settingatthepoolofgrace

There were twelve, his constant companions; they were his personal choice, everywhere he went they went. His love for them was without measure, his heart entwined with theirs; they didn’t understand just how much he really loved them, they just knew he did. Each one was different in personality,  profession, and social standing.

Many were fishermen, some educated, some worked for the Roman government, and one was thought to be a thief.  You could say they were a rag tag group of misfits, but; in truth they were a circle of love, with all their faults; love was the dominating factor. They all shared a very unique relationship.

Life is about relationships, not all relationships are the same; they are as different as the people in them.  The journey starts when we are born, we become part of our parents circle of love. Our first circle could be small or large depending on the number included in the circle; mom, dad, grandpas and grandmas.

Then there are circles that include  siblings, aunts, uncles, great grandparents and some are exceptional because they include great, great grandparents.  Whether the circle is small or large the common denominator is always love.  Some of our relationships may be considered dysfunctional, sometimes on and sometimes off; still love is the glue that holds them together .

There is an old saying” teeth and tongue may fallout, but they still need each other”.  It’s the same with our circles of love, we may not always agree with each other;  the love we share requires reconciliation and forgiveness one to the other.  Each of us belong to a personal circle of love composed of special relationships.

We have been given a special invitation to join the greatest circle of love man can experience. The love offered surpasses the love of mother, father, sister or brother.  It is a love that thought we were worthy enough to die for, knowing we are imperfect beings he still offers unconditional love.

He is blinded to our inadequacies and human frailties, he looks at us through the lens of his heart, a heart of love; his name is Jesus.  To show the love of the Father into the world he came.  He gave the greatest sacrifice shedding his blood to save our lives. He is our light and our salvation, so why should we be afraid; when we accept his invitation we can abide under the shadow of his wings.

Although there are many in his circle of love, without us it is incomplete; join with me as I join with him.  He still has room for many more.

My revelation as i sit by the pool of grace.

Crystal glasses, fine china, stained glass windows and hearts are just a few things we think of as fragile. Most of us understand fragile means handle with care,easily broken.  Special care is required when dealing with articles that are fragile.  How often do we think of the heart as needing special care?

The word teaches,”the heart of the prudent getteth knowledge; the ear of the wise seekth knowledge”. “The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked; who can know it?” “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks”.  we must know what comes from the heart defiles the man.

Evil thoughts, murders, thefts, lies, and adultries come from the heart; well, do you think the heart is so fragile now?  If you ask the young girl who has lost her first love, she would say “yes” her heart is broken. If you ask the man who is widowed after 50 yr of marriage, he would say “yes” his heart is mourns.

We all have encountered what would be considered a broken heart in our lifetime; sorrow, disappointment, and even judgemental people can cause heartbreak.  We can be grateful heart break is not permanent, we have a Heavenly Father who searches the hearts of men; we know that all things work together for good to them that love God and are called according to his purpose.

He has a healing balm that restores the heart, for with the heart man believeth unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.  When fine china or crystal glassware are mishandled it can result in breakage, they can’t be repaired; but must be replaced.  Unlike these the heart is mendable.

Jesus is the balm that mends the broken heart, restores it’s joy, erases pain caused by      sorrow or disappointment, and renews the spirit within us. His heart of love reaches out to our heart of brokeness, in him we are made whole again. Yes, the heart can be fragile, but; through the love of Jesus the Christ we can fortify our hearts with love.

Love that strengthens, love that forgives, love that sacrifices, love that speaks truth and love that honors the Creator; by this we please our God who loved us so much he gave himself for us.

My revelation as I sit by the pool of grace

what’s in a name? Have you ever considered the origin of your name? Today many are becoming more and more interested in their ancestry, DNA testing has for many unlocked the mysteries of their family trees, making known where their lineage began.  For some the results solidifies known facts also reveals secrets hidden from view.

However, many remain nameless; their ancestry separated by distance, heritage erased,  their names changed and language forbidden to be spoken. Some have family history that has been preserved and taught from generation to generation, maintaining the family legacy.

There is another category to be considered, those that are confused; they are so blended, they are uncertain where they fit.  For some this is not a major issue while others wish to know their true names, no longer to be nameless. To this end they embark on the DNA road to discovery.

We are told “call no man on the earth father, for you have one Father who is in Heaven”.  This makes it so simple, we are all of one blood; created by the Creator of all things.  The origin of man is the same for all, in him we breath, move, and have being.  He is our Father, we are his children; whether we have a name or  we are nameless, we are still his children.

When we recognize our lineage began at the Throne of God, that love is the DNA coursing through our veins, and we are connected to each other as sisters and brothers; we will share one name, God’s child.  We may be diverse in our skin tone, our eye color, hair texture, features and size; yet, we are all cut from the same cloth.

When our Father saw how confused we had become he sent our eldest brother, Jesus the Christ to enlighten us as to whom we truly belonged.   There are no hidden secrets, no ghost from the past, by the blood shed on Calvary we are free at last. Free from the stigma being nameless brings, renewed in the knowledge we belong to the King.

Unfortunately, there are some who are still in the dark, they remain nameless because they don’t know who they are.  There is an evil force the keeps them confused, hiding there is a choice to be made and they have to choose.  In the eyes of the Father we are all the same, he has given us all the choice to be called by his name.

We are united by the blood stained cross, providing the way that none should be lost. No little I’s, no big U’s; we are all walking in the same shoes. Time to take off your blinders, open your eyes; come out of confusion, leave darkness behind.  The way has been made for you to come home, back to the Father where you truly belong.

My revelation as I sit by the pool of grace.

King Midas was his name, touching things turning them into gold was his claim to fame. He obtained this power as a gift for doing a good deed. I’m sure he didn’t think it through when he asked to have this power. If you are not familiar with the tale, here is a brief explanation of his story.

Everything the King touched turned to gold, he thought this was the greatest thing ever, he was so excited about his new found wealth. He became thirsty but couldn’t drink and hungry but couldn’t eat, he then realized this might not be as great as he thought. He had one daughter, they loved each other very much; but she had been turned to gold.

Sorrow consumed his heart, he began to plead with the gift giver to take back the gift, restoring everything to what it was before he touched them. He finally realized what was truly important.  This is the same way many of us become when we are seeking after wealth and fame. We fail to consider the consequences that come with these desires.

There is an old saying that applies here, “everything that glitters ain’t gold”.  The enemy of souls is eager to grant us the world’s riches and fame, however; he fails to tell us that by accepting his offer it will lead to death eternal.  We are excited in the beginning with the golden touch the enemy has given us.

It is when we realize the price we will pay is to high that we become filled with sorrow, unfortunately; no amount of pleading will cause the evil one to release us from his grasp. The question becomes ” is the golden touch really golden?” Depend on the Lord in whatever you do and your plans will succeed.

Only when guided by the Holy spirit can we be assured we can handle whatever the consequences of our choices maybe. The Holy Spirit reminds us the price has been paid on our behalf to free us from the evil ones grasp, but; we must desire to be free. We must be willing to relinquish the golden touch of the enemy.

We must deny ourselves and follow the Christ, walking in his footprints.  He is our example of the character we need to possess, when we commit our lives to him as we behold him we become changed.  His touch is golden, it changes the hearts of men. What was stone is broken, in its place love blooms.

In him we have redemption through his blood, forgiveness of sin, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace. The riches that come from God through Jesus the Christ are incorruptible.  His touch is golden, it heals th brokenness in the lives of men; in him where there was darkness, light is present shining the way to eternity.

His touch is golden, in him we inherit a home in heaven; the city of God.  We will walk on golden streets and eat from the tree of life.

My revelation as I sit by the pool of grace.

 

The newspaper read ” the most devastating storm of the year”, 80 mile an hour winds uprooted trees, tore the roofs from buildings, destroyed homes all over the city and many lives were lost. At last count 15 people remain in serious condition in  area hospitals .

No one knows how it started, but; the fire was raging out of control, firefighters from all over the country came to assist, dedicated to the task of removing the threat and saving property and lives. It was said to be the coldest winter in 5 years, 6 deaths had been reported due to the cold temperatures.

Nature though beautiful can have sudden unexpected changes, her smiling face can turn to a frown in a moments notice.  Her tears can flow out of control and her voice can cause the ground to shake.  She has the ability to be relentless in her onslaught when she is angry.

She was her closest friend, never in a million years did she think she would betray their friendship; her secrets were safe or so she thought.  He said “I love you and want to spend my life with you”; what happened?  Why was he missing from the church on that special day?

As children they were as close as brothers and sisters could be, each looked out for the other in every way,time has taken its toll, they hardly speak to each other. Neither remember what really caused the breach in their relationship, neither is willing to put their pride aside to mend the brokenness.

In so many ways pride and brokenness ravish our lives; separating us from loved ones, friends and acquaintances.  Because of our human frailties it is hard to take responsibility for our part in any controversy.  We want to blame the problem on the other person.

We forget there is always two sides to every story.  Each participant must take responsibility for healing the brokenness and restoring the breach.  Only by healing the brokenness can restoration begin, healing water is needed; the giver of life tells us to “cast our cares on him and he will sustain us.”

“Drink of my life giving water, it shall be a spring welling up inside and you will never thirst again”; the Lord is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made. When we drink his healing waters all pride, envy, selfishness,greed, and brokenness is eradicated.

He creates in us clean hearts and renews the right spirit within us, we are new creations in Christ Jesus; the old man is no more.  Our hearts are convicted, we recognize our faults and seek forgiveness from those we have mistreated or hurt.  We humble ourselves before those wronged by our actions.

When we have submerged ourselves in healing water, we will live a life of love. Just as Christ loved us so much he gave himself for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God; we must die to self daily as an offering to our Redeemer, Jesus the Christ.

My revelation as I sit by the pool of grace.

 

 

 

 

First the seed is planted, it connects with the soil, a perfect union is born.  As the roots sink deep into the soil a tree comes forth, just a sapling struggling against the winds of life.  It soaks in the rain and sunshine then reaches for the sky; it has the sound foundation needed to sustain it throughout its lifetime.

During its season of life it comforts many who find rest beneath its many branches.  Like the seed and the soil, man meets his match; the two become one.  Their life together grows, the  one that became two is now increased to three.  The foundation for the family has been laid, like the sapling it must be strengthen.

How do we give the family foundation what it needs? Where can it be rooted for maximum growth?  The answer has come, ” I am the vine ye are the branches, he that abideth in me and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit; for without me ye can do nothing”.  Jesus is the good soil in which the family foundation must be rooted.

As the family grows each branch is nourished by the soil in which it is rooted, Jesus the Christ.  The foundation is bathe in the love of Christ, as the family trees grows the love spreads from one generation to another.  The love story continues as each father tells his sons and daughters of the greatest love known to man.

From the one comes many, each heart entwined with the hearts it touches. The Lord is our strength, our shield from every danger. We must trust him with all our hearts; our roots will be strong, our branches many and our tree will ever be reaching to the heavens.  A family is only as strong as its foundation, Jesus is the foundation that will never fail.

My revelation as i sit by the pool of grace.

 

In this modern world of computers, tablets, and smartphones, communication can sometimes take a science degree, convenience can be complicated.  There was a time when the pace of life was much slower.  The events of the day were discussed over the dinner table with all the family present and accounted for.

Kids played outside in the fresh air not locked in the world of video games alone, parents in the neighborhood knew each other and monitored the neighborhood kids; all of them. Those fortunate enough to have a telephone could only receive calls in their homes, when someone called; someone had to be home to answer.

If no one was home to answer, you would have to call back later; those who didn’t have telephones required a face to face visit. Unlike the pace in which we live today, communication was more person to person. Now we have more impersonal contacts and less person to person contact.

Family meals have become a thing of the past, we spend our time texting and emailing each other instead of having face to face communication.  Our telephones travel everywhere we go, most of us won’t leave home without them; should we forget them we go back to retrieve.

The phone was created for verbal communication, however; we do very little talking on them and more of everything the phone can be used for other than speaking.  We email, text,watch tv and listen to music on them.  Can you imagine what you would do if we had to go back to using only landlines again?

Can you imagine how much closer our families would be if we disconnected from our gadgets and started back sitting together at the dinner table?  All situations addressed, the stress of the day released.  Our heavenly Father wants us to disconnect from this world and reconnect to him.

Delight yourself in the Lord, he will give you the desires of your heart; lay aside all the distractions that keep us separated from each other. He desires a person to person relationship with us, his line is never busy, when we call he will answer.  We often seek him when there is trouble in our lives, when we feel lost and alone, or when our hearts are heavy.

Everyday communication is his preference, the more we talk with him the closer we become.  The Father is working in us through the Holy spirit, giving us the desire to obey him and the power to do what  pleases him.  Constant communication will reveal his will for each of us.  We can call him anytime day or night, he is never to busy; he says to us “when you call, I will answer”.

My revelation as I sit by the pool of grace.

 

 

The corner she stood on was very dark, it seemed the bus would never come.  The longer she waited the more nervous she became, her mind filled with all the what if’s she could think of.  It wasn’t really that late, however; the darkness made it seem much later.  In a distance a gleam er of light could be seen, the bus was coming.

Her beating heart slowed it’s pace and peace of mind replaced her anxiety.  For many of us the dark causes great fear, like the young lady at the bus stop; our minds fill with all the what if’s we can think of.  All our fears take a front seat in our minds.  We fail to see there is a light in the distance.

When light is present hope is manifested, when light is present we can see the road ahead of us, when light is present fear is deflated and when light is present the pitfalls are clearly seen.  The darkness on the other hand; hides the traps in the road, the evil that lurks at every turn, and keeps us in a state of hopelessness.

Unfortunately, many of us don’t recognize we are dwelling in darkness; we consider many of the things that cause the darkness in this world as normal.  The glamour of the world hides the darkness beneath it.  We become so mesmerized by the glamour, we are blinded to the darkness it leads us into.

Only light can penetrate darkness, one beam of light starts the process; lighting the way out of the dark requires a connection to the light giver, Jesus the Christ.  The light of Jesus shining through us reflects his love to those caught in the web of darkness. Each time we share encouragement we shed light.

Every meal we share we shed light, when we feed or shelter others we shed light, and when we pray for those we love we shed light.  Leading others from darkness to light begins when we share the love of Christ with them.  Love hides a multitude of fault, forgives, is compassionate, does not envy or boast, and shatters the darkness; lighting the way to redemption.

Those who wish to be free from the darkness gravitate to the light, but; not all will come. Some men love the darkness for their hearts are evil.  Love has given all men the choice to accept or reject it, it will not force itself on any; we must choose.

 

My revelation as I sit by the pool of grace.

Allow  me to tell you a story, many years ago there was a man who was very dedicated to his faith and would do anything to uphold it’s laws against anyone who would not agreed with them. During this time the Religious leaders of that time were persecuting all the followers of Jesus the Christ.  This mans name was Saul which meant, “asked for, prayed for”.

On a journey to find those to persecute, he was greeted by the light of love; the reflection of which caused a new vision in the heart of Saul.  His name was changed to Paul which means “small or humble”.  He who was a persecutor became a devoted follower of Jesus the Christ, for he had seen his master’s face and heard his voice.

Can you identify with this story? who’s character do you possess? the religious leaders, Saul or Paul?  Even today we have those in leadership roles in the church who are well educated and versed in biblical truth, but; their hearts are stone.  Their opinion is the only one that matters.

Some feel the contributions they make gives them the power and right to make decisions that affect the church body.  The Saul’s  in the church find it very easy to condemn others for their faults, to quickly point out their sin’s; yet they lack forgiveness or insight.  Mercy is far from them nor do they see their own faults.

They forget they too are sinners, only through grace are they saved; that too is a gift from God.  Their minds may have been elevated but their hearts are also cold. Their tongues drive sheep from the fold with it’s sharpness.  Then there are those who have had a conversion experience .

They have met the Lord; his love has shattered the stony hearts and given them hearts of flesh,Their eyes are clear they see truth, and their names have been changed.  They have surrendered their all to their Lord and redeemer, Jesus the Christ.  The Holy Spirit has taken residency in their hearts, they work for the salvation of others; forgiving and not judging.

We all face the dilemma of self introspection, which of these names do we wear? are we a Saul or are we a Paul? Do we have sharp tongues and unforgiving spirits? are we judgmental ?  Each of us must choose in who’s foot prints we will walk.  When we claim God as our Father and Jesus as our big brother, Love must be the motivation that guides our every action.

The unconditional Love of the Father our example, the sacrificial love of the Son our example and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit within us.  We as a body of Christ must be on one accord with each other, no matter our position in the body whether we are babes or full grown in the faith; we are children in the eyes of the Father.

We are granted his Grace in turn he expects us to be gracious to others, as he forgives us we too must have forgiving hearts towards our sisters and brothers.  We must guard our tongues from speaking harm against each other or speaking harsh words to each other. It is time for us all to take a long look in the mirror and recognize who is looking back at us.

Is it Saul or is it Paul?

My revelation as I sit by the pool of grace.

Yesterday as I sit looking out the window, children playing caught my eye.  How innocent children are I thought, then I remembered something I heard on the news; teen dies after being attacked after school by 3 of her classmates. It seemed a dark cloud engulfed me, I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes. My heart bleed for her, a flower picked from the garden of life to soon.

As I began my errands for the day, my drive was smooth and uneventful; while sitting at the stop light, a young man offered to assist a elderly woman trying to cross the street with her arms filled with packages.  The smile on her face was worth a million words as he re leaved her of her burden and assisted her to the other side.  Continuing my journey, the smile on her face lingered with me; causing my heart to smile.

There is still hope I thought, there are still good people in this world.  As I pulled into the parking lot of the store I was going to , another car was headed to the same parking spot close to the door.   He took the space seconds before I could, however; when he notice me he did something unexpected.  Starting his car again,he backed out of the space and preceded to drive to another space.

How nice I thought, once again my heart smiled.  When I completed my shopping, while standing in the check out lane; the young lady ahead of me seemed to be having a problem paying for her grocery. she searched her purse for  funds,”put it on my bill”came from my lips to the cashier. I wasn’t sure I would have enough; I just knew it was something I had to do.

Thank you so much, I really appreciate this; I’m sure you can guess what happened next, my heart smiled.  I felt so much joy helping someone who needed help, just because they need it; not because she was a friend, a family member, or neighbor.  For the first time I realized the joy to be gained from serving others.  Finishing my errands I headed home, I reviewed my day over a cup of decaf; I couldn’t stop my heart from smiling as my thoughts recapped the day.

The enemy wants us to believe there is no hope, the world has lost it’s connection with love, and the human race is lost without any chance of recovery.  However, with each time one person reaches out to help another, the fires of love ignites.  Our Father tells us the more we give to others, the more we will receive; everything he places in our keeping is not just for our benefit but to help our brothers and sisters.

We are to follow the example of our big brother, every day he walked the earth he served his follow man in one capacity or another; healing, feeding, encouraging, and forgiving those who were in need.  He loved unconditionally; the poor, the rich, the lame, blind, and demon possessed.  He touched them all with his heart, we are told to do the same; each one we touch will touch another and all heaven will smile.

My revelation as I sit by the pool of grace.