Grace

God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.
~Ephesians 2:8-9

The greatest gift from God - Grace.  And we had nothing to with it.  Grace comes from God and is our reward for becoming a Christian.  It's why he sent Jesus to die on the cross with all of the sin that had been done or will ever be done until He comes again.

It's so mind boggling.  God had Jesus die for my sins even before I was born.  I sure don't wanna mess that up.  I TRY to remember Christ on the cross when ever I do or say anything that might be offensive to God.  In other words, I TRY to remember Him before I might sin. I would hate to think that it was in vain for Christ to die for MY sins.

Dear Lord, that you for your grace.  The grace that I am not fit to deserve, but you gave it to me anyway.  God, there is no way I can repay that sort of kindness.  Thank you for it Lord!  Amen

The Holy Spirit

But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to him at all.)  And Christ lives within you, so even though your body will die because of sin, the Spirit gives you life because you have been made right with God. ~ Romans 8:9-10

I am doing a study of The Holy Spirit with a friend of mine.  I am learning so much about The Holy Spirit. More than I have ever thought.  Christ is in us through the Holy Spirit.  That was a lot for me to take in.  I mean I read it but then I really thought about it.  Christ is living within me. I felt like I didn't deserve that kind of gift.

But, I have accepted Christ into my life and therefor my body.  Knowing that makes me think twice about doing things I used to do with no thought of God.  Cussing, not telling the truth, even gluttony!!  If we are all temples of God, I thought I had better start acting like it.  I think if God lives within me, I better start acting like it.

God, thank you for giving me the Holy Spirit.  Although I think I am not worthy of having the Spirit live within me, the Bible says that I am.  I pray that I will continue to have The Holy Spirit lead my life.  It's hard to imagine that I will one day be in Heaven, but Your word says I will.  And for that, I thank you and praise you.  Amen

God Is Awesome!!

I will meditate on your majestic, glorious splendor and your wonderful miracles.
~Psalm 145:5

I missed yesterday and I really enjoying writing to and about God.  So I'll try not to miss too many days in the future.  Meditate is a wonderful word.  It brings to mind peace, rest and happiness.  Meditating on the good that the Lord does could be never ending.  His grace is limitless.  

I have witnessed the Lord working miracles.  A few times in my life, I could have died.  I look on being here as a miracle.  Which should have made me try harder to make a difference with my life.  I'm ashamed to say I have not been doing a good job with that.  Maybe posting it here, will make me try harder!  I hope that I would make a difference while I'm still on Earth.  

Dear Lord, thank you for all the good things you have done, for my life and for complete strangers.   I pray that I will make good use of my life and everything I do will honor you.  Amen

Psalm 94:18-19

I cried out, “I am slipping!” but your unfailing love, O Lord, supported me. When doubts filled my mind, your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer.
~Psalm 94:18-19

God is awesome.  That's really all I need to say, but because it's me, I will take several more sentences to make that point.  God is there.  For us.  Each minute of every hour of each day.  It's the best relationship you could have.  Whether you're doubting yourself, have to repent of your sin or just to say 'I appreciate all that you have done for me,' God wants to hear it!

I especially keyed in on the last word of this scripture.  It's from the NLT edition of the bible and it says "cheer."  I do like talking to God.  It really does bring me cheer.  I feel at peace when I am done talking with God.  My face doesn't light up like Moses, but I do feel happy.  Although, when I talk to God, I do the talking...all of it.  I have been working on just sitting quietly and waiting for God to speak to me.  I'm kind of in the kindergarten phase, but I am trying!

Dear Lord, I thank you for being there for me.  Out of all the people on Earth and with all of their problems, you take time to listen to me!  Lord, please help me to listen for your voice instead of me talking all of the time.  God, I love you.  Amen

Praying

But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.

“When you pray, don’t babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. ⁸ Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him!

-Matthew :6-8

This prayer time and journal will be all over the place.  Like a race car with 2 flat tires...

The above was Jesus teaching about prayer in the Sermon On The Mount.  After he taught what you read above, he recited the Lord's Prayer.  It declares the honor we need to give God, it asks us to forgive our sins, deliverance from evil and it speaks of forgiveness.  I can't think of a better all encompassing prayer!

As my friends that host our church's online ministry with me will confess, I suffer from prayer envy.  When someone attending our church online requests a prayer for a loved one, a circumstance that they are facing, etc., I usually offer a fast prayer or just tell them that I am praying.  I really envy the people that can write a long, beautiful and powerful prayer.  

Like vs. 8 says, the Father knows exactly what you need before you ask Him, I think that is what I am doing. Just letting God "fill in the blanks." But it's ok to actually say what I'm praying. I mostly pray by myself.  I don't know why I do, but I need to be the prayer leader of our house (and to find a different word than "I."  I used it far too many times in that last sentence).  Sometimes I let the fact that I can't speak well because of the stroke hinder me.  But God knows what I'm asking, or attempting to ask. 

Dear Lord, Thank You for giving us prayer.  It is so amazing that You give us a way to talk with You as we go about our lives!!  I pray that the Holy Spirit will guide me in prayer so that I can give relief to those that are requesting prayers and that I will become the leader in my family when we pray.  Amen

Doing God's Will

I take joy in doing your will, my God, for your instructions are written on my heart.”
~Psalm 40:8

Doing God's will is not only obedient it (usually) makes me feel good or satisfied.  Knowing that what I'm doing is for God or required by God gives me a great feeling.  The Lord placed me on this Earth, so I can't even imagine not doing what God has commanded me.

I say that and feel that way, but...And you know what happens when you read "but..."  There is an excuse coming!  I know that I should do what God has commanded me, but there are sometimes when I don't.  I am assuming I am growing as a Christian because when I don't obey him, I feel guilty about it.  

Dear God, I pray that you will keep your instructions written on my heart for as long as I live.  Lord, you are amazing and have done amazing things in my life, so doing Your will is the absolute least that I can do for you.  And I want to do so much more as one of Your disciples.  Please show me how I can serve and honor you.  God, I love you!  Amen

Christianity 101

Beyond all question, the mystery of godliness is great: He appeared in a body, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory.
~1 Timothy 3:16

I really don't have much to say on this verse, other than it is truth and I confess it as truth.  It follows Christ's life in a nutshell. God appeared in our world and was taken back up to heaven.  If you believe that, then you are at the core, a Christian.

But, being a Christian and living a Christian life are different, at least that is what I think.  You may believe in Jesus Christ, but are you living a life like Christ?  Obviously I am not talking about performing miracles, though if you can, I'd like the see the Tiger's win this year's World Series...  Seriously though, I look at the bible as the way I want to lead my life, I may not always achieve it, but the bible is my GPS, if you will.  I hope to live life with love, forgiveness, righteousness and all of the other qualities that God says is important.

Dear God, you are AWESOME!!!  The world you gave us to live in is beautiful beyond words.  Lord, please allow me to live in this world with the qualities and attributes that Christ showed before he died, rose again and joined you in heaven.  Thank you, I love you with all of my heart and Amen!!

Psalm 51:10

 Create in me a clean heart, O God.
Renew a loyal spirit within me.
-Psalm 51:10

I got this verse today from my local Christian radio station.  And then I looked at the entire 51st Psalm. It's heavy.  But I think it applies to every sin.

We tend to let our past sins dwell in us.  But, as David says in vs 1, "Because of Your great compassion, blot out the stains of my sin."  I long, as every follower of Christ does, to have my sins become white as snow and to leave them in the past.  I want God to create that "loyal spirit" inside of me.

Dear Lord, I confess my sins to you and ask you to forgive them in Your graciousness.  Please Lord, do create that clean heart in me and fill me anew with the Holy Spirit so that I will know good from bad and act like a real Christian.  I love you God.  Amen!

It's Pastor Appreciation Month

Dear brothers and sisters, honor those who are your leaders in the Lord's work. They work hard among you and give you spiritual guidance. 
~1 Thessalonians 5:12

This month is Pastor Appreciation Month.  I received this verse in an email this morning and I thought it would perfect for this month.  They do work hard, both with helping us understand the bible and with the affairs of running a church, which I have heard is no easy thing!!  

So, I am letting my pastors (and a pastor who is not my pastor - wow, I said pastor a whole lot in this sentence!!) how much I appreciate them!  They do give me spiritual guidance, which I am most thankful for!

God, help me to appreciate the work that my pastor has done, let him give me guidance through Your word and please bless all pastors so they have Your word as their leading principle.  Lord, please speak through the pastors of the world.  Amen

Psalm 19:1

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer. ~Psalm 19:14

It's good sometimes to remember who we are praying to.  Our God, the only God.  I think that whenever we talk to the Lord he is pleased, but sometimes it's nice to worship him in prayer.  That is what I think.

I have to remember to not complain to God so much.  I must not forget all the good things that come from the Lord.  Both for my family and to people I have never known.  This beautiful planet and the things that are in it.  

Dear God, please keep this verse in my heart and mind so that I can please you with my thoughts and words.  I will try not to complain so much and remember to praise you for what you have and have not yet done.  Please bless me with the Holy Spirit to guide me in what to say to you.  I look forward to many discussions with you, Lord!!  God, I love you!

Prayer

 Answer me when I call to you, O my righteous God. Give me relief from my distress; be merciful to me and hear my prayer.
~Psalm 4:1

I rest assured that God hears my prayers.  Whether or not He decides to answer them or how long he takes is up to Him. 

It is a great thing that I know I can pray to Him whenever I need Him or just want to talk with my Heavenly Father.  

God, please continue to hear my prayers.  When I am praying about something foolish, please let me know.  I want to glorify you with my prayers and requests. 

The Things Of This World

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
~Romans 12:2

Do I want earthly pleasures or what is promised in Heaven?  Sometimes I get busy pursuing something in this life which takes away from doing what the Lord wishes I would do.  Don't get me wrong, it's important to take care of my family and friends, by while doing that, I find it easy to overlook what God wants.  And that not a good thing.

This verse really strikes home for me (though I'm not sure that striking home is even a phrase...).  I have seen my attitudes change since I became a Christian.  I no longer use certain words, certain types of humor, I don't watch the same TV shows, etc.  I hope it's not seen as being a snob, but the things I like have changed.  I'd like to think that is a good thing.

Dear Lord, thank you for giving me this life and showing me that there is another way to live that life.  God, please watch over my family and friends and help me to keep walking the path I have taken.

Hope

 I saw the Lord always before me.  Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest in hope, because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, you will not let your holy one see decay. You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence. ~Acts 2:25-28

King David was speaking as a prophet about the Messiah yet to come in this passage. Jesus would be buried but his body would not be confined to those that have died.  Jesus would be resurrected and join the Father in heaven.  

And I hope to be in that same heaven. Despite setbacks in this life, God has been good to me and my family. We may grumble at times, but this life has been OK.  But it pales in comparison to what we will see in heaven.

God, please accept me in heaven.  Please accept my family in heaven and keep us walking in Your ways.  Whenever I drift, please let me know it so that I can get back to walking in Your favor.  Lord, I don't always use the right words to covey what is in my heart, but I rest assured that You can see inside of my heart when the words don't come to me.  God, I glorify you, thank you and love you.

Spreading The Word...

"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”  ~ Acts 1:8

Acts was written as the new church grew.  The verse hit home with me. It says "when the holy spirit has come upon you..."  Wow!  Do you think they knew what was coming?  The Holy Spirit is a wondrous thing!  And they were to spread the Word across the known world and eventually to places they didn't know.

I think we all, as Christians, need to resume/keep doing what the Apostles did.  We need to spread the Word of God.  We need to be 'witnesses.'  That's what I took from this verse.

God, please allow me to be filled with the Holy Spirit at all times and empower me to share all that knowing Christ can do for for people.  Even if it's only one person at a time. Although I don't get out much, please let me witness for You.  Lord, please make me an instrument of Yours.  Amen

The Lord Is Always There And We Should Praise Him

~Psalm 145:17-21
17 The LORD is righteous in all His ways And kind in all His deeds. 18 The LORD is near to all who call upon Him, To all who call upon Him in truth. 19 He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him; He will also hear their cry and will save them. 20 The LORD keeps all who love Him, But all the wicked He will destroy. 21 My mouth will speak the praise of the LORD, And all flesh will bless His holy name forever and ever.

David was singing God's praises.  Psalm 145 is filled with good news about God.  Verse 9 states that "the Lord is good to everyone.  He showers compassion on all his creation."  That is something to praise.  David, in verse 21, says that everyone on earth will bless his holy name.  I think we all should.

God is waiting for us to call upon him.  He loves us.  I think that's a pretty good start to a relationship with Him.  He hears us when things are bad as well as good, or even when we're in between those two!  I stand in reverence and awe at God; for that is how I define "fearing God."  Although, I certainly fear Him.  That's why I repent of everything I have done that may make God upset.  And if you are not sure whether you should repent something, just ask God.  The point is God want us to talk with him and praise Him.

Lord, I call to you and fear you and love you.  You are a God that can create fire or be known by a whisper.  God, I ask to you find me suitable for your power and love and that I may continue to revel in your Word each day.  Amen.