All in Grace
Separated from God
Flood water at the recreational complex as well as the Old Testament story of crossing the Jordan River at flood stage provide useful images of how sin creates a barrier between us and God. Only a holy, sinless, and perfectly righteous person has the authority to make a way for me to receive God’s precious promises of forgiveness of sin, salvation, and eternal life with Him.
God’s Gracious Hand
The phrase “the hand (or the gracious hand) of God was upon him” is repeated numerous times in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah. God’s “hand” refers to God’s blessing and His active, sovereign engagement in the lives of people. Recently, our family has experienced the gracious hand of God upon us.
From the Inside Out
I’d patched it twice—a dab of spackling and a dollop of paint. I noticed it again while dusting the mantle. That small crack in the wall had returned. As I poked around, I discovered additional soft spots surrounding the crack. This could not be good! Bob-the-handy-man agreed. It could be water damage, dry rot or, even worse, termite damage.
Amazing Grace
Recently, I was reminded of the sweetest video of my friend on an African mission trip. She was surrounded by a group of young children while she sang, “Jesus Loves Me” to them with hand motions. The children were all singing along with her while copying her hand motions.
Strengthening Exercise: Knee Bends
Life can be hard. Some of you right now are experiencing pain or heartache. Perhaps you have a lingering physical illness. Some of you may have experienced the end of a marriage or the death of a loved one. Ongoing personal problems can make a person physically, mentally, or spiritually weak.
Adopted!
Bishop Wahome of Kenya’s African Inland Church smiled while describing his newly adopted son. He learned of fostering and adoption through his time visiting in Texas. His joy and love for his newly adopted son reflects the joy God experienced when He adopted me as an eight-year-old little girl.
Chosen
I love dogs! Every dog we have owned has been my close companion. Therefore, when our 7-year-old Chocolate Lab died suddenly of a stroke, I was heartbroken. Two days later, Don noticed an advertisement in the newspaper for a litter of chocolate labs. Though I was still grieving, I decided to begin looking for a puppy.
The Gift that Keeps Giving: Part 3
Our personal story begins when we receive God’s gift of grace. But who receives a gift without opening it? With the unwrapping come amazing surprises. We begin to experience things we previously could not have dreamed of. Even in the middle of life-as-usual, we see new dimensions and a new purpose. 2+2 now equals 7 or 10 or infinity. The only explanation is that the grace of God is at work in our life.
The Gift that Keeps Giving: Part 2
In the desert there was enough grace to feed Israel for another day. In the temple sacrifices there was enough grace to procure forgiveness for God’s people for another year. In the life, death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus, there was enough grace to forgive our sins, transform our lives and lead us to our eternal home.c
The Gift that Keeps Giving: Part 1
When we use the word “grace” to describe human interactions, it is often a lovely synonym for letting someone off the hook. When we apply grace to God’s character and actions, something else entirely comes into play. If it were possible to obtain a core sample of the heart of God, the analysis would come back as pure grace.
Small, Yet Mighty
Being short in stature, my twins outgrew my height by the age of 10! I used to tell them, I may be little, but I’m mean! It really didn’t scare them, but I tried to make up for what I lacked in height by an authoritative voice!
Orphans
Yesterday, as I sat on our backyard deck and basked in the warmth of the Son, God moved my heart to praise Him. I'd just returned from a gathering of women who were assembled to learn about a local organization that supports teenage girls in foster care.
Cleaning Up and Cleaning Out
I scampered for shelter from tending the burn pile. The rumbling thunder signaled the arrival of yet another Spring storm. From my porch perch, I gazed at the darkened sky and marveled at what I saw—birds barely in view calmly soaring in and out of the clouds.
No Shame
What makes you feel ashamed? I hate making dumb mistakes, like smarting off without thinking before I speak. In the past, I made many choices that I’m ashamed of. And I still do today if I don’t set my heart on Jesus.
The Gift
I struggle with needing to feel… needed.
But sometimes this is a way that I make myself feel important.
It is a way of showing what I can do in my own strength… making it about me.
Return and Repent
Unfortunately the lessons of the thornbushes can be many and exceedingly prickly if you wander your own way, as the nation of Israel persisted in doing. Sin became our downfall way back in the garden.
Thornbushes and Brick Walls
Well, Hosea did as God told him to and married Gomer. She conceived and bore him a son, a daughter, and another son (1:3). Then things went awry. Gomer became restless, in spite of the love of Hosea: “I will go after my lovers, who give me my food and my water, my wool and my linen, my oil and my drink” (2:5). She had totally forgotten who had rescued her, protected her, loved her, and supplied all her needs.
Grace That is Greater
During a small gathering of women in a weekly Bible study group, I asked a question for each to answer.
“What allows you to share your faith story with others, whether Jesus-followers or not?”
“Grace. God’s grace.” Everyone answered the same around the table.
Divine Patience
In discipling a young believer from Central Asian, I often heard tales of the immense patience she has received from the Lord.