God's Strength > My weakness

"But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me." - 2 Corinthians 12:9

Sometimes a verse makes a lot more sense when you are going through something very similar in your own journey. For us, we feel that we are needing God's strength in 'bucket loads' at the moment and so this verse really resonates with us. May it also offer you some hope and encouragement for what you are dealing with.

Remember that God's Strength > our weakness.

Living in Grace
D3LM3 

My simple prayer

With everything happening in our lives at the moment I have found myself praying a very simple prayer. It goes like this:
"Make a way, Lord! 
Please, Make a way."

I know it is not filled with flowery words, but the simplicity of the prayer helps me get through the million and one things on our daily agenda. Moving house, moving cities, moving churches, leaving family and friends, starting new schools, and generally just starting over again - these are just some of the things that we are dealing with at the moment. Now, do you see why the prayer makes sense?

"Oh, God will make a way
Where there seems to be no way
He works in ways we cannot see
He will make a way for me

 

He will be my guide
Hold me closely to His side
With love and strength for each new dayHe will make a way, He will make a way." - Don Moen

Living in Grace

D3LM3

A healthy Forgetfulness

We all forget things at times, don't we? Sometimes the things we forget about are not that important (in the bigger scheme of things), but others are extremely important. I love the concept that John Ortberg shares about the trait of humility, where he refers to us learning a "healthy forgetfulness." 

This is a concept that moves us away from self-importance, self-indulgence and making everything about "ME." It is harder than most of us admit, but when we can start thinking more of others, than about ourselves, we are becoming more and more healthy - certainly in a spiritual sense.
 

“Humility has to do with submitted willingness. It involves a healthy forgetfulness. We will know we have begun to make progress in humility when we find that we get so enabled by the Holy Spirit to live in the moment that we cease to be preoccupied with ourselves, one way or the other. When we are with others, we are truly with them, not wondering how they can be of benefit to us.” – John Ortberg

Matthew 23:12 - For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.

 

Living in Grace

D3LM3

By the Grace of God

In the 16th Century, John Bradford is alleged to have said these words:
"There by the grace of God goes John Bradford." 
It may seem a little strange that he was speaking these words about himself, but actually he was watching a group of prisoners being led to their execution. He recognised the potential for himself to be walking in their shoes. However, he saw the fact that he had been 'saved' as an act of God's GRACE. And I think he is right!

As I have reflected on many things of late, I keep coming back to that simple, yet profound truth. I am where I am, ONLY by the grace of God! Nothing more - nothing less!

Ephesians 2:8-9 - For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. 

Acts 20:24 - However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.

Living in Grace

D3LM3

Friday

As the world braces itself for Black Friday, can I take this chance to remind us all of the GREATEST Friday of all time - the day that Jesus gave his life for humanity. His life was given up at a great cost! To be flippant and to put it into shopping terms - We got the best deal in all the world that Friday!

Jesus paid for our sins on Calvary and in that moment the whole world turned dark. Please let us not forget the deep significance of that glorious day.

John 19:16-19 - Pilate caved in to their demand. He turned him over to be crucified. [ The Crucifixion ] They took Jesus away. Carrying his cross, Jesus went out to the place called Skull Hill (the name in Hebrew is Golgotha), where they crucified him, and with him two others, one on each side, Jesus in the middle. Pilate wrote a sign and had it placed on the cross. It read: Jesus the Nazarene the king of the Jews.

Living in Grace
D3LM3

First thing in the morning

What do you do first thing in the morning?
Make some coffee?
Check your phone?
Exercise?
Make breakfast?
Do your devotions?

When Isaiah was expressing his heart to God, he asked God to treat the people kindly and to 'be there for them' FIRST THING in the morning. It gives me a wonderful sense of comfort and peace to know that God is there for us and that God is our Hope. How do these words make you feel?

"God, treat us kindly. You’re our only hope.
    First thing in the morning, be there for us!
    When things go bad, help us out!
You spoke in thunder and everyone ran.    You showed up and nations scattered." - Isaiah 33:2-4

Living in Grace
D3LM3

Pattern-Chamber

John Henry Jowett made this lovely observation:
“When we have the mind of anybody, we share the very springs of their being… (we) have their way of feeling, their way of doing things. It is to be like them in the pattern-chamber of the life, where conduct is originally fashioned, and where all the outside issues are finally determined.” 

So, it seems that we all have this 'pattern-chamber' inside of us. Perhaps it is better to call it our 'hearts' or 'souls', but that can just be semantics. The pattern-chamber will guide us to replicate and copy all the things we see, watch and hear in our daily lives. 

So, if we want to think like Jesus, to see like Jesus, and to listen like Jesus, we need to make sure that we put Jesus into the pattern chamber of our lives. 

2 Timothy 1:13 - What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus.

Romans 12:2 - Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Living in Grace
D3LM3 

Hummingbird or Vulture?

I came across this lovely illustration the other day and I think it speaks volumes into how we see the world. Apologies to those who heard it on Sunday, but it is worth reading again.



Both the hummingbird and the vulture fly over our nation's deserts. All vultures see is rotting meat, because that is what they look for. They thrive on that diet. But hummingbirds ignore the smelly flesh of dead animals. Instead, they look for the colourful blossoms of desert plants. The vultures live on what was. They live on the past. They fill themselves with what is dead and gone. But hummingbirds live on what is. They seek new life. They fill themselves with freshness and life. Each bird finds what it is looking for. We all do.  - Steve Goodier

So, in response to that story, what are we looking for?
If we look for the bad and negative, we will be sure to find it - we don't have to look far. 
However, if we are willing to look for the good in others and in the world, surely we will also find it?

Genesis 37:14-15 - ^"So he said to him, “Go and see if all is well with your brothers and with the flocks, and bring word back to me.” Then he sent him off from the Valley of Hebron.

When Joseph arrived at Shechem, a man found him wandering around in the fields and asked him, “What are you looking for?”



Living in Grace
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"A" is for Attitude

"Everything can be taken from a person, except ONE thing: To choose ones attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose ones way.” - Viktor Frankl, concentration camp survivor. 

Although circumstances can conspire around us we can still choose how we will respond to these circumstances. Attitude is such a key character trait in people and the best example of someone with a great attitude is Jesus. Take a look at these words from Paul - he reveals the humble ATTITUDE of Jesus.

Philippians 2: 5-8 - ^"In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

⁶ Who, being in very nature God,
    did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
⁷ rather, he made himself nothing
    by taking the very nature of a servant,
    being made in human likeness.
⁸ And being found in appearance as a man,
    he humbled himself
    by becoming obedient to death—
        even death on a cross!"

May the example of Jesus inspire you to choose the best Attitude you can.

 
Living in Grace
D3LM3