settingatthepoolofgrace

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.

In life we have many reasons for celebrating; the birth of a child, marriage, and yes, even death. Every 4th of July we celebrate the birth of our nation.  A nation bountifully blessed by the touch of the Creator, designated to be a beacon to the world of his goodness and mercy; a port of safety for those seeking freedom from persecution.

It’s principles established from the influence of the Creator, acknowledging all men were created by him and are equal in his sight.  Rich or poor, free or slave, Black or white; all are precious to him.  Some families begin their preparations for this celebration months in advance; making reservations for travel, buying new clothing, preparing for visitors, and planning activities for family enjoyment.

No matter what is planned, the occasion must end with fireworks.  This tradition began in 1777 one year after the Declaration of Independence was read; work ceased and the celebrating began with bon fires, bells ringing, and fireworks displays.  We continue to this day to celebrate the United States of America, one nation under God on the 4th of July.

What happened? where did God go?  Our nation has changed; the huddled masses seeking freedom are no longer welcome, equality was a dream never realized for some living in this great nation, power hungry men make rules to govern others that do not apply to themselves, violence and hatred openly voice the evil living in their hearts and those who profess the love of God stand idly by allowing evil men to oppress the least of theses.

We live in a hallucination of justice and liberty for all; our celebrations are a empty reflection of the past, a dream not realized.  Like the worshipers of old we have turned away from the One True God; we have made idols of our own to worship. Power, greed,and self are the Gods we have created.  Our nation is spiraling into decay and darkness.

We have no reasons to celebrate, our Creator is calling out; turn back my people.  Destroy your idols, return to what is just, right, honorable, and true; giving glory and praise to the God who created you. Open wide your arms inviting the oppressed inside.  Bless those in need as you have been so abundantly blessed.  One day soon the clouds will roll away like a scroll.

The mountains and islands will be removed, the trumpet will sound and time will be no more.  The sky will be a glow as never before, no fireworks display can compare to the sight of the Angels surrounding the King of Kings as he returns.  Before it’s to late relight the torch of justice for all, make the land of the free and home of the brave a reality and let the flag of freedom forever wave.

A beacon atop the hill showing the way of love to the world.  United as one, none great and none small; each respecting the other no difference at all.  when the day comes that we have overcome the darkness that consumes our world, we will be ready to celebrate with fireworks once again.  Until then Pray everybody, pray

My revelation as I sit by the pool of grace

 

Music is a force that brings people together, there are many types of music; everyone can enjoy what resonates in their spirit.  For some it’s Jazz, some like Country,some gravitate to Gospel, some to Rock and some Easy listening.  In some form or another music is woven into the fabric of our lives.

words are written to the melody and a song is born, once heard it lingers in the heart or is dismissed. I’m sure you have experienced hearing a tune you’ve never heard before, yet; find it ringing in your mind long after the song has ended. Funny how some melodies just capture our attention, while others fade into the realm of forgetfulness.

Music evokes our emotions, it can bring joy or sadness; tears or laughter.  How often do we think about how music affects our lives.  All the universe enjoys the melody created by it’s Creator; the melody of birds carried on the breeze, the moon and stars serenading the night sky, and the Angelic voices bringing a message of peace in song.

Imagine you’re looking at a piano, composed of 88 keys; 52 white and 36 black.  The composer uses these keys to create a perfect melody, one that would be remembered long after he or she has gone.  How does the keys of a piano identify with the keys of life you ask?  We try to live the best life we can; treating others as we wish to be treated.

Working honestly at our daily tasks, being truthful in our actions with others, standing for what is right and just.  We seek to live in perfection, which is the white keys. Unfortunately, no matter how hard we try; the hidden nature of sin emerges, these are the black keys. What appears to be perfect on the surface can hide the infection of sin from sight.

In every life sin is present, we were born with the desire to do what is sinful;to elevate self, write our own melody and sing our own song.  The song the Creator placed in our hearts is hidden by the brightness of the world, it’s clamor distracting us from the pure melody of the Creator.

If we are not in tune with the Universe we are singing off key.  We must realize the composer has given each voice it’s own special part in the song, when missing; the melody is incomplete.  The Creator desires to complete his concerto, the conductor stands ready at the podium.

All the instruments are poised and ready, but; he is missing voices.  We must search our hearts, find our key and claim our position in the Universal chorus.  The composition will be completed, harmony will reign; the conductor will raise his baton and everything that was created will praise the Lord.

My revelation as I sit by the pool of grace.

Earth, wind, and fire recorded a song ” Keep your head to the sky”, it was written by one of the group members; Maurice White.  In it’s essence the song was a spiritual revelation, most of us get caught up in the rhythm or beat of the song; seldom do we concentrate on the words of the song.

This song was written about a conversation between The Father, Creator of all things and one of his sons; his creation.  It reveals the directions given by the Father to the son to successfully navigate this life.  It acknowledges mistakes by those traveling life’s road can be expected, to make wrong choices which require repentance; is part of the journey.

It stresses the importance of taking responsibility for ones actions, living in the real world, and recognizing we all have a purpose; our purpose can be found when we seek  the Fathers will.  The Father will reveal his will for us through the Holy Spirit. Faith is a very important element of this equation, we must believe.

Faith the size of a mustard seed can move mountains if it is true, that too is a gift from the Father; he has planted in each of us a portion of faith.  The more our relationship with the Father grows, the stronger our faith becomes.  The trials we face on a daily basis are the tools the Father uses to strengthen us, there by increasing our faith.

The song writer was right, we must; keep looking up.  The word tells us to “look to the hills from which comes our help, our help comes from the Lord.”  When we look up; the clouds, sun, moon, and stars display the majesty of the Father.  When we look up; we elevate our minds to a higher consciousness.

When we look up; we open our hearts to the lessons taught by the universe.  All nature declares the glory of the Fathers power to create, opening the heart to him will allow him to re-create in us the likeness of his son; Jesus the Christ.  Who was the expression of his own character encased in human flesh.

Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness and for his wonderful works to the children of men.  How marvelous  is his love for his wayward children, he never stops seeking to bring them home again; he is forever standing by waiting for them to reach out to him.

He is the only answer to the problems that plague us all.  We must realize without him we are but dust; in him we move, breath, and have our being.  He is cooling shade on a hot desert, water to erase our thirst, and manner from on high to feed the soul.  If you are seeking a safe port from the storms of life, look up; keep looking up.

My revelation as I sit by the pool of grace.

 

The years pass so quickly, you realize there are so many things you thought you would have accomplished that remain undone. You wonder where the time went, what did you do with the time you had?  Thoughts of your children flash in your mind, you see them in your minds eye; crawling, then walking, laughing, crying, talking and now they have children of their own.

One year becomes 10, 10 years become 20, 20 years become 50 and as you look into the mirror you see 70 plus years starring back at you.  Your hair is mingled with grey, your brow showing signs of life in the tiny wrinkles appearing there.  You don’t seem to move as swiftly as you once did, you find it harder to stay awake; a nap is needed in the middle of the day.

As you do a rewind of your life, memories flood your heart like a spring shower.  Tears of joy and sadness; special birthdays, weddings, births, and lovers appear from the dark corners of the mind. Some you had long forgotten find their way once more to the light. You find it hard not to smile at the remembrance of your life. You realize how much you have to be grateful and thankful to the Creator for.

Each 1st step taken, each first I love you grandma, each smile and each hello and goodbye.  They are all etched into every fiber of your being; you contemplate if you have used the time given you wisely, if you have learned from the mistakes made along the journey, and what would you like to rewind and do over again. would there be anyone you need to forgive or ask forgiveness from? apologize to or say i’m sorry for  whatever reason.

With the progression of time you realize the importance of every moment you are blessed to enjoy, as you enter the twilight years the memories accumulated tell the story of a Love Supreme, the radiance of a star shining in the eye of the Creator, beloved of the ONLY begotten Son, and jewel in the universal tapestry of life.   One soul that recognizes the beauty of life is a gift from the Creator.

Every experience life brings is designed to teach a lesson, each lesson designed to draw the student closer to the Creator; closer to the Ultimate source of love. I’m so grateful for this life I have, NO REWIND necessary.

My revelation as I sit by the pool of grace.

 

For many years the phrase “cast not  thy pearls to swine” has caused me great confusion. What did this really mean? what was considered pearls? and what did the swine represent? Is this a question you have every  wondered about.  After many life experiences I have come to a better understanding  many of the mysteries of my youth.

I have learned that the pearls of life are the memories of love shared, the people who are dear to us, the wisdom granted to us by the Creator, and the very essence of life; breathe in the body.  These are the important moments that comprise our day to day lives, moments captured by the camera lens of our minds; stored in the chambers of the heart.

Treasures that cannot be replaced which should be protected, the Lord shall preserve thee from all evil; he shall preserve thy soul thy going out and coming in.  He shall cover you with his wings that no harm shall over take you.  Trust him with all that you are and all that you hope to become.

We are warned to keep what is treasured from those who are unworthy to share them. Swine is another name for pig or pork, which is a unclean thing; it’s purpose is to cleanse the earth of filth. Swine will consume anything placed before it. Swine will give no importance to anything but it’s own satisfaction and gratification.

They will give no value to your treasures, In life we will find there will be those who give no value to what we may value; the same will apply to us. It is human nature to value what is important to you above what is important to someone else.  The pearls of life that we are privileged to enjoy must not be given to or shared with those who do not appreciate their importance in our lives.

The Joy of Jesus the Christ, the peace of Jesus the Christ, the hope found in Jesus the Christ and the forgiveness granted by Jesus the Christ are all pearls to be shared, however; all will not be willing to accept these gifts. Therefore, we must not”cast our pearls to swine” but give freely to those willing to accept and treasure these precious pearls.

Jesus the Christ is willing to give to all who will receive him, the path of the just is as a shining light that shineth more and more unto the perfect day when Christ shall return.

My revelation as I sit by the pool of grace.