For sin shall
not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace. Romans 6:14
Brothers and Sisters of the
God of Grace,
November… a new month, this
is a new week and Friday is a new day! A new start, a clean page. I like
beginnings and I like a clean page without a mark on it. May be that is the
artist in me. I am always reticent to reach out and put that first mark on a
clean white sheet of paper or canvas. In my excitement of this new month, the
very first of November, I recorded the following prayer in my journal that
morning:
Abba, Daddy,
You are God,
there is no other God but You. Help me love You with abandon, serve You with
hope and faith. I need You to fill my heart with faith to trust You implicitly,
trusting You to love through me, serve and bless and nourish whoever is in need.
Use me to encourage and comfort those who need Your touch. This is Your day, I am crucified with You.
Question: Have you ever experienced
a wonderful Quiet time with the Lord, praising, worshiping, casting all your
care on Him and then, moving happily into your day, find that not ten minutes
after rising from your knees, your old sin nature makes a strong stand and your
flesh kicks in as if newly risen fro the dead? It is humbling. That is exactly
what happened on the morning of November 1. Almost instantly I was annoyed with my husband. I was short,
yes, even irritable and my remarks were unloving. Everything that happened next
was an oxymoron contradicting all I sang and prayed. AAUUhhh!! Shame wrapped
itself around my ankles and with one firm tug, I fell face first into a puddle
of guilt.
Is my LORD disappointed in my
failure? Does He love me less? The Truth is my words and attitude did not
surprise Him in the least, for He knew before creation that I would fail to
trust Him fully on Nov 1. Albeit, His love for me remained unchanged as it was
never dependent on me, but on Jesus Christ and who He is. He is
the same yesterday, today and forever. Hebrews 13:8 He can never be less than He is and He is Love. It
will free you.
The Truth: I was
disappointed in myself. I want to share some things I have learned in the
school of failure. Hear Truths concisely recorded by W
R. Newell:
The Proper Attitude of Man under Grace:
1. To believe, and to consent to be loved
while unworthy, is the great secret.
2. To refuse to make "resolutions" and "vows"; for that, is to trust in the flesh.
3. To expect to be blessed, though realizing more and more lack of worth.
4. To testify of God's goodness, at all times.
5. To be certain of God's future favor
2. To refuse to make "resolutions" and "vows"; for that, is to trust in the flesh.
3. To expect to be blessed, though realizing more and more lack of worth.
4. To testify of God's goodness, at all times.
5. To be certain of God's future favor
6.
To rely on God's chastening hand as a mark of His kindness.
Things Which Gracious Souls Discover:
1.
To "hope to be better" is to fail to see yourself in Christ only.
2. To be disappointed with yourself, is to have believed in yourself.
3. To be discouraged is unbelief, --as to God's purpose and plan of blessing for you.
4. To be proud, is to be blind! For we have no standing before God, in ourselves.
5. The lack of Divine blessing, therefore, comes from unbelief, and not from failure of devotion.
6. Real devotion to God arises, not from man's will to show it; but from the discovery that blessing has been received from God while we were yet unworthy and un-devoted.
7. To preach devotion first, and blessing second, is to reverse God's order, and preach law, not grace. The Law made man's blessing depend on devotion; Grace confers undeserved, unconditional blessing: our devotion may follow, but does not always do so, -- in proper measure.
2. To be disappointed with yourself, is to have believed in yourself.
3. To be discouraged is unbelief, --as to God's purpose and plan of blessing for you.
4. To be proud, is to be blind! For we have no standing before God, in ourselves.
5. The lack of Divine blessing, therefore, comes from unbelief, and not from failure of devotion.
6. Real devotion to God arises, not from man's will to show it; but from the discovery that blessing has been received from God while we were yet unworthy and un-devoted.
7. To preach devotion first, and blessing second, is to reverse God's order, and preach law, not grace. The Law made man's blessing depend on devotion; Grace confers undeserved, unconditional blessing: our devotion may follow, but does not always do so, -- in proper measure.
There
is nothing in me to recommend myself to a holy God. No cause in me why Grace
should be shown… Oh the joy I experienced the day I was set free from such
fruitless effort. I am accepted in Christ. He is my standing. I live in Christ
and He in me. Why do we always reason from what we are in ourselves? The Holy
Spirit always reasons down from what God is to us, not what man is to God. This
is huge…. Hear it. We need experience failure again and again until we find
nothing to rest upon but the abstract goodness of God.
It
is not about my failure; but His
grace.
Not
about my lack but His abundant supply.
Nor
my weaknesses but His strength
Nor
even about my foolishness, but God’s wisdom.
It is not about my sin, but His sin
offering…
For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might
become the righteousness of God in Him. II Corinthians 5:21
Come
learn with me the freedom of Grace. It isn’t about us, but about Him. He teaches
us to receive grace and to give grace. The body of Christ needs the healing and
hope Grace gives. It sets my feet to dancing and my heart to singing of His
greatness. Great is the Lord and worthy to be praised. Blessed are You.
God of Grace, I long to be like Jesus and I am nothing like Him.
You are the potter and I am the clay. Clay needs water to remain supple and
pliable and when I mix clay that has been a without water for a long time, it
is useless, broken and hardened… a waste. Do not let me become fruitless and
hopeless. You are the water of life and I am like the dried clay, broken in
little pieces without the life-giving blood of Christ and the water of life
that You alone give. I want to be a woman of faith, faith like Father Abraham! I
pray for my sisters and brothers asking you to work in them these freeing
Truths. Renew us, revive us, restore us until Your will is all we want and
know. I pray in the wondrous Name of Jesus my Lord.
All
is Grace,
az
The Gospel (or Good News) message of Jesus Christ is so simple that it almost defies understanding. By evidenceofdesign| 1 video
