Posted on by sufficientgrace4u · 1 Comment

Sin is bad. Forgiveness is good.

Sometimes the Old Testament can feel fairly heavy and negative and a little bit scary.  But I like this one.

My child, if you have sinned, do so no more, and for your past sins pray to be forgiven.  Flee from sin as from a serpent that will bite you if you go near it; Its teeth, lion’s teeth, destroying human lives.  All lawlessness is like a two-edged sword; when it cuts, there is no healing.  Panic and pride wipe out wealth; so too the house of the proud is uprooted. Prayer from the lips of the poor is heard at once, and justice is quickly granted them. Whoever hates correction walks the sinner’s path, but whoever fears the Lord repents in his heart.

Sirach 21:1-6

“My child, if you have sinned, do so no more.”  What a great way to say it.  If you have (and of course who hasn’t)  just don’t do it again.  “And for your past sins pray to be forgiven.”  I feel the peace of being in a confessional.

And having spent the day dealing with the trouble created when someone cannot accept criticism and feedback, I appreciate the reminder that “whoever hates correction walks the sinner’s path.”  It is good to be humble and accept correction. We all can learn.  We all can do better.  And perhaps a little fear of the Lord is good, so we repent and accept the correction.  But I hope that I repent, not just out of fear but out of humbleness and our of love.

My God, I am sorry for my sins.  In choosing to do wrong and failing to do good, I have sinned against you, who I love above all things.  I firmly resolve, with your help and your grace to repent and to sin no more.

Posted on by sufficientgrace4u · 1 Comment

Joy and Peace (Again)

This is one of my favorite passages.  In fact, the Bible has opened here before, including most recently on March 25.  I thought about reopening to another page, since I have blogged on this passage before, but the words have once again drawn me in:

Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again: rejoice!  Your kindness should be known to all. The Lord is near. Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:4-7

“The peace of God that surpasses all understanding” — that’s what I want.  Just saying the word peace brings with it an exhale and I feel some stress drop out of my shoulders.  Peace.  Now think of that peace coming directly from God.  And try to wrap your head around the concept that God’s peace surpasses all understanding — we cannot even fathom the extent of the peace that God will share with us.  Peace — a full exhale and my arms drop as the tension leaves the back of my neck.  That is what I want.

And the great thing about this passage is that Paul wraps it up in a nice recipe or formula as to how to achieve it:

  1. Rejoice in the Lord always!  I have always taken this passage to mean that we should sing God’s praises, which seems easy enough.  God is indeed great and it is easy to sing His praises.  But as I read it more closely (and look up the definition of “rejoice”), I see that what it really says is “feel joy or great delight” in the Lord.  I like the idea of this  — step one is to feel joy or great delight in the Lord — but how do you make yourself feel that?  Hmmm.  Not so easy… or is it?  Stop.  And think. God is great.  God’s love for us is great and unconditional.  God can do anything and forgive anything and no matter what we have done, he calls us back to Him.  Feel joy and great delight in the Lord and Rejoice!  With hands in the air, head tilted back to the sky, Rejoice!
  2. Step two: Your kindness should be known to all.  Be kind to others.  Not always the easiest thing to do.  Reflect God’s love to others, share God’s love with others.  Be kind.  Do unto others…
  3. Make your requests known to God through prayer, petition and thanksgiving — and by doing so, let go of your anxiety, let go of your control or belief that you can control it — give it to God. On paper these steps seem so easy — but in reality they can seem quite hard.  It is easy enough to pray for something, or to ask God for something — but, that is not enough. God asks us to let go of it — and by doing so — have faith in Him that He will take care of it.

So to sum it up: Feel joy and great delight in God, share that joy with others and have faith in God to take care of everything else.   (Starting to feel a little stress about whether this is achievable — so I am going to go back to feeling joy and rejoicing in God  — and I will let God take care of the rest.)

(With hands up in the air and my head tilted back) I rejoice in you, O God.  I feel the joy that only you can provide.  Help me to share this joy with others.  Help me to release my stress and worries and anxieties to you.  Help me to let go.  Help me to trust and have faith.  Thank you God!

Posted on by sufficientgrace4u

Do not throw this freedom away!

This is a short one — but a good one.  It strikes me right to the core:

At a time when you did not know God, you became slaves to things that by nature are not gods; but now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and destitute elemental powers? Do you want to be slaves to them all over again?

Galatians 4:8-9

There are so many weak and destitute elemental powers out there.  Drugs, sex, alcohol, money, power, TV, electronics, smartphones, social media, candy crush, greed…  The list goes on and on.  For me it is food (and maybe a little bit of candy crush).  We become slaves to so many things.  Things that do not help us, do not serve us.  God gives us freedom.  He does not require us to be slaves.  (maybe it would be easier if we were slaves to Him!)  God gives us freedom, freedom to choose, freedom to live,  freedom to truly love.  What a glorious gift!  We just need to use it!

I don’t know about you, but I am really good at saying I am going to do better, but not so good at having the strength to follow through.  As I am typing this, a young girl on The Voice (Ok, so TV is another of the weaker powers that pulls on me) is singing Martina McBride’s song “Do it Anyway” — I have never paid attention to the lyrics before, but they provide me with further inspiration tonight:

“God is great but sometimes life ain’t good
And when I pray
It doesn’t always turn out like I think it should
But I do it anyway
I do it anyway.”

No matter how many times I try and fail, I am going to keep trying anyway.

God, I do not want to be slave to the weaker elemental powers any more!  They do not serve me.

Thank you, God, for the power to choose!  I choose you.  Help me be strong enough to turn away from all of the weak powers out there.  With your help I can be stronger.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted on by sufficientgrace4u · 2 Comments

Healing prayers

Today, I learned that a friend was in need of prayers and healing.  I felt helpless to offer any words of comfort.  My mind quickly turned to prayer and I asked God to provide her with healing and comfort, but outwardly I was unable to offer the encouragement and comfort that she needed.  I wanted to do so much more.

Tonight the Bible opened here:

At once [Jesus] spoke to them, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.”  Peter said to him in reply, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.”  He said, “Come.” Peter got out of the boat and began to walk on the water toward Jesus.  But when he saw how [strong] the wind was he became frightened; and, beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!”  Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”  After they got into the boat, the wind died down.  Those who were in the boat did him homage, saying, “Truly, you are the Son of God.”

After making the crossing, they came to land at Gennesaret. When the men of that place recognized him, they sent word to all the surrounding country. People brought to him all those who were sick and begged him that they might touch only the tassel on his cloak, and as many as touched it were healed.

Matthew 14: 27-36

I have faith that my friend will be healed.  I believe God has great plans for her.  I am certain of it.  Indeed it was her faith, and kindness and love that brought me back to the church and to God in a much more meaningful way.

Tonight I pray that she knows that Jesus is holding his hand out to her.  He is holding her and will get her through the temporary struggles that she is facing.

Dear Lord,

Please help all those who are struggling with health issues.  Give them the faith and courage to know that you are there, that they are safe, and that all of these struggles are temporary.

Thank you for sending my friend to me.  She has been such a reflection of you in my life, help me to be that to her.  Help her to know how loved she is.  Please heal her body and strengthen her spirit.

Posted on by sufficientgrace4u

Here I am

How do you know when God is speaking to you?  I think about this often.  Is it my thought and desire or is it God’s?

Today the Bible opened to Samuel:

The LORD called to Samuel, who answered, “Here I am.”  He ran to Eli and said, “Here I am. You called me.” “I did not call you,” Eli answered. “Go back to sleep.” So he went back to sleep.  Again the LORD called Samuel, who rose and went to Eli. “Here I am,” he said. “You called me.” But he answered, “I did not call you, my son. Go back to sleep.”

Samuel did not yet recognize the LORD, since the word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him.  The LORD called Samuel again, for the third time. Getting up and going to Eli, he said, “Here I am. You called me.” Then Eli understood that the LORD was calling the youth.  So he said to Samuel, “Go to sleep, and if you are called, reply, ‘Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.’” When Samuel went to sleep in his place, the LORD came and stood there, calling out as before: Samuel, Samuel! Samuel answered, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”

1 Samuel 3:4-10

Samuel was sleeping when God first called him.  In other words, he was quiet.  He was still.  In today’s world, I find it hard to hear God — there is so much other noise and distraction.  Finding time to be quiet and to listen is a challenge.  I am sure God is speaking and we are missing it.

Here I am, Lord!

Your servant is listening.  Help me to take time to be quiet, to be still.  Help me to listen.   I want to hear.  I want to follow.  I want to serve.

Posted on by sufficientgrace4u · 1 Comment

I live, no longer I

I have now read this several times and I don’t have any words, except I am not worthy:

We, who are Jews by nature and not sinners from among the Gentiles, [yet] who know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.  But if, in seeking to be justified in Christ, we ourselves are found to be sinners, is Christ then a minister of sin?  Of course not!  But if I am building up again those things that I tore down, then I show myself to be a transgressor.  For through the law I died to the law, that I might live for God. I have been crucified with Christ; yet I live, no longer I, but Christ lives in me; insofar as I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God who has loved me and given himself up for me.  I do not nullify the grace of God; for if justification comes through the law, then Christ died for nothing.

Galatians 2:15-21

I think I get the part that we cannot make it to heaven by our own works (which always makes me feel better and takes some of the pressure off  — because I know I would fail alone).  If we could do it on our own, then Christ died for nothing.

But I am drawn to these words: “I have been crucified with Christ; yet I live, no longer I, but Christ lives in me; insofar as I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God who has loved me and given himself up for me.”   I feel the power in these words, although I do not fully comprehend them.

Thank you God for your grace, for your love, for giving yourself up for me.  Help me to give myself up for you, so that I live no longer as me, so I live no longer just in the flesh.  My life is only because of you.  I love you!

 

Posted on by sufficientgrace4u

Forgiveness first

Tonight the Bible opened to Matthew:

He entered a boat, made the crossing, and came into his own town. And there people brought to him a paralytic lying on a stretcher. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Courage, child, your sins are forgiven.”  At that, some of the scribes said to themselves, “This man is blaspheming.”  Jesus knew what they were thinking, and said, “Why do you harbor evil thoughts? Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he then said to the paralytic, “Rise, pick up your stretcher, and go home.”  He rose and went home. When the crowds saw this they were struck with awe and glorified God who had given such authority to human beings.

Matthew 9:1-8

Jesus offered forgiveness first.  When I first read this passage I wondered why Jesus didn’t heal first.  I had to read it a couple of times before I realized He did heal first.  He healed the paralytic’s soul first.  As always God knows best.

Lord,

You know all things and know what I need. Heal me, Lord. Forgive me.  Help me to forgive others.

Posted on by sufficientgrace4u · 1 Comment

Perseverance

Perseverence.  I love this word.  The last few days I have spent in multiple different hotel rooms.  None of them quite comfortable.  I have lost power, had plans changed repeatedly and quickly by the weather and have otherwise just been discombobulated. I am sitting in an airport now ready to travel to another city.  No hope of seeing my own bed or home until the end of the week.  I have struggled to get my computer connected to the various hotel wi fi’s, but I think I have finally figured out how to blog on my phone!(clearly I am technologically challenged!)

And this is where God led me today:

Consider it all joy, my brothers, when you encounter various trials for you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.  And let perseverance be perfect, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.  But if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly, and he will be given it.  But he should ask in faith, not doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed about by the wind.  For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord since he is a man of two minds, unstable in all his ways.

James 1:2-8

Just what I needed.

Lord,

I come to you in complete faith knowing that you will grant me what I need. I recognize that you know what I need better than I do. Provide me with the wisdom and Perseverence to lead the life you have planned for me.

Posted on by sufficientgrace4u · 1 Comment

Let it rain!

It is raining, again.  There is nothing better than sitting inside and quietly listening to the falling rain outside.  It can be a very peaceful sound.  Sure, sometimes it is accompanied by rushing winds and thunder claps, but tonight it is just rain.

Tonight the Bible opened to Hosea:

“Come, let us return to the LORD, For it is he who has torn, but he will heal us; he has struck down, but he will bind our wounds.

He will revive us after two days; on the third day he will raise us up, to live in his presence. Let us know, let us strive to know the LORD; as certain as the dawn is his coming.

He will come to us like the rain, like spring rain that waters the earth.”

Hosea 6:1-3

The rain sounds even better now!  I read a little further:

What can I do with you, Ephraim?  What can I do with you, Judah?  Your loyalty is like morning mist, like the dew that disappears early.  For this reason I struck them down through the prophets, I killed them by the words of my mouth; my judgment shines forth like the light.  For it is loyalty that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.

Hosea 6:4-6

Loyalty.  Knowledge of God.  That is what He asks.  And isn’t that what we ask of our friends?  Loyalty and to know us?

God,

I want to know you.  Rain down on me.  I want to be faithful to you.  Help me when I fall astray.  I never want you to stop calling me back.  I want to come to you with all my heart.

 

Posted on by sufficientgrace4u

Even If

One of my favorite songs right now is “Even If” from Mercy Me.

http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=mercy+me&view=detail&mid=A96B04EC03620A378E8EA96B04EC03620A378E8E&FORM=VIRE

Today’s Bible verse reminds me of the point in the song — even if God doesn’t take away the hurt and the pain, even if He doesn’t swoop in and fix whatever it is we think needs fixing, our faith, our hope is in God:

For though the fig tree does not blossom, and no fruit appears on the vine, though the yield of the olive fails and the terraces produce no nourishment, Though the flocks disappear from the fold and there is no herd in the stalls, Yet I will rejoice in the LORD and exult in my saving God.

GOD, my Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet swift as those of deer and enables me to tread upon the heights.

Habakkuk 3:17-19

Even if things don’t go my way, I will rejoice in the Lord!  He is my savior.  He will save me when I need saving and how I need saving.  He is not a genie to grant me my every wish — He is so much more. God saves us from the wishes that don’t help us (and may hurt us).  His plan is much greater than ours — I can only imagine how screwed up things would be if my wishes or plans were always carried out!   A genie may satisfy our want for instant gratification, but God satisfies our need for eternal gratification.  The Lord is my strength, I just need to allow Him to be.

God,

Your mercy and love is great! Your wisdom is beyond my comprehension. I rejoice in you!  I am grateful for the gifts that you provide.  Allow me to be part of your plan.