Final Countdown

So December is upon us - 11 months of 2009 have already passed us by and we are into the final countdown before Christmas and the New Year.

How has this year been for you so far? Have all the hopes and dreams you started out with, faded or disappeared? Have some of them materialised?

Regardless of the past 11 months, we can still make this year a memorable one - we still have 31 days to 'live intentionally.' Here is a quote to keep us all focused on making the "festive season" a God-inspired month...

Albert Einstein - "Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile."

We remember that Jesus' life was always one lived for others. It is our turn now!

Grace to you,
D3LM3

Father George Zabelka

Over 60 years ago Catholic Air Force Chaplin, Father George Zabelka blessed the men who dropped the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Over the next two decades, he came to the realisation that he had been terribly wrong in lending moral and religious support to the bombings. In a speech, just before his death, Father Zabelka left this message:

"All I can say today is that I was wrong. Christ would not be the instrument to unleash such horror on his people. Therefore no follower of Christ can legitimately unleash the horror of war on God's people...All I can say is: I was wrong!
...to do otherwise would be to bypass the first and absolutely essential step in the process of repentance and reconciliation: admission of error and admission of guilt."

Now there is a thought - someone who is willing to admit they make a massive mistake. When last did we admit to making wrong choices & judgements? When last did we get to say 'sorry' and really mean it?

Living in Grace
D3LM3

P.S. I got this quote from Shane Claiborne's book 'Jesus for President.'

Great leaders

"He who has never learned to obey cannot be a good commander." - Aristotle

Could this be why Jesus is considered to be the greatest leader of all time?

Philippians 2:8 - And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross!

Don't just follow any person - follow the best Leader!

Following Grace,
D3LM3

God is Greater

This week has brought it's own share of issues for me to face. Some of them have been easy to deal with, whilst others will still need more time and prayer! These 3 words have been ringing in my spiritual ears all week - "God is Greater!" (1 John 3:20)

In the next chapter, John adds these words - "Greater is He who is in me, than he that is in the world.” – 1 John 4:4

I see these words as a Promise - they give me hope. They remind me that what you and I face, may be difficult and perplexing, but God is Greater than these things. If I don't believe in this, then where do I turn? If the Lord can't stand alongside us and help us to defeat the 'giants' before us, then where is my hope?

When Elijah taunted the prophets of Baal, it was because he knew that God was Greater!

When David walked out to meet Goliath, it was because he knew the same thing to be true.

When Daniel refused to bow to a foreign king, he understood the same truth.

When you face your challenges today - what will go through your mind?
I am defeated? OR 'God is Greater!?'

Grace and peace
D3LM3

P.S. - Have a look at the photo and remind yourself of the 'greatness' of God.

Practise what you Preach!

I preached on "3 simple words" last Sunday morning and I used 1 John 3:11-24 as the main focus. Reflecting on these verses I highlighted 6 examples of "3 simple words" that challenge us in our Christian journey. Here they are:

"Love one another" - v.11
"Death to Life" - v.14
"God is Greater" - v.20
"He knows everything" - v.20
"Confidence before God" - v.21
"Live in Him" - v.24

Here's the thing - I have had to deal with every single one of these 6 'phrases' in the past 5 days. It is one thing to preach about a good idea, it's another thing to LIVE out what we believe in.

So, my challenge has been - "Practise, what you Preach!"
What about you? Do you "practise what you preach" and how easy is it for you?
In my experience, it is harder to "Live out" than to "Speak out!"

Live it out,
D3LM3

Halfway Mark

My friends reached the halfway mark of their Cycle Tour today. They managed a mammoth 575 km's in 4 days - that is impressive! So, tomorrow they will enjoy their rest day, up at Kosi Bay, before they start all over again and spend the next 4 days heading back to PMB. This quote is for them:

“Expect great things from God, attempt great things for God.” - William Carey (this is one of my favourite quotes!)

Oh, and here is another quote, to inspire us all to do great things for God ...

"I long to accomplish great and noble tasks, but it is my chief duty to accomplish humble tasks as though they were great and noble. The world is moved along, not only by the mighty shoves of its heroes, but also by the aggregate of the tiny pushes of each honest worker." - Helen Keller

May we embrace this gift called 'Today' - there will never be another like it!

Living in God's Grace,
D3LM3

3 Never's

Driving to work this morning, East Coast Radio were having a 'phone-in' where they asked people to share the 3 things they would NEVER do. There were some interesting thoughts coming from the listeners and it got me thinking about what my "3 Never's" would be...

1. Never take my family for granted.
2. Never underestimate the power of God.
3. Never say "I can't!"

Continuing with our thoughts from yesterday (3 simple words), perhaps Jesus would also have 3 thoughts for us & all of them include the word 'Never.'

1. Never will I leave you, nor forsake you (Hebrews 13:5)
2. Love never fails (1 Corinthians 13:8)
3. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life - (John 8:12)

What are your 3 "Never's?"

Living in Grace
D3LM3

3 simple words

We can communicate strongly in just 3 simple words.
- I love you
- Count on me
- Please forgive me
- You are hopeless
- I hate you

Every one of these comments has the power to transform our lives. Jesus didn't need a lot of words to tell us how he much he loved us. Here are a few:

"Father forgive them."
"It is finished."
"Come to me."
"Love one another."
"Don't be afraid."

Don't over complicate your relationship with Christ. It will always remain the most profound relationship we will ever experience, but it starts with 3 simple words..."Jesus loves me." From there on, we get to live in response to Christ's love for us.

Have you ever spoken 3 'simple' words to someone else (or had them spoken to you)? What were they - I'd love to know?

Living in Grace (3 words)
D3LM3

Countdown

There are now 200 days to the start of the World Cup Soccer. Whether we love soccer or not, we need to be prepared for the huge impact this event is going to have on our nation. Positively, millions of people will get to see our beautiful land and our Tourism industry will boom. If the British Lions Rugby tour brought in R1.5 Billion rand into South Africa, then we can expect a huge cash injection into our economy over the duration of the World Cup Soccer.

Sadly, there will be a massive increase in some negative happenings too. There could well be an increase in criminal activity, prostitution and potentially some football hooliganism. If you want to be 'disturbed' in getting to grips with football hooliganism, watch 'Green Street Hooligans' (starring Elijah Wood) - it is not for the faint hearted and definitely NOT a movie to show your Bible Study group. As a huge soccer fan I was left feeling very disturbed.

Anyway, my point is this - 2010 is going to take place soon and we are all going to feel the ripple effects of it, one way or another. As a Christian community let's start praying for the event. Let's ask for opportunities to showcase our nation, but also our deep faith in Christ. We witnessed in 1994 how prayer changed the way people responded to each other, during our elections - so, why can't prayer change people again? I believe it can!
What do you think? Can prayer make a difference during the 2010 World Cup?

1 Samuel 10:9 - As Saul turned to leave Samuel, God changed Saul's heart, and all these signs were fulfilled that day.

Grace to you,
D3LM3

P.S. Let me reiterate that 'Green Street Hooligans' is not a movie to watch with kids or sensitive viewers. It does give a detailed look at the 'underworld' of football hooliganism. It is not for the faint-hearted!

Stumble upon

Sometimes the most powerful things we get to experience are not pre-planned. We literally stumble upon them or they suddenly appear before us. I was doing some reading for the services tomorrow and I came across this prayer. I hope that it will encourage you as much as it 'spoke' to me...

"All-present God,
today I kneel before you in the knowledge
that you are not far from me - on the contrary:
you are as close to me as my own heartbeat." - Solly Ozrovech

I needed this prayer for my 'soul' today. I hope that we will all remember that God is as close to us as our own heartbeat.

If you have 20 seconds, why don't you close your eyes and breathe slowly - can you 'feel' your heartbeat? In every beat of your heart - God has been present.
Amazing hey!

Grace is defined in the beat of our hearts.

Living in Grace,
D3LM3

Cycle Tour 2009

Some crazy people from our Church are cycling 1150 km's to raise funds for commUN1TY and towards our building fund. They will be heading off on Sunday morning at 8am. Please keep them in your prayers as they will be cycling for 9 days.

It is really awesome to see these people put their faith into action and to go the extra 'mile' for a worthy cause. They have understood these words...“Faith is a living, daring confidence in God's grace, so sure and certain that a man could stake his life on it a thousand times.” - Martin Luther

Pray for: Mike, Paul, Grant, Ursula, Logan, Darren and Wesley.

For regular updates please follow them on Facebook

Living in Grace,
D3LM3

End of week inspiration

This week has been looooooooong! Maybe it has been the weather or perhaps it has been the many things I have had to deal with, but I am grateful for a free evening tonight. I think the end of the year syndrome is hitting me early this year, but I am grateful for the comfort of God's strength.

Here are some quotes to start your weekend:

“Grace is available for each of us every day - our spiritual daily bread - but we've got to remember to ask for it with a grateful heart and not worry about whether there will be enough for tomorrow.” - Sarah Ban Breathnach

“Rain is grace; rain is the sky condescending to the earth; without rain, there would be no life.” - John Updike

"Beauty and grace command the world” - Park Benjamin

Live today in Grace,
D3LM3

Stop and count

With all this hectic rain we have been having in KwaZulu Natal it is easy to start complaining about the weather. Admittedly, it does feel as if we are living in Europe, but we know that this weather is totally unseasonal. The sun will appear soon!

I find that when I start to whinge and complain about stuff, that I need to STOP and make a conscious effort to count all the blessings I have in my life - things that are wonderful, despite the weather.

Why don't you take a few moments to do the same. Here is a blank list of 5 - think of 5 people or things that you want to be thankful for today:

1. _______________
2. _______________
3. _______________
4. _______________
5. _______________

Allow these people (and things) to be the starting point of your prayer today.

"Count your blessings, name them one by one..." - Johnson Oatman Jnr.

"My cup overflows with blessings" - Psalm 23:5

Living in Grace,
D3LM3

Scarecrow

A while back the boys planted some seeds in the garden - they wanted to grow their own veggies. With all the rain we have been having, their seeds have begun to shoot up and of course now we have to start worrying about the birds. Tongue in cheek, we suggested that we make a scarecrow for their garden and of course they loved the idea.

So in a rush of spontaneity we grabbed an old broom, old clothes, plastic bags filled with newspapers and a hat. After lots of laughs, we had the old 'scarecrow' ready for action in 30 minutes! Now he guards the veggie patch and time will tell if he does his job or not!

What struck me about the whole scarecrow thing, was that we didn't spend hours planning how to make 'him' and we never rushed out to the shops to buy anything to add to his outfit - we used what we had. Often, the Holy Spirit prompts us to do something for God's Kingdom and we spend days/weeks trying to decide a way forward and planning our next step. In the end, we often end up doing nothing.

I am not advocating 'bad planning', but what I learnt from this exercise, is that sometimes we over-complicate our relationship with Jesus. He has given us His Word as an instruction manual - let's read it and then just act in faith. Somehow I think God is more forgiving of our feeble first attempts than when we delay and miss His opportunities.

What do you think?

Living in Grace,
D3LM3

Taking care of Grace

If you have ever looked after a child for any length of time you will know that it is a lot of work. Sure, there are moments of laughter and fun, but there are also many trying times thrown into the mix.

Looking after a child is one thing, but how about 'administering' (looking after) Grace? How does that sound to you? Easy, difficult?!

1 Peter 4:10 - “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.”

Today, we will get an opportunity to administer grace - let's take up the challenge and do it well. If you end up having a story to tell, then please let us hear about it. Thanks.

Administering Grace,
D3LM3

When in doubt...

I came across this powerful illustration last week and wanted to share it with you all (apologies to those who heard it on Sunday evening)...

"One summer, a man spent the day on the beach in Jacksonville, Florida. The undertow was unusually strong that day, and more than once, lifeguards jumped down from their towers to rescue swimmers from the treacherous surf. Finally, the man went to the lifeguard station to express his appreciation for the dedication of these men. When he walked inside, he noticed a sign on the wall in large red letters: "If in doubt, go!"
And the man said, "Those same words should be on the walls of every church and on the wall of every person’s soul."

So if it involves the Kingdom of God and bringing glory to Jesus, don't hesitate - GO! This is our call - there is no room for doubt!

Moved by Grace,
D3LM3

P.S. Thanks to www.sermonillustrations.com for this story.

What is Love?

There are many answers to this question - "What is love?"
Here is one on these answers...

"This is love, that we walk according to His commandments." - 2 John 1:6

"Obedience is another word for love and loyalty." - Our Daily Bread

What is "Love" for you?

Living in Grace,
D3LM3

Inspiration for you

I came across this great website called inspirational quotes. It contains some awesome quotes.

"If you do not hope, you will not find what is beyond your hopes." - St. Clement of Alexandra

"We are all inventors, each sailing out on a voyage of discovery, guided each by a private chart, of which there is no duplicate. The world is all gates, all opportunities." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

May we all be inspired to live our lives for the glory of God.

May the Grace of Christ be real for you today.

Living in Grace
D3LM3

Free chapters of my Book

Today is the anniversary of the launch of Living Oceans Apart. I can't believe that it has been a year since we had the fantastic launch at Wesley.

God has truly blown me away with the way in which the book has blessed many people. I have received a number of emails from families who have found the book helpful and who have passed the book onto their loved ones. I give God the glory for all of this.

Even when I reflect on the writing this blog, I have to confess that part of the initial motivation came through the book. The whole 'book' experience has taught me to be more brave for God and to attempt great things for His Kingdom. Life is too short to allow our fears to stop us from doing things for Jesus.

Zig Ziglar - “You are the only person on earth who can use your ability.”

If you are interested in receiving 5 free chapters of the book please visit the website Living in Grace. Please also forward this onto anyone you like - they may enjoy the Free chapters.

I want to thank all of my friends and family who helped to make the book a possibilty - you are all awesome. Thanks again.

Soli Deo Gloria

Living in Grace,
D3LM3

Stand with me

Often when we go through difficult times our natural tendency is to withdraw and to deal with the 'rogue waves' ourselves. This self-preservation tactic has been used for ages and to some degree it works. However, when we do this we also open ourselves up to the danger of isolation and loneliness.

Whilst, it is tough to admit that we need someone to 'stand alongside us', it is key to riding out the rogue wave. Look at what Jesus said when he was facing the toughest moment of his life:

"My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with me." - Matthew 26:38

Jesus needed his friends to be with him, during his darkest hour. He knew that they couldn't change what he was facing, but he needed them to be with him.

Don't stand alone and face the waves - there are people that are willing to stand with you.

Supported by Grace,
D3LM3

Jesus for President

I am reading this very challenging book by Shane Claiborne, called 'Jesus for President.' He has this awesome quote on page 49:

"The great paradox and humour of God's audacious power:
... a stuttering prophet will be the voice of God,
... a barren old lady will become the mother of a nation,
... a shepherd boy will become their King,
... and a homeless baby will lead them home."

Live out loud,
D3LM3

Remember

At 11:11 on this the 11th day of November I will pause and Remember!

If ever there is a 'Rogue Wave' that sweeps over humanity, it has to be during times of war and conflict. My late grandfather left his family to fight in North Africa, during WW2. I am alive today, only because his life was spared - I am one of the 'lucky' ones.

I have never been to war, but I understand that millions of people have sacrificed their lives to try and make this world a better place - I am grateful for their sacrifice. However, it doesn't change the fact that, in times of war, families are torn apart, cities are destroyed, evil is let loose! And all of this in the name of 'Power' & 'Pride.' Make no mistake, in my opinion, War is only the result of the 'Pride of humanity.' Pride gives way to arrogance, which ultimately ends up in Dictatorship.

Shane Claiborne writes - "Strength and pride, men and swords ... dangerous things, aren't they?"

The tragedy is that millions of innocent people die as they are caught in the middle of the games of politicians. The past hundred years are a reminder of this! War has ravaged every continent on our globe!

I still believe that until humans turn our attention to the 'real war' that rages in our hearts, we will fight our other battles in vain. It is the 'sin' in my heart that causes me to wage war against my brother and sister. Jeremiah puts it like this:
Jeremiah 17:9 - "The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?"

However, today I will remember that Jesus Christ died on the cross, to stop the enemy of sin waging war on my soul. Jesus has become my victor - he fought the battle and has gained the victory for all of us. Now that is something worth remembering.

Today I will also choose to Remember...
...what my family have done for me.
...my loved ones who have passed away.
...how blessed I am to have an awesome wife and 3 fantastic sons.
...to be thankful in all things.
...to enjoy living in Freedom.
...to live today as if it could be my last.

Genesis 9:16 - "Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth."

Remember Grace,
D3LM3

Extreme Surfing

I have done a little bodyboarding in my younger days and have caught a few big waves, but I have never caught a 'Rogue Wave' (thankfully)! Rogue Wave’s are unpredictable, abnormally large waves that occur on a seemingly random basis in the oceans. The highest recorded Rogue Wave was 30m (95 feet) - that is pretty huge!

Just as these waves appear out of nowhere and destroy ships and anything in their path, so 'rogue waves' occur in our lives too. We could be enjoying life, when all of a sudden we get tragic news, or lose our jobs, or hear that a family member is ill - there are many potential Rogue Waves in our world.

If we know that they will come, how do we then prepare ourselves to handle them when they arrive out of the blue? That's a tough question! One member of our Church responded that we "just have to Pray!" That advice is still the best for me - the only way I believe we can survive a Rogue Wave is if we pray!

"Let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." - Philippians 4:6-7

May Grace give us strength to face the 'unpredictable' waves in our lives,
D3LM3

And the Wall came tumbling down!

Today marks the 20th anniversary of the 'collapse' of the Berlin Wall. This wall stood as a reminder of separation between the Eastern Bloc and the West of Germany. Families were divided, Berlin was divided, ideas were divided.

The Berlin Wall was a classic reminder of how insane humanity can be. Just because we don't like someone, or disagree with them or think differently, our natural response is to pull away and to build a barrier between us.

I am privileged to know that in my lifetime, I have seen many walls come tumbling down, but there are still too many 'Walls' in our world.

As Ronald Reagan once said, pointing to the Berlin Wall, "Tear down these walls!"

Jesus is the best at tearing down our 'walls':
Jesus tears down walls of hate,
walls of fear,
walls of doubt,
walls of despair,
walls of pride.

May the Grace of God 'tear down' any walls in my heart and yours,

Let's live beyond the walls!
D3LM3

Heat wave

Do you prefer Summer or Winter?
I think that after today, there will be many votes for Winter!
Today has been way too hot! The heat has been intense and many of us have felt tired and drained. Driving back from Church this morning, Kim noted that the temperature was 42 degrees - that is rather warm, even for Maritzburg.

It is interesting to note how easily we complain about the weather - when the heat is unbearable we say it is too hot; but we also complain when it rains too much or when it is too cold! Perhaps this says more about us, than it does about the weather.

At the end of the day, I always feel sorry for the Lord (not that he needs me to feel sorry for Him)! I mean, when we are gifted with sunshine, then we long for the coolness of rain & when it rains for 3 days in a row, all we want is to see the sun. We are hard to please.

Think on this verse for today...
2 Corinthians 9:8 - And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

Bless you today, my friend.
D3LM3

Hate Blogger vs. Julius Malema

So the writer of the notorious blog 'South Africa Sucks' has been arrested - I read the article in 'The Witness' newspaper today. One of the reasons given for his arrest was that with 2010 just around the corner, it is bad publicity to have a person rambling on about how bad our country is...

Now, don't get me wrong, I can't agree with all that this blogger says - some of the things are totally way out and against my own beliefs. However, I wanted to suggest that his arrest is quite ironic, especially in light of the fact, that today Julius Malema's friends have justified that Julius needs bodyguards to the tune of R300 000 per month. If there ever was a person who needed to be gagged, it is Julius Malema. His comments, on everything to do with South Africa, are ludicrous and controversial - I wonder what a good ambassador he is being for the 2010 World Cup? His comments probably reach more foreign people than the 'South Africa Sucks' blogger.

So, in the end you have one guy who airs his opinions and is arrested - leaving his wife and daughters to fight for his rights. On the other hand we have another man who can sprout forth whatever he likes and he gets protection to do it! Mmmmh, that hardly seems fair to me. Anyway, these are just my thoughts!

By the way, the Bible has something interesting to say, about why and what we say...

"The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks." - Luke 6:45

Living in Grace
D3LM3

Which Life?

I came across this awesome quote this morning -

"Natural Life came from God's breath.
Eternal Life comes from Christ's death." - Our Daily Bread

As we live our 'natural lives' may we always be conscious that the gift of 'eternal life' is ours - but let's not forget that it came at the price of Christ's life.

Living in Grace,
D3LM3

P.S. Photo is courtesy of http://www.nhm.ac.uk

Facing the Rogue Wave (1)

This Sunday morning (8th November) I will be preaching at Wesley Methodist on 'Facing the Rogue Wave'. If you are around at 7:45am or 9:30am it would awesome to see you there.

Mike Howell will be preaching on the concept of the "Bush Pig & Community" in the evening @ 6pm.

All in all it looks like an interesting Sunday! Just to clarify, all of these strange sermon's are TOTALLY linked in with the Gospel of Jesus Christ - just in case you were worried about us!

Living in Grace,
D3LM3

P.S. Thanks to Bill Hybels for the 'Rogue Wave' idea. Bill is the man! Mike also wants to thank Quin Bache for being the inspirational 'Bush Pig' - you are the man!

Who is Guido?

Have you heard of Guido Fawkes? Maybe - maybe not! I bet you have heard of Guy Fawkes! The 5th November is the day we celebrate 'Guy Fawkes' with fireworks and crackers (causing much anxiety for animals all over the world)! The thing is I am not sure how many people know why we celebrate this event - do you?

Very simply, Guido Fawkes was part of a plot to blow up the House of Parliament in London on the 5th November 1605. As a staunch Catholic, he was tired of the watching fellow Catholics being murdered for their faith and so a number of men joined in a plot to kill the Protestant King of England. Their plan failed and 'Guy' was executed for his part in the plan. To celebrate the people of England were encouraged to light fireworks and burn effigy's of Guy Fawkes. They were also encouraged to sing...

Remember, remember the fifth of November,
The gunpowder treason and plot,
I know of no reason
Why the gunpowder treason
Should ever be forgot.

Mmmmh, this all sounds a bit barbaric to me - but, hey what do I know? So tonight millions of people will celebrate the failed murder of the King of England and the subsequent execution of Guy Fawkes - interesting! Can you imagine South Africans starting something similar - we certainly have enough bomb blasts, failed coups, attempted murders to choose from.

For me, celebrating Guy Fawkes is just another example of how we 'celebrate' events without fully comprehending the story behind the celebration. In just over 6 weeks time, billions of people will cheerfully celebrate Christmas without fully understanding the origins of the celebration. For genuine believers, the Christ-child still has a powerful impact on our lives - His story lives on in our hearts.

2 Chronicles 35:16
So at that time the entire service of the LORD was carried out for the celebration of the Passover and the offering of burnt offerings on the altar of the LORD, as King Josiah had ordered.

If you choose to celebrate today, Celebrate Grace,
D3LM3

Edison's breath

Thomas Edison and Henry Ford were very good friends, despite their age gap. Henry Ford showed how much his friendship with Edison meant, when he gave him the first car off every Ford assembly line - that is the Model T, the Model A, the first V-8 and the Lincoln - what a cool friend to have!!!

As Edison lay on his death bed, Ford asked Thomas' family to grant him one strange request. On the 18th October 1931, the day Thomas died, his son Charles caught his last breath in a container and later presented this to Ford. Henry Ford was obsessed with catching Edison's last breath, because he believed that it would continue to provide him with imagination and inspiration. This container stayed by Ford's bedside until his dying day and now you can see this in the Henry Ford Museum.

Friends, we don't have to keep the breath of God in a container in order for the Spirit to inspire us. In fact, the Holy Spirit would never fit in a small container -the Spirit of God fills the whole universe and that would take a gigantic container to hold the Spirit.

May we know the inspiration of the Holy Spirit today and may He point us to Jesus Christ.

Isaiah 11:2 - The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him— the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD...

Breathe on us, God of Grace,
D3LM3

P.S. See more of the story here - Edison's Breath

Beginning again

How was your day yesterday? Is there a part of the day that you wish you could erase? How much of the struggle of yesterday have you dragged into Today?
May these words bring you peace and a fresh start...

"The Christian life is but a constant re-beginning, a return to grace every day, sometimes every hour, through Him who, after each failure, pardons so that all things should be made new." - Robert Schutz

What an awesome quote! I read this in Leonard Sweet's book Carpe Manana - which is well worth the read.

In Jesus Christ we have been gifted the grace to begin every day afresh - no baggage, no guilt, no fear.

2 Corinthians 5:17 - Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

Return to Grace,
D3LM3

P.S. Photo - with thanks to www.shiftedreality.com

The Struggle

So you and I thought that being a believer was going to be easy, didn't we? That's what we were led to believe - give your life to Jesus and all will be well. Mmmh, I think we were sold a dummy. This commitment to Christ, that we have willingly chosen, is a daily choice. It is a conscious laying down of our own 'ways' and surrendering to the perfect 'WAY' - Jesus.

C.S.Lewis knew that being a Christian was not a 'piece of cake.' Read these interesting thoughts...

"I didn't go to religion to make me happy. I always knew a bottle of port would do that. If you want a religion to make you really comfortable, I certainly don't recommend Christianity."

Psalm 142:3 - When my spirit grows faint within me, it is you who know my way

May you have the Grace of God to guide you today,
D3LM3

Choices

We all get to choose things at some stage in our lives...
What car to drive.
What career to pursue.
To love or not to love.
To have faith or not.

We know that all of these choices impact our lives and they will also impact the lives of others. I watched with sadness this week how Marlon King chose to throw away his football career and his family by acting in a reckless way. After a night on the town, Marlon physically assaulted a woman and now he will spend 18 months behind bars, whilst his wife and 3 kids wonder why?

Choices, Choices, Choices.

What decision are you facing this week? Please make it wisely and remember to include Christ in this decision.

Proverbs 3:5-6
"Trust in the Lord your God with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him and he will direct your paths."

Choose Grace,
D3LM3

P.S. Thanks to www.ronmartin.net for the photo