Life of Grace

You think you're happy until one day you smile so much, your cheeks hurt. You think you rule your world until the day your world turns upside-down. You think you're faith is everything until Jesus reminds you He is everything. 

The presence of God sends chills through the tiny hairs on your arms and you learn it's the presence of your Spirit rejoicing from the inside out. You think you can do it, until God shows you how He's gonna do it. You think you have enough money, until the unexpected happens. You think you will live a full, long life until that tumor appears. 

We sure do a lot of thinking. 

The world is full of assumptions but one thing we do not have to make assumptions about is our Lord Jesus. According to the Scriptures, Christ Jesus is the Cornerstone, our strong Foundation. The Lord is our Redeemer, King, Father, Refuge, Friend, Shield, Answer, Protector and Sweetest Love. He is faithful, just, righteous, steadfast, enduring, long-suffering, gracious, merciful and mighty. In the simplest of human languages and definitions, these are the characteristics and promises of Our Savior which hardly do justice to defining an infinite God. He's so much more than we can think or imagine. 

All knowing, all seeing, all able, ever present is He. It is written, He is LORD over all. All our worry. All our fear. All our plans. All our blessings. All our bodies. All the principalities. All. He is All.

"However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived” — the things God has prepared for those who love him— these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. 

For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. 

This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words. 

The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit." 1 Corinthians 2: 9-14 NIV

Ecclesiastes reminds us there will be times for everything in this life. As countless as the stars in the sky are the numerous variables on this side of Heaven for you to be able to figure things out and have an unshakable, fortified plan outside of living by faith, for grace, by hope, with trust and in love.. In the economy of God A + B does not always = C. But rest assured Jesus + God + Holy Spirit = Life. E v e r y  s i n g l e  time.

Whatever you are facing today, seek the Lord. With Him you will have life. With Him you will have peace and joy even through tears and questions of sufferings. He is our Healer and Counselor for all the hurts. Life is not fair or predictable. But God is. We are weak, but He is strong. Don't forget, there is an enemy working against you, to keep you from experiencing a gracious and joy-filled life. 

So, how do we live by faith and feel purposeful and ready for whatever comes our way? By spending time leaning into God, learning who He is through daily Bible reading, fellowship through Bible studies, in songs of worship, and by the testimonies of others of like-minded faith. Arming yourself with His armor and not just your plans. Knowing who God is, the One you are placing all your hopes and fears in, the greatest Love of your soul, waits ready to meet with you and reveal His love to you every day. You will find Him if you seek Him. He isn't seeking your lip service and He isn't fooled by our masks.

He is am amazing God who saves sinners by grace, who extended the Peace offering, with grace. Your sins and my sins have earned us an eternity in the lake of fire and gnashing of teeth, but by the Grace Giver our Lord, He sent His Son to pay the debt we owe and we are found in Him righteous. Wow. That's everything. We have redemption forever in Him. We have life ever lasting in Him. Today and always, we have comfort, peace, joy, purpose, in Him. He is the same yesterday, today and forever, amen! Will you choose today, to accept and live in this life of Grace?

"For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all." 

2 Corinthians 4:17 NIV

Prayer: Father God, Lord over All, we pray according to the Scriptures we may be found faithful in You..."Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything. 

We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians, and opened wide our hearts to you. We are not withholding our affection from you, but you are withholding yours from us. As a fair exchange—I speak as to my children—open wide your hearts also." 

2 Corinthians 6: 4-13 NIV May it be so, amen. Here is where we live, not in the black and white, rather Where Faith is. 

Worship in Song here: 

Saying YES!!!!

There comes a time when you just have to make a Declaration. A Commitment. Saying "Yes" is what takes wishing and hoping to being and doing. Saying "Yes" is what causes a Girlfriend to be a Wife. Saying "Yes" makes a lost person saved. Changing jobs, helping others, making any change, begins with a point of declaration to accept the change. A Commitment starts with a declaration. Commitments to walk the dog, take out the trash, run an errand, volunteering, can be seemingly small and yet, if they are not made, they are not done. Commitments can be huge life altering decisions- embracing a new career, changing relationships, family planning. At some point, you have said, "Yes."
I recently had someone ask me how I finally overcame my fear and anxiety. I wish I could have given a Hollywood scripted story of how I prayed that one prayer or attended a church service that changed me, or that I had a dream I was healed and I woke up to that reality. My counselor and my mentor told me it would be a process and boy were they right! It certainly was a process.
Day by day, I learned, studied, prayed, received counsel, processed, memorized, struggled within, hoped and wished upon The Word of God. I liken the process to loosing weight...you don't notice the first pound lost or the second. It's not until the third and fourth pounds that you notice the loose pants. Before you know it, one day you step on the scale and you have lost 6lbs. People around you begin to take notice and you can feel it. You knew it, but you didn't feel the 6lbs drop. And yet, there is a day of realization of a new truth! You have lost the weight! Awesome!!!
I do believe God can bring a sudden healing, be it emotional, physical or spiritual. I have experienced those as well. God is our Healer and our Rescue. But God's ways are not man's way. His way is not found in The Handbook of Quick Fixes, which is what we all wish for. So, my friend asked me, how did I know I had been healed, that my bondage to fear was gone. I knew I was stronger. I had less moments of panic and despair and more moments of hope. Truth, courage, clarity, comfort began to fill me, leaving less and less room for anxiousness, fear or worry, defeat or despair. With every prayer, every study, every scripture memorized, I fought for the next breath of peace. My only hope was the Prince of Peace, The Living Water and my daily Bread. All I could do was focus on the basics of being alive. Weeks and Months passed and as I dropped each "weight" I was healthier!There came a moment when I had to declare, "I am free!!" I knew God had lifted "one pound" at a time off of me and I was ready to commit to loosing the rest and keeping the "weight" off. It was time to celebrate victory!
April 4, 2009 was such a day for me! Everything that I had gone through and learned about myself and my God, was ready to be put into practice. It was time to stand firm! I felt free and knew how to be free, and I just needed to commit to being free! Now, that prayer of declaration was a defining moment of change. It is like the moment the Groom slips on the ring of his Bride's finger. That was it. They declared it official as they turned around facing their family and friends and sealed it all up with a kiss! From that moment on, they would walk and live as husband and wife. That sunny April day, which happened to be my Birthday, I made that commitment. I chose that day whom I would serve. I chose to trust The Lord my God for my protection, provision and my peace. Feasting on The Word every day, and He strengthened me. It began to consume and direct my heart, mind and soul! My spirit has been set free from that bondage of fear!! AMEN!!!
Now, in that moment, I did feel the weight lifted off my heart! It was such a freeing moment. I wonder if Peter had that same feeling when he stuck his toes in the water and found a foundation upon which he could stand! Hope and Anticipation filled my once hopeless and defeated body, mind and spirit. That was Day One of a life set free from the bondage of fear and anxiety! My counselor and mentors were right, it was a process and I needed to keeping moving forward, hoping, trusting and faithfully focused on Christ alone! Besides, our lives are not even about us. Yes we are a Light and Ambassador of Christ, but we are living for God, loving on behalf of God!! Our very being is about and because of God!!! I was not created for me....but God!
Sure, there have been moments of anxiousness and times when fear has come at me, but I am remaining faithful to the commitment I made back on that Beautiful April day, to place all my trust and hope and strength in The Lord God Almighty who rescues, remembers, provides and protects!

What process do YOU need to begin healing of? What do YOU need to declare today?! Is there something you need to choose to get victory over? What do you believe has more "weight" in you- fear or faith? Doubts or The Defender? Bondages or Beauty? What in YOUR life do you need to commit YES to overcoming in Jesus' Name?

God, YOU are my VICTORY!! Phil 4:13

God, I WILL serve You!! Joshua 24:15b

God, I will TRUST You!! Romans 8:31-39