Grace Pondering...

My Personal Experience....

I have never experienced the love of God as I currently do now! Inside of me, it's like the torrent flames of a billowing inferno consuming every part of me and what I do and it just keeps getting bigger. It fills every place and space of my existence with overwhelming power; whether I'm at work, home, sleep, etc. It's the presence of my savior!
You may ask, "what did you do to enable you to get this kind of experience with God?" The religious answer,  do more, more praying, more bible reading, more church attendance, more sacrifice, etc. The real answer is simple; simply believe on him whom God has sent to redeem you, (Jesus)!

The Paradox.....The more I did to try and get God to love me, the less of God's love I was able to receive. My entire thinking on the matter from God's perspective was wrong and I didn't even know it. There is nothing we can do to persuade God to love us more than he already does! The answer lies within the work of the cross, "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" - (John 3:16)

God's Part.....He loves us and He gave His son to demonstrate that love!

Our Part..... Believing; receiving more and more of God's love has everything to do with us believing this simple message, apart from our trying to merit God's love.

This is the work of God, that ye BELIEVE on him whom he hath sent - (John 6:29)

Through the cross, God did all the work so that our part would be simple, just believe! Believing is the key to receiving more and more of Gods great love. I do less than ever to receive God's love; but, because I'm receiving more of God's love I'm doing more than I ever dreamed possible!

Following God 101.....#3

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, THEY ARE THE SONS OF GOD - (Romans 8:14)

The Spirit of God is always unveiling to us the finished work of the cross - and who we are as his sons! God is leading us to a place of confident assurance and perfect rest in knowing how much he truly love us!

Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God - 1 John 3:1

No Pointing Fingers

As ministers of the gospel it's never been our assignment from God to fault find or to point out to people their sins. We are all in the same boat (so to speak), and we all nee Jesus! It's when we open our heart to the gospel (Good News), that we realize it's through the offering of Jesus on the cross - that God took care of the sin problem for us all!

We... ministers of the new covenant are to be stewards of the mysteries of Christ! We are to continuously unveil the glory of the cross and the person of Jesus. We are to help make known unto you the believer, (Who You Are In Christ) & (Who Christ Is In You)...the hope of glory, the hope of the world!

Following God 101.....#2

The Lord is my SHEPHERD; I shall not want - (Psalms 23:1)...

I am the GOOD SHEPHERD, and know my sheep, and am known of mine - (John 10:14)...

It's the goodness of God that leads us into the sheepfold and keeps us there! No one would ever truly want to depart from the security of the loving shepherd. It's the place of bountiful provision and so much more! It's where we experience the overall goodness and favor of God.....So where is He leading us to? To the places of peaceful rest into the lush green pastures of his grace! Beside the still (peaceful) waters from which we can drink deep of his glorious presence and be refreshed!

Following God 101.....#1

God's promise to New Covenant believers is to write his laws into our mind and in our hearts... and be to us a God - (Hebrews 8:10). Our mind and heart is the first place where God's desire and design for our life becomes evident. How do we know if we are following God? When we pursue the passion of our mind and heart, this passion comes from God!

For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure - (Philippians 2:13).

Alabaster Box

The alabaster box has been broken, (Jesus on the cross).  The fragrance of grace, (New Covenant Realities) fill the earth!

Through the eye's of a child!

Arriving at Sunday school Sunday morning I was greeted in the parking lot by an always enthusiastic 7-year old boy by the name of Conner. As usual he was eager to help me in any way he could to get things ready for the morning service. I had to leave church for a few minutes to run an errand for a friend and upon returning, Conner's dad showed me a video he took of Conner while I was gone. In the video Conner was standing in front of the church holding a microphone and practicing preaching. Immediately I asked Conner's dad if it would be ok if I ask.....

Grace Pondering

Rescued.....

Grace has rescued me from misguided religious zeal, that I might worship and serve God with confident abandonment to Him!

Grace Pondering

Receiving God's Love...

God is love, and the greatest expression of God's love was seen in Jesus when he died on the cross in our place. It's impossible for God to love us more than He already does! However, we can open our heart to receive more of God's love.

 The gospel of grace open's the heart to receive more of God's forgiveness and unconditional love. Experiencing more of God's forgiveness and love does not make a person want to sin more. Totally the opposite, it makes a person more compassionate and forgiving.

Grace Pondering

Almost too good to be true, must be the gospel...

Grace reveals God's reality about me. That reality is proclaimed in the glorious gospel and seen in the person of Jesus Christ. In God's reality Grace reveals that when I'm looking at Jesus, I am also looking at me.

Herein is or love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world (1 John 4:17)

God's Earthquake

And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from top to bottom; and the earth did quake and the rocks rent; and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, and came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many (Matthew 27:51--53).

When Gods in an earthquake, instead of sending people to their graves; He brings them out of their graves! He's just shaking off the dirt. How awesome is that?

After His Resurrection

He (Jesus) shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God (Acts 1:3).

(Food For Thought)...I find it interesting that after Jesus resurrection he walked on this earth for over a month and on one occasion was seen of over five hundred brethren at once (1 Cor 15:6).

No More Death

As we approach Easter season we are all very conscious of the resurrection of Jesus and his great victory over death. But have you ever considered that our inclusion in  his death is every bit as powerful as our inclusion in his resurrection from the dead?

By grace God has placed us in the event of Jesus' death also.  There is now no way to trace our lineage back to fallen Adam and sin, "old things have passed away."  We as believers have a brand new beginning, and the biblical record of our new history begins...

Grace Pondering

Face on Grace...

And the word became flesh (Jesus) and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth, John 1:14 (KJV).

...For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ, John 1:17 (KJV).

May we never forget that grace is not a doctrine,  not a theology, not a move of the Spirit, not the next-best popular message for preachers, not the hot-topic of church leaders. Grace has a face. Grace is a person and that person is the Lord Jesus Christ!

It is Finished

The Cross Changed Everything...

 This is the Covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; AND THEIR SINS AND INIQUITIES WILL I REMEMBER NO MORE (Hebrews 10:16-17).

We are living in this New Covenant forgiveness right now! The redemptive work of God is finished! No longer are men's sins counted against them because of the New Covenant. Blessed are they whose INIQUITIES ARE FORGIVEN, and WHOSE SINS ARE COVERED. Blessed is the man to whom THE LORD WILL NOT IMPUTE SIN (Romans 4:7-8).

This is the (Good News) of the gospel, our sins are forgiven no more to be remembered. They are cast eternally from us as far as the east is from the west (Psalms 103:12). Now is the time of salvation.Rreceive Gods best by receiving his son, the Lord Jesus. How do I do that? Simply believe! Believe that Jesus sacrifice on the cross was above and beyond sufficient payment for your sins. In doing so you will receive a new heart with Gods laws written in it. No longer will life be about keeping religious rules! You will be a brand new person with the spirit of Christ living on the inside of you!

Grace Pondering

Feeding upon Grace...

As Christians, it's important that we continually feed upon the grace of God, by experiencing Gods unconditional love for us; and by being thoroughly established in the free gift of righteousness. God has freely provided all things for us through his son Jesus. He alone, (Jesus) is the author and finisher of our faith. May we continually feast at his table in his presence, keeping our eyes fixed on our lovely Jesus and beholding his glory.

Grace Pondering

No more trying to measure up...

Because of the Law and Commandments, People often think they need to measure up to a certain level of good behavior before they can walk with God. The truth is, Jesus measured up for us, fully obeying both; the commandments and the law. He measured up for us all. Now Believe on him and enjoy your walk with God, free of condemnation.

Happy New Year

New Year - Eternal Purpose...

One man, JESUS CHRIST. One message, THE PURE GOSPEL OF GRACE. One mission, INTO ALL THE EARTH.

For the earth shall be filled with the KNOWLEDGE OF THE GLORY OF THE LORD, as the waters cover the sea. Habakkuk 2:14 (KJV)

Condemnation vs Rightousness...

I think we all have felt or do feel the weight of guilt and condemnation. For some, it's more of a problem than it is for others; and it seems the more religious a person is the greater the burden of condemnation. Condemnation can even grow stronger and become more weighty if we attempt to impose on our-self any type of disciplinary rules that promise us a chance of.......