There is always a FIRST step.

There is always going to be a first step!

When we were infants crawling on the floor, our families encouraged us to make the first step. And when we did, their delighted whoops inspired us to take another step. Slowly, but surely, we got more steady on our tiny legs, and eventually we couldn't stop moving.

It is the same with most things in life, and even so with our faith. We must always start with a first step and when we succeed in that action, so the other steps flow from this momentum. The writer of Proverbs suggests that if we want to live godly lives, we should listen to Wisdom and live out the principles of faith. However, there is a crucial first step. Read what he says:

1 These are the proverbs of King Solomon of Israel, David’s son:

2 He wrote them to teach his people how to live—how to act in every circumstance, 3 for he wanted them to be understanding, just, and fair in everything they did. 4 “I want to make the simpleminded wise!” he said. “I want to warn young men about some problems they will face. 5-6 I want those already wise to become wiser and become leaders by exploring the depths of meaning in these nuggets of truth.”

7-9 How does a man become wise? The first step is to trust and reverence the Lord! (Proverbs 1)

Thought: What is your first step going to be today?

Living in Grace

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Wisdom for the ages

I ended up reading and reflecting on Proverbs 16 this week. There are some remarkable pearls of wisdom in this chapter. These are the few that really stood out for me.

We can make our own plans,
but the Lord gives the right answer.

2 People may be pure in their own eyes,
but the Lord examines their motives.

3 Commit your actions to the Lord,
and your plans will succeed.

9 - We can make our plans,
but the Lord determines our steps.

Have a blessed day and I pray that God would direct your paths.

Living in Grace

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The greatest cause of atheism in the world today ...

"The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today is Christians, who acknowledge Jesus with their lips and walk out the door, and deny Him by their lifestyle. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable." - Brennan Manning

I first heard this quote about 30 years ago, when it was used in a song by the band DC Talk. It struck me as being deeply profound then, and it still stings my heart even today. 

Is it true that the way I speak and act, as a follower of Jesus, can turn people away from the love of Jesus? Wow, that is a great burden to bear and something that we all need to ponder. 

Of course, Jesus said something in a similar vein many years before Brennan Manning.

“If you grow a healthy tree, you’ll pick healthy fruit. If you grow a diseased tree, you’ll pick worm-eaten fruit. The fruit tells you about the tree." - Matthew 12:33

Living in Grace

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A great display of love

 

Sometimes we don't have adequate words to express the depth of our feelings. When the woman (Mary) anoints Jesus' head, while he is eating at the home of Simon the Leper, we see the incredible love she has for Jesus. 

"While he was eating, a woman came in with a beautiful alabaster jar of expensive perfume and poured it over his head." - Matthew 26:7

The depth of her gratitude is revealed in the value she places on Jesus. The jar of perfume was worth a full year's wages for the average worker. That is a lot of money to offer up as a gift to Jesus, especially as it was only to be used in a once off act. 

Mary came to understand the true 'worth' of Jesus and her generosity always challenges me to reflect on the love that I show Christ. Is my love merely in words, or does it come with a great display of love.

"Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions." - 1 John 3:18

Living in Grace

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John 12:3-6 - Then Mary took a twelve-ounce jar of expensive perfume made from essence of nard, and she anointed Jesus’ feet with it, wiping his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance. 4 But Judas Iscariot, the disciple who would soon betray him, said, 5 “That perfume was worth a year’s wages. It should have been sold and the money given to the poor.” 6 Not that he cared for the poor—he was a thief, and since he was in charge of the disciples’ money, he often stole some for himself.

Greatness is determined by?

Martin Luther King Jnr - "Not everybody can be famous but everybody can be great, because greatness is determined by service."

As our friends in the USA are enjoying Martin Luther King Day, it is worthwhile reminding ourselves of some of his inspiring words. It is also important to remember that he also lived out what he preached. This is the true test of any person - that their actions match their words.

Luke 10:36-37 - “Which of these three do you think was a neighbour to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”

Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

2 Corinthians 4:5 - For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.

Living in Grace

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Thinking leads to actions

"Our life always expresses the result of our dominant thoughts." - Soren Kiekergaard

Proverbs 23:7 - "For as he thinks in his heart, so is he."

It is so true that the more we dwell and think on certain things we slowly start to act more inline with those thoughts and ideas.

So, what are you thinking about at the moment?

Is it changing your actions?

Living in Grace

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Striking a balance

This verse has always been an intriguing verse for me - I have used it at many youth talks and confirmation services in the past. One of the things that Solomon manages to hold in balance is the notion to 'enjoy your youth', but also remember that you will give an account for everything you do. Read what he says: 

"You who are young, be happy while you are young,

 and let your heart give you joy in the days of your youth.
Follow the ways of your heart
and whatever your eyes see,
but know that for all these things
God will bring you into judgment." - Ecclesiastes 11:9

There is a quote from Augustine that ties in with this scripture in some way, although it can be quoted out of context on occasion. Augustine wrote:

"Once for all, then, a short precept is given thee: Love, and do what thou wilt: whether thou hold thy peace, through love hold thy peace; whether thou cry out, through love cry out; whether thou correct, through love correct; whether thou spare, through love do thou spare: let the root of love be within, of this root can nothing spring but what is good."

The part I have underlined is the part that is quoted as "Love God and do what you like!" Obviously, this is a dangerous thought if not tethered to some core foundation. I think that both Solomon and Augustine understood that if a believer loved God with heart, soul, mind and strength, that their actions would seek to please God in any case - therefore we should be at peace about our actions. 

How do you feel about these quotes today? Worth a little reflection I think.

Living in Grace

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What I value the most

"We declare how we value God as much by our actions, by the way we treat other people, by the manner in which we do our work, as by anything we say. If however, I want to put God above all things then prayer will help to purify my motives and clarify my judgement." - Christopher Bryant

I somehow keep coming back to this understanding of faith and spirituality. If I don't match my words with appropriate actions, then I am surely disqualifying the very point I am trying to make. Jesus was the master (excuse the pun) at following up his words with his life. People knew that when he preached it was not just a good idea, but rather something he was willing to live out.

Luke 8:21 - He replied, “My mother and brothers are those who hear God’s word and put it into practise.”

We are counted as Jesus' family when we practise what we preach.

Living in grace
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2 Sisters, prostitutes and drinking from the cup

Okay, if you ever thought that the Bible only contained "nice" stories and was edited to keep it clean, then you will be surprised by Ezekiel 23. It is lewd, sexual and deeply disturbing. However, it paints a vivid picture of what happened to God's people. The reason Ezekiel shares this as a prophecy is to get peoples attention. Sometimes we need to hear a story that is so shocking in order to get our attention - almost like Nathan had to share with King David after his adultery with Bathsheba.

So, Ezekiel tells a story of two adulterous sisters, Oholah and Oholibah, who turn to prostitution. As we see in verse 3 they represent Samaria and Jerusalem - "Oholah is Samaria, and Oholibah is Jerusalem." Their story is one of adultery, of turning away from God and of bearing the consequence of their actions.  

And as a result of all of this, they will drink the cup of their actions.


 “This is what the Sovereign Lord says:

“You will drink your sister’s cup,
    a cup large and deep;
it will bring scorn and derision,
    for it holds so much.
³³ You will be filled with drunkenness and sorrow,
    the cup of ruin and desolation,
    the cup of your sister Samaria.
³⁴ You will drink it and drain it dry

Sorry to be a little blunt today, but this chapter tells us the honest truth. We will all drink the cup of our own actions. If we pour it, we must drink it!

Of course, the Good News of Lent is, even though we come face to face with our betrayal, we are still offered the cup of Redemption, through Jesus Christ.

Living in Grace

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Behaving Badly

 

"When we Christians behave badly, or fail to behave well, we are making Christianity unbelievable to the outside world." - C.S. Lewis (Mere Christianity -1952)

There are a few insightful things that emerge from this quote for me:

1. Do you note how C.S. Lewis uses the word 'We'?
In making his challenge to the Christian community he is not pointing fingers at 'others', but recognising that in himself lies the danger of failing to represent Christ.

2. Our actions have consequences beyond our church context. We can make Christianity believable (or unbelievable) for those seeking God. Sadly, there are many of 'us Christians' who make our Faith hard to believe in.

3. People are looking for spiritual 'hope' and we can effectively point them to Jesus. This is a fine line for many of us, because we like people to notice 'us', when in actual fact, we should be deflecting all the attention onto Jesus. If people only see 'us', then our failures will be a stumbling block to others experiencing Christ.

What do you think?

Acts 5:32 - We are witnesses of these things and so is the Holy Spirit, who is given by God to those who obey him.

Living in Grace
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Sitting on your hands

 

[ To Be Mature ] In light of all this, here’s what I want you to do. While I’m locked up here, a prisoner for the Master, I want you to get out there and walk—better yet, run!—on the road God called you to travel. I don’t want any of you sitting around on your hands. I don’t want anyone strolling off, down some path that goes nowhere. And mark that you do this with humility and discipline—not in fits and starts, but steadily, pouring yourselves out for each other in acts of love, alert at noticing differences and quick at mending fences.- Ephesians 4:2-3 (Message)

As you read this wonderful passage from Paul's letter to the church in Ephesus, what strikes you?

Here are a few of the stand out things for me today:

1. Do I spend time sitting on my hands?
2. Don't take paths that lead nowhere.
3. Humility and discipline are key ingredients along the journey.
4. Pouring ourselves out in acts of love.
5. Be quick to mend broken fences.

I would love to hear from you - send me a message. God bless. 

Living in Grace
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What counts with God?

"The full meaning of “believe” in the Scripture sentence, “Abraham believed God and was set right with God,” includes his action. It’s that mesh of believing and acting that got Abraham named “God’s friend.” Is it not evident that a person is made right with God not by a barren faith but by faith fruitful in works?
 
The same with Rahab, the Jericho harlot. Wasn’t her action in hiding God’s spies and helping them escape—that seamless unity of believing and doing—what counted with God? The very moment you separate body and spirit, you end up with a corpse. Separate faith and works and you get the same thing: a corpse." - James 2:24-26

From this passage in James it is quite clear that what really counts for God is that we match our words with our actions of Faith. It is not a good witness to 'talk a good faith' and then not to follow up with godly actions. 

Even as I write these words I am challenged in my own walk. As I sign off these daily blog posts, I must remember that it is not 'speaking about Grace', it is LIVING in God's grace. There is a massive difference between the two.

Prayer: Lord, teach me to back up my words with Godly actions. In this way people will see that I am living what I profess. Amen.

Living in Grace
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Thinking with your heart

Is it possible to think with your heart? My gut response is NO, but Jesus seems to think so.

"Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked, “Why are you thinking these things in your hearts?" - Luke 5:22

So, what does Jesus and Luke mean? Don't we usually 'think' things in our minds? Well, it is perhaps because of the close link between our thought pattern and our actions that Jesus points this out. Our actions begin in our hearts, then go to our minds and finally come out in the open. Jesus cuts to the root cause of all our actions - the 'thoughts of our hearts.'

Is this why Paul went on to say these words:

^"Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but be a new and different person with a fresh newness in all you do and think. Then you will learn from your own experience how his ways will really satisfy you." - Romans 12:2 (Living Bible)

Living in Grace
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A lamp that can talk?

Have you ever heard of a lamp that could talk? I have never ever heard of this at all, but I have seen many lamps that have been able to shine. Turn them on and they have light up the room. After all, isn't that what lamps are supposed to do ... shine!?

·       " I would not give much for your religion unless it can be seen. Lamps do not talk, but they do shine." - Source Unknown.

    Our greatest challenge as Christians is to follow up our words with our actions. Non-Christians are not drawn as much to our 'preaching', but they do notice when we "shine" the love of Christ wherever we go. 

    So here is the challenge for today - do we shine as much as we talk? 

Ecclesiastes 5:1-3 ^- Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong.

² Do not be quick with your mouth,
    do not be hasty in your heart
    to utter anything before God.
God is in heaven
    and you are on earth,
    so let your words be few.
³ A dream comes when there are many cares,
    and many words mark the speech of a fool.

Living in Grace
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It may not be as it seems

Henry the 8th was crowned King of England on the 24th June 1509. According to some scholars

Henry's motto was "Coeur Loyal" ("true heart") and he had this embroidered on his clothes in the form of a heart symbol. Alongside the motto was the word "loyal".  

For me, there can be no greater irony, as Henry was far from loyal to his wives or his friends. It is one thing to brand your clothes or your body with a motto/symbol that speaks well, but it is a much harder thing to live out what you believe.

My reflection on this is that we should not believe something about someone just because it may be presented in a certain way. The true test comes in how the actions match the talk.

Romans 10 (The Message) - This is the core of our preaching. Say the welcoming word to God—“Jesus is my Master”—embracing, body and soul, God’s work of doing in us what he did in raising Jesus from the dead. That’s it. You’re not “doing” anything; you’re simply calling out to God, trusting him to do it for you. That’s salvation. With your whole being you embrace God setting things right, and then you say it, right out loud: “God has set everything right between him and me!”

Living in Grace

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Actions speak louder than words

“Actions speak louder than words; let your words teach and your actions speak. We are full of words but empty of action, and therefore are cursed by the Lord since He Himself cursed the fig tree when He found no fruit but only leaves.” - (St. Anthony of Padua, Doctor of the Church)

Our actions do speak louder than our words.

This is the great challenge of being a Christian - we can know what we ought to do, but actually following through with this is the hard part.

James 2:14-17 - Dear friends, do you think you’ll get anywhere in this if you learn all the right words but never do anything? Does merely talking about faith indicate that a person really has it? For instance, you come upon an old friend dressed in rags and half-starved and say, “Good morning, friend! Be clothed in Christ! Be filled with the Holy Spirit!” and walk off without providing so much as a coat or a cup of soup—where does that get you? Isn’t it obvious that God-talk without God-acts is outrageous nonsense?

Examine your heart today and see if there are some 'actions' that perhaps you need to follow through with.

Living in Grace

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