I have to admit I like the law. Give me a list of things I should do, and I will try to do them - that's my personality. But I know that I can't do all the commands of God perfectly - in fact, I can't do any of them perfectly - not even close. So I am totally dependent on grace. And what marvelous grace it is! Forgiveness of sins through the death of Jesus, the love of my heavenly Father, the help of the Holy Spirit.
Grace does change everything. Live your life in God's grace. He loves you and His power is available every moment.
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Meditation
"Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.
Bible reading and Bible study are important and good, but meditation on God's Word, I think, is the most important. That's the way the Word goes down from your head into your heart. One good way to mediate is to take a short passage of Scripture and ask the Holy Spirit to speak to you. Meditate on what you learn about God and what He is showing you to do. Remind yourself about what He shows you throughout the day. The hard part is remembering to think about it, and, at first, when you are busy, it seems impossible. But keep asking the Holy Spirit to remind you. It cannot help but be a blessing to you.
Bible reading and Bible study are important and good, but meditation on God's Word, I think, is the most important. That's the way the Word goes down from your head into your heart. One good way to mediate is to take a short passage of Scripture and ask the Holy Spirit to speak to you. Meditate on what you learn about God and what He is showing you to do. Remind yourself about what He shows you throughout the day. The hard part is remembering to think about it, and, at first, when you are busy, it seems impossible. But keep asking the Holy Spirit to remind you. It cannot help but be a blessing to you.
Saturday, January 14, 2012
Unchanging God
God doesn't change. He doesn't adapt to changing culture. He doesn't lower his standards. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He is and always will be holy, mighty, loving, righteous, good. We can always rely on His unchanging love and mercy toward us, as well as on his absolute promise to punish evil. He is to be loved and feared. He is an awesome God in the true sense of the word. There will come a time when EVERY knee will bow before Him. Choose every day to love and follow Him.
Sunday, January 8, 2012
You Make Beautiful THings
All this pain
I wonder if I’ll ever find my way
I wonder if my life could really change at all
All this earth
Could all that is lost ever be found
Could a garden come up from this ground at all
You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of the dust
You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of us
All around
Hope is springing up from this old ground
Out of chaos life is being found in You
You make me new, You are making me new
You make me new, You are making me new
You are making me new
I wonder if I’ll ever find my way
I wonder if my life could really change at all
All this earth
Could all that is lost ever be found
Could a garden come up from this ground at all
You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of the dust
You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of us
All around
Hope is springing up from this old ground
Out of chaos life is being found in You
You make me new, You are making me new
You make me new, You are making me new
You are making me new
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Life and Death
"In Him was life..." John 1:4
"The wages of sin is death..." Romans 3:23
In his "Showers of Blessings" that I have been reading to Grandma, Grandpa says he is fascinated by pairs - both in the Bible and in nature. One pair is "life" and "death." Michael probably sees this most clearly in the physical realm, but it is in the spiritual realm, too. Every day we choose either life or death in what we say or do. We can speak words of life to others, or words of death. The things we choose to do either are life-giving or death-giving. Choose life.
"The wages of sin is death..." Romans 3:23
In his "Showers of Blessings" that I have been reading to Grandma, Grandpa says he is fascinated by pairs - both in the Bible and in nature. One pair is "life" and "death." Michael probably sees this most clearly in the physical realm, but it is in the spiritual realm, too. Every day we choose either life or death in what we say or do. We can speak words of life to others, or words of death. The things we choose to do either are life-giving or death-giving. Choose life.
Thursday, January 5, 2012
The Value of Human Life
Please listen, at least for a few minutes.
http://www.focusonthefamily.com/popups/media_player.aspx?MediaId={4CF5FEA6-5F68-48C4-A5F5-030DBB351A83}
http://www.focusonthefamily.com/popups/media_player.aspx?MediaId={4CF5FEA6-5F68-48C4-A5F5-030DBB351A83}
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Forfeiting Grace
"Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs." Jonah 2:8
One idol I cling to is the opinion of others. My concern for the view others have of me causes me to forfeit God's grace of accepting me as His beloved child just the way I am.
It is much better to remember John 1:16 - "From the fullness of His grace we have all received one blessing after another."
God's grace is free and full. It is worth clinging to.
One idol I cling to is the opinion of others. My concern for the view others have of me causes me to forfeit God's grace of accepting me as His beloved child just the way I am.
It is much better to remember John 1:16 - "From the fullness of His grace we have all received one blessing after another."
God's grace is free and full. It is worth clinging to.
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Humility
"...for I am gentle and humble in heart..." Matthew 11:29
In John 1 John the Baptist says that he is unworthy to loosen the thongs of Jesus' sandals. The NIV note says that although disciples did many tasks for their teacher, the loosening of sandal thongs was expressly excluded. This was a job only for a slave. I wondered about Jesus washing the disciples feet in John 13. Did he loosen the thongs of their sandals? And what could be more lowly than washing their feet? Grandma says that most people who reject Christ do so because of pride. And I think it is our pride that keeps us from depending on the Holy Spirit each day to help us. Perhaps learning to be humble is our most difficult lesson.
In John 1 John the Baptist says that he is unworthy to loosen the thongs of Jesus' sandals. The NIV note says that although disciples did many tasks for their teacher, the loosening of sandal thongs was expressly excluded. This was a job only for a slave. I wondered about Jesus washing the disciples feet in John 13. Did he loosen the thongs of their sandals? And what could be more lowly than washing their feet? Grandma says that most people who reject Christ do so because of pride. And I think it is our pride that keeps us from depending on the Holy Spirit each day to help us. Perhaps learning to be humble is our most difficult lesson.
Monday, January 2, 2012
New Year Resolutions
My verse for this year is Psalm 119:37: Turn my eyes away from worthless things and revive me in Your ways.
Don't waste time on worthless things. Proverbs says, "Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life." Guard your heart from worthless activities. Everything has a consequence.
And don't put worthless things into your body. We have one body to last a lifetime and we should take care of it.
I also want to focus on God's grace. I cannot earn His favor - He gives it freely.
Grace changes everything. Rely on God's goodness and grace. "By grace are you saved, through faith. It is a gift of God, not of works, so that no man can boast."
Love,
Mom
Don't waste time on worthless things. Proverbs says, "Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life." Guard your heart from worthless activities. Everything has a consequence.
And don't put worthless things into your body. We have one body to last a lifetime and we should take care of it.
I also want to focus on God's grace. I cannot earn His favor - He gives it freely.
Grace changes everything. Rely on God's goodness and grace. "By grace are you saved, through faith. It is a gift of God, not of works, so that no man can boast."
Love,
Mom
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)