The Breadcrumbs widget will appear here on the published site.
“But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it,” (1Corinthians 10:13b NIV). The Word says; “No temptation has seized you except that is common to man” (1Corinthians 10:13a NIV). You might be passing through a valley seemingly unique to you, but know you are not alone; this valley is passed through by every generation. ‘There is no temptation uncommon to man’ — though it might be a new temptation to you. This is why the Word says to have fellowship with other believers—people who have matured spiritually through life experience in the Spirit. In this fellowship, we share our faith and testimonies to remain grounded in the Lord and remain encouraged. We can rest assured, the Lord holds no bias. He shares the same love for everyone. What He will do for one He can do for others too. We all eat of the same spiritual food and drink of the same spiritual drink, which is Christ (1Corinthians 10:3-4 NIV). Regarding God, the Bible promise ‘he gives a way out’. The glorious way out is to remain focused on the agape love of God, on which the soul feeds, which in turn makes our lives prosperous in the Spirit. Darkness has its own tactics but the only way to remain peaceful in the course is to remain focused on the Light. Had Noah not remained focused on the Lord he would have submitted to people’s mocking. If Moses did not choose to stand true to God’s way he would have messed up everything. How much were the apostles focused on Christ to deliver what was given to them! Keep stepping towards the Lord even when it seems senseless to human reasoning. Hold on to Him even when you see nothing working out well for you, for God respects your free will to choose, and we all live out the consequences of our own decisions. Deepika Emmanuel Sagar
Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India - info@grace-lines.net The Blog Tags Widget will appear here on the published site.
Tags:
The Recommended Content Widget will appear here on the published site.
The Breadcrumbs widget will appear here on the published site.
It's not about us3/29/2022 Many of us have heard the good news of how Jesus has prepared a place in Heaven for those who put their trust in Him—the emphasis being on the future. But God has good things in store for us today. That’s because Jesus not only prepared a future place for us in Heaven — He prepared a present and active place for Himself the day we received Him into our heart. His goal has always been to rule and reign here and now in a heart now freed to serve Him. This is the prize He won on the cross of Calvary—a gift to His Heavenly Father—because salvation, in the end, is not just about us going to heaven when we die, it’s about the glorious triumph over sin and evil that is all about God working in us through His Son, Jesus Christ. Every one of us who carries the presence of Jesus in our hearts, carries within us the presence of His Heavenly character, even if we don’t express it as we should. Even when we yield to the old-self and fail to reflect Jesus – still His character can be activated through faith once more. Having the power to access and express His life through faith is His crowning glory. It is what Jesus gave His life for. Surely, we owe Him our all. When our thoughts are only concerned with what God has promised to do for us in the future, we tend to neglect what direction our lives should be taking today. We tend to compare our life to others and become complacent, instead of comparing our life to our ever-present Jesus and striving to be like Him. Shall we not surrender our all to Him who sacrificed His all for us? Jesus is with us every day if we’ve believed – always ready to receive us, always ready to restore, renew, and make us more like Him. Toni Babcock
Minnesota, USA - info@grace-lines.net The Blog Tags Widget will appear here on the published site.
Tags:
The Recommended Content Widget will appear here on the published site.
The Breadcrumbs widget will appear here on the published site.
Reaching our goals3/28/2022 “Let us lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us” Hebrews 12:1 (NRSV). Goal setting is commendable, but as followers of Christ, our goals and the way we achieve them must be informed by our faith. We all aspire to change, to reach forward and upward to something better, hopeful and healthy. But we dare not do it alone. We ought not to fall back into old habits of self-striving and self-determination. Goal setting without Christ is humanistic, whereby we depend on our strength and wisdom, which is weak and limited. We can, however, do all things and reach our God-honouring goals as we submit our endeavours to Christ and depend upon the inextinguishable power of the Spirit within us. No goal that our Lord has led us to aspire to is unattainable and a few suggestions might be helpful in this pursuit. To reach our goals we lay aside the distractions. What are the obstacles that hinder us? Consider what is working for us right now and what is not. Goal setting may mean saying ‘no’ to a lot of good things in order to say ‘yes’ to the best. To reach our goals we continue to endure with consistent perseverance. When do we most feel like giving up? What makes us feel stuck? Recognise our weakest moments and ask God to help us through these roadblocks. And finally, to reach our goals, we consider our excellent role model, Jesus. As we ponder His life and sufferings, we will be encouraged to not grow weary or give up in the pursuit of our goals. Jennifer Woodley
South-East Queensland, Australia - info@grace-lines.net The Blog Tags Widget will appear here on the published site.
Tags:
The Recommended Content Widget will appear here on the published site.
The Breadcrumbs widget will appear here on the published site.
Beating the blame game3/27/2022 “Let all bitterness, anger, and wrath, shouting and slander be removed from you along with all malice. And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ,” (Ephesians 4:31-32 CSB). Most of us could find something negative in our lives to blame somebody else for, but it’s better not to get stuck there. It’s better to live glad than decide to stay mad, and better to dig for treasure than dig for dirt. Such treasure is free to those who find it—like thankfulness, love, forgiveness, mercy, grace, and the promises of God. Ever been around someone who is constantly shifting blame? It doesn’t garner a lot of sympathy. Blaming as a rule doesn’t make one stronger, it makes one weaker. It doesn’t make one more resourceful, it makes one more resentful. It doesn’t make one more capable, it makes one prone to fail. Shifting blame can be hurtful to society as well. For every problem we own and take responsibility for as a nation, there’s always good we should be thankful for too, but listening to some you’d think our country is more worthy of the trash heap of fallen democracies. There’s plenty of guilt to go around in the world, but pointing the finger of blame while taking zero responsibility for one’s own imperfections and outcomes in life is disingenuous. Constantly shifting the blame onto others is oppressive. People are more willing to own and take their fair share of responsibility when those who cast blame are willing to own and take their fair share. Otherwise, it’s deflection and politics as usual. We ALL have a responsibility to turn the mirror on ourselves and discover how we might be contributing to our own bad outcomes, otherwise, we can’t be serious about working together as a nation to find fair honest solutions that will produce a change in our lives and fix pressing problems in society as a whole. Toni Babcock
Minnesota, USA - info@grace-lines.net The Blog Tags Widget will appear here on the published site.
Tags:
The Recommended Content Widget will appear here on the published site.
The Breadcrumbs widget will appear here on the published site.
Co-workers with God3/27/2022 ‘For in Him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through Him God was pleased to reconcile to Himself all things, whether on earth or in Heaven, by making peace through the blood of the cross.’ Colossians 1:19-20 (NRSV) Misunderstanding about the sovereignty of God over all things can lead us to adopt a dualistic, rather than a holistic worldview. If we limit God’s sovereign rule in any way, we will be entertaining a worldview that separates the sacred from the secular. God is restoring ALL things in this world to Himself. His plan is the restoration of all things whether we think it is sacred or secular, to its original sinless state. God is reconciling, or buying back, all parts of the created order, through His son, Jesus. In Christ, we are rightly reinstated as God’s stewards on earth who are involved in the privileged task of reinstating all things to Him. There is no part of our lives in which He does not seek to redeem. Even those areas which we feel are more secular, are to be yielded to the redeeming work of Christ. Anytime that we engage in helping to ‘make right’ something that is not right, we participate in God’s redemptive work. Are we restricting God’s sovereign reign by holding onto a dualistic worldview? God is passionate about bringing back into His divine order all people and all parts of their lives, not just the ‘spiritual’. He is the Lord of ALL. Let’s open all of ourselves and our lives to God’s healing and redemptive work so that we may fully enjoy His shalom. Jennifer Woodley
South-East Queensland, Australia - info@grace-lines.net The Blog Tags Widget will appear here on the published site.
Tags:
The Recommended Content Widget will appear here on the published site.
The Breadcrumbs widget will appear here on the published site.
Take care how you listen3/27/2022 “No one, after lighting a lamp, covers it with a basket or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a lamp stand so that those who come in may see its light. For nothing is concealed that won’t be revealed, and nothing hidden that won’t be made known and brought to light. Therefore take care how you listen. For whoever has, more will be given to him, and whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has will be taken away from him,” (Luke 8:16-18 CSB). Why did Jesus tell the people he taught to “take care how you listen?" Here are a few reasons to consider: Take care how you listen, because it is the Word of the living God that speaks. Take care how you listen, because failing to take heed to the Living God has been the downfall of many. Take care how you listen, because God’s Word demands and deserves our full attention. He is the Living God who created all things. Take care how you listen, because God’s Word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path, (Psalm 119:105 NKJV). It points the way for us to go and guards us from destruction. There are no promises for the rebellious that reject the truth and choose to walk in darkness. So, take care how you listen, but not with the heart of a cynic. A cynic will always question God’s Word and His justice and motives. He will cast God’s Word in a bad light and poison the minds of those around him. God help us to approach your Word with reverence and awe and help us to take care how we listen. Be a lamp to our feet and a light to our path as we navigate the often perilous and confusing paths of life, in Jesus Name, Amen. Toni Babcock
Minnesota, USA - info@grace-lines.net The Blog Tags Widget will appear here on the published site.
Tags:
The Recommended Content Widget will appear here on the published site.
The Breadcrumbs widget will appear here on the published site.
God is pleased when He sees you3/23/2022 Contrary to what our negative thoughts and the enemy of our soul tells us at times, when our Heavenly Father sees any person who has placed their faith and trust in Jesus, He is greatly pleased. He is pleased, because in us, He sees the finished work of Jesus. Maybe you are walking in all-out faith and loving even your enemies. Or, maybe you are struggling in your Christian walk and falling into the enemies’ trap of reoccurring sin and self-condemnation. Either way, God is pleased when He sees anyone who has accepted the finished work of His Son. He said, "It is finished!" And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit. John 19:30b NAS Like Paul, I am not saying that sin is okay or that we should not try and do our best. I believe we should love others and always do the next right thing. But to say that God is anything but pleased with a believer, the fruit of Jesus' finished work, is to diminish Christ’s obedience and make the fulfilment of Jesus work about us. Even so through the obedience of the One (Jesus) the many will be made righteous. (Rom 5:19b NAS) The truth is, the more we understand that our Father is pleased with us and loves us as much as He loves Jesus, the more we will naturally walk in love, letting His love fulfill His commandments through us, even loving our enemies (Rom 13:8-10). May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me (John 17:23b NLT). If you have received the finished work of Jesus, never forget that God loves you as much as He loves Jesus and He is greatly pleased whenever He sees you. Plant these truths deep into your heart and mind so the fruit of God’s love will naturally flow from you, overcoming even your most persistent faults. Our Father is pleased whenever He sees His children. Michael Edwards
Florida, USA - info@grace-lines.net The Blog Tags Widget will appear here on the published site.
Tags:
The Recommended Content Widget will appear here on the published site.
The Breadcrumbs widget will appear here on the published site.
Breaking the dam3/20/2022 Some time ago, when the stream that rambles through the bog beyond our road was briskly flowing, my husband and I decided to paddle it upstream. We had a goal in mind, to look for beaver dams. Our seasonal neighbours who own that section of bog wanted to know what kind of beaver population they were contending with, and since we enjoy a scenic paddle we thought we’d scope it out and take some photos. As our canoe pushed forward, angling around tight bends and twisting flowage, we did find beaver dams and huts made of sticks and bramble that rose from the stream like igloos. The beavers built the huts to spend the winter in, with upper levels inside for nesting and access to the backed up watery depths below. We’ve never deconstructed a beaver dam, but understand it involves a lot of muscle and machinery. Compare that to maintaining the stream Jesus promised. He said from out of our innermost being would “flow streams of living water” (John 7:37-38 CSB). Make no mistake, the devil wants to clog it up and set up housing—and he’s good at it. So, how to stop him? Don’t give him space. It means paddling upstream to figure out where the blockage begins and what hinders the flow. What gives the devil an advantage and keeps us from experiencing all of Jesus? What keeps us trapped in a mud hut of regret instead of launching out, “forgetting those things that are behind,” (Philippians 3:3-14 CSB)? We’ve only got one stream that really matters, and one short life to figure it out. So when the devil has you in a place that’s got you stuck mid-stream, call on the only One who has the muscle and machinery to break you out of it. Get back to the Word and the promises of God. Forgive yourself. You were made for more than slapping your tail in the mud and giving the devil the sticks he needs. Toni Babcock
Minnesota, USA - info@grace-lines.net The Blog Tags Widget will appear here on the published site.
Tags:
The Recommended Content Widget will appear here on the published site.
The Breadcrumbs widget will appear here on the published site.
Have you found it yet?3/13/2022 “So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matt 6:31-33) NIV. Have you ever found yourself searching for something valuable that you appear to have mislaid or simply can’t find? Maybe your have had to plan a trip at short notice and need your passport urgently. However, it doesn’t appear to be where you expected it to be and so the frantic search begins. Have you noticed how such a search not only takes full control of your thoughts but utilises all of your available time and energy. We are interested in little else until the search is finally over and the precious item found. God wants our seeking after his Kingdom and after his righteousness to consume us in the same way. When it does, Jesus says, all our worries and concerns concerning our physical needs are removed from us. We experience that peace “which transcends all understanding” (Phil 4:7). God’s Kingdom, which is his rule in our lives, ushers his will into our minds and drives ours out. His righteousness floods our hearts and flushes out our own vain desires. When seeking God’s Kingdom becomes our main priority, Jesus assures us we will find it. He also tells us that, upon finding it, we discover all the things we could ever need. “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.” (Matt 7:7-8) NIV Have you found it yet? Richard Dempsey
Cambridgeshire, England - info@grace-lines.net The Blog Tags Widget will appear here on the published site.
Tags:
The Recommended Content Widget will appear here on the published site.
|
Laugh LinesStory Lines |
3/30/2022
0 Comments