For the past couple of weeks thoughts on the grace of God has been swirling around in my head. In part because of a class taught at bible school and after that more and more as I read Romans Chapters 5-8 and the book of Galatians over and over for two weeks.
So often I have heard that grace is getting what we didn't deserve which is absolutely true, and also there's the acronym God's Riches At Christ's Expense which is also true but I am coming to realize that grace is so much more.
Actually, grace is everything to us.
Ephesians 2: 4 & 5 tells us "But because of His great love for us, God who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions - it is by grace you have been saved."
also
verses 8 & 9 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast.
We have been saved by grace, not just by faith, but grace through faith.
Interestingly Colossians 2:1 says, "So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
How did we receive Christ Jesus? By grace through faith. How should we continue to live? By grace through faith. Therefore we don't just need grace for special occasions, we need grace just to live. If all we rely on is faith, we are so losing out. We must acknowledge the grace of God. We need grace to sustain our homes, grace on our jobs, grace in maintaining relationships.....we need the grace of God always.
Grace is not a theological concept or idea to a believer, grace is an experienced reality. Grace is our life, its is what flows from God. Grace is Jesus personified. Grace is the life Jesus lived and the gift He gave us when He went to calvary.
Remember what Paul said to the church at Galatia? "Are you so foolish having begun in the Spirit are you now made perfect by the flesh?" 3:3 Why do we start off with the grace of God but then try to live by our works? The work was done by Jesus, we are to receive it and walk in it. Nothing we could ever do could save us or change us. It has to be the grace of God.
We can't read our bibles enough.
We can't pray enough.
We can't give enough tithes and offerings.
We can't go church often enough.
It's not our works, it's the grace of God. Would we dare to acknowledge the need to rest on His grace and grace alone? The revelation of God's grace delivers us from a performance mentality to total trust and reliance upon His goodness and His grace. The amazing grace of God is what sets christianity apart from every other religion in the world.
Our salvation as we said above came by grace through faith, but it's not just a ticket to heaven, it's a package deal for the time we have here on earth. Our salvation is not just forgiveness of sins, that package includes; deliverance, healing, prosperity and whatever else we need. The grace of God is the power of God for all those things.
Grace is the gift of God.
We should receive it.
Why do we struggle day after day to receive from God what He has already placed before us? Why do we work so hard to earn acceptance from God when His grace covers it all? We work hard at studying the word, fasting, praying and still wonder why we have not received our breakthrough or why not our healing. But if we look at it closely, it's the same thing Paul wrote about: doing, doing, doing, to get God's attention. Our deliverance is not based on what we do, but on what Jesus did.
Man is no longer under the law. The law was truth but it could not bring about change. As the word said, if we offended in one point of the law we offended in all. Basically the law came so that we might see how much we really needed God, but it did not give us the ability to transform. Jesus did. He came to give us grace.
John 1:17 For the law(truth)was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
Jesus is the source of God's ability.
Our ability continues to cause us to fall flat on our faces. The word encourages us to trust God and let go of all that we hold on to.
If while we were enemies of the cross, Jesus died for us, now that we are saved why wouldn't He continue to extend His grace towards us? How is it that we were able to trust God's grace 100% for our salvation but not 100% for our healing or for our prosperity? Remember Paul said, continue the way we started out....by grace through faith.
Again, it is the gift of God and not of ourselves. It's not our works.
In our own strength we might do a bit, but would it last?
In our own strength we probably may get a book deal, but without His grace, will it really be right for us?
In our own strength we may drop some bad habits, but will there be total transformation without the grace of God?
In our own strength we could ace that interview and even get the job, but without the grace of God will it satisfy?
Let's receive the grace of God that came in the person of Jesus. Not just a nice saying, not just an acronym or a grand concept, but let's receive the reality of grace in our lives.
God doesn't move in proportion to our performance. He moves when we apply what Jesus did on the cross.
I know this is a lot to take in, but I so hope that you like me, will start to take steps away from what you are doing and completely rely on what Jesus did.
He did a finished work, for whatever you or I need.
It's a gift, let's accept it.
Blessings,
Vickie
Monday, January 25, 2010
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Word-Filled-Wednesday-Jan 13th 2010
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38 & 39
Oh hallelujah!!! I don't know about you but my mind is swirling, my heart is leaping for joy, I feel like I am on cloud 10 if there is such. I have read this word so many so many times, but this morning - maybe because I felt like getting out some dark candle and having a pity party on my own - as I read some chapters from Romans, O how the Love of God grabbed a hold of my heart and would not let me go.
These verses affirm the presence of the love of God in such a way its absolutely amazing. It does not matter what we are going through, it does not matter what we face, if we are in Christ Jesus we are loved, we are loved, we are loved. There's nothing that we can do or can be done to us that can separate us from the Love of God in Christ Jesus.
No sickness, no death, no angels, no demonic powers, no recession, no financial worries, no marital problems, no broken friendships, no terrorist attacks, no broken government systems, no unemployment, no depression, no weight issues, no broken dreams, NOTHING, NOTHING, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING, can separate us from the love of God. Whatever we can think of or anything else in all creation can come between us and our God.
Let's relish in that fact today, and realize that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us, because we are in the Love of Christ.
Friends we are loved!!!!!
Thank you Jesus!!!
For more Wonderful-Word-Filled-Wednesday posts go over to the hostess Lori @www.allyouhavetogive.com
Blessings,
Vickie
Oh hallelujah!!! I don't know about you but my mind is swirling, my heart is leaping for joy, I feel like I am on cloud 10 if there is such. I have read this word so many so many times, but this morning - maybe because I felt like getting out some dark candle and having a pity party on my own - as I read some chapters from Romans, O how the Love of God grabbed a hold of my heart and would not let me go.
These verses affirm the presence of the love of God in such a way its absolutely amazing. It does not matter what we are going through, it does not matter what we face, if we are in Christ Jesus we are loved, we are loved, we are loved. There's nothing that we can do or can be done to us that can separate us from the Love of God in Christ Jesus.
No sickness, no death, no angels, no demonic powers, no recession, no financial worries, no marital problems, no broken friendships, no terrorist attacks, no broken government systems, no unemployment, no depression, no weight issues, no broken dreams, NOTHING, NOTHING, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING, can separate us from the love of God. Whatever we can think of or anything else in all creation can come between us and our God.
Let's relish in that fact today, and realize that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us, because we are in the Love of Christ.
Friends we are loved!!!!!
Thank you Jesus!!!
For more Wonderful-Word-Filled-Wednesday posts go over to the hostess Lori @www.allyouhavetogive.com
Blessings,
Vickie
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Fully Committed
With the start of a new year and everyone or almost everyone doing it, it almost feels out of place if in real world you don't make a new resolution or in blog world you don't have a theme or verse for your blog. However, even as I felt the leading of the Holy Spirit to have some verses for a theme this year, I am also being compelled to really look at what I have chosen.
The verses that I used in my previous post have been beckoning me ever since I read and posted them. I have been reading them over and over and over again and I found out why. God is calling me to carefully observe His decrees and laws with all my heart and with all my soul.
As I meditate on these verses I see that it will not be enough to just have these nice sounding verses on my blog nor will it be enough to memorize them. In order for God to set me in praise, fame and honor, I have to fully commit to keeping His laws.
I have had awesome times in the last year reading, studying and meditating on the word. I have had days on end when I would wake up very early to have time with the Lord and didn't even want to stop to get ready for work. All day long I would be swamped with the word, either reading or listening to it.
I just couldn't get enough. All my conversations would be about what I felt the Lord was saying as I read, listened or meditated on the word. I bought so many journals and couldn't stop writing all that was bubbling up in my spirit.
But......I have also had many times when I would wake up with just enough time to get ready and off to work. No time for devotions. Too busy sometimes to get in any praise during the day and sometimes, many times, just didn't feel like it. Then there came those many nights when I just felt like watching television even though I knew He was there waiting for some quiet time with me.
I was not fully committed. I wasn't carefully observing His laws and decrees with all my heart and all my soul. Some of my heart was in it sometimes and some of my soul was in it sometimes. I didn't put aside my feelings.
Often I ignored the cry of my heart.
Over and over again His word calls for us to be fully committed and to carefully obey His laws.
1 Kings 8:61 "And may your hearts be fully committed to the Lord our God, to live by His decrees and obey His commands, as at this time."
2 Chron. 16:9 "For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him."
Psalm 119:4 "You have laid down precepts that are to to be fully obeyed."
1 Cor. 15:58 Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain."
Exodus 23:13 "Be careful to do everything I have said to you."
Deut 6:3 "Hear Israel, and be careful to obey so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, promised you."
Joshua 23:6 "Be very strong; be careful to obey all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, without turning aside to the right or to the left."
Joshua 23:11 "So be very careful to love the Lord your God."
The good success that I want will elude me if I don't fully commit to the Lord. The peace that I so crave will slip away if I am not careful to do everything He commands me to.
God seeks my whole committed heart not my sometimes on fire heart.
He patiently waits for me to come into His presence and stay there for a while, not rush in and out with five minutes of hot praise.
He so longs for me to seek His face and not His hand.
To carefully follow and love the Lord, I have learned that I must be deliberate and intentional. My feelings must take a back seat to His commands. My plans must be set aside for His purposes.
I desire to commit more to writing what I know He has called me to write, and I desire to minister to young women in the way He impressed on my heart. I absolutely know He has called me to teach His word and that's why I am in bible school right now. I desire to build this ministry "Seek First Kingdom Ministry" that He birthed in my heart when I wasn't even thinking about it. I desire to do great things for God, but I am putting all that aside first and foremost to desire what He most desires and that's for me to love Him with all my heart, with all my soul and with all my mind.
Everything else will follow.
This is a new year friend, what is it that you desire?
Lord, you see my heart. You've searched me and you know me. Help me to follow through on my commitment to you. Thank you for your unconditional love and Your ever present help. I need you Lord. I need You to help me need You even more. Help me to translate my love for you into obedience no matter what I face. Thank you Holy Spirit for stirring my heart and for not giving up on me even though my heart has looked away from you many times. Thank You Jesus, thank You Jesus, thank You Jesus.
I love you Lord
Vickie
P.S Just wanted to add a praise note to say God provided a new computer over the weekend. I can't thank Him enough for His faithfulness and for all that I have learnt over the last 10 months as I waited on Him.
The verses that I used in my previous post have been beckoning me ever since I read and posted them. I have been reading them over and over and over again and I found out why. God is calling me to carefully observe His decrees and laws with all my heart and with all my soul.
As I meditate on these verses I see that it will not be enough to just have these nice sounding verses on my blog nor will it be enough to memorize them. In order for God to set me in praise, fame and honor, I have to fully commit to keeping His laws.
I have had awesome times in the last year reading, studying and meditating on the word. I have had days on end when I would wake up very early to have time with the Lord and didn't even want to stop to get ready for work. All day long I would be swamped with the word, either reading or listening to it.
I just couldn't get enough. All my conversations would be about what I felt the Lord was saying as I read, listened or meditated on the word. I bought so many journals and couldn't stop writing all that was bubbling up in my spirit.
But......I have also had many times when I would wake up with just enough time to get ready and off to work. No time for devotions. Too busy sometimes to get in any praise during the day and sometimes, many times, just didn't feel like it. Then there came those many nights when I just felt like watching television even though I knew He was there waiting for some quiet time with me.
I was not fully committed. I wasn't carefully observing His laws and decrees with all my heart and all my soul. Some of my heart was in it sometimes and some of my soul was in it sometimes. I didn't put aside my feelings.
Often I ignored the cry of my heart.
Over and over again His word calls for us to be fully committed and to carefully obey His laws.
1 Kings 8:61 "And may your hearts be fully committed to the Lord our God, to live by His decrees and obey His commands, as at this time."
2 Chron. 16:9 "For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him."
Psalm 119:4 "You have laid down precepts that are to to be fully obeyed."
1 Cor. 15:58 Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain."
Exodus 23:13 "Be careful to do everything I have said to you."
Deut 6:3 "Hear Israel, and be careful to obey so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, promised you."
Joshua 23:6 "Be very strong; be careful to obey all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, without turning aside to the right or to the left."
Joshua 23:11 "So be very careful to love the Lord your God."
The good success that I want will elude me if I don't fully commit to the Lord. The peace that I so crave will slip away if I am not careful to do everything He commands me to.
God seeks my whole committed heart not my sometimes on fire heart.
He patiently waits for me to come into His presence and stay there for a while, not rush in and out with five minutes of hot praise.
He so longs for me to seek His face and not His hand.
To carefully follow and love the Lord, I have learned that I must be deliberate and intentional. My feelings must take a back seat to His commands. My plans must be set aside for His purposes.
I desire to commit more to writing what I know He has called me to write, and I desire to minister to young women in the way He impressed on my heart. I absolutely know He has called me to teach His word and that's why I am in bible school right now. I desire to build this ministry "Seek First Kingdom Ministry" that He birthed in my heart when I wasn't even thinking about it. I desire to do great things for God, but I am putting all that aside first and foremost to desire what He most desires and that's for me to love Him with all my heart, with all my soul and with all my mind.
Everything else will follow.
This is a new year friend, what is it that you desire?
Lord, you see my heart. You've searched me and you know me. Help me to follow through on my commitment to you. Thank you for your unconditional love and Your ever present help. I need you Lord. I need You to help me need You even more. Help me to translate my love for you into obedience no matter what I face. Thank you Holy Spirit for stirring my heart and for not giving up on me even though my heart has looked away from you many times. Thank You Jesus, thank You Jesus, thank You Jesus.
I love you Lord
Vickie
P.S Just wanted to add a praise note to say God provided a new computer over the weekend. I can't thank Him enough for His faithfulness and for all that I have learnt over the last 10 months as I waited on Him.
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Following the Lord's command for 2010
The Lord your God commands you this day to follow these decrees and laws; carefully observe them with all your heart and with all your soul. You have declared this day that the Lord is your God and that you will walk in obedience to Him, that you will keep His decrees, commands and laws - that you will listen to Him. And the Lord has declared this day that you are His people, His treasured possession as He promised, and that you are to keep all His commands. He has declared that He will set you in praise, fame and honor high above all the nations He has made and that you will be a people holy to the Lord your God, as He promised. Deuteronomy 26:16-19
We have just started a new year and I am so grateful. Not necessarily grateful to see 2009 go-even though it had its share of heartaches-as much as I am grateful that I am still in the hands of the Lord.
I could stay here all day and night and talk about the faithfulness of God. He has shown Himself to me in so many ways. Every time I open His word He has revealed a bit more of His amazing self. Even though I am appreciative of all He has done in providing for myself, family and friends who share about His goodness, I am most humbled at learning more about Him.
I love that He is a provider and a protector among other things, but I so love knowing God for who He is and that has been my path of 2009. With that I continue to look forward to learning more of Him and His ways.
As I spent time in His word the last day seeking His face and direction for 2010 the above portion of scripture was so impressed on my heart by the Holy Spirit that I commit to using it as a theme for my life for 2010 and beyond.
I truly commit to following God's commands, knowing that as I do He will keep His promises to me. He has declared that He will set me in praise, fame and honor.
Lord, I humble myself under Your Mighty Hand this day, knowing that in due time you will exalt. Holy Spirit, thank You for your help as I seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteous. In Jesus name.
blessings,
Vickie
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)