"And He has said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness.' Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me."
II Corinthians 12:9
Again and again, I am humbled by the truth of this scripture. God's grace is truly sufficient and it is only by His power that I am able to do or be anything of worth. As I look back at my life, the challenging circumstances, the numerous failures, the fits and starts... I see evidence of God's grace just as I see the snow that covers our mountains after a good storm. It is unmistakeable and beautiful; it inspires awe and humility.
One of the greatest evidences of grace in my life is in the area of anger. Anger was my constant companion for years, it was a burden that seemed impossible to unload. Daily my family suffered from it, I crumbled under it, the enemy triumphed through it - hopeless and life draining, I felt deep in a pit that had no escape. Everyday I felt angry, everyday I struggled to cope with normal things. I knew in my head that it was destructive, it threatened to destroy me. That could be borne more than the destruction and damage to my family.
The evidence of God's grace starts here... BUT God did not leave me there. He rescued me! Not overnight, but by His sovereign will, over a period of a few years. I'm not sure if the sin was so deeply wrought in my heart or if I was just a really slow learner but God is sovereign. Plus the lesson learned slowly and painfully is not easily (or quickly) forgotten. It truly was one bloody battle at a time, one bible verse wielded like a sword at each strike of the enemy. Oh and the battles raged!
God brought into my life a battle companion, the woman who discipled me through those years. Yet another evidence of grace, my Bonnie said yes to meet with me not knowing the years of diligence and toil it would take. Yes God is good to keep these things from our view!! Think of the things we would never do if we knew. Bless her heart- she was my angel of mercy.
Drawing near to God's word and His people was key to turning the battle around. Like a giant ship trying turn against a powerful tide, at times it seemed as though the ocean and waves were too overwhelming for me to turn the ship around. Even if I didn't explode and yell, my heart still raged yet God poured out His grace abundantly, covering my sins again and again, forgiving me, giving my family patience and grace to endure. It was as though I crawled through those years on my knees begging for God's mercy and asking for forgiveness.
In spite of myself, God has redeemed those years and given us a home of peace, love and grace. Not a week goes by that I am not overwhelmed by that amazing work of grace in my life. That fire was hotter and harder to endure than I could've imagined BUT to have not gone through it would have been hell on earth for me and those around me. God's grace is abundantly sufficient, He is my strength, He deserves all the glory. Hallelujah!
Showing posts with label mercies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mercies. Show all posts
Friday, March 4, 2011
Monday, February 28, 2011
God Grew Tired of Us
God grew tired of us... Powerful documentary about the lost boys of Sudan. What horrors they endured at such a young age. They lost parents, siblings, extended family, friends, and endured it all together. What is miraculous is the attitudes of the 3 young men that were followed on their journey from a refugee camp to living in the United States.
I am grateful for community- those who love me and endure the good, the bad, and the ugly with me. Those who don't listen to other's opinions of me but know me for themselves and love me anyway. Those who I can laugh and cry with me. Those who really listen and really care- those that I listen to and care about.
On the other hand, I am also grateful for the bad and the ugly in life. Situations that hurt and the people who hurt me. Why you may ask? Frankly because those situations and people when viewed as coming from the sovereign hand of God produce perseverance and faith. They also give me perspective that I would not otherwise have. Appreciation for true friends and times of peace are greatly enhanced through enduring the bad and the ugly of life. Experiencing God and His great grace, mercy, and faithfulness deepens my relationship with Him in ways I could not have imagined.
I am grateful for community- those who love me and endure the good, the bad, and the ugly with me. Those who don't listen to other's opinions of me but know me for themselves and love me anyway. Those who I can laugh and cry with me. Those who really listen and really care- those that I listen to and care about.
On the other hand, I am also grateful for the bad and the ugly in life. Situations that hurt and the people who hurt me. Why you may ask? Frankly because those situations and people when viewed as coming from the sovereign hand of God produce perseverance and faith. They also give me perspective that I would not otherwise have. Appreciation for true friends and times of peace are greatly enhanced through enduring the bad and the ugly of life. Experiencing God and His great grace, mercy, and faithfulness deepens my relationship with Him in ways I could not have imagined.
Friday, February 11, 2011
A Mirror With a View
Musings from my (ever so slowly) growing gratitude journal.
#36: Glorious golden sunsets in my rear view mirror....
What do you see in your rear view mirror? Do you see your children laughing? Do you see sunsets? Do you see mountains?
#42: Being slowed down whether I want to be or not....
What do you see in hind sight? God's providence? Perfect timing? Divine appointments? Mercy and grace?
It's amazing what the world will reveal about our Heavenly Father if we are willing to see. How many times do I miss it?
Things like:
Mercy
Laughter
Grace
Beauty
Providence
Joy
Ordered moments
Perseverance
Abiding love
What do you see?
#36: Glorious golden sunsets in my rear view mirror....
What do you see in your rear view mirror? Do you see your children laughing? Do you see sunsets? Do you see mountains?
#42: Being slowed down whether I want to be or not....
What do you see in hind sight? God's providence? Perfect timing? Divine appointments? Mercy and grace?
It's amazing what the world will reveal about our Heavenly Father if we are willing to see. How many times do I miss it?
Things like:
Mercy
Laughter
Grace
Beauty
Providence
Joy
Ordered moments
Perseverance
Abiding love
What do you see?
Monday, January 24, 2011
And then there was one...
Leprosy was and still is a devastating disease, one that separates you from society. Lepers are outcasts, people fear being near them, they suffer physically and emotionally every day. Imagine losing all of your day to day relationships, even the seemingly insignificant ones like the grocery clerk or bank teller. Imagine seeing fear in the eyes of everyone who sees you, feeling the rejection of people you know and those you don't know, to be unable to touch another human being for the rest of your life. Devastating and hopeless.
In Luke 17:11-19, Jesus encounters 10 lepers along the road to Jerusalem. This story is both extraordinary and sobering. These 10 men called to Jesus from a distance to have pity on them... to see their physical condition and restore them to wholeness.
Christ simply tells them to show themselves to the priest - he is the one man who can declare them cleansed so they can return to normal life. The remarkable sentence here is this one (v. 14), "And as they went, they were cleansed."
AS THEY WENT... they heard a simple command, they simply obeyed and as they obeyed they were cleansed! Absolutely amazing isn't it? That phrase struck me for the first time although I have read this account many times before.
Yet this isn't the most remarkable part... verse 15-16:
"One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. 16 He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan."
ONE.... one of them came back. One of them praised God. One of them threw himself at Jesus' feet. One of them thanked Him. ONE. Wow. Sobering.
Ten men followed Jesus' directive but only ONE acknowledged the life altering change that took place. The restoration of life, relationships, wholeness. Each one of those men was given physical life back.... physical life.
But ONE. One returned to Jesus, Who asked where the other nine were. Had this one man been the only one to return with gratitude and praise on his lips? Not only was he one man but he was a Samaritan man - a man despised by the Jews for his split nationality: a Jewish Gentile, unclean to the Jews.
This Samaritan man returned with a heart full of gratitude at the physical miracle his body had experienced and Christ healed him even deeper than that...
"Then He said to him, 'Rise and go; your faith has made you well.' ” (v. 19)
The ONE: he believed, he was grateful, he fell at Jesus' feet, he had faith and it made him well. He was whole again, completely whole, not just physically but spiritually as well. Spiritual life. Extraordinary.
There is the greater miracle... faith.
Hebrews 11: 1-2, 6 tells us, "Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for.... And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him."
Do I live my faith? Do I live a life of gratitude? Do I return to the feet of Jesus in humble, wholehearted worship and thankfulness when He heals? When He provides? When He restores?
In what ways am I like the nine lepers who took the good from Christ and never thought to say thank you? Who only thought of themselves?
In what areas do I need to repent because I have not acknowledged God's grace and mercy in my life?
How can I make gratitude an active practice of my living faith in Christ? Every single day?
Lord, enable me to be like the one who returned before he saw the priest to praise You with boldness, to fall at Your feet, to thank You... in ALL things, every moment of every day.
In Luke 17:11-19, Jesus encounters 10 lepers along the road to Jerusalem. This story is both extraordinary and sobering. These 10 men called to Jesus from a distance to have pity on them... to see their physical condition and restore them to wholeness.
Christ simply tells them to show themselves to the priest - he is the one man who can declare them cleansed so they can return to normal life. The remarkable sentence here is this one (v. 14), "And as they went, they were cleansed."
AS THEY WENT... they heard a simple command, they simply obeyed and as they obeyed they were cleansed! Absolutely amazing isn't it? That phrase struck me for the first time although I have read this account many times before.
Yet this isn't the most remarkable part... verse 15-16:
"One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. 16 He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan."
ONE.... one of them came back. One of them praised God. One of them threw himself at Jesus' feet. One of them thanked Him. ONE. Wow. Sobering.
Ten men followed Jesus' directive but only ONE acknowledged the life altering change that took place. The restoration of life, relationships, wholeness. Each one of those men was given physical life back.... physical life.
But ONE. One returned to Jesus, Who asked where the other nine were. Had this one man been the only one to return with gratitude and praise on his lips? Not only was he one man but he was a Samaritan man - a man despised by the Jews for his split nationality: a Jewish Gentile, unclean to the Jews.
This Samaritan man returned with a heart full of gratitude at the physical miracle his body had experienced and Christ healed him even deeper than that...
"Then He said to him, 'Rise and go; your faith has made you well.' ” (v. 19)
The ONE: he believed, he was grateful, he fell at Jesus' feet, he had faith and it made him well. He was whole again, completely whole, not just physically but spiritually as well. Spiritual life. Extraordinary.
There is the greater miracle... faith.
Hebrews 11: 1-2, 6 tells us, "Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for.... And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him."
Do I live my faith? Do I live a life of gratitude? Do I return to the feet of Jesus in humble, wholehearted worship and thankfulness when He heals? When He provides? When He restores?
In what ways am I like the nine lepers who took the good from Christ and never thought to say thank you? Who only thought of themselves?
In what areas do I need to repent because I have not acknowledged God's grace and mercy in my life?
How can I make gratitude an active practice of my living faith in Christ? Every single day?
Lord, enable me to be like the one who returned before he saw the priest to praise You with boldness, to fall at Your feet, to thank You... in ALL things, every moment of every day.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Our Great Salvation
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
"to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,
"who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time."
I Peter 1: 3-5
Recently I have been working my way through I Peter, trying to really dig in and grow in my understanding of what it is God wants me to learn from it. I sat down, prayed then broke down the above verses as best I could using a Greek Word Study New Testament (please keep in mind that I am no Greek scholar). After having read and reread the passage several times here is what I observed about our great salvation from this passage of scripture:
1) We have been born again according to God's great mercy.
It is by His grace and mercy alone that we can stand before a holy God because we are clothed in Christ's righteousness. God has shown great compassion on those who are born again as we see in Romans 5:8, "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."
2) We have been born again to a LIVING hope.
Our hope is not vain, dead, or wasted... our hope is a living hope, a vivifying (life giving) hope. That life comes through the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead. "Our hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness!" (Hymn: The Solid Rock by Edward Mote)
3) We have been born again to an inheritance which is:
~~imperishable- cannot be corrupted
~~undefiled- cannot be soiled or debased
~~will not decay- unfading as in in cannot ever wear out
~~reserved in heaven-kept, watched over
Our inheritance is not one that can be lost, stolen, squandered, eaten by moths or burned by fire.
It is like nothing on earth, it is eternal, perfect, it's beauty will never fade! It cannot be corrupted, soiled or debased... isn't that wonderful? God has reserved it in heaven FOR YOU. Wow!
4) We are protected by the power of God through faith.
The word protected in this verse has the imagery of a person mounting guard as sentinel, it is being watched in advance, it is completed safe. Why is it safe? Because it is protected by the power of God Almighty- the wind and the waves obey His voice, He spoke the universe into place, He calls all the stars by name, He is God of very God (Psalm 104)! HE is the one who protects those who have placed their faith in Him. Hallelujah!
5) Our salvation will be revealed in the last time.
As we walk through this life by faith we are looking forward to the blessed living hope, our inheritance reserved for us. Why do we do this? Because we have eternity in our hearts, we are not meant to stay here, we are pilgrims, sojourners heading for our heavenly home. In the last time God will literally remove the veil to expose that which was previously hidden... our great salvation. It will not be just a living hope anymore but a glorious reality. We will no longer vaguely see Him but we will see Him face to face! We will take hold of that which has been reserved in heaven for us - our imperishable inheritance!
Maranatha - Lord Come Quickly!
Oh Lord Jesus, I am overwhelmed by the glories of Your word! So little can I comprehend and how great that little bit is! Help me Lord to continually live in the reality of this great salvation You have given to me. Enable me to understand Your word and apply it to my life in such a way that I become more and more like You. Thank You, thank You for the cross and the living hope it gives. Amen.
"to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,
"who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time."
I Peter 1: 3-5
Recently I have been working my way through I Peter, trying to really dig in and grow in my understanding of what it is God wants me to learn from it. I sat down, prayed then broke down the above verses as best I could using a Greek Word Study New Testament (please keep in mind that I am no Greek scholar). After having read and reread the passage several times here is what I observed about our great salvation from this passage of scripture:
1) We have been born again according to God's great mercy.
It is by His grace and mercy alone that we can stand before a holy God because we are clothed in Christ's righteousness. God has shown great compassion on those who are born again as we see in Romans 5:8, "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."
2) We have been born again to a LIVING hope.
Our hope is not vain, dead, or wasted... our hope is a living hope, a vivifying (life giving) hope. That life comes through the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead. "Our hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness!" (Hymn: The Solid Rock by Edward Mote)
3) We have been born again to an inheritance which is:
~~imperishable- cannot be corrupted
~~undefiled- cannot be soiled or debased
~~will not decay- unfading as in in cannot ever wear out
~~reserved in heaven-kept, watched over
Our inheritance is not one that can be lost, stolen, squandered, eaten by moths or burned by fire.
It is like nothing on earth, it is eternal, perfect, it's beauty will never fade! It cannot be corrupted, soiled or debased... isn't that wonderful? God has reserved it in heaven FOR YOU. Wow!
4) We are protected by the power of God through faith.
The word protected in this verse has the imagery of a person mounting guard as sentinel, it is being watched in advance, it is completed safe. Why is it safe? Because it is protected by the power of God Almighty- the wind and the waves obey His voice, He spoke the universe into place, He calls all the stars by name, He is God of very God (Psalm 104)! HE is the one who protects those who have placed their faith in Him. Hallelujah!
5) Our salvation will be revealed in the last time.
As we walk through this life by faith we are looking forward to the blessed living hope, our inheritance reserved for us. Why do we do this? Because we have eternity in our hearts, we are not meant to stay here, we are pilgrims, sojourners heading for our heavenly home. In the last time God will literally remove the veil to expose that which was previously hidden... our great salvation. It will not be just a living hope anymore but a glorious reality. We will no longer vaguely see Him but we will see Him face to face! We will take hold of that which has been reserved in heaven for us - our imperishable inheritance!
Maranatha - Lord Come Quickly!
Oh Lord Jesus, I am overwhelmed by the glories of Your word! So little can I comprehend and how great that little bit is! Help me Lord to continually live in the reality of this great salvation You have given to me. Enable me to understand Your word and apply it to my life in such a way that I become more and more like You. Thank You, thank You for the cross and the living hope it gives. Amen.
Monday, January 5, 2009
Focus and Clear Vision
"Do not look at someone else and say - Well, if he can have those views and prosper, why cannot I? You have to walk in the light of the vision that has been given to you and not compare yourself with others or judge them, that is between them and God."
taken from My Utmost For His Highest, Oswald Chambers, December 29
Recently I was wrestling with God when this devotion hit me right between the eyes. I tend to wrestle because I have lost my focus. For example when I know He is requiring something of me yet I look at others that I think are not following suit (anybody see the problem with that view???).
How quickly God calls me up short in His mercy. Thankfully He loves His children with agape love; love that does what is best for them, not necessarily what they desire. That is why I read devotions like this right at the time when I need to hear them... because God is merciful and faithful.
And you know He is always on time... His Holy Spirit works on us, convicting us, reminding us God's Word, bringing people (or devotionals) across our path, whatever it takes to bring us to repentance.
Like a pair of glasses that get dirty over time, my heart gets dirty over time - gradual enough that I don't realize it's happening. God gets my attention, He encourages me to take a good look at my "glasses" and see all the dirty film that has built up. Once I clean them off through repentance, my clear vision comes back and I can see rightly again. He asks me, "What have I called YOU to do?" I answer, "Yes Lord," and we are back in focus again.
taken from My Utmost For His Highest, Oswald Chambers, December 29
Recently I was wrestling with God when this devotion hit me right between the eyes. I tend to wrestle because I have lost my focus. For example when I know He is requiring something of me yet I look at others that I think are not following suit (anybody see the problem with that view???).
How quickly God calls me up short in His mercy. Thankfully He loves His children with agape love; love that does what is best for them, not necessarily what they desire. That is why I read devotions like this right at the time when I need to hear them... because God is merciful and faithful.
And you know He is always on time... His Holy Spirit works on us, convicting us, reminding us God's Word, bringing people (or devotionals) across our path, whatever it takes to bring us to repentance.
Like a pair of glasses that get dirty over time, my heart gets dirty over time - gradual enough that I don't realize it's happening. God gets my attention, He encourages me to take a good look at my "glasses" and see all the dirty film that has built up. Once I clean them off through repentance, my clear vision comes back and I can see rightly again. He asks me, "What have I called YOU to do?" I answer, "Yes Lord," and we are back in focus again.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Checking in
Hi friends!
What a busy time it is for me made obvious by the fact that I haven't posted in 10 days! My goodness! Over here at our house volleyball season is in full swing - practice planning, practices, games, get togethers. So much fun!
One thing the Lord has been whispering into my soul is that I've gotten away from praying about things and am just thinking, analyzing and planning things. Life gets rolling then my mind gets rolling, and before I know it I'm taking things into my own hands. This is a common battleground for me when life is busy - which happens to be most of the time! So again I find myself repenting of my self-sufficiency and getting back to the foot of the cross.
Praise God His mercies are new every morning and His faithfulness is great. He is so patient with me, He gently corrects me and places me feet back on the right path. I'm so grateful for His tenderness toward me. So I stop and pray for the grace to make it through another day by His strength and not my own.
What a busy time it is for me made obvious by the fact that I haven't posted in 10 days! My goodness! Over here at our house volleyball season is in full swing - practice planning, practices, games, get togethers. So much fun!
One thing the Lord has been whispering into my soul is that I've gotten away from praying about things and am just thinking, analyzing and planning things. Life gets rolling then my mind gets rolling, and before I know it I'm taking things into my own hands. This is a common battleground for me when life is busy - which happens to be most of the time! So again I find myself repenting of my self-sufficiency and getting back to the foot of the cross.
Praise God His mercies are new every morning and His faithfulness is great. He is so patient with me, He gently corrects me and places me feet back on the right path. I'm so grateful for His tenderness toward me. So I stop and pray for the grace to make it through another day by His strength and not my own.
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