The Inevitable

What is the inevitable?
Death?
Taxes?
Bad drivers?
The answer: CHANGE.

Change is inevitable and many of us are undergoing some form of change right now. So how are you handing that change? Is it stressing you out, or are you remaining philosophical about it? George Bernard Shaw once said: "Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything." 

We will not be able to stop the changes from occurring, but we do get a choice as to how we deal with them. Either we can bury our heads in the sand and wish them away or we can embrace them and discover what we can learn from them. 

The promise that all Christ-followers take into these periods of change is that God will always we with us, NO MATTER WHAT. So if you are feeling a little worse for wear - hang in there and trust in God to get you through the changes. 

Hebrews 13: 5-8 -

“…God has said,

“Never will I leave you;
    never will I forsake you.” 

⁶ So we say with confidence,

“The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.
    What can mere mortals do to me?”

⁷ Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. ⁸ Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”

Living in Grace

D3LM3

The WORD in the words

There is a lovely quote from Karl Barth that states: When we are reading we are doing more than just looking at the words on the page, but that we are seeking "The WORD exposed in the words."

I think this is especially true of when we read the Scriptures and Christian literature. The image of Jesus is always present in these words, we just need to be able to recognise them. I always come to the pages of the Bible believing that God has something to say to me and that God wants to impart these messages.

As we embark upon a new year of discovery that hopefully includes spending some more time in the SCRIPTURES, I pray that the Word (Jesus) will be made real to you in the words of the Bible.

Try this process in the following Scripture:

 John 1:14 - "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth."

God bless you on this adventure.

Living in Grace
D3LM3

Nothing can separate us

“If God is for us, who can ever be against us? Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else? Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself. Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us. Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love?" -
‭‭Romans‬ ‭8:31-35‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Modern technology helps us to connect with family and friends all over the world. In a few seconds we can send a text message, what's app or Skype & all of this helps us feel "connected" to our loved ones. In a sense we are not separated from each other, despite not being in the same room as them.

And so, if technology allows us to do this, how much more would our loving Creator allow us to be connected to him. There is nothing that can separate us from God.

May God grant you a blessed day wherever you may be reading this right now.

Living in grace
D3LM3

Commit yourself to ....?

“Commit yourself to instruction; listen carefully to words of knowledge.”- Proverbs‬ ‭23:12‬ ‭NLT‬‬

We will all end up committing ourselves to something this year, even if we don't know what it is as yet. Others may have their own agendas for us, so it is best that we begin to reflect on what we hope to COMMIT our lives to.

Do have an idea what it may be? I am still wrestling with a few things to tackle in 2016, but I am thinking that using Solomon's advice may be a great starting place. Committing ourselves to the instruction of The Lord is a good starting place. One of the ways we can do this is to commit to read some part of the Word on a daily basis. What do you think?

"Courage is the commitment to begin without any guarantee of success." - Johann Von Goethe

Living in grace
D3LM3

Thoughts for the first week of 2016

As we move deeper into the first month of 2016 I wanted to share some great quotes I stumbled across from former American President Benjamin Franklin (thanks Antony for the heads up).
In the context of the new year and resolutions I think these thoughts are appropriate. Enjoy them and may God bless you.

"Be at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let every new year find you a better person."

"How few there are who have courage enough to own their faults, or resolution enough to mend them." - Benjamin Franklin 

Are you willing to be "at war with your vices" in 2016?
And what about being at "peace" with your neighbors? 
Why not give it a try?

Living in grace

D3LM3

He who guards your soul

“Don’t excuse yourself by saying, “Look, we didn’t know.”
For God understands all hearts, and he sees you.
He who guards your soul knows you knew.
He will repay all people as their actions deserve.” - Proverbs‬ ‭24:12‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I find it reassuring that our Saviour guards our soul. It is perhaps an unusual concept in modern times, but the very thought brings great comfort to many Christ-followers. When we have placed our hearts into the hands of our creator, it is God who takes care of us.

"If the Lord be with us, we have no cause of fear. His eye is upon us, His arm over us, His ear open to our prayer – His grace sufficient, His promise unchangeable." - John Newton

Living in Grace
D3LM3

When I stand...

As we all begin the New Year with resolve and new insight I pray that we would take into account that we will all be held accountable for how we have lived our lives. This can be a scary notion or else it can be a huge reality check for us - it can help us to have a sharp focus for the next 365 days. Which one will it be for you this year?

Luke 21:19 - “Stand firm, and you will win life.”

“When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left and could say, I used everything you gave me.”

– Erma Bombec

Living in Grace

D3LM3