Grace

One of my favorite songs is "By Your Side" by Tenth Avenue North.  I especially like the first two lines:

Why are you striving these days?

Why are you trying to earn grace?

Grace by definition can't be earned. It's free - a gift. Grace is unmerited, divine favor bestowed freely upon people by our Savior, Jesus Christ.  One definition of grace I read said, "a favor rendered by one who need not do so; indulgence."  Grace is indeed indulgent.

Why do we experience God's grace? Because God desires us to have it. Purely out of his benevolence. Grace is given by the Creator of our universe generously, freely and totally unexpectedly.

Grace is not given because of any merit on our part. As stated in its definition, grace is not earned; it's undeserved. So called "good works" are what a believer does in response to his salvation - out of gratitude toward his Savior. Grace is not the result of "good works." Quite the opposite is true.


What I love about this song and especially these lines is  the implication that I should not be striving. Instead I should be resting in God's grace and love. Psalm 46:10 says, "Be still, and know that I am God."

"Be still" in the original language translates "cease striving."  It implies that we are to rest in the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.  We are to wait on him as he works in and through us. We are to wait on him to direct our next steps.

And then... only as a result of our resting and waiting will we know through experience (not just head knowledge) whom our God is.

The Mom Initiative

Mothers on a Mission to Mentor Other Mothers

BUT GOD ~ for Motherhood!

By Shelly Brown on Mar 29, 2014 01:30 am


 
I have a confession to make.
 I am not a perfect mom. 

I’ve been too hard on them. I’ve been too lenient. I’ve said things I regret. I’ve gotten angry and I’ve yelled. I’ve said “yes” when I should have said, “no” and I’ve said, “no,” when I should have said, “yes.”

I’ve cleaned up their messes when they should have cleaned it up themselves. I’ve played the mom guilt card, though it rarely worked. I’ve bailed them out when they should have learned the hard way. They’ve learned the hard way when I should have bailed them out. I’ve indulged them at times when they should have been denied and denied them at times when it was okay for them to be indulged.
BUT in the midst of my imperfection, in praise, I shout these words from the mountain top of motherhood:

BUT GOD!

Simply, two of the most powerful words in Scripture!
BUT GOD remembered Noah…BUT GOD is the strength of my heart … BUT with GOD all things are possible … BUT GOD gives grace to the lowly … BUT GOD meant it for good… BUT GOD raised Him from the dead …

And, perhaps one of my favorites, “BUT GOD who is rich in mercy …”  

Mercy means, NOT getting what you deserve. Think of it this way … If you’ve ever been pulled over for speeding and the nice police officer lets you go with a simple warning, he showed you mercy. You didn’t get what you deserved: a $250 speeding ticket!

But God, who is rich in mercy … will hear the repentant and faithful prayers of His daughters. So no matter how imperfect a mom you or I may have been … repent of your failures, and then let it go!
Trust God to restore and redeem. After all, it is what He does best! And pray! Pray for your children like there is no tomorrow! Pray specifically for them to own their own faith. From their earliest years, and as they grew, their faith was our faith. We taught them, and they mimicked our beliefs. But, at some point, it must become their own, genuine faith.

I’ve shared this here in a prior post, but it’s worth repeating …  
My friend, Karen Jantzi once shared in a radio interview how she prays for “crop failure” in her children’s lives. Now, I make that a common prayer as I pray for my children. I pray that the defective seeds that were sown into their lives would not take root, and if they have taken root, that God would allow for crop failure causing the bad crops to wither and die.
The truth is … Only God could love our kids more than us. Only God could want them to walk in Truth more than us. Only God can draw them to Himself. Only God is so rich in mercy and love, that we can trust Him with the most precious part of our lives … our children.

“But God” verses: Genesis 8:1, Psalm 73:26, Matthew 19:26, Proverbs 3:34, Genesis 50:20, Acts 2:24, Ephesians 2:4

 WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE “BUT GOD” VERSES? HAS THIS ENCOURAGED YOU TODAY IN YOUR MOM JOURNEY?

Praying for My Husband

A while back my brother sent me this post about how to pray effectively for my husband.  I love the author's honesty.  I printed out the article and keep it in my Bible. This summer I've prayed through the list for Brad.  I love that I can choose one to two topics per day and pray specifically.

It was dinner time and I stood in the kitchen cutting up vegetables for a salad. Feeling bone weary, I prayed in my heart, “God, please bring my husband home from work on time tonight.” I stood in front of the sink to rinse off a cucumber and heard a loud crash coming from my boy’s room, followed by the sound of crying. Sighing, I turned off the water and headed for their room, still praying that my husband would hurry home.

Not too long ago, I realized that most of my prayers for my husband centered on me and my needs. They stemmed more from my selfishness.  I prayed he would come home on time, prayed he would get the bonus we hoped for, and prayed he would watch the kids so I could sleep in. I even prayed that God would change all the things that frustrated me about him. No doubt, my prayers for my husband were seriously lacking.

It was in reading Paul’s prayers to the churches in Ephesus, Colossians and Philippi where I learned the heart of prayer. Paul’s prayers centered on the spiritual growth of the people he was writing to.  For example, “I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe” (Ephesians 1:17-19). Paul essentially prayed through the gospel. He prayed for the power of the gospel to change and transform the believers he wrote to. While Paul certainly prayed for God’s provision and for other practical needs, the core and foundation of his prayers for others centered on their walk with Christ.

I want to pray for my husband the way Paul prayed for the New Testament churches. And indeed, sometimes I actually pray through the prayers of Paul. But I also want the gospel to be the foundation of all my prayers, including those of my own design. I want to pray for the gospel to be at work in my husband’s heart each day. I want to pray for the gospel to be the lens through which he views all of life. And I want him to be strengthened and empowered by the truths of gospel as he lives out God’s calling for him.

Praying for the gospel to be at work in my husband’s heart and life is transforming, not only for him, but for me as well. I learn to let go of trying to change things about my husband and trust in God to do the changing He desires. Focusing on the gospel in my prayers changes the posture of my heart from relying on my strength to resting in the power of God’s grace. As I pray for the gospel to be at work in my husband’s heart, I am also reminded of how much I too need the gospel each and every day. It also reminds me that all of life is a gift of grace and that prayer is the entrance into receiving that grace.
In an effort to focus on the power of God’s grace to be at work in my husband, I came up with a list of suggested topics to pray through, one for each day of the month:

1. Pray for him to apply the gospel to his life each day.
2. Pray for him to grow deeper in faith.
3. Pray for him to trust in God during times of uncertainty.
4. Pray for him to love God above all other things.
5. Pray for a passion for God’s Word.
6. Pray that God would reveal to him the idols in his heart.
7. Pray for a greater awareness of sin and of his forgiveness through Christ.
8. Pray for a desire to serve God by helping those who need the love of Christ.
9. Pray for him to be a witness in his place of work.
10. Pray for him to forgive others just as he has been forgiven.
11. Pray for him to resist temptations that arise in his workplace.
12. Pray for a desire to be a godly spiritual leader.
13. Pray for him to honor God in his use of money.
14. Pray for him to honor God in his use of time.
15. Pray for him to honor God in his speech.
16. Pray for growth in his prayer life.
17. Pray for the fruits of the Spirit to grow in him.
18. Pray that God would protect his mind and heart from evil.
19. Pay that God would use him in the advancement of the Kingdom.
20. Pray for his friendships, that God would help him to develop and keep godly friendships that encourage him in the gospel.
21. Pray that he would have a growing desire to show God’s love and grace to the children.
22. Pray that he would live each day as if it were his last, to God’s glory.
23. Pray for your marriage, that you and he would grow closer to each other.
24. Pray that your marriage would reflect the love of Christ with the church.
25. Pray that Christ would be the center of your relationship.
26. Pray that the two of you would be united in parenting.
27. Pray for opportunities to serve the Kingdom together as a couple.
28. Pray for opportunities for you to be an encouragement to your husband.
29. Pray for greater grace and understanding between the two of you.
30. Pray for greater communication between the two of you.
31. Pray for your own heart, that you would love, honor, and respect him.         

 By Christina Fox

Don't be so hard on yourself. I can bring good even out of your mistakes. Your finite mind tends to look backward, longing to undo decisions you have come to regret. This is a waste of time and energy, leading only to frustration. Instead of floundering in the past, release your mistakes to Me. Look to Me in trust, anticipating that My infinite creativity can weave both good choices and bad into a lovely design.

Because you are human, you will continue to make mistakes. Thinking that you should live an error-free life is symptomatic of pride. Your failures can be a source of blessing, humbling you and giving you empathy for other people in their weaknesses. Best of all, failure highlights your dependence on Me. I am able to bring beautify out of the morass of your mistakes. Trust Me, and watch to see what I will do.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28

But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me. Micah 7:7

Jesus Calling. May 9

Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.  And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart.  You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.  You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. Deuteronomy 6:4-9

Translation by Kathleen Chapman: 
Bombard your kids with stories and teachings about God and His Word! Do it any way you can, but make it exciting, powerful and constant! Talk about God first thing in the morning. Write His names on the kitchen wall or ceiling! Talk about God on the way to school. Play Christian music in the car. Put notes in their lunch boxes reminding them of God's love. Pray over homework. Pray before every meal. Pray to this wonderful God before they go to bed at night. Make Him as much a part of their existence as eating and sleeping. Make them so in awe of God that they want to nominate Him for a Pulitzer! Help your children to know and adore God.

Learn to live from your true Center in me. I reside in the deepest depths of your being, in eternal union with your spirit. It is at this deep level that my Peace reigns continually. You will not find lasting peace in the world around you, in circumstances, or in human relationships. The external world is always in flux -- under the curse of death and decay. But there is a gold mine of Peace deep within you, waiting to be tapped. Take time to delve into the riches of My residing Presence. I want you to live increasingly from your real Center, where My Love has an eternal grip on you. I am Christ in you, the hope of Glory.

And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Colossians 3:15

To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Colossians 1:27

Jesus Calling. February 20

Come to me with your gaping emptiness, knowing that in Me you are complete. As you rest quietly in My Presence, My Light within you grows brighter and brighter. Facing the emptiness inside you is simply the prelude to being filled with My fullness. Therefore, rejoice on those days when you drag yourself out of bed, feeling sluggsh and inadequate. Tell yourself that this is the perfect day to depend on Me in childlike trust. If you persevere in this dependence as you go through the day, you will discover at bedtime that Joy and Peace have become your companions.  You may not realize at what point they joined you on your journey, but you will feel the beneficial effects of their presence. The perfect end to such a day is a doxology of gratititude. I am He from whom all blessings flow!

For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. 

2 Corinthians 4:6

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

 Matthew 5:3, 6

For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority.

Colossians 2:9-10

The heavens declare his righteousness,
    for God himself is judge!

Psalm 150:6

Jesus Calling. December 17

Make Me the focal point of your search for security. In your private thoughts, you are still trying to order your world so that it is predictable and feels safe. Not only is this an impossible goal, but it is also counterproductive to spiritual growth. When your private world feels unsteady and you grip My hand for support, you are living in conscious dependence on Me.

Instead of yearning for a problem-free life, rejoice that trouble can highlight your awareness of My Presence. In the darkness of adversity, you are able to see more clearly the radiance of My Face. Accept the value of problems in this life, considering them pure joy. Remember that you have an eternity of trouble-free living awaiting you in heaven.

Fear not, for I am with you; 

be not dismayed, for I am your God;
I will strengthen you, I will help you,
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Isaiah 41:10 

Even there your hand shall lead me,
    and your right hand shall hold me.

Psalm 139:10

 Count it all joy, my brothers,when you meet trials of various kinds.

James 1:2 

Jesus Calling.  December 10

How blessed is the man who fears the Lord

I know this is long. Please read it.  These powerful words written by Dennis Rainey, President and CEO of Family Life, speak volumes about my father-in-law.  

Tethering the cities of Fort Worth and Dallas to each other are a series of freeways.  One is named after the great Dallas Cowboys coach—the Tom Landry Parkway.  It slices its way through hills peppered with mesquite between the two great cities.
Now the picture I’m about to paint didn’t happen, but for a moment I want you to imagine a hearse traveling from Dallas to Fort Worth on the Tom Landry Parkway with a motorcade of three or four hundred cars following behind it.   And standing on both sides of the road, as far as the eye can see, is a line of husbands and wives, heads bowed.  More than 90,000 people paying tribute to a couple who cared about their lives, marriages, and families.
Wouldn’t you want to know who was in that hearse?  Wouldn’t you want to know more of the story behind one man’s legacy and the wife who shared in it with him?
Endless bickering
To do so, we must go back to 1985 and a couple whose marriage was on life support.   Stale religion and a quiet bitterness were about all that Skip and Becky Leffler shared.  That wasn’t why they had married, but it was what had become of their relationship.  Skip was a quiet man, a banker.  Becky was an outgoing mother of two, who had lost all hope of ever having a real marriage with a man who once was the man of her dreams.  Both were ready to split the sheets and the assets and stop the endless bickering and quarreling.  
No one at church knew.  But two of Becky’s friends did.  One told Becky, “I wonder if you will ever smile again.”
On this night 25 years ago, Skip and Becky sat in a hotel ballroom, arms folded and jaws set. They were surrounded by 1,500 people who filled a ballroom—people who were there to find out how be more than “just married.”  But they were like two bunkers in a battlefield, ready to face off against each other.  
Even though they attended church regularly and Skip was the chairman of the board at church, Becky had never heard anything like the messages she heard that weekend.  She sat there and sobbed during the entire conference as she realized how far they had truly missed God’s plan for their marriage.
Skip left that conference convicted, but not quite ready to assume his responsibility.  But Becky determined she was going to stay in the marriage regardless of “that man.”
She remembered the teaching about I Peter 3:9, “Don’t return evil for evil or insult for insult, but give a blessing instead.”    Her initial response was, “God, I don’t want to be called to do this.”   But she went home and placed that Scripture on the wall, gritted her teeth, and asked God for a miracle, beginning in her heart.
A year later, Skip and Becky returned to the Weekend to Remember conference, this time with a glimmer of hope.  This time Skip said, “Okay, we’re going to make this work.”
Even then, there were times when the relationship wasn’t working.  Becky caustically warned Skip, “You’d better enjoy this Christmas, because it’s going to be your last one!”
Skip didn’t leave.
Becky didn’t quit.
A total surprise
They returned to the Weekend to Remember a third time in 1987, still struggling.  But when a speaker asked the audience for volunteers to help promote the conference the following year, Skip totally surprised Becky by volunteering.  “Skip had never volunteered for anything,” she remembers.  Although it was unnatural, Becky kept her mouth shut when Skip said, “We need to go talk to that man about helping with the Fort Worth conference.”   And they did.
A year later they took over the local leadership of the conference as Volunteer City Ministry Directors.  God had transformed two bunkers into a platform for ministry.  
Becky said, “Skip and I would tell couples that … if we hadn’t been through the tough times, we would not have been serving.  Our tough times gave us the validity to minister to others.  We knew our tough times gave us purpose … He had a plan.”
But Skip and Becky didn’t wallow in the failures of the past; they resolutely began to make strides in their marriage and pass it on to others.  It wasn’t long before they were teaching marriage and family classes at church, leading small groups using the HomeBuilders Couples Series^®, and training leaders to lead more groups.   Working together with the same goal, they slowly grew closer to God and each other.
Leading a volunteer team
In fact, it wasn’t long before they found themselves in charge of all the Weekend to Remember conferences in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, with thousands coming each year.  Skip and Becky built a volunteer team of nearly 100 who would help promote the conference and build marriages in the Metroplex.  Over 90,000 people attended in the years that followed. Last year, more than 4,000 came to the Gaylord Texan over Valentine’s Day weekend for the biggest Weekend to Remember conference in the history of FamilyLife.
A last dance
Skip and Becky, and their team of volunteers, were planning on a big event at the Gaylord Texan in June.  In late January, on a Thursday night after Skip came home from a number of meetings, Becky asked Skip for just one dance in their living room.  One dance turned into five as the two enjoyed the last hours they would share on this side of heaven.  The next morning Skip went to work just as he always had, but was killed in a tragic car wreck.
A week later, at lunch right before Skip’s memorial service, Barbara and I sat at lunch with Becky.  She commented at one point, “Skip could not have done a better job of loving me.”  What a love story they wrote over the last 25 years after nearly coming to divorce.  I reflected on Becky’s statement privately and wondered, “Could Barbara say that about me?”
Later, I would be one of the seven men who gave tributes to a man who left a mighty legacy at home, at work, and in his community.  It was the only memorial service I’ve ever attended where, at Becky’s request, the Weekend to Remember was promoted by one of those men.
After Skip’s death, Becky found some notes from Skip in which he underlined the phrase, “Changed Life Junkies!!”  He was planning to give a pep talk to the local team of volunteers to remember that God would use them to change lives.  
Rather than giving in to the cultural pressures and divorcing his wife, Skip Leffler left a very different legacy.  And he impacted many whose legacies will never be the same.
Skip’s legacy reminds me of my life verse:
Praise the Lord!  How blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who greatly delights in His commandments. His descendants will be mighty on earth; the generation of the upright will be blessed.  Psalm 112:1-2

For the past few days I've been listening to Tony Evan's messages on KCBI.  He's been preaching to wives about marriage and how we treat our husbands.  I love his illustration this morning ....

 

If you as the defendant in a court room rant and rave and fuss in court, even if your side is in the right, the judge declares you out of order.  If you continue to make a scene, the judge orders you in contempt of court.  Many of us as wives are in contempt of God's court in our marriages.  We rant and rave and nag our husbands, and we may be entirely in the right about an issue and him entirely wrong.  We may have every right to pitch a fit. You may be married to a complete jerk!  But how we are approaching him is entirely wrong.

"It is better to live in a corner of the housetop than in a house shared with a quarrelsome wife." 

Proverbs 25:24

 

"A continual dripping on a rainy day and a quarrelsome wife are alike; to restrain her is to restrain the wind or to grasp oil in one's right hand."

Proverbs 27:15-16

Are you that dripping faucet?  Does your husband wish he lived alone on the corner of a housetop?

So how are we supposed to approach a situation that certainly needs addressing? What do you do when you've asked your husband to please take out the trash on trash day or to please stop leaving his socks on the lovigin room floor? Let's look at 1 Peter 3:1-2

"Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, when they see your respectful and pure conduct." (emphasis mine)

 

I know. You are probably thinking, "You don't know my husband. You don't know what he's done. There's NO WAY I can keep my mouth shut!"  You are right. I don't know what he's done.  But let me ask you this.  Has nagging worked for you thus far?  Has your ranting and raving made any difference?  Is your husband really listening to you?  Isn't it worth giving God's way a try?  Even if it doesn't make sense?

It doesn't make sense, I know.  I'd much rather yell at my husband and let him know exactly what I think about him and what he's done to hurt me but God's Word says something entirely different. Whether you feel loved by your husband or not, your husband needs to know that you respect him.  The Bible commands us as wives to respect our husbands (Ephesians 5:33).  It doesn't say to respect him if he deserves it.  Or if he loves you. Or if he's faithful. Or if he listens to you. Or if he brings you flowers. Or if he treats you well.  It merely says, "and the wife must respect her husband." Period.

 

It doesn't make sense. And yes, it's hard.  In fact it's impossible if you don't ask the Lord Jesus to help you.  Ask him to show you how you can respect your husband.  With your words, your tone of voice, how you treat him, with your actions, your attitude towards him .

Do you trust God? Do you trust the Creator of our universe who brought you and your husband together?  He orchestrated each of your lives so that you would meet and fall in love and get married.  Do you believe Him when he says your husband may be won without a word from you by your conduct when he sees your respectful and pure conduct toward him and others? 

 

Let's be like Mary when the angel came to tell her she was going to have a baby, the Son of God, via the Holy Spirit even though she wasn't married. May our response to the Lord Jesus Christ be the same as hers, "I am the Lord's servant. May it be to me as you have said" (Luke 1:38).

The world is too much with you, My child. Your mind leaps from problem to problem to problem, tangling your thoughts in anxious knots. When you think like that, you leave Me out of your world-view and your mind becomes darkened. Though I yearn to help, I will not violate your freedom. I stand silently in the background of your mind, waiting for you to remember that I am with you. When you turn from your problems to My Presence, your load is immediately lighter. Circumstances may not have changed, but we carry your burdens together. Your compulsion to "fix" everything gives way to deep, satisfying connection with Me. Together we can handle whatever this day brings.

Fear not, for I am with you; 

be not dismayed, for I am your God;
I will strengthen you, I will help you,
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Isaiah 41:10

The Lord your God is in your midst,
a mighty one who will save;
he will rejoice over you with gladness;
he will quiet you by his love;
he will exult over you with loud singing.

Zephaniah 3:17

Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
but the Lord delivers him out of them all.

Psalm 34:19

Jesus Calling



Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 4:5-7

Peace is My continual gift to you. It flows abundantly from My throne of grace. Just as the Israelites could not store up manna for the future but had to gather it daily, so it is with My Peace.  The day-by-day collecting of manna kept My people aware of their dependence on Me. Similarly, I give you sufficient Peace for the present, when you come to me by prayer and petition with thanksgiving.  If I gave you permanent Peace, independent of My Presence, you might fall into the trap of self-sufficiency. May that never be!

I have designed you to need Me moment by moment. As your awareness of your neediness increases, so does your realization of My abundant sufficiency. I can meet every one of your needs without draining My resources at all. Approach My throne of grace with bold confidence, receiving My Peace with a thankful heart.

'And when the dew had gone up, there was on the face of the wilderness a fine, flake-like thing, fine as frost on the ground. ¹⁵ When the people of Israel saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, “It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat. ¹⁶ This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Gather of it, each one of you, as much as he can eat. You shall each take an omer, according to the number of the persons that each of you has in his tent.’” ¹⁷ And the people of Israel did so. They gathered, some more, some less. ¹⁸ But when they measured it with an omer, whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack. Each of them gathered as much as he could eat. ¹⁹ And Moses said to them, “Let no one leave any of it over till the morning.” ²⁰ But they did not listen to Moses. Some left part of it till the morning, and it bred worms and stank. And Moses was angry with them.' Exodus 16:14-20

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."  Philippians 4:6-7

"And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:19

"Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need." Hebrews 4:16

Jesus Calling. April 18

I am calling you to a life of thankfulness. I want all your moments to be punctuated with thanksgiving. The basis for your gratitude is My sovereignty. I am the Creator and Controller of the universe. Heaven and earth are filled with My glorious Presence.

When you criticize or complain, you are acting as if you think you could run the world better than I do. From your limited human perspective, it may look as if I'm mismanaging things.  But you don't know what I know or see what I see. If I pulled back the curtain to allow you to view heavenly realms, you would understand much more. However, I have designed you to live by faith, not by sight. I lovingly shield you from knowing the future or seeing into the spirit world. Acknowledge My sovereignty by giving thanks in all circumstances.

And [seraphim] called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!"  Isaiah 6:3

"for we walk by faith, not by sight." 2 Corinthians 5:7

"Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Jesus Calling. April 16

He is Risen!

Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow.  And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified.  He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay.

Matthew 28:1-6

And when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. . . And Jesus uttered a loud cry and breathed his last. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”

Mark 15:33, 37-39

(image courtesty of Preston Sprinkle)

On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him.  And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”  Mark 4:35-41

Have you not known? Have you not heard?

The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.

He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.

He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength.

Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted;

but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; 

they shall mount up with wings like eagles;

they shall run and not be weary; 

they shall walk and not faint.

Isaiah 40:28-31

I am the God of both intricate detail and overflowing abundance. When you entrust the details of your life to Me, you are surprised by how thoroughly I answer your petitions. I take pleasure in hearing your prayers, so feel free to bring Me all your requests. The more you pray, the more answers you can receive. Best of all, your faith is strengthened as you see how precisely I respond to your specific prayers.

Because I am infinite in all My ways, you need not fear that I will run out of resources. Abundance is at the very heart of who I am. Come to Me in joyful expectation of receiving all you need -- and sometimes much more! I delight in showering blessings on My beloved children. Come to me with open hands and heart, ready to receive all I have for you.

How precious is your steadfast love, O God! The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings.They feast on the abundance of your house, and you give them drink from the river of your delights.For with you is the fountain of life; in your light do we see light. Psalm 36:7-9

I will abundantly bless her provisions; I will satisfy her poor with bread. Psalm 132:15

And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost.” So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten. John 6:12-13

Jesus Calling. March 23rd

For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.