your spirit

Teach me to do Your will,  For You are my God; Let your good Spirit lead me on level ground.    Psalm 143:10

When we are walking on a strange path through the hills and valleys of life, level ground is delightful. It is even better to have an experienced guide to show us the best way and walk with us.  God's Spirit is just that guide.  He is a light for our path and a sure step so we won't fall and get hurt.  When we are on a strange path and the darkness is coming on, what a wonderful comfort to have Him near. 

Grace for your spirit 3-2-18

Grace for your spirit

For bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it hold the promise for the present life and also for the life to come.   I Timothy 4:8

Don't think I bring this verse to promote a sedentary lifestyle.  Bodily discipline is good, but it is only temporary.  Some make it their god.  Godliness proves to be profitable both now and forever.  There is only one thing we can live for in this life and still take it with us. That one thing is Jesus.  Remember, to live is Christ but to die is gain.  Let's exercise God in our lives and enjoy the godliness it brings.

Grace for your spirit 3-1-18

Grace for your spirit

Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.  I John 3:18

The religious people of Jesus' time were famous for their words, but they were short on deeds and truth.  It is easy to say we love, to say we care, to say we will help, but not so easy to mean it, and do it.  Words of care are only encouraging when they are followed by action.  May God's grace change our thoughts, change our words, and change our actions.