Hope and Grace

Our lifegroup met last night to begin a new study on Relationshipping. I know... not a word, but if any other word would have been used there would be stereotypes and preconceived ideas. While I would love to tell you all that we talked about - it was good - let's skip to the end.

Two questions were given

1. Whom don't you like?

2. Whom does Jesus excuse you from loving?

Obviously the answers are easy, but when asked together one answer or the other become sheepish. Amazing how quickly questions start you thinking. I had no problem listing a few EGR's in my life. EGR- Extra Grace Required. I also know there are plenty of people who consider me an EGR.

 The main thought I kept thinking is how to do we maintain this love relationshipping attitude toward all others as Jesus commands. 1 Peter 4:8 passes along the command repeated everywhere in the New Testament, "Above all, love each other deeply"

Hope, Grace, and Peace are all I have. 

Hope - filled with the knowledge that God is as work through me and sometimes in spite of me.

Grace - that knows I know nothing and my perspective is dim, so I trust in my Omniscient Father to meet all needs or expectations I have

Peace - Freedom from expectation and excuses, but guided by God, by Love.

James 3:18,
Camelot

It's Time

ECCLESIASTES 3:1-4

1  There is a time for everything,
    and a season for every activity under the heavens:

²     a time to be born and a time to die,
    a time to plant and a time to uproot,
³     a time to kill and a time to heal,
    a time to tear down and a time to build,
⁴     a time to weep and a time to laugh,
    a time to mourn and a time to dance.


James 3:18
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Pray

James 5:16 NLT

Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.

James 3:18
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Safeguard Your Faith

One of my most favorite quotes by Mother Teresa is "The reason we have no peace is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other."

Philippians 3:1 reminds me of one aspect of this. "Whatever happens, my dear brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord. I never get tired of telling you these things, and I do it to safeguard your faith. (Philippians 3:1 NLT)

Do we have people that we have given permission to safeguard our faith? Even if it hurts sometimes. I do not love discipline, but I welcome it not only from God but through those that I know God has put in charge as an overseer of me. 

Are we bold enough to love those God has entrusted us with by risking the offense of the truth?

The army has a saying, "Be all that you can be." Many sergeants and generals ensure this is true for you in the army. Not in the same way but with the same outcome to be all we can be in His Image, our gentle Shepherd guides us, encourages us and redirects us many times through those that He has charged as shepherds in our lives. May we rejoice with this safeguard, and welcome the truth and the servants of God with open arms.

James 3:18

Camelot

Love vs Sin

I have not posted in a while not because I do not have anything to say, but I have so many thoughts going through my mind, I barely have time to think them.:)

Here is one... 

I have been going through and made aware of many trials and troubles in my life and in the lives of those I love.

I do not remember feeling this worn by emotion since I was in the depth of sin. I know a harsh contrast but go with me a minute.

When I was bound by sin I was exhausted with feelings of inadequacy, heartache, loneliness, isolation, regret, and even apathy. While the sin I was involved in made me forget for a while, I still woke up to these feelings in increasing measure. They piled on with no relief. I did not know the end at the time just the reality of sinking in every area of life.

Recently because of relationships in my life that are filled with love, feelings of inadequacy, heartache, loneliness, isolation, regret, and compassion ( which takes more emotion than apathy) flood my heart. While all of these different circumstances collide, I wake up in the Presence of my Heavenly Father, but with each passing moment of the day, the reality of each situation settles in on my heart and well pile on. If I did not love most, if not all of these emotions would not be very intense. If I did not care, we'll things would be different, but I am understanding being bound by love in a new sense. I not only weep under my own reality, but the reality of those I love as well.

Sin vs Love ... I am reminded today of the similarities, BUT I am also reminded of the differences.

Each day I wake in the comfort of my Heavenly Father. My inadequacy is strength as I yield yo Him. My heartache reminds me this is not my home. My loneliness begins the feeling and prayer of need that welcomes the Spirit of the Living God into my heart with gates open wide(doors would be an understatement for my need). My isolation compels me to proclaim the reconciliation that we can have in Christ Jesus. My regret has ebbed and now flows with the continual debt of love that I have to those around me. Finally, my compassion is not mine, but the reality that the God of all creation is still at work in me and through me. 

Not to mention the end of these two roads. Sin leads to death (Romans 6:23), but Love leads to dying(John 15).( I warned you my mind is continuous these days.) I am thinking a lot on this, but for now suffice it to say. Sin death is final separation...BUT Love dying is yielding your life to and for the One who holds true life everlasting in His Faithful Hands.

James 3:18

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Elijah's Jug

A lot of people in the aftermath of the loss of my father, have fulfilled their Christian duty and action of love expressed to me by asking me, "How are you doing?" It is not because I do not want to be asked that I barely answer or cliche it to death, but because I really, truly do not know. I am as my husband told someone, "sad". So however I feel or think or come to be each day, I do not know, but...

But I will tell you what I do know. There is a metaphor I heard recently, "Elijah's Jug". Read the story... in 1 Kings 19...

19 Ahab told Jezbel everything Elijah had done, including how he had executed all the prophets. ² Then Jezbel sent a messenger to Elijah. She said, “May the gods strike me dead if by this time tomorrow I don’t take your life the way you took the lives of Baal’s prophets.”

³ Frightened, Elijah fled to save his life. He came to Beersheba in Judah and left his servant there. ⁴ Then he traveled through the wilderness for a day. He sat down under a broom plant and wanted to die. “I’ve had enough now, Lord,” he said. “Take my life! I’m no better than my ancestors.” ⁵ Then he lay down and slept under the broom plant.
An angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.” ⁶ When he looked, he saw near his head some bread baked on hot stones and a jar of water. So he ate, drank, and went to sleep again.
⁷ The angel of the Lord came back and woke him up again. The angel said, “Get up and eat, or your journey will be too much for you.”
⁸ He got up, ate, and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled for 40 days and nights until he came to Horeb, the mountain of God.

Each day whatever I do, there is strength for that journey, not more and not less. When I look ahead to much or remember back at all my strength wanes and my heart drops. The tears come, but then as if it is part of the journey the Strength that is stronger than my weak knees can explain stands me up and imparts His Strength to me. This realization consumes my mind and heart and all is well for a time. I have never felt carries so well. So how am I, I can't wait till my smile is natural again, but ... well watch and know...

James 3:18,
Camelot

Faith and Hope

²⁹ “I can guarantee that I won’t drink this wine again until that day when I drink new wine with you in my Father’s kingdom.” Matthew 26:29

A mural near my daddy's grave in South Carolina shows The Lord's Supper. While those around the table saw this as goodbye and it began three days of uncertainty and doubt, this has become a time of hope and faith for us who believe. Hope of a day that will bring us all around the table again, and faith that we can trust God with everything until that day. We trust him with those who have gone before us, those that are with us now and especially our children. God is faithful. He always has been faithful...to me, to my father, to my papa, and to my papa Bryant and that is just one family line. God is faithful throughout all generations. 

Today is Epiphany or Three Kings Day. One of the earliest feasts celebrated by Christians. We celebrate the manifestation of God. Jesus came in human flesh, and now He lives in us. He is our Hope and Peace that assures our faith. May Your Kingdom Come Lord Jesus.

God is faithful, let us faithfully seek Him in all things!

A song I can remember my dad singing as he led worships many years ago called "Come and Dine" holds a precious verse...

 The disciples came to land,

Thus obeying Christ’s command,
For the Master called unto them, “Come and dine”;
There they found their heart’s desire,
Bread and fish upon the fire;
Thus He satisfies the hungry every time.

James 3:18,

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