Knowing grace beyond my ability

Romans 4:1-8

What, then, are we to say about Abraham, our human ancestor? For if Abraham was justified by actions, he would have had something to boast about-though not before God. For what does the Scripture say? "Abra ham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness." Now to someone who works, wages are not considered a gift but an obligation. However, to someone who does not work, but simply believes in the one who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness.

Likewise, David also speaks of the blessedness of the person whom God regards as righteous apart from actions:

"How blessed are those whose iniquities are forgiven
and whose sins are covered!
How blessed is the person whose sins
the Lord will never charge against him!"

I'm so interested in this idea of grace. What the Law showed was impossible through your own ability and action, God does in His goodness without any requirements other than, "Follow Me".
I think sometimes that we in our struggle to explain grace add a measure of Law to someone that has come to Jesus. In an attempt to disciple people, we Set up regulations and requirements to follow to see positive external results and then wonder why we don't see internal results. This scripture talks of a man who internally believed and therefore given credit in the form of righteousness. Did we see this man live a perfect life? No.... But we see a man internally following God on credit. In moments of failure, God reached into the bank account of credit (grace) and covered him.
Do we try so hard to see external fruit and neglect the internal and eternal fruit of the spirit? Grace makes way for the inner Kingdom to show in our external life and kingdom. Not reverse.
Don't get me wrong. God has called us to a pure life, but we must check the way we approach His kingdom and how HE approaches our salvation moment by moment.......

2 Corinthians 3:18
But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord the Spirit.



- Posted in the moment

Location:Lunch

When Liberty can get in the way of love

1 Corinthians 6:12-14

Everything is permissible for me, but not everything is helpful. Everything is permissible for me, but I will not allow anything to control me. Food is for the stomach, and the stomach is for food, but God will make them both unnecessary. The body is not meant for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. God raised the Lord, and by his power he will also raise us.

I think sometimes I misuse the freedom I gain in Jesus. We no longer have condemnation in Christ because in Him we now live by grace, completely undeserved in our own ability. That means to me that in Him, we no longer have final judgement of Hell over us. We can be convicted (shown to be lacking by our own actions), but Christ is faithful to take it and show us the way back to Him. Thankfully, He took the condemnation for our sin and was found perfect.

In this great concept, I sometimes do things that are permissible and no longer under the curse, but in the moment God asks me to lay it down for His reasons, do I fully? Not always. Do I question Him or have my own reasons to explain? Yeah sometimes. I know these things are permissible, but do I take the liberty to decide what is helpful instead of God making that decision. Probably more than I should. I think only God, in His eternal understanding of this life and the next, can make that judgement.

I thank God for His grace and that as a child I'm bound to make mistakes in my speech and actions, but I pray God gives me the wisdom to ask Him the right questions and when I'm not to ask, but just obey. I pray that nothing else, but Him would be in control.

- Posted in the moment

Location:A momentary break from the race

Joy in His presence

I'm still on this idea of joy in worshiping God.......

I have began to see this connection between cultivating a heart that desires God's presence. Not in a showboat, lights camera action way, but in a true want to be surrounded by His character and love. The previous scripture I posted from Psalms 33 says twice to do this with Joy and where does joy come from?

Psalms 43:4

Then I will approach the altar of God,
even to God in whom my joy finds its source.
Then I will praise you with the lyre,
God, my God.....

Psalms 16:11

You cause me to know the path of life;
in your presence is joy in abundance,
at your right hand there are pleasures forever.

If I am to be able to hear His new song, I must long for His presence where I will find the joy that makes my soul sing a new song. I must cultivate and seek His word, both logos and rhema. I want to hear His voice and become an instrument for Him vibrating at His frequency and in harmony with the angelic song. Still so much to understand when it comes to Joy and being in His presence.

- Posted in the moment

Location:At work......

Joy and skill

Sing for joy in the LORD, O you righteous ones;
Praise is becoming to the upright.
Give thanks to the LORD with the lyre;
Sing praises to Him with a harp of ten strings.
Sing to Him a new song;
Play skillfully with a shout of joy.

Worship is so much more than just making great music. If that was true coldplay would be worship music. We are called to be skilled but also to do it with joy. I wonder sometimes if I cultivate the joy of the lord in my life before I step up on the riser to be a part of worship? I think I will have to become more intentional about this! If I don't, how will I receive His new song?


- Posted in the moment

Location:Claremont Pl NE,Grand Rapids,United States