Tag Archives: Grace

2012 Day 184 – 1 Corinthians 16

02 Monday Jul 2012

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There is not a lot to learn share from this chapter other than the fact that Paul truly loved the people he talks about. You can tell by the way he describes each of them that he truly cares for them. I hope I am the same way with the people I know and care about. There are times when I know I could be a better person and love others more. I am an imperfect being who realizes I need God more and more each day. There is not a single day that goes by where I do not need the strength He provides. It is the days I turn my eyes from Him where I fall flat on my face. Lord help me to remember how much I need You each day. Protect me and those around me from everything this world can do to harm us. Help us to be renewed each day so that we may serve You better. It is only through God’s strength and power we can be all He wants us to be.

2012 Day 177 – 1 Corinthians 9

25 Monday Jun 2012

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Too many times we try to make the world conform to our view of Christianity as believers who already have a relationship with God. It’s almost as though we require them to act as though they have already experienced God’s grace before they even know who He is. Verse 19 hit me right between the eyes this morning; Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. Paul goes on to talk about how he becomes whatever he needs to become in order to reach people with the gospel. Even though I know people must experience God for themselves, I still want them to be just like me or just like the people in my church. I need to be more like them so they can experience Christ where they are instead of where I think they should be. Only God knows where they need to be in relation to Him. My job is simply to make the introduction.

2012 Day 165 – 2 Thessalonians 1

13 Wednesday Jun 2012

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In today’s reading we see that Paul is writing a second letter of affirmation to the church in Thessalonica. They are facing persecution and Paul is encouraging them to persevere through faith. I really like the way Paul ends the chapter by telling them how much he is continually praying for them. In verses 11-12 it says, 11 With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith. 12 We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul’s prayer is not just about giving them strength to survive through their trials but that they may be called ‘worthy’ of God’s plan. Verse 12 is also powerful as Paul reminds the Thessalonians about what is important, which is for God to be glorified in them. God’s ultimate purpose is that we become like Christ. This is not something that fully happens until we see Him face to face, but it is a process that happens gradually as we build our relationships with Him and allow Him to be glorified in us.

2012 Day 155 – Psalm 126, 128

03 Sunday Jun 2012

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God has the ability to restore anything, whether it’s a burned down forest, broken bones, or even broken hearts and relationships. He loves all things He has created. Psalm 126:5-6 says it best, 5 Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy. 6 He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him. We may go out weeping for the pain we are in, but God never leaves us and always brings us healing. Even when my dad died of cancer a few years ago, God restored him to healing in eternity. I have to believe His promises to me. It is what keeps me moving forward.

2012 Day 144 – Galatians 3

23 Wednesday May 2012

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There is a lot of talk about the “law” in today’s reading and I always wonder how much of the law still applies to us. Don’t get me wrong, I know we are not justified by the law, but by faith. Just read verse 14 and we see that, He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit. However, we still love to throw out a bunch of rules governing our Christian lives. Again, don’t get me wrong, we should have changed lives because of God’s grace, but what is the purpose of the law now? Verse 24 does a pretty good job of revealing it to us, So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. The law is what draws the distinction between who we are and who God is. It is in place to draw us to God to show us how far we are from Him and how much we need His grace through Christ’s sacrifice to have a relationship with Him.

2012 Day 141 – Psalm 1, 132

20 Sunday May 2012

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It wasn’t until later in my life that I realized the importance of the company I keep. I always figured as long as I went to church and most of my friends were believers, it would be enough. What I’ve found as I’ve grown older is I need people who lift me up and, more importantly, are positive influences in my life and in the lives of others. Psalm 1:1 starts the Psalms with a powerful description; Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. This is one of those verses that cause me to weigh different influences in my life. For example, you may think this is funny, but I use Twitter on a daily basis (that’s not the funny part). One of the things that has caused me to stop following people on Twitter who I consider personal friends is negativity. While I know there is little to no weight in a tweet, I simply don’t enjoy listening to people, who are believers and who have experience God’s love and grace in their lives, choose to use a public forum to tear other people down(even public figures who do stupid things). It bothers me down to my soul and breaks my heart. I don’t make it a public spectacle and announce to the world that I’ve stopped following someone, but I consciously choose to not participate in their shenanigans and not sit in the seat of mockers.

2012 Day 139 – Acts 15

18 Friday May 2012

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Working our way into heaven does not work, but somehow we feel compelled to continue to put obstacles in front of people prior to allowing them into relationship with God. Paul ran into this very thing in this chapter and he questions the wisdom of attempting to allow it to continue. Verses 10 and 11 says, 10 Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of the disciples a yoke that neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear? 11 No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.” It is only through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved. We need to be careful to not confuse growing in Christ Jesus and striving toward perfection with making Jesus the perfecter of our lives.

2012 Day 112 – Acts 9

21 Saturday Apr 2012

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There were a couple of things that stood out to me in today’s reading. The first was in Saul’s conversion when The Lord speaks to Ananias and says, 15 But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel. 16 I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.” It is very clear that Jesus is fully responsible for Paul’s conversion, but what I found interesting is that even though Paul is completely turned around, he is still going to suffer according to these verses (we see this throughout the rest of Paul’s life) Let none of us ever think that a life of following Jesus is going to be like a bed of roses, in reality, it is more like a bed of rose bushes. There is certainly beauty in it and a sense of pure joy as we cultivate our walk with Him, but there is also suffering to be felt in order to attain it. The older I get, the more I realize that pain is a part of living a fulfilled life. The U.S. Marine Corps has an amazing saying, “Pain is just weakness leaving the body” For us it can be said, Suffering is just obedience entering our souls.

The second thing that stood out to me today was Peter’s raising Tabitha from the dead in verse 40, Peter sent them all out of the room; then he got down on his knees and prayed. Turning toward the dead woman, he said, “Tabitha, get up.” She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter she sat up. Yes, this is the same Peter who denied Jesus three times. God can use any of us for great things if we just allow Him to use us. No matter how bad We have made mistakes, Jesus’ mercy and grace is much more powerful than our sin. Jesus conquered sin once and for all and our past or present sins do not limit His ability to use us.

2012 Day 106 – Acts 3

15 Sunday Apr 2012

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It is sometimes easy to take God’s provision and act as if we had done it ourselves. When Peter and John took part in the healing of the crippled beggar, they were very clear as to where the power of healing had come from; verse 6, Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” Even after the fact, when they were in the temple, Peter and John made it clear that the power was not their own but from the “God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob”. They wanted to make sure everyone was clear who the glory belonged to. This is the perfect example of how we should be about everything we have and do. Without the power and blessings of God we can do nothing. It is by His grace and mercy that we are blessed.

2012 Day 105 – Act 2

14 Saturday Apr 2012

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So we finally reach Pentecost and who is there to explain it all? That’s right, Peter, the same guy who denied Jesus three times when Jesus was being persecuted, tried, and found punishable by crucifixion. God’s grace is amazing! Reading verses 40-41 40 With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” 41 Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. Even with all the baggage Peter carried God allowed him to deliver the word that brought 3,000 people to the saving knowledge of grace. No matter what you or I have done wrong in our lives, God has given us the ability to not only be saved, but also to be used to have great impact on His kingdom!