settingatthepoolofgrace

Then the sky was filled with an Angelic host, voices ringing out with clarity; joy to the world peace and goodwill to all men. The announcement was made the greatest gift mankind could receive was given wrapped in the smile of a babe. For 33 years love walked among mankind singing it’s love song to the world, a song of healing, understanding, forgiveness, compassion, and peace. Loves melody found a place in the hearts of many changing the way mankind saw itself as it began to follow loves example.

With each new generation the beautiful melody that once rang throughout the halls of time seemed to be fading and love seem to be a distant whisper trying to find it’s way back into the hearts of mankind. The great disrupter had interfered with the frequency on which love travels, however; each man who’s heart is filled with the melody of love can reach out to touch the heart that is close to him or her and share the love inside of them until the earth is again filled with love’s song to the world.

The stronger love grows the more the darkness will cease to exist and joy to the world, peace and goodwill must return to all mankind. As we reminisce on the greatest gift given to the world, allow the love song that dwells in you reach out to touch those around you with the love you received from the greatest love that ever walked on the earth; the love of Jesus the Christ, the babe born to save the world from the wages of sin; which is death.

When the love of Christ is embraced the heart is regenerated, hate is eradicated and darkness is dispelled; this Holiday season spread the love and joy of Jesus everywhere you travel, with everyone you meet and every helping hand you give to another; let the song in your heart ring out as the Angels did that night so long ago, a song for the world. Have a blessed holiday season.

My revelation as I sit by the pool of grace

The song says” Deck the halls with bought of holly, tis the season to be jolly; don we now our gay apparel, troll the ancient yuletide carol; just these few lines indicate celebration and joyous times are coming. Yet, our world is filled with so much sadness, pain, and hatred. For most of us preparations are being made to enjoy the holiday season; Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years. Each of these have their own reason for celebration; Thanksgiving was a celebration of conquest by colonist over the native peoples who occupied the land when the settlers landed on their shores, shrouded in compromise and bloodshed.

It was made a national holiday in 1863 by then president Abraham Lincoln. Christmas is well known as a celebration of the birth of Jesus the Christ who died for the sins of the world, but; we fail to recognize it’s beginnings came from pagan and roman roots. December 25th was the Roman festival of the Sun and aligned with the Winter Solstice. The church chose to Christianize existing pagan practices rather than eliminate them. The traditions practiced by pagan worship were redirected to honor Christ’s birth with gift-giving and feasting.

Finally, the New Year celebration began about 4000 years ago with the Babylonian’s, this was a 11 day festival around the Spring Equinox held in late March; the Julian calendar established Jan. 1 as the day of celebration to honor Janus the god of new beginnings; a Roman god. In 1582 the date was adopted and officially established in the Gregorian calendar. Throughout the years we have all celebrated theses holidays by gathering together with family and friends; feasting, gift giving, and sharing stories of life. Many will be traveling across the country to be with their loved ones during this season of celebration.

Unfortunately, some will be alone and some will have no idea what the season will bring for them. Luke 12:48 states ” for everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required”; we are blessed to be a blessing to others, it is important that we set aside selfishness. Sharing what we have with others should be our goal for the season, whatever we have whether more or less we have enough to share; if we place the little we have in the hands of the Master giver much can be accomplished. So as you plan your celebrations this holiday season invite someone to share your home, table and love.

My revelation as I sit by the pool of grace

The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a merchant man seeking goodly pearls; who when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it. Math,13:45-46. What does this mean to you, me, and those we love? 1Cor. 2:9 says “but as it is written no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined the things that God has prepared for those who love Him.” We were created and mandated to populate the earth; in the image of our Creator we were created. He desired to be in relationship with His creation, but; disobedience separated them from each other.

This separation brought sorrow to the earth and heartbreak to the Fathers heart; the string broken and His pearls shattered. Each of us a pearl of great price on the Father’s string of pearls; He searches for each pearl with love that has not diminished. Each pearl found and reclaimed brings joy slowly mending the Fathers heart. His determination to redeem each pearl is not detected by the condition they may be in, He is willing to clean them with His love restoring their brilliance and placing them in their assigned positions on the string. Unfortunately, many of us fail to see the value God the Father has placed on us not realizing we are a great pearl in His sight.

We have been convinced we are to dirty to be cleaned and accepted having strayed so far from the jewelry box of heaven. Romans 8:33 reminds us Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for His own? No one, for God Himself has given us right standing with Himself. Through Juses the Christ we are assured that nothing can separate us from the love of the Father; there is nothing we can do that would make void the sacrifice of blood Jesus shed that we could be restored to our position on the string of pearls. The search is exhaustive, but; the Father is not willing that any should remain lost. He sent Jesus that those who were blinded by darkness could see their beauty through His eyes and realize they were one of the great pearls missing from the Fathers string of pearls and He is still searching for them.

The heavenly jewelry box still has room and God’s string of pearls has a place for you; just choose to accept the gift Jesus has already provided when, you choose Him.

My revelation as I sit by the pool of grace

There’s a song that rings in my mind which says, though the storms keep on raging in my life and sometimes it’s hard to tell the night from day; have you ever been in a place in your life where you feel you’re at the end of your rope? Everywhere you look turbulence is there. Chaos surrounds you like a garment and no sunlight can be seen in your sky. For many this is a foreign concept they seem to have it all together, no worries; they appear to lead stress free lives. These are the ones that are caught off guard when the storms finally come.

Life holds no real guarantees that there will be no storms or trials along this journey, often times the waters of life are so smooth we forget the possibility of turbulence that could be waiting just around the river bend. The journey can be very unpredictable and surprising when we are not prepared for the unexpected, but; how do we prepare for the unknown? This was the dilemma that confronted 12 men in a boat when traveling on the sea of Galilee, suddenly the clear sky turned and they found themselves in the middle of a fierce battle with nature; the quiet sea had become life threating.

They struggled with the waters consuming the boat until they remembered their teacher sleeping peacefully as the storm raged against them. In fear and exhaustion they wake Him seeking His help to control the boat as the sea roared, awaken from peaceful rest He quieted the storm with 3 words; “peace be still”. The storm ceased as quickly as it had appeared, can you imagine the look on the faces of the 12 men and how amazed they must have been. Who was this man that even nature yielded to His voice? Some called Him teacher, others messiah and others Yeshua; but, today we call Him Jesus.

Heb 13:8 states Jesus the Christ the same yesterday and today and forever, the same man who carried those 12 men through the storm is available to assist us today in the time of storm when we trust our journey to Him. He is no respecter of person to Him the rich and the poor stand equal before Him, He loves all the same and gave His life that all who desire can be free from the bondage of sin. As He was with the 12 men in the boat; He will be with us when we choose to allow Him to walk along side us on life’s journey. He will say “peace be still” to the storms we encounter.

John 16:33 says “I have told you this so that through me you may have peace. In this world you’ll have trouble, but be courageous; I have overcome the world.” We can struggle on our own in the dark clouds of this world or we can walk with Him who will carry us through the storm. The question is which will you choose?

My revelation as I sit by the pool of grace

There is one destination we will all come to on this journey called life. It is inescapable, a door way we must all pass through; each one of us will enter in different ways and at different times on our journey, but; have no doubt all will enter. I’m sure some of you realize the door is death, most of us find this an uncomfortable subject to discuss. They don’t want to think about separation from those thy love, the loneliness, heartbreak, and sometimes chaos that comes with death.

We fail to see death as the other side of the coin of life. The enemy of mankind uses death to cause dissention, to cast dispersions on the love of God, deceive and destroy family bonds. He who has caused the sentence of death to fall on humanity is like someone who throws the rock and hides their hands. It is at the time of loss when the heart is vulnerable this deceiving spirit attacks leading the human instincts toward pride and greed and away from peace.

We have the weapon needed to combat this threat, we have been given choice; the ability to choose. We must decide between two choices, each will determine what happens after death. I know many of us think death is the end, however; Psalms116:15 states and I paraphrase, precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints. John 5:24 says he that hears my words and believe Him that sent me hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death unto life.

In John 5:28-29 tells us marvel not at this for the hour is coming in which all that are in the graves shall hear His voice and come forth; they that have done good unto the resurrection of life and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of damnation. Jesus the Christ is the door that leads to eternal life, all other doors lead to destruction. Seek the redeeming love of Christ while there is still time, turn away from this world and join the family of God through His Son; don’t allow the enemy to ensnare you in the darkness of this world, make the right choice; death is not the end.

My revelation as I sit by the pool of grace

A warning comes to us who profess to follow Christ from the past; “for I know this that after my departure shall grievous wolves enter in among you not sparing the flock, also of your own selves shall men arise speaking perverse things to draw away disciples after them” Acts20:29-30. For many of us who claim the title Christian; we are losing sight of the character of Christ who we profess to follow. God adorned Himself in humanity to make clear to the world His heart; a heart filled with love, compassion, understanding, patience, forgiveness and inclusion. From creation He gave mankind a gift that the beast of the field, birds of the air nor things in the waters didn’t have; the gift of choice.

Unfortunately, there are those who try to usurp the authority of the Creator by limiting or totally denying this right. In our fractured world men glorify themselves; they applaud hate and speak the hidden thoughts of their hearts. They fail to see the content of character which is unlike Christ excepting the deception spoken through ideology cloaked in light when no light is in it. The example left to the world by Jesus was without blemish, no confusion was in His message; “Love your God with all that you are and everyone else as you love yourself”. Only the Father knows the intent of the heart only He can read the unspoken thoughts and only He will judge each mans character or lack there of.

While it maybe easy for one man to deceive another no deception will stand before the Creator. In this politically charged world in which we live, as followers of Christ we are allowing ourselves to be drawn into the madness of this world failing to see the hand of the enemy at work. Confusion and differences of opinion is causing judgement between sisters and brothers when we should be unified in our desire to be like Christ, not like the world. We are losing the picture of a Christ like character and drifting toward assimilating the culture we are surrounded by. Romans 18:11 tells us it is time to wake up from our slumber because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.

The signs are rapidly manifesting and soon Christ will return. Everyman will stand before the Real Judge to account for his or her life; every hidden sin revealed, every harsh word spoken, every evil act and every opportunity rejected to repent. The cry is heard” come out of her my people that ye be not partakers of her sins and ye receive not of her plagues” Rev.18:4 Who is listening to the cry? Who will make the right choice? “Be not deceived; God is not mocked, whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap.” Gal 6:7 If you send forth hate, hate will return to you; if you send forth love, love will return to you. The choice is yours above all be true to yourself, you will not stand in a crowd before the True Judge, but one to one; think about it and choose wisely. We will all face the consequences of our action, nothing is hidden from the eyes of the Lord God Almighty.

My revelation as I sit by the pool of grace

We just celebrated labor day, a day set aside to honor working people; born from demands of workers for better working conditions and shorter work weeks. The first celebration was held in New York City on September 5, 1882 and made a Federal holiday in 1884 during Grover Cleveland’s presidency. A day of rest from ones labors, yet; many years before the Earth was contaminated by disobedience the Creator of all things completed His creative work and rested on the 7th day of creation week. In 6 days He created in perfection all that we enjoy on the Earth; His final creation being humankind, man and woman. Having completed His work He rested and made the 7th day a Holy day setting it aside from the other days for rest from labor and communication with Him; mans first day of being was spent in companionship with His Creator.

This was the example that was to be followed by every creation before perfection was marred by disobedience. During Earths history mankind has become prideful, increased in knowledge, self exalting and has negated the Creator as well as His Holy day of rest; the Sabbath. Many today do not believe there is a God who created all the worlds; the big bang theory is accepted by many and Darwin’s theory of evolution by others. Voices from the past retelling the stories of a people who lived the experience of personal interaction with the Creator; they eat from His hands the bread and fish, some received sight and some were made to walk, they heard words of love from His lips and many sit in the synagogue with Him to worship on the 7th day; the Sabbath. A special few had privilege’s to enjoy His presence daily, eating and sleeping where He was.

They were in the garden with Him, then at the cross; the faithful watched Him take His last breath. The sorrow that consumed their hearts was removed on the third day after Carvery, He was alive; they saw Him again, heard His voice and touched Him. There were many witness of His resurrection, it is their stories handed down from generation to generation for a witness to us of the Creative power of God and the sacrifice of His son; God with us through Jesus the Christ. The time is short, renewal is necessary; reclaim the gift given so freely to every created being to come aside and meet your Creator on the day of rest He ordained at creation. The fool has said in his heart there is no God. They are corrupt and their actions are evil; even the demons acknowledge God’s existence and authority and they tremble. The time to awake from sleep is now, the end is coming.

My revelation as I sit by the pool of grace

When we think about the word journey, we imagine traveling by a designated means from one place to another; however, there are many types of journeys, the most important being the journey of life. You step into the elevator on the level called birth, so unsure of what may unfold before you. Slowly you become aware of emotions stirred by the environment you realize you have been planted in to facilitate growth. If you have ever tried to grow anything you know the soil is important, the water is important, and the sunlight is important. To reap success the proper foundation must be laid, unfortunately; some foundations are built on shaky ground which cause instability.

The foundation determines how prepared we are for the next progression. As with the elevator; life has its ups and downs, its unexpected dilemmas and its moments of great uncertainty’s; bad health diagnosis, divorce after years of marriage, and death. There maybe times you find yourself looking into the unknown wondering; where do you go from here? The answer comes from unexpected sources, a call from a friend you haven’t spoken to for a long time bringing the encouragement needed to motivate you into taking the next steps along the pathway of life. A smile from a stranger makes you realize with all your problems; you are still breathing, have clarity of thought and mobility of your limbs.

It was just there on the seat, you rode this bus everyday for weeks, but; today when you feel your heart is shattered there it was; a little booklet which asked the question ” Do you know God loves you?” From its few pages you find answers for a worry free journey. It explained you came from the heart of God; He created you for His glory and purpose, for companionship and a example of love. He thought you were important enough to die for, He promises never to leave your side if you trust Him, and He would carry you through rough parts of the journey as long as you hold on to His hands. He has given an assurance you don’t have to fear what might happen along the journey as long as you stay in His presence.

With every progression you will grow closer to becoming who He desired you to be when He whispered your name into existence. Some journeys are short and you may wonder if the traveler reached their potential; what obstacles did they overcome during their short sojourn. Some journeys are filled with many ups and downs, road blocks and detours, rocky roads and deep valleys, yet; the traveler stays the course not turning from their assigned path. They smile through the rain, laugh when the odds seem impossible, and they carry their burdens as if the load weighed nothing. The love that permeates their lives indicates a continued yielding to Gods will for them, constantly basking in His presence.

We all travel along the pathway of life, the question to be answered is how you choose to travel; are you alone stumbling in the darkness of this world or guided by the light of the world? At the journeys end the pathway should lead to the Fathers house where He is waiting to welcome you home, but; the choice is yours to make. The Fathers heart aches for His children who have lost their way, He loves them very much; He sees their struggles and heartaches but will not interfere with their choices or force them to come home; they must choose.

My revelation as I sit by the pool of grace

As I stepped into the sunlight a gentle breeze caressed me with a warm hug, my mind pondered the following questions. Have you ever stood in a valley or on a cliff over looking the landscape and recognized the beauty of a field of flowers? A rainbow of colors, each different yet peacefully coexisting. Have you taken the time from your busy life to walk through a tree lined trail enjoying the sunlight gently touching your skin as it shines through the leaves? Listened to the simply song of birds carried on the morning wind; when we stop to survey the beauty that surrounds us, all nature announces the love and majesty of our Creator.

Throughout Earths history a voice in the wilderness has rang out clearly the message of our Creators love, His sacrifice to reclaim creation from the blight of evil that has invaded it and holds it firmly in it’s grasp. The hearts of mankind grow more and more selfish, the powerful become more and more obsessed with control of those deemed as weak, and justice has closed her eyes and refuse to see the injustice that prevails. The voice from the past cries out to the future; fear God and give reverence to Him who created all things. Return to the one who gave His life that you could be free from the chains of sin, allow His blood to cleanse from all unrighteousness.

His word, the bible was given to us for instruction in right living; His spirit is given to all who seek to live free of sin for the asking. He has promised that when we seek Him with our whole heart we will find Him. He is never far away from the soul reaching out to Him; we are never to lost that He cannot find us, to dirty to be cleansed or to steeped in sin we cannot be redeemed. The destroyer of souls and his fellow fallen angels know the truth; the Creator, the unfallen angels which minister to Him and the unfallen worlds are watching the drama of fallen mankind. They wonder if mankind will recognize the deception that has them mesmerized and respond to the call of love and forgiveness waiting for them to claim.

The enemy will use every avenue available to keep mankind blind to the darkness that has them ensnared; yet, the voice of love still cries out; it is heard in the sounds of nature, seen on the snow capped mountain tops, the green dress of the valleys, the stars radiating against the deep purple night sky and the prayers of the redeemed for those who are still lingering in bondage. It is the Creators desire that none are lost, but; all come to Him in repentance, asking forgiveness and redemption. Freed from the chains of this dark world and beginning to walk in the light of love. A voice in the wilderness is calling, will you listen?

My revelation as I sit by the pool of grace

We are given life, the breath of the Almighty flowing through our lungs; “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul” Gen.2:7. Along with life we were given choice, a special gift from the Creator. We were provided with everything needed for life to flourish; our Creator walked and talked with us in relational love until we choose a different path; one of disobedience. That one act caused the separation between the Creator and His creation and a death sentence it’s consequences.

From life’s beginning until it’s end we have only one life, what we do with it is the question. The journey of life is designed to lead us back to the relational love we experienced with the Creator in the beginning. However, choice is still an important element in the journey. We are not without evidence reconciliation is possible. Through the corridors of time the voices of the past speak to us giving guidance in our choices and consequences when the wrong choice is made. The heart of the Creator longed for the close relationship with His children to be restored.

To show the love He held for them He gave Himself that they could be redeemed from their fall into disobedience and sin. He walked in their presence, an living example of unconditional love and sacrifice; an undefiled image of what mans life was intended to be had he not strayed from the safety of the Creators side. With each new generation the darkness of this world expands it’s reach, but; the light is still available to those who seek to erase darkness from their lives. The love of the Creator is ever present to grant forgiveness and welcome His children back home.

He will never dishonor our choices, we must choose to be reunited with Him; through Jesus the Christ He has opened the door to His house. When we accept His salvation and forgiveness we are promised a new life, one that will extend into eternity; but, a choice must be made. The journey of mans life will end and he will exit the stage of life. What He does with the life he has now will determine his eternal destiny; as a reminder today is your day to decide, you only have one life; what will you do with it?

My revelation as I sit by the pool of grace