Grace

Grace

Divine Grace,

I have heard of you so,

Though my heart desires you,

my mind does not know.

What is this grace?

Spoke of as amazing?

I know that it’s been given,

the concept hair-raising

Lord help me to comprehend,

A gift so undeserving,

Love in exchange for hate,

Eternal life for murdering.

What is this grace I have been given?

A concept so divine,

God revealed in His son,

His life for mine.

A cruel cross was raised,

Made to punish man,

Instead the eternal son of God,

Was slain on it for God’s plan.

A sinner who’s done little “wrong,”

How can I understand such grace?

To God my good deeds are filthy rags,

My best given a disgrace

A redeeming gift given for all,

Though never earned, given a place.

Once living in a life of filth,

now made pure through grace.

In need of grace am I,

As much as the worst of sinners,

By faith we have been saved,

In grace we are all beginners.

Oh to have an understanding,

Of a concept so far beyond me!

Praise the One whose ways are not mine,

With thoughts so far above me.

Who is this One of Divine Grace?

A lover of my soul?

Who paid for all my sins and deeds

So He could make me whole?

The mystery of Grace?

Love so amazing so divine!

I do not have to understand it

For this precious gift to be mine!

Oh the sweet mystery of Grace!

Believed, though I don’t understand

I receive the hope I cling to

My ­­­­­­­unbelief placed gently in His hands.

“I do believe! Help my unbelief!’ ~Mark 9:24

Don't Blend In

As Christians it is our God-given duty, to evangelize.   We have this assumption that we have to be like the people we are trying to reach for Christ.   Yet, if I’m not mistaken, it’s supposed to be the Light in us that shines; showing we are new and different-- not the same.   Yet why do we think God wants us to “act the same” to reach the world?  Why would I want to choose Christ if He looks like everybody else in my life that has failed me? 

People say, “Well Jesus hung out with Pharisees, prostitutes, and tax collectors.”  That’s true.  And so should we-- but we don’t have to look like, talk like, and act like, Pharisees, prostitutes, and tax collectors.  Something not often stated is that Jesus didn't try to ‘fit in’ with the Pharisees, prostitutes, and tax collectors.   He didn't change His wardrobe, or the way He spoke, or the way he acted when He saw them. 

I don’t see Jesus dressing up like the secular pop culture and offering “Christian” substitutes for their lifestyle just to get ‘in’ so he could speak truth. No way!  It’s ridiculous!  Yet, that’s what many of us try to do, in order to appeal to the non-believers we are trying to save. 

Obviously we live in this world and in this culture, but we ARE NOT supposed to become the culture.   Paul warns us of this in Romans 12:2, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”

I know what you are thinking, “True, but don’t forget what else Paul says in 1 Corinthians 9: 20-23 – ‘To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.’”

That is true, but if you look closely Paul is not compromising his beliefs—he is not conforming.   He is not going to encourage behavior that does not glorify God.

This is the difference:  Paul is talking about a matter of debate-- not conforming to culture.  You can see that as he writes different to the Romans than to the church in Corinth yet the Truth is still the same.

All things prove of God’s existence whether that is proven through Jewish, those under and those not under the Law, or the weak’s theology the Truth remains the same.

When you talk to a scientist do you not talk about science?  Therefore to the scientists you become like a scientist.  That doesn't mean you wear a lab coat and work with chemicals and such, it just means you start off on a common ground so you have something relatable.  The same is true with Paul in 1 Corinthians 9.

So, in light of these truths, let us heed Paul’s warning to not conform to the world.  Let us test everything and discern whether what we do compromises our beliefs or shines brightly.  How do we do that?  By “…be[ing] transformed by the renewing of your mind.” (Romans 12:2)  How do we renew our minds?  By studying Biblical Truth and acting upon it.

Above All Else, Guard Your Heart

It has been a long time since I have written a post...

Life is changing. 
In the changes our hearts feel many different things at once, like strings being pulled in different directions.  Our minds begin to wonder and wander, and it drags our distressed hearts along. 

It is important to guard your heart as things change.  You feel vulnerable, sometimes even betrayed by sudden changes.  You want someone to understand, to know what your talking about, comfort you and sometimes in our "distress" we turn to people first-- instead of God.  In our insecurity, uncertainty, and vulnerability we desire security, and comfort and sometimes a heart, in a whirl of emotions, goes running to another human being.  When we feel very human, with our hearts tired of trying to choose the things our minds wonder about, we run to another humans like ourselves to find answers.  We need to remember that we first need to run to God.
The One who made our hearts knows us like no other.  He knows all about hard decisions and strong feelings that try to lead us astray.  Just look at Jesus.  We need to first go to Him. Like a teenager who, filled with so many uncertain emotions and confused by life pours out her heart through a pen into the pages of her diary, we need to pour our hearts out first through prayer to our Maker, our Provider, our Protector-- the Lover of our Soul.
Instead we tend to run to others and give them pieces of our heart that belong to God, and that were not for us to give or for them to take.  Then we end up feeling robbed and broken hearted.  God made us for Him. Our hearts were made to be one with His.  Sin separated us, but God loved us so much He sent His Son to die so that we would not be separated forever, but instead, remain forever with Him in heaven.  He died so he could purify our hearts and make them whole again, so we can become One with Christ. After all we are His church, we are His bride.
Don't get me wrong, I am not saying deep relationships aren't right.  I am just saying guard your heart and keep it safe in these deep relationships.  Your heart is God's and like Maya Angelou once said, "A women's heart must be so hidden in God that a man has to seek God to find her."
Your relationships should be for God's glory, not your own. 
"Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart."
~Psalm 37:4 ESV
Watch out for giving your heart away before it is time.  Now, is when your heart will be tested.  In vulnerability Satan attacks-- be on your guard.

You may ask, "Well, how do I know I am giving my heart away?"

First of all, you need to ask God to check your heart and bring to light anything that He finds displeasing.  Then ask for His strength to guard your heart, especially in that certain area He addresses.
Check your motives. "Am I sharing this because it feels good to tell someone, or because I want their advice?" 
Would I feel uncomfortable if my Mom was reading this over my shoulder?  Would I say this to my brother or Dad?
If you'd feel uncomfortable if your Mom read your texts, facebook, or emails etc. with this person, and/or you would not ever say something like that to your brother or Dad, chances are, you are starting to give your heart away.  So step back a bit.
"Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it."
~Proverbs 4:23 NIV
There will be a time to share your heart, pour it on the table.  God will choose that day and we need to trust Him with that. 
In the mean time, we need to guard our hearts.

To God Alone Be The Glory!

We can't be silent.

Slavery still exists.  We can't be silent.

 

Francis Chan Sermon Jam ~ Have you ever studied this Book for yourself?" HD

A New Season

It feels like a new season.  I can smell it in the air and feel it stirring in my soul.  The Everlasting One breathes His breath of life into me with His never-ending Love and stirs my heart.  Change is coming.  You can feel it in the air.  Just the way I know Autumn is coming, although nature shows no sign of it yet.  There is a season of everything in life.  Life is an ever changing and growing journey. 

And I know as I walk through the seasons of my life, my Savior will be beside me. He holds my hand as I walk through the orange leaves, frail snowflakes, young shoots, and the full blooming flowers of life with his pierced feet walking alongside mine.  There is a new season of life, but I do not have to enter it alone.  My Savior will tenderly mold me through these seasons, until I go to be with him in all His glory.  This is a new Season: and I am not alone.

 

"There is a time for everything,

and a season for every activity under heaven:

a time to be born and a time to die,

a time to plant and a time to uproot,

a time to kill and a time to heal,

a time to tear down and a time to build,

a time to weep and a time to laugh,

a time to mourn and a time to dance,

a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,

a time to embrace and a time to refrain,

a time to search and a time to give up,

a time to keep and a time to throw away,

a time to tear and a time to mend,

a time to be silent and a time to speak,

a time to love and a time to hate,

a time for war and a time for peace."

~Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 

 

Lecrae - Beautiful Feet