Tag: Truth

Can I Look in The Mirror and Still Feel Loved?

 

I will praise thee, O Lord, among the people: and I will sing praises unto thee among the nations For thy mercy is great above the heavens: and thy truth reacheth unto the clouds. Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens: and thy glory above all the earth; That thy beloved may be delivered: save with thy right hand, and answer me. Psalm 108:3-6

As I sat and stared at an empty page this morning, I prayed. Prayer is my only hope. From the time I post the previous post to the moment I begin the next, my mind is prayerfully searching to know where to turn and what to write. That is sometimes easier when I am doing a series through any book of the Bible; because, then I must focus on God’s word and from that wait for God to guide my understanding through commentaries, prayerful searching and even listening to sermons. Certainly, at work I must focus on work; yet, as I walk the halls between tasks, I sometimes hear a word, a thought that inspires my understanding of the scripture at hand. That is Grace.

photo-1458724338480-79bc7a8352e4 (1)

When I finished the series on the gospel of John in mid-February, I felt compelled to begin a series about love. Before I started the series, I questioned God in earnest as to why this series. Yet, the longer I questioned; the stronger the conviction came. As I have opened up to each of you all my own failures along this road toward discovering the truth of love, I have at times felt very vulnerable and very frail. As always, God has been faithful to reveal to this weary heart His Grace each step of the way. Along this journey of writing the story of my life, God has revealed to me truths about me as well. Truths as shunned to know as I have been forced to look deep into the mirror of my own life, my own heart. When there was a time it would have been easier to just blame Miguel, Pete, Terry or even Mom for their role in breaking my heart; now, I couldn’t.

Continue reading “Can I Look in The Mirror and Still Feel Loved?”

4 Wonderful Results of Knowing the Truth of Your Purpose

What is my purpose in life and why does it matter? Can knowing my purpose transform my life? Can it transform my actions and my reactions? Can purpose transform how I see trials? John’s Gospel from the first word and all the way through was written with one sincere purpose in mind—that “that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name” (John 20:31). He had the privilege of seeing Jesus. He had witnessed all of His miracles. He sat at the feet of Jesus. He felt the awe and wonder of the love of Jesus for him. He witnessed the resurrection and had come to realize that there was no greater purpose in life than to point others to Jesus. The only hope for life eternal was in Jesus. Not only that, the only hope to satisfy the hunger of our souls on this earth is to know Jesus as our friend, our treasure, our Lord and our God. We were created to be loved by God, to walk daily with Him, to talk with Him, and to be bathed in His joy every day. Sin, broke that relationship; but, in Christ that relationship can be restored. John realized the wondrous gift that he had been given. He had been allowed to see Jesus and to walk with Him. He had been given “grace upon grace” (John 1:16). When John looked upon the sorrows, the trials, and the darkness of the world; his heart passionately longed to tell each and every one about Jesus. His life became filled with this one purpose.

Purpose

In Christ, I have been given the greatest gift ever!! In Christ, I have been redeemed, declared a saint, adopted as a child of God, showered with His presence, and His love. The eyes of my heart have been opened to see Him in all His glorious beauty and to desire Him above all else. As that truth grows within my heart, I must share that. God loves me so much that He would not leave me here on this earth one second beyond His having purpose for me. His purpose in my remaining are twofold. 1. That I might grow in my knowledge of Him so that I can fully enjoy His presence. 2. That I might be allowed to share in His Glory by His using my life as a testimony to bring others to Him. When I realize that my purpose is to grow more intimately in love with God (my best friend who loves me more than anyone else could) and then to share His gospel with everyone I meet; then, my life view changes. I think there are 4 main changes that occur when we see our purpose in Christ.

Continue reading “4 Wonderful Results of Knowing the Truth of Your Purpose”

Arise From Your Tears To Know This Wondrous Truth!

Arise From Your Tears To Know This Wondrous Truth!

In the last post we looked at Jesus appearing to Mary Magdalene outside the tomb before ascending to the Father. Instead of running home to be with the Father (which is what His heart longed for); he tarried for a moment to comfort Mary in her agony. Just think of the grand celebration as the greatest victory ever to be won was finished. Jesus had risen from the grave after an agonizing death on the cross. The victory celebration was awaiting Him. How He loved the Father and longed to see His face. Yet, with all that He tarried for a moment to give hope to Mary. Her agony touched Him with so much compassion. He would then go to the Father before He appeared again to the apostles. But I also, like Jesus, want to  tarry here for a moment and look at the rest of the words He spoke to Mary Magdalene. “Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God” (John 20:17)

God's beloved Child

 

Mary Magdalene had just called Jesus, Master. He is our master; yet, Jesus wanted her to realize that because of His death and resurrection—He is so much more!!  Now, “Mary go tell my brothers and sisters, I go to my Father and because I go victorious to my Father—He is your Father as well. God the creator of the Universe, the GREAT I AM is Your God and Your Father.” Mary, get up from your weeping and go tell them the good news. He would return in the evening after seeing the Father to anoint the apostles with a special anointing of the Holy Spirit by breathing into them life—eternal life. He would endow them with special powers even before the day of Pentecost.  But here we are given a gift that is so much more than our hearts can fully understand!!

Continue reading “Arise From Your Tears To Know This Wondrous Truth!”

How to Follow Jesus! Can You Show Me The Way?

How to Follow Jesus! Can You Show Me The Way?

We had a very old farm house and an old storm cellar when I was a child. I can remember when suddenly in the middle of the night when a storm would sound as though it was going to take the house away, my father would whisk me out of bed. Wrapped in a blanket, he held me very close to his chest as we went down into the storm cellar where mom was already. He would run back and carry my brother down. Then he would close the rickety door. He would sit just above us on a stair step and with his powerful arms, he held the door shut. No matter how hard the wind. No matter how loud the thunder. With each lightening flash, I could see his silhouette and I knew that the storm could not touch me.

we can see God

That is what Jesus wanted these apostles to understand. The storm was coming. He longed to draw them in close. He wanted so much that they could understand. Yet, Jesus also knew that over the next three days they would face confusion. There would be doubts as He was going to have to leave them to finish the work of salvation. Once His work was finished He would come again to be with them—then He could make the promise to them and to each of us who would follow; “lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world”. Only when the work was finished could He make that promise by sending the Holy Spirit to indwell them. The night spent in this upper room with these His dearly beloved apostles, He longed to fill their hearts and minds with so much truth. “Don’t let your hearts be troubled, trust me.” This journey you are about to face is filled with storms, trials, struggles and doubts; but, don’t let your heart be troubled—trust me. I will keep you safe and bring you safely home. Abide in my love, my joy, and my peace.

Continue reading “How to Follow Jesus! Can You Show Me The Way?”

What Happens When Grace Meets The Truth Of Sin?

What Happens When Grace Meets The Truth Of Sin?

I just returned from a trip to visit my daughter and her family. It had been a season of great difficulty for her. She had recently lost her step mother to cancer and then she had gotten sick with chicken pox. With all that, I went to see if there was anything I could do to comfort her. I was met with such grace. It had been almost two years that I had not seen my daughter and granddaughter. We never failed to talk on the phone a lot; but, I had not wanted to be “in the way” as she cared for her step mother during the prolonged illness. The trip was filled with so much of God’s grace. My daughter got well quickly. My granddaughter was an utter delight as we did so many things together. God’s grace shown through as my granddaughter displayed her own knowledge of God through her writing and talk. What wondrous grace toward me has God displayed over the years!! Not because of anything I have ever done to deserve it. I who stumbled and fell so often along this journey. Me, the one who searched for love without realizing that God was all the love this heart needed. Had it been pride so long ago that led to my divorce from Miguel (Melissa’s father)? Yet, even after that, God’s grace had blessed me with my sons through my marriage to Pete. God’s grace had led Pete to Christ before Pete’s death. God’s grace had carried me through the cancer and all the other illnesses that followed. It has been grace that carried me every step of the way. Pure, undeserved Grace has been given me from a mighty and wondrous God.

What wondrous grace

[bctt tweet=”When Grace upon Grace meets with the truth of my sinful Heart-Grace Wins!!”]

We have been looking at the gospel account as written by the Apostle John. So far, we have seen that he presents Christ as The Word—the only Word that matters. The word of God which is also God Himself. John then presented Christ as the light of the world. The only true light that can penetrate the darkness of man’s heart. Thirdly he presented Christ as God’s Glory Displayed. All the fullness of God’s Glory could be seen in Christ. Next John writes, “16 And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for (upon) grace.17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ” (John 1).

Continue reading “What Happens When Grace Meets The Truth Of Sin?”