Do not be discouraged

I couldn't think of a better word to start this week with. As we head into the tail end of the year, we are all starting to feel weary and tired. Discouragement can sneak into our language and lives. May these words of Joshua remind us that God is on our side and will be with us.

"Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” - Joshua 1:8-9

Brennan Manning once wrote: "Suffering, failure, loneliness, sorrow, discouragement, and death will be part of your journey, but the Kingdom of God will conquer all these horrors. No evil can resist grace forever."

Living in Grace

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Blessed are those who ...

"Blessed are those whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the Lord.

Blessed are those who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart." - Psalm 119:1-2

Psalm 119 is one of the most intriguing pieces of writing in the entire Bible. We note that it is the longest chapter in Scriptures (176 verses) and includes 22 sections of eight lines each. This coincides with the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet and is a technique that was used to help believers memorise the sacred text. It is also worth noting that this Psalm makes 8 different references to the Law, using 8 synonyms for the commands of God. In today's reading, you will note 2 of these.

The overriding message of this Psalm is that if we choose to follow the ways of God we will be Blessed. God's ways are hard to follow, but they will bring us to a place of contentment and peace.

Socrates - The end of life is to be like unto God; and the soul following God, will be like unto Him; He being the beginning, middle, and end of all things.

Living in Grace

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If you are interested in following my latest Bible Study on Psalm 119, please visit this link. 

A New Yoke - what does this mean?

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” - Matthew 11:28-30

I was reminded today that when Jesus offered for us to take his yoke upon ourselves it was a radical offer. We usually imagine the idea of two oxen ploughing the fields, under the same yoke - one of them being represented by us and the other by Christ. Jesus takes up the greater strain of the yoke and we are given a moment to rest.

However, there is another side to the illustration. Rabbi's also referred to the teaching of the law as a 'yoke.' And that when we chose to follow God, we lifted the yoke upon our shoulders and learnt the ways of God. However, this proved to be a burden for many people, as they felt the desperate weight of their sins and the bondage of the law. Jesus' invitation to a new 'yoke' is therefore an invitation to a new way of following God -the way of Love, Mercy and Grace. 

May the words of Matthew 11 bless you with freedom, rest and peace, today. 

Living in Grace

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A broom that sweeps clean

Have you ever been afraid to turn on the lights, just in case you might see something you don't want to see? Maybe its the mess of your kids room, or a gecko running along the ceiling or even a rat in the kitchen (sorry, I couldn't resist that one #UB40). The light reveals things that would otherwise be hidden, but in the end the light can't actually fix the problem. It shows us the mess, but it doesn't clean it up for us.



“The law is the light that reveals how dirty the room is, not the broom that sweeps it clean.” - Dr. Phil Williams
 

"Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law, rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.” - Romans 3:20


We need the law of God to show us the 'mess' our lives are in, but we need the grace of Jesus Christ to make us new. The law is powerless to actually change us - the change comes from the living God working in our hearts. 

In a sense, when we understand the mercy and grace of Jesus, then we actually want him to sweep away the muck in our lives. 

What are your thoughts?

Living in Grace
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