Grace for Today

godbe4me

Unavailable
Staff Member on LOA
Grace for Today

Don't Panic

Let us hold firmly to the hope that we have confessed, because we can trust God to do what He promised.

Hebrews 10:23

Your disappointments too heavy? Read the story of the Emmaus-bound disciples. The Savior they thought was dead now walked beside them. He entered their house and sat at their table. And something happened in their hearts. "It felt like a fire burning in us when Jesus talked to us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us" (Luke 24:32).

Next time your're disapponted, don't panic. Don't give up. Just be patient and let God remind you He's still in control. It ain't over till it's over.


The choice is panic or peace. Is there a situation in your life that causes you to panic? How does Christ want you to respond to that situation

By: Max Lucado



God bless,

Godbe4me:bow::bow::bow:
 
Wonderful reminder and so very true. These are the things I really need to hear and get ingrained in my head and heart. Thank you for posting this sister..love ya.
 
You are welcome, we all need to hear what thus saith the Lord about the personal things in our lives. Don't Panic for I will never leave you or forsake you.
 
The Wages of Deceit

The Wages of Deceit

No one who is dishonest will live in my house; no liars will stay around me.

Psalm 101:7

More than once I've heard people refer to the story of Ananias and Sapphira with a nervous chuckle and say, "I'm glad God doesn't still strike people dead for lying." I'm not so sure he doesn't. It seems to me that the wages of deceit is still death. Not death of the body, perhaps the death of:
  • a marriage ----Falsehoods are termites in the trunk of the family tree.
  • a conscience ---The tragedy of the second lie is that it is always easier to tell than the first.
  • a career ----Just ask the student who got booted out for cheating or the employee who got fired for embezzlement if the lie wasn't fatal....
We could also list the deaths of intimacy, trust, peace, credibility, and self-respect. But perhaps the most tragic death that occurs from deceit is our (Christian) witness. The court won't listen to the testimony of a perjured witness. Neither will the world.


Explain the importance of living without deceit before the world.



Max Lucado


Godbe4me :bow::bow:
 
Secure in His Grasp

God is strong and can help you not to fall.

Jude 1:24

You and I are on a great climb. The wall is high, and the stakes are higher. You took your first step the day you confessed Christ as the Son of God. He gave you His harness---the Holy Spirit. In your hands He place a rope---His Word.

Your first steps were confident and strong, but with the journey came weariness, and with the height came fear. You lost your footing. You lost your focus. You lost your grip, and you fell. For a moment, which seemed like forever, you tumbled wildly. Out of control. Out of self-control. Disoriented. Dislodged. Falling.

But then the rope tightened, and the tumble ceased. You hung in the harness and found it to be strong. You grasped the rope and found it to be strong. You grasped the rope and found it to be true. And though you can't see your guide, you know him. You know He is strong. You know He is able to keep you from falling.


The Holy Spirit is our guide on the pathway of life. Describe how he keeps you from falling.


Max Lucado




Godbe4me:bow::amen::jesus-sign:
 
Living in God's Presence

Living in God's Presence


Pray in the Spirit at all times with all kinds of prayers, asking for everything you need.

Eph. 6:18

How do I live in God's presence? How do I detect his unseen hand on my hsoulder and his inaudible voice in my ear?......How can you and I grow familiar with the voice of God? Here are a few ideas:

Give God your waking thoughts- Before you face the day, face the Father. Before you step out of bed, step into His presence.

Give God your waiting thoughts- Spend time with him in silence.

Give God your whispering thoughts....Imagine considering every moment as a potential time of communion with God.

Give God your waning thoughts- At the end of the day, let your mind settle on Him. Conculde the day as you began it; talking to God.


How can you give your waking thoughts, waiting thoughts, whispering thoughts, and waning thoughts to God?



Max Lucado



Godbe4me:bow::amen::jesus-sign:
 
That is very good and I like Max Lucado.

When I was going out to my garage to spend time alone with God one of the things I would do was to ask the Holy Spirit to have my thought so that I would not be negative, have my words so that I would speak as He wanted, an to have my actions so that the world would see jesus in me and bring glory to our Father.

When I did this with a surrendered heart my days went much better. God really does desire to help us and lead us..to be Lord od our lives.

Glowy
 
A Pasture for the Soul

A Pasture for the Soul

He lets me rest in green pastures.

Psalm 23:2

For a field to bear fruit, it must occasionally lie fallow. And for you to be healthy, you must rest. Slow down, and God will heal you. He will bring rest to your mind, to your body, and most of all to your soul. He will lead you to green pastures.

Green pastures were not the natural terrain of Judea. The hills around Bethlehem where David kept his flock were not lush and green. Even today they are white and parched. Any green pasture in Judea is the work of some shepherd. He has cleared the rough, rocky land. Stumps have been torn out; and brush has been burned...

With his own pierced hands, Jesus created a pasture for the soul. He tore out the thorny underbrush of condemnation. He pried loose the huge boulders of sin. In their place he planted seeds of grace and dug ponds of mercy.

And He invites us to rest there.


Write some reminders of ways you can slow down and find spiritual rest.



Max Lucado


Godbe4me:bow::amen::jesus-sign:
 
Fear and Faith

About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing songs to God as the other prisoners listened.

Acts 16:25



Great acts of faith are seldom born out of calm calculation. It wasn't logic that caused Moses to raise his staff on the bank of the Red Sea.

It wasn't medical research that convinced Naaman to dip seven times in the river.

It wasn't common sense that caused Paul to abandon the Law and embrace grace.

And it wasn't a confident committee that prayed in a small room in Jerusalem for Peter's release from prison. It was a fearful, desperate, band of backed-into-a-corner believers. It was a church with no options. A congregation of have-nots pleading for help.

And never were they stronger.
At the beginning of every act of faith, there is often a seed of fear.


"Great acts of faith are seldom born out of calm calculation."

Explain what that statement means. What does it mean to you personally?


Max Lucado


Godbe4me:bow::bible::bow::amen:
 
Everything You Need

My God will use his wonderful riches in Christ Jesus to give you everything you need

Philippians 4:19

May I meddle for a moment? What is the one thing separating you from joy? How do you fill in this blank: "I will be happy when ______________________"? When I am healed. When I am promoted. When I am married. When I am single. When I am rich. How would you finish that statement?

Now, with your answer firmly in mind, answer this. If your ship never comes in, if your dream never comes true, if the situation never changes, coud you be happy? If not, then you.....need to know what you have in your Shepherd.

You have a God who hears you, the power of love behind you, the Holy Spirit within you, and all of heaven ahead of you. If you have the Shepherd, you have grace for every sin, direction for every turn, a candle for every corner, and an anchor for every storm. You have everything you need.


If you have the Shepherd, you have everything you need. Explain what that statement means.


Max Lucado


Godbe4me:amen::jesus-sign:
 
You Were in His Prayers

Then Jesus went about a stone's throw away from them. He kneeled down and prayed.

Luke 22:41

The final prayer of Jesus was about you. His final pain was for you. His final passion was for you. Before He went to the cross, Jesus went to the garden. And when he spoke with his Father, you were in his prayers.....

And God couldn't turn his back on you. He couldn't because He saw you, and one look at you was all it took to convince Him. Right there in the middle of a world which isn't fair. He saw you cast into a river of life you didn't request. He saw you betrayed by those you love. He saw you with a body which gets sick and a heart which grows weak....

On the eve of the cross, Jesus made his decision. He would rather go to hell for you than go to heaven without you.


Jesus final prayer was about you. Hoe do you respond to that?



God bless,

Godbe4me
 
God's Name in Your Heart


The name of the Lord is a strong tower;
the righteous run to it and are safe.

Proverbs 18:10

When you are confused about the future, go to your Jehovah-raah, your caring shepherd. When you are anxious about provision, talk to Jehovah-jireh, the Lord who provides. Are your challenges too great? Seek the help of Jehovah-Shalom, the Lord is peace. Is your body sick? Are your emotions weak? Jehovah-rophe, the Lord who heals you, will see you now. Do you feel like a soldier stranded behind enemy lines? Take refuge in Jehovah-nissi, the Lord my banner.

Meditating on the names of God reminds you of the character of God. Take these names and bury them in your heart.

God is

the shepherd who guides,
the Lord who provides,
the voice who brings peace in the storm,
the physician who heals the sick, and
the banner that guides the soldier.



Max Lucado



God bless,

Godbe4me:bow::amen::jesus-sign:
 
Words of Hope

Everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that...we might have hope.

Romans 15:4


Encourage those who are struggling. Don't know what to say? Then open your Bible.....

To the grief stricken: God has said, 'Never will I leave you: never will I forsake you'" (Heb. 13:5).

To the guilt ridden: "There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" (Rom. 8:1).

To the jobless: "In all things God works for the good of those who love Him" (Rom. 8:28).

To those who feel beyond God's grace: "Whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16).

Your Bible is a basket of blessings. Won't you share one today?


Your Bible is a basket of blessings. Make a list of some of the blessings you can share witha friend in need.
 
Endure to the End

Those people who keep their faith until the end will be saved.

Matthew 10:22

Are you close to quitting? Please don't do it. Are you discouraged as a parent? Hang in there. Are you weary with doing good? Do just a little more. Are you pessimistic about your job? Roll up your sleeves and go at it again. No communication in your marriage? Give it one more shot....

Remember, a finisher is not one with no wounds or weariness. Quite to the contrary, he, like the boxer, is scarred and bloody. Mother Teresa is creditd with saying, "God didn't call us to be successful, just faithful." The fighter, like our Master, is pierced and full of pain. He, like Paul, may even be bound and beaten. But he remains.

The Land of Promise, says Jesus, awaits those who endure. It is not just for those who make the victory laps or drink champagne. No sir. The Land of Promise is for those who simply remain to the end.


Do you know someone who is tired of being faithful? Who feels like quitting? What can you do to encourage that person to hang in there?



Max Lucado


Godbe4me:amen::jesus-sign:
 
A Life of Service

We are many, but in Christ we are all one body. Each one is a part of tha body.

Romans 12:5

God has enlisted us in his navy and placed us on his ship. The boat has one purpose---to carry us safely to the other shore.

This is no cruise ship; it's a batteship. We aren't called to a life of leisure; we are called to a life of service. Each of us has a different task. Some, concerned with those who are drowning, are snatching people from the water. Others are occupied with the enemy, so they man the cannons of prayer and worship. Still others devote themselves to the crew, feeding and training the crew members.

Though different, we are the same. Each can tell of a personal encounter with the captain, for each has received a personal call....

We each followed Him across the gangplank of his grace onto the same boat. There is one captain and one destination. Though the batle is fierce, the boat is safe, for our captain is God. The ship will not sink. For that, there is no concern.


Max Lucado



Godbe4me
 
What to Do with Worries

God did not keep back his own Son, but he gave him for us.
If God did this, won't he freely give us everything else?

Romans 8:32

What do we do with...worries? Take your anxieties to the cross----literally. Next time you're worried about your health or house or finances or flights, take a mental trip up the hill. Spend a few moments looking again at the pieces of passion.

Run your thumb over the tip of the spear. Balance a spike in the palm of your hand. Read the wooden sign written in your own language. And as you do, touch the velvet dirt, moist with the blood of God.

Blood He bled for you.
The spear He took for you.
The nails He felt for you.
The sign He left for you.
He did all of this for you. Knowing this, knowing all He did for you there, don't you think he'll look out for you here?



How does Christ's work on the cross help you trust in his loving care?



Max Lucado


God bless,

Godbe4me:amen::jesus-sign::king:
 
The Lord Is with Me

You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

Psalm 23:4

You are with me."

Yes, You, Lord, are in heaven. Yes, You rule the universe. Yes, You sit upon the stars and make your home in the deep. But yes, yes, yes, You are with me

The Lord is with me. The Creator is with me. Yahweh is with me.

Moses proclaimed it: "What great nation has a god as near to them as the Lord our God is near to us" (Deut. 4:7).

Paul announced it: "He is not far from each one of us" (Acts 17:27).

And David discovered it: "You are with me."

Somewhere in the pasture, wilderness, or palace, David discovered that God meant business when He said: "I will not leave you" (Gen. 28:15)


God is always with you. How can this truth bring positive changes to your life?


Max Lucado


Godbe4me:amen::jesus-sign:
 
God Calls Your Name

This is what the Lord God says:
I, myself, will search for my sheep and take care of them.

Ezekiel 34:11


He's waiting for you. God is standing on the porch of heaven, expectantly hoping, searching the horizon for a glimpse of his children. You're the one God is seeking.

God is the waiting Father, the caring Shepherd in search of his lamb. His legs are scratched, his feet are sore, and his eyes are burning. He scales the cliffs and traverses the fields. He explores the caves. He cups his hands to his mouth and calls into the canyon.

And the name He calls is yours....

The message is simple: God gave up his Son in order to rescue all his sons and daughters. To bring his children home. He's listening for your answer.


What is your answer to God's invitation? Is he still waiting for your answer?



Max Lucado



God bless,

Godbe4me:amen::jesus-sign:
 
Back
Top