The Embrace of Grace

 I should probably have named this Blog,  ' The 2:30 am Blog '. 

It seems, this is the hour that the Holy Spirit is filling my heart with the content for these posts. Each one has been written in the wee hours of the morning, and I love it! I am so delighted to think on the treasures we have because of Grace.

 A beautiful, eternal relationship between my soul and Grace, was first initiated in my heart in 1974. My Pastor at the time, Pastor Carl Stevens was preaching about it. I didn't understand it so much but my thirsting soul drank it up.

For me, Grace was like the breath of the Holy Spirit. He lived in me and His breath of Grace filled my being. It is the same today as then. Grace is as personal as a kiss from my Lord and Savior. 

At times I am unaware of its  continual flow in my life.  Then a situation arises and before my heart even cries out, Grace is by my side. 

In Job 38:22, God questions Job. "Have you entered into the treasures of the snow?" "or have you seen the treasures of the hail ...?"

Job could not explain the phenomena of the snow and neither can we explain the wonderful phenomena of His grace. We can only know how very much we need it. Grace paves the road of our lives with capacity to receive all He wants to give  to us.

David said, in Psalm 31:8 "You have set my feet in a large place."
Grace is Huge! There is no trouble or event that can overshadow it.
It is a safe place, and Just before saying this, he said, "You have not given me over into the hand of the enemy."  David knew he was in God's own hand, and it was because of Grace.

Beloved, There will never be a shortage of His Loving Grace.
Just stretch out your arms and receive it's embrace.

The embrace of Grace!

THE MUSIC OF GRACE

The precious pastor-teacher God gave to me when I first was saved until the day he flew home to our Savior, was a gift to my life. 
God anointed and used him to teach my soul how to sing. And the melody of grace continues to resound in me.

Psalm 90: 14 Satisfy us early with thy loving-kindness; that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days. NIV


As believers we have the unique ability of allowing our lives to be a song of grace and mercy. How lovely that sounds. But make no mistake it is not a light or frail effect. 
Have you ever heard the saying that music soothes the savage beast? The Word of God tells us that David spoke to his own soul in Psalms and Hymns. 
In 1 Samuel 18, Saul would call for David to play his harp and sing for him when his soul was in an agitated state. As king he had any number of talented musicians. But not one was anointed with a life of grace and mercy like David. That is the melody that soothes.
  
Eph. 5:19 
Speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. NIV

Our lives with it's melody of grace becomes a beautiful arena where the Holy Spirit has free reign to bind the strongman. In this same arena of grace, He reaches out through us to sing out to others.
Our gift of communication verbally as well as by our lives, is shaped by our communion with Christ.


Psalm 17:2
Let my sentence come forth from thy presence; let thine eyes behold the things that are equal. KJV

Grace Words

At this moment, I do not like my mirror. If it were a person, I would say it is rude and unkind. Looking into it makes me insecure. Not wanting others to see me, I say "Where is my make-up"?!

Does this sound familiar to you? We chuckle at the thought of it, but there really are those times when we avoid the mirror or in my case apply the make-up. That mirror is saying something to me that I clearly do not want to hear.

Can  you remember going into a fun house at the carnival or amusement park ? They always had a funny curved mirror that made you tall or short in an exaggerated way. Not a true reflection of the persons looking into it. Laughing at it we did not become insecure at the warped image of ourselves because we knew it was a lie.

Often without even realizing it, we turn people into mirrors. How quickly we are encouraged or delighted by an edifying word about ourselves. We feel accepted in that moment.
On the other hand, we may easily become insecure or hurt by the smallest comment that seemed critical or condemning. Those words are taken as a reflection of ourselves.

Circumstances can speak very loudly to us as well. Have you ever felt that way? For example-You may have worked hard on some project, only to watch it fall apart because of a mistake made. The situation is screaming at you- Stupid!  Idiot! 
I will not list all the possible labels you just slapped allover yourself. Perhaps the circumstance is not from anything you did or forgot to do or didn't do right; life just happens. 
Still, it reflects back to us, "failure!" "loser!"

So many things speak at us. Like hawkers selling their wares  thrusting things at you to buy.  Will you own these labels? Will you buy them?
  
Amid all the tumult there is one still small voice. The only voice that matters; the voice of our God. What does the Word of God say about me?

Prov.23:23 "Buy the truth and do not sell it--wisdom, instruction and insight as well." NIV

Because of Jesus Christ we have the perfect mirror.The Word of God will always speak to us."We are beloved of God." "We are precious." His Word may convict but it will not condemn. We need to let the mirror of the Word of God speak to us always in every moment. When we rest secure in who we are in Him and how He sees us, even real failure will not have victory  over us. 

Receiving  mercy and grace is part of the  inheritance He has bought for us with His own blood. This inheritance is designed to increase. 
When you and I receive grace words in our hearts and minds through the promises of God, it goes deep. His grace adds to the foundation and fabric of my life.  When grace words are received they are also exchanged in conversations with others being multiplied each time.

Jhn 1:16 "For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace." dbt

   Heb 10:23  "Let us hold unswervingly to the hope      we  profess, for he who promised is faithful." NIV

Grace words came and spoke to me

Living promises

That set me free!

Giving Life where death had reigned

grace poured out

In Jesus name!

NIV- New International version

DBT- Darby Bible Translation

Grace for Today

Waking up early, I open my eyes and the light in my room is gray. Though I can see the curtains, the walls and a good assortment of necklaces hanging on those walls I cannot appreciate the beauty of the shapes and colors of these things because the light is not full in my room. 

Considering the light of God's Word I understand that if God's precious truth is not shining brightly in my heart and mind, then neither can I clearly see and understand in clarity the thought of God towards me.

  

Psalm 119:105 "Your word is a lamp to my feet, and a light for my path." NIV

When I am secure in those thoughts, I am able to navigate even the rockiest road and the windiest path with courage and strength.

Jer 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." NIV

Duet.31:6 "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you." NIV

My heart and mind is so secure when I am hearing these words and other promises from our Lord and God. When I actively converse with Him through His Word and Spirit I am continually refreshed. When challenged by any issue He is right there whispering in my heart. 

He is never far away. However, if the tumult of the challenges and issues I face fill my mind and heart, I will not hear His voice. I will not know He is there. It is imperative that I hear His Word to me always.

As an example -- we know that in order for any relationship to thrive, there must be a continual communication of the love and care each person has for the other. It must be communicated and it must be received.

I have a precious friend who deeply loves her husband. In spite of this, she was living with a wounded and hurt heart. Lack of communication concerning her husbands love for her, led her down a path of doubt.

I am good friends with both and I knew he loved her. I encouraged her to speak with him seriously about this. She did and found that he was so surprised at the thought that she felt that way. 

He had no idea. He realized that he had allowed other issues to occupy his mind. He hadn't known he was ignoring the simple act of communicating his love to her. Together they saw it had almost entered into serious consequence. She beautifully received his renewed verbal initiations and this relationship narrowly missed being shipwrecked on a very small technicality.

If we go too long without having our worth validated by love we will grow dull and cold toward that love. We can drift away and then find we are almost unable to retrieve ourselves back to the center.

How important is it then to keep receiving from our precious Lord every day the love letters He has written to us in His Word.

"Beloved, keep yourselves in the love of God..." 

                                           Jude 21