Being spiritually transformed comes by the power of the Holy Spirit. Yet, I know that we are involved in that process. It is only by God's grace that we are able to work out our salvation. I want to live by Grace, not by my performance. I don't want to live believeing that God's blessings are a condition of my spiritual behavior. An example would be like when I have a good spiritually uplifting day. Can I forfeit God's blessings when I have a bad day? No I can't because I know that I don't earn God's favor due to my performance. Wether I have a good or bad day does not limit or add to God's blessings on my life or the life of others. I am never good enough on my own performance or worthy enough to deserve His blessings, I just know that His Grace is available and enough on both my good and bad days. That is what Christ did for us when He died on the cross for our sins. This is what is amazing too....that we sin all the time....even in our good days. I sin in my thoughts, in my words, in my actions and in my performance. I wonder sometimes if I have fully grasped that Christ has already borne the curses for our disobedience and earned for us the blessing of obedience. We are saved by grace and we are to live by his grace alone. It is only by trusting Christ alone as our hope secured that we receive His blessings of grace.
Dear Heavenly Father-
Have mercy on me a sinner
I kneel at the foot of the cross
where you died for me
This is the place where I feel your burning light
Where your love shines the brightest
It is there that I confess my sins to you
& the grace you provide for me when
I fall day after day
May your glorious love for me compel me
to live an obedient & holy life
For where you are, grace abounds .
May I continue to learn and grasp day by day
your saving grace knowing that I am undeserving of it.
In Jesus's name
Amen
Saturday, October 27, 2007
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Busy LIVING!
Just checking in to let you know I haven't forgotten about this blog. I've been really busy with alot of change since writing last time. This month is almost over. The time sure flies by!
I've spent time with my family early in the month. I found a way for all my brothers and sisters to get together at least one time a year! I've got 4 brothers and 6 sisters!~ Coming from a large family, it's hard to get everyone at the same place at the same time....! What I created I have called "4 Times a Year" and it has been successful. In January 2007, I got the calender out and picked out 4 dates in each season & posted them on our family website. Of course the one in winter is Christmas...! Everyone makes that one! I asked for someone to volunteer to take a date and have it at their home. We meet together over lunch or dinner and spend the rest of the time just visiting and catching up on each other's lives. If you can make 1 of the dates that is good. But, if you can make more than one, that is excellent! This time was such a blessing. It was over my Dad's new home. I really like the effort & priority everyone is making to be together.
Just prior to this, the Lord impressed upon my heart a strong desire to take captive His voice and by His grace, He has given me his strength & the discipline needed to resist putting anything in my mouth He didn't want me to. I know I couldn't do it without Him pursueing me. It's been a spiritual fast, receiving spiritual food instead of cluttering His temple with what is not good or of any nourishing value.
I went to my Pathways refresher last week and it was such a blessing to be in the room again. The one thing that I was struck with is the honesty & love in the room. The main reason I see that it works is because of how God has designed his creation to need one another and how being in a room full of people sharing at a heart level in this safe place.... is a need in itself... that God has put into each person He created. Nothing monumental has to happen after they leave those doors because it took place within those doors. They experience what love is and they figure out over time how to get it and how to receive it. I pray for each one that they as well know that God is pursuing them and they hear his voice calling them. If your a believer in Jesus Christ, you know that our life is to be given away. May each one experience that kind of love and for those who have found it & received it, May they love the Lord with all their hearts, with all their souls, with all their minds, and all their strength.
I've got 3 more classes in Bibliology & Hermaneutics left. Every christian should take this course. I am definately going to take all 6 courses.
Pastor George's leadership class has been well worth it too. These two classes have been instrumental in my life. They make beautiful music together!
On the home front, my husband is getting underway with jobs interviews and my daughter has moved back home with us for support & to have her baby here. She's become a wonderful chef! She's cooking fabulous meals for us! Our son is progressing well this college semester and likes his new part time job. He's wearing his hair long. I'm getting use to that. He's mostly had the extreme (some times bald) hair styles. My business and the one at the spa are a blessing as well. The Lord has given me plenty of opportunity to shed his love with others. I just get tears in my eyes when I think of how much the Lord has done for us by giving His all. I so want to please Him and I know I already do. I know there's not anything I can do for Him to love me more.....that's not it...It's just what He puts inside of us....HIMSELF! That sure is humbling. I know I am nothing apart from Him.
It's time for sleep!
I've spent time with my family early in the month. I found a way for all my brothers and sisters to get together at least one time a year! I've got 4 brothers and 6 sisters!~ Coming from a large family, it's hard to get everyone at the same place at the same time....! What I created I have called "4 Times a Year" and it has been successful. In January 2007, I got the calender out and picked out 4 dates in each season & posted them on our family website. Of course the one in winter is Christmas...! Everyone makes that one! I asked for someone to volunteer to take a date and have it at their home. We meet together over lunch or dinner and spend the rest of the time just visiting and catching up on each other's lives. If you can make 1 of the dates that is good. But, if you can make more than one, that is excellent! This time was such a blessing. It was over my Dad's new home. I really like the effort & priority everyone is making to be together.
Just prior to this, the Lord impressed upon my heart a strong desire to take captive His voice and by His grace, He has given me his strength & the discipline needed to resist putting anything in my mouth He didn't want me to. I know I couldn't do it without Him pursueing me. It's been a spiritual fast, receiving spiritual food instead of cluttering His temple with what is not good or of any nourishing value.
I went to my Pathways refresher last week and it was such a blessing to be in the room again. The one thing that I was struck with is the honesty & love in the room. The main reason I see that it works is because of how God has designed his creation to need one another and how being in a room full of people sharing at a heart level in this safe place.... is a need in itself... that God has put into each person He created. Nothing monumental has to happen after they leave those doors because it took place within those doors. They experience what love is and they figure out over time how to get it and how to receive it. I pray for each one that they as well know that God is pursuing them and they hear his voice calling them. If your a believer in Jesus Christ, you know that our life is to be given away. May each one experience that kind of love and for those who have found it & received it, May they love the Lord with all their hearts, with all their souls, with all their minds, and all their strength.
I've got 3 more classes in Bibliology & Hermaneutics left. Every christian should take this course. I am definately going to take all 6 courses.
Pastor George's leadership class has been well worth it too. These two classes have been instrumental in my life. They make beautiful music together!
On the home front, my husband is getting underway with jobs interviews and my daughter has moved back home with us for support & to have her baby here. She's become a wonderful chef! She's cooking fabulous meals for us! Our son is progressing well this college semester and likes his new part time job. He's wearing his hair long. I'm getting use to that. He's mostly had the extreme (some times bald) hair styles. My business and the one at the spa are a blessing as well. The Lord has given me plenty of opportunity to shed his love with others. I just get tears in my eyes when I think of how much the Lord has done for us by giving His all. I so want to please Him and I know I already do. I know there's not anything I can do for Him to love me more.....that's not it...It's just what He puts inside of us....HIMSELF! That sure is humbling. I know I am nothing apart from Him.
It's time for sleep!
Thursday, October 4, 2007
BELIEVING GOD
This is my devotional from this morning & I wanted to share it with you. It has stuck with me and I hope it does for you too
Nancy Leigh DeMoss:
"We have no right to be believed so long as we can be explained." Pastor Adrian Rogers said that at a conference years ago, and it's stuck with me. "We have no right to be believed so long as we can be explained."
A lot of what takes place in the Christian world today can be easily explained in human terms. We rely on natural human efforts and energy, human abilities and plans.
But have you ever wondered what would happen if God's people began to operate in the realm of the supernatural? What if we believed Him for the impossible: for broken marriages to be healed? For salvation for unbelieving friends? For transformation of wayward children? For a fresh outpouring of God's Spirit in genuine revival?
When the world begins to see the reality of God's power in our lives, when we can no longer be explained, we'll have earned the right to be believed.
With Seeking Him, I'm Nancy Leigh DeMoss
Nancy Leigh DeMoss:
"We have no right to be believed so long as we can be explained." Pastor Adrian Rogers said that at a conference years ago, and it's stuck with me. "We have no right to be believed so long as we can be explained."
A lot of what takes place in the Christian world today can be easily explained in human terms. We rely on natural human efforts and energy, human abilities and plans.
But have you ever wondered what would happen if God's people began to operate in the realm of the supernatural? What if we believed Him for the impossible: for broken marriages to be healed? For salvation for unbelieving friends? For transformation of wayward children? For a fresh outpouring of God's Spirit in genuine revival?
When the world begins to see the reality of God's power in our lives, when we can no longer be explained, we'll have earned the right to be believed.
With Seeking Him, I'm Nancy Leigh DeMoss
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
SHARE IN OUR JOURNEY
- Kel's Blog
- We are missionaries with The Brook Ministries in Costa Rica. We are here to help strengthen the church body of Jesus Christ & to fulfill His Great commission to the lost. At our conferences, my husband directs the recreational activities & excursions. I provide physical renewal with massage for the female attendees. We believe that regularly scheduled renewal of the body, mind, & spirit for ministry leaders in particular, will empower them to serve the Lord with renewed strength & perseverance to do what God has uniquely called them to do....SERVE & BUILD HIS CHURCH to the outermost parts of the world!