Today I’m blogging at Takin’ it to the Streets, pondering the truth and power of the cross. Join me in pondering this thought–does glory come through death?
The other day, I learned of some negative, unwarranted, and inaccurate comments spoken about someone I care deeply for. And the more I thought about the injustice of the situation, the more upset I became. So I turned to God in prayer, asking Him to take away my negative emotions–emotions that were souring my stomach and causing my muscles to clench–and to replace these emotions with love, joy, peace, and patience–with grace.
But no matter how hard and long I prayed, my frustration refused to still.
Until I prayed for the “offender.” The moment I spoke the first words of blessing and intercession, peace flooded through me. And while I was yet praying, the words Jesus spoke as He hung on the cross came to mind: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
Father forgive them, because they don’t realize what they are doing. Because apart from You, they are incapable of doing better.
Because once, I, too, was just like them, full of anger, of bitterness, of malice. As the oft quote phrase goes, “But by the grace of God, there goes I.”
Ephesians 2:1-3a “Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil–the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature” (NLT).
Let’s talk about this. When dealing with others, especially those who may be difficult to love, it’s easy to keep our focus on the surface–the words and actions–losing sight of the root–the spiritual condition that is in desperate need of a Savior. It helps when we pause to remember, we–each one of us–were once like them, giving in to our sinful natures and selfish desires. In fact, if not for God’s grace, that is exactly where we would be, slipping further and further into selfishness and isolation. But God handed us a rope–a life vest–in His Son, and now He longs for us to do the same, to be instruments of His life-giving, life-transforming grace. But we can’t point the hurting to God if we’re too busy dwelling on their faults. Instead, we need to keep our eyes ever on the Savior, their Creator, who loves them to their very core. Loved them so much, in fact, He surrendered His life to save them and draw them to Himself.
Share your thoughts and stories in the comments before or on Facebook at Living by Grace.
Posted in compassion, Faith, grace, intentional living, Living by Grace | Tagged Ephesians 2:1-3, grace, Savior, sinful nature | 5 Comments »
I realize most of my readers are past the flutter tummy stage, but perhaps your children or grandchildren are nearing this phase. If so, pop over to Now What to read about finding God’s best helpmate. 
Posted in Uncategorized | 3 Comments »
Today author Mary Ball shares her thoughts on grabbing hold of God’s peace during painful times.
Finding Peace Every Day by Mary Ball
Life is a constant roller-coaster. One day we have the world at our feet, the next day we are struggling just to stay focused.
One of the most emotional journeys we take is the death of a loved one.
I lost a dear friend and mentor, the senior pastor of our church. The man was one of the most loving people I have known, always there to give assistance and a kind word.
During his sickness, I was sure that my spirit would break into when he passed away. To my surprise, my heart shifted. Yes, I was saddened, but I was glad that he had reached his goal. I know beyond doubt that he is with the Lord, where all Christians strive to be one day.
People will say, “Sure, it’s easy to feel that way the person isn’t a relative.”
Philippians 4:7(KJV) “And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
That’s true he wasn’t my kin, nevertheless, I have suffered the loss. I know the pain of saying good-bye to a father and a daughter.
We muddle through the bereavement of a parent. They had a long life and left a mark in the world, but a child is another story.
I remember when my daughter died. I was shattered; my world changed. Life didn’t matter.
The process of healing took a few years. During those times, I carried on, putting on a happy face. I felt it a duty to make sure my youngest daughter didn’t suffer from the animosity of my pain.
Slowly, I started drawing closer to God. I paid attention to God’s word, making a point to read his promises. An acceptance settled in my heart. We all have an appointed time.
Psalm 29:11 “The Lord will give strength unto his people; the Lord will bless his people with peace.”
Nevertheless, we forever remember our children. The purpose though, is to go on, until it’s our time to meet the Lord.
Our hearts will faithfully hold their love, and memories. By going on with our lives we bring honor to them.
Only with God’s peace can we learn to accept the death of a loved one. Our rest is in God. I know my daughter is in Heaven, and that’s what everyone should strive for.
Escape to Big Fork Lake:
Will an inheritance bring new happiness or a trap for murder?
Bad luck seems to follow Sam Blacker. She loses her job and faces daily struggles keeping her drunken neighbor away from her. When an unexpected inheritance gives her a chance for a new beginning, Sam, a city girl at heart, is hesitant. However, after a brutal attack she has no choice.
Making a decision that will forever change her life she flees to the small fishing town of Big Fork Lake, Alabama and soon finds herself in the arms of Noah Frye. A tumultuous relationship with Noah sparks buried desires of the heart, even if he is a Christian, surely, she can get around that little problem.
As Sam and Noah’s passion grows trouble lurks in the shadows, waiting and watching. Inescapable, Sam’s bad luck returns when she stumbles upon a murder and becomes the only suspect. Will she have to run again, this time to stay out of prison? Worse, will she lose the best man she’s ever found? And what about the newfound hunger in heart to know God—can she truly trust in Him?
Mary L. Ball lives in the North Carolina. She writes novels and Christian articles. Her passion is weaving together romantic tales often laced with suspense and mystery. Her books encourage people to see the magic of love, hope and a divine guidance that often lies dormant, waiting to be found by each of us.
Mary is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. Her debut novel “Escape to Big Fork Lake” is available on Amazon.com in e-book or paperback. Faith Book Nook and Daniel’s Read-a-Lot also has the paperback. Look for her next release title “Stone of Destiny” coming soon.
You can visit her at: http://MaryLouwrites.weebly.com
Face book author page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Inspirational-author-Mary-L-Ball/200478210087932?ref=stream
Posted in Beauty for the Broken, Faith, God's Authors, grace | Tagged death, Mary Ball, peace | 9 Comments »
There are some words that don’t belong together:
church and catty
grace and grudge
friends and fall out
Love and lash-out
We all make mistakes, and when we do, what we long for more than anything is active, determined, persevering grace. This longing echoes God’s merciful heart, and if we are men and women after God’s heart, we will–we must–offer that same grace to others. Because love always protects. It protects relationships. It protects hearts. Today, a fellow ACFW member, Scott Abel, shares a touching and thought provoking devotion with us. As you read it, pause to consider… do you, will you, offer this kind of radical and protecting grace to others in your family, church, and ministries?
Love Protects by Scott Abel
My father was a pastor for forty-two years, devoting his life to the calling of preaching God’s word and ministering to His flock. Over the span of four decades, he guided churches of all shapes and sizes, each having its own unique needs and challenges reflecting its congregation. He learned many things during the course of his ministry, things that can’t be taught in Seminary or by reading books. These were things that could only be learned by raw experience.
As I grew up in a preacher’s household, my father always imparted those lessons to me. Nuggets of wisdom or appreciative cautionary tales – I tried to absorb them, though during my teen years that was not always easy to do.
One lesson my father learned, a personal experience of his, has had the most impact on me. My father pastored a large church at the time, experiencing dramatic growth in a booming part of suburbia. With a massive surge in membership and attendance, and a need for new facilities and programs, growing pains were inevitable. My father made a leadership decision which ultimately backfired and resulted in some hurt feelings by many members of the church.
As the magnitude of the fallout descended upon him, he made his way to his church office one day with a heavy heart. He’d failed and disappointed many people, some of whom were very dear friends. When he got to his desk, he found a small 3×5 index card placed in full view. On it were written the following words:
When I hear good things about you, I will not be surprised.
When I hear bad things about you, I will not believe them.
And even if the bad things are true, I will love you anyway.
It was a powerful lesson in grace and forgiveness that my father never forgot, and it’s one that I’m trying to impart to my young children – before they hit their teens and stop listening to me.
As Paul wrote in Romans 8:38-39, “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
We are a designer’s original, cherished by our Heavenly Father, and no faults or failures can ever separate us from Him. What a blessed assurance to know of God’s unlimited, unmerited love and grace!
Scott Abel is a former high school football coach, law school graduate, and current State government employee. He writes Christian supernatural suspense and currently resides in the suburbs of Austin, Texas with his wife and two young, precocious daughters – who enthusiastically assist his search for the perfect combination of chocolate and peanut butter.
http://abelstories.wordpress.com/
***
Let’s talk about this. Pause to prayerfully consider each word in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7: Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Focus on the latter actions. Love:
protects
trusts–expects the best rather than assuming the worst
hopes–for progress, growth, good to come
perseveres–continues to trust and hope even when our loved one messes up or times get tough
Now, pause to consider how those actions can be lived out.
Share your thoughts and stories in the comments before or on Facebook at Living by Grace.
Posted in Beauty for the Broken, compassion, God's Authors, grace, intentional living, Let's Get Real, Living by Grace, Perseverance, United in Christ | Tagged 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, grace, pastor, Scott Abel | Leave a Comment »
Have you ever been tempted to cry out, “But I don’t have enough time!”?
We live in a chaotic, distracting world, and when running in circles, scrambling to keep our feet from tripping over our laces–or the mounds of other shoes strewn throughout the house, it’s easy to buy into the lie that there’s just not enough of us to go around.
But I believe, if we’re honest, if we prayerfully evaluate our time–our schedules–we’ll find it’s less about how much time we have and more about how we use the time we’ve been given.
Join me at Takin’ it to the Streets as I prayerfully consider what God would have me do this day. Because if you belong to Christ–if you’ve been redeemed by His death and resurrection–He has a glorious plan for you this day. And every day you spend here on earth.
Posted in Faith, intentional living, Let's Get Real, Perseverance, prayer, Spiritual disciplines | Tagged Christ, determined, focus | 1 Comment »
My suitcase was packed, my flight purchased, my itinerary tucked in my over-stuffed carry-on. In a few short days, I’d be heading to the beautiful Blue Ridge mountains to meet some dear friends–friends I’d prayed for and with, swapped writing with, cared deeply for, but had never met in person.
But I wasn’t sure if I should go. I hadn’t been feeling well and had appeared to slip back instead of moving forward. What if I spent all that money, took time away from my family, only to spend the majority of my time in a hotel room? Would it be worth it?
“Oh, Lord, do you want me to go?” I prayed.
Long story short, I went, and was blessed beyond measure! Not only did I feel better than I have in quite some time, but God merged my heart on an 
even deeper level with those dear, sweet women, while forming new friendships with other precious sisters in Christ.
He also appeared to open a few doors, doors I’ve been in prayer about ever since. But instead of answers, God gave me a challenge. One I’ll share with you. 
Join me at Takin’ it to the Streets, a local homeless ministry I’m part of, as I share God’s challenge not only to me, but to (I believe) every servant of Christ.
Posted in Faith, God's Authors, grace, intentional living, Let's Get Real, United in Christ | 4 Comments »
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