Failure is not fatal!

I have some inspirational quotes at the bottom of my diary. There are days when they don't really speak into my situation, but there are some days where they really make a lot of sense. This is what the quote said today:

"Success is not final; Failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts." - Winston Churchill

None of us enjoys failing at anything, but it is a part of life. However, it is important to have the courage to get up and try again. This also applies in our Christian faith. Although we strive to be Christ-like, we will make mistakes and disappoint ourselves and the Lord. The important decision for us to make is to ask for forgiveness, and then to ask God to help us move ahead. 

1 Chronicles 28:20 - David also said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you until all the work for the service of the temple of the Lord is finished.

Prayer: Lord, give us the courage to continue following you, no matter how imperfect we feel. 

Living in Grace

D3LM3

Live life in Crescendo

 

Crescendo! 

What is a crescendo? In musical terms it is described as "a gradual increase in loudness in a piece of music", while the dictionary says that it simply means: the loudest point reached in a gradually increasing sound.

The late, Dr Stephen Covey, had a motto that he lived by - Live Life in Crescendo. I love his thinking and it is inspiring to contemplate living our lives so that we hope to get better and better (or to have more influence). 

The subtext of the Crescendo is that the music (life) is not yet over! We have more to live for and we get ask God to take us further and higher, for his sake.

What does this word stir up in you?

"He was the one who prayed to the God of Israel, “Oh, that you would bless me and expand my territory! Please be with me in all that I do, and keep me from all trouble and pain!” - 1 Chronicles 4:10

Living in Grace

D3LM3

To have Courage

"To have courage for whatever comes in life - everything lies in that." - Teresa of Avila

We never know what lies around the corner, but we can have courage to face tomorrow. For me, 'courage' lies in trusting in Jesus and knowing that He will be with me, step by step. May you also find Courage in the presence of God.

1 Chronicles 28:20 - David also said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you until all the work for the service of the temple of the Lord is finished.

 

Living in Grace
D3LM3

A twist of fate?

When Guido (Guy) Fawkes and his co-conspirators failed in their plot to blow up the English House of Parliament in 1605, they inadvertently spared the life of King James 1. In doing so, they allowed James to continue his sponsorship of the translation of the Bible into English. This work began in 1604 and finished in 1611 - the end result was the King James Version of the Bible.

So in a strange way, Guy Fawkes' failure allowed the success of the KJV to prevail. Call it a twist of fate or just God's Providence - the end result was a version of the Bible that has spoken to many believers for centuries.

The other interesting outcome is that millions of people set off fireworks on the 5th November without knowing who Guy Fawkes was and why they are celebrating this occasion :)
Life is certainly interesting!!

John 3:16 (KJV) - "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

Living in Grace
D3LM3

Alone we can do so little ...

It is amazing what can be accomplished when people work together as a team. This is nothing new for us today, but it is well worth repeating - There is power in a united team! I firmly believe that places of work, sports teams, churches, organisations and even families can accomplish so much more when we work as ONE. Of course this doesn't mean that we will always agree on certain things, but we need a common goal and purpose to all work towards. In this following scripture we see how David brought Israel together and their 'United front' enabled them to gain a great victory.

1 Chronicles 19:16-18 – ^“David gathered all Israel and crossed the Jordan; he advanced against them and formed his battle lines opposite them. David formed his lines to meet the Arameans in battle, and they fought against him. But they fled before Israel….”

"Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much."-Helen Keller

"None of us is as smart as all of us." -Ken Blanchard

What team is God inviting you to be a part of today?

Living in Grace

D3LM3

1 Chronicles - A song of thanks

Sometimes a song says it best! There is incredible emotion in the melody of a song and when the lyrics compliment the music, then the song becomes deeply meaningful. In order to thank God for the amazing blessings he had received David wrote many songs. We know that most of them are recorded in the Psalms, but there are a few scattered throughout other parts of the Old Testament.

The words of today's song are found in the book of 1 Chronicles. As you read them I pray that they would make your heart glad and that you would be moved to offer your own praise to the Lord.

Let the heavens be glad, and the earth rejoice!
    Tell all the nations, “The Lord reigns!”
³² Let the sea and everything in it shout his praise!
    Let the fields and their crops burst out with joy!
³³ Let the trees of the forest sing for joy before the Lord,
    for he is coming to judge the earth.

³⁴ Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good!
    His faithful love endures forever.
³⁵ Cry out, “Save us, O God of our salvation!
    Gather and rescue us from among the nations,
so we can thank your holy name
    and rejoice and praise you. - 1 Chronicles 16

Living in Grace

D3LM3