10-30-12 Faith in Action

Prepare your heart…..He’s ready for you!...are you for Him? Verses for the day - James 2: 14-17 (NIV) 14 What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? 15 Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

(Msg) 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?

I like the Epistle of James. It’s straight forward…he doesn’t mince any words…much like the prophets of the old testament…..(not to mention that it’s just a great name)…but bringing us back to life in the Gospel...the “follow me” life-of-action-faith in Jesus Christ!

As I read these verses…contemplate them….look at some commentaries…it’s very evident that James is speaking to us in this section about a faith that is from the mind…self-serving head knowledge that deals in the facts of salvation…a check-off list that testifies to our truth…..versus a faith that overflows with expressions of love…..a faith that “trusts” in Jesus….completely!

…and this is where Jesus touched my heart…..and asked me…”Jim, do you really trust me?”

Yeh…you do this and that at “church”….you & your family participate in “acts of kindness” with others….but do you really have faith in me….faith like a child?

Matt. 18:3 (NIV) 3 And he said: “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

….maybe my faith-in-action needs a little less thinkin’, and a lot more re-action from a heart that is totally overflowing with love…a love that flows from “child like” faith…fully dependent & trusting in Him!

Please share your thoughts…so that we’re all blessed!

Blessings to you & yours! jim

Monday 10.29.12 "Have Faith"

Today’s Reading is Ephesians 2:8 – 10 ⁸ For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— ⁹ not by works, so that no one can boast. ¹⁰ For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

It has amazed me to think that I have a God that sacrificed so much for me and desires me to spend eternity with Him.  All I have to do is have faith that He exists and died for my sins.  How awesome is that!!!  We can all have everlasting life through Him.  Why would anyone want to spend eternity with a bunch of people that can’t go minutes without sinning, but He does.  He desires to be in close relationship with you and I, but we wonder around thinking we’re in charge and don’t need Him.  He waits patiently for us, but we continue to push Him aside until we need Him and yet He waits at the door until we open it up for Him.

We were made in His image which is one of love, joy and the desire to help others.  We had the best example of this through our Savior.  He loved people where they were not where we think they should be.  He didn’t judge people, but loved them for who they were.  Why do we feel the need to judge people?  Is it to bring them down to our level so that we can feel better about ourselves?  Why can’t we just love people for who/where they are as He did?  Last week during John Devries visit he mentioned joy as a Christian, joy that comes when we’ve accepted Christ into our lives and we live for Him.  I’ve seen this in my own life.  When I truly accepted Christ into my life, my whole personality changed.  I became much more forgiving, less judgemental (still working on this one) and much more joyful and content with myself.  I get so much joy out of helping others, like Serve the City.  This has been an amazing growth time for me in an area that I was really lacking, but Christ used this opportunity to grow me even closer to Him.

My prayer is that everyone be in close relationship with our Father, for He desires to be in relationship with you.  Don’t turn Him into a vending machine God, where you put a little time in the slot and expect Him to do something for you.  Instead, spend time with Him and desire to care for His people because you were built in His image.  The first step in a relationship is communication.  I challenge each person to wake up 15 minutes earlier each day and spend that time praying.  Pray for Him to engulf your life, for the Spirit to consume your heart and for total and complete faith in Him.  He will make your life more than anything you could believe if you will let Him.  Are you up to the challenge?

-dave

10.28.12 Sunday's Blog - "Listen and Do!"

The Sunday blog gives everyone an opportunity to share thoughts and insights with regards to the primary scripture text and message from the worship service at Point of Grace this morning. James 1 ²² Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. ²³ Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror ²⁴ and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. ²⁵ But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.

²⁶ Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. ²⁷ Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

What strikes you about this passage?

If you had an opportunity to hear the message at PoG this morning, what was God saying to you through it?

How is God showing up in your life today?

Enjoy!

10.27.12 Saturday's Blog

Welcome to the POG Blog! Instead of a staff person or lay leader beginning the discussion, we are asking that YOU begin the discussion on what today’s Scripture is saying to you and how it relates to Sunday’s message. Enjoy praying, digging in, sharing thoughts and responding!

Have a great Saturday!   Denise

Today’s Scripture Reading is:  Psalm 95:1-7   (NIV)

Psalm 95

¹ Come,^(A) let us sing for joy^(B) to the Lord; let us shout aloud^(C) to the Rock^(D) of our salvation. ² Let us come before him^(E) with thanksgiving^(F) and extol him with music^(G) and song.

³ For the Lord is the great God,^(H) the great King^(I) above all gods.^{(J) 4} In his hand are the depths of the earth,^(K) and the mountain peaks belong to him. ⁵ The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land.^(L)

⁶ Come, let us bow down^(M) in worship,^(N) let us kneel^(O) before the Lord our Maker;^{(P) 7} for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture,^(Q) the flock under his care.

Share your thoughts!  What is God saying to you through this Scripture today?

10.26.12 "A Hearing God"

Lord Jesus,I come to you now to be restored You, to be renewed in You to receive your life and love and all the grace and mercy I so desperately need this day.  I now open the ears of my heart to You by faith and ask you to send Your Holy Spirit to bring me all You have for me from your word this day!   Amen

2 Chronicles 7 - ¹¹ When Solomon had finished the temple of the Lord and the royal palace, and had succeeded in carrying out all he had in mind to do in the temple of the Lord and in his own palace, ¹² the Lord appeared to him at night and said: “I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for myself as a temple for sacrifices. ¹³ “When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, ¹⁴ if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. ¹⁵ Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place. ¹⁶ I have chosen and consecrated this temple so that my Name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there.

The theme for this week is all about prayer!  This is a favorite passage on prayer for a lot of people.  I seem to here it alot around election time when praying for our nation!  What is God saying to me today?

The context is the dedication of the original temple in Jerusalem built by Solomon.  In 2Chronicles 6 is recorded an extensive prayer by King Solomon asking God to "Hear!" the prayers of the people in all kinds of life situations - whether under seige by enemies, under a disciplining famine from God, whether Israelite or foreigner - didn't matter - Solomon is asking God to be gracious and hear the prayers of His undeserving people!

I have never noticed before that the entire "Dedication Prayer of the Temple" was about prayer!  No wonder 1000 years later Jesus got so upset when He saw the temple resembling a marketplace and vehemently declared, "Is it not written, 'My house shall be called a House of Prayer for all nations!'"

So it makes sense when God respsonds to Solomon in the words of today's text with a beautiful promise that can be summed up in the phrase, "I WILL HEAR YOU!"  That is key to our understanding and motivation to pray! "I WILL HEAR YOU!"   No matter what the situation the promise is the same, "I WILL HEAR YOU!"

Now to tap into that promise I must recognize my part.  My part is to "humble myself, pray, seek His face and turn from my wicked ways"!  This taps me into the promises God has committed Himself to "Hear,Forgive and Heal!" 

I need that - I want that from God - I get to come to a HEARING GOD!

WOW!

delton

PS.  As I am finishing writing I sense God saying to me, "Just DO IT delton, DO IT!, Come to Me - NOW!!" I think I better pray NOW!

Thursday, 10.25.12

"Father, what do You want to talk to us about today?  Help us to have ears to hear and eyes to see what You would have for us this day.   For You alone, our souls wait hushed.  Amen." Today’s Scripture is from

Jeremiah 29:10-14a  (The Message) This is God’s Word on the subject:  “As soon as Babylon’s seventy years are up and not a day before, I’ll show and take care of you as I promised and bring you back home.  I know what I’m doing.  I have it all planned out – plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for.  When you call on Me, when you come and pray to Me, I’ll listen.  When you come looking for Me, you’ll find Me.  Yes, when you get serious about finding Me and want it more than anything else, I’ll make sure you won’t be disappointed!” 

This section from Jeremiah is a very popular section of Scripture found on Greeting Cards and Plaques in Christian Book Stores – especially for Graduations.   Usually only verse 11 is quoted:

“For I know the plans I have for you,”  declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”   (NIV)

But read further – into verses 12-14 …

“Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.  You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart.  I will be found by you,”  declares the Lord….

This past weekend, the author of Why Pray and founder of Mission India, John DeVries and his lovely wife, Adelaide visited Point of Grace.  They shared testimony after testimony about Prayer and the miraculous ways God answered those prayers.

I found myself "envious" in a way.  I think I "play" with prayer.  I  convicted by the encouragement of praying to God first – before making plans -  in order to hear and understand from God where He is guiding us, instead of making plans and THEN consulting God and asking Him to “bless” our plans.

Oh, haven’t we all done that?  We have made decisions in our life and then tacked on a prayer for God to bless the plan.   Or, we have had a meeting or even a Bible Study and at the end have said something to the effect of, “well, let’s close in a quick word of prayer.”   I am so sorry for these times, Lord.

He shared stories of Church Planters in India who had tirelessly worked for years – only to see no results.  Then, they changed their strategy – and prayed for the people in a village first –  which then resulted in miraculous souls turning to the One True God!

Or, as this passage in Jeremiah says - I see how I have given God only a  part of my heart in regard to prayer – how I will pray half-heartedly, or for a day or so.  I am not sure I truly know what it feels like to seek Him with ALL MY HEART.   I am grateful for His mercy and Grace and how He has forgiven me for these times.

So, this passage in Jeremiah confirms to me what I learned this weekend from John DeVries’ testimonies about prayer in his own life.  These verses are such an encouragement --  "He knows what He is doing - He has it all planned out - plans to prosper me - not to harm me!"  HE knows the plans HE has for me --- it doesn’t say that I will get to know the plans ahead of time!

And then it says to call upon Him – to pray to Him and He will listen to me!   That when I seek Him I will indeed find Him when I seek Him with all my heart.  He will be found by me!   I may not know what the future holds – but I do know that if I will humble myself and call upon Him, I will find Him – no matter what the future entails. 

So instead of me laying out before Him my future – “here God, I am going to do this and that and please bless my plans”    I come to Him as a child to a father and say, “Dad, I don’t know what the plan is.  But I want You.  I am seeking You.  And I know You are listening.  So, wherever You want to take me today is just fine with me!  I give You my whole heart – I give You all my plans and hopes and dreams – because You have promised that you have plans to give me a future and a Hope!  And that is good enough for me.  Besides, I am tired of driving!  I think I will just climb into Your lap and let You take the wheel!"

How about you?  Can you remember times in your life when you made plans and then asked God to bless them?  How did that turn out for you?

Or can you remember times when you surrendered your future to God – sought Him out in prayer with your whole heart and let Him take the reins?  How did that turn out?

-dawn

10.24.12 - Eternity providing hope through persecution

Please begin with prayer for an open heart, before you read the passage below. Matthew 5:10-12 – Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. ¹¹ “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. ¹² Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

I typically bring my lunch and eat at my desk and have done this since I started working.  I have developed a progression of websites I typically look at during lunch---yahoo.finance.com, cnn.com, and espn.com.  In the last year of so, I have noticed the comments feature at the bottom of articles.  They will have the article and then at the bottom, any reader can respond in any way that I like.  Many times, the readers’ comments are better than the articles themselves!  I specifically try to read any article relating to faith that’s in the positive or the negative.  While reading the comments on those articles, you can quickly see how charged an issue it is on both sides---Athiests take ridiculous shots at Christians (or anyone of faith) and Christians typically respond with judgment and insensitivity.

These comments came to mind while reading this passage from Matthew.  People are going to insult us because of what we believe and how we live.  This can make living as a Christian challenging and people around us can ostracize us from the rest of the group because of our faith.  John Devries told some amazing stories of persecution that missionaries face in India, where Christians are the extreme minority in that country.  They have such joy in Christ that they are willing to withstand the insults, threats, and at times violence, because they love Christ more than their reputation and trust their eternal well-being over the temporary!

Luke 9:25 says, ‘What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self?’  We make small and big choices every day that point to which Kingdom is priority for us and this passage helps me to step back and realize which Kingdom truly matters.  I can be so caught up in the day to day activities and flesh and blood in front of me and forget the spiritual realm which is where the true battle is taking place!

When we receive a Biblical perspective our priorities are re-ordered and it really makes life easier.  We elevate the eternal and relegate the earthly and temporary and are able to hold things that are important to the world much more loosely.  In this text, Jesus is assuring us that this short-term suffering is evidence of our long-term destination!  We also take hope in the persecution He faced and joyfully endured to redeem humanity.  Children of God, we are truly blessed when we are insulted or suffer for the name of Jesus.  We must fix our eyes on Jesus and have hope, because great is our reward in Heaven!

Have you been insulted or felt persecution because of your faith?  How do you get through the insults and what gives you hope?  Do you have perspective that eternity matters over temporary things and what Kingdom are you living for?  I would love to hear your journey and how this passage impacted you.

mike

10-23-12 Where Is the Battlefield?

Ephesians 6:10-13, 18-20 The Armor of God

10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. 11Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13Therefore, put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything to stand.

18And pray in the spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. 19Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, 20for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly as I should.

Do not be fooled. Cast aside any doubts you may have. There is a spiritual battle being waged today for souls; our souls. You know our heavenly Father deeply desires a relationship with all His children. He wants us to rejoice with Him in His heavenly kingdom until the end of time. So too does Satan desire to keep us from having a relationship with God. Satan’s goal is to keep us from joining our Father in heaven. Pastor has preached about the presence of a third party, an unseen spiritual entity that disrupts relationships and families; creates doubt, mistrust, envy, jealousy. This is the struggle these passages refer to.

If we are in an unseen, unfelt “battle”, where is the battlefield? It is all around us. It is everywhere. How can I, a mere human being who struggles with sin in a broken world ever hope to meet the challenge of this struggle??? Ahhhh but we can’t. Not by ourselves. Certainly not alone. The only one who can equip us against Satan is Almighty God. The passages for today give us a battle plan when we encounter Satan. When everything we think, say and do is done with God in our thoughts and heart, we will have put on the full armor of God for the battle. We will be equipped for the battle. It is when we think, say and do without God in our thoughts and heart is when Satan finds an opening. It is then we are at our weakest.

Prayer is such a vital role in fighting against the forces of Satan. Prayer is essential in connecting with God. We cannot have a relationship with Him without prayer. Jesus went to our Heavenly Father all the time in prayer. It is no less that we need to spend time in prayer with our Father in heaven. Prayer prepares our hearts to accept Jesus. Prayer gives us that time to spend in His presence. Prayer can get us to that point where everything we think, say and do is with God in our thoughts and heart.

This passage exhorts us to pray. Pray for all kinds of requests with all kinds of prayers. Pray all the time. In that way God will dwell within us so that we can be a shining light for Him to everyone. He will have equipped us for battle by putting on the full armor of God.

Kevin

10-22-12 The End of the Story

Please find a quiet place to focus on God for a few minutes, asking His Spirit to speak to your heart, and in Jesus’ name, ridding your heart and mind of distractions, burdens, guilt, worry, etc. Today’s scripture is Revelation 22:12-17 The Message (MSG)

12-13 “Yes, I’m on my way! I’ll be there soon! I’m bringing my payroll with me. I’ll pay all people in full for their life’s work. I’m A to Z, the First and the Final, Beginning and Conclusion.

14-15 “How blessed are those who wash their robes! The Tree of Life is theirs for good, and they’ll walk through the gates to the City. But outside for good are the filthy curs: sorcerers, fornicators, murderers, idolaters—all who love and live lies.

16 “I, Jesus, sent my Angel to testify to these things for the churches. I’m the Root and Branch of David, the Bright Morning Star.”

17 “Come!” say the Spirit and the Bride.
Whoever hears, echo, “Come!”
Is anyone thirsty? Come!
All who will, come and drink,
Drink freely of the Water of Life!

When I first looked at the scripture for today, I thought, “Yikes”! A verse from Revelation?! Although I’ve participated in a bible study of the whole book of Revelation in the past, I always found the writing to be mysterious and sometimes very confusing. Then, when I looked it up in my Bible, I realized these verses are some of the very last verses in God’s Word. The end of a regular book usually has an answer to a mystery (one of my favorite kinds of books), or a happy or sad ending to a story.

For me, the verses in the “end” of this Book remind me of God’s all powerful nature, that he created this world I live in, and everything in it. He is Creator, Messiah, Master of this universe, and then in the next verses tells me that all I need to do is believe that my sins have been removed by Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross and His resurrection, and I can “walk through the gates to the City.”

The next verses also remind me that I will have no fear of evil in this City – God will keep all of the evil one’s distractions, burdens, guilty feelings, worry, etc. outside the City. Wait a minute, He’s telling me that no fear of evil is my reality now IF I follow him, and work on a relationship with him. Does that mean whew - good, God’s got my back, so no worries about my life or cares about the people in my life? Not quite… In verse 17 he says “Whoever hears” – “come”. Ack! That means I must be actively listening for his direction, something I am always struggling with. I have to intentionally “be still” on a daily basis to hear Him.

After re-reading the whole text, the words “I’ll pay all people in full” jumped out at me. None of us are born with the knowledge of our Creator – we’re raised with it, or someone shares their faith with us. What about the people around me who have never heard about my loving God? John DeVries shared in worship yesterday that we need to go into the field to spread the Gospel – that sharing our lives, reading God’s Word (“chewing on it”), and praying with people, is (and should be) our response to having engraved invitations to “the City”. For me, the end of the Bible is a declaration of the beginning of a true life/relationship with my Redeemer. It’s a really good ending! :)

Please share your thoughts with me about these verses. What is God saying to you through this Scripture today?

Kristi

10.20.12 Saturday's Blog

Welcome to the POG Blog! Instead of a staff person or lay leader beginning the discussion, we are asking that YOU begin the discussion on what today’s Scripture is saying to you and how it relates to Sunday’s message. Enjoy praying, digging in, sharing thoughts and responding!

Have a great Saturday!   Denise

Today’s Scripture Reading is:  Psalm 70  (NIV)

Psalm 70

For the director of music. Of David. A petition.

¹ Hasten, O God, to save me; come quickly, Lord, to help me.^(B)

² May those who want to take my life^(C) be put to shame and confusion; may all who desire my ruin be turned back in disgrace.^{(D) 3} May those who say to me, “Aha! Aha!”^(E) turn back because of their shame. ⁴ But may all who seek you^(F) rejoice and be glad^(G) in you; may those who long for your saving help always say, “The Lord is great!”^(H)

⁵ But as for me, I am poor and needy;^(I) come quickly to me,^(J) O God. You are my help^(K) and my deliverer;^(L) Lord, do not delay.⁽

Share your thoughts!  What is God saying to you through this Scripture today?

10.19.12 "Conquering Love"

This is one of my favorite passages of scripture!  I am so glad I get to spend some time with you contemplating what God is saying! Romans 8:35-39 "³⁵ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? ³⁶ As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” ³⁷ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. ³⁸ For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, ³⁹ neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Over the last several days I have had conversations about how when bad things happen it makes it harder to believe in a good God!  In fact, this is one of the key objections people of our time and culture have with our christian understanding of God.  The account this week of the girl in Colorado that was brutally murdered was the catalyst for one of my friends to reengage the question "Can there be a good God when so many bad things happen?"!  Last Sunday the account of John the Baptist's death really brought to the forefront the reality of evil at work in our world simultaneously with God at work in our world in the person of Jesus.  How can the two be at work at the same time?

With this frame of mind I read the above verses this morning and saw something new - something slightly different than I had seen before!  I always got the "more than conquerors" bit - but this morning I noticed how Paul viewed the "bad stuff" that had happened to him.  He did not see the "bad stuff" as evidence that there was not a good God.  He saw the "bad stuff" as the context - the literal battefield of life where the "goodness of God" - the "love of God" won its greatest victiories.  He saw the "troubles, hardships, persecutions, nakedness, dangers or swords (Iam assuming he means some sort of violent evil) - as the very situations where he witnessed the conquering love of Christ winning the day!  Perhaps, it is only in this context that the true depth of the love of God - the conquering love of God can be truly embraced, experienced and ultimately known!   Hmmmm!

I know that in our marriage, Dawn and I share a strong love - not because of the awesome candlelight dinners, or numerous perfectly romantic caribbean cruises (hasn't been too many of them) - rather we know our love is strong because we have walked through a lot together over the last 30 years.  We know that even with disagreements, quarrels, losses, devastations, worry, disappointments, deaths, accidents, injuries, sicknesses, hurtful words, forgotten anniversaries, heartbreaking conversations ----- we still are in love with each other.  Love forges security into our relationships not so much in the times of tranquility as in the furnace of challenge. 

You and I get to live today as "more than conquerors through Him who  loved us" with a conquering love forged in the furnace of real life - and real death - and real resurrection! 

I have some things to think about today!  Maybe some new lenses to look at my life today through!

What about you?

delton

10.19.12 "Conquering Love"

This is one of my favorite passages of scripture!  I am so glad I get to spend some time with you contemplating what God is saying! Romans 8:35-39 "³⁵ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? ³⁶ As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” ³⁷ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. ³⁸ For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, ³⁹ neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Over the last several days I have had conversations about how when bad things happen it makes it harder to believe in a good God!  In fact, this is one of the key objections people of our time and culture have with our christian understanding of God.  The account this week of the girl in Colorado that was brutally murdered was the catalyst for one of my friends to reengage the question "Can there be a good God when so many bad things happen?"!  Last Sunday the account of John the Baptist's death really brought to the forefront the reality of evil at work in our world simultaneously with God at work in our world in the person of Jesus.  How can the two be at work at the same time?

With this frame of mind I read the above verses this morning and saw something new - something slightly different than I had seen before!  I always got the "more than conquerors" bit - but this morning I noticed how Paul viewed the "bad stuff" that had happened to him.  He did not see the "bad stuff" as evidence that there was not a good God.  He saw the "bad stuff" as the context - the literal battefield of life where the "goodness of God" - the "love of God" won its greatest victiories.  He saw the "troubles, hardships, persecutions, nakedness, dangers or swords (Iam assuming he means some sort of violent evil) - as the very situations where he witnessed the conquering love of Christ winning the day!  Perhaps, it is only in this context that the true depth of the love of God - the conquering love of God can be truly embraced, experienced and ultimately known!   Hmmmm!

I know that in our marriage, Dawn and I share a strong love - not because of the awesome candlelight dinners, or numerous perfectly romantic caribbean cruises (hasn't been too many of them) - rather we know our love is strong because we have walked through a lot together over the last 30 years.  We know that even with disagreements, quarrels, losses, devastations, worry, disappointments, deaths, accidents, injuries, sicknesses, hurtful words, forgotten anniversaries, heartbreaking conversations ----- we still are in love with each other.  Love forges security into our relationships not so much in the times of tranquility as in the furnace of challenge. 

You and I get to live today as "more than conquerors through Him who  loved us" with a conquering love forged in the furnace of real life - and real death - and real resurrection! 

I have some things to think about today!  Maybe some new lenses to look at my life today through!

What about you?

delton

10.18.12 - Embracing the battle...

Please begin with prayer for an open heart, before you read the passage below. 1 Peter 5:5-11 – Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older.  All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, ‘God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.’  Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time.  Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.  Be self-controlled and alert.  Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.  Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.  And the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will Himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.  To Him be the power for ever and ever.  Amen

Does it seem like we are in the middle of a war?  Not like what’s taking place in the Middle East/N. Africa, but a spiritual battle.  Scripture repeatedly talks about the enemy (Satan) and that there are forces opposed to the Holy God that we follow and we are in the middle of it, and at times, casualties of it.  I don’t think this is typically at the forefront of our mind and we don’t live like this is a reality either.  Our country is relatively friendly towards Christianity, or at least not littered with outright, violent hostility like other parts of the world, but there is resistance.  We have to be careful not to run and hide from this through surrounding ourselves with only Christians and creating a protected, Christian utopia of sorts.

Before I began working at Point of Grace, I worked in the business world for 6 years.  Before that, I spent 5 years at the University of Texas.  Both of these places had pockets of Christians, but as a whole, it was not friendly towards Christians.  There were certain cultures at UT and the two companies I worked at and if you didn’t follow the cultures, because of your faith, you were typically looked down upon and made fun of.  Again, people were not hostile, just not supportive if you didn’t move with the norm.  These times were tremendous for my faith, because I felt a little bit of the pressure and consequences of the battle that we are in.  In those moments, you are really choosing whether you will follow Jesus or follow the ways of the world.

Since I began to work at Point of Grace, it presented a different challenge.  It is much safer in the walls of a church to express your faith and follow Jesus, but that can lead to naivety or blindness to the war that we are in.  I am surrounded by Christians the majority of my waking hours.  Even people that are not Christian at Point of Grace are not openly hostile towards it.  There can be a trap within the Christian world to bubble-ize ourselves through all things Christian.  Christians have created a separate Christian world---bookstores, radio, business, ministry, small groups, etc.  These are all great things, but if we are not careful, we can run and hide from the war and that is never the call from Christ.  We are called to stand firm and seek opportunities to be around those far from God.  If I am not intentional, I will have little meaningful interaction with people far from God.  Comfort that is promoted by America can render us ineffective in the spiritual realms!

We also can’t lose heart while in the battle---we remember brothers and sisters all around the world who are facing persecution because of their faith.  Verse 10 gives great hope as well---‘after you have suffered a little while, will restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.’  The battle has purpose and what’s great, is that we know the outcome!  This gives us hope as we press forward and help advance the Kingdom of God.  As Jesus says in John 15:18-21---the world hated Him first---if you belonged to the world it would love you as its own---They will treat you this way because of my name!  So, when people don’t like us because of our faith and we might be facing persecution, this  is actually a good thing and sign that we are on the winning team!

Do you live knowing the reality of the battle we are in?  Have you faced persecution, whether social or otherwise?  What gives you hope through the battle?  I would love to hear your journey and how this passage impacted you.

mike

10-17-12 The Truth Is Too Close For Comfort

Lord, please help me to surrender to Your Word today. Help me to receive what You need me to hear and act upon what I am learning in my time with You. I so deeply desire to remain connected to You at all costs. Amen. Matthew 5:10-12 (The Message)

¹⁰ “You’re blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God’s kingdom.

^11-12 “Not only that—count yourselves blessed every time people put you down or throw you out or speak lies about you to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and they are uncomfortable. You can be glad when that happens—give a cheer, even!—for though they don’t like it, I do! And all heaven applauds. And know that you are in good company. My prophets and witnesses have always gotten into this kind of trouble.

When I read these verses, especially in this paraphrase, I'm drawn to the statement "the truth is too close for comfort and they are uncomfortable". Why?

We humans so desperately seek comfort - physically, spiritually, emotionally - we long for comfort in any areas of our lives that are unsteady, unknown, or hurt. It doesn't matter if the source of comfort is healthy or unhealthy, we seek it desperately and try to hold onto it at all costs.

When we are uncomfortable, or our comfort is threatened, we adopt defense mechanisms to protect our zone of comfort. Our normal, if you will. If something challenges what we know to be normal or true and proves itself to be correct, then all we have built on our foundation of truth comes into question. So we defend our truth - our normal, our comfort - for all it's worth to keep that from happening.

It suddenly hits me that Jesus isn't giving us a scenario of us vs. them in these verses. He's not warning us of persecution by an enemy in this passage; rather, He is giving us understanding of persecution because of His name so that we can persevere and keep going in His name. The persecution is happening precisely BECAUSE another's 'truth' is being threatened by 'Truth' and that is a good thing. If the normal or the comfortable is not challenged, then nothing ever changes.

That's why Jesus lets us in on the celebration taking place in heaven. He reminds us that we are not alone - many have come before us who have faced the same persecution. This is a good thing.

I also realized that I don't want to get comfortable in my faith. I want to be uncomfortable - I want to constantly, intentionally seek connection with Christ so that my foundation never wavers and I have the ability to reach and seek and touch and shake up those that have gotten comfortable with their 'truths'.

Lord, please help me to rejoice in persecution because of You. Let me thank you that Your Truth is challenging the status quo and is not being ignored. Give me the continued strength and grace to push onward even when the pushback is too difficult to ignore. Keep me uncomfortable, Lord. Amen

What are your thoughts on today's reading?

Lisa

10.15.12 Monday's Blog

Romans 5:1-5 “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.  And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.  Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character, and character, hope.  And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.”  There are two pieces of this text that speak to me the most as I wrestle with it today.  The first is this truth that I am justified through faith in Jesus.  This is a concept that my brain is still trying to teach my heart.  That God forgave me and called me to follow Him while I was in sin.  There is nothing I could have done to earn it, and no way for me to pay it back.  This is so humbling.  Nothing in the world works like this.

The second piece challenges me to rejoice in my suffering…that in doing so, I will gain character and hope by demonstrating perseverance.  This is so opposite to how I usually face suffering in my life.  It is my tendency to pity myself during tough times.  I want to do anything to make it stop…and now!!  Suffering is something that I ask God to deliver and protect me from.  I have a tendency to think that life is a story about ME and that it is God’s job to protect me from anything that hurts.  And when he fails to do this, I begin to doubt.

Pastor Delton made a statement in yesterday’s message that “we are in a battle.”  This battle is a much bigger story.  It is a violent battle over mankind. It’s a battle that results in horrible suffering.   This is a story that God has been working out since the beginning of time.  If I decide to follow Jesus, I get to be a part of His story ….

This perspective gives suffering new meaning for me.  It gives it purpose.  It reminds me that I can face adversity with confidence because I know that the Lord is refining me for His purposes and that he will never abandon me. 

I hope to put these verses into action this week.  There is an ongoing situation at work that is very stressful and at times painful for me.  Clearly God is allowing me to remain in this situation because I have tried multiple times and ways to escape it.  This week, I hope to trust in Jesus that I am exactly where I am supposed to be and that He is using my obedience for his purposes, and I pray that I will endure in a way that honors Him.   

What does this passage say to you?

Erin Jay

10.12.12 "God's Heart - My Heart"

Gracious Father, I come to You now to be restored in You, renewed in You and I open my heart to receive all the grace, mercy and provision from You that I so desperately need this day!  I come to Your Word by faith, trusting You have gifts for me so graciously given by Your Holy Spirit!  Amen! The scripture text for today is from Luke 15! “⁸ “Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? ⁹ And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’ ¹⁰ In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

This little story from Jesus reminds me a great deal of the story mentioned last Sunday when Jesus talked about a pearl of great value whose finder sold everything he had to buy it.  Here Jesus seems to illustrate the same thing about the heart of God for us – for His people.  We are valuable and priceless to Him.  We are lost but then found!  There is great rejoicing when the reunion is made. 

It helps me to remember the line that introduces us to Jesus’ motivation for this little story. In 15:1-3 Luke writes, “Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. ² But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” ³ Then Jesus told them this parable:

Jesus is illustrating something very powerful about the heart of God!  He rejoices over broken, sinful people who come to Him - people who are lost and for whom He is searching.  He rejoices over us as we come to Him.  We are the lost coin and He is the woman searching.  He is not satisfied with those He already has – the nine coins – He is on the hunt for the one still lost.

As I am writing, a new thought just struck me.  I will cross paths with literally hundreds if not thousands of people today who are “lost coins”!  How is their Father in heaven now looking for them – seeking the lost one?  How is the Father doing that now? 

Perhaps that is my role!  As a child of God I get to live in my world today with the heart of my Father – realizing there is a great deal of lostness around me!   Maybe my Father is reaching out through me today to find a lost coin.  Perhaps He is saying to me, “Open your eyes wide today delton, look at people through My lens – see the lost coins- join Me on My coin retrieval mission!”

Now that sends me off today with an exciting, unpredictable and adventurous purpose for my life today!

WOW!

delton

10.10.12 "Chosen One"

The verse for today is:   Romans 8: 31-34    (The Message) So, what do you think? With God on our side like this, how can we lose? If God didn’t hesitate to put everything on the line for us, embracing our condition and exposing himself to the worst by sending his own Son, is there anything else he wouldn’t gladly and freely do for us? And who would dare tangle with God by messing with one of God’s chosen? Who would dare even to point a finger? The One who died for us—who was raised to life for us!—is in the presence of God at this very moment sticking up for us.

This is such an encouraging passage for me!   Do you ever struggle with your value?  I do.  It seems to be a constant battle for me.  One minute I feel  good about myself... feel like I’m accomplishing something...making a difference.  The next moment, I’m asking God, “ what am I doing here?  How am I even coming close to making some kind of an impact for you?”  The enemy knows my weakness all too well and attacks me in that “value” place over and over.  He’s clever and creeps in under the radar when I’m least expecting it, or when I’m tired and weak.    Over the years of fighting this battle, I’ve realized that I’m looking for the praise and value of man, not of God - and I’m not trusting the value that He has placed on me.  I had a “coming to Jesus!” prayer experience several years ago where Jesus literally healed me of my “pleasing” tendencies.  I was a pleaser and thought that if I pleased people - they would consider me important and valuable to be around.  Crazy huh?  Old wounds in my past and the way I grew up caused an ugly stronghold on me in this area that I struggled with greatly.  The day Jesus healed me from that was one of the free-est days of my life and I’ve never gone back to that place.  There are still however, scars from all of that past gunk and that’s where the enemy still tries to lie to me about my value and who I am.

This short little 4 verse passage in Romans contains all the ammunition I need to fight against the lies!   God did put everything on the line for me and for you.  If He sent His own Son to die for us, how can we not trust His love and how valuable we are to Him.  I love knowing that I am one of God’s chosen.  And that no one and no enemy has power over me because of Jesus.  And you know when you are praying for help, but you don’t really know what to ask for or how to fight against the devil’s schemes?....  Saying “help” is enough.  Jesus intercedes for us, hears us, sticks up for us, and answers.  God IS on our side and He gladly and freely protects us, cradles us, and dismisses the charges against us!  We serve a big and powerful God that has ALL RESOURCES at His fingertips.  So I am going to act like a conqueror, act like a pearl, trust His power, be humbled by His sacrifice, and receive His value.  I don’t know about you, but memorizing this passage and having it ready to use at any given moment, sounds like a wise thing to do!  The enemy will not be able to stand!

Thank you Lord for your sacrifice.  Thank you for the value you place on me, even when I struggle with receiving it.  Help me to trust your word, to trust who you are, to daily be humbled by your death and resurrection and to stay in awe that I am a chosen one.  I love you -

How did this passage strike you today?  Did God speak to you about something specific?  How’s your “value” place today?  I would love to hear your heart.

Denise

10-9-12 Jesus Always Finds Me

Welcome to today’s Blog. Thank you Lord for the wonderful parable you are setting before us today. Clear our minds, grant us peace and use this comforting passage to touch our hearts. Luke 15:1-7 (NIV)

“Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”

Then Jesus told them this parable: “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.”

I was blessed on Sunday when our pastor helped me see that I am a pearl of great price, so valuable that Jesus gave everything he had to purchase me. It’s awesome and humbling to realize that Jesus, through His suffering, death and resurrection, has made me a part of His forever kingdom, His precious flock.

In today’s passage, Jesus gives us a picture of someone who is part of His flock yet at times drawn away along a different path. I find it comforting to know that Jesus loves the straying person so much that He does everything in His power to see that the person is restored to the flock. It is a restoration that brings great rejoicing.

I am reminded of the times in my life when the cares of the world and the work of the evil one have tried to separate me from the precious flock of God. I am grateful that when those times come in my life, Jesus is seeking me out and firmly and lovingly bringing me back into His precious flock through repentance and faith.

When I stray, I am thankful for the Word of God, Christ centered preaching and worship, Christian friends and a loving wife who are the instruments that Jesus uses to rescue me and bring me back into His flock where I belong.

Have there been times when you have been separated from His flock? How has Jesus moved in your life to bring you back into a relationship with Him? Share a testimony if you have a moment.

John Frahm

Monday 10.8.12

Welcome to the PoG Blog!  Before reading the scripture, please pray the Holy Spirit will guide and direct your meditation on God’s word.  

1 Peter 2:4-10

4 As you have come to him, the living Stone – rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him – 5 you also, like living stones, are built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.  6 For in Scripture it says:

“See, I lay a stone in Zion,

a chosen and precious cornerstone,

and the one who trusts in him,

will never be put to shame.”

7 Now to you who believe, this stone is precious.  But to those who do not believe,

“The stone the builders rejected

Has become the capstone,”

8 and,

“A stone that causes men to stumble

and a rock that makes them fall.”

They stumble because they disobey the message – which is also what they were destined for.

9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.    10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

Identity is such a powerful concept!  Who we are and whose we are says everything about us.  What we believe about our identity fuels how we behave, our relationships towards others and the way in which we approach God.  In verses 9 & 10, Peter eloquently paints a word picture of our identity.  It can be summarized as, “You are God’s special child!”  He goes on to describe the “before” and “after”:  once we were living in darkness, but now we are people of light!  The good news is that we get to live in this reality each and every day.  Every time something happens today to cause you to question your identity, say to yourself, “I live in the light!”  May God bring you joy, peace, and light today!

Please feel free to share your thoughts as you are moved by the Spirit.

mark liebenow

Sundays Blog 10.7.12

The scripture basis for the message at Point of Grace today is from Matthew 13! Enjoy reading it and then share any insights, questions or comments about the text and the message a Point of Grace this morning.

³⁶ Then he left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.”³⁷ He answered, “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. ³⁸ The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one, ³⁹ and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.⁴⁰ “As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. ⁴¹ The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. ⁴² They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. ⁴³ Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear.

⁴⁴ “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.

⁴⁵ “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. ⁴⁶ When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.

⁴⁷ “Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. ⁴⁸ When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. ⁴⁹ This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous ⁵⁰ and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

⁵¹ “Have you understood all these things?” Jesus asked.

“Yes,” they replied.

⁵² He said to them, “Therefore every teacher of the law who has become a disciple in the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.”